morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-07-10
From: East Mountain

To: Shaker Campsite
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: few clouds

Mosquito Alley ... thats what they call this part of the trail through Massachusetts. It even warns you about the bugs in the two guidebooks I have. To add to the problem there is a new disease affecting bats in the north ( and moving southward) that starts with a white fungus on bats noses and then weakens and kills them. A bat eats it's own weight in bugs every day and if 100,000 bats die then thats a lot of bugs that stay around to reproduce. The hiking is still good and I am enjoying the trail. It is an excellent trail but this section does go through and over a lot of water and mud and the trail maintainers have several sections that have boards built over the mud and even two sections of boardwalks over marshes. The mosquitoes are thriving and swarm around my head all day. I fight back with DEET and my fly paper covered hat and hold my own. You just can't stop and stand in the same place for very long without them finding you. DEET is the strongest chemical you can use on yourself and your clothes but some mosquitoes still attack. I imagine the older mosquitoes telling the young ones, "DEET smells bad but you get used to it and you will eventually like the stuff" the same way Joe F. explains the virtues of Guiness to new Ulster Project participants at the Ulster Auction.I am always amazed at how a bug will travel for long distances and fly around my head without any concern for their friends or families they leave behind. The bugs know that the hills slow us down and they swarm on hikers going up hill like we were human escallators to the top of the hill. So far I have been attacked in every orifice but ear attacks are the most prevelent. You will be walking and a bug will fly right into your ear and then realize it is not a good place to be. For every 10 ear attacks I have had 3 eye attacks,2 mouth attacks( usually caused by inhaling quickly) and 1 nose attack (very uncomfortable). I stop at a place called Shaker Camp which has two tent platforms and I set my tent up quickly. I am in my tent by 6 pm and wait for the sun to go down to afraid to leave my tent and socialize because of the bugs. There are 5 teenagers and 3 adults also camping here on their 16th day of a 20 day Outward Bound type of program. The teens have at least 50 bites each covering their legs and arms and necks. Shaker Camp is named after the Shaker community that was close by in the late 1800's. Shakers had several communes from Maine to Kentucky but they have all died off. One of the Shaker tenents was abstinance from sex which accounts for the contiual decline of their community.O.M. River
Date: 2009-07-11
From: Shaker Camp

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin, Massachusetts
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: few clouds

Today I opt for an easy day taking Redhats advice to slow down and enjoy the hike. There are still a lot of bugs but as I move North they decrease. I make it to the Upper Goose Pond Cabin by 2 pm and decdie to stay the night. The cabin is an old Cottage built in the early 1900's with a stone fireplace in the middle and an upstairs with bunks for 15. It does not have electricty or plumbing but it does have a caretaker who canoes across the pond and brings back spring water for the hikers. The caretaker also makes blueberry pancakes and coffee in the morning for the hikers so this is a stop that sees a lot of guests. We have seven hikers the night I am there but that had 20 the night before. Also at the cabin are two family groups tenting with young children. they get to use the facilities but they can't stay in the cabin and they don't get the pancakes!! I talk to the caretaker and before long I have become a volunteer myself and have agreed to be the caretaker on Serpt 27,28 and 29th.
Date: 2009-07-12
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Kay Wood Lean-To Massachusetts
Miles today: 17.0

Last night a thunderstorm roared through but since I was in the cabin it was no big deal. The storm is follwed by nice dry, clear skys and cool weather coming down from Canada. This clears out the bugs and the temperatures are in the low 70's in the day and in the 40's at night. Perfect hiking weather. The day is a blurr as I hike all day and pass the same couple of people a few times. I stop at the Cookie Ladys house right off the trail. The Cookie Lady gives every hiker 3 cookies and they let hikers fill up their water bottles from the spigot next to the garage. Real homemade cookies are a treat as the smallest pleasures are magnified when you walk in the woods all day. There are a couple of good overlooks today as we go over what they call COBBLES or outcroppings at the top of the mountains. One cobble is a marble outcropping and we find small pieces of marble coming out of the ground on the trail. Another nice day and as I get to the end of the day Sir Richard passes me. I have met him twice before on the trail, once in Virginia and once in PA. He is from the UK and we talk about hiking the Cotswolds in the UK. That is my next hike as it has pubs along the way and you stay in B&B's at night. Sir Richard moves on as I stop at the shelter. He has long legs and makes good miles every day and it was difficult keeping up with his pace as we talked. The last two miles of the day did go by quickly as I kept up with Sir Richards gait. At the shelter I meet 3 older hikers and a grandson. One of the hikers is Model-T. Model-T is an author who wrote a book about his thru hike in 2006. I had read this book last winter so it was great meeting him. Model-T's book is "WALKIN ON THE HAPPY SIDE OF MISERY" by J.R. Tate. It is a running commentary between his alter ego and himself while he hikes. I find that you do a lot of that self talk during the 8 - 10 hours you spend alone every day.O.M. River
Date: 2009-07-14
From: Cheshire Mass.

To: North Adams Mass.
Miles today: 14.4

I slack packed today, leaving 20 lbs of stuff at the hostel and hiking the 14 miles to my car. This was great as today I went over Mt Graylock, the first 3,000 ft mountain since Virginia. It was a nice steady incline for a few miles up and then a steep drop back down. In the start of the hike I crossed over the Massachusetts Turnpike on a pedestrian bridge. This was exciting for me because I remember when the Mass Turnpike first opened in the 1950's and my parents took me on a trip to New York. I was about 8 years old when I first saw the sign on this bridge that said Appalachian Trail and now I have finally crossed it. At the top of Mt Graylock is a monument to all the war dead of Massachusetts. It is a very tall structure with a beacon at the top and if it was by the coast you would think it was a lighthouse. Again we had cool temperatures as the high today was only 70 degrees. I pass a group of young people doing trail maintenance and thank them for the effort. Once I get to North Adams I find my car safe and sound and drive back to the hostel. Tommorrow I am back to Texas for a week to celebrate my 40th anniversary but next week I will continue from here north as I am only about 4 miles from the VERMONT Border..O.M. River
Date: 2009-07-25
From: North Adams Mass.

To: none
Miles today: 0.0

Well I am back in Maine, I drove to North Adams to pick up my hike but the weather was wet AGAIN!!!! so I came back to the cottage ... I did stop in Vermont and tented at a BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL. I had visions of lots of young people and illegal substances (think Woodstock) but I found was 60 RV's instead of tents, some bigger than my Maine cottage, rules against drinking or even talking under the tents while music was playing and an overabundance of white haired men and women. I know I am turning 60 next month but why do all the other people of my generation look so old???/ I have heard that when you look in the mirror that your brain compensates and you see yourself about 10 years younger than you actually are. If this is the case I am in big trouble. The folks I talked to at the 3 day concert told me that a regular contingent of RV'ers follow the bluegrass music from Florida to Vermont all summer (staying at the concerts is cheaper than staying at an RV park). The music was good and most of the entertainers were local. There are several Vermont Bluegrass festivals during the summer. It was a great campsite for only $5. When I woke it was raining so I just couldn't get myself back on the trail.So I am back here in Maine and I am ON VACATION. I slept late this morning thinking, why do I need to get up? I am retired AND on vacation. It was pretty nice to stay in bed until 8:30.ON VACATION until August 11thO.M. River
Date: 2009-07-28
From: hwy 302 NH

To: Lake of Clouds Hut - White Mtns NH
Miles today: 7.0

Weather for next 3 days is going to be dry so I have decided to do the Presidentials in NH .. Thanks to "POny Express" who sent me a book about the over 100 people who have died in the White Mountains, I have made sure to travel through this portion in good weather. Over Mt Jackson, Franklin, Pierce, Eisenhauer, before getting to the Lake of the Clouds Hut 1200 feet below Mt Washington. Mt Washington at 6288 is the 2nd highest peak on the AT and holds the record for the highest recorded wind speed in the world. The weather up here is usually cloudy and is always cooler than expected. This day the high was 58 degrees while the valley reached 80 degrees. This section of the trail is above tree line and is home to alpine flowers and grasses. The Hut system in the White Mountains is run by the Appalachian mountain Club and costs about $90 a person to stay. The hut holds 90 people in bunks stacked 3 high and a full breakfast and dinner come with the stay. The huts utilize solar and wind power for electricity and has composting toilets. All food and trash is backpacked in and out by the college aged staff so everyone is expected to clean their plates ( so there is no trash).Only 7 miles hiked but at this elevation and with the peaks it was enough of a hike for the day.O.M. River
Date: 2009-07-29
From: Lake of the Clouds HUT

To: Mt Madison AMC Hut
Miles today: 7.1

Hiked the 1200 feet to the top of Mt Washington and enjoyed a diet coke at the summit. Then I proceeded down across the cog railroad tracks and along the ridges to the peak of Mt Jefferson and across Mt ADAMS to the Madison Spring AMC Hut. This hut holds 50 people and the bunks are 4 high so it pays to get here early for a lower spot.Great views all day, perfect temperatures in the high 50's and another short hiking day.O.M. River
Date: 2009-07-30
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: fog

Woke up to a fogged in situation and the first hour of hiking over Mt Madison was with limited visibility. Since I am above treeline the trail is marked with Cairns every 50-100 feet made out of rocks. Most of these were built in the 30's by the Conservation Corps to prevent the deaths that had been occurring every year up here. Once over Mt MNadison is was a fast drop down 4000 feet to the Notch where I had left my car, The Whites have a great bus system that will drop you off at the trail anywhere in a 70 mile section.The temperature at the Hut was 58 degrees but by the time I arrived at the Notch it was in the 80's and sunny.O.M. River
Date: 2009-08-11
From: North Adams Mass.

To: Seth Warner Shelter - VERMONT
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: broken clouds

I started today at Rt 2 in North Adams Massachusetts after driving up from North Carolina ...Started around noon today and hiked the 4 miles up out of North Adams to the Vermont state line ...Vermont is always referred to as muddy and they even discorage hikers from using the trail in the spring so it won't be damaged. Well this year there has been so much rain that even in the middle of August the trail is still soaked and muddy. In fact to get to the state line you have to step through a muddy bog. This is where the LONG TRAIL joins the AT for the next 120 or so miles. the Long Trail is older than the AT and was Americas first long distance trail. It goes from The southern Vermont border to the Canadian border. Because it is so old and used by so many hikers the trail has deteriorated into one long worn down mud pit. By just walking on a trail, the hiker creates the circumstances that makes the trail muddy. The more the trail is used the lower the trail gets from the surrounding ground. This causes the rain to seek out the lower spots and accumulate on the trail. Even at the top of the mountains you still find mud holes created from years of hikers stepping in the same spots. The deeper the mud gets the wider the hole gets as hikers try to step on the edges to stay out of the mud.So you get the picture ... my shoes ended up the day a wet mess. At the shelter was a group of 14 kids and 4 counselors from Conn. out for a couple of days hike. They took up all the tent sites so I stayed in the shelter. Five of us shared the shelter.O.M. River
Date: 2009-08-12
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Bennington,VT
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

I woke up late today and didn't get on the trail until 8:30. Two others were still sleeping as I left this morning. It started out with very pleasant weather today, temps in the low 70's and the air dry but in early afternoon a thunder storm rolled through. I made it to the Congdon Shelter just after the rain started and sat the storm out for two hours. The trail continued to be muddy and this rain didn't make conditions any better. I sat in the shelter watching the rain and looking at the muddy trail and decided enough is enough. This will be the last day I hike in Vermont. I made my way to Rt 9 and into Bennington. Vermont small towns are all so quaint and touristy. Bennington is good size but still picturesque. Many of the businesses and parks and government buildings all have a large full size plastic Moose in front of them. The MOOSE are all painted with scenes, tye dye patterns,camouflaged,bright colors and designs that are unique.I probably saw 20 of these multi colored moose throughout town.I take a taxi back to my car in North Adams and drive back to Maine. Saturday is my 60th birthday and the plan was always to be on top of Mt Katahdin on my birthday so I have decided that is what I will do. O.M. River
Date: 2009-08-15
From: Katahdin Stream campground

To: MT KATAHDIN
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: few clouds

TODAY is my 60th birthday and the plan was always for me to climb Mt Katahdin today ...so that is what I did.An awesome climb, up 4400 feet in 5 miles ...steep, real hand to hand rock climbing for about a mile and a 1.2 mile incline above tree line.The trail goes along the Katahdin Stream up to a beautiful waterall...then up 250 stone steps to the boulder country...then out of the trees and into some heavy climbing to the tablelands and then a nice mile walk up to the peak.Great weather and great views today..I saw 3 thru hikers who I had met earlier on the trail. Snuggles and Steamboat both finished today and Greenlite was getting ready to summit tommorrow. This made the hike today special, especially when the group of hikers all wished me happy birthday at the top of Mt Katahdin.This will end my hike this year....Started on Feb 15th,,, ending on Aug 15th with a total of almost 1200 miles completed,hiked in 11 states and over the highest peaks on the east coast.I may continue to hike small sections picking up some of the 900 miles I missed but for the purpose of this journal and for the ULSTER PROJECT PLEDGES this adventure is done.DONE DONE DONEI have accomplished most of what I wanted to. I hiked in snow and stayed in freezing cold shelters, I walked in rain and cold and hot and humid weather,I have been bitten by swarms of bugs, I saw a rattlesnake on the trail, bears in the woods and dear on the trail. I met lots of great people and received lots of trail magic. I did not see a MOOSE so that may be next years goal..So although I didn't complete a thru hike I did hike thru the country from Georgia to Maine and I have seen enough woods to last me the rest of my life.Thanks for your letters and support.DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!O.M. River
Date: 2009-03-17
To: Journaling
Miles today: 0.0

This year, I am not going to keep a journal everyday, as I have done on previous hikes. A daily journal really got to be a job, and I don't have to do that any more. At the end of a very tiring day, with hands freezing, it was a real chore to feel obligated to write something. Besides my journal entries read like a lab report. That is my training. In college, when others were taking creative writing, I was writing lab reports. So this year, I am going to do periodic summaries as I can. This is more that family and friends can follow along.
Date: 2009-03-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well, things are coming together fairly well. Maildrops are all sorted for the first half of the trip. If I am still going then, I'll do a major resupply and mailout at that point. Just so I don't get the infamous jury duty notice. Twice, at least, in the past, just as I am getting ready to leave I get a jury notice. Only have to dodge that bullet for 12 more days.
Date: 2009-03-28
To: Thumb Twiddling
Miles today: 0.0

Just sitting around with nothing to do. Everything is ready. Pack has been shipped (I don't want the TSA going through it. They would never get it back together.) First set of maildrops have been sent. Just a couple of things that have to wait to the last day on Monday, fly on Tuesday and on the trail on Wednesday. Going to be a good time.
Date: 2009-04-10
From: Thumb Twiddling

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 107.7
Weather: light rain

Been an interesting first 10 days. Have had a dose of everything as far as weather. The second night I was tent camping by a stream and had a very heavy downpour of rain. Three nights ago it was 21 degrees F at Muskrat shelter and snowing. The shelter was full, so I was in my tent, which was actually probably better. The only problem was that the inside of the canopy was covered in ice crystals that rained down if you touched anything. Stayed reasonably warm. Have hit several of the hostels on the way: Neels Gap, Blueberry Patch. I wasn't going to come into Franklin, but I heard that Miss Janet was here running a hostel, so I just had to come in to see her. Besides the legs were starting to feel a little tired. Good timing for a zero day here as there are now thunderstorms in the mountains. Supposed to clear out, so I will be heading out tomorrow.
Date: 2009-04-18
From: Franklin, NC

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 97.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Three straight days of sunshine. Wonderful! Beats the previous period. If it wasn't actually raining, it was cold/damp because we were up in the clouds/fog.Staying in the shelters in the GSMNP (Smokies to you all) as required. Think my snoring is getting to some people. Probably try to tent more further up the line. Into Gatlinburg to pick up my maildrop and reunited with my bounce bucket for the first time. Taking a zero day tomorrow just to rest and go through everything. Supposed to be rain tomorrow, so that works out fine. Just a question if it is going to persist into Monday and later.
Date: 2009-04-24
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 67.1
Weather: clear sky

Second morning coming out of Tri Corner shelter there was snow. Then an hour later, the sun was shining. Last night it was so warm in my tent (first time I've tented since before the Smokies)that I used the sleeping bag as a quilt just laid on top of me. Got into Hot Springs to find out that this is Trialfest weekend. Sounds like a free feed tonight. Want to head out in the morning. Depends on solving a serious chaffing problem in a very sensitive area. Climbs are going better. Still get blown off the trail by the 20-somethings when they come flying by, having started an hour behind. Oh well, at least I can still get it done, if slowly.
Date: 2009-04-29
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 68.1
Weather: light rain

Made it into the Uncle Johnny hostel, since Miss Janet is no longer in Erwin. Camped last night at Spivey Gap in the same spot that I was at in 2004. This is where I got nailed by the yellow jackets, ended up in the hospital and ended my hike for that year. Think I was able to identify the exact rotten log where the nest was and took a picture. No yellow jackets this year.Beautiful weather the last four or five days. Might be in for some showers tonight.
Date: 2009-05-05
From: Erwin, TN

To: Kincora hostel
Miles today: 72.7

Heading home. The hike is over for the time being. Slipped on the wet muddy trail, folded the right leg back and fell on the right ankle. Result a broken ankle - twice. A displaced bimalleolar fracture says the emergency room. Probably going to need surgery to fix it. And on my birthday no less. What a birthday present.I limped about two miles down the mountain to the trailhead. Major help from fellow hikers who came along - Linda Day and Solo. Bob Peoples, of Kincora hostel, was waiting at the road and got me to the emergency room.Flying home today and got to see about getting the medical help I need. Don't know what I will do after I heal up.
Date: 2009-05-12
To: Surgery tomorrow
Miles today: 0.0

Been laying around the house with my leg elevated for the last week. Have to get the swelling down so the surgery can be done. That is scheduled for tomorrow. The orthopedic ankle doc says only one fracture on the knob on the outside of the right ankle. He is talking about a plate and screws and then more weeks of no weight on the ankle. Bummer. This is going to be a long process. My thanks again to Bob Peoples, Linda Day, Solo and Ox-97. Ox took me to his house in Knoxville overnight and then the airport to fly home last Tuesday. The hiker community is like a tribe, as a fellow once put it. They take care of their own.
Date: 2009-05-28
To: Metal man
Miles today: 0.0

Well, the surgery seemed to go o.k. on the 13th. The doc put in a plate and six screws. Came home same day at my insistance. They really had me juiced up on something, because I felt great - didn't hurt at all. Then the stuff wore off.Had a soft splint, to accommodate swelling I think, for nine days. Now in a hard cast and it is another two weeks until I get that off. Ready to get it off now, but ain't going to happen. Then into some sort of walking boot and start physical therapy. I should be up around Daleville by now, if not further.
Date: 2009-10-02
To: broken ankle not acceptable
Miles today: 0.0

Well, it will be exactly five months to the day when I step back out on the trail. I broke my ankle on May 4. I am flying to Johnson City tomorrow and Bob Peoples will pick me up so I can resume hiking. Going for four weeks up to Daleville. Just couldn't let the hiking season end on a broken ankle. Just too unsatisfactory. The ankle is about 95%. Have to see how it holds up.
Date: 2009-12-01
From: Dennis Cove Road

To: VA42
Miles today: 242.0

Just to wrap up and get the miles logged in trailjournals. Hiked a little over three weeks. The plan was for four weeks. Very rainy and wet the first two weeks. Last week was very nice. Ankle held up fine, but I apparently developed a stress fracture in the foot, so I bailed out about four days early and came home. Wasn't walking my normal gait, particularly on the downhills. Also, my shoes fell apart, so I had gotten new shoes about a week earlier. Home to mend. Might go try The Florida Trail. No hills. Highest point in Florida is only 345 feet and that is up in the Panhandle on the Alabama border.
Date: 2008-05-13
To: Looking forward to long distance hiking again
Miles today: 0.0

I've missed being on the trail since I climbed Katahdin on August 28, 2006. The trail has been calling me back ever since. This time I will have a hiking partner, my wife Sue. She has wanted to do the hike with me the last time but I asked to do it alone. This time she will be on the trail with me and sharing the experience. I know she will be a good hiking partner and we will have a good experience. This will be our hike we'll be in it together. The trail is calling.