morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-05-21
From: Stealth campsite

To: Carlisle
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I had plans to stay in Carlisle and meet up with an old friend who lives there, so I moved with a spring in my step. It also felt good knowing that most of my walk looked to be relatively flat today.I headed down off the small mountain where I stayed and got to Hunters Run Road and saw in my guide book that there was a Green Mountain Store just a quarter mile off the trail. There was a small bus stop shelter by the road, so I put my pack inside to keep it dry and walked up the hill in a light rain to check out the store. I was in luck, it was one of those wonderful little general stores with a small deli. I asked if they sell breakfast sandwiches, when the lady told me "yes, we do", I immediately ordered a bacon egg and cheese. I wandered through the store getting a coffee, chocolate milk, cinnamon bun, and a few snacks and smelled the wonderful smell of frying bacon as my sandwich was being built. Did I mention that I love these little places!When I left I met a few backpackers and learned that Kiwi and Blue Collar were a short distance ahead of me. I picked up the pace in hopes of catching them. The trail wound its way around, and over huge boulders that had arrows pointing the way; it was called the rock maze. There was a few places I had to put my poles up on the boulders, then pull myself up or lower myself, using my hands. It didn't last very long, but it was a fun challenge. Shortly thereafter the trail came down off the mountain and headed across Cumberland Valley toward the distant ridge. It followed edges of corn and hay fields for miles and went through the occasional pastures. When I got into the little town of Boiling Springs I met Blue Collar, and he mentioned something about grabbing a bite to eat while he waits for the post office to open at 1:00. We walked to a small cafe which was completely full so we walked across the street and had a burger at a small food mart. I took my leave then and walked on flat rural trails by myself till I got to the ridiculously noisy and busy US 11, outside of Carlisle.I walked about a half mile down the road as big trucks roared by me on the four lane highway that had a center turning lane. I got to a Day's Inn but I had to cross the busy road to get there, and it was an adventure. It felt as if I was in a foreign and dangerous world. When I finally saw a break and made a run for it, I just barely made it across before being crushed to a pulp by a convoy of loud, uncaring, behemoths. I saw a mangled black snake and a crushed frog by the side of the road. I felt sorry for them and felt fortunate that it didn't end the same way for me. The Days Inn was full so I had to walk a bit further and cross the asphalt death trap again to get to a Super 8, where I stayed for the night.My old friend, Clyde, picked me up at my room and we went across town to a nice little pub where I enjoyed my third good meal for the day. Life is good!
Date: 2015-05-23
From: Powerline

To: Swatara Gap
Miles today: 27.7

I packed up my tent in the early morning light and realized there was poison ivy growing all over the place. I hadn't noticed it last night as I was setting up because it was getting dark. Oh well, I might as well add poison ivy itch to my collection of mosquito and gnat bites. It is a small price to pay to experience the trail up close.I can barely believe my good fortune with the weather the past few days. In the mornings, it is just cold enough to need a jacket for a few hours then it becomes a little warmer with a nice breeze. Perfect!The trail is easy and I am thoroughly enjoying my walk as I go past places I have been before. It seems as if there are a lot of people on the trail the last few days. Most of them are weekend and section hikers but I have also been seeing a lot of thru hikers who are doing flip flops starting from Harper's Ferry. When I visit with them, they tend to be full of questions and uncertainty about whether they are doing things right. I know the feeling, it just seems like a short time ago that I was in their position. It won't take these people long to adjust, the trail is a great teacher.I got to a small sign that pointed to a trail that went left and it simply said "The General". I read about an old abandoned gas powered shovel that is rusting away and dubbed "The General", so I decided to check it out. I followed the blue blazed trail up and down some crazy steep inclines till I got to a wide creek, and decided I would have to find it some other time. It cost me about an hour and used up more of my water than I really wanted to use. The squeeze bag for my filter is leaking badly and I am using purification tablets till I get it replaced. I hate the idea of getting water from a lazy dirty creek, but I do if I have to.The trail goes through Rausch Gap which used to be an old mining town. It crosses an old railroad bed that has been turned into a rail trail, a 22 mile trail that goes from Dauphin to the Lebanon Reservoir. A trail that I rode with my bike a number of times in the past. I enjoy walking past all these places that I have experienced in the past, it seems like a walk down memory lane.
Date: 2015-05-24
From: Swatara Gap

To: Swatara Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a day of rest. Last evening my brother James picked me up from the trail to attend a friend's Memorial Day party. It was supposed to be a surprise for a lot of the guests, and I think it was successful.I did my laundry, did my grocery shopping, and went to a local outfitter to get a replacement Platypus water bag. I also picked up a lightweight, long sleeved, hiking shirt. I hope this will help prevent the mosquitos and gnats from feasting on my arms.It was a wonderful day of seeing family, friends, and of course, spending time with my dog.
Date: 2015-05-25
From: Swatara Gap

To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 26.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up this morning in my own bed, and it felt great. Well...the waking up part didn't feel so great. My friends and family wanted to accompany me on the trail for portions of the day. I packed up Mr. Maroon and loaded him, along with my dog, into the car. Yes, that is right, I was driving my car around again for a day. I did not drive for the past few months, and it seemed a bit strange to get behind the wheel again when I first picked up my car. I stopped at Sheetz for a breakfast sandwich on my way to my parents house, where I had arranged to meet my entourage. I let my dog and my car at my parents house and then we were off to the trail head. My Mom, my brother, my Uncle, and my cousin were going to join me for a few miles before turning back, but my friend, Sam, and Dad were going till the 501 shelter, where Sam had his car parked. After all the obligatory photos were taken, we were off. It was fun, the chatting and bantering was different from the solitary walks I was used to for the past several weeks. After a few miles, part of the group turned around and went back to the starting spot. Sam, Dad, and I continued on. We stopped at the William Penn Shelter for lunch, where we were joined by Glow, a section hikere. A family with a few young boys were camping at the shelter, and the boys entertained us with their captured pet worms as we ate. We arrived at the 501 just before 2:00, where I met my running friends, Dana and Kathy S. I parted ways with Dad and Sam and was joined by Dana who went with me till until I got to the PA 183. We met "Brother Louie", whom I last saw in southern Virginia, and Brightside, whom I didn't see since Maryland. The four of us had an interesting encounter with a 5' black snake this afternoon, but I wasn't able to get any pictures of it. After I said my goodbyes to Dana and Kathy, I went another six miles till I got to Eagles Nest Shelter. The shelter was full of people I had met a few days earlier, so I was able to catch up on trail news as I ate with them. I finally crawled into my tent around 9:30, and barely got to check in with the world via internet before drifting off to dreamland.Thanks to all my friends and family who came out with me today. It was a memorable day, for sure.
Date: 2015-05-27
From: Furnace Creek Trail

To: South Mountain Trail
Miles today: 24.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I got and packed up my tent in preparation for the day. Since the clearing I stayed at last night had a sign there that said "no camping" I am calling my sleeping spot a tenting site, since I technically only tented.I met my running buddy, Bausher, coming up the trail just a little bit before Eckville Shelter. The first thing he did was hand me a Wawa pretzel. It was a nice greeting. He had his car parked at the road and planned to go 14ish miles with me. It was fun, we walked, and chatted, and ate. Oh, and he kept feeding me periodically during the jaunt. We stopped for a break at the Allentown Hiking Club Shelter, where I met Six Pack again. I didn't see him since Franklin, NC. He has already hiked the south half of the AT, so he moved up to Harper's Ferry after taking some time off to recover from a hamstring issue. We had a good time catching up on the news. Bausher and I went for another four miles or so till we got to the PA 309, where his Dad picked him up to take him back to his car. His Dad had some sodas and snacks for us when he got there. I could get used to this!After Bausher left I filled my water bottles at the B & B water spigot and kept on going. After a little while I started hearing thunder and got caught in a thunderstorm. I put on my rain gear and covered the pack and got off the trail and moved about a quarter mile down off the ridge and took cover under a small patch of little trees. It poured but it didn't last long. I resumed my walk and just got over a long section of exposed rocks called knife edge when the second storm hit. This storm was not quite as intense but it lasted much longer, I was able to keep going through the second storm. I stopped at Bake Oven Knob Shelter where I tried to dry out a bit and cook dinner. Before long, I was joined by Brightside who was also caught in the storms. We both packed up and decided to move on till dark and dry as we go. We found a camping spot just before dark in a section of woods that had been burned in a controlled burn. It smelled of burnt wood and leaves.
Date: 2015-05-28
From: South Mountain Trail

To: Smith Gap Road
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: scattered clouds

This morning I simply got up, crawled out of my tent, packed up, and headed down the trail. I had a few swallows of water in my bottle and I had about three miles to the next source. Good water sources are pretty far apart in this part of PA. I got to the George W. Outerbridge shelter, which has a great water source, and had a leisurely breakfast, washed up some of my stuff, and decided that a quick stop in the town of Palmerton seemed like a good idea. It was a mile and a half off trail, and the idea of a milkshake on a warm day won out. I got into town just before 11:00, and had lunch at a small pizza place, then followed that up with an extra large strawberry milkshake before heading back out of town. I saw a large digital sign that said the temperature was 85°. I had a steep, open, climb to get up on the ridge and I wasn't exactly eager to tackle it.When I got back on the trail, it went up over the side of the mountain over a series of rock steps and boulder fields. There was several hundred feet of it where I had to collapse my poles, put them in my pack, and use my hands to climb long sections of angled rock faces. (I simply don't see how some of these 65+ year old people that are out here, navigate these areas.) When the trail reaches the top of the mountain it goes across the Palmerton Superfund site. A huge section of the mountain with no mature trees and sparse vegetation. An area that was deforested by smelting zinc from 1898-1980.I am going to stop defending my Pennsylvania portion of the AT, and start hating all these rocks along with the rest of the hikers. My feet are taking a pounding, with more blisters forming on my soles in the past few days. I have officially become an anti sharp, pointed rock hiker. You would think that after almost 1300 miles of walking, my feet would stop blistering. But, that doesn't seem to be how it works in PA.When I got to Smith Gap Rd. I decided I needed to take advantage of "Mechanical Man's" offer to sleep in his garage and the use of his hot shower for $10.00. I gave him a call and confirmed that there was room before walking the mile off the trail to his house. There was a retired lady from Illinois, Bedgie Bear, staying there as well. After I took a long hot shower and washed my clothes, Mechanical Man took both of us into Kunkletown, and joined us for dinner at the Kunkletown Pub. This establishment is another one of those historic, hidden gems that I am getting quite fond of. They have several rooms for rent and have a nice dining room with a great menu. They don't have a liquor license, but if you have dinner and you want a few beers or a few glasses of wine, they give it to you for free. How cool is that!
Date: 2015-05-29
From: Smith Gap Road

To: PA-NJ border
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: light rain

It's hard to believe the difference a warm shower, a large meal, a good night's sleep, a large supply of duct tape, and cooler temperatures can make. Yesterday I felt like crap, and today I felt like a million bucks!Perhaps it has something to do with me wrapping up the state of Pennsylvania, AND, the fact that I am taking a planned 1-2 week break from the trail. I am eager to see my family, my friends, my co-workers, and my dog again. When I started the trail, I promised the company I work for, that I would be back in for a week or so halfway through my hike. Next week is that week. I am thrilled that I was able to finish PA, and have less than 900 miles to go when I resume.This morning the trail was just as rocky as yesterday, but the trail was shaded and the temps cooler. The miles clicked off easily, and in short order I met Bedgie Bear again on her way south as she slack packed around 10 miles. Soon after lunch I stopped in at Kirkridge Shelter for water and met a lot of really nice flip flop thru hikers, along with Treehugger, a fellow trail journalist.Soon after I left the shelter I walked across an open spot with a view and saw what I thought to be three parachutists that had just landed. When I asked incredulously if they just landed, they replied, "nope, we are just about to take off". They told me to move off to the side a bit and watch if I wanted to see how it's done. I was dying to see how this paragliding works. They had their chutes laid out on the ridge like a giant parafoil stunt kite, then the waited till a strong gust of wind came along, yanked the strings to get it into the air, and away they floated. I was told that sometimes they have enough of an updraft that they can soar around for several hours before they land. It look like so much fun! Perhaps that will be the next thing I take up.After they all took off I continued my way down to Delaware Water Gap. I walked right through town and walked to the edge of the river, so that I got all the PA miles done. I walked back into town with about an hour to kill while I waited for my brother to pick me up. I spent that hour ingesting more calories-a large srawberry milkshake and a brownie to be exact.As I take a short break from the trail, I will also take a break from journaling. There may be some things, relevant to the trail, that I will post during my break, but probably not very many. Thank you for following my first leg of the trip, I will be back to walking and journaling again, in around 9-10 days.
Date: 2015-06-07
From: PA-NJ border

To: Camp Road
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

After spending a week off the trail, a fun week that was spent working, eating, making gear changes, and spending time with friends, I am back on the trail to finish the second half of my adventure.Did I mention that I was eating things that I didn't have to carry on my back, drinking water that I didn't have to filter, taking daily hot showers, sleeping in a clean bed, wearing clean clothes? Oh, and another thing, when I wanted to go somewhere, I could hop in my car and get there in short order. It was really nice. However, Maine is calling, and I intend to answer that call.I threw out my pair of Asics trail runners, they were falling apart and my feet were blistered. I replaced them with a Merrell trail running shoe. I took my poles back to REI because the entire rubber tip and basket came off of the one few weeks ago, they replaced them free of charge. I opted to go with cork handles on the next ones. I also returned my shirt that I just purchased from EMS, the right cuff or the entire sleeve was backwards. The buttons were on the outside of my wrist instead of on the inside of my wrist. It was driving me crazy. When I brought it in to the store, the sales person told me that that is the way it is designed. When I showed him that all the other shirts on the rack are not like that, and then reminded him that if mine is right, all his other shirts on the rack are wrong, he agreed to let me exchange it. The mosquitos are getting to be a problem so I also purchased a head net to keep them away from my face when they get bad.My brother James drove me to Delaware Water Gap this afternoon and dropped me off where he picked me up a week ago. I started the second leg of my adventure at 5:00 by walking across the bridge into New Jersey. As I walked up the mountain towards sunfish pond I met lots of weekend day hikers who were coming down the mountain. Two dudes who were probably in their early twenties, stopped me and told me that it will be getting dark in a few hours and that I probably want to turn around before too long. When I told them that I intend to stay the night they looked at me like I was crazy. They asked if I'm not going to work tomorrow. I told them I'm doing a long distance hike. "How far", they asked. When I told them I'm going from Georgia to Maine, their jaws dropped. One of them glanced at the other and laughed nervously and said he heard that there are bears out here. He asked me, "what would you do if you saw a bear?" I told him I would treat it like a large raccoon and try to scare it off. As they went to leave one of them looked at me and said, "Dude, you're f***ing crazy!" They kept glancing back at me as they moved on, as if to make sure the whole thing wasn't a dream.
Date: 2015-06-08
From: Camp Road

To: Gren Anderson Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night was a great night for sleeping. My tent, sleeping bag and pad were clean and smelled good. I wasn't really dirty yet from the short time I spent on the trail. It was cool enough that it was comfortable to get inside my bag and zip it up. A light rain started hitting my tent at first light. Not that a light rain is all that bad to pack up camp in, but it just felt great to be stretched out in the tent and listen to it rain. It turned into one of those mornings that are relaxed and very lazy. I never hit the trail till 9:00.When I think about New Jersey I tend to think of big cities, freeways, and crowded beaches. However, northwestern New Jersey is anything but that. I walked ridge lines and went past fire towers and saw miles and miles of ridges that reminded me of Georgia and North Carolina.I also forgot to mention in yesterday's post that I treated all of my clothing with permathrine to repel ticks. This is tick area, and I have been hearing a lot of reports of hikers picking up ticks. I found a tick with its head buried in my armpit while I was off the trail. It was a big tick, probably not a deer tick, and I think it came from my dog. I picked quite a few ticks off of her in the past week. I will monitor my tick site and watch for the telltale bullseye that indicates Lyme disease.I met Scribbles at the Brink Shelter and convinced him to join me for a milkshake in Branchville, which was about a mile off the trail. We sat under a pavilion at some picnic tables enjoying our milkshake and hotdogs from Jumboland Diner when we noticed storm clouds gathering in the west. I checked the weather radar, and figured we had a little over an hour till it started to rain. Scribbles asked the Diner employee if we can spend the night under the pavilion, but she didn't give us permission to stay. We grabbed our stuff and headed back to the trail in hopes of making the next shelter, wich was three miles up the trail. We just got started when a former thru hiker stopped and offered us a ride to the trail. We gratefully accepted and were at the trail in no time. It started to sprinkle a little bit and Scribbles set up his hammock for the night so he doesn't get wet. I pushed on in hopes of making the shelter before the storm. I arrived at the shelter just about the same time the rain got there. PA Trail Runner was there, along with a nice couple who were section hiking (the last time I saw PA Trail Runner was in Hot Springs, NC). John and Tears, the section hikers, told me that there was a tornado watch in effect and that was all it took to convince me to stay inside the shelter. We sat in the shelter and told stories for an hour or so, while the rain poured and it slowly got dark on us. Almost every thru hiker I meet these days has a bear sighting story, I am starting to feel like a fraud, with my beard gone, clean clothes, and no certain bear sighting.
Date: 2015-06-09
From: Gren Anderson Shelter

To: Lott Road
Miles today: 20.1

It rained off and on most of the night, but my three hiking companions and I stayed dry and comfortable in the shelter. The shelter was rated for eight people, so it didn't seem claustrophobic for the four of us. PA Trail Runner was up at first light and started putzing around with his gear. I was in no hurry, but decided to get my stuff together and do breakfast with the crew, since the company was quite pleasant. After a leisurely breakfast and some hot chocolate (thanks to the wonderful section hikers) PA Trail Runner took his leave. I hung around for a bit longer and worked on my journal, since I didn't get time to do it last night with all the interesting conversation that was going on. I finally headed out around 8:00.After going a few miles I came to a stone pavilion that was on top of the mountain. It was a lovely place and I spent some time there. Then I went a few more miles and stopped at the Mashipacong Shelter. The shelter was situated in a nice clearing, and there was bottles of water inside the shelter. I topped off my water supply and sat down in the shelter and worked on uploading my journal. It was a beautiful, lazy morning, and I took my time. Finally, I moved on. I had just barely left, when I heard something rustling in the brush about 30 yards to my left. It was a bear! Not a really big bear, but it was probably between 100-150 pounds. It scrambled up a rock face, as I scrambled for my phone camera. It stopped on the top of the rock, sileoutted against the sky and looked back for an instant before going over and disappearing behind the rock. I never got a chance to take a photo. Maybe next time.This afternoon I got to High Point State park where they have a huge monument on a hill above a small lake with a beach. There was free showers, a concession stand, and power to charge my phone. What more could a hiker want! I spent a few hours eating, getting cleaned up, and checking out the monument. I finally got back on the trail at 5:00 and hiked steadily until about 7:30, then set up camp a little outside of Unionville, NY. My guidebook indicates a deli that is .7 miles off the trail and opens at 6:00. I think I know where I will be for breakfast.New Jersey has been a pleasant surprise. I think it may be one of my favorite states on the trail so far.