morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-07-24
From: Killington, VT

To: The Inn at Long Trail
Miles today: 0.0

It has been 17 days since I summited mount Katahdin. In the interim I spent some time in Maine visiting my friends the Bowes, I visited family in Northern York, I attended a wedding in West Virginia, and I did a lot of chores around the house in Northern Virginia.I had planned to head south next from Harpers Ferry and do the rest of the Appalachian Trail. However I have now decided to hike North from the Killington area in order to complete the remainder of the Long Trail In Vermont first. Today my father was kind enough to give me a ride from Chazy New York to Killington Vermont, and I checked in at the Inn at Long Trail. Tomorrow morning I will hike North from here in order to complete the 165 miles of the Long Trail that I have not yet hiked. I completed 105 miles of the Long Trail in April as the southernmost 105 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Vermont coincide with the long trail.After checking in,  I hung out at the Inn for the majority of the afternoon and I met several other hikers. These were all Appalachian Trail hikers mostly northbound but there were a couple of sobos. The first of these were Captain Jack and Cadicus. While driving on Route 4 before checking into the Inn at Long Trail I stopped with my dad to offer a ride to these two hikers who were standing on the side of the road in the rain. I saw them again later when they stopped for lunch at the inn.I also met Straps (left hammock straps on a tree and had to hike 2mi back to get them), Stoat (a tenacious weasel like mammal), almighty Zeus, and Flash fire (woman from germany), as well as Yatzee and Blueberry (young woman from Australia), OMG ( who apparently said "oh my God" a lot when she began her hike in Georgia), Snapchat (who apparently was on her phone all the time), Rewire (who is hiking a short section with his son who has no Trail name yet. Rewire is a 52 yr old lawyer from Connecticut whose wife is a Connecticut state senator), and Soup ( a 60 ish age guy whose story I do not know).After eating enough for dinner to feel over full, I decided to turn in early at about 8 p.m.
Date: 2017-07-29
From: Stealth camp

To: Buchanan lodge shelter
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: broken clouds

This morning I got up around 5 at my stealth camp. I made breakfast including the Tuscan beef stew dinner I had not had a chance to eat tonight before. I packed up my stuff, taking my time about it, and I started walking toward route 2 at about 6:45. After I got to root 2, I turned left and walked about a mile to Jonesville where I stopped at the post office and sat on the curb and waited for it to open.About 745 the lady I had talked to a couple days ago a ride and ask if I was the hiker who had called. I said yes and she said okay you can come in now you don't have to wait for 830. I got my package sorted its contents into my food bag and try to figure out how to get to a laundromat and a place to stay in town tonight but I could not find a cab that would come pick me up and Jonesville. Apparently they were old busy shoveling people to some big Vermont level event. The Clerk of the post office said she thought it was a big beer fest. I also couldn't find in affordable room for lodging the cheapest available anywhere nearby was a Fairfield by Marriott Hotel in Waterbury 8 miles away that would cost $256 for one night so I chose not to stay there.I did find a good laundromat available in Waterbury so I tried to hitchhike there I got a ride part way and got dropped off at a store where I bought some triple A batteries for my headlamp. Then I tried to hit check the rest of the way to Waterbury but after a half an hour I decided not to do that. So turnaround started walking back toward the trailhead and that about 9 o'clock I gotta ride and those going to have a guy drop me at the trailhead but he was headed to grocery store so I went with him and bought a couple things for my food bag myself. Then he took me to the trailhead and I started hiking about 1030.Climbing up out of the route to get was arduous but I had decided only to go about 6 miles to the first shelter. On the way I stopped and ate some lunch and took a couple of break. At about 1:15 p.m. I thought I heard Thunder in the distance off to the left of the trailer head as I was climbing up toward mount Bolton. Then I realized the sound with two regular. It was a combination of short bursts of machine gun fire. Arrived at Buchanan lodge about 2:30 p.m.6.5 mi trail1.3 mi to post office1 mi hitching8.5 totalI met several other LT thru hikers:PippenVeg (Alyssa)North (dog)Mr Lippie (adam)Feeder (cory)Kate & Paul (From Burlington)Made a fire (pictures)
Date: 2017-07-30
From: Buchanan lodge shelter

To: Butler lodge shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Up About 5 normal routine discovered I lost my water filter and used the last of my aqua Mary this morning. Left around 8 o'clock with feeder veg Mr lippy to head towards the puffer shelter over mount Bolton. Got to the top of Mount Bolton at about 10:20 puffer shelter at 10:45. Pippin head headed out about 7 o'clock and was intending to try to get over mount Mansfield to the Taft shelter. The rest of us talked about probably ending up at the butler shelter on this side of mount Mansfield so we could do the much more difficult climb the following day with fresh legs but decided we would see when we got there.Oh and because I skipped an off'trail stop at route 2 and didn't get to charge my batteries I'm down to low power on the phone and low power and both of my backup batteries so I think I have one more charge which I'll do tonight and then I'll recharge everything when I get off the trail at Johnson the next day.Just before 1:30 Mr lippy and I got to the Taylor Lodge shelter. Mr lippy went to fill four liters of water. I went back to the long trail intersection to wait for feeder, veg, and North. At butler lodge shelter about 4:45. Staying the night. Paid caretaker $5. Amazing view. Really nice building. Catching some rays tho dry off sweaty stuff.
Date: 2017-07-31
From: Butler lodge shelter

To: White face shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: broken clouds

I got up at 5 at the butler Lodge shelter but the others were about an hour slower than they had indicated the night before they intended to be. We eventually got on the trail at 7:30. I had considered getting off the trail at Stowe, but after thinking about it last night decided to just push on through and use a traditional cook fire to boil water whenever possible in order to conserve my canister fuel. To resupply water treatment at Johnson tomorrow. And to refill phone batteries opportunist to clean conserve Maximally.We had a very steep climb up to the forehead of Mount Mansfield I was extremely impressed at how well North Alyssa's dog did climbing. We hiked the cross some relatively flatbed very exposed Rocky to rain to past the nose of Mount Mansfield to the chin of Mount Mansfield which is the actual Summit. We stopped there for a while taking in the view and taking pictures.Taft Shelter snackSmugglers picnic area. Angela and husband broke down but had 2 beer and charged my phone. Kate and Paul, friend lottie brought food. Met Stephanie from Holland, works at Newport hospital in "quality". Stephanie caught up to me and we hiked together up Sterling Mountain. She continued on, intending to go as far as route 15 so thiat she could get home. I stopped at the Sterling pond shelter. I took a Bath in Sterling pond. Afterward at the shelter I met a group of kids that I had seen playing on the Sterling Mountain chair left earlier they are were from a camp and one of their counselors with from Lake Placid New York. We chatted for awhile.Madonna Mountain up steep path in the woods then up the drifter ski trail then past the chair lift and the warming hut. Then down the chilcoot Ski trail and back into the woods again. Then through the woods past a sign warning about wilderness and up across Morse Mountain to white face Mountain. Arrived at the White face Mountain shelter about 5:30 p.m. The shelter was already full with two Green Mountain caretaker people from the sterling pond shelter area and a family. Adam and I set up tents and chose an extra spot for  paul and Kate. However later we learned that Paul and Kate stopped at the Madonna Mountain warming hot and stayed there.Later just before dark Stephanie showed up and told us that she had actually accidentally gone the wrong direction and had to come back so she was staying here; she took one of the tent spaces we had chosen - the one that would have been for paul and Cait. We set up and had dinner, and Stephanie said that the following day she would be happy to give us a ride to the town of Johnson in her truck (our angel). That solved the issue we had been wrestling with before about how to do our resupply in Johnson. I got to sleep around 10 p.m.
Date: 2017-08-01
From: White face shelter

To: Round top shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Again up around 5 a.m. hiked down to root 15 with Adam and eventually also Stephanie and Stephanie gave all of us a ride into the town of Johnson where we shopped at a grocery store and then head lunch at a place across the street called wicked wings. Stephanie then took us Outfitters on the way back to the trailhead and dropped us off.Then I hiked up from route 15, with Adam Corey and Alyssa and her dog north. We stopped at the Round Top shelter. I watched myself and my smelling shirt in water from a pump the hood been installed at a spring just down the hill. We then took turns telling stories with hikers do it already been there at the shelter. This was "all good" a woman in her twenties who started her through high in early July, and Pippin home I had met at the Buchanan shelter. Later call and Kate showed up will told stories about how much food weight we had carried up the hill. Later dinner then bed.
Date: 2017-08-02
From: Round top shelter

To: Spruce Ledge camp
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Hiking still with the entire crew I've identify over the last several days; the one additional person we had yesterday was "all good." Other than her everyone hiked from round Top to the Spruce ledge camp. At different intervals, we stopped at the Corliss camp for lunch. The day was sunny, and the trail was relatively dry. It was not too difficult; there were some moderately steep uphill sections. There was a very nice lookout from near the top of laraway Mountain. Generally the day and the trail were easy and unremarkable. I arrived at the Spruce Ledge shelter around 330 p.m. Pippin and Adam (Mr lippy) we're already there. I unpacked and prepare for dinner and bed.14.6mi
Date: 2017-08-03
From: Spruce Ledge camp

To: Hazens Notch camp
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Gigglefest last night. To bed around 10. Up around 6am. Watchout took off early. The restof the group left around 8. Hiked to corliss camp for lunch. Rain started and soaked me about a half mile before arriving.After lunch, Adam left early. Pippen and I hiked with Cory, Alyssa, and North. It started raining again about 2 pm. Pippen and I continued while Cory put his stuff into his dry sack.About 3 pippen had out distanced me, and it started thundering. I was close to the top of haystack mountain, and I hacked my radar app which showed only a few clouds around my location, but a big storm coming from the northwest. I decided that my safest course would be to get over the summit as quickly as possible. As I got higher, the thunder intensified and it really started raining hard. Like it would fill buckets fast. I hustled. It rained harder, then it started to hail, and over the next 30 min, the hail got stronger and bigger. It hurt when it hit my head and shoulders. I hid under big pine trees when it felt like it might leave bruises. Then, I finally reached the summit and started down. The descent was exciting. In places, it was like hiking down a waterfall. In other places, I had to climb down slick rocks. I slipped several times and got a bruise on my right hip. Eventually, I got all the way down to VT route 58. After talking to Cory on the phone, as he was calling to see if everyone was safe, pippen and I hitched to montgomery and got some supplies for the group. After, we all finally re grouped at the hazens notch shelter. There, we also met sobo hiker Clair. We played cards (31) after dinner. Then bed.
Date: 2017-08-05
From: Laura Woodward shelter

To: Canadian border
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: broken clouds

Very tight sleeping quarters last night in the Laura Woodward shelter. We were packed in like sardines. pictures. Going after breakfast on the trail around 7 a.m. Arrived at the Canadian border around noon. We had rain the last half hour on the trail. Hiker "scrappy" took our picture. It rained harder as we hiked out to the journeys end trail and parking lot. We crammed into Paul and Cait's truck, soaking wet. I got dropped off at the intersection of journeys end road and North Jay road. My dad and I then visited Newport amd Derby, VT. Where I was born. Then we drove home to Chazy.
Date: 2017-08-16
From: Annandale, VA

To:  Harper's Ferry Town's Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: mist

Just the basic facts:I've been off the trail since the 5th.REI exchanged my osprey backpack. Osprey' s customer service line was unanswered, so I went to REI amd they have me a new pack the same day. REI also refunded my keen hiking boots, which had started delaminating after only 100 miles. I also got a light wind breaker and a marine dry sack (to try as an alternative to my trash compactor bag, which jag holes I it. I took uber from Annandale to union station in DC, and i took an amtrak train from there to Harper's Ferry. I then walked 2 blocks and checked in at the Town's Inn hostel. I met SoBo hiker Cuckoo, a 35 yr old woman. She started ay Katahdin on June 5th. I don't remember meeting her before, but we obviously passed by each other about a month and a half ago. She also informed me that Skippy John Jones had to get off the trail in NH with a hernia. Jag Happy knew him and had introduced us briefly in Maine. SJJ had completed a NoBo hike and wad attempting to yoyo and do the long trail. I had dinner nearby at a place called "Almost Heaven."Looking forward to getting started tomorrow... will aim to do a "light" day...
Date: 2017-08-22
From: Byrd's Nest #3 hut shelter 

To: Big Meadows Campground
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: broken clouds

I got up at 6am and was hiking by 730.  I stopped for water at pinnacle picnic ground. Stopped at skyland resort (nice place) about 10am. Had brunch with Intrepid. This was a big meal. When I had arrived earlier I had gotten a Pepsi and a ham sandwich wish I had mostly eating at the time intrepid arrived. Then when she found out about the breakfast buffet I joined her for that. I had french toast, pancakes, bacon, creamed beef on biscuits, an omelette with everything, and a bowl of fresh fruit with Greek yogurt, as well as a glass of orange juice and two cups of coffee. She then hiked on while I filed my jury duty questionnaire.I got back on the trail about noon. I hiked south past timber Hollow overlook and Crescent Rock overlook. I took some pictures of views to the west. I also passed a Screen fields with views to the west. Picture. After all I had eaten hi could see Hill and see that my abdomen was distended. I knew how the snake that I had seen a couple of the days ago had felt, similarly out fitted with lumps in it as if it had just fisted on a mouse or two. I am precise with its lethargy. I maintained a decent pace none the less. There were some really nice views a long the way. Pictures.Intrepid and I both ended up passing each other during breaks, and we arrived at the big meadows campground (the largest such in the SNP) at about 3pm. Pictures. We had to hunt a bit to find the office so we could check in. We sent up tents near the park entrance in a place not too close to the road. Picture. Then she went to find the Byrd park visitors center. Meanwhile, I refilled water, washed and dried my laundry, and took a shower. I charged my phone while my clothes were drying. I wore my rain pants and a windbreaker well doing laundry because all my hiking clothes were nasty dirty and needed washing. Pictures. The attendant at the laundry and shower area was also kind enough to show me where the lodge building was. She also gave me tips on where in the park I might be able to get phone service.After laundry and shower re finished setting up my camp area and clip my clean clothes away and then I walked up to the lodge. There I had a small salad and so I thought wings. While I was enjoying that food a bluegrass music and begin to set up. So I stayed until they started at 8:30 p.m. and had played a couple songs. Then I walked back to my campsite in the dark. There were plenty of lights in the campground so it was not a problem finding my way.
Date: 2017-08-24
From: High-top Hut shelter

To: Loft Mountain Campground
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I slept well last night and got up when it was light enough to see without a headlamp at 6 a.m. I get organized and had hot oatmeal and hot coffee for breakfast. Intrepid got up around 6:30 and I chatted with her as she was getting ready and having breakfast. I had it out on the trail South around 8 a.m. It was overcast and cool maybe in the upper 60's. Perfect hiking weather.Sometime after 9:15 I stopped to take a break at a rare Eastward facing viewpoint just south of Powell gap. About 10a.m., I met day hiker "Hog On Ice" with an interesting home made hammock. (Name from slipping on ice and making a noise that sounded like a hog call.) Hammock design on hikinghq.net(hog_on_ice@hotmail.com). Intrepid was already there talking to him.We left HOI sometime after 10:15 I imagine and continued South for a while the troubles flat and then it went up. While on the way up I met a trail maintain ER and stopped to talk to him for a few minutes. His wife was from Maine and he had numberbeen fishing in Northern New York at cranberry Lake and of times. Intrepid past me while I was getting with him. Afterward I think him for taking care of the trail and I continued south. Add probably about 1145 I came to the turnoff for the Plainfield Hut. Intrepid was already there and just because we didn't feel like walking down the 2/10 of a mile to the Hut we just parked on the side of the trail and ate lunch. While we were eating a northbound hiker joined us after stopping to talk with us for a little while. He had just recently started his northbound hike but intended to go as long as he could. While we were talking he named himself Rambo. After lunch I continued south. Sometime before 1 p.m. buy hey arrived at I'm here Rock Creek overlook which and a very nice view to the east. Pictures.I continued south up a steep climb over some high ground that clearly had been stripped of all vegetation buy a fire some years ago. New growth was coming along fairly well, but it was much easier to see through the trees to the longer distance here. Then according to my map I entered Albemarle County and began to climb down. Shortly thereafter I came to viewpoint overlooking to the west and I took a picture and then continued South.Shortly before 2 o'clock I arrived at the loft Mountain wayside. I stopped and had a burger and fries and charges my phone. Intrepid arrived about 30 min later. We saw a big rat eating crumbs on the porch where we were eating. Picture.We then hiked to the loft Mountain campground. We checked in and then occupied a campsite and set up. Then went back to the camp store and got a few items while Intrepid did some laundry. When I got back it was dinner time. I had a turkey and cheese sub that I had gotten at the camp store. Then a lady in a campsite nearby invited us and a couple of other hikers to help her and her husband finish the food that they did not want to take home. So I had another cheeseburger and a hot dog and a cookie...It rained lightly on and off as we were eating, and the sun set. So soon it was bed time.
Date: 2017-08-26
From: Calf Mountain shelter 

To: Stanimal 328 hostel, Waynesboro VA
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Up at 6 a.m. breakfast and usual routine. packed and ready to go except water at 8 a.m. stopped at the spring on the excess Trail and filled water bottle. Also posted and a date to last night's trail journal. On the actual trail about 8:30 a.m.Hiked over calf Mountain and little calf Mountain where we could see a large communication facility and then your distance. Also liked overbearing Mountain on the south side of McCormick gap. Then it was mostly downhill to rock fish gap. Arrived around noon.While trying to find the Waynesboro Rockfish Gap information center come by Ran into John Forsythe who I had known at Fort Bragg and had not seen since 1992. He was a major at the time and the aide-de-camp to General luck the 18th Airborne Corps Commander. He had retired recently after spending 22 years in Germany. His last job there was Deputy to Special Operations Command Europe.After checking out the tourist info center, I called stanimal and he gave us a ride to the Hostel. I the way we stopped at an outfitter, and I got some stuff. After laundry and a shower, we made a Wal-Mart resupply run and then Chris, Maggie, and I ate dinner at outback. Hikers at the stanimal 328 hostel:Chris - Grim Maggie - limeyIntrepidDenim After dinner, we watched part ood the movie walk in the woods. Then bed
Date: 2017-08-27
From: Stanimal 328 hostel, Waynesboro VA

To:  Paul Wolfe shelter 
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Slept until 745! Got up at the hostel and had a big ol' breakfast, coffee, and started getting organized. Finished packing and watched probably two thirds of the movie Wild. Story about Cheryl Strait and her hike on the PCT. Left the hospital around noon and went back to rockfish gap tourist information center. Joey arrived between 1230 and 1245. We moved his car to a point closer to the trailhead. There we met Ben and later Katie and her friend Brandon. Ben also brought is dog Olive. We headed south on the trail just before 1:30 p.m. Ben took Olive off the leash and Olive seems to really enjoy the freedom of running back and forth up the trail to the lead hiker and back to the trail hiker and so forth.Ben, Katie, Brandon, and Olive had to turn around at about 2 p.m. Joey and I continued. We passed Denim about 3 p.m., and we arrived at the Paul Wolfe shelter about 3:30 p.m. We set up camp -- Joey his tent and me my tarp. Pictures. We then made and ate dinner. I was impressed how quickly Joey's jet boil flash cooked. After dinner we asked intrepid to look at the tent, and she gave us several useful pointers. We then gathered and treated a liter of water each for tomorrow. Afterward, we hung out by the fire that hiker Blaze had made. Picture.All in all, a very nice day