morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-05-12
From: Swatara Gap 

To: Eagle's Nest Shelter
Miles today: 26.5
Weather: broken clouds

Today's hike:26.5/1194.9 Swatara Gap to the Eagle's Nest ShelterToday I passed 1175 miles, so I now have 1000 miles to go!Money spent:$76.74-lodging 48.60, dinner 18.14, breakfast 6.50, trail snacks 3.25, soda 1.25Today's Wx: Cloudy, cool AM (overnight light rain), 50s; then ideal PM-light breeze, sunny, 70s.In the office at 8:25 and at the shelter at 7:45, from Swatara to the shelter was 26.8 miles, which is my personal longest hiking day (without counting the 1/2 mile hike legs to visit William Penn and 501 shelters).They say that it is SO rocky here in PA. Yes, there are rocky areas but so where have the last 1100 miles to compare? These trails are JUST fine! I think the two miles of continuous rocks into Loudoun Heights, just prior to the turn for Harper's Ferry, was far worst or even the 6-mile leg from Sarver Hollow to Niday Shelter was worse!Bailed out at Swatara gap yesterday because I didn't have enough daylight to reach Wm Penn Shelter and the cloud build ups were looking like a big T-storm was coming. Stayed at the KOA Twin Grove Campground and everything but my cabin cost was fair. The food was especially hiker good and plenty!This hike is dedicated to Mance "Bear" Carroll who kindly gave me a ride from KOA back to the trailhead.The ability to move and freedom are as one!GAPA 05
Date: 2005-05-13
From: Eagle's Nest Shelter

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

Today's hike:8.6/1203.5 Eagle's Nest Shelter to Port ClintonToday I passed 1200 miles!An easy hike into the town, which takes you to their picturesque train station, with the town around the corner across a bridge. You will pass the firehouse on your right, just at the RIGHT turn of the AT. The post office is just past that turn, across from the Union House B&B, while the Port Clinton Hotel is left down Hwy 61.I was going to stay at the PCH but they had one lady working the lunch room, the bar, and the hotel. I checked in at 12:45 and the room (at $50) wasn't supposed to be ready until 4 PM. This was just room with a bed and a TV; toilet and shower communal, were down the hall. That set up works just fine at the Doyle, but that was for $17.50 not $50. PCH has no pay phone and they refused a priority USPS package that I had mailed direct to the hotel-I had to go get it FROM the PO and THEY let me use their phone to arrange for my rental car for my two planned zero days. So I went back to PCH and cancelled my room, when it still wasn't ready at 2:45 with my postal package under my arm!!I met Rez Dog there and took him down to the firehouse at 3 o'clock for refreshments!We plan to bunk at the Pavilion and eat breakfast at the 3Cs. The good folks at Enterprise will pick me up at 10AM in front of the Union B&B.Money spent:$43.56-PC Hotel lunch 10.00, Peanut House 5.76, Firehouse 10.00, Union House 17.80Today's Wx: Clear, cool, sunny, a cool 40 degrees overnight. In the office at 8:15 and at the railroad station in Port Clinton at 12PM.This hike is dedicated to Hemi and Dave and the rest of the volunteers at the Port Clinton Fire Company, Inc., and their taproom!!The ability to move and freedom are as one!GAPA 05
Date: 2005-05-15
From: Delaware

To: Delaware
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 80/81 Sat/Sun (5/14-15)Two zero days - No hiking - Visiting family near Wilmington DE.Plan to re-start hike on Monday.Money spent: Approx $100 for rental car (at Enterprise)-they take good care of thru hikers needs. They-picked me up at the Union B&B in Port Clinton and drove me to their office in Shoemakersville (just beyond the Cabellas Store on Pa. 61)The ability to move and freedom are as one!GAPA 05
Date: 2005-05-16
From: Port Clinton

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

Today's hike:15.2/1218.7 Port Clinton to Eckville ShelterMoney spent: $95.53-postage 60.55, WalMart 34.98 (Rental car: $83.66-car 69.65, gas 14.01)Today's Wx:Partially cloudy, warm (70s), then overcast in the afternoon.In the office at 11:00 and at the shelter at 6:00.A good hike after two zero days and almost exactly 71 hours off the trail.Stopped at the Port Clinton post office and mailed all my gear boxes home from my sister's house. Then I walked down to the firehouse and said goodbye to Dave-I can't say enough about how great these folks are to hikers-thanks again!The firehouse is on the AT so I started off on a warm Monday morning and passed under Pa. 61 and began the climb to 1500' and the six mile trek to Windsor Furnace which was an easy leg, with lots of water (Pocahontas Spring, etc.). Paid a lunch break visit to the shelter and then really enjoyed the leg through Pulpit Rock to the Pinnacle, which had a few boulder scrambles and rocky ruts, but was mostly a good trail.When you get to the Pinnacle, the sign reads, "Overlook" and you see a large pile of rocks around a tree. The AT does a U-turn and goes down the opposite side of the ridge you have just hiked on except this leg is ALL a forest road walk (you make a right turn at 2.6 miles, with 2.7 to the Eckville Shelter, as a sign reads). The trail makes a left turn as you near the end of the forest road and goes over a ridge and crosses Hawk Mtn Road. At the road crossing you will see the double blue blaze which directs you RIGHT, downhill about 300 yards to Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club's Eckville Center (Shelter) which operates much like the 501 Shelter. While there you will meet Lazy-the caretaker-and can drink sodas, eat ice cream, use a sit down toilet, and generally enjoy an enclosed bunkhouse for the evening.It is funny how I struggle with "short" mileage days! I get a kick out of my inner turmoil as I "only" hike 15 miles and stop around 5ish-you know, I could go 5 miles more and TENT before dark! We thru hikers are simply too funny at times!A few years from now, I'll remember that 15 miles is "easy" when I'm older and fatter and huffing and puffing out a tough 8-miler! This hike is dedicated to Saint Alison-who's dedication, care, patience, and love toward Millie, while raising two children and struggling with health maladies, is simply unbelievable-may our God keep you in perfect peace! The ability to move and freedom are as one!GAPA 05
Date: 2005-05-17
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Pa. 248
Miles today: 25.1

Today's hike:25.1/1243.8 Eckville Shelter to Pa. 248 (Palmerton, PA)Money spent:$22.90-Palmerton pizza 16.90, supplies 3.50, breakfast items 2.50Today's Wx: Partially cloudy with temps in the low 70s-perfect!In the office at 7:00 and at the river bridge at Pa. 248 at 7PM.Today, I saw three snakes: 1 small garter snake and 2 large black rat snakes, both over 5'! It was Snakeville on trail today!I also met 4 guys on a celebratory hike for one guy who just completed a 4-year PHD in Bio-engineering at a Pennsylvania college. They were getting water with me at the Bake Oven Knob Shelter.The terrain after BOK Shelter was pretty good. You quickly get onto a new re-located trail, which is new soft soil! This takes you out onto a clear area for power lines and a small rock scramble that allows you to see two tower areas and ridge lines that you will hike on later. The re-route takes you to a power plant for a cell tower and then you will clearly see the re-location sign. Then you walk on an uphill trail that has a lot of hunting white splotches that can be confusing, but the AT blazes are easy to see. The trail then goes past a hugh red and white comm tower and then begins to open into a high meadow area that allows good vistas of the western valley cities to include Palmerton.Finally, you begin a descent, passing the lousy Outerbridge Shelter (but it has a good spring just past the shelter) and make your way down to and then cross the Lehigh River Bridge and arrive at Pa. 248 to hitch the 1 mile to Palmerton.Palmerton is a very hiker friendly, large town, that still has Zinc as King, with a large factory still in operation. Good stores, restaurants, and lodging is very available.Note: Both the Bake Oven Knob and George Outerbridge Shelters are pathetic, outdated museum pieces-no registers in either and both are pretty old and beat up.I bought a pizza at Palmerton Pizza and then walked over to have a couple beers at Joey B's bar before returning to take a real hot shower at the borough hall.At the borough hall, I met T-Rex, a hiker chick-Odyssa, and Pure Luck, but missed seeing Boomerang again as he was at a friend's house.This hike is dedicated to Mrs Sammartino-my eighth grade homeroom teacher at Lincoln Junior High School in Oceanside, California.The ability to move and freedom are as one!GAPA 05
Date: 2005-05-18
From: Pa. 248

To: Tenting
Miles today: 25.2

Today's hike:25.2/1269 Pa. 248 to tentingToday was hike day 84, which marked the end of my 12th week on the trail! Today's Wx:Perfect-sunny, 70s and a half moon which is really illuminating my campsite tonight. It was 47 outside as I settled inside my tent and it is 54 now inside-so you can really see how much warmer a tent is! I expect temps in the high 30s overnight.In the office at 6:45 and at the tent site at 7:30.Today Pennsylvania has lived up to it's rep as a rocky trail state! After Smith Road Gap through to Leroy Smith Shelter and to my tent site, it was a constant rock walk with not much clear trail, perhaps 20% at best. But I still hiked at least 25 miles (estimated) as I haven't come to a definitive land mark yet.I have about 10 miles left in the Penn State. Tomorrow, I enter New Jersey and will hike about 20 miles to stay at the Mohican Outdoor Center, which is a hiker hostel.I met Pure Luck last night at the Palmerton Borough Hall and hiked with him a little today. He thru-hiker back in 2002 and is on a half hike from the midpoint (Pine Grove Furnance State Park) to Katahdin.I also hiked with Boomerang for about 4 miles up to Wind Gap, but he's staying at the Gateway Motel tonight with T-Rex and they plan to stay at Delaware Water Gap tomorrow. So I won't be seeing them much for awhile as they hike too few miles each day. I generally walk from 7 to 7 for about 24 miles per day, unless there is some reason to shorten that distance-hostel, town, etc.Good 1000' climb up right away. Rock scramble and rock climbing to the top. Great graffiti (if any is good?)-an American Flag and Kill Bin Laden! Then a road walk for 2 hours with a 90 degree LEFT turn to descend to Little Gap. The ridge walk allowed unrestricted views for miles and had beautiful purple-pink flowers everywhere-I enjoyed this 5-miler I think better than any other stretch of the AT so far!This hike is dedicated to Craig who offered to take me back to the trailhead while I was sitting outside a Palmerton gas station having coffee and a doughnut. He saw my pack and just came over and I got a trail magic ride back to the river bridge at Pa. 248.The ability to move and freedom are as one!GAPA 05
Date: 2005-05-20
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

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

Today's hike: 20.9/1311.2 MOC to Gren Anderson ShelterMoney spent: $12.00 Gyp's Tavern for dinnerToday's Wx:AM-rainy and cool,mid 40s; PM-sunny and low 60s.In the office at 7:45 and at the shelter at 7:45 after a 2-hour stay at Brinks Road Shelter and an hour at Gyps.Stopped at Brinks Road to dry out feet and eat lunch. Found fuel there and so I heated water for coffee and soup. Just as I was leaving a small SUV pulls up on the adjacent dirt road, hence the shelter name, and out pops the Desperado himself. Had a great visit with him. Walking back to the trail, I met a SOBO-Helping Hands-what an interesting fellow!Tonight we have Odyssa, Alabama Grits-a sectioneer, and another fellow already in his tent when I arrived.Today I saw a hen turkey, several deer, and at least 18 orange, nearly transparent newts right on the trail! SHACK-Just caught my first mouse at 9:35!This hike is dedicated to Desperado for ALL the stuff at the three Shelters-Brinks Road, Gren Anderson, and Mashipacong! For all of us thru hikers, many thanks indeed. The ability to move and freedom are as one!GANJ 05
Date: 2005-05-21
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: JM Shelter
Miles today: 18.8

Today's hike:18.8/1330 Gren Anderson to the JM ShelterToday's Wx: Overnight low of 44, then clear and sunny 70s, until late afternoon build ups turned to light rain showers.In the office at 7:00 and at the shelter at 5:15.Today Odyssa left at 6:15 and when she arrived at Sunrise Mountain she found a body! Fortunately, she has a cell phone and got the authorities there, such that, when I arrived at 8:00 they were ready to re-route our hike around the scene.The hike today was an interesting up and down trek until after the High Point Shelter. Then it was downhill toward very easy to walk flat land-farms, some boggy areas, lots of road crossings, and a few ponds and hills to go over. I decided to stay at JM because there were many signs at shelters and road bulletin boards that the St Thomas Episcopal Church Hostel doesn't officially open until June 1st (in Vernon) so I will not go there tomorrow. That's too bad as this was one of the very select hostels I have read about in trailjournals for years-oh well!This shelter is a small room with a large aluminum sink and two shelf areas. No real area to sit or chairs, but has a loft for sleeping. It has lots of hot water, floor heating, an inside AND an outside shower, a nice porch with a wonderful view. Tonight was the 3/4 moon rise over some trees with a dark cloud over the moon, just at dusk, quite exquisite! A big bonus is I am SOLO here, so I have it ALL to myself-many thanks to Jim for his generosity.Note: My pack weight with 1 liter of water and approx 1/2 food was 43 lbs today at the hostel.Tomorrow I am planning to go over 27 miles, perhaps 30, as the trail will allow me to record, maybe, a personal hiking day record-we'll see!I saw a beautiful garter snake today approaching the High Point SP office parking lot.This hike is dedicated to America's military forces on the occasion of Armed Forces Day 2005. One special individual is Mr Ralph Martucci who I met this afternoon when I was seeking info as I came out upon a road (it was Goodridge Rd) and walked to his house (I went left about 300 yards and crossed into NY on the way there!). He is 85 and flew gliders in WW2, later served in Korea, and finally finishing his working life as one of New York City's finest! And as I was leaving his doorstep, he gave me a Pepsi to go!The ability to move and freedom are as one!GANJ 05
Date: 2005-05-22
From: JM Shelter

To: NY 17A
Miles today: 28.3

It is so wonderful to be in New York-one of the fifty best places on earth! New York is my ninth state to hike in since leaving Georgia.Today's hike:28.3/1358.3 JM Shelter to NY 17AMoney spent:$7.29 at Heaven Hill FarmToday's Wx: Overcast, rainy, 50sIn the office at 6:35 and at the road at 8:00.My food today: Breakfast-two poptarts with coffee; AM trail snacks-two Snickers mini bars; Lunch at Heaven Hills Farm-three cookies, six doughnuts with coffee (they didn't have any real food there); PM trail snacks-a trail bar (chewy type), a lunch size bag of Goldfish Crackers, and an apple juice pack (THANKS Clear Cut!); Dinner- a small loaf of sour dough bread, peanuts, an Apple Cinnamon bar, and tea-all extreme healthy, fat loaded, high calorie hiker nutrition!Today I saw a swan, several Canadian geese, and lots redwing blackbirds at the Wallkill Wildlife area. Also, I saw several "fake" orange newts. But the real neat thing was the raptor-type bird, either some type of eagle or an actual vulture, that was sitting on a log outside a small cave when I was climbing the rocks that begin the end of NJ and the start of NY! I just couldn't get the camera on it before it retreated into it's cave!The hike before Vernon Road (NJ 94) was mostly flat, with some swampy areas and farm fields through County 517. Then, there was a boardwalk up to the suspension bridge over Pochuck Creek. After 94, it was all hills and rocks, but surprisingly also very swampy up at 1100' or so. The NJ blazes are very good for the trail past NJ 94, easily the BEST in the entire state, because sadly, New Jersey's blazing state-wide is very POOR and there are WAY too many blowdowns! It looks like the trail maintainers have blown-off any work for this year (so far I hope!) The NJ-NY transition ridge was quite exciting with all the rain-a long time scrambling over wet, lichened slippery rocks. It took me too much time on this leg, so as darkness loomed, I bailed at NY 17A. The rain picked up again just as I got established in my "stealth" camp, which actually was an abandoned house's garage-a good score considering I tried to hitch for 15 minutes and NONE of the good New Yorkers would pick me up. So, I walked towards Greenwood Lake and found the house. Still, the 28.3-miler is my longest hike day ever! I am quite happy, overall, with my hike today.This hike is dedicated to two wonderful Trail Angels: Mr Jim Murray-thanks so very much for your awesome hiker treasure-your beautiful grassland shelter area and to Clear Cut for the "water" supply! You two bring new meaning to the "Well Water" term! Many thanks on behalf of the AT Class of 2005!The ability to move and freedom are as one!GANY 05
Date: 2005-05-23
From: NY 17A

To: William Brien Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 21.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Today, I have been on-trail for three months.Today's hike: 21.7/1380 NY 17A to William Brien Memorial ShelterToday's Wx: Either overcast or partially cloudy all day, low 60s.In the office at 7:30 and at the shelter at 7:30. The last two days have been long on hours but relatively short on mileage, due to the extreme amount of bouldering, climbing, and nearly continuous up and downs, with very little good, straight trails. Since I entered Harriman State Park in New York, there aren't any trails-just good blazes to follow as you scramble all day over rocks and a lot of badly erroded terrain.Normally a 12-hour day would be at least 25-26 miles, but today it was less than 22! I think the reason all the thru hikers whine so much about Pennsylvania's rocks is because it is the FIRST state with them-New Jersey and New York have plenty of rocks! I expect more in every state remaining-CT, MA, VT, NH, and ME.Really enjoyed my "stealth" campsite last night. It saved me at least a hundred dollars and probably an hour on trail as I didn't have to go into Greenwood Lake for gouging-oops I mean lodging!I saw only two hikers today. I passed Just Walking who's sectioning to Kent CT and Concordia who's SOBO from NY 17 to Port Clinton. I really enjoyed the beauty of Harriman SP and the solitude as the "only" hiker in the park.I'm down to about one day of food plus Snickers (hiker "go" pills!) and breakfast bars. So, I will stop in Ft Montgomery for lunch and a food stop tomorrow just after I walk through the trailside museum and zoo! Also, tomorrow I will go over 1400 miles on-trail.This hike is dedicated to Victoria Day as a tribute to our Canadian friends-eh! The ability to move and freedom are as one!GANY 05
Date: 2005-05-24
From: William Brien Memorial Shelter

To: NY 9D
Miles today: 9.6

Today's hike: 9.6/1389.6 William Brien Memorial Shelter to NY 9DToday's Wx:Overcast with 50sIn the office at 7:45 and at the bridge and crossed it before realizing that Ft Montgomery was back adjacent to the zoo (I even asked a bridge controller if I needed to cross the bridge to get to Ft Montgomery-she said yes-arggh!).Today I had planned to hike 27 miles, but had no food left, so I decided to do 15 and go into Peekskill. I could have hitched to there at the far end of the bridge versus hiking 6 more miles to the US 9/NY 403 area, but decided just to go to Ft Montgomery earlier in the day so I could leave first thing in the morning.Got to town and am staying at the Bear Mountain Bridge Motel-probably the last room available anywhere in town as the USMA at West Point graduates this Saturday and the Army troops are here aplenty! I went over to Key Food Market (in Highland Falls) with a ride from a nice lady, but had to WALK all the back with four bags of groceries. Reminded me of goofy Erwin-at least here it was only about 2.3 miles!I'm glad I decided to go to town early as this allowed me to be a tourist and enjoy Bear Mountain State Park with the Inn, Hessian Lake, and have something to eat at the carousel snack bar (hotdog, pretzel, cookies, and coffee). This also allowed me to really spend time at the trailside zoo. This was a neat bonus for the trail-as I like zoos and museums. There is a nice section honoring Daniel Carter Beard, who was super active in the early years of Boy Scouts in America.I also finally learned the difference between Efts and Newts! The "fake" orange EFTs I've been seeing are not NEWTs! Here's the skinny-they are both the same critter, but efts are the juveniles and newts are the mature adults. Efts live on land and when they mature they revert to aquatic animals. I'm sure our learned biologists know this, but for us laymen, I was glad the reptile exhibit straightened me out!Well, it was bound to happen. My glorious weather for my hike has gone array-a Nor'Easterner has hit the New England area, so I'll be wet, cold, and somewhat miserable for a few days!This hike is dedicated to Jann who kindly gave me a ride from the Cross Roads Deli to the Key Food Market in Highland Falls and a half of her sandwich too-WOW! Thanks a lot Jann!The ability to move and freedom are as one!GANY 05
Date: 2005-05-25
From: NY 9D

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 24.5
Weather: light rain

Today's hike:24.5/1414.1 NY 9D to RPH ShelterMtG: 761Money spent:$151.95-lodging 65.00, Pineapple Restaurant 40.01, Key Food 36.79, supplies 7.40, laundry 2.75Today's Wx:Overcast with light AM rain, chilly low 50s with wind.In the office at 7:45 to re-cross the bridge. At 8:00AM I started and arrived at the shelter at 8:00PM. A very good day for just after a town with heavy food bag and a good town mellowing-it often is tough to get the miles.Arrived at the shelter and found LK Disney here along with five sectioneers, so I'm sleeping on the floor.Just as I was beginning my last stretch from 301 a car pulls up and out jumps a guy asking to take my picture. It was Joe Larese from the Westchester Journal News. We had a short visit and he snapped a few shots of me hiking.This hike is dedicated to GP-a trail maintainer I met a mile prior to NY 301. He was busy clipping bushes and as soon as he saw me he said I must be Derek! He recognizied me from my TJs photos and he'd just read my update and figured to see on trail today. Thanks for making the AT better!The ability to move and freedom are as one!GANY 05