morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-09
From: Ed Garvey Shelter

To: Motel 6, Hagerstown, MD
Miles today: 24.1

It poured rain all night and stormed pretty hard for a while. The shelter was one of the nicest I have seen so far with two stories and a balcony. We were on the 2nd story and slept very well because of the rain. There was a heavy wooden door that went outside and it slammed closed when the storm started in the middle of the night. There was a slightly creepy man in the shelter with us and it was pretty scary being woken up that way. We slept in a bit due to the rain and finally hit the trail at 8 am. We walked to the car about 4 miles away and ate really good sausage, egg, and bacon bagel sandwiches that Hannah made and froze before she came down. I decided I really wanted to run for a while so we made a plan and Hannah took my pack. It was pouring rain and cold when I started and only rained harder and got colder as I went. The rocks were really slippery and there were lots of them so running was tough. It was nice to run though because I haven¢t been able to since I hit the trail and it is a huge part of my life. When I got to the road crossing where Hannah and I were supposed to meet she wasn¢t there. It was 11 miles of trail and I had done it in 2 hours so she should have been there before I got there. I waited in the rain for about 40 minutes in just my shorts and t-shirt at 45 degrees and I was starting to get hypothermic. I didn¢t know what to do because I didn¢t have a phone or any gear and I didn¢t want to leave in case Hannah showed up. I was getting a bit worried and irritated when she walked up the road. It turned out there was a second spot where the trail crossed the same road just a little ways up. It was an unfortunate miscommunication, but had been pretty crappy and left me cold, hungry, and feeling bad. Hannah had lunch all ready for me and the car was warm, so I was feeling better in no time, but my motivation was shot. I decided to run another 10 miles so I would still be able to cover some real miles and we would get a cheap hotel in a nearby town. The next ten miles went much better than the first. I was tired after running over 20 miles, which uses different muscles than hiking. Hannah met me a mile from the end and we walked back to the car together. I drank some tang as she drove to Hagerstown, MD, the nearest city, and called hotels for prices. We got a room at the motel 6 and cleaned up and rested a bit before walking across the street to Olive Garden for dinner. It was a bit pricey, but the food was so good and filling, it was definitely worth it. It was nice to eat for flavors and not calories. Came back to the room and watched National Treasure on TV and rested. This bed is pretty comfy and I can feel a good night¢s sleep coming. The plan isn¢t really being stuck to right now, as I am enjoying more luxury than I intended but my motivation was getting low so it¢s helping my cause.
Date: 2008-05-10
From: Motel 6, Hagerstown, MD

To: MD 77
Miles today: 0.0

An unplanned and unexpected zero day. We intended to do 10 miles, but it just didn¢t work out. We slept in a bit and didn¢t get moving until 10 pm. We packed up and planned out next week. We decided to move the car 100 miles ahead to Duncannon, PA, and hitch-hiked back to the trail and hike forward to the car. So we left Hagerstown for Duncannon with a quick stop at Chik-fil-A for lunch. We need those up north ¢ they have pretty good food for fast-food. It was a nice drive to Duncannon. It¢s so refreshing covering ground that I don¢t have to walk, even though I am eventually going to have to walk that distance anyway. We got to Duncannon and parked at the Doyle Hotel because they are so hiker oriented. The owners were great ¢ really helpful. After finalizing our gear and food and making a sign that read ¢Appalachian Trail hikers back to trail¢ we hit the highway. It was slow going and it took us 5 rides to get to Gettysburg. We didn¢t think we would make it by dark. We stood on the road that runs through the Civil War battlefield for over 40 minutes trying to get a ride. It was really cool standing there, in the midst of so much history. It made me feel more connected to the past and to our nation¢s heritage. We finally got a ride out of town and 2 rides later we were back on the trail, just as the sun was setting. A few people were really nice and went out of their way to get us back. We caught rides from lots of different people, including a mother and her two young children. It reminds me that people can be so great and do such amazing things for you and that I should always try to pay these favors forward. We¢re camped in the cow pasture , my first night in a tent on the trail. We¢re not far from the road, but it¢s the only place that¢s not strewn with rocks. It¢s been an exhausting day even though I didn¢t hike any.
Date: 2008-05-11
From: MD 77

To: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: few clouds

Kind of a generic day on the trail. Woke up early but laid in bed for awhile. The high humidity made lots of condensation in the tent, but all of our gear stayed dry. The hiking was easy with no huge climbs. A lot of rocks, but we made it through with no incidents. Ate a big breakfast of pop-tarts, cold cereal, and oatmeal. The weather was cold and overcast, no great views so it was just a day of walking. We crossed into Pennsylvania and over the Mason-Dixon line. I am officially in the North. We got to the shelter early, but it had started raining and looked like it was going to pick up so we decided not to move on. The rain stopped for a while and we lit a campfire, which has been a rare occurrence so far on this trip, but the rain came back and we lost interest. We ate the best trail meal I have had yet. Spaghetti with dehydrated sauce that Hannah made. Now I am full and watching the rain. It¢s early, but feels good to get more rest. Happy mother¢s day mom. I love you and really appreciate all of your love and support.
Date: 2008-05-12
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: light rain

What a miserable day. It got really cold last night, right around 40 degrees and the wind kept blowing mist into the shelter. When we woke up it was still pouring rain so it was tough getting moving. We didn¢t get on the trail until 9:15 am and the rain barely let up all day. The trail was rocky and was treacherous in the rain. The temperature didn¢t rise much and made for some of the worst hiking so far. I think it is the contrast between this and the warm beautiful days I¢ve seen recently that made it seem so bad. By lunch time my hands were so cold they were barely functioning and I had a hard time opening packages and using my spork. We didn¢t stop long because we were freezing. We went through a state park and found an open bathroom and used the hand-dryer to warm up. The rain kept up and the whole trail turned into a river. The streams we crossed were flooding and there was water everywhere. My feet got soaked and it was very trying on my patience and motivation. Made it to the shelter by 5:30 pm and got dry clothes on and a big hot meal and felt much better. It¢s still raining an tomorrow doesn¢t look like it¢s going to be much better ¢ hopefully it will at least warm up. At least I am still moving north and it¢s nice to have Hannah here to help me deal with the bad weather.
Date: 2008-05-13
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Tagg Run Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

Not the day I was expecting after yesterday and definitely a huge improvement. Didn¢t sleep that well last night even after the long day the rain drumming on the roof. It got really cold during the night. The thermometer on my watch said 34.6 degrees at one point. After the cold, restless night we slept in a bit and didn¢t even get out of our bags until almost 8 am. The day that broke was the complete opposite of the one that went down last evening. It was warm and sunny and I laid in my bag watching the mist burn away as the sun rose. I spread my gear everywhere in the sun to dry it out after yesterday¢s deluge. We didn¢t get on trail until 10:20 am because it was so nice just sitting around waiting for things to dry. The shelter was in a sunny meadow with a creek and was about all you could ask for to recover from yesterday. When we finally hit the trail it was either a 6 inch deep stream that ran for miles or a series of foot deep ponds filled with muck that extended off into the woods, so I spent the day hopping rocks and trying to keep my feet dry but they ended up soaked anyway. I officially crossed the halfway point just after lunch. It is a tradition for thru-hikers to eat a half-gallon of ice cream at the halfway point, but my guidebook said that the store that sells the half-gallons was open only on weekends before memorial day and it is a Tuesday so I assumed it was closed and resigned myself to doing the half-gallon challenge at the next town. I ate a hearty lunch and was both delighted and terrified to find the storeowner was just about to close the shop when we walked past. My stomach was pretty full from lunch, but as it is a tradition, I decided to go for it anyway. I got a half-gallon of cherry ice cream and Hannah got some type of over-stuffed peanut butter and we retired to the front porch of the store to eat. It took me a while, but I managed to eat the entire thing. Hannah ate 2/3 of her half-gallon before deciding she didn¢t have anything to prove and didn¢t want to make herself sick because she wasn¢t a thru-hiker anyway. The ice cream made my stomach feel pretty bad and made the last 7 miles to the shelter tough. I am a little concerned about the after effects of that much dairy ¢ I¢ve heard some gruesome stories. Managed to get to the shelter by 7:15 pm and ate a good dinner. I am feeling good. I have some poison ivy, but my feet and muscles are feeling good after all of the rest lately. It¢s nice to see more miles behind me than ahead and the beautiful weather today made me feel really good.
Date: 2008-05-14
From: Tagg Run Shelter

To: Doyle Hotel, Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Short day with nice weather and easy trail. Hannah was really sore after the few long, cold days and her back was hurting so we decided to hike into Boiling Springs, PA and then hitch hike back to the car and stay in the hotel. The hike was nice, no big climbs and some really cool big rock features. Had to do some climbing and squeeze around and between boulders. It was fun and a nice change from the usual trail. Saw a big black snake in the trail and it just slithered away like we weren't there, it was in no hurry. Got into Boiling Springs around noon and ate at a local restaurant. The trail comes into town through a nice park and winds around a lake. It is an old tourist town with really well kept historical buildings. It was one of the nicest towns I've seen so far. The "boiling" spring is actually just cold water bubbling up and wasn't particularly impressive. We hitched the 30 miles to Duncannon in 3 easy and good rides. It's fun hitching because you get to meet some locals and experience some off trail culture along the way. Once we were back in Duncannon we checked into the Doyle Hotel. Then we bought some junk food at the grocery store. The Doyle is a famous hiker stop due to its low cost and laid back attitude. It's kind of run-down and shabby, but really friendly and overall a nice place. After a hot shower we ate at the hotel bar. The food was awesome. We're crashing early after laying in bed for a while and reading and eating the snacks we bought. It was a short day and I have taken more of those recently, but they are good for me after so many long days and they help both Hannah and I enjoy this part of the hike. Plus, it's back to big mileage soon.
Date: 2008-05-15
From: Doyle Hotel, Duncannon, PA

To: Doyle Hotel
Miles today: 25.6

Slept in and got a really good night's rest. We decided Hannah could use a day off so she drove me back to Boiling Springs and I was going to finish the 25 miles to the Doyle by myself. We ate breakfast at a little place across the street from the hotel. Hannah felt a little sick to her stomach as soon as we left and by the time she dropped me off she was looking pretty bad. I hiked a flat, easy 13 miles to a road crossing to meet Hannah for lunch. When we did this before she hiked back to meet me so we could hike together a while but it didn't work out like that this time. She was really sick with what we think was food poisoning when I got there. I ate a quick lunch and she drove back to the hotel to rest. I finished my hike and pulled into Duncannon at about 6 pm. Hannah was feeling better, but she was still a little pukey and had a fever. I took a shower and we went down the street to a pizza plaace for dinner. I ate and entire 14 inch pizza and she had part of a salad on account of still feeling sick. We came back to the hotel and are just going to go to bed so that Hannah can get more rest.
Date: 2008-05-16
From: Doyle Hotel

To: Doyle Hotel
Miles today: 0.0

Worst day of the trip by far. As soon as I finished writing last night I had to get up and run to the bathroom and get really sick. I got almost no sleep and developed a pretty bad fever. I think I have the same thing Hannah has, but it has been much harder on me. I couldn't even hold down water so I've gotten really dehydrated. When I woke up this morning I wasn't feeling any better so there was no way I could hike. fortunately Hannah was feeling a little better and is taking really good care of me. I am really lucky to have her here. She went to the grocery store to get me some food that I might be able to keep down and all I ate until 6 pm was peaches and strawberry wafer cookies. She also got me some pedialyte to help with the dehydration. It made such a big difference. I was still dizzy and could hardly get out of bed. I slept most of the day but was feeling a little better by dinner time so we drove the 10 miles into Harrisburg, PA for dinner. I didn't realize how big it was going to be and we got a little lost a few times. By the time we got back I was still feeling pretty sick and got straight into bed. I am going to sleep early and hopefully I'll be healthy enough to hike some and move the car tomorrow. I am so glad Hannah is here. Being sick a long way from home is tough and doing it alone would've been so much harder.
Date: 2008-05-17
From: Doyle Hotel

To: Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: few clouds

Slept well last night and it made a world of difference. I didn't feel my best when I woke up, but I felt much better than I did yesterday. We decided to move on and started organizing for the next 4 days of hiking. I hiked 7 miles and met Hannah at a road crossing to make sure I was going to be able to handle it. I felt pretty weak from not eating much yesterday, but good enough. Hannah got our gear and food all organized while I hiked and she picked me up at the road crossing. Then we drove to Port Clinton, PA where we were leaving the car for the next few days. I broke the tip on one of my poles in the morning so we stopped in Port Clinton's outfitter, Ye Olde Backpacker, to get it fixed. The kid who fixed the pole was the owner's son, a 15 year old know-it-all who had never really done any hiking. He ripped me off by replacing a pole segment unnecessarily and replacing the new tip I got in Harper's Ferry and charging me for two tips when I didn't actually need any at all because there was a free on with the pole segment. I was pretty mad and out 15 bucks. We hit the highway and almost immediately got a ride halfway back to the trail. It took 3 more tries and 4 more hours including an hour and a half spent just standing in Pine Grove, PA with our thumbs out and a ride that dropped us off at a dead end where we had to hurdle across the median of the interstate, but we got back to the trail with just enough time to hike the 3 miles into the nearest shelter. We got in just before dark and the rain that had been falling on and off all day really started picking up. The shelter is nearly full, which is a surprise as I haven't seen many hikers recently. I still feel a bit weak and sick, but I am happy to be back on the trail after a long stint in Duncannon.
Date: 2008-05-18
From: Peters Mountain Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: light rain

A long, miserable, cold, rainy day. Woke up at a decent hour, but laid in bed for a while because our mileage wasn't very big for the day. It rained all day. It was a light sprinkle as we packed and turned into a downpour as we hit the trail at about 8:45 am. The trail was easy with no real climbs and only a few short rocky sections. It was cold, 50 degrees maybe, and a soaking rain so the hiking was anything but comfortable. We decided to push on and not stop for lunch since we were cold moving and going to freeze if we stopped. By the time we got to the shelter at 3:30 pm we were soaked, cold, and starving. We could have hiked further, but the next shelter is 14 miles away and there are almost no campsites in this area due to the rocks. We started drying out and ate a huge meal in the shelter. The rain isn't letting up, but we are comfortably relaxing in our sleeping bags so it doesn't matter. It was a tough day, but it's ending well. I am dry, warm, well-fed, and relaxing listening to the birds and the ipod. it's nice to end a miserable day of hiking so well.
Date: 2008-05-19
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke up to much nicer weather than yesterday. Sun was out and there was a heavy mist after all of the rain. Hit the trail and immediately had to cross a fairly large river that used to have a bridge but now is just a ford. The old bridge is a stone arch that is starting to crumble so the rerouted the trail to avoid it. The river was swollen to twice its normal size due to all the heavy rain and the crossing was sketchy. I hopped rocks across and just barely made it because many of the rocks were six or more feet apart. It was super tough and the rocks were way too far apart for Hannah's little legs so we walked upstream looking for another spot where Hannah could cross. We found an acceptable spot and just as Hannah was about to start crossing, the two flip flop hikers who were in the shelter with us last night came up and asked Hannah if they could cross where she was crossing. Hannah made it across fine but the flip floppers both fell in on their first steps and the woman started crying. I felt a little bad, but it was hard not to laugh. The rest of the day was easy and uneventful. It rained on and off, the trail was flat and easy, and hiking went fast. The shelter tonight is very cool. It has 4 walls and a huge skylight. There are solar showers out back and a caretaker who runs it. It is nice being inside because it's supposed to get cold again tonight.
Date: 2008-05-20
From: 501 shelter

To: Port Clinton Pavilion
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

Strange day full of ups and downs. I woke up with a total lack of motivation. It was cold and raining on and off and I didn't feel like leaving the comfort of my bag. We ate a big breakfast and hung around. Just as we started packing up, planning on doing the 15 miles to the next shelter, Hampton came into the shelter. I haven't seen him in weeks so it was a nice surprise. he talked us into doing the 23 miles into Port Clinton and we hit the trail at about 10 am. It was pouring rain and about 40 degrees. As the day progressed it never warmed up and only rained harder and harder. It was miserable, some of the worst hiking if the trip. By the time we got to the next shelter we were borderline hypothermic. We ate a hot meal and sent Mike and Hampton ahead with the keys to the car. They were still gonna hike into Port Clinton, but Hannah and I decided to call it a day and still wanted to hang out with them tonight so they agreed to drive back and meet us at the next road crossing. We rested at the shelter for a while then trudged back into the cold and rain, never having really warmed up or dried out. The road was a mile away but we had to walk 2 miles down the road to a gate so they could pick us up. By the time we got halfway down the road the sun had come out and we warmed up. We should have hiked into Port Clinton, but oh well. When they picked us up we drove back to town and ate at the Port Clinton hotel. They had big burgers and I felt pretty good after dinner. We decided to split a hotel room for the nightand spent the next 2 hours driving around to everywhere within 20 miles of the trail but we couldn't find any rooms for less than $109. This was way out of our price range so we went back to Port Clinton and are now sleeping in the town pavilion which they leave open for hikers. I was really looking forward to a shower and it is getting cold, but ar least I am dry. Looks like more rain for the next couple days.
Date: 2008-05-21
From: Port Clinton Pavilion

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 21.9
Weather: scattered clouds

A much nicer day than yesterday. It rained, but it wasn't nearly as bad. Slept really well in the pavilion even though it was sandwiched between the highway and the railroad tracks. The long, crappy day and cold weather made for one of the best night's sleep in a while. We slept late and went to a local restaurant for breakfast. We all ate and extraordinary amount of food and Mike and Hampton left with Don Juan, another thru-hiker to continue on North. I should catch them in a few days. Hannah drove me back to where we got off the trail yesterday and hiked with me for a little while before heading back to the car. I hiked 7 miles into Port Clinton where Hannah met me for lunch. We are mac and cheese and Hannah hiked with me for a little while before I took off to finish the day and get to a shelter that she could drive to. The last 15 miles were rocky and it rained on and off, but there were some of the best views in PA. Hannah hiked in from the shelter and met me about 2 miles from the end. She had dinner ready when I got here. The shelter is another 4 walled building with a caretaker. This one is much smaller and is nearly full tonight. It's nice being inside because it looks like it's going to be cold again tonight.
Date: 2008-05-22
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Jailhouse hostel, Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 24.8

Slept well inside last night and got out at a better time than the past few days. It was another day of mixed rain and sunshine. The infamous PA rocks seemed to start today. Not as bad as the rumors, but pretty rocky. It made the hike more interesting. I met Hannah again for lunch about halfway and she had soup waiting for me. It¢s so nice having a hot lunch from time to time. Hiked the last 15 miles and met Hannah a few miles from the end. She had met some hikers who gave her a trail magic beer for me. I drank the beer as we walked back to the car. The hike had some long boulder fields and some decent views with no big climbs so it was nice. We ate at Burger King and drove into Palmerton to stay at a free hostel. The city lets backpackers stay in the basement of some community building for free and it has showers and heat so it¢s a really great deal. You have to register with a cop before you go in so it is known as the ¢Jailhouse hostel¢. Hannah and I went to register and the police station was closed. We waited over an hour for a cop to let us in, but after a shower it was worth it. We have the place to ourselves. It¢s a little eerie in this big building but really nice. With all the luxury lately I am starting to feel I¢ve gone soft. We¢re taking a short day and getting a hotel tomorrow since it¢s Hannah¢s last day here. I will be forced back to big days and regular trail life when she leaves, but between her and my folks, it has been great having visitors.