morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-04-28
From: Hot Springs, North Carolina

To: Hot Springs, North Carolina
Miles today: 15.0

The AT has shelters about every 8 miles or so. About 275 total, over 2200 miles, something like that. The shelters have a roof, and three sides, typically open on the front.   These shelters most often sleep 6-8, less often 10-20.   Most but not all shelters have enough open roof space such that you can cook there, welcomed especially when it rains. The shelters always have a water source (a stream or spring), and most have an outhouse, called on the AT a privy (Must be an eastern USA term).   And they also have space to setup tents. Most hikers tend to stay at the shelters, either sleeping inside them, or in their tents/hammocks/tarps.   They are natural social gathering spaces.   In the GSMNP, we were required to stay or camp at the shelters.   No camping elsewhere was allowed.   The problem is, they are always full of the youngsters when I arrive.   The youngsters tend to start 12 hour to an hour later than I do each day, but invariably they pass me by, and they get to the shelters it seems by 2-3PM. When I arrive at 5PM, the shelters are full.   The youngsters are all settled in, making coffee or whatever, and they are jabbering away at whatever the youngsters find amusing.   Rain or no rain, when I appear, they seem to look at me and say (to themselves) ¢Old man, what are you looking at?.   This shelter is obviously full. Go setup your tent in the tenting area¢   I¢ve not heard them say that, but It is what I imagine.   Invariably, the shelter has the kids, and the 55+ crown is or has setup their tents outside.   I wonder sometimes if the youth see any injustice in this, or do they just think to themselves ¢I AM faster than you old guys, I got here first, too bad for you, now go setup your tent¢. I suspect this is the case. Most of us older guys prefer the comfort and QUIET of our tents. The shelters also suffer from mice problems, in that the mice are very clever and find ways to get into food bags and gear or otherwise do damage, even though the food bags are usually hung.      The crowds HAVE diminished a lot since the start, such that the number of setup tents has dropped from 30-50 at the earliest shelters, to 5-10 now.   And some have given up on the shelters and just pitch their tents at existing tentsites, but those do not have shelters, water nor privy¢s.   I¢m told tha the number of thru-hikers will continue to drop, but I wonder if the day will ever come that I see empty space in a shelter if I arrive past 5PM.   Also, by the way, the earliest shelters were full early because those hikers were merely hiking 8 miles to the next shelter and taking occupancy at noon-2PM.   But those hikers are either far behind us, or, more likely quit. You can¢t get to Maine in one year by hiking 8 miles a day. What it boils down to is that youth has its advantages, and always will.   I was young once, and took advantage of it, and probably thought that was the established order of life. Too bad for those old guys. But, alas, now I am one.   But still moving, just a bit slower..
Date: 2015-05-02
From: Hot Springs, North Carolina

To: Erwin, Tennesee
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Have just arrived at Erwin, Tennessee. Am at milepost 343. Has been cold. Yesterday at lunch it was 45 degrees and windy. But I got my 4th or so trail magic. A group fed us a complete lunch.   I ate until I could eat no more. Today was very pleasant, 60 degrees. Perfect for Hiking. I expect the hot weather to start anyday. This post is just to say I am here at Erwin. Nothing profound to say. We are about 9 days from Damascus, Virginia. We are still now crossing and re-crossing the North Carolina & Tennessee borders. Never completely sure which state of the two I am in.   Doesn't really matter. Am going to Walmart to resupply, then eat as much as I can, for supper.
Date: 2015-05-11
From: Erwin, Tennesee

To: Damascus, Virginia
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: scattered clouds

May 11, 2015   Four posts, all from Damascus, Virginia.Damascus Post #1: Hello from Damascus, VirginiaMay 11, 2015   I hope to do these four posts now, all from Damascus, Virginia.Damascus Post #2: Are We Having Fun yet?Damascus Post #3: Where are the Hikers?Damascus Post #4: Trail FoodI also hope to upload my pictures, all before my wife, sister & brother in law comes, and before the library kicks me off this computer. Trip Reasons post is still coming, future post.   No time for it now. Hello from Damascus, Virginia. Brad/No Worries and I crossed the Virginia state line 4 miles south.   So we have completed three states (Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee). We are at milepost 470.   We are pleased with our speed and progress.   We will do a DOUBLE zero day in Damascus, spending two nights at a fancy Bed and Breakfast. 470 miles is 21.5% done.   Not bad, but we have a long way to go. Bounce Box Troubles: Some hikers, but not all, do a ¢Bounce Box¢ on the AT. I started one at about mile 200. In it I had extra food, as well as extra plastic bags (Brad is amused - I used a lot of bags to keep my stuff dry), as well as mailing tape and labels.   These are things I might find useful, but certainly do not want to carry.   I ¢bounced¢ that box to the Kincora Hostel, at about milepost 420. So that was 12 days or so in the future.   But when we got to the Kincora Hostel, we learned that: 1) we could not get our boxes before 5PM 2) We could not get to town and the the post office before it closed. So the whole concept of the bounce box failed.   I was then forced to give away maybe 20% of the food in the bounce box (because it was too much to carry. I then carried for 50 miles the extra plastic bags, to Damascus.   So I will stop the bounce box, forever. It just wasn¢t working.   Trying to match post office or even hostel hours is just not worth the effort.   Just shows you that you can do as much planning as you want, but reality intrudes and wrecks your plans. On the AT, as in life in general, it helps to be flexible.   From here on, Brad and I will resupply in town. The weather has changed.   My cold weather days are gone, for at least three months.   When Diane arrives, I will send with here about 5 pounds of cold weather gear, including sleeping bag liner, rain pants, and down sweater jacket.   A few other items that I have not used I will also get rid of.   So my pack will be lighter, a welcomed relief.   Diane is also bringing my hot weather hiking clothes (I hope!). I had been wearing long sleeved shirt and long legged pants, for bug protection, but it is just too hot.   I will be forced to risk the problem of lyme disease from ticks and West Nile Virus from mosquitos, when I switch to the lighter clothes.   But these cold weather clothes were making me sweat profusely. It it now commonly 80 degrees in the daytime, and it will only get hotter. *****End of Hello from Damascus post******
Date: 2015-05-11
From: Damascus, Virginia

To: Damascus, Virginia
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Damascus Post #2: Are We Having Fun yet?Brad mentioned that his wife would periodically ask him ¢Are you still having fun?¢After all, assuming we are on a six month vacation, we should be having fun, right?But are we always supposed to have fun, even if on ¢vacation¢?However, this trip is not like going to Valleyfair, Disney World, or even an ocean cruise. The honeymoon of this trip is definitely over.   We have been about five weeks on the trail.   We have experienced the ¢Hiwassee rollercoaster¢ of high-highs and low-lows described in the book ¢Appalachian Trials¢ We have hiked in perfect weather.   We have hiked in really abysmal cold, wet weather.   We have seen stunning scenery.   We have also climbed 1500 vertical hills multiple times only to see¢¦.lots of fog. So, we do not everyday and always ¢have fun¢.   Sometimes it¢s a slog.   Just walk a little bit further.   Brad is amused - I am constantly looking at my guidebook pages to figure out where on the AT I am, just so I can know how far I have left to go.   I KNOW I¢m on the AT, and heading north, just not sure exactly where sometimes. And I want to know, to know that I have ¢X¢ miles to go to the next shelter (and perhaps lunch), or ¢X¢ miles until our agreed upon stopping place, and I can finally quit walking (for about 10 hours!)Brad and I still often walk apart. He walks far faster than I do in general, especially uphill, where my pace becomes a slow crawl.   But we have always meet at the final camping spot, even if I get there 1-2 hours after him. I am happy to be done with my cold weather gear.   That will lighten my load. We are four miles into the state of Virginia.   Virginia is almost 530 miles of the trail, or 1/4th of the trail.   So it will be multiple weeks before we can cross another state off of the list (but a big one).   The state of Virginia is famous among AT hikers for ¢The Virginia Blues¢   Seems like you are hiking in the state FOREVER.   I think that won¢t happen to Brade and I, but I am aware of it.   Brad is likely favorable to Virginia and all in it, as it is his home state.   But for me, its just another state, and a ¢long¢ one. So, in summary, we do not always ¢have fun¢, but neither have neither of us considered quitting. At least not me. I am doing ¢Good Enough¢.   My body is functioning well.   Knees are fine.   Blisters are minimal.   The weather the past few weeks has been mostly dry.   My weight loss is still my primary concern.   See post¢¦ ¢Trail Food¢. I have not weighed myself recently, so I don¢t really know what my weight is, but I hope it is now relatively stabilized. When I wear my short hiking shorts, starting on Wednesday, with my double knee stabilizers, I guess I will really LOOK like an old man, creeping along.   But I¢m actually doing reasonably well.
Date: 2015-06-06
From: Daleville, Virginia

To: WaynesBoro
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: few clouds

Just a quick entry to tell you where I am, namely Waynesboro, Virginia, northbound milepost 862. I am going to lunch in 20 minutes, to say goodbye to "Gunner".   I have walked with him for the past 8 days or so.   Gunner has significantly injured his Achilles heel/tendon, and must take a month or more off the trail before he resumes, maybe in a month or so. So you must know that these bad things can happen, and do. But they have not yet happened to me, for which I am thankful. The trouble I have experienced in the last 3-4 days is cold, fairly constant rain. One downpour, but otherwise, just a lot of steady rain.   Both pairs of socks got wet, and so I had to hike in wet socks/wet boots, and that gave me some discomfort on my feet, plus one small blister. But I shall deal with it.   Not a big deal.   Interestingly, my boot sewing has come undone on the uppers. I shall have to replace them at a Washington DC area REI. I will ask for an even exchange, even though I will have walked 900 miles in them.   I will let you know how that turns out. Either way, I will get a new pair of Asolo boots in the DC area. I expect the cold weather really is now done, and the hot weather will set in.   But I told myself I will not complain about the coming hot weather.   "Gunner" says that hot, sunny weather is better than cold, wet weather.   I'm not sure. I have one really good trail story to tell you about how I dealt with the rain, but I will have to just tease you and tell you that I will tell you that story probably next week. Next week, from Monday June 15 to Saturday June 20, I will take 5 or 6 consecutive Zero days, when my entire family will visit me in Washington DC.      I will stay in a very nice motel for 5 consecutive nights with my family. So I am looking forward to that.   At one point I hoped to reach Harpers Ferry at milepost 1030 prior to taking the long break, but I won't do that.   I will likely break off the trail at about milepost 950, or something like that.   Harpers Ferry is the "psychological" half-way point, even if it is not quite halfway. But I really am doing Good Enough. I have no serious problems on the trail. My knees are fine.   I just get tired in the afternoon, but so do the youngsters, I'm told (although they don't seem to show it, especially when they zoom past me). I stayed last night in the Waynesboro public park, and ate a ton of food last night, this morning, and will try to force down even more in a few minutes.   So I hope I gained a pound or two when in this town.   My weight seems OK. So, I'm off to lunch.   It has been encouraging to get feedback from some of you.   At the end of my 5-6 zero days in Washington DC< I hope to rejoin my partner of many miles, "No Worries".   He is on the trail now I believe, maybe 100 miles south of me. So that's all for now.   I remain "Good Enough".
Date: 2015-06-14
From: Bluemont, VA

To: Bluemont, VA
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I have seen no bears on the AT. I was told by others that I would likely see a bear in Shenandoah National Park (the part I just finished in northern Virginia), where some of the car tourists or car campers are careless and tend to feed the bears. Bears are not hunted in this park, and the bears seem to know it. But several of my AT travelling companions told me they saw a bear. Some close enough so that they had to shoo the bear away.   But, I've seen none.   Perhaps I had the volume too high on my headphones. The bear would have to almost run into me. Just kidding, sort-of. But the grapevine told us a couple days ago of a recent bear attack in the Great Smokey Mountains NP, where I was in early May. So it is rare, but happens to an unfortunate few. Read on.... http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2015/06/08/bear-attacks-ohio-teen-at-great-smoky-mountains-national-park.htmlBear attacks Ohio teen at Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNATIONAL NEWS FROM AP By Katie ReillyReuters ¢¢ Tuesday June 9, 2015 6:19 AMSeveral trails and campsites in Great Smoky Mountains National Park were closed on Monday after a 16-year-old boy from Athens, Ohio, who was camping at the park in North Carolina was injured in a black bear attack this weekend, the park said.The teenager, identified by the Knoxville News Sentinel as Gabriel Alexander, was camping with his father, Greg Alexander, in the park¢s Hazel Creek area when the bear pulled him from his hammock around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, a park statement said.His father, who had been sleeping in a nearby hammock, drove the bear away, but the boy suffered multiple injuries, including cuts on his head, and was hospitalized in stable condition.The park has closed four trails and six backcountry campsites until further notice. A shelter along the Appalachian Trail also was closed because of recent bear activity there that is possibly related, said Molly Schroer, a parks spokeswoman.She said the Alexanders had properly stored their equipment and food on aerial cables.An estimated 1,500 black bears live in the park.
Date: 2015-06-15
From: Bluemont, VA

To: Washington DC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today I am in the Washington DC suburbs.   Talk about a transition!.   From miles of the same wilderness and trees and rocks, to six lane freeways and lots of traffic.   I have rented a car, and now have wheels!   It is the first time I have driven a car in 7 weeks.   I will pick up my wife from Dulles airport in a few hours. The rest of my family is joining me late tonight. Will be nice.   But it is the last time I expect to see them prior to my (hopeful) completion in Maine in September. I did my half-way point resupply today.   I went to REI, and showed them my Asolo boots with the thread partially gone from the uppers.   REI was very nice about it.   They were going to replace my boots at no cost this time, but they said, look, even boots don¢t last forever, so next time you have to replace them at your own cost.   Turns out I refused their offer.   Pennsylvania rocks are coming next.   So I got Shoe Goo, and will repair the boots that have lasted 1000 miles. I also bought new Asolo boots, but will mail them to northern Pennsylvania or New Jersey. So I will plan to toss my existing boots in the trash after transiting Pennsylvania.   I also bought to replace: 3 pair liner socks, SuperFeet boot inserts, and both of my knee stabilizers, because the Velcro was wearing out, plus they smell!On the down side, I talked to the REI store manager, and she told me that the toughest part of the AT is yet to come, and a lot of people get injured (because they are worn out, and get careless) and quit in the northern half of the trail.   Not very encouraging.   I assumed most quitters quit hundreds of miles ago.   The thru-hiker numbers are way down from the start, but the trails are still full of thru-hikers. And I¢m in the ¢bubble¢ of northbounders, simply because northbounders need to be north of Harpers Ferry by July 1st, or they won¢t make it to Maine by cold weather. OK, that¢s all I can think of posting for awhile.   I just posted all the pictures I took in the last several weeks. Most are a few weeks old. I will be post-silent for several weeks, until I am well into Pennsylvania, and you and I can see those fearsome rocks that I have heard so much about.
Date: 2015-07-26
From: Mt. Holly Springs, PA

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Dalton post. Sunday July 26Hello from Dalton, Massachusetts. That is northbound milepost 1570. I have 620 miles remaining.Today I am zeroing at Dalton, MA. Unfortunately the library is closed. The motel I am at has a very old PC and the internet connection is not working. So I am typing this painstakingly on my smartphone, and expect to copy and paste it to my blog. I have not posted to my blog since mid Pennsylvania, at Holly Springs. I have not zeroed since then. This is about my 10th zero day. Including about 5 in DC with my family. So Brad and I have been steadily moving north. It feels good to not to have to hike today.I am feeling OK. Still pain-free, mostly. But I have been tired on the trail. My weight is about the same, lower 150 pounds, about the same 10 lb loss as I have been at. Since Holly Springs PA we have hiked through several states, including New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and now Massachusetts. We are 30 miles from Vermont. The rocks in northern Pennsylvania were substantial and slowed us down. The other states (NY, Conn, MA) have had less vertical than other states and less views. But our days of relatively flat terrain are now over. We go through the highest point in MA soon, then lots of vertical.Mosquitoes and gnats have been a problem the past few weeks. We had three days of hot/uncomfortable weather last week, and expect more this week. Then we expect cooler weather further north in the higher elevations.I plan to stay at the home of Doug O'Neill on Tuesday and may be able to upload my photos then.
Date: 2015-09-05
From: Gorham, New Hampshire

To: Caratunk, Maine
Miles today: 13.0

Hello from the Sterling Inn in downtown Caratunk, Maine.    I have posted my newest pictures.  This post is just to tell you I remain on the trail and am getting closer to the finish of the ATI have reached northbound milepost 2038, at Caratunk, Maine. I have 150 miles to go to reach Mt Kathadin. The AT in Maine is about 280 miles.   (I toss the used pages of my Awols¢s guide, so I don¢t know the actual Maine AT mileage anymore)   So I have done about 130 miles of the AT in Maine.   The southern part of Maine AT is difficult.   Not as difficult at the White Mountains, but it still had lots of vertical, ascents and descents.   But, hooray, we are done with that mountainous part.   We have 3 days of more or less flat trail, to Monson Maine, then we enter the ¢100 mile wilderness¢.   It has no towns and roads, but is mostly flat.   So, other that the final 5000 foot summit of Kathadin, the remaining AT is mostly flat. I am very grateful for that.   My ability to do lots of ascents and descents is getting low.   I will finish, I¢m sure, but I don¢t want any more mountains, other than Kathadin.   The weather has been most favorable. We have had a string of about three weeks with little or no rain. And it has oddly been warm, almost humid.   We are still in the green tunnel, and I have often walked with no shirt, to keep myself cool. Most of the AT thru hikers are talking about the date they will summit, and a few are talking about what they will do after the trail.   I will resume my life where I left off in April. In the 100 mile wilderness, I have no communication.   I likely won¢t post anything in Monson, 38 miles from here.   So this is likely to be my last AT post prior to completing the AT.   I guess I will summit Kathadin Sept 18. Just a guess.   It looks very favorable for me to finish. Nothing but a catastrophic injury would stop me now.
Date: 2015-09-08
From: Caratunk, Maine

To: Monson, Maine
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

Monson, Maine, Sept 8I am at Monson, Maine, NB milepost 2075. I have 114 miles before reaching the top of Mt Kathadin and the northern end of the AT. I am at the Lakeshore House Hostel and Pub.   In a few minutes I will join my companions and have a beer. Tomorrow No Worries and I begin the ¢100 Mile Wilderness¢ of Maine.   It has no towns, no (or very few) roads, and no cellphone communication.   So I will be incommunicado for the next six days or so.   We hope to do the 100 mile wilderness in six days, then, finish by summiting Mt Kathadin the next day.   So in 7 days or so this trip should be history.Although it has been a worthwhile trip, I am almost anxious to be done. I have dreamt of being done for the past several months, or even longer. I do not have mixed emotions about being done - I just want this to be done.   Not that I¢m complaining about doing the entire AT, just that I want to wake up and not have to walk 10-20 miles that day.   I¢m glad I hiked the entire AT non-stop (as a thru-hike), but I won¢t do anything similar again. I won¢t do the Pacific Coast Trail nor the one through Colorado, not the entire 2000+ miles. Maybe the John Muir part of the PCT, but not much more than that. The weather has been warm or hot. Warmer than I expected. The entire east coast I see has above normal temps, but this should change and it will be cooler in a few days.   My backpack thermometer read 85 degrees yesterday. Too hot.   I have hiked most of the past 1-2 weeks with my shirt off, in an attempt to cool off.   The bugs are thankfully not very active, so I can go without a shirt.   As previously mentioned, my tent screen zipper has failed, but the few bugs have not gotten into my tent.   It has also been dry, which we appreciate. But the forecast now has some rain in it, so we will have to deal with it.   We will not stay at this hostel to wait out the rain - Just get this done, and deal with the rain.   The remaining part of the AT is also mostly flat, or, at least, no big elevation changes, with the final exception of the ending Mt Kathadin, of course.   But I expect to be sky-high that day and no amount of vertical will slow me down much that day. After summiting and cleaning up in Millinocket, Maine, I plan to take the bus to Portland Maine, then Boston, Mass.   Then Amtrak train from Boston to Chicago to home.   Diane may join me for some of the trail trip, TBD.   It is hard to get to Kathadin and Maine, and I don¢t really know when I will finish, so I¢ve asked Diane to join me at an easier place to get to, when I am certain I will be there. There are a lot of northbound thru-hikers in Monson now, I still think I am ¢in the (northbound) bubble¢ Oddly, I still encounter a few southbounders at this point in Maine, but they have no chance to finish the entire AT this year, even if they think otherwise. They will be hiking through the Smokies and Georgia in December, something I would never attempt. OK, time to have a beer