morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-09-30
From: Ironmasters Mansion Hostel

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: light rain

Weather - Cloudy, cool and rainyGot up at 5:45 a.m. and Dutch and I left the Ironmasters Mansion Hostel at 7:30 a.m. It was a neat place to stay that was right on the trail. Hiked passed the Pine Grove Furnace then Fuller Lake that had fog covering the lake. Shortly after that we came to the midway point on the A.T. Passing this point is quite significant. From now on I will have walked further than what I have to walk, if that makes sense - less distance to travel now probably makes better sense. Either way I say it - it sure does feel good to pass this point.It was cool this morning and rained a little bit but the trail was real easy. At PA 34, we took a right and hiked a short distance up to a small general store where we got a cheeseburger and a big scoop of ice cream to eat for lunch. Then we had them make us sandwiches that we will have for supper tonight. It was raining and cool when we left the store and the trail got harder as we crossed over Rocky Ridge. It was rather difficult climbing over these large rocks with a full backpack. Dutch even fell once, thank goodness he wasn't hurt. It was that difficult and slowed us to a snail's pace. Once we were over these rocks, the trail got better but the rocks had zapped a lot of energy out of us.It was about 4:15 p.m before we reached Alec Kennedy Shelter and there was a Boy Scout Troop already there. But they made room for us and "52" (another hiker we had met earlier heading north). The Scouts had built a nice fire and were sitting around it being quiet when we went to bed as the sun went down at a little after 7:00 p.m. I was the first one in my sleeping bag. Yes, I had beat Dutch and that is hard to do. Usually right after supper at anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., Dutch is in his sleeping bag going to sleep. He says this is his most favorite time of the day. A little later that night I woke up to hear it raining but the rain put me right back to sleep.
Date: 2006-10-01
From: Alec Kennedy Shelter

To: US11 to Appalachian Trail Inn
Miles today: 11.9

Weather - Clear, beautiful and not as cool.Dutch and I were up at 5:00 a.m. and hiking as it got light enough at 7:00 a.m. We were looking forward to a big breakfast at the caf© in Boiling Springs, PA. The hike down the mountain and through the cornfields into Boiling Springs was real easy. Boiling Springs is a beautiful little town with a little lake in the middle and the A.T. runs right beside it. It also has a beautiful and unique stone clock tower. But the bad news is that the caf© is closed on Sunday so we had to get something from the convenience store at the gas station across the street. We talked to some of the local guys that had gathered for coffee as we ate our meager breakfast.The trail was super easy as we hiked out of town and continued to stay easy. As we were hiking through the fields, we could hear the church bells ringing in a small town nearby. That afternoon we passed by an old graveyard so we decided to check it out. One tombstone showed that person had died in 1775 and another showed that this person was born in 1775 and died in 1850. Most of the other tombstones where too old to read. No telling how far back in time they went.Again the sun was out and the hiking was easy to US 11, the Harrisburg Pike, then down the road to the Appalachian Trail Motor Inn. We were there by 1:30 p.m. and I called my friend Shoe. At 3:00 p.m. Shoe and Betty came to do some more trail magic. They took Dutch and me to an outfitters and Dick's Sporting Goods several miles down US 11 so Dutch could get some fuel for his stove, a freeze-dried meal and some water purification tablets. A long way for three small items but they were very much needed. Thanks to Shoe and Betty. I gave some of my gear to Shoe and Betty to take back home to Nadine since they are leaving today. I sent back some of my food since I have been finding some places on the trail to eat and I sent back my tent and some fleece pants. I kept a bivy sack and can use that if I have to since I plan to stay in shelters for the rest of my hike. Also the fleece pants were extra clothing that I felt like I would not need. As soon as Shoe and Betty, left, Dutch and I went to the Middlesex Diner beside the motel for a good steak supper. The bar in the motel was closed because it is Sunday so we could not get a beer. Instead we settled for a root beer soda from the drink machine.
Date: 2006-10-02
From: US11 to Appalachian Trail Inn

To: Doyle Hotel in Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: clear sky

Weather - Clear, cool in morning and warm in afternoonDutch and I went back to the Middlesex Diner to get breakfast about 6:00 a.m. before the sun came up. A little after 7:00 a.m., we started walking back to the A.T. walking through the farm fields and even through the fog. Climbing up the first mountain of the day, we came to a viewpoint where we could look down on the valley we had been walking across. We stopped at Darlington Shelter for lunch, then passed through beautiful yellow fields. Stopped and got water from a stream. We were making good time and feeling good. We were going to stop for the night at Dover Mountain Shelter but decided if we still felt good when we got there, we would hike into Duncannon, PA, to see our friend Rich since this was his last day on the trail and that is where he was getting off. He had been one-half day ahead of us for several days now.When we got to the blue blaze trail to the Cove Mountain Shelter, to our surprise Rich was standing there getting ready to leave. Dutch and I hiked with him the rest of the way into Duncannon, PA, and all of us got rooms at the Doyle Hotel. Pat and Vicky own and operate the hotel and take pictures of all the hikers coming through. So we got our pictures taken for the picture album for 2006. After getting showers and putting on clean clothes, all three of us went to get pizza. I ate so much I thought I was going to explode. We went back to the Doyle Hotel and had a farewell beer at the bar for Rich. He was pleased that Dutch and I had hiked to catch up with him so we could spend time with him before he left the trail. Staying at the Doyle Hotel is a trail experience. After one beer we were about to fall to sleep after hiking 17.6 miles today and it wasn't long before the lights were out. So long Rich, happy hiking next year.
Date: 2006-10-03
From: Doyle Hotel in Duncannon, PA

To: Peters Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Weather - Slightly overcast and very warmRich left at 4:00 a.m. but Dutch and I slept in until 7:00 a.m. Went and got breakfast at Goodies across the street, then I walked down to the post office to pick up a mail drop while Dutch did our laundry. Went back across the street to Goodies and had them make sandwiches to eat later on the trail. It was about 11:30 before we were on the trail again. Stopped at Clarks Ferry Shelter for lunch and to get water. It was rather warm today, maybe in the 80's. The trail was fairly rocky at some points. Did not get to Peters Mountain Shelter until a little after 5:00 p.m. It was an ordeal just getting water, hiking down at least 200 steps to a slow piped spring. It took us over an hour to get and purify water. We were finishing up supper in the dark when Eric, a young section hiker we had met on Sunday, hiked in. He was beat. It started to rain and cooled things down a little before we went to sleep.
Date: 2006-10-04
From: Peters Mountain Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Weather - Cloudy, cool and rainyDutch and Eric got up in the middle of the night to chase away a large mouse or rat with their hiking sticks. Dutch said it was so big he thought it was a squirrel at first. They had the situation well under control so I rolled over and went back to sleep. When daylight came, Dutch and I walked down to the Old Peters Mountain Shelter that Earl Shaffer stayed at in 1948.When we left at 7:00 a.m., it was already warm and we had a steep climb up a very rocky trail for 1000 ft. The trail was rocky for most of the day. Came to one lone mailbox by the trail in the woods with no houses around. This place is called Yellow Spring Village, the village is long gone. I read in a hiking book that it was here when there was a stage coach route in the 1850's.The leaves on the trees are changing more each day with the colors getting brighter. It was a long, tough day, 17.4 miles, and we didn't get to Rausch Gap Shelter until 5:00 p.m. The shelter was old but nice with water coming from a spring that was piped in right in front of the shelter. A thunderstorm with heavy rain rolled through right after supper. Did not see anyone on the trail today or at the shelter. We were worn out and Dutch and I could not decide which one of us was the most tired.I realized I had left my first-aid kit with my toothbrush and toothpaste on the table at the last shelter. I looked at a picture on my camera and could see it sitting on the table. Guess I'll have to go back and get it. Just kidding! Not walking back to get it, I will buy what I need and make a new first-aid kit at the next town. The storm brought in some cooler temperatures so it is time to climb in the sleeping bag to get warm.
Date: 2006-10-05
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: William Penn Shelter
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: few clouds

Weather - Clear and coolIt was real cool when Dutch and I left the shelter at 7:30 a.m. and it was a beautiful walk all the way to the Waterville Iron Bridge over Swatara Creek. It is a real neat old-looking bridge that is now used for foot traffic only. The trail followed an old road under Interstate 81 and Dutch and I could not find the white blazes. We went about 1/4 mile and saw only one really old white blaze. Something did not feel right so we backtracked under Interstate 81. I looked up the hill and 40 to 50 feet up the hill I saw a white blaze on a post, not down at the road where it could be easily seen. We know that we can't be the only ones that have missed that turn on the trail here. Then we had a really hard rocky climb straight up a mountain that sucks the energy right out of your body. Then the trail was rocky on the ridge.Saw three southbound thru-hikers. The first was Lush, a young guy wearing a kilt, a little later there was Snapshot and finally there was Glow-worm. Glow-worm had completed his thru-hike on 9/15/06 and was hiking with his friend Lush. Lush had a section in PA that he had skipped earlier and was coming back to finish.We stopped at a lookout about 2.3 miles from the shelter to look at the map to see how much further we had to hike on these rocks and to take a snack break. Got to the shelter at about 3:15 p.m. and had to walk up from the shelter 0.2 miles and down another 0.2 miles to get water from a good flowing pipe in a spring. Ate supper early and Dutch was in his sleeping bag by 5:30 p.m. just to get warm. Just after it got dark, a little after 7:00 p.m., I was getting in my sleeping bag too.
Date: 2006-10-06
From: William Penn Shelter

To: PA 501 then to the Hampton Inn
Miles today: 4.0

Weather - Cloudy and coldThe rain came down heavy almost all night and eased up when it started getting light. It was cold, around 48o F. We were only going 4 miles today so there was no rush to leave the shelter. Dutch and I left the shelter about 8:00 a.m. with our rain gear on just to stay warm and dry since everything was wet. The first 2 miles were fairly easy and we ran into a woman named Five-Leaf Clover. She is a southbound thru-hiker from Charlotte, NC, close to where my daughter and granddaughter live. The last 2 miles were nothing but rocks and it wasn't getting any warmer.When we got to PA 501 we tried to thumb a ride for about 30 minutes before a trail maintainer by the name of Don Youngblood gave us a ride to a new Hampton Inn down by Intestate 81. It was built only three months ago and is really nice. As we were checking in, a woman and her husband walked by and heard me say I had walked all the way from Georgia. She came back in and tried to give me $20. Maybe it was because I looked grubby and tired but she said it was because she and her husband were impressed by what I had done. I told her I had money to keep hiking but thanked her for her kind gesture.Dutch and I walked across the street to the Gooseberry Farms Family Restaurant that is open 24 hours a day for an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch. Then to the truck stop for some short-term re-supply. I got the items for my first-aid kit. Back over to the Hampton Inn where I washed and dried our clothes at their guest laundry. We had everything we needed within walking distance.At around 6:00 p.m. we walked back to Gooseberry Farms Family Restaurant for an all-you-can-eat buffet supper. Even got a beer in a bottle to take back to the room. Then we walked over to Subway and got sandwiches made to have for lunch tomorrow. Back at our room we sat in our beds, drank beer and watched a baseball game on TV. Sometime life on the trail can be easy, like tonight. Sleeping in a warm room, in a warm bed is going to be a good treat for my tired body. We even have a shuttle back to the trail lined up for tomorrow. Life on the trail is good today.
Date: 2006-10-07
From: PA 501, Hampton Inn

To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

Weather - Cloudy and coldAfter a good breakfast that was included with the room at the motel, Donna, the motel manager, took Dutch and me back to the trail head on PA 501. Helped by another wonderful trail angel. At the parking lot on PA 501 someone had busted out the windows on a small station wagon and a pick-up truck. It looked like vandalism.We walked in a short distance to check out the 501 shelter and found Chef there. He is a hiker we saw a couple of days ago. It was about 8:15 a.m. when we started hiking north again. About 4 miles later we came across a bow hunter in full cameo right on the trail. I walked up behind him and said something and when he turned around I could see the bow with the arrow ready to be pulled back.   Apparently the A.T. goes through gamelands in Pennsylvania and hunting is allowed. I am glad I am wearing a blaze orange tee shirt that I had Nadine mail to me in my last mail drop. During the day we would probably see about 8 more bow hunters in the woods. This made Dutch and me a little nervous since we had seen a lot of kids hiking the trail with school groups, boy scouts and dads with their sons. I stopped to show the boys with the school group the Gee Haw Whimsey Diddle Stick. One of the adults in the group said he had a stick like mine in his drawer back home and was going to throw it away because he didn't know how to make it work. Running into me was a little trail magic because now he knows the secret of the Gee Haw Whimsey Diddle Stick.At about 12:15 we reached PA 183 and sat down on a couple of large rocks at the parking lot and ate our Subway sandwiches and some chocolate chip cookies. Only had 6 more miles to go and we were making good time in spite of the rocks, rocks, rocks and more rocks. The next 6 miles were just as rocky as the first 9 miles. It was cloudy and cold all day, think the temperature was in the 50's.Got to Eagles Nest Shelter at around 3:30 p.m. Dutch and I were pleased we had made such good time with all the rocks. There was one guy, Ron, at the shelter and he was sleeping in a hammock. And there were two Boy Scout Troops there, one on each side of the shelter. They kept tracking back and forth between their camps.
Date: 2006-10-08
From: Eagles Nest Shelter

To: PA 61 to Microtel Inn
Miles today: 9.4

Weather - Sunny and not too coolLast night Dutch's bulb on his headlamp burned out so Ron lent him one of his. Today Dutch is going to try to get a replacement bulb from Cabela's in Hamburg, PA since he bought his headlamp about 5 years ago from Cabela's in Nebraska. We were up before daylight, said goodbye to Ron and on the trail by 7:30 a.m. Just like yesterday, it was nothing but rocks. About 3 miles down the trail we saw a buck deer cross the trail, the first deer we had seen in days. It is like they know it is hunting season and disappear. Saw a lot of day hikers since it is Sunday.The descent down into Port Clinton, PA was steep and slowed us up a little. When we crossed the railroad tracks we looked back and could see an old railroad station. At PA 61 we went under the overpass then left the trail and walked across the bridge over the Schuylkill River. With the leaves changing it was a beautiful sight. As we walked along PA 61 towards Hamburg, PA, we saw a dead doe beside the road. Traffic was really heavy. Walked about 1/2 mile and got lunch at Wendy's. We walked over to the Microtel Inn and got a room but couldn't check in until 3:00 p.m. so we went to the convenience store at the gas station to get lunches and breakfasts for the next few days. Back to the motel to wait in the lounge until our room was ready. Got showers, then Dutch did our laundry while I cleaned some of my gear and made some repairs.Later we took a big risk by crossing PA 61 on foot to get to Cabela's where we had a buffet supper. When Dutch tried to get a new bulb for his headlamp they had bad news. The bad news was that they no longer carried his brand of headlamp or bulbs but the good news was they would let him exchange it for a new LED headlamp. Trail magic comes along when you least expect it. We bought some dehydrated meals for our suppers and I bought a blaze orange ball cap for more protection from hunters and a new fleece cap to keep my head warm at night when it gets cold. As we were leaving, Dutch checked to see if we could get a shuttle back to the motel and sure enough we could. The driver told us Cabela's will only shuttle to the Microtel Inn and the trailhead up on PA 61 by PA 16 parking area. We are going to call in the morning to get a shuttle back to the trail.
Date: 2006-10-09
From: PA 61, Microtel Inn

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

Weather - Sunny and warmTook another shower this morning and it felt great. Had a continental breakfast at the motel around 7:00 a.m. and Dutch and I walked back to the gas station convenience store so he could get some instant coffee to take on the trail. At 8:00 a.m. we called Cabela's and they sent a shuttle van over to pick us up within 10 minutes. I took some pictures of some of the stuffed animals they had in the store and bought another dehydrated meal. The shuttle van then took us back to the trail at PA 61. What a great service.We were climbing the steep rocky mountain at 9:00 a.m. A couple of miles up the trail at Pocahontas Spring we ran into a father and daughter, Dick and Amanda. They had stopped to get water and were hiking south so they gave us some good info on what we were facing today. Stopped at Windsor Furnace Shelter for lunch and decided to move on to the next shelter. Since today is a holiday, we ran into a lot of day hikers on the trail, especially at Pulpit Rock and the Pinnacle. Didn't get to the shelter until 5:45 p.m. Had to cook supper quick and clean up before it got dark. Just Dutch and me here tonight. The shelter has 4 walls and a door.
Date: 2006-10-10
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: few clouds

Weather - Sunny and warm.Since the shelter had lights in it we were up at 5:45 a.m. eating breakfast inside and were on the trail by 7:00 a.m. Climbed a mountain first thing in the morning. I would rather climb early than at the end of the day. At Dan's Pulpit it was a beautiful view of the valley. As we were walking into the Allentown Shelter, a black snack was coming out of a hole right on the trail. At least 10 to 11 miles of the trail was on some big nasty rocks. When you were over a stretch of bad rocks and the trail got good, it wasn't long before you were on the bad rocks again. One section was rather dangerous like a knife edge on a ridge. Did not get to Bake Oven Knob Shelter until sometime around 5:00 p.m. Had to go way down the mountain to get water. There were 4 packs already there but no one around. The shelter sleeps 6 so Dutch and I each grabbed a spot. We were almost through supper when the four young southbounders, owners of the packs, came back to the shelter. They had been up at Bake Oven Knob. It was the most crowded shelter I had been in for a long time. Shortly after the sun went down, Dutch and I were in our sleeping bags.
Date: 2006-10-11
From: Bake Oven Knob Shelter

To: Lehih Gap, PA 248 to Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 7.7

Weather - Cloudy and cool.Dutch and I were both up at 5:45 a.m. and packed and walking at 6:50 a.m. More rocks again. They seemed to get better the closer we hiked to Lehigh Gap. I think the rocks didn't bother me as much because I knew we were going to town. As we hiked down into Lehigh Gap we could see the steep rocky mountain we are going to climb tomorrow. At the stoplight at the foot of the bridge over Lehigh River we put out our thumbs and in less then 10 minutes a guy named Joe in a pick-up truck picked us up and gave us a ride into Palmerton, PA. The Parkside Motel didn't open until 4:00 p.m. and it was only 11:30 a.m., so we walked down to the Jailhouse Hostel, the old police station basement room, to check it out. The folks were friendly and very helpful, the laundry was across the street and the grocery store one block away and Bert's Diner across the street also, so we decided to stay. It was also free. What a service Palmerton provides. Got a shower, had lunch, did laundry, shopped at the grocery store, ate supper, feeling good and back to the hostel for a good night's sleep before what we know will be a difficult day tomorrow.
Date: 2006-10-12
From: Lehih Gap, PA 248 from Palmerton, PA

To: Leroy A. Smith Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: broken clouds

Weather - Cloudy and cool.An older couple, Mark and Twain, came in after dark last night. They are hiking south and had walked 21 miles that day. His real name is Tom Sawyer so that is where their trail names Mark and Twain come from. There is a shooting range in the basement also in a room beside the hostel and they were shooting until 9:00 p.m. last night.This morning Dutch and I along with Mark and Twain waited for our shuttle to show up but he never did so we started thumbing at 7:20 a.m. We broke into two groups to make it easier to catch a ride. Mark and Twain went out first then Dutch and I. Dutch and I had walked about 3 blocks when Billygoat picked us up in his SUV. He had given 70+ hikers rides this year. About a mile further outside of town - way over on the other side of the road, we saw Mark and Twain walking. As soon as Billygoat dropped us off at the bridge he was going back to pick them up.As we started to climb the steep mountain out of Lehigh Gap, it started to rain and didn't stop until we had reached the top. The terrain at the top of the mountain was unique and beautiful, almost like what you would see at high altitudes. The trail followed a smooth mountain road for about 2 miles. On this road, we met a group of 40 high school students and their teachers on a field trip. They were hiking to a point on the mountain where they could watch the hawks migrating. Yes, it was Gee Haw Whimsey Diddle Stick demonstration time.When the trail left the road the rocks got worse and stayed rocky the rest of the day. At Leroy Smith Shelter there were 5 guys who worked for Vangard Group already at the shelter. They were out for a short section hike and tonight was their last night on the trail. After Dutch and I had gone down to get water another northbound hiker came in. He was Sleeping Bear and he was retired also. He lives in Alabama but is originally from Kenya, Africa, and has an English accent. It was a crowded shelter, the shelter sleeps 8 and there were 7 of us in it. Dutch decided to put up his tent because he had been carrying it from Harper's Ferry and wanted to use it at least once. That is the way we hikers think. As soon as it got dark it got cold and I was the first one in a sleeping bag. Used my bivy sack and sleeping bag together and I was warm and toasty.