morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-05-20
To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 13.4

Finally a sunny day. The heavy rains over the past five days ended but the water runoff is still going strong. The trail remains flooded in low areas and springs are flooding the trail in some higher areas. I hiked a section today called the rollercoaster. There were constant hills all day, some quite steep. The trail was also very rocky and combined with the flooding and wet conditions, it made for a slow cautious hike. I started at 8am and didn't get to camp until almost 6pm. I crossed a few milestones today. First l crossed the AT's 1000 mile mark which means those who started at the south end are almost half way home. I also crossed into WV. I had John Denver's song Take Me Home Country Road playing in my head. I still haven't heard if the AT remains closed after Harpers Ferry. I will arrive there Tue morning and find out.
Date: 2018-05-21
To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 17.0

The trail today was much easier except for a few rocky miles and a very steep downhill coming into Harpers Ferry. I have a food drop package at the AT Conservancy and a package with small items at the post office. I'm staying at the Teahorse hostel and there are only a couple of other hikers here. Unfortunately all the restaurants in town are closed on Monday. I will stop at the ATC tomorrow morning and find out If I can cross the Potomac River bridge. It sounds like there are shuttle options if the bridge is still closed. Regardless I will be in Maryland tomorrow.
Date: 2018-05-22
To: Compton Gap shelter
Miles today: 7.4

The bridge over the Potomac River was still closed. Many hikers jumped over the gate but I didn't think I could make it with a pack on. If I would have had someone to hand my pack to I would have attempted it. I ended up getting a shuttle and missed four miles of trail. After getting on the trail a thunder storm caught me and another hiker just short of a shelter and we got soaked. I ended up going a shorter distance since it took so long to escape WV. I'm now in MD and not looking back.
Date: 2018-05-23
To: Pogo Memorial Campsite
Miles today: 15.7

I woke up to the sounds of roosters and other farm noises. It was a beautiful clear morning and I took my time packing up and walked slowly in the morning. The trail was still wet and muddy with lots of rocks to start. After lunch at a park the trail became smoother and wider as it entered a surburban area. Lots of day hikers that smelled good, unlike me. I put in a good day and am camped in a beautiful spot. The nearby spring is flowing at a high volume which will make for good background noise for tonight's sleep. Looks like more good weather for the next couple of days.
Date: 2018-05-24
To: Falls Creek Campsite
Miles today: 15.1

This was the last day of my first month on the trail. Everything has been going as planned. I am happy with my progress so far. To finish in six months I need to average about 365 miles a month or about 85 miles a week or just over 12 miles a day. I wanted to be under those numbers my first month or two. Physically I feel good. My feet are doing reasonably well and I'm quickly gaining my trail legs. Mentally I'm still having fun and enjoying the company of other hikers. I still camp with mostly new hikers every night as the people that started on the south end are mostly doing twenty plus mile days. The last two states went quickly but PA has over 250 miles of the AT. I'm hoping the next month goes as well as the first.
Date: 2018-05-25
To: Rocky Mt Shelters
Miles today: 14.3

It was another great weather day and I got going around 7am. Its nice on these longer days when I'm still hiking shorter miles to linger over breakfast and a cup of tea. When the trail is relatively smooth I can also take a long lunch and still get to camp by 5pm. I'm camped at a shelter area that has a tenting area quite far away so I'm not interacting with the people staying ing the shelters -there are two here. I plan to go to a restaurant about a third of a mile down the next road crossing. I will also look at a hostel a mile down the road for resupply and possibly an overnight. Rain is forecast for the next three days. It must be Memorial Day weekend.
Date: 2018-05-26
To: Trail of Hope Hostel
Miles today: 3.0

After about 10 days without much rest, I decided to take a nero today. I hiked a slow three miles after breaking camp and headed to a restaurant for brunch. I ate a double cheeseburger fries and a milkshake. After that I waddled to the hostel and took a shower and did laundry. I tried to hitchhike to Walmart for a resupply and ended up having to pay the hostel five bucks for a ride. This is the second time I've not gotten a ride hitching. I rented a hike from the hostel for a dollar and rode a half mile to the same restaurant and had dinner. I'll be back on the trail tomorrow and hope the forcasted rain is light.
Date: 2018-05-27
To: Toms Run Shelter
Miles today: 16.2

I got an early start from the hostel, getting to the trail by 6:30am. It was a nice morning but rain and thunderstorms were in the area. I made good time heading north and was able to out walk the worst of the thunderstorms as they passed to the south. I did have to hike a few hours in moderate rain. I passed the midpoint of the AT which is halfway for some but not me. I will hit my halfway point in NH. Tomorrow I will walk past a store with a store and grill. There is also a campground with shower there. Feels good to be relatively clean after the hostel stay.
Date: 2018-05-28
To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 15.4

I was on the trail today around 7:30 and hiked four miles to Pine Grove Furnace State Park. It had a store with a grill so I had a second breakfast of a western egg wrap and chocolate milk. I bought some more food supplies and went to the AT museum. It was really interesting and the old heavy camping gear must have been really heavy. I walked through the state park which was really pretty but crowded. Later in the day I stopped by a country store and had a cheeseburger and fries. Hiker hunger has set in and I'm eating an obscene amount of food. I know I'm burning a lot of calories but I amaze myself at how much I can eat. Hopefully I can go back to a normal diet when I'm done.
Date: 2018-05-29
To: Carlisle PA
Miles today: 16.0

I was up early and on the trail before 7am. It was very humid and I wanted to get some miles in before it got too hot. I started with some uphills and then came to an area called the rock garden. The trail designers were particularly cruel in routing the trail up and over some huge rocks. Making matters worse everything was wet and slippery. It took me almost three hours to go four miles. The trail got easier going through farms and hayfields. I stopped in Boiling Springs for lunch at the Boiling Springs Tavern which is an upscale establishment. They suggested I sit in the bar instead of the dining room. My meal of a salmon blt was fantastic and the bartender and other patrons were friendly and had lots of questions about my hike. After lunch the hiking was really flat and easy going through farm country. When the trail went across fields it was very hot in the sun. A strange thing happened last night just before dark. I was camped by a small creek with three other campers and it was calm and humid. A dead tree about 10 inches in diameter and about 30 ft tall fell about 20 ft from where I was standing. Not sure why it fell then instead of during a windy day.
Date: 2018-05-30
To: Cove Mt shelter
Miles today: 13.4

It was an easy start to the day with more farm country to walk through. The trail finally did get back into the woods. It seems like the mosquitos are finally starting to come out. They seem kind of wimpy here. If it were this warm and humid in MN the skeeters would carry you away. I hope this isn't the start to a bad bug season. Its too hot to out on long sleeves and pants. The end of the day was hilly and rocky which I haven't seem for a few miles. Rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow. I will be walking through Duncannon PA in the morning and plan to stop at the famous Doyle bar and hotel. The place is an institution on the AT and a must see. I also need a small resupply.
Date: 2018-05-31
To: Peters Mt shelter
Miles today: 15.0

It rained pretty hard overnight and the trail was wet this morning. I had Paul Simon's song Slip Sliding Away going through my head as I hiked the rocky trail. A steep downhill brought me to Duncannon PA. This trail town is famous for the Doyle hotel and bar. Unfortunately it was closed when I walked through. I got a second breakfast at a nearby restaurant and then resupplied at an expensive convience store. The forecasted rain held off all afternoon as I headed for a large shelter. This one sleeps 16 and was close to full. It started raining around 6pm and the forecast is for more rain tomorrow. The next shelter is 18 miles away so it may be a long hike tomorrow.
Date: 2018-06-01
To: Rausch Gap shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: mist

When rain is forecasted most hikers like to stay in the shelters and not have to pack up and carry a wet tent. Shelter space can be limited. Shelter spacing along the trail and the capacity of the shelter is also a factor. Last night I was at a shelter that could hold 16 and it was full. All but two hikers were headed north like me. The next shelter was 18 miles away which is a long distance between shelters. Usually they are about ten miles apart. I decided to get up early since rain was forecasted and hoped to get one of the six shelter spots. I was the first to leave at about 6:20am. I was soon passed by a number of faster hikers. I hiked 18 miles over some rocky wet terrain and was able to get a spot in the shelter. We ended up with seven in the shelter. That was my longest mileage to date. I'm not sure I will push that hard again for a shelter spot. Next time I will take my time and set up my tent if I have to.
Date: 2018-06-02
To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: overcast clouds

The forecasted rain held off overnight and all day. The days hike started with having to cross an area flooded by beavers. I then took a wrong turn and hiked an extra half mile. Next up was a really long hill to climb. Progress was slow in the morning. The afternoon went better as I ran into a few people I know. Toward the end of the day I came across a guy and hia daughter offering trail magic. I had a couple of sodas, chips, a banana, apple and a candy bar. Shorty after that at the last road crossing a girlfriend of a hiker I had met had before had brought more trail magic. This time I had a couple of cold beers. A perfect way to end another long hike. The shelter was a tenth of a mile away. This one is a cabin that sleeps 12. So far there are 7 people here. The trail magic and cabin shelter made for a great end to the day.
Date: 2018-06-03
To: Eagles Nest shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

The AT in PA has a reputation of being rocky. The past few days the trail has been quite rough. My shoes were feeling a little worn out but now are quickly falling apart and my feet are taking a beating. I'm headed off trail tomorrow after hiking eight milesim the morning. Hamburg PA is home the the world's largest Cabelas. I will look for shoes and socks as well as a few other items. I also need a food resupply and am thinking about a zero on Monday. I got lucky with the rain today. Just as I was leaving this morning it started to rain hard. I delayed my departure by 45 minutes and it quit. It didn't start raining again until after I got to the shelter. Tomorrow's forecast looks a little better.
Date: 2018-06-04
To: Hamburg PA
Miles today: 9.3

Shared the shelter and campsite with two sobo hikers around my age. They were from Seattle and Syracuse NY. We had the northern tier of the US covered. It rained most of the night and the trail was wet and slick for my walk to Port Clinton and Hamburg. The hill down into town was the steepest downhill I've hiked yet. I was able to hitch a ride into Hamburg and am staying at the Microtel. Taking a much needed zero tomorrow and resupplying and resting.
Date: 2018-06-05
To: Hamburg PA Microtel
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a day of rest and resupply. I walked to Cabelas to look at shoes. They didn't have my size so I headed for Walmart. On the way I saw a Great Clips and got a haircut. I got groceries and then back to the hotel. For the last two weeks I've been experiencing tooth pain so I called a local dentist yesterday and made an appointment for today. The xrays were inconclusive so the dentist applied a local sealant. So far so good. Thanks to the staff at Hamburg Family Dental for getting me in and the professional care. I also enjoyed sharing details of my hike. After some good rest, it's back to the trail tomorrow morning.
Date: 2018-06-06
To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: scattered clouds

When I left my hotel this morning I decided to hitchhike the two miles back to the trail. I got a ride fairly quickly from a younger guy in a truck. After talking about my hike for a few minutes he asked where I was from. When I told him MN he said he was going there today and he was going to Duluth. He was surprised to hear that I was from Duluth. He said his dad is a physician at St Likes and he was on his way to pick up his grandma to go visit his dad. Our conversation was short as we arrived at the trail. What a crazy coincidence. It was a steep climb to start and the first part of the day the trail was rocky. The last five miles were much easier. I'm staying at a shelter that is a shed in the backyard of the caretakers house. There are six bunks and they are full. There are also a bunch of people tenting.
Date: 2018-06-07
To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: overcast clouds

People that pass me on the trail keep asking me if I saw the snake they just passed. Last night I heard stories from about six people about rattlesnakes and copperhead. A few of them also had pictures. Maybe I'm blissfully walking past them and not seeing them. I will try to be more aware in the next few days. Most of the sightings are in the really rocky areas. Today was a long day with a number of difficult rocky areas. One spot had large flat rocks on an angle and the trail took you over a jumbled ridge about 40ft high. It was a little unnerving with a pack on. Tomorrows trail takes me through a superfund site with no vegetation. There is also a 12 mile waterless gap.
Date: 2018-06-08
To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 7.0

For a number of reasons I decided to hike a shorter day today. My feet and legs were sore from all the boulder hoping and rocky trail. I also wanted to let a large bubble of hikers get ahead of me so when I go into town in a couple days the hostel won't be full. It was also hot and humid today. I didn't want to climb a large hill and cross an area with no trees in the heat. I will hit it first thing in the morning when it's cooler and supposed to be overcast. I'm looking forward to getting my new shoes and leaving the PA rocks behind. I'm sure there will be sections of rocky trail in NJ and NY but hopefully not as bad.
Date: 2018-06-09
From: Stealth Camp

To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 19.0

I got an early start to get through the area without mmuch vegetation before the sun was high and it got warm. The climb out on Lehigh Gap was very technical with a lot of scrambling and climbing. The reward at the top was a great view. This area has few places to get water and most of them are far off trail. I decided to stretch my water supply 16 miles instead of going 1.2 miles round trip off trail to resupply. I also carried three liters the last 2.5 miles to my campsite. That adds seven lbs to my pack. I put in a long day in hopes of getting to Delaware Water Gap tomorrow which is about 18 miles. My new shoes are waiting for me there. I plan to stay in a hostel and resupply.
Date: 2018-06-10
To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 17.5

Today's mileage brought me over one quarter done. It also brought me to the end of PA. It was a rainy day that made the rocky trail very slippery. I had to be cautious especially on the downhill. I was going to stay at the hostel but it was full so I got a hotel room at the Deer Head Inn. I have all my wet gear spread all over the room hoping it dries by morning. Tomorrow I will make a trip to the post office and store for food. I'm debating a zero since I'm feeling beat up by the rocky trail and lots of miles the last two days.
Date: 2018-06-11
To: Delaware Water Gap Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

I spent a beautiful day in Delaware Water Gap resting, eating and resupplying. This is a nice walkable little town and all the places I needed to visit were located nearby. I picked up my new shoes and small resupply box at the post office. I also bought a few more days of food and went to the outfitter for fuel, socks and a rain cover for my pack. I visited the local restaurants and am currently sipping a cold beer at the local bar. I moved to the hostel today so it probably won't be as quiet as last nights hotel. Tomorrow I'm Heading for NJ and will be breaking in the new shoes.
Date: 2018-06-12
To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 14.9

I left the hostel around 6:30am which is a early start for me. I crossed the Delaware River into NJ within the first mile. I learned yesterday that five percent of the US population gets its drinking water from the Delaware River. Who knew so many people rely on this river. I set a nice slow pace and enjoyed the nice day and being back in the woods. The forest was a little more open and the terrain was still fairly rocky. It was fairly easy going after the first long gradual hill. I'm stealth camping tonight which I like to do after a short night of sleep in the hostel. I usually sleep soundly in my tent if others are not camped near me. Rain in the forecast tomorrow.
Date: 2018-06-13
To: Gren Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: clear sky

I woke up to the first few drops of rain. It stopped long enough for me to pack up and cook breakfast. It rained lightly for a few hours but didn't amount to much besides making the trail slippery. I made it to a shelter eight miles away for lunch but the mosquitos were so bad I left quickly. The highlight of the day was a new bar and grille at the last road crossing. I had fish tacos and a brownie a la mode. They were delicious and I walked the last three miles to the shelter in a food coma. Tomorrow will be a long day because of campsite and shelter spacing. NJ lacks camping options in a few areas.
Date: 2018-06-14
To: Jim Murray's Secret Shelter
Miles today: 18.3

I woke up early to clear skies, cool temps and a good breeze already blowing. I left camp by 6:30am and couldn't stop smiling as it was a perfect morning for hiking. The miles passed quickly as I hiked over both smooth and rocky sections of trail. I passed by the high point of NJ over some of the roughest trail of the day. I ended the long day passing some hayfields and came to a shelter that is privately owned. Its basically a small sparse cabin located in a large mowed area. There is also an outside shower which I took advantage of. I chose to sleep in my tent because of the echo effect in the shelter. Any snoring would be amplified. Tomorrow I am planning another long hike. After that it will be a couple of shorter days and then resupply.
Date: 2018-06-15
To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: clear sky

In looking at the map on my phone AT ap guthooks, I saw that the shelter I stayed at last night is in NY. The trail today was mostly in NJ but crossed into NY for a while. It was another nice day for hiking with cooler temps and a nice breeze. There was lots of flat hiking today with a mile long road walk and lots or boardwalks through bogs. I stopped at a roadside farm store and had a large deli sandwich, chips, a coke and a pint of ice cream. I topped it off with an orange for dessert. After eating all that I had to hike up a large rocky hill gaining 900ft in elevation. It was a long five mile hike to the shelter. Tomorrow I plan to have a shorter day to set up a resupply and possible night in town on Sunday.
Date: 2018-06-16
To: Wildcat shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

The trail today was much hillier and rougher. It was a little warmer in the morning with no wind and the mosquitoes were thick in the low areas. After crossing into NY the trail climbed over a series of hump shaped rock outcroppings. Some of the climbs were rough and one spot had rebar mounted into the rock to help you get up. I ran onto lots of day hikers and heard reports of bears on the trail. At a road crossing a couple miles from camp a 2016 thru hiker had set up trail magic. There was pizza, chips, pop, Gatorade, cliff bars and other snacks. I made a pig out of myself and also enjoyed a couple of beers. Thanks North Stars, you made my day. Bugs are think now at camp at dusk. Weather forecast is calling for mid 80s tomorrow and mid 90s on Monday. Let the sweating begin.
Date: 2018-06-17
To: Monroe NY
Miles today: 10.1

Late arriving campers made for a short night of sleep at the shelter last night. It was warm and buggy this morning as I hit the trail by 6;15am. The first mile or so was easy and then it was hill after hill mostly short but very steep and rocky. One of the climbs required me to throw my poles up and then climb up after them. It was a lot of effort for the amount of miles covered. I got a ride from a kind friend I met at a hostel a month ago to town for resupply, laundry and dinner. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 90s with high humidity. I'm planning another shorter day.
Date: 2018-06-18
To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 11.8

My friend from NYC, Reese and I hit the trail on a warm humid morning. We hiked about three miles before she returned to her vehicle. She is off trail mending a sprained ankle and these short hiked were a test of her readiness to return to the trail. During out hike we came to the lemon squeezer. It is very narrow and I barely made it through with my pack on, scraping both sides. Right after that was another climb where I had to throw my poles up and pull myself up. The rest of the day was really hot and humid. I was sweating on the flats and downhill and pouring buckets on the uphills. On a number of hills you would get to bare ridge tips which felt like stepping into a sauna. I was totally soaked when I got to the last stream and chose to camp nearby instead of carrying water almost a mile to the next shelter. Thunderstorms and heavy rain hit around 7:30pm. I was totally exhausted and was asleep shortly after. It was surprising given my location near a highway and not that far from NYC that I didn't have a cell signal.
Date: 2018-06-19
To: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center
Miles today: 14.2

The morning started out warm and humid. More extreme sweating going up a number of hills including Bear Mt. On the other side of the mt was the state park which had a hikers eatery. I took advantage and had a good lunch. After crossing the lowest point on the AT, I crossed the Hudson River. It was a half mile walk across the bridge. The afternoon had one big climb just after the Hudson and then some more reasonable trail. There was a deli at the last road crossing so I had a hot meal of meatloaf, potatoes and rice. My food supply lasts much longer when I can stop at nearby stores and restaurants. I'm camped at a monestary which has allowed hikers to use their ballfield area for 40 years. There is a cold shower, water spigot and biffies. Its a nice place to camp in an area with few options. The weather is cooler tonight and supposed to be that way for a few days.