morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-09-29
From: Eagles Nest Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: clear sky

Crunchmaster's FB post:"I felt really good today! First off, I met another high school graduate, Potter, this morning at the shelter. I can't believe how many of us there are out here. We all started at 9:00 since we got in so late last night. Even with the late start we were making really good time because the trail was so easy all morning. We met tons of boy scout groups out for the weekend. They were all wearing neon orange so hunters could see them. I haven't been wearing much orange so hopefully there won't be any hunters. We stopped for lunch at Hertline Campsite. It was a really nice spot with a really good place for swimming. It even had a rope swing. It wasn't quite warm enough to swim so we passed on that. After lunch the trail started getting really rocky again so my pace was a lot slower than I wanted. I hiked with Potter until we got to the 501 Shelter. McLovin (Gabe) was already there and Milkrun and Cerveza showed up 15 minutes later. Milkrun and Cerveza kept on going another 4 miles to the next shelter. Potter, McLovin, and I decided to stay back at this one. Turns out, you can get pizza delivered to this shelter too! So Potter and I split two large pizzas. They were great! There are three cats that live here at the shelter. They are really friendly and will come sit with you while your eating. It's nice to have the company! I'm going to try and wake up early tomorrow so I'm headed to bed early."Some scenes from the day:
Date: 2013-09-30
From: 501 Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: scattered clouds

There will be no post coming from the Crunchmaster today. He called and gave his location but there is no internet access where he's staying.He is going to try duct tape on his Neo-Air mattress. Seems that the cats at the last shelter may have got a claw in the mattress because he woke up to a flat hard bed this morning. I meant to get him extra patches but forgot. This will be the 2nd repair job on the mattress, the other occurring up in Gorham, NH.The boys are contemplating taking on the "4-state challenge". This would involve hiking from the PA-MD border to the WV-VA border for a one day walk of 43 miles. We're looking into finding some support. Someone to take their packs so they can slack and then someone to pick them up at the end of the long day and transport them to a place to stay, where they'll take a much needed Zero.here's his FB post:"I felt terrific today! The day did start out bad though. I discovered two holes in my sleeping pad. It was completely flat when I woke up this morning. I crossed highway 501 and realized that it was the road where my grandpa finished the A.T. I recognized the view where we sat and had lunch. So now I'm on new ground again seeing things I haven't seen before. I hit the 1,000 mile mark just before William Penn Shelter. I was disappointed when there wasn't a sign for it. I took a short break around 11:45 but I felt it was too early for lunch. Around 1:30 I experienced something that I don't want to experience again. I came within about 6 inches of stepping on a very big Copperhead. I still surprised that it didn't bite me. I hiked another 30 minutes and stopped for lunch. I took a pretty long break for lunch and didn't leave until 3:30. The last 6 miles were great as well. I hiked through an old mining village. There were still old mine shafts along the side of the trail that were pretty cool. I got to the shelter at 5:30 and there was one other section hiker there. Eventually, McLovin and Potter showed up. We had a fire going and the temperature outside was perfect! It was a perfect ending to a perfect day...besides the snake! Getting to bed early tonight."And a few scenes from the day, unfortunately no photo of the copperhead.
Date: 2013-10-01
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: Clarks Ferry Shelter
Miles today: 24.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Crunchmaster's post on FB:"When I left the shelter at 8:00 this morning I didn't think it would be a huge day. I was totally wrong! The trail was really easy the whole day which made it easier. I did the first 8.5 miles in two and a half hours. I was flying! I caught up to Milkrun and Cerveza around 11:00 and hiked with them to the next road for my first break. I hiked 11.5 miles before I took a break. We went another 4 miles, to Kinter View, to eat lunch. The stink bugs were absolutely horrible so we didn't stay long. They were all over our packs and shoes! We stopped at Peters Mountain Shelter for a 15 minute break and to sign the register. It was 3:45 and I had already gone 18 miles. The last 6.7 miles went by extremely slow! I thought I was never going to get there. I finally got to the shelter around 6:45 and just collapsed. I wad so tired and hungry. Tomorrow we will be hiking into Duncannon to do laundry and resupply. It was a great first day of October."
Date: 2013-10-02
From: Clarks Ferry Shelter

To: Duncannon, PA
Miles today: 4.6

Trevor's FB post:"None of us slept good last night because a section hiker came into the shelter around 1:00 in the morning. We still got on the trail before 8:00 though. It was a pretty quick walk into town. We got to the post office around 9:30. We all had packages waiting for us when we got there. It's always exciting picking up a box with surprises in it. It almost feels like opening presents on Christmas. After the post office we headed to the grocery store to resupply. When we had finished shopping we sat outside and ate lunch. While we were sitting there a woman and her four kids walked up to us before they went in the store. The kids thought it was amazing that we had walked over 1,000 miles. About 20 minutes later we saw the family coming out of the store. Turns out, they had bought each of us a Snickers bar and the kids brought them over to us. Trail magic at its finest! Just minutes later someone offered to give us a ride back to the Doyle. We hadn't planned on staying in town but since there are four of us we decided to split a room. The food at the hotel was absolutely amazing! We all had deep fried burgers with fries. Time to get some rest so we can do a big day tomorrow."Today's scenes:
Date: 2013-10-03
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Backpackers campsite near Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 26.1

Kudos for the longest day so far for Milkrun, Cerveza, McLovin, and Crunchmaster. Very good trail plus good weather equals high mileage. An awesome collection of photos follow the post and they really tell the story for this day of hiking. Enjoy!Trevor's FB post:"Today was a very long day. Milkrun, Cerveza, and I left the Doyle at 9:00 and started the climb up Cove Mountain. It was a pretty steep and steady climb. All three of us stopped at Hawk Rock for a break. There were great views of Duncannon from there. Milkrun and Cerveza got ahead of me from there on. I stopped several miles down the trail for a second breakfast. I've started eating a second breakfast so that I can go longer before I have to stop for lunch. We all ended up at Darlington Shelter for lunch. After lunch we stopped at the bottom of the mountain and filtered water before we entered Cumberland Valley. Cumberland Valley is about 18 miles across by trail. The trail is perfectly flat the whole way as well. We had planned on stealth camping somewhere near Old Stone House Road but McLovin caught up with us and convinced us to do a big mileage day. We wanted to get all the way to Boiling Springs. The trail was flat so we knew it wouldn't be too bad. We got to the road we were originally going to camp at around 7:00. We got our headlamps out because the last 6 miles was going to be in the dark. We took one last break about 2 miles before town. McLovin, Milkrun, and Cerveza were all completely wiped out! They were getting pretty tired but I was feeling really good. So I got pretty far ahead of them the last couple miles into town. I waited for them at the gas station because we wanted to get something to eat. While we were in the gas station a guy pulled up in his truck and said he would take us to the grocery store where there was a bigger selection. We accepted the offer and hopped in the back. We all got our snacks and went back to the trailhead and ate. We walked the last half mile to the campsite together and we got there at 10:45. We did 26 miles in about 12 and a half hours! It always feels great doing days like this because you cover so much ground! Hopefully I will have this same energy for the 4 state challenge. We are going to sleep in a little tomorrow and then go get a package from the post office. We are hoping to get pretty close to Pine Grove Furnace State Park tomorrow which is just a few miles from the halfway point! Only a few more days and we will officially be in the south too! Time to get some much needed and deserved rest."Fourteen photos follow:
Date: 2013-10-04
From: Backpackers campsite near Boiling Springs, PA

To: James Fry Shelter
Miles today: 11.5

Trevor's FB post followed by photos for the day:"Today just wasn't a great day. Milkrun, Cerveza, McLovin, and I all had zero energy throughout the day because of our miles yesterday. We left Boiling Springs around 9:30 hoping to do a 16 mile day. We were moving slow right from the beginning though. We took a break on top of Center Point Knob, the original midpoint of the trail. From there on the guys got ahead of me until lunch. We had to go through a big rock maze right before lunch which actually turned out to be really difficult. I took a really hard fall in the maze and cut up my elbow and leg really bad. It was the kind of pain that almost makes you want to vomit because it hurts so bad. I kept hobbling down the trail until I caught up to the guys for lunch. They looked absolutely exhausted when I got there. We all just sat down for 15 minutes before we even started eating. I noticed my leg was getting swollen so I took some Tylenol which made it a lot better. We also decided during lunch that this coming Tuesday we will be attempting to do the 4 state challenge. It's 43.9 miles in less than 24 hours. We had gone back and forth on whether we were going to do it or not but we had to make a decision. We got to the shelter and I knew there was no way I felt like going another 5 miles. So we called it a day so we could rest up some more. We also caught up to Rebar today and apparently we passed some other SOBO's that were at the shelter we didn't stop at. Wish I could have seen who was there! I'm really needing some rest so I'm going to bed before 8:00 tonight. Hopefully tomorrow we will all feel much better."
Date: 2013-10-05
From: James Fry Shelter

To: Birch Run Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

Trevor's FB Post:"Today was a day full of achievements! I was on the trail a little before 8:00 this morning. The trail started out going uphill so I was working up a sweat within the first few minutes. A few miles down trail I met several day and section hikers. It's always busy on the weekends no matter where I am. I got to Pine Grove Furnace State Park around 10:30. I stopped at the general store, home of the half gallon challenge, for a break. I waited for Milkrun, Cerveza, and McLovin to catch up to see if they were wanting to do the challenge. Milkrun and Cerveza wanted to wait until Harpers Ferry to eat theirs but Me and McLovin decided to go for it! I bought 3 pints of chocolate ice cream and 1 pint of brownie batter ice cream. The challenge was on! I ate through the first 3 pints pretty quick but once I started that last one I felt like I might vomit. I finally got it all down and I didn't throw up! I finished in 45 minutes! After eating it I found out that I had eaten 2,800 calories of ice cream! We still had 9.5 miles left to go for the day and I didn't know if I could do it. However, once I started walking I felt normal again. Then just a few miles down the trail we came across the halfway point of the trail. There were 1093 miles behind me and 1093 ahead of me! The countdown had begun! We got to the shelter right as it was getting dark. I was still full from the ice cream so I just ate a few chips. Today was definitely one of the best days so far! Now it's time to look forward to the 4 state challenge! We ended the night sitting around the campfire. Perfect ending for the perfect day."
Date: 2013-10-06
From: Birch Run Shelter

To: Tumbling Run Shelter
Miles today: 19.6

Trevor's FB Post:"I was on the trail by 8:00 this morning. I wanted to get as many miles in as I could before it got too hot. The high temperature for today was 88! Definitely doesn't feel like October. I hiked pretty steady until I reached the Quarry Gap Shelter. This is one of the nicest shelters on the trail! The caretaker takes really good care of the place. I waited there until Milkrun and Cerveza showed up and then we walked another 2 miles to Caledonia State Park for lunch. We ate lunch close to a family having a barbecue and we were really hoping they would invite us to eat but they never did. After leaving the park we came across a 5 foot black snake in the middle of the trail. At least in wasn't a rattler! When we got about a mile away from the shelter the guys kept going but I took a side trail to the Chimney Rocks for a view. I stayed for about 30 minutes before I continued on to the shelter. I got to the shelter at 6:30. It's suppose to rain quite a bit tomorrow which could make it difficult setting up camp to get ready for the 4 state challenge. We are all really excited about the challenge and that the weather is going to be good on Tuesday! Time to get some rest before heading into town tomorrow."Today's pics...
Date: 2013-10-07
From: Tumbling Run Shelter

To: Pen Mar Road
Miles today: 8.2

There will be no photos today due to a short and rainy day. Here's Trevor's FB post:"We were on the trail at 7:00 this morning because we wanted to make it to town before the rain hit. We planned it perfect because right when we got to the road it started to rain. Then just as we walked into Wal-Mart it started to pour. We shopped just for supplies for the 4 state challenge tomorrow. When we were done there we got a ride to the golden corral in town. We ate until we couldn't possibly eat anymore! The rain had stopped and we were back on the trail by 4:00. We got to Pen Mar Road at 5:30 and set up our tents right away so we can get some sleep before waking up at 12:30 am to start the challenge. The weather is looking good for tomorrow and all three of us are really excited about the challenge. It should take us around 20 hours to complete. Wish us luck! No pictures for today, but I'll take plenty tomorrow!"For those who may not know, the 4-state challenge involves hiking from PA through MD, then into WV, and finally arriving at the WV-VA border, a total of 43.3 miles, with an additional backtrack of .6 of a mile to the last road crossing where they are scheduled to get a ride back to the Harpers Ferry Hostel, where reservations have been made for the 3 hikers. A special thanks to "Strings", a past thru-hiker, who is graciously providing shuttle service. He will be at the trailhead at 1:00 in the morning to pick up extra gear and then again at the end of the day to transport 3 very tired hikers to the hostel. The 43.9 miles are typically done in about 20 hours. If the boys leave at 1:00 a.m. they will finish around 9 pm. They must average 2.2 mph for 20 hours to make this happen. While hiking good trail a pace of 3 to 3.5 mph is very doable, though keeping this pace throughout the day is not. Hiking fast and steady in the first half of the day is important to make up for breaks and for a decrease in pace towards the end of the day. Trevor has hiked 54 miles for a 24-hour walk-a-thon. The advantage he has this time over then is he has his hikers legs. For these 3 young men, this will be a test of their mental fortitude. Their physical capabilities are more than adequate and much greater than their minds will let them think.One of Crunchmaster's most faithful followers is "Lil Bit", who shared the following quote from T.S. Elliot---"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go."There are a bunch of people rooting for you all. Drink more water than you want, eat regularly, and push steadily on. It will be a long day but it will teach you much about yourself. Please take pictures of each other throughout the day. We want to 'feel' it through your facial expressions.
Date: 2013-10-08
From: Pen Mar Road

To: WV - VA state line
Miles today: 43.4

This is a temporary post until I get the Crunchmaster's personal FB post later this evening. Just wanted to share that all 3 boys, Cerveza, Milkrun, and Crunchmaster successfully completed the 4-state challenge by hiking it in 18.5 hrs. They reached the state line around 7:30 pm and were picked up and shuttled to Harpers Ferry hostel by "Strings". If he posts too late then it will not get posted here until the morning.Here's Trevor's FB post:"Wow! That's about all I can say! Today was absolutely incredible! We woke up at 12:30 am to meet Strings. He was the guy who picked up our gear so we didn't have to carry it. We left Pen Mar Road at 1:10 am. It was in the low 40s so we didn't really want to stop or we would get cold. We hiked all night only stopping once for water. Just as the sun was coming up we arrived at Pine Knob Shelter. We had traveled 18 miles by 7:30! We ate quick breakfast and then hiked another 3 miles to the Washington Monument. We were halfway and it was only 10:00. We took a 30 minute break at the monument and then headed out. We ended up stopping for lunch at the White Rock Cliffs. We only stayed there 30 minutes as well. We tried to not take any breaks over 30 minutes and it seemed to work out really well. During the afternoon we were starting to get weaker. Our pace was getting slower and slower. We stopped for another 30 minute break at the Ed Garvey Shelter. I drank an energy drink while we were there to try and get some life into me. It was all downhill from there to the Potomac River. Once at the river we followed for 3 miles on an old towpath. It was really easy walking! The last few miles I was basically running. I wanted to finish so bad! As we crossed the Shenandoah River we had an amazing sunset. It was a great way to end the hike. It took us 18 hours and 20 minutes to do the hike. There is so much more I could write about but it's hard enough writing this as tired as I am. Tomorrow we will relax and hopefully not be in too much pain."Here's some photos:
Date: 2013-10-09
From: WV - VA state line

To: Harpers Ferry, WV
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a rest day, a well deserved Zero. Trail magic came their way in the form of an invitation to stay overnight with a lady they met on the trail. She was kind enough to transport them in town to get resupplied and then invited them to stay overnight.While in Harpers Ferry they stopped in at the AT Conference Headquarters and registered, which is a custom for all thru-hikers. They take a photo of each hiker and give them a number. Trevor became the 120th SOBO hiker to pass through.Harpers Ferry is a quaint little town situated between the banks at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers in West Virginia. The photos for today's post were taken yesterday as the boys were hiking through town, shortly before sunset.The plan for tomorrow is to hike on. There trek will take them in and out of VA and WV for a few miles before it turns and stays in Virginia. The AT spends more time in VA than any other state; a total of 553.4 miles. The next state after VA will be Trevor's home state of Tennessee.
Date: 2013-10-11
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

Because of heavy rain, and due to nobody being on a strict schedule, the boys decided to sit out today and enjoy the Bear's den hostel. There is a very weak signal there, which makes the posting of photos on FB painfully slow, to the point of not loading at all, so there may be a little additional delay in getting that posted. Maybe it will be a little better on down the trail tomorrow. The 'roller coaster' section is what they'll be facing, a series of pointless ups and downs over a 15 mile stretch.We got great feedback from you all on whether to hike on or skip. It appears to be unanimous to carry on, which is exactly what Crunchmaster had planned to do. It will be done discreetly in one respect. Another question for you the reader, shall I go 'blank' for a few days or do you want to hear what's happening?In absence of fresh news, you'll have to put up with my rambling and reminiscing.Regarding weather; rain, snow, sleet has never stopped us from going on weekend backpack trips in the past. Dealing with it on a weekend is very different from dealing with it for multiple days in a row, with no prospect of getting home and drying everything out. Some of the most uncomfortable experiences have actually turned into the most memorable. I recall a hike in the Cohutta Wilderness where it rained 6-8 inches. Every gully had a raging stream and there were waterfalls too numerous to count. A stream crossing that was normally a rock hop across and only ankle deep became a waste deep ford. Jacks River falls has a rock at its base that is over 20 feet tall and 8 feet wide. The water was so high that all you could see was a huge wave surging over it. Those images stick in your mind forever because their 'out of this world'. I will share a few photos of winter trips we've made in the last few years that were significantly impacted by weather.Enjoy!Trevor on 1st winter trip at age 6Another on this 1st winter trip - SmokiesWinter fun - Weekend backpack tripHorizontal icicle at Icewater Springs ShelterStaying warm in sleeping bag at Icewater Spring ShelterBuilding an Igloo with brothers'Seasoned' winter backpacker at age 16Deep drifts near Newfound Gap - age 16Fall break in Oct of 2011 with BrandonA great winter weather sceneWarm up hike last winter
Date: 2013-10-12
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Manassas Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.8
Weather: light rain

Trevor was able to get a strong enough signal to send Thursday's journal and photos, which I have added at the end of the post for that day (10/10).We talked yesterday and his plan was to hike to the Manassas Gap Shelter. I'll post as soon as he posts on FB.Here it is:"Today was another rainy and cold day. I haven't even seen sunshine since Tuesday. I was on the trail at 7:30. Milkrun and Cerveza were still eating breakfast. I got about a mile down the trail and I had to stop and take my rain gear off because it was too warm. I was going through the roller coaster at the time. The coaster is tough because you are constantly going up and down. There are no flat sections at all. I finished the roller coaster at 11:30 and stopped for lunch at Rod Hollow Shelter. I took an hour long lunch and the guys showed up just as I was leaving. I hiked as hard and as fast as I could the rest of the day. I wanted to get to camp as soon as possible. I rolled into the shelter right at 6:00 with the rain still falling. I quickly put dry clothes on and cooked supper. The guys didn't show up until 7:45! They are staying in their tent because the shelter is full. Glad I claimed the last spot! Tomorrow we will be heading into Front Royal to resupply for the Shenandoah National Park. It is suppose to rain tomorrow too but the skies should clear after that. Only a few more days and I will be home for my brother's wedding. Can't wait to sleep in my own bed for a few nights!"