morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-09-15
From: Spruce Peak Shelter

To: Kid Gore Shelter
Miles today: 22.9
Weather: few clouds

Since my watch had broken and I couldn't find a replacement in Manchester Center, VT, I borrowed my Dad's sports watch. It was compatible with a heart rate monitor and had some advanced features when hooked up properly, but by itself, it lacked even the simplest alarm. That meant I woke up whenever - usually at first light, but it was getting chilly enough overnight that I sometimes cinched up my sleeping bag so only my nose stuck out and it stayed pretty dark in the sleeping bag.Fortunately, I got up at a decent hour and made it to a shelter for the night. Rain was forecast, so I didn't hike past it even though I had the time to get further. There were 4 others in the shelter: a father/son pair and a retired guy hiking south and one hiking north on the Long Trail. This was the section of the AT that ran concurrently with the Long Trail and there were far more people hiking that Long trail. I hadn't even heard of it until recently and was surprised at its popularity. It is only 275 miles long, but it is supposed to have some nice mountains and views. It starts at the VT/MA border and goes to Canada. It also seemed like everyone hiked it in the same direction, south to north, rather than the reverse because I didn't run across anyone going the other way.The other guys had a fire going when I arrived and after some socializing, we all went to bed at a reasonable hour.
Date: 2014-09-16
From: Kid Gore Shelter

To: Congdon Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.7

It rained as predicted and it was still raining in the morning. People trickled out and I was the fourth to leave. Only the one guy hiking the long trail was left behind. Once I got out, I realized I could have started hiking earlier - the rain was very light, but it sounded worse in the shelter because larger drops would collect and roll off the overhanging trees and ping the metal roof. The rain was originally forecast 2am to 8am. It started at 1:56am and had woken me up. The amended forecast called for rain 2am to 2pm, but it stopped by 11am. There had been enough rain to make the trail nice and wet. Vermont was already known for having muddy trails, though usually worst in the spring, the extra water didn't help.In the afternoon, an opposite direction hiker stopped to tell me she had seen a bear cross the trail just a half mile ago. I kept an eye out, but saw nothing.I stopped at a shelter for the night so I could hang things up to dry. I was surprised to see 2 northbounders there, instead of all Long Trail hikers. One was only a section hiker and was going as far as he could as the season got late. The other guy thought he was going to be a thru hiker, but from what he told us about his start time and daily average, the rest of us had our doubts. He though Mt Greylock was tough and recommended "slackpacking" it. Slackpacking is where someone shuttles your backpack from where you start in the morning to where you end for the night (usually a hostel-run service) so you can basically day-hike a section. I vaguely remember hiking Greylock as a kid and if I could do it so long ago I could barely remember, I was pretty sure I would have no trouble now.Someone in the shelter snored, and I had to use earplugs, but it was nice to be able to hang my things out to dry.
Date: 2014-09-18
From: Mark Noepel Shelter

To: October Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 25.7
Weather: scattered clouds

I hiked into Cheshire, MA and went to Dunkin Donunts for breakfast. It was inside a gas station so I got a few snacks for later as well. As I walked back outside to my backpack, I realized I forgot to take in the clothes I had hung out to dry. I had a few items out there, but the long-sleeved shirt I had on top had sagged to reveal my underwear strung across the back of my pack, clearly visible as I walked through town. Oops.I also stopped at the General Store which was quite an interesting place. You could get just about anything there from sewing supplies to hardware, including stationary and candy. If they didn't have it, you probably didn't need it. I got stationary and candy. Of all the things you think about as you walk along, I remembered I hadn't sent birthday cards to any of my friends. I didn't have time to write them all out, so I saved that as a project for a rainy day.I stopped at a convenience store for lunch because it was quicker and had more variety than the nearby restaurants. They actually had a decent selection of fresh fruit and salads and hot subs. I resupplied as well and got some fresh muffins for breakfast. On my way out of town, I stopped for an ice cream cone to-go and met the hiker with the injured ankle from a few days ago.She let me use her phone and I set a new rendezvous point with my parents and grandmother for lunch on Saturday (2 days from now) because I was making better than expected mileage. I ended up spending a little too long in town and needed my headlamp for the last 10-15 minutes to get to the shelter. I was a little lazy because it was late and stayed inside rather than pitching my tarp. I thought it would be warmest in the overhang upstairs over the porch, but didn't see the roof vents. It was a chilly night and I was in the worst spot for the breeze, but it still wasn't too bad.
Date: 2014-09-19
From: October Mountain Shelter

To: Mt Wilcox North Shelter
Miles today: 22.8
Weather: clear sky

At some point I took a wrong turn. The trail merged with a snowmobile trail and I followed it down to the road. As I looked across the street, I didn't see the trail on the other side, but I saw a hotel listed in my guide on my right side and the guidebook said it should have been on the left. Hmmm. I back tracked about 50 yards (uphill of course) and found that the trail diverged from the snowmobile road almost immediately and I had missed that turn. Now on the right path, I cross the road at the proper point and found apple trees on both sides. On the north side of the road were yellow delicious apples, which were very tasty, but there were only a few. On the south side of the road were a different variety, and they must have dropped a while ago and didn't taste good at all. Later that day I crossed I-90 on a footbridge. I actually recognized it as I had driven under at at least a dozen or more times while going back and forth to college, I just never realized what it was. The footbridge is specifically for the Appalachian Trail as there are no other sidewalks/paths in the area.I had tried to make my mileage work out to stay at Upper Goose Pond shelter, because the rumor was that the caretakers make a pancake breakfast for hikers in the morning. Unfortunately, I passed by it much to early in the day to stop for the night. Instead, I ran into the other southbound girl I had seen a lot of recently and we decided to aim for Mt Wilcox South shelter. We didn't hike together - few people do - as everyone has a different pace for uphill/downhill sections, but its nice to schedule to meet up later. When we crossed paths near the end of the day, we revised our plan to Mt Wilcox North (1.8 miles closer) and spent the night there.I tented outside because the ground was softer than the hard wooden shelter floor. I tend to only sleep inside if rain is a factor, either overnight, or if I need to dry things from earlier in the day. We chatted over dinner and went to bed at a reasonable time. She was planning a long day tomorrow, but I was going to meet my parents and grandmother for lunch at Rt 23.
Date: 2014-09-21
From: Tom Leonard Shelter

To: Brassie Brook Shelter
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: light rain

It is always hard to get out of your sleeping bag while it is raining. No matter what time it is or how much sleep you got, there is just no motivation to get wet. I eventually crawled out and found the rain to be very light. One couple had already left - they were also southbounders and had started 15 Jun. They were only planning a 14 mile day so I figured I wouldn't see much more of them. I passed them within a few hours and planned to hike at least 20 miles today.In the average day, you run across several hikers, usually opposite direction, and say hello, or chat for a few minutes. Its always difficult to pass people when they don't hear you coming, and you end up surprising them. Its tough to get their attention sometimes, especially if they are wearing headphones, without making them jump. I approached a pair of guys that afternoon that just didn't seem to know I was there despite not wearing headphones. As the trail zig-zagged they saw me and gave way. I said hello, but they shook their heads and pointed to their ears. I realized they were the pair of deaf hikers I had heard about. I smiled and nodded and tried to remember the sign language alphabet. I made an "A", then a "T", and then pointed down (to represent "south") and I must have gotten it right because they seemed to understand and smiled and nodded. We exchanged high-fives and I moved on.Near the end of the day, the trail entered a deep ravine with a rushing river. The temperature dropped noticeably and it was quite chilly. I'm sure the water would have been refreshing and there were some great pools for swimming, but the temperature drop was just enough to deter me from getting wet.I climbed Bear Mountain just after the Connecticut border. This was the steepest climb since Maine, but it only lasted about a hundred vertical feet. I think nearly every stat on the Appalachian trail has a "Bear Mtn" - I know NY does and I think PA might too.
Date: 2014-09-22
From: Brassie Brook Shelter

To: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: few clouds

I was up and hiking by 7:30 and went through Salisbury, CT. It was a ritzy town compared to most little places the trail goes through. Their General Store was very different from the one in Dalton. The one in MA had all sorts of practical items, while this store in CT had absolutely nothing useful. It was a glorified gift shop by another name. They sold expensive perfumes and bath items, gourmet items, and cookbooks. I didn't stay long.The grocery store was nice though - their deli section had hot meals, so I picked up a few things for lunch while shopping and sat outside on a bench to eat and repack my bag. I had spent the previous day walking through corn fields and had a craving for a fresh ear of corn. I bought one at the grocery store and though I usually cook an ear before eating it, I found they taste very good raw. After I threw away my trash, I couldn't find my spoon and quickly realized it was in the grocery bag I used to collect my trash/wrappers. I quickly dug it back out of the bin (it was still right on top). That was a close call.My guide listed a shower was available outside a municipal building, but when I got there, I realized there was no stall or curtain. It wasn't quite warm enough to shower with my clothes on and let them drip dry, so I skipped it.Other hikers had warned there wasn't much water available today and yesterday, but I found there predictions to be completely wrong. There was plenty - in fact, the trail keeps crossing/following rivers which are reliable sources. Perhaps people don't want to use them due to pollution worries as they are dirtier than small streams, but I purify everything and haven't had any issues.There was a man-made dam on the river and both an artificial and a natural waterfall. I went to take a picture from the overlook and out of the corner of my eye, I saw another hiker. He was sitting down and his backpack was beside him. I could see his upper half and he wasn't wearing a shirt and I could see his legs, bare as well, and his backpack was placed just right that I couldn't tell if he was even wearing any shorts. I assumed he was, but at a glance, the only thing covering him from my angle was the backpack. It looked funny and I laughed to myself. He was far enough away I don't think he ever saw me.It was breezy all day and it grew gradually colder. I switched techniques for pitching my tarp and started adding a ridgeline for support and staking the corners directly to the ground. There was now less space inside, but I just release one corner to get in and out and it blocks out all wind and rain. It has been working great so far. I stayed outside under my tarp instead of inside the shelter due to the wind.
Date: 2014-09-23
From: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter

To: Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a lazy day. Not sure exactly why, but I just walked slow and took a lot of breaks. It was a beautiful day, perfect temperature, gorgeous all around, but all I wanted to do was take a nap in the sun. I should have. Instead I just rambled along.I climbed a short side trail to the top of a mountain and took a break on the banks of a river with a small sandy beach. As I was sitting by the river with my feet in the sand, I could hear a loud noise coming from somewhere in the distance and getting closer, like a really big truck. It got louder slowly and got so loud I even though the ground might be shaking. I realized there were train tracks on the other side of the river and the train was going by. I rinsed some of my clothes out in the river and hung them to dry on my pack. It was nice and warm and they could use a little cleaning.I got to the campsite and was lucky to be the only one there: the privy had no walls. It was just a seat in the woods over a hole. There were also not many suitable trees for a bear bag. The branch that looked perfect appeared to be too high. I found a small tree leaning over into and arch that might suffice. It took several tried to get the rope over due to other branches in the way. When I finally got it over and gave it a tug, the whole tree came down. Oh well. Ironically, I got the rope over the branch that looked too high on the first try.With dinner, I tried a few new items I found at the last grocery store: roasted chestnuts (peeled and in a bag) and Hawaiian BBQ potato chips. The chestnuts were surprisingly good; they tasted just like they were roasted on a fire, they just weren't warm. The chips tasted like regular BBQ chips, but were still good.As I crawled into bed, I heard an owl - I had been hearing a lot of them lately and they are quite loud. This one, however, sounded like he was in the same tree I had my tarp tied to. I poked my head out and looked up, but couldn't see anything through the leaves. Luckily he didn't make noise for long and I slept well.
Date: 2014-09-24
From: Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite

To: Morgan Stewart Shelter
Miles today: 26.1
Weather: few clouds

I started hiking at 7am and had much more energy than yesterday. I stopped at a nursery/landscape store that offered showers for hikers for a small fee. I also bought a granola bar and some apple juice. I poured the juice in my spare water bottle to take along as I walked. As I was walked through the woods, I saw a train schedule stapled to a tree at a trail intersection. I though it was interesting because it wasn't near the train station (which was right next to the landscape store several miles back). I checked the times and it only stopped at the AT station on weekends. There were fewer water sources on this leg, but still plenty. I skipped filling up at "Nuclear Lake". I am sure it would have been fine, but the name made me think twice. Once I got to the shelter and looked at my guidebook, I realized I missed the big tree. I had planned to stop and take a picture of the biggest oak tree on the trail and had it marked in my book, but I had passed that point and not noticed it.There were two other guys already at the shelter and one had his hammock strung across the entrance. He asked if I would be sleeping in there and I said I was going to since rain was forecast. He quickly moved his hammock between two trees. There was a pump for water - the first I had seen and it worked well, though I still treated it.I made pizza for dinner. I had made it once before, but the ingredients I had to buy made two pizzas. I had bought a 2-pack of individual size pizza crusts and a tube of tomato paste as well as some Italian seasoning, sliced mozzarella and pepperoni (from the deli section). A half a tube of paste, plus some water and seasoning made the sauce. I mixed in the pepperoni to the sauce and once they were hot, I added the cheese on top. While that was cooking, I balanced the crust on the top of my wind screen and moved it around every few seconds so it didn't burn. It was actually quick to make and I just scooped the sauce and cheese on top and it tasted great. The crusts take up some room in my pack and the paste is heavier than most dehydrated foods, but it was worth the weight as an occasional different dinner.
Date: 2014-09-25
From: Morgan Stewart Shelter

To: Brook
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: overcast clouds

It was supposed to have started to rain by 5 am, but didn't. I felt 1 or 2 drops by 9am and stopped at a deli. I had heard about the delis in NY/NJ and how you didn't need to carry a lot of food because resupply was available often. I got a sandwich, some groceries, and something new to try: cappuccino potato chips.I had gotten a late start (8am) because the other guy in the shelter snored and I didn't hear my alarm through my earplugs. I had a very light breakfast of oatmeal because I planned on being at the deli at 9am. The people there confirmed the forecast of rain all day long, but I never felt more than an occasional light mist or drizzle and never needed my poncho.I stopped at RPH shelter just to take a tour - I had heard it was nice. It was at the edge of a residential area. There was a grassy space for tenting, the building was concrete with two open doorways (no doors) and had bunks. There were take-out menus because you could order pizza or Chinese to this shelter since it was close enough to a road. The trees were starting to turn - all yellow in this area. They must have been birch/beech/etc. It was looking quite pretty, but it was also a sign that it was about to get colder.There was no suitable shelter or campsite to match my mileage for the day, so I had to "stealth" camp near a brook. I had gotten rid of my insect repellent only to find there were some mosquitoes out still. There weren't enough to be a real problem and I slept fine.
Date: 2014-09-27
From: William Brien Memorial Shelter

To: Wildcat Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

There was noticeably less water sources in this section so I was careful to check and fill two water bottles instead of one like I usually do.There were a ton of people on the trail. Mostly day-hikers out for a walk since it was a Saturday and the weather was nice. It hit 84 degrees on my key chain thermometer. I stopped at a pond just off the trail for lunch and did laundry. I scooped some water up with a gallon plastic ziplock bag and added soap and clothes. I dumped out the soapy water and the rinse water in the woods away from the pond and laid my things out on the rocks to dry in the sun. It took some time, but everything smelled much better afterwards.The profile for this section of trail looked flat, but it was rocky and had sudden short climbs and descents. I filled up at a pond later in the afternoon and it tasted like classic pond water - just like getting a mouthful when swimming in a lake. Even with a lot of chlorine treatment, it just didn't taste good. I added tang and it tasted fine.I planned to camp at a waterfall, but it was dry. There was just a puddle at the top and as I went to fill up, a snake jumped into the water (I had nearly stepped on him). I filled up anyway and made sure I had plenty of chlorine in there.There were some existing fire rings at the bottom of the falls and I chose to camp back behind them in the woods. I had just arrived and was washing my feet as a deer walked up. He was probably an 8 point buck (I didn't count exactly, but he had a lot of antlers). I made some noise, expecting him to run, and he stopped, looked, and came closer. It was as if he was curious and wanted a better look at me. I grabbed a stick and whacked it against the log I was sitting on, but it didn't deter him. Finally, I stood up and waved my arms - he must have thought I was nuts. Eventually he went away.As I got my shoes back on and was about to set up camp, someone arrived at one of the fire rings out by the falls carrying only a sweatshirt and a case of beer. Great - underage kids partying in the woods just so they can have a beer. I chose to move on instead of camp there. As I walked by, the kid was friendly and offered me a beer for the road, but I said no thanks and ended up having to night-hike 3 miles to the next shelter.
Date: 2014-09-29
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I needed to finish my last college application and had seen a pay phone at the park office the night before with business cards of several local taxis. I went out there at 8am and started calling. I had absolutely no luck reaching anyone and couldn't leave a callback number since there was none listed at the payphone. Also, each pay phone call incurred such a high surcharge on my calling card, it would drain the card very quickly for nothing. I saw an older gentleman walking to his car and asked if he might be going to the town about 5 miles north with a library. He said he was just heading home around the corner. He was nice and we chatted for a bit. I explained I was hiking the AT and looking to use a computer to finish my last application and was having trouble getting a taxi. He said he walked 5 miles every morning in the park and also stopped by the shelter to do maintenance. I thanked him for his work and he left.Finally the park office opened and the lady there let me use my calling card on their phone which was much more economical. A taxi service said they could pick me up in 45 minutes and I went outside to wait.While I was waiting, the guy I had been talking to earlier returned. He said he checked with his wife, and I was welcome to come use their computer. I was surprised and explained that I had a lot to do and had planned to stay at the library all day. He said they were both retired and weren't going anywhere, so I accepted. They were very nice folks who had run their own business making kaleidoscopes. I spent most of the day on their computer and at one point, his wife told me her husband was out getting a pizza and they treated me to lunch. I thanked them and asked for their address so I could let them know how all the hiking and school applications turned out. I also sent them a fruit basket the next time I got on a computer.The gentleman gave me a ride back to the park office and I stayed in the same shelter that night.
Date: 2014-12-05
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

I'm done! I finished the trail on Dec 5th, but I am still trying to update the journal. My notes piled up, so they got mailed away instead of taking up space/weight in my pack. Trying to get them back through the post office...easier said than done. Same with my camera cord - pictures will be up soon too (probably Dec 22nd/23rd).Cheers!
Date: 2014-05-02
From: Springer Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Oh man. What have we gotten ourselves into. Hahaha. We went way to far today. I blew out my feet pretty bad. Tomorrow is going to be rough because I have blisters wrapping around my heels and big toes. When we got to camp some people could tell where we came from because of the fatigue on our face. Tomorrow is a new day and Maine is a long time out.
Date: 2014-05-03
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Lance Creek
Miles today: 8.5

Painful day. I need new shoes badly. These are just a little to small. I did not think my feet would swell this much, this fast. We stopped here because you have to have a bear canister if you want to camp between a section in front of us. We will be walking through it tomorrow and stop into Mountain Crossings to get some food resupply and new shoes.