morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-06-24
From: Route 248 - Near Palmerton

To: Leroy Smith Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

I slept well last night, until about 5:AM, then I woke up every 15 minutes until 6:45, when I gave up and got out of bed. I packed up my gear, then wench & I put our gear in the car & went back to Berts Steak house for breakfast (coffee, OJ, Scrambled eggs, toast, French toast, and water). After breakfast, we loaded 2 more hikers & their gear into the car (Texas Jack & Trog) and dropped them off at the trail. As we pulled up to the trail, 2 other hikers were just starting to hitch to Palmerton, so I unloaded one group (told them I would meet them up the trail), and loaded another group into the car. I was on my way to drop the rental off, so I dropped them off in Palmerton on the way. Enterprise Rent a car & Kris are #1 in my book. He drove me back to the trail, and I started up the cliffs at Lehigh gap, only an hour or so behind everyone else. Lehigh Gap looked intimidating, the rock face, the steep climb, the exposed trail. But it was a WUSS!! All that worry for nothing, it was AWESOME!! It was a fun climb, it was early, only 75 degrees, sunny with awesome views. I took lots of pictures. After climbing up the exposed face & over the top, I picked up speed and warped down the trail. I caught up with Wench & Jack in about 2 hours (slow down dog!). Wow, the top of the mountain is pretty desolate, it was ruined by the fumes from the zinc processing that went on here. Glad I didn¢t have to breath that shit¢¦ I feel sorry for those that did. It got sunny & hot, but not so humid (but the trail was in the sun most of the time, since the trees were all dead). There were lots of rocks, but the worst ones will come tomorrow. Basically a nice day, but tomorrow is going to be HOT and HUMID, and about 96 degrees¢¦. Fun, fun, fun¢¦ Maybe we¢ll hitch into wind gap for food tomorrow, we¢ll see, then maybe on to Kirkridge shelter. Anyway, it¢s cooling off tonight, good sleeping weather. NOTE: It¢s tough to put on a pack after almost 4 days off, especially after drinking lots of beer (but I¢m not complaining¢¦). I finally got used to the pack, even with the ungodly amount of food I have in it. Speaking of food, I had a bag of leftover steak from my brothers house (from a cook out), it is already gone. A big bag of my brothers awesome jerky, already half gone. My food bag should be lighter now, but we carry so much water (the water that existed today is still poison), the pack is still a bit heavy. I drank 3.5 liters today, then a half gallon after I got to the shelter, not I¢m still drinking, but not peeing yet (not good). I will let you know how tomorrow goes.
Date: 2003-06-25
From: Leroy Smith Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap (church of the Mt Hostel)
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: few clouds

Today was a hot one, they were calling for 96 degrees. We started out early (for us) at 7:45, with a quick 4+ miles to Wind gap (we stopped at the Gateway motel for water and a soda). The day was already hot, I was sweating bullets and drinking hot water (I hate that). There were limited water supplies the last 2 days, so we had to carry as much as we could. I ended up drinking 6 liters of water yesterday, 2 after I got to the shelter (and I still didn¢t have to pee). I drank less today, 1 liter the first 4 miles (and a soda), 2 liters for the next 9 miles, and 1 liter for the next 6. 4 liters of water for 20 miles is not enough in hot weather, I overheated big time. My head got really hot, and I was sweating less, dehydration was giving me a bad headache, but I didn¢t have enough water on me to drink what I needed (dumb bunny). It was hot & humid with lots of rocks, but not the sharp rocks I expected. These were wussy rocks, I¢ve seen worse¢¦ Pennsylvania, you are slacking off on your rock sharpening duties!! It was a long painful day, but a shorter journal entry, I¢m tired. We saw day hikers and a church group (kids & chaperones) out today. We saw a guy out hiking with 2 prosthetic legs (carrying a little girl & having a great time), and another thruhiker (Trog), but not much water. A nice view south, down the Delaware river and a view of the rocks across the river in NJ. We staggered into town (well, I did), dropped our packs at the Hostel (Church of the hill), ate at the DWG diner, and went back to the hostel to collapse. I was so overheated & tired, the food upset my stomach & complained loudly. I sat and relaxed, talked to the lady minister of the church of the Mountain, then laid on my bunk and journalled. Did I mention my shower? I showered with my shirt on, it was pretty smelly and salty. Now I¢m gonns collapse and sleep. Tomorrow, New Jersey!! 894.8 miles to go, we are under 900!!
Date: 2003-06-27
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Culvers Gap - Rt 206
Miles today: 17.9

Wench & I started out early, a little before 7AM, and hiked in the Mosquito infested, but cool morning. The miles flew by & so did the hazy views. Unfortunately about 4 miles into todays hike, the problem I had been worried about the whole trip started to rear its ugly head. My back went out, I started getting bad lower back pain. It hurt when I hiked, but was worse after I stopped for breaks & started again. My back muscles are inflamed & my neoprene belt is making it worse. I¢m taking 4 Advil, but it doesn¢t help at all. I rearranged gear in my pack and it felt a bit better, but still sore. I spent the rest of the day, wanting to be anywhere but on the trail¢¦ So I just put my head down and hiked to route 206 and the Worthington Bakery. We arrived fairly early at about 2:45 (17.9 miles in 8 hours) & had a couple danish & coffee. Wench called a couple hotels, but they were booked, so we sat and contemplated our situation. Wench had her brothers & father coming, so she really needed a room. While we were sitting, a guy pulled in & said hi as he went into the bakery. A few seconds later, he stuck his head back out & asked if we wanted ice cream! He was buying us a treat, cool! His name was Jim, he had just come back from a hike with his dog. He liked doing trail magic & hopes to hike the trail some year. As he was leaving, we all said thanks and I asked if he knew of any motels in the area aside from the 2 nearby. He knew of some in PA (the nearest ones), and offered to ride us around until we found one (an offer we could not refuse, I needed ice on my back, and quick!)! So he drove us up 206 towards Milford, PA, stopping at 3 motels along the way. We found rooms in PA, at the Milford Motel, and I immediately thanked him & jumped in the shower to heat up my back, then iced it up good & took more Advil, a muscle relaxer, then walked to the Milford Diner for dinner with Wench (good food). My back feels a little better when I walk, but still hurts. Wench stopped at a package store to get beer for her father & brothers, I went back to the hotel & passed out (muscle relaxers knock me out). Hopefully I¢ll feel a bit better tomorrow, I¢ll take the day off & look for a chiropractor to fix my back problems. I talked to my wife before I passed out, she is coming to visit July 1st along with Mike (her cousin) and his wife Carol. July 3rd, my brother, his wife & my niece are coming to visit too (7/3-7/5), it should be a great week. I may have to slack pack a bit if my back doesn¢t get better¢¦
Date: 2003-06-28
From: Milford Motel

To: Milford Motel
Miles today: 0.0

Well, I found a chiropractor and went this morning (Jeffers neck and back pain center, only a block from my hotel). I felt much better after my adjustment and walked to the diner for breakfast. I walked downtown to check out Milford, found the Post office & stores, then walked back to my hotel to gather gear to bounce ahead or send home (I spent a lot of time walking around Milford today). I walked back to town, went to the post office, a few stores for post cards, the to the ¢Tom Quick Inn¢ for lunch. I had a great cheeseburger & fries, a few beers, and talked to a few locals. Ah¢¦ Beer & food¢¦ Life is good. Then I staggered back to the hotel for a 3 beer nap. The ¢Wenches¢ wereOut and about running errands & day hiking. My excitement for the day was lunch, a nap & then dinner from the local Texaco quick Mart (the chip & snack assortment). I¢m so high class¢¦ For fun, I called the Milford Taxi and set up a ride back to the trail for the next day. Now for more TV & naps¢¦ Life is good.
Date: 2003-06-29
From: Route 206 - Worthington Bakery

To: Route 23 - Ranger Station
Miles today: 14.3

After a taxi ride back to the trail (OK, to the bakery at the trail), I sat for an hour drinking Gatorade, coffee, eating Danish, rolls, and apple turnovers (And I wonder why I am gaining weight now that my hike is over. Bad eating habits?). Life is good¢¦ Wench and her father and brothers arrived in a taxi and we started hiking. We relaxed & checked out the views at the Culvers fire tower (another hiker was resting on the steps as we arrived). We relaxed at the Gren Anderson and Mashipacong shelters (awesome solar privy at Mashipacong). More views & fun from a mountain top pavilion (took group pics), rock overlooks and such (NJ is more amazing than I ever expected). But no bears¢¦ We saw assorted other creatures, like chipmunks, squirrels, groundhogs, deer, people¢¦ Hiking with the Wench family was fun. They all took turns wearing her pack to see what she had to go through on a daily basis (and were amazed at what they found out¢¦ A new respect was born¢¦). They now understand how difficult this hike really is¢¦ The day ended when they got off at route 23, with only minor blisters and some dry mouths (they ran out of water). I hiked ahead & brought some back, but they were almost at the Rangers headquarters by then. We see bear track, a bear was here 15 minutes ago (witnesses say), but he is gone now¢¦ sigh¢¦. As the Frenches were about to leave, they used cruel and unusual punishment on me to get me to go to the Comfort Inn for the night (they told me there was a bar). They even forced me to drink a beer!!! Damn it was good¢¦ After dinner at Perkins, we went back to the hotel, where my back started to spasm¢¦. BAD! Damn, not again. So I laid down on some ice & fell asleep (big mistake). When I woke up at 3AM, my back was killing me, majoe spasms & nerve involvement. OUCH!! I took 4 Advil, got off the ice, did stretches and prayed (not something I do much¢¦. Maybe I should get back to it.). At 5AM, it still hurt, so I took a HOT shower to relax the muscles, and I stretched some more.
Date: 2003-06-30
From: Pochuck Mountain Shelter

To: Pochuck Shelter
Miles today: 14.1

I was planning on being on the trail by 9AM, but decided to hike around the hotel a while with my pack on to see if I should hike or not. My back started to feel better, so I decided to hike. By 10:00 we were all on the trail again. The Frenches were doing a 5+ mile day, I was doing 14. I hiked with them until they got off at route 519 at their car (another nice day), then I continued on to the pochuck shelter. I hate mosquitos, but especially the ones by the marshy flat sections today. But lunch in Unionville was nice (and I got a card at the post office). Lots of powerade (a scorching day), water and a big sandwich. Nice people, the guy at the grocery store just had a baby boy! Now I sit at the shelter journaling, I sent text messages home about where I would meet my wife tomorrow. So far I am alone in the shelter, but here are 3 people tenting nearby, the Canadian contingent (2 women¢¦ and it¢s Canada day), and a lone guy. I hope I can keep the skeeters & ticks at bay tonight. Time to put the food in the bear box (and feed the ants there), and get in my silk ¢bug¢ liner & maybe read for a while. Deet is my friend¢¦. It¢s kind of lonely, hiking alone, I was so used to being with the Frenches, they are good company. I especially could have used them in the marshy sections, to draw off the mosquitos¢¦(LOL!!). But alone is good too, time to think, and a better chance to see what is around you.
Date: 2003-07-01
From: Pochuck Mountain Shelter

To: Warwick Turnpike
Miles today: 12.2

Well, my mosquito experiment failed last night. I tried to sleep in the shelter and use my silk bag liner as a mosquito net. It sort of worked, I didn¢t get bit, but I was hot and uncomfortable and I couldn¢t sleep¢¦sigh, next time I¢ll just set up my tent. PLUS¢¦ I was alone in the shelter, so every noise was a bear (in my mind). Needless to say I got tired of the buzz, buzz of the mosquitoes in my ears, and put my radio ear pieces in to drown them out for a while¢¦a sleepless night. I got up at 6 and was on the trail by 7 am. It figures, the only day I wasn¢t in a hurry to start, the bugs forced me to start early. But it worked out ok; hiking in the cooler mornings is nice. Snort and Clover, 2 Canadian women left before I did, I caught up with them a few miles out, right before the new boardwalk thru the marshes, then I hiked near them until I took a break on a cool suspension bridge over a river. They continued and it figures; they saw a bear¢¦sigh¢¦ I¢ll never see one, but that is ok. Today was a good day. Sun, cool breezes and a great view from Pinwheel Vista after a tiring climb (but not as tough as it would have been on a humid day). Great views of the trail, and the farm store I just stopped at (can you say ice cream, apple turnover, powerade and water?). After that 1,000-foot climb, the rest of the day was fairly easy. No more big climbs, just some up and down bumps. Saw an older guy today, who was thrilled at what I was doing; he gave me a big smile, a clap on the shoulder and good wishes for my trip. Before I knew it, I was at the Wawayanda shelter taking a break, 4 tenths of a mile from the Warwick Turnpike (my end-point). Wow time flew today. Done by 1:30 or so. I hiked to Warwick Turnpike to go to L&L Farms to get a hotdog and ice cream¢¦a sad note..L&L Farms was closed, bummer, no food. Oh well, I sat at the farm store yard in the shade of the sign and ate my candy bars, Peanut butter M&Ms and water. Good timing, I was only there 10 ¢ 15 minutes, when my wife¢s cousin, and his wife (Mike and Carol) drove up. It was great to see them (sorry the hugs were smelly) !! They gave me a Gatorade and I hopped in the car and we drove to our hotel to meet my wife. COOL!!! The New Continental Hotel is a nice and scenic hotel on Greenwood Lake. After a shower, it was off to the Breezy Point Inn for Beer and Burgers. Yummm!!! The rest of the day was spent sightseeing, buying snacks for tomorrow and talking with Shari, Mike and Carol. It was great to talk to them all, especially with the sun shining, the breeze blowing and the lake as a backdrop. Tomorrow Mike and I will hike a 10 mile section from Warwick Turnpike (NJ_ to Route 17A (in NY). We¢ll see how his back feels, there are a couple places we can hike out and do lower miles if we need to. It doesn¢t matter how far we hike; any distance will be fun. Now off to bed, after I pack for tomorrow¢s hike.
Date: 2003-07-02
From: Warwick Turnpike

To: Route 17A - Greenwood Lake, NY
Miles today: 9.5

Well today started our early, as Shari, Mike and Carol and I went to the West Milford diner for breakfast (loading up on our Carbs for our hike). Mmmmmm. Pancakes, French Toast, eggs, with coffee¢¦fueled up and ready to go. It¢s going to be a nice sunny day. Mike and I started out our hike with photo sessions by the AT sign. Shari and Carol were clicking away, pics by the sign and then some by a blaze down the trail. Then we were off on our hike over roots, rocks, planks, and mud, in shade and sun. It was all good. It was great hiking with Mike today, hiking with someone who hasn¢t been out here for 4 months is very refreshing, and the enthusiasm is still there. It¢s cool hiking with Mike anyway, he just a cool guy. No bears again today, but some nice rock hopping and climbing, lots of great views of Greenwood lake, just a perfect combination of everything. At the 1+ mile point, Shari and Carol, met us at a road crossing to make sure Mike¢s back was ok and we continued on. During our hike today we met up with 3 other thru-hikers Trail Frog, Flowcephus, and Space Monkey. We leap frogged them all day until we got to Route 17A (they got there first). But when they got there Shari and Carol (Trail Angels) were waiting with soda, ice, bananas, apples, cookies, oatmeal cream cookies, water, devil dogs, cinnamon sticks, crullers, etc. etc. I don¢t know who had more fun, the Trail Angels or the hikers¢¦maybe it was a tie. Today I took a bunch of pictures, then realized that I was almost out of film and cut back. Cool views, great company, great Trail Angels, great day! As we were hiking I checked my email (text messages). Wench started 4 to 5 miles south of where we did today, so I left her a note of what our plans were and told her to come with us and got to West Point, for the concert, and fireworks, picnic, etc !! I left the note in a trail register. Later after we were back at the hotel, she called (from a local store) and said ¢OK¢. Shari and I went to picked her up and got her a room here at the hotel. Cool!! Now everyone can meet the infamous Wench (my brother and his wife feel like they already know her!). My brother and his wife, my niece and her boyfriend will be coming up on Thursday, they are camping up in Florida, NY. OK back from dinner now at P&J steak house. Expensive, but GOOD!! Making plans for tomorrow¢s hike, looks like a 12 mile day. Wench, Mike and I starting at 17A, then Carol and Shari joining us at Lakes Road, before Fitzgerald Falls, and hiking to East Mombasha Road, where Wench, Mike and I will continue on to Route 17. Hopefully we will beat the rain and be able to see some views (like maybe the NYC skyline¢¦). So here we sit in the New Continental Hotel (on the water of Greenwood Lake). Talking trail, winding down. There is just something about sitting lakeside on a sunny day. Life is good.
Date: 2003-07-03
From: Route 17A - Greenwood Lake, NY

To: Route 17
Miles today: 12.0

Today we started out early with a breakfast at the 4 Seasons Diner in Greenwood Lake, NY (good pancakes, terrible men¢s room). Then hustled down to Route 17A where Wench, Mike and I, hiked to Lakes Road, while Carol and Shari set up ¢pick-up¢ cars. When we got to Lakes Road, Carol and Shari joined us for the next section from Lakes road (Fitzgerald Falls) to East Mombasha Road. This was fun, tough section to hike. It started flat, then steep and steady climbs. The waterfall was nice, but not flowing hard. This was a section my wife and her cousin Mike had done years ago when they were kids. We took our time and enjoyed the scenery along the way, never failing to chuckle when we heard someone comment about one of the steep sections. There was 1 steep section (extremely steep), that wasn¢t even on the profile, it was unbelievably steep and hard, but is probably the section everyone will remember the best! They will be proud of climbing that mountain (after the fact). We took breaks on sunny overlook, in shady groves and anywhere else they were needed. This was a fun hiking day, family and friends together¢¦ That¢s what this is all about, enjoying the outdoors, sharing it with someone, they did well. After views from Mombasha High Point and Buchanan Mountain (not clear enough to see the NYC skyline), we stopped at East Mombasha Road, where Shari had the car. We restocked our water, had a snack, and Shari took the car to the end to pick us up (Route 17). Carol decided to do the next section as well. So Wench, Carol, Mike and I pushed on. We got more more views and climbs, topped off with a view of the NY Thruway, full of traffic (made us happy to be in the woods). That was followed by a descent down ¢Agony Grind¢ to Route 17 and Shari. Tough decent, but beautiful, with rocks and big cliff walls behind us, great day. After we rounded up the other car, we all headed back to the hotel and jumped in the lake with our hiking clothes on ¢¦lake laundry¢¦). Now how can we top that? Well went to a steakhouse for good food and Sinatra music (ok, the mountains were better, but the company at dinner was great). I seem to remember driving around for hours for looking for a Laundromat too. So I guess I should journal more often¢¦.the steakhouse was last night and tonight was the Backyard Grill and Caf©. Fajitas, beer and my chicken sandwich! Yumm¢¦ Oh well, it was fun now on to the 4th.
Date: 2003-07-04
From: New Continental Hotel

To: West Point 
Miles today: 0.0

With family visiting me all week, I decided to take today off to rest (they wore me out hiking with me!). LOL!!! Wench caught up & has been hiking with me & my family... As I hiked with her father & brothers. Hiking with non-thruhikers put some of the awe back in my hike, as I saw things through their eyes... I realized that I had been "just hiking" & not seeing for a while. This IS a wonderful world we live in & an awesome trail. NJ & NY have some of the best, most diverse pieces of trail we have seen yet... Though I still hate mosquitos... And I still haven't seen any bears... As of Yesterday, Wench & I are at route 17 in NY, tomorrow we cross the NY Thruway, enter Harriman state park & go through the Lemon squeezer. Cool!!! 8 states down 6 to go, only 800 + miles to go.This was a good day! We all joined forces (my brother¢s family ¢ Willie, Cathy, Ashley and her boyfriend Nick, Mike, Carol, Wench, Shari and I), and toured NY, where Shari grew up. Through Goshen, towards Campbell Hall, past her old house and the farm where she once lived. Stopped at the cemetery to put flowers on her grandparent¢s grave (Richard and Pearl Zwart), her grandpa past away on Christmas Eve. Then we descended on Uncle Graham¢s house, a parade of people piled in, said hi to Aunt Mary and walked to the Cornwall fair where Uncle Graham was working with the Lion¢s Club selling lobsters. We all said hi, and walked around the fair, then back to his house for a bar-b-que. Lots of food, beer and Ice Cream. They finally got to meet the infamous Wench! And we got to do laundry and check email while we were there. Did I mention lots of group photos? Cool!! Graham and Mary are true trail angles, we all had a great time! Then on to West Point for a concert and fireworks, the motley group of hikers and groupies (LOL!!). We pulled into West Point hours early to get good lawn seats for the show. We drove past cadets, old buildings, great river views, what a beautiful place. We parked, hiked back to the band shell with our seat pads and coolers, to relax until show time, what a great show, great music, then great fireworks. The way the booms and bangs echoed up the mountains was amazing!! Like echoing thunder! The fireworks looks and sounded awesome!! What a nice way to spend the 4th of July. We wanted to celebrate with Teds flag there, but left it at the hotel... Sorry Ted, hope you understand.Wish you were here! Tomorrow more hiking with Shari and the Dades. Too bad that Carol and Mike are leaving, they are great people! Lots of fun to be with! More to follow tomorrow.