morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-07-10
From: Smithburg, MD/ Free State Hiker Hostel

To: Antietam Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: light rain

We have left the south and moved into the north!!! We are in PA and officially north of the Mason Dixon Line!!! Prior to moving into the north the hike was pretty boring until we made it to Penmar park... We became kids all over again by playing all over the playground toys! Myself, Tumbleweed, Nighten Gale, and Amazon had a blast forgetting that we were hikers and becoming kids!!! Amazon even got yelled at for being to big for one of the toys. Once we left Penmar we crossed over into the north and headed into the shelter. In order to celebrate crossing over into the north we celebrated with sparklers!!
Date: 2013-07-11
From: Antietam Shelter

To: Caladonia State Park
Miles today: 11.2

We left the shelter this morning with every intention of doing a 20 mile day... It seems that our 20 mile days never seem to work out how we have planned. We made it a whole 1.2 miles before our plans got derailed. We came upon tumbling run shelter where the caretaker was holding a kitten! Of course with us all living kitties we had to pet it and hold it and love it to pieces!!! The caretaker told us that it was a stray and that he was going to go get his grandson to help being it home and if we would watch it until he got back that he would bring soda and apples... Soda, apples, and a kitten?!?! Done, we weren't going anywhere! The caretaker came back and had his grandson with him and as soon as we handed the kitty over to the grandson he drops the kitty and off he runs into the woods! All of our help was for not!!! The caretaker did say he would keep coming back until he could get the kitty so off we went!We made it 10 miles today when we came upon caledonia campground and some awesome trail magic. A church group from Illinois has been setting up camp for the past 12 years here. They let you camp with them and make dinner and breakfast! Dinner tonight was pasta with garlic bread and it was awesome!! Cook Doctor makes some mean food!!! Tumbleweed and I decided to just stay the night and get a fresh start in the morning!!!
Date: 2013-07-12
From: Caladonia State Park

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 19.1

Woke up this morning to some awesome blueberry pancakes made by Cook Doctor!! Such a great time here with ATM! After breakfast we figured out a plan to slack pack up to Pine Grove. A couple other hikers were heading up to Pine Grove to slack pack back to Caladonia so they took our packs up there as we headed out. The day was pretty good. We had 19 miles to do but they went by pretty quick. Just before we got into Pine Grove Tumble Weed saw her first rattle snake. It was coiled up just slightly off the trail. She likes snakes so of course was very excited about this one. After a mini photo shoot and some moss throwing (near the snake not actually at the snake, she wanted to see it rattle, crazy girl!!)and with the snake not moving aat all (Thank God!!!) we went on our way. The snake did have a pretty big middle so we decided that it had just eaten and really didn't care about us at all, which I was fine with but Tumble Weed was a little disappointed.After the snake we made fast work to the actual halfway sign on the trail!!! We are officially HALFWAY done!!! I could not be more excited. We took some pictures there and then headed into Pine Grove general store and the half gallon ice cream challenge! I have said form the get go that I didn't think i would be able to finish that much ice cream Tumble Weed on the other hand was pretty certain that she would have no problems! So we got our icecream and headed out to the cheering squad, Amazon, Nighten Gale, Pyress, and Comrade, and started to dig in. Icecream doesn't actually come in half gallon sizes so to complete the challenge you have to finish off a 1.5 quart and a pint. Tumble Weed finished off hers in a whooping 12:25...crazy fast!!! I on the other hand was a little slower. I had also only gotten the quart since I didn't even think that I could finish that much. As I was narrowing down the contents Comrade insisted that I try for the pint as well, so he went ad got me one and I plowed through that as well. 33:54 was my official time for the half gallon challenge! Holy cow, I ate a lot of ice cream and I didn't even feel sick, I guess hiking 19 miles and only eating a bag of peanutbutter m&ms will allow you to eat that much icecream!After icecream we all walked down to the AT museum to hear Jennifer Pharr Davis speak. She is the woman who holds the record for the fastest supported hike along the AT. She has hiked the AT 3 times and her fastest record is 46 days! It was awesome to meet her and hear her speak about her times on the AT. Becoming Odyssa is her first book about her very first thru hike and one that I read before I hit the trail. It was a great account of a woman hiker and so I was very excited to be hearing and meeting her in person. It made a great end to a long day and an even more memerorable half way point!
Date: 2013-07-13
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Boiling Springs, PA/ Duncannon
Miles today: 19.6

Oh how days out here on the trail can just fly by. It's Saturday, which wouldn't be a big deal other then the fact that I had a box in Boiling Springs sitting at the post office that I have been bouncing since Pearisburg, VA and of course it being a small town the post office closes at 12...My option were to hike 19 miles, zero tomorrow, and get it on Monday or skip the hike, get a ride up to town and deal with my box and then sit and wait for everyone so that we can hike out tomorrow. I took the second option since I really didn't want to zero tomorrow. I got up to Boiling Springs, dealt with my box, and then went to a little cafe to sit and wait. A little while into my waiting I got a text from Mamma Goose who was up in Duncannon. She wanted me to hurry up and get up there as she had made the decision to jump ahead to meet up with the Warrior Hikers and then come back and finish the parts she will miss after they all summit. Knowing that I wasn't going to be seeing her for awhile I made a few calls and heaeded to Duncannon for the night. I would return to Boiling Springs in the morning and continue hiking north.So off I went to Duncannon to see some old friends. There was a big Billville (a group of past hikers) hiker feed going on so I was able to once again catch up with a bunch of people tha I haven't seen in awhile and I was also able to return a few things to thier owners that I have been carrying for a little while that they had lost along the trail!It was great to see everyone and spend one last night with Mamma Goose before she heads north. Tomorrow I head back south just to head back up north!
Date: 2013-07-15
From: Boiling Springs, PA/ Duncannon

To: Boiling Springs, PA/ Allen Berry Hotel
Miles today: 0.0

I am officially in a funk again! I am not sure what is going on with me but hiking is so not it right now! I got back to Boiling Springs Sunday afternoon and wasn't really feeling the hiking. It's hot and humid and this Idaho girl does not play well in the humidity. Tumble Weed and I decided to head to the Allen Berry to do a little swimming in the pool and a little mind relaxing to see if I can get out of this funk. We were jsut going to take yesterday to reset but I woke up this morning and still wasn't feeling it. So today we took a mental day. I have always heard that when you wnat to quit go into town and take some time to really think about it, never quit on a bad day. So here I am taking a couple days to try and get myself back into the game mentally. I know that no matter what happens that I will have to hike for at least 10 more days. My good friend Jamie that I did my section hike with last summer is coming out to join me on the trail for 8-9 days so no matter what I decide to do after she leaves I do still have a few more days out on the trail. I am hoping that her being out here will help but I am just kind of feeling lost.Katahdin doesn't seem that important to me anymore and the has me worried. Have I seen all that this trail has to offer me? am I just feeling homesick? is it just the humidity and heat getting to me? do I really just not want to be hiking anymore? am I just missing the friends that are furhter north? what the hell is going on with me? These are all questions that keep running through my head and I don't know how to answer them.
Date: 2013-07-16
From: Boiling Springs, PA/ Allen Berry Hotel

To: PA 850 Campsite
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: broken clouds

We have left the Allen Berry and Boiling Springs behind and headed north once more. Am I excited about this, no not really but I am trying to make the best of it. Tomorrow we will hike into Duncannon and meet up with Jamie and then we will head north some more.Today we hiked across the Cumberland Valley. We were told that it was going to be hot and to try and stay out of the valley during the hottest time of the day so of course what else is there to do but head into a diner along the way for lunch! We ate lunch at the Middlesex Diner and got out of the heat for a few minutes. It was nice to take the break even though today seems a little cooler then what it has been thanks to the breeze! After lunch we headed back out into the flat world of the valley. It's a little weird to be walking through a valley and farms where the farmers are literally bailing hay 5ft from the trail! But it's also a nice change from the ups and downs of hills. PA is all about rocks and where the water is and today was all about the water! So we are camped next to a tiny little stream but at least it's water! I'm sure it's only going to get worse as this heat wave continues so I'm just thankful that we still have water in some places! Tomorrow we head into Duncannon and will pick up my friend Jamie! I'm excited that she gets to join me out in the trail for a little while and I'm pretty sure she has no idea what she has gotten herself into! But we will make the best of it and have fun no matter what!
Date: 2013-07-17
From: PA 850 Campsite

To: Duncannon,PA
Miles today: 9.1

Got up at a leisurely pace this morning since we didn't have that many miles into Duncannon and since Jamie wouldn't get into town until later this afternoon. As we were getting ready to head out Dragon Fly and Prairie Dog walked by and Dragon Fly gave me a cartoon that she has been carrying for the last couple of weeks and it fits me to a tee! I love it!! I think it's just another way to show just how close you become to people out here. It's one thing that I love about the trail. I may not always like the weather or the terrain or the hiking but I almost always love the people!Once we got into town we hit the first gas station to get cold drinks and to enjoy the AC for a few minutes! Once we were done there we headed to the Doyle to wait for Jamie.My friend Steve from back home grew up in this area so once Jamie got here, she was driven up from Baltimore by our friend Steve's sister Nancy, we headed out to their family farm. It was a lot of fun to see the family farm. We were able to zip line and just walk around the farm and see everything that The Ertle family farm had to offer. We also got to meet 3 of the Ertle brothers. John who lives at the farm has let us borrow one of his cars so that we can get back to the trail in the morning. Such a nice thing to do especially since he just met all of us today!Tonight we were invited into the home of Dave and Nina Ertle. The generosity and openness of the Ertle family is just awesome! I can not thank them enough for all that they did for us!
Date: 2013-07-18
From: Duncannon,PA

To: Campsite near PA 325
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: light rain

There isn't a better way to introduce someone who hasn't been out here hiking then to give then an uphill out of town! And that's exactly what we gave to Jamie on here first day out! We then added in some rocks and humidity and a lot of stupid little black flies! Over all it was a pretty good day. It was hot and humid and the little black flies or gnats are starting to get really bad. BUt Jamie got her first taste of what it's like being a thru hiker.We headed out of Duncannon on an uphill, swung by the first shelter for a few minutes, and introduced her to a bunch of people that I have been hiking in and around with. Last year when we hiked we didn't see any thru hikers so this year is exciting she actually gets to see people!We managed to get in some decent miles today as well. I'm hoping that we haven't killed Jamie on her first day out! But she's a trooper! She even got introduced to the lovely timber rattlesnake...I was a little bit ahead of her and Tumbleweed so I made it into camp first. As I am standing there looking back at the trail all I see is Jamie turning around and hiding behind Tumble Weed. Of course there's a snake on the trail, how I missed it I'm not sure, and Jamie hates snakes! Welcome to PA, rocks, humidity, snakes, and gnats! it should be a fun week of hiking!
Date: 2013-07-19
From: Campsite near PA 325

To: Lickdale, PA
Miles today: 17.6

Oh Holy Gnats!!! They are everywhere and are relentless!!! They never leave you alone and I am pretty sure that they are some form of zombie gnat. You kill one only to have it replaced by 100!! There are a lot of things out here on the trail that I don't really care for but I can honestly say that I HATE the gnats! They drive me insane with the constant buzzing at my ears. I am sure that if a normal person had walked up on me today that they would have thought I was crazy as I am standing in the middle of the trail flailing my arms and yelling "just give me a f-ing break already!!!" They are going to be my undoing!Tonight we are in Lickdale with Dragon Fly, Prairie Dog, and Tumble Weed. When Dragon Fly mentioned that they were going into town and if we wanted to split a hotel with them, we jumped on it. I think that I have become a wussy hiker. We just left town yesterday morning and I am back in town tonight. But really I don't even care. I will take any night away from the humidity and the gnats! and as Jamie said "Any night you want to stay in a hotel is fine with me, I'm only out here for a week!" So town it is...Jamie is holding up pretty well considering that we have hiked two 17 miles days back to back. She has a few blisters but other then that is holding up in this hiker world pretty well! We looked at a couple of different options for miles over the next couple of days, so we will give her feet a break as we will only do 11 miles tomorrow.I also think that I have found my hiker hunger but it only shows up in town. We went to 4 different places for dinner tonight. I wanted McDonalds, Jamie got Sabaroro, Tumble Weed got Subway, and Dragon Fly and Prairie Dog got Dairy Queen. I had 3 cheeseburgers, a large fry, and a large coke. I even texted my sister and asked here if eating all of that would make me fat!! She just said that it would make me puke, I am happy to say that it didn't! But it has taken over halfway on this trail for my hunger to actually kick in...
Date: 2013-07-20
From: Lickdale, PA

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: overcast clouds

As we were laying in bed last night both Jamie and Tumble Weed both said that they could still see the little gnats flying in front of their eyes. I guess I should be grateful that they didn't invade my thoughts as I was trying to sleep!!! Today was much better on the gnat front. They were there but they weren't nearly as bad as yesterday. We are however getting into more and more rocks. So the feet are beginning to hurt more then usual at the end of the day. Pretty sure we are just going to have to suck it up since it will only get worse from here!It's pretty nice having a low mileage day. We took it easy this morning getting ready to hit the trail and then weren't in to big of a hurry as we knew that we only had 11 miles to make it to the shelter today. Jamie is also 3 for 3. She has seen 3 snakes in 3 days. 2 timber rattlers and today we saw a huge black rat snake. By far the biggest rat snake I have seen out here on the trail, it was a good 4-4.5ft....It was a big one! The black snakes don't really bother me that much and I would much rather see them then the rattlers or the copper heads! Jamie however is perfectly happy not seeing any of them!This shelter is pretty great. It has a shower and you can order pizza. I mean what more can a hiker ask for? ok probably a lot but being able to shower and eat pizza at a shelter is pretty good! now if it had A/C we would be golden!
Date: 2013-07-21
From: 501 Shelter

To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Rocks and gnats and humidity...Jamie sure did pick a great week to come visit! I feel like all of my entries for this state are going to start out that exact same way! But I guess when most people call this Rocksylvania there's only one way to start the journal! It's so funny to be around someone that still has their sense of smell. We as thru hikers eventually stop smelling ourselves and our packs and everyone else around us. We all know that we smell bad but we just don't care because we are all in the same boat. Jamie on the other hand isn't use to the hiker funk. We were taking a picture together today and she looked at me and said "someone stinks!" I jut looked at here and said "probably me, just get use to it!" and then we all laughed. It's the little things that as a thru hiker you forget about. I guess that's one of the many reasons that I love having Jamie out here with me. She points out the things that we have all gotten so use to!The day was actually pretty good. the gnats came and went, it's cooled down a little bit, and the rocks have started getting worse. But over all not so bad. We hike in a line of 5 and talk so it passes the time by. It's also pretty fun to have an outsider seeing our world and being able to talk about what we have been through and then getting her perspective on just how crazy we really are! Plus having a really good friend out here on the trail with me makes the hiking a lot better, I have a piece of home and it couldn't have come at a better time. When you are feeling down out here most of the time you just want to be home and when that can't happen the next best thing is having a piece of home come to you. Before Jamie got here I really wanted to go home but now I am having fun again and enjoying the hike, except for the stupid little gnats, and feel like things might be ok.So we head north and will try and get as far as we can while Jamie is out here with me.
Date: 2013-07-22
From: Eagles Nest Shelter

To: Port Clinton/ Hamburg, PA
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: light rain

It's never a good feeling when you wake up and feel like you are in the Bates Motel. There were a couple of friends of a thru hiker that had come up to the shelter to hang out and when we woke up this morning one of them was sitting on a bunk staring straight ahead swinging his legs and there was just that creeper/unsettling feeling. I am sure that he was perfectly harmless but the situation was just weird and I wasn't the only one that noticed it. Luckily there were a bunch of us in the shelter, so it just becomes another trail story to laugh about.WORLD'S LARGEST CABELA'S!! Or at least that is what we have been saying for the last couple of days. It's always fun to see what we get excited about and in Hamburg, PA it's Cabela's and the resulting bug net that I bought! It's a lovely mossy oak pattern so now I can be camouflage to the bugs, woot woot!!! We also had an awesome smoked elk wrap while we were at the store...It's crazy what they do to stores these days and the fact that we partake in them. But it was cool none the less.I also got to have dinner with my good friend Ami from high school who lives a little ways from here. I haven't seen her in 16 years so it was awesome to catch up and meet her kids. I love to travel for this reason alone, it gives me the opportunity to see so many people that aren't living back home. Thanks for coming and having dinner with me Ami, next time we won't wait 16 years!!!After dinner we headed to Walmart to do a little resupply and down came the rain...and I mean it was a down pour! I am glad that we were inside for it. When we were done shopping we went outside and stood there looking sad and asked the first people we saw if they could give us a ride back to the hotel. They were nice enough to agree. Woohoo, no walking in the rain for us today!When we got back to the hotel we were sitting there watching the lightening out of our window and listening to the thunder when the hotel lost power... That's something you don't get to experience when you're in your tent! and Jamie was very happy that we were inside and not out in the storm and I can't disagree with her in the least....
Date: 2013-07-24
From: Port Clinton/ Hamburg, PA

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I am off trail for a little while. There was a family emergency that happened on Monday and I made the decision last night that home was where I needed to be. My family has and always will come first. I won't go into details but I would appreciate prayers for my family at this time. I will be back on the trail at some point, not sure when that will be but I will come back, pretty sure each one of my family members will kick my butt until I come back! I will update my journal when I return back to this crazy life we call the Appalachian Trail.
From: zero day

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0

Sorry for the late entries and I am certainly not up to date. However; I will complete all the date entrys when I get home next week. Currently I am in Damascus VA for trail days and am having a great time. I have met so many people I hiked with with last year and will be getting a ride to Harpers Ferry Sunday from Tree Trunks and Manula. Take care.
Date: 2012-04-03
From: Woody Gap

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

Made it passed Blood Mountain before the storm. I was approx. .5 mi from the Gap and the skies opened up with a lightning and cold rain deluge. Mountain Crossing was full but was able to secure a cabin for 60 bucks. Shared the cabin with B1 and Prana so the cost was cut down to 20 bucks each. Not bad for a cabin with a kitchen, bath room and TV. Others stayed at the Blood mountain cabins Tree trunks and Manula and my soon to be hiking partner Greenhorn.
Date: 2012-04-04
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: moderate rain

Started hiking with Greenhorn today and we would hike together for the next 2 weeks until an injury took him off of the trail. Spent the night at Low Gap with TT and M and Greenhorn. Others I started with were there too. Chattie Kathy, Cathline and Yo yo.
Date: 2012-04-05
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: clear sky

Rumor had it a major storm was heading our way from the Southwest so we decided to head for a town for shelter. We ( Greenhorn) got to the gap and called for a shuttle by the time the shuttle got there an additional 6 more hikers showed up. We all ended up in Hiawassee GA and stayed at the Budget Inn, high and dry.
Date: 2012-04-09
From: Carter Gap shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: clear sky

Hiched a ride into Franklin today and stayed 2 nights giving us a 0 day. On the second day B1, TT and M and some of the other showed up. Franklin's 1st Baptist Church fed us a pancake breakfast. The Southern people were very good to us.
Date: 2012-04-13
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 11.5

Made it to Fontana Dam and the start of the Smokys. We will stay at the Hike Inn tonight and get a good rest and feed be for starting our hike thru the Smokys. Jeff and Nancy were very good hosts and Jeff gave us a very stern lecture on all the dangers of hiking in the National Park. Bears, snakes, hogs and lightning. B1 asked Jeff if we would have any fun. Nothing much happened the entire way except for some fog and rain and a couple of turkeys, no snakes,bears, hogs or lightning. We still had fun.