morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-10-18
From: Wildcat Shelter

To: Vernon, N.J.
Miles today: 17.3

Another fabulous day on the trail. It was an easier trail today, despite some rocky ledges along an extended rige line. By comparison, yesterday it took me 9.5 hours to go 14 miles and today I did 17 miles in 8.5 hours. Somedays the miles just come to you, and other days you have to fight for them.I now have 222 miles done AND, as of the afternoon, a total of 12 states - having departed New York and entered New Jersey.My destination was Vernon, N.J. and, in particular, the Appalachian Motel which turned out to be a good choice - very hiker friendly. Just before coming to the road crossing for Vernon, I went through farm land that once again took me through "active pasture lands" - which means several things, like "watch out for those cow pies". In every group of cows, however, there tends to be a larger animal with horns - the resident bull. I try not to worry, but then I remember that I am using my hunting season pack cover. I have to wonder whether or not a bull is able to distinguish between a red flag and a blaze orange one....Before I could resupply at the local A&P, of course, I needed to come up with a hike plan into Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylania - my next resupply stop. As usual, I start with the total number of miles, and assume about 15 miles a day. The DWG is 63 miles south of here, so I'm assuming about 4 days - maybe 4.5. So that tells me I should carry five days food just to have a cushion.The greater challenge lies in figuring the mileage for each of the next 4 to 5 days. That depends mainly on where the shelters or campsites are, what they have to offer, and any downside characteristics.One, for example, is 0.6 miles off the trail (or an extra 1.2 miles of non-AT hiking going to and from the shelter), has no reliable water, no privy, and - just for good measure - a resident rattlesnake! Okay, then. How far is it to the next shelter? It has a privy, reliable water, and no mention of a live-in snake, but IS located in an area with "an active bear population". Okay, so, then, how much further is it to the shelter after that??New Jersey bears have a certain reputation for aggressiveness against hikers. Last August, there was an incident at one N.J. shelter that resulted in a bear having to be located and killed as a result of having attacked a camper in his sleeping bag. Just to be cautious, I'm now carrying my whistle in my pocket, rather than in my pack, where it is more easily accesible....Anyway, my hike plan now calls for an 18 mile day, followed by two 13 mile days, followed by a final 18 mile day into DWG. I'm not sure, however, how easy it may be to do the two 18's. Tomorrow's 18, for example is mostly through swampy areas, referred to by the early Dutch settlers as "the drownded lands" due to their propensity for being inundated often by rainfall. Having just endured record rainfall levels, I rather suspect that I could face some rough going tomorrow. C'est la vie. Somehow I'll find a way to deal with whatever I encounter.Stay tuned, Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com
Date: 2005-10-20
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: AMC's Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Another fabulous day on the trail - with a relatively easy hike, but a long one.This was one of those days when I really didn't know where I would be at the end of the day. The short option was about 13.5 miles to an area where camping is allowed, but that would involve carrying my water for the night from a stream about five miles north, as there is no water up on the ridge. The long option was about 21 miles, which I was skeptical I could do if there were too many rocky sections, but would involve a hostel at a retreat center run by the Appalachian Mountain Club. I got an early start, and by noon was already approaching the camp sites, so I decided to go for the hostel. It was a long day, over ten hours of hiking, but I made it. Along the way, the trail was easy enough that I could get a rhythm going, and then get into a zone where I could just let my mind wander. I thought about how lucky I am to be out here, to be nearing the end of a major endeavor, all of the things I have to look forward to when I'm done, how good it will be to be home with my family and to see old friends again, etc. The day went surprisingly fast, and I was checking in at the Mohican Outdoor Center main lodge by 5:30. I found, not surprisngly, that I was the only through-hiker there, so I had the hostel all to myself. It turned out to be a really nice cabin, with several bunk rooms but - more importantly - a bathroom with a shower, and a kitchen with running water and a stove! All the conveniences of home, for the low, low through-hiker rate of just $12!One hot shower later, I was cooking dinner, followed by an early to bed. I am pleased to know that my knees can still handle a 20-plus mile day, if the trail will allow it, but it does take something out of me.Fortunately, having done the big miles today, I not only have a warm and dry place to sleep tonight, I have a relatively short 10 mile day into town for tomorrow. Life is good!Stay tuned, Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com
Date: 2005-10-21
From: AMC's Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Delaware Water Gap, PA
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: light rain

Another fabulous day on the trail!This was an easy day, both because of the trail itself and the fact that I only needed 10.5 miles to get to town. The trail had some rocky sections, but those were compensated for by sections that followed fire roads, old woods roads, and a carriage road, all of which allowed me to make up for the slower pace forced by the rocks. There was also a really pretty section going past Sunfish Pond - the last of the ponds for south-bounders created by glaciers carving out areas that then filled up with water. Along the shore, hikers passing by - over time - have built, or added to, rock piles, some quite creative in form. They were cool, but the last of my camera batteries was out so I couldn't record them for posterity. Bummer.Near the pond, I ran into a couple of young guys out hunting. It's bow hunting season for deer and, because of the rain forecast for this weekend, they had taken off work today to try to bag their deer.I said I hadn't seen any for the past couple of days. They said they had seen several bears as they had hiked up to the pond. I asked what the bears had done when they saw the hunters, and they said "nothing - they just ambled along, ignoring us" They said the last two were just a couple of hundred yards down the trail. If I hurried, I might get to see them. I thanked them, and we went our separate ways.I did hurry along the trail, but certainly not with the hope of encountering the bears! My goal now was to get me and my pack safely down to Route 80 and the bridge across the Delaware River.Just before the road, I came to one more "bridge out" notice - this one perfectly legible. Not only was the timber structure gone, the concrete pilings on the far side were moved out of position! Never underestimate the power of water - and the logs and other debris that a stream can carry with it as it crashes down a normally placid waterway.Fortunately, there was an easy way around the stream that was well marked, and before I knew it I was chugging across the bridge into Delaware Water Gap and the great state of Pennsylvania.Thirteen states down - one to go!On the way to the Ramada Inn, I stopped for lunch at a wonderful little bistro, the Trails End Cafe. I had the lentil soup and a ribeye sandwich, followed by desert - a fantastic sweet, spicy, pumpkin ice cream concoction.   I spent the rest of the day with the usual town chores, and then had dinner. As I was returning to the motel, feeling more tired than usual, it began to rain. That was when I first entertained the thought of taking a zero day tomorrow.We'll see. They're calling for two days of rain, heavy at times, and I have to admit I am not looking forward to that. But I'm also anxious to get home, and zeros aren't going to get me home any sooner. Still....Stay tuned, LonghaulSent via PocketMailEmail Anywhere www.pocketmail.com
Date: 2005-10-22
From: Delaware Water Gap, PA

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

I took a zero day today, and am I ever glad I did!It just doesn't come easily to me to take a day off - I think this is only the fifth one since Springer Mountain - but I really needed it.I've done 285 miles and four states in the past 18 days. I've hiked through 8 solid days of torrrential rain, and waded through water up to my butt in the process. I'm up every day between 5 and 5:30, and hike 8-10 hours a day, every day. Well, ok, except for the zero day at the Bear Mountain Bridge Inn, but that was a drying out/catching up with my journal day.Today is an "I'm really tired/my knees hurt/the next hundred miles include the infamous rocks of Pennsylania/I'm behind on my journal again/I'm even more behind in catching up on emails/and - most important of all - there are, once again, torrential rains coming down outside the window of my motel room as I type this" kind of zero day.The forecast calls for up to an inch of rain today, with scattered showers tomorrow morning but clearing in the afternoon, and then reasonably clear for the two days after that.Mostly, though, as I'm finding out, I'm just tired. I was up at 6:30 this morning and took advantage of the continental breakfast in the lobby, but had no hesitency in telling the front desk I'd be keeping my room for another night when I saw the steady downpour making a lake out of the parking lot.After breakfast, I went back to bed. I was up again at 11, goofed off watching TV until noon, and headed out to a local diner for lunch. After some french onion soup, a Rueben, coffee, cheese cake and my favorite non-prescription dietary supplement (plain vanila this time), I limped and burped my way back to the motel, collecting the Saturday New York Times on the way.After a thorough read of the paper, and half a football game, I fell asleep again. I'm up now, and workking on my journal. As I was coming back from dinner last night, I saw two section hikers coming in for the night. I saw them again at breakfast, and they were planning to head on out. I saw them a third time at the diner at lunch, and they had their packs with them when they left the diner. I saw them again a few minutes ago when I went down to the vending machine in the game room for a Pepsi. They made it across the Delaware River bridge before deciding the rain was just too much, and returned to the hotel for the night. I guess I'm not the only one that doesn't like to hike in this stuff!Anyway, nothing more to report for today. I'm dry, well fed, feeling distinctly more human, and I'm sure I'll be all the more ready to take on the rocks of Pennsylvania first thing tonorrow morning.One last state, and 230 miles from now, and I'll be done. Stay tuned, Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com
Date: 2005-10-23
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Wind Gap
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Another fabulous day on the trail, despite the rocks. The important thing is that it was sunny and dry!This was another one of those days when I had no good fix on how far I might be able to go when I started my hike. The main uncertainty was the extent and nature of the rocks that I knew were due to begin sometime during this first section of my trip through Pennsylvania land. The absolute minimum distance was the first shelter, which was a mere 6.6 miles from DWG. At the other extreme was the Leroy Smith shelter, some 20.2 miles away - not likely to be feasible if the rocks prove to be as bad as I've heard. Between those extremes was the small town of Wind Gap, a distance of 15.8 miles. The only drawback to this third option is that there is no place to camp there, so I would have to stay in another darn motel room. You know how I hate it when that happens, especially on a night like tonight when the weather channel is calling for frost warnings....To make a long story short, I managed to survive about ten miles of totally rocky trail, after five miles of pretty decent trail, thanks to my pain and anti-inflamatory meds, and made it to Wind Gap by 4PM. There was just no way I could take another five miles of rocks, however, so I'm holed up in Room 9 of the Gateway Motel.My next challenge will come tomorrow when I will face a similar set of options - a shelter in only 5 miles, or the next gap (Leighigh) at 20.7 miles, or stealth camping along the trail somewhere between those two extremes. Since it is forecast to rain tomorow afternoon, my first preference is to make it to Leighigh Gap, as there is a $15 per night hostel near there. Like today, however, it will all depend on the trail, and just how bad the rocks are.At least the weather today was sunny and dry, if a bit chilly. As late as 4 o'clock this morning, the rain was coming down really hard at times. I really was appreciating yesterday's zero every time I thought about how nice it is to hike in dry clothes!Since today was Sunday, there were a few section hikers out, but only a few. I'm pretty much the only through-hiker out here at the moment. Well, at least with today's milage, I've gone over the 300 mile mark, with only 215 miles to go. If I can just get through these rocks....Stay tuned, Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com
Date: 2005-10-25
From: Leighigh Gap

To: Leighigh Gap
Miles today: 0.0

I seems like the weather has become a major feature of this section of my hike. Ok, Let's be rair - it HAS become a major aspect, and that shold not be too surprising given that the weather ahs been setting records for the month of October throughout the northeast. In particular, there have been record levels of rainfall in many locaitons, and with only about 2 more inches, it will be the wsettest October on record here in Leighigh Gap. Today's rain may well provide those two inches if it continues over-night and into tomorrow, as currently predicted. It's not hurricane Wilma doing it, either, but simply an early Nor'easter off the coast. Oh well. At least I'm not going through some of the loy-lying river areas of Mass., Conn., New York or New Jersey!They are also calling for snow in the higher elevations, but my sense is that the problem is more in up-state New York than here in Pa., although some local schools were closing early, and everyone in this area was cancelling after school and evening activities. In case you haven't figured out by now, I have elected to take another zero day today! I'd feel worse about that except that I did 37 miles in the past two days, and thus am still on track to finish my hike in the next 14 days. I used my time to day to come up with a hike plan that gets me into Port Clinton in three days (arriving Friday) and Duncannon in another five days (arriving next Wednesday, November 2). That will leave me with only 83 miles from Duncannon to PenMar, which I should be able to do in 5-6 more days, arriving Monday, November 7 or Tuesday, NOvember 8 - God willin' and the creek don't rise.I used today also to get my journal up to date, rest, eat town food, and get ready for another run of 17 mile days through the rocks of Pennsylvania. I'll be ready - bring 'em on!Stay tuned,Longhaul
Date: 2005-10-26
From: Leighhigh Gap

To: Allentown Shelter
Miles today: 17.4

Another fabulous day on the trail, albeit a long one, with lots of rocks, overcast skies and temperatures that started in the 30's and never got out of the 40's.It was so cold that I kept my jacket on and zipped up all day, with my hood up also about half the time due to wind, and gloves some of the time due to the wind chill factor. It sure ain't summer any more!The skies were mostly overcast, but it didn't rain at all. Occasionally, the sun would break through, shining on leaves still wet from earlier rains. Really pretty at times.Not that it has rained, recently, but according to the local paper, October's 17-plus inches of rain made it not just the rainiest October on record, but the rainiest MONTH on record. Yeah. I know....The trail was mostly rocks, but with the occasional woods road thrown to maintain the sanity of hikers. My new boots held up well. Despite zero break-in, I had no blisters or even hot spots. The tread was good on the rocks and ankle support was better than I had expected, despite these being a lighter weight boot than I'm used to.I got to the shelter around 4 pm (not too bad for 17 miles of rocks) and did chores and cooked dinner as fast as I could. I was in my tent by 5:45, working on my journal, and am about to hunker down in my sleeping bag for the night. I expect it to be in the 30's tonight, so Im happy to have my Big Agnes tent set up here in the shelter.Earlier today I called wife and asked her to Fed Ex me my blaze orange vest and hat, to go with my blaze orange pack cover. This is so very hunt country! I'll have them when I get to Port Clinton on Friday, and not a moment too soon: hunting season for turkeys starts Saturday. I know that means you get to shoot wild turkeys if you see them, but my sense is that there are turkeys at both ends of some of the guns up here, so I really can't wait to get all orange-blazed up. In the Whites of New Hampshire they tried to kill me off with cliffs and rock climbing, and failed. In Maine they tried to kill me off with wild river crossings, and failed.   The last thing Ol' Private Second Class Longhaul needs now is to get killed off by some stupid hunter in the 14th state - and less than 160 miles from the end! I've come way too far for that!Stay tuned, Longhaul
Date: 2005-10-27
From: Allentown Shelter

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: scattered clouds

It was COLD overnight. I did not relish the idea of unzipping my sleeping bag this morning and beginning the process of getting my butt in gear. There was some sun during my morning hike, but it was overcast the rest of the day. With the wind, I stayed bundled up all day, including for the first time since last spring in Georgia, hiking all day with my gloves on.I thought about trying to go all the way to Port Clinton- 22 miles, but knew is was a long shot - especially with all these rocks. In the end, it wasn't feasible - not enough daylight hours for me to make it there before dark.I did take time for a fire tonight, however, and it took some of the chill out of the air while I ate dinner.I also reached a major milestone today: I now have only 160 miles left to hike, and since the total miles from Springer to Katahdin is 2,174 I have now completed more than 2,000 miles of the AT! Yea, ME!I will be into Port Clinton tomorrow (Oct. 28), and into Duncannon five days after that (Nov. 2). With only 85 miles from Duncannon to PenMar, I should complete my hike on Tuesday, Nov. 8. I'm ready. Very ready.Stay tuned, Longhaul
Date: 2005-10-28
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Port Clinton, Pa.
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a short hike today, only about six miles and, despite the rocks, I made it into town in about three hours. I stopped first at the outfitters for stove fuel and mountain house dehydrated dinners, and then headed for the hotel which, it turns out, doesn¢t open until 11 am. I only had about half an hour to kill, so I visited the candy story across the road where, in addition to re-supplying with snacks, I was able to buy a newspaper. (Ah, current events!)After I the hotel opened, I got a quick shower and had lunch, and than tried to find a way into Hamburg - the nearest town with a grocery store, and some 3 miles down the road. For a while I completely struck out. No one responded to my thumb, so I gave up on hitch hiking. There was a guy in the hotel bar who offered to take me, but he'd been drinking one beer after another since 11 am, so I passed. Later, when I was a bit more desperate, I offered him $20 to go with me, but I'd drive. He countered with $30 and HE'D drive. I passed again.Finally, I was put on to the town's trail angel, Fred Kauffman, who not only drove me into Hamburg and back, waiting while I shopped, but then wouldn't even accept money for gas. It's people like that than restore my faith in my fellow man. Thanks, Dude - you made my day!So, now I'm all re-supplied and ready to get on with the five day hike from here to Duncannon. Then I'll only have 83 miles left. Soon. Soon...Stay tuned, Longhaul
Date: 2005-10-29
From: Port Clinton, Pa.

To: Eagle's Nest Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: overcast clouds

This was a relatively short day, milage-wise, just because of how the shelters are spaced ou in this section of Pennsylvania, but long enough to suit me because it was all rocks and that was really hard on my knees.I was happy to get out of town this morning, and anxious to be putting miles behind me toward home. I'm really getting anxious to finish this little adventure and get mack to my normal life again. I'm especially missing my wife and kids. A LOT! I ran into a number of hunters today, but none of them shot at me, so that was good. I did, however, hear a ton of shotguns going off, so I was extremely pleased to be wearing as much blaze orange as I am - front, back and top!I got to the shelter early, about 1:30, got water and set up my tent in the shelter, assuming I'd be the only one here. I then set aobut rounding up enough wood for a really good campfire. It's going to be COLD tonight!Not long after I got my fire going really well, a group of 14 scouts and leaders from troop 89 of York Springs, Pa. showed up. They are a really nice group, and I am thrilled to have them here. Not only did they take on the job of rounding up more wood for the fire, I'm just happy to have the company. Did I mention I'm missing my kids a lot?A bit later, another guy showed up, a section hiker, with his collie. The dog is nine months old, still mostly a puppy, and totally untrained. He mad a real nuisance of himself with everyone, especially as we tried to cook and eat our dinners. The owner, of course, was grossly insensitive to his dog's behavior, as that kind of behavior by the owner tends to go hand-in-hand with misbehaving dogs. Oh well. I'm safe and warm in my tent, so he won't be in my way anymore tonight.Well, the sun is going down, the temperature is dropping like a rock, and I am going to crawl into my sleeping bag and get warm.With only 4 more days to Duncannon,and an estimated 6 days from Duncannon to PenMar, tomorrow starts my 10 day countdown to "D" (as in DONE!) Day. Let the countdown begin!Stay tuned,Longhaul