morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-06-16
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I slept very little due to the snorer and I was not the only one either! Around 6am a very bad storm came through with lightning and thunder that was very loud. It poured down very hard. There were quite a few hikers under the porch roof. The hikers who camped were all there so it was a little crowded. I got up and started getting my gear together and one by one the hikers started leaving. I followed Aurora and Conundrum about 15 minutes later. It was raining but not as hard as earlier. It was 7:50 when I left. My plan was to get to Pine Grove and have lunch at the General Store then maybe take the half gallon challenge. This challenge is for through hikers who have reached the halfway point, if you can eat a half gallon of ice cream, you get a little wooden spoon. There is no time limit...you just have to finish it. I met up with Aurora and Conundrum about 6.5 miles out at Tom's Run Shelter. We hiked the rest of the way together. The trail was wet and mostly down hill. It wasn't too rocky but we did have to watch our steps. We arrived just before noon and all of us ordered the hiker burger and fries. It was a big burger with avocado and fried egg. The fries were excellent as well. I was planning on staying at the Ironmaster's Mansion Hostel next door to the general store which did not open until 5pm. The weather made a turn for the worst so Aurora and Conundrum decided not to hike on and stay at the hostel as well. We always seem to change each others minds on our hiking plans!! Good to have them back. Many hikers came and went and most were taking the challenge. Some made it and some did not! Goldberry showed up and sat with us while she waited for her daughter to come in. It was fun watching some hikers while they struggled to finish the ice cream. I started it but Aurora and Conundrum had to help me, I am definitely a lightweight when it comes to eating ice cream! The biggest achievement today was that we reached the official 2016 halfway mark. The AT changes the route at some point on the trail just about every year because of construction, and all sorts of necessary interruptions to the trail. Hence, the halfway point ultimately changes. Another huge accomplishment. I want to say it is all downhill from here but I don't think it will be! There was an AT Museum down the street, it was interesting and informative and it had a great children's section too! I went over to the hostel and checked in. It was built in 1829 as a gift from a husband to his wife and it is still in good shape. We got bunk, sheets, shower, towels, dinner and breakfast for $35. Now that is a great deal! I also had a package waiting for me which had my new boots. My old ones were getting worn out since I put over 1000 miles on them. I got the exact same pair, Oboz Traverse Mids free from Oboz. They gave a lifetime guarantee for thru hikers!!!! I am looking forward to trying them out tomorrow.
Date: 2016-06-17
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Backpackers Campsite, Boiling Springs PA
Miles today: 18.9

I had waffles for breakfast and my first cup of coffee EVER! It was strong! I mostly drink hot tea but thought I needed to expand my options. I got out about 8:15am and stopped by an old furnace ruin called Pine Grove. They used to make cannonballs for the south then the north during the Civil War. After the war they made pots and cast iron kettles. The first part of the hike was relatively easy with a nice gradual uphill then downhill to a deli 9 miles out. I met up with many hikers there and ordered a burger and a quart of sweet tea...excellent. I hiked a bit with Yard Sale. He was working as an accountant in Georgia, sold everything including his house, and is hikng the trail. Hus plans are to relocate to Colorado or Idaho when he finishes. After the deli there was a lot of ups and downs until the trail came out to a cornfield. I walked about 2 miles along these her picturesque fields. There was a side trail to the campsite where I planned to set up camp tonight. Tweed, Chickenfeet, Aurora, Conundrum and a few other hikers arrived. A lot of towns cater to hikers and offer lots of specials. I walked to town to take a $2 shower at the public pool and, fortunately for me it happened to be $5 Friday. That included swimming and the use of the shower. That was a no brainer...I jumped in the pool! The water was from the river and was nice and cold. I let the child in me out and went down the slides too. That was fun. After a shower, I went to the restaurant and split a large pizza with Chicken feet. Needing something to wash the pizza down with, we walked to the Tavern and tried a local IPA. Back at the campsite many more hikers had arrived. We were right by the RR tracks and the trains were loud. Add that to late nite hikers coming in from the tavern and a 10 year old girl there with her dad who talked very loud past mdnight and then popped fireworks. Needless to say it was not a good nights sleep. Boiling Springs was a pretty town that is worth visiting again but don't stay at the campsite!
Date: 2016-06-18
From: Backpackers Campsite, Boiling Springs PA

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: clear sky

I got up early since I was not sleeping anyway. I don't think it rained but my tent cover was wet. It was probably the dew from condensation or from the trees.The trail went right through town. I stopped at the cafe and had breakfast with White Cap and Braids. They are 70 year old thru hikers from Maine. The forecast today is for a high of 90 degrees and when I got going at 8:45 am, it was clear and already hot! I hiked the first few miles along farmlands and cornfields which gave way to wheat fields. On and on, field after field, again very picturesque. Coming from the Texas coast, all this is amazing to me, mountains, woods and farmlands. Baytown, where I live is very flat. I got lots of sun and drank lots of water. I need to really pay attention to my water intake. It is easy to get dehydrated with this heat. I crossed many roads and got back into the woods. My lunch venue was next to a river under an underpass 11 miles from where I started today. There were a few kayakers there and four of them talked to me about my hike and became trail angels when they gave me a Corona! It went great with my lunch! It didn't take long for me to get to the shelter I was planning to stay at tonight. Aurora and Conundrum were already there and it was only 2:30pm. Since it was so early, I considered hiking further. Although my feet were hurting I decided to go to next shelter 7.5 miles ahead. It was almost a mistake because the trail was soooo rocky...my feet were not happy!! There was one view, but I mostly hiked very slowly and watched my footing. I arrived at the shelter at 6:15pm. It was nice! My roommates tonight were sister section hikers and Ridge Runner. We all slept in the shelter along with Chicken Feet. It was a nice evening with a lot of conversation about traveling and hiking. Buenas Noches!
Date: 2016-06-19
From: Cove Mountain Shelter

To: Clarks Ferry Shelter
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke at 6am and got going at 7:15am with Chicken Feet. The trail was very rocky and all I did was look down at my feet to keep from tripping or twisting my ankle. My poles have been 'malfunctioning' since I got back on the trail. My plan is to visit an outfitter whenever I can get to one to see what the problem is. My destination for breakfast is a town named Duncannon. I am planning to spend a few hours there charging my phone charger and cell phone then I'll eat lunch before hiking out. On the way to Duncannon I came to a great view at Hawk Rock and stopped there for a while. I made it to town at 9:15am. It's one of those towns where the trail goes right through it. I stopped at Goodies for breakfast with Chicken Feet and stayed there about 2.5 hrs while charging my electronics. Chicken feet got to hiking at 11:00. I walked to a store and picked up a few food items. Aurora and Conundrum came into town earlier and we all had lunch at the historic Doyle hotel. A few other hikers joined us. The fried fish sandwich and sweet tea I had for lunch was great. We sat there talking and finally got going at 2:15 pm. As I walked through town and crossed over two bridges across two rivers I saw people enjoying the water. It was hot so it was tough seeing people in the river while I was sweating with 30 lbs on my back!I then entered the woods for a 2 mile 1000 ft rocky climb. It was a good climb but the hard part was actually when it flattened out with big slanted rocks. Thank goodness I decided to stay at the first shelter and not join Chicken Feet at the next one. It will give my feet a break. I was able to wash up and feel refreshed again. My tuna dinner was very enjoyable and a I a honeybun for dessert. I am hoping to get a good night's sleep, wake up early and try for 25 miles. We'll see!
Date: 2016-06-20
From: Clarks Ferry Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 24.7
Weather: clear sky

I woke early to a beautiful morning! I had to really plan my water, 13 miles before the next water source, carried 2 1/2 liters just in case I normally carry a little over a liter to save on weight. Waterfall was first to leave then I went right after him. It was 6:30am and about 70 degrees.All I can say about the hike was that it is ROCKY!!! Rocks everywhere and that does not help my tender feet. I did come up on a beautiful view from Table Rock. There were times I felt that time and miles were flying by, and others that I was trudging along trying to avoid the rocks and save myself from foot pain. Stopped for lunch at a spring and Aurora and Conundrum were there with their shoes and socks off. They were having the same foot problems as I was. It seems when you get off the trail for 10 days your feet get tender again and you have to go through a toughening up phase. It seemed that it took forever to reach Rausch Gap Shelter, especially when your just trying not to trip and being wise on our foot placement. The shelter was 0.3 miles off the trail but the walk was flat and no rocks. Waterfall and Chicken Feet were already there. The water source was right in front of the shelter, so convenient. All but Chickenfeet did almost 25 miles and we were tired. Hope to get a good night sleep.
Date: 2016-06-21
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

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

Todays hike was a little more interesting. The weather was in the mid 70's but was going to climb to 90 today. Hopefully we will be in the shade of the trees all day. Coming out of the shelter we came up on a old RR bridge with a creek under it. The water was coming from a culvert and was called the Rausch Gap Diversion Well. Water is piped from a dam some distance away and discharges under a bed of limestone then out of the culvert. The water is acidic due to the industry up river. This process brings the PH up so fish could survive in the water...very interesting. I hiked on for 6 miles and came up on some wonderful trail magic...Chopped beef sandwiches, fruits, cookies, drinks and many other snacks. I stayed there talking to the 2 couples supplying everything along with other hikers. It was so appreciated by us all. Dirty Ernie was one of the gentlemen supplying the food and he through hiked the AT when he was 65. He plans to do it again when he turns 75! He was also quite a character. He told us that there was no night hiking permitted in Pennsylvania because that is when they come out to sharpen the rocks! I believe him. About a mile after I left there someone had put an ice chest next to the trail with some cold Ginger Ale...another nice act by a trail angel. Aurora Conundrum and I then crossed an old steel bridge. It was actually moved from a different location and put in the park. We saw a Mulberry tree and helped ourselves to some of the sweet fruit. After we crossed the bridge, there was more trail magic. A couple had snacks out of their minivan in a parking lot. I took a Gatorade, banana and cookie for later. Wow, 3 instances of trail magic within 1.5 miles. It certainly helps to lift our spirits. The rest of the hike was an assortment of rocky trails and overgrown vegetation taking over the trail and smooth ground. Another obstacle I have not mentioned is the Gnats. They fly around your head while you hike and just love to get in your eyes. They say it is the moisture they are after. I will need to invest in a bug net to put over my head. I am using sunglasses to help but when it is overcast and under the canopy of the trees it is difficult to see the rocks. We came out to a couple of great overlooks...Fisher Lookout was one. It was very nice with large rocks that you could sit on and enjoy the wide view of the valley. I arrived at 501 Shelter. It was like a cabin with 12 bunks, an outdoor shower and water. We were also able to order pizza and they delivered to a nearby parking lot. Chicken Feet, Waterfall, Leggs, Verge(Goldberry and Bombadils daughters) and another hiker slept in the shelter and Aurora, Conundrum and 2 other couples tented outside. I was able to wash some of my clothes and hang them up outside to dry. The hike itself seemed longer than 17.5 miles. It was another long day.
Date: 2016-06-22
From: 501 Shelter

To: PA 183
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: clear sky

Aurora, Conundrum, Chickenfeet and I had a 3 day plan, so far we have stuck to it for the first two days. Today we will only do 9 miles and get picked up at a road crossing to go to Rock and Sole Hostel. It is a new hostel that is not in our guide but it is on the AT website and we also heard about it from other hikers. They had a lot of good things to say about it and they will shuttle us to Yuengling Brewery, the oldest one in the country. We all slept well, it rained a bit around 5:30am but stopped when we got up at 6am. It was a nice cool morning in the 60's. We all got an early start because we wanted to make t to the brewery's last tour which begins at 1:30pm. We do have our priorities!! The weather remained nice throughout the hike but it was rocky again and fortunately the weather seems to have kept the gnats to a minimum. I had a couple of nice overlooks. In spite of the rocks we made pretty good time. We got picked up by Craig, the owner of the hostel. It is at his house, the bunks are in his one time tool shed. Everything is nice and clean. There were 5 bunks and 4 more in the basement of the house, an outdoor heated shower, bathroom and sink. He had snacks inside that we could purchase and complimentary hot chocolate mix and tea bags. We just changed and headed strait to Pottsville PA. Pottsville has quite a history, it had the first professional NFL championship team. Like many Pennsylvania towns this was a big Coal town in the past. Craig dropped us off at an Italian restaurant since we had time and we all got pizza by the slice. It was 10 times better than last nights pizza. We then walked over to the brewery and walked around the gift shop while we waited for the tour to begin. If I was not hiking I would have bought a shirt and mug! They were nice. The tour was great and informative. It was built in 1829 and has been owned by a Yuengling ever since, lots of history. After the tour we got to try 2 beers and of course we had to purchase another. Chicken Feet does not care for beer too much so he bought a Yuengling ice cream and poured the beer in it making a beer float! Craigs wife picked us up and took us to resupply our groceries then back to the hostel. Dinner and breakfast are included in the price so she said dinner at 6:30pm on the porch of the house. We showered, relaxed and hungout till dinner. We had hamburgers that Craig grilled, steamed broccoli, potato casserole, carrots with ranch dressing, drinks and dessert which was Yuengling Black and Tan ice cream on a brownie. Yum Yum. Craig then built a fire and we sat around it and talked. There was a creek running right behind the property...What a wonderful setting. I gathered my supplies, organized myself and laid down. This is one of those plans that we actually stuck with and it came out perfectly!
Date: 2016-06-24
From: Port Clinton PA

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: broken clouds

I had a continental breakfast with Whitecap and Braids at the hotel. Steve picked us up at 7am and we were hiking by 7:10am. With the temperature in the low 70's, it was nice. My poison ivy was not itching as much and my spirits were high. I didn't sleep well last night, but I feel better. My plan is to hike to Eckville Shelter, 14.8 miles. It has a shower so I get to be clean again!The hike started with a climb of 800 ft over 2 miles. That's not bad but some parts were steep. There were some nice trails and rocky ones off and on...surprise, surprise! I came out on Pulpit Rock Overlook. That was a great view. I had met 3 young ladies day hiking earlier today on the trail and they were there taking in the sights. I got them to take my picture and told them about trail magic and trail angels. They were excited to do that in the near future. Hikers, be on the lookout for them!! I hiked over a tough section of big rocks and then more rocks. Since I was in a better frame of mind today, it did not seem so bad. There was another view that I missed. It did not have a sign and I passed the side trail. I hiked down an old dirt/rock road for about 4 miles then stopped at a spring, got some water, and had lunch. I made it to the Shelter at 2:30 pm. It was early in the day, but I decided to stay. My big toe was hurting and I did't want to make it worse. My feet actually feel better for the most part and I want to keep it that way. The next 3 days are supposed to be tough with many rocks. A few hikers came but left after a short break. I took a shower and washed my clothes. I was having dinner when it started raining and the hikers started pouring in. Many hikers were in the shelter riding out the rain until they could set up their tents. There were only 6 bunks available so the others had to use the campsite. There is a public road in front of the shelter and somebody dropped off a watermelon, we cut it up and it was good! Looking forward to a good nights sleep.
Date: 2016-06-25
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: clear sky

I got up early at 5:10am along with almost everyone else. I took my time getting ready and left at 6:30am. Not far into my hike I ran into Yardsale where he was camping. Unfortunately his achilles was hurting so he would be hiking slowly on the rocks. The trail was rocky from the start of the hike today...Big rocks then little rocks then boulders everywhere. It was very slow going. I was thinking of hiking 22 miles but this was going to be one of those slow going days due to the rocky terrain so I may just settle for 17. I stopped at Allentown Hiking Club Shelter where I met Can Do and Backscratcher. It was time for a break so I sat and read the journal only to see that Chicken Feet was there last night! He is half a day ahead.It seems that most of us are going to a restaurant 0.3 miles off the trail for lunch. I arrived at the restaurant at 11:30am but it did not open till noon. I hung out in the back shaded area relaxing and eventually had lunch with 2 Pack, Zuko, Can Do and Backscratcher. My salad and burger were tasty and filling but that didn't stop me and the other hikers from deciding to get dessert. I had a chocolate brownie with ice cream. Yum Yum!! It was okay hiking for a bit then we hit the rocks again. There were a couple of nice views then a little later we went through a challenging part of the trail...The Knife Edge. There is an incredible view from there but it was tough and slow hiking on the big slabs of rocks that were on a slant.  Whitecap took a spill just before there. He broke his glasses and got a cut under his eye but he seems to be ok.  After a good nights sleep and my mental state being really good, I didn't mind the rocks today. It was a hard hike but good. We got trail magic just before the shelter where there were 2 guys with sodas and honeybuns! It was well appreciated. I got to the shelter and Zuko hiked down to get water for us. It was a long hike. We had dinner and hung our bear bags. My feet felt good this morning but they hurt tonight. This was the first time in a while that I did not tape my feet but I am thinking that I will use tape tomorrow. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2016-06-27
From: Leroy Smith Shelter

To: Kirkridge Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: broken clouds

I woke later than normal today, about 6:15am and I started by stretching my body which I do every morning. Mercury got up right after me and the way we moved showed that neither of us seemed to be in a hurry. Mercury is determined to get to New Jersey, about 20 miles from here. I would like to get to the Delaware Water Gap which is about 19 miles away. My getting there was going to depend on the terrain and my feet. All of a sudden Chicken Feet showed up along with Optimistic Dreamer and Baby Chicken who I have not seen since Woods Hole Hostel. Gung Ho was there also. He started in Harper's Ferry and will flip flop. That means that he will start in Harper's Ferry and go North to Katadin, Maine then return to Harpers Ferry and go south to Springer Mtn, Georgia. There are quite a few hikers who do this to avoid the crowds who go from one end to the other.They ate breakfast and we all got reunited and acquainted with the new hiker in the group, Mercury. We all started hiking together and Mercury was in front of the pack. I have a feeling I won't see her again because she is doing a lot of miles. Do I even have to mention that the trail was rocky? I don't think so!!!! The soles of my feet started to hurt by late morning especially my left one. Not sure if I should blame the rocks or my new shoes. Since everyone is complaining of foot pain, I blame the rocks. A lot of the shelter log entries mention the rocks on the trail and not in a positive way. We are all ready for New Jersey! I took a couple of breaks that I don't normally take so that I could rest my feet. I only traveled 13.8 by the time I got to Kirkridge Shelter but it seemed like forever! To top it off it started raining about 1 mile before I got there. Chicken Feet, Yardsale, a brother and sister from Buffalo NY, and myself all stayed the night at the shelter. It started pouring around 6:30pm. We all got settled in and by 8pm we were all asleep.