morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-05-17
From: Dahlgren Bsckpackers Campground

To: Raven Rock Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

Dahlgren Campground to Raven Rock Shelter for 19 milesSprinkles this morning! We got a view and pictures at the Washington Monument, the Original, In Maryland. The park ranger said Maryland set the record for most consecutive days with measurable precipitation. Stopped at Pines Knob Shelter for a break. Met Katie "Toothpick", Unknown and the Nepal couple. We later saw Babbitt, who we saw after Woods Hole Hostel. We were just talking about pink lady slipper orchids and Big spotted two clumps right on the trail, off to the right!! Got pics!!Debated sleeping at Ensign Cowall Shelter, we stopped for a few minutes. Several hikers there and set for the night and it was only 3 pm. One being, Dream On. We last saw him before Damascus, where we met his brother. We pressed on to next shelter. We decided to tent. The shelter had many people, but room, but we decided to tent anyway. Found a nice spot near James and Mark, who are hiking Maryland and were nice enough to share their campfire. We are trying to conserve fuel and I asked if they mind sharing! We ended up talking and sharing trail stories until after 8 pm. Tough hike up Raven Rock Cliff, since we got water beforehand, due to long and steep trail to water. Big had to carry my portion toward the end, since my knees were not happy with the extra 10# of water weight.
Date: 2016-05-18
From: Raven Rock Shelter

To: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: broken clouds

Raven Rock to Tumbling Run Shelters for 13.2 milesWoke to sprinkles, didn't want to get up!! We stayed in the tent longer than normal!! Went to the shelter to eat and finish packing, to stay out of the rain. The rain let up long enough for Big Cypress to take the tent down, even though it's still wet.Got on the trail at 9 am. Yes, 9Arrived Tumbling at 5 pm. It was cloudy all day and the trail was rough and rocky!! Yucky!! But, that's PA prep. Tumbling shelter was amazing!! Anaru from Switzerland stayed in the snoring one and two other hikers stayed in the not snoring side. Each holds 4 people. Toothpick tented, as did Big and I and also Unknown, I believe he tented as well. We had a small campfire and we all visited until 8 pm, Hiker midnight!! Critters: serenaded to sleep by a, not too close, whiporwill
Date: 2016-05-19
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: PATC Milesburn Cabin - Stealth Camping
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: overcast clouds

19 May ThursdayTumbling Run to PATC Milesburn Cabin for 17.2 milesMostly sunny day. Trail was mostly friendly. We stopped for crab chowder lunch at the Quarry Gap, Jim Stauch Shelter. Oh my, Jim the Innkeeper as he calls himself, has outdone himself!!! The shelter has real flowers hanging, a tarp to roll down in rain/wind weather. Bug screens to roll down in front of the sleep areas (snoring & not snoring sides), to keep bugs out. The shelter is so amazing, we were sad to press on. Took lots of pictures!! We did meet, Spider-Man there and saw him later also.We arrived at the cabin at 5:30 pm. No camping near cabin!! But AWOL guide doesn't saw this, so we put the tent up next to the little brook on the East (Right) side of the AT and cabin was on the West side. Dinner was Ramen Pad Thai, one of my favorites!!Met 3 day hikers with dogs and No Worries a PA to GA SOBO hiker. Critters: hummingbird and Pileated Woodpecker
Date: 2016-05-20
From: PATC Milesburn Cabin - Stealth Camping

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 12.2

Milesburn Cabin to Pine Grove Furnace State Park for 12.2 milesHALF WAY to Maine!! 1094.5 miles We hit the trail at 7:40 am. It was a very pleasant trail, sunny and not too rocky!! We noticed that Fiber is 3 days ahead of us now, he signed in at 1/2 way point on the 17th. Praying that he's doing well!! We Miss ya!!We arrived at the state park at 1 pm. I secured a camp spot, #53 for tonight. Toothpick ate and visited with us, we charged phones and camera batteries. I couldn't do the half gallon challenge (eat a half gallon of ice cream) and after our buffalo chicken wrap and hiker burger with fries and Amish apple pie, Big Cypress was too full to attempt it!! It's a hiker thing at the State Park General Store. We got Snickers bars for tomorrow, chips, Amish Woopie pie, hotdogs and cheese sticks for snacking tonight at our camp & campfire. We got showered and hung a clothes line to "air out" our stinky clothes & socks, if that's even possible!! Praying for no storms tonight....Toothpick said she heard they were expected ?!? 6:36 pm now and cloudy. It was sunny all day!!Thanks Camp Host Jim for campfire wood delivery and an even bigger thank you to Miss Chantal and grandson, Colton. We met them at the Hiker Museum here at the park and they were nice enough to give us a ride to our campsite!!! Critters: squirrels, birds almost hitting us while walking because they are chasing each other!! Skink lizard and lots of singing birds, including hummingbirds!! I
Date: 2016-05-21
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Pine Grove Furnace State Park to Alec Kennedy Shelter for 16 miles, including the .2 in & out of lunch shelter and into sleep shelter.We woke to rain, more like heavy-ish sprinkles. It started in the middle of the night!! We packed our things in the tent and headed for the shower/bathroom building. Big Cypress went back & took the tent down then we had breakfast. Oatmeal with warm water from the faucet from the bathroom. Heading out at about 7:15 am, but not reaching the trail where we got off until 7:45.Salamander day all day!! In fact we saw 4 of them. Not every salamander (rainy) day do we see them, but today was a jackpot day!!Lunch at 11 am at the shelter, we chicken ramen Parma Rosa. Heading out at noon. Met Pigeon Toe, a SOBO section hiker. The trail had nice "sidewalk" areas (no roots or rocks) so that helps make good time. We even kept good mph during the Rock Maze area. Just as it sounds, except with climbing (horizontal & vertical challenge) involved and more like boulders not rocks. Arrived the sleep shelter at 4:30 pm. Diggity Do from Canada, who we met at half way sign yesterday. A section hiker, Nick. Green Hornet from Maine. Jenny and Dreaming Sunflower who are out 6 days so far and heading to Maine. We actually met Dreaming Sunflower a while back, with the group taking Warren Doyle's class. I mentioned Fiber and she just saw him couple days ago and asked where the couple was that you were hiking with, so....she put all the pieces together tonight, after thinking she met us and our Two Peas sounded familiar! 2 more just added to the floor space @ 7:28 pm and Eric from the area is in a hammock to the Right of the shelter. Thankful for Bear Safe Food Box!!
Date: 2016-05-22
From: Alec Kennedy Shelter

To: Boiling Springs PA (Allenberry Inn)
Miles today: 3.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Alec Kennedy to Boiling Springs PA (Allenberry Inn) 3.9 milesWe woke at 5 am, to rustling in the shelter. Diggity Do was up and packing to head out, by his headlamp. Then, one of the late arriving hikers did the same, but not so quietly!! Green Lantern shared his displeasure with the hiker and the exchanged words. Not very good hiker etiquette for that late arrival and we squeezed, yes, squeezed together for him to fit in, then to be rude in the morning. Not cool!! We skipped breakfast, ate some blueberry cookies we got in a care package from Neon, from Massachusetts!! She's so sweet to send treats and items with caffeine &/or electrolytes!! Love the Jelly Belly Energy Beans!!! We arrived in Boiling Springs about 9:30 am. Heading for breakfast at Cafe 101, across from the one and only gas station. I ordered, then took a seat, Big Cypress ordered and got a huge surprise, our breakfast was paid for by someone in the restaurant. So very awesome!! Then, I turned my phone on. Kelly "Greenie", who lives near by and reads our journals and fellow hiker texted us that she just missed us. She spoke to Green Hornet, who was a few minutes behind us. We asked her to join us and I spotted her as she parked her car!! We sat and visited and talked trail stories!! Greenie just finished her home state portion of the AT and dreams of thru hiking!! Our trail angel Kelly then took us to our hotel and to Wal-Mart in Carlisle PA for a few items for resupply and to pack out to eat on the trail, snacks n such!!The usual, not so glamorous chores accomplished....gear cleaning, body scrubbing, foot & toe care, laundry, resupply, eating town food....then REST!! Precious Rest!!Thank you Lord for allowing us to get good rest, be inside and dry, away from the rain for couple days. Plus, we are so appreciative for the kindness of "strangers" / fellow hikers and our making of new friends, Miss Kelly !!! And her precious family for supporting her own hike(s)and filling in (teaching Sunday School class) so she could meet us today!! Critters: Mallard ducks with babes, Canada Geese around the lake full of clean clear spring water!! chipmunk and bunny at the Inn.
Date: 2016-05-23
From: Boiling Springs PA (Allenberry Inn)

To: Boiling Springs PA (Allenberry Inn)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

23 May MondayEarl V. Shaffer (November 8, 1918 ¢ May 5, 2002), was an American outdoorsman and author known from 1948 as"The Crazy One"(and eventually as The Original Crazy One) for attempting what became the first documented hiking trip in a single season over the entire length of the Appalachian Trail(AT). Yes.....We are one of the crazies!! When we stopped at the Pine Grove Furnace SP and the home of the AT Museum, we learned about Earl and saw the Original Katahdin sign, an original dirt as the floor, tiny lean-to shelter!! Thank you Jesus our shelters have become "fancy"!! Today is our son, Shawn's 20th Birthday!! We've been blessed by talking with him several times in the past couple days!! We worry about him and continually pray for him!!! Additional prayers are needed for my sister, Aimee. Please add her to your daily prayers, especially this week!! Well, we walked .9 miles into town, for brunch at Cafe 101. Ate our meal (The Vern sandwich) with Unknown, who we sat around campfire with several nights ago. We ordered Buffalo Chicken Salads & Buffalo Chicken Wrap to go for dinner tonight. Watched the ducks at the crystal clear waters of the lake and the we sat on the bench boutside the Outfitters, while we ate our Moosetracks ice cream waffle cones. Got a new compression bag, as my Granite Gear 8Liter for my sleeping quilt started to come apart and I sewed it to keep together. Big Cypress got a summer cap with ear & neck cover and a new pair of Darn Tough socks. We picked up our post office resupply and mailed items home: my fleece top, boxer briefs, Superfeet Berry (using my Happy Feet inserts), my camouflage light weight long sleeve and our tens unit, laser therapy pen and charging for them. We got them when we needed them, it's a God thing, he knew we would need them at that time. Now we don't need, so sending home. We didn't have to walk back because Bruce gave us a ride from the ATC, plus we were loaded with boxes!! Got another box of goodies from Beth/Neon, from Massachusetts!! Ziploc bags too!! Hand sanitizer, along with the edible treats!! Thanks again, Miss Beth!!Saw Spencer & Calvin the dog, now has trail name "Six Legs" at ATC. At the Allenberry Inn, Dancing Sunflower, Jenny, Purples(she was excited to meet us, as she heard about us & our good food from Subman & Suds), Gramma and couple other hikers we can't recall names.Soaked feet multiple times in Epsom salts, resting our bones, repacking gear and watching the Criminal Minds marathon on Ion. We don't have cable or satellite, so we just learned about Ion channel, but anything is better than the news and election junk!!
Date: 2016-05-24
From: Boiling Springs PA (Allenberry Inn)

To: Steam / Stealth Camping
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: broken clouds

Allenberry Inn to Footbridge Stream Stealth Tent 18.2 milesYesterday we met Purples, she was excited to meet us, as she heard about us and our great food from Subman & Suds. Before we head out this morning, we saw a familiar face in the hallway....Patchy!! From Germany. We haven't seen him for a while and a nice surprise. We hit the trail about 8 am. Arrived at the Scott Farm Trail ATC Crew HQ for lunch. Joined by North Star, who we met in the Shenandoah's, A & E, Patchy and Unknown. Arrived at a nice spot by stream, instead of the Cove Mountain Shelter. There was a section hiker from FL already set up and then Slug, a fellow NOBO from FL also. Had nice chats with both.We saw our very first wild strawberry fruit, tiny but red. We are seeing TONS of wild berry blossoms and they smell wonderful. Critters: Doves, Woodpecker, Robins, Redwing Black Bird, squirrels, chipmunks, 2 ground hogs (they were very excited & chasing each other & squeaking), 3 frogs on a cistern that jumped into the water one right after the other, like synchronized swimmers!!
Date: 2016-05-25
From: Steam / Stealth Camping

To: Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Happy Birthday Lucas!!Footbridge Tent Site to Peters Mountain Shelter for 18.4 milesWe headed out at 7:30 with town food on our minds! Lunch at the Doyle in Duncannon PA. (Fiber advised us not to sleep there, we weren't anyway) We must say the food was great! I had a cheese burger n fries, Big Cypress had homemade Spaghetti and meatballs!! We had a tough day with the tent worms and inch worms repelling from their threads and getting on us ALL day!! Eewww yucky!! An all out invasion!! We had to pick them off each other. The trail is now living up to the hype....Pennsylvania Rocks or Rocksylvania. Boulders and smallish toe, foot and ankle hurtful ones. We tented next to Shao and Oh So. Big Cypress took the massive job of getting water (as he always does). Today though at this shelter it's down 300 boulder steps! Not pleasant by any means!! Also....nobody slept in the shelter as it's covered in black soot. Someone burnt something inside and it's not gear safe! Black soot. We might be dirty, stinky hikers, but we don't need that or gear getting ruined!! Critters: Butterfly Day, small toads hopping along the trail and one small ring neck snake
Date: 2016-05-26
From: Peters Mountain Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

Happy Birthday Aimee!!Peters Mountain Shelter to Rausch Gap Shelter for 18.3 miles We ate a hot lunch of Brown rice grits ham and veggies next to a stream with Big boulders for weary hikers to sit on and rest while eating. Didn't turn into the shelter as it was .3 off trail, tented across the AT at the big stream. Delightful!! Rained on us around midnight, but didn't last all night!!Critters: loads of chipmunks, tons of birds, 3 pm a rattle snake, 4 pm two Black snakes happily entwined! We pretended we didn't see them doing it and continued on. Watched a big black wood ant drag the queen, I think it was the queen, by her mandible and sometimes wing. Not sure where it was taking her, but worked very hard at it. The "queen" only moved her antenna. Pretty wild! Ok....I know I didn't give details about rattle snake. So......there we were....cruising along. Come to a note that says. "saw rattle snake 5/26/16 @ 1 pm" (Shao saw/wrote it). So, we were extra vigilant!! Not enough though. I saw out of the corner of my left eye a coiled snake. I was only about a foot away from it when I saw it. It was relaxed, with head resting on its body, but coiled, not relaxed in MY mind, but ready to GET me!!!! I stop dead in my tracks, start going backwards FAST, Big Cypress has no idea what's going on. Finally he realized, snake! I said if I could have jumped into his arms, I would've!! So, no rattle, no movement, nothing from the rattle snake chillin' in the sun. Big Cypress (official snake "poker" of the AT Thru Hiker for Two Peas) gave it a lil pole, it uncoiled and without any issues moved off the trail. Easy peasy.....LOL while this chic is still trying to recover from the heart attack!!!
Date: 2016-05-27
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Rausch Gap Shelter to 501 Shelter for 17.5Butterfly Day with a chance of Salamanders.   No rain in sight!! So....We learned, that it can be sunny and butterflies abound AND the trail can be littered with salamanders.......because it's 100% humidity!! Yep....we were surprised!! Saw 4 of them today, right on the trail. Saw a Doe today also, first deer sighting in a while.Left at 7:30 am, AK was kind enough to let me use the privy before him, so we could get going!! I didn't even ask, he just offered!! Water was an issue today. We missed a source and came upon another just when we realized we HAVE to get it, because no water for almost 10 miles. Plus, it's hot!! Crisis averted!! Had a snack lunch at the water source at William Penn Shelter. Big Cypress soaked his feet. Amazing pics at Fisher Lookout and Kimmel LookoutArrived at 501 Shelter at about 5. Shao from Scotland and Rocket Cat from Germany were there! We went right to business!! Ordering pizza for delivery!! Yes, they deliver to the shelter. This shelter is a regular building, Windows, picnic table indoors, bunks.....decked out for our normal shelter experience. Oh and a shower....solar = cold, but wet, cooling water to get.....CLEAN!! It was awesome!! Set up the tent in a nice spot. Ate our Stuffed Pizza and our White Pizza with the company of, Rocket Cat, Shao and eventually Unknown rolled in. We visited, ate Twinkies that Rocket Cat loves and shared. We went through our own food bag and have too much, so...We shared with the guys! They're excited to eat something other than ramen or their food. Oh....and we ordered a calzone to pack out tomorrow!! It is HUGE!! Size of medium pizza box.
Date: 2016-05-28
From: 501 Shelter

To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

501 Shelter to Eagles Nest Shelter for 15.4 milesAnother beautiful Butterfly Day!! Humid too, but no salamanders. So...maybe not as humid.Rocks were more plentiful today, but not as bad as we keep expecting!! We did learn from a couple of locals, that the Hiking Club deliberately moved the trail for more rockyness to have less trail maintenance needed. Amazing and believable, since you can see where the trail used to be and where we walk now.....in the rocks. (rocks = less erosion).Arrived at 5, Shao, Rocket Cat were already there. Unknown caught us about 2 miles out from the shelter and hiked in with us. We decided to tent closer to the AT, closer to the water and very nice tent spots. Mustard Seed, we saw again this morning, after not seeing since before the Roller Coaster, and he's here too! The calzone was delicious today, we ate it at lunch and again later as a lil snack, one piece each left for snacking. Oh yeah, we got trail magic at the 183 road crossing....ice cold soda in a cooler and a cooler with ice cold water to fill our water bottles. Thank you so very much to the families that provided that for hot thirsty hikers!! Critters: Lots of baby toads and big ones too. So many chipmunks and some aren't afraid to get close to you. AND yep....a rattle snake. This time, I had my "snake eyes" on, don't wanna have reenactment!! This time I spotted it 3-4 feet ahead, it was lying across the trail. Big came and saved his damsel in distress, yet again!! And, no incident, no rattle, no aggression!! Thank You, Jesus!!
Date: 2016-05-30
From: Port Clinton/Hamburg PA (Microtel Hotel)

To: Port Clinton/Hamburg PA (Microtel Hotel)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Happy Memorial Day and Thank you for the brave that gave ALL!!Zero in Hamburg PAMail drop resupply issues....We are going to have the boxes sent Return To Sender. Then we will be like most other hikers and go to Wal-Mart and buy 4 days of meals/snacks. We have a breakfast of oatmeal already and a mashed potato/chicken meal for just in case. We slept well. Hit the breakfast at the hotel lobby. Rested and soaked in Epsom salts a few times. Read some of Rabbit's (Rob from Connecticut) trail journal. Wondering how the next 76 miles of trail looked, how long his days were and so on. Found very helpful information, thank you Rabbit. Hard to believe we had dinner together back in Hiawasee and now he's 2 weeks ahead of us. We sent texts to fellow hikers. Unknown said he & the guys head out today and trail to first shelter out was steep, but ok. He made it there by 1 pm. Haven't heard about trail to Eckville, but like we say, it is what it is and we have to do the trail, whatever it is, so we can sleep that night!!Around 4:30 we found out that Steady & Teach were across the highway at Cabela's. They came to the hotel, with Steady's folks. They are off the trail for a few days, because they are close to home and can chill a bit for free. We finally met Spirit of 76 and saw The Roman Noodles. We haven't seen them since signing in at Springer Mountain GA on Feb 13. Nice to sit outside and visit at the picnic table here at hotel. We also have Stealth, from Indiana here also. Haven't seen him since right before Harpers Ferry.Steady & his dad ran us up to Walmart. We got our foods for 4 sleeps out & Caesar Salads for dinner tonight. No Bake cookies, donuts, Mac n Cheese, Mountain House Meals, Kind breakfast bars, Betty Crocker brownie bits with caramel inside, pepperoni, individual wrapped Colby Jack cheeses, Quaker Oatmeal (fruit flavors for Moonbeam, maple for Big). Snickers bars and Cliff Bars. We left walmart and walked briskly to hotel, as a black mass was heading toward us. Even got a few sprinkles, but hustled and it didn't "get" us. Oh yes....I have been meaning to tell you, that local couple we met couple days ago, is Richard & Heather. Richard is Ecologist & Biologist. They talked with us about the trail, maintenance of it, bugs, plants and trees. Even pointing out the American Chestnut tree. Longish oblong leaf with bread knife like "serrated" edges. Pretty cool and Big Cypress keeps seeing the tree now, while we walk. Well....good night!! Heading out tomorrow morning for 4 or 5 sleeps.Thank you for Prayers for safe travels and the hard rocks of Pennsylvania to be friendly.
Date: 2016-05-31
From: Port Clinton/Hamburg PA (Microtel Hotel)

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Port Clinton Post office to Eckville Shelter for 14.8 milesCalled William for a shuttle from hotel to trail head near the post office, where we got off the trail on Sunday. Heading out at 7:15 am.Critters : Sunny Butterfly Day and LOTS of snakes!! First the tail of a small grey snake in brush left of trail. Then a black racer chilling on the trail by the turn off for Windsor Furnace shelter. Saw a big frog, I stepped right by it....it didn't hop. I turned around to tell Big Cypress watch the frog, oh no...it didn't hop cuz a snake had its back legs in its mouth and making the frog a late breakfast!! Then, I spot it just as it spotted me and rattled....yep.....the biggest rattle snake we've seen yet. Crossing trail from left to right, didn't have to wait to long as he moved along. Heard turkey clucking a lot today and at camp.Pulpit Rock and The Pinnacle today. Rock scrambles and the pyramids of doom rocks. We did get about 4 miles of nice trail into the Eckville Shelter, that was a nice surprise!! Saw Mustard Seed at Pulpit.....got a picture with him. Rested. Leapfrogged with Tortoise and Garmin from NY, also Grinder from FL. Saw Slug early on this morning still at his camp/hammock.We helped 3 girls find their way from Pinnacle to parking....the were confused! Got some puppy love from Luna & Onyx, lady walking her dogs was happy we were dog friendly. Arrived at Eckville Shelter at 4 pm. Set up tent,Big Cypress took scissors to his beard-too hot and flies getting stuck in it. We got showers, yes shower from solar shower and not hot but not freezing! Flush toilet too! Very nice accommodation, but innkeeper isn't very friendly!! He keeps the area super nice though. Mustard Seed treated us all - Garmin, Tortoise, Ghostwalker, Grinder, Big and I to Pizza Hut loaded pizza and bread sticks, soda n tea!!! Great!! Bed by 7:30