morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-06-05
From: Washington Monument State Park

To: Foxville Rd., MD
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: moderate rain

We all got up this morning, had breakfast, and drove back to the point on the trail where I had been picked up on Monday. Liz and Tuck walked with me the first .25 mile. Then, Mrs. Gray Ghost and Tanner joined us, and we all took a short walk to see the original Washington Monument. After a few pictures at the monument, I continued on, and my family traveled to Antietam Battlefield. The Battle of Antietam is the bloodiest, single day of battle in American history. Over 23,000 lives were lost. The trail was fairly easy, and I was able to maintain a good pace. By early afternoon, I reached Foxville Road and waited for about 15 minutes before Mrs. Gray Ghost arrived. She was late picking me up, because on the way, she passed by Taz from Tazmania, Australia, and gave him a ride into town. He way very appreciative. On the way back to our hotel, we passed through Frederick, MD. We stopped at Wegmans for some steaks to cook on the grill at the hotel. We then went to Eastern Mountain Sports to pick up a pair of hiking socks. When we got back to the hotel, I cooked the steaks, and we enjoyed a good dinner. Tomorrow, I will be slack packing again, and we will be moving to another hotel in Chambersburg, PA.
Date: 2014-06-06
From: Foxville Rd., MD

To: PA 233 
Miles today: 21.7
Weather: light rain

Last night, we decided to relocate and find a hotel in Chambersburg, PA to be near the section of the trail I was hiking. I started hiking at 9:00 A.M.. Meanwhile, my family traveled to Chambersburg, PA and checked into the Hampton Inn. The trail was fairly level, but rocky in places. Along the way, I passed through several very nice county and state parks. In the afternoon, I crossed the Mason Dixon Line and went from Maryland into Pennsylvania. By late afternoon, I reached our meeting place and was picked up by Mrs. GG and family. We went back to the hotel in Chambersburg and dined at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant. Tomorrow, I have a 24 mile hike to Pine Grove Furnace and will cross the halfway point.
Date: 2014-06-07
From: PA 233 

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 24.2
Weather: broken clouds

We got an early start this morning, and I was on the trail by 6:30 A.M. After five miles, I entered Caledonin State Park. I stopped in the campground and filled up my water bottles. My bruised thigh is still sore but much better than it was several days ago. In the afternoon, I reached the halfway point of the trail, which is 1,092.65 miles. It varies from year to year, due to relocations and re-routes of the trail. A few miles after passing the actual halfway point, I reached the signage for the halfway point. I signed the register and took a few pictures. I hurried on to my destination and reached Pine Grove Furnace State Park shortly after 3:00 P.M.. At Pine Grove Furnace State Park, there is a general store frequented by hikers. It is at the general store, that the half gallon ice cream challenge occurs. The tradition is to consume a half gallon of ice cream upon reaching the halfway point. While waiting for my family to arrive, I visited the AT Museum and saw many interesting artifacts from the early thru-hikers. When my family arrived, we all got ice cream, but I decided I was not up to the half gallon challenge. I got a pint instead. While there, I met Lost and Found and also saw Crazy Horse, Hoss, and DFI. After finishing our ice cream, we headed back to the hotel. Tonight, I will go through my food supplies to see what I will need for next week. Tomorrow, my family will return home, and I will continue northward. It has been a wonderful few days seeing my family and spending time with them.
Date: 2014-06-08
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: broken clouds

We said our goodbyes this morning. I headed north, and Mrs. GG, Liz, Tuck, and Tanner headed back to GA. The last few days with them were special, and I will never forget the time we spent together. I will look forward to seeing all of my family in Maine in August. Today was a good day, and the trail was relatively easy. There were a couple of rock mazes, but they were not as bad as advertised. I was passed by several couples who were running all of the AT in PA. They ran 20-30 miles per day. One of them told me about the extreme rockiness of the trail in Northeast PA and about it being a major breeding area for rattlesnakes. Rock and rattlesnakes, so much to look forward to.By 3:00 P.M., I reached Boiling Springs, PA. and saw the lake created by the springs for which the town is known. I walked by several fly fisherman and saw each one catch a brown trout. Boiling Springs is a major fly fishing destination. I continued through town and walked .4 miles off of the trail to reach the Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse. It is a really nice resort, and I am glad I decided to stay here. On the resort grounds, there is a fly fishing museum. I checked into my room, got cleaned up, and walked to the open building to the restaurant. As I walked in as was waiting to be seated, I looked over towards the bar area, and there were six thru-hikers already there, so I joined them. My food was delicious, and while we were there, 50/50 and Scrambles walked in and pushed our number up to eight. Everybody was asking me about my injuries, and I was able to tell them that my bruised thigh is much, much better. It was great being there with my fellow hikers.
Date: 2014-06-09
From: Boiling Springs, PA

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: light rain

I had a nice breakfast with several other hikers and headed north. The first half of the day, I was walking through corn fields, open grasslands, and small forested areas bordering the fields. As soon as I entered the first forested area, I discovered wild cherry trees, which were just beginning to ripen. I picked and ate all that I could reach. They were smaller than the ones we buy but wee very juicy and sweet.Just before 11:00 A.M., I crossed a highway and saw a sign pointing to a house just down the road. It just said, "magic at 1462." I walked down the road to the house, and there were beverages and two chairs right in the front yard. I got a cold birch beer and sat down and signed the register. A few minutes later, the man providing the trail magic came out, and we talked for a few minutes. He is a section hiker and a trail maintainer. I apologize for not being able to remember his name. While we were talking, Short Cut, Captain, and Chuckles joined us. It was a great break from the heat and humidity. Thanks for the magic!This afternoon was back in the hills and rocks. I made it to my shelter just after 6:00 P.M. My feet were ready to stop.There were warning signs on the shelter about problems with porcupines entering the shelter and cleaning up anything which had salt from perspiration, like boots, clothing, and etc. The mosquitoes were also bad, so I decided to pitch my tent and was hoping a 30% chance of rain would mean a dry night. I camped beside Shoofly, who is the ridge runner for this section of the trail. He was able to give me a preview of what I would be hiking through the next few days. At about 10:00 P.M., a light rain started to fall and by 11:00 P.M. it started raining much harder. Oh well, I was away from the porcupines and mosquitoes. It was the first time since I began, I tented in the rain. It was good for sleeping, but it meant packing and carrying a wet, heavy tent tomorrow.
Date: 2014-06-10
From: Cove Mountain Shelter

To: Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up and packed up a wet tent and ground cloth. Duncannon was only four miles away, and Shoofly had told me about Goodies Diner and recommended it for breakfast. Duncannon is another town where the AT goes right down Main Street. I got into the center of town and saw the old Doyle Hotel and Goodies Diner, just across the street. There were a lot of hikers who had spent last night at the Doyle Hotel. I saw Scrambles, Lost and Found, Hoss, and Mambo. I went into the diner and couldn't decide between two of the breakfast combos on the menu, so I just ordered both and cleaned my plates. I refilled my water bottles at the restaurant and headed out. On the outskirts of town, I crossed over the Susquehanna River on a long bridge which had a section for pedestrians. As I neared the midpoint of the bridge, two large birds started squaking and flying right at me as if they were dive bombing me. Their persistence told me I must be close to their nest. As I walked on, they got so close to hitting me, that I actually held my hiking pole over my head for protection. When I got to the end of the bridge, there was a sign posted saying that their were Peregrine falcons living under the bridge. When I read this, it all made sense. They are really magnificent birds of prey, and I was glad to have the rare opportunity to see them up close, even if they were angry with me. Later in the afternoon, I saw a female crow trying to decoy me away from her nesting area. She acted as if she was in distress to have me away from the next. This was another rare experience. All afternoon, I traveled rocky areas. I have been told rattlesnakes often sun on large, exposed boulders, but I have not seen any yet. I have been assured I will see some before I get out of PA. The last two days have been hot and extremely humid. My shirt, socks, and shorts are soaked with perspiration and don't even dry out at night. Several days without a shower or laundry make for some strong aromas and a typical hiker smell.It looks like I have a large shelter to myself tonight. That's ok as I have my tent spread out to dry tonight. Goodnight.
Date: 2014-06-11
From: Peters Mountain Shelter

To: Raush Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.0

It rained most of last night. I was glad to be in a dry shelter. It was really hard to get out of my warm, dry bed, and I got a later than normal start. I have not seen the sun in several days. The woods are dark and foggy. The trail is rocky, and most of it is muddy, some of it is even underwater. I stopped and stood in the rain while eating my lunch. All day long, I thought about how good it would be to reach the next shelter, get into some dry night clothes, and eat a hot dinner. Just before I reached the shelter, I saw Mamba. When I arrived at the shelter, I met Treebeard, who is doing a flip-flop hike. I really enjoyed talking to him as we had dinner and prepared for the night.Last week, I sent my 45 degree sleeping bag home. I have a sleeping bag liner, which I thought would be sufficient for the summer nights. I may have been wrong. The last two nights have been cool, and before going to bed, I put on my rain pants and rain coat. In addition, I used my sheet of Tyvek as a blanket. It seemed to all work to keep me warm.
Date: 2014-06-12
From: Raush Gap Shelter

To: PA Hwy 648, Pine Grove, PA
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: moderate rain

I had breakfast, put my wet clothes and shoes on, and headed out in the rain. The trail varied from smooth to extremely rocky. Again, the words are dark and foggy. Over the last several days, there has been little variation in the trail and really nothing to see. I decided around noon that I would alter my plan for today and call a shuttle to take me into Pine Grove, PA for a night in a motel. Just before reaching my pickup point, I ran into Bones and Chuckles. My shuttle arrived on time and dropped me off at the Comfort Inn. They do not have laundry service, so I had to wash my clothes in the tub. I know they will smell better tomorrow, and I hope they will be dry by morning.I went to Dollar General to resupply and then to a local diner for dinner. After dinner, I had a large DQ Blizzard for dessert. It feels so good to be clean and in a dry bed for the night. More rain is on the way for tomorrow.
Date: 2014-06-13
From: PA Hwy 648, Pine Grove, PA

To: Eagle's Nest Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: broken clouds

I had breakfast in the motel, and the shuttle arrived at 8:00 A.M. to take me back to the trail. I had a very restful night and had really enjoyed being completely dry for the night. When I got into the shuttle, Treebeard and Right Here were already in it. I had no idea that Right Here was at the same motel, since I had not seen him since Harper's Ferry. We heard thunder most of the day, and it rained in front of us all morning. Not long after we started, we had a new trail feature of deal with in addition to the rocks. Much of the trail was covered by 6-8" of water. At first we tried to find a way around it, but eventually our shoes and socks were water logged, so we just waded through it most of the day. We did find a nice place with a picnic table to our lunch break. While we were there, North Star joined Right Here and me. There was not much to see, but we did see a monument that marked an area that was use as a lookout during the French and Indian War. Shortly before 5:00 P.M., we reached our shelter. I wanted to sleep in the shelter, but it was old, musty, and damp. We pitched our tents in an area near the shelter. We had our dinner at the table in front of the shelter. While there, we met Tigger for the first time. She started in April and has already made it this far. I have been hearing thunder in the distance, and it's beginning to rain. Our tents will be wet tomorrow morning, but the next three days are going to be beautiful. Tomorrow when I pass through Port Clinton and Hamburg, PA, there is a Cabella store, and I think the will pickup hikers who wish to visit the store. I need fuel for my stove, and I've heard they have an AYCE restaurant in the store. Sounds good to me.
Date: 2014-06-14
From: Eagle's Nest Shelter

To: Windsor Furnance Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night it rained just enough to wet everything, but when we woke up, we were greeted by clear skies. The temperature had dropped into the 50's overnight, and I was a little cold before morning. After we went to bed, Pyro, Satchsquash, Godzilla, and Garg Oyle all came in for the night. Most of the water on the trail had drained off and the walking was much better than yesterday. Before noon, I reached Port Clinton, PA and called a shuttle named Dad to take me to Cabellas. When I got to the restaurant, I found out they no longer have the AYCE buffet. That was somewhat of a disappointment, but the buffalo burger I ordered was delicious. They had a candy shop, and I bought a half pound of fudge for dessert. I also purchased another sleeping bag liner, which is a little heavier than the one I have, but should keep me warm when the nights drop into the 50's as it is tonight and tomorrow night. While in town, I also saw a candy store and bought candy nuts and trail mix. By 2:30 P.M., I was on my way out of town. I walked another 5.5 miles to my shelter. There is a family camping at the shelter, and they have one of their tents set up in the shelter. I am sure some late arriving thru-hiker will ask them to move the tent outside, so they can use the shelter. Tigger is camping nearby, and a couple of weekend hikers just set up beside me. Just as I was getting ready to turn in, the family camping at the shelter sent over an extra hamburger from their dinner. I had already eaten, but I don't think any thru-hiker could turn down a hamburger. Maybe I'll hang around and see what they have for breakfast. I have four more days of the PA rocks, and then I will be in New Jersey
Date: 2014-06-15
From: Windsor Furnance Shelter

To: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: broken clouds

I left early this morning, just ahead of the younger hikers. Some of the trail in PA is smooth, like a walk in the park, but most of it is either covered entirely by beachball sized rocks or large boulders about half the size of an automobile. Either way, it is slow walking and is brutal on your feet. Normally, a pace of 2 miles an hour is easy to maintain, but with the rocks, it drops to 1.5 miles an hour or even less.Within a few miles of my start, I came to a mountain top that is used by an observatory club to view the planets and stars. There was a Boy Scout Troop there on a weekend camping trip. When hikers arrived, they invited them to help themselves to bagels, cereal, milk, juice, and other breakfast food. There were 5-6 thru-hikers there, and we had a wonderful treat. Thank you Boy Scouts!The afternoon featured several miles of very tough rocks, and my leg was beginning to really hurt from an injury on the rocks several days ago. I finally reached my shelter and had to hike .2 miles downhill to a spring to get water, but it was worth it as the spring supplied me with cool, clean water. I cooked my dinner when I got back from the spring. I must tell you about this special meal I had. David Beal, a friend of my brother and I since childhood, sent me several meals of dehydrated ground beef, peas, corn, and potatoes. It is by far the best trail food I have had since leaving GA. Thank you so much David! Your kindness and thoughtfulness are very special and will never be forgotten. I finished my dinner and prepared for a good night's sleep. A day on the PA rocks is long and tiring.
Date: 2014-06-16
From: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter

To: Ashfield Road
Miles today: 12.4

I started the day thinking that it was time for a town stop. I called Soulflute, a shuttle guy, listed in the guide book. He was uncertain of his availability for an afternoon picking up, and suggested I call him back later in the day. By early afternoon, I reached the Knife Edge. The Knife Edge was about a tenth of a mile or more across a huge boulder field. At times, I would stop and figure out the safest way to proceed. Many times, I proceeded using both hands and feet to maintain my balance and grip. When I was halfway across, I came upon a lady who was also crossing the Knife Edge. She said she was section hiking and had two new hip joint replacements. Her trail name was Jersey Girl, and she was at least as old as I am. I think we were both relieved to have another person nearby in case of an accident. Step by step, we progressed until we were safely across the Knife Edge. Jersey Girl explained that her husband, Ron, was at the next road crossing giving out trail magic and waiting to pick her up. I told her about my intention of making a town stop but was unsure if my shuttle would be available. She told me she and Ron would be glad to give me a ride. I reached the road crossing before Jersey Girl and saw Ron sitting in a chair beside his truck. He already knew who I was when I walked up as Jersey Girl had called him and told him they would be giving me a ride into town. He had a cooler full of cold beverages and snacks. Several other hikers soon arrived and enjoyed the trail magic.There were several small towns in the area, but Soulflute suggested I might really enjoy going to Jim Thorpe, PA. He described it as a very old town with lots of shops, motels, and restaurants all on the street. After sitting and talking to Ron for about 30 minutes, Jersey Girl arrived. I called Soulflute and told him I had a ride into Jim Thorpe, and I would need him to pick me up and take me to the trail tomorrow. He confirmed he would, so I got into the truck with Jersey Girl and Ron, and we headed to Jim Thorpe, PA. When we arrived, I was amazed at the beautiful old buildings and architecture. I went to the Inn at Jim Thorpe and was able to get a room. I thanked Jersey Girl and Ron and tried to give them some money for gasoline, but Ron wouldn't accept it. Talk about trail angels, they are two of the finest! I have never met nicer people. Thank you, Ron and Jersey Girl, and good luck on your hike.My room at the Inn was very nice. I got cleaned up and headed down the street and had a very delicious steak dinner and dessert. On the way back to the room, I passed and ice cream store and had a couple of scoops. Toda has been a good day. Jim Thorpe, PA is another place we will visit again.
Date: 2014-06-17
From: Ashfield Road

To: Little Gap Road
Miles today: 10.3

I decided last night that I would slack pack today and have Soleflute pick me up at the end of the day and bring me back to Jim Thorpe for one more night. I bruised my lower leg last week, and it has been really painful and is very swollen by the end of each day. The last two days, I have cut back on miles to see if that will help. Soleflute picked me up at the Inn and dropped me off at Ashfield Gap. The morning went well, and there was nothing noteworthy about the trail. In the early afternoon, I crossed over the Lehigh River and headed up the mountain. When I got up the mountain, the trail turned into a huge boulder climb. I was glad I did not have my full pack on my back. The climb required both hands and feet. There were many places where a slip could be disasterous. I was so glad when I finally reached the top. The rest of the afternoon was over a mountain that had no large trees, but only shrubs. All of the vegetation on the entire mountain had been killed by a zinc smulting plant that operated from the 1880's to 1980. The damaged area is now recovering. I finished my hike, and Soleflute delivered me back to Jim Thorpe for one more night of luxury. Tomorrow, he will deliver me to the trail, and I will head north. I think I can be out of PA in a few days if my leg will cooperate.
Date: 2014-06-18
From: Little Gap Road

To: Wind Gap, PA
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Soleflute picked me up, and I bought both of us breakfast at Dunkin Donut. I started walking at 8:30 A.M. The rocks continued, and every step was painful in my swollen leg. The day was hot and water sources were sparse. By 9:30 A.M., I made it to PA Hwy 33. I hiked the one mile into Wind Gap, PA. There is a restaurant called Beer Stein. The owner allows thru-hikers to camp for free in a grass covered lot behind the restaurant. The year, he has also added showers and laundry for hikers. When I arrived, I became the third thru-hiker there. Before dark, there were 12 tents there. Pippen and BFI were there, but most of the others I had not previously met. I had dinner in the restaurant and went to bed. It felt so good to be off my feet. There is a medical clinic in Wind Gap, and I may go there tomorrow for my leg. It is now swollen from my feet to my knee.