morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-20
From: Port Clinton (Church Pavilion)

To: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: light rain

Today was shaping up to be yet another cold, rainy, rocky day in rain. For a few hours, that's exactly what it was. After 10 miles or so, everything was soaked. (My pack cover sucks.) My feet were actually doing quite well, but my hands were almost numb from the cold rain. The trail eventually came off the rocks and onto a long, smooth forest road. After a few miles, a light went on in my head. Why am I not running? Probably because I have always hated running. But that was before I was in the best physical shape of my life. So, I started running 45 seconds, walking for 15, running for 45, walking for 15, ... I soon realized that I wasn't even getting close to being tired, so I pretty much ran large portions of the road. I slowed down for rocky sections and uphills, but running turned out to be a big boost for the day. Thanks to my light pack and the fact that my shoes were designed for trail running, I was able to run. As a result, I was able to warm up my hands, cover some boring miles much faster, and discover a new facet of trail life. It felt like getting a mushroom turbo boost in Mariokart. Anyway, it made my day! I rolled into the Allentown shelter around 1700 to find 6 kids my age in cotton sweatshirts and jeans trying to start a fire. The rain stopped and they finally got a huge fire going. We all dried our stuff out, with a few melted gortex boots as casualties (not mine). All and all, a complete and satisfying day. "I run because it's my passion, and not just a sport. Every time I walk out the door, I know why I'm going, where I'm going and I'm already focused on that special place where I find my peace and solitude. Running, to me, is more than just a physical exercise ... it's a consistent reward for victory." ~ Sasha Azevedo
Date: 2008-05-21
From: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter

To: George W. Outerbridge Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: scattered clouds

I planned a nice easy 17 miles today after some hard work and long miles in the rain yesterday. I'm also in the middle of the worst part of the PA rocks, so I was able to take my time and not die. The sun shined for most of the day, but then there were showers for the last 10 minutes before arriving at the shelter ... just to keep the rain streak going (12 of 13 days of rain). I chilled / napped at the shelter for a few hours. Trill caught up. He wisely cut yesterday short due to rain. We're at the shelter and having a great time talking about movie quotes among other things. "The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools." ~ Herbert Spencer READ ON! __________________________________________________EXCERPT FROM TRILL'S JOURNAL:http://www.auontheat.com/2008/05/23/the-sun-is-shining/ It has rained something like the last 12 of 13 days I¢ve been on the trail. We even got hail a few times and can see our breath every night and morning... Spent the last 5 or 6 nights with Dynamite. He wakes up and leaves before me and hikes faster than me but he counts on me strolling in late in the afternoon. He saw a bear but I didn¢t have such luck/misfortune (depending on how you look at it). I did however have the scare of my life. If you honestly worry about me. Stop reading. I¢m serious you will wish you had. Okay I warned you. So about two days ago (May 21st), I spent a little too long at lunch and still had 10+ miles to go, so I was bookin it. A decent jog, nothing too crazy. I get to some big rocks and have to start boulder jumping. Near the top I place my foot down on the ground next to a boulder and something catches my eye. Something out of place. Oh yeah, that's right a Copperhead snake. (For those who don¢t know, this is the only venomous snake in PA besides rattlers) It¢s curled up and my foot is about 6 inches from it. Upon realizing this, I instantly jump back (no time to look and be safe. This thing is poisonous). What does it do when I jump back? It strikes at me. Oh yeah, talk about a big WOAH! Luckily I don¢t kill myself on the jump and luckily it doesn¢t get me. It did come within two inches of my leg. It took me a minute to get my legs to quit shaking but I was eventually able to bypass it on my second attempt and keep hiking. Pretty intense huh? I bet some of you wished you hadn¢t read that but that's trail life. __________________________________________________
Date: 2008-05-22
From: George W. Outerbridge Shelter

To: Leroy A. Smith Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Another short day today. And more rain, but it wasn't that bad. Today was the day to climb up from Lehigh Gap to the Palmerton Superfund site, which is the Superfund site made famous by Bill Bryson's amusing encounter with a security guard there in his book "A Walk in the Woods". As I started to climb this pile of rocks, it started raining. As I reached the exposed ridge, the wind came ripping up the mountain, which made for a particularly nasty combination. It was one of the few times that I have felt unsafe on the trail. However, the rain stopped and the exposed ridge ended, leaving me with an awe-inspiring view. I'm not sure I would describe it as beautiful, at least not in a traditional sense. I wasn't sure what to think. This superfund site is basically miles of rocks with dead tree trunks still in the ground. It looked like another planet. Apparently, the nearby town of Palmerton had once had a large zinc smelting plant, which operated from 1898 to 1980. Efforts to restore vegetation began in 1983. As you can see from my photos, there is still a long way to go. I¢m at the shelter with Trill, who has set up his two mouse traps. It¢s so exciting to hear them go off. He has snagged three mice already tonight. After every one, he says ¢gotcha bitch.¢ Haha. Trill¢s other specialty is movie / TV quotes. We have been going back and forth, reciting lines from movies, The Office, South Park, and Entourage. Good times. ¢When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.¢ ~ Helen Keller
Date: 2008-05-23
From: Leroy A. Smith Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap (Church Hostel)
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: overcast clouds

To celebrate the demise of Pennslyvania, Trill and I lived it up today. For a thru-hiker, living it up means lots of food. We managed to get three town meals in two different towns, all in one day. After losing the trail for the upteenth time in PA (you have to look at your feet the whole time and not the white blazes or you will break your face), we both made it into town (Wind Gap, PA)by 0930 for the coveted McDonald's breakfast. Several people were impressed with our progress and offered us the 1-mile ride back to the trail. We had to decline as we were heading over to the supermarket for resupply, but it was a very nice gesture. At the grocery, we needed enough supplies to take us to Vernon, NJ (80 miles away). We also picked up some cold buffalo wings for lunch and some lottery tickets to help support the PA school system and then lounged around on the bench outside the grocery. Our next stop was K-Mart so Trill could pick up some new socks. Inside K-Mart was a free internet cafe!! Hello? Thanks K-Mart! We bummed around on the net for an hour and finally realized we should probably get back on the trail and put in another 15 (miles). Instead of just walking one mile back to the AT, we felt like hitching, which turned out to be quite amusing. After 5 minutes, we were treated to a high school kid on a passing bus yelling "Get a Job!!" Next was a lady, probably drunk, suggesting that we lift our shirts. After 15 minutes, a cop drives by and tells us to "Take a walk." Yes sir. We need the exercise anyway. So, back to the trail we went with 15 miles to go at 1430. Trill and I made it into Delaware Water Gap by 2100 with some sunset action on the descent down. We are staying at the "donations encouraged" Church hostel in town. Not too shabby. There is a kid from Temple University (Philadelphia) riding his bike back to his home in Scranton, PA. Much conversation about "The Office" ensued and all was well. Trill and I were both mega tired, but decided to complete the town meal trifecta by heading over to the Water Gap diner. I'm back at the hostel and tomorrow might be rough. My strawberry pancakes aren't sitting well, I'm short on sleep, and I've got 25 miles to do tomorrow. We'll see. "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone." ~ Bill Cosby
Date: 2008-05-24
From: Delaware Water Gap (Church Hostel)

To: Brink Road Shelter
Miles today: 24.8
Weather: broken clouds

I was not feeling it today. 25 miles was pushing it, but I made it. Now that I'm here (at the Brink Road shelter), it was worth it. But, my feet still hurt from Pennsylvania. My first day in New Jersey was a good one though. Beautiful weather, flat but scenic trail, and significantly less rocks than Pennsylvania. The bad news was the absurd amount of mosquitos, crowded trails (Memorial Day weekend), and tons of Yankee hats. Most of the day was spent looking forward to my upcoming rendezvous on Monday (May 26th) with my friends, who are coming to meet me from New Hampshire. Brad now lives in New York City and Ryan is joining him. I haven't seen a "pre-trail" face in months, so I'm definitely looking forward to a few zeros, which I have been intricately planning in my head, as well as some hometown company. I'm at the shelter now, yet in my tent for the first time since I camped in Waynesboro, VA. The bugs are vicious here, so I set up just my tent bug net for some "improved" cowboy camping. I like to call it my fortress of solitude. There are some noobs (novice campers) here tonight, trying to set up their tent and asking where the "wurtur" is. I'm tired. "Trust your own instincts; Your mistakes might as well be your own instead of someone else's." ~ Billy Wilder.
Date: 2008-05-25
From: Brink Road Shelter

To: High Point Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

New Jersey is turning out to be a high quality state. It's nice to know that at least part of the state is not paved. New Jersey still has some rocks, but they are nothing as compared to Pennsylvania. The terrain is mostly flat, but the trail does a great job of providing multiple scenic views. Of course, immaculate weather helps, but all and all ... I'm very impressed with NJ. I had all day to do 20 miles, so I took it easy and took some long, relaxing breaks. After a few miles of hiking this morning, I came to a road crossing and was pleasantly surprised to find a small deli-type store that sold breakfast sandwiches. Jackpot! I picked up a sausage, egg, & cheese, banana, and Gatorade and went along on my merry way. I later deduced that I was surprised by this treasure because, according to my guidebook, "Owner of business nearest to the trail asked to be excluded from guidebook listing." Why? Are AT hikers detracting from your usual clientele? The highlight of the day was my break on top of Sunrise Mountain. There was a large pavilion with several benches and without a cloud in the sky. No bugs either. I aired out the feet, ate lunch, called home (full service ... I'm in NJ!), and gazed out over NJ. I was even approached by "Librarian" (AT '06), who offered my fruit from their car. I would have accepted had I known that there was a parking lot 500 feet north of the trail! Thanks anyway. The rest of the day was just as pleasant. Easy hiking, several breaks, and an improved attitude. I think I'm still physically and mentally recovering from Pennsylvania. Today was an excellent reminder of how enjoyable hiking can be. "Find a job you like and you add five days to every week." ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Date: 2008-05-26
From: High Point Shelter

To: NJ Rte 94 (NYC!)
Miles today: 18.9

Happy Memorial Day. Besides the obvious importance of the holiday, it also means that there were lots of people out today (and all weekend). Since it was going to be a ¢town¢ day, I was up and hiking by 0645. It was hot out, so getting up early and getting some miles in before the brunt of the heat was an added bonus. Once again, I was impressed with the beauty and quality of the trail provided by New Jersey. I walked over a mile through a vast, flat wildlife preserve with what felt like a sea breeze in my face the whole time. There were several birdwatchers out for the day, identifying bird species. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I imagine this would be an ideal place for doing it. I finished my hiking for the day before 1500 and waited only 15 minutes at the trailhead for my friends from New Hampshire (Brad & Ryan) to pick me up. I have been really looking forward to my first extended vacation from hiking for a while now, and made it. After some fast food, we headed back to the city to Brad¢s Manhattan apartment. 75+ mph felt REALLY fast. It was the first time I had been on a highway in a few months. On one hand, I almost felt dizzy from the speed, but at the same time it felt great to stick my head out the window like a dog and feel the wind in my face. At Brad¢s apartment, I showered up and put on some cotton clothes. We eventually hit the town for a night of viewing the Celtic¢s playoff game and consuming some ¢adult beverages.¢ Perhaps my sense of smell is getting better, but I thought the whole city has a distinct metallic aroma to it. It was great to see my first non-trail related familiar faces since leaving. It was a long, but very fulfilling day, even though the Celtics lost. ¢Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.¢ ~ Ovid
Date: 2008-05-27
From: NJ Rte 94 (NYC!)

To: NJ Rte 94 (NYC!)
Miles today: 0.0

Instead of detailing my zero day (consisting of sleeping, eating, video games), I thought that I would dig a little deeper and touch upon some ideas that flow through my brain regarding my hike. As I get closer to Maine, I keep thinking about what it will take to finally get there. The simple answer is to keep hiking and not get Lyme Disease. However, I¢m referring to my mental journey. I want my mind to be there at the pinnacle of this hike. I don¢t want to be fighting the miles up North, (but I will if I have to). Specifically, I am referring to the idea of being ¢clutch¢. I fully realize that I am at a big turning point in my life, and I would love to feel the elation after a completed task done well. I experienced several smaller ¢elations¢ back in high school, but the last large task that I attempted (Cornell) left a sour taste in my mouth. I can still vividly recall instances as a soccer goalkeeper of almost all the clutch saves and soft goals that won or lost the game for our team. That was over 4 years ago. I need to know now that I can step up to the plate in clutch situations and knock one out of the park. But what makes someone ¢clutch¢? Is he/she born with it? Is it a state of mind? Do clutch athletes focus so intently that they block everything else out, or do they relax every muscle and let themselves react without over thinking the importance and pressure? I think that I belong to the second category, but being clutch doesn¢t translate well into hiking because of its ¢little by little¢ nature. One of my favorite quotes, previously entered in my trail journal, which I think about a lot is: ¢We all must suffer from one of 2 pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.¢ ~ Jim Rohn. In hiking, being clutch means being disciplined. Being clutch means thinking long-term. Being clutch means getting out of your sleeping bag on a cold morning even when you don¢t want to. Being clutch means stopping every night to check for ticks. It means listening and taking care of your body. It means taking zeros when you need them, but hiking when you don¢t. It means not overspending your budget. Staying disciplined is a long-term investment, but will pay off big time in the long run. Speaking of that, I¢d like to give a shout out to all sports fans. Next time your team crushes a rival opponent, be very happy. Your team did its job well and avoided the need to be clutch. They took care of business with discipline and smart play rather than last second heroics. A 10-0 Red Sox win over the Yankees is just as good as a Big Papi extra innings walk-off homer. ¢See simplicity in the complicated. Achieve greatness in little things.¢ ~ Lao Tzu
Date: 2008-05-28
From: NJ Rte 94 (NYC!)

To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: clear sky

Although the city was fun to visit, especially with my friends, it was time for me to get back to the woods. Every time I visit the city, two days is the maximum amount of time I can enjoy it. The constant sounds of the city, the concentration of people, and the hurried lifestyle remind me of why I¢m a country boy. Also, I resupplied at a market in the city, which had absurd (basically, double the normal) prices. So, around 1530, Brad drove me back to the trail, where we took some photos. Then, I headed up Wawayanda Mountain. Due to the traffic trying to get out of the city, I didn¢t start hiking until 1830. I lost the trail twice, which slowed me down, but I saw 3 bears (2 cubs and a mom), which was a nice bonus. I rolled into the shelter around 2030 to find it full, so I quietly set up the tent (just the bug net) and now I¢m off to bed. ¢No city should be too large for a man to walk out of in a morning.¢ ~ Cyril Connolly
Date: 2008-05-29
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: Little Dam Lake
Miles today: 19.4

Welcome to New York, I hope you remember how to climb. Apparently, I didn¢t remember how to climb as NY is steep. Steep ups, steep downs. I¢m glad that it¢s not raining because the trail would get dangerous. Since my Ipod still needs some minor surgery, Brad lent me his old one. It was excellent to have a completely different set of songs to listen to. Thanks Brad! Highlights of the day include a large bear sighting and some trail magic from Odie Green SOBO ¢05. He was just waiting at the road for hikers to pass, and offered me a beer as we talked about the trail and how it changed his life and will also change mine. Thanks Odie! I was planning to do a big 26 today, but there was no way I would have made it. So, I¢m tenting near a lake with crappy water and lots of mosquitoes. ¢The invariable of wisdom is seeing the miraculous in the common.¢ ~ Emerson
Date: 2008-05-30
From: Little Dam Lake

To: Fort Montgomery, NY
Miles today: 21.0

It took me 11 hours to hike 21 miles today. I can usually put up a 2.5 or 3 mph on flat terrain, but not in NY. Even though there aren¢t any big mountains in NY, they take full advantage of the elevation that they do have. The trail goes steep up, steep down, repeat. Before I began actually hiking the AT, I thought the state boundary lines wouldn¢t really mean a whole lot. They do though. Besides the psychological boost we all get from entering into a new state, every state really does have its own personality, which can be identified rather quickly. New York¢s personality (besides crazy PUDS) is the lack of a well-defined trail. In many sections, there is essentially no trail at all .... just white blazes smiling at me saying ¢find your own trail¢. Part of the reason I was going so slow today was safety. (The other part was the PUDS ¢ pointless ups and downs.) I had to stop a few times to reload on water, pull a deer tick busy sucking my blood off my forearm, and avoid a rattlesnake. I had never seen or heard a rattlesnake before, but as soon as I heard that loud rattling, it was quite distinctive. I knew to jump back and find a different way. Bear Mountain was a tough climb at the end of the day, but it was also quite beautiful. This section was part of the original 1930 AT, and I could tell by the rugged trail. After my 21-mile day, I headed into Fort Montgomery to resupply and to get a motel room for the night. I wanted to watch the Celtics game as well as get out of all the rain forecasted for tonight. However, the road into town sucked for hitching, so I tacked on another 2 miles on the odometer and walked into town. My guidebook listed 3 motels in Fort Montgomery. One was being renovated, one was full (West Point graduation), and the Holiday Inn Express was $120 minimum. Awesome. I walked 2 extra miles into a town with no reasonable vacancies and nowhere else to stay. I spotted the fire station, which had a hidden area behind the garage, where I wouldn¢t get noticed, and decided to tent there for the night. It wasn¢t ideal, but I didn¢t have a choice. Although a bit discouraged, I headed over to a nearby bar/restaurant to chow down. Two ladies were outside chatting it up. After chatting it up with me for a bit, I explained my situation. One of them (Claudia) told me that she would love to have me stay at her house. Holy Crap. Thank you! To make a long story short, I am writing this in a warm bed while watching the Celtics game, after a hot pasta and fish dinner, glass of beer, superb shower, and dip in the hot tub! All for free. ¢I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom.¢ ~ Simone de Beauvoir
Date: 2008-05-31
From: Fort Montgomery, NY

To: Graymoor Ballfield Shelter
Miles today: 6.5

Last night, I decided to put in a short day today¢¦ partly due to the imminent thunderstorms and possible hail, but also to put me on track for a more manageable upcoming week. So, I stayed in my warm bed until 0900, walked the 2 miles back to the trail, and strolled through my 6.5 trail miles. As I got back to the trail, a cop parked his car partially in the road, got out, stood in the middle of the road, and stopped every vehicle presumably looking for old inspection stickers. Wow. Nice guy. Today¢s trail went straight through the ¢Trailside Museum & Zoo¢, which is a linear zoo. Since the zoo is actually part of the Appalachian Trail, hikers get free admission. As a bonus, it was very educational and interesting. Although I¢m not a vehement animal rights activist, those animals in those cages must be miserable. All of them just crawl up in a corner and sleep all day. I don¢t blame them. They are caged, not to mention people staring at them all day. The trail then crossed the Hudson River over a huge bridge and back up into the mountains. It rained on and off but the thunderstorms didn¢t arrive until 1800. I¢m glad I was under a roof when they hit though. The rain has subsided for right now and I¢m staring out at a rainbow over an old baseball field near the Graymoon Spiritual Life Monastery. ¢The best thing one can do when it¢s raining is to let it rain.¢ ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Date: 2008-06-01
From: Graymoor Ballfield Shelter

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: broken clouds

Leaving the Ballfield Shelter this morning reminded me of soccer preseason. The field was damp with last night¢s rain and dew, and it smelled like a soccer field. It brings back some great memories (not the preseason ). Besides the pesky mosquitoes, today was a great day. I met a couple out for a day hike, who were fascinated by my thru-hike. We talked for 10 minutes and they gave me a huge apple and some organic energy bars. Thanks! About 5 minutes later, I find a trail magic cooler with juice and apples left by ¢Eddy¢. Thanks again! There is nothing like a one-two punch to get me going. Speaking of that, I haven¢t been doing any huge mileage days lately. However, I¢m really enjoying the 19ish mile days. I take breaks whenever I want, which helps keep up the morale through New York¢s PUDS. I¢ll get my ass in gear if I have to, but right now I don¢t. I¢m at the very posh (carpeted) RPH Shelter alone tonight, which is fine by me. However, there are whispers in the wind of a possible return of Shepherd, which would be really cool. Not much else is known at this time. ¢Less is more.¢ ~ Mies van de Rohe