morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-06-11
From: Tumbling Run

To: Birch Run
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: overcast clouds

06/11/12 (pirmadienis) 19.6 ¢ 1086.1 Tumbling Run ¢ Birch RunSu savo puikia stovyklaviete atsisveikinau 6.30 ir gra34iai, letai, per penkias valandas nupedinau iki Kaledonia State parko. Oras buvo geras, retkarciais toks bryzelis papusdavo ir nebuvo kar¡ta.Pakartojau savo ¢06 metu ¢triuka¢ ¢ i baseino teritorija iejau per ¡oninius vartelius, todel ¢sutaupiau¢ penkis baksus. Tada u34sisakiau cheeseburger¢-i, gerimo ir keptu bulvyciu. Patogiai isitaisiau prie stalo ir neskubedamas papietavau. Po to dar palindau po du¡u ir puk¡telejau baseinan. Ech, tai buvo fantasti¡ka. Likusios ¡ios dienos plano de¡imt myliu iki Birch Run buvo lengvos ir paprastos.Sutikau labai daug jaunimo. Aplamai ¡i Pensilvanijos dalis yra labai patogi haikinimui - geras ir patogus priva34iavimas, gal todel cia tiek daug 34moniu. Birch Run ¡elteris jau buvo u34imtas, taciau cia skautai neu34sibuvo ir po musu neilgo pokalbio netrukus paliko ji. Jie statysis palapines ¡iek tiek toleliau. A¡ irgi nebemiegu ¡elteriuose, nes palapineje esu geriau apsaugotas nuo visokiu kraujo i¡tro¡kusiu padaru. Skautai sake, kad pagal oru prognoze rytoj lis. Na, lis tai lis, bet ¡is vakaras yra ramus.---|---At 6:30AM I said goodbye to mine excellent campsite and in the five hours I nicely and slowly have reached Caledonia State Park. The weather was good, and the occasional breeze blew over the ridge, so it was not hot.To get to the pool area I repeated my '06 years 'trick' ¢ just walked through the side gate. That "saved" me five bucks, and I with the pleasure have spent them ordering a cheeseburger, drink and french fry combo. Comfortably settled down at the table and ate everything without rush. Then, I took a shower and splashed in the pool. Oh, it was fantastic . The rest ten miles of today¢s plan to Birch Run Shelter were smooth and easy.I met a lot of young people. In general, this part of Pennsylvania is very convenient for hiking - good and user-friendly approach to the trail, maybe because there's so many people. Birch Run Shelter has been busy with scouts, but after brief chat with them young folk left the shelter and pitched their tents a little further south on the trail. I also no longer sleep in the shelters, as in the tent I am better protected from all kinds of blood-thirsty suckers. Scouts said me that tomorrow¢s weather forecast is not consoling - rain. Well, rain is rain, but today¢s evening is beautifull and calm.
Date: 2012-03-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Loaded up all my gear and my pack came in at 13 pounds. That was what I expected but was excited that reality matched theory. Went on a 6 mile hike to see how things felt. Everything is great. I plan to average 16 miles a day over the 540 miles from Manchester to Katahdin. Hopefully I can get a little ahead of that pace so I do a couple side trips in Maine. I lived 4 years in Maine, 2 just north of Monson in Greenville and 2 years even further north in Presque Isle. I am really looking forward to hiking this stretch of trail. It is very different from the Arizona desert that I live in now.I am posting this update using my tablet that I will be bringing with me. So far so good.
Date: 2012-04-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

This is a tough week. My initial plan was to start in Georgia on April 8th and head north with the option of doing the whole trail. The 4+ months away just did not really work, so I decided to do the last quarter of the trail since I have family in Vermont and Maine.I can really relate to One's March 4, 2012 (Prep #39) journal entry on why hike the trail. I do not have any real specific reasons - I have a good marriage, a solid business with 25 employees that will continue to create an income while I am away (my 24 year old son will take care of the day to day) so no real life cross roads. I am just looking to live a simple life without as much outside noise, even if it is for just 5 weeks.For my "midlife crises" I have not had an urge to buy anything - boats, cars, motorcycles, etc. Instead I took up mountaineering, and basically by accident. In 2007 my then 19 year old son and I signed up for a hike up Mount Whitney. Since we had guides I did not pay that close attention to the details of the trip. When we were getting the briefing the night before we started up, the guide says how he is proud of us for doing the Mountaineers Route and explains the steepness and places with exposure. I am afraid of heights and got quite nervous. The first day we had to go across the Ebersbacher Ledges. One of the guides carried my pack across this section, but I made it on my own. After spending the night at Upper Boy Scout Lake it was up at 2AM and go for the top. You reach a saddle at 14,000 feet and then it is up the last pitch. Looking up this section I asked the guide what my options were. I was quite scared - I blame it now on the elevation. He gave me one option ¢ go up. Once I got going it was incredible. The sense of accomplishment was tremendous. I returned to Whitney in 2010 and had no problems with the heights. It was another amazing trip.Last June I attempted Mt Rainier. The weather caused up to turn around at 12,000 feet (Snow, 40 MPH winds and a temperature of 15 degrees in mid June). While we were eating breakfast at 10,000 feet on our way down I talked my buddy into going for Shasta in mid July. I wanted to go sooner, but I already had planned to do a 50 mile stretch of the AT through the Presidentials. We had perfect weather on Shasta and made the top with no problem. What an awesome 5 weeks that was. I am heading back this June to try Rainier again.Enough story telling about me for today. I am really looking forward to getting started in 93 days.
Date: 2012-04-18
To: OK, so much for no big life changes
Miles today: 0.0

In my last posting I stated how I had a solid business that could keep going while I was gone. A big part of my business is to run a UPW plant and take care of the life safety systems for a large manufacturing facility. Last Friday they came to me and stated they were cancelling my contract and were going to take care of all the maintenance internally (by hiring all my employees). Oh well, now I have a cross roads in my life. I still have 14 employees, but the UPW/Life Safety was a big portion of my company. In all honesty I have been on cruise control lately and need this kick in the butt to do something new and rewarding. For years I have been trying to figure out what I wanted to do when I grow up. (I am only 52 now). Now I have to take that a little more seriously so I don't end up sitting on the front porch watching the world go by. I am now thinking of starting the trail in Harpers Ferry in May and heading north. I will return to Phoenix in mid June to see my wife and reload with winter climbing gear for an attempt on Rainier the last week in June. After that - a few days in the 100 degree warmth of Arizona to thaw out, then return to the trail and continue the journey north to Katahdin.
Date: 2012-04-25
To: Almost time
Miles today: 0.0

Well I now have an official plan. 12 months thinking about it and I now have my plans firmed up. I will fly out of Phoenix on May 8th and go to Lynchburg, VA. I found out my parent's good friends from high school thru hiked the AT in 1990. The Virginia Hams. They have graciously offered to pick me up at the airport and transport me to the trail. As a bonus I get to hear high school stories about my parents. Should be a lot of fun.I will head north, hoping to do about 600 miles before returning to Phoenix in mid June to climb Rainier, then return to the trail in early July. Should be an exciting next few months.
Date: 2012-05-01
To: Almost Time
Miles today: 0.0

Less than a week till departure. I am ready to go. I have been hiking with my new pack to get a feel of things. I have several pair of trail shoes broken in as well. I plan to do about 350 miles on the first pair and have my wife mail me the second pair. I will be hiking in the New Balance 810 trail shoes. I like the feel and they are made here in the USA. I have tried many many shoes and socks over the past 12 months, inserts, too. I like the Dr. Scholls orthodics. They work well with my feet.Food has been tricky. I am an inexperienced backpacker, so I will probably start with too much. As I learn the ropes I am sure I will be cutting down on what I carry. I always have too much on the mountains. Part of that is I never eat much while climbing. I think part of that is the elevation. Food just doesn't taste as good to me when I am over 10,000 feet. My normal mountaineering trip is only 2 or 3 days, so it is never a problem.Overall I feel great about my gear. It is amazing to be under 15 pounds (no food or water) for a base weight. My mountaineering pack alone weighs over 7 pounds. It will be sweet to cruise along with less than 20 pounds total instead of the 40+ I am used to lugging up a hill.I just got a new battery for my cell phone. It will double as my camera. I will probably carry the extra ounce and bring the old batery as a spare. If the first week goes well I can always mail it home. I am not normally a picture taker, but will try hard to take lots on this journey.My next entry should be next week as I am getting started. Can't wait to actually start moving north on the trail. Thank you everyone for your support.
Date: 2012-05-07
To: My bags are packed and I'm ready to go.......
Miles today: 0.0

Did my final tune up hike this morning in South Mountain Preserve. It is 17,000 acres inside the Phoenix city limits with tons of great hiking trails. The high point is 2,700 feet. Phoenix is at 1,100'. Tomorrow I fly into Lynchburg, VA where I will be picked up by the Virginia Hams (AT 1990). They will drop me off at an AT/Blue Ridge Parkway crossing Wednesday morning and I will begin my journey north.I think I am prepared, but have never done any true backpacking before, so this will be a new experience for me. Hopefully me feet will hold up to all the miles. I grew up in the east (Vermont) and have actually lived and worked in Virginia, Maryland, New Hampshire and Maine as well as Vermont. I am really looking forward to meeting the various people along the way.
Date: 2012-05-09
From: VA Route 60

To: Dutch Haus
Miles today: 16.3

What a great start to the trip. The Virginia Hams (AT 1990) picked me up at the Lynchburg airport last night. I heard stories of their high school days with my parents back in 1947. This morning they dropped me off at 8:40 @ mile 801.1 and my adventure was officially under way. A few miles in I met Badger. We did the typical gear comparison and continued on our separate ways. I only saw one other person the entire day, a south bound section hiker. I arrived at the Seely Woodward shelter at 2:30 and called the Dutch Haus for a ride. I still had over 3 miles to go but cell reception is very sparse in this area. The day had been perfect for hiking till now - cloudy and cool. While hanging out at the shelter it started to rain. The Dutch Haus is great, highly recomend.
Date: 2012-05-10
From: Dutch Haus

To: Dutch Haus
Miles today: 15.5

I got a ride to Reed Gap and hiked south, back to the Dutch Haus. It was great fun. Got to meet lots of north bound hikers, including seeing Badger again. It is truely amazing how nice everyone is on the trail. I did blue blaze on the Mau-Har trail. The AT typically is up on the ridge, this trail followed a stream. Very beautiful. Up high the leaves are just coming out. In the valleys they are in full bloom.The middle of the day included a 3,100 foot climb the Preist. The trail seems much busier in the morning.
Date: 2012-05-11
From: Dutch Haus

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: clear sky

Another awesome weather day. There was frost on the way to Reeds Gap. My day started slowly. It took me 2 hours to cover the first 4 miles. I felt goox, must be the guide book is off. ;-)I ate the last of the Oatmeal cookies the Virginia Hams gave me and I was off and walking faster, not quite running. That reminds me, when the VHs picked me up at the airport a few days ago I had my pack in a big garbage bag. Mrs. Ham thought I was hiking the trail with a garbage bag over my shoulder. It wasn't till the next morning when she saw my pack, that she realized I was not using just a garbage bag. She is 82 and quite a ticket. Anyway, back to today... Late morning I passed Instigator and Expeditor - on Trail Journals as Sharing The Insanity. I look forward to following their progress. They were the only thruhikers I saw today.I arrived at US250 right at 4pm. I was headed to the visitor center and decided to rest and make a call home before hiking up the 1/4 mile hill. While I am on the phone Luke (AT 2009) pulls up and asks if I want a ride. He dropped me off in town and I ask him if he knows Ice Man from 2009. Turns out he helped Luke and his Dad with a medical problem on the trail. I met Ice Man last summer on Mount Rainier. I love these small world stories. Luke was on his way home on Interstate 64 and had exitex just to see if someone needed a ride. I was the lucky recipent of his kindness. When I checked into the hotel I asked about a shuttle service. I was gi en a list of 25 local trail angles to call for a free ride. Cindy is picking me up in the morning. She made 8 trips to the trailhead just today. Thank you to all that help out the hiking community.
Date: 2012-05-12
From: Waynesboro

To: Black Rock Shelter
Miles today: 20.0

Spent the night in Waynesboro. Trail angel Cindy picked me up at 8. We drove by a farmers market and no one was even setting up yet. I mentioned it could be tomorrow (Sunday) and she laghed, "Only thing happens here on Sunday is church" she said. We stopped by Weisie's to see if there were any hikers looking for a ride. No packs by the door, so we just headed up to the trailhead. She dropped me off at 8:20. I again seemed to start slowly according to the miles in the guide book. I made my first judgement error part way into the day. Typically there is water every 2 to 3 miles on the trail. When I got down to about a liter I checked the guide to see where the next water sourse was. 11 miles! Ah oh. Well there are 5 road crossings in that stretch. Maybe I can find someone with some extra water. Worst case I will go to the road and hitch hike. After 3 miles there was a parking lot with 12 cars in it. At least 4 have coolers in the back. Am I really casing out cars? Funny what we do in times of need. I hang around for 10 minutes and no activity, got to keep moving. 2 1/2 miles later is another road crossing. Before I see it I can hear people, sweet. First thing I see is a car with the back hatch up and a cooler in the back. Yes they have water. Problem solved.A woman in the group asked if anyone ever told me I looked like Billy Bob Thorton. Turns out they were headed to the same shelter. She asked me if I had seen Bad Santa. I was thinking it was someone's trail name, not a Billy Bob movie. She then insisted my trail name be Bad Santa.We had a great time at the Black Rock shelter. There were 8 of us total. Jim Dog has his guitar (trail name Little Dog) along for the hike so he played for us. Another couple had their dog along. We saw 5 deer cruise by, a fire in the fire pit.Oh I had my first 20 mile day.
Date: 2012-05-13
From: Black Rock Shelter

To: High Top Shelter
Miles today: 21.2

I slept pretty well in the tent last night. Turns out I met Jim Dog at the Dutch Haus a couple days ago. He arrived as I was leaving. I got on the trail at 6:45. Actually I left the hut at 6:45 to hike the .2 miles to the "real" trail. Posted miles are actual AT miles, not total hiked. Seems like everything is off the trail a bit and those miles don't count. As I was eating my burger at a restaurant (.5 miles off the trail, but worth it) Jim Dog walked up. We chatted for a bit and I took off. I stopped at another shelter for a second lunch (.2 miles) and met Energizer from Maine. Jim Dog again pulls up. Energizer left his guide book at the last shelter, he is heading south and getting off the trail in 30 miles, so I gave him my pages.I got to High Top shelter at 4:00 having done 21.2 trail miles. Jim Dog is also staying here. It is 8:00pm as I write this and we are the only 2 here. There are 3 bear poops within 100 yards. We hang our food on special bear hangers. Jim just got done playing.One other thought about the trail. Life here is opposite of what we are used to. All day long you are by yourself. In the evening and night you are with people. Just a different routine from what I am used to.That's it for now.
Date: 2012-05-14
From: High Top Shelter

To: Lewis Mountain Campground
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: moderate rain

I mentioned in yesterday's entry that there were 3 fresh bear poops very close to the shelter. Before going to sleep Jim Dog got 6 rocks and a 4 foot stick and put them between us to fend of any curious bears. Thankfully no problems.It started raining just after we crawled into our sleeping bags and poured all night and is still raining now. There was a campground 11.7 miles in today with a heated cabin available. Sounded good to me. It is a 2 bedroom, so when Jim Dog showed up I invited him to stay in the other room. Sure is nice being warm and dry. BTW it is 52 degrees out. The next building is 17 miles up the trail. I plan to go there tomorrow. There is a restaurant there so I can treat myself to a birthday dinner and sleep inside again. It is supposed to rain again tomorrow, then clear for the next few days. I don't mind hiking in the rain, but is sure is nice to be dry and warm when you get done for the day. I did not see anyone on the trail all day. I have not seen a thru hiker since before Waynesboro. We were in the clouds all day so no views. I do have minimal cell coverage here so was able to update Elizabeth on my status.I passed the 100 mile mark this morning. I feel great. My feet get tired at about 15 miles, but have been fine the next morning. No sore joints or blisters. Hope that continues. The weather is supposed to clear after tomorrow. The next 24 miles of trail is above 3,000 feet, so no big climbs.
Date: 2012-05-15
From: Lewis Mountain Campground

To: Skyland Resort
Miles today: 16.6

The day started very wet from all the rain, but no new rain. I did not leave the cabin till 8:30 and my shoes were dry for maybe 5 minutes. Oh well. Met a few thru hikers last night who also wanted out of the rain. I had a great day on the trail. Was done the 16.6 miles before 3pm which included a stop at big meadows for lunch. 3 thru hikers passed me about 1pm. I tried drafting them but they were too fast. they ended up taking a break somewhere as I got to Skyland before them. There were about 8 hikers who stopped by for a meal before continuing 6 miles up the trail to the next shelter. There was thunder in the area, but as of 8pm no rain.Jim Dog treated me to dinner tonight. His brother also joined us. We will probably all be at the same shelter tomorrow night. It is 24 miles from here, so a big day.
Date: 2012-05-16
From: Skyland Resort

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 24.2
Weather: broken clouds

Thanks again to Jim Dog for buying me a birthday dinner last night. Also thanks to family and friends for the birthday wishes. Just not that much cell reception out here so I am not able to reply to everyone.Today was a long day - started at 7 and hiked till 5. Covered a total of 24 trail miles. I got tired at the end, but a very good day. The shelter is full and there are 6 of us camping. Lots of thru hikers, a few I had met before and a few new ones. A couple section hikers I met earlier in the day as well. Many are getting off the trail tomorrow. Unfortunately Jim Dog did not make it this far, so I never did say good bye. He is off the trail tomorrow.18 miles into the day was a diner and camp store. These are always collection points for people in the park. Not only were there probably 10 hikers, but a whole bicylce group. It was a great place to get a filling meal before tackling the last 6 miles to the shelter. Just short of the diner I almost stepped on a 3 foot rattler laying beside the trail. Sure got my heart rate up for about 5 minutes. I am used to them, being from Phoenix, but the initial rattle sure gets me going still.The ticks are annoying - I have removed 4 so far. I am constantly checking for them.Tomorrow is a short day - 14 miles to Front Royal. I plan to stay in a hotel, do laundry and eat pizza. In 3 days I should be in West Virginia.
Date: 2012-05-17
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Front Royal
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: few clouds

Here is another case where trail miles do not indicate actual walked miles. It was .3 from my tent site to the trail, walked my 13.7 miles, then once I got to the end trailhead I tried my hand at hitchhiking - haven't done that in 30 years - and ended up walking 2 miles before a local tattoo artist picked me up. I was surprised a town of less than 10,000 can support a tattoo parlor. He said most of his business comes from Washington, DC. Anyway, he was great - brought me right to the hotel. Once at the hotel I walked around getting supplies and another almost 1.5 to the post office to mail some maps I picked up a few days ago. A southbounder had left them at a shelter I was heading to and asked if I would mail them back to him. He also left his guide book, so I gave him my pages I had already travelled so he would be able to see what was coming. He was getting off the trail in Waynesboro, so he was all set. He is section hiking his was south. I felt like leaving the maps and mailing him $20 to buy new ones, but I followed through on what I said I would do. When in town it was a tough decision whether to keep carrying about a pound of paper, or to walk the .7 miles one way to the PO.The walk out was uneventful. I did walk with a few people for the first time. 2 thru hikers and a section hiker. We may end up connecting up the trail a bit, who knows. They ended going to a hostel about 4 miles short of town. They were all at the shelter I stayed at last night.For the first 100 miles my feet were fine. Yesterday was a tough day. My right arch is bothering me, so I am subconciously stepping a little differently, which is causing blisters. I am trying to rest my feet now. I am slowing my pace a bit as well. 13.7 today, 15.7 tomorrow, then 18 to a popular hostel followed by 20 into Harper's Ferry. Hopefully all goes well. Besides my feet I feel great - no soreness or stiffness anywhere. Even sleeping on the ground has not bothered me.The hotel has a shuttle service in the morning back up to the trail, so that is nice to have taken care of. My laundry is done and I have all my supplies for the next few days, so off to rest my feet and watch TV for the first time in 10+ days.