morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-03-31
From: Wolfsville Road

To: .8 mile short of Warner Gap Road
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: clear sky

We awakened early to see a lovely iridescent red glow on the eastern horizon. The sunrise itself was anticlimactic due to heavy clouds. We were up early, ate our peanut butter breakfasts quickly, and Cynthia fired up the JetBoil for coffee with protein powder "cocoa." This morning we decided that RevC should begin hiking immediately to stay warm whilst hot-blooded Shakedown Cruise packed camp. That worked quite well. Cynthia finished the rocky ridge without pressure and had come to more palatable terrain before Shakedown caught up to her. We soon arrived at Wolfsville Road and stuck out our thumbs to hitchhike (RevC for the first time in her life). The very first pickup stopped in the middle of the road and gave us an open air ride in the back into town directly to the Post Office. Thanks guys. Cynthia darted into the Post Office and had bounced our resupply box forward before Ron could find his Driver License ID. We repaired across the road to the Smithsburg Market (highly recommended) where we enjoyed salad, chili, coke, a turkey sub, coffee while also gathering all the food items we needed for resupply (peanut butter, rye bread, trail mix, food bars, etc.). We walked out of town to the Wolfsville Road but had no success hitch hiking. Fortunately, a lady living at the corner decided that we were nice enough and offered us a ride up the hill. Thanks again. Our hike northward was interrupted by showers as we approached the Ensign Cowell Shelter, so we sheltered out the showers there. Shakedown Cruise decided that we needed another quart of water and then decided that trail maintenance was needed to clear some of the muddy, sloppy AT and spring trail. Strange to discover that the spring appears to be an inferior water source to the stream, but the spring looks to be nearly stagnant. We recommenced our hike,and within 30 minutes the showers resumed. We hiked across our first open fields in blowing rain. We didn't get all that wet, but it was not a pleasant half hour. It seemed like we hiked forever until we came to an area obviously used by the owner for a dispersed junkyard, strewn with automobile tires of antique and modern vintage, plastic bottles, etc. widely scattered ... and a stream ... and a level spot. So we camped. Again we were set up early and to bed early and the night seemed much warmer than several previous ones, perhaps because we were sheltered from any wind. However, the coke left out overnight froze instantly upon opening in the early morning.
Date: 2015-04-01
From: .8 mile short of Warner Gap Road

To: Pen Mar County Park
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: clear sky

Today was too much. We started early again, and after coffee and protein cocoa again, Cynthia started hiking again. Once Shakedown Cruise finished all packing and set out to follow, she had a large start. He caught after she had successfully negotiated a wide, dicy stream crossing (tippy rock midway) and heavily-traveled Maryland Highway 491. We hiked together up from that 1190 elevation steeply to 1480 and thence gradually up to 1950 at High Rock. RevC opted to omit the 0.2 mile loop to High Rock. Shakedown was disappointed to see the graffiti and garish paint besmearing High Rock, but then what do you expect when there is a road and parking lot granting access to aspiring graffitists. The rocky route down from High Rock is treacherous and demanding. Cynthia found it quite stressful, especially with the pack unbalancing her, but she carried on and came through with flying colors. Once off the mountain onto "level" trail, we scared a quail into flight and four deer into white-tailed bounding. At Pen Mar we enjoyed the views, but again the chill wind foreshortened that enjoyment. We called Elizabeth of Nostalgic Dreams to come get us weary hikers for a bed, a shower (or two) and a laundry. Thank you again and again Elizabeth.Methinks that the 7 miles was one too many, but the lure of a real bed was not to be denied.
Date: 2015-04-02
From: Pen Mar County Park

To: Hwy 16 into Waynesboro, PA
Miles today: 2.8

Today we hiked our final miles in Maryland, from Pen Mar State Park past the Mason-Dixon Line to Waynesboro, PA. One state completed, several to go. Amusing that Elizabeth dropped us off in Maryland about 11 AM and picked us up three hours later in Pennsylvania to shuttle us to this Cobblestone Inn so that Ron could have a computer keyboard for his blogging. The wildlife sighting today was a tiny downy woodpecker high in the trees; his call was compelling, so Ron was able to sight him. Cynthia is one tired girl and deserves a sound sleep and a zero hiking day (or two).
Date: 2015-04-03
From: Cobblestone Inn, Waynesboro, PA

To: Cobblestone Inn, Waynesboro, PA
Miles today: 0.0

Yes, this zero was necessary. It hurt Cynthia's feet to hobble a mile to the Keystone Family Restaurant for breakfast. They did a good job for us, and there is an inexpensive all-you-can-eat buffet (just another mile west past the Wally World on highway 16). On the return, my beloved little RevC indulged in pedicure & manicure, and after dinner at Applebees, a hot tub soak. Much improved, we applied arthritis cream a couple of times too.
Date: 2015-04-04
From: Cobblestone Inn, Waynesboro, PA

To: Cobblestone Inn, Waynesboro, PA
Miles today: 0.0

Yup, another zero - again well-advised to help the sore footies. Shakedown hasn't had the heart to inform RevC about the few remaining rocks in Rocksylvania. My brother Dean will visit us later this morning (from Columbia, MD) and friends Jim & Joni promised to drive us to dinner in Hagerstown. Maybe I can find a suitable bite valve for my CamelBak. (Strange that the valve fell out - but then again the CamelBak is probably 6 years old.) Meanwhile my beauty is sleeping as we speak. It was another wonderful day. Thank God (especially apropos since tomorrow is Easter). Visits with my brother & nephew and a marvelous dinner with Jim & Joni at the Schmankerl Stube German restaurant in Hagerstown were extra special. Dean, Benjamin & I hiked north on the AT & promptly missed a turn along a road for 50' and instead hiked straight ahead along an old forest road. After a mile of two of bushwhacking northeast then west we found a dirt road to follow south and eventually intersected the trail. Much fun. No luck finding a bite valve at Dick's Sporting Goods.
Date: 2015-04-05
From: Cobbleston Inn, Waynesboro, PA

To: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Happy Easter to Y'all. The two zeros certainly helped reduce the hurt in the feet of RevC. Shakedown is again up at 6 AM blogging. We will breakfast at the Keystone Restaurant one last time before finding a ride to the trail. Cynthia was not feeling particularly well rested or strong, but as the hike continued, she gained strength and motivation so that we passed by the Antietam Shelter en route to Tumbling Run Shelter. One SOBO hiker, "Shackleford" was resuming a thru-hikes that had been curtailed by lime disease; another girl arrived later also resuming a 2012 SOBO thru-hike. Ron was grooming his selected campsite when the caretakers Curt, Tanya, and Mocha (the dog) arrived and recommended the group campground, "newly" built as an Eagle Scout project. Mocha loved the attentive petting, and Ron was very appreciative of the effort required to keep the usual trashy partiers out of the campground with such attractive shelters so close to the roadway and convenient parking. Curt recommended the spring highly (on the other side of the stream). We were abed early.
Date: 2015-04-06
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: Rocky Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Good God, What a trauma we had to start this day !! We awoke refreshed; Shakedown had slept deeply between several restroom trips throughout the night. After coffee and protein powder, peanut butter bread with nuts & honey, Cynthia asked if she could help pack, and Ron suggested that she go up to the shelters to talk with the other interesting hikers and then on to the spring to get a quart of fresh, pure springwater. He continued cleaning up after breakfast, fastidiously packing air mattresses, dismantling and packing the tent, etc. Finally done packing, he walked from the group campground up to the shelters and was surprised to find them empty. Then he realized that the yelling he had attributed to kids at the parking lot/ picnic area were coming from the direction of the spring, and his heart nearly stopped upon realizing that it was probably Cynthia screaming. ... and it was. He was soon greatly relieved to see her upright, but her legs were shaking uncontrollably as he hurried towards her. She had made it across the stream without difficulty, but panicked and froze with one foot on a rock and the other foot on another straddling a torrent, certain that if she moved forward or backward she would fall. Shakedown Cruise (to the rescue) crossed quickly to her and held her while she backed to the previous rock and back onto shore. We sat her down for ten minutes of shaking, sobbing relief before commencing lectures (no, no, there was NO lecture, that was a joke). Once Cynthia had Ron's hand to hold, she crossed over those difficult rocks like a pro. Needless to say, 30 minutes of fear, screaming, and isometrics left her limp and exhausted. Back to the shelters and seated at a picnic table, she slumped forward, exhausted, with her head on the table. Still she insisted that we hike rather than zero. The caretaker, Curt's father, and his dog soon appeared to tend to the outhouse. He is also hard of hearing, but was a delightful conversationalist. He recommended that the blue blaze trail to Chimney Rocks was less demanding that the steep, "official," white-blazed trail. The blue blaze was also much prettier since it followed the stream for quite a distance. Perhaps this blue-blazed trail was actually an old AT route that was rerouted to reduce annual maintenance from spring floods. Cynthia soon grew much stronger as we hiked and enjoyed the scenery and the hike, all the while avering that she will never, ever cross another stream without me present. We could have stopped at the Antietam Shelter, but RevC opted to continue to the Rocky Mountain Shelters as originally planned. It turned out to be a pleasant day after all. We set up tent inside the shelter (to keep mosquitos away) because rain is forecast for the night and tomorrow. A new NOBO hiker friend showed up there, Coleman. He is carrying a rather large stringed musical instrument.
Date: 2015-04-07
From: Rocky Mountain Shelter

To: U.S. Highway 30
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a warm and rainy night. We were glad that our gear was dry as we packed in the morning, although sleeping on the hard wooden floor of the shelters is hard on our aching backs. Ron made another LONG trip downhill to the spring for two more quarts of water - 0.5 miles each way. Peculiar that the spring comes out of the hillside within 30' of PA 233. We were packed and hiking by 10:15. RevC is feeling stronger already and is far more optimistic about making a good long hike this year. There were two stretches of "gratituous" rocks - indicators of Yankee eletism, provinciality, and "superiority." Coleman "sprinted" by us in the middle of the second set of rocks; he was also wondering "WHY?" We arrived at U.S. 30 and were delighted to be picked up by trail angel and hosteller, Reckless. The log at the Trail of Hope hostel reported that NOBO #1, Windwacker, had come through earlier that very morning; Ron indulged in the proffered cherry pie while we awaited Kim-Eric's friend, Dr. John Spangler, VP of the Gettysburg Seminary and Director of Communications, who shuttled us to the Hilton Garden Inn east of Gettysburg. Thanks to all three men for making our trip to the hotel so simple and easy. Ron immediately walked to Wally World to purchase Aloe for his painfully sunburned back. (Oh what a relief it is - anyone out there remember that jingle?) The Dollar Tree provided Vitamin C, Glucosamine and Pennysticks Pretzels. We were asleep just before "hiker midnight," i.e. between dark and dark-thirty. We could have continued hiking today, but it was too likely that the rocks were wet and slippery; we don't need to take that risk.
Date: 2015-04-08
From: U.S. Highway 30

To: Hilton Garden Inn Gettysburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

There is a RabbitTransit bus that carries people all over town for just $1. We visited The Pub & Restaurant on Lincoln Square, the Gettysburg Baking Company, and the Seminary Ridge Museum here in Gettysburg. Good God, what an awful tragedy; what terrible slaughter and suffering. Another zero is vindicated by the forecast and by Cynthia's sore feet and aching legs. A soak in the hotel hot tub and arthritis cream helped immensely. YES, we are getting stronger, and we believe that we are becoming "Younger Next Year."
Date: 2015-04-09
From: Hilton Garden Inn Gettysburg

To: Hilton Garden Inn, Gettysburg
Miles today: 0.0

The dreary, chilly, potentially rainy forecast and Cynthia's disturbed sleep justified another zero, but then her sleep was actually quite good and the rains held off until 7 PM. We coulda hiked, but Shakedown Cruise knows that the first several weeks of camping need to be more pleasant than they have been to date (too cold) in order for RevC to develop appreciation of the beauties that outweigh the hardships. On the RabbitTransit today we passed a Weis grocery; had I known of it, we woulda bought those (preferred) jelly beans to fuel diabetic RevC while she hikes.
Date: 2015-04-10
From: Hilton Garden Inn, Gettysburg

To: Hilton Garden Inn, Gettysburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Now the excuse is that I want Cynthia to enjoy the first several weeks of this backpacking trip. Thunderstorms are forecast for this morning (they didn't arrive) and again this afternoon. We might be able to traverse the 3 miles to the next shelter, but I'd bet on wet & sloppery rocks and lots of mud, not ideal conditions for my beloved RevC, who is not yet convinced that there are benefits to camping. Tomorrow's forecast is warm & sunny, so we resume for sure after such a long hiatus (God willing).
Date: 2015-04-11
From: Hilton Garden Inn, Gettysburg

To: Quarry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 2.6

Thanks to Rev. John Spangler and his lovely wife, Dr. Maria Erling, for transporting us from Gettysburg to the A.T. to resume hiking, early for us at 11:30. Shakedown had a HUGE surprise up his sleeve, Triple Caramel Chunk for RevC and Raspberry Sorbet for himself to fuel our hike. Fueling works; we enjoyed great energy, and the 2.5 miles to Quarry Gap Shelter just melted away easily despite ups and downs. As we approached a vivid yellow gate, Ron was surprised to remember this scene and the shelter from his 2008 hike. This was where he spent a night with Vagabond, whose mission was to hike around the world to raise awareness of Blood Water Mission. The trail was surrounded by lush and lovely mountain laurel, not yet in bloom. We chose privacy in the group campground, thinking that the VERY rocky path would deter most. Then we returned to the shelter and met the caretaker Jim, who insists on keeping the shelter neat, clean and tidy (including several lovely blooming hanging potted plants); he has been married 48 years to his childhood sweetheart, and she encourages him to get out of the house and into the woods. We met a darling three year old named Willa and a couple from Boston who impressed us with their ultralight gear made from cuben fiber. (The wife even sewed her own camp shoes that are feather-light.) Our privacy in the group campground was invaded by a pleasant couple and by Trillium, a delightful woman, mother of two teenagers, who hiked thru in 2014 and is now a weekend hiker completing a few sections she skipped. We had been reading Trillium's entries in the shelter logs and were amazed to meet her. Likewise, she had been reading Shakedown Cruise and RevC in the logs. Caretaker Jim encourages people to join their local hiking clubs. The stupid folks at ATC object to his hanging pots and squeeky clean shelter; it violates their beloved, but insane, theme: "wilderness experience."
Date: 2015-04-12
From: Quarry Gap Shelter

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: clear sky

Strange that we were up before anyone else in the group campground ... except that a friend of the couple next door to us delivered an entire box of Dunkin Donuts somewhat earlier. We slept warm & comfy, but quite a lot of condensation formed on the interior of the rain fly, some of which FROZE when I opened the door. Someone started a nice morning fire at the shelter, and little Willa entertained us all again. Somehow Cynthia's feathers were ruffled this morning because of some comment I made about peanut butter falling through the holes in the bread. Immediately the hike "stopped being fun." Fortunately a couple of smooch smooches soon fixed it. It was quite a delight to see Trillium again this evening after our hiking day. This might have been the shelter with daffodils blooming and trailmagic Gatorade in the stream.
Date: 2015-04-15
From: a mile past Pole Steeple trail

To: Holly Springs Inn
Miles today: 7.1

The Green Mountain Store & deli was wonderful and we ate like /as hikers. Ron had a 12" turkey sub, pretzels, and a pint of Hersheys coconut ice cream. RevC had 6" of her sub, a diet coke, and half of the pint of Hershey's dulce da leche. After we resumed hiking/ waddling, we were nearly there forever. A local day hiker, who had taken the day off work to enjoy the beautiful weather, offered us a ride to the Holly Springs Inn. Their dinner was also really, really good. Resupply from the Dollar Store and Sheetz was sufficient but inferior. We were to bed early & slept soundly.
Date: 2015-04-16
From: Holly Springs Inn

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 4.9
Weather: clear sky

The rocky trail beat Cynthia up. By the time we arrived at the stream below the shelter, she was exhausted and quite willing to wait while Shakedown cruised (up and down) to the shelter, (up and down) to the "spring," and bushwacked along the stream back to Cynthia without nearly the difficulty as on the white & blue blazes. We pitched camp and were surprised to meet Orange Crush as he blew in for the night, a through hiker who started at Springer on Feb. 28, a very nice guy wearing orange clothing and "crushing out the miles." He counts himself as third through, but the ATC (in typical bureacratic stupidity discounts the other two - apparently the ATC requires certain attire and attitude to be considered a thru.
Date: 2015-04-17
From: Alec Kennedy Shelter

To: Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 3.9

This day was much easier for RevC. Not nearly the rocks and Boiling Springs is a very pretty town with the lake I remember from 2008 where Mary Lois parked the RV full of girls come to visit their father & brothers, Papa Bear and the Preacher Boys. The youngest of those boys, Trevor, now 21 and a pre-med student, picked us up and carried us comfortably to the family in York for the weekend. The stop en route at Weis allowed me to purchase diet coke for da WeeFee and pretzels for me.
Date: 2015-04-20
From: York, PA

To: I-81
Miles today: 8.0

The rain/ drizzle had not yet completely ended when Mary Lois returned us to Boiling Springs about 9:30 AM, so we enjoyed a delightful breakfast at the Caffe 101. Shakedown ate two omelets and most of a stack of pancakes; this is a good restaurant. We hiked eight miles in five hours pausing infrequently to rest. As expected, the trail through the lowlands was wonderfully comfortable with only isolated patches of rockiness; however, the eight miles distance took its toll on Cynthia's feet. Thunderstorms were forecast to arrive before dark (and they did). Cynthia had high hopes when she phoned the Hampton Inn, but alas, no shuttle. Not to be deterred, she phoned a taxi for the ride to our Hampton Inn home for the night and again for a ride to dinner at the Middlesex Diner (which Shakedown Cruise remembered from 2008 - it is GOOD). After a delicious and filling dinner of haddock (Ron) and orange ruffie (Cynthia), prepared to our no oil, no fat, no butter specifications, we retired very early to rest our weary, worn out feet. Ron did make a trip across the highway to the Love's truckstop for sufficient (inferior) resupply.
Date: 2015-04-21
From: I-81

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: scattered clouds

First thing is to get a cab back to the Middlesex Diner for a HUGE breakfast. Then in three days we hope to retrieve our bounce boxes from the Duncannon Post Office and spend another night in some hotel (but NOT the Doyle saith my beloved bride) where I'll hope to catch up on journalling and blogging. Todays 6.6 mile hike to the Darlington Shelter again routed us over several stretches of nasty rock. Cynthia's feet held up well, perhaps because we started at a slower pace than previously.
Date: 2015-04-22
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Cove Mountain Shelter, POISON IVY
Miles today: 7.3

BEWARE hikers of the huge poison ivy plant crowding the blue blaze at Cove Mountain Shelter. This was a long day, 7.3 miles to the Cove Mountain Shelter, and the infamous Pennsylvania rocks and obvious trail erosion due to TOTAL absence of water bars causes a far rockier and more hazardous trail than necessary. (Apparently Pennsylvania trail maintainers like to display ALL their rocks to visitors.) Those maintainers need to see the "leaf dams" highlighting the course of the torrents of water obviously, rapidly eroding the trail during a downpour. One of those streams comes straight down the blue blaze and passes under the picnic table in front of the shelter. WHY is there not one single solitary water bar in that quarter mile?? While the shelter and privy maintained by the Mountain Club of Maryland (?!) are very nice, there is a magnificent growth of poison ivy, Hydra-like, atop a stump crowding the blue blaze trail just before the left rear corner of the shelter. There were no acceptable tenting sites near the shelter, so we pitched our tent on a level damp spot in the middle of the access road after rearranging leaf dams to divert any future high water into the woods. Water was not too far down another steep and rocky trail/ streambed. Shakedown enjoyed an agreeable conversation with Paul and Joni. RevC was too cold and retreated to the tent early. Thanks goodness we invested the effort to pitch the tent correctly; it rained briefly a couple of times during the night.