morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-07-21
From: Antietam Shelter

To: Quarry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: broken clouds

I got up this morning and was glad to see that the large group who had been camped nearby were heading South. It may be selfish but I prefer to avoid the big crowds. For me, the perfect mix is about 50% only a handful of people (where you have a chance to become acquainted, chat and relax) and 50% camping alone with just my own thoughts. On both these cases the environment influences the people (in a good way I think) but with large groups I tend to find that the group and the group dynamic dominates. The people end up influencing, overpowering or simply being ignorant of their environment. So for me, less is more.I spent another beautifully uneventful morning walking and journal writing ¢ catching up on the not inconsiderable backlog my earlier sloth has created. At the road prior to Caledonia State Park I headed a short distance off trail for some unessential but always welcome resupply - just a few treats to pad out my food bag and placate my sweet tooth.I saw some hikers as I passed a pizzeria and once again recognised Sarge (last seen in Waynesboro). He was with Chef, Walking Home and, of course, Jade who lay quietly and obediently at his feet. We chatted briefly before I continued on my way to ice cream and pop and they headed doe a siesta in the park. When I caught up with then again shortly after they had found a nice shady spot and I headed down by the creek to scribble a few more words of wisdom.All that remained was the Gap Shelter which must surely be one of the most meticulously maintained and attractive shelters on the Trail (baskets of geraniums can give that impression). I talked with Walking Home about hiking in Scotland as he had been across and hiked the West Highland Way and the Great Glean Way. He had an issue of backpacker magazine that talked of the Cape Wrath Trail. It had caught his imagination so I happily shared my experiences.SnP and Strider arrived and along with Goofball and Karaoke we now probably had more that my preferred ¢handful¢. Although it was a good crowd of old and new faces and it was a lot of fun, it did somewhat prove my earlier point about how a larger crowd can rather take over the environment. Goofball was most generous with his Jim Beam and so when he asked it anybody minded him putting a radio on I certainly wasn¢t going to be the party pooper who said no. In the end it played a lot of oldies and I rather enjoyed the distraction. Maybe after my musical forays in Baltimore and DC I was starting to miss recorded music. But I wouldn¢t want this all the time. It was a pleasant diversion from the norm. Something different but it cannot be quite right when I¢m putting in ear plugs to go to sleep and at the same time blocking out both the sound of nature at dusk and the prospect of tomorrow¢s dawn chorus.
Date: 2009-07-22
From: Quarry Gap Shelter

To: TomÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Run Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

One of the strangest things I¢ve had to get used to from Baltimore is the smell in my tent, or rather the apparent lack of it. For months now I have become increasingly accustomed to, and comforted by, a rather pungent odour as I retired for the evening. I suppose the comfort just came via association ¢ crawling into my tent meant the end of the day¢s exertions, safety from the elements, slumber and sweet dreams. On crawling into my tent I have become accustomed to being greeted by ¢that smell¢: the smell of shoes that had seen too many unwashed socks and too little airing. Of course there were other contributing factors ¢ my sweat impregnated sleeping pad and rain jacket, the clothes I¢d been wearing for four days straight, my sleeping bag etc. But they were nothing compared to the shoes just background noise (or smell). Anyway Baltimore brought new shoes and now my tent smells different ¢ as if it doesn¢t smell at all. I don¢t know it I like it. I find it disconcerting. It doesn¢t feel quite so ¢¦.. well safe, I suppose. But there is some comfort ¢ at least I know it cannot last.Just after I left the shelter I stumbled upon some new wildlife. I was daydreaming a usual when suddenly six feet off to my left something moved, or rather appeared to rustle. I got a shock, stopped in my tracks and the, with the flight part of ¢fight or flight¢ kicking in, took my usual three or four paces backwards. It took me a moment but then I realised what had happened, I had just met my first ever porcupine. It was a funny looking thing as it waddled about all in a fluster: huffing and puffing and generally making a bit of a meal of things. It headed on up the Trail and paused in a creek where I got some great views from a handily placed bridge. Eventually it flounced across the river apparently shaking its spiny midriff and rump in my direction. With all those barbed spines it certainly didn¢t think it needed to add stealth to its repertoire as it crashed away up a slope and through the undergrowth.When I arrived at tonight¢s shelter I read that Strider had seen his first rattlesnake. I was a tad jealous and it made me wonder ¢ would I have swapped my porcupine for that rattlesnake? The answer? Probably yes as the rattle was on my personal list of the AT must-sees. I was glad I couldn¢t though, I¢d enjoyed meeting my spiny friend ¢ an unexpected pleasure and great surprise. I was also glad I¢d stopped early and retire to my fragrant (or is that fragrant free?) home as it started to pelt down with rain. I love the noise. The rat a tat tat. I do feel safe. It is home. So when all is said and done, do I really miss that smell?
Date: 2009-07-24
From: Alec Kennedy Shelter

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: broken clouds

The shelter turned out to be ok. A slightly fitful night¢s sleep but that was kind of my fault (or maybe SnPs). I¢d left my sopping wet pack and shoes outside last night and when SnP asked if I was happy with that particular arrangement I said ¢yes! because I was. - perfectly happy. Perfectly happy until 1am when I thought I heard something snuffling about outside. Now I wasn¢t quite so happy. I tried to block it out but kept getting visions of some deer cavorting off with one of my shoes, one of my lovely new shoes, although now one of my lovely new and soaking wet shoes never to be unstinky again. (I could have cried). I was tormenting myself. I could stand it no longer, up I got and brought my beloved footwear a little closer to hand and a little further from harm¢s way.The morning came and with it the dubious pleasures of putting on wet clothes. There were other options but only this one made any real sense. It the day proved fair they would dry and if not, well, wet clothes can¢t get any wetter. In the end we were fortunate. The sun did indeed shine on us as we wandered in to the Cumberland Valley through farmer¢s fields of corn (on the cob) and towards the small town of Boiling Springs. Home not so much to a boiling spring but certainly a gushing or roaring one. The local geology meant that 22 million gallons of water a day came out of the main spring ¢ a volume that sounds an awful lot, though in truth unfathomable to me. How many Wembley stadiums? How many red London buses? Not many Nelson¢s Columns? How many Frenchmen could wash in it? I fear I will never comprehend and so will never know.Between the three of us we did manage six beers in the tavern though even I could recognise that that was a mere drop in the ocean compared to the spring¢s prolific output. We tarried and procrastinated but eventually, at 2pm, we hit the Trail keen (well resigned) to tackle the 14 plus miles to the next shelter.Unfortunately the weather forecast pinned to the ATC office predicted 8 put of the next 9 days to provide us with afternoon thunderstorms, including today. Fortunately, it proved wrong. The walking was flat and easy. Strider had bought beers to carry that he generously shared. We reached the shelter just as the daylight disappeared and that, my friends, was pretty much that for another day.
Date: 2009-07-25
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: broken clouds

Town (I know another town) was on my agenda for today. While I wholeheartedly intended to shower, launder and resupply ¢ the magical triumvirate that effectively resets my odometer to zero and lets me march forward as it it¢s Day One again- I was not intending to stay the night. I don¢t know why but after spending two nights in Duncannon in ¢03 I didn¢t see the need to relive the experience and I was also attracted to the idea of doing a nice long section, perhaps reaching Palmerton before spending another night in town.Anyway, these were my tentative intentions as I wandered through more farmland, this time adorned with lots of large straw bales. It was a smashing picture of rural American farmland and a treat: one of those unexceptional occurrences that stand out because of their novelty, or rather novelty in terms of the Trail - a small piece of the variety that is the spice to everything in life.It cheered me up prior to a steep and rocky descent into Duncannon itself. It went on a bit and at one point headed frustratingly back up hill. The rain two days ago also still had something to say about proceedings as semi-dry shoes and socks once again proved a bad combination; rubbing the skin off my toes with every downward step. Eventually though the down became flat asphalt and the road led me into town and to the bar in the Doyle Hotel where unbelievably there was a barstool with a beer in front of me. Strider had beaten me to it and when SnP arrived our merry little band was complete. They were both staying. Basking in the warm glow of bonhomie, bear and sloth my earlier resolve weakened and I too decided that I would stay the night.With the pressure to rush through my town chores lifted I could now relax a little, eat ice cream, read the paper, drink another beer. I headed out for groceries to find the ground wet and it sprinkled a little as I walked there and back. It wasn¢t really wet but another reason to be smug about my belated decision to stop over.I headed to one of the pizza joints for strombolli and chatted to the young guy there about rugby. He said his mate tried to get him to play but he stuck to wrestling. It was easy o see why he might have been a bit tasty at either. He was fun to chat with and I returned to the bar with a smile on my face.The smile got bigger as I sat drinking with Dugout, Dizzybat, Karaoke and SnP. As the beer flowed so did the chat. It (or maybe it was just me) got louder and more boisterous until the barmaid gave me a gentle reminder to tone it down.We sat on a balcony to give Dugout and Dizzybat¢s dogs a chance to get some fresh air and to stretch their legs before heading to the town¢s other bar for a final night cap. Town was quiet (very quiet) fro a Saturday and after some more larking about and photo taking we all headed to bed.
Date: 2009-07-26
From: Duncannon

To: PeterÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: light rain

I¢ll say this for the Doyle (or for my room at any rate) it had a super comfy mattress ¢ although last night I could probably have slept on a bed of nails. I think I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow and, judging from how it felt this morning, it must have hit it pretty hard.All was not well. By now I could see the error of my ways. Hindsight is of no particular use and by now it was way too late to do anything about it. I was rough, but I was determined to hike today. I knew that by mid-day the passage of time would have soothed much of my ills and that I just had to find a way to get from here to there. Unfortunately I also had much to do. All my groceries needed to be organised and packed, then the rest of my gear would also need my input to successfully find its way into my pack, I needed to overcome the urge to lie down for just a few minutes more, and under no circumstances was I give into the easy, but misguided, temptation to zero.A shower perked me up a little but not for long as I soon started to dip (or was that crash) again. A pint of milk was soothing but perhaps ill judged. I lay down and started feeling worse. The fan helped. I forced myself to pack but then I lay down again. Suddenly my head wasn¢t the problem anymore. My stomach was now sending me worrying messages. I was on the edge, I balances precariously, I teetered, I was falling. I scampered tot eh tubroom and my body purged itself of last night¢s poison as well as, by the look of it, a fair proportion of the strombolli.Why when I¢m 40 do I fend myself in this position, acting like a 16 year old? How so I manage to get myself into these positions? With snot dripping off my nose and damp cheeks I almost wanted to be discovered, to face my shame and to utter those oft said and immortal words ¢never again¢.It helped though. Another shower, dressed and packed I was ready to face the day. I said farewell to Strider, SnP, Dizzybit and Dugout and headed into the drizzle. Normally drizzle out of town would not be a happy affair but today I was glad of it. I had hoped that I would feel better by now. That the sweep of the hour hand would have sprinkled some magic fairy dust on my plight to ease my woes. It hadn¢t. I was hanging in there, just. I headed to the truck stop to take on some liquids and snacks. I might have to endure some discomfort today but I was confident that with each hour it would get better. But then I was confident that I could handle my drink last night.Oh well, I was still a lucky (if stupid) man. I may be hung over but tomorrow I¢d still be out on the Trail.
Date: 2009-07-27
From: PeterÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Mountain Shelter

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

I was just about back to full fitness this morning but nonetheless I didn¢t plan to push myself too hard.The first order of the day was hydration. The water source here is down a legendary steep trail. Some folks hear of its reputation and decide to get water elsewhere, most go because they have to and then complain about it in the Register. I know I can be contrary but I honestly didn¢t think it was that bad. Sure it was quite a long way and with something like 300+ steps it was definitely steep but, prepared for the worst, it actually comes quicker than you expect. The spring itself was flowing strongly and as for the walk up. Well you¢re not carrying your pack so take it easy, breathe, get into a rhythm ¢ what¢s the rush? You might even enjoy it ¢ I did.I certainly loved the water: cold, fresh spring water. I guzzled about a litre. I honestly doubt there is a finer libation to be had. Everything that a body (especially this body) could ask for.It was humid at times today and the mosquito count is certainly on the rise. Not intolerable but irritating. On the other hand it did stay dry. The Trail was super easy ¢ flat with not many rocks, a few but my PA rockometer would have hovered at about 2 out of 10 today. I saw my first copperhead snake ¢ venomous but shy, it slithered off the Trail pausing to let me admire its colouration. It¢s really quite difficult to describe: brown, golden, coppery ¢ yes but something else - almost translucent, metallic ¢ very other worldly, quite beautiful. Today brought possibly the most amazing discovery: a new Trail food that is lip smackingly good. Jack Links Original Beef Steaks ¢ sort of individually wrapped jerky type stuff. I was in heaven, this was really, really tasty. A most unexpected delight and one I most definitely would be repeating.The easy trail meant I managed to push myself on for some decent mileage while not killing myself (or indeed exerting myself overly much in the process). So at 5.30pm when I spotted some flat leafy spots down by a river I decided to settle in for the night. The river banks seemed full of coal type stuff ¢ very black and pebbly but the water tasted fine. The evening was great as I lay outside in the still forest and read a chapter or two of my book.
Date: 2009-07-29
From: 501 Shelter

To: EagleÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Nest Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Today was one of those days, that if you were to let it, or if you had already started to fall out of love with the Trail, might contribute to pushing you over the edge.However, if all is well, if you are comfortable with the ups and downs of Trail Life, if you are at home with a lifestyle where the extremes are not really so extreme, where the pleasures are found in the little things that punctuate your day and where the bad things are mere inconveniences that can be endured and will pass, well then today was just another link in the chain that is this wonderful adventure. Perhaps not noteworthy in itself but a day to make of it what you will.I awoke to mist that along with roots, rocks and flat trails would, more or less, be my morning. Two miles, then four miles, then six miles of mist, roots, rocks and flat trails. Then it rained. It didn¢t rain for long, from 11am to 11.45am, but now it was roots, rocks, flat trails, wet trousers, shoes and socks.Sitting down to rest sometime after the rain stopped I pondered the absurdity of it. How would this look to the unbiased eye of the ¢reasonable man¢? Here was a middle aged guy, sitting alone in the middle of woods, no-one else existing in his immediate surroundings (I could have been the last man on earth for all I knew). Here I was, dressed in a blue work shirt, pleated trousers, a lightweight rain jacket and running shoes ¢ all rather damp. My chair was a rucksack. I was doing nothing (if you don¢t consider eating a snack particularly noteworthy) and did not appear particularly likely to so anything notable in the foreseeable future. What was his purpose? Why was he here? Why was he smiling? What had led this poor unfortunate creature to this clearing in these woods? And the answer ¢¦. The Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trial had found its way under his skin, into his blood and had brought him to this. It had led him here to this very spot, had left him bedraggled and weary, had given him the time to think, the ability to leave everyday life behind, to live in, and for, the moment, to find joy and contentment in the most unlikely of places ¢ places like this.
Date: 2009-07-30
From: EagleÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Nest Shelter

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: broken clouds

It¢s Southern Pennsylvania so it must be another short day into town. Not planning the full town experience of shower, laundry and groceries though. It¢s too soon since Duncannon but as you can camp at the town¢s pavilion I can spend the night under canvas while still enjoying one or two of life¢s treats. To be honest it will just be one or two, Port Clinton isn¢t really like a Trail Town in the true sense. It¢s just a very small collection of houses the Trail happens to go through and it doesn¢t really have much in the way of amenities that might particularly interest a hiker.From my notes I can see that the walk to town had three noteworthy events:1.        I was quite scared by a turtle. Not the most fearsome things turtles but I had been daydreaming when I suddenly spotted something ¢alien¢ at my feet. My heart skipped a beat before I remembered my composure. It was munching on a mushroom and as it showed no obvious signs of bloodlust I carried on after the obligatory snapshot.2.        There was a very steep downhill into town.3.        There was a very ling train slowly passing through and blocking (or rather delaying) my arrival into town.As I said Port Clinton doesn¢t have much in the may of usual hikers¢ supplies (although a wide range of confectionary can be found the Peanut Shop). Being in need of some supplies I headed off for a two mile walk to a convenience store and some fast food outlets.This provided, without a doubt, the scariest moment of the trip to date (hopefully trip total). No, not eating at Wendy¢s but negotiating the bridge on the way there. Two lanes were closed for maintenance so it was a contra-flow on one side. There was a sold barrier between the lanes but there was also a small ¢shoulder¢ on my side that looked fine. It looked fine until halfway across I looked up to see a massive truck/lorry approaching. ¢Oh my god¢ I thought. Is this my day to meet my maker. I stood very still, backed up against the parapet, noticed the height of the parapet and the significant drop, backed up a little less (I mean a smidgeon), I might have closed my eyes, I¢m not sure. All hail the commercial driver¢s licence! He kept a nice straight line and, with adequate, clearance but no room for error, another hiker lived to hike another day.Coming back was slightly worse as I now I wasn¢t facing the traffic. I took many shifty looks over my shoulder and thanked anybody who may have played a part that this time my trip did not coincide with any large lorries. Another never again moment.In the evening I celebrated my continuing life and good fortune with a visit to the hotel. Three beers, a couple of hot dogs and some journal writing later I was still happy to be alive.
Date: 2009-08-03
From: Wild camp south of Delps Trail

To: Wind Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I got started early, not wanting the miles, or the steady sweep of the hour hand, to hang over me. I¢d wild camped last night and wasn¢t really sure how much progress I mad managed to make yesterday, so I was delighted when I stumbled on the Delps trail and now knew I¢d only 11 miles to town.They passed quickly and uneventfully. I plodded along. I was ahead of schedule, so all was well. At the road there was just road, no blue blazes today to mess with my plans (and my mind), but there was an awful lot of road ¢ I¢d say 3 to 4 miles of it between me and the hotel. To be forewarned is a great thing though. I stopped half way for milk and to rest. I continued. I saw the hotel. I saw the hotel. I got a room ¢ yippee. The owner wasn¢t exactly Mr Customer Service and while the place hadn¢t had that much lustre six years ago what there had been seemed to have tarnished somewhat over the years. None the less I was happy, my own space, my own bombsite. With pack emptied and possessions strewn everywhere it was more teenagers bedroom than hotel: maybe that¢s what the Trial is really about ¢ regression to simpler times.I showered, I lunched on lasagne at the diner. I flicked through the New York Post which, in my opinion, is a rubbish paper. I went to Macdonald¢s for a milkshake and to reacquaint myself with the memorabilia I remembered from 2003. I did laundry. I pondered why hitchhiking is illegal in Pennsylvania. Why? What possible harm can it do? I remember somebody on TV once describing most laws as really being about manners ¢ theft, assault, libel. I couldn¢t see how hitchhiking could be bad manners though. I guess there are also paternalistic laws ¢ like having to wear seat belts because it¢s in your best interests. But whose best interests are served by making hitchhiking illegal? And besides it would appear that you don¢t have to wear a motorcycle helme t in Pa so it doesn¢t seem to be much of a nanny state. I couldn¢t find an acceptable rationale and so instead I went out for five days worth of food and some ice cream ¢ now that made sense, that made a lot of sense.I went to Wendy¢s for dinner and while I quite enjoyed it, I couldn¢t finish what I¢d started which strangely made me happy. I¢d eaten well today and I¢d rested well. I would benefit greatly from these recuperative and restorative activities. You need to if you are to keep heading northwards with a smile rather than a grimace on your face.