morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-18
From: rough Camp, Nr Route 7, Massachusetts

To: Mt Wilcox South Shelter, MA
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Selma got off the trail today. Yesterday, he'd started talking about leaving, probably going in to Gt Barrington and getting a ride from there, but I had high hopes he would have changed his mind by this morning. I had no idea he wanted to pack it in, mostly he talked about whether or not he needed to go back and hike the PA section he skipped when he left the trail originally back in June. It hadn't crossed my mind he wasn't going to Maine. Selma had the offer of an affordable apartment just before he left home and the possibility of a job too. He wanted to capitalise on those options whilst he still had some money to put down on deposits, new mugs, that sort of thing.We got an easy hitch in to Gt Barrington. It was a great little town, packed with shops and cafes. It even had a cinema downtown, something you rarely find in small towns anywhere these days. We were dropped by a cafe so popular customers were eventually queueing out the door, I had the standard breakfast, then we wandered around town before hitting another place for lunch. Tyson turned up, he'd been off the trail for a day or two to go to a classical music festival - Tanglewood. I hadn't seen him since Waynesboro, VA, he was on great form and his injury problems are now under control. Selma was pleased to see him as the two of them had hiked together for a while, they ended up staying the night in Gt Barrington and splitting a room. I walked back to the trail only to find Wicked Lobster doing the Ben and Jerrys thing with none other than Vapor Trails and Pilot, who I haven't seen since Damascus. It was good to catch up with those two as I hadn't heard much news about them floating up the trail. They still seemed really in to the thruhiking thing.I hit the trail at 3.30 PM and was happy to get as many miles done as I have after all the messing about in town. The skeeters were bad and I got all deeted up again. I found delicious, trail magic oranges! I went for a swim in Benedict Pond. There were only two guys at the shelter including another 'true' Southbounder, not Section Puke. He started mid-May.
Date: 2004-07-19
From: Mt Wilcox South Shelter, MA

To: Finerty Pond, MA
Miles today: 20.5

A moist, wet day. It's rained but not so hard as to really get me wet. I quite like these days, a little bit misty, fecund, earthy. It started cool but became quite humid and sweaty. If wet days could be measured in numbers of bright orange salamanders today would have been by far the soggiest so far, I counted 71 on the trail. They were like exotic stones strewn all over.I saw a couple of young thrus slackpacking south, Biscuit and someone else and a section hiker at the end of the day but, apart from that, it was a quiet day in the woods. Yet again the mosquitos were bad and those irritating flies that like to exlore my hair when it's really sweaty. Deet saved the day again.I had a slightly odd lunch in the garden of the Cobble View B&B in Tyringham. It was one of those places where they had some goodies in the fridge and you were trusted to leave cash on an honesty system. In this case they only really had Klondike bars, Snickers and sodas. I met the friendly owner, Alan, and spent a peaceful 30 minutes devouring my stash in the pretty garden. Other than that, the village was like a ghost town. It only really had a PO and library, both closed.I had a really good swim in Goose Pond. No mossies, clear water and a rocky bottom. No mud. At the end of the day I camped by another lake, Finerty Pond. The light was fading fast as I sat by the shore reeking of DEET and desperate for my TVP Ramen to cook before nightfall.
Date: 2004-07-20
From: Finerty Pond, MA

To: Chrystal Mountain Campsite, MA
Miles today: 20.6

I managed to get through a town without overnighting in some shape or form today, quite an achievement for me. Dalton seemed like a nice enough place and there's even a bloke who lets hikers camp out on his lawn for free. But, the library was closed and after a so-so burger at a quiet Irish pub populated by bored looking pensioners and a pint of Ben and Jerrys overlooking the pond, I was ready to move on. I saw Gandalf in town, last spotted in Waynesboro, VA, aswell as Shepherd and Walk Softly. I may be edgeing ahead of the pack but no bets laid on an early start tomorrow. I can't decide whether to hang around with the people at this point on the trail, who I rather like, or go for glory and try and catch up Slainte again. I am much too obsessed with how far he, and the others I was vaguely hiking with, are ahead when I read the registers. It would be an acheivement to catch up and I'm always up for a challenge, but I don't want to get caught up in the speed thing and neglect to smell the roses, enjoy the current experience. I also know the bigger mountains are just around the corner, tomorrow in fact. I ain't gonna kill myself hiking, but I'm feeling pretty strong now.
Date: 2004-07-21
From: Chrystal Mountain Campsite, MA

To: Wilbur Clearing Shelter, MA
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: clear sky

I got a fairly early start on the day that I seem to have squandered somehow. The day ended disastrously with me arriving late at camp, well after dark. It's too depressing to go in to details, you guessed it folks, I was southbounding again. Maybe I shoudn't be allowed to thruhike; with a sense of direction like mine, if this was the PCT, I'd have been dead weeks ago.Cheshire kinda sucked. The ugliest New England town so far and the locals weren't over-friendly, there was little to no acknowledgement of the trail, odd considering it ran right through Main St. The lady in the library was very helpful but the one PC was the worst ever. None of the PCs in Mass seem to allow you to copy and paste journal entries. Is this some kind of security thing? So no updating these pages, yet again. For an affluent, progressive, education orientated state the libraries are crap here. In the South there was generally at least half a dozen PCs with cable modems.Mt Greylock marked the highest peak since the Shenandoahs. It was tough to climb, not too many switchbacks and a sticky, sticky shirt. There was a high observation tower on top that probably comes in to its own on non-hazy days. You can stay up there, at Bascom lodge, but I pushed on. The lodge lobby was remeniscent of an old Scottish hunting lodge, excellent chairs and a huge fire place. I may have chilled too long.
Date: 2004-07-22
From: Wilbur Clearing Shelter, MA

To: Congdon Shelter, VERMONT
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

Yippee! Another state down and I'm in Vermont, which I consider 'hardcore' New England, whatever I mean by that - I'm not sure. First impressions? Muddy, very muddy. It's like someone knew I was from the UK (home of mud) and decided to embellish the trail with a few million tons, just to make me feel at home. Well guys, you can take it all away now, but thanks.I woke up still pissed off with myself for taking all day (and most of the night) to hike a crummy 15 miles yesterday. I had no water to make breakfast and felt low on energy anyway, I just hit the trail. At about 10.00 AM I stopped at a happy little creek and started throwing some water around, brushing my teeth, sinking a litre. I think I was dehydrated. Walk Softly and 30/30 turned up and were in chipper moods. I began to feel better.I got in t camp at 7.00 PM. It was nice to stop that early for a change. There's a good, fast stream, I took my cooking pot down there and washed my awful socks, then I washed me. It felt good. There is a small summer camp crowd in tonight, they make a lt of noise for only a few kids so I stayed at the tent sites. Pokey and Mushroom did the same, it was good to chat to a couple of new people.
Date: 2004-07-23
From: Congdon Shelter, VERMONT

To: Kid Gore Shelter, VA
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: light rain

It rained today. And rained and rained. Things started well, I'm low on food but managed to yogi 4 packets of oatmeal from the summer camp group, now I don't have to ration lunch to serve breakfast aswell. I was on the trail at 9.00 AM. I seem to be getting earlier starts these days, that's a good thing.So now I know why Vermont is so muddy. It must have rained for a good 4 hours pretty solidly. I was hiking up Glastenbury Mountain, even higher than Greylock, which means it's the largest mountain since Virgina, nothing but rain. It made the conditions pretty slick, lots of slippy exposed roots and wet rock. On the plus side, it really cooled me down for the big climb. It's been bugging me just lately how wet and sticky with sweat my T-shirt gets in the humidity, but that's imaterial in the rain and it's kind of refreshing to get a constant cooling off.I pushed on past the shelter at 14 miles all the same. I am still low on food and really need to get to town for Sunday, which won't happen unless I keep the miles up. The rain did break for the last hour or so.I slept in the shelter tonight. I couldn't find the tent spots and it would have been pretty soggy if I could. I caught up Mello Yello and Just Do It. They were still in from lunchtime or I wouldn't have done. It was great to catch up with Mello Yello who I haven't seen since the Grayson Highlands, Virginia. He seems even more mellow than I remembered. Also met Grass, Toke and Tailwind.
Date: 2004-07-24
From: Kid Gore Shelter, VA

To: William B. Douglas Shelter, VA
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: broken clouds

Success! I set out to do what I intended in arriving here today, even though I thought I probably wouldn't make it if I visited Stratton Ski Village. It's weird how sometimes it's tough to hit 15 miles hiking 'til after dark with few breaks and other times I can make big miles even with a 3 hour diversion - of course southbounding up Greylock the other day didn't help matters along.....It's been a great day. I wasn't looking forward to Mt Stratton as it's the new highest mountain since Virginia (deja Vu?) but it turned out to be nicely graded, a lot like the peaks in the South. It was a cool, sunny day with a breeze, great for hiking, but still this climb seemed much easier than Greylock (a sweaty bitch) and even some of those piddly hills in NY that sadistic trail designers had you climbing on a vertical take off, apparently to compensate for the modest size. I felt pretty good when I reached the summit.This mountain is a full blown ski resort in winter. On weekends it's possible to take the gondola (cable car) down to the village. I heard glowing reports about this from Mello Yello, it was even free rides for thrus, so I went for it.And it was great! The views of Vermont from the gondola were spectacular, a lot like the Smokies in fact, when great corrugations of mountains rolled away in the distance. So far, from the trail, Vermont has been mostly viewless, very dense, tangled, young forest with maximum undergrowth, rocky and rooty. At times it's reminded me of a more exhausting Pennsylvania with added mud. All this at a time when most hikers are hankering after the far Northern landscape of dramatic, exposed peaks. But it was all very beautiful from the gondola.Stratton looked a lot of Whistler, which I visited last year, also out of season. Today was pretty lively though, there was a band playing and street food being dished up. I went to a pub and had a good if expensive burger and fries, then a cafe for coffee and a pint of Ben and Jerrys, my first in its home state. It was Coffee Heath Crunch, my new favourite.Glad to be back in my tent tonight. I slept in a shelter last night to escape the rain and it reminded me why I don't like sleeping in shelters.
Date: 2004-07-25
From: William B. Douglas Shelter, VA

To: Manchester Center, Vermont
Miles today: 5.8
Weather: overcast clouds

A nero day. A chance to (possibly) dry my boots and escape the mud. I have even rubbed a small sore on my heal from the combined action of water and muddy socks. I'm not calling it a blister because I haven't had any blisters, right?Manchester Center is a peculiar place with loads of outlet shops, including some swanky designer ones. It's an old town with some lovely 19th Century buildings downtown and is a very pleasant place to wander. It has a good bookstore (free internet) a couple of outfitters and proper coffee is widely available, that's all I really ask for in a town. Curiously, it's all so relentlessly tarted up that it appears slightly artificial, you have to look hard to see if a building is actually new or just looks that way.I'm staying at Suttons Place, a B&B without the (final) B. It's a really good place and my room is rather tastefully decorated with pale blue and white striped wallpaper, but there is one of those big, scary dolls that can stand on it's own and has eyes that follow you around. I had to put a towel over it. Give me the bears.As ever, it was nice to get all clean and fluffy and just close the door
Date: 2004-07-26
From: Manchester Center, Vermont, 

To: Lost Pond Shelter, VT
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

As ever, I got a late start from town; I didn't get back on the trail 'til 2.30 PM after a lousy time hitching, but I was having a nice time in town.I found a bargain at the Spiral Cafe in the bookstore, day old bagels are only 50 cents and a coffee with 1 refill 1.50. I took advantage of this twice whilst waiting for the free internet. This establshment is very highly recommended, even in the little design details.I bought new shoes Merrell Ventilator Lows. They were on sale at the sports shop for 90 bucks. My old ones were on their last legs and needed replacing very soon, they possibly had 200 miles in them, but when you're in a town with 2 outfitters and numerous discount shoe stores.... Plus, they were still soaking wet, muddy ands stinky from the muddy terrain. Comfort sold me on the Merrells, a brand that hasn't always enjoyed the greatest of reputations. They fit really well and look cool. However, I later discovered the Vibram soles are much slippier than the Javas on wet rock.Do you know I had 2 handpacked pints of ice cream from B&J (you know who) and a huge Friendly's sundae in less than 24 hrs. I'm very proud of that.I got an email from Slainte and Chigger who just left Hanover today. As I intend to get there in 6 days it means they are only 6 days ahead. Not bad, as they started out as 9. I am still getting 'hilarious' messages, even poems from these 2 reprobates and other ne'er do wells of former hiking companions left for me in the registers. They seem to be having a fine time up there, it's a mad party scene apparently. I don't care, they are all dead to me now.
Date: 2004-07-27
From: Lost Pond Shelter, VT

To: Rough Camp, Near VT 103
Miles today: 17.6

The wettest day so far on the trail. The rain started during the night and remained hard 'til late afternoon, drizzly even later. I didn't get going 'til 10.45 waiting for things to slacken off, so am quite pleased to have done 17 miles today. Not a lot to write, I was reminded of some of my British hikes when things have deteriorated into a dreary, rainy miasma when willpower and gritted teeth are the only way to get through. Of course, those situations are reasons why I often hike abroad....
Date: 2004-07-28
From: Rough Camp, Near VT 103

To: Churchill Scott Shelter, VT
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I'm actually sleeping in a shelter tonight, second time in a week, but it's not raining tonight; miraculously, I arrived at 8.00 PM to find nobody home. It's a nice new shelter too, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. The curious thing is I haven't passed anyone since 2.00 PM, unheard of in Vermont as now we have all the southbounders coming from Katahdin and the Long Trail folks too. Were they abducted by aliens? Has the mountain been evacuated all except little old me? Is this a paralell AT, identical save for the people? I really don't know. But it is a little spooky.I went down to the Whistlestop Cafe for breakfast and had the most enormous omlette of my life. I almost coudn't finish breakfast and that isn't me. I got there at 8.15 but met a climber from Colorado called Tim who had recently climbed Mt Mckinley and was good company. I didn't really get going before 11.00 AM, what with one thing and another.Today was pretty tough over Killington. The forest was soaking wet and the trail muddy, rooty and rocky and sharply uphill, not a great combination. The day was overcast and not much light got through, what Julian Cope might have called, 'double vegetation'. At the very end of the hike, after 7.00 PM, the sun finally came out and the oppressive feel lifted. Shafts of sunlight began to filter through and the evening took on a kinder, slightly enchanted aspect. There was even a patch of woodland made up entirely of silver (or paper) birch trees, an unexpected white forest tinged with pink in the glow.Stop Press. Another hiker, Roadruner has arrived, in from a 30+ mile day.
Date: 2004-07-29
From: Churchill Scott Shelter, VT

To: Winturri Shelter, VT
Miles today: 21.8

Today was big miles for me so I was glad to roll in to the shelter before dark and with life left in body.It's been a good, warm day, even some of the mud is starting to dry up, though it's still sticky out there. The elevations have become lower and the forest has opened up, letting in the light and enabling me to see more than 10 feet in front of me. Really, I've found the Vermont woods almost chlostraphobic in their denseness, there are few views. I know it's a beautiful state but I don't think the AT/LT are the best way to see it. Driving and skiing come to mind as more sensible alternatives.I ran in to King Alobar this morning at Kent Pond. I haven't seen him since Virginia. He'd been living out in the woods around there and drinkingbeer for a few days. It was good to meet up again.I made a pleasant lunch stop at the lodge by the lake. For 5 bucks they rustled me up a BLT packed lunch including crisps, fruit, egg, coke, juice, cookies. I ate it outside with a hopeful audience of chipmunks.Towards dusk, I came across an old cabin with an observation deck on top and a great view. I was tempted to stay there overnight, but there was no water and I needed to cook. I pushed on the next 2 miles, very fast, before darkness fell. I could hear White Lighning just behind me, but unseen, crashing through the overgrown trail. I felt the very devil was upon me.
Date: 2004-07-30
From: Winturri Shelter, VT

To: Happy Hill Shelter, VT
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I was up early this morning and mananged to get an early start, well 9.00 AM; I gotta be happy with that. I was never one of God's little early risers, ain't that the truth. It was good meeting Flounder and Little Bump who were in the shelter last night, they managed to pull off 26 miles from Hanover yesterday, inspiring White Lightning and me that it was indeed possible to make the PO on Saturday before it closes at 12.00. It will mean a 6 mile walk in tomorrow. I'll call it a nero, spent all day in bed drinking a 6 pack and ordering (possibly) Indian food. I understand there's a restaurant there.So, today was pretty tough to start with, lots of road crossings followed by 1000 foot climbs, followed by road crossings followed by 1000 foot.....you get the picture. It was hot, good after all the cool, wet weather, though I did run out of water and get a dry spell 'til I hit Thistle Hill Shelter. I felt much better camelled up.There have been floods of Southbounders today. I met the 'tribe' or loose collective calling itself The Dysfunctional Family. All a little bizzare. I don't remember the Northbounbers doing that although there was some grouping called The Offensive Six, but I never met them. The only NOBO I've seen in the past 2 days is White Lightning, a friendly bloke from Alabama.Trail magic today. I scored 2 cokes from the Dysfunctional Family support team and from another cooler in the woods. I had eaten all my sweet stuff and the hit was much needed. the miles weren't coming easy in the early part of the day.White Lighning and I dropped by Rick and Tina's Country Store and devoured a cheeseburger, onion rings, milk shake and ice cream. It gave us the power to fly up the next hill to this pretty stone shelter where 2 SOBOS, Turtle and were already in residence.
Date: 2004-07-31
From: Happy Hill Shelter, VT

To: Hanover, New Hampshire
Miles today: 5.8

It was a nice little stone shelter to wake up to and a convivial trio inside: White Lightning, Turtle and Bean Sprout. I woke early and rose at 6.45, some kind of a record. The morning was very peaceful, the perfect temperature and very still. Incidently, it turned out that Bean Sprout is a salamander expert; they're one of my favourite trail animals, something about the way they lay around all over the path just trusting you won't step on them, as if just being bright orange was the coolest thing. I finally got my big question about the difference between newts and salamaders answered but I'm keeping the information under my hat.I walked in to town with White Lightning. Fast. We were here by 10.15 after only 5.8 miles, all the better to enjoy the nero. Hanover is the town of such AT luminaries as Bryson and Baltimore Jack. It was immediately a beautiful place, the buildings of Dartmouth College both imposing and graceful, seeming to belong to some grand city somewhere rather than a small country town. The main street was busy, we'd easily made our target of making the PO by midday. I retrieved my box and removed some warm clothes for the big push in to the White Mountains and Maine beyond. We went to the library, had lunch at The Wrap and B&J's. I called a motel, the Sunset Motor Lodge and arranged a shuttle out there, it's 2 miles from town. I wasn't particularly keen to go back in to town later on as I increasingly think zeros and neros should be about pure relaxation. NO WALKING. We went to the store and procured 26 beers thinking it should see us through. It was still early.
Date: 2004-08-01
From: Hanover, New Hampshire

To: Camp, Near South For k Hewes Brook, NH
Miles today: 12.9

We made the most of the room checking out at 11.00. I got a ride in to town with Wizard and his wife who was visiting for the weekend. I wanted to see some more of Hanover but it turned out I'd seen most of it yesterday as there was little of interest beyond the lively and bustling Main St. I had lunch at Everything But Anchovies, one of the more modestly priced joints in town. They were having an AYCE brunch, the first I've come across for a while. It was pretty good, especially the fruit salad.I left town at 3.00 finding the miles came easy. Without a doubt the walk's highlight was seeing a porcupine. I chased after it and nearly caught up, getting a good look, they don't run too fast. I was pleased as porcupines are right up there with moose on the 'must see' list. Incidently, I don't think I ever recorded I saw a skunk in Manchester Center disappering under Friendlys.It was just dark as I camped. As I was AYCED, there was no need to eat. As soon as the tent went up a downpour began. I was dry.