morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-06-24
From: Carlisle, PA

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Day #72 On The Trail!With only 14 miles to hike today on predominantly flat terrain, I figured it was a good day to take advantage of being in a real bed and to sleep in a bit. And then our gracious host Laura dropped us at a grocery near to the trail. Thanks again friend.And the rest of the day was a breeze. Easy terrain, through wheat, corn and cattle fields, with several road crossings and a decent climb up to the shelter.Upon arriving, I encountered a lady I had met early on in my trip (day 5?) who was out doing another batch of section hiking. Last time I saw her, she was out with a friend for 10 days, feasting on super delicious homemade dehydrated meals. Not much has changed. She even hooked me up with some dehydrated zucchini and sweet potato and corn soup. Thanks dot-com.Tomorrow, I have to zoom 11 miles into Duncannon to get to the post office before it closes at noon. And then we may delay at the historic Doyle Hotel. Or we may go on.Tally-hoblog directory
Date: 2011-06-25
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Clark's Ferry Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day #73 On The Trail!Having to boogie 11 miles into town today to get to the post office, I decided that I would drink another one of those 7 hour energy mini-drinks as I started hiking. I cruised in very quickly wth some nice pep in my step, arriving after a little over 3 hours. Hooo-wheee.Duncannon is not so much a beautiful town, and while it does have a faint tinge of charm, most of the buildings seem well worn into a state of decay. Case in point: The Doyle Hotel, an establishment of seedy repute, notorious for good times and dirty beds. We caught up with some friends who had stayed the night before and heard tales of chicanery from the night before, and made the immediate decision not to linger too long.So, I had a 1/2 pound cheeseburger, went up to the local grocer and cruised right on out after a minimal delay. Still, it proved a tricky escape, with close to two miles walking on sidewalks and across the Susquehanna River via the interstate bridge. Even though the terrain was rocky and uphill, it was fantastic to be back in the woods.The notoriously rocky section of PA has begun, but hopefully we can squeze 25 miles in tomorrow. And maybe we will see a rattlesnake or two, as they are prevalent in the area.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-06-26
From: Clark's Ferry Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 24.8
Weather: broken clouds

Day #74 On The Trail!Big mile days always seem like a blur. But not so much because a lot of stuff happened that it's too hard recall it all. It's more due to the fact that most of the day was spent head down, nose to the grindstone, cranking out the miles. Still, today was good. A-Game have currently found ourselves getting more and more ahead of 'the bubble,' with most people we know somewhere behind us, and not too many directly ahead. But we did catch back up with C-Spike today, which was nice. And I got to meet Sparky, a fellow trail journals user.At one point today, we came across a group of people out doing snake studies for the fish and wildlife service. They had a rattle snake trapped in a canvas bag, and pointed out to us where 4 copper heads were hiding along a 10 foot section of the trail. Camoflauged buggers, those copperheads.I hiked the last 8 miles with C-Spike today, and we had the great fortune of seeing a black bear cruise through the woods for a moment. It ran away as soon as it detected our presence, so no photos.So far, the rocks have been fairly minor here in PA. We shall see what is ahead I guess.Tomorrow, there is a rumor that we can order pizza from the 501 shelter. Perfect.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-06-27
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Day #75 On The Trail!Today was a three cheeseburger day. Cool stuff. Plus some other things happened.The morning began with some lethargy, as I followed the urge to sleep in until 7:30. And then we didn't get hiking until close to 9. But with only 17 miles to do, this was allowable.About an hour into our hike, A-Game made the comment that we hadn't received any good trail magic since leaving Virginia. Not that it's always to be expected, but it sure is nice every once in a while. 5 minutes later, as we passed under the interstate, there was a sign that pronounced: 'hiker feed, 100 yards.' And sure enough, along wth C-Spike, we were treated to a feast of sodas, burgers and other treats courtesy of JZ, super-hiker extraordinaire. JZ is a triple crowner and avid long distance hiker, hiking the PCT several times since 1977, and has done the AT, and the beast of them all, the CDT in 2002. He spends a few days a week blesing hikers with his cookery. I had two cheeseburgers, topped with hashbrowns, ketchup, mustard and fried eggs. Thanks JZ.We also saw a 4 foot long rattle snake in the trail today, that coiled up and shook it's tail at us, refusing to leave the trail. We detoured around it through the woods.Another milestone was crossed today when we passed by the William Penn Shelter. We now have less than 1,000 miles to go. Let the (slow) countdown begin.The 501 Shelter is a fully enclosed bunkhouse with a solar (aka. cold) shower right off highway 501. Unfortunately, the pizza place in town that delivers to the shelter is closed on Mondays, so I decided to hitch in and get food from the Mustang Inn for me and C-Spike. Pine Grove is a super small town, in a similar state of decay as Duncannon, and the Mustang Inn turned out to be the local dive bar. But, the food eventually came out hot, and after being interrogated by the townies, they sequestered me a ride back to the shelter where I enjoyed cheeseburger #3. Mission accomplished.And to cap the day, I had a nice, brisk 'solar' shower right around dusk. Perfect.Tomorrow might end up being a zero day, which is fine by me.Cheers
Date: 2011-06-29
From: 501

To: Eagle's Nest Shelter
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Day #77 On The Trail!Yesterday, I got to feeling really lazy and took the day off from pretty much everything, hiking, blogging and correspondence included. It was nice.And today was just another lovely day in the woods with great, sunny, cooler weather. Despite some rocky sections, the terrain was super mild and the hiking went easy. One of the things I did accomplish on my day off was to patch my shoes up, as the toes were slowly coming apart. Unfortunately, 9 miles in, I noticed that I had a total blowout on my right shoe, where the sole was split in quarters and peeling off of the heel. No bueno. Thankfully, the trail passes near a Cabelas store tomorrow, so I plan to find a new pair there.I saw another rattlesnake on the trail, coming within four feet of it before I noticed it and stopped just as I started to rattle. So, I backed off a bit, took some pics watched it slide, ambivalently, into the woods. It was a beautiful animal.And tonight there is a nice group at the shelter, with some of us trying to get to Delaware Water Gap for the 4th of July.Tomorrow, hopefully I can get some new shoes and on to the next shelter, as a friend has told us that she dropped dinner there for us. And I will enjoy one last day of June.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-06-30
From: Eagle's Nest Shelter

To: Windsor Furnace
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day #78 On The Trail!As my twelfth week begins on the trail, so the month of June ends. Hiking today was good. Got in and out of Hamburg with a new pair of mid-top New Balance trail runners from the Bargain Cave at Cabela's. And five miles later they are feeling super comfy, semi-similar to the pair of Patagonia shoes I started the trail with. Except they look much cooler (and faster).June has been a great month. Early on I took a few days of in Lexington, VA, and then spent the next few weeks hiking with and getting to really know my friends Blackfoot and Smiley. I miss them, as they have fallen 4-5 days behind (last I heard) due to Blackfoot's illness.And then so many milestones, crossing 1,000 miles, official and unofficial halfway points, knocking 3 states off, swimming pools, and Shenandoah National Park. Wow. Plus we got to escort 3 Hats into Harper's Ferry before she switched directions.I've been meaning to mention this for awhile now: 3 Hats is raising money for 2 charity organizations and has a website where you can contribute to her cause through Paypal. (www.averyforbes.com) The idea is to donate a fixed amount for every mile she hikes, so a one cent donation for the 2,180 mile long trail equals $21.80. Last I checked she was approaching $4/mile mark. Check it out. The address again is www.averyforbes.com/July will start out with a bang tomorrow, with the best view in PA at the Pinnacle, and hopefully some live music at the Blue Mountain Summit Restaurant. I hear the owner lets thru-hikers camp on his property for free.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-01
From: Windsor Furnace

To: Blue Mountain
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: broken clouds

Day #79 On The Trail!This morning I had to put on my fleece while I ate breakfast because it was so cool out, which is kinda nice with it being the first day of July and all. Breakfast these days consists mainly of an oatmeal/protein powder/instant breakfast shake, with an apple and peanut butter. I have phased out pop-tarts from my diet, which is nice.And the hiking was a bit more rocky today. We saw a copperhead and a rat snake, both without incident. There were some nice views and even a few relatively strenuous hill climbs.We popped into the Eckville shelter for lunch, which is a full bunkhouse with a solar shower on a nice piece of property with a caretaker, Mick. He was a little on the unfriendly side, although he did hook us up with some freezer pops. Thanks Mick.And with our sights set on the Blue Mountain Summit Restaurant live music/free tenting scenario, the day cruised by with relative ease. 2 miles short of our destination we came across some unexpected trail magic from two former thru-hikers. So we got free dinner before getting to the restaurant. Thanks Kelli and John. You guys rock.The live music turned out to be a little on the lackluster side, so we enjoyed some dessert on the outside patio with our friend Vegemite. Tomorrow, we hope to spend the evening in jail. Stay tuned.Cheers blog directory
Date: 2011-07-02
From: Blue Mountain

To: Palmerton
Miles today: 13.4

Day #80 On The Trail!It was an easy hike into Palmerton, which I the first seemingly nice town we've stopped in for a little while. And we got a hitch there with Vegemite in less than 5 minutes. Thanks Renee.The best and most alluring part of Palmerton is that they let hikers stay for free in a makeshift bunkhouse in the basement of the Burrough Hall, which is rumored to be the old jail. And I scored some chocolate powder stuff from the hiker box for my morning breakfast shakes. Sparky, a fellow trailjournals user, joined our trio for dinner t the One Ten. Then we got some ice cream and laughs at the local creamery, getting back to our jail cells just before evening curfew. Tomorrow, we have a reportedly rugged climb out of town, and across a Superfund zinc cleanup site, with no good water to be found for 15 miles. And then after that, I am happily reporting, we have one more day in PA.Independence Day at last.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-03
From: Palmerton

To: Wind Gap
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

Day #81 On The Trail!Today, we caught a hitch out of town with Vegemite. It had rained overnight, and the immediate forecast was questionable. But, as Marathon Man would say, "hike in the rain, make it to Maine." The day before, when we caught a ride into town, I jokingly pointed up at a steep exposed boulder pile that went up the mountain, claiming that it was the trail to be hiked the next day. Turns out I was right. And just as we hit the scramble, it began to downpour, with thunder and lightning. We had no choice but to continue upwards, at times climbing more than hiking. But we made it somehow, and the view as we crossed the ridgeline was not too shabby, even with the weather. We caught up to Raw Dog for a bit and ate some wild blueberries. Plus there was some trail magic in the form of some oatmeal cream pies and fancy green tea beverages at a road crossing. We had planned on going on 15 miles to the next shelter, but when we arrived, it began raining again, and the company there was high on the undesireable side. So, with the addition of Muffin Man, we fled the shelter at 7 and cruised the 4 miles into Wind Gap, with its warm hotel beds and Wendy's.All is well.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-04
From: Wind Gap

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Day #82 On The Trail!Happy 4th of July everybody. Today was an easy day of hiking into Delaware Water Gap and a free hostel provided by the local church.We got into town around 4:30, and quickly discovered that there would be no nearby festivities. So we spent the day lazing about, eating at the awesome town bakery and going through a crazy state controlled fireworks store just to buy some sparklers.Even though it has felt like we have been outside of the 'bubble' of people lately, there were over a dozen of us hanging out on the porch setting of sparklers, sharing tales from the trail.It was nice in it's simple way. This week, we have some low miles to cover. Which is fine by me.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-05
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: DWG
Miles today: 0.0

Day #83 On The Trail!Today ended up being an unintentional zero day. And it was fantastic.We went to breakfast at the diner, and talked about hiking out of town around noon. But then after doing some math on the upcoming mileage, we decided we could afford a day off. Besides, I was in the middle of a heated round of boggle.So we had lunch at the bakery, played monopoly, then more boggle, went out for ice cream, had a potluck dinner with big pie for dessert, and capped the evening off with a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle.So pretty much, it was a successful and productive day.Tomorrow, we hike. Hopefully.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-06
From: DWG

To: MOC
Miles today: 10.0

Day #84 On The Trail!Boy. We've been feeling a bit on the lazy side lately. But that's okay too.Several times during my hike so far, I've had random non-thru-hikers tell me that the climb out of Delaware Water Gap was a monster. I guess some monsters are much smaller than others. At the top of the hill we found Sunfish Lake, one of the 7 natural wonders of New Jersey. It was a lovely spot and we took a long snack break there. And then we tented at the AMC Mohican Outdoor Center, which happened to be on another nice lake. So we took a swim just before dinner.New Jersey is proving to be home to many mosquitos. Thankfully I have a semi-functional piece of bug netting. Tomorrow, we pull a 20 mile day. Hoorah.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-07
From: MOC

To: Gren Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: few clouds

Day #85 On The Trail!Today, we put in a long, slow day. It is now berry season, and we've been feasting on blueberries, black raspberries and the first batch of semi-under-ripe blackberries.A-Game took a break next to a New Jersey water source: an old fashioned manual powered water pump. Soon we were joined by a troupe of teenagers, out for six days as a part of camp. And then Big Ben showed up and we enjoyed a new concoction he made with fresh berries, powdered milk, fudge brownie baking mix, and the cold water from pump. Fantastic.For the most part, the walking has been easy in New Jersey. Most people aren't carrying too much food through here and New York, as you can get town food every day if you have a mind to.Late in the day, the trail took us right past Kevin's Steakhouse, and with a good number of backpacks on the porch, we popped in for a look and a soda. After a quick visit, we popped on into camp and ate the much more resonably priced food in our backpacks.Still a good amount of mosquitos here in New Jersey.Tomorrow, we are going, along with Big Ben, to A-Game's aunt and uncle's cabin on the Delaware river for 2 nights.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-08
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: High Point Park
Miles today: 11.3

Day #86 On The Trail!Today was a day of relative ease. 11.3 miles of mostly easy terrain, with the promise of some indoor living in the near future, makes the hiking seem easy.Although, it did rain for a bit, just enough to slick up the rocks and bring out the swarms of mosquitos. But this was just a small speedbump. Big Ben, A-Game and I arrived at High Point State Park around 1 pm or so, and hung out wit our fellow hikers until our new hosts arrived at 3. Which was nice to have a break with the boys before getting of the trail.Hippy Kippy rolled in just before we left, and it was nice to see him, as I hadn't seen him since just before the Grayson Highlands. At the time, he was in the middle of leading a dozen college students through a religious studies course focusing on the AT. And now he is on sabbatical to complete a thru-hike. Hopefully I can catch up with him one of these days.Our hosts, Marnie and Fred, shuttled us to their cozy cabin in Pond Eddy, an area on the Delaware River. The old Delaware/Hudson Canal and towpath are still semi-intact on the riverside of the property. Tomorrow, we float the river.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-09
From: High Point Park

To: Pond Eddy
Miles today: 0.0

Day #87 On The Trail!(Photo repeated from yesterday)Last night, a good thunderstorm came in and poured rain for a good hour or so. Thankfully we were snug, safe and sound inside Fred and Marnie's cabin on the Delaware River. In the morning, the river looked a murky color and had risen in its size and volume.We had a lovely breakfast, and then scooted off to a small farmer's market, where Big Ben purchased a book entitled "Dragon Lover" for me. It is of the Romance variety, and will be a bit on the entertaning side, I'm sure. Or at least it will make for good fire starter.And the we set off on. Two hour river floating expedition, myself navigating a small kayak, and A-Game and Big Ben both in inflatable tubes. There were some small rapids, and it was a real nice change of pace for the day.Tomorrow, we are back on the trail, headed for a church hostel in Vernon, NJ. And with that being our last night in the state, we have succeeded in spending more nights here indoors than we have outdoors. Thanks Jersey.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-10
From: Pond Eddy

To: Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 20.3

Day #88 On The Trail!Today, having left our lovely hosts, we trekked 20 miles into Vernon, NJ.We passed the tallest point in New Jersey, standing at just over 1,800 feet, and it had a fairly impressive obelisk marking the site. And then a large portion of the day was spent traversing a valley between the mountains, with little shade and less water to offer.Thankfully, Vernon offered up a treat of ice cream at the Heaven Hills Farm store, and we got an easy hitch into town and a hiker hostel at the Episcopal church. The A&P grocer is one of the best markets I've visited on the trail, and stocked a wide array of fine cheeses. I picked up a nice block of Manchego, which will keep me rolling through New York.Tomorrow, it's supposed to be hot. But there is another ice cream parlor 2 miles short of the Wildcat Shelter.Goodbye NJ.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-11
From: Vernon, NJ

To: Wildcat Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: few clouds

Day #89 On The Trail!Having to perform a few chores for the church hostel and make a Dunkin Donuts run, we were a little slow to get on the trail today. By the time we started hiking at 10:30, the temperature was already in the high 80's. And of course, we had a good little hill to climb for a warm up.We crossed into New York, leaving New Jersey without seeing a single bear. New Jersey is the most populated bear state on the trail, claiming to have 1 bear per square mile. Today proved to be a very challenging day, mostly due to the temperatures, and also because the trail wandered across a high, exposed rocky ridgeline with no shade and difficult scrambles for the majority of the trail.Needless to say, the Bellville Farm Creamery was a mega oasis to be reached. The ice cream was a bit on the pricy side, but well worth it, and the picnic area afforded a lovely view of the New York countryside.And tonight at the shelter, there is a lively crew of friends: sparkplug, mountain dew, pigeon, big ben, a-game, marathon, josh, and stacy.Tomorrow, we hope to go swimming at lake Tiorati. I hear they have an ice cream sandwich vending machine.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-12
From: Wildcat Shelter

To: William Brien Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: few clouds

Day #90 On The Trail!Most everyone who stayed at the shelter last night was hoping to get an early start on the day to beat the heat. Thankfully, we got an early wake up call courtesy of the resident mosquitos, and most of us were on the trail by 7. I saw a black bear on the trail by myself thi morning. It ran off when it heard me coming, but stopped 30 feet off the trail to watch me as I quickly went on my way.The going has been rough so far in New York with long stretches of rugged PUDs (Pointless Ups and Downs). Today had several scrambles up and down steep rock ledges, and a few unnecessary narrow sections through the cliffs. Plus it was hot.At a few different places, trail angels had placed water to refill with, and that was most appreciated. I ran into Raw Indy and Hot Pants, and cruised with them down to the Lake Tiorati recreational area where we met the twins. And soon enough there were a dozen of us hikers, taking a break from heat, swimming and eating ice cream from a super fancy ice cream bar vending machine.We waited until the cool hour of 6:30 to trek on to the shelter.Tomorrow, we climb bear mountain and plan to camp on a property owned by a monastery.Cheersblog directory
Date: 2011-07-13
From: William Brien Shelter

To: Graymoor Spiritual Center
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Day #91 On The Trail!They call the journey through New York the 'deli walk.' And today was a fine example of that.The temperature dropped nicely overnight, and this morning made for great hiking weather with a nice cool breeze and even a touch of rain. At the top of Bear Mountain stood the Perkins Tower, which offered views of the surrounding Hudson River valley and glimpses of hills both past and forthcoming.Then we dropped down into the Fort Montgomery area, where the trail went conveniently past a conession stand before entering the Trailside Zoo. Then we walked across the Hudson, over a few hills and found ourselves at a gas station with an exceptional deli.Tonight finds us at the Graymoor Spiritual Life center, an expansive property housing a Franciscan monastery. They let hikers camp on their ball field, and their shelter has outlets and lights. There are over a dozen of us here tonight, and we snuck in a round of whiffleball and ninja before dark.Hopefully tomorrow stays cool as we make our way towards the edge of the hiker bizarro land that has been New York.Cheers