morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-28
From: Madison Hut

To: Lake of the Clouds
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: broken clouds

I have definitely underestimated the number of miles I could do through the Whites. Even with a one-hour stop at the top of Washington, I was at the hut well before 2 PM. Oh well, I have had a good meal, studied some, and met a nice couple from Bennington who may give me some trail magic down the road.It was foggy coming out of Madison, but by the time I summited Washington the weather had mostly cleared and the views were splendid. Hear at Lake of the Clouds they're nice, too. But it's been COLD. At midday it was 57 in the hut and now (about 9) it's 43.One guy I met slackpacking, Fort Wayne, is here tonight. He's doing more miles than I am, and suspect he'll be a few days ahead of me by the time we get out of the Whites. I've met one or two NOBOs as well, but mostly the hut denizens are weekend warriors. I've been hanging out with a couple from Delaware, Jack and Cheryl, their son Brent, and their friend Ed. I should see them again at Zealand as they are hiking hut to hut over to Franconia Notch.My wife will be joining me for a zero in Lincoln later this week. So no speed records for now. But I think I'll pick up the pace a bit after Lincoln. We'll see what the old legs can do.
Date: 2004-06-30
From: Route 302

To: Zealand Hut
Miles today: 7.6

A nice easy day of hiking and a beautiful view from the Zealand Hut. The weather was warm enough that it was great splashing in the waterfall at the end of the day.Praise God, this is the last night I'll spend in an AMC hut. Lights out is at 9:30, which is usually later than I want to go to bed. There have been lots of children at every hut, and things have been pretty raucous every night. I'm hanging out with the crew from Delaware again tonight. I'll be doing more miles than them the next few days, so we won't see each other again on this trip. But maybe we'll get together when I reach Pennsylvania. We have exchanged phone numbers, e-mails, etc. I always feel a little funny accepting trail magic, but I hope I can reciprocate the hospitality some time when they're in New England.
Date: 2004-07-01
From: Zealand Hut

To: Garfield Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: few clouds

I toyed with the idea of pushing into Lincoln tonight, but rejected the idea when I realized that 1) I'd arrive at 9:00 at my pace, 2) I didn't have a room and it's getting close to the 4th of July weekend, and 3) it's supposed to be tough to hitch into Lincoln. Anyhow, I stopped at Garfield Ridge. It leaves me 10+ miles to do to meet my wife at the Flume Visitors Center tomorrow at 2, but I think that's doable. I'm familiar with the trails after Lafayette, anad I should be able to get down from Liberty Spring pretty quickly.Here tonight is SOBO Andy, whom I've been meeting regularly since Andover. Also met Gnome Sherpa and Flare, who are SOBOs doing the Whites in reverse.The beauty of the Whites is astounding. I prefer solitude or the company of a few companions to the herds I've been encountering at the huts. But the overall experience has been great. And besides, I've made some friends at the huts.
Date: 2004-07-02
From: Garfield Ridge Shelter

To: Route 93 (Lincoln)
Miles today: 10.3

I got on the trail by 6:15 and was on top of Lafayette about 9:30. It was still foggy at that hour, but the views improved by the time I was across Lincoln. There is a huge difference in temperature between the ridge and the valley. I was a little concerned about hypothermia near Lafayette, and it was almost 80 by the time I got to the Flume.There were intense thunderstorms about 1 AM last night. Quite a light show at the shelter; I was happy I elected to stop and have a roof over my head.It will be nice to spend a day with my wife being lazy. I haven't been pushing very hard, but I haven't had a day off since I got back on the trail about two weeks ago. So I intend to do as much kicking back as possible.
Date: 2004-07-03
From: Route 93 (Lincoln)

To: Route 93 (Lincoln)
Miles today: 0.0

I'm glad I took a day off. Spousal togetherness is a good thing, and Kinsman and Moosilauke seem less daunting after a day's rest. It's hard to believe I'll be out of the Whites in three days.I have to admit I'm looking forward to the relatively easy terrain of Vermont. I had a half-mile taste of rock-free hiking in Franconia Notch yesterday. Bliss.Rumor has it that the number of thru-hikers is way down this year -- maybe 1000-1200 NOBO starts and only 300 still on the trail. I doubt the SOBO count is more than 10-15% of that. I may have some very quiet hiking by the time I reach Virginia.My plans for the next few days are unsettled, as friends may or may not be joining me. My goal is to get to Hanover in time to pick up a bounce box on Friday. I think that's doable with or without companions.
Date: 2004-07-04
From: Route 93 (Lincoln)

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Back to the trail. Carl, Sarah, and I meet at 10 AM at the Flume and have a great day hiking the Kinsman ridge. We spend a full hour playing cards at the Lonesome Lake Hut because be don't have very far to go.The views from the Kinsmans were terrific. Sarah has us all doing a yoga position called the "downward dog" and looking over the edge of cliffs. The gist is you get down on all fours with your derriere in the air and look between your legs. Try it the next time you're on a ledge with views -- it's very disorienting.Sarah asked me how many women I'd seen on the trail, and my answer was "very few." But this seems to be changing as I get further south. At the shelter are Indy, a young female NOBO who just finished four years in the Air Force, and Amoeba, a 60-year old woman section hiker. Indy commented that the SOBOs she met acted like they hadn't seen a woman in weeks. Well, I'm the only male in the shelter tonight.The shelter is nice but buggy. Indy built a huge fire, which keeps the bugs down.
Date: 2004-07-05
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Beaver Brook Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: light rain

The beautiful weather of yesterday has given way to a steady drizzle. Today's hike is kind of a slog anyway, up and over rocks without many views. It's seven or eight miles to the road at Kinsman Notch, and then about 1.5 miles up a steep hill next to Beaver Brook. The cascades of Beaver Brook were beautiful even in the rain. The trend of meeting a lot more women is continuing. Five out of seven of us at the shelter tonight are female. It absolutely pours during the night.As I'm getting further south, the NOBOs seem much more easygoing about blue-blazing, yellow-blazing, and so forth. It's kind of nice meeting people who aren't doing 30 mile days, but I'm afraid conversation about skipping lots of miles is taking a toll on my resolve to finish the whole trail. I think I may convert my thru-hike into a section; I just need to decide how far I'm going.
Date: 2004-07-06
From: Beaver Brook Shelter

To: Campsite on Mt. Mist
Miles today: 11.4

The terrain changed quite suddenly today. Moosilauke was more of the rocks and roots that I'm accustomed to, but about 2/3 of the way down the hill, the rocks almost completely disappeared and there were few rocks for the rest of the day. I'm sure a geologist could explain the abrupt change.Carl was waiting for us at the top of Moosilauke and we hike down to Sanitorium Road. We eat lunch at the Garlic Clove in Warren, which I highly recommend. Rumor has it that the hostel will shuttle you over there. Then my friends drop me off back at the trail and I go a few more miles. I didn't plan my day very well. I'd hoped to make it to the Ore Hill Shelter (and, as it turns out, I probably could have), but after a late start and a long lunch, I decide to pack it in at a leafy tent site. Water is scarce on this section, and I have to ration water a bit and fill up at a stream the next morning.My spirits are definitely flagging. I'm in a hiker hole with respect to SOBOs and I don't get to spend enough time with NOBOs to get to know them very well. This situation will probably not change much.
Date: 2004-07-07
From: Campsite on Mt. Mist

To: Firewarden's Cabin, Smarts Mountain
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: clear sky

A nice clear day. The hiking is easy in spite of considerable elevation gain, as the rocks are still mostly absent and the trails aren't too steep. I decide to push so I can make it into Hanover in time for a mail drop.On the way up Mount Cube, I run into a 71-year-old section hiker who is the second person I've encountered from Texarkana. He has a good sense of humor and we share some laughs. I also meet a couple of young couples heading north.The climb up Cube was relatively tough, but there were a lot of ledges with good views. The hike up Smarts Mountain was remarkably easy. I cover four miles in two hours at the end of the day, in spite of 1800 feet of elevation gain. Pretty good for me.The shelter proves dry. Fortunately, I had filled up at a stream at the bottom of the mountain per advice of a sign. I also made myself my evening meal before heading up the mountain.The spring near the shelter has a couple of pools with gnats all over them, and I'm not desperate enough to use them. So I guess breakfast will be Poptarts and Snickers as it's four more miles to good water.
Date: 2004-07-08
From: Firewarden's Cabin, Smarts Mountain

To: Lyme and Home
Miles today: 3.8

A short day today as I've decided to get off the trail.It was pouring rain this morning at the shelter without a water source. I found myself reading about the road four miles away with eager anticipation, and I decided this was the time to quit.I probably could have finished the trail. Physically, I'm fine if a bit tired. But the trail is an arduous project and I felt the costs of being out here were starting to outweigh the benefits. The costs for me were:- Being out for six months was a strain on my marriage. My wife has been a pretty good sport, but I know that it was going to be tough as I got farther south and she would have a hard time meeting me.- I had hoped to work on my math at least some while I was hiking. It was clear to me that studying and 16-20 mile days weren't going to mix.- The scenery through Maine and the Whites was outstanding, and I could see that the "green tunnel" in front of me was relatively uninteresting.So when I got to the Lyme-Dorchester Road, I made a *crisp* right turn towards town -- exactly the sort of crisp turn I made near Gorham when I rejected the blue blaze into town. I didn't even consider looking for the blazes on the other side of the road.The first car that came by gave me a ride into Lyme. Oddly, there is another hiker in front of the general store who decided this was a good time to get off the trail also. So we shared a cab into Hanover, I caught the next bus to Boston, and I'm riding the commuter rail to Wellesley as I'm writing this.I have no regrets at all about the hike. I enjoyed absolutely every day on the trail. But I don't regret getting off either. I'm sure I'll do more long distance hiking in the future, but I don't think I have the right personality to do a thru.Thank you to all who have followed this journal. I will be posting a number of new pictures soon covering the beautiful section of the trail between Andover, Maine and Glencliff.
Date: 2004-07-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Now that I've been home for a couple of days, I have decided to go out again later this year and do some more sections of the trail. I still have my leave of absence until January, and I'm going to take advantage of it.I'll probably go from Lyme to Killington some time in the next few weeks. Then, my wife and I have a trip planned to go see our son. Around Labor Day, I may do another serious section -- maybe Massachusetts to Delaware Water Gap, maybe farther south.The idea of doing a thru has undeniable appeal. It seems, however, to work better for me to do sections of several weeks at a time. I've posted some pictures of views and flowers in the Whites. I took a lot of pictures, but it's really tough to capture a 360 degree view in a snapshot. I hope you enjoy them.
Date: 2004-07-15
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I'm heading back out tomorrow. I've recovered at least some of the fire in my eyes, things are cool on the home front, and I've pacified myself about my math by hitting the books hard the last few days. I doubt I'll finish the whole trail this year, although I guess you never know. I'm going to focus on enjoying whatever it is I do more than on a long-term goal. I debated skipping the stretch between Williamstown and Killington, as I've hiked it before. But I enjoyed it a lot, so I'm going to repeat it. My only regret is that I won't hit Stratton on a weekend. In my opinion, the best views on the AT in Vermont are from the Stratton gondola.
Date: 2004-07-16
From: Home

To: Moose Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: broken clouds

A busy day. My daughter has the opportunity to teach English In Hong Kong for three weeks in exchange for airfare, room and board. Pretty exciting! My wife and I saw her off at 11 AM, and then my wife drove me up to the point on the trail where I left off. Thank you, dearest -- it's a whole lot better than a bus and a cab.I didn't get started until about 3 and was concerned I wouldn't finish the 8.6 miles to the shelter before dark. But I needn't have worried. The trail proved pretty easy and I was in the shelter by 7:20. On the way, I met Charlie the Tuna, who had been hiking with Macchaeus. Our paces seem fairly similar, so we may meet again.At the shelter were Stanimal and his friend Paul from Wisconsin, two older women, Lucky Star and Hawkeye, and two section hikers. In spite of my late arrival, I was able to have a nice chat. Hawkeye is doing a flip back to Duncannon after she summits Katahdin, so there is a fair chance we'll see each other again.Note to SOBOs: there is a new Moose Mountain shelter, and the nearby marking leaves a lot to be desired. There is yellow surveyors' tape on a few trees and a side trail, but you know something's happening but you don't know what it is. Then, after you pass all this by, you arrive at the side trail to the old shelter, where there is a sign that the new shelter is 0.3 miles north. Fine for NOBOs, I suppose, but an extra 0.6 miles for uninformed SOBOs.
Date: 2004-07-17
From: Moose Mountain Shelter

To: Hanover
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

An easy 11 miles into Hanover, although the stretch up the Velvet Rocks is surprisingly steep. Still, I'm in town at 12:15. A new feature of the trail through the lowlands is open fields filled with wildflowers. There is a lot of milkweed, black-eyed Susan, and yarrow, and several more flowers I'm not familiar with. Mary will be visiting me in Killington, and we can check out the new ones in the flower book.I find I need to make a trip to EMS. I brought a light sleeping bag to replace my beloved 20 degree WM Ultralite, but I'm finding that it's old, has lost its loft and has a broken zipper. Also, my water filter is clogged and I left the brush at home. Finally, I only packed one pair of socks. A masterpiece of planning!The local free transit doesn't run on Saturday, so I take a cab. By the time I'm done with my shopping and lunch, it's getting on towards 3, so I decide to book a room in West Lebanon rather than push on. No sense getting into a rhythm that's just going to tire me out.Maybe it's the unplanned trip to EMS, but I'm feeling a little cranky today. So I'm going to complain. I have to confess that I have spent much of my life reviewing other people's work for inaccuracy. It's a habit that's hard to break. So when Wingfoot is inaccurate, it makes me crabby. Here's a collection of my latest beefs: (1) there was supposed to be a brook high on Moose Mountain, but it didn't exist. I suspect there was a typo on the mileage. (2) Route 120 is shown as going into Hanover on his map, but it's a bypass route. (3) While not an inaccuracy, strictly speaking, it turns out there are a number of cheap motels within a $10 cab ride of Hanover. I think it's worth mentioning as Hanover is godawfully expensive and, IMO, a poor value. You can save money, even factoring in the cab fare.I still rely on Wingfoot's book and regard it as a masterpiece of putting a lot of data in a usable format. But there is certainly room for improvement. Oh well, tomorrow is another day and a new state!
Date: 2004-07-18
From: Hanover

To: Thistle Hill Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

After I hit the breakfast buffet at 6:30 sharp, I took the opportunity to study for about two hours. Then I took a cab back to the center of Hanover to pick up the trail.The early morning scullers were out on the Connecticut River, so the two mile road walk in and out of Norwich wasn't too bad. And who should I meet in Norwich but my old hiking partner Just Jim. He has apparently done most of the trail between Stratton -- where we separated -- and here, and he promised he'd catch up with me some time soon. I imagine he's as good as his word, so I should have a hiking partner again soon.The trail to Thistle Hill is easy and quite pretty. Some of the hills have what would be called balds in the South. It looks like abandoned farmland. There are long views and the fields are filled with wildflowers.There are six SOBOs and one NOBO in the shelter tonight. Two of the SOBOs just graduated from high school in Winston-Salem, two just graduated from Milsap College in Jackson, Miss., and one just graduated from Iowa State. Oatmeal Stout, the girl from Iowa State, covered the miles from Hanover in five hours flat and has a 21-mile day planned for tomorrow. Won't be seeing *her* again!
Date: 2004-07-19
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Wintturi Shelter
Miles today: 11.6

It's kind of rainy today, but the clouds are high. The scenery is similar to yesterday -- views of nearby valleys from balds. No complaints. I thought the hike from Hanover to Killington would be mostly green tunnel, but it's been very enjoyable.There is a deli in South Pomfret only 1 mile from the trail, so I hitch in for lunch. I never miss a chance to consume Coke these days, as I constantly crave sugar. The trail here never seems far from civilization. There are road crossings every couple of miles, nearby farmhouses, and some cows right on the trail.I arrive at the shelter about 3 and find that two of my shelter mates from last night, Spencer and Ben from Mississippi, are trying to sleep. They plan to get up at midnight and hike the 18.5 into Killington in time for breakfast. They invite me to join them, but I have to confess night hiking and trying to keep up with kids thirty years younger than I am doesn't sound like much fun. So I decline in spite of the fact they'd be good company.I could push a couple of miles farther to a lookout tower, but I think I'll stay here. The sleeping shelter mates will enable me to study quietly. What's more, if I get an early start tomorrow, I might make it to Killington and I'll get another chance to read tomorrow night.Mary, my wife, will be meeting me on Wednesday at 1 in Killington. So the next couple of day seem to be shaping up nicely. No sign of Just Jim yet. Maybe tomorrow.
Date: 2004-07-20
From: Wintturi Shelter

To: Killington (Inn at Long Trail)
Miles today: 18.0

It was either the Stony Brook Shelter at ten miles or Killington at 19 (with side trail) today. There is a nice soft bed and cold beer at Killington, so the decision is easy.The hiking today was pretty, but uneventful. The high spot for me was a power line cut on Quimby Mountain where there were ripe, tasty raspberries. I love power line cuts. It seems there are usually flowers or berries and they make a nice change from the green tunnel.I arrived at Kent Pond near Killington about 5, and decided to check out the Mountain Meadows Lodge. The folks were very friendly, but it's a little pricy, so I just get my fill of water and buy a "hiker lunch." What a great deal! For five bucks, they give you a turkey sandwich made with fresh hot turkey breast, fruit salad made with fresh melon and blueberries, and more. A fine meal for the money.This indulgence set me back timewise, but I soldiered on to the Inn at the Long Trail, which is another fine place. The public areas are old-fashioned rustic -- handrails made of yellow birch saplings with the bark one, lots of age-darkened pine paneling, a stone fireplace -- you get the idea. Spencer and Ben, last night's night hikers, are in the bar. It turns out they rolled out about 2 AM last night and hiked to Stony Brook, where they sacked out for four hours. Then they went on to Killington and arrived about 2:30. I'm glad I slept in! There are a few NOBO section hikers here also. We all swap war stories over a few beers and catch the end of the Red Sox game. A nice end to a long day.
Date: 2004-07-21
From: Killington (Inn at Long Trail)

To: Killington (Inn at Long Trail)
Miles today: 0.0

My wife is here today, and we're lazing around and going to a good restaurant tonight. I bought a new pair of boots as my Lowa Renegades are getting really beat up. I just hope I like them as well as the old ones. Five hundred miles and no blisters!Since I'm not hiking today, I did a mental inventory of how my gear has held up so far. Here are my grades:My Lowa Renegade boots have been great, even though they're falling apart. Grade: A.My Gregory Z-pack's shoulder strap tore, but REI replaced it for free. The pack is light-weight and I know I'm making some compromises with regard to toughness and space. Grade: A-.My Western Mountaineering 20 degree bag kept me warm every night and is light as a feather. Grade: A.Eureka Gossamer Tent is light and does what I ask of it. Grade: A.Sweetwater water filter has worked fine. Grade: A.My sil-nylon stuff sacks (don't remember the brand) are poorly designed in that the pull string comes out a little too easily. They're light weight as advertised, though. Grade: B.Stove, titanium pot, etc. are light and do the job. Grade: A.My REI pack cover is one object that really hasn't done the job at all. I put it on, and water gets straight through. I'm not talking leakage around the edges here. I guess it's better than nothing, but that's about it. I wound up putting everything that shouldn't get wet in Zip-locks. Grade: D.OR Seattle Sombrero and Frog Toggs rain coat are light and have been adequate. Mostly I just get wet when it rains unless it's really cold. Grade: B+.I'm not that soft of a grader (ask my calculus students). But on the whole, it seems that modern gear is really good. Back on the trail tomorrow.
Date: 2004-07-22
From: Killington (Inn at Long Trail)

To: Governor Clement Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: clear sky

Mary and I had a good breakfast at Cortina's, and said our goodbyes about 11.I decide to eschew the blue blaze from Sherburne Pass, and go back up the steep spur to the AT. The new trail proves viewless -- I apparently walked right by something called "Mendon Lookout". I pass through Cooper Lodge about 4, but it is so hazy I decide it's not worth the trip up to the summit of Killington. I'd been there before, and I doubt you could even see the valley the haze is so thick. So I push on to the Governor Clement Shelter.All the books say to avoid this one, because it's a local party spot. I have heard stories of hikers being harassed by locals shining the headlights of their ATV's into the shelter all night. But no problem tonight. I have the shelter all to myself, although there are a few Boy Scouts tenting nearby.I hiked this section last year, and it's kind of nice to be familiar with the trail. The section down Killington has its share of rocks and roots, but, as I remembered, it is mostly well graded and fast. With luck, I'll make it to Williamstown Thursday night so my wife can join me for a zero on Friday.