morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-06-16
From: Harper's Ferry - DC

To: Crampton Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: scattered clouds

I had to get up and get going to return the rental cart in time. That meant having to deal with DC rush hour traffic. What a contrast that was. I went from the peace and tranquility of the trail to the hustle of DC. As I drove, all I wanted was to be back on the trail. I did get back just in time so I didn't incur a second day of charges. They were kind enough to drive me back to Harpers Ferry and drop me off at the post office where I sent some items home that I wasn't using. It's easy to accumulate stuff that seems useful at the time it's acquired but ultimately is never used. So rather than carry it, I just sent it home. I then hike the part of the trail that went to the downtown area, got some lunch then continued northward for shelter. The only view on today's hike was the one looking back at Harpers Ferry. These shots always seem to invoke thoughts about the experiences of the past especially the people one had encountered along the way. Saying goodby's never seems to be easy. When I got to the next shelter, I met up with "Ladypants" who I've been crossing paths with for the last couple of days. I had seen her logbook entries for weeks but never met her until a couple of days ago. She eventually post me after I got back on the trail. Afterwards, I came to the Gathland State Park where the war correspondents monument is located. "Hamburglar" was eating at the pavilion and "Ladypants" was busy reading the descriptions of all of the other monuments and historic items in the park when I arrived. As it turned out, "Ladypants" had been tweeting about her hike. There was a couple living in the area that had been following her and wanted to meet her. They brought, sodas, milk, cookies, apples and other goodies that all three of us got to enjoy. It was some of the best trail magic I've received in a while. They then asked if we wanted to go to a local ice cream store. We didn't have far to hike to get to our destination shelter so we decided to go. They took us over to the store, bought our ice cream then took us back to the state park. What a great way to finish the day! They were some the nicest people that I've met along the way. We thanked them then took off for the shelter.
Date: 2011-06-17
From: Crampton Gap Shelter

To: I70/US40
Miles today: 12.0

Today's plan was to hike to where the trail crossed I-70 and meet the parents of one of Ben's (my oldest son) college friends. I wanted to get there early in the afternoon to spend as much time with then as I could but just couldn't help taking my time and enjoying the day's hike. I also could have met them at a earlier road crossing but I wanted to be sure that I hiked a reasonable number of miles. I ended up taking off later than I wanted but didn't feel rushed at that point. I stopped to enjoy the only good view along the way. After soaking in the beauty a little, I continued on stopping at the first shelter for the usual midmorning snack and to get water. The next big event was the Washington Monument State Park. Along the trail, there were plaques each having a major milestone on Washington's life. These were arranged chronologically as one traveled northbound on the trail. As I headed away from the park, I met up with "Hamburglar". We hiked together until I got to my meeting point near I-70. On the end of the bridge over the highway was trail magic with a poster encouraging a fellow hiker named "Rusty Bumper". It was very thoughtful of his friends in the area to do all that they did. "Hamburglar" and I sat at the edge of the parking area enjoying the chips and soda that we got at the end of the bridge. I called Ed who drove out and picked me up just as it was beginning to rain. He was curious about the hike and we chatted about all of the things that I had experienced. He dropped me off at the house and went back out to pick up his wife, Judi, from work. While he was gone, I took a much needed shower and got into my normal town clothes. Dinner was lasagna and salad eaten on their back deck. Afterwards, we went out and got ice cream (all stops should include this). When we got back, we watched the new True Grit movie. It was a great evening. I was surprised that I lasted as long as I did. I was afraid that I was going to doze off in the middle of the movie even though it was full of action. After all, hiker midnight is 9pm and we were up until 11pm. I guess taking my time this morning allowed me to get that extra rest.
Date: 2011-06-20
From: Antietam Shelter

To: PATC Milesburn Cabin
Miles today: 18.4

"Spring" and I decided that a stop at the Caledonia State Park for lunch would be a great thing to do for the day. She wanted to swim in the pool as well. She took off before I did as was her usual practice knowing that we would meet up at the state park. I stopped at the second shelter to have the normal midmorning snack. This has become important because of the appetite that I have. This is even after having a lot for breakfast. I then continued toward the state park and found her by the pool. I got into the pool area for free since I wasn't going to swim. It would have been nice but didn't have any swimming trunks. So I ordered a cheeseburger from the concession stand and ate it while watching everyone else. After "Spring" was done swimming, we both enjoyed an ice cream together and decided to continue down the trail. I considered the ice cream treat a warm up for the half gallon challenge that was going to take place the next day. More on that tomorrow. The climb out of the park was a steep but short one. I got to Quarry Gap Shelter first and met Sargent York and the guy responsible for maintaining the shelter and a 12 mile section of trail around the shelter. The shelter was one of the best looking shelters I have ever seen. There were two sleeping areas side by side with a covered picnic area in between. The shelter and the area around it was very well maintained. I spent time talking to both guys about trail life and learned a little about the life of a trail maintainer. "Spring" caught up while we were talking and joined in the conversation. We realized that there was 5 miles to go to get to the camping area so we took off. We arrived at a cabin that was owned by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. We had dinner on the porch then proceeded up the trail to a camping area nearby and setup camp. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. We were going to cross the midpoint marker. We weren't planning on a big mile day. It was just crossing the midpoint was very significant for me on my journey. There were high expectations as I went to sleep.
Date: 2011-06-21
From: PATC Milesburn Cabin

To: James Fry Shelter
Miles today: 19.5

Today was the most significant day on the trail so far. The midpoint of the hike was crossed. This was greatly anticipated for the last couple of days. I packed up, had breakfast and took off down the trail. "Spring" had left early as usual agreeing to meet at the grocery store for the half gallon challenge. I stopped once for a snack but didn't have lunch. My plan was to have lunch at the grocery store. I was hoping that "Spring" would be at the halfway point so that she could take my picture standing at the marker. As it turned out, she kept going but "Chevy" and "Squeaks" were there. I have to say that it was quite a good feeling to make it to that point. I knew for certain that I could make it the rest of the way. After getting pictures, we took off for the grocery store to participate in the half gallon challenge. This tradition is simply to eat a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting. I'm not sure how it got started but the half gallon is most certainly associated with reaching the halfway point. It doesn't matter how long it takest to eat it though most people time themselves. When I got there, "Spring" had already started on her half gallon. "M&M" (husband/wife) had just finished. I went in and bought my half gallon then started eating it. It was so hard that I had to use my metal spoon instead of the plastic spoon that they provided. 31 minutes later, I was done. I thought that I would feel bad but really didn't have any trouble. A half an how later, I ate a cheeseburger. We sat around trying to figure out where we were going next while we let the ice cream settle. There was a camping area next to a lake outside of the park where the grocery store was located so we decided to go there. What we didn't realize was that spot was quite a distance from the trail. We ended up just continuing to the camping area near the next shelter. There was a stream nearby in which we could bath. "Chevy" and."Squeaks" joined us as well as a family who were section hiking. I had a great time socializing with everyone around the fire before going to bed.
Date: 2011-06-22
From: James Fry Shelter

To: Boiling Springs
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

We got a good rain the previous night so the damp hiking tour continued this morning. This is the third morning that we woke up to samples in the air. At this point, all my clothing was wet. It's kind of bad to have to put on wet clothes. I made breakfast, packed up and took off. The plan was to stop at a camping area just before Boiling Springs. I stopped at a general store at the first road crossing to get lunch and some more ice cream. I guess a half gallon of ice cream the day before wasn't enough. In the log for the shelter just before the grocery store where the half gallon challenge was done, "Ladypants" came up with the super dairy challenge for another hiker named "Frodo". Basically, he had to do the half gallon challenge then consume a gallon of milk while hiking to the general store where I was eating lunch. Once he got here, he had to eat another half gallon of ice cream. All in 8 hours or less. All without throwing up. Of course it was meant as a joke but it still causes one's stomach to churn just thinking about it. Even those of us who have the hiker's appetite. I told the story to the family that camped with us last night. They had gotten out of the camping area before I did and were eating when I arrived. After getting past that stomach churning feeling, we had a good laugh about the super dairy challenge. After eating lunch, I got my snacks for the next couple of days and headed down the trail. About 6 miles into the hike, I hit the rock maze. It was a collection of large rocks that the trail went through. As one can imagine, the while thing looked like a maze. It was interesting but a lot of work because of climbing up and down that went with going through a boulder area. I finally came out of the woods and began to hike along a corn field. Along the edge were black raspberries. It was my first encounter with them and our was definitely a great experience. As I hiked along in the heat, I began to feel chafing. Even though I was hiking in a kilt, the constant moisture from having everything wet started causing problems. Not only was there chafing, I also was beginning to develop a rash on my left side. I really needed to do laundry and take a shower to try to solve the rash problem. I found "Spring" and told her about the problem and that I was going to get a room instead of camp. I just needed to dry out. Boiling Springs got its name from the large spring in the middle of town. There's a lake that the trail goes by where the water is amazingly clear. We sat at the edge of the lake and chatted for a while. Eventually I took off and got a room at the Allenberry Resort. Normally, I would have ben able to go to the dinner theater but there wasn't a show during the evening. "Chevy" and "Squeaks" were staying in the same place so we all headed to the Tavern in the downtown area for dinner. Laundry took so long that the restaurant at the Allenberry closed so the only option was the Tavern. It was expensive but very good. We headed back to the resort and called it a day.
Date: 2011-06-23
From: Boiling Springs

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: light rain

Today's hike was very easy because of the flat terrain. It was also a much different setting then what I had gone through. The first 10 miles went through farms instead of forest. Of course, there wasn't any protection from the sun so it was hotter than being in the woods. I can't remember how many farms I went by but there were quite a few. Eventually, the trail found its way back into the wilderness. The Pennsylvania farm tour was over. When I got within about a mile of the shelter, the trail actually started up a hill. It was a little difficult at first because the legs weren't accustom to climbing. A little into the climb, there was a creek. My guide book advised getting water here because the spring near the shelter was unreliable. I filled up everything I had because there was no water for the next 7.3 miles after the shelter. So not only did I need water to cook dinner and breakfast but I had to have enough to get myself to the first water source after the shelter. That meant that I had to carry a total of 4.6 liters of water up the hill. When I got to the shelter, "Spring" was already there. She had set up her tent inside the shelter to escape the bugs and to avoid getting it wet in the storm that was due later in the evening. Because of the issues I was having, I decided to stay in the shelter. Normally I would tent but I wanted to be sure I stayed dry. Eventually, "Sargent York", "C-Spike", "Chevy", "Squeaks", Jessica and "Clean Shave" showed up not in that order and not all together. After "Sargent York" showed up, we decided to check out the spring. I was both glad and aggravated that it was flowing. It solved the water problem but I carried all that water up the hill for nothing. Jessica had picked a bunch of black raspberries and carried them to the shelter. She then made some biscuits that we dipped in the berries. That was a very nice treat. As the sun set, the rain began to fall so we all scurried into the shelter and got ready for bed. Only "Chevy" and "Squeaks" were brave enough to tent. A little later on, the storm really hit and the rain came down hard. 10 or so minutes into it, "Pigeon" and "Mountain Dew" got to the shelter. They were a mile away when it hit and hiked as fast as they could but to no avail. They were completely soaked. I wasn't sure if I should feel pity or just laugh at them. Because there were so many people now staying in the shelter, "Spring" took down her tent to give everyone more room. The bugs certainly weren't an issue anymore so she really didn't need the tent. Contrary to what some people think, there's nothing wrong with doing what she did as long as there's enough room in the shelter for everyone. Once the our wet hikers got settled in, we all went to sleep.
Date: 2011-06-25
From: Duncannon, PA

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

I got up, packed everything and met "Spring" for breakfast at the diner across the street. I then went to the hotel and checked out. During the evening, "Spring" made arrangements with a lady that was known as trail angel Mary to get a ride to Harpers Ferry where she could get her package from the post office then catch a train back to Washington DC to head back to Germany. So this was the last day I was going to see her. I enjoyed her company over the last several weeks and therefore was sad to see her go. We said our goodby's and I hiked to the first shelter beyond Duncannon. My stay there was bittersweet. I saw folks I hadn't seen for a while but said goodby to others whom I had met along the way. Some of the folks I saw again I suspected I wouldn't see again. Yet, at the same time, I met new people. This was on my mind as I hiked northward. I finally crossed over the river and began to climb back onto the ridge. Once I got to the to, I met a couple who were standing on the trail, afraid to continue because of a rattle snake on the side of the trail. When I got there, the snake was still there, rattling away. We managed to go around it and were able to continue on. There were a couple of good views along the way but other than that and the snake, the hike was uneventful. I met up with "Hamburgalur" again at the shelter. We were joined by "C-Spike" and "Stroller" as well as some section hikers. I always thought that the water source at Abington Gap shelter was bad because of the long hike down the hill. This shelter has got that one beat. There is literally 300 steps to get to the spring. Fortunately, it's a great water source that really doesn't need to be treated. When I got back to the shelter, I was asked how it was. I told everyone that it was like the Doyle, it was something that everyone had to experience. After dinner, we all talked for a while then headed off for bed.
Date: 2011-06-26
From: Peters Mountain Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: broken clouds

It rained a little the night before but by the morning, the steady breeze had dried everything off including the tent. I made breakfast, packed up and headed down the trail. There wasn't a lot to see other than wildlife. At the only overlook, I found several copperheads down in the rocks. This was a reminder that I had to be careful as I hiked. They really can be anywhere. The fun wildlife sighting came towards the end of the hike. At the Yellow Springs Village site, a deer came out of the woods and wandered around within 15 feet of where I was standing. I pulled my camara out and made a video of it looking for food. This was one of those days where I just hiked alone. While it is good to do this from time to time, it is also good to have hiking companion that one can share the experience with. They are hard to find sometimes. They must be of the same mindset, willing to hike the same distance and pace and interested in the same stops and such. I have come to the point where I value someone who likes to enjoy things along the way, is a live and let live type of person who isn't dogmatic and judgmental. I have grown to dislike legalistic people like the ones who insist that you follow their rules such as hiking or conducting your life in a certain way. I typically don't say a lot but just tend to stay away from them. Most of the people on the trail are great people so these attitude issues don't tend to come up. Of course, no one is perfect so I definitely extend grace to those who step over the line as I would hope they would do for me when I mess up. Maybe one day, I'll have someone to hike with but until then, I'll just be content to hike on my own. When I got to the shelter area, there was a couple tenting but no one at the shelter itself. I really didn't want to stay at the shelter so I went back to the camping area and set up my tent. The couple that were there were in the military enjoying a short hike. I sat with them around the camp fire they had going already and just had a great evening talking with them. While I was there, "C-Spike", "Shaka" and "A-Game" showed up. I hadn't met "Shaka" yet but he knew of me from trail journals.
Date: 2011-06-27
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: Pine Grove
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I needed to go to Pine Grove to pick up a resupply package from the post office. That meant I had to cover the mileage to the road crossing and get a ride to the post office. I got going at a reasonable time and was making good time. I did my usual routine of having a midmorning snack with lunch planned at a good spot sometime around noon or whenever it was I got hungry. There were two major climbs for the day then after those, it was pretty much a ridge walk to the road crossing. It would be easy to make the hike quickly but my feet were still sore and there were a lot of rocky sections that I had to take slower to avoid further trauma to my feet. I didn't make the pace I wanted to but it was still fast enough to get me there in time. As I was hiking along the ridgeline, I found lots of black raspberries. So I stopped to munch them. I then got this wonderful idea of collecting a bag of berries and carrying them until lunchtime so I could make a peanut butter and berry sandwich. The idea was to spread peanut butter on both halves of the sandwich thins I was carrying then put the berries on one side and place the other side on top. That turned out to be a real treat. I sat in a clearing off the trail enjoying this new found sandwich. I knew as other berries ripened, that I would have to repeat this recipe. I finished lunch and got going to the road crossing. I got there a little later than I wanted to but still with enough time to get to the post office even if I had to hike along the road to town. The best case was to hitch a ride. I stuck out my thumb and the first car that came by stopped. The lady who was driving was heading to a recreational area across the street from the post office to pick her children up. It was the most perfect setup I could have asked for. No time wasted in hitching a ride and the person was already going to the area where I was going. However, my package did not arrive and it appeared that it wasn't going to even the next morning. So I got a hotel room to spend the night in town as I had planned. I had to walk a little over two miles to get there but it wasn't that bad of a walk. Next to the hotel was a Dollar General where I could do a resupply for the next several days. I sat in the hotel room and figured out where the best place to forward the package to and figured out how many days it was going to be for me to get there. I went down the road to a diner to eat dinner then got a milkshake at an ice cream store next door and headed for the Dollar General to get my food for the next five days. All I needed to do in the morning was forward the package and get back to the trail. I got back to the hotel, packed the food in the food bag then went to bed. It was a nice easy recovery to the problem of not getting the package.
Date: 2011-06-28
From: Pine Grove

To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: light rain

I got up, had breakfast and took off for the post office to put in the forward request for the package that was on its way. I had to walk a little over 2 miles to get to the post office plus I then had to get to the trail which I would have to walk if I couldn't get a ride. About halfway there, a lady was kind enough to give me a lift to the post office. That saved some time and energy which made me very grateful for her efforts. After putting in the forward request, I went to the store to get a Gatorade before hitting the trail. I sat outside of the store drinking it while watching people pull in to get gas. After finishing it, I put on my back pack and started making my way to the road that led to the trail head. When I got to the sidewalk, one of the ladies who stopped to get gas asked if I needed a ride to the trail. She had seen me drinking my Gatorade in front of the store. This town stop had been amazing as far as rides are concerned. The first car to go by when I stuck my thumb out yesterday have me a ride. Now today, I got 2 rides without even sticking my thumb out. This town is definitely very hiker friendly. I got to the trail head and started heading north. I decided to stop at the 501 shelter because it was supposedly a nice shelter. It lived up to its reputation. It look more like a storage building that someone added bunks to. It had a real door, lights inside, shower out back and a table inside. "C-Spike" and "Hamburgalur" were still inside getting ready to take off. The rest of the day was basically a straight forward hike with minimal elevation changes especially toward the end. There were a couple of views early in the hike but other than the Fort Dietrich Monument (see picture), there wasn't a lot to look at. Got to the shelter with the crew, made dinner and headed off to the tent for the night.