morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-04-14
From: Clark's Valley

To: Duncannon (SOBO)
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

April 14, 2010 - Clark's Valley to Duncannon (SOBO) 18 milesToday was a long day. I set no speed records slack packing today. There were enough rocks and poison ivy to avoid to slow me down and, let's just face it, I move like an old lady without a pack or with a pack. Neither way is fast for me.My shuttle driver picked me up at 5:30 and I was on trail not too long after 6:00. The first third of the day I seemed to be going well but the miles just did not get ticked off as fast as expected. It just took longer than I was thinking it should. The middle third of the day was lovely, pretty nice trail and pretty near level. I made some good time in that part. Then the last third of the day was pretty rugged for at least a couple miles. The last of the hike was topped off by a couple miles on concrete on roads and sidewalks. That was level and I moved speedily but it is hard on the feet. Still, it was lots easier as a whole than the last time I did this kind of miles coming down San Jacinto on the PCT. My feet do not have the shooting pains they did on that day.There were quite a number of lovely views during the day, especially as I got closer to Duncannon. The flowers were mainly violets and a little yellow flower sort of like a vetch with a ferny leaf. A few red columbine were in one place and there were a few Spring Beauties here and there, maybe a few white flowers too and also some pink flowering trees as I came down to Duncannon. But by far the most abundant flora were May Apples, which carpeted many sections of forest floor, and poison ivy, which was abundant and super abundant in some areas. I think I avoided running into any but had to watch where I put my poles all the time.I am rather tired after so many miles and such a long day. I got back to the Doyle and met JP, a NOBO who started at Harpers Ferry. It was enjoyable to chat with him. I got my shower, washed up the clothes I wore today and had dinner.And now I am off to bed. Tomorrow I get the shuttle back to Clark"s Valley and head north - only 11 miles - Yeah!!!And life is good.
Date: 2010-04-15
From: Clark's Valley

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I forgot to put in a story, an observation and a reflection: The story - When I first arrived at the Doyle on Monday and I was checking in, a sweet lady named Marylin was there. She has a lot of arthritis and cannot really hike the trail but her goal is to walk a mile on the AT in each state it goes through. She also really likes hikers and gives them snickers bars whenever she sees them. She gave one to me and I ate it on my long slack pack yesterday. Thanks, Marylin! Also yesterday I don't think I mentioned that there was bear sign - leaves pulled back in a big area to look for grubs and also some bear scat up before Shikellimy Rocks. I didn't see the bruin though which was alright with me. I also went by Peters Mountain Shelter - very big and nice, 2 stories, bear box, awning and all. The reflection - in reflecting on my slower than desired time yesterday to do an 18 mile slack pack - I should just shut up. Three years ago when I got the staph infection in my knee it looked doubtful that I would walk on trail again. I need to remind myself that any step I take on trail, at whatever speed, is a blessing. Besides which, this is only the second tiime I have been able to do 18 miles in a day since then and I didn't even have feet hurting too bad. Thank you, God, that I was able to do it. Today, I did not get up quite as early as I did not have to do so. After a gradual climb of a couple miles to go 1,000 ft the trail was nearly level all day. There were no grand views, only a few tiny white violets, no May Apples and NO POISON IVY. My body was happy to have pretty easy trail and small miles. Just before I got to the shelter turn off, I passed a pile of coal tailings from a mine. The trail near here is interesting also in that it is black. I got to the shelter, washed me and my clothes, prepared dinner and all before 6:30. The interesting part of this shelter is the spring, only steps in front of the shelter. It has a metal trough (aluminum) filled by a pipe. There is also a metal circular table around a tree for stoves. One of the volunteers near here must like to work with aluminum. I used both. Thanks! After I sign the shelter log, gather my clothes which are already dry and take a final trip to the privy it will be time to sleep. Tomorrow will be an early one as I have more miles and rain is coming. But today was lovely, what I needed and life is good.
Date: 2010-04-17
From: 501 Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night while I was eating I had a shelter companion - the kind you wished me not to have, Winkle. A very brazen mouse started running around. There are no mouse hangers (small ropes threaded though an upside down can that mice cannot get around) in this shelter, no bear boxes and wide cracks between floor boards granting mice easy access. And it was pouring rain outside. What to do? I devised a mouse proof place by putting my comestebles and smelly stuff in the empty 5 gallon bucket they have here for recyclables and turned it upside down on a bunk (solid plywood). Then I put a chair on top for weight. I was glad for the noisy storm outside and the water pounding on the skylight as mice are rather noisy creatures. I took my evening pills and went to sleep with the pounding of the rain and all was well. This morning the rain had stopped although there were dark clouds that lasted all day. I did not get up with great alacrity but I did get up and get ready to go. There was indeed water from the spigot on the side of the caretaker's house but my method of last night was more creative - and dryer. It was a colder day, mostly between 47-50 all day. The forest looked like a winter hike too, with far fewer flowers or leaves on the trees. There were views though, some lovely ones. The trail seemed to go nearly in a circle taking me from one view on one side of the ridge to another on the other side. I stopped for lunch at a lovely lookout and watched turkey vultures play soar and glide between me and the forest canopy below me. Nice. It threatened rain all day but only let loose with about 10 drops. I put on my rain pants over my shorts for warmth and kept my umbrella stuck in my belt for easy access and the raincover on the pack but did not really need them. I met two groups of hikers today - Four guys out for 28 miles whom I met in the AM and three guys, Llama, Chewy and Husker, on a short section whom I met just past Black Swatara Spring. Pennsylvania was earning its reputation today with a rocky or semi-rocky trail most of the day. I slow down considerably over rocks. This senior citizen would like to return with all body parts intact and in working order. I saw lots of stands of emerging leaves that looked like they might be lily of the valley and also some clumps of something green like lilies or iris but they were not blooming. After getting water at the last spring/creeklet I walked another mile and called it a day. I did see a deer though, the first one, not long before stopping. I was beginnig to think PA didn't have any. I am in my tent tonight as no shelter is nearby. I had dinner, hung my bear bag, and it is past hiker midnight (whenever it is dark). It is 42 degrees now. It may be a cold night but I am snug in my bag in my tent. And life is good.
Date: 2010-04-18
From: Campsite

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

It got down to 34 degrees this morning when I got up and I had to talk sternly to myself to get out of my warm sleeping bag. It really wasn't too bad though and quickly warmed up to 40 by the time I left and up to 50 shortly after. The guide book says the forest is mostly rock-free from 183 to 6 miles before Port Clinton. I beg to differ. The trail was not as smooth and easy as I was expecting. But the afternoon was easier than expected so it all worked out. The guide book said the last 6 miles were very rocky and, although there were rocky stretches, much of it was pretty smooth and easy going. The last steep part was like coming down the steep side of Mount Pete, or a little worse, after hiking for 10 miles. As long as I took it slowly it was fine. I met one day hiker on the trail today and that was all. There were a lot more clumps of what I am now thinking might be iris. If so, they will make the trail lovely in a week or two. I did see Gay Wings just as I started the descent into Port Clinton. They are a very unique flower I first saw down in Georgia. They made me smile. I also saw, not just purple and white violets, I saw a striped variety. Interesting. After arriving at Port Clinton I have decided to change my schedule a little and not take my zero day (rest day) here but in Lehigh Gap. I have no computer access here, no stores close by and this place no longer serves breakfast or is even open except for the weekends. My chances are better farther along the trail. Sorry feet and knee, but you will have to wait. I will pick up my box at the Post Office tomorrow morning and head on. The day will be short, although the book says strenuous. But I think it will work. I am now clean and my clothes are getting clean. Dinner is pretty good although I don't think they have much business here. They had to vacum up stink bugs from my room and the shower was like one I remember from our mountain place when I was growing up, Bob. The people are quite nice though and brought me a complementary appetizer and toasted bread with my meal. I think they were even going to offer me a glass of wine with my dinner but it would interfere with some of my medications. So, I am clean and fed and on a Sunday night I am thankful to have a bed. And life is good.
Date: 2010-04-20
From: Furnace Shelter

To: Eckville Hiker Center Shelter
Miles today: 9.0

I seem to wake up regularly at 6:00 or before. I was up, had breakfast and was mostly packed before JP stirred. I was on trail about 7:30. Today was a day of two beautiful views, one from Pulpit Rock and one from Pinacle Lookout. The first had a road to a grassy area adjacent to the rocks where there were 3 small observatories. Interesting. I had snackbars at each view. The second is supposed to be the best view in PA. I also spent some time with a rock trying to hammer the hiker log mailbox back into shape so the door would close securely. I was partially successful. I also watched hawks, or more probably turkey vultures play. I am near Hawk Mountain but it is not hawk migration season so I suspect what I saw were the ubiquitous turkey vultures. Whatever they are, I like to watch them. There was a bit of uphill to Pulpit Rock and some rock fields to navigate between the views but it really did not seem too bad to me. The trail from Pinacle Rock nearly all the way to Hawk Mountain road was on woods roads, some driveable. I saw a ranger driving later in the day. JP passed me between views and I likely won't see him again unless his friends and relatives keep him occupied just the right amount of time this weekend and he catches me out of Lehigh Gap. May he have a great hike all the way. I saw two dayhikers before lunch. As I was finished with lunch a group of 10-12 from Philadelphia (inner city kids with leaders, I think) came by and I got to tell them about the trail and my being on it. Fun. I hope they have a good experience too. There were some white flowering cherries near Pulpit Rock, a couple Dogwood near Eckville and violets, bluets, the white petalled flower and another pink azaelia along the way today. I reached the shelter not long after 3. There is water and even a flush toilet and a cold shower here. Ah, the luxuries of trail life. I used up the last of my soap and got me, my bandanas, socks and underwear clean. I really like being clean at the end of the day, even with cold water. One appreciates such things so much more after being in the woods for a time. There is a caretaker here and he pointed out that I could charge my phone, which I did. Tonight it is early to bed and that feels good and life is good.
Date: 2010-04-21
From: Eckville Hiker Center Shelter

To: Blue Summit Bed and Breakfast
Miles today: 11.5

I slept nearly 10 hours and was up early and ready to go onward. The climb out of Eckville seemed long though. I was tired by the top. But the view from Dan's Pulpit was quite lovely. I ate a trail bar and enjoyed the view. The next view wasn't so hot and there were lots of rocks on the trail between Dan's Pulpit and Balanced Rocks and beyond. This was the rockiest day yet. Before today I was going to say that PA really has not been so bad. But today there were lots of rocks, scattered on the trail, scattered thickly on the trail and boulder fields to navigate through too. Yesterday was rated strenuous and today moderate but I thought it was the other way around. The book claimed a spot later in the day was rocky. So I kept telling myself while carefully walking through the rocks, "Hey, its going to be rocky after a while." I was only mildly amused at the incongruity. Now I know why Fox Trot, whom I met in Maine and then NY last year, flitted like a butterfly over the rocks. Besides being young, male and having knees, he is from Pennsylvania and so he has had lots of practice over rocks. I did not flit like a butterfly. I lumbered and labored like a behemoth hippo with a broken leg. But I did safely get through them all. The last 4 miles of the day redeemed the trail though. Much of the PA AT that is not rocky is on old woods roads and actually is pretty nice hiking. Even I could go two miles an hour on that woods road and the road was decorated with violets and bluets and another pink azaelia. When I had called ahead and told the guy at the Blue Summit B&B that I was a day early, he was very accomodating even though he is really closed today. He left a key where I could find it and I let myself in and had my shower. As I was relaxing I looked for my guide book and found it missing. Not something else! And I have no maps either! In the initial panic, I grabed my raincoat and poles and hastened back down the trail over a mile before I gave up and decided to just make do without. I was disgusted though. I like to think of myself as a reasonably competent trail person, not a ninny who just keeps losing things. And then the B&B owner did not come with my promised Hoagie until an hour after he said he would but he did come and I had a nice place to sleep for the night and even shampoo and conditioner in the shower. Even for ninnies on the trail life is good.
Date: 2010-04-23
From: Lehigh Gap (Slatington)

To: Slatington
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day in Slatington - 0 miles It is noisier in town than in the mountains I remended myself when the siren went by under my window in the night. I had gotten to bed late but I slept late too. it has been a rest day, for which my knee is thanking me. I have eaten breakfast and lunch, washed my clothes and spent a great deal of time on the computer getting journals up to date. And that is about it. The town is an interesting old town with many historic buildings, some looking cared for and some not. Even though the lodging is not spectacular I have no real complaints. Ira has been nice and othr gentlemen I pass in the hall have been nice too although this is not somewhere I would normally stay. It is fine for a hiker and cheap. The food around here is cheaper too, but good. The town is nice in that most everything I really need is within a block or two at most of Fine Lodging. The body was quite tired and ready for a zero day. I will not have another before I am done. I hope it all holds together. I think all the beneficial effect of the prednisone is all worn off. But I feel ready to go on. So, the library is closing in ten minutes so this is all for the day. The day has gone well. It is nearly time for dinner. BTW, thanks to my son I think I have figured out what I need to for getting on airplanes and driving when I get home. Thanks for the trail and thanks for good children. And life is good.
Date: 2010-04-24
From: Lehigh Gap

To: Smith Gap
Miles today: 12.6

Well, Ira was not available but he was very responsible and arranged for someone else to take me back to the trail early in the AM. By the way, describing this place - it is like an old rooming house with shared bathrooms and either old or young men living here. But the door had a nice double dead bolt lock and I had no trouble. I started out up the trail and it was very cold and windy - around 45 degrees with a strong wind. But as soon as I got out of the wind and started climbing I was very warm. Yes, it is straight up the rocks. Kind of interesting a couple places with my bad leg. But the sky was blue and the sun was out and the views were terrific. I had to sing, "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning," at least I did when I wasn't catching my breath or trying to figure out how to navigate over the rocks. Oh, I forgot to mention yesterday about all the blueberry bushes in bloom on the trail going down to Lehigh Gap. Early hikers like me don't have to deal with too much heat and bugs but the later hikers will get the berries. I saw a mourning dove today and I have been hearing them almost every day. When I got to the top where the trail leveled out there were lots of birdies singing to the morning. I saw pink little round flowers that looked to be in the onion family and I also saw lots of bleeding hearts along the level grassy reroute. The reroute, BTW, is because they are doing something about the superfund area the trail used to go through on the ridge. I was walking on nice grass with small trees but could see up to the top and how barren everything looked. I met 4 day hikers and chatted with them for a while and one backpacker who seemed to be aphasic so we did not chat beyond the automatic speech available. Then I ran into trail maintainers, Mike and Charlie, Mechanical Man's friends. When I got to the road, there was Mechanical Man (I had called him to tell him I was nearly there). He took me to their home and immediately showed me the shower. After my shower, his wife, Crayola Lady, fed us all a wonderful dinner of pork roast, mashed potatoes and saurkraut topped off by an ice cream sandwich. After dinner, Mechanical Man entertained me with lots of pictures and stories, some about the trail and Earl Shaffer who stayed with him, and more about his son who is 10 years old and a BMX racing state champion. Eventually, I begged off and went to the garage which was my bed for the night. I had a great day, my tummy was full, I was clean and dry as the rain started up outside. Life is good.
Date: 2010-04-27
From: 10 Mile River Shelter

To: Kent
Miles today: 8.7

I should have gotten an earlier start but I decided I should clean up the mess a little and so gathered up some of the trash and buried the dinner left in the mud puddle. I can't do anything about the privy but I could at least do that. It was again a rainy day although part of the day it was just cloudy. It was a nice walk along the Housatonic River to begin with. Then it was up Shagitoke Mountain, a good 1000 ft climb. Sometimes the trail was good trail. Sometimes it was like PA rocks and sometimes it was like Maine rocks. PA rocks are like a trail strewn with tonka truck size rocks, all kinds of tonka trucks. Maine rocks are more polished slabs of rock. Neither are pleasant for me in the rain. There were some really steep spots today, both going up and going down. And it rained hard in the middle of the day right in some of the rocks. But I did accomplish the day. No other hikers today until the last hundred yards when I passed Old Fool, a 53 year old woman on a section hike. There were some nice views in spite of the rain. When I got to the road I held up my thumb to the first car and got a ride the .8 miles into town and a suggestion to ask about lodging at the little outfitter there. That yielded the best place possible, a B&B that was inexpensive and would pick me up. So I mailed my PA book and map from the Post Office and bought my dinner from the IGA and went to Cooper's Creek B&B. Cooper and Mary are very nice. Mary heated a vegetable for me and chatted with me while I ate. And they let me use this computer. This is a short one tonight as I have been typing up the last four days of journals and I am tired and I need a shower. But the sun has come out at the last of the day. I am inside and will soon be clean and life is good.
Date: 2010-04-28
From: Cooper's Creek (Kent)

To: Cornwall Bridge
Miles today: 11.1

Cooper and Mary are really nice people, friendly and helpful. Mary heated up my carrots last night and I ate from real dishes with silverware too. I was on their computer for a long time too. This morning I was served blueberry pancakes - all I could eat - with sausage, juice, milk and canteloupe and banana. Yum! Then I was delivered back to the trail. I am not moving as fast as I thought I would in Conn, which was ok for today but could be a problem over the next few days. I seem to move like a turtle going uphill. I was used to uphill in Washington and the beginning of PA but PA really doesn't have much in up and down trail. I don't know if I am just out of practice or what but all those miles Winkle and I did at the start of this hike seem like an unobtainable aberration now. Today had some tough trail but also the easiest 5 miles on the whole AT. I didn't really make spectacular time anywhere. The day was much colder than yesterday, not in temperature but in wind chill. Yesterday I hiked in sports bra. Today I wore shirts and raincoat for windbreaker. That wind really makes a difference. I think it is supposed to be windy again tomorrow. The hardest part of the day was coming down from St John's Ledges. A trail crew from Maine built the stairs and route through the rocks. It was a challenge for an old lady with a bum leg but I maneuvered my way safely. The easy part was a 5 mile walk along the Housatonic River which was basically flat all the way. I met 2 hikers today. The first was early in the morning: X-man, a 64 year old finishing a stretch from Cornwall Bridge to Bear Mountain Bridge, NY. I think he will have completed the trail then. He seemed very nice, too bad we were going opposite directions. The second hiker was at the end of the day: Cyron, a young hiker with a very large pack and an iguana carried in his shirt. He is headed to Springer and then will flip. He told me that a creek just after I start tomorrow is impassable. It could be waded but the water is high and swift. I will avoid it by going on Old Sharon Road and missing .1 mile of the AT. It seems the safest thing to do. I saw one blooming wild geranium today near the river as well as violets, something yellow and somthing white. Oh yes, poison ivy grows here to, not just in PA. I guess it grows everywhere except Washington. For the most part, except for 3 days in PA, it is not too hard to avoid. There were some major views today of the Housotonic Valley The sky tried spitting on me several times today, even a little sleet in the morning. but the weather was mostly dry and I did not have to use the umbrella. I am in Cornwall Bridge at a tiny motel. Well, Cornwall has a motel, a PO, a grocery store, and a package store and that is about it. But I am clean and dry and warm and picked up my box, ate some of my food for diner, washed a few things and am ready for bed. Life is good.