morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-05-21
From: 501 Shelter

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

The early birds started getting up at 6 AM, so no point in not getting out of the snug bag into the freezing cold clothes and morning.  Yet another night needing all the clothes in my pack to keep me warm in my summer-weight bag.  I was not expecting this for such a long stretch.  Other than yet more tenacious sections of rock, the day was straightforward.  It was cool and cloudy throughout: great hiking weather.  No bugs yet, too: an added bonus.Had a double experience with trail magic.  First, someone brought a large collection of beverages to the shelter last night.  I enjoyed a bottle of Mountain Dew with dinner, and as delicious as it was it reminded me of why I should not drink caffeine in the evening (rather boring staring for a couple of hours at the bottom of the bunk above me).  A second batch was along the trail today where I spotted a cooler and a trash bag tied above it.  In the cooler was a selection of snack items.  I enjoyed a container of coffee pudding and a packet of jalapeno cheese with crackers.  Hikers love trail angels.For my fourth consecutive night I'm sharing the shelter with Negotiator, Shivers, Shivers Dad, and Okay.  Okay began in Harpers same day as me and is doing the identical hike.Supposed to start raining tonight and continue well into tomorrow.  Yuck.  But without the rain, we would have dry springs and streams, so I have no room to complain.Days since last shower: 5
Date: 2017-05-22
From: Eagles Nest Shelter

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

We awoke to clouds threatening rain.  The forecast had been for it to start in the middle of the night, so we were very pleasantly surprised to see things still dry.  And to my delight the rain held off until 11 AM, 8 miles into my day and after I had completed a most treacherous and steep down into the gap at Port Clinton PA.With the rain now falling, it was a slog back up from Port Clinton to the ridge line on Blue Mountain, the same distance up as it had been down on the other side.  I can feel my conditioning improving daily.Poor Okay: he turned his ankle rather badly on one of the countless rocks, and now he'll have to take a couple of days off to heal.  Port Clinton's city park has a pavilion with water nearby and a washroom that hikers may use for free, so he really found the right place if he had to hurt himself.  As nice as the Port Clinton people are, I wouldn't be surprised if someone takes him in for a night or two.  Heal quickly, Okay!  See you up the trail.I got to this shelter and quickly went 150' down to the stream for water, then came back to get out of sopping wet hiking clothes/hat/shoes/socks into dry camp clothes and into the sleeping bag for warmth.  Gotta avoid hypothermia!  A cold rainy day makes getting into a sleeping bag sound dreamy.  Joined tonight in a packed shelter by Negotiator, Joker, Moxie and Yard Sale (young husband/wife team doing the exact same flip-flop thru hike as me), and Dylan.  Three hikers who began in Georgia, and three who began in Harpers Ferry.Days since last shower: 6
Date: 2017-05-23
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: light rain

One thing that I'm learning is that when you have a spot on the map labelled with a "pinnacle" or "pulpit" or "knob" or "tooth" or "knife's edge", then lookout:  there will be tons of rocks and boulders, possibly for a mile or more.  Today proved the point with a 4-mile stretch of nearly continuous rock or boulder sections beginning just before Dan's Pulpit and ending just before this shelter.The Pinnacle was also on today's trail, but at least it offered a superb view, one that some call the best in PA.  One thing I love is to be high on top and be able to see in the distance where I've been or where I'll be.  The Pinnacle did that.  I could see down the Blue Mountain ridge line east all the way to where it drops into Lehigh Gap, tomorrow's goal and 30 trail miles away (possibly 20 miles as the crow flies).  Glad it was a clear day making it possible to see.Weather-wise it was a delightfully cool day with occasional sun.  For the first time in six nights we don't have Negotiator.  He decided he needed to start adding more miles, so he pushed on.  With me in this 8-person shelter are Moxie and Yard Sale, and a pair of section hikers Hannah and Mark.  Needed most of my clothes but not all, so gradually warming.  Time to drop one layer out of my pack and lighten up a bit.Some outstanding trail magic today.  A pair of ladies day hiked into the shelter with their dog and brought fresh fruit and Oreos cookie packages, and packed out our trash.  Some people are incredible, and that's just a foretaste of how nice the people around Palmerton are proving to be.Days since last shower: 7
Date: 2017-05-24
From: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter

To: Bert's Steakhouse Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 17.5

The plan for the day was to get to Palmerton PA where I'll stay 2 nights and rest the weary feet.  With that goal in place, I was up at 5:30 (trying not to wake the other 4 hikers in the shelter), had my granola and milk breakfast, put on cold and clammy hiking clothes/shoes/hat, and was gone by 6:15.There were 3 main obstacles to overcome:  the Knife Edge, Bear Rocks, and Bake Oven Knob.  These were the key reason I wanted to start so early as I figured it would add a lot of time to get through them, and I wanted to get to Palmerton by mid-afternoon.  Knife Edge is unique in that it is right on top of the ridge and consists of huge slabs of rock tilted up around 60 degrees.  Trekking poles are useless and the hands are needed to navigate through and on top of those sloping slabs.  On top of the world, but it would have been scary if the rocks had been wet.In Palmerton I ended up at a delightful hikers hostel attached to the back of Bert's Steakhouse.  There are 2 sets of bunks and a pair of cots in a tiny room for sleeping.  A shower with towel and soap plus use of laundry are included in the $20 per night price.  Fabulous!  It's a few doors from the public library where I can update this journal.  A little farther down the street is a fresh fruit/vegetable market store with all the badly needed nutrition a hiker needs.  Strawberries, spinach, bananas, apples... heaven!The shower and use of laundry were first on the agenda.  Now it's time for dinner at Bert's where I hear the food is plentiful, delicious and cheap.Staying tonight in a full room are Dave the Aussie, Shivers, Shivers Dad, Paul Bunyon, Laken and her dog Dixie, and myself.Days since last shower: 0  Wahoo!
Date: 2017-05-25
From: Bert's Steakhouse Hiker Hostel

To: Bert's Steakhouse Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Couldn't have timed it better: we awoke to rain, and it's to rain for the next 24 hours with an inch or more falling.  Perfect for a zero mile day!  I am thoroughly enjoying this day and this hostel.  My feet are especially thankful.  It was a wet walk 1/3 mile to the post office and back to get my re-supply box and a letter from daughter Krista with beautiful artwork from grands Josiah and Joanna inside as well.  Now that warms a grandpa's heart, and makes every drop of rain endured a joy.  Now a phone call to Lyn and doing emails at the town library.  Tomorrow it's off up and then along the trail once again.  Likely a week or so until this journal is again updated, next time from New York.Happy birthday, Kevin.  Thanks again for coming with me to HF.Days since last shower: 0
Date: 2017-05-26
From: Bert's Steakhouse Hiker Hostel

To: Leroy Smith Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: clear sky

Off from the hostel into a beautiful day, using the hostel shuttle to get me the 2 miles to the trailhead (sure beats walking!)  Right off the bat was the rock scramble up from Lehigh Gap.  I found it necessary to take my pack off 3 times and push it and the trekking poles up and over the rock I was trying to climb.  A 50-ish hiker named Pinkie was really struggling with this, and so I got the opportunity to hump her pack up and over that stretch as well.  Nice to be able to give out trail magic as well as receive it.  It was sunny with a bracing dry wind making the ascent otherwise a delight with fantastic views on those totally denuded rocks going up.Once back on top of the ridgeline (about 1000' higher) it was a straightforward hike here, though the persistent rocks over most of the distance proved wearying mentally and physically.  You have to focus on every step to keep from tripping or turning an ankle.This is an older shelter sleeping six but with seven of us in it, so tight company!  the other six are all new  hikers for me:  Ace, Doc, Powerhouse, Tofu, Medicine Man and one south-bounder guy.  Powerhouse and Tofu are from Germany.  Though she's 1200 miles into her hike (starting in Georgia at the southern terminus of the trail), Powerhouse is having severe foot chafing and blistering issues.Should be a delightful though chilly night for sleeping.Enjoyed trail magic from an 80-something man named Donald.  Out of the trunk of his car I got a fruit drink and chocolate bar.  He was just sitting in a parking lot along the trail greeting all the hikers and blessing them.Days since last shower: 1
Date: 2017-05-27
From: Leroy Smith Shelter

To: Church on the Mountain Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: clear sky

Getting up into a bright sunny morning seemed to cause my breakfast of a cup of granola cereal in milk (powdered) hit the spot.  I was gone at 7:45 for the longest day so far.  The rocks over the first half wore me out, but the trail improved a lot over the second half of the day.  Otherwise I would not have made it this far.This hostel is a donation-basis section of Church on the Mountain in Delaware Water Gap, PA.  They have a dozen bunks and a shower, or you can tent on the church grounds.  Moxie, Yard Sale, Negotiator (yes, again!), Tofu and Powerhouse are all here for the night.Being Memorial Day weekend there were dozens of day hikers and a few overnighters including a boy scout troop that I encountered on the trail coming into DWG.  But the cutest couple was a 20-something pair with a large dog named Zeus.  They had large packs and had just finished the 2.5 mile slog up from DWG to Mount Minsi where I was having my last water break of the day.  They were exhausted and thought the next shelter was a mile away.  I had to break the bad news that it was actually 4 miles away.  Then I learned this was the first day of a hike for them to North Carolina.  After a bit I noticed something odd about her backpack.  Lo and behold she was carrying their cat in there!  You meet all kinds of people on the trail, eh?  I'm skeptical they'll last a week, but one never knows.  They are definitely woefully under-prepared which can be a bit scary (been there, done that, right Billy?)Days since last shower: 0
Date: 2017-05-28
From: Church on the Mountain Hiker Hostel

To: Millbrook-Blairstown Road Crossing of AT
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: light rain

This was a tremendous day.  It dawned sunny and cool and remained pleasant all day.  At 10 AM the worship service at this hostel's church began.  About 50 people were there including 15 in the choir.  Most special was when the choir sang a variation of the Navy Hymn to commemorate Memorial Day.  (The Navy Hymn was sung every Sunday in the academy chapel service while I was there.)  That brought back memories of the dozen classmates of mine from Annapolis who lost their lives in the line of service, as well as Chic Burlingame who was pilot of the plane crashed into the Pentagon.  They sang it beautifully and had no clue how it spoke to this old sailor.A shuttle driver was hired and I was then driven to a spot on the trail 13.5 miles out so that I could hike back here to the hostel: something we call slackpacking because of the miniscule weight you get to carry.  The drive itself was an adventure too long to relate here, but briefly the driver had no clue where he was going after repeatedly telling me he'd taken hikers there before.  We ended at a dead end not terribly far from the top of the ridge line with a woods road appearing to lead from the dead end upwards, so I paid my $20 and got out to finish getting to the top.  Yes, that's the short story.  After cutting the trail (finding the white blazes) at the top, I then knew to head south back to this place.  Not at all complicated, but not what I had in mind or actually contracted for.Upon getting back here to DWG at 5:30 (90 minutes later than originally planned due to the lost driver) I passed an ice cream shop which also serves light lunch.  Boy, did those two hot dogs, fountain soda, and chocolate malted milk ever taste great!Now I'm back at the church hostel for a second night.  Both Medicine Man and Powerhouse took zero days and are here too.  Also the AT ridge runner named Nick (his job is to look after shelters and hikers along a 30-mile stretch of trail.)  Tomorrow I have a different driver lined up to take me back to the trail so I can continue north (this time with full pack), and hopefully he DOES know how to get to the Millbrook-Blairstown crossing.Days since last shower: 0
Date: 2017-05-29
From: Millbrook-Blairstown Road Crossing of AT

To: Brink Road Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: light rain

Rocks 2, Traffic Director 0.  It began raining at 6 PM last night and continued all night.  After going to a nearby convenience store for a cup of coffee and snack items, shuttle driver Kenny arrived to take me back to the trail/road intersection from which I returned south yesterday (or at least was supposed to... see Day 21.)  Kenny knew exactly where to go and we were there in under 30 minutes.  It was a fond goodbye to an outstanding congregation and their phenomenal hospitality.It was still raining when Kenny dropped me and continued for 2 more hours.  Apart from getting soaked and being cold (temperature in the 50s) this created one of the top hiking hazards: wet rocks.  For 5 hours I gingerly picked my way, careful with every step.  Despite that, I had a pair of hard falls when my feet flew out from under me on slick rock.  Apart from the damage to my pride, I arrived at the shelter with bloody abrasions on the right knee and both hands as well as a banged up right ankle and knee from an awkward landing and skid down the rock face.  That ankle has a mild sprain and is swollen.But I'm safely at this recently built shelter in good spirits and very grateful for God's mercy that nothing worse happened.  It's done raining (hopefully for a few days).  This shelter has a metal box for placement of food due to a high population of black bears.We're done with Pennsylvania and are now 25 miles into New Jersey (the Delaware River at DWG was the border between the states).  On Friday it's New York.  Feels like progress.Days since last shower: 1
Date: 2017-05-30
From: Brink Road Shelter

To: Rutherford Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

After a night of on-again-off-again light rain, it was hard to decide what to wear and how to plan the day.  At departure time it was cloudy and threatening and chilly at 58 degrees.  And though the temperature never did top 60, we also had no additional rainfall though often the hike was in fog on top of the mountain ridge.So the hike ended up being straightforward through the long green tunnel up and down the ridge, quite boring.  But oh so careful!  The mist from the fog kept the rocks wet and very slick.  Very wearying to have to watch every step.This shelter was built by a CCC team back in the Great Depression.  Because it's .4m off the trail, it's hard to say if anyone will join me.  No one so far.  This part of New jersey has a lot of bears, so I'll be using the large metal bear box provided for food bags overnight.  Don't want to arm wrestle Smokey for tomorrow's food, especially if Smokey finds my bag in the shelter and decides to come in and contend for it.  That's been known to happen.Imagine: neither May 29 or 30 getting to 60 degrees!  Spring is struggling to get here.Days since last shower: 2
Date: 2017-05-31
From: Rutherford Shelter

To: Pochuck Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: broken clouds

New Jersey finally got into my good graces.  The six hikers who ended up tented around the shelter (where I was the only one sleeping) and I had light rain overnight and awoke to fog.  It was a few degrees warmer than the previous few nights, and when I got to the High Point State Park later in the morning they were showing 53 degrees.Trail Magic occurred at the park headquarters which is adjacent to the AT.  When I went inside to use the washroom and to register my passing through, the clerk asked if I was a thru hiker.  When I said yes, she said they had a Pepsi to pass out to me.  Was that ever good!  Even on a cold, misty morning it was awesome.Upon arriving at the park's lookout tower from where you are supposed to be able to see New York City's skyscrapers on a clear day, all I could see was fog.  But the sun was just starting to burn through and in an hour the day turned gloriously clear.  Down off the mountain the trail went and finally getting clear of the rocks that have plagued us since Duncannon.In full sun but fairly cool temperatures we had a great day walking through open fields with fantastic views.  We must have crossed 2 dozen stone fences, built 300 years ago by the first pioneers to fence in (or out?) their livestock.  Imagine first having to clear the trees only to find the land infested with every sized rock.  What a tough existence.The village of Unionville issued an irresistible call to me as the trail passed by, so I stashed my pack and poles by  the trail and went the .3m to a general store.  A bottle of orange juice, a donut, a pint of moose track ice cream, and a cup of coffee got me into a mellow mood to finish the last 6 miles.The trail took us for 2 flat miles around the Wallkill National Wildlife Preserve, a huge inundated area with all kinds of birds and critters.  Because it's been so cool and wet, there were no mosquitoes to harass the hiker, though that is soon to change no doubt.  It was superb on a bright afternoon.Only Paul Bunyan is here to share the shelter with me tonight.Days since last shower: 3
Date: 2017-06-01
From: Pochuck Mountain Shelter

To: Wawayanda Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Twas a wild and woolly night.  Around 10 PM I was awakened to the distant sound of swooshing.  Slowly coming out of my sleepy fog I began to also hear thunder.  For the next 15 minutes it grew louder with almost continuous lightning until it was upon us.  Amazing how you can hear a heavy rain coming from such a long distance when you're in the silent woods.  It poured like crazy for 20 minutes and then seemed to pass.  Then a second storm was upon us with crazy lightning and huge thunder bursts right over us, but fairly brief.  It was all over in an hour.  Where did that thin line of severe thunderstorms come from?  It wasn't in the forecast (would you believe 0% chance of rain?)The hike took us through a wetlands on a wooden elevated walkway full of day hikers for more than a mile.  Later we crossed a large pasture on a double-plank walkway.  Being fully out in the sun with a great breeze was a delight.  Relish these cool days!  They won't last.At the end of the pasture the AT crossed NJ route 94, and 200 yards north is Heaven Hill Market.  Traffic Director heard the call and responded:  how could I not?  An hour of feasting on a large strawberry pastry, a banana, a large bowl of ice cream, an orange juice, and a large coffee prepped TD for the next challenge.Immediately north of NJ 94 is a rise of 1000' with the trail having hundreds of large rocks laboriously built into it, the stretch being called the Stairway to Heaven.  Tons of day hikers were doing that stretch up and down as well because of a superb rocky overlook near the top.  Another 4 miles of ups and downs brought me to this shelter.  Powerhouse and Medicine Man are both here tonight as well.Today was the first day of pesky bugs wanting to get into the eyes.  No doubt bug season is arriving and will be a factor for weeks to come.  TD is not looking forward to black flies.Days since last shower:  4
Date: 2017-06-02
From: Wawayanda Mountain Shelter

To: Linden Motel in Greenwood Lake NY
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: scattered clouds

It got down into the upper 40s overnight, on June 2 no less!  That pointed to a refreshingly cool day.  Because I was coming into town, I was up early and gone not long after 6:30 with a completely empty food bag.  We finished New Jersey and entered New York.The rock formation is quite different in that the layers of rock are completely vertical.  This causes them to break and shape quite differently from the 60 degree slant in PA and NJ.  The trail went across a ridge line for 3 miles on massive rocks with numerous demanding pull-ups and slide-downs, often having to toss the poles ahead so that both hands would be free for scrambling.  Very tiring.  But being a completely clear day with dry air, there were multiple spots where the tops of the skyscrapers of Manhattan could be seen over the top of the mountain to the east: probably 20 miles away or so.  The lower Manhattan towers (where the Twin Towers would have been) to the right, and the midtown Manhattan towers to the left.Around 10:30 I began down a side trail .9m off the ridge line into this very quaint town of Greenwood Lake NY.  It's a resort community due to the very large lake that stretches from here south into New Jersey.  This hotel is fantastic:  cash only; run by a 70-something woman named Vera; and right on the lake with a view of a marina right out my door.  There's no laundry facility in the town, so I'm having to do that in the sink.  Two guys are in the room adjacent to me, and they have Brooklyn accents to die for.Key to this side trip is to pick up a re-supply box sent by daughter Laura to me.  Thanks Tootsie!  Also another fantastic letter from Krista and the two grands including some artwork and a photo of TD holding Joanna last winter.  Can't get a man's heart any warmer than that.Tomorrow is my dad's 97th birthday.  Can you say "Wow"?Days since last shower: 0
Date: 2017-06-03
From: Linden Motel in Greenwood Lake NY

To: Fingerboard Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: clear sky

Today is my dad's 97th birthday.  Have a great day, Pop!When the door of the grill house down the street was open at 6:30,. TD was there.  Time for French toast, bacon, OJ and coffee to charge up the day.  Also some Ibuprophen to keep that strained and swollen right ankle in line (see Day 22).I was gone from the motel at 7:30 and back on the AT at 8.  Not only was the mileage long, but the terrain was especially tough, making this the longest day of hiking in my life time-wise: over 10 hours.  That means I netted less than 2 MPH which is a reflection of the gnarly-ness of things.  Bright sunshine and a cool NW wind were a big help in easing conditions, however.  How much harder if it had been 90 degrees.There was a lot of trail magic along the way, mostly jugs of water placed near road-trail junctions.  All told I must have drunk a gallon of it.  And one unusual trail magic: just before crossing a road there was a sign on the ground welcoming hikers to go to a nearby parking lot, open the rear door of a tan Camry located there, and help yourself.  I enjoyed a can of fortified water.  Thanks all you trail angels!Word is that Negotiator slipped and fell Monday in the rain just like I did, injured his hip, and is now off the trail.  Just like that, 1300 miles of hiking is brought to a halt.  We'll see if he can get back on trail again.With me in the shelter tonight is the 50-something German woman Powerhouse.  She is tenacious and hard not to admire.  There are signs posted warning of high levels of bear activity, and one hiker is here tonight hoping to see the bear.  Say, what???Days since last shower: 0