morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-04
From: Ensign Cowel Shelter

To: Quarry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 29.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 96 Start: Ensign Cowall Shelter Dest: Quarry Gap Shelter Miles: 29.9 Total: 1070.3 Today I made it to my home state of PA. I took a picture of myself at the state line and also the Mason Dixon Line :-) I love being a Yankee. I never knew until this hike that the southerners call the Civil War the War of Northern Agression. I found that rather interesting. Today I met two section hikers hiking from Harpers Ferry North, Boyd and Curtis. I also met Giggles & 30-30 at a shelter having lunch. I have been following them for a long time and reading their shelter journals. I finally got to me them in person. I stopped at the Caladonia State Park to rest my sore feet. It¢s amazing how good a short break with the boots off feels. A park ranger stopped by and I thought he might tell me to move on since I was in a private pavilion but instead he told me I was more than welcome to rest there as long as I needed to. I love PA. I finaly made it to the Quarry Gap Shelter after my longest day yet. I met Seeker and Hawkeye, who I already knew was there. We were all preparing or eating dinner when two new guys showed up. Their first words were, "Do you guys want a beer?" They were Underpants & Tiny. Both started a South-bound thru-hike last year. Tiny had to get off the trail about halfway due to a kidney problem. Underpants made it all the way to Springer. Now they were out for a few days hiking some sections. They had left donuts earlier on the trail before Caladonia State Park. Mmmmm, were they good. As we all sat around telling stories of our adventures and enjoying a couple of cold beers it began to rain. Its amazing how cold the streams can keep a beer. After all but one beer was gone we decided to call it a night. It was still raining. Giggles and 30-30 showed up in the dark somewhere around 11 pm I think. It was still raining. Off to bed I went again dreaming of the 1/2 gallon challenge that awaits me tomorrow. ~Dances with Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-06-06
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 0.0

Day 98 Start: Pine Grove Furnace State Park Dest: Boiling Springs, PA. Miles: Total: Last night I talked to Wolf Cookie and we decided she would meet me in Boiling Springs today. The hike was pretty easy with only a few small climbs and lots of flat ridge walking. I passed the 1/2 way marker that is on the trail. It no longer corresponds to the actual halfway point due to trail relocations over the years that have made the trail longer. It as still cool to pass and take a picture at. Walking into Boiling Springs I crossed a stream that must have had 100 guys standing almost shoulder to shoulder fly fishing. From the bridge over the stream I could see all kinds of trout. It was pretty neat. I got to the Regional ATC office and waited for Jan to show up. I only had to wait about 45 minutes. It was great to see her again. We headed up the road towards Carlisle, PA where we got a hotel room. Then it was off to Hoss's Steak House for dinner. Another good day. ~Dances with Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-06-07
From: Boiling Springs, PA

To: Doyle Hotel, Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 99 Start: Boiling Springs, PA. Dest: Duncannon, PA.Miles: Total: 1132.7 Since Duncannon was only 25 or so miles from Boiling Springs, Wolf Cookie met me there today too! She got us a room at the Doyle Hotel, which is the main place hikers stay in town. I hiked from Boiling Springs to Duncannon. The hiking was pretty easy and very flat to start with. The first 7 miles were walking through farm fields over small rolling hills. As I rounded a corner getting ready to cross this ¢million dollar¢ foot bridge who do I see sitting on the bridge? WOLF COOKIE! She surprised me by parking down the road from the bridge and walking up the bank to the bridge to wait for me. She sure is something else! I love her surprises. We said goodbye one more time, it would be about 7 more hours until I got to see her again. I hiked for a few more miles and just before I get to this road crossing I see a plastic bag with sodas and an apple. Hmmm, that apple and bag look familiar. I grabbed a soda and drank it down then kept hiking. (Of course I crushed the can and packed it out with me :-) When I got to Duncannon I saw Wolf Cookie in my truck with the Camera Crew and Bear Bag Hanger in the back. They stopped quickly to tell me where the hotel/bar was and that they were making a grocery run. I found the hotel right on Main Street and what do you know...? It's still happy hour. After a beer Wolf Cookie and the crew show up. WC shows me our room on the 3rd floor...just what I wanted, 3 flights of stairs to climb after a long day hiking. The hotel reminds me of something you would see in an old black and white murder mystery movie. Its a pretty neat place but very old. Camera Crew and WC and I walked the 2 miles of the trail through town eating ice cream so that in the morning we could get dropped off at the edge of town and not have to walk through town. When we got back to the Doyle we all had a drink and the owner fixed us some chicken fingers and fried mushrooms even though the kitchen was officially closed. This sure is a great/friendly place. After our food it was off to bed. The plan is for me to hike to the 501 road/shelter by 6/10 so WC can pick me up since I will be taking a few days off for her 10 year reunion in New Hampshire. It shouldn't be a problem to get there on the 10th. ~Dances with Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-06-08
From: Hotel Doyle, Duncannon, PA

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 28.9
Weather: mist

Day 100 Start: Duncannon, PA. Dest: Rausch Gap ShelterMiles: 28.9 Total: 1161.6Jan dropped the Camera Crew and me off at the end of town after we all ate the big hiker breakfast special at the Doyle (It was a big meal and very good). With our tummies full, we started out of town with a nice walk across a long bridge and then right into a climb to get us up on the ridges. The hiking was pretty easy and I ended up pushing farther than I had planned. I was looking to get to 501 by the 10th. Now it looks like I might be there on the 9th. This would be good since it would give me a full day off at home before we head to New Hampshire for Jan¢s reunion. I made it to the Rausch Shelter by 8pm. Rambling Man was the only one there. It was a really nice shelter even though it was built in 1972. It was a relief knowing that I only had 17.5 miles to hike tomorrow and I would get to see my wife again. I am not sure how I feel about getting off the trail for four days though. This will be my first official departure from the trail since I started hiking in March. Hopefully I won¢t have withdrawl symptoms. ~Dances with Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-06-16
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

Day 108 Start: Port Clinton Dest: Eckville Shelter Miles: 15.2 Total: 1217.9 I slept in till 7:30am this morning. It was a pretty good nights sleep except for the road noise. Semi trucks kept coming down the road behind the pavillion and using the engine brake to slow down which seemed to be really loud in the quiet night air. I tried to use the pay phone at the hotel, the only pay phone in town, but the lobby didn't open till 11am and I didn't want to wait around that long. So I started hiking. The climb out of Port Clinton was pretty easy but the humidity was already at 80%. I stopped at the Pulpit Rocks overlook for a break and some photos. Then it was off to the Pinnacle Overlook. The Pinnacle offered some of the best views yet of PA. I had lunch there and let the clothes dry out a little bit. I have been soaked in sweat since the start of the day. There were almost a dozen hawks floating in the sky near the overlook. It was very relaxing sitting there watching them float on the wind circling around and around. The hike down from the overlook to Eckville was the easiest hiking in awhile, no rocks, just smooth fire roads. The Eckville shelter is a shack in the backyard of a house. It is a really nice shack with 6 bunks and a lounge chair. The place even has a flush toilet with a solar shower. The shower felt good but the water was still a little cold. Hawkeye, 30-30, Giggles, Naked Indian,?, and I ordered pizzas from the local pizza place. This made for another good day of eating. The down side is it cost me money and I didn't lighten my pack at all. I helped the caretaker install an air conditioner in his window and he gave me a free liter of Gatorade. Not a bad exchange for 15 minutes of work. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain and possibly hail. I am getting really tired of this severe weather everyday. Last night we had some good thunder and lighting along with the 45 minute down pour. Hopefully the weather will hold off until I get to the shelter tomorrow...25miles away. ~Dances with Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-06-17
From: PA309

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: light rain

Day 118 Start: PA309 Dest.: Bake Oven Knob Shelter Miles: 5.9 Total: 1235.3 It seems like such a long time since I have done an entry and I guess it has been a while. So let me sum up what's happen in the past week or two. I had 5 days off to travel to New Hampshire for Wolfcookies 10yr. highschool reunion. It was a good time and I even got to mountain bike around Smarts Mountain with some friends. (The AT crosses Smarts Mountain)After the 5 days off Wolfcookie dropped me at 501 where I got off the trail. I hiked for a few days until I hit PA309. From a restaurant just down the road I called Wolfcookie to come and get me, oh and to make me a doctors appointment too. A few mile before reaching the road I stepped wrong on a couple of rocks with my right foot. I had some nice stabbing pains in my foot with each step. So, three hours and several beers later Wolfcookie showed up to take me home. I saw the doctor the next day, had x-rays, got poked and prodded, then told to take a week off. I sat around the house for a week, taking pain pills and helping dad do some work on the house. After a week it was back to the doctor, no more pain so I'm ok to hit the trail again. The parents drove Wolfcookie and I back to PA309 and we started our journey together again. This was the first time Wolfcookie has hiked since Front Royal and the first time with her new orthodics and new boots. Her feet hurt a little and she had to play with the inserts and soles in her boots to keep from getting blisters. My feet felt pretty good too. We had a nice short relaxing hike to the shelter and ended up staying in the tent for the night. ~Dances with Wolfcookie
Date: 2004-06-18
From: Bake Oven Knob Shelter

To: Lehigh Gap/PA248
Miles today: 7.7

Day 119 Start: Bake Oven Knob Shelter Dest.: Lehigh Gap/PA248 Miles: 7.7 Total: 1243.0 Another nice short day of hiking. Both of our feet hurt. WolfCookie is still having the pain in the front of her feet like she did when she got off in Troutville but not as bad. My feet just feel really tender and ache all over. We met a couple weekenders, Dan and Tony, who offered to give us a ride into Palmerton. We were thinking of going into town because Wingfoot's book says hikers can stay for free in the old jailhouse and how often do you get to stay in jail when you haven't been bad? We asked Dan and Tony how hard they thought it would be to hitch and they told us not hard at all since we have a truck and can give you a ride. So it was off to Palmerton. We checked in at the new police station. They photocopy your drivers license and fingerprint you, then take a urine sample. Actually they only copy your license. I joked with the officer about having outstanding warrants in PA and he said that was ok, tonight would be a free night of immunity since they don't run background checks on the hikers. Good thing ;-) As it turned out the old jailhouse was not really a jail but just the basement to the old police station down the street from the new police station. The room was very large with several wooded bunk beds setup along the walls. It was very clean and nice. We even had access to hot showers. We ate at the local chineese place for dinner, then the grocery store for a pint of B&J. At 7pm a band started playing in the park. So Wolfcookie and I walked over to the park and listened for awhile, then walked through town checking out all the lovely homes. It was another nice relaxing day after a few short miles but the feet still hurt. ~Dances with WolfCookie
Date: 2004-06-19
From: Lehigh Gap/PA248

To: Leroy Smith Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: broken clouds

Day 120Start: Lehigh Gap/PA248 Dest.: Leroy Smith Shelter Miles: 15.8 Total: 1258.8 Today we had breakfast at Bert's dinner/steakhouse. It was pretty good and cheap. It only took us about 5 minutes to get a hitch back to the trail. There was a 1000 foot climb in less than a mile coming out of Lehigh Gap. It was a very fun rock scramble almost the whole climb. The trail is totaly baren due to all the localized acid rain from the zinc plant in town. We had a nice cool overcast morning to hike the rocks. I could just imagine getting baked by the sun hiking these rocks if there weren't any clouds. After the climb the hiking was pretty flat with a few rocky sections here and there. We stoped for several long breaks to enjoy the cool day and relax the feet. Both of us are still hurting and it has led me to make the decision that we should get off the trail at Deleware Wate Gap. This is not an easy decision but I think it¢s the right one for us. Wolfcookies¢ feet hurt to much even doing short days. My feet have begun to really ache even though I could deal with the pain and hike on alone, I would rather hike with Wolfcookie. So instead of making us both suffer, or me suffer alone we will call it quits for the thru-hike after completing PA. Hopefully over the next 5-10 years I will be able to finish the remaining 895 miles. ~Dances with Wolfcookie
Date: 2004-07-12
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: light rain

Day 134Start: Delaware Water GapDest.: Mohican Outdoor CenterMiles: 10.3Total: 1289.5Ahhhh, it sure feels good to be back on the trail! Wolfcookie drove me back to Delaware Water Gap and dropped me off around 4:30pm. It was raining when we woke up this morning so I wasn't in to big of a hurry to get going. The forecast said rain all day so at noon I gave up on waiting for it to stop and we piled into the car and headed out. Thus we didn't get to DWG till 4:30, and it was raining...still.It was a sad goodbye again. Wolfcookie and I spent a lot of time together the last 12 days house hunting and hanging out. Hopefully I will make some good time and see her again soon.The trail was pretty easy today. I walked the DWG bridge for the third and last time. My feet felt pretty good until my boots finally soaked thru. Then they just felt like I was walking in a big sloppy puddle. Every step water squirted out of my boots. I wonder if there really is such a thing as a waterproof boot?I stayed at the Mohican Outdoor Center. Its a bunch of large cabins close to a big pond. There were even hot showers which felt really good after walking in the cold rain all day. There were six other thru hikers in the cabin I stayed in; Skippy & Poppins, Big Red, Sunset, Now or Never and Party Girl. It was nice to see thru-hikers my first day back out.Sunset got a fire going and we all hung our clothes up to dry. By morning most of the clothes dried but the socks were still damp and the boots were still soaked. I think it will take a week of sunny days for my boots to dry out all the way.Well off to drink my night cap, Party Girl bought a couple six packs of local microbrew so I am going to drink one before hitting the sack. ~Dances with Wolfcookie.
Date: 2004-07-13
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Gren Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 135Start: Mohican Outdoor CenterDest.: Gren Anderson ShelterMiles: 20.9Total: 1310.4Today was a very cloudy, overcast day with cool winds. It never really rained but there was so much moisture in the air that it felt like it was raining. My boots are still soaked and walking in the wet grass didn't help things any. I stopped to change my socks once before lunch but it didn't make a lot of difference since the socks I put on were still wet from yesterday. Hopefully tomorrow will be a warm sunny day!The legs are feeling a little like jello. I guess taking 26 out of the last 42 days off can do that The feet were feeling the miles today. It might take me a few days to work up to the 20 plus milers.The trail went through Culvers Gap where a bakery was supposed to be, right on the trail. Unfortunatley the building is still there but the bakery is gone! This was quite a let down. I could have headed down the road about 200yards and had a beer and burger at the local tavern but I didn't. It was tough to pass up but 1. it costs more money to eat at a restaurant/bar than out of my food bag, and 2. my food bag wouldn't be getting any lighter. Now I am hiding out in my hammock trying not to let the mosquitos know I am hear. They are quite fierce around these parts.Tomorrow its off to a "secret shelter" run by a former thru hiker.~Dances with Wolfcookie
Date: 2004-07-14
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: Pochuck Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 25.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 136Start: Gren Anderson ShelterDest.: Pochuck Mountain ShelterMiles: 25.4Total: 1335.8Todays weather started out crappy. It turned mildly crappy towards afternoon and then just plain shitty but evening. Somehow I managed to beat the rain to the shelter by about 20 minutes. I even had time to cook dinner and get the hammock setup. Now I am hanging out in the shelter with a father and son (The Walking W's) from Reading, PA. They are southbounding a section of New Jersey and finishing tomorrow. I waited the storm out in the shelter and talked to them about hiking. The father is looking at hammocks so I offered to let him look mine over to get an idea of what the Hennesey Hammock is like once the storm stops.Other thru hikers I met today: Just Learning and Megabits. I also saw the Pookie Puppies at the Jim Murray secret shelter. The last time Wolf Cookie and I saw them was in Waynesboro. They were headed to Unionville to stay in the hostel.I elected to skip town today and head to this shelter. I will hit Vernon tomorrow to get supplies for a few more days. I maybe done with New Jesey for good tomorrow if I don't spend a lot of time in town.The storm passed by pretty fast. Lots of thunder, one blast even shook the shelter a little bit. I saw about 20 bunny rabbits today along the trail. One was even laying down on its side watching me walk towards it. It waited until I was about 10 feet away before it sprang up and jumped into the brush.I saw the tail end of some kind of snake too. It was black with a yellowish stripe down each side. I am glad it saw me first and was already moving out of the way.Well its 9:30 and time for bed. Up early tommorow for a short town visit.~Dances with Wolfcookie.
Date: 2004-07-15
From: Pochuck Mtn Shelter

To: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 6.5

Day 137Start: Pochuck Mountain ShelterDest.: St. Thomas Episcopal ChurchMiles: 6.5Total: 1342.3Midday entry. Good hiking from Pochuck. There must have been over a mile and half of wooden walkway on the trail. It was quite a change from the rocks and roots of the normal trail. The walkway wrapped through several large marsh fields full of birds. I planned to hitch into Vernon for laundry, shower, and supplies. When I got to the road there was a gentleman there working as a trail angel. His name was David and he said he had been watching the weather the last few days and decided to come out and lend a hand to the thru-hikers. He had a cooler full of ice-cream, sodas and snacks...plus some realy good apples. David asked me if I needed a ride and he offered to take me into town. He dropped me off at the church hostel where I took my shower and did laundry. There were a few hikers still hanging out when I got here at 10am; Bucket, White Patch, and Octane plus two others.They had a bad of donut holes on the counter that must have weighed 50 pounds. I have never seen that many donut holes! I did my best to put a dent into them but after about 20 I had to stop.Now on to resupply and head back to the trail.~Dances with Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-07-15
From: Somewhere in the woods

To: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 17.7

Day 137Start: St. Thomas Episcopal ChurchDest.: Somewhere in the woodsMiles: 11.2Total: 1353.5Total for today: 17.7Well I spent about an hour longer than I planned in town. I didn't make it back to the trail until 1:30. I hitched a ride rather quickly given that there really wasn't a lot of room for a car to pull over. I stood just past an intersection in Burger Kings front lawn hitching. They must have really loved seeing a scruffy looking bum standing on their grass with his thumb out. I even had a guy turning the corner yell out "get a job you bum!" That was a first. Maybe I should think about shaving?...naaaAnother state is over. New Jersey is in the history books folks. Six more to go...aaahhhhh New York is a completely different type of terrain than New Jersey. There are a lot of ridges to walk here and a few bouldering sections that can be a little tricky with a pack on. One section even had a wooden ladder leaned against the rock face with an arrow that pointed up! I was running low on water up on the ridge so I got water from the first stream I crossed. The water was red...my whole water bag looked red. Even after I filtered it its still red. I hope my filter is working right, for some reason I thought it would filter everything out and the water would actually be clear. Hopefully I don't come down with any illness in the next 10-15days. When I mixed my gatorade powder in with the tinted water it turned green...normally the gatorade is blue! I am hammocked of the edge of the trail tonight. I have a good viw of the sunset and a nice breeze blowing through. I just hope it doesn't blow in a big storm tonight.From the register entries it looks like I am the following days behind my ol friends: Leki-less, 9 daysMc & Willow, 7+ daysCastro, 5+ daysWell off to sleep. Hopefully I don't get blown away since the breeze is really starting to turn into more of a gusting...uhoh!~Dances With Wolf Cookie