morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-28
From: Tent, Falls Creek 

To: Tent, Just past Three Valley Trail
Miles today: 18.9

I think that the entire Troll family is exhausted. It was so humid today. This was easily the hottest and most humid day to date. The sweat just pours off of our bodies.   We got up again at 0530 and were on the trail by 0710. I'm not quite sure if I understand why morning seems to come so early. Today the early start didn't seem to have much positive impact. The coolish early morning temps were completely cancelled out by the hellishly high humidity.   It was a long day with loads of pointless small ups and downs. Most of those were covered in huge rock fields. I really love walking across large wiggly rock fields. Really I love it. Maybe if I keep repeating that my body will hear it and believe it.    We were hoping to get a hamburger or maybe a shower at the Caldonia State Park. Neither happened. We got there just too late. This was the 2nd park in 2 days that started closing 15 minutes to their posted closing time. Luckily we were able to get some ice cream before they locked up. That ice cream powered us up the last big hill of the day, where we set up camp and mostly collapsed.   Take care and we will see you on the trail.
Date: 2005-06-29
From: Tent, Just past Three Valley Trail

To: Tent, Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: light rain

Today had a couple of highlights. We passed the actual halfway point for this year. We will pass a sign posted years ago for the 1/2 way tomorrow. We stopped off at Pine Grove for the half-gallon ice cream challenge.    Passing the actual halfway point was kind of odd. It seems kind of unbelievable. It also seemed kind of overwhelming. Here we are after 3 1/2 months of hiking and we have only completed half. If I may whine for a moment - this has been really hard and I should be feeling more of a sense of accomplishment than a sense of the looming deadline.      It probably seems more daunting now because of the heat and humidity. I don't think I own anything that is really dry. Everything seems damp. I haven't done laundry since the 5th of June. Sure, we've rinsed out things. But that means nothing when the humidity is too high to allow clothes to dry. Everything I put on is either damp from rinse water or from sweat. Damp clothes rub and cause chaffage and ingrown leg hairs. Oblivious has chaffage in his privates. Troll has chaffage in his privates and I have chaffage in my privates. You have switch between days when you wear underwear to keep sweaty body parts from rubbing against each other with the days that you don't wear underwear to keep sweaty body parts from rubbing against seams. I just cut the tag out of my skirt after it rubbed a raw spot on one of my butt cheeks. Troll is fighting raw spots on the back of his heels from damp socks. We both are growing fields of ingrown hairs on our thighs. Of course those little painful pimply things are growing where our damp clothes rub. I guess today's downpour didn't help the situation. Oh for a washer and dryer.         The entire Troll family attempted the 1/2-gallon ice cream challenge. Someone got the bright idea that hiker hunger should allow hikers to consume a full half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting. Hey, it's tradition. Troll ate his half-gallon of cherry jubilee in 31 minutes. He only choose cherry jubilee because the only other choice was vanilla. He said that he will never eat cherry jubilee ice cream again. Ever. Oblivious ate about 1/3 of his vanilla 1/2 gallon before laying down his spork in defeat. I ate my vanilla half-gallon in 1 hour and 31 minutes. It was awful. The human body is not designed to consume that much sugar in one sitting. This was one of the traditions that Oblivious had heard about and wanted to try. He gave it a really good attempt.    Pennsylvania has some really nice shelters. There was one today with flowers. How cool was that. We watered them. The wood in the shelters always seems to be stained and sealed. You can tell that a lot of time and effort goes into the maintenance of the shelters. Their parks are also nice, but too spread out. The campsite we are at tonight must be a mile from the store and trailhead.   Take care and we will see you on the trail.
Date: 2005-07-02
From: Tent, Darlington Shelter

To: Hotel, The Doyle Hotel, Duncannon PA
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: scattered clouds

The Doyle is a dive. But what a grand glorious dive! The hotel is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. It is one of the original Anheiwser Bucsh hotels. Double rooms are $25 with a shared bathroom on each floor. The ceiling in the bar is original pressed tin and the Troegs Ale is awesome. My 10 yr old rural boy now knows what it is like to climb out a window to hang out on a fire escape on a hot summer day. They have cheesy fries in 3 sizes - small, medium and large (2 potatoes, 3 potatoes or 4 potatoes) for a maximum price of 3.50. Kids can hang out in the bar while they serve food and play live music. Our room has a ceiling fan and a transom. What a completely awesome place.      "I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it" - Alice Walker. "I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will aright" - Henry David Thoroeau (walking). "May the light of God surround you; May the love of God enfold you; May the power of God protect you; May the prescience of God watch over you; wherever you are God is; Wherever God is all is well". That is what trail angel Mary¢s card says. I had Oblivious read it and tell me what he thought it meant. God has made all these great and wonderful things for us to see and we have to take the time to notice them, because he is all around us.   That's better than the last time he was asked that "what does that mean" question by Mayfly. She was resting on a log after a nasty climb. Oblivious came up and commented on how much the climb had sucked. Mayfly told Oblivious that her grandfather said profanity showed a lack of self-control. Oblivious asked if profanity meant bad words. Mayfly said yes and what did Oblivious think that meant. Oblivious answered, "It means that my Dad has absolutely no self control". So you can see that the child puts thought into his answers when asked ¢What does that mean?¢   That's why we are on the trail. To take the time together as a family to see small and large beauty. To meet all the trail angel Marys and Peace Frogs of this wonderful country. To broaden horizons and to ask questions. To pick up box turtles and snakes. To push old ladies in wheelchairs. To hang out with dread locked friends no longer on the trail. To walk across fields of hay and fields of rocks on our way back home to beloved friends and family. To fall again and again and get up and keep going again and again.    Rigatortise met us here at the Doyle for a couple of Troegs Ales. He is off the trail for various reasons. He said we could post his phone number for those of you who want to get in touch with him in the Boiling springs / Duncannon area.   Take care and we will see you on the trail.
Date: 2005-07-03
From: Hotel, The Doyle Hotel, Duncannon PA

To: Shelter, Peters Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 11.4

Mmm, this can't be my sleeping bag, it smells too clean. I finally did big laundry. Every washable item in our packs was washed once in vinegar (to cut the BO smell), Oxi-clean, & soap. Then they were washed again in Oxi-clean and soap and were dried with dryer sheets. Our packs were sprayed down (hosed down) with Febreeze. Then pieces of dryer sheets were stuffed into the various stuff sacks to continue their brave attempt to fight stink. I am loving how clean everything smells.   Today we ate a good town breakfast and took a somewhat long and confusing walk thru town. The breakfast diner was interesting. The menu had deer on it and the diner had a hunter feel to it. The waitresses were all smoking in between serving, even the pregnant one. I haven't been in a smoking only restaurant forever.    The walking wasn't bad today. We met Yahtzee a former thru hiker. He comes to this shelter about every three days to haul water. The water source for this shelter is a mere 289 stone steps down the hill. Oblivious and I went down and hauled up 8 liter and 2 gallons. All of that water plus the 1-gallon from Yahtzee still remaining when we got there will probably be gone by morning. Hikers use a lot of water in the summer. Pennsylvania is the 1st state we have come to that some of the water sources are already dry. We plan our breaks for the day by water availability.   My bandanna finally caught up with me. I was a complete dweeb and left it in a shelter (tumbling run?) days ago. I was using it as a sweat rag and forgot to reattach it to my pack after our break. Pappa-Razzi was able to confirm that he had seen my bandanna. Luckily we saw some south bounders later and I asked them to make sure my bandanna came north. Ugh was the lucky hiker and he caught up with us tonight. My bandanna and I have been reunited.   Take care and we will see you on the trail.
Date: 2005-07-04
From: Shelter, Peters Mt. Shelter

To: Tent, Rausch Creek
Miles today: 17.4

Note to self - go poop before leaving camp in the morning. Today I was an hour into my hike when I REALLY needed to go. I dropped my pack and went to dig a cathole. As I was digging, an unknown bug flew in my hair by my left ear. It got stuck and started biting. I could then tell it was a bee or wasp. But I couldn't do anything about it because nature was REALLY calling. I finished my business, got the insect out of my hair and started walking back to the trail. Another bee got my right calf. Both bites hurt like a son of a gun. Of course they started to swell. It should be illegal for stinging insects to attack you while you are going to the bathroom. There is just something very wrong about mixing calls of nature with evil nature.Wingnut's book of lies and deceit was in fine form today. I walked the 1st 4 miles in 2 hours (including the danger fraught cathole break). It took me an hour and a half to walk the next 1.7 miles. There were some rocks, which slow me down, but his numbers were way off. The sign pointing back to the shelter said we had come 6.5 miles, Wingnut's book said we had come 5.7. It might seem small to you but when you plan your day by the book, it's very annoying when it is wrong.This was our 1st day with a dried up water source. We planned a break at a stream. We would eat and get water. Well, we only ate. Luckily the remaining 7 miles were fairly easy. I'm afraid that this will become more of an issue as we go on. We were also lucky that today didn't have high humidity and was somewhat cooler (low 80's). Take care and we will see you on the trail.
Date: 2005-07-05
From: Tent, Rausch Creek

To: Tent, 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: light rain

One of the worst times to find out that your shoes have no traction is when you are walking on wet rocks. Actually my shoes have some traction in the midsole area. They just have no traction in the ball of the foot area. Since I only use that part of my shoe as I push off on every step, that lack of traction is hardly noticeable. NOT. I pretty much lost track of how many times my feet would slip away on a rock after this morning's downpour. Troll not only has the lack of traction problem, he is losing heels from both of his shoes. Only 2 more days and we will buy new shoes at Cabela's. And you can bet your sweet ass that they will not be Salomans.   They have a saying about the AT and Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Rocks. The rock fields are longer and more frequent. As someone who now knows what it feels like to bounce your forehead on a rock, I'm none too pleased about the rock fields. I'm scared that I will slip and fall. The lack of shoe traction adds to this fear. I also have other more irrational rock field fears. I am terrified that I will accidentally stick my trekking poles between some rocks and disturb a snake lair. Of course after being cruelly awakened by the leki pole, the snakes will swarm out and attack the leki pole owner. Then there is the falling over with my foot caught between 2 rocks fear. This fall causes a vicious compound fracture where the bones will actually protrude from my leg above my ankle. Those thoughts keep playing thru my mind as I cautiously make my way across the treacherous rock fields.   Today we had some sort of detour. They are doing construction on I-81. The trail went underneath I-81. We were then directed around so we didn't cross near the heavy equipment. Of course wingnut managed to get it wrong again. Originally the trail went up to an old woods road shortly after passing under I-81. The detour had us walking on this old woods road until we met up with the trail. Then we had a climb from 500 to 1300. Wingnut said we would go up then go back down to the old woods road 6 miles later and then go right back up to the next shelter. He was wrong. We only had the one climb. I was glad when we reached the next shelter without the expected down and up. But I was pissed at Wingnut again.   The 501 Shelter is cool. You can order pizza. It was good. Now we are in our tent and it is pouring. Hopefully this lowers the temp tomorrow without raising the humidity too much.   Take care and we will see you on the trail.
Date: 2005-07-06
From: Hostel, Palmerton PA Jail

To: Tent, Trail to Sand Spring
Miles today: 14.4

We slept in so late this morning. We all really needed the extra sleep. We didn't get up till after 1000. The bodies just seemed to refuse to consider any other option other than sleep. The miles that we have been putting in since Harper's Ferry are starting to catch up with us.   The late start wasn't that bad. We met up with Apple Pie. We hadn't seen her since the canoe trip. It was nice hiking with her. She took a little tumble on the rocks and scraped up her leg. My Mom instincts and 1st aid kit came out and I doctored up her leg.    The late start was also good because the temps seemed cooler instead of hotter as the day went on. This was a good thing as we came to another unusable water source. Even though it rained all night last night, Black Swatara Spring was just an unusable puddle. Not good. Cool temps allowed us to continue on limited water.    Oblivious is up to 38 falls. Luckily no injuries. Troll is still at 0 falls and I am at 15 falls. We have plenty of rock fields to go. Tomorrow we have a heck of a down. I'm always concerned that I will fall on steep downs.    Well it is bedtime for this Anchor.    Take care and we will see you on the trail.
Date: 2005-07-07
From: Tent, Trail to Sand Spring

To: Shelter, Port Clinton Pavilion
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: broken clouds

Port Clinton is a older town built around the railroad. It has some old nice buildings. But it has nothing else. There is no pay phone in the entire town. There is no place to purchase any food. There is a free place to stay. A church in Port Clinton has a big picnic pavilion that they allow hikers to stay. It's like a big shelter.    And don't get me started on Cabela's. Our MIOX water purifier is acting really strange. I called MSR earlier this week and arranged to trade it out at Cabela's. I was really happy to find out there was a shuttle between Port Clinton and Cabela's. They said all I had to do was call for the shuttle. Well that was a BIG FAT LIE!!! They only run the shuttle sometimes, when it is convenient, or when it is not reserved for something else or on the 3rd odd Tuesday of every other month or something like that. In other words - no shuttle today. There was a shuttle yesterday. The hikers who got that shuttle were promised a return trip. That didn't happen, they had to hitch back here. So all of this means that Troll is hitchhiking to Cabela's with a shopping list (I¢ve already thought of 2 things that I forgot to put on the list). That also means no shoes for me. That means the slick wet rocks and traction less shoes will continue. Yea. That should be fun. I have been a Cabela's customer for years and am really disappointed with their support today. At least Troll will have some shoes that don't have a broken off heel.      Let's talk about poop. Everyone has to do it. I've got no problem with that. BURY IT!! Last night at our little campsite there was a lovely little pile lying there by the fire ring. Oblivious used our little orange shovel to cover it with dirt and then covered it with rocks. Just the day before yesterday we saw a pile by the campsite before the William Penn Shelter. YUCK!!   I'm trying to answer guest book entries while waiting for my Troll to return from his Cabela's adventure. Some of the entries complained about the lack of postings. I'm trying! I'm trying! I do have one story to share from hike naked day. The hiker Indy now has a new name - Pus Gut. The name refers to the aftermath of an unfortunate poison ivy incident. Apparently it is not a good idea to try to cover up with any old random leaves. I hear it wasn't pretty and involved a visit to the doctor.   Oblivious created some fireworks tonight. He took a Ziploc bag with holes punched in it. He caught about 200 fireflies. He emptied the bag in the middle of the street and watched them all spread out and take off and light up. It was pretty cool.    Take care and we will see you on the trail.
Date: 2005-07-08
From: Shelter, Port Clinton Pavilion

To: Shelter, Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: moderate rain

Today Cabela's definitely lost my continued business. It was raining and I thought why not spend time exploring Cabela's instead of hiking. I tried to call for the shuttle again. This time I got the story that they were too busy at the store (to bother with our business). I was told to call back in about 3 or 4 hours. Later as we hiked and saw Cabela's from the overlook, we saw their 2 vans were parked right in front of the store. I was an angry Troll wife.   It started pouring sometime during the night. When my wristwatch alarm went off at 0530, I ignored it. There was no way that I was hiking in that. So we slept in, walked to the diner, ate, and came back to the pavilion to laze. That's when I tried the shuttle idea again. I got pissed off and went to the small local outfitter to see if they had some shoes.    I bought a pair of adequate shoes. They aren't great but I should be able to get to around New Hampshire with them. They have better traction than my Salomans but not great. I'm not sure if I want to attempt the Whites with these. They also seem like they will need a break in period. Hopefully they won't tear up my feet too badly.      Tonight at the shelter we took an oath to fend off any bear attacks that may occur in the shelter during the night. It was decided that the people out in tents (ugh) would be left to fend for themselves. Skywalker has a somewhat irrational fear of bears. There was much teasing about it. During this conversation, my lovely and caring Troll husband brought up my fear of disturbing a rattlesnake den with my leki. It was agreed that rattlesnakes may in fact live together in dens but would most likely run (slither) away when disturbed. I said that I agreed with that, but I was scared that they would run away where my feet and legs were and they would start striking the intruder. I saw the movie True Grit. I know how deadly those rattlesnake dens can be. OK, so maybe both Skywalker and I have some irrational fears.      I can't believe that we are over 1/2 way thru PA. In spite of nero (near zero) days we are still getting in the miles. I talked to my brother last night and he said that I needed to clear up some loose ends from my journal. Oblivious' cheek swelling went down after about 2 days. I got new glasses in DC thanks to Terri back home finding my prescription. We are all healthy and happy and still hiking. We are outlasting the bets that our friends back home placed on our early return. I think now they might actually have to break down and start a completion day and time pool to replace the existing failure pool. We really miss our friends and family but feel so lucky to be out here together having the time of a lifetime. I'm going to end this journal, turn off my headlamp and watch the fireflies as they flicker about us.   Take care and we will see you on the trail.
Date: 2005-07-09
From: Shelter, Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Shelter, Allentown Hiking Club Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Pennsylvania rocks. We must have gone over 4 miles straight in rocks. These are evil rocks. I've talked about rock fields before and compared them to giant Zen stone gardens. These rocks have nothing Zen like about them. These rocks were spewed out by hell from the deepest darkest bowels of the earth. Imagine how fun it would be to walk across rocks that gave hell indigestion. Of course Mother Nature thought the walking would be ever so much more interesting if the rocks were wet.    My feet hurt. My new shoes suck. Troll's feet hurt. His new shoes do not suck. Oblivious' feet hurt. His shoes don't suck either. But you can believe me that the rocks suck.   Today at least 4 people wondered to themselves what Troll would have to say about the rocks at the end of the day. My Troll did not disappoint. He went off on a 30-minute tirade as soon as he got to the shelter. His 1st victim was Skywalker. The 2nd 30-minute tirade was directed at chronic fatigue syndrome. The tirade was repeated for Apple Pie, Ox, and Ugh. After he had vented they all said that they had chuckled to themselves imaging what Troll's post hike tirade would be.    My poor baby Oblivious. He got falls 39 and 40 today. Fall 40 kind of hurt. He was stuck between rocks and Troll had to pull him out. I'm still at 15 and Troll is still at zero.   Well tomorrow I have lots more rocks to cross. So I must go to sleep.       Take care and we will see you on the trail.