morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-15
From: Matt's Creek Shleter

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: light rain

Today was a good and bad day. It started out with a short hike to the road to hit a town for resupply. Since there was a town in bith directions I decided to work both sdie of the road. after about 20 mins I got picked up and headed for Big Island, VA. I had a quick and big breakfastand some shopping. Then after packing up I asked the store owner if I could hitch in front of his store. He thanked me for asking and gave me the OK. I got picked up in about 15 mins and got a ride back to the trail. then to top it all off as I was about to start walking a trail angel showed up and gave me an OJ and an Almond Joy. What a morning. It confirms my belief that people are still good at heart and the small things make a big difference, a ride, a candy bar, a smile can make evrything worthwhile. Then off to the hike, it was up hill all day and the humidty was like yesterday, thicker than pea soup. Sweat actually poured from my body, even from places that I didn't think you could sweat and it all ran to the lowest spot it could find and that was my boots. My the time I quit for the day my boots were soaked, it seemed like I had stepped in a creek but that would of been much more enjoyable. It was 100% miserable. Right now you are proboly thinking that you did not need to know that fact and would of been better off not knowing. I just wanted to let you know about some of the aspects of the trip that may not cross your mind. Finally at the shelter the skies opened up and raindrops were like buckets of water. Hopefully tommorrow the humidty will break, at least for a while. Tonight I will be sung to sleep by a sernade of bullfrongs and hopefully not be visited by the ghost of Little Ottie who died on the mountain after he left his school house to gater wood in 1890. Oh the scary things in these old hills.   Tim
Date: 2004-06-17
From: Cow Camp Shelter

To: Preist Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: few clouds

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, I was down in the dumps missing my friends, my family, Jackson, the Tetons and all that jazz. It was hot and humid with some rain. Today I woke up engerized and excited. Finally the humidty broke at least for the day, but hoefully longer, the skies were blue and there was a light breeze blowing, just perfect hiking weather. I went over Cold Mountain today, I don't know if it was the same one as the book but I would like to think so. I had some beautiful veiws form the summit and easy hiking toady. Also a beautiful veiw from Spy Rock, which was a big rock sticking up above the trees. Unfortunly, on the climb down I hit my knee cap pretty good causing a fair amount of pain for the rest of the day which caused me to limp into the shelter 4 miles away. When I arrived there I took some Vitamin I and iced it down for a bit. Hopefully it will be better tommorrow since I have a 3000 foot descent followed right away by a 3000 foot climb, luckly I only have 12.6 miles tommorrow. Tonight at the shelteris a group a girls from the New Dominan School, which is the same school that I met near Damascus. Somehow one of the girls went to the privy and managed to fall in up to her waist. Hopefully I will never have that problem. Well I am off to set up my tent since the bugs are pretty bad tonight.   Tim
Date: 2004-06-20
From: Quality Inn, Waynesboro, VA

To: Ridegline before Turk Gap
Miles today: 10.5

FYI- The previos 2 weeks are coming I promise. I am sorry I sent a huge packet to my brother and he is very busy so check back soon to see what has happened. Sorry Bill for the big list, I just kept forgeting to get them in the mail and remembered as I was about to start walking and only had one envelope. Thanks for all the work. I really appriciate it. TimWhat a good 3 last 3 days. On friday (6/18) I was slowing down, so I could pick up my food drop on Monday in Waynesboro, VA since I was to arrive on Sat Afternoon. Then I ran into Top Knot and he was heading to Reed's Gap to meet his mom (Gale) and pick up his dog. So he offered me a ride to town to pick up my drop on Sat. morning and a ride back to the trail. What Luck! So we headed to town, me, Top Knot and Night Rider. Rider and I camped at the YMCA for free that night. Then the next day we picked up the food drops and headed back to the trail for a 20 mile slackpack back to town for Sat. night. It was a great easy hike. Waynesboro is a dying town but the people are very hiker friendly. If you have a pack on everyone would offer you a ride and you would not even need to ask. Wow, what great people. I even know some hikers who meet a trail angle on there way out of town and were given premission to saty at there house while they were out of town. Like I said the town was dying, everything was shut down, strip malls boarded up, the movie theater closed, the liquer store chained from the outside but it had a ton of open churchs and a military acadmey. Luckly the bar was still open and I met some intresting chartachers. The second night when I was there I played some pool. It was nice to shot againand I was shooting great, I won my first 4 games against some pretty good players, including a guy called Lefty since his right arm was paralyized and he shot only with his left hand. He was a very intresting guy and as he put it "I'm getting messed up from the floor up." He had just had an argument with his girlfriend and walked out. So he came to town to fall off the wagon and see his ex-wife and daughter. What an intresting night. So Finally today I got out of town for a 1:00pm start and begin Shenandoah National Park where we will follow Skyline Drive for 100 miles. I was only going to go 7 miles to the first shelter but decided to push on for another hour and camp to make tommorrow a little shorter. The trail in the park has been so far well maintained with an easy grade, so it makes good walking. I just looked at my watch and it is 10:26, way passed my bed time. Tommorrow I hope to push 23 miles on the summer solstice. Tim
Date: 2004-06-21
From: Ridegline before Turk Gap

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a long day of 22.7 trail miles and about 3 miles of hiking the wrong trail. That happened when I crossed the road at Turk Gap and was in a hiking zone so as I crossed the road I saw a concret post, which is how they mark the trails in the park, I thought it was the AT so I headed down it and after about a 1/2 hour I noticed it was not the AT but a horse trail. So after a bit of screming and yelling I turned around and funally found the AT back at the road and that little detour screwed up my whole day. I ran out of water due to it, I almost missed the campstore for a small resupply and artrived at camp closer to dark than I wanted. At least I had nie weather and no humidity. So then I ate had hung my food from the bear pole which is challanging in the light and almost impossible in the dark. So after struggling with that I am headed off to bed to put this day behind me. Well, another 20 miles tommorrow. Hopefully it will be better.   Tim
Date: 2004-06-22
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Bearfence Hut
Miles today: 20.6

Today, 1/2 mile before camp I crossed my 900 mile mark. I acomplised that by doing 20.6 today. So I decided to look back at previous miliage and times. I hiked the last 100 miles in 6 days compared to my first 100 miles which took 9 days. No wonder a 100 miles seem to flyby now. Tonight I am exhausedand plan on doing 14 miles tommorrow with a stop at Big Meadows Wayside. There I plan on doing some laundry, take a shower and eating including a Blackberry Milkshake which the park is famous for. Hopefully everything will go well.   Tim
Date: 2004-06-24
From: Bearfence Hut

To: Stealth camping near Skyland Service Rd North
Miles today: 16.1

Yesterday, I decided to zero for many reasons. First, my body was exhausted from all the hiking I have done over the last couple of days. I hiked app. 126 miles in 7 days which is huge. Second, the rain started before I got out of the shelter. Third and finally, I needed to do alot of thinking because I am considering leaving the trail. So I just sat a relaxed. Sarge also zeroed there yesterday. He is a very intresting guy who i s currently in his 70's (he told me but I can't remember) and thru-hiked in 97. Now he just comes out to section hike. So we talked, I walked a mile back to the campground and store for some food and a 6 pack of bud, and I read the Toa of Poohby Benjamin Huff. I found the book at a previous shelterand have always wanted to read it. I really enjoyed the book and would like to read more about the ideas of Toaism. But you are proboly wondering why I am thinking of leaving the trail, I am not sure myself but I will try to explain a bit. I think I am getting bored with it. All I do is get up, eat up, pack up and hike 15-20 miles, then set up, eat up and sleep up. I have been doing this now for 69 daysstraight and I think it is getting to me a bit. Right now the trail always seem the same and the views are not that different ffrom each other. I could be here or a couple of hundred miles back and I am not sure I cold tell you the difference. I am also missing alot of things, my family, my friends, jackson, the things I do in the summer, special events like the baptism of my nephew William and Scott and Mellissa's Wedding. So it has been tough mentally for me sometimes and I am not sure how to shake it or if it can be shaken. Maybe it is just the VA Blues since I have been in the state for about a month now, maybe I just need a break. I don't know what the answer is but it a very, very hard decision to make. So I will continue to ponder it as I head north to Harpers Ferry, WV which is the mental 1/2 way point which I should reach in 5 or 6 days all depending how tommorrow goes. I amy do a normal day, I may do abig day, but all I know is I will do another day with an early start so the rangers don't catch me here.   Tim
Date: 2004-06-25
From: Stealth camping near Skyland Service Rd North

To: Pass Mtn Hut
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Short day today. I ended up wondering around this morning for a while trying to find the trail. The I got smart and pulled out my compass instead of wondering more and getting lost. Then a nice short hike. I was going to push farther but they were calling for extreme weather including extreme lighting, damanging winds and heavy rains of up to 2 inches of rain an hour and I would of been in my tent. So I pulled in early to a shelter and will hopefully go 23 miles to Terripan Station Hostel and the end of the park. All depending on the rain, so far we have only had a light drizzle, did I make the right decision. I guess we will see.   Tim
Date: 2004-06-26
From: Pass Mtn Hut

To: Terripan Station Hostel
Miles today: 22.9

Today I finished Shenandoah National Park, Well actually I have .2 left but close enough for goverment work. Even though it was a long doy it was an easy day with cloudy skies this morning and blue skies this afternoon. I also got my earliest start of the trip to date, I left camp at 6:45 and just cruised all day. The hostel is actually a basement of a house owned by a former AT and PCT thruhiker Mike. Here we have cooking facilities, shower and laundry with a shuttle to Front Royal in the morning for a resupply or what ever we need. He is another one of those wonderful people who open up there house and heart to us strangers. I will call mom and dad tommorrow like promised, to let them know of the planns. I have ddecided to continue with the hike and work my way through the hard times. I will go home though for a few days to have Dr. Jim look at a chipped tooth. Hopefully it won't be to bad and just a filling, but we will see. Being home for a few days will be nice to rejuvinate and then push on, which I am looking forward to. Hopefully I will still be able to finish on time, which I should or at least I think. So hopefully after a few days off I will be able to move north and enjoy the rest of the journey.   Tim
Date: 2004-06-27
From: Terripan Station Hostel

To: Dicks Dome Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: overcast clouds

What can I say about today, let me think, hummmmmmm, it sucked. I wish I could say something else but I can't. The weather was nice but that didn't help. Just a long hard grind today. I resupplyed in Fron Royal and hit the trail at 10:00 and arrived here around 8:00. The shelter is a geodesic dome which makes sleeping akward. Hopefully tommorrow will be better, at least it will be shorter. I will hit Harpers Ferry in 3 days and then back to the 'burgh for a little R&R, which I am looking forward to. The trip so far has been an amazing experience and I would not trade it for anything but I will go into that at a later point. Now I am going to bed to put this day to rest. See you for a better day tommorrow as I start the Roller Coaster. Maybe when I am home I will go on some real ones.   Tim
Date: 2004-06-28
From: Dicks Dome Shelter

To: Sam Moore Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was 110% better than yesterday. The sun was shining, the birds singing, as well as the cidica'a. Yes I have started to see them, I don't know if they are ending or beggining but I have started to see them. I have seen shells and live one which are big and ugly. Also today I started the Roller Coaster which is a section of trail that is 13 miles long with 10 ascents and 10 descents of about 400-600 ft a peice, just brutal. It seems like you step off one hill righht to the next one. Today I did 5 of the 10. Tonight we have a big fire going, me, sunshine, 'bama, and Duch all thanks to the saaw that Duch is carrying. They are a group of good guys. I found out that "bama is a big bluegrass fan and a banjo picker who has been lucky enough to pick a song on stage with Old and In the Way. He is also hiking with his dog Kaya and she does something I have never seen before. She loves to eats bees or anything that buzzes. She hers them and goes nuts, she doesn't even wait for them to come to her she will actually jump off the ground to catch them, pretty funny. Well off to bed.   Tim
Date: 2004-06-29
From: Sam Moore Shelter

To: David Lasser Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: clear sky

What a wonderful day today. It all started with a stop at Bear's Den Hostel which is a beautiful spot. It is an old stone houseand an enviromental center. I stopped by for some Ben and Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream at 11:00 and had the whole pint finished in 20 mins and it was so good. Then I finished the Roller Coaster and the best part of the day was I got out of VA, which was absoutly wonderful. VA is 535 miles long (the longest state on the trail by 260 miles) and it took me 34 days to get through it. It was not to bad just very, very , very long. Most states will take me about 2 weeks to get through except that one. Also everyone told me "Oh, VA it's all flat. You'll just cruise right through." and that was the biggest line of you know what. The only reason you can do around 20 miles a day is beacuse you have already been hiking for about 1.5 months. When thinking back on the state I will have to say the most beautiful section was Mt. Rogers. I am so glad I have had the previlage to be a ranger there. So now I am in WV and will hit Harpers Ferry tommorrow. I will also see mom and dad which is really exciting. I will arrive around 12:00 and we will then head back to the 'burgh. As you know, I was contempleting on leaving the trail but I am convinceed I will be back for the second half of the adventure.It will defently be nice to take a break, hopefully not to long all depending on what is going on with my tooth. I don't know if I mentioned it but I have a chip in one of my teeth, hopefully it is just a cavity and not a root canal with a cap, keep your fingers crossed. I hope to take about a week off for a little R&R as wellas a buch of eating to fatten up before the big return. I will let you know about my tooth, stay tuned as the adventure continues.      Tim
Date: 2004-07-05
From: The 'Burgh

To: The 'Burgh
Miles today: 0.0

Well here I am still here. So the pick up went well and I arrived home safe and sound. It was great to see my parents again. Since I have been home I have relaxed and eaten a ton of food; staek, chicken, shrimp, corn, chineese, fruit, cookies, milk, oj, beer, pop and alot of other things as well. Oh so good. I also got to talk on the phone with a bunch of friends; Chrissy and Eric, Amanada, Lori, Jeannette, Jill, John, Bill and Karen A., it was great to talk with everyone and catch up. I also left some messages with other people and wish I could off talked to them becasue I miss them as well; Nora, Kate, Todd, Leslie and Jeff. I also got to see some good friends and family like Aunt Dolly and Uncle Pual, the Reasons, Beth and Jason. It was good to see and talk with everyone and get that encourgement to push on for Phase II. You are proboly wondering what Dr. Jim had to say about the tooth. First let me answer the big question I got from everyone. Yes, I am alright. No, I don't know how it happen. I had felt a small chip earlier in the trip and it got bigger. I never felt it chip, found the chip and it never caused me any pain. So Dr. Jim, after looking at it said it was decay around a previous cavity and he could fill it and took carre of it that day. Thanks Dr. Jim you were the bringer of good news. So after some nice time off I am ready to hit the trail again. So after about half the trail finished I would like to take this time to thank some people, this will go in no priticular order:1. Mom and Dad- Thanks for helping me out with everything, with out you this trip may not of been possible.2. John, Shelly, Bill and Kelly- For your help entering in the journals that everyone is enjoying and for the continous support that you have given me.3. All the Trail Maintainers, Volunteers, and the ATC- With out you the trail would not be possible.4. The Trail Angels- For opening up your hearts to a crazy group of people to help us along in the journey.5. All the people I have hiked with over the time so far, esp. Skywalker, Chuggs, Mt. Squid, Nitro and Micheal- For making the time pass with ease and enjoyment, let's keep moving on.6. All my friends in Jackson and around the country- Thanks for you encourgement, I think of you all everyday and wish you could be with me or sometimes me with you. I can't wait to see everyone, you mean the world to me.7. Everyone who encourged me to do this- Some of you know who you are others don't but thanks for the kick in the ass. Thanks.I hope all is well with everyone and you are looking forward to Part II as much as I am. TimP.S.- If you are reading this and have not signed my guest book please do so I know who is out there. Also if there is something you are wondering about let me know and I will try to cover it sometime when I have a chance.
Date: 2004-07-06
From: The 'Burgh

To: The 'Burgh
Miles today: 0.0

Well here I am the last night at home before I hit the trail again. It was great to be home and it will be great to be back out there. I feel great and am looking forward to seeing what I see and enjoying the adventure. Stay tuned to see what excitement comes up. TimP.S. I hope everyone enjoys the pics I put up today.
Date: 2004-07-07
From: The 'Burgh

To: Ed Garvey Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Well today was my 1st day back on the trail. Home was nice to visit but it is good to be back looking at the White Blazes and heading north. I got a nice 2:00 start out of harpers Ferry after being trapped at the ATC Officedue to a huge rain storm. Finally after it stopped I was able to start. The trail welcomed me back in style with high humidity, a big storm and a black widow spider living next to the shelter. My body also thanked me for the week off with sore feet, aching knees and moaning ankles. man wherer did my trail legs og. Mom and dad, if you find them at home please let me know. The shelter here is beautifuland the water is far. Still nice to be back. I arrived around 5:15 so it is nice to sit and relax. I will sleep tight and hope the black widow doesn't bite.Tim
Date: 2004-07-08
From: Ed Garvey Shelter

To: Pine Knob Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was a nice day. Blue skies with not much humidty. The terrian was easy with a bunch of rocks, which makes getting my trail legs back not easy. At the end of the day my feet were screaming at me so it was nice to hit the shelter. The shelter last night and tonighthave been nice with just a few peopleleft on the trail and we are starting to spread out. So many people have dropped out already. The ATC estamated that 1500 people have started the trail at spinger this year and when I left Harpers ferry only 500 have checked in. That means 66% of the people have already stopped. Also out of evryone who leaves HF only 40% will make it to Katahdin, which leaves about 300 more people leaving the trail. So not that many people actually finish the trail in one year. When I was home I made 3 purchases and they all are treaing me well. First, a First need Water Filter which I love since I hated my PUR filter since I got it 10 years ago. Second, is my MP3 Playerso now I have tunes to listen to. Finally is my book, I just started it and it is shaping up to be a good one. It is acalled Hunted by David flecher. It is a true story about a solo expidetion in Alaksa and he is being hunted my a rouge grizzly. So things are going great and will be better when I get my trail legs back. Oh Yeah, I was stung by a bee today which is not good. Since when I get stung I usually swell up like a balloon at the sting site. Last year when it happen I could not hike for 4 days. So when it happened I pumped myself full of Benadryle and so far only minor swelling and the foot hasn't swelled at all. Wich reminds me time for more drugs.   Tim
Date: 2004-07-10
From: Devils Racecourse Shelter

To: Tumbling Run Shelters
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was an intresting day of people. First i went through Pen-Mar County Park. Which is a big park with pinic pavillions. Sort of like Scott Park in Pittsburgh minus the pool, for those of you who know that park. So I stopped there and ordered pizza delivery. Yes, pizza places in some areas will delivery right to the trail sometimes. After eating pizza, I was invited to a pinic of fried chicken, watermellon, chips, drinks and ddesserts. So I ate there as well. It was a group of friends from a church who was seeing a friend off. He was going to Thiland for 2 years as a missionary. So after eating I started to head out and ran into an old man who was 75 years old and was part of FDR's CCC boys. So we talked about that for a while which was very intresting. He went into the Corp when he was 16 and was assigned to a Fire road construction detail, about 50 miles from the park, for 2 years. He said it was the best thing that could of happened to a snot nosed kid like him. We talked about who they were never allowed to kill snakes, which if they caused a problem they werre caught and relocated. We also discussed bears. I could of talked with him for hours but he had to go and so did I. Finally after leaving the park I crossed the PA line. Now here in camp I met 2 locals who came out just to relax and get away. They were pretty intresting as well. It is a nice shelter area with 2 shelters. Finally right before bed I went to check my clothes drying on the line and they were covered in moths. I am not talking a couple of moths more like tons, so many that they covered every inch of my clothes. As I shook the line they all took off and filled the air, trutly a beautiful sight to see. I took some pics of them on the line, hopefully they will turn out. Big day tommorrow with 19 miles and I begin the knee pounding, ankle twisting, boot eating rocks PA is famous for, wish me luck.   Tim