morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-06-12
From: David Wesser Shelter

To: Harper's Ferry, WV
Miles today: 9.4

Poured all night but eased up at about 7am, so I started a bit later than usual today. Was an easy 9 miles down into Harper's Ferry. It's a beautiful old town that's not really a town at all.. it's like hiking directly into a museum. Very cool. Staying at the Hilltop Hotel which kinda reminds me of the Overlook Hotel from the Shining. The room has no TV or phone and the shower didn't work.. shot water clear across the bathroom. Last night we ended up pouring our own beers because the bartender was the only person working the whole resturant. The Ratpack played here once, they say, but now it's a ghost hotel.Met up with Bravefriend again.. he got the Hiker Plauge and had to take a few days off. Tek and Coolhand are here too.. finally get to meet them after hearing about them since the Smokys. Shared a room with Shenanagans (sp?).. all cool guys. Got drunk last night at the bar which might not have been open.Weather is perfect yet again.. I just don't trust Mother Nature anymore. She's got something planned for us later on, I know it.
Date: 2006-06-13
From: Harper's Ferry, WV

To: Crampton Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Finished up my town errands pretty early today so I spent a lot of time just hanging out at the ATC and about town. Had lunch #1 at the hotel and lunch #2 with Salt and her grandparents. On the way down to the lower part of town there was a lost doe walking up the main street.. finally it found a little wooded spot and hopped in there, but hopefully it can find the real woods again tonight!Camping out tonight.. dry but hot out. Bought a new sleeping bag in HF and sent home the 20 deg.. we'll see how it goes!Something is making a very strange noise out there tonight... it's far away but I dont think it's a deer, bear, dog, etc. Who knows?!Family tomorrow!
Date: 2006-06-19
From: Deer Lick Shelters

To: Quarry Gap Shelters
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Nice little day today, but had one major MAJOR problem.. it was hot as hell and then it rained, which gave me the worst chafing I've ever had boy.. tried everything but nothing worked. (aren't you guys glad that I share this with all of you?) Luckily it really kicked in only toward the end of day, but.. if this ain't better tomorrow I'll be in deep ____.Did get a hot shower at the campground which felt great after a few 90+ days, and some more concession stand food. I'm really starting to dig this state-park-to-state-park hiking schedule.. you can have cheeseburgers and a Coke every day!Got to talk to the Layman Family today.. Hawkeye got a cell and they were in DC hanging out. Good to hear from them, even though they stole my town buddy (E-Rock) away from me. Punks. Everyone seems to be doing well (mostly!).The shelter tonight gets a 10 out of 10 rating.. Coziest one I've seen to date. Little cooler tonight after a thunderstorm.. hopefully I'll sleep a bit better since it's not so sticky.Tomorrow is the 1/2 way point and the 1/2 gallon challange @ Pine Grove Furnace.. big day!
Date: 2006-06-20
From: Quarry Gap Shelters

To: Pine Grove Furnace Campgrounds
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: broken clouds

Half way AND half gallon today!Muddy morning after 2 rediculous thunderstorms ripped through last night. Tent got soaked from splashing and from poor seam sealing.. something that will definitely need to be remedied next zero day. There was 1/2" of water all around my tent and a toad came plop plop plop right over into my vestibule for a break from the rain. I hear ya little guy. Needless to say, not a good night of sleep with water splasing around in your tent,.The front came through, though, and it was a beautiful day with easy terrain. 17 miles by 3pm. PA really is nice so far.. gorgeous woods.. very different from northern VA. Not too bad with the rocks (yet!)So we past 1087.3 miles, the official 1/2 way point for our year, and celebrated with the traditional 1/2 gallon challange. You have to eat 1/2 a gallon (a whole box) of ice cream in one sitting. Indiana did it in 12 mins (how??) but it took me 59:23. I busted my ass to get it under an hour.. people around me couldln't watch me because of the sickening look on my face. But I did it, dammit, and got a wooden spoon as proof. 2500 calories. I rock.Sleeping in a campground with normal camping folks tonight.. yes, everyone, I'm wearing a skirt, please stop staring.
Date: 2006-06-21
From: Pine Grove Furnace Campgrounds

To: Alex Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Short day .. first 8 miles were flat, last 7 miles weren't. Ate a nice ham, egg and cheese sandwich at the Pine Grove Furnace general store for breakfast. Guy who runs that store (Don?) is a hell of a nice guy.That's about it for today! Sitting at the shelter listening to Banjoman sing Alice's Restaurant (with all the words.. how does he remember all of them?)
Date: 2006-06-22
From: Alex Kennedy Shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hot hot hot today. Rained in the morning which made it a sauna when the sun came out. Terrain was almost exactly flat, but we were crossing through farms all day so it was exposed almost the whole day. And the shelter had no water so we had to hike it up 800'. Ugh.It was a nice day, though, walking through the farms. Seemed to confuse the cows. Stopped in Boiling Springs for breakfast which really hit the spot. Lots of amber waves of grain, corn fields, roads crossings and cows all day long. Wildbill and I spent a good hour or so eating mulberries and ended up with purple hands.Shelter is packed tonight which means the Doyle (and thus the bar at the Doyle) will be packed tomorrow. Lots of good drinkers there so I might be zeroing on Sat... Been looking forward to the Doyle for miles now.. this is gonna be awesome.It is POURING out right now, and my tent is leaking pretty badly.. Beautiful storm, though. Hope the humidity drops! Everything outside is steaming..
Date: 2006-06-23
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Ah, the Doyle Hotel. All business is transacted at the bar. It's 101 years old. When you're in the shower (of which there are only two) and the pipe make a certain noise, you have to move out of the way to avoid getting scorched. There was only one plug in our room, and it was in the light fixture on the ceiling, and there was an extention cord hanging down from it in the middle of the room. It was like the house in Fight Club. Well, not really. But the cool thing about the place is that all the things listed above don't even matter cause the place is just so damn cool. It's not really a hotel as much as it is a bar that has rooms in it that you can crash in after you've had too much to drink. And drink we did!The food, music, and company were all great. Let me see if I can remember who was there (let me see if I can remember anything at all, actually..) Wildbill, Cash, Tec & Coolhand, Ponch & Moe, Carbomb & Lichen, Bama & Little Wing, Banjoman and his daughter, Fancypants, Sleepy the Arab, Slick B.. is that it? Anyway, a great time was had by all.Duncannon reminds me a whole lot of the other Susquahana River town that I've been lucky enough to spend some time in.. Binghamton NY. Kinda rundown, grey, depressed, past it's prime.PS the 11 miles in to town sucked.. seems we've found the PA rocks, as well as the bugs.
Date: 2006-06-24
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Peters Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up pretty hungover but determined not to take a zero day. Made it out of town by 2:30 and did a nice 11 into the shelter. Pleasant out right now.. not so humid, but the rain is supposed to start tonight and not end for days. Sleeping next to quite the snorer, it sounds like. Awesome.
Date: 2006-06-25
From: Peter's Mtn Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: light rain

Biblical rain today. It's been pouring for hours and hours. Walked most of the day with Wildbill. At first we were walking through puddles, then little streams of runoff, until finally in the afternoon the trail was completely underwater. In some places it would pool and you couldn't find the trail, and in other places it would be rushing by under your feet. For hours the water was rarely lower than our ankles, and at some points was up to our knees.We got to the shelter at a point where it was probably not safe to be hiking anymore. The trail was somewhat down below everything else, and we were going downhill for about a mile. At that point the water was up to our knees and was rushing by very quickly. You could hear big rocks rolling by under the water. At one point I stepped down and was up to my waist in water and could really feel the current pulling, so we climbed up and out to higher ground and walked along the flood for a while. Finally the trail crossed a stream and went uphill, so no more river. The stream itself was roaring by.. we could hear what sounded like huge boulders rolling downstream.So now I'm in my leaking tent, shriveled to a prune, wiping away all the water that's managing to find it's way in. Going to be a long night and a long day tomorrow.. If this rain doesn't end soon the trail might not be hikable.I'm sure at some point this will make a cool story to tell but today it sucks.
Date: 2006-06-26
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: moderate rain

More wet today. Rained all night and all morning, had 3 hours of sunlight, and then a soaking thunderstorm at about 3. How much water can there possibly be up there?? Wasn't anywhere near as much rain as yesterday but still plenty of spots with shin-deep water. Took a mile-or-so detour with Tipper because of a bridge that was underwater and too fast to ford. Was hoping for a solid sunny spot to dry out a bit but, no dice. Sucks!We did have a very nice suprise at the 501 shelter, though.. couldn't have been better timing. The 501 shelter is actually a pizza shelter, meaning that it's close enough to the road that you can order pizza. This is extremely rare, and we've been looking forward to it since Maryland. But at 501, they don't deliver on weekdays. Bama called her husband and told him our plight, and he as a suprise called the local hostel owner (MayBaby) and she made all of us a chili dinner! Kicked ass, especially after being soaked for 2 days now. So now I'm toasty and full of chili in a bunk listening to it pour outside.. awesome way to end the day.Supposed to rain for the next 3 days, we're told. It has started to get to people now, being wet for so long, but I'm still doing ok for now. We'll see about tomorrow..Less than 1000 miles now.. for some reason it feels like things are coming to a close. Hard to explain but a lot of us sort of feel that way.
Date: 2006-06-27
From: 501 Shelter

To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: light rain

Day 3 of the deluge. Poured all night and all day, again. I left at 10am and a bunch of folks were still sitting around the shelter waiting for it to clear. I'd say half of today's trail was underwater, as deep as my shins in most places. Trudging through miles and miles of that is exhausting. We did get a break of about 2 hours where the sun actually poked through a bit and it was beautiful, but it quickly turned dark and sour again and started pouring.I've heard that since Sunday it has rained 7 inches, and 3 more are still expected. We're getting in to town tomorrow, I might just stay until the sun comes out again. Even if the rain stopped right now, though, it's going to take days for the flooding to subside, which means a few more days of sopping boots and sore, wrinkled feet.Mother Nature is finally getting her revenge!Sheltering tonight, only because I'm bone tired and could sleep through a bomb going off.
Date: 2006-06-28
From: Eagles Nest Shelter

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: few clouds

The deluge is OVER! Poured all night and all morning again, but finally, the sun came out and it was beautiful. We still walked in high water all day but at least the end was in sight. Was looking forward to spending the night in Port Clinton but when we got to town we realized that they were in much worse shape than we were. The river was barely clearing the bottom of the bridge and it was *moving*. A large part of the town was under water.. saw a few cars with just their roofs showing. The hotel and the outfitter were both closed, so the resupply had to come from a candy shop that sells mixed nuts and stuff like that. Decided to just hike on with Mapman and Robin so that we'd be on higher ground. There was talk about them releasing the damn a bit which would have raised the water 6 feet and completely flooded the town and we'd be stuck. Didn't realize how bad this all was until we got down into town.. worst flooding in decades.Did get to go out to lunch courtesy of Mapman and Robin, which was extremely nice of them. Also saw Headstand off on a bus to Philly.. I was a bit jealous watching her get on an AC'd bus to go home, I have to admit.Dry now (except for my boots).. on to the famous rocks tomorrow.Very tired.
Date: 2006-06-29
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Allentown Shelter
Miles today: 16.5

Rough day. It was acutally a beautiful, perfect day weather-wise.. the sun was out, not too hot, not too humid and everything smelled great because of the rain.But my feet finally rebelled after day 5 of sopping wet boots. Got a nasty blister on my little toe, and my feet in general were on fire all day. I had to keep stopping to air them and cool them down, and get them to unwrinkle. It was also one of those zero enery days.. I was just bone tired for every step. It's been a long week, I guess. So happy to see the shelter.The kicker, though, was this : I was trudging along and I hear a loud woosh at my right foot, so I immediately kicked my leg forward. Just as a did that, a huge rattlesnake took a strike at where my leg was.. just missed me, the bastard. I think I suprisd him so he wasn't at his most agile. I got out of its way and he rattled his rattle and coiled up to strike again if I got too close. I was pissed and called him every name in the book like you would if someone almost hit you with their car (because snakes hate being called names). He just sat and rattled and coiled back until I went away. So I went away.Goldbonded my feet.. hope they can dry tomorrow or I won't be able to walk.
Date: 2006-06-30
From: Allentown Shelter

To: Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 17.7

Today was a bit better. Weather was perfect again, and no snakes tried to bite me. It was a long day, though.. The rocks got pretty bad in spots and it was slow, slow going, but in other spots the trail was a breeze. Still managed to soak my boots through from some leftover flooding, and my feet are in pretty rough shape all sorts of new blisters and just raw and tender everywhere. Robin gave me a nice little invention for my baby toe that helps keep it away from my 'ring' toe, which did help quite a bit.Spending the night in the Jailhouse Hostel.. it's the basement of Palmerton's borough hall. Really nice of the town to let us stay here.. free bed and free showers are always appreciated! Here with Lowgear (or Lowgeaah as the Aussies call him) and Gretchen who is still trailnameless.
Date: 2006-07-01
From: Palmerton, PA

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

Good hiking day today.. Beautiful weather and I felt healthy, although I didn't sleep well in the bunkhouse.. not sure why. Didn't get out of town and back on the trail until 1 and still did about 16.. not bad!Today's hike is the winner of two awards. The first is for 'Steepest and most technical to date', and the second is 'most post-apocolyptic'. The climb out of Lehigh Gap was a doozy.. straight up on exposed rocks for about a mile. Lots of hand over hand stuff. It was fun, though, since we don't get too much of that (yet). After we get to the ridge, though, the trail runs across a superfund site from a zinc smelting plant that closed in the 80's. Everything was dead.. it was like a bomb went off up there. Very creepy. Rest of the trail was a breeze..Falling asleep to lots of fireworks and what sounds like a live rock concert that I can hear when the wind blows this way.Got 4 blisters on my feet from being wet. Makes the downhills interesting.
Date: 2006-07-02
From: Leroy A Smith Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: broken clouds

Made it to New Jersey! For the first time on this trip the distance that I've travelled has really sunk in, that it's not just a number anymore. I feel like I'm 'home', and I walked home from Georgia. It's really hard to explain, but it feels like a huge, huge accomplishment.I wasn't planning on walking 20 today but I was itchy to see the Water Gap. I've driven past it 100 times and thought it was beautiful, but let me tell ya, I got there just after a great thunderstorm and it was late, so everything was pinkish, and when the trees cleared and I could see the outcropping on the Jersey side it was amazing. Choked me up, feeling home. Sappy, huh?Yesterday was also the section of rocks that PA is famous for.. the Wind Gap -> Fox Gap section. It was completely blown out of proportion. Yeah, PA is rocky in lots of parts, and they certainly beat up your feet, but nowhere near enough to warrent the reputation it has. PA also has the most beautiful, serene woods I've walked through on this trip, and when it's not rocky, it's a nice easy trip.The town of Delaware Water Gap is just starting to open back up after the floods.. I've heard 12 people have died in PA alone from those rains. A few of the hikers stayed an extra day to help the locals clean up (Bravefriend, Grinds, and Squarl).. damn nice thing for them to do.Zeroing tomorrow to recoup, so I'll be losing Mapman and Robin who have been a great help and great company through all of PA.. I hope I get to see them again up the road.
Date: 2006-07-05
From: Mohican Outdoors Center

To: Gren Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: light rain

I just accidently deleted every outgoing email I had stored in this thing, including some journal entries. So this entry will be short because I'm ticked off. If you were expecting an email from me I just deleted it. Sorry.Rained until late afternoon, socks and boots wet again. One bear yesterday and two today, and I can hear all sorts of loud branch-snapping going on outside my tent. Will probably be eaten soon. Ate a nice dinner at a road crossing. Just myself, Wildbill, and Braun tonight. Nice weather.
Date: 2006-07-06
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: Jim Murray's 'secret' shelter
Miles today: 18.3

After a rather sleepless night fighting off sneaking bears and porcupines (wildbill had a pile of rocks next to him for throwing), and yet another downpour, it ended up being an amazingly beautiful day. I don't think it broke 80, the humidity was low, and it was crystal clear.Spent an hour or so @ High Point State Park which has an outstanding view of NJ and NY (NY!).Staying at the 'secret shelter' tonight with Wildbill, Braun, Mr. Parkay and Lowgear. Decided to cowboy camp it because of the clear sky and lack of bugs.. might freeze my ass off. Only downside to this shelter (which has a shower and electricity!) is that the silence is often interupted by a recidulously loud male donkey trying to woo a girl donkey. I didn't know donkeys could be so loud!Was sluggish and rundown today.. hope it's just a 'bad day'.
Date: 2006-07-07
From: Jim Murray's 'secret' shelter

To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: clear sky

Froze my ass off last night sleeping outside.. if it wasn't in the 40's I'd be suprised. I put on everything I owned including my rain gear (which was still wet) just to get warm. It's July! This isn't supposed to happen. I did, though, get to see the best stars I've seen on the trail yet. Crystal clear night.Buggy but beautiful day. NJ is turning out to be my favorite state so far.. seems to be the most diverse. Good practice state for anyone getting started.I ain't kiddin about those bugs though.. we did a loop around a square man-made swamp, which is defintely the most unnessecary part of trail to date. Loaded with mosquitos. I killed 3 in one swat, there were so many at once. So now I'm covered in bites and dead bug bodies.. my arms and legs feel like braile. ITCHY braile.2 more bears today.. that's 12 for the trip. Don't know why I'm still counting..Felt good today but tired now.. almost 60 miles in 3 days. That's a lot. Done with Jersey tomorrow, into New York, and visiting a college buddy for a day.
Date: 2006-07-08
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: Warwick, NY
Miles today: 10.0

Made it to NY! Home! It's rocky here!Did a 10 miler in to 17A where my college buddy Moses (Mike) is picking me up. Been looking forward to this for a while.. don't get to see him too often. Not sure how long I'll take off, depends on how much I can eat Weighed myself today.. I've lost even more weight. And I've been feeling completely depleated lately. I really need to look at my eating habits and make some changes because I won't last at this rate. I had a rough time just doing the 10 miles today, felt like I was running on fumes. Not good, not good.Really looking forward to the 4 or 5 days that I'm taking off in mid July.. using that as a recharge for the finally push through New England. I have to fatten myself up.More posion ivy... grrrr... I'm starting to just get used to being in a state of constant itchiness.
Date: 2006-07-10
From: Warwick, NY

To: Fingerboard Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: light rain

After a nice zero with my buddy, had a nice day on the trail. I was having a really rough time getting back, though.. feeling so weary lately. Wondering how much longer my body will let me do this, and what I have to do with my diet to last the next 800 miles.Looks like the days of 2.5 - 3 mph are over for good.. so many ups and downs and rocks today. They all had names, too, like Lemon Squeezer, Agony Grind, and Devil's Staircase.I took a great fall coming down Agony Grind and got 'rock rash' down my left arm. The whole one side of my arm got pretty well cut up.. looked awful but it got me pity from the dayhikers driving into Harriman, and pity is always nice.Guy named Paddy-o had perfectly timed trail magic just inside Harriman.. really nice guy, huge Sanatra fan.Harriman is such a beautiful park.. the shelter sits on top of a huge rock and is rock itself.. looks like it was made to be here.Need some sleep...
Date: 2006-07-11
From: Fingerboard Shelter

To: Fort Montgomery, NY
Miles today: 14.2

Today was a bad day. I got lost. Don't ask how, it's embarrasing, but I ended up skipping 6 miles of the AT but walked about 15 non-AT miles instead.I wasn't lost as in trudging-through-the-woods-in-circles lost.. I was on a trail that, after some time, I realized was not the AT. But, by the time I was sure that it wasn't, I stuck with it because it was headed right at Bear Mtn. It also went straight up and staight down about 5 times, but I stuck with it. It got very close to Bear Mtn, but then cut south and far east (ie the wrong freakin way). But I stuck with it (actually I had to, at this point). I ended up, finally, on rt. 9W, miles south of where I need to be, but at least knowing where I was and how to get back. So I walked the road which rarely had a shoulder until I reached the bridge. It was *pouring* out with overhead thunder and lightning. Since it was pouring and I was walking along the road, every 5 minutes or so I'd get a tidal wave of puddled water come over me from a passing car. Didn't really matter much at that point, but it definitely added insult to injury and I bet it was damn funny to the p! eople on the road. Ha.I meant to camp on the east side of the Hudson, but I ended up at the Bear Mtn Bridge Motel where the people couldn't be nicer. And there are bagels across the street.Wet and exhausted and very unhappy.PS - Saw a rattler today.. there are rattlers in NY. Didn't know that.