morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-08-14
From: Que's Whistle Stop Restaurant

To: Churchill Scott Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: broken clouds

8/14/2014 Day 134 - I packed up my tent and gear and had everything ready to go by 6:40 am. I went into the restaurant a little early and got some coffee while they waited for the grill to heat up. I ordered the Hungry Hiker which consisted of 2 eggs, bacon, toast, home fries, and pancakes. I got some real Vermont maple syrup and it was delicious. I hit the trail after breakfast and encountered a bit of a steep climb for the first mile, but it smoothed out later in the morning. I passed by some beautiful rushing brooks and stopped to enjoy one while I laid my tent out to dry. Today's big mountain was Killington, a pretty well known place to ski in the winter. I had a snack around noon and decided to wait until I reached the top of the mountain before eating lunch. It took a little longer than expected to climb to 2000 feet this afternoon, but it was a nice, beautiful climb. I met a nice lady on the way up, Kinder, as we passed each other. She's a kindergarten teacher from Georgia. I reached the top and had lunch in Coopers Lodge, an old stone and wood cabin that's been converted into a shelter. A chipmunk stood in the doorway and watched me eat for most of my lunch. It was supposed to rain after 6:15 pm so I stepped it up and did the 4.5 miles downhill a little quicker that normal and made it to the Churchill Scott shelter before the rain started. I met Tedzilla on the way down, also an AT NoBo hiker, and Thundercat when I got to the shelter. He's a SoBo. Thundercat told me there was a sign at the north base of the mountain that said there was an overpopulation of porcupines in the area. He added that I should keep my shoes nearby because for some reason porcupines love smelly shoes. Good day of hiking.
Date: 2015-08-15
From: Churchill Scott Shelter

To: Stoney Brook Shelter
Miles today: 11.9

8/15/2015 Day 135 - I had the whole shelter to myself last night. Thundercat and Todzilla always tent and no one else showed up. It rained a little so I stuck around until it let up around 7:25 am. It was about 6 miles to Killington where I needed to grab a few food items to plus up what I had in order to get to Hanover, NH. The weather cleared and I made it to a VT 100 in a few hours. It was 0.7 miles from the trail to the Deli and Marketplace. I got a really good sandwich, chips, soda and some fresh fruit. I bought some Cliff bars, jerky, ramen, and a bunch of other stuff I wouldn't eat back home. I eat at least a snack every couple of hour while hiking to keep my energy up, and I eat what tastes good to make sure I do.My left Achilles started hurting pretty bad as I was walking back to the trail, but I babied it for the net few hours and it's feeling ok now. There was a heck of a hill this afternoon that kicked my butt. It was only about 1200 feet, but the trail was a steep climb. I made it to Stony Brook Shelter at about 3:45 and decided to call it a day, even though I only hiked 11.9 miles. The extra rest will be good for me. The shelter is full now because a thunderstorm came along and started raining on us. It's ok though, because I'm dry.
Date: 2015-08-16
From: Stoney Brook Shelter

To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

8/16/2015 Day 136 - The shelter last night was full and there were quite a few people tenting around it as well. There were three people snoring most of the night. One to my left, one to my right, and one sleeping on the bench under the overhang behind the shelter. They weren't really that bad, it was more comical than anything else. I have my earplugs and I can barely hear in my left ear anyway. So If I want it silent, I just lie on my right side. I wanted to get an early start, but I was enjoying the morning company at the shelter and didn't get out of there until 7 am. The goal for today was to get to VT 12 before the On the Edge Farm closed at 5 pm so I could get an extra snack. The trail was pretty nice but there were a couple of 500+ footers that slowed me down a bit. I. Add it to the Lookout Cabin a little before noon and joined Toes on the observation platform on the roof for lunch. I wish I would have take. A picture of the place, it was fairly new and in great shape. Right when I was finished 2 young couples joined us on the small platform. The view was amazing.The trail was nice and easy this afternoon with the sun shining through the branches in spots giving a serene feel to the forest. I made it to the store before 4 and had plenty of time to eat my breakfast burrito, cookies, and maple soda. I know, right? It is Vermont so it kind of makes sense, a soft drink made from Maple syrup. I thought it was pretty good. It tasted like a maple version of ginger ale. I finished up with a pint of Moostracks ice cream. The lady running the place was really cool and was helpful with hiker info. She said that there's a farmer down the road that lets hikers sleep in his barn if they ask. I decided to keep hiking a bit longer, as did Toes and Blue Kazoo. We all ended up stealth camping in the middle of nowhere, which can be nice sometimes.I hiked 15.9 miles today and feel pretty good. My location is at mile 1726.8.
Date: 2015-08-17
From: Stealth Camp

To: Happy Hill Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: overcast clouds

8/17/2015 Day 137 - I was up and out of camp by 7:20 am. It was another beautiful day, and got fairly warm later in the day. I stopped and took a break at Thistle Hill shelter ataround 6 miles. Toes was there already there since he passed me about a mile prior to getting there. I took the shelter log book after he was finished with it and read his entry. He's got a bad ankle and isn't sure if it can make it through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He wrote that he's going to skip New Hampshire and do Maine so he's sure to summit Katahdin, then let his ankle heal and try to do the Whites in sections before the end of the year. It's a good plan. I have my worries about my own injuries, so I can sympathize.Later on as I was hiking, Haulin' Oat passed me and told me about an uncomfortable experience she had with another hiker last Friday. He tried to keep up with her and talk, and has been asking about her. I think she said his name was Mystic Wanderer. Whatever the situation, he should leave her alone if it makes her uncomfortable. She got picked up by her mother for a visit this afternoon but I'm sure I'll see her in a day or two. The trail goes through part of West Hartford and there's a place right after you cross the bridge on the right that is well know for trail magic. I got an orange soda and took a break on their porch for a few minutes. It was much appreciated. Blue Kazoo and Toes are pushing on to Hanover. I didn't want to push it. At my current speed it would put me in town well after dark. I stopped about 6 miles from town at the Happy Hill shelter. Lost Boy is here as well as a SoBo. A couple of other NoBos showed up right as I was hitting the sack.I hiked 14.4 miles today.
Date: 2015-08-18
From: Happy Hill Shelter

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: light rain

8/18/2015 Day 138 - I'm taking a Nero today in Hanover, NH. I got up and had breakfast at the shelter with Gernot(?) and Pockets. They're NoBos too and heading into Hanover as well. The town is super friendly to hikers and has a list of Trail Angels that will give you a place to stay for the night if they have room. It's also the home of Dartmouth College, about as Ivy League as you can get. The trail runs right past the College and through town. Unfortunately none of the trail Angels had room so I'm staying in the Sunset Motor Inn, about 2 miles south of town. There's a free bus system that'll get you just about anywhere in the area, and it runs hourly, said getting to the motel was a snap. Eric sent me my warm clothes and sleeping bag, as well as a 3 day supply of food. It is so nice to be able to go to the post office and get just about everything you need. There were at least 6 other thru-hikers there when I was getting my packages.I'm in New Hampshire! This is where it gets tough, and from what I hear, breathtakingly beautiful. I'm looking forward to the challenge.I hiked 5.9 miles today.
Date: 2015-08-19
From: Hanover, NH

To: Bill Ackerly's Yard
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: broken clouds

8/19/2015 Day 139 - I ate a pretty good breakfast at the motel and caught the 7:25 free bus into town. After I got a couple of little things at a gas station, I got back on the trail, which in this case was right in the middle of town. I really like this town and bet it's a great place to live. I walked up a couple of little mountains to include a thousand footer before stopping at Moose Mountain shelter for lunch. I was the only one there, but it was kind of nice. The weather's great and I'm feeling fairly good. After lunch I descended Moose Mountain and came on a road where I met some trail Angels. Dennis and Marsha had hot dogs, chips and soda ready for me and a few other hikers who were already there. What nice people. Marsha is a retired grade school teacher and misses the kids, but not the politics. I hike up a 1200 foot climb and came across a beautiful view. Holt's Cliffs are some beautiful gray stone cliffs that allow for a great view of the surrounding mountains. I passed Trapper John shelter on my way down and went to Bill Ackerly's house instead. Bill's not around, but he has a young lady watching the place. Bill is know. As the ice cream man because for just signing his trail log book, you get a free ice cream bar. There are a bunch of hikers I know here; Haulin' Oats, Blue Kazoo, Tex, Chewy, and several others. We're all pitching our tents in the back yard and staying the night. He's got a porta potty and a hose with clean water. Such luxuries are always appreciated. Had some good conversation about German college politics with A German Hiker while eating my second dinner. I hiked 17.5 miles. Another good day.
Date: 2015-08-20
From: Bill Ackerly's Yard

To: Bracket Brook
Miles today: 14.4

8/20/2015 Day 140 - Today was actually a pretty tough day and I'm not even in the Whites yet. I climbed Smarts Mountain this morning, a 2000 footer which was actually pretty nice. I took a break about halfway up to dry the condensation from my tent. It gets pretty wet when I camp on grass. I reached the top at around 11:30 or so and ate lunch outside of the Old Fire Warden's Cabin. Now it's used for a hiker shelter. I was the only one there and the solitude was kind of nice. I saw Blue Kazoo several times today. We hike close to the same pace so when one of us takes a break, the other passes. She's a nice young lady, probably in her mid 20s. The second mountain was only 1500 feet, so I though it would be a little easier. It wasn't. Cube mountain wasn't that steep, but it has quite a few stretches with boulders or big sheets of rock to navigate through. It's slow and a little tiring, but the views on Cube Mountain were quite nice and the strong winds were cooling an otherwise warm day. I ended up stopping at Bracket Brook, at the north base of Cube, where I ran into several hikers I was camping with last night. Haulin' Oat, The Scientist (not Derek), Tiger Mike, and Recalc. A couple of SoBos named Pan and Biscuit camped there as well and gave us some good information about the Whites. Feeling pretty tired tonight, but good, so I'm gonna hit the sack. I hiked 14.4 miles today.
Date: 2015-08-21
From: Bracket Brook

To: Hikers Welcome Hostel
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

8/21/2015 Day 141 - I woke up early and had everything packed up just before it started to rain at 6:30 am. I hiked a good 6 hours and made it to the Hikers Welcome Hostel by 12:30. I pushed it a little to make sure I got a bunk. When it rains people to stay at hostels and they fill up quick. I got one of the last bunks and got a shower before it got too busy. The owner, a former thru hiker named Legion, made sure everyone got a ride to the convenience store and restaurant in the evening. It a nice, but very busy hostel. I hiked 11.5 miles today.
Date: 2015-08-23
From: Stealth on Wolf Mountain

To: The Notch Hostel
Miles today: 10.9

8/23/2015 Day 145 - I got up early because I was sliding in my tent and getting a little uncomfortable. I did get around 6-7 good hours of sleep last night though. They weren't kidding when they said the White Mountains were tough. I hiked to Eliza Brook Shelter, only 2.1 miles from where I camped and it took me about an hour and a half. The terrain is rocky, rugged, and steep, which really slows you down. It doesn't matter if you're going up or down, either. I met a young lady from Belgium today, her trail name is Carbs.   She took a leave of absence from work and doing a section of the AT, which she finished today, and will be going to the West Coast for Burning Man, and then on to Mexico or Central America for a while. A very nice young woman. We crossed paths a few times today.I hiked to the top of Kinsman mountain, both peaks, and soaked in the beautiful views. I spoke to an AMC caretaker about the whites while I was up there and he gave me a few pointers. I hiked down to the Lonesome Lake Hut and got an idea of how the huts work from the young man working there. The lentil soup was pretty good. I went down and sat by the lake watching some people swim then hit the trail again. I finally made it to the visitors center where I caught a ride with a local shuttle service to the Notch Hostel. The place is very nice, but has a lot of rules. That's ok though, they're meant to keep the place clean. I'll probably zero here tomorrow to make sure I'm rested for the rest of the Whites.
Date: 2015-08-24
From: The Notch Hostel

To: The Notch Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

8/24/2015 Day 146 - Zero Day at the Notch Hostel. The owners, Justin and Serena, are a really nice young couple who recently got married. They just opened this hostel a little over a month ago. It's a nice place, clean, and they got a good system for dirty hikers coming in. You put your gear in the shed, grab some loaner clothes and go straight to the bathroom for a shower. I thought it was a little odd at first, but it works and immediately feel better. I grabbed one of their loaner bicycles and went to North Woodstock for both breakfast and lunch. Talked to some interesting people and enjoyed the down time.
Date: 2015-08-25
From: The Notch Hostel

To: The Notch Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

8/25/2015 Day 147 - I spent another day at the Notch Hostel, primarily due to the weather. It rained on and off all day and I didn't want to spend my time in the Whites in the rain. The hostel is great, but I need to get back on the trail tomorrow.
Date: 2015-08-26
From: The Notch Hostel

To: Garfield Shelter
Miles today: 10.3

8/26/2015 Day 148 - After eating a stack of pancakes, Justin dropped me and three others off at the trailhead. I hiked up to Mount Lincoln, Mt. Lafayette, and then Mt. Garfield. There were fantastic views from each of them that will just make you say, "wow", and I did several times today. I ate lunch on Mount Lincoln and am staying in Garfield shelter. The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) charges people to stay in the shelters in the White Mountains. There was a young woman who met me as I approached the campsite and was very nice as she explained the setup. It cost me $8.00 to spend the night. There are some hikers who refuse to pay and try to find a stealth site instead. It's understandable considering many of these young hikers are on a shoestring budget. Others try to get work for stay at the huts, but there are usually only 2 a night per but that are allowed. It was a nice, beautiful day today with some fairly tough climbs. I hiked 10.3 miles today.
Date: 2015-08-27
From: Garfield Shelter

To: Ethan Pond Shelter
Miles today: 14.5

8/27/2015 Day 149 - I only hiked 14.5 miles today, but that's not too shabby in the Whites. The steep up and down scrambles and boulder hopping are what slow you down. I left Garfield shelter at 7 am and hiked about 3 miles to Galehead hut. Fly Away hiked with me most of the way and we talked about the trail and food. I asked the cook/caretaker, a nice young woman, at the hut about some food and she gave us left over eggs, oatmeal, and a small pork tenderloin for free. There was also bread and pastries for sale, a buck each. I ate my second breakfast, thanked the cook, and continued on a pretty steep climb. At about 10 miles into the day I stopped at Zealand Falls hut and had some black bean soup with the rest of my lunch. The hike there was pretty rough and there was a light rain for a couple of hours, but luckily no downpours. After Zealand Fall, the trail smoothed out real nice for about 4 miles. I later learned that a stretch before Ethan Pond campsite was so flat and smooth because there used to be railroad tracks for logging trains through that stretch. I got to Ethan Pond campsite around six and had plenty of time for dinner before climbing in the sleeping bag. I'm glad Eric sent me my 25 degree bag a week or so ago, it's going to get cold tonight. Gray Goat is sharing the shelter with me and there are a bunch of college kids on an orientation outing at the site as well.
Date: 2015-08-28
From: Ethan Pond Shelter

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 14.1

8/28/2015 Day 150 - I left Ethan Pond Campsite at 7 am. I wasn't sure how far I could go today because I was headed into the Presidential range. The climb was around 4500 feet total, which is nothing to sneeze at. I told myself I would go to Mizpah hut right before Mount Pierce at about 9 miles into the day and see if I could go further. I got there at about 1:35 pm and figured I could make it to Lakes of the Cloud hut 5 miles further. I was a little concerned about getting a place to sleep because it's above tree-line, and you don't want to tent above tree-line. The weather can turn real ugly, real fast. Lakes of the Clouds has 6 work for stay positions, where you do some chores and sleep on their dining room floor, or $10 for a night in the "dungeon", their emergency shelter. I made It to Lakes of the Clouds with no problems by 5:15 and opted for the dungeon. I was too tired to do much else. I have to say that the views today were simply magnificent. I could see evergreen covered mountains, big ones, into the horizon. Simply beautiful.The dungeon's a tight fight for six, but I'm sharing it with 2 other thru hikers, so it's good to go. Tough climbs today, but a great day for hiking.
Date: 2015-08-29
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Osgood Campsite
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: overcast clouds

8/29/2015 Day 151 - What a day! I woke up in the " dungeon" and reluctantly got out of my sleeping bag. It was cold. I cooked my coffee and ate my breakfast in the dungeon too, the wind outside made things just a little colder. When I went to get my water from the upstairs dining room the crew put on a pretty funny skit for the people eating breakfast. It in involved cross-dressing, sinking boats, and a shameless hint to tip the "croo". Off to Mount Washington. It's only about a mile and a half from Lakes of the clouds and it was covered by a cloud while I was making my ascent. I kept on getting distracted by all the beautiful mountain views and the small lakes where the place gets its name from. As I walked up the mountain the clouds swept by engulfing me one moment and clearing the next. It was pretty chilly, but my merino wool sweater was all I needed while hiking. When I reached the top, I saw a weather station, visitor's center, a couple of out building and a place called At the Top Hostel. Everything was difficult to see because of the clouds. The hostel was actually a restored hostel that was built back into 1800s. It was pretty cool. A group of us to include Steel Foot, Peaches, Bilbo, Finch, Q-Tip, and a couple of others waited in the visitors center until the snack bar open at 9 am, then we got some coffee and a bunch of junk food. Need those calories. When I went outside the clouds had cleared and some beautiful views were all around us. Well worth the climb. I headed along the northbound AT trail enjoying the view when I saw a cog train chugging away to the top with a load of tourists. Did I say the views were amazing?It was Saturday so there were a lot of people walking along the trails. Everyone was pretty nice, even though they weren't exactly clear on trail etiquette. I didn't mind so much, they were mostly weekend hikers. I hiked along the Presidential Range ridge line where the trail is mostly large granite rock, but not so difficult to navigate as long as I was careful. At about 2:30, I stopped at the Madison Hut where I ate my lunch and got a couple of incidentals. When I left the hut, I climbed Mount Madison, a much smaller peak, but still steep and required me to use my hands to get up in spots. It had great views as well. The descent from there wasn't just from Madison, but the whole Presidential range, and it was tough. The first mile and a half was all large and rugged granite rocks that we're tough on the knees because of the slope. It took me about 2 hours just for that short stretch. When I hit the tree line things got a little easier and my last mile and a half took me about an hour and a half. I got to the campsite expecting it to be occupied if not full, but there was no one there. I set up my tent and cooked dinner. Right before dark Steel Foot and Peaches showed up. After it got dark, quit a few more came in. I'm guessing a lot of people underestimated the climb down from the Presidential. I hiked 10.1 miles today, but really enjoyed most of the day.
Date: 2015-08-30
From: Osgood Campsite

To: Pinkham Notch Visitors Center
Miles today: 4.7
Weather: clear sky

8/30/2015 Day 151 - I had a couple of hick-ups today that's slowed me down a bit, but that may be a good thing. I got up this morning at the Osgood tent site feeling pretty good, but my knees were sore from the previous day's long downhill out of the Presidentials. I hiked for the first hour before noticing I hadn't seen any signs for the AT, or any white blazes. It turns out I missed a turn about mile and a half or so back and was going down the wrong trail. I turned right around and found out the turn was only a half a mile from the campsite. I lost close to 2 hours straightening out that mess. It was my own fault for not paying attention since there was a sign at the turn-off, just facing the other way. Anyway, I got back on track and about 2 and a half hours later made it to the Pinkham Notch Visitors Center. It's a really nice place with souvenirs, snack food, and a full blown cafeteria, which I took advantage of.I was counting on a resupply package to load up on food for my next leg, but it hadn't arrived yet. Eric's going to help me track it down and ship it forward since I should be heading out in the morning and the mail doesn't arrive until the afternoon. The snacks, and a couple of dehydrated meals they have in the souvenir shop, should hold me over until my next stop in Gorham in 2 days. I was able to get a room in the lodge next to the visitors center at a reduced rate because I'm a thru hiker. The lady at the desk, Sue, was real nice and helped me out. It came with dinner and breakfast buffets so I'll eat as much as I can to try and keep the weight on. The dinner was actually very good and I can't wait until breakfast. Fly Away is staying here as well and I ate dinner with her and a couple of gentleman hiking from hut to hut for the week. I've also learned more about the AMC, which runs both of these establishments as well as all the huts and campsites, and understand why they are so expensive. The organization is 125 years old and has been running the huts and maintaining trails for a very long time. Much longer than the AT's been around. So, even with the hick-ups, it's been a pretty good day.