morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-07-15
From: Eckville shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: light rain

Things happen for a reason. The reason I stopped after 14.5 miles at 4 pm yesterday is because I must have subconsciously known how tough today was going to be. Also we did get the thunderstorm last night that was forecasted to I was able to start the day with dry gear.Today Pennsylvania showed us what it is notorious for...ROCKS! Extreme rocks. Rocks on the trail, boulder fields to try to rock hop across and mountains of rock slabs that we were climbing on the spine of. I have learned that if the A.T. Guide names the rock section (Knife's Edge, Bear Rocks, Bake Oven Knob) it is going to be tough.Just a couple more days of PA, a visit from mom, then into New Jersey.
Date: 2015-07-16
From: Bake Oven Knob shelter

To: Delps Trail campsite
Miles today: 17.5

Got down into the 50's last night. It has been a while since it has been lower than the 60's. Today we knew we were going to face Lehigh Gap. A vertical climb up rock to reach our next ridge.Today's hike was varying levels of rockiness. A lot of the hikers I was around went to Palmerton for lunch, not I. I need all my hours in the day to get my hike done around 6pm and I have a food bag I want to feel get lighter.Lehigh Gap was tough but I actually was more anxious when I climbed over Knife's Edge the day before.Other hikers are still trying to do 20 milers in this rocky terrain. My last two days have been around 17.5 miles and I am tired.
Date: 2015-07-17
From: Delps Trail campsite

To: Kirkridge shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: overcast clouds

We have climbed much taller rocks this week and even climbed over the type of rocks we saw today. But previous days there were some breaks from the madness. Today the rocky sections were pretty constant and I was doing a 19.8 miles hike. I was so irritated by the last few miles I wanted to cry. Especially when I took a bypass trail at one point and saw how unrocky other areas of the woods were.I haven't seen much in PA because I have been eyes on the trail the whole way through. But today a timber rattler was right in the middle of the trail and I sure saw him.Just 6.4 miles left in PA!
Date: 2015-07-18
From: Kirkridge shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 6.4

Woke up and wanted to get on the trail as soon as possible to get into Delaware Water Gap to meet up with my mom who drove from Michigan for a visit. As I was packing up the sky started to rumble so I waited for the rain to pass and was on the trail just before 8am. I reached Delaware Water Gap at 11am and met up with my mom within a few minutes. She hasn't seen me since I left for the trail March 30. So she was now seeing me 45 pounds lighter and got a first look at my face since my fall back on June 24.We got a hotel in Stroudsburg and made plans to do trail magic while I was zeroing on Sunday.
Date: 2015-07-19
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Delware Water Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Today was a very hot day so I was glad that it was a zero day for me. My mom and I tried to find a trail crossing that we could do trail magic at that we could easily find.We finally settled on High Point State Park in New Jersey. It was a great spot right where the trail crosses with a shady spot for us to set up. We had sodas, chips and fruit and it was well received. Met hikers whose names I had seen in the registers but hadn't yet met. And I also saw hikers that I already knew. Most sat down and chatted for a while enjoying the shady spot and the cold sodas and other goodies.My mom and I really enjoyed our day doing trail magic.Doing trail magic up the trail from my current location allowed me some insight on what was yet to come. They let me know the mosquitos were bad and the water sources were not the most desirable looking.
Date: 2015-07-19
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Delware Water Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Today was a very hot day so I was glad that it was a zero day for me. My mom and I tried to find a trail crossing that we could do trail magic at that we could easily find.We finally settled on High Point State Park in New Jersey. It was a great spot right where the trail crosses with a shady spot for us to set up. We had sodas, chips and fruit and it was well received. Met hikers whose names I had seen in the registers but hadn't yet met. And I also saw hikers that I already knew. Most sat down and chatted for a while enjoying the shady spot and the cold sodas and other goodies.My mom and I really enjoyed our day doing trail magic.Doing trail magic ahead of my current location allowed me some insight on an area I would soon be hiking through. They let me know that the mosquitos were bad and the water sources were not the most desirable looking.
Date: 2015-07-20
From: Delware Water Gap

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Dropped off the extra trail magic food we had at the church hostel in Delaware Water Gap. Said goodbye to my mom and returned to the trail.Another warm day with high humidity so I took it easy and did low miles. So happy to be out of Pennsylvania and into New Jersey. But the rocks did not disappear at the state line.Saw Trial & Error early in the hike. Met Blue Kazoo, Dirty Peanut and Silver Lobster who all recognized my name from the shelter registers and my nice penmanship. Silver quoted something I wrote in a register before he know who I was.Got a tent site at the Mohican Outdoor Center. Got a soda and ice cream from the camp store.
Date: 2015-07-21
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Gren Anderson shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: clear sky

On the trail at 6:30am, my earliest, thanks to Silver Lobster who started packing up at 4am.Avoided Brinks shelter, as advised by hikers at trail magic on Sunday, due to mosquito infestation. Even walking passed that shelter the mosquitoes got noticeably worse until you got about a half mile from the area.Saw my first New Jersey rattlesnake.In Culvers Gap is food establishments so I stopped for a Gatorade and soda before the last climb to the shelter. At the top of the climb the sky started to rumble so I started hiking fast trying to get to the shelter before the rain started. I didn't make it. But the rain was very refreshing after a warm, sweaty day.Mosquitoes weren't bad when I arrived at the shelter but when we laid down for the night they got active. I finally got up and put up the mesh portion of my tent in the shelter for relief.Howzit and Silver Lobster rolled in just before 3am. They had been at the bar in Culvers Gap.
Date: 2015-07-22
From: Gren Anderson shelter

To: High Point shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: few clouds

As we woke up this morning there was a bear just outside of camp. It was climbing knocking over a dead tree.Took my time today because I was doing low miles. About an hour into the hike I saw a rattlesnake and later that afternoon I saw a black snake.Passed through the park where my mom and I did trail magic on Sunday.Climbed the observation deck to view the tower on the highest point on the trail in New Jersey.
Date: 2015-07-23
From: High Point shelter

To: Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: moderate rain

Hit the trail this morning with plans to get to Vernon, NJ for a shower and resupply. After leaving the shelter and seeing rock free trail my spirits were lifted immediately. I did 12 miles at about 3 miles an hour.The trail today was nice. The hike went around the Wallkill Preserve and through another preserve. Temps and humidity have been nice the last couple of days as well.Ended the day at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church hostel for shower, laundry and resupply.
Date: 2015-07-24
From: Vernon, NJ

To: Wildcat shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Caught a ride to the trail from a trail angel named Pink Angel. Started the day with a section named "Stairway to heaven". A local told me about the Bellvale Creamery and to go there for ice cream so that was my goal today. Hiked with Silver Lobster much of the day. We hiked out of New Jersey and firmly into New York. Lots of climbing on rock ridges making those miles go more slowly. I was ready to be done and headed to the creamery but the rock ridges just kept coming, some more technical than others. I have to admit when I saw another tall one I had a mini-meltdown, tears included. After I pulled myself together I got through the rocks and finally back to easier trail where I could pick up speed. Reached the road to the creamery at 6pm and headed for a well deserved ice cream. The ice cream was super delicious! After that it was just two miles to the shelter. Silver and I chatted with a local family at the creamery about our hike. The kids were stunned that we had hiked there from Georgia.Lots of hikers at this shelter tonight.
Date: 2015-07-25
From: Wildcat shelter

To: Harriman, NY
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: light rain

Today started like any other day up and on the trail with miles to hike, little did I know how it would end.Today was a lot of up and down rock ridges again, no switchbacks, just straight up and straight down. Temperature was quite warm and there weren't many water sources today. Leapfrogged early in the day with Blue Kazoo, Dirty Peanut and Yogi with Boo Boo.By mid-afternoon I was getting frustrated with the rock ridges again and when I came across a side trail that looked like it might be a bypass trail down to the road I took it. I was a mile or so in when I realized this was probably not a bypass trail but I decided to not turn back around because I could hear road noise so I was going to head to the road and then relocate the AT.As I am moving quickly down the side trail I tripped and fell, nose hit the ground which was rocks (flat rocks thankfully). I had a full-on meltdown, I was frustrated with terrain today, I was frustrated that I took the side trail and if I had been knocked out no one would have found me, I was frustrated that my face hit the ground again! Why does my face have to hit the ground with my falls? I am tired of getting hurt, I want to go home!Finally I rolled over and got out of my pack to assess the damage. Nose was fine, no bleeding, I just seemed to be dirty. So I put my pack back on and headed down to the road. Sat near the road trying to call my mom to tell her I was coming home. No answer all day, this was a decision I needed to make on my own. While I was sitting there I realized my chest hurt, it felt like someone had punched me in the heart, literally.Finally got into Harriman to rest and regroup and make a decision in the morning. As the hours passed the chest pain got worse and I realized I had fallen on my trekking pole, which probably saved my nose from hitting that rock any harder. I couldn't lift with my left arm, I had bruising on my left breast and I could not take any deep breaths. I couldn't move without some sort of discomfort, I couldn't hike like this.Sunday morning I took a taxi to the local airport to rent a vehicle to drive home to Michigan. Once home I didn't do anything for over three weeks while the bruising in my chest was healing. It hurt to move, to laugh, to cough, to breath deeply and worst of all was sneezing.I had an adventure of a lifetime over the last four months and from the bottom of my heart I would like to thank everyone off trail for the moral support and words of encouragement. I would like to thank my trail friends I met along the way, it was a pleasure sharing the trail with you this season. But I especially want to thank my mom and my sister who were there when things got really tough. Good luck, God bless and Happy Trails Hickers!
Date: 2015-02-18
To: Greetings
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Greetings to you!Thanks very much regarding your interest for thru-hikers' journals. I hope you will find the journals of others and my journal, too, as an enjoyable and meaningful way to personally read and thus experience the diverse journeys as we hike the AT in the Class of 2015. In turn, you may choose to provide a word of encouragement to hikers through the "Guest Book" feature. I have found this to be a good way over the years to follow AT and other long-distance trail hikers.I am very proud to call Johnson City, Tennessee ("JC") in the Tri-Cities, TN/VA region as home for my family and me. JC is very near (45 minutes or so) the AT as the AT meanders thru the Roan Highlands (one of the most beautiful places on earth and that is not an exaggeration), up, over, and down Pond Mountain ("steep as a mule's face" as we say in East Tennessee), and around Watauga Lake as you head north toward Damascus, Virginia. Beginning at age eleven, I grew up hiking many of these sections in Scouting and as an adult, I have been able to re-kindle and extend my interest in the AT over the past several years as a weekend and vacation section hiker (mostly in GA, NC, TN, and VA).I am not retirement age; however, after thirty years in my professional endeavors I now have an opportunity to thru-hike the AT. For the past sixteen years, I have been privileged to work for University Advancement at East Tennessee State University. Working with donors for their current giving and estate/planned giving is a true passion and privilege. Also, ETSU (Go Bucs!) does a great job in its academic offerings and recreational programming to embrace the AT, area rivers, the mountains, and our region's natural resources for leadership experiences, hiking, kayaking, climbing, and other outdoor pursuits. What a place to live, learn, and work!This may seem to be a strange time to thru-hike for me. In 2014 I was diagnosed with cardio microvascular disease (sometimes called "Cardiac Syndrome X"). After three heart caths, one stent placement, treatment with medications, and many complications along the way, I feel strongly that now is the time to not only return to the AT; moreover, it is time as "RESOLUTE" (my trail name) to thru-hike beginning on or about March 15 at Springer Mountain, GA.I am so grateful for the support and encouragement of my wife, Beth, our daughter, Olivia, my parents and family, church friends (Munsey Memorial United Methodist), the ETSU community, my fellow hikers, and new friends to be made on and off the AT in the journey ahead. And to my wife, Beth: Yes, I have purchased a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to aid Search and Rescue (let's hope it is not needed, but Beth is almost convinced that the unfortunate navigator on the Titanic was related to me). Thanks to you for following Resolute on the AT! I look forward to meeting you.
Date: 2015-03-15
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mountain
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: clear sky

The trek begins at Springer Mountain. Rain for several days in Georgia had turned the US Forest Road into a muddy quagmire, but Beth, Olivia, and I made it to the AT along with many others on a warm, sunny morning.The three of us began my trek by initially hiking southward out to the summit of Springer for .9 miles. Many other families did likewise. I told Beth and Olivia that they should just hike all the way northward with me since they had .9 miles under their shoes, but they unsurprisingly declined. We said our good-byes, and I watched them drive off. I'll miss them so very much. They have provided much encouragement, love, and support for this endeavor.The forest on the way to Hawk Mountain was alive with an early spring. Pileated woodpeckers were hammering trees. White-breasted nuthatches put on a great show as they scampered down tree trunks head first. Three Forks Creek was a peaceful, soothing brook. The forest has a faint scent of Georgia pine; above all, it smelled clean and pure. God's handiwork is incredible.The word on the trail was that the Hawk Mountain Shelter would be overflowing with AT thru-hikers and Spring Break Trekkers; that prediction was correct as over thirty people were there. The tents there were a rainbow of colors on display in the forest.Semi-Colon (retired firefighter from Louisville who is a colon cancer survivor), Speakeasy (from Chattanooga), Tim from Michigan, and I pitched our tents in a clearing near the trail. It was an excellent campsite. When it came time to hang the bear bags, let's just say that isn't easy to do in the dark and no baseball team is going to draft me for my arm.Tom, a ridge runner from the Georgia Mountain Club, advised us that during our hike to Justus Creek/Gooch Mountain, there would not be any water. The forecast was for another very warm day. When you consider the "physics" of water with a gallon weighing just over eight pounds, hikers dread to hear those words that you need to carry that version of "heavy water."Climbing Sassafras Mountain should be an initial test for us on Monday.
Date: 2015-03-16
From: Hawk Mountain

To: Justus Creek
Miles today: 8.4

Day TwoI hiked part of the day with Semi-Colon. From a remote mountaintop in Georgia, he was able to do a radio interview with a station back in Louisville. He is truly courageous as eighteen months ago he had Stage III colon cancer.The weather was unseasonably hot as we crossed over Sassafras Mountain. At Cooper Gap we met the parents of Brandon, who is hiking this section during his Spring Break from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Trail angels left gallon jugs of water here, and these were worth their weight in gold as there were no other natural sources of water for this trek today. Of possible interest to fly fishing aficionados was the bane of a hiker's existence: the hatch of gnats and other trout food was a heavy swarm. If you are a hungry hiker, I guess this is an extra source of protein on the fly (no pun intended).Many of us hiked to Justus Creek to tent for the night. I met a great group of students there from Iowa State. They played a great game charades around their campfire. I tented on a hillside with Grasshopper and Full Throttle, a strong hiking couple from Delaware. Dinner was an excellent dehydrated beef stroganoff with dehydrated peas. I think I still have a can of dehydrated water that Henry Jablonski gave me at Rotary several years ago (if only!). That would save some pack weight!Tomorrow is the trek from Justus Creek to Lance Creek, and it should be hot once again. See you up the trail!
Date: 2015-03-17
From: Justus Creek

To: Lance Creek
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: broken clouds

Jack and Jill may have gone up the hill to fetch a pail of water, but it seems that retrieving water on the AT is almost always a downhill proposition. Thus, I noted a stream was on the map just a short distance up the trail from the campsite last night. I stopped there for water, but the downside is you have to take your pack off and then get it back on. My practice from now on will be to retrieve and purify the water prior to hiking each morning, regardless of whether the spring, creek, or seep is a steep downhill or otherwise. This was another warm day. When I arrived at Gooch Gap, trail magic was there! The "trail magicians" were Captain and Gilligan. Gilligan, a young lady from Pennsylvania, was a thru-hiker until she messed up her knee a few days ago. Rather than immediately returning to Pennsylvania, she and the Captain decided to provide a hiker feed with delicious hot dogs, chocolate, and fruit snacks. Thank you! I also met a couple of students there from The Ohio State University. I headed to Woody Gap. On the trail to there I saw several seasonal, beautiful springs trickling out of the mountain. I'll try to post a photo later.I climbed to Preaching Rock, and I visited with several students there from North Georgia College who were day hiking. Evening was approaching so I made the descent to Lance Creek. Tents were scattered along the ridgeline. I camped there with Tom and Brenda, retired Chemistry faculty from Auburn, Trail Chef, Beancounter, a retired CPA in the paper industry from Louisiana, and some young folk from New Orleans and Jay from Connecticut. These younger hikers had a backpacking yukelele, iand sang and strummed many folk songs and tunes until dark. Their performance was very enjoyable. They closed the evening with "Edelweiss."Time for bed and for a good night's rest prior to climbing Blood Mountain on Wednesday.
Date: 2015-03-18
From: Lance Creek

To: Neel Gap/Mountain Crossings Hostel
Miles today: 7.4

The night at Lance Creek was quite peaceful and serene, with the dark sky revealing far more stars that can be typically seen in a town. Jupiter and Venus bedazzled the sky in the east and west, respectively.I have prayed that God may use me as a servant to encourage and embrace other hikers during this walk. Such a moment arose when I met a young person near Gaddis Mountain on Wednesday morning. Distraught and dispirited, the hiker was ready to quit. The winter had been spent getting in shape, but the physical challenge for this hiker was totally overwhelming. We had a good conversation regarding the situation, and I hope that I demonstrated that God hears us and has not forsaken us when we are in physical despair.   Believe me, l'll need to embrace my own advice throughout the trek.As I climbed Blood Mountain, I met several students from the University of New Hampshire who were doing trail maintenance for on their Spring Break.   I peered inside the venerable stone shelter and remembered the last time I was here on July 4, 2012: the temperature was ninety degrees and Jeff Miller, Gary Smith, and I hiked up from the north face to do a "key swap" with D.J. Dycus and Michael Webb.As I hiked down to Neel Gap, the boulder hopping was not fun. Tom and Brenda, retired faculty from Auburn, were there, too. We all left the mountain hoping there were some empty bunks at the Mountain Crossings hostel. We secured the bunks thankfully. I also took my first shower in four days and did the laundry for my dirt and salt-encrusted hiking clothes. The Red Barron pizza was the best pizza ever; however, to a hungry hiker the pizza box would have been delicious as well.At the hostel I was privileged to meet Baltimore Jack, who is a trail legend. Likewise, "Miss Janet" Hensley from Erwin, Tennessee and a trail ambassador was there, too. I also was privileged to meet Sharon "Mama Goose" Smith who does such great work for our military veterans through the Warrior Hiker Project.Sleeping in the hostel can remind you of college dorm life except more people probably snore. One fellow reminded me of a "dying calf in a hailstorm" as my Dad would say. Those here include Doc, Silver Jersey, Hillape, Spirit, Trail Chef, Outback, and White Monkey. Whyite Monkey is my age and is definitely the fashion pacesetter out here; he hikes in a kilt. He is a ferrier (shoes horses).It is forecasted to monsoon on Thursday, so we'll probably be hiking in heavy rain. As has been said, "You can't get to Maine unless you hike in the rain."