morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-03-19
From: Paule Wolfe Memorial Shelter

To: Calf Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I got going at 0730hrs this morning after a chat with the guy who was sleepingin the hammock out front of the shelter , it looks good to sleep in one and itsless wieght than a tent but has the same sort of waterproofing properties.Ithink I will look into getting one.I got down to rockfish gap , hitched into town and was in the library by0930hrs.......I spent just over an hour doing email and some research when I wasevicted from my computer.I was told there is an hour limit on each prson foreach day !!! but when I kindly pointed out nobody else was here + there is 10computers for use I was basically told tough shit rules are rules.I have neverhad this problem before and it was a pain in the ass because I have many thingsI needed to sort out.I got a good feed at a local cafe , the further north I get the costs ofeverything is rising rapidly.After a few phone calls I made my way to the Outfitters to try and wranglemyself a replacement pair of boots.I have a pair of merrrel full leather ,gore-tex lined boots and a couple of weeks back they started to let some waterin when I was walking through the slush.......but I suppose what can you expectwhen you have walked about 400 miles through the snow day after day.I spoke to the Outfitter who took a look at them and then said he would givemerrel a call.He came back 5 mins later and told me he had no luck with them(Idon't think he even called) he gave me thier 1-800 # for me to call , so I didand guess what ????? after a 10 minute telephone converation with a veryefficient lady named jarnel she sorted me a brand new pair of $180 boots and issending them to a hostel just south of harpers ferry.....!!!!!!!!!.....nothingventured nothing gained , that's how you taught me mum So thats one less finacial worry for the rest of the trip.I will get anothermonth out of the boots I have on before I have to change over.I hitched back to the trail and walked the 7 miles to the shelter in the winddriven cold rain , but I did'nt care because I was all chuffed about my boots.I am now in my sleeping bag listening to my radio.....the war in Iraq has justbegun.
Date: 2003-03-20
From: Calf Mountain Shelter

To: Calf Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: snow

The only distance I walked today was to the toilet and back again....about 100ftin all.It rained all last night with no let up.After my breakfast at 0530hrs I decided I was not moving in therain as it was forcasted to rain all day and it did.This is the first time I have spent all day lying in my sleeping doing absolutlynothing.......oviously there was plentyto listen to on the radio regarding Iraq.Heather (my girlfriend) is driving down from Connecticut tommorow to spend theweekend with me for my birthday which is on monday.As you can tell from my photoI am looking like I am 21 but in actual fact I am going to be 28.All birthdaypresents can be directed to the post office in Harpers Ferry c\o genral deliveryWV 25425 .......please no Alcohol or Tobacco or western union money orders.
Date: 2003-03-21
From: Calf Mountain Shelter

To: Quality Inn Waynesbro
Miles today: 16.3

Got going pretty sharpish because I was meeting Heather in the park today.I walked the first 0.5 mile with rocket and then I rocketed off because supposedly his pack was heavy with food and he could not keep up.The weather was amazing and it made me glad I sat out the rain yesterday because I would have hiked today with all my gear wet which would not have been fun. I reached browns gap at around 1400hrs and decided to stop and wait for Heather , I lay sunbathing on the grass.....I blended in quite well since I am becoming as skinny as a blade of grass. Heather arrived at about 1500hrs and we had a wee picinic with the Italian cold cuts and fresh bread mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Marco & Elma(my family in Connecticut) had sent down for me.We drove down and stayed in Waynesbro for the night and went out for dinner to Pizza hut mmmmmmmmmmm
Date: 2003-03-22
From: Simmons Gap

To: Pinefield Shelter
Miles today: 2.4

Got up much earlier than I wanted to this morning.....After buying some grocerys in town we drove back up onto the Skyline drive and parked the car at simmons gap and we planned to spend the night here and then walk to browns gap where Heather originaly picked me up from yesterday (Don't fret Heather I know it was originaly an Irish bar you picked me up from)We got to the shelter to find somebody lying on the picnic table sunbathing.His name was rub a dub dub and was section hiking south towards all the crowds.We had fun talking with him and we got a fire going and cooked loads of fresh food Heather and I had carried in, it was good to be able to give to somone on the trail.I have recieved soooooo much from kind hearted strangers on this trip that its unbelievible.This was Heathers first time on a trail and first ever time camping out and she really enjoyed the experiance.
Date: 2003-03-23
From: Pinefield Shelter

To: Browns Gap
Miles today: 10.1

We got trucking by 0800hrs and we hiked back to browns gap where Heather picked me up on friday.The weather was a bit cloudy but still warm , breezy and enjoyable. We met 2 other hikers called Dave and Jeff who were out for a prep hike for next years attempt at a thru-hike.They both have been following my journal here online ,they gave me a row for lack of content and my sphelling misteaks. It was strange to met strangers in the woods who know exactly where you have been and what you have been doing the past few months.I was stuck for words (for once) because they knew everything I had been up too. We wished them good luck and pushed on to the gap. We made good time, I was very impressed with Heathers hiking abilities. We drove to harrisonburg and spent another night in town in the Hampton Inn which was another enjoyable night, eating fine food and having a few drinks at the bar. (from Heather) Just a wee word to assure Pauls public that he is truly doing just dandy-o as he continues to become the first 2003 thru-hiker on the AT. On Fri.21st I picked him up at Browns Gap in Shenandoah Park. This almost did not happen with him being a shadow of his former self. I very nearly drove right past him, looking at him twice to see him once...between getting a good 22/23 mle hike in everyday and a lack of Elmas home-cooking, I could say I've seen more beef in an oxo cube!!(bouillon for all American readers). The lack of beef was compensated by both his amazing character and energy. To those who have not met the Flying Scotsman he may appear to be just a daft bloke hunting for haggis between Georgia and Maine, but as anyone who has been in cahoots with the boy knows, there is never really a dull moment at the best of times and with almost half of his great adventure undergone and the endless 'magic' and 'angels' he has been blessed with, Pauls spirit seems to be higher than anything he has clmbed to date. I had the privelage of accompanying him for 12 mls of the AT - encouraged by the view for 10 of them of course ;-) and along the way met Dubs (A.K.A Duba) at the Pinefield Shelter with whom we had a great nights talking & eating, then on Sunday I finally got to meet Rocket...a beezer of a bloke for having survived Pauls jokes, let alone the AT, I'd say! Then on Monday I dropped the Birthday boy off @ Simmons Gap again to carry on his travels. Each day I am entering pictures into Pauls online album so stay tuned for more Scottish shenanigans. Heather.
Date: 2003-03-24
From: Simmons Gap

To: Bearface Mountain Gap
Miles today: 18.3

Happy birthday to me happy birthday to me I look like a monkey and I live in the Zoo.Well when I actually think about it I am living like a monkey out here in the woods day in day out.All I do is walk, eat, sleep and swing from the odd tree and this is one big zoo with all the bears , wolves , deer and so on.So this birthday song is quite apropriate this year on my 28th.After a great weekend with Heather she dropped me off at Simmons gap at around 1400hrs , I had 18 miles to walk to the shelter she had 430 miles to drive home.I bet she still made it back home before I made the shelter.The sunset was amazing tonight , I hiked most of the way in the dark with the stars helping me along the way.I arrived at the shelter hungry , tierd ,hungover and 1 year older than the last time rocket seen me.Rocket gave me a really good present which he put a lot of time and effort into , he gave me new light wieght pot and a home made lightwieght stove.Heather took away my stove which was an msr dragonfly with the fuel bottle.I switched backpacks to one nearly half the size , I also changed sleeping bags from a 0deg to +20deg.I got rid of a few other things too.The difference in the wieght and size of my pack is like night and day.I felt like I was floating along the trail tonight , I was carrying 50lbs+ before and now it cannot be more than 35lbs with a! weeks food.A perfect wieght which is so easy to carry when I think back to slogging through the snow for 10 hours a day with 50lbs+ on my back.
Date: 2003-03-25
From: Bearface Mountain Gap

To: Birdsnest Day Shelter
Miles today: 22.4

Still feeling lazy from my fun weekend I never got going until 0830hrs today.The sun was hot today with temps pushing into the 70s, so when we reached big meadows we stopped and rested up for a few hours talking with a couple of section hikers called sore feet sammy and no knees nancy.They were doing an end to end hike of the shenandoahs......we gave them some painkillers for their aches and pains.Late in the afternoon we bumped into a group of hikers heading the same direction as us , they had a tired expresion on thier face so much so I looked although they had just walked from China. All were in thier early 20s but huffing and puffing like a 70 year old smoker with only one lung !!! I enquired where they had came from today when they replied 1.2 miles .....I nearly had a heart attack myself.In the last few days in the Shenandoah I have nearly seen as many people as I have on my whole hike !!!!! It is a good thing though because I think rocket is getting bored with my jokes.I am enjoying this park even although all the cafes , stores and camp grounds are shut for the winter.......But when I think about it everything on the AT has been shut since I began , well everything except from my mouth...We got your welcome message Huff & Puff thanks for the welcome.We are doing something we shouldn't tonight we are sleeping in a day shelter ohhhhhhhhhhhh The rain is "supposed" to come tommorow
Date: 2003-03-26
From: Birdsnest Day Shelter

To: Pass Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 4.4

I am to quick to rag(US) slag(scottish) the Weather man sometimes but sometimes I should give it more time to see how it pans out.When I got up this morning at 0700hrs and the sun was blazing I was calling the weatherman everything under the sun......no rain once again , not that I am complaining.After walking the first few miles we got to the end of the shenandoah natonal park , we decided at that point to hitch into a near by town called Laury to use the library and go to the AYCE at pizza hut.In pizza hut while enjoying my food I also had eat some humble pie because it started to rain cats and dogs......some of the heaviest rain so far.The local Chiropracter came over and introduced himself and told us about a local guy who helps out the hikers in town , he said when he got back to his office he would give him a call to let him know we were here. 30 mins later the man appeared and introduced himself as bob , immediatly he started to mock a fat couple across from us(who were carrying 300lbs each)! and then started to tell a few of his crap jokes .After some more small talk he demanded $10 to take us the 6 miles back to the trail..........So I took his number and told him don't call us we will call you.....We crossed over the road to get some food for tonight ......I came out of the store with pasta and rocket appeared out with a umbrellla !!!! I imeadiatly asked if he was the son of mary popins.......So we stood at the side of the road hitching in the rain , I must admit I was wet but there was no way I was standing under a brolly!!!! we are hikers not a couple of old ladies out for thier shopping.We stood for quite a while waiting on a hitch in the centre of town , then a guy appeared out from pizza hut to let us know that after his pizza he would run us up.He did so and we very much appreciated it , we walked the mile or so to the shelter and decided to call it a day because it was raining so much.
Date: 2003-03-28
From: Jim & Molly Denton shelter

To: Rod Hollow shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: light rain

Today was not nearly as exciting as yesterday in fact it was a bit dead so to speak.The highlight was when we reached a road crossing and noticed a Taxadermy so we went in and I met a taxadermist.Now you may be asking the question what is a taxadermy ???? well let me explain.When I walked in the door I was surrounded by Deer , Fish and Bears...all stuffed oviously , I enquired what it would cost for me to buy one (as if I was going to drag a stuffed bear to Maine) and I was bluntly told "there not for sale Y'all gotta kill one and then I'll stuff it for Y'all".......How intresting is that?...!!!!!We got a hitch from the friendly taxadermist .8 mile down the road to the cafe and ate over priced burgers.Today was a grey day with a little humidity.
Date: 2003-03-29
From: Rod Hollow shelter

To: Bears Den hostel
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: light rain

It was coming down cats&dogs from the early hours of the morning , so it was very hard to get up and get motivated.All you can think about is getting you and all of your gear soaking wet with the chance you could stay that way for a few days.We kept on putting off leaving up until 1030hrs we decided to start walking in it and just as we were about to leave it stopped raining........the sun even started to appear.30 mins later the clouds were far off in the distance and it was starting to get very hot !!.I had to stop at the bears den hostel for my new boots and for a pocketmail (which I now use to do my journal and send it down he phone line each time I get near to one).We reached the hostel late in the afternoon and we met the manager outside playing frisbe before we went in.The hostel is in a really old but well taken care of building , inside it has its own character very different to the other places I have stayed on the trail.After getting our   parcels we got talking to rob (manager) and managed to get a bed for the night in return for a little work.I understand most of the hostels on the trail do work for stay , something which I will be asking for from now on....especialy in New England where everything is going to be much more expensive than around here.Rob informed us of a group of 20 from the AMC (Appalachain mountain club) were staying for the weekend and were all out for a day hike but they would be returning soon.We got talking with Molly & Veronica from Idaho and arranged to play cards with them that night.When the AMC hikers arrived we got talking with them all and they invited us to eat with them........they cooked a feast !!! I had lots of fun talking with them and all enjoyed some stories rocket and I were telling them about our trip so far.I even got a couple of beers passed my way , discretly through since Alcohol is not allowed in the Hostel.So i had a really good night with a bunch of really friendly people most of which were from Jersey (how can you miss that accent) I taught molly , veronica and rocket how to play nomination wist but once I began winning they abandoned the game....typical yanks , they don't like losing.So instead of playing cards they made fun of they way I talk for the rest of the evening.
Date: 2003-03-30
From: Bears Den hostel

To: Hilltop Hotel
Miles today: 20.0

I woke up this morning to the smell of pancakes & sasuages mmmmmmmmmm!! so I got up like a shot and enjoyed a large breakfast C/O the AMC.....They wouldn't even let me help with the dishes.The whole crowd were very good to us and were even stuffing apples and other stuff in our pockets as we left.I heard someone say it was snowing when I was eating but I thought it would have been just a sprinkle so I kept my shorts on.......but when I got outside it was a shock to the system...!!!!!..there was about 5-6 inches on the ground and it was still coming down.It started to bring back memories of hiking back in the days of North Carolina and Tennassee.......it seemed like distant memories until today.We left Virginia for the last time today when we crossed into West Virginia......it sure was a looooooong state to go through.We got a photo next to the snow covered welcome sign.We stopped for lunch at the Potamc Blackburn cottage , by the time we got arrived there was about 1/2 ft of snow lying.We met one of the members and englishman called chris.....he made us very welcome and got the coffee going imeadiatly , we also met simply seeking , grizz and john'o all from ALDHA who had a meeting the previous day.They were all intresting folks who told me about other trails here in america .We spent a few hours talking before hiting the snow covered trail to Harpers ferry where on arrival booked into a hotel.I had steak for dinner and had thought it was only $9 but when the bill came and it was $18 I nearly had a heart attack......
Date: 2003-03-31
From: Hilltop Hotel

To: Ed Garvey Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today Rocket and I waved goodbye to each other after hiking for 600 miles together.I would find it hard to find anyone else o hike all them miles with , I was very impressed with his endurance & hiking knowlage.......we also taught each other a few things along the way i.e I taught him how to wash his pot properly and how not to use an umbrella and he taught me how not to be a bear with a sore head every morning........we hiked some good miles.We eat breakfast in the local cafe before going to the ATC (appalachain trail confrence)....at the ATC we bumped into the ALDHA crew again after talking with them for a short while we met Laurie who works there..We spent some time talking with her about our trip and then got our photo took for the Thru-hikers album.This is the half way point of the trail where you must register.I am the first through hiker of 2003 to get this far going north so I had a red no.1 next to my name on the photo.If I keep up my pace I will be first to start and finish in 2003.......not that I am competitive !!!!!!! I just want to finish first.I also met Andriana in the ATC and her and her husband have invited me for lobster and steak when I am goingthrough NY or when I finish....mmmmmm can't wait.My hiking buddy left for the bus station and I hit the trail once again in style with the snow coming down on me as I left Harpers ferry walking along the river.I walked along thinking about how fast the first half of my journey has went by and I wondered what lay ahead.Surley not more SNOW !!!!!!I arrived at the shelter just before 1900hrs and shared the shelter with palladin a section hiker going all the way from harpers ferry to the end (maine).
Date: 2003-04-01
From: Ed Garvey Shelter

To: under the stars
Miles today: 22.0

I finished another state today !!!!! by by West Virginia and hello Maryland...I feel as if I am making progress.I hiked through the melting snow today and met a few other hikers all doing long sections bond,poowlen and sliver.I spent time talking with all of them , they seemed shocked to be seeing a Thru-hiker so early on.It was a slow day and I hiked until it got dark , it was so dark I could not find the shelter so I just put my tarp out on the grass and I am bedding down the stars tonight underneath a great big powerline.........suppose I will be feeling electric tommorow......
Date: 2003-04-02
From: under the stars

To: Old Forge Picnic Area
Miles today: 16.0

I did wake up feeling electric....the temps were to be in the high 80s today and when I got up at 0700hrs it was warm , what a difference it makes to get up all warm and able to cook breakfast without rushing around to keep warm.Not to long into the day I crossed over the famous mason-dixie line which is the state line for Maryland - Pennsylvania.......another state bites the dust.A couple of weeks ago Tucker from P.A left a message in my guestbook and invited me to come and spend the night at his house , so while I was in harpers ferry I gave him a call and we arranged to meet today at the picnic area.I got there in plenty of time and was sweating all the way there with the heat , I stopped at one point and knocked on someones door for water because I was so thirsty.I sat in the picnic area waiting for Tucker to arrive wondering what to expect , I never asked what make of car he was driving so I was watching all the cars going by wonering if it was him.But when he did pull up I knew instantly it was him because he was such a friendly looking person and pulled right up to where I was sitting , we shaked hands with each other and I tossed my pack into his SUV .We got talking about the trail and other things on the way to his house , we stopped at the supermarket on the way for me to get some supplies.On arrival at Tuckers house he showed me my room , where to do laundry and where the internet was.........I was very appreciative of his hospitalty.I met Tuckers wife Judy who also welcomed me she is an keen walker who was just back from doing a few miles each day.Tuckers Mum&Dad LeRoy & Pauline arrived at the house , both were in thier 80s and very good for thier age.They had been to Scotland 6 times so they had no problem at all with my accent and we had plenty to talk about around the dinner tableThe food was great we had some steak done on the barbacue with some draught scottish ale !!!!!The whole family really went out of thier way to accomidate me and I had very enjoyable evening.The hospitalty was amazing , I think Tucker is one of the most genuine people I have ever came across.All very good people to invite me to share thier company and give me a rest from the trail.
Date: 2003-04-03
From: Old Forge Picnic Area

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: scattered clouds

I had an amazing sleep last night in a big comfortable bed.....but tonight I am back on top of my $6 wal-mart sleeping pad which pardon my french is a piece of s**t.2 weeks ago I bought it to try and save on the wieght of the thermarest I was carrying.......what a mistake that was !!!!!....I have never slept the same since.I got up at around 0730hrs and tucker cooked me up a fry-up..mmmmmmmm I tasted scraple for the first time , its a Pennsylvania thing made from the left overs from the pig or something like that.After breakfast Tucker brought me back to the trail,Words can't explain how much I appreciated his gesture.What a true trail angel , thats the 3rd time something like that has happened.1st angel was Gerry in pearisburg and then it was the Hensleys in Harrisonburg.So even although I am hiking at a time when there is no other thru-hikers in sight at the point I have reached ,I am still getting plenty of magic.