morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-06-01
From: James Frye (Tagg Run) Shelter

To: US 11 Harrisburg Pike
Miles today: 20.2

This may have been my most strenious day of hiking yet (although Julia says I've said that before.) It was hot, humid and the sweat was rolling off me in buckets all day. I was always soaked...as much as if I'd been caught in a rain storm.I was on the Trail hiking just before seven and by the time I was eight miles along at Alec Kennedy shelter I felt exhausted. I made some good cold water and ate some snacks although I had no appetite. I layed down and took an hour and a half "nap" after which I decided to try and go on to Boiling Springs...even though I didn't feel any better than when I stopped.As I hiked along the "energy" from the snacks must have kicked in as I went back to feeling my usual self...somewhat miserable. The terrain wasn't bad and I was okay going into town.I went to the cafe next to the pond for a BLT and milkshake and rested on the porch swing at the AT Converancy headquarters.The reason I haven't mentioned any other hikers is there haven't been any. I have been hiking by myself.Going out of town I run into a resident, Margo, out walking her three dogs. I mentioned something about it being a little hot and they should be back at Boiling Springs in the pond. She said they had their own pond back at the place. When I told her I was going to stay in a motel at route eleven, she said there was a car show in Carlsile and I may have a problem getting a room..."oh great!"The next eight miles, although level, were strenious because of the heat. I thought they would never end. I was taking frequent breaks. One was on the steps going into a farm field where three horses were grazing in front of me. One came up to greet me until she found out I didn't have anything to eat. One stood cross ways over the Trail...just daring me try and make it move out of the way...probably thought I was a thru-hiker purist who wouldn't step off the the path. Well, I did just that...going around her. When I got to route eleven the Super 8 was only a couple of hundred miles off the trail. I wasn't even hitching when this guy stopped and offered me a ride...he even waited for me to check for room availability in case I needed a ride to another motel. This is the first time I've been screwed on a room. The guy was from India...(I think all Super 8's are operated by Indians now,) and he charged me the top rate. I could have gone on and looked around but was just too tired.Standing outside the laundry building was Sparrowhawk. Someone had stole his hiking shorts (his only pair...he was wearing his rain pants) out of the dryer if you can believe that. He never did find them and I gave him an extra pair I was carrying...a little trail magic among hikers. Staying there turned out to be almost worth the price as a round of heavy thundershowers moved through within the hour. In fact, instead of going across the street in the rain to the Middlesex Diner for dinner, I had a pizza delivered from Papa John's.
Date: 2006-06-02
From: US 11 Harrisburg Pike

To: Duncannon (The Doyle)
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: light rain

The walk today lasted from 8:45 until 5:00.It did cool off and the humidity dropped to more tolerable levels. There are still not a lot of hikers...I think I saw two backpackers and two day hikers.Everything was fine until I got in some heavy thunderstorms two hours outside of Duncannon. At the end of the trail before it goes into town were a couple of coolers filled with candy and beverages from Trail Angel Mary...same as back in '03.Also, the famous PA rocks began today. The path also took you back up a nice climb after it appeared you were through with climbs for the day.Before checking into the Doyle I had to check out the room. They are getting $20 now and I wanted a decent mattress.   The one in my room was fairly new and a hundred per cent improvement over what was here in '03. So I checked in and got a nice shower.After eating dinner at The Pub I joined Sparrowhawk and a new hiker, Sticker (new to me anyway.) He had also thru-hiked the Trail back in the 90's. A local guy bought everyone a round and even played some good music in juke box.I think I'll give it a rest for now.
Date: 2006-06-03
From: Duncannon (The Doyle)

To: Zero Day at the Doyle
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It was crummy in the morning so I did what I said I wasn't going to do this hike...take a zero. By afternoon, the sun came out, the humidity was gone and any hiker with any self-respect would have been back on the Trail.There was some kind of "Hiker Appreciation Day" going on. There were garage sales in town (just the way they celebrate down south) and the local food mart was giving away hot dogs, chips and drinks. That alone was reason enough to hang around.Duncannon is one interesting town. I spent three hours on the internet at the local computer cafe. In the room with me were a half dozen or so young boys between the ages of 10 to 15 (guesstimate) playing video games and yelling obsenities. Let me tell you, these boys did not like to lose and had a few choice words for their enemies...I can't repeat them here but I'm not too worried about anything I may have said in my journals setting the wrong example for our youth...and it doesn't bother them who hears it either. They talk like they know plenty of lued sex acts...or at least know the names they go by. No sir...not holding a thing back. Why was I not surprised to find out there was no real library in town. There was a place where hikers could hang out that they called the town library...I think it had two rows of bookshelves that were filled with videos.Hung around the bar with Sticker and Sparrowhawk. Sparrowhawk is fighting wome sort of sinus or head cold and is meeting family tomorrow. Met a couple of new hikers having dinner.
Date: 2006-06-04
From: Zero Day at the Doyle

To: Yellow Springs Village
Miles today: 24.3

Not a lot of exciting things to report today. Did some good miles despite some rocky patches. The real rocks won¢t come till later. I left town at 6:50 am and arrived at Yellow Springs around six pm so it was a long day. Actually, I felt pretty good just walking and listening to my music all day or I would not have done this many miles. I did take breaks at both the Clarks Ferry and Peters Mtn shelters where I left messages in the registers.I packed out a sub sandwich from the food mart where I left Sticker who was still having breakfast when I walked out. Oh yeah, I did go across the street and have breakfast when the diner opened. They were nice enough to fill my Camelback with ice for me too. I love my Camelback with the insulated sleeve...keeps the water ice cold for hours. I saw only a handful of hikers today¢¦a couple of guys with a black lab and that was about it. I never saw Sticker...must have been behind me all day.The heat and humidity has subsided although it rained shortly after I got to camp. So, I will be packing out a wet tent in the morning¢¦no big dealI am the only one here and BTW the ¢village¢ consist of a few fire rings and a mail box¢¦I guess the Post Office will deliver mail anywhere but I don't know who would want to live here.
Date: 2006-06-05
From: Yellow Springs Village

To: Hertlein Stealth site
Miles today: 26.2

Today may be my biggest day for miles this section. I was up and hiking at daybreak and didn¢t stop to tent until 13 hours later. Energy was not a problem today¢¦just some rocky patches and the big disappointment came when I pulled into the 501 shelter around five with hikers English and Buttercup. We called the place that delivers pizza to the shelter and got a recording that they were closed on Mondays. Since I didn¢t want to stay in a shelter anyway, I just said goodbye to the guys and hiked another five and a half miles where I stopped just short of a campsite..Another ADD¢¦when I quit for the day I found a stealth site to pitch the tent.   When I got up in the morning and hiked out, I passed these nice level tent sites next to the spring...the formal Hertlein Campsite. Oh well, my site wasn¢t that bad.When I got up the tent was wet from some overnight light showers. One of the things I forgot to pack was the cloth I use to wipe down my tent. I started hiking at 6:50 and had covered over five miles to Second Mountain by nine. I did get lost briefly after Waterville Iron bridge where the Trail goes under I81¢¦I missed a turn and walked down the road a half mile past where the AT went into the woods.. There was this young lady out in the yard talking on her cell phone. I asked her if she knew where the AT was and she told me to go back to where the YMCA camp sign was. She said I wasn¢t the first one who missed that turn. The trail has good blazes on the trees and rocks, but when you get on the roads it¢s a different story.I felt good the whole day and was not exhausted after 25 miles. The path wasn¢t that easy either, especially the last five miles that was full of boulders and rocks.
Date: 2006-06-06
From: Hertlein Stealth site

To: Port Clinton
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: scattered clouds

One thing about tenting by yourself is the privacy¢¦no one wakes you up, and better yet, you don¢t have to worry about pissing anyone else off if you¢re up early making a lot of noise while stuffing things in your backpack. I am usually up at daybreak give or take an hour. Today, I slept in a little and just wanted to lay there forever.The hike wasn¢t that long today, only 18 miles, but I did get pissed at the rocks. Besides that, the downhill into Port Clinton is the steepest and poorest surface of all the descents into towns along the AT. Not just because I took a good spill this time, but it is without steps for the most part and slippery. I have no knee or ankle problems going downhill so I have a tendency to take them to fast at times. So far I¢ve been lucky and not killed myself.Did I mention the sun was hot today¢¦not just hot it was brutal. One thing about the AT is it is mostly in the shade where there is a big, big difference in the heat factor.One thing cool about the AT is all the historical places you come across. One today was the site of Fort Dietrich Snyder, from the French and Indian War. You can¢t have a trail run over 2,000 miles without running into some great historical stuff.When I checked into the Port Clinton Hotel, Sticker was already there and cleaned up. Not that I care, but I couldn¢t believe he had walked the entire trail from Duncannon and got here before me. He just grinned and said he must have passed me when he took a different way out of Duncannon. I said, ¢No way!¢ as he was still lollygagging around the food mart when I took off. I mean, I did it about as quickly as you can unless he got up early and passed me this morning. Sparrowhawk said Sticker has been ¢yellow blazing¢ since the Smokies. Yellow blazing is when you take some short cuts or hitch around some sections.Got to know a nice young hiker here named Superman. The three of us hung out a little in the dining room. Superman got his trail name by doing ¢big miles¢ his first day out when you¢re supposed to take it easy breaking yourself in.Everyone who eats at the hotel agrees on two things¢¦the food is great (e.g. the hiker fries) and the waitresses are assholes. They never smile and always act like they¢re being tortured. Sticker did get ours to loosen up a bit so I left her a nice tip. The other thing is I¢m always buying Sticker drinks¢¦back at The Doyle and now here in Port Clinton.When I got to my room it smelled like smoke. I then switched rooms but the TV was so old it had only 12 channels. We tried to trade it with the TV from the smoky room and it wouldn¢t work. The proprietor (bartender) said he didn¢t have time to take care of it so I got my $64 back and went a mile or so out to the interstate where I got a room in the Microtel. The Port Clinton Hotel requires a ten dollar key deposit too which may be difficult to get back if you hike out early in the morning,
Date: 2006-06-07
From: Port Clinton

To: Port Clinton Zero
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I¢ve said it before¢¦timing is everything out here. Today I had to shuttle the SUV a hundred miles or so up the Trail to Delaware Water Gap. It couldn¢t have been a better day for it since it was gloomy and rainy most of the day. But, I really don¢t like to take full zeros anymore. What I hope to do is shuttle the vehicle ahead and get back in enough time to hike out a couple of hours and camp on the AT.So I drove up to DWG where I first visited the outfitter. He could shuttle me back in my vehicle for a dollar a mile, but wouldn¢t be available until around 4 pm. The Ramada (now called something else) said I could leave it in there parking lot which is where I will stay when I get to town.Most all of the hikers stay at the Presbyterian Church hostel so I drove stopped in to see in anyone there might want to help me out and make a few bucks. The place was empty the first visit but when I checked back later a solo hiker, Donald (no Trail name), was just coming in. Donald, in his early forties (my guess) was clean shaven with short hair¢¦military type. When I asked him how it was going he just said ¢okay¢ but you could tell he wasn¢t having a lot of fun. He said he was anxious to get it over with. On the other hand, he said nothing about quitting. I think he said he was meeting a relative for dinner tonight and would hike out in the morning. It was already two o¢clock and he needed to be back here around four thirty.The next part I¢m not making up. It¢s my ADD again. I actually drove the wrong way out of town. To make things worse we had to drive along the Delaware River and couldn¢t turn around for over twelve miles.When he dropped me off at Port Clinton the weather was still crummy so I just checked back into the Microtel. I tried to give Donald a nice amount for shuttling me and he first refused to take anything, saying he wanted to help me out. I begged him to at least take a twenty to make me feel better which I left on the seat with the map book.
Date: 2006-06-08
From: Port Clinton Zero

To: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Got up before six and had a great breakfast special at the Cracker Barrel next door¢¦a whole plate of pancakes topped with strawberries and whipped cream plus eggs and bacon. After which I walked up to the gas mart and bought a bologna & cheese tray for tonight¢s supper. I think I mentioned some time ago that I¢m not cooking this summer. So far I don¢t regret that decision¢¦my pack weight is ideal (shoulders aren¢t aching at all) with the 2# savings from the stove and fuel.As I walked out of the mart a guy in a beat up van asks me if I¢m going to the Trail. He and his buddy live in Port Clinton and are ¢trail angels¢ to us hikers. They are a couple of ¢free spirits¢¢¦you know¢¦a week¢s beard growth, scruffy looking, pack a day, teeth missing types. They had a beautiful dog that I got to make friends with. Thanks Brian and Robert for the ride to the Trail.On the Trail I was antisocial and listened to my music all day. I took it a little easier and didn¢t get too pissed at the increased rocky stretches. In fact, I took a twenty minute break at the Eckville Shelter after about fifteen miles. There were three good thousand feet or more climbs including the one out of Port Clinton.It started to rain lightly about five and lasted until I stopped at six thirty. Oh, I did talk to one hiker¢¦Sticker about five pm at Dan¢s pulpit. Dan¢s pulpit is a vista at 1650¢ with a register in a mail box. As I approached I saw a wet tent pitched across from a mail box. I heard someone say, ¢Who goes there?¢ I immediately recognized Sticker¢s voice.   I responded, ¢Sticker, you asshole¢¦you pussy¢¦how did you get here before me and why have you stopped hiking¢¦can¢t handle the rocks?¢ He made up some lame excuse. We chatted for a couple of minutes and I moved on.When I reached the Attentown Hiking Club Shelter about 6:30, it was full of people and gear. I just nodded hello and walked around to the tenting sites. It took me about ten minutes to find one suitable for me.The bologna and cheese tray I packed out from the gas mart was excellent¢¦really hit the spot. Had that for dinner and some cookies for desert. Then, I brushed my teeth and called it a day.I don¢t know if I mentioned that I pack one of those battery powered ¢electric¢ tooth brushes. One guy I met along the way could not believe it¢¦some light weight fanatics have been know to cut the handle off their tooth brushes just to save a fraction of an ounce. I look at it this way¢¦if it is proportionately worth it to me, I¢ll carry it. I¢ll talk about the electric razor I carry some other time.
Date: 2006-06-09
From: Allentown Hiking Club Shelter

To: Lehigh Gap (Palmerton)
Miles today: 17.7

Not a lot of miles today, but when you add on the one to two mile walk into town from the Gap and factor in the hot sun, it was tiresome nonetheless. I was also feeling a little blue which happens from time to time with my mood swings. I did get to see a nice big fat black snake that wouldn¢t move off the path for me.Tonight I¢m in jail¢¦the basement of the old city building that was once the jail for the town of Palmerton. In ¢03, I came here to take a shower and rest before meeting an old friend who lives nearby. He¢s a great guy who I once worked for and is now the top executive for Just Born¢¦the candy company that makes Peeps, Hot Tamales, and other fine treats. He sent me a 35# box of candy the year of my thru-hike as ¢Trail Magic.¢ I had planned to meet up with him again this year, but decided to experience the hospitality of Palmerton instead. Sam, if you read this, I will call you again when I¢m back in the area¢¦I want to allow some time to visit with you and Betsy and tour one of your plants as we talked about on the phone.Hiking in, I reached Blue Mountain Summit early in the morning. There on PA309 I stopped by the restaurant but it was not open for breakfast. In ¢03 I tented here out back in the woods. I did stop for a short break at the George W. Outerbridge Shelter...not one of the nicest (not so clean and run down) like the ones at the other end of the State. I don¢t imagine too many backpackers stay here with Palmerton just around the corner.When I checked into the jail this evening I was only the second hiker to come in today. The community also uses it for other projects and a lady was cleaning up after one. She said the other hiker was across the street washing a load of towels for the hostel. Then, in walks Sticker warning her to look out for me.¢You S.O.B¢¦.how in the hell did you get here before me again¢¦this is the second time you are in town all cleaned up and waiting for me¢¦I left you back at Dan¢s Pulpit yesterday afternoon¢¦there¢s no way you passed me.¢Sticker says: ¢When you yelled at me at Dan¢s Pulpit¢¦you made me feel guilty and I packed up and started hiking.¢Yeah right!The local Girl Scout Troop along with various businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, a doctor and the Borough put together a little welcome package for hikers¢¦a Hefty gallon storage bag filled with cool stuff like a travel pack of Charmin, toothpaste, tooth brush and a fifteen minute phone card. I¢ve got to send the Girt Scouts a donation when I get back.I did my laundry and ate at the local restaurant, Bert¢s Steakhouse¢¦my first steak this section. I swear the waitresses along the Trail hate hikers. Mine wasn¢t outwardly rude but I must have sat there twenty minutes after I finished eating before I called her over and asked her for desert. And she never re-filled my coffee. They don¢t smile much either¢¦I¢m beginning to take it personally¢¦hell I always leave them a nice tip, at least a dollar bill and any pennies I have in my pockets.It¢s just me and Sticker here tonight¢¦in The Twighlight Zone.
Date: 2006-06-10
From: Lehigh Gap (Palmerton)

To: Stealth Tentsite past Wind Gap
Miles today: 21.9
Weather: broken clouds

Today started out with breakfast at Bert¢s with Sticker when it opened at six. This time we had an exceptional waitress who was friendly and did not hate hikers. Somehow, I ended up buying again. We then said our good byes as I got the feeling I wasn¢t going to see Sticker again when he said something about me being a strong hiker¢¦I think he is out here this time more for the social aspects and there aren¢t a lot of other hikers around us right now. I mean, I don¢t think I ever saw him with any dirt under his fingernails. Also, He¢s been taking a zero at every town and maybe he¢s getting tired of ¢yellow blazing¢ to keep up with me. I think he should do whatever is fun for him. In town he wears this French beret. I did enjoy his personality and sense of humor and I will miss him.I didn¢t have my thumb out for five minutes before a local guy, Bob, picked me up and took me out to Lehigh Gap¢¦nice guy and thanks Bob!The climb out of the valley was steep and rocky¢¦often with arrows painted on the rocks to let you know where the exact trail path was located. Once you reached the top (over a thousand feet in a half mile or so) it was windy as hell¢¦as you are shielded from the west winds on the way up.After the first several miles through the superfund clean up site, I think today was the rockiest of them all so far. I was alone all day with Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, The Spinners, Fleetwood Mac and others. Didn¢t talk to anyone except when I hitched a ride out of Wind Gap after walking a mile and a half into town where I had supper at the Burger King. My ride back to the Trail was from a somewhat unlikely duo¢¦middle aged Kathy and Steve in a clean late model SUV. Kathy and her husband had just moved here from near NYC and knew the AT was only a few miles away. Steve was relative but I forget which one. We enjoyed chatting with each other as they ran me out to the parking lot next to the trailhead.So far I haven¢t mentioned these gypsy moths all over the place this year. You can actually hear them munching away at the leaves and their poop falling on the ground. It can be so noisy at times you can't hear yourself think. The Trail is littered with oak leaf pieces. At first, when I saw the path covered with small pieces of green leaves I thought it was from a hail storm knocking them off the trees. I guess it¢s what¢s left over when their finished eating. You also run into these worms hanging on a silk thread¢¦and sometimes they fall on your neck. I don¢t remember experiencing anything like this in ¢03.I remembered this great level tent site about a mile and a half north of Wind Gap where Hazmat and I camped in ¢03. Even though it was hidden with some brush and lots of fallen limbs, I found it with no problem. There was still a fire ring that looked as though it hadn¢t been used for some time and there was not ¢dead spots¢ where tents had been pitched. I was there by 6:30 pm and in bed by eight.