morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-06-20
From: Fort Royal, VA 

To: Tent Site
Miles today: 26.9
Weather: clear sky

I wasn't able to have a second breakfast morning since I wanted to get some miles in today. I hitched a ride very quickly and was on the trail at 7:30.The terrain pretty moderate and the trail surface was good for the most part so I moved along.For the last 3 miles I entered the roller coaster which is a 13.5 mile section with tightly packed ascents and descents with mostly rocky trail surface.I finished the hike when it got dark and tented next to a river which I always enjoy because of the sound.
Date: 2016-06-21
From: Tent Site

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 26.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I need to vent!I was on the trail by 6:30 since it's typically cooler in the early morning but it was probably in the 80s already (forecast was high in 90s). I was drenched in sweat within half an hour. After a bit it rained and I was hoping that would cool it off but it only made it more humid. It was like hiking in a steam room.The last 10.5 miles of the roller coaster we're very tough given the heat and rocky surface so I moved very slow. When I was done with that I celebrated with a tuna lunch. Soon after I could hear thunder and within half there was a downpour which finished with nickel sized hail...ouch!A couple hours later I could hear thunder again but assumed I it was the storm that had just passed...wrong! Another downpour but no hail this time.As I was coming into town crossing over the Shenandoah River I could see lightning ahead but assumed I could get there before getting drenched again...wrong!It was dark when I came off the trail into a residential area and I hear from an attic window "hey midnight hiker". Midge comes out and gives me directions to the EconoLodge and also offers me grilled chicken she cooked for lunch...very sweet but I declined.This is a beautiful, small, historic town with spectacular eclectic architecture...but very expensive! The hotel was twice what I've been paying at most towns so I'll probably have three breakfasts.I did hit a couple more milestones by passing the 1,000 mile mark and reaching the state of West Virginia.Let's hope tomorrow's adventure is a little less adventuresome.
Date: 2016-06-22
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Crampton Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: scattered clouds

I didn't leave the hotel until noon since I wanted to give my shoes a chance to dry in the sun. From there I grabbed some lunch then headed to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to get my picture taken. Harpers Ferry is the named halfway point even though I still have 72 miles to get to the actual halfway. Next I did my resupply then back onto the trail.Leaving town the trail follows the Potomac River for a few miles. Somewhere along that stretch I entered Maryland, state number 6. The trail climbed for a bit and then it leveled off until I got to the shelter.It was a comfortable day and I had just enough daylight to make dinner. Other hikers mentioned that some nasty is forecasted for tomorrow.
Date: 2016-06-23
From: Crampton Gap Shelter

To: Ensign Cowall Shelter
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: clear sky

I got a late start this morning since it was raining pretty heavy when I woke up. I was on the trail at 9:40 and fortunately the terrain in Maryland is fairly flat (although rocky at times) so I moved along. The trail passes by a lot of monuments, civil war sites, and ruins. I'd like to come back to explore this place when I have more time.I usually break up the day with 1st breakfast at the shelter, hike, 2nd breakfast, hike, 1st lunch, hike, 2nd lunch, hike, then dinner at the shelter. The long milage days don't seem so overwhelming that way.I'm in my tent now and it's raining but another hiker said it's supposed to be nice tomorrow.
Date: 2016-06-24
From: Ensign Cowall Shelter

To: Antietam Shelter
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: broken clouds

So I've completed Maryland and I'm now in Pennsylvania. Today was the first time that I've resupplied in the middle of the day. It worked out fairly well since I was still able to hike almost 17 miles. I got a ride quickly hitching to and from the town of Waynesboro. The ride in was from Clint, who wanted his picture with me, (sometimes you feel like a rock star) and the ride out was from Oak who thru-hiked in 2013 and was here to do trail magic.I had lunch in town and met Odie (thru-hiked in 2013) who does the AT Yearbook. He took my picture by the "EATS" sign in Applebee's.I hiked the last few miles with Gnome who runs an organic farm in Johnson City, TN where my college friend Burgin is from. I love the shelter I'm at since it's right next to a stream...I should sleep well tonight. I always try to set up my tent so that I'm out of view of hikers when I exit the tent in the morning since I look like a newborn calf trying to stand for the first time.
Date: 2016-06-25
From: Antietam Shelter

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a comfortable day hiking today with lots of breaks. I hiked for a while again with Gnome (40), great guy and very interesting. He's a marathoner, ultra runner, just started doing triathlons, flew into Worcester a few years ago to buy a vegetable oil powered Mercedes (just like my buddy Heisenberg, AT 1990), worked on the construction of golf courses for 16 years including Fire and Earth courses in Dubai where he worked with Greg Norman for 3 years. It was great hearing his experiences and the miles flew by hiking.The shelter we stayed at was very busy with lots of good people.I'm really looking forward to seeing my sisters on July 5th. Martha will hike with me for 3 days while Dianne goes sightseeing. Can't wait!
Date: 2016-06-26
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Tent Site
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: clear sky

So today I passed the halfway point at 1,094.5 miles. Soon after that there's a general store where you can do the half gallon challenge by eating a full half gallon of ice cream. I had been looking forward to this since Springer Mountain so I easily finished off the ice cream then packed a burger to go for later. There were about 10 of us hikers there so we hung out for a while.The trail then went through a park with pond which was packed since it was a hot sunny day. I was missing my tri friends when the next section reminded me of the rail trails back home.I finished the last few miles with Gnome, we ate our burgers, then tented without the flys on our tents since it was a nice clear night.
Date: 2016-06-27
From: Tent Site

To: Darlington Shelter 
Miles today: 23.1
Weather: scattered clouds

It was a hilly and rocky start and finish but rest was fairly flat. The trail took us through a lot of corn fields and pastures and then through the center of Boiling Springs, a cool little town with a beautiful pond. I got to the shelter just before dark, made dinner, then tented without the fly again since it was a clear night.Early on I developed a technique where I can pee from my tent in the middle of the night while keeping my feet inside my sleeping bag. It requires strategic placement of the tent based on orientation and grading. I can't go into detail since I plan to patent it but it will be called "zip-pee-ooh-yah...peed-zip-oh-yeah". (I know Goolsky, I must have too much time on my hands.)
Date: 2016-06-28
From: Darlington Shelter 

To: Duncannon, PA 
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: overcast clouds

A short day today since I'm heading into Duncannon to shower, charge electronics, do laundry, and resupply. 6 miles of the trail was described as very rocky so I left fairly early figuring it would be slow going and I wanted to get into town to rest as much as possible.The last several days have been hot and humid so usually I'm a sweaty mess all day. Looking forward to putting on some clean clothes. The shower felt great since my last one was 7 days ago!Wearing glasses while hiking is tough when it rains or if it's hot and humid since I'm constantly trying to clear them from rain, sweat, or from fogging up. In hindsight (pun intended) I would have gotten contacts before starting the AT.
Date: 2016-06-29
From: Duncannon, PA 

To: Tent Site
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: clear sky

It was a real nice hiking day since it wasn't as warm or humid as the last couple of days. After crossing a couple of highway bridges and before entering the woods again I saw Merlot (53, Harrisburg, PA, marathoner, her 22 year son thru-hiked 2 years ago) who I hadn't seen since Hot Springs. We had hiked and sheltered together for a few days back then. She was wearing a Hartford Marathon shirt when I first met her.Today we hiked together for most of the day and shared experiences. Her husband then picked her up around mile 18 since she lives about half hour away. She was slack packing and will again tomorrow.I was having my 2nd lunch by a river when she left then Gnome came along. We both soaked our feet in the cool river (felt great!) then finished the day hiking together. It was a fun day and it went by quickly.
Date: 2016-06-30
From: Tent Site

To: William Penn Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: clear sky

I headed out before Gnome since he usually sleeps 9 or 10 hours (jealous!). The weather was nice and fairly easy terrain. I soaked my feet in a cold steam again while I had my first lunch which I hope to make a daily routine. Gnome came by and headed on then Merlot joined me hiking as I was leaving the stream. She was slack packing again since her husband was picking her up. We scored a trail magic cooler of sodas just before she finished.I then had a rocky climb followed by a long stretch of more rocks. Pennsylvania is known as Rocksylvania on the AT since it's very rocky, especially at the northern end. I aggravated my ankle during the rock stretch but made it to the shelter before dark. My sisters will be bringing down my ankle brace so I look forward to the additional support.
Date: 2016-07-01
From: William Penn Shelter

To: Eagle's Nest Shelter
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: broken clouds

Today there was a variety of smooth and rocky trail surfaces. During one of the rocky stretches I bruised the bone below my baby toe on my left foot. The last 5 miles were the most painful hiking since I've started. I'm hoping it won't be as much an issue tomorrow. My sisters will be bringing down a new pair of shoes so hopefully that will help. They'll also be bringing my summer gear to switch out for my cooler weather gear so I'll get to lighten my pack...sweet!I now have poison ivy on various spots of my arms and legs (I'm getting the full experience!). Fortunately I have the hiking poles in my hands otherwise I'd be scratching myself the whole time. I'll pick up something for it when I resupply tomorrow.
Date: 2016-07-02
From: Eagle's Nest Shelter

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: broken clouds

It was a beautiful cool morning and my foot felt pretty good. The trail was rocky at times but not too bad. There was a steep descent into town. I got a ride quickly to the Walmart which had a Subway and I planned to spend several hours there eating, shopping, recharging, and resting.I ate a 12" sub with 4 sodas, shopped, then found a nice picnic table in a grassy area to relax. I planned to get back on the trail around 5 and got a ride even before putting my thumb out...people are so nice!As usual there was a pretty steep climb to begin with then moderate terrain until I reached the shelter. It's a cool evening and you hear fireworks off in the distance.
Date: 2016-07-03
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Tenting behind Blue Mountain Summit Restaurant
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a challenging day. There were a few boulder scrambles in the morning which really slowed me down. Also there hasn't been much rain recently so a lot of the water sources are dry. Towards the end of the day I took a lengthy side trail to what was supposed to be a reliable source but it was dry. When I got back from the side trail Charcoal (Ohio, got his name because he didn't shower or do laundry until Fontana Dam, he was definitely due when I saw him) was there and he said the next reliable source was at a spigot behind a restaurant 4 miles up. It was 7:10 so I had to book it (similar to what I did to not miss trail magic) to get there before it got dark. I shared some spice drops with Charcoal and one of my crowns came out...fortunately I didn't swallow it! Half mile before I got to the restaurant I could hear great live music. I was hoping it was at the restaurant and it was. The kitchen was closed but they served me some "soft" appetizers. They also had Sam Adams on tap...score! There were several hikers there and the restaurant owner let us tent in the back. I love when a tough day finishes well.In the middle of the day I also saw George day hiking. He had picked me up yesterday to bring me back to the trail when I didn't even have my thumb out (unsolicited kindness happens all the time on the trail). Great guy and he said he has has been considering doing the trail but couldn't afford to right now. George (I hope you read this), if you can it make it happen sometime, do it! I told my friend Jen I hope to come back a "refurbished Dave" or "Dave 2.0" but she said I'll come back transformed, and she's right! I do hope a lot of the feelings and emotions from the trail stay with me forever.
Date: 2016-07-04
From: Tenting behind Blue Mountain Summit Restaurant

To: Tent Site
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I didn't sleep well last night mainly because I was anxious. It was the first time since I've been on the trail that I needed to be somewhere by a certain time. I had 34 miles to travel in the next two days to get to Wind Gap to meet my sisters and go to the dentist to have my crown put in.Typically all my planning was based on how many miles I needed to travel over the next several days in order to resupply for food. I would then assess the terrain and shelter locations to determine about how many days it might take. I always carried an extra day of food so the distance I covered each day was flexible.There were several boulder scrambles in the morning and it took me 5 hours to travel 8 miles. Then there was a sign for a hiker pinic trail magic so I got to chow.Fortunately the trail was more manageable the rest of the day so I was able to cover 20 miles for the day.
Date: 2016-07-05
From: Tent Site

To: Wind Gap
Miles today: 13.9

It rained through the night but stopped in the morning. I was up and out early since I had about 14 miles to get to Wind Gap and wanted to allow enough time to get to the dentist once I connected with my sisters. The trail surface was pretty rocky at times but I moved along and got into town around 2PM. My sisters' ETA was 3:45 and I was able to book a dentist appointment at 4:15.I was at a gas station to meet my sisters and they didn't realize at first that the homeless looking guy laying under a tree was their brother. Dianne literally almost threw up when I got in the car and screamed "roll down the windows!" The look on her face was priceless. I never notice how bad hikers (or I) smell on the trail.Dianne doused me with baby powder before heading into the dentist. Putting the crown on went pretty quick and I apologized profusely for my poor hygiene.We then had a great dinner (after I showered) and caught up...fun night!
Date: 2016-07-06
From: Wind Gap

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

Today my sister Martha joined me hiking. She did great. We started the day with a big breakfast at the hotel then picked up Gnome and Merlot who were at the Travel Inn to give them a ride to trail head. I'm glad my sisters got to meet my trail family.There was an initial climb, then fairly level, then a descent into Delaware Water Gap but the trail surface was pretty rocky a good portion of the way. We did have some great views, especially looking down on the Delaware River.Dianne left some trail magic where we were finishing. Gnome got there first and he said some earlier hikers said a bear was trying to make off with the bag of snacks (I still haven't seen a bear).
Date: 2016-07-07
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: clear sky

Martha and I started our hike by crossing the Delaware River and entering into New Jersey. We climbed for a bit before leveling out. We had a downpour around mile 3 but it cleared right away. There were some great views, sometimes in both directions. The Mohican Outdoor Center had a nice gathering room where we ate our dinners. I had my haddock sandwich and fries that Dianne brought from Maine. I miss Maine so it probably helps me hike pretty long days to get there sooner. We then set up our tents under a clear sky. Martha showered (for fear of smelling like me) and then off to sleep.
Date: 2016-07-08
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Brink Shelter 
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

We got to shower in the morning then headed about 7AM. We planned to meet Dianne at a road crossing about 7.5 miles ahead. The trail surface was pretty rocky but it smoothed out the last mile. Midway through the hike we had trail magic from the local hiking club which Martha and I loved.When Dianne arrived we had a pinic including Popeyes chicken and apple pie. We then said our goodbyes and I headed back to the trail to do 7 more miles. I got caught in a downpour about a mile before making it to the shelter. Fortunately it wasn't crowded so I stayed in the shelter instead of setting up my tent.It was great seeing my sisters and I'm so glad Martha got experience some trail life (except for not showering for several days). Dianne was a true Angel during the whole visit. I'm blessed to have such great family.
Date: 2016-07-09
From: Brink Shelter 

To: High Point Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: light rain

A good portion of the trail was pretty rocky and my bruised foot was aggravated. I stopped at a stream and soaked it for a while which definitely helped but only for a short time. Another trail magic lunch occurred at the perfect time. I later stopped at the High Point Visitors Center to run cold water on my foot. They gave me a free soda there which they do for all the thru-hikers.I got another downpour a mile before reaching the shelter so for the second night in a row I looked like a swamp rat when I finished. The shelter was packed with 10 girls with 2 chaperones who got caught in the rain also. Fortunately they weren't sleeping in the shelter, just drying off and having dinner (until 11 PM!). There were three others that slept there, Charcoal, Book Worm (puts a book on his stomach when hiking so his pants don't fall down since he's lost so much weight) and Hammer (Montana) who Martha and I met when we crossed the Delaware River. I slept well, after the dinner group cleared out.
Date: 2016-07-10
From: High Point Shelter

To: Ruffing Residence in Redding, CT
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: overcast clouds

In the morning I ate my Pop-Tarts while standing in the stream next to the shelter with hopes that it would alleviate my foot pain while hiking. Despite having a smoothest trail surface I've been on in the last couple hundred miles, my foot hurt a lot and I knew I had to do something about it since it had been an issue for about 2 weeks. I called my hiking buddy Matt in CT and asked if he'd pick me up at a road crossing 8 miles up, so that I could stay at his place for a day. He and his son Ben (my godson, who just summited Mount Rainier in Washington 2 days ago) drove over in the afternoon. We has something to eat on the way and picked food for dinner.I iced and elevated my foot while we watched the Olympic trials and had a great dinner. It was awesome just hanging out with Lynne, Matt and Ben.
Date: 2016-07-11
From: Ruffing Residence in Redding, CT

To: Ruffing Residence in Redding, CT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

I was the houseguest that everyone dreads. I ate a ton of food, didn't help with anything, took a nap, took several showers, and just laid around soaking my foot in ice and elevating it. Fortunately Lynn, Matt and Ben tolerated me for a day and a half and it was great for me to catch up with all of them. Lynn and Ben will bring me back to the trail tomorrow morning fairly early and I pray that the rest has allowed my foot to serve me better on the trail. I also hope there are less rocks, similar to yesterday. If all goes well I hope to hike over 20 miles to get me across the New Jersey border and into New York...time will tell.
Date: 2016-07-12
From: Ruffing Residence in Redding, CT

To: Tented Just Beyond the NJ/NY Border
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: overcast clouds

The Rufffing family are my zero day trail angels...Tom, Matt, Lynn, and Ben. Lynn drove me an hour and a half back to the trail head. I even got to have a Dunkin Donuts coffee which is only the second one since I started the trail.My foot still hurt while hiking despite having a smooth trail surface. I stopped after a couple of miles and realized I had misdiagnosed my ailment...it wasn't a bruised bone, it was blister that hadn't healed but had calloused over. I'm very inflexible and I needed to contort my leg and foot to actually see the issue. I spent about an hour on the trail doing some minor surgery with my little swiss army knife and was able to relieve most of the pain and patch it so it could heal properly.The hike today was a mixed bag with smooth and rough trails, steep rocky ascents, boulder scrambles, paved roads, board walks and bridges. It was dark when I finally crossed the NJ/NY border so I set up my tent at the first available flat location next to the trail.
Date: 2016-07-13
From: Tented Just Beyond the NJ/NY Border

To: Tent Site
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: clear sky

I was on the trail early because I had a long day planned, but the trail had other plans for me. I hiked for 13 hours with very few breaks and only covered 17.9 miles. The AT was more like an obstacle course than a hiking trail with its ups and downs and meandering over bolders. It was probably the toughest day I've had since I started and I felt very old. I was physically and mentally exhausted when I finished. My first day in NY and I'm not liking it right now!
Date: 2016-07-14
From: Tent Site

To: Slept with Pad and Quilt next to Hessian Lake 
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: broken clouds

The second day in NY had less obstacles but the trail surface was pretty rocky which required constantly negotiating a place to land your feet. There was also a lot of ascending and descending, the last being up over Bear Mountain. I hiked down that with Yuri who was doing a day hike loop with descent down the AT. He's considering doing a thru-hike in a few years so I shared some of my experiences.I slept with just my pad and quilt next to a lake and soaked my feet before retiring. When I was about to lay down there were about 10 skunks right behind me rummaging around a trash can. I shooed them away and they scurried off.