morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-19
From: Boiling Springs

To: Campsite
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

June 19, 2004 ¢ Boiling Springs to Campsite ¢ 18.0 miles        Had another great breakfast at Gelina¢s to get me going. Headed out about 9:00 am. Saw Carefree and Freedom by the ATC Office. Met some day hikers early on and they gave me a four leaf clover! They¢d found several this morning. Took a morning break by an old cemetery that was overgrown with day lilies. Very pretty. There was more shade today than I expected and more clouds, so it didn¢t get really hot. I saw several groups of trail maintainers and I was the first one to use the new steps coming out of the woods before you cross the PA turnpike. Crossed US 11 on the million dollar pedestrian footbridge and crossed I-81 on a secondary road shortly after that. I crossed 17 paved roads today! That explains why they say you cross a road on average every 5 miles but hike some days without ever crossing a road at all.        Had a long lunch break at the Scott Farm Trail Center ¢ almost had a nap. I walked down the shelter trail at Darlington. They were tearing down the old shelter today. I got there after the demolition work was done and got to watch them digging the holes for the footings for the new shelter. One of the ladies there took my picture and is going to send it in an e-mail. Just before crossing Road 16 there was a big Tupperware container under a post with the AT blaze. The top said ¢AT thru hikers¢. It had goodies inside and a logbook. Only Oxymoron and Main Dish were there before me. I took some dehydrated applesauce (like fruit leather), a sports drink, and some marshmallows. I thought about cooking them over my camp stove but opted to eat them raw. It was all very yummy ¢ I had it with dinner. If I hadn¢t stuffed myself the last three days in Boiling Springs I might have tried some of the dehydrated beans or the can of mandarin oranges. Thank you to ¢Kandymom¢ for the trail magic.        Quite about 5:20 ¢ feet are holding up well, but I don¢t want to push it. We¢ll see if they keep me awake tonight. It¢s supposed to cool off into the low 50s tonight. Should be good sleeping weather. Almost forgot ¢ I saw a ground hog today. It was waddling along the tree line at the edge of a pasture. When it got to the corner it headed into the woods. I¢d just stepped through the tree line maybe 25 yards behind him. If I had been thinking clearly enough to go for my camera, I¢m sure the movement would have gotten its attention and I wouldn¢t have been able to watch him nearly as long. Also jumped two deer on the edge of a cornfield.
Date: 2004-06-20
From: Campsite

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: clear sky

June 20, 2004 ¢ Campsite to Duncannon, PA ¢ 7.6 miles                It was a cool night and hard to get out of my sleeping bag this morning. I didn¢t get going until almost 8, but since the Doyle Hotel, where my resupply box was waiting didn¢t open until 11, I figured I was on track. The weather was great for hiking. There were some pretty rocky spots on the ridges, but I¢m told it¢s only a taste of the rocks above Lehigh Gap. Had a nice view of the river valley from Hawk Rock. I saw two more ground hogs today. One only about a dozen feet away. Either I¢m hiking a lot quieter lately or they just aren¢t that skittish. There was a sign on the door of the hotel when I got here that they are closed on Sundays but for hikers to call after 11 am if they need a room. I had been planning on picking up my box and heading on. Midday and only 7.5 miles behind me. I called and was told they¢d be there in about 30 minutes. I made a few Father¢s Day calls since I hadn¢t managed to send cards. When she arrived and brought my box up for me it wasn¢t what I was expecting. It was a care package from my friend Michael! We did find my resupply box, but the other was much more fun. I decided to stay in town to give myself some extra time to enjoy the contents. It was about lunchtime, so the chips and lemonade and 80% of the cookies are already gone. Consumption of which was immediately followed by a food coma and a power nap. I have had a shower, organized my gear, and tried to clean the grime out of the threads of my Nalgene bottle. I have a few things to go to the Post Office in the morning, then I should be back on the trail. I have a nice view of the river from my window and am starting to think about dinner. Had a chef¢s salad and root beer at the pub down the street and watched the end of the U.S., Open. I¢m ready for one more night spoiled by sheets!
Date: 2004-06-21
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Campsite
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: light rain

June 21, 2004 ¢ Duncannon to Campsite ¢ 16.5 miles        Went to the Post Office when it opened this morning and mailed a package and some letters. I was headed for the trail a little after 8. Walked almost a mile through town. Lots of folks said good morning. Duncannon is a very friendly place, but it needs a face lift. Lots of history in town they should take better advantage of. Crossed the Juniata River and the Susquehanna River on road bridges. When I got to where the trail crossed the railroad tracks there was a train blocking the way! There were only a few cars past where the trail went into the woods, so I reluctantly walked around the back of the train and up between the stone retaining wall and the train back to the trail. I¢m just really glad the train didn¢t start moving while I was there.         Stopped for water about 5 miles in at a shelter. Met White Lightning from Alabama who started March 29th. It¢s amazing how you can hike so close to someone for so long and never cross paths. Went by a campsite where two guys had a fire on the way to get water. On the way back the fire was still smoking but the guys were gone. I sprayed a quart or so of water on it from my water bladder and stirred up the coals. There were still some red ones! When I was happy it was out, I had to go back to the spring for more water. A nice breeze and we could have had a forest fire. Some people just don¢t realize how careful they need to be.        It was another 7 miles across the ridge through rocks and poison ivy to the next shelter. I stopped part way for lunch and bumped into Oxymoron and MainDish who were slack packing south. Sounds like they¢re going to try to slack pack the next few hundred miles. Had another long break at the next shelter but finally got up to push on. If I want time for laundry and a shower in Port Clinton I need to put some miles in the next two days. I¢m tenting near a spring just off the trail. Decided I¢d rather fight off a bear than be carried away by mosquitoes and ate in my tent. There are absolutely swarms of them on the no-see-um netting, and I have to brave them at least once more.         Happy Summer Solstice.
Date: 2004-06-22
From: Campsite

To: Campsite
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: overcast clouds

June 22, 2004 ¢ Campsite to Campsite ¢ 22.3 miles        I think I¢m camped about 3 12 miles from where the AT passes under I-81 on the Old State Road just past Swatara Gap. I hadn¢t planned on such a long day, but finding a tent site was a challenge. Slept good last night down by the spring. I had the place all to myself.   White Lightning was camped on the other side of the gap and we hiked together for a couple hours this morning. I saw one southbound hiker and a group of people at the bridge where the Rausch Gap Village used to be. Sat there and had lunch ¢ saw Oxymoron and MainDish again. This time with packs going back north. I saw one dumb deer today, a toad, an orange newt and a salamander/lizard with a blue tail.I stopped to get water at Swatara Creek and got stung by a bee on my left calf. Boy did that hurt! I took some Benadryl and watched it swell up. I sat down for a break at the trail head parking lot by PA443 and to make sure I didn¢t need medical attention. A Culligan (the water people) van pulled in. I think the guy was on a break between calls. His name was Phil. His wife¢s cousin hiked the trail a few years ago. We chatted for a while and then he headed out ¢ then came right back and offered to fill my water bottle. I couldn¢t pass up good water like that, and some I didn¢t need to treat. He also gave me a handful of honey sesame candies. Now that¢s trail magic!!! ¢A serendipitous act of kindness extended by a stranger.¢ Preplanned events and goodies for hikers should be called ¢Trail Catering¢. Thanks Phil! The honey candy and good water and conversation more than made up for the bee sting at the creek. It was thinking about raining all day and sprinkled some, but at about 4:15 it was rumbling and got dark and windy. I hit the I-81 underpass when the downpour started. They were doing a whole bunch of construction there and it was hard to tell immediately where the trail went, so I went up the slope to one of the big pillars that support the road and decided to wait out the rain. In the meantime, I ate all the rest of my Peanut M&Ms. They were supposed to last 4 days and barely made it two. About an hour later it cleared up.   I found my way through the construction and started up to the ridge on the other side of the gap. All I can say is it was rocky, narrow, and infested with poison ivy, stickers and nettles. I thought I might end up hiking all the way to the next shelter before I could find a spot to camp. Right now I think I¢m about 3 12 miles short of there. I had stayed dry during the rain, but the walking afterward soaked my new shoes and my socks. There is no way, with the humidity, that they¢ll dry out tonight, so I¢ll be putting on wet foot wear tomorrow. Yuck! And yes, my feet still hurt.
Date: 2004-06-23
From: Campsite

To: Campsite (Black Swatara Spring)
Miles today: 18.1

June 23, 2004 ¢ Campsite to Campsite (Black Swatara Spring) ¢ 18.1 miles                Now have less than 1000 miles to go. Had a decent morning given the soggy shoes. I stopped at the William Penn Shelter about 8:45 for a morning break and to wring out my socks and let my feet dry out for a minute. There were three hikers there when I arrived, a father and two sons. I think they were section hiking. There was also a small fire going in the fire ring. As they packed up and put on their packs to leave, I asked if the fire was theirs. The dad said no, that a couple had burned some trash. And they left. Several things wrong with this picture. You¢re not supposed to burn trash, you¢re not supposed to leave a fire unattended and you are always supposed to make sure it¢s completely out before you leave. This one actually had flames! I was almost as mad at the three who just left it with the ¢I didn¢t start it it¢s not my responsibility¢ attitude as I am at those who burned their trash and left it. According to the trail register there were two ¢couples¢ at the shelter Tuesday night. I put out your fire. Are you that na ve, or just impatient or lazy? Do you understand what you risked?I did a lot of grumbling the next few miles. I saw some turkey buzzards, scared them from their roost. Also saw a scarlet tanager who wouldn¢t sit still long enough for a photo. Saw a deer of the slightly smarter variety, at least she ran far enough away I couldn¢t still see her. These are State game lands. Saw some more toads, a box turtle, a mole and a bunch of chipmunks. So, a few comments on Pennsylvania rocks. I think I know why people hate them. I don¢t think it¢s so much that they¢re hard to walk on. It¢s that it takes so much more concentration and mental alertness to walk on them. You have to pay attention all the time and think about where each foot will go each and every step. You can¢t daydream or look at the scenery or look at that noise you heard off the trail to see what it was. It¢s very tiring mentally and emotionally let along the physical challenge of keeping all your bones, muscles and tendons intact. It¢s supposed to get a lot worse. Can¢t say I¢m looking forward to it. Bet you don¢t hear this very often. I will be so glad to get to New Jersey.
Date: 2004-06-24
From: Campsite (Black Swatara Spring)

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

June 24, 2004 ¢ Black Swatara Spring to Port Clinton ¢ 13.1 miles        It¢s interesting how some mornings the birds won¢t let you go back to sleep when the sun comes up and other times they are happy to let you sleep in J. Hiked across game lands most of today, some ridge lines, rocks interspersed with some dirt trail. More commentary on rocks: I know the trail crew in this area knows how to move rocks since I got to climb and descend two rock staircases today. But in most places it do3esn¢t look like the rocks have been disturbed for a century or two. There are several wet boggy areas that could use a few stepping stones to limit the impact of hikers trying to skirt the mud and there are lots of sections with rocks to spare. A simple solution? When the trail is routed across a boulder field, I think they just put a blaze on either side and let each person find their own way across. God forbid they tip a couple of pointy ones on their sides so you have a flat place for your feet. Nor for me or the other thru-hikers, of course. We¢re out here for the challenge and interaction with raw nature. But perhaps I would have seen more than two day hikers in the last 5 days if the terrain were more manageable.Speaking of rocks, my feet still hurt. The new shoes are better, but haven¢t solved the problem. The rocks might actually be helping since you never put your foot down the same way twice. After a week the soles of my new shoes were already peeling away from the uppers. I hope some super glue will stop that progression. The insoles that came with the shoes, which I¢ve been wearing under my superfeet insoles, are already squished flat. Now I need the second set of insoles I was wearing in my boots before. Port Clinton is another old mining/railroad town. The ¢Anthracite Trail¢ goes through here. I¢m staying at the Port Clinton Hotel tonight. It¢s a restaurant and bar with rooms on the second floor, about a dozen no frills rooms with two shared baths. Had a shower, did a load of laundry and had dinner. A half pound burger with mushrooms, onions and Swiss cheese. When I polished it off, the local next to me said ¢So, you must be hiking the trail.¢ I barely put a dent in my ¢small¢ fries, but ordered a big piece of chocolate cake for later. Six days and five nights to my next resupply. This is the heaviest my food bag has been since the Smokies. That climb up out of the gap tomorrow morning is going to hurt.
Date: 2004-06-25
From: Port Clinton

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

June 25, 2004 ¢ Port Clinton to Eckville Shelter ¢ 15.2 miles        A 3H day today ¢ hot, hazy and humid. Had two climbs today ¢ one out of Port Clinton and one up from the Windsor Furnace area. The trail today was fairly well maintained. The last 5 miles or so were on an old roadbed. Went by two overlooks which I¢m sure were spectacular on a clear day, but the haze severely impacted the views. There is an observatory up by Pulpit Rock that I would have liked to know more about. You could see the dome on a house and a power facility through the trees. The shelter here is on Hawk Mountain Road. It goes through the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, an ¢internationally recognized mecca for hawk watchers and a center for raptor research.¢ ¢Between mid-August and mid-December, observers will record 20,000 hawks, eagles and falcons passing over Hawk Mountain, more than 150 a day!¢ This is a pretty luxurious shelter. There is a house nearby with a ¢caretaker¢, a solar shower, and a flush toilet!
Date: 2004-06-26
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: overcast clouds

June 26, 2004 ¢Eckville to Bake Oven Knob Shelter ¢ 17.4 miles        Good nights sleep last night. I was joined by one other thru-hiker ¢ Snowman. Neither of us got moving until after 8:00. It was cool and cloudy this morning ¢ cleared by mid-day. Had some nice views of the Lehigh Valley. Met up with Snowman at the Allentown Shelter for lunch, relaxed and chatted for a while. This afternoon there were two boulder pile jungle gym scrambles. Had to use my butt a few times and turn around and go down backwards too. If there is no more of that, I promise not to whine anymore about the PA rocks. Lots of day and weekend hikers out today. At least 3 dozen boy scouts camped in the vicinity, but in the shelter it¢s just me, Snowman and Doc. Snowman is playing Doc¢s guitar and I have my fleece on for the first time in weeks. It should be a very nice night.
Date: 2004-06-27
From: Bake Oven Knob Shelter

To: Lehigh Gap - Slatington PA
Miles today: 7.5

June 27, 2004 ¢ Eckville Shelter to Slatington - OK. I admit it. I have a problem. I cannot pass up blueberries on the trail. I actually think it causes me physical pain to walk by the dark blue, fat, juicy, sweet berries. And there were zillions! When I found the first patch, I thought it was great and had a few handfuls. Pack off, leaned over the bushes. The boy scouts and Snowman passed me there. A half hour later, not much further down the trail, Doc caught me sitting in the middle of a particularly good patch filling my Nalgene bottle with the yummy little things. Good thing I got an early start this morning and the walking was easy or I would have been late to meet friends in Lehigh Gap. Actually, it¢s a good thing I was meeting friends in the gap or I¢d still be up on the ridge in the middle of a blueberry patch!Dick and Priscilla Jefferson met me in the parking lot of D&J Auto where the AT crosses PA 873. They¢d already scoped out the little town of Slatington and found a diner open on Sunday morning. They were serving breakfast so we had a great brunch and I answered as many questions as I could about living on the trail and caught them up a bit about family stuff, what I know anyway. They brought me homemade oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies which of course are half gone. I think I¢ll eat the rest with my blueberries for breakfast. Yummmmm¢¦ Got to ride in Priscilla¢s VW convertible on a gorgeous day. Beautiful blue sky and enough of a breeze for it to stay comfortable. They helped me settle in to a lodging house for the night, set me up for dinner, and headed out. It was a great visit. I need to figure out a way to arrange something like this for all my town stops J.I¢m now showered and at the local Laundromat. The local tavern or pizza place is on tap for this evening.
Date: 2004-06-28
From: Lehigh Gap - Slatington PA

To: Leroy A Smith Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: overcast clouds

June 28, 2004 ¢ Slatington to Leroy A. Smith Shelter ¢ 16.1 milesA little bit of blue sky first thing this morning and nice cool hiking weather. The proprietor of the hotel gave me a ride back to the trailhead about 8. Had a big climb first thing up out of the gap. Exposed and very rocky. Saw a bunch of other hikers today ¢ the group of scouts from two nights ago is still on the trail, also headed for Delaware Water Gap. Met Zippy and Switchback, had met Pocky, Zippy¢s sister back in NC. Met Mushroom, MC, Willow, Dances with Wolfcookie, Wolfcookie and Siver. Also saw Doc and Wizard, Pilot and Vaportrails. Heard I missed the Roman Noodles by a few minutes. 3 couples camped nearby. Mushroom and I are in the shelter. It sprinkled a little today, but nothing significant. But they are still predicting rain for tonight ¢ 40% chance. Just after the gap we hiked a few miles over a veritable wasteland. Apparently there was once a zinc factory/plant on the ridge and the pollution has killed most of the vegetation. It¢s actually a Superfund site! I heard someone say that in places they are spraying the sludge from sewage treatment plants on the area to try to restore some of the organic matter and nutrients to the ground. Interestingly, whatever process the treatment plants use don¢t kill tomato seeds. I didn¢t see any on the ridge, but supposedly there are areas with volunteer tomatoes. There was one flower blooming up here in places, looked like a cross between a chive and dianthus. Have been rationing my blueberries and still have a few handfuls left for dessert.Late breaking trail magic from Lynn and Jim who were up to check on the shelter. Sodas, snickers and grapes!
Date: 2004-06-29
From: Leroy A Smith Shelter

To: Kirkridge Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: broken clouds

June 29, 2004 ¢ Leroy Smith to Kirkridge Shelter ¢ 13.8 milesWent back to sleep after Mushroom left this morning and didn¢t get going until about 8:30. Ran along the ridge over more rocks today. Was misty this morning after last nights rain. Cleared to blue sky and fluffy white clouds. Passed the boy scouts again. They¢d camped just past the side trail to the shelter last night. They mentioned they were heading for Kirkridge too and had their own brand of trail magic planned. Had lunch with Vaportrails and Pilot and hiked with them for a while this afternoon. Met two new hikers at the shelter. Their first night on the trail. They¢re heading south on the AT for three months. The scouts have invited me to join them for pizza and soda by the road! That¢s worth putting my boots back on for! 3 pieces of pizza, 3 glasses of root beer, an ice cream bar, and a sleeve of mints later ¢¦ Many thanks to Troop 312 for sharing!! Please send pictures and good luck on your next 50 mile trip/hike.
Date: 2004-06-30
From: Kirkridge Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: scattered clouds

June 30, 2004 ¢ Kirkridge Shelter to Delaware Water Gap ¢ 6.4 miles        Short hike into town today. I was joined at the shelter last night by MC, Willow, Wolfcookie, and Dances with Wolfcookie. We all got started about 8:30. Great moon and fireflies last night. Met a day hiker, Mike, at an overlook on Mt. Minsi and chatted for a while and ended up hiking the rest of the trail into town together. It was fun to have someone to talk and hike with. Mike also took my picture at one of the other overlooks of the Delaware and Mt. Tammany since I¢d run out of film. When I got into town I had lunch at the Trails End Caf©, stopped by an outfitter for a new pair of liner socks (I melted a pair of mine in the drier in Slatington), arranged a shuttle for tomorrow morning and checked into the hotel for a shower. My Uncle Walt and Aunt Fran arrived about 2:30 and we went to the Post Office for my supply box. I also had a goodie box from my friend Ann at work ¢ Yumm! ¢ and insoles which I shouldn¢t have sent home with my boots cause no I needed them back. Got a little organized back at the hotel and then we drove into Stroudsburg to find another outfitter (I¢m going to need new hiking socks soon ¢ I¢m wearing holes in the heels), a Laundromat ant a pharmacy. I didn¢t do very well with my list, but by clothes are clean. Met a lady at the Laundromat who gave us a great recommendation for dinner ¢ the Stroudsmoor Country Inn. Very nice. Salad bar, salmon entr©e, killer fudge dessert which, amazingly, I couldn¢t finish. Must have been because I ate so much with the Scouts yesterday. Had a great visit with Uncle Walt & Aunt Fran and was back in my room not too long after my normal bedtime.