morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-06-15
From: Windsor Furnance Selter

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

Ow ow ow ow. I hav to say that while there is no wa I wll quit, I now completely understand why people do at this point in the trail. PAIN. The rocks are relentlessly, punishingly endless. Just boulder field after rock field after rock slab.   Eventually your ankles and feet and kness ge twisted and turned, jabbed so much until they are too tired to cope and you end up falling, wrenching knees, twisting ankles, and falling into rocky crevices full of rattlesnakes jus to add terror to your adventure. So yes, it is painful, every last step.But also sme amazing views today that almost make it worth it, va has a great contrast of mountains and farmlands that meet each other in a contrast of terrain and color.Saw two rattlesnakes today. One didn't much like us and slitered over to curl up ontop of the other one. Rattlesnake sandwich. So weird to see.
Date: 2012-06-16
From: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter

To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 15.4

"Dear PA, we were cool, until you tried to kill me with sharp rocks and rain. Why would you do that?" Another sample from the shelter log books which inspire me to write my own love letter.Oh PA, you abusive thing you. Just when I've washed my hands of you, sworn off your merry go round ride of pain, you give me a lovely 5 mile stretch of almost rock free trail. I say almost because you have so warped my mind that what I use to consider rocky trail I now think of as nonrocky. Oh PA. Just when you've lulled me in again and I'm starting to accept your prescence in this adventurec, those crazy trail blazes leave our new wonderful trail. No no, why are they suddenly, unecessarily heading up to those knife edge bolder cliffs? The magnificently placed nedle point cliffs seem less like hiking and more like climbing. It gives me such a thrilling oppertunity to almost launch head first to a bloody pulp on the rocks below. Why are you so cruel trailblazers that you think running these blazes up and over these cliffs is fun? Oh and don't even choose the easiest path either. By all means test my gymnastic balencing skills, place that blaze irectly on the steep section of flat rock that has no grip,expectme to jump down 5 fet from thqt square rock with my full pack on. Ah good times in PA. I should have known when Huff told me thissection was maintained by Blue Eagle Mnt. CLIMBING club that we were in trouble. Huff told me shr knew we were in trouble whn I would look up and just start laughing and laughing and cursing. But after much nashing of teeth, we eventually made it through. The rest of the day brought on more rocky trail, evil rocky trail, more snakes, until finally another rwdiculus bolder climb, this time under one of those big power lines that hum, we emerged onto a small, older shelter tha was completely monopolized by a weekend camping group doing their best to represent the pictre dictonary representation of everything you are NOt suppose to do outhere. By all means, throw all your garbage, metal, giant plastic containers in the fire pit, use soap to wash your feet in the only water source for miles. Spread out al your gear to claim the entire shelter and surrounding area. Hostily blast screching metal music loudly in peoples ears when they stop to get water. Cut down live green trees for your firewood. Wow, just wow. We got out of there as soon as we could and all had the wide eyed look of disbelief. That hadn't just happened right? Well that made our decidion easy, time to push on. Until lovely bipolar PA gives us acgual dirt trail surounded by blueberries and views in the distance. We eded up staing a one of the best campsites so far on a grassy overlook wth trees for me to hang from and views of the picturesque valley below. I went to slep in my hammock watching the hues of the sunset change slowly as the birds settled dxown in the trees above me.
Date: 2012-06-18
From: Superfund Campsite

To: Wind Gap, PA
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Well last night when I got into my hammock, it swung wide and scraped against a rock I hadn't realized could be reached by it once my full weight was in it. Wha started as a smal two inch tear that I quickly taped up is now a full on 3 foot rip. I woke up, surved thedamage and am quite simply freaked. My new hammock. Saddness. Luckily I have a doublelayer s I didn't fall through in the night but now I have to figure out if/how to repair this thing. Stupid. Girl sould have checked swingdistance in the hammock. Argh. So I'm using today mostly to brainstorm repair solutions. And apparently today is the day for fretting. I'm starting to worry about timing issues and whether or not I'll be able to make it to Katahdin by my deadline. I've so enjoyed hiking wth Huff and Puff but they're going to be taking time off soon and have about an extra month built into their schedule than I do. Partings are sad but I can also tell that I'm in need of some alone time to. I love to sociaize on the trail and meet so many cool people and hiking with h and p showed me how fn it is to share expierences as they hapen with people (like climbing out of palmrton), but I've found that out here, I need to have some alone time in my own head with nothing butmeand the woods. So sadly I will need to break off from. And P soon and head out again.Water sources were hard t come by today and we were conserving as much aswe could. The rocks cntinue to be bad and we had a scary moment when Puff had a bad fall today. When I lookd up and couldn't see her moving and only saw Huff running, I was so scared that she had hit her head. Falls on these rocks are no small thing and many thru hikers have broken limbs or had falls that ended their hikes. Luckily while she was scraped and injured, sh didn't break anything. We took the rest of the day ver slowly with great caution. After days of being beaten up, we decided to go into wnd gap and get a hotel room so that we could have a good night's sleep and not wrry about the weather. Thanks so much to our trail angel who picked us up and drove us in. Spagetti dinner which was awesome since I've been craving it, second shower in two days, and a soft bed to help take the edge off. Tomorrow we should leave PA an head into NJ. I've been told the rocks continue but hop that a new state wil help out mental state and we'll be able to cope with whatever they throw at us.
Date: 2012-06-21
From: Rattlesnake Spring Campground

To: Gren Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

The bears, the bears! or lack thereof. so to my knowledge, no bears came into the campground last night and the food bags look untouched. i am cool, calm, collected. Okay pack up and lets get moving. On through NJ which is full of really pretty lilly pad strewn beaver ponds and rocky ridge lines. surprisingly beautiful actually and different from PA in such a subtle way that you can't quite put your finger on what it is. this is another reason I love hiking the trail, you're moving at such a slow pace you really notice these little details.   I had headed out much earlier at 6 am today in hopes of avoiding another hot day full of low miles. All those beautiful swamps of NJ though are full of mosquitoes who followed me in cloud dive bombing and sucking blood. there was just too many of them that i was forced to deet up just to have some relief. the little buggers still made it through though. itch itch itch. I've been thinking a lot (wherever do i get the time) that it's nice at this point to have the routine of camping and set up, and hiking down, because i've been starting to mentally struggle. I just can't seem to shake the feeling that I'm ready to be done already and that the mileage I'm doing is too short, there's too much left, and it's going to take too long. But i also know and feel deep within me that when this is all over, i'm going to miss it terribly. So for now i'll just keep plugging away at the miles and enjoying the scenery, and trying to make every moment out here worth it.
Date: 2012-06-27
From: Fort Montgomery, NY

To: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: clear sky

I was not able to get into a free night hotel and decided not to take a zero since hotel prices in the north are almost double those in the south. instead I stayed as long as i could until check out, taking advantage of the room to spread out and sort out all my new gear. my pack had started developing a hole along one of the seems so the warranty kicked in and they sent me a new one. this is when i realized just how atrocious my old one smells. anyway oooo ahhh shiny new pack. i had to say goodbye to the old purple one that i have become so fond of. sign, isn't that always the way. then it was onward over the large bridge spanning the Hudson. this is one of the big moments that makes you feel like you're really getting there. there was also a great old stone house right next to the bridge which i was happily admiring. the next few miles went up and down but nothing too rocky steep or weird to mention much of. when i got to the road the monastery was off of, i intended to keep going and actually walked a few more steps into the woods. but at that moment i startled a deer and when i paused to watch it run off i did a little assessment of my body. not in pain yet, no major new aches, but still tired and worn. that's when i decided that despite the low miles and the fact that it was only four, i was done. the Graymoor Center is the home of Franciscan Monks who allow hikers to stay at their ball field pavilion which has a water pump, cold showers and electricity. The Noodle Heads and Avius were there. I had run into them coming out of town and sat to get to know them a little better. this evening was such a relaxed, wonderfully revving moment. every hour the bells would go off with a long a inspiring chime. i closed my eyes and appreciated every clear note, taking in the breeze around me, the smells, simply enjoying resting and sensing the peace of this place. As the day wore on more and more old friends who I hadn't seen in awhile, some since VA wandered in and we had a reunion celebration. Happy tonight, reenergizing and feeling good about so many things. the bells are lulling me to sleep as they announce the end of the day. apparently hiker midnight is monk midnight too.
Date: 2012-06-28
From: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center

To: Canopus Lake, Clarence Fahnestock State Park
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: clear sky

I was awoken just as the sky was starting to lighten by a wiper willow bird that was singing in the branch directly above my hammock. these guys are so loud. I stretched and peered out at the field where a hoard of hikers were camping, but no one else was stirring so i rolled back over. the next time i woke up, everyone and i mean all of them were packed and out with the last few backpacks disappearing across the field. alrighty then time to get up. except it wasn't even 6 yet. ha, early risers. I took my time having the whole pace to myself to leisurely pack up and was still out by 7. most everyone is getting up early these days trying to get in miles before the heat hits. we have been getting weather in the 90s and its less than fun to hike in. I felt very strong today starting out and the trail was kind. almost pre PA like. I took Dos' advice and for the first time sat by a stream to soak my feet in the cold water. I hate being cold and the first minute sucked but then my feet numbed and it was amazing. the first time in a long time that they haven't actively hurt. ahhh joy. The heat of the day and eventual returning foot pain curved my zest and by the 13 mile mark i was pretty well spent, dragging along and not feeling like the 18 i had planned. when i could see and hear the shouts of the beach goers next to the side trail that lead straight to a concession stand, i veered off abruptly. I swear my stomach takes over all motor control functions at times. ahhh unhealthy, overpriced, chemically loaded food products. yum! Once there it was very easy to be lulled into staying as the park allows hikers to spend one free night. also hot showers. Dos and I made our way to the campsites via a offered ride from a beach patron. thanks! only problem with the park was the water there had tested too high in sodium to safely drink so we had no source. I, in a brilliant moment of true thru hiker skill sets, wandered over to the first campsite with a vehicle and yogied a ride to a gas station to buy water for myself and the other hikers. yay. she's still got it.
Date: 2012-07-01
From: Wiley Shelter

To: Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: overcast clouds

New Month! New State! So don't ask me why i always seem to plan long days when there will be the hardest terrain. Sure my guidebook doesn't tell me these things, but still you'd think I'd be better at reading the profile maps by now. All that up and down, yeah those are climbs. big climbs, little climbs, steep climbs, up down up down. over and over. heck it's as if I'm hiking or something. Ha the real problem is that ever since getting into PA we haven't really seen the high elevation mountains and so as a general rule hikers tend to judge every elevation profile against the big ones from our memories of the south. So we look at the elevation and say, "pish that's nothing" until we hit the hill and go, oh my god it's still a 500-800ft climb in elevation spread out over a short distance. also smaller mountains seem to inspire the disuse of switchbacks so you're going up that mountain. straight up. and the next one and the next one. feel the burn!There was also the very real threat of a thunderstorm closing in as I just reached the peak of one of these climbs. Having been so recently scared out of my wits running through one of these I very cautiously watched it's progress as I moved through the next valley and prepared myself to hunker down and wait it out before heading back up another hill. Luckily I was just on the fringe edge of the storm so while I could hear and see it, I only got some sprinkles and wind. The storm passed quickly and the sun came back out and off we were again. Two Steps, Pay Man, Alpo and I all ended up at the shelter just around this time and sat there for awhile making sure there would be no follow ups or lingering weather before we continued on. Alpo by the way is such a fun guy to hike with. He is high positive energy pretty much all the time and always makes you laugh. The dad ended with a road walk down by the Housatonic River. It's always nice to end the day on level flat ground and coast into camp. tonight there is only a distant unknown tenter, Alpo and I. We talked about how all of a sudden it feels like, "hey where'd everybody go?". All the speed demons are ahead of us killing miles and most everyone I know has more time and is moving at just a touch slower pace doing one or tow lies less than I am keeping. Every now and then someone comes up with news about hikers I know; we're still losing people to injury, mental exhaustion, or just plain being done with it all. I think one of the more interesting/funny things about the shelter log books is you know who is ahead but have no clue as to what's going on behind. That tends to lead to surprises. maybe tomorrow huh?
Date: 2012-07-04
From: Salisbury, CT

To: Glen Brook Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Reading Awol has reminded me of how far I've come, what I've overcome, all the doubts and fear of the beginning. I feel re-inspired and as if I am suddenly aware of a new more fresh love of the trail. I was more aware of everything today. It was everything from the feel of my pack on my back, the way my muscles moved, to the refreshed memories of the difficulties of the first 60 miles. I crossed a stream today and was suddenly overwhelmed by this feeling. I can't quite articulate it. I had this burst of memories from Gooch Mountain Shelter and my fascination and giddiness of using my first piped stream to collect water. And all the different aspect that go with water, the spotting of a good collection point, the judging of a good water source. This clear, pretty, deeply flowing stream in Ct for whatever reason encompasses so many months of embracing this new and different simplified life. Okay I admit that I am stupidly, overly, sappy and emotional today. I know there are many miles left but I feel like I can taste the end and thinking about it just does that to me.Great goodbye view of Connecticut before it kicked me out of the state quite roughly on a vicious little steep climb basically down a rock slide. just add water and a few broken butt bones and I have your next water park adventure site. we entered Mass. YAY! and followed along a rather large creek that wound it's way down the mountain through falls and gorges with deep pools collected in them. Then we went up and up and up over two big big hills. okay not hills. I'm officially calling these bad boys mountains again. I went over another Bear mountain where I stopped to chat with a 2007 thru hiker. Always fun and interesting to see how they view the trail now that they're done. I'm at the shelter alone tonight after only seeing one other 2012 hiker all day. Not sure where Dickel is since he passed me intending t go to this shelter. It's the forth of July and I can hear the fireworks going off even if I can't see them. I had thought to camp out at a spot with a view but with calls for storm didn't want to set up on an exposed ridge. Guess I'll just have to console myself with this amazing campsite surrounded by towering hemlocks and trees riddled with bear scratch mark. hmm think I'll put the entire pack in the bear box tonight.
Date: 2012-07-05
From: Glen Brook Shelter

To: Mt Wilcox South Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up very early (5 ish) ready to go since I knew i had a long day ahead and was instantly mauled by mosquitos. Their humming was so loud it didn't sound real, more like someone had turned on a soundtrack for a movie. It made me so mad to have to put on deet so early just to be able to pack up. But so far it looks like Mass is the mothership. We got a little of everything today. A rocky descent with views down to the valley. the trees, smells, and trail reminded me a lot of North Carolina. Then we had some wood walk, field walk, swamps, boardwalks, more fields (these lined by massive, dark pine trees). A huge thanks to everyone who left water at the road sections in this valley as all the sources were dry and us hikers would have been suffering because of it in the heat. There were some really cool sections where the pines were so think that it was like walking at night beneath them. they blotted out all the sunlight so that nothing was growing on the forest floor so the colors were only the reddish brown of the pine needles and dark masses of the tree trunks. Every now and then a small shaft of light would break through lighting up one area and brave little shoots of some green plant would be pushing their way through the needles there.I was thankful for the brisk cooling breeze as I headed up the mountain out of the valley. I was very thankful for my early start as it meant i knocked out this big climb before the major heat of the day. I met Resource and Whoopie at the in between sheller today. They were slack packing so i didn't immediately recognize them as thru hikers but as we chatted a bit more we all realized we'd met once before down in the smokies. Also saw Dickel. Apparently I completely missed a sign at a trail magic stop from some kind people who like to host hikers and help them out by offering slack packs in the area. darn.the rest of the day went fine but by the end I was so tired and worn out that I completed the last two miles on sheer will power. I thought it might be another night alone at a shelter but just as i was heading to bed No Trace, Unbreakable, and another hiker whose name I've forgotten came in. Coolest thing of the day: the wet pad prints of a raccoon that was using the AT boardwalks to traverse the swampy areas.
Date: 2012-07-06
From: Mt Wilcox South Shelter

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

I slept in today dog tired and well aware of the ache in my feet after yesterday's miles. Eventually I rolled out of the hammock and faced the bugs after multiple resnuggles and going back to sleeps. There were lots of climbs today up mountains. no more hills for this girl. I took a lot of breaks, almost ran out of water, then did run out of water at the top of a hill I was drinking so much. but made it to the next source with just a little dry mouth. Today was a good and much needed social day on the trail having met Byline as we leapfrogged each other all day. Also ran into Cowtail who i hadn't seen since 501 shelter. the kid is running himself too hard and has all sorts of stress fracture issues going on but he refuses to slow down his miles. If it;s the challenge that drives you, sometimes it'll drive you straight into injury. At Goose Pond Shelter there was a whole crowd of thru hikers and weekend hikers. Some I knew, most were fresh faces. This place is a real enclosed cabin with a weekly caretaker and pond. they even gave us some veggies and bread, sooooo good. the bunk area was full but given how hot and stinky it was I was happy to hang my hammock. more fireworks tonight and while i could see the sky brightening up with every new bang, i wasn't able to get the show. I'm thinking today was a good day.
Date: 2012-07-07
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: clear sky

Well I only intended to do 17.6 miles today but after our first climb that got us on the mountain top it was pretty much flat trail following the ridge line. I was flying. it felt so good to take big strides and just walk. There was a whole hoard of us moving out at this point since so many people stayed at the cabin last night. We pretty much played leap frog all day and almost everyone did longer miles than they thought they would. Today we also got to visit cookie lady who has a farm right next to the trail and provides cookies, ice-cream and sodas at dirt cheap pricing. her gardens are lovely too. Resource, whoopee, unbreakable, no trace and I sat there for awhile. Even with all the longer than usual breaks I took i still covered a lot of miles very quickly. Tonight we are staying at the Birdcage which is a word of mouth hostel run by Rob. What an incredible guy, we got his number from another hiker and said we were told to call him when we got to town. He appears with his big white van and we are whisked away to the hostel where showers are mandatory, laundry is done (the dude even folds it!) and good times are pretty much guaranteed. FOr the next three hours I watched in amazement as he was in and out, responding to hiker after hiker, driving them in to resupply, taking them to and from dinner, washing laundry. incredible. And all of this because he happened to meet a hiker one time 16 years ago who needed a place to get out of an endless multi day rain. From there it all became this. We watched movies all night, content, clean and well fed. Tonight was a good night full of great stories from Rob.
Date: 2012-07-11
From: Bennington, VT

To: Stratton Arlington Rd
Miles today: 22.6

I felt like I was flying today. The pack was so light ad I was able to move quickly even uphill! Going at a swift pace tat covered 8 miles in just 3 hours. With breaks! And there was no better way to start and end the day then getting to hike with my aunt and share the trail expierence with her. Because we got a lat start due to my need to sop for food :n an empty stomach, always a bad idea) I ended up getting to our meet up point a little aftr 8 and we walked the rest of the way as it was getting dark. Shower and bed tonight. One happy spoiled thruhiker siging out.