morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-06-11
From: Smithsburs

To: Devil's Race Course Shelter
Miles today: 5.1

Short day today. Free hiker hostel to Devil's Race Course Shelter. 5.5 miles today, hoping for more mileage tomorrow, around 13 or so. This shelter seems a little rundown, but out from the elements anyway, hoping for no mice...today was good to relax on the trail. Started in late afternoon. Had pretty decent ascent with some flat meadowy areas, took Shauna's dare to turn in circles to get dizzy then run to the next blaze. I'm too good for that game. I can run straight even when dizzy - challenge ya next time I see you.Was wondering today if your sweat smells different depending on what you eat... We went through this area of pines. I love the smell of pines and the softness of the ground! We also were thinking on our fourth day we love it out here, so when planning our '09 hike we came up with ideas of how we wanted to do it, thinking we could be the first one to do the whole AT without setting foor on trail. Ever seen the queens carried on the stretcher like things with king poles on the ends so 4 strong men can carry it? Well this is a major part of our '09 hike plans. Also thinking of some type of Alcor heat for the summer/winter months. We'll fill you in more as the time draws closer, but we are currently recruiting volunteers for AT '09. NEEDED: 4 stroung attractive males, someone to design/build our "carriage." Let me know if you're interested. Alright, the time has come to rest. Chick ya check ya!
Date: 2008-06-14
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park, PA
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: scattered clouds

so another night at a hostel...I promise I really am backpacking and have actually slept in the woodsSo I have missed out on a few days of journaling, which I am finding is not a good idea seeing as it all tends to run together and I seem to forget things. Even though we are just finishing up our first week, it is hard to remember exactly the dates so from quick memory...we went from the free hiker hostel in Maryland to a shelter about 5 or 6 miles away we have since had days up to 19 miles. We are still conditioning getting in a routine and finding a good rhythm for how far and fast we are hiking. With the typical aches and pains, blisters etc...things are still amazing. My pack is beginning to feel like it is just another part of my body. It is definlty a community in and of itself with the AT hikers...and it has been great to meet some of them. Today we ended at the half way point for hikers who have started at the beginning in Georgia, it's a huge and great accomplishment for those hikers!!!!!!! They have this thing called the half gallon club at the half way point. It is where you eat a half gallon of ice cream in one setting! Shawna and I didn't take part 'cause it isn't our half way point yet, but there were 3 thru hikers that finished the the whole deal, wanna know what they recieved as a prize??? a small wooden spoon with half gallon club printed on it, you know like the cheep wooden spoons that they give you when you buy gas station ice cream. So congrats to Bear bait, Pacer, and Birdbath for finishing!!!! so this is pretty short and random.... but I will fill in the gaps later as I think there are a few journal entries that I have written on paper but not with me at this moment. But we have finished Maryland and are working on PA. Tommorow we are headed out for Alec Kennedy Shelter. One random thought to think about...you know how moss is suppost to grow on the north side of the tree??? well we found our first post modern tree the other day. The moss had grown on all sides of the tree...(there is no truth so what ever you want to believe you believe...)
Date: 2008-06-15
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park, PA

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

Happy Fathers day!!Dear diary...just kidding - got ya! You thought you were going to get some juicy info, didn't you? Well today is officially a week on the trail. Today was a HARD day in the morning, not because of the trail/terrain...that was easy. it was mentally hard and physically because of aching feet and sore upper leg muscle. I can take the dull pain but when coupled with discouragement it is hard. We have a guide book that tells us what is coming up, like a road or shelter, etc...3 miles away or whatever. Today we were looking for a road about 3.5 miles away that never seemed to come. About 2 hours later we saw 2 peeps coming from the opposite way and asked. They said we were already past it so we then started to look for the shelter, etc... Anyway when we found the shelter we took a break to rest our feet, have a snack, so feeling very negative I whipped out a book I had brought by Jonathan Safran Foer. It is pretty funny/entertaining. I began to read it out loud and this helped us a TON!!Last night at the hostel a fellow hiker told us that there was a deli that was 2 miles off the trail so this was our goal and motivation to press on!! I am SO incredibly thankful for Cheif and his info on the deli! This was great to get some good food, ice cream, take some IBU, put the feet up a while!! IBU, you know out here it is a savior, I actuallly thanked God for it today. SSo we've got about 7.5 miles left to go today. One thing I am learning is how to work as a team with Shauna. I know her feet are hurting pretty bad with blisters and I need to be patient as I know I will at one time be the one who is having more troulbe. There are these catipillars out here, tons of them - they will soon be turning into gypsy moths, and being in town people are pissed about them. There are notices on the trail that they are spraying for them, but the sign reads, the funny little fellas will fall on your head if you're under a tree. One last though for now, it is tempting to have mind set on what is coming up next (landmark) like in 1.5 miles this crosstrail or whatever instead of just enjoying what is that moment, to stop, look around and enjoy it! It is amazing to see how the forest changes around you as you move even a few miles - one area with pines, one with ferns all over as underbrush, one with beautiful Mt. Laurle (the white flowered trees I talked about earlier. Rest of the day was encouraging, tood to think as you hike, little rock scrambling... Interesting night at the shelter, an older through hiker thought he wass being helpfull when strong suggesting how I should use my time with getting water immediatley, etc...all I wanted to do was sit for a while after a long day of hiking. Well to each his own. Done wtih today. Ready for a new day.
Date: 2008-06-16
From: Alec Kennedy Shelter

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

It is monday! A new week. Still in PA, will be for a while longer. 4 miles out today we pass through a town. Shawna has some rashes on her legs we wanted to get checked out at the dorctor. We weren't able to get to one so we decided to move on and just watch them. We go through a town again tomorrow to resupply, but we still have toons of food. We are learning just how much food and supplies we need, so we have been carrying a little too much, learning to take advantage of places little off the trail and when in town to eat there, so we don't have to carry that meal, etc...We had 18 miles today of flat trail, through PA fields, some roads, etc... Even though we had a long day we got to the shelter around 4:30 which was nice to have time to eat, wash up and relax. It threatened rain most of today. Finally around 6 or so it rained a decent amount with winds, then settled down a ton. But I had set up my tent because of a snake under the shelter, and then seeing the winds I ran out with Shauna to tear my tent down fast because I thought it might blow down. It would have been a sight to see us cause we were trying to keep it from blowing away as we unstaked it. Also it was really cool to find/smell the Honey suckel and to taste the drop of honey. So tomorrow we get to pick up a box in Dunkannon that has the rest of the book we sarted!! Yeah!Oh, I guess I have a trail name now --> Shelter Monkey - NOT a huge amazing story but the night that we had just finished our 19 miles it was getting dark and I needed to hang my food bag on a rope inside the shelter. The only one left was high in the ceiling so I was crawling/climbing around to hang it, and the rest is history. Funny, as I write this the approaching bad "storm" has blown over and the sun is now shining again! Rmember, it's about the journey.
Date: 2008-06-17
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Had a good rest in town, hiked about 12 miles, got in around 2, had some pizza, did some laundry, resting, visiting with other hikers, went through some wheat fields that were close to over your head around 6 this morning, soaked our shorts and boots! We had another thru hiker behind us, who we though "dude, his boots are probably completely dry..." but his were also soaked. We all took off our boots, dumped out the water and watched the steam rise from the heat of the boots. I slipped on my sandals for 10 more miles to town. Surprisingly enough they were almost more comfortable than my boots. Little rocky and steep at the end of the trail today, but the reward of relaxing was worth it.
Date: 2008-06-18
From: Duncannon

To: Peter's Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Another short day today. Duncannon to Peters Mountain Shelter about 12 miles. Slept in today till a whopping 7 am, had an awesome pancake breakfast in town, packaged up the bump box and set out of town around 1. Was a nice breezy day, even got some showers at the end of the day. Was a nice relaxing pace today until the rain started and I booked it the last three miles to get out of the rain. Good to feel like hiking is getting to be less of a chore with less achy feel. Today seemed like a breeze so we are getting ready to head into some more of the rocks. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Date: 2008-06-20
From: Raush Gap Shelter

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

It felt easier today. Pizza is a motivator, as you can order it and have it delivered to the shelter! Great group of people at the shelter tonight. They make me laugh! Lotus, Thinker, Beart Bate, Bear Pack, Pacer, Creekdiver etc...Shauna has her name: Shake Whisperer.
Date: 2008-06-21
From: 501 Shelter

To: Eagle's Nest Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today I woke up and decided to hike. Today was a really good day, though it started out in a different way. Shauna had planned on going to the Dr. on Monday when we got to town but she felt really bad this morning and decided to get a ride in today to see the doctor. So there were still 24 miles to hike to town for me. I hooked up with thw hikers, Lotus and Thinker, and went about 15.5 miles to eagles nest shelter. So what I heard from Shauna is that they think she has asthma and gave her an inhaler. She has be having a ton of trouble with her feet so I was hoping she would get that checked too but she didn't tell them about it, so we'll see how it goies. But hiking today was really really great to go my own speed, sweat a little, get the heart rate up. It was really refreshing. Got into the shelter around 3:30 and even had a later morning start around 9 or so. I enjoyed spending time with other hikers and being able to relax at the shelter hangout. Beautiful weather, nice cool, listening to the birds and breeze. Bedtime definitely comes earlier out here, like at 9, but waking up at 5 am doesn't quite seem that bad...It's waking up with the sun so in a few months when I return to "normal life" I'm going to have to do people schedule bed at 9 up at 5am, thinking this might put a cramp in the social scene, haha!I'm enjoying being here more and more, think my feet, legs getting stronger with less aches. We have been around same general group of hikers for about a week or a few days (who knows, time here is weird) but I love seeing people we know, getting to know more people in this "community". It definitely is a type of community. New people pass you, you run into people you saw a few days ago, etc. Tomorrow is a town stop to reesupply and have our first "zero" day - day with no miles! I'm excited for a little break! Only 9 miles to town. This is the life!
Date: 2008-06-22
From: Eagle's Nest Shelter

To: Port Clinten
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Eagle's Nest Shelter to Port Clinten for resupply about 9 miles in the morning. Started around 6:30, got in around 9:30 or 10, so pretty much a full day off! Yeah...so shower, laundry, huge breakfast! I ordered this breakfast with 2 pancakes, 3 meats, toast, 2 eggs, chocolate milk - ate it all...Good day to get to know the hikers around us, seems as though we are around a pocket of women hikers which we hear is odd because there are not a lot in general. We any way Port Clinten is a tiny tiny town with not much to do. You see it all in about 5 minuets. The candy shop, hotely, restaraunt, that's about it, but the yards of people are quite entertaining with each having at least one deer target for hunting.
Date: 2008-06-23
From: Port Clinten

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was going to be a zero mileage day but I thought I rested yesterday, why not go ahead. We had a PO stop to get food and mail - we spent 3 hours there sorting food, gear, etc. Stressful when you know you still have 15 miles ahead to go, figuring at the food stuff, anyway thanks to all for the mail! It was amazing, encouraging and made me laugh and smile! Since Shauna and I hake at a different pace, today we set up points to meet each other at throughout the day, so today I hiked by myself for periods of time, which was amacing to relax and go at my own pace, to not feel like I need to make conversation, good to just think, hike, look around, sweat. It's just freeing to get into your own rhythm, but at the end of the day I was getting tired and not looking forward to the last hour, so amazingly I ran into another hiker who was about to set up camp for the day, started chatting, then we both moved on and chatted for the last hour of hiking. It was really interesting and made the hour go by fast! The shelter I'm at tonight has a cold shower, so 2 nights in a row - shower! Today we finished up 209 miles from where we started buy my shoes aren't holding up very weill...they are Merrells and are barely a month old, the tread is falling off/ripping off the bottom. There is a whole section of tread missing down to the sole of the shoe, so the next outfitter we go to I'm going to try to get a new pair of Merrells - Crazy since I talked to a hiker today who had Merrells last the whole trip till now (over 1,000 miles). Only 60 more miles of PA. We hikers think that poison ivy must be the state flower cause it's everywhere! So in planning my day tomorrow I think it might just involve some walking, onward to maine, peace out homies.
Date: 2008-06-24
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Tripoli Campsite
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was a HARD day not because of the terrain too much, though it was rocky, just didn't feel like hiking today. I'm patient to get where I was going, feet a little sore from blisters (which as a side note you can get them in the weirdest places) between my toes but about halfway through I took a break for about 1 1/2 hours, and felt much better. Last six miles went fast. Funny how one day can be so great, freeing and the next so hard. But great thing is getting into camp early, setting up camp and relaxing in my tent, mostly what I needed to chill out for a while. Love listening to the breeze in the trees. Funny story so last night I set up my tent at a shelter, about an hour after I fell asleep I woke up to strong winds and some lightening so still 1/2 asleep I freaked out and grabbed all my stuff and threw it in my pack and ran into the shelter. When I got into the shelter I woke up enough that I was thinking what am I doing, why am I freaking out and if I'm not in my tent it might blow away so I ran back out with Shauna whose feet hurt so she was sorta limping and me with no contacts and couldn't see, so she was holding onto my shoulder and we went as an impaired pair to grab my tent, rolled it up and ran back to the shelter. So in the morning we had a good laugh with other hikers about how I freaked out needlessly (though it did thundersorm) so tonight the same group of 8 of us are camping with no shelter just tents and it seems as though it might storm so they were teasing me "hey shelter Monkey where are you going to run to tonight if it storms with no shetler around, it better not be my tent."
Date: 2008-06-25
From: Tripoli Campsite

To: Palmerton
Miles today: 12.0

Short day today but into a town! The hike was slow today until amazingly I came upon Lotus and Thinker picking blueberries! Wild Blueberries!! Who woulda though? So of course I was eathing them also geez what an encouragement and pick-me-up. Blueberries. I love them, they tasted amazing, so glad they pointed them out to me though cause I tend to be a little oblivious at times and mighta miissed them, so tonight sleeping at town old jailhouse for free! We called for a shuttle back to the trail tomorrow but haven't heard back. We'll see.
Date: 2008-06-26
From: Palmerton

To: LS Shelter
Miles today: 16.0

I am getting ready to leave for trail, not sure how we will get to trail head 2 miles away, and in walks the shuttle right at 7 am. "You guys still need a ride? I tried to call last night but couldnt get through..." Perfect timing, no coincidence. Stayed in "jail house" hostel last night - yeah free place to sleep, free shower! Laundry! pretty nice - this town let's you stay in the bottom of their bourough building and gives you a goody bag of toothpaste/brush, bandainds, motrin, granola bar, etc. Really nice! Today on the trail we climbed Leighs Gap in the morning, like 1,000 foot clime in .5 mile. Rocky, some hand, foot scramble, fun but challenging and amazing view of the city below, the ridge trail which the trees had been killed by zinc smelting so it made it look like a wasteland. Just lots of rocks and dead trees but cleared way for great view below. They have been working for several years to get new growth of plants in the area. Interesting how much damage was done but eventually headed back into forest, nice part of trail with pines and more large rocks to climb - fun! It had been drizzly all morning so the mood of the forest was still quiet like one of those rainy days you wanna sit inside and read a book, but if I had a choice at that point I would have chosen just to hike, it felt good today to just walk, felt like a stroll not a hard struggle of a workout, went by really fast and got to shelter early around 2:30 or 3 so plenty of time to relax and set up my tent hangout, I like doing that, more time to recover for next day, good group of us tonight, like tent city here, have 9 tents! Hammocks circled up a fire and good company like a little town. I've been hoping to have some community so it was a great night even a little reading in my tent to end the night, were some teems that camped behind us so we thought it might be a loud night but thankfully it wasn't, anyway was a great day though water is a little scarce at times. Sometimes there is about 1/2 mile walk to it. But good and cold when yah get it.
Date: 2008-06-27
From: LS Shelter

To: Delaware Watergap Hostel
Miles today: 20.5

20.5 miles into town, plan started out to just hike 14 miles to next shelter and 6 in the morning but we though way unpack everything tonight pack it all up a few hours later to hike 6 miles. Better to push in and have whole day off from hiking so today started in LS shelter. Fast 4 miles in morning, waited 4 Shauna and moved on next 9 miles about mile 10 or 11 saw a huge rattlesnake around these huge boulders (wolfe rocks) - funny thing is a girl who was with us came through earlier in the day, saw it and left a note to warn others but when I was it I though, yeah sure it's still there, but the people with me at the moment were like ummm yeah it still is there, so usually I'm so oblivious, I wouldn't have seen it, so glad is was pointed out. Mile 12, 13 was exhausted, almost wanting to stop and nap but I pressed on and to my surprise at the road there was "trail magic," a guy who through hiked last year and his wife were feeding hikers, had drinks, dessert!! So amazing and refreshing! I caught up to the other hikers there and after few hours, met back up with Shauna and hiked into town, arriving around 10 pm in the dark. Dude the night hike part was interesting! So my headlamp had a red light and a bright white light but the red light was the only light working so Shauna led with her head lamp and I followed with the red light staring intently at the ground cause I couldn't see anything so Shauna would announce tree, rock...but I still took an interesting slip on a rock which was really funny like a slide so we were searching for the white blazes walking 1/2 mile an hour, walking by croaking frogs, etc...so it was sorta like a "faith/trust" walk, well we eventually made it yeah! It was actually pretty "amazing" adventure looking back on it. 20.5 miles today! Pretty good convo on trail, mixed with time alone to thing - great combo!
Date: 2008-07-02
From: Highpoint State Park

To: Unionville, NY
Miles today: 0.0

Hey!! Its July, almost a month on the trail and Im still alive...still kick'n...still walkingWell I am at the mayor's house...and the next set of journals that Sarah will type in will explain what the heck I'm talking about and why but while I have a quick chance to be online just saying hey and that things are going well, just got new shoes, and poles and ready to tackel what is next in the rest of Jersey and New York to come, going to finish Jersey by Friday and celebrate the fourth of July like a crazy american!!!!!!! okay chick ya check ya till lata there should be updates to fill you in till this point posted in about a week or two!!HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!!