morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-06-20
From: Missouri

To: Clarks Creek
Miles today: 13.4

More rocks. This is what I remember after Duncannon. A rocky ridge walk. Likely stopped at the Peters Mtn Shelter. A section hiker we had first met in Pine Grove Furnace had done a faceplant yesterday morning and gotten really banged up. The word was his hike might be over. He started at Harpers Ferry, but was intending to go to Katahdin. He caught back up to us today tho- no major damage done, but his face was pretty banged up and he earned a trail name- Rockfight.         We made it here after what for us, is a decent day- 13 miles. The group we camped with last night is all here except for Likely. When I first showed up, there was a hiker named GreenDog who was slackpacking himself in the area and had a cooler with beer and soda. I was a little ahead of Didge and MM at that point and got sodas for all of us before GreenDog took off. We are camped right by a road, but at least you can't see the spot from the road. The road crosses Clark Creek here and across the creek from the trail is a super duper campspot on the inside of a meander bend. You can't see the campspot from the trail til you are well past the place you need to leave the trail to get to the spot- its on the other side of the creek. They told us how to get there and then a little after dark, Cheeseburger came by and also needed guidance in how to get there. Didge went to go show him and kicked a small stump in the dark while wearing soft foam Crocs. Ouch- he is in a lot of pain. He also took a small spill on the trail today and banged up his knee.
Date: 2010-06-21
From: Clarks Creek

To: just before Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: few clouds

Didge's toe was slightly purple this morning. He took some heavy duty painkiller we are carrying for things such as this- Vitamin I doesn't cut it. We still did 11 miles. He is a trooper. This is a weird section of trail- I remember it having a slightly weird feel to it in 2001. The trail passes through some areas that were affected by coal mining, including a ghost town called Yellow Springs. The water sources are what MM is calling orange gatorade springs- but its more like they are coated with rust.         The water itself is clear and looks okay, but the bottom of the streams are coated with rusty sediment. (later I looked it up and the stuff is called yellow boy- iron hydroxide precipitates when acid mine drainage's pH is raised when it comes into contact with fresh water.) So we bypassed a gatorade spring a few miles after Clarks Creek, the book lists water at Rattling Run ahead. But we get there, and there is no water, just a dry stream bed. 3 more flat miles to Yellow Springs village- which also has water listed in the book ( the first gatorade spring was not listed in the book fwiw). We get there, find a blue blaze trail- but no water. There is a register in a random mailbox on the side of the trail, where I read that someone else found water down a different blue blaze that you have to backtrack a little ways to- then go way down off the trail.         Didge is in pain with the toe, so I take our water bag and go on a safari. The blue blaze's markings are almost nonexistant, but the directions said to follow this pronounced ditch downhill- once on the trail, I can see the faded blue blazes. I find some meager water, that's more of a puddle, but hear water running a shortways downhill, so I investigate. More rusty gatorade- back to the puddle where I fill up the bag using our ziploc bag water bail.         A little ways further up the trail we cross a few trickles that I think we could have made work. I want to burn my guidebook. A short time later we pass a sobo section hiker and I ask him to write a note in the Peters Mtn Shelter register about the dry water source and where to find water at Yellow Springs, tho I also leave a more detailed note in the register there. The area around Rausch Gap is also a little unusual, I can't really pinpoint what feels different- the woods seem darker, it almost seems haunted. The trail goes along an old road bed for awhile. We come along Rausch Creek without crossing it and decide that is far enough for the day, we camp along the creek and get our water just upstream of another rusty gatorade tributary. Didn't see anyone hiking naked today. Didge's toe is really purple by the afternoon.
Date: 2010-06-22
From: just before Rausch Gap Shelter

To: Swatara Gap
Miles today: 6.0

So we stop for water a couple miles into the day rather than filter again at camp this morning. There is a small bridge there. After filtering, Didge whirls the tube around to remove the water via centripatal force. It is best to do this after removing the filter unit, and I think he thought he had removed it, but he didn't and it went flying off into the creek. Not good as this contaminates the clean end of the filter, but once for only a few seconds in a clean looking water source, I'm willing to let it go and keep using it, but upon retrieving it, the filter casing is totally cracked where the tube attaches. MM has a filter we could use but it is on the verge of crapping out and when his is clogged it refuses to work at all as a safety feature and he was planning to rely on ours as a backup...         He is taking a train home to MO the day after tomorrow anyway. I have to admit I am feeling really negative today anyway- I do not feel like hiking at all. There is a sidetrail to Lickdale PA in a few miles. So we go, eating blackberries along the trail while it is threatening rain. We go to the Days Inn, listed in the book at being 55$. But we don't know that we are only a few exits away from Hershey PA, with its chocolately theme park and the 55 bucks is a base price off season. They say 90 bucks but we manage to talk them down to 75 for their last two rooms. Before we left the trail we did some research on MM's GPS and find the nearest Enterprise Rent A Car in Lebanon PA- arrange a pickup for tomorrow.
Date: 2010-06-23
From: Swatara Gap

To: Clarks Creek
Miles today: 0.0

So we get picked up and rent a car which will accomplish many things at once. It allows us to drive to the nearest Walmart (found with MM's GPS) to buy a new Sawyer water filter cartridge that we use for our hybrid gravity filter system, it allows us to camp someplace for free tonight, do some trail magic for hikers, and get MM to the train tomorrow. We remember Clarks Creek a couple days ago- great camp spot right by the road. We buy some cold drinks, a stryofoam cooler and hot dogs to roast. We got a new water filter and made camp , made a fire. No hikers pass by, but we have a good time anyway. We bought a thing of bubbles to play with for a dollar which we also use to find the tiny air leak in my NeoAir (you put a soapy film on the mattress and then apply pressure, the escaping air creates bubbles at the spot of the leak, which you mark with a sharpie (which we carry) and then patch the hole. Blowing bubbles over the rising heat column off a fire is also quite amusing as the bubbles drift onto a rapid elevator and shoot up in the air. Didge also played with the timed exposure after dark and the fire and took a cool shot where he writes Jasper with his headlamp (Didgeridude was too long!) . It was sad that MM was going home tomorrow, we will miss him.         Late in evening, well after dark, Didge was playing harmonica by the fire when we hear a hiker walking on the trail across the river. She says- hey who's over there? Doodlebug and Didgeridude- who's that? it's Cowgirl! We first met her back at Siler Bald shelter when we were taking a zero cause it was so damn cold. We told her how to get back to the side trail to come over to the campspot. She's a vegetarian so no hot dogs, but she drank a coke and went to bed after telling us how she'd recently had to send her dog Kelly home because the heat was really getting to her. So she was bumming and running into us really boosted her spirits, which was awesome for us to hear, cause our trail magic had kinda been a failure up to that point.
Date: 2010-06-24
From: Clarks Creek

To: William Penn Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: clear sky

We had a few more hikers show up and help us finish the soda off, plus we fired the fire back up and a couple hikers cooked hotdogs for breakfast. Soon we had to pack up and head out to get MM to the train in time for us to get the car back to Lebanon. Again, MM's GPS came in handy and in fact once he took it with him at the train station, we got lost and were late returning the car, but they didn't charge us. We got shuttled back to the trail crossing at Swatara Gap, right before it started to rain. We packed out some fruit and hot dog fixings, we didn't want them to go to waste and we hoped to do some trail magic at the shelter tonight. My pack was so horribly heavy, we stopped after half a mile under the I-81 underpass to eat a couple oranges in the rain to lighten the load. Didge took some more of my weight and we hiked on to the shelter. We camped near some section hikers and invited them over for hot dogs and marshmellows, as well as inviting some thruhikers that were pretty much already asleep and never came over. Later that night we burnt the remaining buns and dogs in the fire as well as the ketchup and mustard. Not very leave no trace I know, but seemed a better option that burying them to get dug up. At least all that was left was some odors in a firepit. We packed out all the trash and bottles.
Date: 2010-06-25
From: William Penn Shelter

To: campsite
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: light rain

A shortish day with a long afternoon break at 501 shelter plus some trail magic where Stan and Candy Bar ,a mother and daugther hiking team, had some left over pizza and Mountain Dew they shared with us. We hiked on to Hertlein campsite, it feels weird for Mapmaker not to be with us. We ran into more rocks today. Its weird how totally subjectively people experience the rocks. I guess I learned this in 2001, when I asked Roger B (who was slacking sobo) how the rocks were and he told me there weren't any- then when it was horribly rocky (IMHO), I was deeply demoralized. Cowgirl said she hadn't seen anything rockier than VA and they didn't really bother her. I am just horribly affected mentally by walking over rocks. Granted, there are always rocks. It's a hiking trail on Appalchian ridges, which are rocky. There is no avoiding rocks. For me there is a distinction between sections where you are walking mostly on dirt, avoiding stepping on rocks, to where the trail is mostly rock and there really is no dirt to step on. Both require a lot of looking down at your feet, but the dirt walking/rock avoidance seems to require less mental attention for me. Walking on rocks, you have to pick where to put your feet, try to predict which rocks will be a better surface for your foot, less painful/pointy, less likely to totter when you step on it- if it is going to totter, which way. I think one of the reasons I like hiking so much is I can turn my brain off, when I am walking over rocks, there is no turning the brain off, and no getting into a rhythm and I end up just letting it get to me, where I just feel like throwing myself off a cliff rather than walk on anymore rocks.        Didge's toe is no longer purple, but is still pretty swollen. The rocks suck for me, but they are agony for him. He is still taking pain meds, but has switched to Vitamin I. The toenail bed has turned sort of blue-ish and eventually he will lose that nail. It's the little piggy that stayed home (the one next to the big toe)
Date: 2010-06-26
From: campsite

To: Eagle's Nest Shelter
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: broken clouds

nothing terribly exciting happened today. I have no interesting pictures and there are no significant landmarks in the guidebook for me to recall anything. We camped with a boy scout troop and some weekenders. We did decide to take a blue blaze- noting the trail paralleled a road on the map for several miles, we decided to take that instead of the trail, hoping for less rocks. It was less rocky, but very sunny and hot, no shade, 3 miles of monotonous gravel road. There was one section midway through it where the road went down a small rise and the woods on either side opened up to a park like area where there were coniferous trees with grassy areas between- reminded me of Hercules Glades in MO somewhat.
Date: 2010-06-27
From: Eagle's Nest Shelter

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: broken clouds

A rocky ridgewalk most of the day- we got into Port Clinton by 4pm or so, after the trail dropped steeply into the valley. Port Clinton is another place where the trail goes right through town. We picked up our drop at the P.O., went and ate, showered, and did laundry (in that order) at the Port Clinton Inn, then went down to the free pavilion to camp where we ran into Nesta! We hung out and caught up with him a bunch, taking some lawn chairs that were there down to the river and sitting with our feet in the water.
Date: 2010-06-28
From: Port Clinton

To: campsite past the Pinnacle
Miles today: 10.5

We got up earlyish for us and went ate breakfast at the 3C's restaurant about half a mile away from the Pavilion. Breakfast was pretty good, afterwards we went back and broke down camp and then hiked out. It was a pretty decent climb out of Port Clinton, made more so by the heavier packs after resupply. The poison ivy in this section is horrific.         We took a long break at Windsor Furnace Shelter. When we arrived there was no one there, but there was a pile of clothing there and a can of bug spray. We partook of the bug spray as there were rampant mosquitoes and our Deet supply is dwindling. A short while later a young man came back- it was his stuff, he had gone for a swim in a nearby pond. I told him we thought his stuff was abandoned and we had used his bug spray. It is not uncommon to find random collections of abandoned stuff in shelters. he didn't care anyway.         An afternoon thunderstorm passed over us- we were happy to be able to wait it out at the shelter. Something as simple as having the good fortune to be at a shelter for a brief thunderstorm, can make your day. Another 4 miles of hiking brought us to the Pinnacle. I was ahead of Didge and I thought I had been clear that our next stop was this Pinnacle Overlook. Only the side trail to the Pinnacle is just labeled as overlook- and he passed on by not realizing this was the place. I waited for a bit and figured he had gone on - but I also figured he'd figure it out. Hoping he still might be within in vocal range , I went back the trail and yelled for him for awhile. He didn't hear me, but he realized he should have caught up with me by then and turned around. So reunited, we cooked dinner at the Pinnacle and enjoyed the vast view. I cowboy camped here in 2001 with Wood Nymph and her mom, as well as Blowing Sunshine. We saw three fireworks displays that night and it wasn't even July 4!         While pouring the boiling water into the containers we eat out of, Didge accidentally poured water on top of his bare foot- burned the crap out the top of his foot. PA has not been kind to Didgeridude- he has a scraped up face, knee, possibly broken toe and now a burnt foot. The toe and the burn are both on his right foot. After dinner, we hiked on maybe half a mile, Didge had seen a campspot on his detour north. It was dark by the time we got there. The mile or so before the Pinnacle was incredibly rocky- large rocks that shift and totter. fun. not.
Date: 2010-06-29
From: campsite past the Pinnacle

To: Allentown Shelter
Miles today: 10.1

The first part of the trail this morning was blissful, running along an old road bed. Have I mentioned I LOVE sections of trail like this? I can look around and see things! The trail stayed on this road bed all the way to the road crossing where we detoured .2 to Eckville Shelter. Back in the good ol days- (2001), there was a fridge here with sodas and ice cream for sale on the honor system. Eckville Shelter is an enclosed cabin with a caretaker house nearby. For various reasons, there is no longer soda here. Bummer.         We hiked up to a viewpoint called Dan's Pulpit for our next break. A little ways before getting there, the rocks started again and continued afterwards for quite some time, for the first time on this trip I got really affected by them- they always irritate me, but after a long time I reach a near breaking point, where I just start hating everything- hate the trail, hate hiking, just want the damn rocks to stop! Finally they give out and we are hiking on normal trail again. Rocks just exhaust me mentally. I can't take it.         We reached the shelter a little before dark. Two section hikers who passed us earlier in the day were there and had gone down the very long very steep trail to the water to find the first spring dry and the even more steep and distant second spring was barely a trickle. They had a liter they could spare us and we gave them everlasting gratitude and some treats. It is four level miles to water in the morning- I think we can make it.         Today Didge wrapped his foot in some fabric we had- the skin over the burn is still intact for now. The padding of the wrapping helped, but he was still in a fair amount of discomfort and his toe still hurts, especially so when he kicks a rock just right, it sends shooting pain into his foot. On the other hand, I am actually feeling pretty good finally. My leg rash is finally mostly healed and the sinus infection/congestion is mostly gone.
Date: 2010-06-30
From: Allentown Shelter

To:  blue mountains summit Palmerton PA
Miles today: 4.1

Last night Didge ripped open the burn on the top of his foot on accident - it rubbed against the rough skin on his other foot. We knew it was just a matter of time before this happened and had been expecting it somewhat. So now Didge is missing skin on the top of his foot- about the size of a half dollar. Miserable to hike with and the potential for infection is high. We hike 4 miles to the road where there is a restaurant with a water spigot. Examining the map, we determine the best way to get to Palmerton (which is 13 trail miles ahead- the city lets hikers stay in the basement of the borough hall for free), is to hitch to the west to a more travelled road, even tho Palmerton is to the east, the road that connects north is a minor road, probably not well travelled.         We got a ride without too much difficulty, the woman told us we should have gone the other way as it was more direct. I asked- "Is there much traffic on that road?" - Well no not really- she answered. Our second ride was a guy on his way home from work who took us a few miles out of his way into Palmerton. We saw Stan and Candy Bar sitting in the grass in the park and had him drop us off there. We ended up staying with them in the borough hall as well as Grolar Bear, who we had met way down south, Thunder- who we'd camped with in Port Clinton, Winston- an older english guy, and a woman who was a section hiker (who I feel horrible I cannot recall the name of right now- as she gave us a ride to Delaware Water Gap the next day!) We had a late lunch at a nice-ish restaurant, then ate diner at a dinner later with Grolar Bear , Stan , and Candy Bar. Grolar Bear and the waitress had a tiff cause he really wanted rhubarb pie and there was one that was done, but she didn't want to cut it or something like that. It was pretty hilarious actually.It's nice to be around hikers again, we haven't seen too many folks since Port Clinton.         Winston made a pretty funny crack about Thunder- called her the Incredible Shrinking Woman cause she's lost like 30 lbs, but then had to add that she hadn't lost any from her boobs at all!
Date: 2010-07-01
From:  blue mountains summit Palmerton PA

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

"Extremely helpful section hiker I can't remember the name of" got picked up by a shuttle service and taken to her car, then came back and got us and took us north 36 trail miles to Delaware Water Gap. So once we leave here, we are officially yellow blazers. I don't care. I hate the damn rocks. Those 50 miles were where I had a breakdown in 2001, the only time in 2168 miles I thought about quitting. The section hiker came out with a group of woman to hike and after a day or two realized she didn't feel like hiking at all and is going to support her friends while they hike. She has a hotel reservation in DWG.         It's thursday, which means its hiker feed day at the DWG Church of the Mountain hostel. I came to this dinner almost every thursday all summer when I was a NJ Ridgerunner and I really hoped I would be able to hit it this year. Since 2002, they have built an awesome Fellowship Center behind the church with a huge covered side deck where they had the dinner. Much nicer than setting up tables in the parking lot like they used to. Pastor Karen is still running it all. We camped up the hill in the yard and ran into lots of hikers we knew. One nice thing about skipping 50 miles is you get to run into people again, since we are hiking slow, we don't really to get see folks multiple times that much.         The dinner was awesome, I'm really glad we were able to make it here for that.
Date: 2010-07-02
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We are thinking one more day off for Didge to regrow some skin on his foot and we can hike tomorrow. I am looking forward to being in my old NJ stomping grounds. Touching on the subjective nature of rocky trail- in 2001, I remember the trail in NJ as being just as bad as PA rock wise, in 2002, as a ridgerunner, I didn't think it was that rocky and was not bothered by the rocks.         We hung out with Likely again, he spent the afternoon cleaning and rearranging things around the hostel for better feng shui. It was humorous to watch, you could tell it was just a compulsion for him. Maybe we can invite him to come stay with us for a few days at home so he could clean/rearrange for us. AD, Red and Sunshine were there as well as Big Fork and Little Spoon and a bunch of other hikers. There was also this random guy camping out who seemed to be homeless, he left his tent for the day and went down to the beach on the river. His tent stands out cause its not a backpacking tent, he's not dressed like a hiker. hmmm. made us a little wary about leaving valuables in the tent. We picked up a drop here and hiker box'ed a bunch of extra food. We are getting picked up in 4 days by my PCT friends Bono and Nightingale (aka Vin and Jennette), who live in north NJ.         There is a restaurant/bar/inn next door to the hostel called the Deer Head that had an open mike blues/jazz jam tonight. It was being run by a guy playing music there- he was skeptical of Didgeridude wanting to play harmonica at first. He didn't have his own mike or amp with him of course, so the guy had to alter things to accomodate him, but once he heard Didge play, he changed his mind in a hurry. Didge blew them away and the guy invited him to come out and play with him again at a different club that we had no way of getting to.