morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-07-18
From: Kinsman Notch campsite

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: few clouds

I got a good nights sleep and got up at 6:30. Shutterbug said good morning sleeping beauty as he was heading out...the funny thing is I had met a guy with that trail name a few days earlier. Spirit of 76 wasn't far behind him getting on the trail. I was heading to town...the only reason I was in a hurry was so the ranger didn't catch me in this unapproved campsite. I was out on the road a little after seven with my thumb in the air. There wasn't a lot of traffic and seven or eight cars passed me by. Then to my surprise a little white sports car pulled over. I let him know I needed to go to an outfitter six miles down the road and we had some small chit chat. I asked what he did and he said he was a judge. I laughed and said that mist be an interesting job..he said yeah never a dull moment. As we got to town he told me where he thought I would have the most luck and dropped.me off at The Pancake House where I could wait for the stores to open. I are and went and got a few things from the stMurrell had WiFi so I took care of a little business and by the time I was done the store(Lahouts) was open and I got my new shoes. My fourth brand of show, I started with Keen boots, switched to Socany trail runners and then used Murrell through the rocks of PA and now tried Salomon. The last three pair had a lot of mesh so when they got wet they would dry fast. The Murrell wore out fast but nothing would have held up through the rocks of PA. I stopped back by the store to get a sandwich, apple and chocolate milk for lunch and started walking towards the trail. After I got past a major road I threw my thumb up and the second vehicle stopped and picked me up. This guys trail name was Stealth and he is thru hiking and broke his foot. He lives in the area so he is home providing trail magic to hikers. He dropped me off and I was on the trail by 12:30. I planned on doing 11 miles but these White Mountains are no joke and it took me until 4:30 to get the first 7 in. I could have pushed on but I had a 2000 ft climb so decided to wait until tomorrow for that. I was greeted at the shelter by a couple of hikers from Quebec and a hiker I'd seen a couple of times named B-hiker. She stopped early because she heard it was supposed to rain...but the skies were clear. I did my chores and ate with B-hiker a little after 5:00. We heard some rumbling and by 6:30 a nice little thunderstorm moved in. I was glad I decided not to have pushed on and got stuck in that. I waited it out in the shelter and got some intel from a couple of southbound hikers. I headed to the tent soon after it was over. I usually write my journal before going to sleep but have been tired and gone to sleep the last Coue of nights before I get it done. I'll wake up during the night and finish it then go back to sleep until morning. There were no amazing views in the Whites today but that is soon going to change. The trail is more big rocks and it is going to be really muddy where its not tomorrow. More slow hiking with mud and wet rocks but you take what you get. It was a beautiful day for a hike.
Date: 2016-07-19
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Liberty Spring Campsite
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: broken clouds

It rained pretty hard most of the night. I was up early and on the trail at 6:40. The brook I had to cross was up and it was hard to find a path of rocks to cross. I jumped for one big rock and fortunately I didn't slide and end up in the raging brook. After that it was a 2000 ft climb up Kinsman Mt and not real easy on the steep wet rock, roots, water running down the trail and water sitting on the trail. One spot had boardwalks but they were under water too. The miles don't fast but that's okay...I will just take them as they come. At the top of the mountain was foggy so no views for me. I came down the steep mountain and stopped by the shelter but decided to move on. The Lonesome Lake Hut was a couple of miles ahead. They host a lot of city folks who want to come out to the mountains. They often have leftovers that thru hikes can get. I was in luck...so the caretaker offered me a work for food. I took 20 minutes and went through the cabin rooms and made sure they had blankets and swept the floors. I got eggs, oatmeal, pancakes with real maple syrup, bacon, lemon aid and some desert bars. Not bad deal at all. I will be passing a few of these huts while I am in the Whites. They also do work for stay where you can spend the night. Depending on how mileage works out will depend if I try doing that. I headed on down the mountain and the tea was not as steep. I crossed another raging stream that the bridge had washed out. It was a little difficult finding a rock path across but I made it. I passed four thru hikers and I recognized them from the last hostel. I let them know they were heading south and they were much appreciative. A little further down the trail a guy was giving out trail magic. I got a Pepsi, Cheetos and a couplenof snickers. Then it was back up a mountain...it was 1500 ft but not as steep as we have been seeing. At the top was a campsite. I made it in around 4:00 and got my tent set up. A lot of people came in later. Spirit of 76 and Shutterbug came in too. We ate and watched the sunset before heading to our tents. Not a lot of miles but it was a beautiful day of hiking.
Date: 2016-07-20
From: Liberty Spring Campsite

To: Galehead Hut
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: broken clouds

It rained pretty hard most of the night. I was up early and on the trail at 6:40. The brook I had to cross was up and it was hard to find a path of rocks to cross. I jumped for one big rock and fortunately I didn't slide and end up in the raging brook. After that it was a 2000 ft climb up Kinsman Mt and not real easy on the steep wet rock, roots, water running down the trail and water sitting on the trail. One spot had boardwalks but they were under water too. The miles don't fast but that's okay...I will just take them as they come. At the top of the mountain was foggy so no views for me. I came down the steep mountain and stopped by the shelter but decided to move on. The Lonesome Lake Hut was a couple of miles ahead. They host a lot of city folks who want to come out to the mountains. They often have leftovers that thru hikes can get. I was in luck...so the caretaker offered me a work for food. I took 20 minutes and went through the cabin rooms and made sure they had blankets and swept the floors. I got eggs, oatmeal, pancakes with real maple syrup, bacon, lemon aid and some desert bars. Not bad deal at all. I will be passing a few of these huts while I am in the Whites. They also do work for stay where you can spend the night. Depending on how mileage works out will depend if I try doing that. I headed on down the mountain and the tea was not as steep. I crossed another raging stream that the bridge had washed out. It was a little difficult finding a rock path across but I made it. I passed four thru hikers and I recognized them from the last hostel. I let them know they were heading south and they were much appreciative. A little further down the trail a guy was giving out trail magic. I got a Pepsi, Cheetos and a couplenof snickers. Then it was back up a mountain...it was 1500 ft but not as steep as we have been seeing. At the top was a campsite. I made it in around 4:00 and got my tent set up. A lot of people came in later. Spirit of 76 and Shutterbug came in too. We ate and watched the sunset before heading to our tents. Not a lot of miles but it was a beautiful day of hiking.
Date: 2016-07-21
From: Galehead Hut

To: Crawford Notch Campground
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

We were up by 5:30 and got out the way of the paying guests by 6:00. We hung out and got to eat breakfast from the hut around 8 :30 and did our chores that included cleaning the stove, sweeping the guests rooms, ensuring pillows and blankets were nicely on the beds, and washing windows of the dining room.. We were on the trail before 10:00 and hoping to get 15 miles to Crawford to resupply food and camp. I was hiking with Spirit of 76 and Shutterbug again and we had a 1500 ft climb up South Twin Mountain. Before we left the hut several other NorthBound hikers showed up at the hut. They were able to do some work too and get some leftovers. The first half of the day we bad a couple of mountains to go over and the afternoon was flat and downhill. We got to the next hut a little after 1:00 and were seven miles in for the day. We bought a bowl of potato soup and lemon aid. A few hikers were there before us and others came in...I hadn't seen so many true northbounders at one spot in months. The three of us were the first out and we had the easiest part of the hike to go. Spirit hit a wet rock and down she went. She got up, dusted off and was just a little scuffed up. We laughed that the easy places that get you. We made it to Crawford Gap and hitched a ride 3.5 miles to a pay campground. In the Whites we have to pay at the shelters anyway and dividing the campspot by three the costs were about the same. After about 20 min a couple picked us up. They were vacationing. He was Army and she was Air Force active duty. We made it to the campground and found the couple Roman Noodles at the camp store. We had an enjoyable evening drinking beer and eating hotdogs. It was a great day and a beautiful day for a hike.
Date: 2016-07-22
From: Crawford Notch Campground

To: Lakes of the Cloud Hut
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: clear sky

It was a nice night at the campground. Our campsite didn't have electricity so we were up early at the restroom charging our electronics. We were going to get some breakfast at the store at 8:00 before we left. The Roman Noodles were at the road about 6:45 trying to hitch back to the trail and didn't get a ride until 7:30. We wondered how long we were going to have to wait for a ride. We were all packed and ready to gonwhen the camp store opened. We got our food and was sitting out on the bench when a minivan pulled up and asked if we were ready to go. We had met these folks last night and they actually brought us some steak tips for us to eat at our campsite. We loaded up and got to the trailhead. Thank them for their great kindness. The actually went out of their way to get has backnas they headed back the direction we just came. We sat and ate our breakfast before our climb up Mt Webster and then Mt Jackson. There were awesome views on the way up and we could see where we came from. There were numerous false summits where you would think you were at the top just to head down a little and then go back up. The rocks got bigger and steeper the higher we went. We finally made it up Webster. Jackson wasn't too bad to summit after that. The wind was getting stronger as the day went on. We ate on top of Jackson and then pressed on to the next hut. We got to the hut and checked the weather forecast to make sure we could pressd. We had our bowl of potato dill soup...it seems to be getting thinner at every hut. We talked with the Roman Noodles and decided to move on to the Lake of the Clouds Hut which is at the base of Mt Washington. Mt Washington is the second highest peek on the AT and above tree line. It is one of the most unpredictable weather patterns in the country and you can get winter conditions in the summer. Hiking to Lake of the Clouds is not too tough but has tougher areas. At one point the wind is blowing you sideways. The five mile hike ends with you dropping down into a bowl where the hut sits protected. We have a chance for work for stay but decide to leave that open for other hikers as we have already had that opportunity. Instead we pay $10 to stay in the dungeon. It is a room in the bottom of the hut that sleeps six persons. It has a funky basement smell and is dark stone with on window and a steel metal slab for a door. We can hang out up in the hut and just sleep in the dungeon. When they feed the guests we head outside and eat our own food. Three section hikers join us in the dungeon for the night. Two of the guests upstairs hear us talking about the dungeon and come down to check it out and talk to us about our thru hike. Later they bring us candy bars for desert. We had fantastic views all day...it is amazing to look around 360 degrees and see all the mountain ranges. The evening sky was outstanding with the red clouds and beams of sun shooting down. It has been a great day and a wonderful day for a hike.
Date: 2016-07-24
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Wildcat Ridge Campsite (Stealth)
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: broken clouds

Had a good nights sleep and was up and packed up by 6:00 to be out of the paying guests way. Waited around until 8:30 for breakfast. With 10 work for stay hikers there was limited breakfast but lots of oatmeal. Was hiking up Mt Madison by 9:00. It was a pretty steep climb but not too bad. The skys were clear and we had great views. We headed down and the path started steeped and it was taking some time to get down. We made it below treeline which we hadn't been under for a few days. We continued down and crossed Auto Road around 12:30. This was the road that would take you to the top of Mt Washington. Shutterbug had hiked with a German couple. One of them got hurt and they had to go home. Well someone they knew left them a gift under a rock at Auto road by a sign. We found the sign and Shutterbug could not find the bag. Spirit said maybe there is another sign south of the road so Shutterbug went to look for it while the rest of us eat some lunch. B-hiker says her original plan was to summit on her 50th birthday. I said I could have done that too. I said mine is in Sept and she said so is mine. I tell her the day and her birthday is the same as mine. I laugh and say we are twins...or switched at birth and we have a laugh. None of this can be true as she was born in Germany. This is the first person I have ever met that was born on the same day and year as me. So now I have a trail twin. Tomorrow I think she is going to hike a little past where I stop so we will probably not see each other again after that. Shutterbug comes back with the package that was buried...it was a small American Flag. We finish eating and head out...we have a lot of miles to cover and the the last half is all up hill. We hike another two miles and stop at a visitor center for a sandwich and soda. I had a big turkey sandwich and Coke. We eat quick and chat with a hiker Shutterbug and B-hiker know. We are on the trail by 3:00 and have to go up Wildcat Mountain. We will climb up a ridge line and hit 4 of the 5 peeks this thing has. It starts level and then shoots straight up. We see some rock climbers climbing straight up a part that is just a rock face. We push up and the first main peek has a ski resort at the top. We keep going and it is a slow pace. It is a lot of up to a peek drop down and then up to another peek. We are all getting worn out and stop a little after 7:00 for a food break. After a long day we stop a stealth camp site at 8:30 and set up tents, eat dinner and get to bed after a long days hike. Even though this had been a long day it has been one of my favorite hiking days. We will be leaving the Whites tomorrow and this group is going to dissolve as we all have different dates we plan to finish. It was perfect weather and a beautiful day to hike.
Date: 2016-07-25
From: Wildcat Ridge Campsite (Stealth)

To: Rattle River Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a short night as I was packing up before 6:00. Shutterbug and B-hiker wanted to get into town early enough to get laundry and there resupply done. Spirit and I plan to stop a couple miles short and go into town tomorrow. We have 13.5 and Shutterbug and B have over 15. We hike around a couple of ponds and miss a turn and end up at the last hut, Carter Notch Hut. We stopped to refill our water bottlas and then start up 1300 ft to Carter Dome. There are pretty much ups and downs all day until the last few miles. We have some pretty steep slopes and at times get slowed down to half mile an hour. It is kind of disheartening when thats all the faster you can go but the famous saying on the trail is "you take what the trail gives you". I feel like we put these time restraints on our day and we get a little frustrated when we are not doing it as quick we think we should be. Sometimes we just need to slow down and enjoy the hike. Life is the same way when we out our restraints on it...sometimes we just need to step back and not stress over it. We are a good hiking group and have talked about other hikers being negative. We were being negative and I make the statement I'm glad we are not like those negative hikers. We all get a good laugh. Late in the day we hit some good trail that we fly through. We get to the shelter just before 4:00. Our group is breaking up and we say some goodbyes. It was a great hike through the White Mountains...it had some challenges and I'm glad I didn't do it alone. Shutterbug and B-hiker have time restraints to meet and I am getting off trail for a few days to attend a wedding. Spirit of 76 will get there when she gets there with no set date on the table. I planned on being done with the entire trail this week but my leg injury pushed me back three weeks. I planned to be done before the wedding and went back and forth whether I would come off trail to go. I finally decided if I was working and needed to travel I would take the time off to attend so why not do the same now. I do not like leaving the trail but life goes on. I have two more days I could hike but tomorrow I hit a town that has a rental car service so I don't think I can push on until I return from the wedding. Today was really some good hiking...we pushed it was a little less enjoyable but it was still good. I had not seen gnats in a while and they returned towards the end of the day but were not overwhelming and left us alone once in camp. It was a beautiful day for a hike.
Date: 2016-07-26
From: Rattle River Shelter

To: Gorham NH (White Birches Camp Park)
Miles today: 1.9
Weather: light rain

It rained for a short period overnight but had stopped and the tent was dry by morning. I wasn't going to get an early start because I know I have to be in Gorham just two miles away to pick up a rental car on Thursday. But I got to thinking maybe I could hike another 30 miles and come back. So I got up and planned to be on the trail around 7:00. I was getting my bear rope down and for some unknown reason I pulled the end with the carabinier (closed hook) instead of the end with nothing. After I realized my mistake, I thought if I pulled it quick it would go up and over the branch and fall to the ground. But that didn't happen as the quick yank actually tighted around the branch. By this time Spirit was up and around and she seen my dilemma and stopped by to help. Those evergreen branchs are tough. The rope was out far enough that I pulled it down and Spirit held onto the end while I went to find a stick to reach up and untangle the rope. I couldn't find any long sticks and most of the long stuff turned out to be roots sticking out of the ground. We finally got a trekking pole and was able to get it down. We finished packing ate a quick bite and were heading to town by 7:00. The two miles were smooth and down a slight grade and not even pushing made it to the hostel that is on the trail in 30 minutes. We stopped and seen Shutterbug off and talked a minute to B-Hiker. I talked to the hostel owner about getting a shuttle ride back from 30 miles away. It was going to be $85 and she said it wasnt a good place to hitch because few cars take that road. And then after I go to the wedding it would cost $85 to get back. So I am going to go down to the campground and stay a couple of days until I pick up the rental car on Thursday. I hike down the road a couple of miles and hang out at the campground for the day. I go into town for some all you can eat Chinese and look through a couple of stores. I stop by the library and then head back to the campground. I am surprised but I am the only hiker here for the night. I talked to a couple of south bounders that loved this place. It was a great day for a hike and I'm just hanging out relaxing
Date: 2016-07-31
From: Off trail

To: Off trail
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

I drove back from Ohio and made it to Manchester Center around 9:00 pm so I decided to start looking for motels. I passed a couple of hikers trying to hitch a ride so I turned around to pick them up. They said they were staying at the Econo Lodge and I could join them. So we checked in and I paid for the extra person and slept on the floor. I should have remembered their names but I dont. . They got trail magic of a ride and I got trail magic of a cheap room.
Date: 2016-08-01
From: Gorham NH (White Birches Camp Park)

To: Gentian Pond Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I got to sleep around 11:00 and was up about 6:30. I still had three hours to drive and the rental car need to be turned in by noon. I packed up quietly so I wouldn't disturb the others and was at the hotel lobby before 7:00. There was no one there so I grabbed a bowl of cereal and ate it while I waited for the staff to bring out the rest of the food. I was heading to Gorham by 7:30 and arrived just after 11:00...time enough to eat some lunch before dropping the car off. Enterprise dropped me off at the trail head and I was hiking by noon. I had resupplied and had five days worth of food on me...the most I had carried in quite a while and my pack was heavy. I thought with the time off my body would feel good but I really didn't. Didn't feel terrible but a old . And as usual after being in town you start heading up. It wasn't a bad climb and after the first summit it was up and down the rest of the afternoon. The regular trail I feel great but the big steps down boulders, my knees aren't the happiest. It starts raining a couple of hours into the hike and then you have slick boulders that really slow things down. One area I am coming off a summit and the trail gets narrow with a lot of wet vegetation leaning into the trail. It has been a while since I've seen a blaze but have not seen any side trails either. The vegetation is getting me all wet and I keep going hoping I'm in the trail after about 20 minutes a blaze appears. Up north the blazes can get to be few and far between. I make it to the shelter by 6:00. Since it is still raining I elect to stay in the shelter so I will have a dry tent in the moning. I am joined by a section hiker and another thru hiker, Gummy Bear. I am over the 1900 mile mark and tomorrow I hit Mohoosuc Notch...dubbed "The most fun/difficult mile of the AT". The key is to not rush it and enjoy. I have about 10 miles to get to it and it suppose to be a dry day tomorrow. It will have time to dry off before I get there. Even in the rain....I was a beautiful day for a hike.