morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-08-23
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Locust Creek
Miles today: 16.6

8/23/14 - day 43473.4 - Locust Creek16.6 milesI saw a naked man today, walking northbound on the trail. There are a lot of road crossings here, and open fields (that's your picture for today), and it was a Saturday, so I saw a lot of day hikers.I had just passed a parking area, climbed up through an overgrown field, and stopped to call Laurie. When I was done the trail went back into the woods. I met an ordinary family coming down, and then, a few minutes later, here came a naked man walking down the trail. He had no clothes and no pack. He was a twenty-something. I didn't sense any danger from him. In fact, I stepped to the side of the trail to let him pass. He said hello, and I said hello. After he passed I did look back to be sure he was still walking away. It was very surreal.I continued on, thinking how odd Vermonters were. In Georgia, the guy would probably have cops waiting for him in the parking lot. Remember that girl that was kidnapped and murdered at Blood Mountain?A couple minutes later, a woman comes down the trail, twenty-something, no pack, but she is carrying a bundle of clothes. So OK, there is some sexual play going on between those two, maybe for the shock value, maybe because it excites them.Well, they didn't get much reaction out of me - just another day on the trail!
Date: 2014-08-24
From: Locust Creek

To: stream stealth camp
Miles today: 16.6

8/24/14 - day 44490.0 Stream stealth camp16.6 milesLaurie decided she would eat what I eat and walk what I walk for a day. She is training for a Breast Cancer 3 day. So she ate a Clif bar for breakfast, which she said took 30 minutes to choke down), then walked 16 miles (but its 30 degrees warmer in Georgia), then tried to eat a Spam and cheese sandwich for lunch (she could only finish half of it!).I'm starving, eating my entire food budget for each day. Here's what I ate yesterday: 2 Clif bars, 3 Nutrigrain bars, Spam and cheese tortilla, homemade gorp (craisins, mixed salted nuts, peanut M&Ms), Snickers bar, can of chicken, 1 Lipton/Knorr side (chicken broccoli rice).But today I went a mile off trail to eat a cheeseburger at the Inn at the Long Trail! I was able to power up the last 4 miles of the day!
Date: 2014-08-25
From: stream stealth camp

To: Clarendon Gorge
Miles today: 15.8

8/25/14 - day 45505.8 - Clarendon Gorge15.8 milesI'm not actually camped in the gorge, but just past the no camping zone.The objective this morning was to get over Killington Peak. The weather was perfect, and I had the best views since NH. That's your picture for today.Then it was typical Vermont terrain the rest of the day, with lots of road crossings, small ups and downs, muddy trail, a few fields, and no views. Not that I am complaining - the terrain is so much easier than ME/NH. But I still have to do the miles.I had heard great things about the Whistle Stop Cafe, which was a half mile off trail at my last road crossing. Even talked to the ridgerunner for the local club, who said it was closed Wednesdays, so I was excited about getting another burger.Only when I got down there, I found they closed at 3 on Mondays. You can imagine my disappointment. Its not like I could get in the car and go a little further down the road.But they had picnic tables, an outside hose, and even an electrical outlet. So I charged my phone, called Laurie, took my socks off and set them out to dry, sat at the picnic table and cooked my spam and mac and cheese. Then washed off at the hose, filled my water bottles, and walked back to the trail. Not as good as a cheeseburger, but I made the best of it.
Date: 2014-08-26
From: Clarendon Gorge

To: Lost Pond shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: broken clouds

8/26/14 - day 46523.3 - Lost Pond Shelter17.5 milesVermont continues to be a little boring, especially compared to ME and NH. But the terrain is still very easy compared to the more northern states. I did 17.5 miles today, and have averaged over 16 miles per day over the last 5 days. That's what I need to do to get home before December.But there was a surprise today. There are some areas of white quartz here, and in two spots the trail goes past some large boulders. People have stacked the stones into many cairns of fantastic shapes and sizes. Its hard to capture in a photo, but that's your picture for today.
Date: 2014-08-27
From: Lost Pond shelter

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: broken clouds

8/27/14 - day 47538.1 - Manchester Center, VT14.8 milesOne area with a view today - some exposed cliffs at the top of Baker Peak. That's where I took today's picture.Bad news from home though - Laurie's cat Fidget passed away today. She's had an ulcer for years and had used up most of her 9 lives. Seems that her kidneys finally failed.So Laurie has to deal with the loss all alone. Always before I have been there to take care of the details of a pet passing away. Laurie raised Fidget from a kitten, so they have always had a special bond. I wish I was there with her...
Date: 2014-08-28
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

8/28/14 - day 48538.1 Manchester Center, VT0 milesHad some long phone calls home today, which helps the mental attitude!Stayed at the Red Sled Motel, another old style family motel. The trail seems to be helping to keep some of these in business, at least the ones that have learned to cater to hikers. This one will pick up and deliver and do laundry. There is a diner 100 yards up the road and a farm store across the road. That's the picture for today, the goats at Dutton Farm Stand. They feed them weeds from the overgrown garden!But the grocery store and PO are a mile and a half away, which means I got some walking in today.Tomorrow I hit the trail with a full food bag and go over Stratton Mountain, which looks to be the last big one in Vermont. Next town stop is in MA!Should be seeing the last NOBOs soon. I've been told a couple of times by NOBOs that they are the last, which is like most of what the NOBOs say - wrong. Five minutes after someone tells me that, a group of 6 will come hiking up!
Date: 2014-08-29
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Black Brook
Miles today: 18.4

8/29/14 - day 49556.5 - Black Brook18.4 milesGot a rode back to the trail at 6:30 and was walking south at 6:45. The picture for today is the view from Prospect Rock of the town where I was shopping yesterday - cool.Only 2 NOBOs today, and I'm afraid they might not make it, at least not in their timeframe. They were old guys, like me, traveling together, and hoped to finish by Oct 1st. That's averaging over 17 miles a day every day for a month, through most of Vermont, then all of NH and ME. Of course I will never know if they do it or not, but I seriously doubt it. What could I say to them? If they can't do it they'll find out soon enough.Early afternoon I went over Stratton Mountain, where both the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail were first envisioned, early in the last century. Appreciate it!The climb and descent were easy. What a difference a hundred miles makes. I had my longest day yet, covering 18.4 miles in a little over 10 hours. Hopefully this will set me up for my first twenty mile day tomorrow!
Date: 2014-08-30
From: Black Brook

To: Melville Nauheim shelter
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: clear sky

8/30/14 - day 50576.6 - Melville Nauheim Shelter20.1 milesMy first 20 mile day, and right after an 18 mile day, so I feel like I am making some progress.Started out by waking up two NOBOs who were cowboy camped (no tents, just through down where you give out) right in the trail. Of course they had a dog, who woke everybody up. What's the point of cowboy camping to save time if you are going to sleep in?I picked today to do the 20 because the profile showed rolling terrain with only one big up. There were some wet areas (today's picture).Met two more NOBOs who explained they had to get off for 9 days and were just back and rushing to catch up with their friends. They pumped me for info, like I could remember who I had seen. Sorry!There was a climb at mile 19 (of course), but I managed to do the 20 in 12 hours exactly. At the shelter tonight there were only weekenders (its Labor Day weekend) and section hikers, no NOBOs, so I think I am seeing the last of them.Tomorrow the goal is to get within a half mile of MA, my fourth state!
Date: 2014-08-31
From: Melville Nauheim shelter

To: spring stealth camp
Miles today: 15.5

8/31/14 - day 51592.1 - spring stealth camp15.5 milesThe last few days the weather has been cool and clammy. Today it changed to warm and muggy. Not sure which I like less!The photo is the view of Bennington from the trail. I went right past the road to town - not time to resupply yet.The goal today was to get within a half a mile of the state line. Tomorrow I will cross into Massachusetts and go over 600 miles!The water on the southern end of the trail in VT has been poor. The streams and springs are just trickles. And the water is stained yellow, almost as bad as it was in Maine. Properly treated, its safe to drink, its just not very pleasant to drink water the color of pale pee.Lying here in the hammock listening to it start to rain. Doesn't matter - the weather is what the weather is.
Date: 2014-09-01
From: spring stealth camp

To: Mark Noepel shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: scattered clouds

9/1/14 - day 52606.2 - Mark Noepel Shelter14.1 milesI'm in my 4th state - Massachusetts! I'm over 600 miles! And I made it to September! You have to be content with incremental advances on the trail...The objective today was to get over Mt Greylock, the high point in MA. It's really an easy walkup compared to what I have done, but like a lot of mountains further south, it wears you down with distance - I think it was about 6 miles to get up 3000+ feet.There's a neat tower on top. That's your picture for the day. Also a lot of tourists on Labor Day. There's a road to the top of course. There's also a lodge (its a state park) with a dining hall. So I got a burger, which was reasonable, and a can of soda which wasn't - $2.75!So I'm not cooking tonight, but will eat what I would have eaten for lunch - my 2 burritos (spam and cheese and PBJ). Tomorrow I will ease into Dalton, MA for my resupply box from the PO. I will not take a zero day unless I have difficulties tomorrow. I am having a little problem getting used to the longer miles - there's always something...
Date: 2014-09-02
From: Mark Noepel shelter

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 13.9

9/2/14 - day 53620.1 - Dalton, MA13.9 milesRough day! 80 degrees, skeeters, right shin problems, poison ivy on my hands, bad water, and hot road walks. But you have to expect days like that on the trail.I wanted some warmer weather, but not this warm. Skeeters were everywhere. My right shin is very painful - an overuse injury. I picked up poison ivy pushing my way through the overgrown Vermont fields. The water in MA is barely running and the color of dark pee - I actually went a 1/4 mile off trail to get water from a gas station restroom. And there were long road walks in the sun around the 3 small towns in this section.One odd thing - between 2 of the towns the trail went right through a cornfield. That's your picture for today.So I am at the Shamrock Inn. I will not take a zero tomorrow, but will wait for the PO to open to send off my bounce box, then hit the trail. Right now I want to try to get through CT into NY before taking a zero. We'll see if that works!
Date: 2014-09-03
From: Dalton, MA

To: October Mt Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: broken clouds

9/3/14 - day 54631.9 - October Mt shelter11.8 milesMy first attempt at a nero day (a near zero), although 11.8 is pretty good considering. I took care of the resupply yesterday, and my laundry. Got up at 5 and packed everything up and cleaned the pack out. Cut my hair and beard and took another shower. Taped up my bounce box, then took a 30 minute nap before the PO opened. Mailed off my bounce box at 8:30 and started walking.Skeeters everywhere, so I had to keep moving. Bad water again, but I left town with bottles full of motel water.The photo is looking back at Greylock from the top of Warner Hill, where I ate lunch. In the afternoon I stopped at "the Cookie Lady" which is a house a hundred yards off trail where you can get water and free cookies. I also bought two hard boiled eggs from them. Its a pick your own blueberry farm.So I carried that city water 2 more miles to here and called it a day. Skeeters everywhere, so I have on my long pants and long sleeved shirt.I guess 11.8 is better than a zero. We'll see how long I can keep this up.
Date: 2014-09-04
From: October Mt Shelter

To: Knee-Deep Pond
Miles today: 13.3

9/4/14 - day 55645.2 - Knee-Deep Pond13.3 milesA difficult day. Twisted or pulled my right ankle, which aggravated the shin, so I spent the afternoon going very slowly. Took Advil and my prescription stuff, but no relief.Massachusetts is my least favorite state by far, so that doesn't help any. Bad water and very little of it and mosquitoes everywhere. It will be a close thing to see if I can get to the next resupply (Salisbury, CT) before I run out of food.I did go over I-90, the MA turnpike today. I've driven on it on my way to Summerkeys, although further east.Today's photo is a lake sandwiched between I-90 and another busy highway. I sat on the dam and ate lunch and called Laurie - sad to say that was the high point of this day in MA.
Date: 2014-09-05
From: Knee-Deep Pond

To: Tom Leonard Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: light rain

9/5/13 - day 56661.8 - Tom Leonard Shelter16.6 milesBetter water today, and some relief from the mosquitoes in the afternoon, so my outlook improved. My shin worked OK until the afternoon, so I got back on schedule with 16+ miles.The photo is a huge old barn and a much smaller farmhouse near Tyringham.Met a very late, older NOBO hiking with a dog named Bob. While we talked I ate a cereal bar, and Bob the dog watched me intently (obviously starving). When I finished and he got no crumbs he lay down right in the trail and fell asleep instantly. I feel so sorry for dogs on the trail - they are either walking, eating, or sleeping, and if they had their way they would stop walking.Anyway, Bob the dog and his owner were at a shelter further south when a bunch of day hikers showed up, and they had a young girl with them. She caught a frog in the spring and was playing with it, getting her picture taken, pretending to kiss it, and so on. She held it out to Bob the dog so he could sniff it, and Bob grabbed it out of her hand and wolfed it down. Yum!
Date: 2014-09-06
From: Tom Leonard Shelter

To: Glen Brook shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: scattered clouds

9/6/14 - day 57676.1 - Glen Brook Shelter14.3 milesNo water again today, so Massachusetts is back on my bad list. And the mosquitoes along the Housatonic River almost reached panic numbers.The trail climbed down and went through corn and hay fields along the river for miles. Easy walking, and I would have loved to take my time and look around, but there was no dawdling because of the mosquitoes.And no drinkable water down in that valley. I actually went off trail a 1/4 mile to a shop with vending machines, but they had no public restroom. I had to buy water. It was cold, clear, and had no sulphur smell - worth every dollar.But the bad thing about hiking is that shortly I will need more water. The trail eventually climbed out of the skeeters and the valley, but still no water until I got to the shelter. Even here, its just a trickle, but at least its clear.I should be within striking distance of my next state tomorrow - Connecticut. Of course, just because I cross a state line doesn't mean that the water situation will improve, but I can hope!
Date: 2014-09-07
From: Glen Brook shelter

To: Salisbury CT
Miles today: 13.5

9/7/14 - day 58689.6 - Salisbury, CT13.5 milesSo happy to get out of MA and into CT. I realize its just an arbitrary line on a map, and there is no guarantee that there won't be water problems in CT, but things definitely improved today - lots of flowing water that was clear and didn't smell bad.Right at the border was Sages Ravine (one of the little waterfalls is today's picture). Its a drop and pool stream that could have been pulled from the smokies, except the water was a little stained.I'm staying at Maria McCabe's house. She is an 85 year old woman that takes hikers into her home. For $35 I get a bed, shower, ride to the laundromat, and I can cook my own breakfast tomorrow! She is quite the character, and she drives around town like a woman half her age - fasten your seat belt! The house is old and full of charm. I'm charging my phone with a cable dangling from the overhead light fixture - the only outlet I can find in the room. Its great though, and all part of the AT experience.No zero day tomorrow. My ankle is swollen and painful, especially in the afternoons, but I'm going to try to walk it off. No need to go to the PO tomorrow, so I'll get up, cook my breakfast in Maria's kitchen, and walk back to the trail (about a half mile). Next stop, if I am lucky, will be in NY. I have 6 days food, not the 6 days I might have carried back in July, but almost twice the weight for my increased appetite. Ouch!
Date: 2014-09-08
From: Salisbury CT

To: Pine Swamp Brook shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

9/8/14 - day 59705.1 - Pine Swamp Brook shelter15.5 milesMy 11th day straight with no zero day. And I am over 700 miles, very close to 1/3rd finished. My average miles per day has inched up to 11.95, but in the last 11 days I have averaged over 15, including 2 resupply days. So I am keeping moving...There was a definite fall feeling this morning, a certain slant of light (to borrow a turn of phrase from Emily Dickinson), a cool, dry atmosphere, with a hint of dead leaves here and there. In the afternoon it was gone though, and back to summer.The photo is dawn at the huge cemetery in Salisbury. Creepy.I also passed the huge falls on the Housatonic. Impressive. And the old one lane iron bridge.But in the afternoon my ankle/shin pain slowed me down. It is swollen, and doesn't look good. I keep hoping to walk it off, but so far that is not happening.I only saw two other hikers today. That's got to be a new low. I think the NOBOs are finally done. According to the registers, there are SOBOs ahead of me, and I know there are SOBOs and Flip-Floppers behind me, but I seem to be all alone here.CT is very mild so far. I'm finding enough water, at least for now, but it is still very dry.
Date: 2014-09-09
From: Pine Swamp Brook shelter

To: Mt Algo shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: broken clouds

9/9/14 - day 60722.4 - Mt. Algo shelter17.3 milesMore low hills this morning, then a descent and a long flat section along the Housatonic again, with some fields (today's picture). The river is much bigger here, and fairly quiet. Then there was an abrupt and steep climb up the St. John's ledges away from the river.This is where I began to hear rumors of a drunken party at Mt. Algo shelter, which just happened to be my destination for the night. Its only 3/10 from the highway that goes to Kent, which makes for fairly easy access for party supplies.I heard this from 2 groups of northbound section hikers, who said that the partiers were a large group of southbounders! I haven't seen another SOBO in ages, and I've never seen a large group. So I had some skepticism...Very worn out when I finally crossed the Kent road, so I stopped to regroup and called Laurie. I was only a short walk from the shelter, but it was a steep uphill. I could have walked to town, but was too tired.When I finally reached the shelter, there was a large group of SOBOs, but not much of a party - or maybe I was just late. There was a group of 4 who were on their 3rd day at the shelter or in Kent. They were pretty hungover, but only one guy was still at it, talking on his phone in speaker phone mode. About the worst that could be said for them was they had an illegal campfire (no fires in CT). But I didn't stay in the shelter (I'm not stupid). There were 3 more SOBOs sleeping it off in tents, and maybe more in Kent - I never got an accurate count!I talked for a while, and these were all twenty-somethings that started long before I did. They do big miles for a few days, then crash and party and take a few days off. So they don't make a lot of forward progress, although they have managed to do 700 miles.So I met my first party crowd. This is much more common for northbounders. No doubt I will slowly pull away from them starting tomorrow.So tomorrow I will hopefully leave CT behind and enter my 6th state- NY!
Date: 2014-09-10
From: Mt Algo shelter

To: Pawling Nature Reserve boundary
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: overcast clouds

9/10/14 - day 61739.7 - Pawling Nature Reserve boundary17.3 milesI'm in my 6th state - NY! And I am well over 1/3 done.CT ended well, along the Housatonic again, this time with rapids and a covered bridge. The bridge is off trail a bit but worth the side trip. I also got a coke and bag of chips to go with my tuna and cheese burrito and Nutella and jelly burrito. Yum!The party southbound hikers (I think the final count was eight), had all slept in, but while I was looking at the bridge one of them got ahead of me. I found him sitting by a stream with 4 empty beer cans, and 2 full ones cooling in the water. So they can hike fast, they just stop often, and for a lot of time, to party. How can he hike after drinking six beers?After I got into NY I found the neatest thing - the "Dover Plains Free Library". Its a wooden box on a post with a roof and a glass door. There's an assortment of books inside. The motto is "Take a book - Leave a book". That's your picture for today.
Date: 2014-09-11
From: Pawling Nature Reserve boundary

To: stealth camp past Hosner Mt road
Miles today: 17.5

9/11/14 - day 62757.2 - stealth camp past Hosner Mt Road17.5 milesFirst thing this morning I took my life in my hands and crossed NY 22. At rush hour.Just on the other side is the Appalachian Trail Train Station. That's your picture for today. I heard the trains go by all night, and while I was standing there another one zoomed through. They only stop at this station on the weekends. New York City is only about 40 miles away!Most of todays hike was through excellent orienteering terrain. Rolling hills with open forest, and piles of boulders here and there and on the hilltops. I know there is a map further south at Harriman, but I don't know anything about other maps in the area, except at West Point.Water is scarce, but unlike Massachusetts, NY provides wells with hand pumps (CT did this too). Very good planning.At the end of the day I went 4/10 off trail to a deli and got a Reuben and a bag of chips and a brownie and carried them a couple of miles here for supper. No cooking tonight!I'm less than 30 miles from crossing the Hudson. I will try to be there Saturday and then take a zero for the first time since day 48!