morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-06-24
From: Slack pack to Front Royal, VA

To: North of Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: broken clouds

I got off to a later start than I planned as it took me longer than expected to get my chores done in town and get back to the Trail. The hike was going fine until I got to the dreaded Roller Coaster, an area that has numerous sharp ups and downs, one right after the other. It seemed like you just got to the top and it was time to descend. I hiked some of this section 13 months ago when I was here with an excellent group of hikers who were all very nice people in an organization called Elder Hostel. We hiked several sections of this area of the AT and I will be repeating all of them eventually as I pass through. Some of those people I met last year are still sending me kind messages and encouraging notes. A couple of them, Linda and Beverly from Rhode Island, will be hiking with me when I get into Connecticut or Massachusetts.There were a lot of day hikers out on this dry, pretty Sunday. I enjoyed talking to them and trying to explain to them my grizzled appearance. I eventually pitched my tent in a beautiful spot that was level and smooth and with a nice breeze on top of one of the small mountains. I like to camp facing east so I can watch the sun rise, if possible, through the trees.I have been seeing a number of moles and mole trails around here, but the ground has so many rocks and roots, I don¢t see how a mole finds enough food to survive.I met two young couples today who both offered me Trail Magic. One gave me a Snickers candy bar. Although it was melted, it tasted great and I felt the energy it gave me. The other couple gave me a 4-leaf clover for luck. I stuck that on my hat and finished my day¢s hike feeling energized by the Snickers bar and the good luck provided by the 4-leaf clover.
Date: 2012-06-25
From: North of Front Royal, VA

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: light rain

Today was a hard day physically as I was still hiking much of the area known as the Roller Coaster. I had done most of this last year, but it seems harder this time, probably because of the heavy pack I am carrying on my back. It is, however, the slowest Roller Coaster I have ever ridden. I kept smiling at the start of all the descents, but nobody took my picture.I stayed at the Bear¢s Den hostel, an awesome place that used to be a summer home for a fellow from Washington, DC. It is a large stone mansion with many rooms and is very hiker-friendly. . There were 15-20 people there, mostly hikers, but some who were just traveling through and spent the night. Some pitched their tents in the yard, but most stayed inside. I had the Hiker¢s Special, which means for about $30 you get a good bunk with a mattress, pillow, sheets and a blanket! You also get to use the laundry facility and take a shower. The soaps, towels, washrags are all provided. You can have computer access and you also get a large pizza, a pint of ice cream of your choice and a soda. This was great! A group of us watched a DVD in the basement to kill time. It was good to get off the Trail and socialize. Mimi, who works there, is the daughter of a lady whose Trail name is Heart Song. I had met Heart Song in a shelter about 4 weeks earlier. One very attractive young lady is a Secret Service agent who likes to hike in her spare time. Many of the hikers had their stories to tell and it was very interesting and entertaining to listen and talk to them. Several were looking forward to going into Washington DC via the commuter train that goes from Harper¢s Ferry which is about a day or day and a half hike from here. I am looking forward to getting to Harper¢s Ferry, the psychological half-way point.
Date: 2012-06-26
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: David Lesser Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was the most beautiful day of my entire hike. It was cool, breezy, sunny, dry with low humidity, and felt like a day in early October. I finished the Roller Coaster, crossed into West Virginia and passed the 1000 mile mark. That¢s quite a milestone and I was very excited to have hiked that many miles in a 3 month period. I will be in Harper¢s Ferry tomorrow and I am looking forward to that. If I am half-way done with the hike, it surely must be all downhill from here.I spent the night at the David Lesser Memorial Shelter. It is beautiful, spacious and clean, and has a large deck, porch swing, chairs, windows, large camping area and picnic table under its¢ own shelter. It¢s probably the nicest shelter complex I have found in my entire hike. Everything was very well made and I am sure Mr. Lesser would be proud of what his friends have built in his honor.With this hike of the AT, I am raising money for the Tipton County Mustard Seed organization. This is a faith-based, nonprofit organization in Tipton, Indiana. I will explain more at a later date, but I am aware and appreciative of the work this organization does to help those who need assistance in Tipton county.
Date: 2012-06-27
From: David Lesser Memorial Shelter

To: Harper's Ferry
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: clear sky

I got started late today since I knew I didn¢t have a long hiking day. I lingered at the David Lesser Shelter and enjoyed a second cup of coffee and the beautiful morning. Today was a relaxing day, but much of the hiking was on rocky surfaces. I almost fell several times. Walking on the hard rocks with edges is beginning to take a toll on my feet as they became sore fairly quickly. I made it the 4 miles to the road and went to a diner another 1/3 of a mile away to enjoy some cooked food. The diner wasn¢t open yet, so I bought a newspaper at a local convenience store. The worker at the store complained about knee pain, so of course I examined his knee. I have examined many people with orthopedic problems on my trip. I took my newspaper and spread out my gear in the shade of a tree on the grass in front of the diner and waited for it to open. While relaxing and reading my paper, I saw many nearby raspberry bushes full of raspberries, so I helped myself to them. In the diner I had 2 cheeseburgers and several glasses of sweet tea. I returned to the Trail and fairly easily made the six miles to the Appalachian Trail conservancy in Harper¢s Ferry, which is the equivalent of the AT Headquarters.   They have a habit of taking the picture of all the thru-hikers who reach that point and I had my picture taken in the traditional place, posing in front of the building near the sign. I took the time to look at pictures of other thru hikers who have gone before me and saw the pictures of many people I had met along the trail. It¢s good to know they are still hiking and apparently doing well.I checked into an establishment called Towns¢ End, took a shower and explored the town of Harper¢s Ferry. I saw many unique houses and beautiful flower gardens. This town is significantly historic in that The Civil War raged back and forth through this area. This is the pathway through the mountains to the west and to the east. Washington DC is only a short train ride to the east from here. Tomorrow I am being picked up by another hiker I have never met. She is the friend of a friend and is a classic example of the generosity hikers show to each other. She is certainly my Trail angel. Her Trail name is ZigZag and I will spend the rest of the day with her and her husband, who is a veterinarian. I will likely take them out to dinner and then Friday morning she will return me to Harper¢s Ferry where I will return to the place I left the Trail. I will then head north and look forward to meeting my stepson, Derek, near Boiling Springs, PA in about a week.
Date: 2012-06-28
From: Harper's Ferry

To: ZigZag's home
Miles today: 0.0

Zigzag picked me up today at the AT Conservancy, which is the headquarters of the entire AT in Harper¢s Ferry. I registered at the Conservancy as thru-hiker #697, which means that 696 people in front of me have made it this far and intend to finish. I am sure several thousand who started at Springer Mountain have gotten off the Trail by now. Personally I know 100 or more who have left the Trail for many different reasons, mostly physical, but also now for mental reasons, and many just don¢t want to do it anymore. For whatever reason, it¢s their choice and I wish them well. As time goes on, many more will be forced off the Trail by injuries, time commitment, etc.Zigzag was the perfect hostess, allowing me time to get cleaned up at her house, letting me do laundry, taking me to the grocery store, and feeding me! She even had a pint of Ben & Jerry¢s ice cream in the freezer for me when we got back to the house after I treated her and her husband, Mike, to dinner at the Outback Steak House in Germantown this evening. She knows just what a thru-hiker likes the most.I enjoyed our Trail conversation very much and enjoyed seeing the pictures she took last year. She hiked almost the entire Trail before physical problems forced her off. She is still very involved with the Trail and enjoys hosting Trail hikers. She gave very intelligent answers to my endless questions and I hate to see this visit with her come to an end.
Date: 2012-06-29
From: ZigZag's home

To: North of Gathland State Park, MD
Miles today: 11.4

Zigzag returned me to Harper¢s Ferry bright and early, so I took some time to stroll around the historic part of Harper¢s Ferry and read as much as I could about the village and its involvement with the Civil War. There is a large rock that overlooks the Shenandoah River, especially at its confluence with the Potomac River, which is called the Jefferson Rock. It is said that Thomas Jefferson stood in that location and enjoyed the view of these two rivers, the valley and the town so much that he said it was worth a trip across the Atlantic Ocean just to have such a perfect view.I was able to get on the Trail before 8:00 a.m. and the hike took me through Harper¢s Ferry past the John Brown barn, and explained the involvement of John Brown, as well as others, in the Civil War. I then crossed the bridge over the Potomac River into Maryland, which is the 6th state I have traveled in on my hike. I walked for several miles along a flat stretch which had been the tow path along the C and O Canal. The remnants of this canal are still very evident and there are many historical markers and signs to read about the canal. Harper¢s Ferry was a very important place during the Civil War because of the rivers, the C and O Canal and the train tracks. There were many trains along the track today that were very busy hauling freight, as well as hauling passengers to nearby Washington, DC. Harper¢s Ferry is the gateway from the east to the west in many ways.I watched the river as I was hiking along the canal, saw a family of four fishing, and saw someone catch a very nice bass from that river. The day was not difficult as far as the terrain, but it did become very hot and muggy with very little, if any breeze. The heat index was over 110 degrees. At one point I came upon a container filled with bottles of water left by a Trail Angel. I certainly needed that water and it came at the right time and place, just as these gifts from Trail Angels often do. I encountered many hikers today I had not seen for a while including Rainbow Eyes, Early Riser, Topstitch, Bonovo and her companion, Groove.I arrived late afternoon at Gathland State Park, just as I was running out of water. There was a nice fountain there where I could replenish my water supply. As I was resting and drinking fresh water, two couples who had been walking about the park came over and asked if I wanted something to eat. The next thing I knew they had given me a 3-piece chicken dinner, a bag of pretzels and best of all, a container of chilled slices of watermelon. Once again, it was awesome that these Trail Angels appeared just when I needed them most and I very much appreciated their generosity. I split the food with Rainbow Eyes and gave the rest of the bag of pretzels to Chopstix. I hiked on a little further and have pitched my tent on a flat spot facing east.
Date: 2012-06-30
From: North of Gathland State Park, MD

To: George Washington State Park, MD
Miles today: 11.2

An awful storm came through last night. I had left the rain cover off my tent thinking it was going to be a nice night, but I awoke to thunder and lightning all around and rain hitting me in the face. I jumped up, put the cover over my tent and got back in my tent as quickly as I could. This storm carried with it much rain, much wind and much lightning. It was a monster of a storm. Many limbs fell around my tent as I stayed there and tried to sleep. I was shocked the next morning to see all the damage to the forest. At my campsite, as well as all along the Trail, there were a lot of limbs down, a few trees down, and just obvious signs of massive amounts of rainfall. I later learned that there were massive power outages in the Chesapeake Bay and Washington, DC areas.Water was scarce again today and I had to monitor my intake, as water sources were far apart. At Turner¢s Gap there was Trail Magic. Santa¢s Helper, a person I had met at the Lutheran Hostel in Waynesboro 2-3 weeks ago, was there giving out cold sodas, snacks, and candy. It was great to see him again. He intends to bring Trail Magic to several other points along the Trail as he progresses up into New England. He said he slept in his car last night and the storm even shook his car.I hiked on to the George Washington State Park and spread my tent and other gear out to dry in the sun on the several picnic tables there that were not otherwise being used while I took a break. I fixed a meal for myself, drank a lot of water, which was readily available, and talked to a Boy Scout troop about camping and backpacking.I went to the Washington Monument, which is a circular tower overlooking the valley. This is a very nice state park. I ran into very many nice day-hikers on this Saturday. They were all interested in my story.I crossed I-70 on a large, enclosed foot bridge that was built exclusively for hikers on the AT. I stood on the foot bridge watching the traffic below and enjoying the breeze their passage created. I then hiked on to a nearby shelter and pitched my tent. I am now enjoying the evening with several fellow hikers.
Date: 2012-07-01
From: George Washington State Park, MD

To: Tumbling Run Shelter, PA
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: clear sky

I started this Sunday with a brief morning worship service with Linda and Vance, a couple of fellow Lutherans from Minnesota, and then took off on a relatively difficult hike. The terrain has become rocky and hilly, but the tall mountains of the previous half of the hike are now behind me. I am still in Maryland, but Pennsylvania is getting closer. Pennsylvania has a reputation of being flatter, but much rockier. It was very hot again today. I love these flat trails, but I hate the rocks and the heat. I climbed to the Black Rock Cliffs and had a relaxing time looking out over the expanse of the valley below, enjoying the sun and cool breeze while visiting with some day-hikers. I heard from these people that the storm that moved through Friday night had caused serious damage and power outages along the east coast, especially in the Chesapeake Bay area. I also talked to a German hiker, Sonic, a train conductor, who said he knew of 30 Germans hiking the Trail, including perhaps 6-8 females who love to hike. Germans tend to be athletic, outdoor type people and there aren¢t many places in Europe for them to do long distance hiking except France and maybe Sweden. Therefore many come to the US and hike the AT, which does have the reputation of being the longest hiking trail in the world. Papillon, a lady from Oklahoma, said she had seen a mountain lion in the Shenandoah National Park. She is hiking with her dog, Yo-Yo. He¢s a great dog! He walks ahead, and when he comes to an intersection, he instinctively knows which way to go and follows the Trail in the correct direction. She never has to call him back.I moved on to Pen Mar Park, a county park outside of Waynesboro, PA. There were many picnickers, including a group of people in a Jeep club who were having a large birthday party for a lady. They gave generously of their food to the hikers which included all-you-could eat hotdogs and cheeseburgers with all the trimmings. They had two birthday cakes for this lady and they gave an entire cake to the hikers. Besides me, there were several German hikers (possibly the ones Sonic spoke of) and we all sang Happy Birthday to the guest of honor, after which the Germans sang it in German, which I thought was pretty cool.I walked to the Dollar General in Smithsburg and another Trail Angel, Dick, gave me a ride back to the Trail. I continued hiking to Tumbling Run Shelter, a very nice, clean shelter that even has a clothesline, toilet paper in the privy and a nice picnic table. This is an excellent shelter and I will spend the night here. I spent a lot of time talking to Meltdown, a young man from Louisiana who enjoys fishing as much as I do. We shared many fishing stories.
Date: 2012-07-02
From: Tumbling Run Shelter, PA

To: North of Calhoun State Park, PA
Miles today: 19.8

I was able to get in a lot of miles today in spite of the heat because water was available and most of the Trail was easy. There were two large piles of boulders I had to climb over. I ran into a ridge-runner today, a person who is caretaker of the Trail and the people on it. They give advice and information as needed, and this one told me there was a free hiker Independence Feed at Calhoun State Park 8-10 miles ahead, so I hustled to get there. Nothing speeds me up like free food and they had loads of it - hot dogs, Coney dogs, cheeseburgers, cookies, drinks, ice, etc. There was also a public swimming pool, so I paid my $4 and after taking off my shoes, jumped in, along with the 10 German hikers who were there with me. I left my clothes on as I figured that way I could go swimming, do my laundry, and bathe at the same time¢¦except without soap. The locals pretended not to notice us hikers! After the feed and swim I hiked a few more miles to another great shelter which had a double shelter and a wooden tent platform. I pitched my tent with the rain fly off so I could basically sleep under the stars, safe from the bugs, enjoying the company of Meltdown, Papillon, CB, Green Man, Badger, and Squishy, a lady from Germany.
Date: 2012-07-03
From: North of Calhoun State Park, PA

To: South of Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 7.4

I stayed in camp this morning doing paperwork, calling and texting people, and being lazy, as I had a good phone signal and some battery left. The wooden tent platform made a great place for relaxing. I eventually hiked toward another shelter that is not far away. It was very hot again today, but I had plenty of water.Some of you have asked, so I will explain, how I do my blog. Early in my hike I realized I could not do a decent job because of poor signal, low battery and general ineptitude on my part. My former transcriptionist, Terri, agreed to help her struggling boss. Now I call her cell phone and she knows not to answer. I then dictate to her cell and she types my message, selects the appropriate pictures, and forwards this to trailjournals.com. Many have complimented me, but she does the work. All I do is talk. She is a very busy lady and does a super job.There are about six hikers besides me at the shelter tonight including two section hikers, three thru-hikers and one fellow I didn¢t know. The thru-hikers were Sam-I-Am, Bandana and Casio. I have slowed down my miles because my stepson, Derek, and his family are meeting me Friday in Boiling Springs. They will take me off the Trail and we will explore civil war history at Gettysburg. I will return to the Trail Sunday.It is now raining, but I am inside my tent and dry.
Date: 2012-07-04
From: South of Boiling Springs, PA

To: Pine Grove, PA
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

Happy Birthday, USA! It¢s another hot one today, but I had plenty of water and food, so that made it easier. The Trail was damp, but not a gooey mess like it can be after a rain. I got into Pine Grove Furnace State Park by mid-afternoon. I crossed the official half-way point of the AT. It feels good to know I have done about 1100 miles through the most consistently mountainous terrain. The Trail will now change and in parts of Pennsylvania it will flatten out and become much rockier. After Pennsylvania I will hike through New Jersey.I am staying at the Iron Masters Mansion Hostel in Pine Grove. Bonovo and Groove are also here, so I have good company. The hostel is in a huge, well-kept mansion that is at least 100 years old. I was able to take the first actual shower I have had in six days and it felt really good. Unfortunately there were no laundry facilities, so I washed the essential clothes in the sink. I have slept in many different places on this trip, all of them unique with their own individual qualities. I never know what is coming next.I am looking forward to Derek¢s family coming this weekend and I sure appreciate the effort they put into coming all the way here.
Date: 2012-07-05
From: Pine Grove, PA

To: Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 19.1

Today was another scorcher. Being in the woods is good because it is mostly shady, but bad because there is very little breeze. I was drenched with sweat in no time, although the Trail was not that difficult. Finding water was an issue today. You must carry plenty of water, but it¢s heavy, so there is a fine balance between carrying enough and not too much. The day eventually took me into Boiling Springs, the next town down the Trail. I pitched my tent at an AT campsite which was as far away and remote form the town as possible, only a few feet from the busy railroad tracks, and at the far end of a huge corn field. I hiked into town for some pizza and upon returning, met up with Bonovo and Groove. I showed them where the stream and the campsite were, and then went to my tent. They didn¢t show up later as I expected, but in their place came a beautiful lady named Stephanie, who invited me, along with Bonovo and Groove, to spend the night at her house so we could clean up, do laundry and relax. She is an awesome Trail Angel. Think about this¢¦here is a smart, attractive lady with four adult kids who pulls stinky, dirty strangers off the Trail and gives them the greatest gifts, that is the things they need most, which are a place to sleep inside, a place to clean up and do laundry, and good conversation. We met two of her children and she even cooked a great meal for us! Stephanie is the classic, perfect example of the best in people.
Date: 2012-07-06
From: Boiling Springs, PA

To: Gettysburg, PA
Miles today: 0.0

I did not hike any Trail miles today, although I did hike plenty around town. Stephanie fixed an awesome breakfast which we enjoyed after sharing a prayer. It was great to have good conversation along with a wonderful meal. If Stephanie were a thru-hiker her Trail name would be Golden Rule.I sat around the coffee shop in Boiling Springs and caught up on paperwork and electronics. I visited with another thru-hiker from Germany, Trail name Slow Foot. We had a lengthy discussion about various autoimmune diseases. He is a researcher in that field.Great news for me was that last evening I was able to talk with Poco. I had hiked with her early in my hike for about a month. She got off the Trail due to illness about 3-4 weeks ago. She is much improved now and it was great talking to her and to hear that she is doing well.Early afternoon today Kim, Derek, Nate and Ellie picked me up in Boiling Springs. It was great to see the again. We drove to Gettysburg, about 30 miles away, and checked into a fine Hampton Inn. We enjoyed a great buffet after driving around Gettysburg a little. We later swam in the hotel pool. I completely cleaned all my gear and went through it to see what needed repaired and what I could send home. I was then able to relax with a couple of beers. This was an extremely good day!