morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-07-18
From: Camp Rd, Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Blue Mountain Lakes Rd.
Miles today: 7.3

Started @ Camp Rd. (Mohican Outdoor Center)Destination: Blue Mountain Lakes Rd.Miles today 7.3Total Miles: 1296.8Stayed in shelterDay 129Today was a short day. The rocks were not as bad as they have ben but our feet were hurting and we just felt like we neded to stop. Besides that, it was very hot and humid and it sounded like it was going to rain. Our shoes were wet from being rained on yesterday and wading through puddles of water. Toto took his shoes off a couple of times today just to ring the water out of his socks. His socks and shoes were wet to start with but he perspires much more than I do. The walk down here from the road was a bit long but where the shelter is on the pond there is a good breeze when we are outside the shelter. It rained after we got here and it came down pretty hard for a while before the sun reappeared. Toto cooked one of our trail meals on the picnic table ourside the shelter. The shelter has an overhang but one end of the picnic table sticks out and it got wet and we had to move everything to one end or into the shelter. After we ate and it had quit raining we fixed our bunks and took a little nap. There are some squeaking noises up in the corner of the shelter and Toto thinks it is mice. I thought it was birds but did not see a nest outside or inside. Oh well, it is not like we have not had mice in a shelter with us before. We would set up the tent but if it rains we then have to carry a wet tent and lately, because of the humidity, nothing dries very fast and breezes are not always there to hasten the drying. We can pack up a lot faster in the morning if we don't have to pack up a tent. Meals are offered to hikers and we just finished a meal of several salads, pasta, and meat balls, and hard bread sticks. The cooks told us breakfast is at 8am but we hope to be on the trail by that time. We are at a YMCA camp that has a couple of small cabins that has 2 bunks in each that through hikers can stay in. The cabins are more like shelters we are used to staying in but they have a screen door on them, are a bit dirtier, and hotter because they are closed up for the most part. They are on Long Pine Pond (more like a lake).
Date: 2005-07-20
From: Culvers Gap, US 206

To: Rutherford Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Started @ Culvers GapDestination: Rutherford ShelterMiles today: 11.7Total Miles: 1319.1Stayed in tentDay 131We are unable to sleep late anymore. I was awake at 5:30 this morning although I did not get up until 6. We were at the deli and bakery across the road for a breakfast sandswich at about 7:30 and then walked down to the little country market to get some breakfast bars, candy bars, cookies, and Gold Bond powder for our feet. Next we stopped in at another little bakery and deli and bought 4 bagels for lunches for the next 2 days. We have a mail drop in Unionville in a couple of days so didn't need a lot execpt for lunches and breakfasts. The motel owner drove us back to the trail this morning about 9:15. After we had climbed the mountain we came to a fire tower which we climbed. The humidity was much lower today and the sky blue with white puffy clouds. The views were great. We could see 2 of the 4 lakes in the area. The breeze was wonderful and we hated to leave to start hiking again. Next we climbed Sunrise Mountain where there were wonderful breezes again. This time there was a pavillion built on top. Facing toward each of the 2 directions with a view were benches for sitting on while enjoying the views. The fire tower had a picnic table for relaxing on. Many wrote in the shelter register north of the fire tower that they had spent the night by the tower. Both the shelters we stopped at for a break today were nice but bear activity has been high recently at them. Last week a group was out hiking and a boy lost his backpack to a bear in the night. A man that we met at the pavillion today said the bear was even mouthing a kid's sleeping bag where his leg was. Apparently the kid had either spilled something on it or had graham crackers in his bag. I guess someone filmed the incident. There are metal boxes to put our food in at the shelters due to the bears. The shelter we are in is not very nice so we are tenting. On our way into Culver's Gap, (just before Branchville) we ran into several pieces of an airplane that had crashed about two weeks earlier. Pilot was ok, I guess, but pieces were marked with ribbon as if an investigation was ongoing. Interesting, though!Oh yes! Happy Birthday to the old lady back at FSA! Happy 40th Cindy!
Date: 2005-07-23
From: NJ 94, (Vernon NJ)

To: Campsite
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Started @ NJ 94Destination: CampsiteMiles today 11.2Total Miles: 1353.5Stayed in tentDay 134We got a ride to the trail from Gene, a trail angel that showedup at the church just before we were ready to head out for thetrail. We had a rather steep climb up over rocks initially, but therocks were arranged in such a way that they were like steps mostof the time. We met a couple from Manhatten on the way up andsaw them again at an overlook near the top. After talking withthem for a while we learned that the woman is a lawyer and Totoasked if she was a notary. She was and she witnessed mysignature on a paper Toto needed for retirement purposes. Sheneeded to take it back to her office to stamp it and then shewill mail it for us and make a copy to send to us at home. Ontheir way back down the mountain (they were only hiking to thetop and down again) they met Free Readical who told us theyasked him if he needed anything notarized. The veiw we had from the overlook was a good one since the daywas much clearer than previous days. We saw the fire tower andthe High Point Monument where we were just a couple of days ago. And the breeze at the overlook was great. It dried the sweatfrom the climb up. The trail after we reached the top was up and down and was rockyoff and on. We had no idea where we were going to stop for theday but knew we would not make the next shelter. Around 6pm wefound a mossy campsite and decided to stay there since thecampsites were few and far between. A mile or so before we found the campsite we heard a noise offthe trail and saw a momma bear. She saw us and took a couple ofsteps toward us as 2 cubs came down a tree behind her. Iclapped my hands and she turned around and ran away. This wasthe first close-up view of bears for Toto.Before we found the campsite we had to walk a rocky ridge forabout a mile or so. There was a good veiw of Greenwood Lake froma few spots up there. The lake is quite large and there arelots of boats and homes on it. At our campsite there were many mosquitoes. We sprayed downwith repellant, set up the tent, cooked dinner, and hung thefood bag away from bears and other wild animals, and then gotinside the tent. Three hikers passed by our tent after that andit was almost dark then. We were glad to be settled for thenight.Tomorrow we do not know where we will be as the shelters areeither too close or too far away. Probably we will end upcamping somewhere again.
Date: 2005-07-24
From: Campsite

To: NY 17A
Miles today: 3.8

Started @ campsiteDestination: NY 17AMiles today: 3.8Total Miles: 1357.3Stayed in motelDay 135We were on the trail by 6:50 this morning. It did not take uslong to realize we made a very good decision to camp where wedid last night. We started climbing up over rocks and we wereso thankful that they were dry. I had to put down my polesseveral times try to find a place to grab hold of a place on therocks to help pull myself up. At one point there was a woodenladder to climb to the top of a rock. Before we were very farToto said he was ready for a day off the trail. If we were toget off today we needed to get off at the next road just a fewmiles ahead. When we got to the road we met a trail maintainer that was aboutto go up the trail to do some trail maintenance and he offeredto take us into Greenwood Lake. There are 2 motels and he tookus to the one we told him we wanted to stay in. After hedropped us off and we checked we could not check in until after2pm and it was only 10am. We were hungry and there was no placeexcept bars along this stretch along the lake. So we put ourpacks on and walked back toward the main street of the villagewhere there were more eating places, convenience stores, a drugstore, etc. Also, the only other motel was there and it wasnearer to the trail. The Linden Motel has only 5 units and we got one of the lastempty rooms. It is very nice with a kitchen, sofa,recliner,table and 2 chairs. It is also on the lake and theyhave a swimming pool. The grounds and building are quitebeautiful and the owner gave us a $10 discount. The older womanthat manages the building and office is named Vera and she isvery friendly and helpful. There is a diner near the motel where we went for breakfast andthen we went to the motel for a rest before taking off for theconvenience store to buy some sandwich meat, bread, sodas, ice,etc. Later, Toto took a swim in the pool. I only stuck my feet insince by the time I did it was getting cool outside and I waschilled. Hard to believe it was so hot earlier before the sunset.We ordered a large pizza at the nearby pizza place and broughtit back to the motel tonight. Vera is going to call the local beauty shop tomorroww morning tosee if I can be worked in for a haircut.That'll make me feel better!It's nice to know we have all day tomorrow to rest and relax. Ithink we will be ready to hit the trail again after that.
Date: 2005-07-25
From: NY 17A

To: NY 17A
Miles today: 0.0

Started @ NY 17ADestiation: NY 17AMiles today: 0Total Miles: 1357.3Stayed in moelDay 136We slept in today until 7:15. I slept better than I have beensleeping but still had to take Vitamin I during the night. Ihad not been having to take anything for aches and pains otherthan at bedtime until the last week. I think it must be therocks working on knees and hips as well as feet. Hopefully, therocks will not be as bad as they have been. Toto said hedreamed all night long. I had my hair cut this morning and I was shocked to find that Iwas charged $25! I only took 20 with me and she Said that wasOK. I sure do appreciate the low cost of my haircuts backhome!! Gas is 2.49 for regular unleaded here. The last time Isaw the price of gas was in Vernon just a few days ago and itwas 2.29. We took a swim in the pool this afternoon. It sure did cool usoff. This morning it looked quite cloudy and we thought it wasgoing to rain. But it was not long before the sun was brightand the clouds had moved away except for some puffy onesscattered about. Tomrrow it is to be hot and humid but later inthe week it is to be cooler during the day.We went to the nearby diner for dinner and walked to the VSpharmacy for some snack foods and breakfast bars. We have our water bladders cleaned and filled and our nalgenebottles will be filled with ice and water in the morning. Weare ready to hike!Toto called The Outfitter in Harpers Ferry about my trailrunnersI bought there in June. The sole that comes up over the toe ofthe shoe started coming loose before I had them a week and acouple of days ago I noticed that one of them was coming aparton the outside. They need to order a new pair and will sendthem to me up the trail. The new shoe will have a thicker sole. We heard from Icicle and she says Snowman is not far behindus. We are both anxious to see him again but he will probablyzoom on past us once he does catch up. Icicle is planning tocome over from the UK to climb Katahdin with him. There are others behind that we are anxious to meet as theycatch up to us--like Santa. His wife, Susan, came to Duncannonto meet me and we had such a wonderful visit. We had never metbefore but we seemed to have a lot in common.Rest and good sleep is what we need now to get us off to a goodstart in the morning.
Date: 2005-07-26
From: NY 17A

To: NY 17
Miles today: 12.0

Started @ NY 17ADestination: NY 17Miles today: 12.0Total Miles: 1369.3Stayed in motelDay 137We awoke early this morning, around 5 or 5:30, got thingstogether, went to transmit e-mail, and get coffee, told Veragoodbye and headed up the road to get to the trailhead. It wasa 2.4 mile walk to the trailhead so we were hoping for a hitch.It wasn't but just a few minutes before "Dee", a lady fromGreenwood Lake, picked us up and took us all the way to thetrailhead. Thanks so much Dee! The trail started off very good. Not too many rocks and ratherflat but it soon changed into a nasty bunch of rock climbs, oneafter another after another. These just weren't rock climbs(boulders would be a better word), they were almost vertical inplaces. They sapped whatever bit of energy and strength you had,especially in the very hot and humid conditions we were hikingin! Many times as we sat for a few minutes to catch our breathand rest, I had to wring out the sweat from my braces, socks, oreven the little cushion I sit on. It is unbelievable howphsically challenging this trail is, especially for an old fatboy just getting back on the trail. Good news is that my feetare becoming hardened, and the uphills are requiring less stops.I really believe this should be the place coaches need to bringtheir football teams for the two-a-day conditioning drills!At any rate we made it to Harriman State Park around 6 P.M. anddecided, what the heck, it is only 3 miles into Harriman, so whynot get out of the heat and go to a motel. So we hitchedanother ride into town and stayed in this wonderful airconditioned, hot shower, king sized bed, motel! WONDERFUL! Onlyproblem is they charge .25 cents for ice! Can you believe it!Things seem to get a little more pricier up here. Gas is 2.69 agal., so I am glad we ar walking. After all I need to think ofthese things now! You know I am on a fixed income and all!Yee-Hah!!!!Today we met Epic Flop and some others I cannot remember theirnames. We found out that Pixie had to get off the trail for acouple of weeks with foot problems, but Pine Dragon iscontinuing. Hurry and get back Pixie!!! We wish you the best!Snowman is catching up so will probably see him soon as he justblows buy us old fogies!Ok, gotta' go. Keep us in your thoughts! It is great to be outhere and with Dorothy once again!
Date: 2005-07-27
From: NY 17

To: Wm. Brien Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: few clouds

Started @ NY 17Destination: Wm. Brien Memorial ShelterMiles today: 9.7Total Miles: 1378Stayed in shelterDay 138We got a taxi from the motel to the trailhead just insideHarriman State Park. The park that the trail goes through hasbeen beautiful but the trail has been difficult to follow as thesurrounding terrain looks pretty much the same as the trail andthe white blazes are hard to find at times. We found out thatthere were others that felt the same about the trail and blazesas evidenced from this shelter's register.At the shelter tonight are Pizza the Hut, Kokomo, and Mark. Mark came in right at dusk and is a south-bounder who started inMaine. We hear that Snowman is a couple of days behind and sureto pass us up any day. Also, Santa is only a day behindaccording to Kokomo.In the shelter register a couple of section hikers, Thor andCat, wrote that they had hoped to meet Toto and me as they havebeen reading our journal. They signed it 2-3 days ago so mostlikely will not catch up to them. We got caught in a thunder and lightening storm just before wereached the shelter. We pulled out our tent groundcloth and putit over us and our packs beside some rocks. We still got wetbut at least we were not walking out in the open while it waslightening. When it let up we walked to the shelter-probablyabout a half mile further. We had planned to do about 3 moremiles but even before the rain we were beat with the heat andhumidity.We took some time from the trail this afternoon to go 0.3 mileto Tiorati Lake where there is a beach for swimming and vendingmachines for sodas, ice cream, and snacks. We did not goswimming but we cooked our dinner there and had some cokes andan ice cream from the machines. We also filled up our watercontainers as water has been hard to find on the trail insources such as springs. A couple of times yesterday a trailangel had left water on the trail at road crossings which hassaved a lot of hikers that have been out of or low on water.It has cooled off a lot since the rain and there is a nicebreeze blowing. We hope to be up and out early in the morning. We are going to TRY to go 15 miles tomorrow. We should be ableto do it if it is cooler with lower humidity and if we getstarted earlier. We did not get on the trail today until almost9am.It is dark and I need to get to sleep. Besides, the mosquitoesare attracted to my headlamp. Good night.
Date: 2005-07-29
From: Bear Mountain Bridge

To: Dennytown Rd.
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Started @ Bear Mountain BridgeDestination: Dennytown Rd.Miles Today: 14.5Total Miles: 1401.4Stayed in tentDay 140We were on the trail by about 9am. We called our trail angel,Polly, and in half an hour she picked us up at the motel,stopped at the post office for us, and then drove us to thetrailhead. She is a delightful person. We have been blessed tomeet her.After we crossed the Hudson River we climbed a steep rock climb. The Honeymooners, Birdie and Muskrat came up from behind afterthat firt climb. They are a cute couple that were married inApril and ARE on their honeymoon. We met Birdie's parents a fewdays ago at a shelter where we had stopped for a break. Theparents had come out to see them and were slack-packing them.Another hiker, Wolfman, passed us later. We had met him at thechurch hostel in Delaware Water Gap. I don't believe we sawanyone else on the trail.We stopped for a break and water at the Graymoor Friary thisafternoon. We would have stayed here last night if we had notstopped at the motel instead. The first 14 hikers are givendinner in the Spiritual Life Dining Hall. It is free butdonations are accepted. It was tempting to stay but we neededto make up some miles. Hikers are allowed to stay in the picnicarea at the ballfield.The place where we stopped to camp is a camping area owned bythe NY State Parks. And there is a nice water spigot on theside of a pump house across the road. We have gotten more waterfrom spigots the last couple of weeks than from springs andstreams.At the campsite when we got there were Birdie and Muskrat. Theyhad heard us coming off the trail and came down to the waterwhere we were to make sure we knew where the campsite was. Shortly after we got into our tents after dark a truck camezooming up the little road into one camping area and made a bigcircle around it and took off onto another dirt road that ledoff from the area it just circled. It may have run over us ifwe had set up our tent in that first open area instead of theone next to it.Toto dreamed a bear was trying to get to him through the tentlast night. Tomorrow we will probably just go to the first shelter. Theshelter after that is too far and camping spaces are not alwaysavailable.
Date: 2005-07-30
From: Dennytown Rd.

To: Hortontown Rd, RPH Shelter
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

Started @ Dennytown RoadDestination: Hortontown Rd, RPH ShelterMiles today: 10.7Total Miles: 1412.1Stayed in shelterDay 141On the trail by 7:25am and in the shelter by 4:30pm. Toto isstill trying to get his trail legs but he is doing better. Itis awfully hard for him to try to do more miles.We stopped as often as possible to rest and hydrate. At noon wecooked dinner since Toto says he needs more carbs to give himenergy to get him through the afternoon. We eat as often aspossible at places along the way if they are near the trail atroad crossings. I eat snacks throughout the day but I just donot have much appetite for trail dinners. I can sure eat,though, when we eat real food.A mile before the shelter was a tenting area with water from apump. It was cool, clear,and good-tasting well water. Therewas a covered picnic table and privy and a large grassy areafor tents. Toto read in the register there that at this shelterwhere we are tonight that you can order pizza, so we came here.We were the first ones here and the second hiker was Engine. Although the pizza place does not deliver until after 5pm wecalled in our order about 4:30. When our orders came there wereabout 7 other hikers here and they were just deciding what toorder. They were drooling from the aroma of hot pizza fillingthe air.As we were eating we were very happy to see Snowman walk up tothe shelter. We gave him a big hug. It sure was great to seehim again!! He is the same as ever.Most of the ones here tonight all stayed at the same place lastnight and we learned that Santa was with them but that heprobably stayed at the tenting area 1 mile south.By 9pm everyone was in their bunk or tent. I have been lying inmy bunk listening to the MP3 player. Hopefully we wil be ableto sleep.
Date: 2005-07-31
From: Hortontown Rd, RPH Shelter

To: Telephone Pioneers Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: light rain

Started @ RPH ShelterDestination: Telephone Pioneers ShelterMiles today: 16.6Total Miles: 1428.7Stayed in tentDay 142We ended up setting our tent up last night close to 11pm.Someone in the shelter was snoring REALLY bad!! I had the MP3player on but could still hear it. At first I thought it wasToto because he does snore, but not as bad as this guy wassnoring! Toto was the first to get up and say he was setting upthe tent. Then I joined him. I knew I would never sleep withthe noise. I was tired and was having a difficult time going tosleep,anyway,--I think it was the caffeine in the Pepsi that Idrank last night. It was after midnight by the time I got tosleep and that is about the time I usually wake up the firsttime.We were on the trail by about 7am and had not gone more than amile when someone hiked up behind me--Toto was ahead of me abit. I knew when I saw him that it was Santa. I asked him ifhe was Santa and he said he was and asked if I was Dorothy. Isaid I was and and he reached out to give me a big hug. He waswith with Bigfoot. They hiked on but we met up with them and theother 2 that they are hiking with--Rest Step (he hiked in 03also) and Beekeeper--at the deli about 0.3 mile east of thetrail at US 52. Then the others that were at the shelter wherewe stayed started coming in to eat also. I had to top off mymeal with Ben and Jerry's Chubby Hubby ice cream. I think Ionly have about 30 more flavors to try!We spent an hour and a half at the deli. They had tables besidethe store where we all sat and ate. We were able fill our watercontainers from a spigot behind the store. While we were thereToto had a bottle of grapefruit juice, 3 botles of iced tea, anda large gatorade. I had 2 iced teas and a pepsi. We werepretty well full of liquids when we left there. Ahh, it wasgreat! If we could have just been able to take a nap instead ofhaving to hike on a full belly.Wow!! We did 16.6 miles today!! I think that Toto was justwaiting for Snowman. Now he will try his best to keep up withhim! Snowman is going into Pawling this evening to resupply andwe plan to meet him tomorrow somewhere. I'm sure he will catchup with us when he gets back to the trail tomorrow.We got to the shelter at 6:40pm and set up our tent. No oneelse was there, but Engine came in about an hour later. He setup a tent, too, so there was nobody in the shelter. I sleptprety good but I was awake every hour on the hour from 11pmthrough 5 this morning. I was not bothered with aches and painsmuch, though. It has been a good day. I doubt we will be able to do this manymiles every day.