morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-04-22
From: Near High Mountain Shelter

To: Franklins Cliffs
Miles today: 22.0

The winds last night were interesting to listen to. What was interesting about them?? It was the way you could hear wind gusts traveling up and over the mountain. It was like listening to a train barreling down on you. Such a crazy, deafening roar! It would cycle and peak over and over again.Despite being very cold, I did get off to a good start this morning. It was cold enough that I needed to wear my winter hat and gloves for most of the morning.The weather did warm up a little bit through the day, but most of the weather changes today consisted of stronger winds and threatening weather. Those winds were of concern and, more specifically, what they would bring with them. Water was a little scarcer the last couple of days. I really try to plan so that I normally don't go off-trail to get it. So far, I have succeeded with that. I have had some bigger water carries, especially at the end of the day.I went to the park store to get some snacks (and maybe a burger!). I walked 0.6 miles up to the store to find out their power was out! Aww.I walked on. I kept looking at some nasty clouds building on the horizon. It looked like I might get clobbered.I decided to be smart and set up camp. It was crazy early, but I did have 22 miles in. I set up my tarp and the dark, looming clouds passed overhead. The storm started. The rains came down for an hour or two.All of my stuff was dry still dry!! I felt like that was a victory in strategy. Now, do I pack up and try to hike a few more miles???   Or do I play it safe and stay right here for the night?? I decided to stay. As the evening turned to night, the winds increased considerably. They were gusting up to 50 mph!   I was sheltered by a rock cliff creating a great wind-block. Even though the winds didn't hit me hard, I still had anxiety every time you would hear another gust build up strength. The camp-spot proved to be worth the sacrifice in miles! I quickly faded and fell asleep.
Date: 2015-04-23
From: Franklins Cliffs

To: Near Tuscarora Trail Intersection
Miles today: 26.0

Last night's winds were incessant. Gusts were up to 50 mph. The winds were so loud. You could hear them race toward you and then hit. Deafening at times, it fills you with some anxiety, especially with "widow-makers" (dead trees standing, by ready to fall) nearby.I found lots of ice this morning along the trail. I did sleep with my water filter, but it always make you nervous..(if your water filter freezes, it can crack the element. Aka: render it unusable.It never did get warm....the morning started icy cold and continued to be just plain cold. It also depended on the particular ridge that you were on.   I timed the day absolutely perfect. One of the restaurants along Skyline Drive was called Skyland. They offer breakfast, but only until 10 or 1030am. Then, the place closes for a while to prepare for lunch.The distance that I had to go to get to the restaurant was six miles. I busted it out in under two hours in time to catch the breakfast service. I had an outstanding order of pancakes. I even got a coffee to go!!The coffee was extra special. I loved hiking with it, so tasty and hot! It probably looked odd, but so worth it!Today, I met WeddingWalker (sobo'er) and RebelYell today. WeddingWalker was from Kalmazoo. He got his name by deciding to hike in-between two weddings that he attended a few years ago. Super nice guy. We spent a good bit chatting it up.Most of the way gave nice scenic views of the neighboring valleys. Immediately adjacent to the tread, massive boulder piles and scree fields filled the area. The best part was the effort that was put into the trail. It was much, much different than the rest of the trail. Much nicer, of course!I hiked the next 18 miles quickly and was able to get a hot dog, beer, and ice cream at the next Wayside (the small stores along the Skyline Drive that have snacks and souvenirs) before it closed.It was a fitting conclusion to the legendary roadside snacks available in the Shenandoahs!I had a new Porsche Carrera 4 stop at the road crossing to tell me about a bear that was just down the road. I sure hope I did not drool on his car. It was sweet! I said I wasn't very interested, but thanks anyway. Then I asked, " Which way to the Wayside?!??" Following my Wayside purchase, I hiked up to a high ridge and found a spot to set up camp. It was time to eat my hot dog and drink my beer!! It was another good day.The temperature immediately began falling. It's going to be another cold one! It is amazing at how fast it can cool off when the sun sets and the wind starts kicking.I have noticed that lately I am getting more tired at the end of the day. Nor while hiking, only after I am in camp and lay down. Once I go horizontal, it's tough to stay awake. That is making it tough to write my journal.
Date: 2015-04-24
From: Near Tuscarora Trail Intersection

To: US522 Front Royal
Miles today: 17.0

The winds howled until the first minutes of sunrise; as quickly as they started, they ceased. It was c-c-cold again this morning. It made it difficult to motivate and change into my icy hiking clothes.I sat delaying the moment when I would start to change. It needed to be fast and it would be uncomfortable. This is probably the hardest thing to do for the whole day.I speedily changed and got packed. I was on my way to finishing the Shenandoah's today and reaching Front Royal, VA. The trail was easy, but the temperatures remained low. The trail threaded its way along dramatic ridges and drop offs, displaying the lush valley far below. It then went over some lower mountains and by massive boulders piled in random ways. Eventually, the trail plunged back into mostly young forest and headed to the boundary of the park.I heard a rustling in the brush and saw a large and plump turkey walking along. It was comical how stressed he became when he started following the trail. He thought I was following him!! There is a large multi-building facility here along the trail. It is where they bred Calvary horses for WWI. Sometime after the war, it became a part of the National Zoo. It is here that they do some of the exotic breeding for the zoo.When I got to the intersection of the trail and US522, it was time hitch. A very kind woman named Andrea pieces me up. It was great! She said it was because of my Tigers hat!! Go Tigers hat! She was from Traverse City way back when.I checked into the motel and began more list of chores!! I am happy to be in town because it is supposed to rain!!
Date: 2015-04-25
From: US522 Front Royal

To: Front Royal
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a (well, in my mind) well-deserved day off! I really enjoyed the time to relax and get prepared.My breakfast was served up at a great pancake house. While I ate, my neighbors at the adjacent table struck up a conversation. Two really nice guys! We talked about my trip as well as their town. It turned out the one gentleman used to be the mayor of the town. They were really kind and even bought my breakfast!!After breakfast, I tended to my gear and caught up on communications. It is still fascinating how quick the day passes when you want to get things done!The rest of the day was standard. I checked out the town and ate lots of food! I thought the rest of this entry would be dedicated to a "half-way gear review"....My New Balance 1210 Leadville Trailrunners-- I loved them on the CDT and still love them. The trail is awfully abrasive on the shoes, but they hung it there well!ULA Catalyst-- love my pack. It's holding up well. It is almost too big, my Camino might be a better volume. I love the design of both. Simple, strong, and supportive.Evernew Ti pot and stove set. Titanium is where it's at. My pot has been on all of my hikes and is still going strong. The titanium "pop-can" alcohol stove is fantastic. Sawyer Squeeze Filter-- a great product. I love the field cleaning ability. I wish their bags were made better. I even had a brand new one leak straight away.My Zpacks Hexamid cuben fiber tarp with screen.   Love it, love it, love it. 16.4 ounces for a nice waterproof shelter. Fast set up... Only drawback is that it is not freestanding. Not a big deal to me. Tomorrow, I head back out to the trail!!! I hope the rains stops!!!Gear review
Date: 2015-04-26
From: Front Royal

To: By Sam Moore Shelter
Miles today: 31.0

This morning, I was given a gift. It was one heck of a gift. The rain showers that continued overnight stopped an hour before I stated hiking. That meant it was dry to pack up!I picked up on the trail where I had left off.   The path skirted the National Zoological Park Breeding Center. It was briefly marshy before the trail climbed up and away. As the climb continued, it was wonderful to hear the multitude of birds singing and calling. They all seemed pretty happy the rain stopped as well. Once I gained the ridge line, the scenery improved dramatically.Mature trees complimented the colorful array of woodland wildflowers. There were large pockets of Virginia Bluebells blooming with their great blue flowers.I also saw my first Jack-In-The-Pulpit today! They just look friendly to me. My favorites today were the amazing Trillium that were in bloom!   White and pink flowers decorated the tops of the three-leafed plant.The trail continued north through a state park called Sky Meadows State Park. It felt great to walk on soft meadow and my feet really appreciated it!There were many friendly folks on the trail today. It was nice to get to chat with them all. Two of the people, Hunter and Jeremy, were hunting mushrooms and gave me a beer!! Nice!!I also ran into a friend who was hiking. It was Rambler (from the CDT and I ran into him outside of Damascus)!! We walked together and talked for a while! It was great timing.I was hiking along when I looked up and saw a sign. It was hung up on a tree next a big uphill climb.   It read, "Hiker Notice. Warning!!You are about to enter the roller coaster! Built and maintained by the TrailBoss and his merry crew of volunteers."It was really funny and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This trail segment has this nickname because of the many steep ascents and descents in 13.7 miles.I found a most excellent dinner ingredient today... Morel mushrooms!!! What a treat!!! Mmmm!!! They didn't even taste like burning! Ha!! I added them to my dinner soup this evening and they were fantastic!I hiked a little later than usual today. I reached camp at 740pm, keeping in mind that sunset is 759pm. I quickly spotted a good tent spot and, even better, got a tree limb picked out for my food bag to hang from.Now as I lay here, a friendly barred owl is in the tree next to my tarp. It is really cool because he keeps calling! I should be able to make it into Harpers Ferry tomorrow.
Date: 2015-04-28
From: past Weaverton Cliffs

To: By Ensign Cowell Shelter
Miles today: 25.0

Morning began in its usual fashion, a slow, warming glow beginning at the horizon struggling to take control. I felt relaxed. There was no closing time (like yesterday at the ATC office) or other requirements for today. Just hike. So, I laid in my sleeping bag and savored the relaxed start.Quickly enough, I got antsy. I was still on the trail by 7:30am. It felt great. The sun still climbing into the air. Fresh breezes. It was very idyllic. The ridge that I was walking was fascinating with its geology, as well as its Civil War history.The shelter I first passed today was where hiker was killed by a widow-maker two months ago. It surprised me that is was a rather healthy forest with few dead trees. The location was exposed up on a ridge that could have contributed significantly to the accident.There was a dramatic increase in the number of trail users in this part. There were tons of day hikers, weekenders, and, surprisingly, a new batch of thru-hikers that have just started in Harpers Ferry. Those hikers will "flip-flop" after they are in shape and then do the southern part.At one gap, there was the site of a large civil war engagement that led to Antetiem. The site had a number of interpretational signs and a lot of information. At that site, the War Correspondents Memorial grabbed the attention. It was a large Arch, almost reminiscent of the Arch de Triumph (only much, much smaller!!).I took a water break and enjoyed the history. I also had a great conversation with Ranger Rick, a.k.a. SantaClaus. He told me many of the historical details of the area. It was like a personal tour! As I moved north, I was excited. In a few miles would be the original Washington Monument. I had never know about such a thing before. It is right along the trail! Not only was it the original Washington Monument, It was also used in the Civil War to send signals.The footpath became wider and its heavy use was apparent. I still can't quite get over the number of people in the past day. Crazy amounts of people. It was nice to chat with many of the folks.I was still figuring out my resupply strategy ever since Harpers Ferry didn't work out. I was going to buy enough there to get me down the trail a few more miles, but that didn't work out.I decided not to hike too late today. I gathered my water and walked 5 miles to an area with a shelter and campsites. When I got there, a group of 8 kids were there whooping it up and a group of three hikers. My two neighbors were KnottyBoy and SoupMix. Nice folks. They did quite a bit of sewing their own gear. It reminded me of Diane A.! The couple is trying to thru-hike, but are going to flip flop at Kahtahdin back to Harpers Ferry.I got set up and got started on my camp chores!Time for dinner!!
Date: 2015-04-29
From: By Ensign Cowell Shelter

To: Snowy Mountain
Miles today: 21.0

I awoke in my sleeping bag quite comfortable. The temperature was cool, but not terrible. The predawn glow had started. It was nice.I was impressed. There had to have been 8-10 people camping nearby the shelter. No one actually slept in the shelter, though, as best as I know. Everyone was tenting it!! Way to go, folks !!! I efficiently (and quietly) packed up and hit the trail by 7. I felt it was a good start. Soon, I would be encountering rubble and boulder piles, requiring all of my attention and most of my dexterity. It was picturesque but slowing. It takes a lot when you have to watch each and every step through the rockier areas. I am not sure if most people really know what it's like to watch each and every footstep for that kind of distance.I saw several backpackers today. Probably 6 or more this morning. I've heard a lot off the hikers, whether section or flip-floppers , have just started at Harpers Ferry going north. Apparently, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy recommends a flip-flop hike.The trail's proximity to civilization is also surprising. I have been hearing cars and motorcycles racing somewhere in the distance. At one point, I was sure that two motorcycles were racing and of them missed a shift. You could hear two loud pops and I think he may have broke something.I hiked up and over one more peak and I found myself at a resupply road.   I quickly hiked in and hit the Food Lion. They were nice folks. They even let me leave my pack inside the store for safekeeping. I repackaged all of my food right on the sidewalk beside the grocery. It was a huge relief to get more food and be good-to-go. Only one thing left-- hike back up the road to the trail. As I was avoiding death via the distracted drivers on a narrow and fast road, a nice lady named Katey pulled over and offered me a ride! I happily accepted and I got in. Katey even had an Appalachian Trail Conservancy tee-shirt on! Thank you Katey!!By now, the sun was cooking. One of the items I was most in need of was Sunblock! I hiked along and decided to have a short day today. I filled up my water at the last source and climbed up the next ridge.I eventually found a small site. I got all set up and then saw that there was a sketchy dead tree fairly close....hmmm. Don't like the looks of that!! We will keep our eyes peeled.The turkeys have been gobbling and scratching away around my camp. They are comical. Not only turkey, but smaller birds as well. I have seen dozens of Bluebirds flying around.The weather looks good for today, but not so much for tomorrow. I think I may run into town and get a room if it looks threatening out. We will see... For now, it's time for bed.... Wish my food wasn't up a tree, I'd love a snack (plus, I've already brushed my teeth!)...dang.
Date: 2015-05-01
From: Before Tom's Run Shelter

To: Boiling Springs, Pa
Miles today: 26.0

Last night, the storms kicked up. Surges of intense sheets of rain continued through the night. I was certainly glad to be dry in my tarp. The rains didn't stop until nearly sunrise.With the morning light, I could see the residual water droplets on my tarp. The storm front had passed and the weather was quiet. It looked like it was going to be a very nice day. The day started cool and stayed cool, largely due to the cloud cover. That makes for faster hiking and less sunblock!! The path was gentle to my feet and often times even padded with pine needles. That is not to say that I did not have to navigate boulders and rocks; that would be untrue.At the first shelter, I ran into Logan. He was a hiker that I met yesterday. We had talked about gear and he had a couple more questions this morning. We talked about gear for quite a bit. He was extremely nice and was enjoyable to talk to.I eventually left and headed on. The third Halfway Point (the original) was along the way. Decorated in flags, this high-key marker was not going to be missed. It was near here that I saw one of my favorite birds--A Piliated woodpecker!!!The path descended and found its way into a state park. It was in this state park that the AT museum is located within. Unfortunately, they were not open this early in the season. I was sitting outside the closed camp store trying to decide which can of soda to buy from the machine when a worker came and opened up.    "You want something from the      grill?? It's all good!", he offered.   "Heck ya, I do!" I exclaimed.And with that, I decided to have a cheeseburger for there and a egg breakfast burrito to go. It took me no time to polish off that wonderful burger. Wow, did it ever hit the spot.It felt like it had given me a boost of energy. I quickly hiked through the rest of the state park enjoying skunk cabbage and marsh marigolds. I also saw my second Jack-In-The-Pulpit.Eventually, the trail brought me to the Rock Maze. It was quite interesting to see the precarious stacking of these monstrous boulders. I made it through those without issue and heeded down towards Boiling Springs. I stopped at a campsite at the edge of town. I would have continued on, but there is strictly no camping for the next 14 miles. I figure it would just be better to tackle it tomorrow morning.At an adjacent campspot, I met Paul. He was from Chicago and filled me in about the Flip-Floppers from Harpers Ferry. I guess there was even a flip flop kick off party and everything.   We hung out and talked. He told me about Illinois and his details. It was relaxing and a nice time. Soon, it was dark and time for journaling. So, here I am with my red lighted headlamp typing away on my phone!Good night!
Date: 2015-05-03
From: Duncannon, Pa

To: Near Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0

Today, I decided to make an impromptu change. I had planned to take a zero in Duncannon today, but I really wanted to get out on such a nice day. I decided to pack up, do a brief resupply, and bust out of town. I am glad that I motivated to do so. I didn't quite address all of my "to-do's", but got a lot done. I caught up on my journals (which, by the way, everytime I complete an upload, I then remember about fifty things that I forgot to put in), I cleaned my water filer, and got my food sorted.I walked through the town as part of the official Appalachian Trail. I said hello to many of the locals while they sat on their porches watching life go by. I even had a lengthy conversation with one older gentleman. The trail crossed the river and then headed back up the ridge. There were bunches of day hikers out enjoying the wonderful weather. The ridge was rocky at times, but not too bad. I made quick work of the rocky areas and followed the trail to a heavily used trailhead. I waited for Bird and LittleDebbie to catch up. I chatted up a camper named Hunter. Nice guy. After LittleDebbie and Bird got there, we all hung out and relaxed.As the sun began to set, we set back off to hike our remaining miles. It was quite scenic and had some cool rock formations. One was called Shock Rock and the other was called Table Rock.The full moon came up as we were watching the sun set . They were nearly opposite of each other. the ridge gave great views of both. The moon was an amazing golden orange. The sun setting fell into dark reds. It was great.Eventually, we donned on our headlamps and continued walking. We got close to the shelter, so I found a camp spot and set up. LittleDebbie and Bird walked in to stay at the shelter. I will catch back up with them tomorrow!
Date: 2015-05-04
From: Near Peters Mountain Shelter

To: 3.6 miles away from William Penn Shelter
Miles today: 28.0

Last night was great. The giant, orange moon illuminated the forest for hours. The temperature was mild and the ground was soft.The dry, mild weather gave me motivation to get going fairly early. I was walking on the trail by 6:30am. The aim was to get to the nearby shelter to hook back up with Bird and LittleDebbie.The walk was most enjoyable. The coolness and the beginnings of a new day are some of my favorite. Song birds filled the woods with loud, overlapping notes. In almost no time at all, I was walking up the side trail to the shelter.I greeted LittleDebbie and Bird and they returned the cordial tidings. I also got to meet their "neighbors-for-the-night". ArmyDoc was a great guy. As his name suggested, he was a career Army doctor and had just retired. He was with a friend and they were out hiking for a week. We all chatted before it was time to head out.We started hiking and our paces are very similar. That does make it more fun to get in more miles. It also encourages one to take more short breaks through the day. Early on, I could tell that this was going to be a hot day.At one point, we took a break at a fine impromptu campsite. Someone had assembled two large rock reclining chairs around a fire pit. While we sat and ate snacks, we began to hear large explosion type sounds... Or maybe drilling sounds.... Nope. Then we realized..   It was varying large caliber military weapons being fired repeatedly. It sounded like a military exercise!Trail was healthier today with less invasive species as it had days earlier. Vast blankets of Mayapple turned the forest floor green. Solomon seal was also becoming more prevalent. Oh, and the trail has been lined with Wintergreen! We stopped a few, short times today for breaks. When we got to a water source, we took a 10 minute break to camel up (drink as much water as you comfortably can) and have snacks.The rocky areas are beginning to pop up more and more. The isolated boulder and rock sections are slowly become the majority. It is to be expected as lots of the trail are this way. At the last water source, LittleDebbie, Bird, and I sat and drank (water). Bird reminded us that tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo! We all got excited and talked about favorite foods and drinks. It was funny and delicious-sounding!!We decided that we will try to get to town tomorrow and hit a Mexican joint. Maybe a margarita??? Maybe guacamole? It's all only 31.5 miles away. It may not work, but we are going to try.... And I wouldn't necessarily bet against this bunch.We gained the last ridge and walked the final miles to our camp. The sun was gone and it was getting dark quickly. It was 8pm... Tents were set up and dinners were made. Today was good. Tomorrow could be legendary or an epic fail... Stay tuned!!