morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-06-29
From: Clarks Creek

To: Hertlein Campsite
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: few clouds

OK, Plan B, If we can't get across Clark's Creek, we'll hitch to Port Clinton and hike southbound giving it time to recede and cross on dry land! It's the best I could come up with at the time. In retrospect, I was really just too anal about this constant marching and should have took the hint to just hang out a few days! But I wasn't the only one itching to get going. Ten of us went up to Port Clinton today! There were thunderstorms again last night and the river is still rising. Trail Angel Mary and Baltimore Jack treated the stranded hikers to a breakfast feed that was very special at her house over the pub. I stopped at the Post Office and mailed home my fleece again. This time my town clothes too! Long pants, long sleve shirt and one of my tanks. We crowded four of us into Trail Angel Mary's car and headed for Port Clinton in carload #1 of 2. A long day for Mary! Bare Bear, Sleep Walker, Dick Tracy and I. We each gave her some gas money. She tried to refuse it, but we were insistant! After all, there were going to be a lot of hikers behind us stranded and needing care!We finally got going Southbound about 11:30 after a brief incident that involved me chasing down Dick Tracy to tell him he was going the wrong way. I grabbed a bicycle from a local man, Trail Angel Fred, getting a haircut and immediately peddled off to direct him onto the trail north. It wasn't until I got back to Trail Angel Mary and Bare Bear that I finally remembered that we indeed did want to go south! Back I went on the bicycle to turn Dick Tracy around once again! He couldn't have gone more than a tenth of a mile, but he didn't look too happy about it! I shrank down and peddled the bike back to the barber shop and put my pack on. Have I mentioned that I am a little bit directionally challenged?Anyways, It was a very, very steep climb up and getting hot but still managed to get a full days hiking in. The thing that consumed more time than anything was meeting all the northbound hikers. And there were lots. I knew most of them, but Bare Bear didn't. He would hike ahead, then it would seem like ages before I would catch up. It's only our second day hiking together, and already, I'm the one playing catch up. One of the hikers was Montreal. While it was good to see him, it was bittersweet knowing I was at least a day or two behind. He got across Clark's Creek in a front end loader! Others including Shasta and H-bomb tried to hike around it, hitched, then got back to the trail finally after a long round about 17 mile detour! The good news is, they were able to catch up with their friends who I had seen earlier, Mouse, Baro, Jangles and Hot Springs.There were lots of bizarre flood stories floating around the campfires the last couple days! Bare Bear and I made it to a campsite, ate dinner, and got our respective shelters set up before the rain set in again.
Date: 2006-06-30
From: Hertlein Campsite

To: Swatara Creek
Miles today: 18.4

Second day of our southbound flood get around plan! Up early and hiking by 6:00. Fortunately for me, my new hiking partner is an early riser and doesn't dilly dally around! Though it's a switch for him to eat a cold breakfast and I usually eat breakfast on the go! The weather is great, not too hot, but the trail has lots of puddles. some are unavoidable and our feet are soaking wet! Stopped at 501 shelter to dry them out and eat lunch. Crossed paths with Burner and Fung Shui who advised us of various detours we would need to take to complete our southbound journey. Proceeding on we ran into three hikers at Swatara Creek eating lunch. One of them may have been Orange-tan, not sure, but they told us of the town just 2 miles away with cheese burgers at Wendy's. That's all we needed to know. We hitched into Lickdale. It wasn't an easy hitch, but oh, about 20 minutes went by and a pick up came by with a Goth woman at the wheel. She and I chatted through the sliding window. Come to find out she didn't usually pick up hitchhikers, but she was impressed that we were both dressed in all black on such a sunny day! So, let's see where do we start! This town's not in wingfoot, but it should be! Everything is on one of the four corner's of the only traffic light! A Subway, A Pizzaria, A Dairy Queen, and a motel too! A new one apparently, It was not the usual trail side mom and pop, hiker smelly, moldy bathroom motel! No, this was a Days Inn. It was all clean, fresh and sparkling! And, And, I repeat, It had a jacuzzi! That is the way all laundromats should be. Wouldn't that be nice if you could always hang out in a jacuzzi while washing your clothes!
Date: 2006-07-01
From: Swatara Creek

To: Clarks Creek/Port Clinton
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: broken clouds

FLOODED!!! Yes, the last three days were SOBO! to recap, I hiked out of Duncannon on June 28th and walked under the underpass before the flood waters reached the sidewalk. However, I got to Clarks Creek and it was at least 4 foot over the road. I would have liked to be able to say that I was tough and muscled thru it, but my common sense told me better. Bare Bear and I hitched out and went back to the Doyle, where we got a ride out the next morning (after a killer breakfast by Baltimore Jack and Trail Angel Mary). I came up with a plan that involved a shuttle by Trail Angel Mary to Port Clinton, three days SOBO to Clarks Creek, and then back to Port Clinton. Bare Bear, Dick Tracy and Sleepwalker and I all rode with Mary to Port Clinton. It was the best I could come up with that would give me all the white blazes without waiting two days for the water to go down or skip any of the trail. Some hikers managed to get a ride across in a front end loader, others hitched around, but it was definately a crazy flood. I took lots of photos. One of a swingset half submerged in a backyard. Turns out Shane, who lives there with wife and daughter was the one who gave me the last hitch into Duncannon this afternoon. What a small world. The best part of the whole thing was that I got to see old friends. I saw Montreal on the 29th, Burner and Fung Shei on the 30th and Mulligan and Johnny Appleseed today. Plus the new crowd at Duncannon. Janice, Lone Wolf, Pillbox, and Old School. Oh, and I got a mohawk from Cheeto and Puffy Nipples. I should be in Delaware Water Gap by July 4th or 5th I hope!So anyways, The vortex was good for at least one more awesome greek salad, cheeseburger and I don't know how many beers, but I eventually escaped to eat dinner with Janice. We had a very interesting conversation, and I learned something about myself. Mind you, I came out here on the AT to lose weight, not learn stuff! Especially not about my character faults! But, there they were, staring me in the face! Well, I'm not going to share it with the whole world! It's bad enough that I had to see it! Anyways, I'm sure everyone out here has to face their demons sometime or another! I slept on Trail Angel Mary's floor and anxiously awaited tomorrow so I could resume a northbound hike and get away from all this backwards hiking and introspection!
Date: 2006-07-02
From: Clarks Creek/Port Clinton

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

Ah hah! Northbound again at last! All miles back on track! It really was messing with my mind to be going the "wrong way". Anyways, after helping Trail Angel Mary with her trail magic routines, she gave us a ride back to Port Clinton. We gave her more gas money and we had hoped to treat her to lunch as well, but the restaurant in Port Clinton was closed! We settled on a treat at the candy store. Northbound, the trail was still swampy, but passable. We stopped at Pulpit rocks and I sign in for Bare Bear and I both. That was strange. I don't want to give up my independence, after all, I did start this hike on my own and I intend to finish it independant of anyone else, Yet Bare Bear seems to like for me to sign him in. So, I guess, finally, someone wants to hike with me, yeah me, the trail nazi. So, even though I'm not comfortable with the whole thing, I gave in for a change and did things someone else's way. I signed him in. As I walked down the trail, I was regretting it. I vowed not to sign for him again. It wasn't right, we could part ways at any time and I wanted to have my name stand alone! This was my hike, my one thing I was going to do my way! I didn't want Lexi, or Austin or even my sister to come and hike with me, because I'd be compromising my hike to fit theirs. I wasn't going to do it. Maybe next year, on a section hike or something, I would hike with them and we'd have a blast, no doubt, but not this year. Not this hike. And so there! Oh, so now I know what Montreal was thinking. I didn't realize how much I was altering his hike until someone started altering mine. I'm slow, what can I say. Then, what do I find? A shelter log! Yeah, I still check for Montreal, and this time he left me a note. "Rabbit Rabbit". In all the flooding, southbounding, and personal revelations, I had completely forgot and here it was. My old friend remembers what I taught him! It makes me wonder how many of my annoying campfire songs get stuck in his head when he's hiking. Anyways, on to Eckville, not quite as entertaining as last year, but Burner and Fung Shui were there and we had gourmet meals due to some hiker getting off the trail and leaving his mountainhouse dinners behind!
Date: 2006-07-03
From: Eckville Shelter

To: Palmerton, PA
Miles today: 25.1

Burner, Fung Shui, and her friend Connie left very early this morning. Bare Bear and I left at our normal 6:00. Stopped at a shelter for lunch and the privy had a flush toilet. Well, it had a handle anyways, it didn't flush anything when I tried it out. On up over Bake Oven Knob and caught up to Burner, Fung Shui, and Connie and a few other hikers. Bare Bear's feet are troubling him. Saw a huge black snake. Ate blueberries waiting for Bare Bear. It's a big day, I know! Anyways, Bill and Bama had ice cold orange sodas at the trailhead and we were headed for jail! Yep, the jailhouse hostel in Palmerton! The hitch was kinda tricky. I hiked up to the light so as not to have to do it in the morning. I knew if we hitched out, there would only be one place to be let out. So, picture this! Bare Bear is on the side of the road going in the right direction with his "Hiker to town" handkerchief. I'm asking all the pick-up trucks stopped at the light from the side road and Burner and his tribe are just standing around with their thumbs out! Bare Bear gets a bite and yells out to me! I run across traffic to catch the ride while waving to Burner to come on! Well, it turns out he didn't have room for all of us and almost bailed without any of us but Bare Bears pleading with him and Burner's going to wait with the girls so they can all go in together! It all worked out. We got to the jail and they were right behind us. We surrendered our driver's licenses in exchange for a free room for the night in the old jail. I posed with my id and mohawk like a common criminal getting booked in. Anyways, it was a cool hostel and it had a communal shower and bunk beds, not mattresses, but at least it had air conditioning. Even shot a few hoops waiting my turn for the shower. Got our laundry done just before closing thanks to Bare Bear and then got groceries and dinner at the chinese place. Mike and Zan were there and Baro, who I think I met on my sobo section, others I can't quite think of their names right now.
Date: 2006-07-04
From: Palmerton, PA

To: Wind Gap, PA
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Happy Independence Day!!! Got an early shower and waited outside the jail for our trail angel Duane to take us back to the trail at 6:30. The NPS was doing interviews but all they wanted to know was where we were comeing from and going to today! The climb out of LeHigh Gap is a rock scramble and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My hiking partner was not quite as enthused with his troublesome foot continuing to cause pain. There were a few drops of rain, but the overlooks were worth the side trips. We stopped at a campsite with a cool view of Palmerton and took a break to celebrate 4th of July until the ants ruined the ambiance! At the next vista, we dried out our clothes. I stopped at Wind Gap Shelter to check the log when it started to rain again. I considered staying there, but Bare Bear hadn't taken the side trail and had gone on ahead. Well, that's one of the down sides of traveling together, less of the decisions are in my sole control!, but so far, I'm hanging in there. As I got close to Wind Gap though, the thoughts of a clean shower, and an ice cold soda broke my resolve and I went back to my regular pace and got a room at the motel. It was definately the worst motel I've ever rented! there was empty bottles behind the TV, The carpet was in shreds and it reeked of smoke. Though it's the shower I treasure most, and it worked wonders. I rinsed out my clothes and hung them up to dry in front of the air conditioner, and then began to worry about Bare Bear. A couple other hikers came in but they hadn't seen him. I couldn't figure out how they could have missed him, it was only like a mile or so left to go when I last seen him. They would have had to have passed him. So I turned my phone on and sure enough, he had left a message. It seems he missed the arrows I left by the road, couldn't quite see the motel just a block down the road due to the rain, and instead started walking the other way! Long story short, he eventually got a ride back to Wind Gap with a bag full of goodys from Arbys! Including a milkshake! So our 4th of july picnic was not very traditional, but it sure beat ramen! The TV was blaring something about Wicked Weather again and I was happy just to be dry!
Date: 2006-07-05
From: Wind Gap, PA

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: moderate rain

Raining today, but it's nice and cool! Will have to fill in the last few days later, I have a nice lady waiting to take me to town to do laundry. Internet is only available when the church office is open. I'm doing great, still having fun. Today was slippery and rocky. But, it's the last day in Pennsylvania and I survived! The rain cooled the air and stiffled the mosquitos and my pack was light. No food left! Passed through a construction site where a new pipeline was being buried. Lots of wildflowers, a White rhododendron, and water lillies. There were lots of hikers in town, but there was still room at the church hostel. I took a quick shower and said hi to paster Karen, then used the internet for a brief moment, when Bare Bear announced he had us a ride to town. We needed town for laundry and resupply. Stopped at Sarah's Grill again for a margarita and ate a BBQ Chicken sandwich while the laundry went round and round. Then walked to the Shop-rite for groceries. We got an easy hitch back to the hostel with the Hiker to trail handkerchief. Then, what a surprise, Montreal had taken a zero! I don't know what it is about him, but his smile makes my day everytime. We went for a drink at Deer Head Inn, but the dinner menu was way to spendy for a hiker's budget, so I went to the pizza place with Montreal, Bare Bear, and Sleep Ninga. My mohawk was getting lots of attention. I think maybe in towns, I best keep my hat on! The town is still recovering from the great flood of 2006 and there is mud and debris in the street and front yards are filled with ripped out carpeting and flooring. And I'm still recovering from the my earlier discussion with Montreal. I am so glad that I have caught up to a friend that I treasure so much, yet I don't want to interfere with his hike! So now what? I feel like I've been watching too much teen television. Occupational hazard of caring for my neice and nephew last year! Well, that's what it's like out here. Raw and Wild terrain, weather, wildlife, and I guess emotions too!
Date: 2006-07-06
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up sick to my stomach! Hiked out anyway after emptying out both ends. Hope it was just something I ate! Bare Bear was sick too, so I suspect maybe the salad last night. Made it 10 and a half miles, but couldn't eat the sandwich at Mohican Outdoor Center, which looked really good. I decided to call it a day. Too bad, I was glad to catch up to Montreal again. Anyways, I took a long nap and went to bed early as well. I'm not sick very often, once in a blue moon, maybe and I'm not very good at it either. It was all I could do to keep myself moving. I stopped and left my stomach's contents at a couple different places along the trail! And Barry was so good about it! He was nauseous and low on energy, but he wasn't throwing up anyways. I'm telling you this is the up side of hiking together. I sure appreciated his company! And it was Teri's Birthday on top of everything else weighing on my mind. I'm thinking if there was a low spot on the whole trail so far, this is it. I wanted to go home! The trail was beautiful, though, lots of waterfalls along the river for a while and then Sunfish Pond was so still. I didn't feel like swimming but I did get some good photos of the boys sitting by the pond. The ridges have views and there are ferns everywhere. Took a break and ate a nectarine and apple strudel on a nice rock pile. Then stopped at the Mohican Outdoor Center. I remember last year when I stopped here, they had the most wonderful sandwiches. This year they were out of tomatoes or maybe just because I was still sick, but I couldn't eat it. All I wanted in the whole world was just to lay down and sleep! Barry was feeling worse and so we signed up for the bunkroom. Montreal posed with me at the signpost and he went on. Guess that solves that problem. His pace is so rhythmic, I won't catch up for days.
Date: 2006-07-07
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Culver's Gap
Miles today: 17.9

Still not feeling 100% so I slept in. When I found out there was a large group coming in today, We decided not to zero and headed north about 10 o'clock. I felt better as I hiked and it turned out to be a great day. I saw another bear and cub on the powerline just past the Beaver Pond, another rattlesnake, and lots of turkeys and chicks. Crossed paths with lots of hikers today, once near a tower where they had spent the night, again at a shelter, then made it to Culver's Gap and had a pizza and soda at Gyp's Tavern, where I met up with lots of other hikers, Shasta and H-bomb had been reunited with their friends Baro, Jangles, Mouse, and Donkey (Love)and ____. Mike and Zan were there as well as Silverfoot. We got a ride from the editor of the NJ Herald who had hiked all of New Jersey.
Date: 2006-07-08
From: Culver's Gap

To: Murray's Secret Shelter
Miles today: 21.3

Feeling lots better, but what a disappointing day! It's getting hotter now and the mosquitos are getting bad. I just want to race through the it and get it over with now! Bare Bear is determined not to do any more big miles and so we're in a lengthy discussion. Something like the one I had had with Montreal in the Shenandoahs. Now it was me trying to get out of the deal and I was feeling bad for him. When we got to a shelter, there were a whole bunch of hikers, namely the ones we had passed and been passed by all through the morning. Bare Bear finally wrested the journal from silverfoot and signed "Bare Bear...Always walkes alone!" Oh, that stung! We are both miserable. He's talking of going home cause his feet hurt, I'm feeling trapped and at the same time, I don't want to go on alone. It was so nice to have his company, but now it's mostly depressing. Every time I look back to see if he' in sight, I can see his face grimmacing in pain. Sometimes I can even hear him when he places his foot wrong! I need to be hiking at a speed where I think I'm getting somewhere and it also helps outrun the mosquitos. I stood on the monument cairn on Sunrise Mt. The mosquitos were hovering in thick clouds near the roof of the pavillion. Then, just when I was looking forward to eating a hamburger and getting a shower at High Point State Park, it was closed for some political thing! Oh, that was enough to make me want to cry! Anyways, onward and upward, and it's ALWAYS upward! I said goodbye to Bare Bear at the observation tower and he moved on. I passed shortly afterward pumping water. I have a habit of out hiking all my friends and I hate leaving them behind. Then I feel bad if they try to push themselves to keep up. It's the old catch up and keep up. But, I decided to go on so I could get a shower. The secret shelter had a shower. It also had two male donkeys that kept making loud noises every 20 minutes or so. Bare Bear pushed on in. I was glad to see him, but I knew he wasn't happy. It was a long day. A large flock of turkeys tried to roost in a tree. That was pretty entertaining for a while. Too hot to sleep inside so I set up my hammock. There was a record number of hikers. Tex, Cat's Pa, Shasta, H-Bomb, Mouse, Baro, Jangles, Silverfoot, Veggie Mite, the aussies, Miss Parkay, Donkey (Love). Lots of other hikers! And not a one of them got any sleep due to the most obnoxious donkey sounds through out the night!
Date: 2006-07-09
From: Murray's Secret Shelter

To: Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 13.6

A short day, but it's been the worst day of hiking. The weather is warming up, but that was not the problem. Mosquitos were the problem. Hordes and hordes of them. Even using 100% deet, barely kept them off me for minutes at a time. We walked through this nasty mosquito swamp and it appeared that the path would take us right back to the road we had just left! A needless swamp detour? Anyways, the boardwalk was neat. The Jersey Boys and Miss Parkay passed me as I stopped to take photos. At the road to Vernon, though, I made up for it by getting a milkshake, strawberry milk, cherry cheesecake, fresh fruit, and an easy hitch to the St. Thomas Hostel. Bare Bear was glad to have a short day. Nice hostel too! shower, laundry, etc. We went to the Supermarket and got a rotisserie chicken and made sandwiches. Then watched "Seven days, Six nights". I don't know what it is, but the movies always have new meaning, when on the trail. I had to totally emphasize with the actor as she screemed "I've had enough vacation!". Shasta, Mouse, and H-bomb and ____ got a hitch to the next town and went to see "Pirates of the Caribbean". I should have went, but I was desperate to get some deet from the hiker store. The caretaker "Dave" came and there was enough deet for everyone that needed it. He treated us to ice cream too. Thanks, Dave. I'm enjoying my half day off! Maybe I'll get through this yet! I'm thinking another short day tomorrow and another town. I'll still be able to finish in 8 or nine weeks.
Date: 2006-07-10
From: Vernon, NJ

To: Warwick, NY
Miles today: 15.2

Bare Bear and I got up early and went to breakfast at the restaurant around the corner. Then got a hitch in a convertible at the Burger King. Is it too early for a milkshake? Today was nice, buggy and still warm, but nice views and rock ridges. Ate our Kaiser roll sandwiches with chicken and tomatoe from last night's leftovers. That was worth the weight! And, crossed the state line into New York. Sat on an overlook and ate an orange. Then the best sign at the road to Warwick. Ice Cream! Bellevale Creamery, I love ice cream! Just 1/10th off the trail! And it was absolutely the best I've had so far! Lisa Cavenaugh and her daughters gave us ride to Warwick where I got to go swimming! A great deli, Larry's Deli, made an eggsalad hero sandwich and I ate that poolside for a kid's birthday party. He got the coolest toy, an inflateable raft with a tiny elecric motor that looked like an outboard motor! But, I was too tired to go to the drive in! "Pirates of the Caribbean" will have to wait! Recognized Mike and Zan's shoes! Funny how we can tell a hiker by their shoes! Anyways, we had a good discussion of our goals on the AT and talked about what led us here. And what keeps us here! This obsession that won't let me quit and go home!