morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2021-04-22
From: Leroy smith shelter

To: Hostel at Berts restaurant 
Miles today: 16.4

Day 20A cold wind came to townLeroy Smith shelter mile marker 1276.0Lehigh gap mile marker 1259.6Daily miles 16.4  So last night turned out to be very cold and I was forced into my sleeping bag by 6:30 PM just to stay warm.  The wind blew all night and the sound of sleep on the shelter roof began around 445.  I peaked my head out for my sleeping bag around 630 to find it quite light out and forced myself to get up and get moving.  There was a thin coating of sleet on the ground and the wind was still howling. I pretty much put on all the clothes I owned including my rain gear which served a cut the wind and I luckily still had my gloves in the bottom of my bag which saved my hands from Frostbite conditions.  It took about 30 minutes for my feet and fingers to warm up and I kept all my gear on until 10 AM when I was finally able to put away my gloves I kept the rest of my gear on all day.  The temperatures slowly rose as the day went on but the wind contined to howl and didn¢t allow me shed any layers.  I decided last night that I was going to stay at a hostel in Palmerton tonight to give my spirit and body a break from the cold as the winds are predicted to continue until tomorrow.  $25 for a bunk room hot shower and laundry which was well overdue.  The next two days look to warm up a bit and I¢m hoping to put in some pretty good miles the owners going to shuttle me back to the trail head around 8 AM.  Saw myself in the mirror for the first time in over a week and the physical transformation which occurs hiking 20 miles a day is simply remarkable.  I already hardly recognize my own body in the mirror.  Scary thought when I will probably lose another 20 pounds in the next month...
Date: 2021-04-23
From: Berts hostel

To: Allentown club hiking shelter
Miles today: 17.3

Day 21Lehigh gap mile marker 1259.6Allentown hiking club shelter mile marker 1242.3Daily miles 17.3  The owner of the hostel at Bert¢s restaurant in Palmerston, offered me a shuttle at 8am, which allowed me time to get breakfast with 3 glasses of water and three mugs of coffee.  It¢s been really difficult staying hydrated in Pennsylvania has the water sources are few and far between and often off trail, which I¢m usually not willing to take on the extra distance.  However, hitting the trail at 8:20 is far later than I¢m used to and I had planned on doing a 24 mile day today unsure of exactly what the train may hold.  My sleep last night the hostel was very poor as two hikers came in late and two other hikers were up late trying to get a hold of her daughter in Utah.  The older gentleman in the hostel was one of the original creators of dungeons and dragons, which I thought was pretty cool, but he also snored, which wasn¢t cool.    I¢m not sure if it was the heat of the hostel that caused my feet and knees to swell and ache all night long.  In addition to a mattress that was about 2 inches higher on one side than the other I eventually migrated to the sitting room and slept on a leather loveseat which allowed me to elevate my feet and get four or five hours of decent sleep.  I had a decent climb out of the Lehigh gap, followed by what turned out to pretty decent trail interrupted by Boulder fields the included the knob and Knifes edge.  Unfortunately as I descended and I said I tweaked my right knee.  It wasn¢t bothering me immensely but when I got to a lodge on route 309 for lunch and tested it out some more I realized it would need a bit more rest than I planned on for today.  I decided to shorten my day and hike about 4 miles past the lodge to the next shelter and called it a day at 5 PM.  Hopefully the night off will allow it to heal some what but I¢ll have to see how it feels in the morning.  Appears it¢s going to be a very rainy Saturday night and Sunday morning so I¢ll be looking to stay at a shelter tomorrow night and kind of play it by ear Sunday morning in terms of what time I head out.  This likely means another 17 to 18 mile day tomorrow which is less than I would like but not horrible.  It¢s difficult for me to slow down but I have a lot of hiking days ahead of me or I can make up my else if need be.  On a high note I was still windy today but much warmer really a perfect day for hiking.
Date: 2021-04-24
From: Allentown club hiking shelter

To: Windsor furnace shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

Day 22 Knee bounce backAllentown hiking club shelter  mile marker 1242.3  Windsor furnace shelterMile marker 1225.8Daily miles 17.5   I wasn¢t in a rush to get up this morning, fearing my knee was not going to be in the best shape.  I was correct as it hurt to straighten or bend more then 45 degrees.  A small boy scout troop hiked in last night and one young man was up and packed as the rest of his party laid asleep.  He came up and conversated as he is an aspiring thru hiker.  We talked for roughly 30 minutes as I eat a bit and packed up.  My morning dose of ibuprofen and slow start allowed to hike pain free.  The terrain was very rocky first 6 miles to dans pulpit.  The hike down was more gentle then I took a lunch at Eckville shelter.  The hike up to the Pinnacle was a 5 mile forest service road all the up, which was a nice relief from the rocks.  The pinnacle was littered with day hikers and really quite an incredible view.  It was a very rocky 2 miles to the pulpit which is less spectacular.  Then a downhill to the shelter, which I hiked past because there no sign just a blue blaze.  Luckily I ran into two older section hikers with Guthooks that informed me I had passed it by .4.  Hopefully knee is feeling good in the morning..hoping to do 24 miles, but that may be ambitious, especially in this state.
Date: 2021-04-25
From: Windsor furnace shelter

To: Hertline campsite
Miles today: 24.2

Day 23 Snoring, a capital offense on the AT?Windsor furnace Shelter mile marker 1225.8Hertline campsite Mile marker 1201.6Daily miles 24.2  Today started off in the wee hours of the morning has three of the four shelter meets I had last night were snorers!!!  Needless to say it was a very restless night even the rain and my AirPods Couldn¢t drown out there symphony.  After a night of frustration I got out of my sleeping bag at 5:45 and was hiking by 645.  I was disappointed to find out that I only had enough snacks in my food bag for today so I would have to re-supply in Port Clinton and take 24 miles.  I banged out the 6 miles to Port Clinton quickly I got a hitchhike even more quickly to Walmart where I got five days worth of snacks and a cherry Coke and two biscuit egg sausage and cheese sandwiches.  I got an equally quick hitchhike back to Portland Clinton and began the steep climb out of town.  I noticed what appeared to be a middle-age school girl keeping up with me on the climb which frustrated me a little bit, supposedly being a superior thru hiker and all.  It turned out to be a 27-year-old woman so I ended up hiking with her about an hour when she caught up to me at the top of the hill.  I let her take the lead and told her I was drafting off her.  She¢s the first person I¢ve hiked with since I started this adventure and the hour went by quickly as we chatted and I had to push to keep up with her as her local experience on the rocks was evident.  We parted ways at a lookout as she set up a hammock to relax meanwhile I had 14 more miles to hike.  It was definitely a grind in the last few hours when I braked my feet were burning but I saw my Guide Book that there was a picnic table at the campsite I was supposed to camp at which motivated me.  Unfortunately when I got here there was no picnic table, highly disappointing. Ramen noodles and tuna for dinner and a few pieces of beef jerky another sun is about to set.  Close to a river so much better background noise than last night!  I¢ll be passing mile 400 tomorrow with another 20+ mile they planned.  Supposed to be a couple days around 80° this week seems seems hot Compared to what I¢ve been hiking in, but better than the cold spell we had last week..
Date: 2021-04-26
From: Hertline campsite

To: Rausch gap
Miles today: 23.1
Weather: clear sky

Day 24The case of the missing TP!Hertline campsite 1201.6Rausch gap shelter 1178.5Daily miles 23.1 Total miles 417.5  My bladder woke me up after a quite chilly night.  I was packed and hiking by 6:40.  I had 6 miles to the 501 shelter where I was looking forward to using the privy as my stomach wasn¢t feeling settled.  I went for my TP and it was gone!  Panic quickly set in as the time was coming.  The shelter had a hiker box which I rushed to only to find rice pilaf.  My wipes!  Saved my ass again literally.  I couldn¢t find the privy so I rushed into the woods with great relief.    The rest of the day I just hiked basically.  Couple views that were ok.  I¢ll be in Duncannon in a day and a half to get more TP and hiking shoes as mine are beginning to blow out.  Towards the end of the I had a choice to make as the trail divided into the dry route or the wet route.  Apparently beavers have flooded the trail .9 miles before where I¢m staying.  The dry route was .4 longer and involved a steep descent and climb.  It was ani brainer for me, wet it was.  It turned out be only about 25 yards but you definitely got your shoes and socks plenty wet!    Probably about 7 people in camp tonight, more than I¢ve camped with since I¢ve started.  One older lady lives in Narragansett and is a nurse at south county hospital.  I assured her and her friend with their bear bag and a couple other camping intricacies.  Hopefully not to cold in the morning as I¢ll have wet and cold socks and shoes to put on.
Date: 2021-04-27
From: Rausch gap

To: The Doyle Duncannon Pa.
Miles today: 29.0

Day 25overreaching my limitsRausch gap shelter  mile maker 1178.5 Duncannon pa. The Doyle Hotel mile marker 1149.5Daily miles 29.0  I woke up this morning at 6 AM and was packed up by 6:30 I noticed that my day was going to be very flat when I asked my camp mates how the train was they said it was not very rocky.  Within 10 minutes of leaving camp it was already in my head to try to make it a Duncannon today.  I think I did this exact hike northbound in 2016 although I was in better shape at the point of the hike but I am at this point.  The first 11 miles were indeed very nice train and they flew by as I hiked with purpose.  The 13 mile ridge leads to Duncannon was rockier than I remembered and it got to 75 today and there still to leaves on the ridges here still.  To add to that there is only one water source and that 13 miles and it is directly downhill 300 steps.  I rationed my little over 2 L of water for the entire 13 miles and it turned out to be a rather tough hike.  The last 4 miles in town town I noticed a hotspot developing on my right heel bottom.  Sure enough after 450 miles in the same shoes as somehow to go up to small blister on the bottom of my heel , ,which is not a very good place to get one.  To add insult to injury I called you out new outfitter in town and they don¢t sell hiking shoes, which I was going to get new ones as pa. hss torn mine up pretty good.  I was pretty beat up by the time I got in to town as I took a pretty good fall up on the ridge and was pretty covered in dirt on my entire left side.  Vicki from the Doyle was on the balcony and happily forked over my $25 for bed and hot shower.  I went down to the pub for dinner and got a bacon cheeseburger with fries and had 4 ginger ales as I was dehydrated from water rationing. It¢s going to be another hot one tomorrow I¢ll be doing a 14 mile valley hike through Carlisle and boiling Springs.  I think there may be another outfitter then one of those towns so I can hopefully replace my shoes.  I think the best news of the day is that I have a fan in my room at the Doyle, which is a real treat.
Date: 2021-04-28
From: The Doyle Duncannon Pa.

To: The Doyle 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 26Daily miles 0  My day started at 1am with the urge to pee.  When I got out of bed I felt I had aged 30 years!  My feet were tender from the 29 miles I hiked yesterday, but the soreness from the fall I endured had finally set in.  My left ribs, hip and knee were all tender.  I knew instantly I wouldn¢t be hiking out of Duncannon today, I¢ve actually decided to take a double zero here as tomorrow looks like mostly rain all day and my body could probably use it.  I hate taking zero¢s, but I¢d really like to feel good physically during this hike and not make it another 85 days of pain management.  Ibuprofen and Tylenol can mask a lot, but it would not have masked what I was feeling today.  Goodies for breakfast, small resupply, pizza for dinner.  A bird shit right on pizza box walking back to the Doyle, not sure if that¢s good luck or not..  Other than that stayed off my feet.  Gonna keep the mileage around twenty/day for a bit, until I¢m feeling a bit less beaten down.  Gonna let my feet breath 2-3 times a day well just to keep em a bit drier.  Also gonna file a complaint with apple!  Apparently FaceTime makes hikers look tired, rundown and like hell over all, at least that¢s was my wife¢s reaction after not seeing me for a few weeks.  NFL draft tonight, Go Giants!
Date: 2021-04-29
From: The Doyle 

To: The Doyle, again...
Miles today: 0.0

Day 27  I self-imposed two days zero is almost over.  My blisters are looking much improved in my aches and pains are about gone as I¢ve been ancy all day to get going again.  I really hate taking zeros as usually a long Nero is plenty for me once a week, but this was a special circumstance that I considered necessary as I approach finishing the first quarter of the trail.  Really looking forward to getting some new shoes tomorrow in Carlisle and continuing this journey healthy and hopefully mostly pain-free.  Given my unusual starting point I am considering hitting Virginia a quarter way point, followed by leaving Virginia, reaching Springer, and lastly Katadin.  I was unable to find a scale in town but I¢m looking very lean and think I may be around 180 pounds at this point.  I need to make a conscious effort to consume more calories every day so I don¢t get to the point of a emanciation to early in this trip.  Other than that it was a lazy day, breakfast at goodies cross the street and I¢ll probably hit the pub for dinner.  Think I¢ll take a hot shower in the morning about 5 AM and head out around first light getting to Carlisle early so I can get to the Appalachian trail running store and figure out where I am going to sleep for the night.  See you on the trail...
Date: 2021-04-30
From: The Doyle 

To: US 11 Carlisle 
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: light rain

Day 28 It¢s  a beautiful day for a hike!Duncannon mile marker 1249.5US 11 mile marker 1131.9 Daily miles 17.6  I woke up one minute before my alarm went off at 4:59am.  I decided to take a hot shower and packed up my pack.  As soon as I walked out of the Doyle, my stomach churned after two days of town food, but I had locked myself out.  Luckily there was a Sunoco on my way out of town, so I stopped for a bathroom break and small coffee.    I had a nice climb out of Duncannon and rode the ridge for a while with several nice views.  The weather was perfect with cool temps and moderately strong wind.  I don¢t think I broke a sweat all day.  I almost stepped on a small porcupine at one point as I hiked lost in my thoughts.  Little guy hurried very slowly to tree and slowly up he went as he escaped the scary hiker.  I¢m passing more and more northbound hikers, including a family of 6!  Two parents and 4 teens, God bless them! I soon found myself in the Cumberland valley, which is a smooth 18 mile valley. I encountered a fat little snake which after some research is a northern water snake, bit more intimidating looking than your average garter snake.  I reached US 11 by 2pm and my hiking day was over early.  I needed new hiking shoes as my old ones took a beating on the PA rocks.  The Cumberland valley doesn¢t allow any camping and in addition there may be 60 mph wind gusts tonight, so I booked a room at the quality Inn and ordered an Uber to get to Appalachian trail running company.  No Uber¢s available, errr!  With the assistance of the front desk I found a taxi service and got my shoes.  Back to the hotel, to the diner for dinner, nfl draft to end the night.
Date: 2021-05-01
From: US 11 Carlisle 

To: Campsite 
Miles today: 24.9

Day 29making a plan and not sticking to itUS 11 mile marker 1131.9Campsite mile marker 1107.0 Daily miles 24.9  I was up at 5 AM and took a hot shower and packed up my pack so I would be ready to go after I went to the diner for a quick breakfast.  I was hiking by 630 and flew through the last 8 miles of the Cumberland Valley section.  I stopped in boiling Springs at Caf© 101 for a large coffee and apple turnover which I consumed at the lovely pond where the word Ducks and geese how many locals fishing.  Over the train tracks in through one more field and back into the mountains I want.  About a mile and a half in I met a local hiker named pinnacle.  Pinnacle was an interesting character who I would describe as a thru hiker groupie of sorts.  He hikes the weekends throughout the Pennsylvania AT stopping and talking to all the hikers.  He follows hikers on social media such as Instagram and YouTube and he was more than happy to hike with me.  Given the lack of company I¢ve had this hike so far I was happy to have some conversation and we ended up hiking about 7 1/2 miles together.    My plan to stay around 20 miles kind of went out the window last night when I was looking at my timeline for this hike, I simply need to do more than that.  I paid attention to my feet in my new shoes to make sure I was not having any new issues arise from them and they felt pretty good today.  They were getting a bit heart around mile 18 but I pushed on for another 7 miles upon taking off my shoes there was nothing alarming and I think they will work out quite well as they felt much better than my old shoes.  The weather was temperature day and good for hiking until the late afternoon I got a bit warm, but tomorrow looks to be in the low 80s which will be quite hot.  I¢ll be looking to get up early as the higher low temperature will be in the low 50s which means I can jump out of my sleeping bag without being freezing cold and hopefully get three or four hours of hiking in before it gets too hot.  I got a couple similarly large days ahead of me and then a really big day as I go through Maryland and into West Virginia.  Looking forward very much to getting out of Pennsylvania through Maryland and West Virginia and on to the big boy Virginia. 7:06 PM and I¢m about ready for bed he¢ll be an early start tomorrow.
Date: 2021-05-02
From: Campsite 

To: Stealth campsite 
Miles today: 26.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 30From good to bad in flashCampsite mile marker 1107.0Stealth campsite mile marker 1081.0Daily miles 26.0   The forecast for today was in the low 80s so I decided to wake up early and beat the heat or at least get in as many miles as I could before it got hot.  I was hiking by 6 o¢clock and was quickly in the Pinegrove furnace state park, unfortunately the general store was closed and the AT museum.  No half-gallon challenge for me however I did get to do it in 2016 and got to tour of the museum then as well.  I had a 26 mile day planned and I knocked out 23 miles by 3:15.  With 3 miles left a hike I decided I would try to hitchhike in to Fayetteville.  There I stood on RT 30 for 40 minutes.  I had been having such success hitchhiking, it became war of wills, me vs  the heartless passerby¢s!  I¢ve been so hiker I can towards me coming from Fayetteville.  Turns out there was a burger and ice cream joint point for down the road that was not in my guidebook.  Can you share this information with me and I took off my foot to fill my empty stomach.  A Bacon cheeseburger fry three mountain dews, and large black raspberry milk shake later I left to knock out my last three miles of the day.  It was still hot and I had an immediate climb which quickly we soaked my clothes with sweat.  Of the trail flattened but that is one of my stomach started to turn.  Only 3 miles to the shelter and privy I thought, I can make it.  The discomfort in my abdomen grew and I soon realized the woods were calling now!  I¢ve had far too many emergency cattle situations to hike, for more that I had for the 1500 miles I did in 2016.  I hoped on with continuing stomach cramps and the trail offered some difficult terrain compared to the previous 23 miles out UGG today.  I passed an older hiker said the shelter I was planning to go to was a point to straight down the mountain.  With rain not predicted until 7 AM tomorrow I spotted a pretty clear camp site and decided to skip the shelter and just camp on the ridge avoiding the dissent tonight in the climb out tomorrow.  Once in camp I was swarm by Gnats and to resort to bug spray while I set up as quickly as possible.  I changed out of my sweaty clothes I got into my Tent laying on by pad waiting for my sweaty body to dry.  Rain is predicted for most of tomorrow except the early a.m. so I think I will get up at five get an early start before the rain begins.  It looks like there is a large mass of moisture to my Southwest so I will be likely hiking in some form of precipitation most of the day tomorrow as I have another big day planned.
Date: 2021-05-03
From: Stealth campsite 

To: Ensign cowall shelter
Miles today: 24.1
Weather: clear sky

Day 31 Night hikingCampsite mile marker 1081.0Ensign Cowell mile marker 1057.1Daily miles 24.1   I woke up at 4:30 and decided to recheck the rain forecast.  It said rain by 5 am.  I hate packing up in the rain so I jumped up packed up and threw on my headlight and was hiking by 5, which I used to hike till 6.  The rain didn¢t start till 6:30, but was nice to get an early start anyway with 24 miles plan and an iffy forecast.  Luckily I had roofed structures every 4-6 miles so I just hiked from structure to structure.  I crossed the mason/Dixon line which means I¢m in Maryland for a couple days.  Made it to my destination by 3:30 and ordered a pizza to be delivered to the close by trailhead.  Met/passed a bunch of hikers today, from thru hikers to new flip floppers just starting in harpers ferry, to people just out for a few days.  32 planned for tomorrow through the very easy terrain of Maryland and WV....