morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-07-07
From: Gettysburg, PA

To: Gettysburg, PA
Miles today: 0.0

After a leisurely morning of doing laundry, showering and working on my stuff and drinking real coffee, we toured the Gettysburg battleground in an air conditioned bus. Our guide, Ray, gave a great presentation of the details of the battle, the location of forces, the horror of combat and the number of casualties. The tour took about 2 hours and was very interesting. We were allowed to get out of the bus and walk around the battleground as he explained more things to us. Throughout the entire battleground were dozens and dozens of statues and plaques commemorating various acts of bravery and various groups of fighting soldiers. It was very sobering to be in an area that was so instrumental to our country¢s growth. I loved hearing anything about President Lincoln and I saw where he gave the Gettysburg address, where he stayed the night before, and the train station at which he arrived.We then toured the visitor¢s center on the grounds, which is very new, large and nice. We saw a brief informative movie, diorama of the battlefield, and then toured an extensive museum within the visitor¢s center and saw many artifacts and reviewing many historical moments. This was a fun and educational afternoon with Derek and his family. I did a little shopping later for some supplies and relaxed the rest of the day.
Date: 2012-07-08
From: Gettysburg, PA

To: Up the Trail...
Miles today: 13.6

I was dropped off mid-morning at Boiling Springs and headed up the Trail after saying our goodbyes. Derek and Kim are so much fun and so generous. I am blessed by them and their great kids, Nate and Ellie. We all had a good time.I was reminded that I had forgotten to mention in my blog that on Ellie¢s birthday in early May I was able to call and sing Happy Birthday to her, as I had the other grandchildren on their birthdays.The Trail started easy enough, hiking along farmer¢s fields, and then I came to some slight ups and moderate rocks. Luckily there had been no rain to make them slippery. It is unusual, but there has been no rain for 1 12 weeks. I was able to cover some ground today, but it was very hot and water was again an issue. I met a man named Buck who lives in this area and was out along the Trail. He explained to me his extensive ideas about public transportation and how it would improve this area financially. He had thought this out quite carefully and seemed to be very well versed on this subject.After a little over 13 miles I called it a day and pitched my tent along the Trail.
Date: 2012-07-09
From: Up the Trail...

To: Clarks Ferry Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today¢s hike was much rockier at times, but still dry and flat. The heat has let up a little. I think I am just going to have to get used to the rocky trail. I went into Duncannon and had some beers at the Doyle Hotel and Bar. It is quite a signature place to visit when you are on the Trail. It was apparently built in the 1880s and is one of three hotels built by the Anheuser Busch Company to promote their beer. It has a very nice bar and pool table, as well as rooms to stay. The hotel is somewhat outdated since it was built many years ago, but does still show signs of his former elegance. The hot sunny walk on the AT through the town of Duncannon and then over the very large Susquehanna River and then up into the mountains sobered me up very quickly. It was quite hot walking on concrete through the town and on the bridge.I am spending the night at Clarks Ferry Shelter, which has a resident cat. It is a small gray and black tabby that looks to be 8-9 months old. It is very friendly and the shelter register suggests it has been living here for several weeks. I met a married couple tonight from Missouri, Tarzan and Jane. Jane is an artist and has a website that displays her work. She is a very high class young lady and I believe you would be doing yourself a favor to check out her website at www.jane-johannsen.com where you can see her work. At the shelter were also a couple of hikers I have not seen before, Craw-Daddy and Sampson, as well as Jiffy Pop who came in later. Jiffy Pop had done a 30 mile day. I marvel at these long-legged young people who don¢t think a 30 mile day is incredible!
Date: 2012-07-10
From: Clarks Ferry Shelter

To: Pine Grove, PA
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I believe I am still the oldest person on a thru hike who has not done it before. I have met several men who are 65, including GO Man (Grumpy Old Man), Missouri Mule, Birdman (from Tennessee) and Nooga, from Chattanooga, TN (who is only 64).Tuesday¢s hike was cooler, but still warm. Again, the big problem was water. With all this heat and sweating, you must have plenty of fluids. I filled all of my containers before I started (a little over 3 liters) and it turned out that I had plenty. There were many rocks on the Trail, and big ones! Sometimes you had to climb fairly steep slopes using both your hands and your feet. My day stopped when I crossed a parking lot and saw a group of attractive section hikers. They had a male companion with them who is a pediatrician in the area. I caught a ride with them to Pine Grove, and will be spending the night here. I was able to catch up on my dictations and paperwork while here.
Date: 2012-07-11
From: Pine Grove, PA

To: Hertlein campsite
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: broken clouds

I returned to the Trail Wednesday via a 5 mile uphill road walk on asphalt in the heat. I met a very nice retired couple, Willard and Margie. They were sitting on their porch and of course I stopped and talked to them about my hike. They agreed to mail some postcards for me and gave me a baggie full of cold watermelon before I left.I then went past a place called Paws-n-Claws. It is a pet grooming place and I wondered if they would trim my beard, making me look less like a poodle and more like a yorkie! I hiked on up the road, surprised that I was having difficulty getting a ride as I was trying to hitchhike to the trailhead. Just before I got to the Trail a gentleman named Ron picked me up. He is the father of a gentleman who wrote, ¢A Walk for Sunshine,¢ a book about his thru-hike of the AT 12 or 14 years ago. I have read that book, I have it at home, and I have enjoyed it very much. The author¢s dad was a very interesting fellow, as well. As I look back on it, I think I had a difficult time getting a hike because it was meant to be that I would meet this fellow. Call it Karma, fate or God¢s will¢¦it¢s up to you to decide which to believe.I was able to hike quite a few miles to the Hertlein campsite. On the way I visited 501 Shelter, which is a beautiful, large, clean, spacious shelter that even had a trash can, skylight and solar shower.
Date: 2012-07-12
From: Hertlein campsite

To: North of Fort Clinton, PA
Miles today: 18.0

I am still very water conscious and there are only a few streams still running in Pennsylvania. I met a group from South Carolina today who were doing very well. They are very serious hikers. They have been doing sections of the AT for years and have come this far all the way from Springer Mountain, GA, I believe. Trail names included Eyor, a pediatrician, River Bitch, Pole Dancer, Tinkerbelle, and Beaufort Bombshell! (I can¢t remember the last one¢s name, so I just made that up.)I later caught a ride with a great Trail Angel named Dave, who lives near Pottsville, the hometown of the Yuengling Beer factory. I met him and his wife 10-11 days earlier while sitting at Pine Grove Furnace eating my 12 gallon of ice cream. He offered to come and get me and take me on this little trip to Pottsville at that time. He took me to the Yuengling Brewery, which is just a few miles away. It¢s the oldest brewery in the US, established in 1829 and solely family owned. I took the tour and learned very much about beer making. The history of the company is very interesting, the beer is very tasty, and of course at the end of the tour we tasted a couple different flavors. Our tour guide, Melissa, was very outgoing, friendly and knowledgeable. My Trail Angel Dave returned me to Fort Clinton after I bought our lunch. He even gave me time to run into a store and restock some of my groceries. When I got back to Fort Clinton I had another beer at a bar and then headed back up the Trail to the next shelter where I met Kleenex, Nooga, Bandana, Tarzan and Jane, Slow Foot. Earlier I met a thru-hiker named Bright Flower. She has a sister who lives in my hometown of Noblesville, Indiana. I also met Kokopelli, TeePee, and HiKing.
Date: 2012-07-13
From: North of Fort Clinton, PA

To: Further north of Fort Clinton, PA
Miles today: 19.0

On Friday I managed to get in some more good miles. I met a gentleman named Mick who is an avid Grateful Dead fan. He was very knowledgeable about the Grateful Dead and the history of the eastern part of Pennsylvania. I also met a large black snake on the Trail. He seemed uninterested in me and I just let him pass.An average day for me includes waking up in my tent around 5 a.m., eating something, making instant coffee or tea, and then stuffing everything into my pack. I plan my day according to the next water source and the number of miles to the next shelter or town. Each day is different and comes with its own peculiarities. I meet people along the Trail and I like to talk to them if they are willing. I meet a lot of section hikers on the weekend who are out for a hike for a few hours and are always interesting to talk to. If I¢m running low on food, I go into town to resupply and maybe even take a shower and do laundry. I am more likely to hike until a certain time as opposed to a certain place. If I have done a lot of hiking and it is 6:30 or 7:00, I will look for a flat spot to pitch my tent. I generally like to pitch my tent with the entrance facing east so I can see the sunrise the following morning. I may have some more tea and write in my journal until dark. I do enjoy looking into distant valleys and seeing houses with lights twinkling in the trees in the darkness of the night. I sleep solidly for 4-5 hours and then just doze until the birds start singing me awake again.
Date: 2012-07-14
From: Further north of Fort Clinton, PA

To: Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 19.0

I had a good hike Saturday, but it was very rocky and I had to be careful of both big and little rocks. It was dry and not too hot. My hike took me to Palmerton, PA where the town very kindly offers a free hostel in the basement of the town jail. It was quite a unique arrangement. There are many bunks and a shower and they even provided towels. A great diner and Laundromat were across the street, so everything was centrally located.Palmerton is famous for its poisoning of the environment due to zinc smelting that occurred from 1898 until 1980. The area is referred to as the Palmerton Super Fund site, where they have been vigorously trying to implement reforestation and regrowth of the trees and grasses that were killed by zinc poisoning. It looks to me like it is recovering nicely, although I did see areas where there was still nothing growing.I liked the people I met here and it is a very pleasant small town. I was able to call Olivia, my granddaughter who turned 9 today, and was able to sing Happy Birthday to her. So far I have missed the birthdays of 6 of my grandchildren while on the hike, but I have been able to call each one and sing to them on their birthday. There will be 2 more birthdays of grandchildren that I will miss, and perhaps 3, depending on how the hike goes.
Date: 2012-07-16
From: North of Palmerton, PA

To: Delaware Water Gap, NJ
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: scattered clouds

I am in New Jersey now and so far the hike has been very pleasant. There are still a lot of rocks, but less than in Pennsylvania. When I think of New Jersey I think of the crowds along the ocean, however I am in the western area of the state and it still feels very remote. The Delaware River is nice and clean and has a lot of canoeists. The Trail took me by Sunfish Pond, a unique place because of its remote location, high elevation and relatively high acid content which limits the types of fish that can live in it.I hiked over Kittatinny Mountain from the visitor¢s center and met several day hikers and section hikers. One told me of a bear cub in a tree a short distance away. Although I hurried up to see it, it was already gone. New Jersey has a very large number of bears, more than most of the other states on a bear per acre average.I made it to Delaware Water Gap midmorning after a brief resupply. I am trying to avoid overloading my food bag as it is just extra weight and now towns are becoming more frequent and more readily accessible. The Trail gets more expensive the further north you go because of the higher cost of living for the locals. Cheap rooms, cheap food, showers, laundromats, etc. are probably a thing of the past. I met two groups of young people with the organization known as Outward Bound. There were perhaps 10 in each group. They were very boisterous and had many questions for me. They were going to hike 4-5 days and then canoe for 4-5 days. It sounded like great fun.I am spending the night camped at the Mohican Outdoor Center, a very nice, clean, spacious place with all sorts of outdoor activities.
Date: 2012-07-17
From: Delaware Water Gap, NJ

To: Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 21.6

The Trail in New Jersey continues to pleasantly surprise me. There are a few rocks, but not so many. It is relatively flat and passes or overlooks many ponds. It feels remote here. One pond has a large beaver lake, complete with beaver lodge, dam and many lily pads.I caught a ride with my latest Trail Angel, Gabe. He is quite a colorful character and is a punk rock musician, hunter and gatherer by trade and is quite an interesting conversationalist. For about 7 years he lived in Nashville, Tennessee while trying to get his music career going. He mostly lived in his van, which I guess reflects on how his career was going. I bought us dinner at a pizza place.Tonight I am staying at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Vernon, NJ. They have a hiker hostel in the basement and generously allow hikers to make themselves at home. There is a chore box and hikers are supposed to select a chore and do that chore to help keep the church clean. They do allow us to use their kitchen, laundry facilities and shower. The basement is hot since there was no air conditioning. While here I met Preacher Man, ENT, Gumby, the Troverts (who I had met earlier), and Coach, a section hiker who lives in Noblesville, Indiana.
Date: 2012-07-18
From: Vernon, NJ

To: North of Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 21.6

It was very hot yesterday, so it was difficult to sleep last night in the church basement with no air conditioning. I left Vernon when I caught a ride with a church member who gave ENT and myself back to the Trailhead. ENT headed south, while I headed north. Today¢s hike was cut short by a very intense storm with lots of rain, thunder and nearby lightning. It sounded like the thunder was straight overhead. The lightning bolts were frequent. I hustled through the woods as quickly as I could to make it to the shelter. I was glad I got there, even though I was totally soaked. Crockadilly and Papa Wolf arrived later with their 2 dogs, Mojo and Sky. The dogs are brothers, probably Golden Retrievers, and very well behaved. They take very good care of their dogs. The dogs carry their own food and water in a backpack made especially for dogs. Thirty-Pack was also there briefly before he walked out into the rain as he was in a hurry to get to visit New York City in a few days.Because of the ongoing rain, I decided to stay in the shelter except for a brief walk when I went to a nearby state park to get some water for us.
Date: 2012-07-19
From: North of Vernon, NJ

To: New York
Miles today: 21.6

Today I left early and hiked to Greenwood Lake, a great small town on a large lake. I was hungry and thirsty, so stopped at an excellent dining establishment called Murphy¢s. Some people around the bar, including the former owner, Mr. Murphy, were interested in my hike. Mr. Murphy generously bought me a beer, Yuengling, of course. The food was delicious and the great bartender, Peggy, is the aunt of a famous baseball player for the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter!After lunch I caught a ride back to the Trail from Peggy¢s husband, Frank, and resumed my hike. New York hiking has been rocky, too, but the Trail likes to go over all the rock slabs it can find. Many places I had to use my hands and feet. There was one place where they had a ladder that you had to use to even get started up the steep incline.This part of New York feels remote, although New York City is only about 50 miles away. I hear a lot of airplane traffic, but I can¢t see it because I am primarily in the woods. I passed a side trail called the New York Long Path. It is 62 miles and takes you to downtown Manhattan. If the weather cooperates I might be able to see the NYC skyline tomorrow from the mountain tops.I am camping on a moss bed not far from the Trail.
Date: 2012-07-20
From: New York

To: A town in New York
Miles today: 21.6

It rained all last night and continued today, raining quite hard at times. I hadn¢t yet dried out completely from the rain two days ago. I had to pack up my gear in the rain this morning, so it all got wet, which made my pack much heavier. It is really cold today. At one point I was so cold and wet that I took advantage of a vacant house with a carport. I went under the carport to get out of the rain. I took off my pack and boiled some water for coffee. I walked around in circles while drinking my coffee in an effort to get warm. I ate some candy for the calorie content and that and the coffee warmed me up enough that I could walk a few more miles into town where I got a room.I am basically out of food, so I will do a brief resupply while in town. The best thing was taking a hot shower. I spread out all my gear and cleaned and dried it, wrote in my journal, called family and friends, and planned my next section. The bed feels great. It is so nice to take a break as it has been a number of days since I have slept under a roof.
Date: 2012-07-21
From: A town in New York

To: Fahnestock State Park, New York
Miles today: 21.6

I had an early breakfast today as the motel served free breakfast. I packed up and left about 10:00 a.m. after having a second free breakfast. I walked to Ft. Montgomery and visited a trailside museum and zoo which is free to through-hikers such as me. The lowest point on the entire AT is in the bear cage inside this zoo. After leaving the zoo I walked across Bear Mountain Bridge, which is very large and very solidly made. It is quite high up over the Hudson River. I was surprised at how large the river is. It is very picturesque with private boats and passenger trains busy on and near the river. West Point Academy is very near here. I met many day-hikers today because it was a beautiful day to be outdoors. Some were from NYC out to camp, some were out fishing on a large lake, and some were just out hiking. I met Rich, who hikes a lot in this area. I also met Charles, who gave me his card and encouraged me to contact him later if I wanted to write a book because he knows someone in NYC who might be able to help. I also talked to a dental student from Manhattan named Jahni and a friend of his. There were several other small groups and families who were enthusiastic about my hike and experiences. Since I am hiking alone, I enjoy these conversations.I was unable to visit the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center as I had more miles I needed to do. I hear it is a beautiful place. It is a Franciscan Monastery where hikers are permitted to stay for free. There is a picnic shelter and water, showers and other conveniences that are also provided for free.Of note, I have started seeing SOBO¢s, which stands for south-bounders. These are people who started the AT hike on the northern terminus at Mount Katahdin and are headed south, ending at the spot where I started. Most of them started in late May and anticipate being done in October or November. They were very interesting to talk to and it was encouraging to talk to other who have completed the section I am about to start.I continued to the Fahnestock State Park where there were many people camping, boating, and enjoying the great weather. I pitched my tent along the west side of Canopus Lake so I can look east over the lake in anticipation of a beautiful sunrise tomorrow morning. The bullfrogs are keeping me company.
Date: 2012-07-22
From: Fahnestock State Park, New York

To: Stormville, New York
Miles today: 11.0

I enjoyed a beautiful sunrise over the Canopus Lake this morning. It was hard to get going, but I was finally able to get packed up and head out. The terrain here is hilly and rocky. There are many mad-made rock walls. I don¢t know when or why these walls were made, but perhaps they are the result of a farmer¢s effort to clear the area for crops many years ago.I met a pleasant young man on top of Shenandoah Mountain at the site where the American flag is painted on the rocks in memory of the events of 09/11. He was reading his Bible on this Sunday morning and contemplating various things. He lives near the area and likes to come to the top of the mountain to read and reflect. We had a nice conversation. I stopped at the RPH shelter for a brief rest and a snack. It¢s a large stone building with doors, windows and concrete walls. As shelters go, it was very nice. The grounds were well taken care of. The water from the pump next to the shelter was brown, but after I treated it chemically it tasted pretty good.Further down the Trail I met a couple of female medical students who were taking a break at a vista overlooking the valley. I chatted with them for a while and they had lots of questions about medicine, what they might enjoy studying, and about my hike. I came to the Mountaintop Deli in Stormville, New York to pick up 2 packages, but only one was here. I had to pitch my tent behind the deli and will wait until tomorrow for the next package to be delivered. This seems like a big waste of time, but I am sure the rest will do me good.
Date: 2012-07-23
From: Stormville, New York

To: Pawling, New York
Miles today: 11.1

It stormed all night again. The second package finally arrived this afternoon, so I was able to load up and take off from the deli. My daughter sent me some shorts she thought I needed, as well as some other things I had requested. The shorts look and feel good and I am glad to have them.As I was hiking I came past the Dover Oak Tree. It¢s the largest oak tree on the AT with a circumference of 20-feet. The Trail took me across a large swamp with a very large, attractive wooden walkway that had recently been built. The Trail maintainers and workers in this area have done an excellent job making the Trail safe for hikers. On the far side of the long wooden bridge was the AT railroad station. This unique, tiny train station has a bench with room for 6-8 people to sit and wait for the commuter train to pick them up and take them to NYC. It only stops for hikers on Saturday and Sunday, but otherwise the tracks are very busy with many commuter trains coming and going at a high rate of speed. Hikers have the option of riding the train from here to downtown NYC. This is something unique that the railroad has made available to the hikers. Several of my hiker friends have taken advantage of this opportunity and had a great time in NYC.Just past the train station is the Native Landscapes and Garden Center. The owner is very hiker-friendly and lets us camp on his property in the back part of the lot. He also lets us use his water and take a shower there.   I am camping here tonight. The only negative is that the area where we can camp is just a few feet from the railroad track and a few feet from the busy highway, so all night long one can hear cars traveling back and forth and then in the morning the commuter trains can be heard zipping by.