morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-05-24
From: Falls Creek campsite

To: Rocky Mtn Shelter camp
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: clear sky

Pennsylvania is nice so far. Lots of shelters, picnic areas, and campsites. You can see where they have atv trails through the woods, too. The trail is generally nice, with some real ups and downs, but not brutally tough rock fields (yet). The first five miles this morning I heard loud gunshots sporadically for what seemed like a long time. My first thought was that they must not be a very good shot. But it kept up for a long time. I guess they like to shot guns up here. The big issue for the day was my boots. Or I should say my toes. Both little toes are apparently squished into these boots to the point of anguish. I had to stop midmorning and pop another blister and tape up. By lunch I couldn't take it anymore. I followed Charlie's lead; I got out my knife and cut a slit through the leather on each shoe to give my little ones some space. It helped a lot but now ill have to figure out a way out of this mess. Ill either get my treksta's shipped from Florida or go shoe shopping on my zero. What a rookie mistake. But I still am making my miles; 109 in the last seven days. That's a lot with normal feet. So, I think it'll work out. So you know the feeling of unease when you can't find your keys? More to the point, you know the sense of relief you feel when you find them? I realized that's the cycle I go through whenever I've got to survive some challenge out here, say setting up camp in the rain and getting dry and warm before losing your body temperature. Or any number of other examples. A situation is happening, I know it can be solved but I have to be smart and be very deliberate in completing the steps necessary to resolve, and then it feels really good and satisfying to succeed. It happens all the time. I also realized that, from above, my hiking movements in the rocks probably most resemble an ant. You know how they never go straight for more than a step or so and they seem to be shifting left and right almost randomly. If they're anything like me as a hiker, they are in a zone of continuously choosing the next few steps based on the complexity of the path immediately ahead. I always admired ants, now even more.
Date: 2016-05-25
From: Rocky Mtn Shelter camp

To: Birch Run Shelter camp
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

And so we go from rainy, cold to dry, warm. The bugs are the first to notice. They're not a bother (yet) but they're becoming active. The theme for this morning was webs. That is, spider webs. The first guy out (me) gets to clear the cobwebs from the trail. I have adapted a technique where I wave my pole in front of me like a cowcatcher on a train to break up as many of the web's as possible. My special hat, with it's wide brim, catches quite a few. But I still wind up with the occasional face full. Not really full, but you know how it feels. It makes you really glad to see the first Sobo (southbounder), especially if they're tall. Got out by 7:15 and did most of my hiking while it was cool. There was a breeze most of the day and I only had one big up. I pulled into this shelter to find a campsite since cousin Bill is picking me up @ 3:30 tomorrow only 9 miles from here. So ill hike it in the morning cool. I may take the half gallon ice cream challenge while I'm waiting. It's another trail tradition to celebrate the halfway point on the trail (which I will pass tomorrow morning).Okay, so far Pennsylvania wins the prize for number and quality of shelters. There are double shelters almost once every five miles. And they're nice, although I still don't sleep in them. As for my feet, let's just say I'll be glad to walk the last 10 miles in these boots tomorrow. They're better with the leather sliced up, but they still hurt. I'm learning to tune it out and I don't think I've done any damage which won't heal. Tough lesson. Easy walking today. It felt really good to stop early, soak my feet in a cold stream, and not push it. It'll be nice to take a rest day. I remain thrilled to be here and grateful for the chance.
Date: 2016-05-26
From: Birch Run Shelter camp

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: clear sky

After 132 miles over 9 days, I arrived @pine grove furnace park, my destination since my last zero. My cousin (by marriage) Bill picked me up @3:30 to take me to the incredible hospitality of cousin Cynthia and Bill. It was an easy 9.5 here from shelter (I arrived by 10:30) and my toes didnt fall off on this last day in my boots. I'll be looking for a mountain to throw these boots off (ala Wild) now as I'm not keen on sliding my feet into their grasp again. After a brief visit to AT museum (highly recommended) I went back to the store/restaurant where they offer the 'half gallon challenge'. At the end table on the patio, five of us all successfully completed the challenge. For the privilege, we got to pay this establishment $8 each and we each received a little kiddie wooden spoon with the words 'member of half gal. club' stamped on them. What a Tom Sawyer picket fence deal but it was fun. Then, after a brief respite, I had a cheeseburger and fries. Much gear talk ensued and eventually we each went our own direction, some north, some to the campground and lake, some to the hostel. I waited for Bill back at the museum. After a very engaging 1 1/2 hour ride to Lancaster, PA, we arrived to a Shower followed by a meal-size salad followed by a full plate of rice, roast, and broccoli. It was nice to sit with uncle Jim in the sunroom with vivaldi music playing and re-connect to family. Tomorrow: Zero.I got my new, old familiar style treksta shoes overnighted (thanks again Bette) so ill be back on it Saturday. I get to skip ahead 12 miles because Charlie, Bill and I hiked it 2 1/2 year's ago (one advantage of section hiking).It feels good to stop and rest. It feels good to have worked hard through foot pain to get here. I feel psychologically ready for Rocksylvania.Oh yeah, I weighed myself today (after ice cream, burger and fries) and I'm down only 5 pounds. I feel good about that; I think I'm going to be able to avoid becoming a scarecrow.
Date: 2016-05-27
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Lancaster, PA
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day. Soak feet. Resupply. Laundry. Eat. Talk with family. Celebrate cousins and uncle. Needed the rest. Ready to go. Rocksylvania, here I come. I have a 180 mile, 14-day plan to get to Delaware Water Gap (end of PA). Feet, don't fail me now.
Date: 2016-05-28
From: Lancaster, PA

To: Boiling Springs
Miles today: 9.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Back on the trail by 8:30 this am after finally finding a fuel cannister @Wal-Mart in York. I've been trying to find one since frontroyal, va. They sell these massive canisters now that weigh 18 oz. And definitely don't fit in my pack system. That's all I could find anywhere. I survived for quite awhile on a cannister I found in the hiker box back in front royal. Trying to resupply on foot is a real challenge, especially looking for a have to have item like fuel. I survived since Waynesboro, PA, using a sterno can I found in that Wal-Mart. It didn't work very well but I 'cooked' 5-6 meals with it. Took a long time but you make it up as you go. Today's overwhelming theme is my feet. With the new shoes (new pair of tried and true treksta hiking shoes), I am definitely back in the pink. My feet hurt a bit but no new blisters and nothing screamed at me. To my poor little toes, which are recovering nicely,I say, with the deepest conviction, I am sorry and I won't pull another bone-headed move like that again.I skipped ahead about 12 miles from pine grove furnace because Charlie (willI?), Bill, and I hiked it in the fall of 2013. That felt kinda cool. The hike was pleasant. There were rocks, some loose and some large, but they were very manageable. There were two sections referred to as 'rock maze' in the guide. These were sections on the top of the ridge with bus size boulders through which you navigated around, over, and through following carefully placed arrows and blazes. It was very fun and nothing like mahousic notch in Maine(which was fun but scary). As I approached boiling springs PA, there was a cornfield walk of over a mile. Normally not a big deal but it's over 90 degrees today and humid. Lots of locals were out for a hike and they were seriously wilting. It didn't bother me much because I'm sort of used to it and I have my hat to shade me. It makes a big difference. We're hiking through the Carlisle Valley, a 17 mile stretch of flat lowlands where no camping is allowed. So I got a room on the far side of boiling springs and am waiting out the heat. Tomorrow I'll finish the valleywalk and then the rocks really begin the next day. Boiling springs seems like a cool little town (1st AT designated trail town) and it hosts the regional ATC office).So, finally, a big shout out to my cousins Cynthia and Bill. I knew they'd take care of me but I didn't know how richour conversations would be. Thank you a million times over for being the greatest trail angels and I'm sorry but I forgot to strip the bed. Glad to be back on the trail.
Date: 2016-05-29
From: Boiling Springs

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was an easy walk through Cumberland valley, mostly along the margins of farm fields. Midway, it became a stroll along a couple of creeks, with footbridges and plank walkways. There were several stiles to climb, and plenty of thrashing through tall grass. The trail passed over 2 interstates and several roads, crossed a bridge and went through a tunnel. Finally, near the end of a short day, I climbed a comfortable 800' ascent to my campsite at a shelter. I started early (6:45) and was here by 1:45. But stop I did. The way PA lays out for the next several miles with water availability, severe rocks, and shelters,there's not a good next place to stop for maybe 10 miles. Plus I'm committed to giving my feet a break and not pushing it. So, against my normal tendency, I stopped. I feel very good about that and hope it will help me make it all the way. If I don't get to Dalton, MA by July 1, I'll just come back to finish after Charlie and I get finished with Maine. That's my commitment to myself. How the ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy) sets it's agricultural policy is of great interest to me. I need to learn more about the nature of age lands owned, but it seems like they are content to have the farm fields continue in use as large-scale agriculture with genetically modified seed stock and full range of chemical application. Their fields are indistinguishable from the surrounding farms except for a footpath traversing the fields. There's corn, spring wheat ?, and hay fields. Just like in Virginia near catawba, I'm very intrigued by the notion that the ATC could go a very different direction with their ag lands use policy and, working with nrcs (fed ag conservation agency) again local, progressively minded farmers, explore some organic and more sustainable options. I think it could become integrated with the trail and hikers through farm work centers with a hostel/work for stay element. When I get done, I think I'll approach the ATC about this and it seems like the boiling springs office is the most likely interested region. As the summer weather and daylight timing continue, I am feeling good about waking up around 5:15, cooking breakfast and packing, and getting miles in early. I may add an afternoon fiesta followed by more miles as my mile budget increases. That will largely depend on the terrain and my physical readiness for more miles. There has definitely been a transition in the weather and I'm adjusting my hike to stay healthy and happy. I'm thrilled to be here.
Date: 2016-05-30
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Clarks Ferry Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: light rain

A relatively pleasant day. First 11 were very comfortable walking. The guidebooks said "trail very rocky" for 6 miles across the top of a ridge. I've been anxious about that stretch for days. Well, it turned out to be tamer than much of what I've walked already this year. Not sure what they were thinking. Finished the rocky section in the town of Duncannon where another trail icon is located: the Doyle Hotel. It's been a trail institution for years. The word on it now is the burgers and beer are good but the rooms are a dump. So I had a burger and beer, did a little resupply across the street, and moved on. The thing is, moving on in duncannon means road and bridge walking for 2.3 miles. It's a very depressed community and it was hot and noisy with major roads and trains. That was followed by a pretty tough uphill and a mile + of very difficult rock hopping atop the next ridge. By the time I got to the next camping spot, I called it a day. It rained pretty much all last night but not today (so far). It feels like it might do the same tonight. Cool breeze right now. I fell for the first time this year towards the end of my hike today. No injury and it was in a pretty hairy spot but I fell well. I had just changed my hand grips on my poles to the ski style which I started doing on tough rocks in New Hampshire. Good thing I did, it avoids you getting twisted up with your trekking poles. It happens really quickly. Today is dad's day; miss him all the time. But I always smile when I think of him. Happy birthday, dad. Pacing myself across PA.PostScript: It did, in fact, begin to rain. A pretty good thunderstorm. I wound up cooking/eating in my tent (again). I got quite a bit of splash since I had my tent up high for ventilation. It will all be forgotten tomorrow.
Date: 2016-05-31
From: Clarks Ferry Shelter

To: Yellow Springs Camp
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: broken clouds

Got up early, piddled a bit because of the rain last night and limited water options today, and headed out. First water was @ 13 miles so I pressed to get there by lunch. The trail was pretty friendly;ridge walking with some rocky top sections, but pretty fast tread. I walked carefully to minimize foot bruising and it seemed good. After lunch, I kept moving at pace and headed for a 20. It felt good. The highlight of the day was a grouse attack. I was walking along, minding my own business, when off to my right, maybe 15 feet ahead, all hell broke loose. It was like when you flush a quail or a pheasant except the bird didn't fly away. It came screaming out onto the trail, directly in front of me, in full tail display. At first, I was startled and thought it was a turkey. But it was too small and didn't have a turkey neck or face. It looked like a medium-size chicken with tail feathers. And it was hissing and squawking and flapping and showing all it's armor. It rushed me and for a second I thought I was going to have to whack it with my pole. He sized me up and I sized him up face-to-face and I guess he figured out he may be in a little deep. He sidled back into the woods, raising Cain the whole time. Then, in one last move of aggression (or fake injured bird routine for distraction), he came back out onto the trail and scuttled off to the left. Wow, was that cool. On a much mellower level, this morning was hiking in the mist of a cloud in a primitive feeling forest. All morning, little paper moths would fly out, seemingly brand new and emerging in flurries of 5-10 at once. They reminded me of fairies in the morning, a kind of story book feeling. The trail maintenance crew on this section gets the Paul Bunyan award. They cleared at least a dozen blowover trees 10" to 2' in diameter, with an axe. That's a lot of axe work; no chain saws for these guys. Another fun day on the trail.
Date: 2016-06-01
From: Yellow Springs Camp

To: Wm Penn Shelter Camp
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today was another early, fast morning. I did 10 by 10, including a pleasant wash up by a cool stream. At about 11am, I reached a road that was 2.3 miles from I-81 intersection where I planned to do a mini-resupply so I hitchhiked in. That went pretty well. I went to three fast food places and a truck stop, purchasing a cheeseburger and fries and checking email, buying lousy 2-day resupply (truck stop?), getting a subway for dinner, and enjoying a milkshake. Then, hitch back to the trail. The second hitch was much hotter and longer, but I got there. Then, Pennsylvania began to unveil a preview of Rocks to come. After finishing the ridge I was on the last couple of days, I descended to the above-mentioned stream. Then I climbed up and over Second Mountain which was a bit of a challenge rockwise. But then I climbed a tough climb onto the ridge I'll be walking the next several days. Wake up, here we are. I walked many rock fields which were pretty difficult. Usually in rocky stretches you slow way down and choose each step so you don't fall orland awkwardly. There were many spots today where I slowed to a crawl,looked for my next foot placement, and there just wasn't any. Or a seemingly good rock to hop would shift when you step on it kinda jostling the entire rhythm of the walk. And gazillion small, loose rocks (scree??) create a pretty unstable path. For long stretches. I actually did pretty well with the rocks. It's a matter of patience and slowing down. I did seemingly somehow strain my left lower shin today, though. It started hurting at about mile 15 or 16. Maybe I need to back off a bit. Ill work on that. Not a whole lot of thru-hikers in my midst but I have spent quite a bit of time talking and walking with a mother/daughter team,and two different young women hiking solo on two different days. So I've been getting plenty of social time. I feel like my hike is progressing well; I'm nearing my personal halfway point for this year. I'm trying not to push too hard to get to Dalton, MA before Charlie arrives but it is a reachable goal if the wheels don't fall off. Stay tuned.
Date: 2016-06-02
From: Wm Penn Shelter Camp

To: Eagles Nest Shelter Camp
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: broken clouds

A long and late day today. So what should you do when you have an injury from overuse? Use it again, of course. My shin felt pretty good at first today but by lunch it hurt pretty badly. So I soaked it in a cold spring run, put some tape on it, took two ibuprofen, and kept walking. After several delays, I finally pulled into the shelter area at 6:15, much later than is my preference, having walked 19 miles. The way towns, water supply, and shelters line up, somehow it made sense. But I do need to rest my leg so tomorrow I plan on 10 miles and then find a place to stay and rest until at least the next afternoon. Not sure two short days will help, but it's better than two long days. I'm not worried it'll be a serious issue, but I need to pay attention to it.Meanwhile, it was a beautiful day. Not too hot with a breeze. Much of the terrain was relatively friendly; much of it not so. I will try not to complain too much about the rocks but they have some wicked rocks here, and I'm told they keep getting worse. Stopped at a shelter this morning with a shower (2 large barrels filled with water elevated over an enclosure) so I took one. Soaked feet at lunch, had a conference call with the lawyers on a cohousing matter from in the woods, talked to a trail magic guy, and walked a lot. Some stretches today were overgrown with laurel, wild rose, and poison ivy. Others were wonderful, sparsely wooded forests with solid ferns for understory. Another kind of magic fairyland. Pushing my way across PA; after tomorrow only 75 miles left. It's all good.
Date: 2016-06-04
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Hamburg, PA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This post Wil be my last on-trail post for awhile. I have either shin splints or a stress fracture on my left lower leg (anterior). After lots of aggravation and hitchhiking north and then south twice, I finally hobbled into the hotel near Hamburg (across from the largest Cabella's camp store in the world). I am practicing rest and ice anticipating an extended healing period. I hope I'm wrong but it doesn't look good at this point. I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to get back on the trail, but I'm going to get some medical attention; I'm beyond self-diagnosis at this point. Bottom line: I guess too many miles for this old horse. I'm resolved to get it healed and getting back on trail as soon as safe. Meanwhile, I'll switch this journal to off-trail status but I'll post medical status reports as appropriate. I'll spend the next couple of days getting somewhere with family where I'm not spending 100+/day for housing. Til later; thanks for all the support and interest. Third Half
Date: 2016-06-07
From: Hamburg, PA

To: Ohio
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Medical update: No stress fracture! Care of sister Angel Carol, I traveled to sw Ohio yesterday. This morning I had an appointment with the sports doc. After xrays and mri, the diagnosis for my swollen shin is an infection. It will remain a mystery how this happened, but, with a course of antibiotics, doc says I can be released to get back on the trail early next week. So, I'm on vacation with my family in Ohio for a week. Ill spend the time eating and figuring out the travel logistics for the remainder of the hike. At this point, I am over 3/4 done with the AT and I have 534 miles left to go. I'm psyched. All is well and I'm glad I have the flexibility to manage this little setback.
Date: 2016-06-14
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Rattlesnake Spring Campsite
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: broken clouds

The good news is I'm back on the trail. The less than good news is the trail here is pretty rugged and I'm worn out. After 10 days of laying around as much as possible and drinking milkshakes every day, it was a whirlwind return to the trail. I got the ok about 2 pm yesterday and I was on the road by 3. 500 miles later, at 1:30 this morning,I stopped in an el cheapo hotel for some sleep. At 7, I headed for Delaware Water Gap, the Pennsylvania/New Jersey border. I had breakfast there and started to look for a place to park sister trail Angel Carol's car. I was coming up empty so I walked up to two guys painting the yellow curbs in town. I asked about parking and the guy said I could park at his house up the street. He said he was the mayor of the town and he'd look over it. How cool is that? The mayor paints the curbs in that town and he's a really nice guy: Mayor Bob. The hike today started with a mile sidewalk/bridge walk over the Deleware River. Very loud and always tiring. Then the fun began. So far, New Jersey is really quite beautiful. The weather was exquisite. There was a gentle, park like climb up to the top of the ridge. But then there was almost continuous rocks for the rest of the day. Not the worst rocks ever (close) but the thing that wore me out was there was no break. Virtually every step was trying to land successfully on a rock or avoid a rock. There was a rock involved in every step. Really slows me down and gets mentally taxing after awhile. So, tomorrow I hope to be a bit more tolerant of the rocks and try to enjoy the trail. It seems quieter here than Pennsylvania so far and more wild. I think I have another 2 days along the top of this ridge system. But today I'm grateful for all the help I got over the last ten days, especially from sister trail Angel Carol. She really stepped up. Many others have helped me with encouragement and concern. Thanks. I just have to remind myself that, for the first day back on the trail, things are good. My legs and joints feel good (ish) and my stomach and metabolism will catch up in a day or so. Onward toward New York.