morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-05-01
From: Hightop hut

To: Rock springs hut
Miles today: 13.0

nice morning the weather was a little warmer. The climbs today were of the gradual nature and the trail was very accommodating. By that I mean there weren't a lot of loose rocks. It was fairly smooth footing and gentle climbs and descents. We got to the Big Meadows Wayside fairly quickly. We ordered hot food and plugged in our Electronics. Curtis got some news. He'd have to head home to take care of some business matters. Papa Bear came in soon after us. We asked him about shuttle services up to Front Royal. He didn't have any answers but he tried hard to be helpful. I ended up calling Mel. Luke had given her a ride to Front Royal on Friday. Luke told me that it took him three and a half hours to drive through the park after he picked up Mel. It was foggy and he had seen 25 different clusters of deer. Mel got right back to me and texted me a list of shuttle drivers. That's how it seems to work. You help people. They help people. Everybody's helping everybody else. You never know when you're the one who's going to need the help. So we got to Big Meadows Wayside around 11. The shuttle came at 3:30. I immediately commenced to head out towards Rock Spring Hut. As I was packing up outside the Wayside a waitress came out with a bag of 10 sandwiches. Would you like these. They were all meat based sandwiches and being a vegetarian I said of course thank you very much. I knew I'd find somebody down the road who would love to have a sandwich delivered. It was a nice hike to Rock Springs with lots of view spots. Gandalfo caught up to me at a view spot. I asked him if he'd like a sandwich. He was rather surprised. He said I'm a through hiker. I'm always hungry. He wondered why was a thru hiker with a pack doing Trail Magic. He ended up eating two sandwiches right there at the view spot. I hiked on to Rock Springs. When I arrived there were eight college kids there for a 4 day hike in the park. 6 Girls 2 Guys. They were stunned as well when I put the sandw
Date: 2018-05-01
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Tues day 78 4/30 heading to Pass Mountain hut,13.1 miles. During the night, I had noticed 13 left. When I got up in the morning and was outside the shelter I realize 13 just moved behind the shelter. He was sleeping under the stars. I was up at 4. I was drinking my 2 L of water and having 2 honey and oats Nature Valley bars. I'm noticing that with the warmer temperatures it's so much easier to drink 2 liters of warm water. It was a struggle before drinking 2 liters of cold water and going out in the cold. I was on the Trail by 5 a.m. Again there was spectacular views all along this nice gradual up and down Trail. I didn't really feel a lot of the up. I wasn't carrying any water again because of the weight. I made it to my water replenishment locations feeling very good. I came to a sign indicating I was approaching Mary's Rock. There's a significant rock formation it's named Mary's Rock. Of course it started a lot of thoughts. One of them was that it was nice that Mary had a rock in Shenandoah National Park named after her. She would have enjoyed knowing that.There was one shelter before the one I was hiking to. The first shelter had a 0.3 steep decline to get water. Then you had to carry your water up three tenths of a mile. I skipped that shelter and hiked another four miles to get to the next shelter Pass Mt. Hut. On the way I came across a volunteer hiking up with a long hand saw. He was doing Trail maintenance. He told me that the original architect of the AT maintained this section of Trail originally. After many others it was now his responsibilities and honor to try and keep the trail clear of fallen trees. I told him that one looked extremely dangerous to me. It seems to be hanging on by a thread of a piece of wood. There was another one probably a mile before that northbound that had four trunks over the trail that you would sneak under. The 4 trunks blocked me from seeing the fifth one. I came up under it. I hit my head square on the top. It dropped me to my knees. That was a stinger. I saw my second snake of the trip as well. 1 mile before the shelter I was hiking to Pass Mountain hut. I stopped at a visitor center. I replenished fluids drinking a liter of water and ate a bar. I'm always trying to hydrate.When I got to the Pass Mountain Hut Gundolph was already there setting up his tent. He was getting set up then hiking back to Thornton Gap and getting a ride into town to spend the evening with his friend to have dinner. So I have the shelter to myself until about 8. I was just getting ready the crash, doing my stretches when Moon came in. Moon started March the 5th. He said that two other hikers would be coming Traveler and Honey. Honey was the first to show up. Traveler was next in. An Australian chap. Very pleasant people. They're hiking big miles. They plan to be in Harpers Ferry by Saturday afternoon. I won't get there until Tuesday. Honey and Moon got married March 5/3 and started the trail March 5th. Hence the trail names HoneyMoon. I was asleep before they all settled in.
Date: 2018-05-06
From: Dickies Dome

To: Sam Moore shelter
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: light rain

Sun Day 83 5/6 10 hours sleep i slept from 7 p.m. To 5 a.m. I did have to get up for times 4 for hydration release. I woke up to an owl orchstra. I have big breakfast and apple, two packs of bars, 2 cheese sticks.Today will be a challenging day. I'm going to do 15 miles. The last 7 will be the beginning of a 13 and 1/2 mile stretch called the Roller Coaster. It's called that because it's an endless set of steep up and downs for 13 1/2 miles. Typically on a 14 15 mi day I would estimate seven and a half hours. Today I'm going to estimate eight and a half to 9 hours.I arrived at the Sam Moore shelter 8 hours and 15 minutes later. Arrived at 3:15. There was some steep up but it was actually very nice. Before lunch the 8 miles before the Roller Coaster, the forest was shrouded it in a fog but rather low cloud ceiling. It was very quiet with only the song Birds singing. The first growth has come out. There's green everywhere. Depends somewhat one what east-west north or south facing slope you're on. But one in particular was just completely full right up to the trail. You can only see 10 15 ft into the woods. I'm very glad I started when I did because up till now the last 11 weeks I've been able to see the whole Valley where the whole mountainside with no ground cover to hide it.So I passed a thousand mile mark today. That is some kind of accomplishment. My knee is a little tired but it's not screaming at me. I think if I just played a long at 15 to 18 mi a day all will be well.When I got to the shelter there was no one there. So I got my water, drank endoces, and put my feet up against the wall 20 minutes. This is new being able to work on my blog on the same day as it's happening. Couple factors, one it is warm enough for me to hold my phone and have my hands not in gloves. 2 I'm not doing as many miles so I have a little more time and energy. When you're doing 25 miles and it takes a 12 hours. There is not alot of other hours in the day. You're also just exhausted from doing 25 miles. It also is encouraging me because everytime I go to upload now it works.
Date: 2018-05-08
To: Hostal
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Tues Day 85 5/8 up at 5 getting ready. Spice came down by the picnic table cuz I was already up. She didn't want to disturb the Sleeping Beauties. We had a pretty intense personal conversation about things going on most recently in her life but how some parallels some things in my life. Spices verison of yoga instruction involves working with professional athletes of the Minnesota Vikings the women's professional basketball league and the Wild. She really was a competent professional healer. The shelter emptied out pretty quickly. I left by 6:15 after Spice had already gone. The rest of the Young Guns pushed pasted me soon enough. I pulled into Harpers Ferry at 10 a.m. in the morning. I checked in at the Appalachian Conservatory headquarters. I was number 124 to register at the halfway point. Of the estimated 4000 people who will attempt the trail this year, less than 1000 will finish. I feel pretty good being number 124. It feels like there's every opportunity to be in that thousand to finish if I just don't push too hard. Doing 15 miles a day seems very doable. Especially when you've done 25's and a 33 when I had to. It was very busy at the AT office. A lot of people were taking off from here and doing what they call Flip Flop. That means starting in the middle and go towards an end. Friday morning they had a total of 80 registered. Ultra woman came in. I ended up going to lunch with her. She's really training for 3 - 200 MI Races 30 days apart. So she pushes hard for 4 days and then goes light for two or three. She pretty much stays to herself cuz she's here to train. She just got back from running a race in the desert at 95 degrees. She said it was tough going from the snow into 95 degree weather. Her body hadn't acclimated yet. Of the 40 teams that entered, her team came in 12. It was a partner's race which means you have to stay with your partner or you're disqualified. It was an 82 Mi race in the desert. This woman is an athletic monster. She's working this as they say "she's hiking her own hike." I spent the afternoon in town. I ate three different times waiting for Luke and Curtis to get into town. They arrived Curtis has forgotten to return his Flash Pad. That'll make it tough to sleep on the hardwood. We were eating next to the Outfitters so I jumped over and got us a foam pad. Luke dropped us off the hostel. We said we wanted to go to bed by 7. Just getting organized and ready to go it was 10:30 before we turned out the light. All we're going to do is walk in the woods. Why does it take so long to get organized and ready? It was good for Curtis to see what a hostel was like and experience that culture. Curtis sat for a while with other hikers as they talked about their experiences on the trail. It's good for Curtis to hear other people's interpretations of the trail other than mine.
Date: 2018-05-09
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Wed Day 86 5/9 up at 4, out at 5:15, and on the trail by 6:15. We're going up from 245 FT elevation to 1300 FT elevation. So it was a bit of a day of climbing but not a terrible day at all. Sections of the trail were very smooth. Others were the standard rocky difficult struggle. We took a break around 9. Curtis was feeling pretty well. Took another break around 12. The last half an hour or so before we got to the Rocky Run shelter Curtis' feet started to let him know they were done. So when we got into the shelter Curtis put his feet up. I hiked another tenth of a mile down to get water. The temperature was very mild. If you are in direct sun it could get hot but if you are in any kind of shade there was a light Breeze. It was just about perfect. Honeymoon and Traveler stopped in at the shelter. They just took a quick break to regroup and headed off to the next shelter. It was pretty quiet at the shelter. Curtis laid down around 5 to rest. We have a light day planned for tomorrow. It is supposed to pour rain. Curtis feels pretty good in terms of his knee and any other real pain. Your feet get tired and swell up. It takes awhile for them to get used to doing this kind of mileage. We did 13.5 today. I am feeling pretty good myself. I haven't taken any ibuprofen for 3 days. My knees are liking less mileage. It's a different experience when you're not pushing big miles.Shark Bait just rolled in. He is averaging 22 miles a day. Then a couple who started 2 days ago in Harpers Ferry rolled in as well. They did 700 miles 2 years ago. They were very pleasent. Kind of a perfect weather evening. Cooler temp. Light wind, song birds calling back and forth. A soft quiet evening in the woods.
Date: 2018-05-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Thurs Day 87 5/10 we slept in today. I didn't get up until 7 a.m. took a leisurely morning and started the trail at 9:20. Our goal was Pine Knob shelter seven and a half miles away. It was a fairly easy day. Some sections of rock. Mostly a lot of smooth walking as well. We stopped at the Washington Memorial. We had a nice chat for about 30 minutes with the retired pharmacist who was a seasonal Ranger there. Was quite a solid Rock of a tower they built for Washington Memorial. We got to Pine Knob around 2. we did cross both Route 40 and we went over Route 40 and under route 70. We met She Beast. She has a hundred and forty miles to go to finish her thru hike at Big Meadows in the Shenandoah. She was pretty impressive. We have a variety of other section hikers and through hikers in the shelter coming and going. I'm taking a break. I'm staying the night. Will be in Pennsylvania in two days. I've now hiked through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia and finishing Maryland. Took five states to get halfway. 9 states to go for the other half. So I guess it'll move a little faster now. In terms of moving through States. Curtis continues to get the Rhythm. I think he may just hang in there. Day 86 5/9 up at 4, out at 5:15,
Date: 2018-05-13
From: Rocky Mt. Shelter

To: Toms Run Shelter
Miles today: 18.2

Sun day 90 5/13 I was up and out by 5 a.m. I was worried I was caring too much food, too much weight. The intoxicated fellow had said leave any extra food in the bear box. So I left two boxes of raisins 2 Power Bars, half a pound of cheese. Today was pretty cool after the rain last night so it was a good walking weather. The day was not particularly eventful. However I did come across late in the day Hobbit and his daughter, Echo. Echo is 24 years a captain in the Navy stationed in Hawaii. She is very much enjoying spending her time with her father on his third through hike. Hobbit hiked the first time, I think in 1989, 30 years ago or 88 but I'm not sure. Echo was quite a delight. I offered to take a picture of them together on a bridge. She was touched. She said he doesn't like photos so much. It was 19 miles to the Birch Run shelter. There were four of us in the shelter that night with lots of rain. I spent a lot of time talking to Sandals who is a hammocker. He sleeps suspended between two trees. I'm trying to learn about hammocks. I thought trekking poles were geeky until I used them. Now I know I was just foolish all those years. It may be the same with a hammock I just haven't tried it yet. Sandals got his name because he hikes the trail in sandals. They are the only shoes he has. Another fella Torque is trying a thru-hike for a second time. 2 years ago he ended up in the hospital with lots of big problems and months of hospitalization. He's 65 and giving it one last shot. Hobbit was in his sleeping bag by 6:30. There were four in our shelter but 4 others for in tents or hammocks. The others outside the shelter we're up later talkin socializing and enjoying each other. Hobbit knew hiker midnight and was making the most of the hours of sleep he could have. He's slowed down from doing 20 mile days to 10 mile days when is daughter came. Echo was carrying a very heavy pack. You have to carry a pack for a couple weeks before you just get worn out and get rid of some of that stuff that's just too heavy. Everybody can carry it for a week or two and it's no big deal. But you carry it for a couple months and you start thinking an ounce is a pound and a pound is way too much.
Date: 2018-05-15
To: Nowhere
Miles today: 0.0

Tues Day 92 5/15 Start of 14th week. Zero in Boiling Springs at Rickless Morty's parent's house. Couldn't be a better 0 for the level of support provided. They gave me a key to a spare car that I could drive wherever and whenever. As well as a key to the front door. They both went to work and said we will be home after 6 p.m. sometime. I checked on the promethium for my pants and other camping gear. The sun was out so I moved it out of the garage onto the driveway. I had a half a bottle left so I literally just poured it on clothes to soak them wet with chemical. Had 5 eggs, spinach, and cheese for breakfast. I seemed a bit overwhelmed this morning. I don't know if that was from the heat of yesterday hiking in. I think I got a little fried last couple miles in full sun in the afternoon. Was having trouble really focusing and accomplishing things. My fallback is let's stretch. I always feel better after I stretch and a little more relaxed. My back felt like it needed to be cracked. It was very, very tight on my left shoulder blade. It was one pm before I realized it. I knew I had to get to the post office. I needed to mail back one of the two tents as well as some other things that I didn't need because Curtis was not going to be here. Had a good talk with my sister, Susan, who's been so supportive and Curtis adjusting now to a new job and new situations. Drove through Dillsburg PA. A nice old town that was thriving in the 30s. It had a big brick industry, an opera house, movie theater, and a train that came through town. Much smaller and quieter now. Some very nice old buildings that's for sure.Got my alcohol wipes to try and address the sweaty legs dirty pants, and general hygiene on the trail in the heat. Got back in the afternoon ate a big spaghetti late lunch. Ate some ice cream and spent 2 hours trying to organize the next 8 days. You think how could it take that long to figure out where you're going to stop and where are you going to resupply. A lot of details go into walking around in the woods. It seems like a simple equation but it's very complex. Curtis had commented that he watched somebody put down his guidebook and say that's it I can't think about this anymore. I only can get the next couple days organized. I can't look at that guidebook anymore tonight. Now I think I have a good plan for the next 8 days. I probably will get into New Jersey in 12 days around the 28th or something. Around 7 Chris came home. We're able to chat for a while. Chris and Mike couldn't have been pleasanter, or more helpful and supportive. I got myself organized. I uploaded four days of blog and got ready to say goodnight. I checked out the the weather for the next 4 days. The high... it was going to rain for 4 days but the High was forecasted to be 68, 74, 67, and 76. I don't mind walking in the rain at those moderate temperatures. I won't have a meltdown. I won't have to leave at 4 in the morning to avoid the heat. I think that's a fine weather forecast. lt will make the trail a little slippery. There's balancing to everything. Sometimes I just have to look hard to find it.
Date: 2018-05-18
From: Peters mt

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: mist

Fri Day 95 5/18 When I went to the privy, I didn't take my trekking poles. I never do. I will now. There was at same annoying sound. I was surprised to see a porcupine trying to chew a hole into the privy. The porcupine showed no fear of me whatsoever. I came right up to him and took a picture. He just barely stopped long enough to look at me when I snapped the picture. He was right next to the door. So I took a chance pulled open the door and jumped inside. Porcupines don't move all that fast. When I came out he was gone.When you pull the plug on your flash pads it always makes it loud woosh sound. As soon as I pulled mine, I heard Logs pull his. We both left at the same time. I got his photo. I won't see him again. My boots and socks have been wet since I left Boiling Springs. My boots are like someone poured water into them. In an hour I was catching a blister on my right heal so I stopped and put Lueco tape on. I also ate two bars. I really got in a rhythm. I had figured I'd get in at 4 p.m. So when I hit some nice gradual long inclines that I could really move well on I picked up my pace. When you can move well you feel mostly better like your you got this hiking under control. This is the first time really since I hurt my knee that I felt able to move this smoothly and constantly. After a couple hours around 11, I got tired so I stopped for lunch. My feet felt irritated so I took off one of my boots and and looked at my foot. It was a red mess. So I put a bunch of Lueco tape on that foot. My left felt okay just mildly irritated. The last 2 hours to the shelter felt like eternity. There was a lot of water on the trail. My wet boots felt 2 or 3 times as heavy as normal. Everything slowed way down. It became quite a challenge just to hike at all. Both feet were screaming about the irritation. My left one that I didn't tape was screaming much more than my right one. I finally got in about 2:30. It's a beautiful shelter with water right in front. I immediately put my feet up and took a nap for half an hour. I felt better after eating. It was so strange to go from feelings so good like you're having fun really hiking smoothly to the contradiction of your dragging yourself into camp, your exhausted, and your feet are screaming. I took off my boots. My feet look horrible. 94 days and I've had almost no blister problems. Now both feet are disasters. I am going to tape them up a lot more. I hope that covers it. I'm going to sleep in and tape them in the morning light. I'll give the tape a chance to set and then head out. I will wear my backup pair of dry socks. I may buy more socks in town. I'm going to hitchhike to town and eat dinner tomorrow. So I'll be hiking with the lightest pack that I can. I'll have a little water and no food. There's not much water available on the trail tomorrow. It is supposed to pour rain tonight, more water on the trail, more wet feet.
Date: 2018-05-20
From: 501 shelter

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 24.3

Sun Day 97 5/20 Trail CulvertsUp at 4 stretching and getting ready. I got Ibex to take a chance and start hiking at 5 a.m. She usually leaves at 7:30 or 8. It was much warmer today. It continues to lightly rain as we hike by headlamp. The trail was a running stream of cold water. It was water all over the place. We tried taking the side of the trail or there were some little hiker made side trails to avoid the water. Eventually we gave up and just started walking into the water. There was sections of the trail that were shin deep. All the other hikers that we met on the trail expressed the same frustration with water, water everywhere. We were on a 7 mile stretch that in our guide book said had no water available. We crossed a dozen springs and streams flowing full volume. HoneyMoon Traveler and Candyman all pasted us on one of our breaks. I was surprised to see them cuz they all do such big miles. It's seems like they're always doing a 30 mi day. HoneyMoon and Traveler hike10 miles in 3 hours. We later pass all of them on one of their breaks. We are hiking 24 mi today to Port Clinton. That will enable us it go to the largest Cabela's in the world. We both wanted to buy shoes cuz we knew they have a super selection. We ended up getting almost passed before Clinton by all the speed demons. The last section of hike down in Port Clinton was incredibly big downhill steps. A very long, very tough down hill. I'm sure if you had to take it out uphill it would be a major challenge. We got into Port Clinton hotel a vintage building for sure. We got settled in to a great dinner. We then went down to the pavilion. The pavilion is a open, covered, large building. Hikers can stay there for free. Joe Cool & Ginger were there. Joe Cool recognized and called out to me as we walked up in the dark. Joe Cool is having a serious problem with his IT band and has to get off the Trail for at least 5 days. Joe Cool is going to get x-rays and see if the IT problem is more serious. He thinks he heard a big pop. I've been talking to him for the last couple days as he complained about his IT. They love to do the huge days and then take a few days off. Turtle was there as well. Turtles is quite the environmental guy. He has a hematoma on his ankle from his boots. He says you can push it around under his skin. When he hikes it gets larger and larger all day until it's like the size of a quarter and it's blue. I thought he should do something about that.