morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-06-11
From: Duncannon, PA - Doyle Hotel

To: Duncannon, PA - Doyle Hotel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I still had not made a decision whether to hike or take a zero day at the Doyle. I decided to try to get everything I needed to do in town completed and then decide if I was going to hike today. I started by making a rough plan for the next two weeks, so I could determine resupply points. Then I figured out how much food I needed before leaving town. I looked at the food I had left over, then I went to the hiker box at the Doyle and scored a few meals other hikers had put in the box. I went over to a convenience store for the remaining items I needed.Next I gathered my laundry and went to the coin laundry down the street. While the clothes were washing I ate breakfast at Goodies restaurant. When the clothes were dry I went back to my room and sorted through my pack for things I could do without in an attempt to reduce how much weight I am carrying. I put all my cool weather stuff and in a bag. I probably eliminated 3 lbs. out of my pack. I went to the post office and mailed this stuff to Port Clinton where I should be in 4 days. This is referred to as a bounce box on the trail. I will mail it to myself along the trail and add or take things out as needed. After the post office, I went to the hardware store and got a garden stake to replace one of my tent stakes that broke in half a couple days ago. I returned to the Doyle Hotel around 11:30 and went into the tavern. A few new hikers had arrived. I ordered lunch and thought about hiking. It was another warm day in the 80s. I decided to take a zero and hike out on Tuesday. Rockman and Walking Cowboy arrived today. I read my updated my online map with my latest progress (www.maps.yourgmap.com/v/k_nf_Don_on_the_AT_2007.html). I read a few chapters in my book and relaxed all afternoon. I reviewed some other peoples trail journals to see where they were. It looks like Little Red, The Wolf, and Pootz are about 100 miles or more behind me, so I probably will not see them again. I think Gator Gump is only about a day behind me and I will probably see him in a week or two.I am surprised to be so far in front of the people I hiked with for many days. It doesn't seem like I have been hiking fast or a lot of miles based on the terrain. I have to keep moving north so I can complete this in the six month period I have off from work. Tomorrow I will have breakfast at Goodies and then hike north.
Date: 2007-06-12
From: Duncannon, PA - Doyle Hotel

To: PA325 Parking Area - Campsite
Miles today: 17.1

It was light outside when I awoke at 5 AM this morning. I wanted to get an early start today and knew that Backyard Boogie and Walking Cowboy were planning to go eat at Goodies at 5:00, but I wasn't ready to get up yet. I finally convinced myself to get up around 5:30 and was across the street at goodies by 5:45. I had the Bacon and Cheese Omelet special and orange juice. I already had everything packed up so I headed out of town at 7:00. The trail ran through town for about a mile and then crossed the Susquehanna river on a highway bridge. I could tell I was the first hiker to leave town this morning, because I cleared about 50 spider webs stretched across the bridge walkway. At the end of the bridge the trail entered the woods with a steep climb up to a ridge. The trail was mostly fairly level ridgeline today with just a couple climbs and descents. Backyard Boogie caught up to me on the ridge and we hiked together to the Peters Mtn Shelter. We passed through a section of forest where the Gypsy Moth caterpillars had completely stripped all the leaves off the oak trees. The Peters Mtn shelter was at 11.4 miles and all I had in my plan for today, but we got there at 12:45. That included a stop for about 30 minutes when we saw Focus and Mrs. Focus with their VW Westfalia at the PA225 parking area. We met Fire Marshall the shelter. He just started a section hike from Duncannon. He is from Raleigh and knew me from this trail journal, but did not recognize me at first. I look a bit different than my file photo, since I haven't shaved or had my hair cut the past three months. Fire Marshall lives in Raleigh, NC.While we were there, Monkey and Cocoa showed up for a short break. They were slackpacking today. A little later No Worries and Blazer showed up. I had met them Sunday night at the Doyle Hotel. After eating lunch it looked like rain so we sat at the shelter a while. It thundered and rained for a little while, then the skies cleared and we hiked north. The trail was rockier this afternoon and the thunder and rain returned. I was hiking with Backyard Boogie, No Worries, and Blazer in the afternoon. We saw a couple of rattle snakes up on the ridge and debated whether the lightning or rattle snakes were the biggest risk. We finally came down off the ridge to Clarks Creek next to PA325. Focus and Mrs. Focus were in the parking lot there and planning to camp in their Westfalia in the parking lot. We started to look for camping spots and it started raining harder. I quickly put up my tent and put my pack inside.It was a good day hiking. These guys hike at about the same pace I usually hike. I will probably be hiking with them for a couple days up to Port Clinton. They are planning to take a beero day or two there to visit the Yuengling brewery on Monday. I should be in Port Clinton by Saturday morning and will probably hike north on Sunday.
Date: 2007-06-13
From: PA325 Parking Area - Campsite

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: moderate rain

It rained throughout the night and was still sprinkling when I awoke a little after 5 AM. I wasn't eager to get up and didn't hear anyone else moving about, so I stayed in my tent until 6:30. The rain had stopped, so I got up, ate breakfast, and packed up my wet tent. We (Backyard Boogie, No Worries, Blazer, and me) headed out a little after 8:00. We had to climb a thousand foot hill first thing to get up on the ridge. It was hot and humid already. Once we reached the ridge the trail was relatively level the rest of the day. We passed near a military training area and had to listen to A10 Warthog planes screaming over head and firing weapons for a couple hours. We saw a deer off to the side of the trail. It started to run away but then stopped about 30 feet from the trail and watched us. We stopped and the deer turned towards us. There was a branch obscuring the deer's view, so it raised its head to see over the branch. I then ducked down so it couldn't see my eyes. The deer lowered its head below the branch so it could see me. I then stood up and the deer raised its head. I did this several time and the deer always responded. Maybe I have been in the woods a little too long. I invited the deer to join us on our trip to Maine as we walked off. We discussed potential problems with having a pet deer on the journey. Some hotels allow pets, but have they ever considered a pet deer? The deer decided to stay behind. We stopped for lunch at a small clearing and pulled our tents out to let them dry. Monkey and Cocoa passed through. They were slack packing another section. Later Fire Marshall passed through. We were surprised to see him, since he had stopped about 5 miles farther back than we did. He had started much earlier than us this morning at about 6:00. He continued on towards the next shelter. We packed up our gear and headed for Rausch Gap Shelter. We weren't sure how far we were going to hike today. We knew the forecast was for rain again this evening. We decided to go to the shelter and evaluate things when we got there. We reached the shelter a little after 3 PM. Clouds and thunder moved in shortly after we got there, so we decided to stay. I am going to have to hike some more miles the next couple days if I am going to get to Port Clinton on Saturday before the Post Office closes at 11 AM.We ate an early dinner and retired to our tents by 5:00. I have been reading my book for a while. There have been a few short light rains, but nothing severe. Yet.
Date: 2007-06-14
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: overcast clouds

My phone battery ran down this evening before I got my journal entry completed. I don't remember too much about the day. I hiked with Backyard Boogie again today. We ended up at 501 shelter, which is an enclosed building with 12 bunks. It is just off of PA501 and there is pizza delivery service. I ordered a large pizza and a 2 liter coke. Fire Marshall, Blazer, No Worries, Backyard Boogie, Breadless Horseman, and an unknown southbound hiker were there.They had a non-functional solar hot water shower. Basically a couple of black plastic barrels suspended over the shower. The barrels are probably shaded by trees 80 percent of the day. I am disappointed to keep seeing solar showers listed and finding them all non-functional due to poor design or broken components. Perhaps I'll work on a better design for a remote solar shower when I am done hiking.
Date: 2007-06-15
From: 501 Shelter

To: Port Clinton, PA
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I started my day with left over pizza and coke from last night. I packed up my gear while Boogie, Blazer, No Worries, and Fire Marshall considered optional plans to coordinate zero days with hotel availability. I left around 7:00 and met Rockman near the shelter. He had stayed at the PA Moneypit Hostel last night. We hiked together for about 30 minutes then he dropped back. Breadless Horseman caught up to me and passed me. I saw him again at Eagles Nest Shelter where I stopped for lunch. I stayed at the shelter for about an hour and picked up a new book to read (James Bond in Scorpius).I hiked the last 8 miles into Port Clinton. It included a lot of rocy areas and one of the steepest descents I have had to in quite a while. The trail dropped about 1,000 feet in less than half of a mile.I found my way to the Pavilion where hikers are allowed to stay for free. It is a large covered picnic area. There were about 8 hikers staying there. (Breadless Horseman, Caveman of Ohio, J Silverheels - last seen in Hot Springs, Bushwacker, Flick, Golden Boy, and Quatro). Focus and Mrs. Focus were there for a little while with their VW Vanagon. The local outfitter pulled up. He shuttled me over to the outfitter store for a $1.50 shower. (phone # and details are posted in the pavillion). The outfitter just opened this year so there wasn't any information about this in the guide books. I was happy to get a shower. I bought a new backpack while I was there. My current pack just doen't seem to support the pack weight as well now and my lower back has been hurting. I think it is probably due mostly to me losing 40 lbs. I got a pack with a heavier hip belt with more padding and more padding on the shoulder straps. It weighs a couple more pounds, bu I need the better support system now.
Date: 2007-06-16
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I didn't get much sleep last night. The pavilion in Port Clinton is about 100 yards from a busy highway withholds of trucks going by all night long. I got up at 7:00 and transferred my gear from my old pack to my new pack. At 8:00 I went to the post office and got my food box and a box with some gear I forwarded to myself from Duncannon. I am happy to get my sleeping bag liner back again. I was a little cool the past few nights. I saw Backyard Boogie and Blazer at the post office. They are probably going to be in town until Monday. Buzz (a section hiker I met in the Smokies) gave us a ride to the pavilion. He had an inverter and battery he let me use to charge my phone battery. Monkey and Cocoa showed up with their rental car. Jason, Bushwacker, and I went with them to the Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville for the tour.I got back to the Pavilion around 4:00 and started getting ready to hike. It rained for a little while and I had a few logistical things to work out, so I didn't get on the trail until 6 PM. I hiked 6 miles to Windsor Furnace Shelter. I arrive a little before 9:00. There was a Boy Scout Troop camping around the shelter. I stopped at the shelter and talked through to a group of about 10 for a while. They had lots of questions and I enjoyed discussing my journey with them.My new Deuter backpack seems to be working well. Tomorrow I should cover a lot more miles, so it will be a better evaluation. It definitely has a stronger suspension, which is what I wanted even if it weighs a couple more pounds.The trails continue to get a little more rocky as I proceed through eastern Pennsylvania. The next few days could be difficult.
Date: 2007-06-19
From: Jail house Hostel - Palmerton, PA

To: Leroy A Smith Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

There were seven hikers staying at the jailhouse hostel last night (Flick, Golden Boy, Ninja, Caveman of Ohio, Spence, Lightning Rod, and me). Most of us went across the street to the diner for breakfast. We got there at 6:00, but they didn't open until 6:30. We had made arrangements for Duane (listed in thru-hikers companion) to pick four of us at 7:00 and take us 1.5 miles back to the trail. We ate fast and, when Duane arrived at 7:00 with his Chevy S-10 pickup with exterminator logo, we surprised him with 7 hikers and packs ready to go. He didn't mind. He said the record was 8 hikers.We all wanted to get up the hill out of Lehigh Gap and across the barren mountain ridge before the sun got to hot. (Except Lightning rod who was hiking south). We climbed the steep 1,000 foot rock pile in about 30 minutes. It was steep and the biggest rock pile I have climbed, but it wasn't as difficult as I was expecting. At the top of the hill the trail leveled off and we hiked through an area littered with dead trees and very little live plants. This lasted for about 5 miles and is part of the superfund site. The trail then entered the woods and was pretty flat the rest of the day except one small rocky climb. The trail here was full of the small pointed rocks embedded in the trail. This was similar to a lot of the trail in Virginia. You had to watch every step you took. Every time I looked up to see where the trail was going I would stub my toe or stumble over these rocks. Add the hot 90 degree temperatures and I was worn out after 16 miles. I wasn't sure how far it was to the shelter at one point and felt so worn out I just found a grassy area, took off my boots, and laid down for 30 minutes. When I got up and returned to the trail, I found the shelter trail was just about 100 feet from where I had stopped.I am in my tent now and feeling better after eating dinner. I had to walk a half mile down hill to get to a spring that was still flowing. The spring by the shelter was dry. It has been thundering for a while and started raining about 15 minutes ago. I am in my tent for the night and staying dry. The thunder is very loud and the lightning lights up my tent. I am glad to see rain. Water sources are getting unreliable. I carried 4 liters (8 pounds) of water with me up the hill today. Partly because of the super fund site and the only other source before the shelter was a half mile down a side trail. I had only 1 cup of water left when I got to the shelter.
Date: 2007-06-20
From: Leroy A Smith Shelter

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

It stormed last night. The thunder was loud and it rained very hard. I stayed dry in my tent, but had to pack it up wet. Golden Boy left early this morning to go to Delaware Water Gap. He is meeting friends and will be off the trail for about 2 weeks. Caveman of Ohio showed up at the shelter, before I was ready to go. I hiked with him all day. We hiked 4 miles to Wind Gap where we found Mrs. Focus and the VW westy. She gave us a ride 1.5 miles to McDonalds. She dropped us off and kept our packs in the van. She went back to the trailhead to watch for other hikers. I ate 3 bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits, hashbrowns, a coke, and a large strawberry milkshake. We left there and went across the street to Dunkin Donuts. I had 2 chocolate covered donuts and a grapefruit juice. Then we went over to a strip mall. I got a half of a cantaloupe at the Giant grocery store and ate it on a bench in front of the store. I forgot to mention I also ate my oatmeal bars and poptarts before leaving the shelter. We were in town for about 3 hours and then walked back to the trail head. We tried hitching, but no one stopped.We stopped at the trail head and talked to Mrs. Focus for a while. She had a picture from a week or so ago. They were at a parking lot when the Red Bull mini cooper pulled in and gave everyone some Red Bull. Caveman of Ohio was one of about 8 hikers that were in the picture with the car.We started hiking again at 3:00 with a little over 9 miles to go to Kirkridge shelter. We had to climb 600 feet up hill to start. I felt very sluggish for about an hour because I had eaten so much. We caught up to Flick who was taking a break at Wolf Rocks. The three of us hiked / ran over rocks the last half mile to the shelter. Ninja was already at the shelter when we got there. Spence had hiked on to Delaware Water Gap.Tomorrow I plan to hike 6 miles to Delaware Water Gap. It will be my last day in Pennsylvania. The past two days have had a lot of embedded rocks in the trails and my feet are very sore. Someone left a note in the shelter journal that says the rocks continue for 20 miles into New Jersey. The rocks in Pennsylvania were not as bad as I was expecting and there were far more miles of nice trails than rocky trails in Pennsylvania. The weather was cooler today. It was probably in the low 80s. It is suppose to be in the upper 50s tonight. I am looking forward to a short hiking day tomorrow followed by cleaning up, getting supplies, planning the next section, and most importantly relaxing.
Date: 2007-06-21
From: Kirkridge Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: few clouds

I heard Flick and Caveman of Ohio getting ready to leave this morning while I was still in my tent. I hear that they participated in the national hike naked day activity. I did not participate. I started hiking at 7:30 and reached Delaware Water Gap by 10:00. The temperature was cool ( about 65 to 70) and the skies were very clear. The views were wonderful with the crisp cool air. I passed a couple of southbound hikers on my way to town.I went to the Church of the Mountain hiker hostel and found Caveman of Ohio, Flick, Spence, and Sticker, who is on his forth thru-hike. I took a shower and went to the post office to get my packages. On the way back to the hostel, I saw Mrs. Focus! She gave us all a ride to Sroudsburg so we could wash clothes. Some of the hikers picked up some spare clothes at the thrift store. Flick was very happy with the pants he found.Mrs. Focus gave Sticker and me a ride back to Delaware Water Gap. The other hikers were riding back with Ninja and her friend Secret Lover. Mrs. Focus and Focus are getting off the trail for a few days to go to a family reunion. I will miss the frequent trail magic stops with the familiar VW Westfalia. There was a potluck dinner at the church (every Thursday). It was great. The people were very friendly and liked talking with the hikers. Rockman, 357 Magnum, and Early Bird also arrived at the hostel today. It is raining pretty hard here tonight. Its nice to be indoors tonight. The forecast for the next week is for clear skies with highs in the upper 70s tomorrow and climbing back into the low 90s over the week.I'm feeling great right now. I'm showered, have clean clothes on, had a great dinner, and am hanging out with some good people. So goes another day on the AT.
Date: 2007-06-23
From: campsite - north of Rattlesnake Mtn, NJ

To: High Point State Park, NJ
Miles today: 19.3

I wasn't as warm as I expected to be this morning. I had plenty of clothes and sleeping gear for the temperature, but I still was a little cool. It wasn't bad enough to make me want to get up and start hiking. I didn't get up until 8:30. My feet are still aching. I hiked down to Culver's Gap and walked over to Gyp's Tavern a couple hundred feet off the trail. It was 11:00 and I had hiked less than 5 miles. I ordered two cheeseburgers, fries, and a coke. I stayed there for about 30 minutes. I met a southbound hiker named Godfather.The trail was rocky again today and there seemed to be a lot more climbing and descending over small hills compared to a lot of flat ridges recently. I stopped every couple miles today to rest. My back has been hurting and I am not sure why. I think I just need to cut back on the miles each day for a while. I reached Rutherford Shelter around 5:30 and found Pogue and Tintin there with a group of weekend hikers. I would see Joseph Stalin also a little later. I rested there for about ten minutes and then continued on to High Point State Park. The other three thru-hikers had arrived before me. I found out Tintin had hitched a ride to get pizza. Stalin invited me to join them for pizza. While we were eating pizza at a picnic table behind the office, a park ranger pulled up. He said it was OK for us to pitch our tents behind the office, so we did.I need to take another look at my plans for this section. I need to reduce my miles to about 15 a day and make sure I have enough food.