morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-06-09
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

We arrived home today after a long flight across the US. Fortunately, it was uneventful except for the full plane. It was raining in Seattle (what else is new) when we landed. But the rain actually felt good after the heat in Harpers Ferry and DC yesterday. Mrs. Limestone¢s bruises are less noticeable. You can see them around her eye and chin if you look close. Now all she needs is for her feet to feel better. Many thanks to Brieta and Andreas and Margaret for a ride home from the airport. The house is in pretty good shape. The water is turned back on and no leaks-good news. The mouse trap line has been cleaned out and there are a few less mice around, but there are still plenty to keep the world well populated with them. There are some brave flowers blooming and with all the cool weather recently, even the yard (grass on one side of the house and clover-turkey feed on the other) is still green and needs to be mowed.   Rodent buddy (squirrel) is still around and was happy to see some bird seed go into the bird feeder. The creek is running high due to all the snow melt in the mountains.
Date: 2008-06-11
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Mrs. Limestone went to see the doctor today. Her feet are still really sore and do not seem to be getting better. The diagnosis is arthritic gout and the remedy is to suffer with pain killers and rest until it subsides. No one knows a cure or what is the trigger mechanism for gout onset might be¢maybe too much stress. Things are a bit up in the air right now as we sort out options.
Date: 2008-06-13
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Mrs. Limestone was in to see the foot doctor today for a second opinion. Guess it pays to shop around as the result is much more positive. She has a touch of arthritis in her toes and it should get better with time and a few pain killers. Bottom line, she is to relax for a few weeks, adjust the shoes and make another try at hiking to see how it goes. Never the less, she still has sore feet, but better.We then went to Lester¢s high school graduation. Lots of kids were graduation, +500 but the ceremony went pretty fast. Actually, it had to go fast as the hall was scheduled for a second graduation right after Lester¢s. After graduation, we went to dinner with family and friends and had a fun evening. Thanks Norm for dinner.
Date: 2008-06-19
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

We have been planning the restart date. Looks like it will be around July 12 or so. We are in the process of trying to get the logistics worked out to get from Seattle to Baxter Park. Talked with 3 Feathers (05 Thru Hiker) about a place to stay and shuttle from Bangor and that is moving forward. 3 Feathers works too much¢¦¢¦.so we will probably not see him or his partner Rolanda until we reach Rangeley. By then we will be ready for a town day or two.
Date: 2008-06-20
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

While waiting for the building inspector, we are updating TJ and trying to get caught up. We spent some time looking at smart phones (for dummies) and have decided against them and are going to go with a PDA for recording TJ and keeping track of information. We think this is a better option for us. The smart phone looks good from a weight stand point and saves space as it is phone and data in one package, but it costs a bunch, has a two year contract and still has issues with dependability. The PDA allows daily update of TJ and downloads when in town (not at library). Since we are going to restart in Maine, phone coverage is not as good so will probably be limited in access with either option. Decisions, decisions! It¢s only money and more weight.Mrs. Limestone has been busy finding new meal ideas, no rice please, and getting things dehydrated for the next leg of our adventure. Limestone has been printing maps and getting the spread sheets updated for the next leg. We have also been looking at getting some new gear¢after three months in the same t-shirt, it¢s time for a change. We also are doing the usual cleaning and gear repair. It is much easier at home then in a trail town.
Date: 2008-07-24
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We have decided not to return to the trail until next year. Jim¢s Aunt passed away a week ago and again we have been back and forth to Wisconsin a couple times over the last several weeks taking care of her affairs. Needless to say, there remains a fair amount of stuff to do so delaying our hike until things are under control seems like a prudent plan.We have met a lot of really nice folks this year and we look forward to meeting you again on other hike and for the thru hikers remaining (your ranks continue to get smaller), we wish you a safe and happy hike¢and lots of luck!Maybe we will find some time to up load the remaining pictures and post some notes about our plans for next year. Cheers to all!
Date: 2007-12-17
To: Itching to Hike
Miles today: 0.0

Here I am in the middle of December, itching to get on the trail. There is a whole semester of school in between now and Pennsylvania, but I am stoked nontheless. Eldon and I have been packing and repacking, taking "test trips" to the trail here in NE Tennessee (really just excuses to get away from school/work and into the woods). One of the first real backpacking trips I took was on the AT from Carver's Gap to Laurel Fork in TN, and ever since then I've been hooked. My pack was too heavy, my boots were too big, it rained every day, and we had easymac or ramen for almost every meal. However, it was enough to convince me that I liked hiking. After that I set out to learn more about backpacking and decided that one day I would hike the whole AT. In the summer of 06, I worked for an adventure camp in GA alongside a girl from Alaska. On a 4-day hike to Blood Mountain, my roommate became The Alaskan and I became Lizard. I've mostly stuck with that name since then. My dream is to hike the entire AT, from GA to ME. I only have a few months off school this summer, but I have decided that I can't wait any longer to get out on the trail. So Eldon (my fiance) and I will be starting in PA in May and hopefully finishing in Maine in August, appromimately 1/2 the trail. My recent battle with melanoma has helped me realize that I can't just wait around my whole life, hoping that one day I'll be able to accomplish some of my goals. Now is the time to get out there and do it because tomorrow is not guaranteed. So we're going to take a shot at this and trust God that everything will unfold in its own time.
Date: 2007-12-18
To: A Few Details
Miles today: 0.0

Something I forgot to mention in the first entry - this hike is going to serve as kind of a honeymoon. We are getting married before we leave for the trail. Surprisingly enough, we haven't gotten a single "are you crazy" reaction from anyone we've told about this endeavor. People have been nothing but supportive so far. I guess they already know how crazy we are.
Date: 2007-12-29
To: Christmas
Miles today: 0.0

Got some neat gear for Christmas, along with a copy of the Thru-hiker's Companion. I've been doing some trail running lately, trying to get a little more in shape so I won't be miserable when we start. I'm fortunate to have an entire mountain biking trail system right behind my apartment. The dog comes with, and I think she is more excited about this hike than we are. She is not a happy camper unless she gets her run in every morning!
Date: 2008-01-10
To: Gear Thoughts
Miles today: 0.0

I've been thinking about gear lately. I'm very happy with my backpack and sleeping arangements, which are a Gregory Tega pack and a Western Mountaineering Ultralight sleeping bag. However, lately we've been thinking about trying something new for shelter. We want to use the diagrams and instructions on the website to make a Tarptent for 2. I like the idea of it being super lightweight and still keeping out those pesky mosquitoes. And I've heard nothing but good reviews about them. None of the outdoor stores I've visited sell silnylon by the yard though, so I guess I'll have to order it and the mosquito netting off the internet. After reading through the Thru-Hiker's handbook and a lot of the articles on Whiteblaze, we're thinking about starting our hike in Port Clinton, PA and finishing at Katahdin. When I first started thinking about this hike, I had wanted to go from Harper's Ferry up. We only have three months though, and we don't want to bite off more than we can chew, especially considering the terrain around New Hampshire. I think starting at Port Clinton would give us time to get in shape at the beginning and still be able to finish in time.Any advice from people who have made their own Tarptent is welcome.
Date: 2008-03-23
To: Nolichucky Gorge
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Spent the last 2 days hiking around the Noli Gorge. There are some really pretty views of the gorge as you're hiking up from the river. Some of the springs were all dried up, though, even with all the rain we've been getting this week. I bought myself a set of superfeet, which I think I like although I haven't really tried them out yet.
Date: 2008-04-19
To: Iron Mountain Trail Work
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Had a great day digging a trail relocation near Iron Mountain with the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club. Maintenance trips are always a blast. We had to be extra careful this time not to disturb the Painted Trillium in the area. Met Mountain Squid, Dr. Zoom, and many others.
Date: 2008-05-27
To: This Is It
Miles today: 0.0

Well, folks, this is it. We're leaving for the Appalachian Trail tomorrow morning. I'm packing up my bag, eating a nice big dinner, and then getting some sleep. After a lot of debating, we decided to start at Delaware Water Gap. I had every intention of making a tarptent, but I was so busy I never got around to it. So now we're sticking with the original plan and using out Mountain Hardwear rainfly and footprint. Eldon's mom gave us lots of dehydrated goodies to start out with, and we'll probably have the rest of the bundle mail dropped to us at some point. I also got the crazy idea today to buy a pool floatie at Target that I might bring with me to sleep on once in a while. It weighs in at 1.1 lbs and I spent a whopping $3 on it, so if the idea's a complete flop I can just throw the thing away. Here's a shoutout to Ernie Brown, who's letting us use his sweet cooking pots for the summer. See you on the trail!
Date: 2008-05-29
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: Mohican Outdoor Center
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: clear sky

We started today at Delaware Water Gap! After walking across the interstate bridge we headed into the park, which is beautiful but rocky. Ate lunch at Sunfish Pond and then camped a little ways past the Mohican Center at a nice overlook.Just for grins Eldons weight starting out is 205.5 we will see what I weigh at the end
Date: 2008-05-30
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Brink Road
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: clear sky

Today was pretty hard on my feet. We were planning on meeting my dad at Crater Lake and hiking a little with him, but we never found the lake. So we kept hiking until we got to the Brink Road Shelter, where he picked us up and let us stay at his hotel room for the night. We also had a great dinner at TGI Fridays. I was pretty tired after hiking 14 miles, so I think we're going to slow it down a bit until we're used to the trail, especially since it's only the first week. I'd rather take the time to enjoy this trip than constantly be pushing myself to get to the next checkpoint. I also decided to ditch the pool float (big surprise there). I figured I should cut down on whatever weight I could before I found myself throwing things off cliffs in a state of rage like Bill Bryson's friend Katz. Anyway, we'll see where we get tomorrow!
Date: 2008-06-06
From: Wildcat Shelter

To: Island Pond 
Miles today: 11.6

We crossed over the NJ/NY state line yesterday. Standing on top or Prospect Rock I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. It was a beautiful day and the view was great from the top. One thing I've learned on this trip is that hiking is HARD. But it is a good time for reflection and makes you think about the things in life that are really important. The mountains are beautiful and the memories will last a long time after the aches and pains have gone away. Today Paddy-O hooked us up with some drinks at the Paddy Wagon (which helped me up the next big hill after Agony Grind). Tented next to Island Pond. I've started making a list of things to do when we get off the trail. Going in to Ft. Montgomery tomorrow. Man this heat wave is making things HOT!
Date: 2008-06-15
From: Telephone Pioneers Shelter

To: Ten Mile River Lean-To
Miles today: 12.7

We passed the train station that goes to NYC today. Then I proceeded to sit down next to a field and eat some yummy peanut butter. "A peanut sat on a railroad track, his heart was full of flutter, along came a choo choo train, woot woot, peanut butter." We also saw a beautiful little turtle that I would not let Eldon keep. We crossed another state line today from NY to CT. It's the fourth state we've hiked in now. I think I'm getting more used to this hiking thing. Found out from a hiker about the Amazing Savings grocery store in Asheville. I need to remember that one because I'm always stoked about cheap food. We've got a maildrop coming in Kent from my mom and we may pick up an MSR Hubba Hubba.
Date: 2008-06-17
From: Mt. Algo Lean-to

To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 0.3

Taking a 0-Day in Kent and resupplying. Thanks for all the candy, mom! I had a great breakfast with strawberry and chocolate pancakes and Eldon had a big breakfast burrito. I'm at the library right now but I think we're about to go to the outfitters and laundromat. Tenting at the St. Andrews Church for the night.
Date: 2008-06-21
From: Limestone Spring Lean-to

To: Sages Ravine Brook Campsite
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: scattered clouds

CT was short but it was a nice state overall. Highlights for me included: hiking along the 10 Mile River, the well kept loop near Falls Village that followed the Housatonic River and went by Great Falls, Rand's view, and great views and a beautiful sunny day on top of Lion's Head and Bear Mountain. Kent and Salisbury were cute towns. We stopped in Salisbury in the morning to resupply and get coffee and then moved on up the trail for the night. It's evident that we are getting farther north and the towns are starting to have more of a New England feel to them. We ended our time in CT by walking down Bear Mountain and spending the night at Sages Ravine - a well kept campsite on the CT-MA border with a nice stream going through the ravine. On to Massachusetts!
Date: 2008-06-25
From: Shaker Campsite

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: clear sky

We had a great time at the Upper Goose Pond Cabin. There was a nice swimming area with a dock, and the cabin was absolutely adorable with a porch, fireplace, kitchen, and bunks with matresses upstairs. And to make things even better, the caretaker Nancy makes blueberry pancakes and coffee every morning!
Date: 2008-06-29
From: Dalton

To: Dalton
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

0 Day in Dalton! We stayed at Rob Bird's place, known by hikers as "The Birdcage." Rob is a great guy and is very welcoming and helpful to hikers who need a place to stay. We also rode the city bus to the Berkshire Mall where I bought a Thermarest to sleep on and Eldon bought a Big Agnes mat at the EMS. They just looked so comfy, we couldn't resist. Sleeping on a piece of foam in the shelters gets old after a while. We really enjoyed our stay in Dalton. The variety shop had a great breakfast menu and everyone we met in town was pretty friendly.
Date: 2008-07-01
From: Cheshire

To: Wilbur Clearing Lean-to
Miles today: 11.7

We spent last night at the Harbour house Inn. It was a very cute and classy Victorian type B&B, and Eva even drove us to a new restaurant for dinner. We has a great homemade breakfast of french toast, muffins, granola, and fruit in the morning with orange juice. Definitely a good way to start out the day. We spent the night at the shelter celebrating Canada Day with a Canadian couple and Lee and a bottle of tequila.
Date: 2008-07-02
From: Wilbur Clearing Lean-to

To: Seth Warner Shelter
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: scattered clouds

We finished Massachusetts today. Here's a short overview of the trail through the state.MA had some very nice ridge walks that seemed to have steep drop offs, althout most of the time we were walking them in the clouds. It rained quite a bit for about a week of two and mosquitoes were everywhere. We liked the design of the shelters with the bunks and loft, and we especially enjoyed the Upper Goose Pond Cabin and our town stops. Dalton was a nice place to recharge, and Mt. Greylock was a good finish. We walked to the grocery store in North Adams today to resupply and I ate way too much at the China Buffet, which made the last few miles of MA pretty difficult for me. Now it's on to the Green Mountains!
Date: 2008-07-04
From: Congdon Shelter

To: Goddard Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: broken clouds

The Fourth of July! We spent the night up at the Goddard Shelter, which was really nice, although it got a little chilly at night. We are now hiking the Long Trail and the AT at the same time. Vermont is very green (Green Mountains... duh). It's nice to feel like we're back in the mountains again and starting to get away from city life some. The air smells like Christmas with all the evergreen trees.
Date: 2008-07-08
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Manchester Center is a very cute town. Everything is within walking distance and there is a lot of variety, including two outfitters and a lot of restaurants. We're staying at Sutton's Place, and we spent last night celebrating Certain's birthday with Goy at the Harvest Grill. Today was our 2nd 0-day here and it's been great. After I took a 2 hour nap, I went to the pharmacy and bought some candy and some thin padded insoles to wear on top of my Superfeet to they don't make my feet as stiff. We cooked this great spaghetti dinner with this really good tomato/cream/vodka sauce that I had never tried before. It's been nice to take a break from left foot right foot left foot right foot, but tomorrow morning we hit the trail again. Me with my insoles, and Eldon with his new Thermarest pillow.
Date: 2008-07-09
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Bromley Shelter
Miles today: 2.0
Weather: scattered clouds

After spending all morning in town and feasting on the "hungry hiker" special at Up for Breakfast, we made a visit to the grocery store and then headed on up to the PO. Somewhere along the way, the skies opened up. Now, I must admit that we had been forewarned of the coming storm by a well-meaning prophetess outside the EMS, but we got drenched nonetheless. Fortunately, a nice lady named Paula offered to drive us from the PO to the trailhead. From there, we continued on through the downpout. At one point the rain stopped and the sun started to peek out, but then at exactly 2:16, the sky grew dard and we heard a roar coming towards us through the trees. Yes, we tried to outrun the storm. No, of course we did not succeed. So when we arrived at Bromley Shelter, we decided to call it a day. I should also mention that today we met Eric Hogstrom's friend Gary, or Rethinker.
Date: 2008-07-10
From: Bromley Shelter

To: Big Branch Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: broken clouds

We started today off by hiking up one of the ski runs at the Bromley Ski Resort. I kind of felt like I was there in the wrong season. There was a deck on top with amazing views of the mountains and several other ski areas. The air was cool, crisp, and clear and it was a great day for hiking. We crossed Styles and Peru Peak and then it was mostly downhill from there. If only I'd had a snowboard and some snow for this morning.... but that time of year will come soon enough. I'm going to enjoy this great weather while it lasts.
Date: 2008-07-11
From: Big Branch Shelter

To: Minerva Hinchey Shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: clear sky

Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. That's what most of today felt like. I slept great last night but today just seemed to drag on and on. That's what trail life is like- some days you feel like it couldn't get any better and some days you just want to get to the next shelter and go into hibernation. Today wasn't all bad though. The trail was well kept and went by Little Rock Pond and over some nice mountains. And I would be doing the trail an injustice if I failed to mention the rock gardens near the White Rocks Cliff vista. There were 2 of them, and that was some of the neatest stuff I've seen on the trail. Rock formations, towers, bridges, peace signs- it was all pretty impressive. I think that's what I'd like my backyard to look like.
Date: 2008-07-12
From: Minerva Hinchey Shelter

To: Swansong Secret Shelter
Miles today: 9.1

We slept in pretty late today. Well, really late actually. I don't think either of us really wanted to hike, but at least this was one of our shorter days. After a little while we came to a great swimming hole at the bottom of Clarendon Gorge, so we decided to swim for a while and eat lunch there. It was a warm day and the water felt great. When we finally left our day got even better, because we ran into Man In The Moon just as he was returning from leaving some TRAIL MAGIC at Clarendon Shelter. That hill was steep, and I'm not quite sure how he carried 66 cans of assorted beverages to the stream at the top, but somehow he did. There were even Hostess cakes to go with them. Drinking and hiking don't go together very well, but we eventually made it to the secret shelter, where we ate a yummy dinner of turkey and noodles by the fire. I love secret shelters, swimming, and trail magic. Getting all 3 in one day was pretty sweet. Rutland tomorrow!
Date: 2008-07-13
From: Swansong Secret Shelter

To: Rutland, VT - Back Home Again Hostel
Miles today: 11.0

We got into Rutland today after hiking over Killington and down the Sherburne pass trail (the old AT). It was wet, windy, and cloudy, and I was glad to see the Inn at Long Trail emerging from the trees at the end of the day. We got a bite to eat and then caught the bus into Rutland. We're staying at the Back Home Again Hostel doing work for stay, and it seems like a really neat place. It's run by a group called the Twelve Tribes. They live in community and apparently they have locations in Chattanooga and Asheville too. We're going to explore town tomorrow.