morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-05-01
From: Home

To: Campsite MP 935.5
Miles today: 17.5

Fairly easy walking today, except for that extremely rocky section from Mary's Rock down to Thornton Gap. I only intended to go to Pass Mt Hut, since it was hot and I hadn't gotten my ideal 4:30 am start...but the register there was full of comments about unusually brazen mice and it was only early afternoon, so I decided to go on to Byrd's Nest #4 and camp somewhere near there. I managed to miss the turn for that, though, and had to go miles past it to reach the next water source, a little stream covered with blowdowns. Unfortunately, I'm now so close to Elkwallow Wayside that I'll probably pass it tomorrow morning before it even opens--no mountain blackberry shake for me.Lots of reports of bears in this area, but I still haven't seen any myself. And glad of it! With all this horrible, hot-weather chafing, I've got quite enough to worry about. But tomorrow should be my last day in SNP, I think. Onward to new places and hopefully cooler weather.
Date: 2007-05-02
From: Campsite MP 935.5

To: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter
Miles today: 24.9
Weather: broken clouds

Very hot and humid all day; the 15-minute downpour at 4:00 am actually made things worse. I got a respectable 6:15 start, which meant passing Elkwallow Wayside long before it opened. All the rave reviews of the blackberry milkshakes there definitely didn't make me feel any better. I ran into the Stache Brothers near Gravel Springs Hut, along with a guy hiking home to Connecticut (his car had broken down in southern VA while he was traveling to a jazz festival in New Orleans, and he decided to travel back on foot). I leapfrogged with them for a while, until they hitched into Front Royal. I'm starting to wish that I had gone along, since it's going to be hard to make my food last until Harpers Ferry. Probably I'll stop by Bears Den and pick up a few things, maybe do laundry and shower. There were several landmarks missing from the guidebook today, most noteably streams and something called Mosby Camp, about 1 1/2 mile south of here. The Trail didn't actually go through the National Zoological Park, instead skirting the property just outside the big fence. I peered through from time to time, hoping to catch a glimpse of some unusual animals, but no such luck. Not so much as a cow in sight.I developed a sharp pain in my Achilles tendon about a mile before reaching the shelter. Sure was glad to see this place--it's got a picnic pavilion, sun shower (broken, alas), deck with comfy bench, and a large, clean sleeping area. The spring is better suited to a pump, but no big deal. A four-star shelter.
Date: 2007-05-03
From: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter

To: Sam Moore Shelter
Miles today: 25.2
Weather: overcast clouds

So. I originally planned to stay at the Rod Hollow Shelter (even wrote that in the register there), but after almost five hours of lounging around, I decided to go ahead and give the Rollercoaster a try while the weather was still cool. Glad I did; the Rollercoaster, an extremely steep and rocky section of trail that looks flat in the guidebook, would have been torture in hotter conditions. My legs felt great until about 3 miles before the shelter, and the rain continued to hold off. Hatchet Jack, who I met for the first time yesterday, was in his sleeping bag reading when I arrived, so I didn't even wake anybody up.There's all sorts of stuff missing in the Handbook description of this section--streams, gravel roads, and mountains that are just too big not to have names. If not for the warnings in the register and a little PATC sign on a tree ("Entering the Rollercoaster. We'll see you at Blackburn AT Center--if you survive") I would have been in for a nasty shock after leaving Rod Hollow. The Trail before Rod Hollow was pretty and not so steep; peaks that ordinarily would have qualified as PUDS were covered with acres and acres of blooming trilliums. The open areas in Sky Meadows State Park reminded me a little of Cold Mt and that area, only at a lower elevation. Sadly, my camera battery is dead, so no pictures after the one I took of the flowers.
Date: 2007-05-04
From: Sam Moore Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: broken clouds

An unplanned near-0 day. Laurie (spelling?) at Bears Den, like Miss Janet and Sunny of Sunnybank, has an uncnny ability to make a hiker feel so welcome that the idea of putting the pack back on seems completely insane. She even took me to Harpers Ferry to pick up my maildrop and then to McDonalds for a milkshake and fries. So here I am, enjoying this hostel rather than doing the ten miles or so to the next shelter.Bears Den is rather castle-like, a big stone building surrounded by rock walls and a pretty green lawn. The hostel entrance is behind the building--Bears Den hosts group events, PATC get-togethers and the like, in the other rooms--and leads to a series of bunks, a bathroom with a hot shower, and a computer with free internet. I updated my trail journal and snacked on junk food, included 2 pints of B & J ice-cream. THere were other hikers there, including two expedition birders who had traveled in the Amazon and other interesting places looking for exotic species. They have no house and just travel all the time instead. The replacement shoes are turning into a logistical nightmare. Postal Service--grr.
Date: 2007-05-05
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Campsite vic. MP1002.5
Miles today: 13.9

I passed the 1000-mile mark this afternoon. Excited about this more than it really merits because the day was otherwise a series of frustrations...I slept through my alarm by 2 hours, so that making the 26 miles to Ed Garvey was out of the question unless I wanted to hike along the Potomac in the dark (no thanks). Reaching the P.O. before noon was absolutely imnpossible. But I thought I'd give Ed Garvey a try and hiked as quickly as I could to the D. Lesser Memorial Shelter, another four-star PATC installation. This wasn't very fast at all, since there were 3 miles of the Rollercoaster involved, as well as some unusually rocky tread. It rained a littole, just sprinkles, and the clouds continued to get thicker and darker. Finally, about 2 miles after the shelter, I set up myu hammock at a dry site, cooked dinner, and hung my bear bag. That's when the shooting began; I also realized that I was able to see a house through the trees and was pretty much camped in someone's backyard. So I moved across the ridge, setting up the hammock 3 times before getting it to look weatherworthy. After all that, it had better rain tonight!Also, I've got poison ivy.
Date: 2007-05-06
From: Campsite vic. MP1002.5

To: Crampton Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

What a fabulous day on the Trail! Perfect weather, scenic rivers, interesting people, and a trail town with plenty of fascinating history...like every day out here, this one came with its own frustrations, but I think I can safely pronounce the Virginia Blues conquered. It rained off and on last night, but by the time I started walking the clouds had moved on, leaving a startlingly deep blue sky (dry atmosphere?) to contrast with the green of the new leaves. Everything seemed unusually bright and clear (I suppose you could say it was like those Claritin commercials, although the pollen out here is outrageous--my gaiters are green with it. The Shenandoah and the Potomac were impressive, not at all like the lazy James. It's strange that the sights that seem so intensely unique in person become very generic on the camera (oh look, another water picture!). It makes you realize that the scene isn't what's unique, but the state of mind you're in when you observe it.Anyway, I decided to approach ATC headquarters via High St./Washington St., so I'd get to see more of the town. It was a good decision; Harpers Ferry is a beautiful place that seems to be stuck in another century without coming across as exactly quaint. A tourist trap, sure, but I am a tourist of sorts and appreciated it. The gunsmith's shop and a group of antique firearms I saw leaning up against a brick wall made me think my dad should pay the town a visit. There are historical markers everywhere, a set of hand-carved stone stairs, and ruined buildings from the Civil War. Jefferson Rock was disappoitiong (how to get excited about a rock you're not allowed to climb on?) but the ruins of the church nearby made up for it.I was greeted at the TC by Garlic Man, a thru-hike alum who took my picture for the album there--TERRIBLE picture of me. I was NOBO number 28 for 2007. Other hikers came by, so I got to chat with Boone (hadn't seen him since Hot Springs!), Hatchet Jack, Ansel and others. I ate brunch at the Country Cafe, which is actually in neighboring Bolivar; iot was almost a mile away, but the omelette was pretty good. Then I headed back to the Trail.After the RR bridge, the C & O Canal Towpath looked exactly like it did near Hancock, where the Tuscarora follows it. A pleasant walk in dappled shade, but it didn't offer much variety. From there to Ed Garvey Shelter was a fairly easy hike, so I moved on to Gathland State Park to get water and cook dinner. The war correspondents' memorial was interesting, as were the barn ruins near the picnic shelter. From there, it was less than 1/2 mile to this place, an oddly igloo-like shelter: the inside is painted all white and looks like a little cave.
Date: 2007-05-07
From: Crampton Gap Shelter

To: Ensign Cowell Shelter
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: few clouds

Experiencing a sense of unreality here...there are three men smoking expensive cigars and drinking tequila at the picnic table, and Ted (yes, yellow-blazing Ted and Coffey have caught me again) is watching Deal or No Deal on his portable TV with the volume turned all the way up. I had an interesting experience with the water source here: when I was pouring water from my Platypus into my cooking pot for dinner, I noticed there was a fish-like organism about an inch long swimming around in it.Me: Look, a fish-like organism!!!Fish-like organism: Uh oh. Unfortunately, I had already begun to treat the water, so the fish's minutes were numbered. The weather was slightly warmer today and the ridge where Annapolis Rocks is located wasn't well-shaded at all. I have to admit that I got bored walking today and was wishing for an iPod or something similar to distract me. There were some very rocky se4ctions that kept my pace slow and caused problems with the right meniscus tear. I took a long break at Dahlgren, where the free showers are. Thank you, state of Maryland!
Date: 2007-05-08
From: Ensign Cowell Shelter

To: Rocky Mt Shelters
Miles today: 24.7

I had difficulty making myself get up this morning, but once I started walking I found myself unusually full of energy. The fact that the shelters are spaced close together in this section--I went past four!--gave me the illusion of very rapid progress and put me in a excellent mood. So I decided to go ahead and hike farther than I had originally planned, pushing through the afternoon heat during the long, steep ascent from Tumbling Run Shelters. A note: what I had assumed were typos in the Handbook are in fact accurate descriptions; for some reasons, there really are multiple shelters at these southern PA sites.I stopped for water at Pen-Mar and then again at the picnic area after Antietam Shelter, bopth beautiful parks with lush green grass and plenty of shady spots to relax. But the most exciting landmark of the day was an ordinary RR track--which also happened to be the Mason-Dixon Line. I'm waiting to see if Northern Trail Magic rivals that of the South...Rocky Mt Shelters is somewhat less accessible to the public than Tumbling Run, which I like, although it's .2 from the AT with the spring another mile downhill. The privy doesn't stink and there are two little shelters, one for me and one for the SOBO section hiker here. (One of the shleters at Tumbling Run was labelled "Snorers--I took a picture of it). Unfortunately, there's a highway not far off which is quite noisy.
Date: 2007-05-09
From: Rocky Mt Shelters

To: Toms Run Shelters
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: overcast clouds

The fact that I wasn't even slightly chilled when I woke up this morning did not bode well for the day's hike, and the weather met my expectations completely--it was hot, humid, and the Trail was often in direct sun. I couldn't wait to get here. Some clouds built up mid-morning but went away as soon as I put my pack cover on (of course!). Besides the first 2 miles (boulder fields) and the last mile (rocky drainage), the footing was good today; the evil PA faries weren't out last night sharpening rocks with their files. Caledonia, like the other PA parks I've walked through, was an attractive area despite crowds of picnic tables everywhere. Where the Trail left the day-use area, there were signs warning hikers to wear florescent orange. Too bad orange clothing doesn't grow on trees...Quarry Gap Shelter was fantastic, with hanging flower-pots, a chess/checkers set, a windscreen for the cooking area, and a beautiful little creek running right out front. Birch Run, the next set of shelters, was just about as nice; I stopped there for lunch and soaked my head in the stream to cool off before moving on. No sign of others NOBOs today, although I seem to be closing in on Salamander. Truthfully, though, I'm enjoying what solitude I can find out here.
Date: 2007-05-10
From: Toms Run Shelters

To: Backpacker's Campsite
Miles today: 23.1
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning the terrain was gentle, the footing good, and the miles just flew by. I arrived at Pine Grove Furnace before the park was officially open and met the Roaming Gnomes, Penny and Piece of Work, for the first time there. They had stayed at the Ironmaster's hostel. Following their suggestion, I stopped at the Green Mountian General Store for lunch and had a delicious pint of Moose Tracks ice cream along with a cheese sandwich. Some small consolation for missing out on the Half-Gallon Challenge. The sun came out while I was eating and made the hike to the A. Kenndy Shelter much less pleasant than what had come before. Once I got up on the ridge, a thunderstorm--without even blocking the sun--blew up from the west; I kept hiking faster and faster to reach lower elevations before the lightning got bad, but the Trail kept ascending through piles of boulders that required a bit of extra time to navigate. Of course, when I finally did descend, the storm disappeared.The A. Kenndy Shelter was unimpressive after the PATC palaces of the last few days. Still, it has this place beat: the Backpacker's Campsite is just a patch of lightly shaded land between farm fields and a very busy railroad track. Only the porta-toilet distinguishes it from the surrounding area. The trees are spaced wrong for hammocking, which is a problem now that it's raining and thundering like crazy. There's water blowing inside. One guy and his dog are also tenting here; he does trail maintainence and volunteer stuff for ATC.
Date: 2007-05-11
From: Backpacker's Campsite

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: broken clouds

After a particularly sleepless night--3 inches of rain and many trains with headlights blazing into my leaking hammock--I reached Boiling Springs early in the morning, just as the ATC office was opening. The grocery store turned out to be a whole mile away, so I just stocked up on junk food and macaroni at the Getty station before heading to the P.O. There, I made arrangements to get both shoes and bounce box moved to Delaware Water Gap (and also sent a Mother's Day note home). I hung out at the friendly ATC office for about an hour, eating and looking at trail books; the Roaming Gnomes, Wingpants, Long Tall, and more section hikers all showed up. Gary and the pitbull from the campsite were there before I was and he was helping out with the little garden.The Cumberland Valley seems endless -- wheat fields, huge cows, highways, and the sun beating down on it all. I appreciated the pastoral landscape most of the time, but by the end of the day I was ready for the shade and privacy of the woods.Darlington's privy is huge, a 2-seater. Shelter Okay, water source distant and slow-flowing. I realized I left my hammock straps at the stupid campsite. Argh!Three NOBOs here I hadn't met before: Trocher, Conquistador, and Joe from Iowa.
Date: 2007-05-12
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Clarks Ferry Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Duncannon, unlike Harper's Ferry or even Boiling Springs, immediately gives the impression of being populated by regular working-class people living in the present and being friendly without going too far out of their way to do so. A lot of the houses are right up on the street, so old women sitting on their porches would warn us about traffic or just mutter hello as we (myself and two nice section hikers) walked past. I made the bad decision of hiking to the supermarket, .5 miles uphill along a high-speed road without shoulders. Lucky not to get squashed by an SUV. With my pack stuffed full of food, I headed to the Doyle Hotel, an old, large building that had a banner welcoming hikers over the door. The bar was just opening, but it wasn't long before the section hikers and I were eating deliciously greasy food and watching the locals show up for their beers. I paid for shower, laundry, and Internet, and was even given a room key so I'd have some place to leave my gear. "Whatever you need, we'll take care of you" seemed to be the mantra at the Doyle. No, it's not a Holiday Inn Express, but the place has character. I liked it.A steep, hot hike up from the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers. I reached the shelter only minutes before the rain began and spent a lovely evening listening to A Prairie Home Companion with Four Bears and his friend. Hven't laughed so hard since I was hiking with Boogie.
Date: 2007-05-13
From: Clarks Ferry Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 24.3
Weather: clear sky

A long day that felt even longer because my pack is so full. But the temperature was perfect and the terrain not bad; there were certainly some rocky sections, though, and I had a close encounter with a fat rattler hidden in a pile of boulders. The pounding really got to my feet, so the last four miles or so were hobbled. Can¢t wait for those new shoes!No sign of Salamander in the registers since Duncannon. Maybe he got sick or injured?Peters Mt. looked like a nice shelter, but it must have been crowded lst night with two Boy Scout troops and three thru-hikers. There¢s also the miniature ¢Earl Schaffer¢ shelter very close by. There was a mailbox with a register at Yellow Spring Village (it was the only thing there!). Rausch Gap Shelter is small and rather like a dugout ¢ you reach it by going down some stone steps, and the roof is pretty much at ground level. The privy looks new and the water source is awesome ¢ a pipe pouring into a trough only about 10 feet from the shelter. I¢m here with Joe from Iowa and ¢Conqui¢ ¢ we¢re headed to the 501 tomorrow.Ate a huge dinner. Yum. Time to memorize another stanza of the 1st Elegy.
Date: 2007-05-14
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today¢s hike was somewhat rockier than yesterday¢s and seemed to go on and on forever. Joe from Iowa and Conqui left (as usual) before me; they don¢t seem to eat breakfast. by the time I reached the 501, they had already hitched into Pine Grove and back to resupply, but they gave me some Skittles and M&Ms ¢ and, most importantly, a roll of TP. Four Bears, Don, and a guy named Gene were also staying there, so we all piled into Four Bears¢ van and went looking for a place to eat. We ended up at Buddy¢s Family Restaurant, which turned out to have good food at reasonable prices. The breakfast food is especially good.The 501 is the first shelter I¢ve stayed at with a caretaker, but the caretaker was away from home. There was a porta-toilet and a solar shower (cold, since it was located in the woods). The shelter itself is an enclosed building with a huge, pyramidal skylight in the center of the roof; there are bunks, a long table, padded chairs, and books to read. I picked up The Pelican Brief and finished it before heading to bed.A very satisfactory day.
Date: 2007-05-15
From: 501 Shelter

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

A long, hot day with LOTS of pointy rocks ripping at the fabric on the sides of my shoes. The elevation change was negligible but that meant that there were few landmarks of interest and a very high potential for boredom. The sound of gunfire from what must have been a firing range kept me fro falling asleep while walking ¢ and the turkey that went flapping right over my head definitely made me nervous. I wanted one of those ¢Don¢t Shoot! I¢m a Hiker¢ vests.The Trail doesn¢t descend into Port Clinton: it absolutely plummets. I pretty much skied down on the dirt and found myself on a little road beside some railroad tracks, one lined with odd signs I took pictures of. It was a fairly long walk to the free pavilion, and once I got there I found I wasn¢t really comfortable with the idea of staying there alone. Fortunately, a new hostel has opened out of town. A flip-flopper named Nancy called the shuttle and we spent the night at Ye Olde Backpacker Hostel ¢ a free stay with cheap, hot showers, pizza delivery, and (due to a sale at the grocery store) free pints of ice cream. The owners are very friendly and generous; their names are Scott and Tammy, and they have a dachshund that lives in the store.
Date: 2007-05-16
From: Port Clinton

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

The weather report was calling for severe thunderstorms this afternoon, so I decided to just go to the first shelter rather than doing the long ridge walk. Tomorrow will be a record-length day, since I need to meet Scott at 9:00 Saturday morning at Wind Gap for the shuttle into Delaware Water Gap to pick up mail.Scott drove Nancy and me to Hamburg (she needed groceries and I hit the nearby bakery) and then dropped us at the trailhead. It was a steep climb but nowhere near as steep as the descent into Port Clinton. I made it into the shelter less than a minute before the downpour; Joe from Iowa and Conqui showed up a little while later, wet, and Nancy arrived some time later.I saw a bright orange salamander by the privy here. No sign of Sal, though. Nancy (she¢s from Washington state) had never seen a salamander!
Date: 2007-05-17
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 26.5
Weather: broken clouds

My longest day yet. The weather was good, mostly cool and overcast, but the rocks were unbelievable, especially around ¢the Cliffs,¢ which I think was the knife-edge ridge that required both hands to navigate. Bake Oven Knob was also extremely rocky, littered with cigarette butts (easy access for the public) and graffitied in some places. The shelter isn¢t far from the Knob and is most definitely not a PATC palace. It was apparently designed for midgets; the platform isn¢t even long enough for me to stretch out on, much less for tall Joe. No privy either. But I¢m still glad to be here and will probably sleep like a log after being kept awake all night by Nancy¢s snoring, which rivaled Boogie¢s for sure.I took lots of short breaks today and that seemed to help me stay energetic longer. Hopefully the 23+ day tomorrow won¢t feel too bad, although the climb up Blue Mt. from Lehigh Gap is supposed to be terrible.A guidebook note: The spring located 0.5 down from the Allentown HC Shelter can be accessed by going just a little way North on the AT and then taking a well-marked side trail for 0.1. More convenient if one isn¢t staying at the shelter.