morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-06-26
From: Poughquag, NY

To: Mt. Algo Shelter
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Dried my tent off the best I could and set off. It was cool and overcast...perfect for hiking. So I set my sights on Mt. Algo Shelter 25 miles away...a mile outside Kent, CT where my packages were waiting. Went through some scenic farmland and wetlands. Crossed into Connecticut at noon...Yes!..had lunch and dried out my tent at the same time. Crossed over the 10 Mile River...very beautiful with its rapids. Ended up getting into the shelter area a 7pm...set up my tent. Many other hikers came in later and spent the night.
Date: 2012-06-27
From: Mt. Algo Shelter

To: Stewart Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: clear sky

Hiked into Kent, CT and and had breakfast at the local diner. Found out that my phone charger was broken...always something to overcome. Picked up my packages at the P.O. (shoes and inserts) and resupplies at the local IGA. The new shoes did not fit right, so off to outfitter in town to buy the right shoes...nope, they stopped carry shoes (too big of inventory required)...so off I went to the only shoe store in town...Yes, they carried Merrel and Keen. I ended up buying some nice fitting mid high Keens that were meant for carrying some weight and were not as flexible as the shoes I was wearing....they gave me 10% off for being a thru-hiker. I put a pair of Superfeet inserts in them. I also bought some Crocs for camp shoes.   Hopefully my shoes problems are over...sent my other two pair home for mowing and walking the family dogs.Not one place in town sells phone chargers...there was no Dollar store, CVS, Rite Aide or anything. Next town(s) will have to do. Plan on heading up the trail once my update is complete.Left Kent, CT at 3:30pm....Ended up tenting in the Stewart Hollow Shelter area....right beside a fairly large river where I took the liberty of bathing.
Date: 2012-06-28
From: Stewart Hollow Shelter

To: Limestone Spring Shelter
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: clear sky

Did a lot of hiking today. Hiked along the Housatonic River for a long time...and then through the outskits of Falls Village, CT. It was a lot of ups and downs. I was tired by day's end and ended up tenting in the Limestone Spring Shelter.
Date: 2012-06-29
From: Limestone Spring Shelter

To: Near Hemlocks Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

Hiked into Salsbury, CT and resupplied...had lunch. Crossed the CT - MA line!!!!! Hiked up Race Mt. and Mt.Everett...pretty good climbes. I ended up tenting just passed Hemlocks Shelter....lots of mosquitoes!!!!! 11 states down, 3 to go! I am meeting a lot of northbound thru-hikers...all have been very nice. Looking forward to finishing this journey...I am starting to taste ME! I am looking at 5 or 6 more weeks.
Date: 2012-06-30
From: Near Hemlocks Shelter

To: Tom Leonard Shelter
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Hiked into Great Barrington, MA to get a phone charger...did so...it was a 3 mile mile walk into town. Decided to do laundry...had lunch while doing the laundry. Hiked another mile to the town's library to update this journal...so enjoy it! It is 91 degrees out...will try to avoid the heat and hike later in the day. Everything now on the trail centers around water...with the high heat and humidity...it's water, water and water. My clothes are totally soaked from sweat during the day...if you don't drink, then you are toast....and probably going home. My new Keen Shoes are doing fine on my feet, but having a problem with a spot on both ankles just above the outside ankles...not a blister, more of a pressure point...very very sore to the touch....I have had to to use rope to tie back the mid high flap...try to get the inflamation to die down....hopefully just a breakin issue only. I have done 20+ miles in my Crocs the past 2 days...partly due to the pain from the new shoes and yesturday I slipped and fell into a steam soaking my new shoes. Crocs are a great camp and backup shoe...you can hike in them, but have to be carefull....someone supposedly hiked the whole AT in a pair of Crocs.New shoes always feel great in the store and the first day on the trail, but it is the second day when things start to pop up...so learn form me, don't break untried shoes while on the AT....you can't just hop in a car and return them. Something is always popping up that you have to overcome on the trail...one of my pole tips is already bent (plastic) and will break off soon...so I need to look ahead on where to by some.My whole mindset is how can I keep moving north...if I am moving north each day then all is fine in the end...this journey definitely a more mental challenge than anything....never give up, there always a way to solve the problem even a first glance it seems like there is no remedy.After leaving the library, I ran into Peter Strauss. He asked me if I needed help and if I was a AT hiker. I told him I was a hiker and he offered me a ride back to the trailhead...I said YES! What a random act of kindness...that saved me 3 mile of hot/humid asphalt hiking...THANKS PETER! I ended up hiking to TOm Leaonard Shelter and got a tent platform site with a beautiful view of the valley below...and a full moon right in front of me.
Date: 2012-07-01
From: Tom Leonard Shelter

To: Finerty Pond
Miles today: 26.0

Hit the trail at 6:20am and did not stop for the day until 8:20pm. I hiked with "Ol Blue Eyes" (male 60's) for a while...from South Carolina. I still have my "dog eared" Keens pulled down...I turned my mid highs into low tops...tried without the pull down, but my tendons just above the outside ankle are still painful to the touch....but don't feel sorry...still able to do 26 miles today. Ste up my tent at 2pm to avoid the T-storm....once it passed, I hit the trail at 4pm. I crossed over Intrstate 90...a road which I have traveled many times to my sister's residence.I ended up finding a tent site...flat piece of ground...near Finerty Pond. I fell asleep as soon as I head hit the pillow.
Date: 2012-07-02
From: Finerty Pond

To: Crystal Mountain Campsite
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Hiked 16 miles and the AT ran through Dalton, MA. Hit the library to update my journal and charge the cell phone. This the first public library that prohibits any thumb drives or carder readers from being pluged into their computers..afraid of a virus getting into the computer system....so no photo uploads this time...didn't have many.Looks like I will be meeting my sister, Charlotte, and brother-in-law, Frank, in North Adams, MA area on Wednesday..July 4. That will be a special treat. I will spend the day with them.I will get some resupplies here in Dalton and then move on.Hiked another 5 miles beyond Dalton, MA and stopped at Crystal Mountain Campsite. I was the lone person there.
Date: 2012-07-03
From: Crystal Mountain Campsite

To: N. Adams, MA
Miles today: 0.0

Summited the tallest mountain in MA, Mt. Greylock, at 3,491 feet. Very nice view from the top...there is a roadway that goes to the top...plus there is a lodge at the top. I climbed the tower at the summit, just to say I did. It was a steep downgrade going down the mountain.I did a first today...after 1581 miles of hiking...I got turned around after summiting Mt. Williams....I had gone out to the rocks to look at the view...I came back to the trail and yes, I went down the same trail I just went up (went southbound on the AT) for about .3 mile. I realized it when I went past a sign I had just past earlier. With my pride hurt and tail between my legs, I turned around and went back UP the mountain. The correct trail was directly behind me as I stood on the summit the first time wondering which way to go.I eventually hiked into N. Adams, MA and went directly to the Chinese Buffet..about .7 mile off the trail. From there, I went over to the YMCA that gave free showers to thru-hikers. I had only taken one shower during the month of June...I had bathed in rivers and streams. A man by the name of Mike helped me get me permission to tent behind the Y..and I did so. Rain started a 1am and lasted a long time...but stopped by morning...my tent did well as usual in the rain.
Date: 2012-07-04
From: N. Adams, MA

To: Boston area
Miles today: 0.0

Walked down to the Friendly's restaurant and had breakfast. The more I thought about my sister, Charlotte, and brother-in-law, Frank, visiting me, the more I thought it would best to go back with them to their residence the Boston area and square away my shoe problem and rest/heal up. In the end, that is what I did. After touring around Williamstown, MA...and taking in their 4th of July Parade..we headed to my sister's residence.
Date: 2012-07-05
From: Boston area

To: Boston area
Miles today: 0.0

Went to REI with my Nephew Arnold and purchased some Merrell shoes...Chameleon 4 Ventilator GTX (Gortex). They are a low top with a stiff rated shank in them. These are the ones are should purchased in Hamburg, PA. I am confident that these will do the job for the last 596 miles. I have definitely learned a lot about hiking shoes and what is needed in them for ME while doing high mileage day after day and carrying a 35+ pound pack (a rated shank, good fit, proper inserts, and high rubber front end for rocks)...I stress this is what is needed for ME, maybe not someone else. I walked 3 miles in them around a lake to start the break in process BEFORE I go back on the trail...I should know in the next few days if I am going to have problems with them...REI has a great return policy if issues arise.Headed to Marshall's after REI and purchased a pair shorts and shirt for hiking.Had a nice break from the AT by going to the Boston Museum of Fine Art with my sister and brother-in-law...great time.Looking at this weekend at getting back on the trail.
Date: 2012-07-06
From: Boston area

To: Boston area
Miles today: 0.0

After breakfast, did 3+ miles around a lake to further the break in of my shoes. All went well...no hot spots...felt comfortable...still have a minor right shin split...I have had it for 3 -4 days...I have them once before on the trail. My new shoes are heavier than most low tops due to the stiff shank in them...but it is what my feet need for the type of hiking I will be doing for the next month. My brother-in-law, Frank, gave me a walking tour of downtown Boston...had an absolute great time with him...first thing I did was to hit a Starbucks and get a grande chi...I blame my former AAPD buds Craig Martin, Jenifer Sartori and my wife Pam for sucking me in to the Starbucks culture via their chi lattes and assortment of other fancy lattes. ..after many years, I am still learning the Starbucks' lingo when ordering various drinks...whipped, dirty, skinny, upside down, and red eye ect. I loved taking in all the sights and sounds downtown Boston, while at the same continuing the break in of my shoes. Good news, my right shin splint did not flare up...the icing and ibuprofen seemed to have helped. My swollen feet have begun to look normal again. I checked on how to get from Baxter State Park in Maine to Bangor, ME in order to catch a flight home...felt good to do so...I know the end is nearing. Basically, The Appalachian Trail Lodge for $70 will pick me up after I summit Mt. Katahdin and take me to their lodge in Millinocket, ME for the night...serve me breakfast the next morning...then shuttle me to Medway, ME to catch the Cyr Bus Line that will take me to Bangor for $12. US Airline is the major carrier out of Bangor...little less than $300 for a one-way ticket to Detroit...the good news is that the price to fly home doesn't change much whether I book it a month in advance or 2 days prior...which great for me...I will wait until I am about 100 miles out from Mt. Katahdin to book it.I am looking at Sunday 7-8-12 at hitting the trail once again...and finishing the trail in little over a month. I am down to 166 pounds after starting at 194 pounds in Georgia.
Date: 2012-07-07
From: Boston area

To: Boston area
Miles today: 0.0

Went to REI and bought some breathable gators for low top shoes...they will keep the forest floor out of my shoes....will keep my socks much cleaner...but will also allow the heat to escape.Resupplied at the local market...trying to go lighter as a I approach the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Had a nice 2 mile walk with my sister...shoes continued to work well.Will hit the trail tomorrow late in the afternoon or evening. This has been an excellent pit stop...a big THANK YOU to my sister Charlotte, brother-in-law Frank and nephew Arnie. This stop has step me up well to make a one month push to Mt. Katahdin.
Date: 2012-07-08
From: Boston area

To: Seth Warner Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: few clouds

Enjoyed my last day with my sister, before taking off for the AT. After the 3 hour ride, I reluctantly said goodbye to Charlotte and Frank...it was tough to walk away ....they gave me much needed rest, fatten me up and show me great time...I have the BEST sister in the world!!!I left them at 5pm and did 7 miles.....tented at Seth Warner Shelter in VERMONT! 12 states down and 2 to go.
Date: 2012-07-09
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Near Kid Gore Shelter
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: few clouds

Put my new shoes through the test today and they did fine. I saw a black weasel/ferret today. It was nice hiking weather...semi cool with a breeze. I did not see very many hikers today...used my IPod for company. Tented far back off the trail with my mosquito friends.
Date: 2012-07-10
From: Near Kid Gore Shelter

To: Old Rootville Rd
Miles today: 22.6

It was a picturesque day of beaver ponds and pine forests...with green plants covering every inch of the forest floor. Summited Mt. Stratton (4,000 feet) and climbed the fire tower on top of it...beautiful view. I finished the day by tenting in the woods. When I sat down in my tent, I noticed that my left shoe had a parallel tear in the leather (on the inside edge) where my shoe bent at the ball of my feet...I said to myself out loud, "You got to be kidding Me!" 3 days of hiking in them....The shoe saga continues! I had a cell signal so I called REI from my tent and ordered another pair...They will send the new pair to Hanover, NH...100 miles away...I will send the ones I have now back for a refund...hopefully the right shoe will hold up and no rain comes my way....UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!
Date: 2012-07-11
From: Old Rootville Rd

To: Danby-Landgrove Rd
Miles today: 22.7

Left camp around 7:45am and shortly thereafter I ran into "Instigator" and "Expeditor" ...since I took 5 days off they caught up with me..they are the older thru-hiking couple from Reno, NV. Not very many thru-hikers on the trail...a lot of solitude on the trail. My shoes held together today...Yeah! I will have to resupply tomorrow...running low on food. I tented next to a stream and bathed at the cost of a few mosquito bites.
Date: 2012-07-13
From: Clarendon Shelter

To: Thundering Brook Rd
Miles today: 22.4

Got up and I felt better. I ate my cold Chunky Noodle Soup...not bad...for those of you who don't know, I carry no stove. I hit the trail a 7am. Much to my surprise I got some early trail magic from "Santa's Helper". He had pulled his van along the side of the road and had fresh fruit, candy bars and drinks for thru-hikers...That lifted my spirits. I hiked with "Johannes"...pronounced "Yo Haunes". He is from Germany and is 54....he quit his job in Germany to hike the AT...His pace on the uphills was just too slow, so I moved on...nice guy. Passed the 500 miles to go sign...felt good. Got some more trail magic in the form of a cooler filled with pop and power bars from "Hawk Eye".It was very hot and humid...I was spent around lunch time...so I plopped myself next to a spring and pulled out my grinder and half calzone...and had a feast in the Vermont wilderness. After lunch, I hiked on and came to a lodge in which the AT cross right over. The whole lodge had been rented out for a wedding. As I hiked on to the property...to my right and up a small grassy hill was the lodge and a large wedding party...They were talking up a storm having wine/drinks and fine food...to my left was a pond with a couple of Adirondack chairs. I decided I would utilize one of the chairs and enjoy my cold dinner of Chef Boyardee Lasagne with a grand view of the pond. I could not help but laugh at the two extremes...at one end of the spectrum you had the wedding party with their white chairs and white tablecloths...munching on high end food and me at the other end...sweaty, smelling and unshaven eating out of a can. I could over hear them talking about me, but I did not care...I was thinking about the saying, "You can't judge a book by it cover." Well, I noticed a older male start walking down the hill from lodge towards me.., I was ready for the, "You must leave" statement...but he turned out to be from the wedding party (Nick, from Long Island, NY) Nick was retired like me and was interested in my hike....so we talked a while about my hike. He offered to grabbed some food/drink for me, but I told him I was fine...Pride again. Nick did go and fill my water bottle..I gave him my journal info and then moved on.Not to far from the lodge, I ended up tenting in a great spot next to a stream with two waterfalls...and my own private swimming hole. The only negative thing of the day was that when I went to take off my shoes, I noticed my right shoe had split in the leather also...in the same area as the left (5 days of hiking in them).
Date: 2012-07-14
From: Thundering Brook Rd

To: Promfret Rd
Miles today: 22.2

I left camp a 7am and by 7:01am I had slipped and fall off a rock in the middle of a stream. I saw that the rock was wet and I told myself be careful. As soon as I stepped on it down I went on my butt...my poles went flying...one started to float down the stream towards the falls...I was able to grab it. How my shoes did not get soaked or how I did not injure myself, I will never know. What a way to start the day.The rest of the day was hiking through Vermont towns and trying to get within 20 miles of Hanover, NH...tomorrow's forecast was pm T-storms. As I came to one road crossing, I noticed a sign that said farmers market 190 steps away to the left. I was very thirsty...currently it is very dry conditions with many of the streams being dry...I probably hiked 7 miles in the heat/humidity with no water. I went to the market for dinner and filled my belly with Gatorade, chips/humus (ate the whole tub), pint of black raspberry ice cream and a coke...not a bad dinner. I had eaten my cold Chef Boyardee Spaghetti and Meatballs for lunch.I ended up tenting next to a stream once again so that I could wash the sweat and grime off me. The stream was next to a busy roadway and I thought to myself...tenting next a trailhead/roadway on Saturday night is not a good idea...Bubba and company may stop at the pullout to party and who knows what else. Well, at 10:30pm that just happened. I was dead asleep when a car pulled into the AT trailhead pullout and some males and females got out and started making loud animal calls over and over...of course I was in a area with no cell coverage...at first I thought they were obnoxious young hikers starting out a night....I was directly on the other side of the stream from them...about 30 yards...it was pitch dark out and they just could not see me through the darkness and trees. I hoped they did have a flashlight with them or else they would easily seen my tent...no flashlight came on...They drank and yelled for about 20 minutes, and then got into their car and left...all turned out fine...but the lesson was reinforced not to camp next to a trailhead/roadway on any night, but especially a Friday or Saturday night.
Date: 2012-07-15
From: Promfret Rd

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: clear sky

I had one goal today and was to make to Hanover, NH before the rain came in the afternoon/evening. I was an up and down day of the Vermont mountains. I even walked right by a deli in West Hartford, VT so I could get to Hanover before the rain came. Once I hit Norwich, VT it was all roadway to Hanover...about 1.5 miles. Hanover, NH is home to the Ivy League College, Dartmouth. The town is small and Dartmouth takes up most of the town...it reminded me of small Ann Arbor, MI, but with a New England flavor. I read that the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) would take my pack and store it for the day. I got to the DOC (located in a large college building) and being Sunday no one was around...some college kids said thru-hikers use the downstairs area. I ended up being the only thru-hiker around...I washed up and shaved in the bathroom...changed clothes...plugged in my charger and hooked up my camera and IPod to it and took off to eat. I went to a restaurant named Molleys and had fish tacos and a beer...it was great. I then went and saw Savage with John Travolta at the theater...very violent, but kept my attention. The popcorn and pop...and just sitting was the best.I went back to the DOC where they have computers for thru-hikers to use...so I did my journal update from there. Tomorrow I get my new shoes from the Post Office...I am afraid I going to have the same problem with them...same model...since both shoes split at the stress point...not just one. I may go to an outfitter in town and look at different shoes and thus continue on to another chapter in my shoe saga.
Date: 2012-07-17
From: Etna-Hanover Center Rd

To: Firewarden's Cabin 3,230 ft
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: light rain

Met "Fishman" 60's section hiking...last section of the AT (NH to ME) after 7 years of section hiking it. He is a retired university professor who taught fisheries. Hiked with him a while. Met Gram from Australia...he is spending two weeks hiking the White Mountains...he has hike all over the world...He encouraged me to go hike Peru.Had lunch on Holts Ledge (2,000 ft. It is a cliff with tremendous drop off. As I hiking up Smart Mt. I could hear thunder, so I made for the summit where there is a firetower. I climbed the firetower to look at the storm...it was huge and nasty looking. I decided to spend the night on the summit in the Firewarden's Cabin (now converted in to a shelter)...good thing I did...about 3 waves of bad T-storms rolled through the area.
Date: 2012-07-18
From: Firewarden's Cabin 3,230 ft

To: Mt. Moosilauke (4,800 ft) 
Miles today: 25.6

Hit the trail at 5:15am...wanted to get 20+ miles in. Hiked with a couple from Colorado for a while..."Noodles"....At 5pm I decided to move on and climb Mt. Moosilauke....it was tough climb up and once I got near the top the tempeture dropped around 40-50 degrees....At the base of the mountain it was around 80 degess and at the top high 30's to low 40's (wind chill)....it was very windy and cold. The summit was above the treeline...with only about 45 minutes of light left, I decided to take cover just below the treeline in some dwarf pines...not much cover from the wind...my tent blew all over the place all night long. My 15 degree bag came in handy...I got in it and for first time in a long time went to full mummy position...all the way zipped up and the drawstring pulled so that only my nose had an opening. Learned my lesson about tempeture changes in the Whites and not to summit mountains late in the evening.