morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-05-24
From: US 522, Front Royal, VA

To: Manassas Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

I got a late shuttle from the hotel down to the trail head. After being on the trail for about 1.5 hours, I had my 7th bear sighting. It was right beside me off the trail about 10 yards and took off running as I passed. As I get farther from SNP, I expect the bear sightings to decrease. I hiked until I reached Manassas Gap Shelter where I set up my tent and went through my camp routine. If I am feeling good tomorrow, it is possible that I will pass the 1,000 mile mark. I will evaluate how that plays out tomorrow. Good night all.
Date: 2019-05-25
From: Manassas Gap Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 22.8

I was on the trail by 5:30 am. No significant views in this section of trail. The major milestone for today was making it past the 1,000 mile point! We also entered a 13-mile section of the trail called ¢The Roller Coaster¢. This is a long section of Pointless Ups and Downs (referred to as PUDS). By 5:30 pm I had hiked to Bears Den Hostel. Time to clean up, eat and rest this evening.
Date: 2019-05-26
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 20.5

I got off to a late start this morning. I did not get on the trail until 8:00 am. I completed the remainder of the "Roller Coaster" section of the trail. I also completed my last miles in the state of Virginia. I entered West Virginia today. I saw another deer and another ring-neck snake. The wildlife helped take my mind off the high temperatures today. It was Memorial Day weekend and the trail was packed with weekend hikers. A high number of scouts were on the trail this weekend as well. I arrived in Harpers Ferry, WV late in the afternoon. I plan to check in at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) tomorrow.
Date: 2019-05-27
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Harpers Ferry ATC
Miles today: 0.3

Even though I walked 4-5 miles today, only 0.3 miles was actual forward progress on the AT. My first stop this morning was a side trail to get over to the ATC Center. I registered at the ATC as number 337 NOBO thru hiker in 2019. I was number 283 NOBO thru hiker when I registered at the start of my hike, when I began back in Georgia on 2/24/2019. I then walked down the street to a nearby hostel called Teahorse Hostel. I got checked in and immediately went to downtown Harpers Ferry to the outfitter. There I got new shoes to replace my worn out pair. I also replaced my gaiters and picked up some permethrin to treat my clothes and gear. The insects have been on the increase over the past 2-3 weeks. I plan to take advantage of this zero day and rest when I can. I ate dinner with two other hikers this evening. One was a thru hiker leaving the trail to head back home to Germany. The other was a weekend hiker headed back to Washington DC on a train tomorrow. Nice guys and good conversation this evening.Time to call it an evening. Good night all.
Date: 2019-05-28
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Rocky Run Shelter
Miles today: 15.1

There were not many miles of WV, so that state is now complete. I never saw a sign showing that I was entering Maryland, but I am there for the next few days. I got up and had a waffle and orange juice breakfast before leaving the hostel this morning. As soon as I crossed the Potomac River, I was in Maryland. Other than being a little rocky, the trail was not too bad. It was, however, another hot day. I reached my destination, Rocky Run Shelter, by late afternoon. I set up my tent and went through my camp routine. I hope to sleep well tonight. Good night all.
Date: 2019-05-29
From: Rocky Run Shelter

To: Raven Rock Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: broken clouds

I was hiking by 5:30 am. I am leaving early trying to take advantage of the cooler temperatures in the mornings. Today¢s hike was underwhelming. No views to mention. More historical sites to pass through. Sites related to the Civil War.I did come across multiple chipmunks today. One even sat still long enough for me to take a picture. I estimate that I saw four today and heard the whistle of at least a dozen that I did not see. I also saw another black snake on the trail.I stopped at a shelter midday and ate lunch. Due to the heat, I hung around and took a 30 minute nap. When I got up from the shelter floor, you could see the sweat outline where I had been laying. I took it nice and slow today because of the heat.I made it to Raven Rock Shelter, set up my tent, walked 0.5 miles to get my water supply, had supper and settled in for the evening. It has been a long day. Time for bed. Good night all.
Date: 2019-05-30
From: Raven Rock Shelter

To: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles today: 13.2

I had a short hike planned for today, therefore I slept in until 5:30 am this morning. That means that I did not leave camp this morning until 6:30 am. I hiked for a while and then saw the Maryland/Pennsylvania state line (the Mason Dixon Line). That is now 6 of the 14 states completed. I should be in PA for the next 2-3 weeks. Just before I reached my destination, I crossed Old Forge Road. I reached a bridge that crossed water called Tumbling Run. Well it lived up to the name. As soon as I set foot on the edge of the bridge, I ¢tumbled¢ and fell. I scuffed up my right knee pretty good. It was only 0.2 miles to the shelter of the same name, Tumbling Run Shelter. I set up my tent and cleaned up my knee and administered first aid treatment. This is one of the better maintained shelters on the trail. I believe the shelter maintainers are in a competition with other nearby maintainers. There are two shelters at this sight. One for Snoring, the other for Non-Snoring. The picnic table is under it¢s own shelter and a rose sits atop the picnic table. There is a clothes line behind the Non-Snoring shelter, and the tent sights are well groomed. A nice place to rest for the evening.
Date: 2019-05-31
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: Trail of Hope Hostel, Fayetteville, PA
Miles today: 9.6

I hiked today with plans to get into town for a resupply. It was a relatively short hike until I reached US 30 where it was a 0.6 mile walk to the Trail of Hope Hostel. It is a hostel run by a church. After washing myself and my clothes, I was provided a bicycle to ride to a nearby convenience store that had a deli. I ate lunch there and brought back items for supper in the evening.The guy that manages the hostel drove me to a Walmart several miles away so I could pick up more first aid items for my knee and get better resupply items. I got hydrogen peroxide, gauze pads and tape as well as my resupply items. I am not feeling real energetic today. If this continues tomorrow, I might need to take a zero to regain my energy. I will know more about that decision in the morning.I have sorted out my resupply items and plan to rest for the evening. Take care and good night all.
Date: 2019-06-02
From: Trail of Hope Hostel, Fayetteville, PA

To: James Fry Shelter
Miles today: 27.1

Today was a long day, but a good day. I left the hostel early and walked to the trail head starting at 6:00 am. The first notable thing I saw today was the other shelter in competition for the neatest, cleanest and best looking. There were lots of potted plants, a sun dial, welcoming signage and the cleanest privy that I have seen so far. The toilet seat actually ¢shined¢.Later I was looking for sticks in the middle of the trail and that mark the 2019 halfway point at mile 1,096.0. I did not see the markings in the trail. I took a Guthook GPS screenshot and I was 0.2 miles past that point. I did come across two other official halfway markers from previous years.Next came the "Half Gallon Challenge". After crossing the trail¢s halfway point, you are challenged to eat a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting. Me and two other hikers did our part. It was no problem. I even ordered a cheeseburger to go. That would be my supper for the evening.Lastly I started the seven-mile hike to my final destination. However, before I got there I had to walk through two hours of heavy rain and marble/pea-sized hail. The hail was large enough for me to attempt to get next to a tree to minimize the hard impact. It covered the ground in some areas and looked a little like snow. The ground was green when it stopped, because the hail knocked off thousands of leaves from the trees. I did eventually make it to James Fry Shelter. It was my longest hiking day so far. Well over 20 miles today. The cooler temperatures helped make the longer day easier.I ate my cheeseburger for supper, did my chores, and set up in the shelter (due to the rain) and got ready for bed. Good night all.
Date: 2019-06-03
From: James Fry Shelter

To: Backpacker Camp near Boiling Springs
Miles today: 11.6

Around 11:00 during the night last night, we had a hiker show up at the shelter. He shined his light in everyone's eyes looking to see if there was space available. He wound up in the front corner of the shelter. He shivered and moaned all night long. He never spoke up and said that he was in trouble or needed any help. About 3:30 am I got up for a nature call. At that time he whispered to me, asking if I had anything to help, that he was freezing. I reached into my pack and handed him my jacket. He never said anything again during the night. When everyone started stirring, he just sat in one place looking off into space. I asked him if he was doing OK, he indicated that he was fine. Without saying a word to anyone he simply left the shelter. We will likely never see him again. I believe he had an experience last night that he will never forget as long as he lives.There were times during the hike today that required me to set aside my trekking poles and use my feet as well as my hands to climb up or down rock faces. This is preparation for what is to come. Both here in PA as well as other northern states. We moved down out of the mountains, down into open pasture land. Just prior to entering the town of Hot Springs, I set up my tent in a Backpacker Camp. There is room for many tents and a port-a-potty. I walked into town and took a shower at a nearby swimming pool and ate lunch with another hiker who was from the Netherlands. Several tents are set up in the area tonight. It will be noisy, as the camp site is right beside some railroad tracks. Trains have been coming and going all afternoon. Time to get ready for some sleep tonight. At least between train visits. Good night all.
Date: 2019-06-04
From: Backpacker Camp Near Boiling Springs

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

Today was the flattest day of hiking since I began the trail. There was less change in elevation than any other day. Most of the day was either through open fields and pastures or in narrow bands of trees between them. There were also a high number of road crossings throughout the day. I saw multiple cherry trees and a few mulberry bushes.I thought the state of Maryland had a lot of chipmunks. Pennsylvania has them all beat. I bet that I saw over two dozen of them and heard hundreds chirping everywhere.I had enough energy and daylight to do more miles today. However, I think I might have shin splints. I will keep my mileage down and see if the shin discomfort disappears.I set up my tent at Darlington Shelter and went through my camp rituals. Hopefully I will sleep better tonight, now that I am away from the train tracks.Before dark, about eight hikers showed up. Everyone one of them were hikers that I had met back in Virginia just before they all left for trail days. This bubble of hikers had caught back up with me. The shelter and tent sights are full tonight.
Date: 2019-06-05
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 11.3

Because of my shin discomfort, I will intentionally slow my pace and lower my mileage to see if that strategy reduces or eliminates the discomfort. I had a short hike into town today. Destination, Duncannon PA. My guide book warned of a rocky section heading into town. It did exist, however it was nothing we have not experienced before.We timed it perfectly, one of the local churches offers a free spaghetti supper to all hikers every Wednesday night. Last night, the spaghetti supper was mentioned by every hiker at the shelter. Guess what day it is? HUMP DAAAY! Yes, we timed it perfectly, for a change. Looking forward to the meal and rest for my shin. P.S. The spaghetti supper was great. You can tell that they have done this before. Spaghetti, salad, fruit, tea, milk, Gatorade, bottled water and lots of homemade deserts. They also laid out a mixture of resupply items. The hospitality was very welcoming and greatly appreciated.Time to sleep on a full stomach. Good night all.
Date: 2019-06-06
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Peters Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 11.0

Before heading out on the trail, I stopped and ate breakfast at one of the local diners. One of the town locals sat and ate with me. He had hiked the trail back in the 90¢s. He was filled with lots of stories about the trail and local trail facts. It was interesting to hear some of his stories. After breakfast, I was on the trail by 7:15 am.There was the usual climb out of town after crossing the Susquehanna River. At the top of the climb the ridges were loaded with rocks. I came upon a deer with a red tag in one of her ears, another black snake and my first box tortoise of the trip.I made it to my final destination, Peters Mountain Shelter, by 12:00 pm. It feels strange to stop so early in the day. I hope the short mileage now, pays off in the long run. At the shelter were three guys resting. It turns out that two of them started their hike the same day that I did back in February. This is the first time that our paths crossed. Apparently another hiker by the trail name, Timber, had stopped and set up his tent earlier this morning. If that is true, then I passed Timber this morning and did not know it. I know Timber from day one. He was the guy that I wanted to name ¢Leaf Blower¢. Apparently he did not like that as his trail name. I hope to cross paths with him soon. I last saw him back at Neels Gap. I am taking my time this evening doing my usual camp routine. Good night all.
Date: 2019-06-07
From: Peters Mtn Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

I was up at 4:30 am and on the trail by 5:05 am. I like early starts on days when the temperatures are warmer. My shin did good until the last two hours of my hike. It started to tighten up and felt tender. I made it to Rausch Gap Shelter by 2:00 pm.I saw a small brown snake early in the morning. About two miles before reaching the shelter, I heard a rattling noise off to my right side. I reacted and jumped forward about five feet. Yes, it was my first rattlesnake sighting. It was less than a foot off the trail, on my right side. I took out my phone and started taking pictures. As I was taking the pictures, I heard voices coming down the trail. Five hikers were approaching, so I warned them about the rattler. They all stopped several yards back. They inched forward and one of the guys started taking pictures as well. Everyone else stayed back several yards. I left everyone there to enjoy their rattlesnake experience. They passed me later and thanked me for the warning. BTW, it was a GOOD SIZE snake.I set up in the shelter and decided to stay there and rest for the remainder of day.
Date: 2019-06-08
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I started my hike at 5:15 this morning. My first obstacle was sloshing through water half-way up my calves for about 150 yards. The water was over the trail as a result of a beaver dam right next to the trail, but it wasn't too bad. There were multiple stretches along the ridge line where you have to jump bolder to bolder to move along the trail. A local guy back in Duncannon called these areas with lots of rocks, ¢Rock Gardens¢. They really slow down your walking pace. I did another short day and ended up at the 501 Shelter. This shelter is famous for pizza delivery straight to the shelter. What did I do? I ordered a pizza, an Italian Sub and a Mountain Dew. All the other hikers placed their orders as well. It was a great meal.We are settling in for the evening. Good night all.
Date: 2019-06-09
From: 501 Shelter

To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I had my usual early start this morning. The highlight of day was trail magic from Quiet John. He had water and Kit Kat bars and good conversation. It was a relatively short day to Eagles Nest Shelter. I set up inside the shelter due to the potential for rain tonight. It will likely rain on my way into town tomorrow.Settling in for the evening. Good night all.
Date: 2019-06-10
From: Eagles Nest Shelter

To: Port Clinton, PA
Miles today: 9.0

I woke up at 4:30 this morning. It started raining at that time. So the entire hike today was in the rain. It was, however, a short hike to Port Clinton, PA. While walking from the trail to the local camp pavilion, Steve, a local shuttle driver stopped and took me to nearby Hamburg, PA where I am staying at the Microtel.Two section hikers from the shelter last night, Booboo and One Crock, were kind enough to shuttle me around today. First we went to the Cabela¢s across the highway. It is the largest Cabela¢s in the world. I picked up a pair of hiking shorts while I was there. The shorts that I have been hiking in, have holes worn in them. I am not able to repair the holes due to the missing material and hole size. Next we went for food at Red Robin. We followed that by a trip to the nearby Walmart for resupply. Finally we went to a candy store in Port Clinton.As I was sorting through my resupply, I began to notice that the top of my right foot was sore and felt tender to the touch. I made the decision to rest my feet and asked for another nights stay at the Microtel. It looks like I will be taking a zero here tomorrow.
Date: 2019-06-11
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Zero in Hamburg
Miles today: 0.0

I spent most of the day in the Microtel lounge chatting with other hikers. I am trying to simply rest and allow my shin and foot to heel. The swelling in my foot has gone down a little. If it does not go down any more, I might have to zero again tomorrow. As usual, I will evaluate the need for that possibility later today. Over the past week I have been leap frogging on the trail with "Stingray", "R.G". and "Q". They have a fourth member in their group named "Halo" that has been a few days behind them since he had gotten off trail for a family event. Well today, not only did I finally meet up with Halo, but I got to meet Halo¢s wife Rhonda. She had signed my guest book before I even started the trail asking that I be on the lookout to run into her husband. Well I got to meet both of them on the same day. They were also very kind to leave me with some trail magic this evening. Thank you. I also got to meet YouTuber¢s Jimmy and his wife, "I Believe". "I Believe" hiked the entire trail a few years back. They have been providing trail magic to hikers over the years since she was on the trail. It was nice to meet them since I had been following their YouTube interviews over the last couple of years.
Date: 2019-06-12
From: Zero in Hamburg

To: Zero in Hamburg
Miles today: 0.0

It was difficult this morning watching the other hikers gather and head out to the trail. This is especially true when I feel good and well rested. However, I keep telling myself that the additional day of rest will pay off in the long run. I have a special thanks to RG, Halo and Rhonda for the additional trail magic this morning. Before everyone left this morning, we all posed for a group picture. Again, I felt like I should be loading up to leave as well.The remainder of the day was filled with rest.
Date: 2019-06-13
From: Hamburg, PA

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I made the decision that my foot and shin had rested enough and I would head back to the trail today. It rained most of the night and was raining when I began my hike. It stopped raining midday. However it remained cloudy. The clouds affected my view at the overlook called The Pulpit. No views due to the clouds. I did experience multiple rock gardens near the Pulpit. About an hour before I reached Eckville Shelter, it started raining again. Just enough to get things soaked. The shelter itself was dry. That is good because it is expected to rain throughout the night. Trying to stay dry tonight and hopefully have clear skies tomorrow.
Date: 2019-06-14
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: fog

Today Pennsylvania lived up to it¢s reputation of rocks on the trail. It is likely the most dense section with rocks. This included a section called the knives edge. The rocks really slow my pace.I came to a sign at a road crossing that said trail magic. There was an arrow on the sign pointing towards the parking lot. A couple named Joe and Sue were providing drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers, and honeybuns. Several of us stopped and enjoyed the food and conversation.Near the end of the day I found myself at Bake Oven Knob Shelter. Several other hikers are here tonight. Time to settle in for the evening. Good night all.
Date: 2019-06-15
From: Bake Oven Knob Shelter

To: George W. Outerbridge Shelter
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: clear sky

This morning I woke up and hiked one mile back to Bake Oven Knob Parking lot. I was picked up by "Physical" and "Tank". If you remember, the three of us hiked the entire Georgia section of the AT together. They asked me to contact them when I reached their home states. "Physical" is from PA and "Tank" is from NJ. They were kind enough to buy me breakfast, take me to Walmart for resupply and to Dick¢s Sporting Goods to get a stove replacement and compression sleeves for my shins. Great trail magic. It was really good to see them. They have been tracking my hike since they finished their section hike back at Bly Gap. They returned me to the parking lot and I hiked the rocky trail to George W. Outerbridge Shelter. Before I reached the shelter, I came to a dirt road crossing where "Sunshine" was set up providing trail magic. She had hot dogs, chips, candy bars, fruit and drinks. Her husband, "Blue Grass" hiked up as I was about to finish my meal. Trail magic twice in one day! This helped get through the day with all the rock hopping.
Date: 2019-06-16
From: George W. Outerbridge Shelter

To: Leroy A. Smith Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: overcast clouds

We got up and started hiking around 7:00 am. That is late for me. We only planned a 16.7 mile day. The big discussion was the upcoming climb out of Lehigh Gap. It was a steep bolder-hopping climb. But I didn¢t think that it was as strenuous as everyone was stressing. The climb takes you through an area that was previously mined for zinc. We had to carry extra water because the water in this area was potentially contaminated due to the mining and pesticides. I arrived at the Leroy A. Smith Shelter by early afternoon.A special note: It is Father's Day today. I heard from my son Carl this afternoon. It was good to hear from him.
Date: 2019-06-17
From: Leroy A. Smith Shelter

To: Kirkridge Shelter
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: broken clouds

A relatively short hike planned for the day. Just over 13 miles to the next shelter. Those miles were consistently rocky the entire journey. You had to carefully position your feet according to the rocks you were in at that time. The rocks, of all sizes, were relentless today. I got to the shelter just after 1:00 pm and set up inside the shelter. It was raining and expected to continue to rain throughout the night.Tomorrow should be my last day in the state of PA.  Best wishes to my brother, Oliver, whose birthday is today.