morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-07-24
From: Melville Nauheim Shelter

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: light rain

Such a long day. My knee gave out at dinner. But better at the end of the day than when I'm stuck on a hill.Waited out a noon rainstorm at Goddard Shelter. With three Long Trail SoBo hikers (including Cletus and Rocketman) one Long Trail NoBo hiker (only his second day, no trail name), and an AT section hiker. Lightning struck the trees next to the shelter. Yikes!Story Spring Shelter and campsite taken over by large group. Yay. Good for them, saving money by not going to a group campsite.Tenting in BFE just so I don't have to go back out there on the Trail looking for a flat spot.
Date: 2012-07-25
From: Story Spring Shelter

To: Spruce Peak Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: few clouds

On my iPod, I listen to an Out of the Grey song. Titled "If I Know You", the lyric continues, "You will turn this day into a perfect surprise". Today, I started out crying, but ended up rejoicing... stick with me, here...I knew I had a big mountain to climb, elevation 3936 feet. I was the LAST person to leave camp, so I knew I'd be last to arrive in camp. Again.Then, three guys who camped at a shelter PRIOR to ours caught up with me and PASSED me on the Trail. I tried falling in line behind them, twice (as they stopped to take a smoke break. Yes, a SMOKE BREAK and they are STILL faster!). But try as I might, I could not keep up. As I watched the bright blue backpack of the last hiker melt into the green trees, I started to cry in frustration at my limitations as a hiker. Being the last hiker is like being the last one picked for the team in gym class. No one likes that feeling, and I face it every day. Except, I am not on a team, as I end up hiking alone. So frustrating.But I stuck with it and made it to the top of the hill where I had lunch... then I ascended the fire tower to see the amazing 360° view. This was the spot where Benton MacKaye conceived the idea of the Appalachian Trail!I continued on, descending the mountain, steadily making my way to the shelter, where I wasn't the last person to arrive. The three "faster" hikers who passed me earlier in the day had slowed down to take more breaks, it seemed.Later, I arrived in camp to discover I had great cellular coverage, along with a note from the editor of Next Magazine, which featured the article worn by Jeff Kagan about me and my hike titled "Trail Blazer".When I mentioned the email message, my fellow hikers searched online using a smartphone and found the article, then passed the phone around so others could read it.Even though it discusses my addiction to meth, my bipolar disorder, and my HIV infection, I consider it a "victory", because I have overcome these things to have days like today... frustrating, inspiring, and reaffirming, all at once.All in all, today was an amazing day.
Date: 2012-07-26
From: Spruce Peak Shelter

To: Green Mountain House Hostel
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: light rain

Camped with Bigfoot and Big Naranja. Our plan was to leave camp at 8:00 am, hike down to the road, call a taxi (to save the hassle of hitching into town), and have breakfast, killing time until the hostel opened at noon.Got up early due to the impending rainstorm (and the constant cawing of some angry crows), so instead of leaving camp at 8:00 am, we left at 7:00 am and hiked in a slow, light drizzle. However, this ended up working to our advantage, as the hostel owner, Jeff, happened to be dropping off his 8:00 am shuttle passenger as we arrived at the road. Jeff offered to bring us back to the hostel, let us shower, and then took us back to town for breakfast. This might not seem like an amazing thing to most folks, but your first shower after six days in the woods, as well as a change of fresh, clean loaner clothing (mine were Hawaiian board shorts and a Gold's Gym Portland, OR t-shirt) make all the difference in the world. And while we ate breakfast, Jeff had a chance to finish cleaning the hostel in preparation for our return.We had breakfast at Friendly's (this was a friendly Friendly's, but we were clean and groomed, so I think that improved the odds of good service)... think "Denny's With Ice Cream" breakfast. Yum. I know folks hate it when I talk about food, but again, after a week on the Trail eating trail mix and pepperoni, a sundae is heaven. Next door to the restaurant was the EMS outfitter, where I was able to get a new pair of hiking pants. The last ones I purchased 750 miles ago had died (well, the seam in the seat of the pants had split... I sewed them back together, but the stitching made the pants look a little like Frankenstein's monster).Afterwards, we resupplied at Price Chopper, getting enough food for the next few days' hike to Rutland, as well as lunch, dinner, and breakfast tomorrow. The Green Mountain Hiker Hostel has a full kitchen, and guests are encouraged to make full meals which often leads to a communal dining experience. In addition to nacho fixings, I also got a couple of pies to share with the other hikers.When we returned to the Hostel, I was able to update Trail Journals, as well as reach out to my friends at my beneficiary organizations by phone (unfortunately, I missed everyone!). A group of us gathered to watch "Bridesmaids" on DVD... I had not watched it since the movie theater release and loved introducing it to some folks who had not seen it before!It is 9:45 pm... way after Hiker's Midnight, but the Hostel is hopping with conversations and everyone is enjoying one another's company. It is fun to meet new hikers and always entertaining to see their reaction when the finally meet "DirtyGirl"!
Date: 2012-07-27
From: Green Mountain House Hostel

To: Lost Pond Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Did NOT want to leave the comforts of Green Mountain House Hostel today. Some guys stayed for an extra day to go to the movies and see the London Olympics. On top of that, it rained all morning... D'oh!Got to climb UP a ski slope at Bromley Mountain to get to the top. According to my guide, I should have been able to see five states on a clear day. Since it was totally overcast and drizzling, I soldiered on.My feet will tell me when I have hit 15 miles. It is a combination of disconcerting numbness in my feet alternating with a sharp, stinging pain in my toes.Today was the first day in many weeks that I hiked in silence... No highway noises or construction equipment could be heard all afternoon.On my way into camp, I saw moose tracks in the mud. But aside from the bears in Virginia, I have not seen anything larger than a deer, like a moose or a bear.Sleeping beside a rushing brook with the wonderful "shush" sound created by the falling water.
Date: 2012-07-28
From: Lost Pond Shelter

To: Minerva Hinchey Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: light rain

Saturday, so loss of weekend hikers on the trails. A number of off-leash dogs, too. Even saw one female golden retriever fouling a water source. Sometimes, not knowing what you are drinking is best.Thought about a lot of stuff today... primarily, what I'm going to do when I get back to San Francisco. I feel I'm living the existence of a twenty-something, switching jobs, living in someone's basement, and I've never had a long-term relationship. So, I'd really like a career-related job, it would be great to find a more age-appropriate living situation (even if it is with a housemate, which is an economic necessity in an expensive city like SF), and I'd enjoy dating a nice man.Two big hills today, plus rainstorms. Again today, there were some points where there were no sounds, no birds singing. Just silence.Lots of mosquitoes as well.Sharing the campsite with a group of chatty girl scouts. This is going to be a long, long night.
Date: 2012-07-29
From: Minerva Hinchey Shelter

To: Stealth Campsite north of Governor Clement Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: moderate rain

Spent night in shelter, as campsite was taken by girl scouts. Dislike shelters because of noise (snoring), smell (mouse feces), and general lack of personal space and privacy. In my tent, I am king of my castle.After a half hour of hiking over a hill, I realized I had lost my camera, so I backtracked a mile to return to shelter to look for it, so that added two miles and one hour to my day. Finally gave up in frustration (with much heartache) and continued hiking, praying for a miracle.Went to Whistle Stop Caf© for birthday brunch with Big Naranja (another mile and an additional 90 minutes). Luckily, I ran into NoBo hiker Pacecar, who had found it on the Trail. Miracles happen, even on the Trail. I owe Pacecar a lot of beer.Hurricane Irene-related storm damage left part of the Trail impassable, so a detour added at least another mile to my day.Waited out rainstorm at 5 pm at Governor Clement Shelter. Very brave chipmunk popped out to check met out. I've never realized how well chipmunks color-coordinate with Burberry.After 30 minutes of heavy rain, four young (18 - 22 year old) SoBo hikers showed up and started taking over the shelter. Then a young couple wearing Dirty Girl gaiters showed up. When I complimented the guy's gaiters, he just said "thanks", grimly, and did not make eye contact with me. Nice.After two more showed up, I realized two's company, nine's a crowd, and took off.At this point, everyone said "goodbye" curiously, apparently wondering why I wasn't going to stay in the overcrowded shelter. But I was getting tired of being squeezed out. The four 18 - 22's has taken over the entire twelve-person sleeping platform. Mr. Dirty Girl Gaiters kept passive-aggressively crowding me. He had been mumbling in an irritated fashion to Miss Dirty Girl Gaiters, who seemed to be calling the shots about hiking or staying. Each time I would turn around, he would place his backpack closer to where I was sitting, forcing me to move down the bench a few inches at a time. Finally I was surrounded by their stuff on my bench, and they were cooking on one side and unpacking on the other. Argh!Since it was just drizzling, it was just easier to hike another mile and a half to a flat spot and stealth camp. As I raised my tent, the rain picked up again. I made it inside just in time. I needed a place to stretch out, as my left knee got tweaked when I fell down more than once in the morning rain.The Trail designers like to run the Trail down flat sheets of rock, as it must look cool, or something. However, flat, angled rock turns into a waterside or log flume when damp. This Trail is so unsafe in places, I don't know how day hikers do it.With actual trail miles, my day was more like 11, but with a side trip, a detour, and doubling back, it added up to 15. My feet hurt, but I am glad to be inside my (relatively) dry tent. I am going to sleep fully-dressed, so I can get an earlier start in the morning.
Date: 2012-07-30
From: Stealth Campsite north of Governor Clement Shelter

To: Rutland, VT
Miles today: 10.0

Spent the night stealth camping, woke early to catch up with the guys staying at the next shelter. I arrived at the shelter only to learn they had left 30 minutes prior. I quickly signed the shelter register and hurried down the Trail to catch up. The shelter was located near the top of Killington, where the Trail shares the mountain with a large ski resort. I stepped out onto a large open patch of grass, similar to a powerline clearing, took a photo of some wildflowers, then followed the worn grass path before me, hoping to see white blazes soon. Usually, at a clearing like this, you cut directly across, or at a very slight angle, to an obvious opening in the trees on the opposite side. Unfortunately, the trees were not clearly white blazed, so I kept following the grassy path down the ski slope (as we had just come UP Bromley's ski slope a few days before). As I looked to my right, there were white lines painted on the water pipes the ski slope used to make artificial snow. However, these markings must not have been official white blazes, so I realized I was lost. Luckily, I saw a sign tacked to a tree with a silhouette of a male and female hiker with the letter "C" and an arrow. I followed the "C" trail until it got me to where I needed to be.At the bottom of the mountain, I saw the Rutland express bus parked by the road and hopped on with just a few minutes to spare before the driver's break ended and he had to return to town. And as the bus was picking up at the lodge, it was free, so I was happy to save $2 for the 10 mile ride to town.I rode into town and checked into the Hiker Hostel, just upstairs from the Yellow Deli. For $20, you get a bunk, shower, and breakfast in the morning.As I have my prescriptions mailed to me by Walgreen's, via my parents, I will need to wait in Rutland for the mail to arrive on Wednesday. I will be using the time to resupply, purchase a sleeping bag liner for cold weather, as well as emergency pocket knife (my Leatherman tool has rusted shut!) and a new spork (my plastic spork finally gave up the ghost after 1,000 miles).Luckily, the hostel is very near a Wal-Mart and a movie theater (playing Spiderman and Batman, yay!). While this eats into my hiking time, I need a day or two to let me knees heal up.After I visited the Wal-Mart to purchase a mini-radio (after 1,600 miles, I am growing tired of the same 100 songs on my Shuffle), Bigfoot and Big Naranja showed up, so we went to dinner at the Hibachi Buffet with another hiker Ryno.
Date: 2012-07-31
From: Rutland, VT

To: Rutland, VT
Miles today: 0.0

Slept well at the hostel... dreamed about hiking, as well as the movies I saw the night before.Spending the day running errands... more accurately "limping errands", as my knees are still bothering me from the recent post-rainstorm spills I took on the Trail.Using the free 30-minute computers at the Rutland Free Library. I am thankful that the public libraries let us use the computers, as I need them to update Trail Journals, but it is distracting to be sitting beside some very sketchy characters speaking in full voice IN A LIBRARY. *sigh*Found all the new gear I needed at Eastern Mountain Sports, as there is no REI locally. I hope the bag liner works as the weather gets colder in the Whites.Received three really nice notes via my Trail Journals email account. Berrypicker (Nancy) follows me online, as well as a guy named David... both thanked me for keeping up the journal online. And then I was pleasantly surprised to get a note from GA>ME 2007 hiker Tintin. I ran into Tintin on the Trail recently... he was taking some time to relive old memories in northern MA and southern VT during a short hiatus from the real world. Tintin urged me to "Keep walkin', man... it's worth it!".I knew that friends like Bill from San Francisco and Paul from Nashville were following my blog, but I did not realize that there were complete strangers who read the story of my adventures on the Trail.I really hope I have not been complaining too much or talking about food too much (even though -- and I will say it again -- I am running on a calorie deficit each day!). The Trail is SUCH a challenge for me as a non-hiker / non-outdoorsman. I realize that after the John Muir Trail and 75% of the Appalachian Trail I am officially a hiker / outdoorsman, whether I would like to admit it or not! But I think this speaks more to my dedication to the cause... fundraising for amazing organizations like Pets Are Wonderful Support and the National AIDS Memorial Grove. If you have appreciated my journal, please consider making a gift to one of these organizations via my website's beneficiary page at HikeRossHike (dot) org. There is a link beneath each video posted online.
Date: 2012-08-01
From: Rutland, VT

To: Killington, VT
Miles today: 0.0

Received package of monthly medications. Zeroed today at the Inn At Long Trail, as right knee is still hurting.Humbled by the emails and encouraging messages from Henry, David, Nancy, Ruth, Dan, and Clint... All appreciating the Trail Journal and encouraging me to keep up the hike. Cannot wait to finish this and make everyone proud!Was pleasantly surprised that Nokey, Sprinkles (aka TrophyWife), Secrets, and Shenanigans caught up with me! I had not hiked with the former since Dragon's Tooth and the latter since Damascus. After everyone showered and got settled into their rooms, we had a celebratory dinner in the Irish pub downstairs.
Date: 2012-08-02
From: Killington, VT

To: Chateauguay Road by Mink Brook
Miles today: 11.7

Frustrated that I did not get in 15 miles, but started "late" at 8:50 am, after very nice, complimentary hotel breakfast.I wanted to hike faster, but the hills just kill me. While plodding along, I realized there are a few motivations to hike faster or slower... 1) To avoid another hiker's irritating behavior (like a chronic snorer), 2) To catch up with (or fall back to meet) someone you love on the Trail, like old hiking buddies, 3) To get away from a stalker (women especially have this problem), 4) To distance yourself from a pack or "bubble", as shelters and hostels can get too full or will turn you away when too many folks arrive at once,5) To distance yourself from something that is not necessarily "negative", but you just don't enjoy it (like hikers with dogs, hikers who smoke, hikers who party hard/socialize loudly),and6) I'm sure I'll think of something else...Right now, I just have to hike as many miles per day as I can to make it to Maine in five weeks!
Date: 2012-08-03
From: Chateauguay Road by Mink Brook

To: Cloudland Road
Miles today: 14.5

Questions from the Trail Journals inbox!"Berrypicker" asks:"What do you think about as you are trekking in the woods?"Also, "What motivates you and prevents you from hopping on the next airplane and flying back to SF??"Primarily, I focus on putting one foot in front of the other and getting from Point A to Point B. But once my hike is underway, my thoughts DO drift. I compare the thought process to shaking up a snowglobe and focusing in on one flake of snow (in this case a specific thought or memory) floating about. Sometimes they're positive, some negative, but they always keep me busy. Recently, I have incorporated the assistance of a small FM radio to keep me company and keep my mind occupied with music or news.I am motivated to hike because I want to make a difference in the world... even if I impact only one life. I've always said, I don't need to be the next Oprah Winfrey, but I want to be the person who INSPIRES someone to become the next "Oprah" to impact the world!Interestingly enough, "shame" is another one of the motivators for remaining on the Trail. Everyone knows where I am... I world have to do a LOT of explaining I'd I returned home early!
Date: 2012-08-04
From: Cloudland Road

To: Norwich, VT
Miles today: 16.7

Hiked in incredibly oppressive heat and humidity today... I tend to push myself to make two miles per hour and 15 miles per day, so when I am not going fast enough or far enough, I tend to stress myself out. Add to that the heat and humidity, and it makes for a miserable mental state. I really need to learn to take an hour or two off during the heat of the day to hide in the shade or sit by a brook and relax.Despite the heat, I completed 14.7 miles (the additional two were a mile to town and back for dinner) to Norwich, VT, where I stayed in the home of Warren and Toni Thayer. They are trail angels who open their downstairs rec room to hikers passing through. AND, they are conveniently the first house on Elm once you exit the Trail!Warren's business is a trade magazine to the frozen food industry. He and his wife used to live in NYC, but they moved to Norwich ten years ago. Their home is in a very quiet neighborhood right beside the forest and has lovely views of the Green Mountains in the distance.Shared the rec room with Shaggy from Indiana. He is from the non-profit fundraising sector, too.Heading into Hanover tomorrow, passing through Dartmouth, then on to the next shelter. Due to poor planning on my part, I am out of zero days, so I will need to start hiking EVERY DAY until I get to Maine.
Date: 2012-08-05
From: Norwich, VT

To: Trescott Road
Miles today: 6.4

Great day. Productive, but I feel like I wasted some time.Spent night with Warren & Toni Thayer. Shared the Thayer's ground floor rec room with Shaggy. The Thayers provided a twin-sized Coleman inflatable camping air mattress (nice and thick!). SO comfortable, especially after sleeping on a tiny three inch thick backpacking mattress all these months!Nero day in Norwich VT and Hanover NH.Dan & Whit's General Store gives away free, day-old sandwiches to hikers. The chicken salad tasted amazing (and did not taste "day-old" at all!). Also got my last "official" Ben & Jerry's before leaving the state of Vermont.Indian buffet lunch with Trekking Pole (from Poland), Golden, Lone Duck, Nokey and Sprinkles (aka Trophy Wife).Mid-day, spent time at Dartmouth Outings Club reading news, updating Trail Journal, and finalizing last month of hiking schedule. This allowed me to avoid the oppressive heat and humidity of the day.Schedule is now very tight. Must do 14 - 15 miles per day with no zero days to make my birthday deadline/goal of September 6th.Purchased two liters of Gatorade and one gallon of water for backpack bladder.Local pizza place gives one free slice to hikers. Bought another slice (to support the business) as well as a diet Coke. MAN, do I miss drinks with ice! Watched a few minutes of the Olympics before the skies opened up and it started raining. I missed getting caught in the downpour by seconds. Waited out the storm in the pizza parlor, then headed toward the Trail. Stopped by the Co-Op (a local version of Whole Foods), then hit the AT at 4:00 pm in the post-rain, muggy, late afternoon heat.Found stealth campsite on an abandoned, flat stretch of road in the woods. Wanted to get a few miles ahead of tomorrow's mileage schedule.
Date: 2012-08-06
From: Trescott Road

To: Lyme Center, NH
Miles today: 13.6

August 6th... my birthday is September 6th. I am freaking out. I only have a month left.Stealth camped last night on a side trail/woods road. Rained during the night, which is so relaxing when I'm snug in my dry tent. Weather was perfect today with temps in the low 80's. Loving my little radio, as I was able to listen to public radio all morning until my battery died. Luckily, my Mophie backup battery for my smartphone recharges my radio, too!Tented on the lawn of trail angel Bill Ackerly, who has a lovely summer home just steps from the AT and for the past nine years has offered free water and ice cream, as well as the chance to sit and visit on the porch with him or the opportunity to play a round of croquet on the lawn. Bill lives in Boston/Cambridge in the off-season.Dick Rivers, Bill's oldest childhood friend from Louisville, was visiting too, so we sat on the porch and talked. As they were drinking gin, Bill offered me a drink, too (I took white wine) and we chatted until two more hikers (Sprout and Buzz) showed up, at which point Bill pulled out previous years' hiker registers and photos.While their names did not appear in the guest register, I did find two photos of Mr. Right and Plunger playing croquet with their fellow hikers during their 2009 visit to Bill's home. Bill remembered that day fondly and was pleased to learn of our connection (it was Mr. Right's suggestion I hike the Trail as a fundraising event).Coincidentally, both Bill and Dick have college professor sons at Berkeley and Stanford, respectively.