morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-20
From: Dalton - Father's Day

To: Mt. Greylock
Miles today: 17.0

Scarecrow, Metric & I hiked out of Dalton this morning and up to the highest point in Mass. We hiked through the town of Cheshire and were hoping to get lunch in town, but the 2 restaurants in town are apparently closed on Mondays, bummer. It was definitely a low point; but a guy gave us a ride back to the trailhead, which slightly lifted my spirits I slowly made my way up to Greylock, the prettiest view I¢ve seen in a while. Scarecrow called Rob and he came up and picked us up, so Scarecrow & I went back to Rob¢s place for one more night.
Date: 2005-06-21
From: Mt. Greylock

To: Seth Warner Shelter MP 1585.5
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: few clouds

Rob drove us back to Mt. Greylock and we said our final goodbye, Rob is a great guy and he really took care of us and helped us out, I really appreciate all the things he does for hikers, great guy. So as we hiked down the mountain I realized I had lost my guidebook. Its not good to be missing your guidebook, its and odd experience like you¢re hiking blind, not something I look at a lot, but when you no longer have it, you really wonder what it says. So Scarecrow and I came to a road & took a side trip for some lunch. Then there was Rob and Metric, Metric¢s pack broke getting into Rob¢s van, and they had been driving around for a while trying to replace it, they did. I stopped by the grocery store, lugged up 30 hotdogs for tonight, way too many since I just had a massive lunch in town late in the afternoon.Did I mention today is Summer Solstice a.k.a. Naked Hiking day. I made it through the day without seeing any naked hikers but apparently they were out and about. Scarecrow is carrying a hacky sack, I am horrible with hacky sack or however you spell it. I crossed into Vermont today, I am very pumped, that¢s really far north, so I took a couple of self-portraits, but they look really bad. Well there¢s a campfire to sit around and hotdogs to eat.P.S. I fell on my bad knee, it hurts.I¢m tired of this, I¢m tired of being homeless, I love the trail but I just want to be home. Its always a new place to sleep, always different people, nothing stays the same, enjoyable but I am weary, maybe even homesick. Oh yeah I¢ve hiked well over 1,500 traversing the AT by foot form Georgia all the way to Vermont.
Date: 2005-06-22
From: Seth Warner Shelter MP 1585.5

To: Goddard Shelter, VT
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: clear sky

Yeah so yesterday I wanted to quit, good thing I'm too stubborn and prideful for that to ever happen, because today was an awesome day, beautiful, clear, and pretty in the green mountains of Vermont. I saw Bayley this morning, hiking south (she's doing some odd Vermont flip-flop). It was cool to run into her, haven't seen her since Damascus. VA (1,200 miles south).Scarecrow and Metric are here tonight, nice shelter with alomost a good view, except the trees are in the way, its cooling off, I'm going to crawl in my sleeping bag.
Date: 2005-06-23
From: Goddard Shelter, VT

To: Stratton Pond Shelter,VT, MP 1626.5
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: broken clouds

I hiked today, just like every other day, I was in good spirits. Glad to be in Vermont and hiking up and down "real mountains". Scarecrow, 4-Cheese & Sweetcheeks are here tonight, Metric hiked on farther, town tomorrow, I'm really pumped to get some good food, Friendly's Colossal Burger, tasty.(editor's note)we won't have any more new photos to share until Shorts completes his hike, I will occasionally post a photo from earlier on the trail just for interest.)
Date: 2005-06-25
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Underhill VT, KB's house
Miles today: 0.0

Underhill, VT KB¢s House.   Zero DayTaking a zero day today. Woke up to a wonderful homemade breakfast by KB¢s mom, and took a nice break from trail life, and burgers and dogs for lunch, then went to the local swimming hole in the afternoon. Did I mention its blazing hot? Went to the local diner for dinner, and then saw a movie in town in a nicely air conditioned theatre. When we got home a couple of KB¢s friends came over and we had a bonfire. Great day its so great to be welcomed into someone¢s home, another night on a soft futon
Date: 2005-06-26
From: Underhill VT, KB's house

To: Day on the lake, VT
Miles today: 0.0

Day on the lake      (KB¢s House)Objects at rest tend to stay at rest, another zero day. Mmm¢¦..french toast for breakfast. We went out on the boat today and did some water skiing. I gave it a try or 2, I was able to get up a couple of times, but staying up seemed to be a bit more difficult, I think I still prefer the snow. Afterwards we ate at a great Chinese Buffet, very successful day,Ahh the hard life of a thru-hiker, another night, another soft place to sleep.
Date: 2005-06-27
From: Day on the lake, VT

To: Bromley Mtn Shelter, VT MP 1639.1
Miles today: 2.0

Bromley Mtn. Shelter   MP 1639.1Slowly got up and out this morning & drove back to the trail, crammed into the car. It was pouring buckets as we got closer to the trail, the streets were literally flooded. So we stopped at Friendly¢s and waited out the storm. Eventually the storm subsided. I finished my burger and we drove up to the trail and hiked into the first shelter. It¢s a very exciting night, STEAK, we¢re cooking steak for dinner (Snowdog, KB & SB, Scarecrow and I). It also marks my 4th month on the trail, WOAH! FOUR MONTHS!!! That¢s about it, I got steak to eat
Date: 2005-06-27
From: Bromley Mtn Shelter, VT MP 1639.1

To: Little Rock Pond Shelter MP 1657.3
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

MP 1657.3I took an 8 hour shower today. So I only hiked one mile before lunch today, which made for a great morning; but a long afternoon. I made fluffernutters for lunch and tortellini for dinner. Yeah so I hiked in the muddy rain all afternoon, and I have a weird headache all day. When I got to the shelter Snowdog & Scarecrow were there chillin in the pond so I decided to take a quick dip. Long afternoon, long trip, gone a long way, a long way to go.
Date: 2005-06-29
From: Little Rock Pond Shelter MP 1657.3

To: North Clarendon VT, MP 1669.5
Miles today: 12.2

Mosquitoes have been buzzing me, sucking my blood around the clock for a long time now, I feel as though they are driving me to within seconds of insanity, good thing I am safe tonight inside a house. I hiked about 12 miles before I took a detour to the whistle stop restaurant. It rained again this morning. When I arrived at the whistle stop there were enough hikers there with left over lunches that I didn¢t even have to buy anything. So as I sat there trying to dry out my gear Scarecrow said that we had a place to stay for the night, a relative of a friend of his lived nearby. Next thing I knew I was at Alan¢s house taking a hot shower, sweet. Went back to the whistle stop for dinner and had a great time talking to Alan.
Date: 2005-06-30
From: North Clarendon VT, MP 1669.5

To: Rutland, VT, MP 1686.9
Miles today: 17.4

MP 1686.9Had a great nights sleep at Alan¢s last night, and hit the trail right after stopping at the Whistle Stop one more time for some French Toast. It rained again this morning but not too much. Less than 500 miles left until Katahdin, (488 to be exact). Lots of trail magic today, the first in a while. There was a stream with cokes, and 2 coolers with sodas (one of which was from the B¢s, Snowdog & SB parents, thank you). I saw a Black Bear rumble across the trail today, about 150 feet in front of me, I was to slow & stunned to get my camera out in time. Slightly down today, starting to realize that when I¢m with other thru-hikers I don¢t make much forward progress, and I really like to make forward progress, but I also like hanging out with other thruhikers. I¢m still getting headaches like I have for the last couple of days, I think I might be dehydrated. Scarecrow and I are staying at the long trail inn tonight, Oh did I mention I¢ve been hiking 2 trails at the same time, not only the A.T. but also the Long Trail. The Long Trail Inn is the first ski lodge in Vermont, built a long time ago, and it¢s a very cool place. There are a couple of massive boulders in the lodge that were so big they just built the lodge around them, it¢s sweet. I¢m starting to meet my first SOBO¢s the first one ran past me w/no pack, he¢s trying to set an A.T. speed record or something. If my memory serves me right Creationfest 2005 is starting today, I wish I was there, the trail is fun and all, but there are other things to do, oh well.
Date: 2005-07-01
From: Rutland, VT, MP 1686.9

To: Stony Brook Shelter, MP1696.9 VT
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: broken clouds

MP 1696.9So I¢m hanging out by a stream having a relaxing lunch and a coyote just scampered down the trail, only 50 feet away. Depressing morning, I talked to my parents and realized my goofing around has led me to get to my next maildrop (Hanover, NH) on July 4th weekend and I¢m going to have to wait around a few days until the post office is open again. Argghh that ticks me off, the only option to get around it is to do 45 miles in less than 24 hours, doable; but lame to do it by yourself because hiking in the dark alone isn¢t fun.Chipmunks!! Who do they think they are trying to get my peanut butter while I¢m sitting right here, Scavengers!! So all the other hikers went into town that stayed at the inn last night except me, as I¢ve said before I¢m not a fan of towns, so it was a kinda sad morning, but then some nice guy gave me a ride back to the trail and I wasn¢t even trying to hitch, then I had a Mountain Dew and things are starting to look better, its actually nice today, 70¢s slightly cloudy, I¢m wearing clean clothes, did I mention I lost a sock at KB¢s house, A Brand New Sock! I hate that, well I really should get up and do some hiking¢¦   ¢¦ so I continued hiking at a sickenly slow pace for much of the afternoon, then the thunder started to roll and so did I.
Date: 2005-07-02
From: Stony Brook Shelter, MP1696.9 VT

To: near South Pomfret VT, MP 1712.3
Miles today: 15.4

Today is one of those days you just would like to kinda forget about. As I was hiking this morning my headache that I¢ve been having came with a vengeance. My head hurt so bad I could literally no longer hike and I had to stop and lay down. After a long while I finally felt good enough to start hiking again, but my head still felt like it might explode. So I continued the day with an extremely leisurely attitude, saw a couple of cool views and other interesting things. I saw my first moose tracks today; but nothing I was compelled to take a picture of. This afternoon I ran into Trail Angel Padd-O, he was slackpacking some thruhikers just south of me. It was neat to run into him again, last time I saw him was N.Y. As I was hiking this afternoon I ran into some other hikers and one of them was trying to have a conversation with me, but I was in no mood to talk, afterwards I realized I had been a jerk and I felt bad and distraught, it was weird I don¢t know how to explain it, weird, maybe I¢m turning into a hermit, ha hermit, what a funny word. So I was hiking along and the sun started to go down and I decided to stop right ther and then, threw my stuff on the ground, set my tent up in the middle of the trail, ate and went to bed, ultimate freedom, everything on my back, I CAN SLEEP ANYWHERE, go anywhere, you name it.
Date: 2005-07-03
From: near South Pomfret VT, MP 1712.3

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: clear sky

I woke up early this morning and was hiking by 7 a.m., which is pretty good for me. But waking up early didn¢t seem to help. I had only hiked 5 miles by noon, that¢s like 1 mile an hour, LAME. I had the headaches again today but they weren¢t as disabling as they were yesterday. I got to the shelter just south of town and had planned to spend the night; but the mosquitoes were bad and I decided to continue into town. When I arrived Metric was sitting there and showed me around. Hanover is sweet, it is the home of Dartmouth College and everyone thinks were students and we can freely walk in and out of buildings using internet and TVs and comfy couches. I¢m camping out behind a house, glad to be in town, eating good food.
Date: 2005-07-04
From: Hanover, NH

To: Independence Day
Miles today: 0.0

I¢m in town taking a zero today. Metric & I saw the lamest parade of our lives, nobody smiled or waved, what¢s with these people. So after lunch the craziness started. Thruhikers started showing up and Paddy-O showed up. The thruhikers just south of me organized a 4th of July party in Hanover and had been spreading the word for a week or 2. So like 15 thruhikers came to Hanover and we had a July 4th cookout in the woods just outside of town on the A.T.It was pretty crazy for me of the 15 or so hikers I have only really met and hiked with 2 of them. Good Times, having a blast.
Date: 2005-07-05
From: Hanover, NH

To: Moose MTN Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: few clouds

Moose MTN. ShelterChilled in Hanover most of the morning and into the afternoon. Caught up on my journal, resupplied, ate and what-not. I hiked out with Metric, Jive and Bohdi. It was weird hiking at someone else's pace and I quickly dropped off and hiked by myself. So we're in NH, the Whites are just around the corner and everybody seems to be pretty excited, I'm just excited to Summit Katahdin and move on to the next step in my life. So the shelter is full with thru-hikers their names are unimportant because I really don't know them myself. The last full thruhiker shelter I can remember was just north of Erwin, TN. (Dumb thruhikers are tossing hot coals back and forth, Scarecrow and Metric to be exact)This journal and the photos I take can not due the trail justice, it is an experience like no other I have ever experienced, life in general is just more extreme, the highs higher and the lows are lower. It's getting dark and my headlamp is far away, maybe I will toss around some coals. OUT
Date: 2005-07-06
From: Moose MTN Shelter

To: Firewarden's Cabin
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I had a laid back day today, thought I was going farther, but it just didn't happen. Overcast day, slightly on the cool side, a little misty here and there. A nice fire tonight, good company. There is a fire-tower up here but we're socked in with clouds. A couple of guys are sleeping up in the tower tonight, I'm probably gonna sleep on the porch of the cabin, it's kinda musty inside and there's people inside I don't know. I don't know it's weird, running out of stuff to say. Did I ever write about the time I woke up in Connecticut and it was so dark that I was wondering if I had lost my eyesight. Then the time when I woke up in Vermont and it was so bright I thought the sun was up; but it was just the brightest moon I've ever seen in my life shining down on my face. I'm going to go crawl in my sleeping bag.
Date: 2005-07-07
From: Firewarden's Cabin

To: Wachipauka Pond
Miles today: 18.4

The Lesson of contentmentSo I agreed to kike a 20-miler today, didn't happen. oh Yeah, last night, it rained and was windy, meaning I got wet cause I was dumb and was sleeping out on the porch. At one point I tried to get in the cabin, but I didn't have my headlamp and blindly fumbled around in the dark and couldn't get in. A little while later all the guys from the fire-tower came rolling in all wet and they had headlamps, so I followed their lead, pushed open the door and slept the rest of the night in the dry cabin. When I awoke this morning my sleeping bag was somehow completely dry, Awesome. So Scarecrow and I got a later start today and I didn't try too hard to catch Metric and Jive. We went over Mt. Cube today and the climbs are becoming more intense, the Whites are just a day away. 12 miles into my hike I realized I left a pair of socks hanging on the rafters, dagn't. So I go 3 brand new pairs of socks in Mass. and already I'm down to 3 socks, bummer. So as it was getting dark I came across the prettiest pond and campsite; but for some reason I felt I needed to keep hiking, 10 minutes later I found myself turning around and going back to that campsite, sometimes you just have to be happy where you are.So I have this whole pond to myself tonight and my tent is set up only feet away from the bank side, it is picturesque. I'm going for a quick dip before I go to bed. Splash
Date: 2005-07-08
From: Wachipauka Pond

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up early to make sure I caught Metric, Jive and Scarecrow. I passed the last open field, went my first time above treeline and entered the White Mountain National Forest, exciting stuff. I passed Metric, Jive and Scarecrow while they were still laying around the hostel this morning and made the big climb above treeline to the top Moosilauke, there was absolutely no view, it was windy and I was in the middle of a cloud, and I loved it, I love horrible weather its so sweet seriously. Shorts.(transcriber note, journal entries for dates July 5, 6, 7, 8, 2005 were just located and entered. date 2/8/2010)
Date: 2005-07-09
To: Franconia Ridge NH
Miles today: 0.0

Shorts called and left a brief message on the machine Saturday night. He was in Lincoln NH to resupply and was heading back out. He said his cell phone battery was dead so we won't hear from him again till Gorham. So today he is hiking one of the most beautiful parts of the AT. The Franconia Ridge, I checked the weather and it looks like it will clear for this afternoon so he should get to see some BEAUTIFUL views. His trek support team hiked this ridge several years ago so we are very excited for him!Trek Support
Date: 2005-07-11
To: Crawford Notch
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Mile Point 1830, (345 to go)Phone Call from Shorts, he is at the Highland Lodge in Crawford Notch. He is doing well, feeling fine. Scarecrow is with him.   Friday night they stayed at the Carriage Hotel in Lincoln. Saturday they hiked up to Galehead Hut, there was 4 of them, and they only allow 2 thru hikers to work for stay, so Metric and Jives moved on and Scarecrow and Shorts stayed. They swept floors and such. Shorts was not impressed with the hut, says he felt like "hiker trash". He said the weather has been beautiful and is very impressed with the beauty of the White Mountains. It has been slightly hazy so he said his photos will not be outstanding. He is not sure how far they will hike tomorrow, they may summit Mt. Washington, or they may wait till Wed. morning depending on where they plan to stay overnight.
Date: 2005-07-20
From: Crawford Notch

To: Andover Maine
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Shorts called at 8AM this morning from Andover Maine, MP 1918.5 He was at Pine Ellis B&B with Scarecrow, 4 Cheese and Sweet Cheeks. He is fine (he sounds so laid back!) He is hoping to summit the big K on Aug. 4th apparently a large group is planning on finishing that day, including his old friend, Paladin.He has a new pair of hiking shoes, he doesn't like them but says they will do for the rest of the trip. Trek Support257 miles to go!!
Date: 2005-07-24
From: Andover Maine

To: 2000 mile party
Miles today: 0.0

Phone call from Shorts this morning. He was in Stratton ME, mile point 1987.1. Today he will hike past the 2000 mile point and plans on meeting Metric and Sweet Cheeks for a 2000 mile party! Trail Angel, Patty-O is in the area and providing food. Looks like Scarecrow and Shorts are parting ways today, Scarecrow is planning on taking his time and fishing alot and will wait for Snowdog and the B's to catch up. Shorts is thinking the he and Metric and Sweetcheeks could summit on Aug 2nd.Shorts said he hiked alone into Poplar Ridge Lean-to on Friday night and there were 20 hikers there filling up the shelter, no thruhikers. He slept outside until the rain started and he had to set up his tent.Since Andover he has hiked over the Bemis Mountains, and Saddleback Mtn where you can see Katahdin in the distance. He has hiked over a number of 4000 footers since Andover.174.9 miles to go!!Trek Support
Date: 2005-07-28
From: 2000 mile party

To: MONSON
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Mile Point 2060.4!!Shorts called from Monson ME. He is well, stayed at Shaws last night, he is picking up the drop box we sent and heading back out to the 100 mile wilderness. He said he may be able to get a call out to us from Abol Bridge, if not we won't hear from him again till he is finished, that is hard to believe! He is hoping to catch up with his friend Paladin in the wilderness and summit with him on Aug. 4th, that will be nice since they started on the same day.The plan after he finishes is to get a ride or bus to Cape Cod, visit with his grandparents for a couple of days, then fly home to MD on Aug 9th.114.5 Miles to go!!
Date: 2005-08-02
To: ABOL BRIDGE, MP 2159.8
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Just got a quick call from Ross, he is in Abol Bridge a campground on the AT, it is so remote there is no regular phone service there, but he paid for a 3 min call on a satellite phone. He is hiking 10 more miles today to the camp site at the base of Katahdin. Then tomorrow, Wed. Aug 3rd he will finish the last 5 miles up to the summit of Katahdin!   The weather forecast for that area is sunny tomorrow so hopefully he will have great views from the top, in any case I'm sure he will have a great celebration. He is with Metric, Jives and Castaway. Not sure how he will get to the cape yet, but expect him on the 4th I think.Yahoo!!Trek SupportFYI Baxter State park is 204,733 acre forest preserve, wildlife sanctuary donated with the stipulation that is be preserved as a pristine wilderness forever. Consequently the park has no paved roads, no electricity, no showers, no stores, and no telephones.The name Katahdin means "greatest mountain" and is the single biggest climb of the trip, more than 4,000 feet of elevation change to reach the 5,267 foot summit. The ascent will take 3-4 hours.Georgia to Maine 2,174.9 miles, plus many more extra miles
Date: 2005-08-07
To: FINISHED
Miles today: 0.0

I summited Mt. Katahdin at 7:05 a.m. August 3rd 2005. We started our trek at 4 in the morning, way before the sunrise. The 4 of us had a restless nights sleep and decided it was best to get an early start on our final day of this long journey. I was in good company at the summit with fellow thruhikers Metric, Jive and Casataway. A beautiful morning, clear skies and an endless view; but there was a strong wind, some of the strongest winds I have encountered on the trail. The 3 hour trek up the formidable mountain was a satisfying end to an amazing adventure. We celebrated on top for an hour or 2, taking lots of pictures and understanding that it was worth it all. the plan was to spend all day on top; but the freezing winds made us retreat off the summit. It has not really hit me yet, the magnitude of what was accomplished this day when I touched the Katahdin sign for the first time. The fact that I used the simple act of walking to trek the 2,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Anyways this chapter is finished and it will most likely go down as one of the best and happiest days of my life. Thanks to all for the love, support and encouragment, I could not have finished without you, THANK YOU