morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-05
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Rte 522 (Front Royal)
Miles today: 26.5
Weather: broken clouds

Last day in the Shennies. Another gorgeous day to be hiking. There were significantly less people than yesterday but still more hikers than an average day. I¢m really enjoying the early starts I¢ve been getting. It is quieter, cooler, more wildlife sightings, and it allows for a more casual pace . . even on high mileage days. I pushed through many miles and was at the Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter just outside the park boundary. I met a nice guy named Seth, who was out on trail (age 19), and just out here for the sake of being out here. I picked up the shelter register and discovered that Shepherd is getting off trail! He has nasty shinsplints in his right leg and can barely walk on it. He has been holed up in Front Royal (3 miles north of me) at a motel for a few days. Not cool. I gave him a call (thank you Verizon) and he told me that his wife was here and he was leaving for Indiana tomorrow morning. CJ, Dorothy (Greg from NC) and Hodown are all in town as well. So, after I had my trail dinner (I called while cooking), I booked it 3 more miles into Front Royal to give Shepherd my send-off. He picked me up at the trail crossing and drove the 4 miles into town. It was great to see some familiar faces. I got to the room, showered real fast, and we all went out for Italian. I decided that I have had an above-average amount of pasta over the past two months, so I went with the garden salad and chicken. It was great catching up with everyone. It was hard to get a read on Shepherd. He was certainly and understandably happy to see his wife, but I think it was tough for him to see us move on. Hopefully, he will be able to get back out in a month or so to continue north. If not, the trail will always be here Shepherd, patiently waiting to teach its visitors all the lessons it has to give. (Also see Shepherd¢s online trail journal at: http://hikingfool.blogspot.com/) After dinner, we crammed 6 people back in Shepherd¢s sedan for a quick stop at Kroger for Flintstone multivitamins, Ben and Jerry¢s, and a few brewskis. Long day but a good day. ¢Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you¢ll land among the stars.¢ ~ Les Brown.
Date: 2008-05-06
From: Rte 522 (Front Royal)

To: Dick's Dome Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: scattered clouds

A late start and leisurely day today. Since the Quality Inn has a hiker shuttle back to trail, which leaves town at 1030, we all decided on a mild day. We were up and taking advantage of the continental breakfast by 0830. I had a minor headache and wasn't feeling too great, but got better as the day progressed. We said goodbye to Amee and Shepherd, who have a 10-hour drive back to Indiana. The trail was relatively easy today. It pushed into the 80s, which is beyond my preferred hiking temp range, but what can you do? Apparently, Dorothy and Hodown hike in nothing but Speedos. They look hilariously ridiculous. It's not my style, but HYOH (Hike Your Own Hike). CJ and I traded ipods at lunch, which was awesome. The rule is that we had to put it on shuffle and let it run. After listening to the same 7 GB of music, day after day, it was great to explore someone else's musical collection. We are here at a 4-man shelter writing a tribute to Shepherd in the register and chatting it up on several random subjects. We are also stuffing our faces because we've got a hostel on the radar for tomorrow night. "Zen is a matter of character, not a matter of intellect." ~ D.T. Suzuki
Date: 2008-05-07
From: Dick's Dome Shelter

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

Today was a roller coaster. Literally. The first 8 miles were your average Virginia AT miles, but the last 10 were home of the infamous roller coaster. It is a series of 10 or so consecutive ups and downs that make for some difficult hiking. But not too difficult. It was once again hot today, so I did more than my fair share of sweating, but all was well when we reached our destination for the night: Bear's Den Hostel. This place is incredible. Housed in a large stone building, the hostel is very hiker friendly. For $25, a hiker gets a bunk, laundry, shower, internet, free long distance calls, a Tombstone pizza, soda, and a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. When I got to the Bear's Den around 1630ish, I showered, drained a Mountain Dew, and was soon offered a ride to the local restaurant/bar in town from Grumpy and Pipesmoke. They both thruhiked a few years ago, and are now doing some volunteer maintenance on the ATC (Appalachian Trail Club) hostel. So, CJ and I rode with them (in their pick-up bed) and had a few beers, talking about thruhiking and what it means for our future. They both had some excellent wisdom for us, which helped to put this journey into perspective. Not only did they give us some great advice, but they paid for our beers and haddock sandwiches as well. Thanks! I spent the next few hours on the computer uploading my photos (they have dial-up) and surfing other trail journals. After that, I mozied upstairs to cook my pizza and play cribbage with Greg, Hodown and Worryless (hostel owner). After a long call to the parents, I am off to bed and ready to hit some major milestones tomorrow! "I have not yet begun to fight!" ~ John Paul Jones
Date: 2008-05-09
From: Harper's Ferry, WV

To: Rte 340 (HF Hostel)
Miles today: 1.3

Today was the latest I've slept in on the trip so far. It was my first zero in almost 250 miles, so I needed it. Technically I didnt zero today; I did 1.3 miles, but who's counting. Dorothy woke me up because the continental breakfast was about to end, so I got up, made myself a waffle, grabbed some yogurt, bagel, donut, and juice, and retreated back to the room, where I had breakfast in bed. I have breakfast in bed every morning actually, but it is usually Pop Tarts. It still feels great though. We finally got our act together and hit the town around noon. My first stop was the Harper's Ferry Outfitter, which is one of the best on trail. I was planning on picking up a new pair of shoes, and asking the lady if I needed new insoles. After inspecting and measuring my feet and old insoles, she was amazed. Apparently my Superfeet insoles dont properly fit at all. Although I did just hike 1,000 miles in them, Laura really did know what she was talking about, and I tried on some Spenco insoles, which felt pretty good, and should fit my feet much better. Basically, my ball to heel measurement says I should be wearing a 13 shoe, my full foot length says I should be wearing a 12, and my arches were not normal either. I stayed with my Vasque Velocities, just a newer version. I am also wearing my new Spenco insoles which are much more cushioned, but I'm going to carry my old Superfeet insoles for a while just incase my feet start rebelling.        I picked up my food maildrop package, which I previously mailed to myself from Waynesboro (Harpers Ferry doesn't have anything close to resembling a supermarket), and also mailed my old shoes home to add to the hiking museum. I asked everyone in the Post Office at the time if there was a barber in town, but was denied. Grrr. I want to cut my hair. It's too hot to have a fro, and tics are becoming a real concern. Hodown pulled a ridiculously small, biting one off him this morning. The unwritten rules for cutting hair is that it is legal to cut the hair and mustache, but the beard must remain until I get off trail. Fair enough.        I just chilled at the ATC headquarters for a few hours, cruisin the net, reading trail journals, and catching up on all the alarming news going on in the world. I eventually mozied my way the 1.3 miles out of town, into Maryland, to the Harper's Ferry Hostel, a few tenths of a mile off the AT. The hostel is nothing to write home about, but it should rain tonight, so it's good to be indoors. CJ is in town tonight with his dad, and will be attempting the Maryland challenge (hike the 41ish miles from the WV/MD border to the MD/PA border) all in one day. He plans to zero again afterwards, so I'm planning two 20-mile days which should allow us to meet up again. It's getting late so I'm off to catch some Z's.¢A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.¢ - Irish Proverb
Date: 2008-05-10
From: Rte 340 (HF Hostel)

To: Pine Knob Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: light rain

It is so easy to tell when it's a Saturday out here. It is not better or worse, just a completely different experience. The hiking was quite pleasant for the most part. I got some light showers for most of the morning, but the terrain in Maryland is very flat. I am still adjusting to new shoes, new insoles, rocky trail, and rain, so I paid close attention to my feet. My feet feel very cushioned in my new insoles, but I'm not sure that's a good thing. They are almost too cushioned. It feels like I need to extert a tad more energy for every step. Hopefully, a few hundred miles of hiking on the Pennsylvania rocks will take some of the cushion out. Today, the trail passed through multiple historic civil war sites, battlefields, and monuments. It was like walking through an outdoor history museum. Before I left this morning, I jumped on the internet to peruse Facebook and see what my friends are up to. I'd like to congratulate all the Cornellians who are soon to be finished with exams. So, Mark, Alex, MDizzle, Jon, Corinne, Jordan, and Kevin ... Congrats! In related news, I was accepted at UNH (about a month ago) to be enrolled as a full-time in the fall in order to finish up that elusive engineering degree. I'm at the shelter with a Boy Scout troop from Maryland. They are treating me to tons of food, which I am gladly accepting. The leaders invited me to speak to the troop about the thru-hiking and being an Eagle Scout, which I was also glad to do. It was quite amusing watching the scouts do what scouts do ... essentially watching myself in the past. "I prefer liberty with danger to peace with slavery." ~ Unknown
Date: 2008-05-11
From: Pine Knob Shelter

To: Deer Lick Shelters
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: few clouds

Happy Mother's Day!! I didn't see too many Moms out on trail today, but that's OK. Today is big day in a different way for me. Today, I said good-bye to the South. The MD-PA border signifies the Mason-Dixon line, and I crossed it! I am officially in the North. I am no longer hiking the "App-a-LAT-CHIN" Trail. I am now hiking the "App-a-LAY-SHUN" Trail. I did have one last southern encounter .3 miles before the border though. I was passing through a Maryland state park when a guy emptying the trash, who appeared to be a park ranger, yells over to me (while I'm wearing my full backpack), "That yer red truck over there?" Me: "Umm, no." Park Ranger: "Oh, OK. Well, watch out for them rattlers." Me: "Great. Thank you." The accents down South weren't as different as I thought they were going to be, but it was funny to get one last taste of the South before leaving. The bad news is that I never saw a sign for the border! I thought that I had seen photos in other trailjournals of hikes from previous years, but I couldn't find one. I would have made a makeshift sign, but it was starting to rain and I had 5 more miles to go before Pine Knob shelter. I'm at the shelter cooking Mac & Cheese while the clouds rain their hearts out. Get it out now while I'm under a roof. "Thanks to the interstate highway system, it is now possible to travel coast to coast without seeing anything." ~Charles Kuralt
Date: 2008-05-12
From: Deer Lick Shelters

To: Quarry Gap Shelters
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

The clouds had more in store for me today. It rained all night (I think) and all day. I was planning a 23-miler today, but there was no way I was going to make it. I woke up late due to the rain, and hiking goes slower when dodging puddles and rocks. One reason I like hiking is that it takes all 3 essential organs to do so: brain, heart, and (pardon my french) ... balls. The brain takes care of the logistics such as mileage planning, gear weight, and maximization of comfort. The heart reminds you of why you are out here, gets swooned by fantastic views, and gives you the "Little Engine That Could" attitude (I think I can). Usually the brain and heart can take care of me. But when those aren't working, I can always just suck it up and go "balls to the wall". Today was like that, like turning on the NOZ tank in a race car. It only works temporarily, but it gets the job done. It was cold, raining, rocky, and my new blisters (new shoes, new insoles, and wet feet) were causing me to limp around, going through the Appalachian River, and I was just hiking on. All is well though. I will press the reset button tonight, and I'm confident that my brain and heart will be fully operational tomorrow morning. If not, I'll know what to do. "When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." ~FDR
Date: 2008-05-13
From: Quarry Gap Shelters

To: James Fry (Tagg Run) Shelter
Miles today: 24.5
Weather: clear sky

1,088.1 miles. I am officially halfway! As predicted, the reset button worked last night and today was quite enjoyable. Not only because I'm at halfway, but the weather was gorgeous, the terrain easy, and the spirits high. The trail in Pennsylvania has been flat so far, but it is still soaked. There are long stretches where the trail is a big puddle or stream, and you have a choice between soaking your feet or tiptoeing on the side of the trail. Since two days in a row of wet feet are bad news, I chose to tiptoe. My feet hurt, but I still made good time. Two miles after the official half-way point, there is a General Store in a state park that is home to the infamous "Half-Gallon Challenge". The challenge entails eating a half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting to celebrate the halfway point. Luckily, I got there right before closing and picked up two packets of Ramen at 59 cents each (I was one dinner short), a 1.5 quart container of Breyers Mint Chocolate Chip, and 1 pint of Hersey's Chocolate to make it an official half-gallon. 50 minutes and 2,400 calories later, I became an official member of the Half-Gallon Challenge Club, signified by a wooden spoon. It wasn't too difficult, but I wouldn't exactly do that every day for fun. Not that I was trying, but the record time for this challenge is absurd. Some hiker ate one WHOLE gallon is 33 minutes. Wow. Anyway, I had seven more miles to go, so it was a race against my digestive system to see if I could make it to the shelter before delivering my "privy bomb". (I give full credit to Bad Hummus for that term.) I made it, but it was close. "The distinction between past, present, and future is only an illusion, however persistent." ~ Einstein
Date: 2008-05-14
From: James Fry (Tagg Run) Shelter

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 26.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was very different from any hiking I've done yet. Most of the day was spent hiking through farmlands. It would have been brutal had it been a hot day, but it was nice to hike on flat ground for once. It was also refreshing to hike through a real rural American town. I stopped in Boiling Springs for a minor resupply at the Getty station and a meal at the Boiling Springs tavern. A sign on the door read: "Proper Dress Only Please". Haha. I have a collared shirt! It may smell like essence of sweat, but it has a collar. They let me in, but placed me in a corner away from the other customers. Rather amusing. The food was excellent and the prices were not too shabby. Knowing that I had 15 miles ahead of me, I stocked up on the essentials. I charged my Ipod at the tavern, filled up my hydration bladder with 2 quarts of iced tea, and bought peanutbutter M&Ms, King-sized candy bars, and grape Big League Chew. It was glorious. Oh yeah, I switched my insoles back to my trusty superfeet. They just feel better on my feet. Not as cushioned, but they fit better. I'm planning a short day tomorrow into Duncannon for a haircut and some chillaxin. "Many an opportunity is lost because a man is out looking for 4-leaf clovers." ~ Anonymous
Date: 2008-05-15
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Duncannon, PA (Doyle Hotel)
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: light rain

11.5 miles into town today. How hard could it be? It actually wasn't too bad, but the infamous Pennsylvania rocks have begun. The terrain is flat, but the rocks can get pretty nasty, especially the jagged, softball sized ones that are loose. At the same time, I kind of enjoy the challenge. Every step is like a mini, subconscious physics problem. It keeps my mind occupied. Speaking of jagged rocks, I had my first real fall today of my whole trip. To me, it only qualifies as a fall if a body part, other than my hands or feet, contacts the ground. And, oh what a fall it was! I could have won prize money on America¢s Funniest Home Videos if someone caught it on film. I essentially slipped on a rock coming downhill and faceplanted in the dirt. Luckily, I didn¢t land on a rock. I waited for my usual bloody nose to emerge, but it never did. The show must go on! I made it into Duncannon, PA, which looks like an old town beyond its prime. I¢m staying at the Doyle Hotel, which is a 103-year-old building once used as a brewery/distillery. Budweiser, I think. By hotel, I mean a $25/room hotel. I wouldn¢t nominate it for any travel awards, but it is perfect for hikers. The management is very hiker friendly and has cheap rooms, cheap (and quite good) restaurant food, and cheap beer. The staff shuttled us for free over to the grocery store and offered free internet access. I finally cut my hair! Nothing outrageous (not really my style), but comfortable and functional. I¢ve heard this before, but my barber said that my hair is red. I disagree. My hair is brown! Oh well. Red hair is certainly not a bad thing, but I honestly think my hair is more brown than red. Anyway, I¢m off to bed. Sweet dreams. ¢Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find that you have crossed the mountain.¢ ~ Unknown.
Date: 2008-05-17
From: Duncannon, PA (Doyle Hotel)

To: Raush Gap Shelter
Miles today: 28.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Dear Feet,I'm sorry for putting you through a huge day. Even though you had a day off yesterday, today was brutal. However, don't blame me, blame PA. It's not my fault. I could either do an 11-mile day or a 29-mile day. It is supposed to rain tonight, and started to at the end of the day, so getting to the shelter was my best option. If you had gotten wet, you would be even madder at me than you already are. I am sorry. It won't happen again. Maybe.~ Dynamite Other than my feet hating me, I had a decent day. The nasty weather held off until the last 5 miles, but my feet and I were able to stay dry. Today I met Trill, who is a thru-hiker. I have read about him in shelter registers. He took a few days off to visit some friends at Penn State University, and is now back on trail in my neck of the woods. He is somewhat depressed (his hometown friend and hiking partner had to get off trail) and this is the first time he's hiking solo. Cool kid. In other news, I did think of several more "lessons learned" after I went to bed last night, and was not too lazy to write them down. I am, however, too lazy to detail them after a 28.8 mile day. "Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow." ~ Thoreau
Date: 2008-05-18
From: Raush Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: light rain

By noon, today was shaping up to be my worst day on the trail. I was pretty miserable. Bear with me while I vent... It has been cold. My new shoes suck. Pennsylvania sucks. My feet hate me. However, I have learned that everything out here is temporary. I'm fairly sure things are starting to get better, but even if they aren't, I've got plenty of reserves still in the tank. I just might vent in my journal some more. So, today's weather forecast called for some "AM showers", which turned out to be "AM cold rain". I am beginning to hit the infamous Pennsylvania rocks. The rocks haven't been too bad so far, but they do force me to slow down, especially when it's raining. My Ipod needs to be restored using a computer with Itunes, so I couldn't even zone out to music. I switched back to the new insoles yesterday for the extra cushioning on the rocks, but my heels are all blistered up from getting my feet wet. However, around noon the tide started to turn. I met Strides again, who I hadn't seen since Damascus (Virginia) and we hiked the last 4 miles together talking about various thru-hikers. The rain stopped around 1400, which is a big boost. I wanted to get into the shelter early because I heard there was a pond with a rope swing nearby. It turned out to be a bit too cold to go swimming, but there is pizza and sub delivery available at this shelter. And, some section hikers had built a huge fire. I ordered a large Buffalo Chicken sub and we all chatted it up. I had the chance to also do some blister management, so hopefully, my feet will do better tomorrow. "Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional." ~ Unknown
Date: 2008-05-19
From: 501 Shelter

To: Port Clinton (Church Pavilion)
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: broken clouds

It's nice to see the sun again. Today reminded me of an autumn soccer Saturday... sunny, with a cool, crisp breeze. Excellent for hiking. I only got about 10 minutes of showers and 2 minutes of hail. My feet feel a lot better when they can stay dry. Today's terrain was flat, but quite rocky. I'm told that the real rocks haven't even started yet though. Strides blew by Trill and me. We heard that Strides picked up his maildrop in Port Clinton and then did another 6 miles out of town for a total of 30. Trill and I got into Port Clinton and headed over to the outfitter to figure out plans for tonight. I needed a grocery store, but the outfitter guy couldn't shuttle us until 1830, so we hung out in the store and talked trail for a few hours. It was relaxing to spend a few hours in town with nothing to do but rest and socialize. Trill and I headed to the grocery area, but stopped at a 5 for $5 deal with curly fries and soda. The manager actually came out and asked us if we were really eating 5 roast beef sandwiches each. Trill's reply was "We live in the woods." haha. I'm back in Port Clinton, listening to the trucks go by, and sleeping under the church pavillion with Trill and a "chick" '03 hiker, who was coming back from the Trail Days festival in Damascus. "How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?" ~ Unknown