morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-06-13
From: Wind Gap

To: Smith Gap
Miles today: 12.1

Wednesday, June 13, 200Wind Gap to Smith Gap, 8.1 miles and Lake Lenape to Tott¢s Gap, 4.0 milesStart at 8:30. Misty, 100% humidity, except for white sky, no view at the top.Poison ivy is on both sides of the path but not so thick and close to the track as I remember from 2003. Maybe that thick ivy was south of here.Yesterday I made impromptu anti-poison ivy gaiters out of mismatched plastic grocery bags. My right leg said, in red letters, Thank You Thank You Thank You. My left calf? Silent.Today I make more comfortable anti-poison ivy gaiters out of 2 sets of old Smartwools, cutting the feet part off an old pair that has holes in the toes, and pulling the leg part up to my knees over the socks I¢m wearing.Hello again to NOBO¢s Wile E Coyote and Road Runner. They¢ve had their fill of PA rocks. Think they might be finishing the AT in mid-August.Hello to Missionary Mike. Hello to Spice Bag, out for 30 days.Meet Springs from Yonkers, out for a section hike from 309 to DWG.I remember meeting Mountain Goat and The Kid at the gas pipeline on Easter Saturday in 2003. They¢d hiked up to the AT on the Katellen Trail. Staying at their house that night eating pizza and cake from The Kid¢s birthday party. The next morning, Easter Sunday, The Kid taking me to the trailhead at Wind Gap, getting a flat tire just as he dropped me off.Shadow from Indianapolis. Roanoke to Harrisburg. Now hiking another section in PA. Out for 4 weeks. He finished the AT in 04 and 05.At Smith Gap, hellos to NOBO¢s Rodeo Clown and Trash Bag at Smith Gap. Fine Lodging last night. Same impressions of the place as I¢d had in 2003, overpriced flophouse.Purple Sherpa has trail-angeled Hawk and Alleycat. Alleycat left her cell phone at the Borough in Palmerton. Purple Sherpa took them back there to retrieve it.Brenda and I set my car at Tott¢s and Purple Sherpa and Purple Rose kindly take us to Lake Lenape so Brenda and I can hike this piece this afternoon.Start at 3PM. Brenda sets up her GPS. I want to get me one of those.No tadpoles right now in the lake. There have been tons of them when I was here twice before. Brenda do you have any ideas for a trail name?I might like a French name, she says.Hello to a couple out running with their dog.Hello to NOBO Wolverine.A shiny red mushroom hiding under the rhodos.A yellow flower Brenda doesn¢t recognize, and I don¢t see. We look for more of these.We see some yellow hawkweed. Was that it? No.Not whorled loosestrife. Not hop clover. Not yellow sedum uniflorum senanense (yes, I looked that one up on the internet), as we pass a plant that looks like it¢s escaped from someone¢s rock garden.That flower remains a mystery for now.Brenda, how about ¢Vintner¢ for your husband, and ¢Vignette¢ for you? ¢Vignette¢, derived from a French word, means sort of a ¢little story¢. You were an English teacher, so ¢story¢ would apply, plus you are dainty and petite.I¢ll think about it. Purple Rose has suggested ¢Bella¢ to capture Brenda¢s beauty or ¢Whatever¢ to capture her agreeableness.
Date: 2007-06-17
From: Hawk Mountain Rd

To: PA61
Miles today: 14.5

Sunday, June 17, 2007Hawk Mtn Rd to PA 61, 14.5 milesHot today, up to the high 80¢s or 90. Purple Rose likes these temps, I can manage them but I like it colder. I like the 40¢s best.Happy Father¢s Day, Papa!Goodbye to Sirene. Yup, that¢s her trail name, Sirene. We¢d love to have you stay and hike with us but know how much you have to do at home.Start 7:15, easy ascent on a dirt road, blazes are a little too infrequent for me. I like to see them often enough that I don¢t slow my pace wondering where the next one is or how long it¢s been since the last one.Hello to 2 young women, a man and 2 dogs.Hello to a day-hiker, who refers to us as "youse" (pronounced ¢use¢). I think that¢s the local colloquial equivalent to "y¢all".Hello to NOBO Diesel, who¢s met 2 NOBO¢s this year who thruhiked in 05, Scholar and No Worries. He¢s met Glenn and Brian and was treated to hearing them sing ¢Seven Spanish Angels¢. He says Glenn and Brian have the largest food bag he¢s ever seen.Out at the big rock pile by the blue trail to The Pinnacle and the Secret Entrance. Purple Rose, Zig Zag and I toss a rock on the pile.Peggy and Bob and children are approaching from the south, children carrying some sizeable rocks to add to the pile.Purple Rose and I get separated from Zig Zag. I walk back, here she comes. She¢d left The Pinnacle first, then sat down next to the trail to wait for us. We must have walked right by her without seeing her. Can¢t figure out how that could have happened. Anyway we¢re together again.Hello to 2 dads and 2 sons out to reconnoiter the area prior to the 50-mile Krista Griesacker Memorial Adventure Race on August 5. Mountain hiking, rapelling, hiking, canoeing.Hello to Mike and Tina Lawless from outside Philadelphia, who work on ADK trails and know the woman Spinner and I met at the FLT Conference who¢s a hike leader and trip leader. They¢re going on her upcoming trip to Hawaii! Hello to Hacker hiking with them.Hello to a couple out dayhiking.Hello again to NOBO Rockman, or is it Rockhound?, (met him April 10) from Wisconsin, started March 21, a geologist.   If I had time, I¢d ask him about PA rocks. Seems to me they¢re kind of like Syracuse snow, lots of kinds. The gravelly ones, the smallish pointed ones embedded in soil, the larger clunky ones resting on top of the soil, the boulder-size ones, and the rocky outcrops. Hiking PA must be a geologist¢s field day.Meet Mom, Dad, 3 children, kindergarten, 3rd and 4th graders and their flat-coated liver-colored retriever named Duncan.Sirene¢s given me a new trail name, Short Legs.Hello to Jason from WV. Hiked Springer to Waynesboro in ¢04. Hiking Waynesboro to Katahdin this year.More chestnut tree suckers surrounding dead 2-3-inch diameter trunks.What a great way to celebrate Father¢s Day, families taking Dads out on hikes. We¢ve seen several today.
Date: 2007-06-19
From: Rte 183

To: Rte 645
Miles today: 11.2

Tuesday, June 19, 2007Rte 183 to Rte 645, 11.2 milesHello to Mountain Goat at the entrance to the Mountain Springs Campground.Start about 7:30. Supposed to hit 91 degrees today.Mountain Goat has identified the lilies that look like foxtail lilies as Fly Poison plants. Thanks, Mountain Goat. I posted a picture of the flower yesterday, now I can add the name.Hello to NOBO Ringmaster from Kentucky. What we have here is an inch and a half welded steel ring, any good hardware supply store would have one, Ace, Lowe¢s or Home Depot. Check it out please. You get that at the chain department. A 36-inch brass extension chain for a light fixture or fan, with a coupling. Please don¢t try it without the coupling, it won¢t work. Now what we¢re going to do is run this steel ring up on the outside of the brass chain. Please don¢t run it up on the inside, it won¢t work. Don¢t blink, watch closely¢¦I¢m going to drop the ring. Ready? It tied a knot in itself! OK, Ringmaster, you bamboozled me.Find Ringmaster¢s journal at www.bradsatwalk.com. Ringmaster carries his pack slung over one shoulder. He¢s got 13 grandchildren. He says wait til you meet Aussie, she¢s got 15 grandchildren.Narrow new trail runs parallel to the old trail. Confusing which one to be on.Mountain laurel has gone by. Those flowers are short-lived. Glad we got to see them at peak.Hello to NOBO Pooch and her dog, Roxi.Hello to NOBO Aussie.Hello to NOBO Bicycle Barb, with homemade bungs and drinking tubes for sipping from lightweight water bottles. Purple Rose encourages her; Yard by yard, it¢s hard, Inch by inch, it¢s a cinch.Hello to NOBO Chico from Asheville NC, moved there from Philadelphia.Hello to NOBO Rhodo.Hello to NOBO Tom Dooley.Hello to NOBO Mike and Rhodo¢s husband G.G. (for Gentle Giant). The whole group is going to stay at Eagle¢s Nest Shelter tonight.Hello to NOBO¢s Toesocks. They saw a 350-pound bear near the William Penn Shelter. It just looked at them.Hello to NOBO¢s Little Pony and Billygoat.Hello to NOBO¢s Granite and Terrapin Flyer. Her dog Murray has left the trail. He wasn¢t enjoying it.Stop at the 501 Shelter. Relax in the chairs and read the register. Hippie Longstockings was here April 14. Four Bears. Matt and U-Dog. Bush Whacker. Many others.Hello to NOBO Marked (by the Hand of God).Hello to Barry Manilow, a funny story about his trail name. He had a Barry Manilow song on a tape he was carrying, other hikers picked up on this and voila, his trail name. He knows Joseph Stalin and Tin Tin. Asks me if they were clothed when I met them. Hello to NOBO O2 (oxygen).Out at 2:45. I decide to return to Syracuse instead of hiking 2 10-milers from Caledonia into MD. I haven¢t been home for a month. I need to read the mail and mow the grass, etc.Goodbyes to Purple Rose, Purple Sherpa, Dixie and Zig Zag. Thanks for everything. See you in 3 weeks for our big 6-week summer hike of NY and VT and some of NH!
Date: 2007-07-16
From: Seven Lakes Drive

To: Tiorati Circle
Miles today: 9.1

Sunday, July 15, 2007From the Country Music Campground in Cortland NY, I drive to Ramapo to the ATC Conference, hoping to get there in time to see friends at the 5:30 2000-miler gathering. An accident on Rte 17 delays arrival until after 6. The gathering was at 4:30 and is now over. Too bad. It would have been fun to meet the other 2000-milers. But I do get to meet Timberdoodle and to see Miles 2 Go and Mr Blister again!Hello Purple Rose and Zig Zag, ol¢ buddies!Monday, July 16, 2007Seven Lakes Drive to Tiorati Circle, 9.1 milesATC hike 1609, start about 9:15. Trail is dry soil and rocks.Hike leader Deanna. 14 people on today¢s hike including Deanna. First lookout at the Hudson River. Iona Bird Sanctuary projects out into the river.Kathy and Charles say hello to NOBO¢s Stealth Lion, Wolf Taffy (trailname derived from a food combo consisting of hotdog bun, peanut butter and something else I didn¢t catch) and Stone Age. They started March 31.Hello to NOBO¢s Water (man) and Bucket (woman).Hello to NOBO Mr Easy.From the top of Black Mtn, a view of hazy NYC skyline .At Silver Mine Lake, Hello to NOBO Monkey Socks.Oak forest, straight trunks, no lower branches, blueberry understory, some ripe. No defoliation. The light is soft today.Hello to NOBO¢s Promise Keeper and Oorah (sp?).Wow! 2 scarlet tanagers! Close by.4 deer!Dry trail, dry soil, dry rocks.
Date: 2007-07-17
From: Graymoor Firary

To: Seven Lakes Drive
Miles today: 10.5

Tuesday, July 17, 2007Graymoor Friary to Seven Lakes Drive, 10.5 milesATC hike 1708Great group, great weather, great views, great hike!Lunch spot atop Anthony¢s Nose.At the Bear Mtn Bridge, Hello to 3 men section-hiking north.Hello to NOBO¢s and good friends Sherlock and Circuit Rider!! One of the drawbacks of a group hike is no time to stop and chat with trail friends.Hello to NOBO¢s Old Yeller, Miss Placed and Cinder.Back at Ramapo, Hello to Lady Di. There¢s no one who knows wildlife like Lady Di. She and I hear the sweetest birdcall, repeated 3 or 4 times. That¢s a mockingbird, Lady Di says. Sure enough, soon we see it. Hello to CatMan and Mrs CatMan!!! Last saw them at the Gathering. Before that in Millinocket. CatMan is working with the same trail crew that Bluey¢s working with.Lady Di has missed dinner. She and I drive to McDonald¢s for a late meal.Tonight Timberdoodle and I move out of our tents and into our cars. Trying to avoid having to pack up wet tents.
Date: 2007-07-18
From: West Mombasha Rd

To: 17A
Miles today: 7.1

Wednesday, July 18, 2007West Mombasha Rd to 17A, 7.1 milesATC hike 1812 (we hike this on our own)Carol from Orlando shares a breakfast table with me, Purple Rose, Zig Zag, Lady Di and Timberdoodle. Bluey joins us. Most of today¢s hikes are cancelled due to rain and T-storms. Heavy downpour right now. We learn that an accidental chemical spill has closed a section of Rte 17North. We talk to the leader of our hike. Due to the weather she wants to take only the strongest fastest hikers. She says there are 3 tough places on this hike, two, Cat Rocks and The Pinnacles, have bypasses but one, Fitzgerald Falls, doesn¢t. Purple Rose and I talk it over. We¢ll hike on our own, at our own pace. We¢ll set a car in the middle on CR 5, to have an early out at 3.5 miles.For legal reasons, I can¢t share the story of us trying to circumnavigate around the closed road where the chemical spill happened. Both of us narrowly escaping arrest.   After our brush with the law, we take a southerly scenic route through NJ, past the Wanaque Reservoir, then north along the west shore of Greenwood Lake. Hello to the Breezy Point, where I stayed in 2003. That place looks like it¢s come up in the world.Set the Element at 17A and take Purple Rose¢s car to County Rte 5. Start about 11AM.Both Cat Rocks and The Pinnacles have blue-blazed bypass trails. Track over Cat Rocks and The Pinnacles is dry. Purple Rose and I opt for the white-blazed trails.I remember being at The Pinnacles in 2003 with John, sitting on the rocks eating a deli sandwich, watching circling turkey buzzards and enjoying the view.Out at 17A at 1:00.Set the Element at West Mombasha. Start 1:30. We reach what we think is Mombasha High Point because there¢s nothing higher. Sky¢s a dark gray, no view.About 120% humidity, hot and stifling. Today hiking feels like swimming! We can¢t walk fast. We¢re dripping.We are prepared to hike slowly and cautiously across tough trail at Fitzgerald Falls, but it¢s not tough. No problem.Out at 3:30.
Date: 2007-09-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Thursday September 13, 2007AM temps in the 40¢s! 6 days ago the mid-90¢s. Tortoise and Just a Few Steps (Barbara and Herman), who finished the PCT this year, go out with Bear. All they have left to finish the entire AT is VT, NH and southern Maine. En route to the trail up Whitecap, Dave and I stop at Bob and Lida¢s. Lida accompanies us from the gray gate to the juncture with the red trail. Dave and I hike on.Temps rise to the 60¢s, air is still and dry. No bugs.Steady ascent, not difficult, though I worry about coming down some of the areas of wettish rockface. I plumb forgot to put on the ankle brace this morning. I¢ll need to be especially careful descending.8:45 we come to a fork, pink ribbon and cairn point to the left, a slender tree trunk has been placed across the right fork. Left fork it is. Neither of us 100%. We walk slowly. My ankle hurt a lot this morning, but I¢m walking it out. After about 12 hour on the trail, pain is gone.We get hot. Shed layers. I¢m now wearing that silly-looking spandex set I bought in hopes it is going to help me lose weight. Dave refrains from razzing me.Soon we reach a second fork. Trail to the left is new, steeply up. Trail to the right is an extension of the old trail we¢ve been walking, and a more gradual up. No signage. We decide to call Lida. Take the established trail, she says. Shortly we come to the juncture of the upper end of the new trail and the old. Not sure what¢s up here. Later Bob tells us the new trail is due to landownership reasons.There are lots of lowbush blueberry bushes, minus berries. Near the top, however, are wine-colored plants that are still berried. We sample a few. Complex sweet flavor.Orange/pink ribbon leads towards the summit, as do cairns and some painted blue blazes.Before 11AM, we¢re at the top, a dry flat tableland with spectacular 360 views of green and blue mountains and a couple of lakes, plus diminutive sights of the town of Rumford, 3 not overly intrusive metal towers and a small cluster of satellite dishes. Little white clouds are scattered in rings around the whitish-blue horizon. Overhead no clouds, just blue sky, not cobalt blue, a softer lighter clear blue. Gentle breeze. A green inchworm has hitched a ride to the summit on my fleece vest. You can enjoy it with us, little guy, and I¢ll take you back down.We spend about 1/2 hour looking at the views, talking and soaking up sunshine.Going down, we do just great!We stop by Bob and Lida¢s to thank them, and then return to The Cabin. Dave departs for Gorham, and I say hello to "Peach", the REAL "Edge", and Don.Honey cooks a great supper of beef stroganoff from last night¢s steak, Peach and Edge sporting formal headwear for the occasion.
Date: 2007-10-05
From: VA 725 parking

To: VA 522
Miles today: 8.3

Friday, October 5, 2007VA 725 parking to VA 522, 8.3 miles7AM at Rte 50/17 on way to Linden trailhead, a pretty sunrise to my left, coral mares-tail clouds lit through layer of mist over near-black landscape, mist softening the red glare of sunlight on the clouds.Leave my car at 725 parking. Sometime while I'm hiking, Queen Diva and Dave will move it to 522. Start at Tucker¢s Lane parking area at 7:30.Misty. 60¢s. Enter a jungly-looking woods filled with twisting grapevines.Bog bridge over dry land. Small one-rail bridge over a trickle of water.8AM at top of first rise. Looks real familiar to me, after hiking nearly 5000 miles, I¢m finding many places starting to look the same.8:30 I¢m at VA 638, sun¢s up, mist not burned off quite yet.No cell signals. I try several times to call Queen Diva, no luck.Hello to a man wearing a day pack, hiking today from 522 to VA 638 and back. How far to the road? he asks. About 3/4 mile, I answer. See 2 deer. Yesterday I saw 4-5. They¢re so plentiful around here, I¢m forgetting to count them. Side trail on my right to Jim and Molly Denton Shelter. Take it past a couple of tent sites to the classy shelter with picnic pavilion, deck with Adirondack-type chairs, nice fire area. Jim Harvey is the maintainer. Register: 7-16-07 Celio¢s is definitely tops-homemade dough + sauce-lots of good food-nice family-good hiking- Bandana Man. Leave shelter about 9:15.9:45 power lines.10:00 Mosby Camp.10:10 at FR3460.11:20 at the fence.11:30 at 522. No car. Whoops, I walked right by a double-blaze. Retrace steps and make 90-degree turn following a fence along a recently worked wide dirt lane parallel to 522, follow that to a path to the left, out to 522 at 11:40.Dave and Lori have left my car at 522. What a treat to leave it at the trailhead at the start and come out and find it at the trailhead at the end!!! Thank you Queen Diva and Dave.
Date: 2006-12-25
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My start date has been set for March 3rd. My parents have been convinced to drive me down and drop me off as well as pick me up some time in Maine. For those of you who wish to send me mail or possibly even cookies or other such treats can visit the Mail Drops section to get addresses. If you do this please try to send at least a week in advance incase I am running ahead of schedule. I still have 68 days to go before the start and just a few more things to get before I go. Also I have a whole lot of food to dehydrate.
Date: 2007-02-22
To: One week to go
Miles today: 0.0

With one week to go I am putting the final touches on my preperation. My base weight (without food and water) is 21 lbs rignt now and after a couple months of fiddling with it I am content that this is as low as I can get it. I'm not sure yet what my starting weight will be becasue in all of my prep for mail drops I didn't quite get all of my food together to start out with. At lest I'll have something to do over the next week. I can't help but think that I have forgotten somthing. I have yet to take a trip in which somthing wasn't left behind. Oh well, as long as its not my camera or my food I should be ok. Hope to see many of you along the way.
Date: 2007-02-26
To: Done
Miles today: 0.0

My bag is now completly packed and weighs in at 32 lbs with 2 L of water and 4 days worth of food. Not to metion about 9 oz of leftover Jameson. Gotta stay warm somehow. I also mailed out my first two mail drops today. Right now I can't think of anything that needs to be done tomorrow. Surprisingly even my room is clean and ready to be occupied when my brother gets home from school. Which means that I'll probably be reading, watching tv, or obsessivly looking at whiteblaze. More likely I'll be so restless that I'll be moving between each. Only 40 hours until the commute.
Date: 2007-03-02
From: Springer Moutain Shelter

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: clear sky

Putting on frozen socks in more of a wake up than coffee. Only 7.8 today but I want to take it easy the first few days. About 10 other people are here tonight, most are thruing. I past Easy Feelin' this morning finishing up a SOBO hike.
Date: 2007-03-03
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Ramrock Mountain
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

Up with the sun today, actually a little bit before it. Ate lunch at Gooch Mountain Shelter, it was nice to eat at a picnic table, but very windy. Its also windy up on Ramrock Mountain but I found a place to hang that isn't as windy. I'm glad I don't have a tent that needs a level area. Decent view of the east, hopefully it stays clear for the eclispe. Left the level area for Popeye.
Date: 2007-03-04
From: Ramrock Mountain

To: Whitley Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

Big hike today. When I got down to Woody Gap I ran into Laura and found out theat Kirby got off last night and that she had to head home to regear. Made it to Neels Gap around 1:30. Grabbed my maildrop and got out before I was tempted by all the food and a night in the hostel. I was the 108th Thru Hiker to sign. I called home but noone was home. Sharing the area with Habitual Hiker, Laurie, and their dog May.
Date: 2007-03-06
From: Old Cheese Factory Site

To: Blueberry Patch Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 12.5

And another fantastic day. On my way to the gap I past a group from the Outdoor Club at VT. I didn't realize it until I saw the last kid wearing a Corps of Cadets shirt. Surprisinly I have the place to myself, everyone else was at Cloud 9. I caught my first hitch from town back to the hostel. Nice old guy, retired school teacher and tennis coach. I picked up a knee brace so that I can continue hiking. Looking foward to blueberry syurp and heading into NC.
Date: 2007-03-07
From: Blueberry Patch Hiker Hostel

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: broken clouds

Great Breakfast with the Poteats. The knee brace is working great, but I should have gotten two. Met Snakebite, Diablo, Jim, and Rockhound. I found out that I got the better of the Hostel deals, no extra charge for breakfast and I didn't have to do chores before I left.
Date: 2007-03-08
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: clear sky

Another great day, a little bit long though. I caught up the Quiet Paul again. Diablo, Snakebite, Rockhound, T Mac, Tito, and a few others are here as well. Total AT milage is 102.8 so we can celebrate being about 1/22 of the way done. Hope the rest is as good as the first.
Date: 2007-03-10
From: Campsite North of Wayah Bald

To: Natahala Outdoor Center Bunkhouse
Miles today: 16.8

Made it into town around 4. Had a fantastic shower followed by a meal of a burger smothered in Chili. All of the food was inhailed in less than 15 minutes. Highland brewing Co. (NC) makes some good beers. I tried the Black Mocha Stout. I met Singe and Old Yeller while we (about 12 of us) stayed up late (to 8:30) and drank some beer.
Date: 2007-03-13
From: Fontana Hilton

To: Russell Feild Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: few clouds

Breakfast discussion was about weather of not we were crazy. Not for hiking the trail but because of what happens at the end of long days. Every day when I am absolutly ready to be done for the day I see shelters in every rhododendron grove and hearing voices around the corners. Apparently this happens to everyone, or at least Tito, Snakebite, Noodles, Sardines, and myself.
Date: 2007-03-14
From: Russell Feild Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Sweet views today, unfortonitly they don't make good photographs. The weather is finally starting to be a little different as well. I had been getting spoiled by all of this nice sunny weather. It looks like rain tomorrow so I probably won't be making it up to Clingmans Dome for sunrise tomorrow. I ended up falling for the first time today. I had a stick get tangled up in my feet for a few steps and before I could plant my poles I went down. It had to happen sooner or later.