morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-07-29
From: 501 shelter

To: Eagles Nest shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: light rain

Started late because it was storming hard in the morning. Did not get out until 1000. Rolled into the Eagles nest shelter at 1700 intending to go on but once again a big storm was rolling in. It is raining hard now. I got to see a turkey close up today but I did not have my camera ready. She strutted around and clucked at me until I moved on. I also saw my first rattlesnake. It was a beautiful 4 foot long Timber Rattler. I got a couple of pictures of him rattling at me. After that I was looking around for snakes for the rest of the day! Just me and a section hiker named Quills here at the shelter.
Date: 2007-07-30
From: Eagles Nest shelter

To: Eckville shelter
Miles today: 23.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Up and out by 0830. Long day today. I did not finish until 2030 but I was determined to start getting in some miles. I lost two hours when I stopped in Port Clinton to get a hot meal at the 3C's, but I could not pass up a hamburger and fries. I lost another 30 minutes working on my feet. These shoes are not working for me and if I cannot stop the bloodletting I will have to make a change. Two large thunderstorms caught up with me at the Pulpit, but I decided to keep on truckin. They followed me all the way to the Pinnacle with lots of thunder right overhead but no air to ground lightning in my area. Heavy rain though. The view from the Pinnacle just as the storm broke was pretty spectacular. Eckville is a nice shelter with a caretaker like at 501 but no icecream like they had advertized. I also met a crazy section hiker.
Date: 2007-07-31
From: Eckville shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: clear sky

Got started at 0945 because I was lazy and because I did not get to bed until almost eleven. It was hot and sunny all day. Today was a rough 17.4 miles. I hit some of the worst rocks on the trail so far. Everybody was complaining in the shelter registers. There was a nice view from Bake Oven Knob. This shelter is one of the oldest and most dilapidated that I have stayed in so far, but I once again have the place to myself.
Date: 2007-08-01
From: Bake Oven Knob shelter

To: PA 873 Slattington
Miles today: 7.4

On the trail by 0645 so I would have more time for my nero day. I was down by 1000 but it took me until 1100 to get a ride into town and get checked into the hotel. It is a dive. But I do have an air conditioner and a TV. So far I have spent all day running around doing chores. Back out tomorrow for the rough climb out of Lehigh Gap. It is supposed to be in the 90's for the next few days.Ended up staying here two days because I could not get togather with the owner on getting a ride back to the trail. Laid around and watched TV for most of the day.
Date: 2007-08-03
From: PA 873 Slattington

To: Wind Gap
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Finally got on the trail at 0830 after two days off. It worked out because a bunch of other people got dropped off with me. I hiked part of the day with Fishstick and Bullwinkle, Bonnie and Clyde, Wyoming and Hawkeye, and Hong Kong Fooie. Bullwinkle and Fishtick gave us some trail magic by hitching into town and bringing back some cold drinks. They helped because there was no water for 20 miles. I saw two rattlers today and got some good pictures of the second one. The trail was very rocky and the temperature was in the mid 90's. I stayed in a motel which was right next to the trail when I came off.
Date: 2007-08-04
From: Wind Gap

To: Delaware Water Gap - New Jersey
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Another terrible rock day. PA is taking her due. It was just slow going because of the rocks. I walked with Clyde part of the day. Bonnie is off the trail with a stress fracture and is waiting for her at the gap. I passed over this catapillar and it raised it's rear into the air so it looked like a snake. It stayed like that until I moved on. Pretty cool! Spent the night at a nice church hostel. It had bunks and a hot shower. Then I went next door to a 200 year old Inn to get a bite to eat and found out they were having a jazz concert that night. It was put on by the masters students at Strassburg U and some of there instructors. They put on a great show. All the people I was with the day before made it to the hostel also.
Date: 2007-08-05
From: Delaware Water Gap - New Jersey

To: Culver's Gap, US206
Miles today: 28.2

This was a long freaking day. That mileage total is correct. I missed the last shelter just as it was getting dark and then had to walk another 5 miles in the dark with just my weak headlamp. I kept banging my poles togather to let the bears know I was coming. I did not see a bear but I did almost bump in to another porcupine right next to the trail. I could not find a flat place until I staggered across U.S. 206. I camped right across from good ol "friendly Joes" who gladly sold me a sandwhich in the morning but wouldn't let me fill my water bottles. Welcome to New Jersey! By the time I set up it was after midnight.
Date: 2007-08-06
From: Culver's Gap, US206

To: High Point shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: haze

I did not get started until almost 1100 because of the late night before. There were still a lot of rocks on the trail even though we are out of PA. It was only in the 80's today but it was so muggy that it felt like a 100. I sweated into my shoes all day. I stayed at the shelter with Coldylocks, Sudoku and Calmwater. I tented alone by a stream.
Date: 2007-08-07
From: High Point shelter

To: Vernon, NJ / St. Thomas Episcopal Church Hostel
Miles today: 18.9

Up and rolling by my usual time of 0830. We had good trail most of the day, flat with a few rolling hills every once in awhile. There was a lot of open ground today which was bad because it was in the 90's again. The section around the wildlife refuge was just brutally hot. I stayed hydrated all day. Water was a little easier to come by. I did the 18.9 and then still had to walk the 2.4 into town because you cannot hitch in NJ. I went right to Burger King when I got there and then a nice gentlemen gave me a ride to the church hostel. It is nice here. I got a shower and then ordered a pizza. I will pick up my box tomorrow and then see if I move out or not.
Date: 2007-08-08
From: Vernon, NJ / St. Thomas Episcopal Church Hostel

To: Vernon, NJ / St. Thomas Episcopal Church Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

Zero in Vernon at the church hostel. I had the place to myself until Hawkeye and Wyoming showed up at about 2000. I spent most of the day doing errands. I ran to the store and to the post office several times during the day. I mailed myself a resupply box to Kent. The hostel was excellent. I watched movies with Yogi and Lumpy until one in the morning the first night and ordered a pizza. I watched So You Think You Can Dance the second night. I know, I am such a nerd. Dave the caretaker is such a nice guy. I left a large donation.
Date: 2007-08-09
From: Vernon, NJ / St. Thomas Episcopal Church Hostel

To: Village Vista Trail Junction
Miles today: 12.0

I had a great breakfast at the Mixing Bowl and then could not get myself to hike out until 1030. I had to walk the 2.4 miles back to the trailhead so it was 1120 by the time I got started. It was a slow rocky scramble all day, nothing super hard, just slow. I could not make it to the creamery for ice cream and a storm was coming in so I picked a spot on a ridge to stealth camp. I ended up doing a grand total of 12 miles and it took me 7 hours. My feet are blistered up on the bottoms again.
Date: 2007-08-10
From: Village Vista Trail Junction

To: Village Vista Trail Junction
Miles today: 0.0

Another day lost. I took a zero in my tent because it was raining hard when I woke up at 0530 and it continued to rain hard for most of the day. If I had been in a shelter I probably would have hiked out at sometime during the day. But in a tent out in the open there is no way to get out of it without your stuff getting wet. So I stayed put. I spent the day sleeping, reading my companion, working on my feet, and attempting to patch my shoes with duct tape. Tomorrow is another day.
Date: 2007-08-11
From: Village Vista Trail Junction

To: Fingerboard shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: few clouds

I got rolling by 0820. It was great weather once the fog broke in the morning. There was a lot of up and down today. The lemon squeezer was a tight fit and some of the short climbs required the use of your hands. Google and Sunshine shared the shelter with me that night (they tented), and a section hiker named Slimfast showed up after 2200. There were bats in the rafters of the shelter and they flew out just as it got dark. They were quite noisy when they came back in the morning, lots of squeeking and chirping.
Date: 2007-08-12
From: Fingerboard shelter

To: Graymoor shelter
Miles today: 20.5

There were a lot of small but tuff climbs today and the temps were in the 80's with lots of humidity. There was some good scenery today and has been though New York and New Jersey. I made slow time in the morning but picked it up a little bit after Bear Mtn. When we went through the park and zoo by the lake there must have been ten thousand people from New York City hanging out there. What a culture shock. I haven't seen that many people in four months on the trail! The shelter that the monks put you up in is their sports pavillion. It had a cold shower and porta-potties. All Sobo's here except for Nutella.
Date: 2007-08-13
From: Graymoor shelter

To: RPH shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: broken clouds

It was raining in the morning so I took some extra time to get out of there. I hung my stuff up to dry while I was eating. I didn't head out until around 1000. It was a nice day in the 80's. I hiked hard to get to RPH shelter with the thought of being able to order a pizza in my head all day. When I got there and picked up a menu to figure out what I wanted I noticed that the place was closed one day a week and this was the freaking day. You talk about one disappointed hiker. I am sure my bottom lip stuck out for at least an hour. I had the place to myself until once again Nutella showed up after dark all bubbly and everything.
Date: 2007-08-14
From: RPH shelter

To: Wiley shelter
Miles today: 25.3
Weather: clear sky

Rolling by 0820. Another great day weatherwise, sunny in the low 80's. New York has been a pretty state to hike in so far. I had to stop at the deli after five miles because I needed another days worth of food to make it to Kent. Lumpy, No Pain and Yogi were there working there way through a 12 pack at 1100 in the morning. After I got my food and woofed down a great deli sandwich I headed out and pushed hard for the rest of the day. Once again the big mileage day was an accident. I had planned on stealth camping after the road but then realized that there was a nature preserve there and so I had to push past it. I was already over 20 miles and could not make it out of the preserve before it got dark. Hiked in the dark again. I definetly need a new headlamp. I made the shelter after 2100 and pitched my tent. Just me and a father, daughter southbound at the shelter for the night.
Date: 2007-08-15
From: Wiley shelter

To: Kent, CN
Miles today: 12.7

I got rolling at 0900 because of the late night before. I thought this would be an easy stroll into town, but I was wrong. I walked by the beautiful Housatonic river in the morning and then did a steep but straight forward climb up Ten Mile Mtn. After that the trail just wandered aimlessly around, up and down for another two hours. There was no purpose in it, it was just a frustrating waste of time. I heard that most of Connecticut is like this. Luckily there are only 50 miles in this state. So I did not get to town until after 1500. The blisters on the bottom of my feet were not helping me either. I got a beautiful but expensive room at the Fife and Drum Inn, picked up my box at the Post Office and then just rested for the rest of the day. I finally got the pizza I had been craving all week at a place called Paisans.
Date: 2007-08-16
From: Kent, CN

To: Kent, CN
Miles today: 0.0

Planned zero today in Kent. Ran some errands this morning and then went and bought new boots. They are stiff, but they seem comfortable enough. There was not much choice. My shoes were finished and they have been torturing my feet for 500 miles anyway. I should burn them in effigy as a fitting tribute to how bad they treated me. Nutella, Coldylocks and Sudoku hiked in and back out late today. This is my last task of the day and then I am going back to my room and chill out. Hiking out tomorrow I hope.
Date: 2007-08-17
From: Kent, CN

To: Pine Swamp Brook shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: broken clouds

A late start out of town, imagine that. I got on the trail at 1100 with a full belly from a breakfast at Caralees. I got to the shelter about 1900 and set up my tent in an open spot away from the shelter and grabbed my food bag and went up to the picnic table to cook and talk to some of the other hikers. When I came back to my tent in the dark and got inside there was a mouse perched over my door frame giving me the evil eye. He had chewed a hole thru the side of my tent and thru my backpack to get at some food I hadn't rounded up yet. I had to take everything out of the tent to get rid of him. And then for the rest of the night everytime I heard a noise I had to shine a light around to see if I was being invaded. It also rained very hard during the night. The good news is my new boots did OK for the first day.
Date: 2007-08-18
From: Pine Swamp Brook shelter

To: Riga shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: broken clouds

I got a late start because of the rain. It took me a while to clean and dry the tent. I left about 0930 and then made pretty good time. This would have been an over 20 day except that I stopped in Salisbury, CN for a meal so I would not have to cook that night. On the way out I ran into Coldylocks and Sudoku who persuaded me to stop when they stopped. It didn't take much because I wanted some company. It has been nice hiking weather with temps in the 70's and getting down to the 40's at night.
Date: 2007-08-19
From: Riga shelter

To: Great Barrington, MA
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I got going at 0745 and still managed to have a slow day. I hiked most of the day with Coldy and Sudoku and we took more breaks than I normally take. One of the reason we took so many breaks is because the first 20 or so miles of MA are beautiful. Great views from up high of some of the valleys. I got ahead of them at the end of the day and then the last mile I lost one of the tips to my hiking poles. That was all the excuse I needed to go into town with them. I got a room ath the Travel Lodge and then we all had a good meal at the Brew Pub which was next door.
Date: 2007-08-20
From: Great Barrington, MA

To: Great Barrington, MA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Took a zero in GB. The outfitter did not open until 1000 and I had to catch a bus to get there. I still could have got out sometime that day but it was cold and rainy and I was in a nice warm room. That is always a bad combination for me. I spent the rest of the day watching TV and catching up on my sleep.
Date: 2007-08-21
From: Great Barrington, MA

To: Mount Wilcox North shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Got on the trail about 1100 and did a slow 13.5 miles to the shelter. It rained part of the day and that made the rocks and the wood bridges very slippery. I took sevaral nasty falls, the first since Virginia. I spent the night at the shelter with four more Southbounders. I have been seeing a lot of them lately.
Date: 2007-08-22
From: Mount Wilcox North shelter

To: October Mountain lean to
Miles today: 22.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Got rolling before 0800 for a change. Knocked out the miles by 1830. This was one of the easier 20's I have done. The terrain was easy and the weather was in the high 60's. I only took three breaks all day. There are a lot of bogs here in the Bershires of MA. I have seen a lot of beaver damns and also a lot of mosquitoes. I am Deeting up everyday now to keep them off of me. In to Dalton for a resupply tomorrow.
Date: 2007-08-23
From: October Mountain lean to

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Got going before 0800 and was in town by 1300. I picked up my resupply box and mailed out a few things. I am not sure weather I will sleep at the house where my pack is now or if I will get a hotel. I will hike out tomorrow unless I can get a slackpack for 20 miles. Two more days and I should be in Vermont. More climbs from here on out.
Date: 2007-08-24
From: North Adams

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: haze

Up and out to breakfast at Duff and Dells by 0700. Breakfast was outstanding. Tom drove me all the way to North Adams so that I could slack pack Mount Greylock. It was the first hot day in a week with the temps in the mid 80's. There was no view from Greylock because of the cloud cover but I did run into Candybar, Jake and Tater who I had not seen since Virginia. I got back to the house at 1830 and everyone had left to go eat chinese so I cleaned up and went down to the Mill Tavern and had a pizza and a salad. I ate an entire medium pizza. HKF and Hawkeye and Wyoming showed up at Toms also that night.
Date: 2007-08-25
From: North Adams

To: Benningtom, VT
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: haze

Tom dropped me off at 0845 and I started off with a heavy pack and 4 liters of water. In four miles I entered Vermont and spent a frustrating day there. It was 90 and the terrain was fairly rough all day. It reminded me of GA except there was more mud in VT. I wanted a 20 mile day but couldn't make it. A big storm came in late in the day and I had to hike down a steep slope in a thunderstorm. I caught a ride into town and got a room at the Autumn Inn. I needed to call Tina and do laundry which I couldn't ger done at Toms. I also had a bad rash from the hot weather.
Date: 2007-08-26
From: Benningtom, VT

To: Benningtom, VT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Took a zero day because I was lazy and to let the rash heal. I laid around in my room until 1500 and then hiked at least five miles around the town. I had a great hot Italian sausage from a street vendor and then for super I had blackened cajun chicken at a place called Carmondys. I was back in my room by 2000. I talked to my Mom and finally got ahold of Krysta.
Date: 2007-08-27
From: Benningtom, VT

To: Goddard shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

Late start. I had to walk down to a corner store to get some breakfast and then I had to pack up and hitch out of town. By the time I got to hiking it was noon. I should have went farther during the day but the shelter was so nice that I decided to stop early with Candybar, Jake and Tater. It had a great view and we went up to the fire tower to watch the sunset.
Date: 2007-08-29
From: Stratton Pond shelter

To: Manchester Center
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

Into town for resupply. I was rolling by 0730 with a section hiker who had a car and offered to give me a ride into town when we got to the intersection. We had lunch at Bob's diner and then he swung me by the Post Office and then dropped me off at Sutton's place where I got a room with two section hikers. I did the usual hiker chores during the day and also managed to eat at Friendly's twice. Once with Moosehead and his cute sister and again with Jake and company.
Date: 2007-08-31
From: Big Branch shelter

To: Clarendon shelter
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: overcast clouds

It was foggy misty and cool for most of the day. The wet rocks slowed me down some. I was out by 0820 but could not seem to make any miles. The terrain is all root and rock with lots of up and downs. I took some good pictures of the rock garden in the fog. I am not sure who stacked the rocks, but someone has way to much time on their hands. I hiked into the shelter at the end of the day and there was Kokapelli and Tony the Tiger. I was happy to see them. Tony had also got off the trail with Lyme and had come back. They built a nice fire and we just hung out and caught up.
Date: 2007-09-01
From: Clarendon shelter

To: Gifford State Park
Miles today: 19.6

Started out hiking with Kokapelli and Tony all the way up to Killington. Best views of the trip from Killington. It was beautiful. I met a family up there who told me if I got to Gifford they would feed me and have a beer or two ready. Now there is some incentive! The park was full so if I got there late then I would not have a place to stay. I was not going to go that far, but when I crossed a road about 2 miles from the shelter I was going to stop at I ran into Dan, the family man from Stratton Pond. He told me if I hiked on I could set up my tent with them in the park. We hiked in right about dark. Then Dan and Noelle took me down to meet their friends who invited me into town with them to Applebees. You talk about some great trail magic. They even bought me dinner. (If you are reading this, Thanks again) I did not get to bed until after 1100.
Date: 2007-09-02
From: Gifford State Park

To: Winturi shelter
Miles today: 16.7

Started late at 1000 because of the night before and because I could take a shower at the state park. It was a nice five minutes for fifty cents. It was another beautiful day in the 70's with lots of sunshine. It was a tough hiking day. Lots of small ups and downs all day which just suck your energy away slowly but surely. Spent the night in the shelter with Calmwater and Worldwide and a couple of section hikers.
Date: 2007-09-03
From: Winturi shelter

To: VT 14
Miles today: 16.4

Got started around 0830. Spent most of the day hiking with Handyman. Pushed along pretty good but stopped twice for icecream and soda at farms that were right beside the trail. Hit the road before 1800 and headed in to town alone. Vermont 14 is a tough hitch. There was no traffic and I walked about 4 miles before I got a ride into the hostel. I stayed in a cheaper hostel room for the first night.
Date: 2007-09-04
From: VT 14

To: White River Junction
Miles today: 0.0

Planned zero in White River Junction. Went to the PO in the morning and there was no box. Could not get a hold of my sister until much later in the day to find out why so eventually I caught another bus and went to Walmart and Pricechopper to resupply. Unfortunately my winter stuff is in that box also. Hopefully it will come in tomorrow and I can hike out as planned. I ate meals in the hiker kitchen to save a little money.
Date: 2007-09-06
From: White River Junction

To: Moose Mountain shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: clear sky

I went from White River Junction to Hanover by bus and hiked the 11 miles to Moose Mtn. shelter. I blue blazed the ten miles because when I got off the trail to come into White River I had to walk most of the six miles. This pissed me off, so I swore that I was not going to go thru the trouble of hitching back out so that I could walk the ten miles into Hanover. By the time that I picked up my box at the Post Office and mailed stuff back out and repacked my pack it was after lunch. A stop at the Outfitter in Hanover and it was after 1400 before I started hiking.
Date: 2007-09-07
From: Moose Mountain shelter

To: Hexacuba shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: few clouds

Went from Moose Mtn. to Hexacuba shelter for the day. A couple of tough climbs today and probably everyday from now on. Because of the rough terrain and a 90 degree day it was after dark when I rolled into the shelter. It was the second night that I shared the shelter with a group from the Dartmoth Outing Club. I guess they take most of the freshman class on a 5 day camping trip at the start of the semester. It was interesting to say the least.