morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-05-02
From: Rocky Run Shelters

To: Ensign Cowall Shelter
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I got a late start and Seam decided to hike along with me so he could "slow down." It was a very hot and muggy day,but the trees were beautiful through the fog. We stopped at the many parks we passed for water and passed a large school group, which sounded like a pack of wild animals. After lunch, the clouds looked dark and heavy, so I put on my pack cover and successfully warded off the rain. The trail was full of puddles, resulting in walking along the edge of the trail to avoid soaked shoes and feet; once while doing just that, I nearly stepped on a rattlesnake sunning and apparently asleep. Seam tried to get it to move off the trail by poking it and tossing rocks at it, which only pissed it off and resulted in the snake cooking into striking position. Excited and ignorant, Seam used his poles to pick up the pissed off snake and toss it in the woods. I'm so very happy I didn't have to suck rattlesnake venom out of a man I had only just met. We learned later on from a SOBO hiker that the crazy lady was at the shelter we had planned on staying, so I called to report her again. I started to feel a bit ill and did not have the energy to push on 5 miles to the next shelter. Seam hiked into town to resupply, and I hung out at the shelter with crazy lady and another man. The Maryland police showed up at the shelter about 30 minutes after my arrival, but crazy lady was able to silence the voices in her head and seem sane enough, so they left, leaving crazy lady with a warning that if she danced naked and banged pots, she'd be taken to the hospital like the previous time. Seam showed up, bringing me a bag of Doritos, but not finding any herbal tea at the Dollar General. After eating half a bag of Doritos, I was unable to eat all of my dinner. After crazy lady's rant about Johns and hoes, I passed out, but was woken up 3 times by crazy lady smoking cigarettes and walking around with her headlamp on bright in the middle of the night.
Date: 2016-05-03
From: Ensign Cowall Shelter

To: Frederick, Maryland
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

I spent the day sleeping at the shelter, barely able to go collect water, let alone hike at all. Various people, including Thunderbolt and Iron Mike, stopped by and wished me well. Thunderbolt was kind enough to give me his last Claritin and sown Benadryl. I chose not to take any medication in hopes my body would be able to break the fever naturally through rest and fluids. By the end of the day, I decided I should really be in short walking distance from running water and a toilet, so I called around looking for a trail angel to house me or drop me off at a hotel. Bonnie and Clyde gave me the number of a trail angel, Brave, who was willing to house me and take me to a doctor, but wasn't able to pick me up that evening. I ended up again staying the night at the shelter, and a very nice section hiker fetched water for me. The next morning, Brave drove 45 minutes to pick me up, distraught when she arrived after having just learned of the death of Baltimore Jack, a legendary thru-hiker and hostel caretaker. Brave took me to a Doctor and to get the antibiotics prescribed for my respiratory virus (breeding super bugs in my body!!) before dropping me off at her house. I stayed with Brave through Friday and got lots of rest and water. I also met other thru-hikers Brave had helped out (Magic, Double Dip, and Dirt Face). On Friday, Double Dip, Dirt Face, Brave, and I had a ladies night and made Alfredo, salad, bread with Brie, and strawberries for dinner, then watched a move and ate popcorn.
Date: 2016-05-07
From: Penmar Park

To: Antietam Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: few clouds

The ladies and I ate some cereal for breakfast before heading out around lunch to be dropped back off on trail. We stopped at Burger King along the way and ate lunch in a pink Cadillac while wearing crowns and receiving lots of crowns. I learned from Dirt Face that food babies are butt birthed, a valuable tid bit of info. Brave dropped off the ladies at the trailhead from whence she had picked them up the previous day and which also happened to have wild spearmint growing alongside a creek, and offered Palindrome a ride to Walmart. Brave took me to High Rocks on the way to PenMar Park (which wasn't where she had picked me up, but saved her time and me miles, so I didn't feel like pushing the issue; I'll add 10 more miles to my yellow blazed total). High Rocks was an amazingly cool place/ teenage hangout marred with graffiti and with a valley overlook for a back drop. Afterwards, Brave dropped me off at the park, where a wedding was about to take place, and soon crossed into Yankee territory, having crossed the Mason/Dixon line. I was just preparing myself to say goodbye to biscuits and hello to bagels when a nice lady offered me a bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies no more than 2 minutes as after entering Pennsylvania....so maybe I'll fair well. Despite having been off with sickness for 4 days, the walking was super easy. I met Mr. Fixit (who was burning trash left at the shelter...ew...LNT peoples...)and Traveling Man before pushing on to the next shelter. I would have gone even further, but a hiking club of 18 strong and other thru-hikers were occupying the entirety of the shelter space, according to the Boy Scout troop camped next to Antietam. Oddly, I had the shelter all to myself, something that I have not experienced for several weeks. I listened to the overflowing stream in front of the shelter, but even this soothing sound was unable to calm the excitement I felt to get to Duncannon, PA and head home to Tennessee for a few weeks.
Date: 2016-05-08
From: Antietam Shelter

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke to the song of the birds and was able to shed 30 minutes off my normal morning routine and was out of the shelter within 1.5 hours. I stopped at the park less than a mile a way for water, a poo, and to call my mom and wish her a happy Mother's Day. I saw Traveling Man and Mr. Fixit at Tumbling Rub shelters, which is where I had wanted to stay the previous night and which had "snoring" and "no snoring" options. I walked through Caledonia state park, where I saw Nancy (crazy lady) and many large Hispanic families barbecuing and playing before deciding to eat lunch (no one took pity on me to offer me delicious burgers or bbq chicken) and take a nap. I got a taste of the PA rocks after passing Quarry Gap Shelters, which despite its small stature, was seriously pimptastic! It had a very caring caregiver; the shelters had such amenities as: covered picnic table with retractable third wall during very sunny or rainy times, card and board games, reading materials, and a sundial. It was also decorated with hanging flower baskets of pansies, a picket fence, little yellow duckies, and candle lanterns. My feet started hurting around mile 10 and around mile 19, I thought I was losing my mind and had arrived at the shelter, but it was another PATC cabin. After taking a brief break to rest my feet, I walked through a very dense and very dark hemlock and pine forest. The ominous woods compelled me to take out my ear buds and listen for goblins. I finally made it to the shelter exhausted and met Moroccan Mole, Adventure, White Cloud, Too Damn Short, and Lil Woof. TMI- I'm still coughing and blowing out loads of phlegm. I'm not shooting snot rockets; I'm dropping snot bombs.
Date: 2016-05-09
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Ironmasters Mansion Hostel
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: clear sky

Birch Run- Ironmaster Mansion Hostel (9.8)I woke up earlier than my shelter mates due to my growing excitement if my return home and the snooze-less feathered alarm clock of nature and quietly started my day. I realized I had miscalculated my mileage, so I readjusted my plan yet again to include a short day to Ironmaster Mansion Hostel. I was greeted with a huge hug from Moonshine when I stopped at the next shelter and she hiked on with me to the hostel through several rain water creeks. We arrived at the hostel around lunch. I saw what I thought was Steve from a distance and as soon as my assumption had been confirmed, I began running, pack flopping and with a huge smile on my face, and gave Steve a big bear hug. I was also greeted by Gbear, Ninja, and Axel Rose. Moonshine and I grabbed some grub and the others chatted with us while we ate. I said bye to Steve and solicited one more hug. I think it would be something special to summit Kathadin with him, but I'd settle for just being able to see him again one day. I collected my drop box from the hostel and divided the contents among the other hikers; I had enough food to make it to Duncannon, where I would be getting off trail, so I didn't really need my box. Moonshine, Gbear, Ninja, and I all checked in to the hostel when it opened. I did laundry and discovered I had lost 4-5" from my waistline when I put on a pair of shorts from the hiker box. We ate dinner and were entertained by Moonshine on the piano. P.S. Cool fact: The Ironmaster Mansion has a secret door which was part of the Underground Railroad.
Date: 2016-05-10
From: Ironmasters Mansion Hostel

To: Alex Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Gbear, Ninja, Moonshine, and I ate waffles included with our hostel stay and I educated the foreigners on the necessity of butter when eating waffles. I hiked with Gbear, Ninja, and Axel Rose at a pace I found to be excessive and made good time to James Fry shelter, where we ate lunch and met Paul with Bunyons, White Cloud, and Traveling Tom, who invited us to the Rainbow Gathering, where 30k hippies meet up on a randomly selected mountain top to pray for world peace, among other things. Axel Rose was re-named Teabag after he made us all a hot pot of tea. We stopped at a deli shortly thereafter for more lunch, after which I decided to walk at my own damn pace. We went through two rock mazes, which weren't very complicated. I arrived at the full shelter exhausted, so I took some Benadryl to help with the congestion and ensure a deep sleep. We were later joined by Dandelion, Sunflower, and Moonshine, who arrived in tears and was hugged, greeted, and supported by all. After everyone turned in for the evening, Moonshine shivered until I gave her a snickers bar and my down jacket and had her snuggle next to me; Ninja, Gbear, and Teabag talked and giggled until I asked them to simmer down around 9:30. So much for a good nights rest. NEGATIVE RANT: People who seem to have an "educated" comment about everything discussed by everyone (even those whose conversation did not initially involve the know-it-all) really get on my last fucking nerve. You aren't full of knowledge, you are full of shit and look like a fucking dumbass when someone has to call you out on it. Also, people who justify leaving trash in fireplaces as "tinder" for others...it's fucking TRASH other people have to pick up. While some trash is organic and compostable, the fireplace (or the forest) are not compost bins or pits. If you are going to dispose of organic waste so that it may decompose, bury it; yes, it will decompose naturally on the surface level, but it will take several days or weeks to do so, during which time I may come across your smelly pile of shit or a bear may come across your teabag and develop a "taste" for human food, essentially signing its death warrant. In short, trash kills bears and detracts from the beauty of nature. Please don't be a punk ass motherfucker; if you hiked it in full, it's hella easy to hike it out empty. P.S. The topics of conversation today included which group member(s) we would cannibalize and in what order as well as the manufacturing(?) and distribution of used hiker undies (If you're interested and great at marketing, let me know! I seriously think I could fund the rest of my hike with smelly panties.)
Date: 2016-05-11
From: Alex Kennedy Shelter

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: broken clouds

Despite the Benadryl and late night, I still woke up before 6am. I have hugs and said bye to the crew who claimed they were going to hike 14 miles after loading up with beer at Boiling Springs...I've got a petty good nose for bullshit. I hiked through a few hills before the stench of chicken shit (shit everywhere!) permeated the air as climbed down to Cumberland Valley, home of many crop fields. I picked up a bag of trash left just before the fields began and toted it on my hiking pole, looking like a runaway kid from the 1900s. My shoes were soon soaked in the shit-covered field and I felt confident the ticks that normally stalked its prey from the tips of blades of grass wouldn't be bothering me today as an AT info plaque declared the pastoral lands I had entered were periodically sprayed with pesticides. Great. Shit and poison before even eating breakfast. I dumped the trash at Boiling Springs and stopped at the ATC before heading to Cafe 101. I wanted a biscuit, but I knew my odds were slim. I ended up ordering Eggs Benedict twice, but gave up after they brought me runny whites followed by hard yolk and settled for a sausage egg and cheese croissant. I saw the crew again and they again said they'd see me at the shelter later. I filled up my water (there isn't any available for 10 miles) and headed out, stopping at Scott's Farm for a snack before finishing the 4 miles to the shelter, passing Nancy and an d wrecked car. I saw Flash 52 and Johnny Cash at the shelter and met Rockever, Governor, & No Worries. A section hiking couple arrived later, the male half of which was passively aggressively not a fan of my opinions and felt no need to engage in a constructive conversation or debate. Just before dark, two girls came in after having hiked a marathon (26 mile) day. Although we didn't chat much, I decided I really liked Rockever's vibe and was a little sad I wouldn't get to hike on with him.
Date: 2016-05-12
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon, then Nashville
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up super excited to start my day. Rockever left me the most adorable card he had made with his contact info on it. The rocks weren't too bad, but the bag worms and millipedes were. The rock stairs leading down into Duncannon were atrocious, so I took them backwards to ease the stress on my knees. I ran into Tofer, whom I had left in Glascow and seriously believed would never see again. He informed me he was now "Backbone" and offered to buy me a beer at The Doyle, which definitely looked a bit dilapidated from the outside. I was drunk after 1 beer (I love hiking!). I ate some wings and rings before getting a lift to Harrisburg for my bus ride home. I didn't really want to come off trail so early, especially since my step-daughter's graduation wasn't until the 21st, but this seemed to be the easiest place to enter and exit in the state of PA. I had a few hours to kill, so I walked around the capital collecting some food for the ride and some slices of Sicilian pizza for dinner. I popped Benadryl while overhearing a woman talk about eating pussy to any man in the terminal unfortunate enough to be in close proximity. I had some me explain my ticket to me and boarded the bus, forced to take an aisle seat. After many attempts to sleep thwarted by the dropping of my head, I sat on the floor in front of my seat and sleeps with my head on the chair. We were asked to exit the bus in Pittsburg, PA for cleaning and I managed to get a window seat when re-boarding, enabling me to get a few winks. I woke up confused in Columbus at 2am, when we again had to briefly leave the bus. I switched busses in Cincinnati at 2:30 and slept off an on until arriving in Louisville, where we picked up some Amish folk, who were dropped off in Sonora, KY at the bus station/post office/feed store. My mom and step/dad met me at the bus station in Nashville with a bottle of Four Roses and cup of ice and drove me back to my mom's house, where I was greeted by my sister, nephew, wife, and food. I quickly filled my belly, becoming drowsy with good food and whiskey, so Annie drove me to our home, where my canine child Eve lathered me in puppy kisses.
Date: 2016-05-16
From: Iron Mountain

To: Uncle Johnnys Hostel
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: clear sky

I drove up to Erwin, TN to recover some miles I had missed when snowed in around Valentine's Day after being at home for 2 days/3 nights. Part of my reasoning for coming home was to do just this, as well as to finish up the second half of the Smokies. Mainly, I was coming home to see my family, my step-daughter graduate, and my step-godson get married. Somewhere around Knoxville, I passed public school busses which had advertisements along the side; I was disturbed that a school system would have to turn to outside funds in this way in order to provide what's necessary for academic, social, and emotional growth, though excited they had the wherewithal to do what was necessary to achieve that goal. Driving up and seeing the towering mountains made the hills in which I had been hiking seeming stark and insufficient to these majestic mountains. I can't explain why, but seeing these mountains effected a similar emotion in me to that when I see a woman's breasts; I am comforted and awed. I arrived at a hostel that had previously been blanketed in snow, but was now carpeted in tents. The place was packed and I hung out with other thru-hikers, sharing food, booze, and safety equipment. 6/17/16I woke up early with a slight hangover and got breakfast while I waited for my shuttle to Iron Mountain. Other hikers decided to slack pack back to the hostel as well, and the shuttle was full by the time it left. I had brought my dog, Eve (a min pin), with me and being the doll she is, she received many adorations from the thru hikers, especially seeing as how she was wearing a neon yellow rain jacket. We had a great hike with many beautiful sights, including blooming rhododendron and mountain laurel. Though she got tires around mile 14, Eve was trooper and pooped out as soon as we made it back to the hostel.
Date: 2016-05-18
From: Spivey Gap

To: Uncle Johnnys Hostel
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Mixed up the name of the gap, so Eve and I hiked only 11 of the 20 I needed to makeup. Oh well. Shit happens. Beautiful day with beautiful photos of Eve. Surprised my wife by coming home a bit early. Failed to take notes on this day, so my apologies for the brevity.
Date: 2016-06-05
From: n/a

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

After 4.5 months on the trail, I was definitely anxious about my return home. I relish the hours I spend each day not talking to anyone and having no one talk to me; the peaceful sounds of nature (or the occasional podcast/ jam session) are all the company I need for 8 hours a day. I was also excited to see my family and friends, though weary of the never-ending repetitive questions they would have about my journey. I answered each one as if a well-rehearsed script, knowing they could never fully grasp the magnitude of my experience. After only a few days, I was itching to get back to the woods to do some of the miles I had missed earlier. After I returned, reality hit me full force when I received a call from my wife that our son had been hit by a car while riding his bike to work. Though I was fearful, I didn't allow my mind to contemplate the many possibilities of his condition while driving to meet Annie at the hospital. I arrived to find him conscious, with only a broken thumb, some stitches above his eye and in his lip, and a bruised leg. Ecstatic no serious injuries had occurred, my wife and I went home to prepare for our daughter's high school graduation that weekend. I, of course, cried at the ceremony, so proud of this major accomplishment and knowing she would soon leave to set out on an adventure of her own halfway around the world. Just before the graduation party, I received a call from my mom informing me my grandmother was in the hospital with what they believed to be a mild heart attack and UTI. My mom didn't want me to leave the party, but I felt torn. Either decision (leave the party to see my grandmother or stay to celebrate my daughter) would upset someone, myself included. I chose to stay for the evening and left my mother and uncle to watch after my grandmother, but went to visit my mother and grandmother at the hospital the next day, taking the night shift to stay with her. Though I had planned to hike the section of the Smokies I had missed that week, I decided to hang around to offer support for my mom. My grandmother improved after a few rounds of antibiotics and they were able to move her to a rehab facility until she was stable enough to return to the Alzheimer's unit of a nursing home. Annie and I spent the next weekend alone celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary a month early since she would be in California visiting her son and I would be back on the trail. This was an absolutely magical weekend filled with love and laughter (and a few tears). The next week, I prepped for my return to the trail after a pit-stop in Knoxville to my godson's wedding, which was amazing in every single way. Annie drove me back to PA, with a side trip along Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park and a pit stop at the Sheraton Hotel (thanks for the cheap room Priceline!) Though I am constantly hiking through the peaks and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains, reality has so many more ups and downs than the simple life of the trail. P. S. I LOVE MY WIFE!!
Date: 2016-06-06
From: Harrisburg/Duncannon, PA

To: Peters Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

I enjoyed breakfast in bed, courtesy of room service at the Sheraton Hotel. I drove to Duncannon and said a teary goodbye to my wife, despite my resolve to maintain my composure. This will be the last time I see her until after I complete my hike. Unlike previous separations, I was excited, rather than depressed, to return to the trail. After 3 weeks of society, I was ready to return to the solace of nature. There were quite a few beautiful overlooks on the way up to Clarks Ferry Shelter, where I stopped to lunch and water. Though the 85 degrees were nothing compared to the 93 degrees and humidity of Tennessee, I found myself drinking more water than usual. The rocks weren't that bad, only a few really rocky sections. I arrived at Peters Mountain Shelter just after 5pm and decided I had hiked enough for the day. The .2 miles to the water was definitely the most difficult bit of the day and someone had left their undies on a rock along the trail (yuk!). I realized I had left my safety equipment in the car with my wife (sad face!), but also discovered a hidden 1/2 pint of whiskey in my pack, so all is well for now. My sheltermates are fairly non-conversational, which is fine with me; gives me more time to read and write. I finished all my evening chores by 7:30, so decided to catch up on journaling.
Date: 2016-06-07
From: Peters Mountain Shelter 

To: Rauch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

I initially woke up at 5am thanks to an alarm going off next to me. I finally opened my eyes for good at 5:45 and started my day, leaving the shelter by 7:30. I came across a beautiful buck with short antlers and spoke sweetly to it, suggesting we be friends, but settling for a photo shoot instead. I took a water break around 10am and met Black Santa. Only a mile later, I discovered two 16oz PBRs in a spring and shared one with Black Santa. I stopped for lunch and my break was cut short by a brief rain shower that stopped as soon as I had packed everything away. I hiked on for a bit, but had to stop to rest my throbbing feet. I took another break about an hour later and heard what sounded like gunshots followed by airplanes, which turned out to be thunder (edit: according to another hiker, the sounds I heard were military airplanes). I walked through the second shower and was at a full shelter by 5:30pm.