morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-10
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: just past Keys Gap
Miles today: 14.5

We celebrated passing 1,000 miles today!It took us forever, but Queen Diva and Amoeba finally succeeded in getting us to leave Bears Den around 11:30 a.m.It was a beautiful, sunny day. We passed a group of 25 high school students on our way to the Blackburn Trail Center where we ran into Crazy Diamond and Giant and the caretakers and talked for about an hour.We hiked about another 25 miles then celebrated about where we thought the 1,000 mile-mark was (only about 8,000 more miles in the Quadre : ) A 1,000-mile sign made of sticks we made on the trail, then we took a few photos and a minute later headed toward mile 1,001.We found Twilight at the David Lesser shelter and convinced her to hike further with us. At Keys Gap we went to a small convenience store where we got beer, ice cream, chips and food to celebrate with. After moving another few minutes down the trail we camped in the woods, played drinking games and talked about a wide variety of subjects around a small campfire.It was another great day on the trail.* * *Skit's bits:* No. of miles hiked in last four days: 53.5* No. of miles hiked the previous four days: 91.3* Time we arrived at Bear's Den: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday* Time we left Bear's Den: after 11:30 a.m. Thursday (more than 24 hours off trail, what a fantastic stay.)* Forest fires almost started by Vagus: 1* New trail name taken by Twilight: Twiggilight* * *This day in bad trail poetry:We call our other lives "real"but somehow that seems wronglife on the trail is more vibrant,more friendly,it simply feels more "real."It seems like how life should be,simple, filled with fast and deep friendships and caring people,there are no strangers,only people we haven't met yet,the trail doesn't offer an escape,it offers a treasured alternative,it reassures that there is still much good to be found in the world.
Date: 2008-04-11
From: just past Keys Gap

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We did another short day today to hopefully set ourselves up for the Maryland Challenge tomorrow.Of course I'm not sure how much rest we will get since at the North Gate hotel in Charles Town tonight, Vagus, Stride, Twiggilight and I are in a room, Giant and Crazy Diamond are staying down the hall, and friends of mine from the PCT -- Jym Beam and the Rain Queen are coming down to visit. So I might be sleepwalking the 42 miles tomorrow (we still have a mile left in West Virginia).We left our remaining beers (we drank 20 of a 24 pack) on the trail this morning for Crazy Diamond and Giant (they found and drank them). We got to Harpers Ferry "The psychological halfway point" and went to visit the ATC headquarters where we got our photos taken. We are officially NOBO hikers 4, 5, and 6, but we know of at least one other ahead of us who didn't have a photo there. I found my photo from 2004 and got an ego boost when Vagus and Stride said that I look younger and thinner now than I did then.We decided to stay in a hotel in Charles Town since we had a car and it was cheaper to go there.* * *Skit's bits:* Twiggilight's newest trail name: Sweet Twiggiilight, after she asked at the cafe what "sweet tea" was.* Movies watched on AMC at the hotel: Cool Hand Luke, and The Karate Kid.* Reported thru hikes in last 10 years:2007 - 440 (24 percent completion rate)2006 - 504 (30 percent)2005 - 548 (26)2004 - 578 (26)2003 - 600 (23)2002 - 589 (21)2001 - 622 (17)2000 - 633 (15)1999 - 557 (14)1998 - 404 (15)Total thru hikes reported: 10,017* Names of hikers near me I recognized in the 2004 book: Kiwi, Slimer, Stonebed Ted, M&M, Zinc, Doc, Dapper Dan, The Blues Brothers, Ranger Jan, Squatter, Barking Spider, Atlas, Rooster, Guy, Snatchy, Monk, Knuckles, Underhill, Magnet, Millipede, Gather, No Pain, Dozer, Mountain Goat.* Thru hiker No. I was at Nels Gap: 31* No. I was at Harpers: 6* * *This day in bad trail poetryIt's 80 degrees today,but snow might be on the way,no matter what the weather bringeth,tomorrow our feet will likely stingeth,for 41 miles is the appointed task,to do in 24 hours in a painted mask.
Date: 2008-04-12
From: Harpers Ferry

To: half-mile past Pen Mar Road
Miles today: 42.2

Maryland, we hardly knew ye.We did the Maryland Challenge today -- all 41 miles of it plus a tiny bit on each side -- in just over 18 hours. My legs are dead tired, but I don't feel too bad. I'm a bit concerned about how Vagus will feel in the morning, his legs were in severe pain near the end of the challenge. Especially while he was leading the way down the rock slide down High Rock in the darkness.Paint your face and people automatically think you are having a good time, unless you are alone then they think you are a weirdo.About nine miles into our super hike Vagus brought out the face paints and we painted each others' faces. We got a couple, "you look like you're having fun" comments while hiking as a group, but the times when I was out ahead I mainly got some strange looks.It was hot and humid when we left in the morning, gingerly picking our way down the rocky path through Harpers. There was steam rising from the waters of the Potomac as we crossed it and then hiked the canal path along it, listening to frogs croaking in the eerie mist.The heaviness of the air lifted as we climbed out of the valley and we heard two owls calling to each other.The day became beautiful, sunny, but not too warm. We met probably 70 people, including 2 scout troops, a caretaker at a park who warned of torrential rains that afternoon (we got a sprinkle), two guys painting white blazes (Vagus pointed out to one that he had some paint on his face, which made us all crack up when we remembered what our faces looked like), a ridgerunner, and two guys with a huge dog in front of them and a small cat behind them (don't worry about the dog, he's friendly they said, but the cat might attack you).Twigglight met us at 5:30 p.m. at a road crossing with McDonald's food and with the rest of our food bags that we didn't carry today (we had all the rest of our gear). We might see her again in Massachusetts where she lives. Her help around Harpers and the Maryland Challenge was awesome.It got dark on us with about 5 miles left and instead of taking another break, we plowed on trying to finish, which proved a mistake as we became tired and frustrated and the last few miles seemed to take forever.Finally we reached Pen Mar park, then walked across the railroad tracks and passed into Pennsylvania at some point (we are not sure when since we didn't see the sign denoting the Mason-Dixon line). We crossed a road and set up camp at the first decent spot we found afterwards. We set up or tents/tarps and collapsed for the night.* * *Skit's bits:* Time we woke up: 3:36 a.m.* Time we started hiking: 4:22 a.m.* Time we entered Maryland: 4:47 a.m.* Time we entered Pennsylvania: 10:47 p.m.* Time we stopped hiking: 10:58 p.m.* Amount of time we spent painting our faces at Gathland State Park: About 55 minutes.* * *This day in bad trail poetry:People wonder if we're joking,what these painted jesters must be smoking,Doing 41 miles in a day?,good luck with that they say,well with good luck,we showed our pluck,and made it finally to PAat the end of a grueling day.
Date: 2008-04-13
From: half-mile past Pen Mar Road

To: church in Fayetteville
Miles today: 17.5

We're sleeping on a spongy nursery room floor, toasty warm inside a church tonight. Outside it is cold and rainy.We reached U.S. 30 and headed to eat at an Italian place a little down the road. Stride really had it in her heart to stay someplace warm for the night, so she looked in the phone book and began calling churches. On her third call she reached a Lutheran church, turned on her southern charm and explained to the pastor that she was with Skittles and Vagus and hiking the trail. Pastor David offered to meet us in 40 minutes when he was done teaching his bible class. I was amazed her random calling had actually worked.At the restaurant we got the biggest strombolis I've ever seen, my large veggie one could not come close to fitting on a plate. None of us came close to finishing by the time Pastor David Hefner ("no relation to Hugh") arrived. He brought us to the church and allowed us to crash in the nursery.Early in the day we were walking a ridge when we heard a strange noise sporadically in the distance. We stopped and listened and finally figured out it was a cheering crowd, whether for a sporting event or a political rally we could not decide (PA's primary is soon). There were some large colonial brick buildings below us, looking like an old college. It was near the town of South Mountain. We began to make up our own political platforms as we hiked, promising to cover every inch of Pennsylvania to spread the word. We probably wouldn't get elected since as hikers high oil prices and home mortgage loans were low on our agendas, while growing stinky armpit hair, more places with free showers and delis close to the trail were high on the list.We all felt pretty good today, just a little more tired than normal. I can't believe how strong I feel despite doing 42 miles yesterday. Vagus' mom had looked up something on the Maryland Challenge and saw it called "borderline insane."* * *Skit's bits:Quotes of the day:* Vagus: "I'm cultivating a rash."* Cook at restaurant when Stride asked the difference between a medium and a large stomboli: "The large is a little bigger." (He repeated this when Stride tried to rephrase the question.)* Pastor David when I spied the games in the nursery and said we could play Chutes and Ladders: "Or you could just go to sleep."* Songs we listened to in the nursery on a hard rock station: Roxanne; Balls to the Wall; Tubesnake? Boogie; Girls, Girls, Girls.* * *This day in bad trail poetry:Trail magic takes many forms.Sodas in a cooler, surprise barbecues,Strong relationships created,taking in a great view,a headlamp found in a shelterjust hours before it is needed.There is magic in the trail itselfand the people all around it.Completing challenges, McDonald's delivered,a comfy stay on a church nursery floor,everywhere you go there is magic galore.
Date: 2008-04-14
From: church in Fayetteville

To: halfway point
Miles today: 18.5

We made it to the halfway point of the AT today, celebrating and camping about where we estimated the point to be (it changes every year due to trail relocations and this year is about 1.5 miles north of the Toms Run shelters).We sang some made up songs, drank a little vodka (Think Tank found it at Toms Run and gave some to us) and celebrated the fact that we still have a lot of hiking remaining.In the morning we had breakfast at Rev Hef's, eating pancakes and eggs and taking showers before he gave us a ride back to the trail at 10 a.m. He said when he got the call from Stride yesterday he was in the middle of bible study after a long day and his first thought was that he didn't really want to deal with this. I'm certain many pastors would've brushed the call off somehow, but he didn't and I think he enjoyed talking to us in the morning. He had a good sense of humor.Back at the trailhead we met Briar Rabbit hopping lickety-split down the trail. He's from southern Georgia and left March 1 (the day after Leap). He said 50 people started the day he did.Before lunch we saw a man at a gravel crossroads searching with a metal detector. He said old silver trucks used to take the roads and would lose some of their loads at the turns.We ran into Torchy, who was slackpacking south. In a rush of smiles and words explained she had met a trail maintainer named Junker who was slacking her for at least a day. She was extremely enthusiastic as she told us what she had been up to the past few days -- hiking through a thunderstorm, staying at the free state hostel run by Ken, who apparently is the hiker who overtook Trek at the end of Trek's 2006 hike.I had some deep talks with Stride in the afternoon. She had four friends who died in a car accident last June 9, including the death of one of her best friends. Her story was heartwrenchingly painful and I didn't know what to do besides just listen, although it seemed I should do or say something. We also talked about religion and how she came to accept Christ.We met Think Tank and another hiker at Toms Run, figured out that the store with ice cream would be closed at Pine Grove so planned to just celebrate and stay where we figured the halfway point was.* * *Skit's bits:Words to our halfway song (sung to the tune of Living on a Prayer):After forty-two in a day,its only 3 tenths to a me-di-um strombolis,how large, is a large?Vagus is cultivating a rash,Stride has hairy pits, Skittles got the kicks with his calves,with his calvesYou've got to hold on to what you've got,it doesn't make a difference if we make it or notwe've got each other and thats a lot,for love, for love, we'll give it a shotOh, Oh we're halfway there,Oh, Oh walking down the trail,take my hand and we'll make it I swear,Oh, Oh walking down the trailFollowed by:StridittlevagusS to the T to the Itle to the VagusStridittlevagus* * *This day in really bad trail poetry:We each are hiking to our own tunes,often stumbling a bit off key,we make up words as we go along,and join with others to make a more beautiful song.
Date: 2008-04-15
From: halfway point

To: Boiling Springs
Miles today: 21.7
Weather: clear sky

The half-gallon challenge was much easier than I expected it to be.The store at Pine Grove Furnance -- where most hikers do the challenge -- was closed, so I waited until we were at the Green Mountain store to do the challenge. We arrived there around noon. Vagus and Stride opted not to do the challenge. I chose the Denali Chocolate Moose Tracks flavor and ate it on the picnic table outside where the sun helped melt it a bit. I was shaking by the end, whether from the cold of the ice cream or the sugar I'm not sure.I didn't feel overly full, or sick or anything when I was done. I don't think I could've eaten another 1/2 gallon, but thought that if I had I could change my trail name to Bill Nederman.We stayed at the store for another hour, napping in the sun, before hiking 12 more miles to Boiling Springs. Late in the day I felt a bit dizzy and lightheaded and attributed it to having basically eaten nothing but sugar during the day.* * *Skit's bits:* Time it took to eat 1/2 gallon: 38 minutes* Record holder's time: 4 minutes, 14 seconds - Nome Sherpa* Calories consumed: 3,680* Where we are camped tonight: In the backyard of the Garmanhaus B&B* Cost to camp there: $1 each.* What I ate for dinner: An entire medium white pizza at Aniles. (I ate a ton of calories today).* Quote of the dayStride to Vagus: "I've eaten as many wieners as you have."* * *This day in really bad trail poetry:If I ate a half gallon of ice cream ever day,i wonder how much I would eventually weigh,3,500 fat and sugar-laden calories,would lead to many odd malodies,my teeth and gut would completely rot,and eventually I would be stuck in one spot,I think I would start to dread,each time I moved the spoon to my head,but while I'm hiking down the trail,I feel like I could eat ice cream by the pail,still I think I might stay away,from eating any more ice cream today.
Date: 2008-04-16
From: Boiling Springs

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: clear sky

For some reason -- maybe the fact that we didn't start hiking until 10:30 a.m. -- we seemed to be moving very slowly today.There was some sort of time warp in the afternoon as we hiked the first 6 miles in 2 hours (by 12:15 p.m.) but had only managed to hike 15 miles by 6 p.m.Most of the day's hike was super flat across pasture land in the Cumberland Valley. It was a nice break from the typical AT to be walking along farmland, streams and green pastures. The sun was out and we took a couple of nice breaks to bask in its warmth.We had planned on making it to Duncannon tonight and staying at the Doyle, but I guess we will be going through tomorrow.Vagus is talking about doing a Carnation challenge. Going for four days eating nothing but Carnation and ramen.* * *Skit's bits:* Worst dinner eaten on trail: AlpineAire Mushroom and Assparagus Risotto with shrimp. (It sounds good and I like other AlpineAire meals, but this had some sort of off taste. I managed to gag down most of it. Stride and Vagus both had samples and agreed it tasted odd. Vagus said he had it once before and it had tasted the same. I got it out of a hiked box.)* New flowers seen: Dutch breeches?* Winner of hey cow: Vagus* Road crossings today: 20* No. of miles between Alec Kennedy and Darlington shelters: 18.4 miles (one of, if not the, longest distances between shelters on the AT.* * *This day in really bad trail poetry:Flat is fun for a while,cows, greenery and stiles,but if the trail was like this all the way,at home surely I would stay.Poetry by Vagus on our stop in Linden where we were promised a ride by a local who never came back:Cruising the streets filling hikers with hope,she'll only leave you there on the curb like a dope,zooming past in her car without shame,Diane is her name.
Date: 2008-04-17
From: Cove Mountain Shelter

To: Clark's Ferry Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: clear sky

We went through Duncannon today and although we didn't end up staying overnight there we still had a great stop at the Doyle with owners Vicky and Pat.Vicky called the post office for Stride to find out that her shoes had just arrived. Pat drove us to the post office and grocery store.We ate burgers there, used the internet and talked to Smiles, who southbounded last year, finishing in January.In the morning we hiked into town, did laundry and ate breakfast. I used the internet at the senior citizens center, where they invited me to stay for lunch, but I went to find Vagus and Stride. I found them at the Doyle (it opened at 11 a.m.). We hung out there until about 5 p.m. then headed 4.5 miles to Clinton Ferry Shelter.* * *Skit's bits:* Food that Vagus bought for the Carnagleese challenge (eating nothing but Carnation instant breakfast, bagels and cream cheese for 3 1/2 days): 2 lbs soft cream cheese (4 8 oz. containers crystal farms), 30 bagels (6 packets of 5, different flavors - honey wheat, tuscan herb, french toast, blueberry, everything, cinnamon raisin), 2 boxes variety Carnation mix (20 total packets - french vanilla, strawberry, classic chocolate, chocolate malt, dark chocolate). * He also bought a tube of cortaid anti-itch cream since he's fighting poison ivy. The total cost of his groceries: $25.57.* No. of burgers Zinc ate at the Doyle in 2004: 4 (Pat and Vicky said they still tell people about Zinc. We tried to get him to go for five, but he said no. He hiked 31 miles the next day.)* Note we found on the trail this morning: "Rachel, go this way. It's a shortcut."* * *This day in really bad trail poetry:The Doyle is a great place for hikers to stay,unfortunately we got there early in the day,still Pat and Vicky treated us right,with beer, smiles, shuttles and the like,even though we weren't staying for the night.
Date: 2008-04-18
From: Clark's Ferry Shelter

To: near Rausch Gap
Miles today: 24.3

People are already complaining in registers about the rocks in Pennsylvania. I wonder what they will have to say when we get to the real rocky spots on the other side of Pt. Clinton.We got up early today, took a 2-hour siesta in the middle of the 80-degree day then hiked until dark.We passed a trout stream with crowds of people lining the banks -- people in PA seem to love to fish.We talked to a trail maintainer who thought the leaves should be coming on the trees in about 2 weeks depending on the elevation.Heard tank bombing planes practicing on the military range south of us.* * *Skit's bits:* Number of days Vagus has been battling poison ivy: 7* Number of ailments Vagus has battled on the trail: 6 (upper respiratory infection - 3 weeks, severe sunburn or frostnip on left ear, ringworm, trenchfoot issues, The Rash, ingrown toenail).* Length of naps at lunch time: 60 minutes.* Joke Vagus told at night: (This riddle has to be told out loud to be puzzling) Farmer Joe had 50 dogs and twenty ate (you say 28) chickens, how many didn't.* * *This day in really bad trail poetry:To tune of country roadsIt ain't heaven, PennsylvaniaBlue Mountain, Susquehanna riverrock, rock, rock, rock; rock, rock, rock, rock, rockrock, rock, rock, rock; rock, rock, rock, rock, rockrocky trail, lead me onto the place, I belongto Katahdin, mountain mommarocky trail, take me home
Date: 2008-04-19
From: near Rausch Gap

To: 2.5 miles past 501 Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Another hot day. We took two siestas in the afternoon, only 3 miles apart. It was in the low 80s, sunny, with no shade.I've got some kind of rash on my hands, lots of red dots. I don't know what it is, but I don't think it is poison ivy.We got trail magic -- pizza, and chocolate from Turtle and Flameboy at the 501 shelter. The shelter was packed and we had already decided we'd probably move on a few miles.* * *Skit's bits:* Quote of the day: Vagus: This would make people quit, right here. Me: What would? Vagus: What I've got going on in my pants. This would make people quit so fast.* Vehicles in parking lot at 501: 13 cars, 3 motorcycles and a church van.* People at 501 shelter: Flameboy (hiking W. Va. to New Hampshire); Turtle (hiking from W. Va. home to Maine), Chipmunk (not sure what he's doing), Mister Twister (penultimate section, hiking since '95), A guy with six kids. We told the kids the dogs eating chickens joke which led them to respond with puzzles for us (they were around 5th grade):There were two fathers and two sons in a boat and they each caught a fish, but they only had three fish. Why?When we answered that one the two who asked went outside to the others and said, "They knew it perfectly."Their next joke involved people being kidnapped and the power going out and the people having a choice in how to die -- electric chair, hanging or drowning. (When we got that one they replied to their friends, "they're invincible.")Their last joke was: What color is the whitehouse? a black house? A blue house? What color is a greenhouse?They had a variation on this riddle on what color is the black house (its not a color, but the absence of color).They had a couple longer jokes/riddles that were hard to follow.