morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-07-04
From: Mt Rogers Visitor Center/ Partnership Shelter

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

The bus dropped me off at the Greyhound bus station at 10:45. I was the only passenger that got off. The driver pulled my pack out from the storage bin under the bus, handed it to me and said, "Have a good hike." After raining the whole bus ride, right now there were gray skies and no rain. I took that as a good omen. There is a city shuttle that goes right to the trail, but it didn't run until 2:30. I decided it was worth the $18 for a taxi. But first I stopped at the Food City next to the bus station to buy three apples to go with my almond butter for lunches. Apples are pretty heavy for pack food, but I thought three of them sounded reasonable.I called the taxi company and before I had the apples packed away into my food bag, they were there to pick me up. He drove me to the Mount Rogers visitor center, the spot where I got off the trail last October. Less than a tenth of a mile south on the trail is the Partnersip Shelter. I didn't stay there, but it is one of the very few shelters on the AT with a shower. It looked like there was the capability to heat the water by burning wood, but on that cool October day at the end of my hike lady fall, I took a brisk shower in all cold water. I have learned that when I am about to get picked up after backpacking, a shower, no matter what the condition of the shower or the temperature of the water, is a good thing. It at least begins to wash away some of the backpacker smell ... although the pack itself smells pretty bad, and I can't take it into the shower.I filled my water bottles at the visitor center and headed north on the trail. I hadn't planned to hike far the first day because I thought I might be a bit sleep deprived from the all-night bus ride. It was 11 miles to the next road crossing and there was a $35/night hotel there. With rain predicted that seemed like a good idea. The taxi driver also told me about a great restaurant where the trail comes out to that road. It's called the Barn. I shouldn't be thinking about food on my first day out, but he made the Barn sound like an experience not to be missed. About 3 miles from the road and the Barn Restaurant I met two hikers heading south to the Partnership Shelter. They told me they had stopped at the Barn for lunch, but it was closed for the 4th of July. I shouldn't have spent so much if my hiking time thinking about what I would eat for supper. When I got to the road, I checked in at the little hotel, got out my jetboil stove and fixed a supper of trail food outside my room. After supper I went to the gas station next door to treat myself to some ice cream. I met two other hikers and their dog. They had just come from Partnership Shelter and were checking into the same motel and paying $10 extra for their dog. I should say they came from Partnership Shelter today. Last year they started at the southern end of Shenandoah and went 1000 miles north. This year they started in Georgia and were hiking to the Shenandoah.
Date: 2016-07-07
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Laurel Creek campsite
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Chestnut knob shelter to Laurel creek campsite15 milesI packed up and left the shelter fairly early, about 8:00. After hiking down hill for about 45 minutes I realized that I didn't have the ankle brace I had gotten from my podiatrist. It wa to relieve some of the pain from the plantar fasciitis. I had set it on a rock to dry yesterday afternoon and in the rush to bring in my clothes, I must have forgotten it. Going back for it would cost me at least 90 minutes, and it was uphill all the way back. I decided the blisters I got from hiking in wet socks were much more painful than the plantar fasciitis at this point so I hiked on.It rained intermittently, sometimes hard. On my way down to a road crossing and Laurel Creek I met two ladies hiking up the mountain. They said there was a great campsite by the creek with a picnic table. A campsite with a picnic table is like a 4-star hotel in terms of AT camping. The idea of a great campsite motivated me to keep heading down the mountain. I was tempted to stop at a campsite near a road crossing because I heard thunder and figured another downpour was coming soon, but I hiked on to Laurel Creek. I found the campsite. Most of the areas flat enough for a tent looked like pooling places for rain water. I spent quite a while looking for a flat spot on relatively high ground. It was right next to a creek, so there was no actual high ground. I set up my tent and although it was only 5:00, but I washed up in the creek and got inside to read and nap because he rain was starting up again. After the rain several day hikers came by and woke me up. I was relaxing in my tent when another backpacker stopped by. He asked if he could share my campsite and I said "Absolutely." He set up his tent and I crawled out of mine to be a bit more social. He had started in Harper's Ferry. WV and was hiking south. His trail name was Rolly (pronounced with s long "O" sound) because he rolls his own cigarettes. When he told me that, I was trying to figure out how a smoker could go up and down these mountains with s pack on his back and not get totally winded.We had a great conversation. He said he hiked slow because he always stopped to take pictures - mostly of plants. That is weird because I also do that and most people don't even seem to notice the plants. So we compared pictures of wild flowers and colorful mushrooms. He also had a short video of a recent encounter with s wild boar. We both made use of the rain soaked picnic table to fix and eat our supper. He discovered that he had lost his only spoon. He was several days away from a town or a store, so I gave him my spare plastic spoon. He offered to pay me for it, but his could I charge him when k had received so much "trail magic" from others while hiking the AT. After supper, I had a cup of tea, he had a cigarette, and we both went into our tents to go to sleep while being serenaded by a nearby owl.
Date: 2016-07-15
From: Bailey Gap Shelter

To: Larel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We hit the trail in the same order as yesterday. Jeremy hit the trail early, I headed out about 45 minutes later, and Elisa and Kolbe left sometime later. The plan as to go just 14 miles today. My wife was planing to meet me tomorrow so I had to end at a road tomorrow. I was about to enter a trail section with no road crossings for a couple days.As I started out the trail was very rocky. In the book it liked like a fairly easy 14 miles, but when the whole trail is covered with various size rocks it makes for slow hiking. The rocks finally ended and I thought bow glad I was that it ended...but then they would start up again. I passed some great campsites and came to a lookout/outcropping called Wind Rock.The highlight of the day was when I reached the next shelter for lunch. There was a hiker already at the table eating his lunch. He is a 72-year old section hiker from Florida. This is his third or fourth summer of hiking. He waits until school is out because he watches his grandson's dog while his grandson us at school. He then heads to the trail for about 3 or 4 weeks. He takes his time and does about 8 miles a day, but I'll be thrilled if I can hike 8 miles per day for three weeks when I am 72 years old. We sat and talked for about an hour. I got up and headed out and left him slitting there, although he planned to hike another couple miles to a campsite. I think a two-hour lunch break is part of his 8 miles per day plan.I e pelted to see Jeremy when I got to the next shelter. Instead I found a note in the trail book in the shelter. He wished me luck and said he decided to press on to the next shelter. I had told him about a great all-you-can-eat country restaurant coming up, and we saw that it was closed on Monday, so he was going to out in big miles to get there by Sunday. This was going to be my last night on the trail for his section because my wife is picking me up at the next road crossing tomorrow. I located a good tent site near the shelter and cleaned up in Laurel Creek. As I started my supper, Elisa and Kolbe showed up. I met them on my first night of this trip and we had camped near each other at least half the nights. I ate supper and crawled into my tent to read my book while being serenaded by a nearby owl.
Date: 2016-11-19
From: VA Rd 42, Newport, VA

To: Campsite along the AT
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: clear sky

The weather has been unusually warm, I had meetings in Alexandria, VA, and I skipped 50 miles of the AT between Newport and Daleville, VA, so it only made sense to drive to my meetings in DC and stop for a short November hike on the AT. By the time I drove from Alexandria to Daleville and got a shuttle to Newport Where I ended my hike last summer, the temperature had dropped by 40 degrees, the winds had increased by 30 mph, and it has started to snow. I had packed warm gear, a sleeping bag liner for extra warmth, and I was ready to do this! I only had about two hours of daylight left, so I immediately thought about when and where to stop for the night. I was tempted to stop at the first flat spot and pitch my tent, but surely I could get a few miles in. I hiked through a grassy field, passed Keffer Oak, the second largest oak tree on the AT. It was large, but we had one in our backyard when I was growing up in Indiana that was almost as large ¢ and we never thought about naming it. We just called it the oak tree, but I guess that doesn't work on the AT. It had a great tenting site ext to it, but it was only a mile in. It was cold and windy and there were snow flurries. Part of me felt great to be back on the trail, but in a way it felt a bit unfamiliar with cold gray skies and the feel of winter. About 4:30 I began to wonder if I should have set up camp back by Keffer Oak. There was no flat ground near the trail. Finally I came to a spot where two wooded ridge lines came together and the land flattened out a bit. It also formed a wind tunnel where the 30 mph wind converged to a narrow point and seemed like a nonstop gale force wind. I didn't think I could set up the tent, and I knew I wouldn't get much sleep. The trail crossed over to the other side of the ridge and the mountain blocked the wind. I could still hear it and the tops of the trees swayed frantically, but at ground level there was no wind.I had to go off to the side of the trail about 20 yards to reach level ground. I also had to move a lot of sticks and pull up some small brushy plants before setting up my tent. It took me over thirty minutes to set up my tent, unpack my bag, and hang my food bag between two trees. By that time it was dark. I had brought plenty of hot meals to cook, but I decided to eat a protein bar and climb into a warm sleeping bag. It was 6:00 pm. I woke up many times in the night, sometimes from the howling wind, sometimes from the sound of snow or sleet pelting my tent, and sometimes because I had to get up and pee ¢ not as simple an endeavor as it is in the summer. I wore a couple layers of clothes, I had a liner bag to make my sleeping bag warmer, and I completely zipped up the mummy bag. I had a small opening to breath. I stayed warm except my feet, even with wool socks. I finally put my gloves on my feet and that brought feeling back to my toes so I could comfortably sleep.
Date: 2016-05-12
From: Duncannon, The Doyle Hotel 

To: Duncannon, The Doyle Hotel 
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Oops, in reconstructing the past 12 days I missed a day. So to fix it, I'm adding the milage and day to this entry cause you can't go back and fix it without rewriting everything after the missing day over again. I'm sure it was brutal.
Date: 2016-05-13
From: Duncannon, The Doyle Hotel 

To: Duncannon, The Doyle Hotel 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Now I'm up to speed, and I hope to have more detail in the entries of future posts. The Doyle Hotel was a queen in her day, and it must have taken decades of neglect to be in such dilapidation. Still, her charms are evident in the fine craftsmanship and woodwork. It rained all morning, so I'm glad to be here.
Date: 2016-05-14
From: Duncannon, The Doyle Hotel 

To: Peters Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: clear sky

The trail out of Duncannon follows a ridge line for 30 plus miles. Weather Underground, an app I use to keep track of local weather conditions predicted thunder storms starting at 1:00 and I had over 10 miles to go to the next shelter. Sometimes the trail is the highest point. Stormy but no lightning thankfully. 16 hikers here tonight and my first shelter experience! (No good tent sights).
Date: 2016-05-15
From: Peters Mountain Shelter 

To: Tent site 
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: few clouds

What a long day. Started at 7:00 in the morning, which is pretty normal, but around 8:30 I realized I'd went the wrong way leaving the shelter when I came across a landmark I knew from the day before. It's easier to do than you'd think. Added 5.8 miles to the day to fix it. Been very cold today, but I'm warm. I have used all of the clothing I brought, so I feel good about that.
Date: 2016-05-16
From: Tent site 

To: Tent site 
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Had a visitor last night. I must have left a door zipper a little open because some time in the night a little mouse found it's way into the tent. I awoke to it's scampering around and had a hell of a time getting it out. Cold this morning, so I slept in till 7:00. Turned out to be a bright day of easier terrain. Camped at another tent site with no name.
Date: 2016-05-17
From: Tent site 

To: N 501 shelter camp site 
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Another rainy day. The hiking is full of up and downs riddled with rocks. So to keep my feet happy, I have done three things: Wear a shoe that fits    Many people, me included, have worn shoes that didn't fit. That won't work on the AT.Wear a shoe that breathes    Many people believe that a waterproof shoe will keep their feet dry, but on a trail as long as this one, it's going to rain - a lot - any shoe is going to get wet. The more breathable the shoe, the faster it drys Blisters are something you have to live with So far, I have not experienced any foot problems. Besides wearing two pair of socks, I walk at a pace that does not inflame my feet, though it is hard to set a pace that feels too slow.So I am wearing Merrell Moab Ventilaters ankle high non waterproof with ininji toe socks and darn tough ankle socks over that. So far so good.
Date: 2016-05-18
From: N 501 shelter camp site 

To: Eagle's Nest Shelter 
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Rained till 10:00, then off and on through out the day. Today's hike was filled with rocks. The half dozen military guys from the local base out for a week were interesting this evening. I got to talk a bit about the hike, they had a lot of questions. I mentioned the trail story about training in gilet suits using the trail traffic as potential combatants - they didn't deny the possibility. I thought their packs seemed rather large for not having to carry food or water as these things were supplied daily.
Date: 2016-05-19
From: Eagle's Nest Shelter 

To: Port Clinton Pavilion 
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today is a supply day. I'm not looking to make high milage because I've got a lot to do. I picked up my supply box from the post office which is across the street from the barbershop. Frank the owner is very friendly to hikers with free coffee and donuts and plenty of seating areas while he cuts hair. I have to sort through everything and get it to fit in the pack. Chaz, my friend and fellow brewer, is handling this job back in Eureka. We are working out the bugs as we go. Now I'm tenting at the Pavilion which is right in town. Tomorrow I have quite the climb to get back on the ridge and I'll have six days of supplies, always going to be tough because towns are at lower elevation.
Date: 2016-05-20
From: Port Clinton Pavilion 

To: Eckville Shelter 
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: clear sky

The day started late for me. At 9:00 I headed up to The Pinnacle, a popular vista point with expansive views. I have worked up to about 1.5 miles an hour with breaks, but because of the late start and high milage for the day, I had to pick it up a bit. The Pinnacle was followed by several miles of very rocky trail and my feet took a beating. I'm feeling good, and I thought it about time to test myself so I was determined to reach my goal. Besides, there was a solar shower waiting for me. I got to the shelter by six, my feet complaining and the shower cold. It was a beautiful day with rain predicted tomorrow.
Date: 2016-05-21
From: Eckville Shelter 

To: Tent site 
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: moderate rain

I woke up this morning to my first blister of the hike encompassing my right pinky toe and my left foot felt like a horse had stepped on it. So much for testing myself. Arrogance has suddenly turned into survival mode. With rain approaching, I doctored the blister and rummaged around for the pill bag. I belatedly recalled that resupply of yesterday was mysteriously missing this essential item. I have been taking ibuprofen everyday whether I need to or not and had only six advil left and twenty-five miles to go. The blister isn't an issue, but I am concerned with the left foot. Terrain was unforgiving and it rained off and on all day.
Date: 2016-05-22
From: Tent site 

To: George W Outerbridge shelter 
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Walking with this left foot is like skimming the surface of hell with each step. I'm making myself walk normally so as not to compromise some other weak link in this inadequately prepared body. My pace is barely a mile an hour, and it seems to take forever to cover the miles. Again, the rain is off and on today with the day's challenge being what is called The Knife's Edge. This is a stretch of ridge line that literally has you walking on top of rock that rises out of the ridge narrowing to less than a foot. The neighboring rock is well below knee high and though you would likely survive the fall, it would end your hike. Passed that test with flying colors, but when navigating through yet another boulder field, I slipped - my first and broke a pole. I use my hiking poles to set up the tent. Going to get creative tonight.
Date: 2016-05-23
From: George W Outerbridge shelter

To: Bert's Steakhouse and hostel 
Miles today: 1.0
Weather: clear sky

Things come in threes, so I guess I've survived this round. I'm now holed up in the garage behind Bert's place. When I limped into Palmerton, I thought I'd get a hotel room. Of course the hotels are miles away from town, so when trying to find a shuttle, one kind woman who normally is available but who happens to be in Fort Bragg of all places mentioned Bert's. I figuratively jumped at the chance - his place only being a block from my location! Now for 10 bucks you get a garage and a semi private shower it being an afterthought tucked between the buildings. I had the biggest breakfast on the menu. I'm loaded with ibuprofen and the thunder showers for the day are just rolling in on those poor souls trekking up the next ridge. Whew, we'll see what tomorrow brings.
Date: 2016-05-24
From: Bert's Steakhouse and hostel 

To: Bert's Steakhouse and hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

As I sit in this picturesque park in the middle of town stalking the local wildlife for a picture, I surprise myself overcome by how old I feel today. Sitting on a park bench; it's like a settling, the ground pulling at you, the distant murmuring call to come home. I happened to be reading the journal entry of a young man who just pulled a thirty miler in ankle deep mud, up and down endless small rises we trail folk like to call PUDS - pointless up and downs - using duct tape to cover the sores on his feet. Tomorrow I have a mountain to climb and from it's peak I will search the horizons for my own illusive youth.
Date: 2016-05-25
From: Bert's Steakhouse and hostel

To: LeRoy A Smith Shelter 
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

It's a beautiful day, and I'm ready to hike - until I get to the first rock climb of the day. Apparently the problem with my foot was masking a different issue that I couldn't feel until the ibuprofen kicked in. I can feel the sole of my left foot separating from the foot like a blister but deeper. Worried that I won't make it to the shelter, I use all the tape I have and bind the foot up taking advantage of a bipass shortening the day by a couple of miles. This new complication has me worried as the rocks go on.
Date: 2016-05-26
From: LeRoy A Smith Shelter 

To: Tent site 
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: broken clouds

The tape seems to be working, so I'm good to go. Today is a supply day, so I'm going to stop in Wind Gap to pick up my box at the post office on my way to the tent site. Very rocky trail today. I'm sure there are great views, but I'm always looking down.
Date: 2016-05-27
From: Tent site 

To: Church of the Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Very hot today. Index temp low 90's. Going to Delaware Water Gap to a church hostel. The rocks are endless it seems. My feet are really taking it. When I got there, I took a shower, washed the clothes I was wearing, and went looking for WiFi. There was a hotel about a mile away that has a bar, so I thought I'd have a beer and download the next set of maps. The place looked abandoned - inside a large sign reminded you that you had to be 21 to get a room... bar was closed. They sent me another mile to a different hotel, but the bridge you had to cross was under construction. Tired of this, I headed back only to run into a couple of other hikers. Found a restaurant with limited WiFi and got the map installed. Loudest place ever. This marks the end of Pennsylvania.
Date: 2016-05-28
From: Church of the Mountain Shelter 

To: Tent site 
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: clear sky

Another hot day. Found an old shoe insert in the hiker box - think it will add padding to my left foot. Towards the late afternoon and I'm only about two hours from my goal for the day, I hear thunder. I've got a ridge to get over, so I check out where it's coming from and after a half hour figure I'm good to go. About half way up the ridge I hear an explosive bolt of lighting very near by, and the rain comes down as hard as I've ever seen. Somehow this cell came from a different direction and caught me by surprise. As I was huddling under my umbrella, an old hiker trudged by followed by a troop of teenagers while this unbelievable rain turning the trail into a stream continues. Well, I couldn't just sit there now hoping to wait it out, could I? On goes the poncho soaking me completely in the process. Got about five minutes down the trail and it stops. It lasted about a half hour and now I'm just walking through a stream the rest of the way. Slept nice and dry.
Date: 2016-05-29
From: Tent site 

To: Brink Shelter 
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: light rain

Having to walk in wet shoes today - for all those wondering, the umbrella is made of some kind of plastic - another hot day today. More rocks and ups and downs, New Jersey seems to have as many rocks as Pennsylvania did so far. Feet are bad again, I just have to keep going. If I take time off, the rocks will still be there. Rained all night.
Date: 2016-05-30
From: Brink Shelter 

To: Gren Anderson Shelter 
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: light rain

Now everything is damp because of the rain. Packed it all up, but got a late start. I'm not motivated today, but it starts out cool enough for a change. I got to a firetower and it is baking. I take everything out and spread it around to dry. Might as well catch up on my journal, so I find a bush to get out of the sun. The bugs are relentless here, and it is hard to concentrate. Everything drys out, but now I'm half crazy because of the bugs. My feet hurt, and I just couldn't get it together. I'm camping early with low mileage to try and regroup.