morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-07-06
From: RPH shelter

To: field north of Pawling
Miles today: 20.5

Big storm raged most of the night, but at 5am I gave in and had to answer a call of nature.. Getting out of what felt like a seven foot bunk proved a little more difficult and I eased my self as best I could before I slipped and my left ribs broke my fall...OUCH.. winded, I still needed the loo(toilet) so ran to the nearest tree.(where I startled a young deer)Getting back up into the bunk I used a chair that was outside, but it was still not tall enough..I was Very sore and could not get comfortable so when Slip woke I got him to help me back down from the bed.The day was Humid, Moist and Wet. Slip went to a store for soda while I waited at the road. Pat had phoned as he was worried about us because they had had so much rain during the night in Manhattan. So I told him to send a boat.. Lot's of salamanders out today. We stopped for lunch at ¢nuclear lake¢ looked but could not see any fish from the Simpson's.By 3pm we were hitching into Pawling where we intended spending the night plus I had a parcel at the post office to collect. After 20 minutes with no traffic on the road we decided to walk the 3 miles, and 5 minutes later we were picked up. Sat in the deli sorting through our bounce box and got a ride back to the trail head with a couple about to start the long path(NY-VT) we had been advised not to stay at the B&B.we got to the road, but in our haste we forgot to take water with us so we need to hike on about 3 miles to the next road crossing and another store (.5mile off) by now my ribs were getting a little worse especially when I took steps down. At the store we met up with 3Cats and AJ so we picked up a beer each and hiked till we found a suitable spot to camp.This turned out to be about a mile on.We also had a few stiles to cross which my ribs did not like. I was shouting each time I crossed one. Could have done with more than one beer.
Date: 2005-07-07
From: field north of Pawling

To: CT341 Kent
Miles today: 17.8

Did not sleep at all. I Could not find a spot that was not sore.In the morning there were slugs all over our tents. Slip packed and we left 3Cats and Aj to catch us up.I gratefully took some medication from 3cats as I was in a lot of pain, this combined with my own pain relief was making me light headed, but it sure helped me pass the miles. Got to a road and we were now in Connecticut and state number 10. We ate lunch at a store where we heard about the bombing in London. No phone service so set some messages to go out on our phone when we do get some service. Pain was a lot worse but tried not to let Slip know. Not sue how good I was at this when I find out he is listening to music to drown out my groans.Just thinking about sleeping in a bed later is keeping me going.Found Pier Piper and Olga resting on some rocks, and so on to Kent. Booked into an Inn and relaxed.
Date: 2005-07-08
From: CT341 Kent

To: Kent
Miles today: 0.0

July8Slept but in pain, the end of tropical storm Cindy would be in the area all day so Slip convinced me to stay here and take a zero to let my ribs heal. Got some more medication from 3cats but it was doing very little to help at this stage. Walked to the library and noticed the doctors next door but they were closed for lunch. So waited in the library where I felt faint, Hot, Sick and eventually waited at the doctors door for the surgery to open in 5 minutes . The staff were inside and saw me throught the windows in obvious discomfort, the receptionist came out and brought me inside. She sent the doctor out to see me in the reception room and soon they were arranging a ride to the nearest hospital 25 minutes away. I was much worst after the ride with a retired doctor and was seen immediately. I was given a large amount of pain killers as my BP was 155/105 not my usual BP(105/55)..But on the plus side my resting heart rate is below 50..Xrays and a Cat scan revealed 3 cracked ribs. So a few day off for me..!!!The nurse found a local from Kent to drive us back to the Inn we were staying at. I was out of it for the next few hours.. eventually made a few calls and convinced Martin to wait till the morning to collect us as we decided to go back and rest in NY..We just can't get away from that city.Slip went out for dinner with the hikers that were in town while I slept. Uncle Ed made it to town late and stayed with us that night as there was no more rooms available.
Date: 2005-07-10
From: Bronxville NY

To: Bronxville NY
Miles today: 0.0

Happy birthday JulieManaged to slept a litle bit better. Watched the British GP. Relaxed in the sun, as I could not do much else. Slips feet are still sore as is his shoulder. Maybe we should have had his shoulder X rayed also.BBQ again and friends of Martin &Trish joined us.We are both tired, it's funny you don't know how tired you are while hiking because you just get up every day and keep hiking.
Date: 2005-07-12
From: Bronxville Ny

To: Bronxville NY
Miles today: 0.0

Happy birthday FabienneAnother hot, sunny day , think a little too hot to hike in but we ARE missing great weather. Oh and another tropical storm headed this way for later in the week.Indian take out tonight. We stayed up chatting till late as we MAY leave tomorrow!! Well I could stay here for 4 weeks and then we would not be able to finish.. so I will have to see what I can or can't do..
Date: 2005-07-14
From: NY bronxville

To: Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 17.0

Finally got back to the Trail, Martin dropped us at the trail head in Kent after a 90 minute drive. We waved goodbye to him as we entered a meadow.Not sure how it will work out but we hope not to be in NY for a while, but we will see.!!!Very humid for our return to the Trail, but we did start at 9am.Hot and sweaty all day, but the trail was kind to us as we had a 5 mile section along a river so it was flat ish..It only hurts on the down steps, and there are not many of them climbing mountains!!!! Very Hard day one of the toughest, just becauce of the time off, the heat, the humidity, Slips sore shoulder and a few cracked ribs..left over Pizza for lunch and dinner( from New York)Slept in the shelter with a southbounder oh and 4 million mosquitoes.........
Date: 2005-07-15
From: Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to

To: Sages Brook Ravine Campsite
Miles today: 23.2

Eaten alive during the night, don't think we will be sleeping in a shelter for a while ..35 orange salamanders on the trail today. The mosquitoes were worst today as the humidity rose.Deet lasts about 20 minutes then you are just one big slime ball of bug juice, after bite, dead mosquitoes, spider webs and muck..I felt stronger mentally today but Slip does not..After Easter mountaim we walked 0.2 mile to a nice cafe, felt much better after that.Slip could not eat all his pecan pancakes so he got a doggy bag for later.On to near Sailsbury where a guy stopped to ask about the trail then gave Slip a ride in and out of town for Ice and soda's..Decided to do 2 extra miles to take us out of Connecticut and into Massachusetts as they do not have laws about Fires.. but the camp site was back in side CT..can you believe it!!!!The Tent helped so we got a better night sleep, but as there was a risk of thunderstorms we had to put the whole tent up so the down side... it was a warm night. Bears outside during the night..Lots of Blue berries today (it slows you down as they all look and taste sooooooo good)
Date: 2005-07-16
From: Sages Brook Ravine Campsite

To: Tom Leonard Lean-to
Miles today: 21.0

July 16 Better sleep in the tent even after the late arrivers and bears outside during the night. No rain! Not as humid. Great views on Mt.Everet. Met 7 hikers from NY hiking club, this included 3 past thru hikers, they gave us a couple of snickers . Down to the road, where another thru hiker was reading the new Harry Potter book, while giving out more trail magic. On to Shay monument and more trail magic Wow!!Then this couple offered us a bed for the night, we nearly gave in but declined as we needed to get more miles in. Great hitch in and out of Great Barrington to get lunch food and vegan icecream! Met Rabbit, had not seen him in a few hundred miles. Then on to the shelter to put up our tent, everything salty from porcupine! Bugs.
Date: 2005-07-17
From: Tom Leonard Lean-to

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 21.1

Happy birthday Georgia. Grey dull morning, very humid but no rain, so what's new.Clothes wet within 15 minutes. Bugs, bugs & more bugs...met a thru hiker from 16 years ago at next shelter, we had a good chat and just as we left it started to rain (Irish rain) so it was a "soft day "! By eleven though it was tropical rain, but no bugs, this felt good on our skin. I counted 204 orange salamanders today.Had to take shelter as the rain got too heavy so we found an overhang and ate lunch, but we shared the shelter with 1001 mosquitoes. So back into the downpour, still hot, 80+. Hiked all day to get to Goose Pond cabin. Met some fellow thru hikers we had not seen since 1200 miles earlier.Cycle hiker, boots and blue light. Slip got free pasta and meat balls. No bugs here even though its beside a lake. Sleep..
Date: 2005-07-18
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Dalton
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: haze

Start of week 17. Did not sleep well, so listened to the radio. Great jazz station and even found BBC world services . We left by 7 am, moving well. Saw only 10 salamanders today and just the 2 garter snakes. Moose tracks in the mud, can't wait to see one. And lots of moose poo. After lunch it start raining again, heavy. On to Dalton to make it to the post office by 1530. Motel and ride to store for food. Slip has a bad rash from the constant moisture over the last 5 days. Less than 30 miles to Vermont.It is SO good to have a shower after 5 humid days. Just watched the bugs drain away, until the next time..
Date: 2005-07-19
From: Dalton

To: Dalton
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: haze

19 July. Did not sleep well, can't get a comfortable position to lie in, stupid ribs! so we decide to take a zero, the end of hurricane Denis will blow through today anyway. Late coffee, library, and bus adventure to cinema. I think it would have been quicker and easier to walk the 10 miles...
Date: 2005-07-20
From: Dalton

To: Mt Greylock 
Miles today: 17.0

After a nice relaxing morning we finally left town at 09:40. Hiked out of town with cycle hiker for the first mile. What a fantastic day. No humidity, temp 86, lunch in Cheshire, got an email from Swampthing all the way from South Africa. He said hello to all. Lazy afternoon, first time we climbed above 3000' in a while. Mt.Greylock to stop for the night. I even got a vegan burger. Great sunset, no clouds and a full moon.( all of which we could see as we are above the tree line)
Date: 2005-07-21
From: Mt Greylock 

To: Congdon shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: clear sky

Lie in of sorts in bunk house with a 07:30 departure. On to next shelter, so less than 600 miles to go. Down to a road and got lunch, icecream and food in supermarket where 6 other thru hikers SOBO (south bounders) gathered here as we left. Crossed in to Vermont, where we stopped to eat lunch.This is state number 12, lots of SOBO's .Wet and muddy under foot but the bugs dare I say it have nearly gone...Today it was mid 80s nice and not that humid.Slip managed to spill one quarter of our dinner, shame If I had known I would have thrown it at a kid that was in the shelter. Tented again at the shelter to get away from the bugs and the annoying kid. Word on the street is that there were 5 coolers in Vermont..
Date: 2005-07-22
From: Congdon shelter

To: Storey Spring Shelter
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: broken clouds

Fri 22 JulyCooler night, good start today, climb, then down to a road with trail magic. Crossed the road then a big climb up (the coke really helped) onto the ridge where we were looking for a lunch spot, but we ended up at a shelter before we found one. Nice trail if a little muddy.Got to our shelter for the night. Put our tent up and ate just before thunder, lightening & rain that had been building all day finally arrived. 3 groups at the shelter, all on the Long Trail, passed the 1600 mile mark this morning. Getting closer..
Date: 2005-07-23
From: Storey Spring Shelter

To: Wild camp 0.9m out of Manchester
Miles today: 22.0

The rain did not last long. At first road crossing there was trail magic from Magic Rat 03 and Emily. (Thanks you so much) And just before a big climb - Stratton Mountain. Great views from the fire tower - 3936' getting higher. We met lots of SOBO's today and section hikers. Muddy muddy muddy. Did I mention the Mud.? Think the guys in Vermont need to chat to the guys in PA and ask for some of their extra rocks! 5 salamanders and lots of Moose poo, still can't wait to see one or two. Fantastic view at Stratton Pond where we had lunch with Morel. It's 80+ today so decided to try to get a ride into Manchester. It's 5.5 miles off trail. We said we would wait 15 minutes for a hitch then push on. Oma, Opa and their dog the big sweetie, dropped us to the supermarket in town ( have trail magic Coke and a Bud on the drive there). On the way into the store a woman asked us if we would like a ride back to the trail head. Wow! we were in and out of town in less than an hour, so we bought lots of heavy fresh food, and I even got Ice cream. We walked about a mile with our extra heavy packs to a snowmobile trail where we set up our tent. Well we figured that it would not get much use that night! Reached the 3/4 way mark today...
Date: 2005-07-24
From: Wild camp .9m out of Manchester

To: White rocks mountain
Miles today: 22.0

Happy birthday Toby. Lazy start. Still had soya milk chilling in stream from last night. Up Bromlet mountain, Ski resort. It looks a little different in the summer at 80+. Met a former thru hiker Woody of 1990 .It's a beautiful day in Vermont. Soaked up the sun while eating lunch on a tent platform. Humidity is a little better today. We carried water up to white rocks where we found a spot to camp and watched the sun set through the trees. Morel passed, just after we had to get into the tent as we were being eaten alive by bugs! Fabulous day.
Date: 2005-07-25
From: White Rocks Mountain

To: Churchill Scott 
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Start of week 18.Cloudy start and strange light in the woods, but very pretty. We pass a beautiful brook. We are making good time in the slightly cooler temperature. Chat to Grizzly Dave, he is finishing off his thru hike from last year. Get to a road and hitch a mile to a store and restaurant.We had lunch, but did not get a chance to digest before we were climbing upwards again. More trail magic, sodas in a cage in a stream. Thanks again, it was much needed. Another big climb to Cooper Lodge. Decided to push on down to the next shelter as the sun is heading west, garter snake on the trail. We were the only ones at the shelter and there were no bugs so as its late we stayed in the shelter. 20 minutes later a guy arrived, his bike broke down and would take 2 days to fix so I guess it would be cheaper to stay in the woods for the two days.We had Less than 500 miles to go by mid afternoon.!!!
Date: 2005-07-26
From: Churchill Scott 

To: Wintturi Shelter
Miles today: 21.8

Slowish start today, up and down to a few road crossings. Cross Maine junction where the Long trail and the Appalachian trail split. So we may see less hikers from now on. At the next road we walked 0.7mile into Killington to the DELI to resupply.Some of you may know this from Skiing..INN on the long trail ring any bells, its an Irish pub billed as the best guinness this side of the atlantic. Managed to call Pat and we bumped into Tinkerbell, we have not seen him in a few hundred miles. After 90 minutes we packed our packs and walked back to the trail head.Finnaly caught up with the other gg "galloping gourmet" and husband happy wanderer.We had got close to them 3 times before, but each time we had a few days off..This afternoon wingfoots book and the maps DO NOT match..pushed on to the shelter as we expect a big storm tonight. I nearly stood on a TAN frog, it was the same colour as the ground and it was not mud..just after we crossed the continental divide! I was not sure what to expect but it was less spectacular than I thought. We were the last to arrive at the shelter, and all the tent site were gone because no one wants to sleep in the shelters because of the bugs.So we put our tent up in the shelter along with one other.Ate and slept, till midnight when the thunder, lightening and rain which turned to hail started. The whole shelter lit up and the rain on the tin roof kept us awake but we would walk in the morning with a dry tent. Only 32 miles to New Hampshire.
Date: 2005-07-27
From: Wintturi Shelter

To: Happy Hill Shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: light rain

Happy wedding anniversary Clare and TomVery humid this morning after the storm last night, at times we thought the roof would come in. 6 salamanders this morning making their way to food/work or what ever it is those salamanders do. Thats if they don't end up under a hikers boot..Lots of ups and downs this morning, cross a road to North Woodstock, rolling green fields very like home.Up to the Suicide Six Ski area, think the skiers just pretend its a tough run as the hike up was easy enough..Caught up with Michigan and Thirsty Boots at the next shelter for lunch.Hard day and I was hungry all day..We passed through a beautiful forest of very tall fir trees, more up and downs.Vermont sure is pretty.Down to West Hartford where the store was closed.Hot,Humid and feeling very tired. We confirmed with a guy that we heading the right way as the blazes were not very clear, chatted about the closed store and Slip said he would kill for a clod soda. Further up the road we passed a sign for water for hikers so while Slip filled up a car pulled up beside me, it was the guy we chatted to before, he hiked in 2002 "our kid" and he had 2 ice cold cokes in his hand..It was the best coke we had tasted ever.Back into the woods and the rain started to come down, softly at first then Very Very heavy. As it was hot we did not put our rain gear on, so, by the time we got to the shelter we were very wet..won't do that again..3 SOBOs, Michigan and Thirsty Boots in the shelter. We ate and got into our bags by 1915 trying to dry off.
Date: 2005-07-28
From: Happy Hill Shelter

To: Hanover NH
Miles today: 5.8
Weather: broken clouds

Start of 5th month, 8 days since we had a shower and clean clothes.Although we did get washed in the rain yesterday.The night felt cool, but it could have been because we went to sleep wet.Very noisy Coyotes chatting to each other for most of the night. An owl was trying to compete with them but gave up.Left the shelter at 0620 hoping to get coffee in Norwich by 8am. The locals pronounce the W in Norwich over here. We made good time and did find a coffee shop to get food and coffee to walk across the bridge crossing into New Hampshire and State number 13.... on to Hanover..All before 9am. Dumped our packs at the DOC got onto the internet, walked to a great food store and tried to get somewhere to stay. All close motels/hotels were full so we ended up booking a motel back in Vermont. Hanover is a very pretty college town and we ate lunch on the green before getting a taxi to our motel.Lazed by the pool while our clothes washed and finally had showers.repacked our 4 boxed I collected at the post office. We got our warmer clothes sent to us as the Whites are higher and therefore colder.!!no zero tomorrow but on to the whites.
Date: 2005-07-29
From: Hanover NH

To: wildcamp lyme-dorchester
Miles today: 19.7

Collected after a huge breakfast by a big yellow cab, back across the bridge and into New Hampshire again..Back to the post office to post on our packages, packs are heavier.. think we will have to slow down.On the trail by 1030 and very quickly passed the first shelter. After 6 miles we got to a road and Slip walked to get a cold soda.He arrived back after 25 minutes in a truck, he walked for a mile and found no store, it should have been 0.3mile away. Just as well we had come from town or we would have been very dissapointed. Up Moose mountain where Slip found a puddle to filter/pump water from, but there is not much about. Met a hiker that told us where we could expect tp get water over the next day or so, he even offered to bring us some in the morning if we needed it. Thanks Richard..Passed by a stelter as we met 10 day hikers so we thought it would be a little noisy there. on past a road and started looking for a tent spot. I found a great flat site the only one in 2 miles but a Bear also had his eye on it, I guess everyone camps there so the Bear must come to check if food was left. So we kept walking, and walking, crossed the lyme/dorchester road again and found a spot to camp. OOPS wrong stove. we had problems with our stove so had my brother send us our spare one, Slip made one good one out of the two stoves and then some how the good one ended up in the post back to my brother and we kept the one that not only needed a match to light but now also was unstable...****. You got to laugh..
Date: 2005-07-30
From: wildcamp lyme-dorchester

To: NH25C (to hiker hostel in Glencliff)
Miles today: 18.7

Late start, left camp at 8am. Mr Clean Sr & Steady Step were with us for a while this morning.Great view after our big climb up to a fire wardens cabin which also had a fire tower. Beautiful day 80+ but the humidity is starting to get worse again.No mosquitoes at our lunch stop first time in weeks. hope they have moved on for the summer.Fab views, down to a brook where we got water and a humming bird tried to get nectar out of the flower on my buff(head scarf). Just as we left we saw another salamander and a very tame rabbit. but no moose, still lots of moose poo though.I spoke too soon about the bugs, at the next road we were attacked by lots of them, and they were mean, taking big chuncks out of us. Bug spray only lasts 20 minutes in the heat and humidity.Crossed to next road where we hitched into Warren to get dinner. Easy hitch in fact the Man that gave us a ride passed us and came back to drop us 5miles into town.Got lunch for the next 2 days and waited an hour for food. Our order was taken quick enough but the staff were asleep/lazy we had to ask for our drinks after 20 min. But the food was good when it came.We got a ride 5 miles ahead to a hostel, where we met Mellow, Masa (he has West Nile and Lyme) and a few sobo flip flops..some one said we would get no more phone coverage from here to Destination..Very nice hostel.