morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Last night we found out that the hotel where we planned to stay had been closed due to flood damage. The guy from the outfitter shuttled us to the next town over to get a room. We all pitched in and threw our stuff in the room then headed for the library. I had planned on getting caught up on my journal but the line was long to get on the computer. I have learned that while hiking I have no patience for waiting on people while in town but on the trail I have all the patience in the world. Once done at the library Shasta, H-Bomb, and I went to the mall to eat. We planned on going to see ¢The Devil Wears Prada¢. While in line to buy tickets Donkey and Hot Springs said they were going to watch the World cup game in the bar and I decided to join them.After the game we re supplied at the grocery and went back to the hotel. And since we had a hotel room that night we did what any thru hiker would do and went to the bar. After a few adult pops and great times I did something that I haven¢t done since I got on the trail. We went to McDonalds. Since it was late the drive thru was the only thing open. We all huddled under the drive thru cover to get out of the rain and ordered. Once back at the hotel we packed 9 people in one room.   For some reason Silver Foot decided that she needed to start hitting me. Since I am a true southern gentleman I would never hit a woman. The only defense I had was a bottle of fabreeze. I took up arms and started firing. I held my ground and fought her off, forcing her to retreat. With 9 people in the room that doesn¢t leave much room so I curled up in the corner with my weapon incase I was attacked in the night.
Date: 2006-07-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

"I need to go here.¢ I want to do this.¢ what time are we meeting.¢? ¢Where are we going?" Those were some of the noises that I woke to this morning. Since I have been traveling pretty much solo for a while it was very overwhelming. I have trouble figuring out plans for myself let alone 8 other people. After we planned to meet 10 miles up we all kind of split up. I planned to work on my journal a little so I went to the Italian place to eat and catch up. While I was sitting there people kept coming in and talking to me. Not that it was a bad thing I was just trying to get caught up and with my dyslexia and ADD I couldn¢t get anything done. Finally once everyone left I was able to focus.Then I looked up and saw a hiker coming towards the pizza place. That¢s when I knew I probably wasn¢t going to be leaving. It was Mule. He said that FDR was right behind him and they were staying tonight. Plus there was a sign on the door of the church hostel that said dinner at 6! I was still trying to get out of town but I couldn¢t pass up dinner. And I'm glad I didn¢t. It was a dinner fit for a king. When I sat down at the table there was only one other person sitting there. Then the table filled up with hikers. I knew that wasn¢t going to last. Some one from the church asked us to spread out so they could get to know us. I happily volunteered and went over to the next table where Bama was sitting with members of the church. I tried to make conversation but couldn¢t start anything. Bama had the table going. I was amazed and a little frustrated that I couldn¢t get in the conversation. Usually that is one of my strong points. Then I started talking to the two older gentlemen at the end who weren¢t really talking much. After trying to make small talk with them Don says he's been to my home town. He used to live in Abington VA. After talking more I found out he worked for the Barter Theatre, which is an historical theatre where I have been several times. We talked about that and he told me he was an actor on Broadway and television. I was very impressed. We continued to talk till basically we got kicked out. They literally lifted the table cloth out from underneath us.After dinner we lounged around not believing how much we ate and talked about how glad we were to be leaving PA tomorrow.
Date: 2006-07-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

After waking up and getting a good breakfast I was off. I was still sluggish but I needed to get moving. I left town and started walking across the Delaware River towards New Jersey. I never thought I would be so happy to be in New Jersey. Pennsylvania was tough. It was incredibly rocky. The "hundred year storm" that hit didn¢t help either. Right when I walked into Jersey the first thing that I saw was a port-o-let surrounded by trash. So far the jokes were correct about Jersey. After a long climb I stopped at a clear mountain top with a big rock pile. Mule and I decided to eat lunch. Soon came FDR followed by Pi and K-ache. We were soon joined by Dirty Harry and Gringo. I first met Gringo on the approach trail in Georgia my first day and hadn¢t seen him since early in Virginia. We were all sitting there enjoying the sun and watching down in the valley an airport that kept flying up glider planes. We could see them get towed way up in the sky then get released and float down. It was a great time just hanging out with all sorts of people just enjoying the nice weather for once. When we all realized that we needed to continue moving for the day the party broke one by one. FDR, Mule and I stayed together since we are meeting FDRs girlfriend tomorrow to go to his house for the weekend. We went on farther than the rest of the people and found a nice campsite. After we set up our tents we heard some thing behind us a ways. We kept listening. We got excited and thought it could maybe be the bear that I have walked almost 1300 miles to see. Once we got up to see we saw a dark object run through the woods across the trail and down the ridge away from camp. Mule was convinced it was a bear. FDR wasn¢t counting it, and I didn¢t get a definite identification to consider it a bear. So still no bears but one possible sighting. It¢s a start so hopefully I don¢t get eaten in the night.
Date: 2006-07-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Keeping one eye open last night with the possibility of a bear running around, we got an early start. We were meeting Annie, FDR's girlfriend in Branchville to get a ride to his house for the weekend. We ran into Lebowski, Bofus, Holly Trout, Cool Hand, and Tecumsa. They asked if we were heading to Gyp's tavern. We explained that we weren¢t skipping a legendary trail bar. We were simply taking the weekend off to live like normal people. They still didn¢t understand why we weren¢t going to meet them at the bar but dealt with it. When FDR, Mule and I got to the road Annie was there shortly after. I don¢t know if she was ready for the smell, but we piled in and headed down the road. Next thing I realized was that there was a sign that said "Welcome to Pennsylvania". I almost had a heart attack. Just a few days ago I vowed to never step foot back in Pennsylvania and here I was again. We stopped to have lunch at a quaint little cafe in Milford, PA. While we were waiting for our food, Mule and I got distracted. Annie couldn¢t figure out why we were distracted until she realized we were checking out the girl behind them. That was another moment that I realized I had been in the woods too long. The way we smelled and looked, I'm sure the girl would have had nothing to do with us. After lunch we headed towards FDR's house in New York. We stopped at the original Woodstock site since it was right down the street from his house. It was pretty amazing to picture thousands of people that were there in 1969. We even met a guy who as FDR put it "came for the concert and never left", who sits there every day.When we got to FDR's house we showered and did laundry. After feeling more human like we went to visit his neighbors. Their house over looks the pond where all the pictures of people skinny dipping at Woodstock were taken. They were quite possibly the funniest couple I have ever met. After a few cocktails we went back to FDR's house and had a bon fire. It was nice to be hanging out relaxing by the fire sitting in chairs instead of on a rock or log. We didn¢t party too hard since we knew we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow.
Date: 2006-07-09
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It¢s always nice to wake up in a bed. In the morning we ran errands getting everything we needed for the concert and for getting back on the trail. Then went back and cooked out before the concert. Keystone, Giggles, E.D. and Goldfish who were still back in PA met us at FDR's. I hadn¢t seen them since Virginia. We all walked down to the concert. The night before Ashlee Simpson played at 7 pm and at 5 pm the parking lot was empty. When people were coming to FDRs house at 11 am they said there were people in the parking lot for the 6 pm Phil and Friends show we were going to see. Once inside we all kind of split up but kept running into each other. About 20 minutes after being in the venue I hear this "I don¢t believe it". I turn and see Nifty who I hadn¢t seen since the TN/VA border. She was already in Massachusetts. I thought I would never see her again. It¢s always funny running into people from the trail when off the trail.We rocked out to an amazing concert. Then we returned to FDR's house for a night cap and a little guitar jam session.
Date: 2006-07-10
From: The Last Week!

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Several times along the trail there are moments when things settle in. You realize why you are out here. I am sitting in a pavilion on top of a mountain in New Jersey. Not knowing what my next move is. It could be to just self camp here. Hike a few more miles and set up camp. I could end up hitching into town for a few beers. You just never know what is going to happen next and it doesn¢t matter. What ever happens you just have to roll with it.(later)FDR, Mule and I woke up early being on Hiker mode still. We hung out on the porch for a while before loading up in Mule¢s buddy¢s car to head back to the trail. He had planned to hike with us for a day or so. We piled in the car and headed back to New Jersey. Once we got to the trail head we packed up and headed back in the woods. We were going to try and give Mule¢s buddy the ultimate trail experience in 2 days. While on top of a fire tower, we let Mule¢s buddy Cooper lead to see if he could follow the blazes. That¢s when he got his trail name ¢Coop Deville¢. Cooper and he has a car. When we got to the top of the climb we came to a pavilion. It was nice. One of those moments you are happy to be on the trail. Ready for what ever. We did know that since Coop had a car, if we could get to it then we could eat real food and have some beers. And since we were trying to give him the ultimate AT experience we thought he should experience a hitch hike. There was a group of high school kids that said they would give him a ride so we waited for him to get back with the car. Once he got back we headed down to Gyps Tavern since we missed it earlier. We had a few spirits and some food, rocked the juke box for a while then headed across the street to the parking lot and camped in the woods right there by the trail where we crossed earlier. Set up camp and crashed.
Date: 2006-07-11
From: The Last Week!

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Since we had access to a car we decided to take advantage of it. We got Coop Deville to stop at the diner before dropping us off back at the trail. The diner is the one thing I enjoy in the north. Their chocolate chip pancakes weren¢t as good as Mom¢s, but close. We got back on the trail and headed back north. We could see this large monument off in the distance. It looked like the Washington Monument on top of a small mountain. It was the highest point in New Jersey. When we got to the parking lot we saw 8 black Suburbans with cops and dogs. The Suburbans said D.O.C. on the side so we thought there was an escaped criminal or something. I mean after all we were in New Jersey. We found out that they were just doing a training exercise.They were charging a dollar to go up in the monument. Coop treated us to go to the top. We started climbing passing people who were dying going up. When we got to the top we expected a view. But as expected from NJ, it was a concrete room with four tiny windows. All of them had water between the glass and you could barely see. We hiked back down and parted with Coop and headed down the trail. We planned to stay at a secret shelter that some how every one knew about. It is a shelter .2 off the trail on a former thru hiker¢s land that he lets hikers stay in. It was a nice shelter. He had a couple buildings down by the shelter so it kind of looked like an old village. There were 2 problems with the shelter. One, the bugs were terrible. And the second one was the donkeys in the field next to the shelter. If you ever heard a donkey make donkey noises then you would know what I¢m talking about. It is the most startling noise around. And when they make it there¢s no telling. I figured on average they would let out a good cry every 25 minutes or so till 2 hours after dark. But it¢s definitely a cool place.
Date: 2006-07-13
From: The Last Week!

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

After a slow start out of town I got moving finally. I kept taking long breaks for no reason but it felt good that the bugs weren¢t as bad. I came to the NJ/NY state line. It was probably the least exciting boundary for me. I guess I just see the two as the same state. Right after the border I came to Prospect Rock. It is the highest point the trail crosses in NY. I was sitting there with Tree House and Identity Crisis. We were looking over a giant lake and mountains. All of a sudden someone says they think they see buildings. The longer we looked the more we could make out the skyline of New York City. It was a sight that made you realize just how far I had walked. Even with only being able to see the tops of the buildings way off in the distance, it made you realize how huge that city is.
Date: 2006-07-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

The bugs have started to settle down some but the heat is rising. Most of today consisted of climbing over the top of giant boulders exposed to the sun. It was nice to have a change in terrain and larger rocks, not the ones that destroy your feet. Towards the end of the day I ran into Treehouse and Identity Crisis sitting on a cooler. I walked up and there was only a splash of water left. I drank the rest of it and they left. All of a sudden a car pulled up and stopped right by where the trail crossed the road. The man who had been setting the water out had come to refill it. I was shocked. He filled the water back up faster in the woods then most of the restaurant I have been to. He said he had passed by and they had said it was running low. He asked where Treehouse and Identity crisis went because he had brought beer for them. He gave me one and told me to give him a call if I needed a place to crash. I still wanted to do some more miles so I declined and headed on my way. When I decided it was finally time to call it quits for the day I found a perfect place on top of a small mountain with a giant rock where I could enjoy the breeze while eating dinner. It is only the sound of the cars on the turnpike off in the distance that remind me I am still in New York.
Date: 2006-07-15
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

After an unusually late start, the day started turning sour. My good friend Mr. Chaffing stopped to see me. Even with all the remedies that I have tried, nothing can cure you completely. Besides that, one of the day¢s biggest highlights was the Lemon Squeezer. It is where the trail goes through a narrow slit of rocks that if I hadn¢t walked from Georgia and lost over 30 pounds I wouldn¢t fit through it. I still managed to do it without taking my pack off. Right after the Lemon Squeezer were several straight up climbs that some might suggest a safety rope for. The rain soon came in and cooled things off but made the rocks very slippery and hard to make miles. I could hear cars and knew that I had a road crossing. When I looked to see what it was I realized it was the Palisades Interstate Parkway. While crossing over one side of the highway, the trail goes through the median. I looked over my shoulder and see a road sign. NYC 23. That was the distance not the road number. 23 miles from The Big Apple. New York, New York. Pretty crazy. In the median there is a register. Trickster had written something like "AT Moment for Reflection: as we stand here with thousands of people flying by hikers ponder why they are in such a hurry." The trail is really become a life style; a small world where everything revolves around eating, sleeping, and walking north. Time doesn¢t matter. After still being shocked I was only 23 miles from NYC, I continued and so did the chaffing. It got so bad I decided that was it.
Date: 2006-07-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Since the library was just down the street I decided to hit it up before I left town. When I left the library I walked towards the on ramp where I needed to hitch back to the trail. As I turned the corner to get my hitch spot I noticed that there were already two people working the corner. As I got closer I couldn¢t believe my eyes. It was Trickster and What!?. I hadn't seen them since the laundry mat almost 1000 miles before. We caught up and then kind of joked about how we were glad to see each other but now it was going to be hard to hitch with 3. Next thing we knew we had a ride. He took us down to a gas station where we had to catch another hitch to get back to the trail. Once on the trail the sun didn¢t help. According to the thermometer on Tricksters bag it said it was 99. I know people say those don¢t always work right but I would have to agree. I finally started to getting my stride back. Maybe it¢s because the rocks are not covering the entire trail and you can start taking full steps again. I took several breaks with Trickster and What!?. On one of them Techemsa and Cool Hand came up. We went a little farther and stopped for another water break. They decided to stay there for the night. I wanted to stay but I was feeling good and wanted to hike so I took off. Once I was about 100 yards down the trail my motivation was gone. That long break calmed me more than I thought. I got a mile farther and pulled off to camp for the evening. I set up camp and retreated to my mosquito free "happy place".
Date: 2006-07-18
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I finally got my legs back. For the over a week I have been sluggish and not making good time. Usually if you hike all day 15 is a given. Not in New Jersey/New York. Even with a late start I still felt good. It was another scorcher of a day but I still felt good. I saw in my book that there was a Deli/pizza place right off the trail 15 miles from where I camped last night. I told myself I wasn¢t going to go and spend money when I had food in my pack. Even Trickster and What agreed with me that with all the stores close to the trail it was hard to pass them up but we needed to skip them to save money. When I got to the road crossing I stopped to use the little boy¢s tree. I realized that I was extremely dehydrated. At that time I made an executive decision to go replenish my fluids. I hopped off the trail and headed towards the store. Cars were whipping by me but what¢s new. I got some baked ziti and slammed some Gatorade. I chose to sit outside due to the fact that I smell worse than a dirty hamper in a Texas locker room in the middle of the summer. As I was enjoying the cool breeze and my meal I heard a voice say, "glad neither of us is stopping here." I turned and saw Trickster and What!? walking up. we laughed about how we couldn¢t pass up any chance to get real food. I had planned to go another 4 miles to the next shelter for the evening. While I was packing up to leave, it happened. The typical rumbling of the sky. Then it happened again and again. I realized that there was a good chance I wasn¢t going to out run this storm but I figured I would try and get as far as I could. I took off hiking like a bat out of hell. The whole time the rumblings got closer and closer together. I made the decision to pull off and find some trees to hang up my hammock. Now I know what you are thinking. Hammock, trees, forest, easy. No. Everywhere I looked there was a small tree right in the way. I finally found the perfect spot. The trees were perfectly spread apart with a rock underneath. I got it set up just in time. With the tarp spread over the rock it gave me a perfect place to sit. as the rain came down I got everything else ready for the night and read the USA Today College Football preview for the upcoming season. (One of my only reasons I want to finish as early in September as I can.) While reading the paper I had to keep flicking ants off me. When I looked down they were everywhere. Since I wasn¢t ready to get in my hammock yet I did the only thing I could and dealt with it and kept flicking them off. (flicking them off of me that is.) When I decided I had had enough I hung my food bag so the "wild bears" couldn¢t get it and went to bed.
Date: 2006-07-19
To: Pawling
Miles today: 0.0

I always move faster when I am going into town. With Pawling only a few miles away I headed for town. When I got to the road it was empty. Being 3 miles from town I hoped that I would not have to walk in so I just waited. Finally after 2 cars in 30 minutes the third one stopped. They dropped me off right in town where I ran into Mule. We decided to do what we do best. No we didn¢t start hiking. We headed for the bar. While sitting in the bar stealth charging my phone I got a call from FDR. He said he was heading down the mountain and would meet us in a few hours. There were about 9 hikers in the bar which is a good thing for business but maybe not the people who had to smell us. FDR finally showed up with Fiddlehead and we rocked out to the juke box. After several rounds we headed for the pavilion on the outskirts of town. They let hikers stay there. It was a great location. It over looked a lake where FDR, Mule, Treehouse, and I went for a midnight swim before retiring for the night. Since the bugs were bad i hing my hammock between 2 picnic benches resting on the ground. it wasnt the most comfortable but it did the job.