morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-07-03
From: Arden Valley Road, NY

To: Fort Montgomery, NY
Miles today: 13.1

Those of us in the hostel (ETA), last night woke up to a hot, but skimpy meal of toast, eggs, sausage, and Tang at the Education Through Adventure (ETA) camp. When we were done we had a camp employee drive us back to the trail intersection where we were picked up on the prior day.I started up the trail first, in a hurry to get to the post office in Fort Montgomery before it closed for the day. It was a nice and easier hike through Harriman State Park than in prior days. There were plenty of ripe, sweet blueberries around and I stopped a couple of times to pick a few.Many times today the trail wound its way to viewpoints overlooking the Hudson River valley. In the distance, not more than about 35 miles away you can see the New York City skyline. It was interesting to see New York City from so far away. From the trail in the woods, it appears that New York is a peaceful city since you cannot see or hear the traffic or the rushing of the people.Further along, the trail goes up, steeply, to the summit of Bear Mountain. For the first time on this trip, I "lost" the trail and had to backtrack because I did not find the white blazes indicating that I was hiking on the Appalachian Trail. It upset me a bit, but eventually I found my way. It is difficult to get lost on such a well-traveled route, but somehow I got turned around.The decent from Bear Mountain goes near the Bear Mountain Lodge and through a park and picnic area that follows the perimeter of a lake. If you are inclined, you can rent canoes or paddle boats. I was glad to see a concession stand there. It was a hot, dry day and I needed something to eat and drink. I thought that with so many holiday picnickers in this area, I was somewhat confident that someone would offer me something to eat and drink in exchange for some information about hiking the Appalachian Trail, but no such luck.After the hike through the park, the trail goes right through a zoo. The zoo is called the Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center. I honestly saw more bears in the zoo (three) than I've seen on this trip, so far. It was odd to walk through a zoo with a backpack on, but that is the official route of the Trail.I finally made it to the post office to pick up my mail drop. The road walk to the post office allows you to have a great view of the enormous Bear Mountain Bridge, but it sure seemed like a long walk to the post office. I had to walk another mile to the Holiday Inn Express where I'm sharing the cost of a room with Focus and Ziola. In hindsight, I wouldn't have chosen this location for a mail stop or a motel, simply because of the walking distance from the trail and because there's nothing close by - like a grocery store.My feet are holding up. They still ache after a long day, but the recovery time is quicker with these New Balance 851 hiking shoes.
Date: 2007-07-04
From: Fort Montgomery, NY

To: Fort Montgomery, NY
Miles today: 0.0

 Finally, I found Internet access again at this hotel and posted some photos. Today was going to be a day to rest, but there's still lots to do such as laundry, cleaning your gear, getting to the grocery store, catching up on e-mail, journaling, and phone calls.Focus, Ziola, No Worries, Blazer and I met for a continental breakfast in the lobby this morning. Basically, we discussed plans for the days ahead, and talked about other people on the trail and about hikers we've met so far.By late morning, Focus headed out to the trail hoping to miss the approaching rain. Ziola stayed behind for a couple more hours to get her backpack packed and ready for a few more days. I did the same.At 3 PM, I was with Blazer and No Worries as we tried to get a taxi to take us to a grocery store. The taxi driver said that he'd be here in ten minutes. Forty-five minutes later, Blazer called the taxi driver again and the driver said that he'd be right over. Well, Blazer told him to forget it. That meant they we'd have to find another way to get groceries and to get something for lunch. It is 5 PM as I type this and I'm waiting on a pizza delivery driver - for my lunch. I'm starving! Backyard Boogie and Beach Bum arrived this afternoon. I do not know if they're going to take a zero day or not.Tomorrow, Blazer, No Worries, and I are going to try to dodge the rain, walk over the Bear Mountain Bridge, and make the Graymor Monastery our destination. It will be a short hike of about six miles. The Friars will let hikers stay in their picnic pavilion for free. In the past, hikers were allowed to enter the building and dine with the staff, but that privilege is no longer available.
Date: 2007-07-05
From: Fort Montgomery, NY

To: Graymoor Friary, NY
Miles today: 6.3

Blazer, No Worries, and I had only a few miles to go today and we were in no hurry to leave town or the motel. We needed to stop by the post office, find an ATM, and do a little grocery shopping, first.The Appalachian Trail continued from Fort Montgomery across the Bear Mountain Bridge and then up a steep, heart-racing climb. With another storm front coming through the area it was hot and muggy with about ninety-nine percent humidity. Fortunately it didn't rain, but it was threatening and made walking difficult. I was drenched in sweat. In the early afternoon, we reached the picnic pavilion at the Graymoor Monestery/Friary. It was our stop for the day and perhaps the weather will be better tomorrow so that we can get in a lot of miles.This pavilion has a cold shower nearby, porta-john, utility sink, electric lights, and an electrical outlet. Some of us are going to sleep on the picnic tables and others are tenting. A Friar stopped by to check on us to make sure we were all OK, healthy, and feeling well. They have been accommodating Appalachia Trail hikers since 1972.This is also one of those rare shelters where you can order pizza and deli sandwiches and have them delivered to the shelter. All of us took advantage of that benefit.In the early evening, six local guys came out to use the soccer field that is in front of the picnic shelter. I guess the Friars are OK with this. These guys were good and gave us a little it of entertainment while we were having dinner. Maybe they play for a municipal team or they're just playing for fun.There are fifteen people staying here, (5 women and 10 men): Low Gear, Eulah, Cocoa, Walnut, Jazznuts, Big Gulp, Blazer, Beach Bum, Fire Marshal, No Worries, Monkey, Terrapin Flyer, Castanettes, Granite and Backyard Boogie.
Date: 2007-07-06
From: Graymoor Friary, NY

To: RPH Shelter, NY
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: few clouds

Since today was going to be a long day, I was up at 5 AM to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms and to get most of the distance out of the way before the temperature warmed up, creating hot and muggy conditions.Backyard Boogie was the first to hit the trail. I was close behind him at 6 AM. The same Friar who greeted us last evening, met us this morning and wished us well as we headed for the Trail this morning. It was light enough to see out in the open, but it was dark in the woods.   There wasn't too much to write about during today's hike, it was uneventful with a lot of ups and downs of a few hundred feet that wore me out. I hiked alone all day, but did stop for a couple of snack and water breaks with Backyard Boogie, Low Gear, Walnut, and Big Gulp. As I neared my destination for the day, Ralph's Peak Hiker's (RPH) Shelter, I ran into Chico.Ralph's Peak Hiker's (RPH) Cabin is a small concrete block structure, but drywalled on the inside with bunk beds and a well with a hand pump. It is also another shelter close to a road where we could order pizza and deli sandwiches. I am still carrying several days of food since there have been a lot of opportunities to eat without preparing and cooking anything. A local hiker stopped to share trail magic of Coca-Colas and Oreo Cookies.In the late afternoon, the thunderstorms rolled in and the wind picked up. It was nice, once again, to avoid the rain and storms.In the shelter tonight: Monkey, Coco, Big Gulp, Low Gear, Chico, Walnut, and a weekender. Beach Bum, Backyard Boogie, Blazer, No Worries and others must be tenting at the campsite a couple miles short of the shelter.
Date: 2007-07-07
From: RPH Shelter, NY

To: Telephone Pioneers Shelter, NY
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: broken clouds

It was supposed to be a hot day today - in the ninety degree range. However, the trail was heavily shaded and it stayed somewhat cool. Unfortunately, the rigors of hiking cause me to sweat profusely and when the sweat has dried, it leaves a sticky and abrasive feeling on my skin. It was even too hot to sleep comfortably last night.On the bright side, the hike today went close enough to a deli that I had to stop by for a second breakfast. Mountain Top Deli is open at 5 AM. It was a great place to stop for coffee, a bagel, fruit, and some Gatorade. New Jersey and New York are known as the "deli states" because there are so many opportunities to walk a short distance from the Trail and into a deli for breakfast, a sandwich, or a snack.As I was leaving the deli and heading back to the trail crossing, I met Beach Bum heading towards the deli. He mentioned to me that Blazer had hurt his hip and had to leave the trail. Perhaps Blazer will return in a week or two when he recovers. No Worries also left the trail. He and Blazer have been traveling together since Waynesboro, Virginia. Even if Blazer doesn't return to the Trail this year, he has accomplished a lot through his daily perseverance of hiking this trail. I respect him for that. He and No Worries have been great hiking companions.I had an interesting conversation with Monkey today. (Monkey, by the way, likes to climb trees, hence his trail name.) He is eager to get this hiking trip behind him I haven't been on the trail more than one month this year, but I can understand how he feels. This is a long trip and it can get boring and it's easy to long for the comforts of home. A "landmark" that I walked to today was Nuclear Lake. According to the ALDHA's _Companion,_ "Nuclear Lake was the site of a nuclear fuels processing research facility until 1972. The buildings were razed, and the area was tested extensively and given a clean bill of health..." I spoke with several people who were fishing in the lake. They asked me about my hike and offered a few snacks, which I politely declined since I was carrying enough food already. They jokingly said that they have fished in this lake before and had never discovered a fish with more than two eyes. However, one fisherman said that the water was very warm. That had me wondering, half-seriously, about radioactive decay. I needed to fill up my water bottle and decided to take some water from Nuclear Lake, filter it, take my chances, and drink it anyway, while looking at the few live fish that I saw beneath the surface of the water to make sure that they really had only two eyes.Staying in the shelter area tonight: Monkey, Coco, Backyard Boogie (from Chattanoga, TN), Beach Bum, Chico, and Blue Skies (a female skydiver from Denmark).
Date: 2007-07-09
From: Ten Mile River Lean-to, CT

To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 8.7

Early this morning, I followed Beach Bum and Backyard Boogie along the bank of the Ten Mile River to the convergence of the Ten Mile River and the Housatonic River. From that point, the trail follows the swiftly-flowing Housatonic River for a few miles through tall evergreen trees as the river roars over boulders down the mountain to our right. After a couple of miles, we crossed Bulls Bridge Road. Bulls Bridge Road travels eastbound across Bulls Bridge which is a wooden, single-lane covered bridge that was built in the 1800s. Continuing east a little further, Beach Bum, Backyard Boogie and I stopped at a little deli/market for a breakfast #2. At the deli, the three of us discussed our plans for the day. Backyard Boogie and I needed to resupply in Kent, Connecticut, and decided to split a motel room for a night and maybe two nights.   Beach Bum was going to bypass Kent and continue on a few miles to a campsite north of Kent on this hot, hot day.Speaking of hot, I had no idea that it could get so hot up in New England. Although it was a short day, the constant ups and downs of the trail today in this heat made hiking difficult. So far, today, I've been able to get to the post office, get my laundry done and have lunch with Chico and Backyard Boogie. Tomorrow, I'll get to the library for Internet access and to the grocery store.Kent is a quaint little town. I'm not sure what the population is, but there's not much here. On Main Street, you can find an ice cream shop, coffee shop, antique shop, outfitter, and the like. Main Street is a half-mile or so from the Trail. The selection of backpacking essentials from the outfitter was poor. The only motel in town is called the Fife 'n' Drum Inn. It has only seven rooms that are small, but clean and reasonably decorated. You'll get quite a surprise when the train rumbles behind the motel at night; the whole building shakes, the ceiling fan sways, and it feels like this old structure is going to collapse. In the evening, Backyard Boogie and I met Blue Skies for dinner at the Fife 'n' Drum Restaurant, adjacent to the motel. Don't expect hiker fare here. The filet mignon is $32 and it was good!
Date: 2007-07-10
From: Kent, CT

To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 0.0

It was another hot day in Kent. It looks like the whole country has been having unusually high temperatures for the past several days, according to The Weather Channel.The majority of my day was spent running errands and walking to the library (Internet access), post office, and grocery store. There's not much else to do in this town of 2,800 people. By 7 PM, the Main Street is deserted.
Date: 2007-07-11
From: Kent, CT

To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 0.0

The alarm on my watch chimed at 5:15 this morning. I wanted to get up and out hiking by 6 AM, however, I felt miserable and tired. A cup of coffee might have helped, but I just wanted to sleep some more - a lot more. Many of the other hikers staying here were on the balcony until after 10 PM last night drinking and making noise. So, it took me a while to get to sleep and I'm paying for it now.When Backyard Boogie woke up, he said that he was going to take another day off to let the storms and hot temperatures ahead of a cold front pass tonight. He's also having problems with his knees. Tomorrow is supposed to shape up to be a beautiful day, according to The Weather Channel.I really can't stand being in Kent much longer. I want to get moving. I have a package to pick up by Saturday morning at the post office in Salisbury and have thirty-three miles to go. Fortunately, a server at a local restaurant has agreed to drive me to Salisbury today to pick up the package (a replacement water filter) so that I don't need to be in a rush during the next couple of days. I also think that it might be a little safer to wait out the passing of the cold front because of the expected severe weather associated with this storm and slick rocks from the rain. I guess I'll know by tonight when the front passes if I made the right decision to stay put. I have time and will take a double zero here today. Most likely, since it started raining at 9:30 this morning, I would have only hiked about seven miles to the first shelter beyond Kent instead of my planned seventeen miles. Tomorrow should be a better day to put in nine hours of hiking.I went about my usual day-off routine, but I had a bit more time to enjoy Kent. Caralee's Restaurant serves the best blueberry pancakes. Lunch was, once again, at Kent Pizza Garden with desert at Kent Coffee and Chocolate. Coffee goes well with home-made, dark chocolate peanut butter cups. The expected bad weather forecasted for today was a non-event. The early morning rain was brief and it did not rain again until late in the evening. I felt like it was a wasted day, that I could have been hiking. However, I'm glad, in a way, that I stayed the extra day. I needed the rest and I realized that I goofed when ordering my water filter cartridge. I had it going via UPS to the US post office in Salisbury. UPS /= USPS. I was able to contact UPS and get this straightened out before I arrived in Salisbury sans filter cartridge.
Date: 2007-07-12
From: Kent, CT

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

Backyard Boogie and I were off to the trail just before 6 AM, but first we stopped at the Kent Market for breakfast. Unfortunately, Caralee's, with their famous blueberry pancakes, wasn't open yet.It was a good idea to load up on coffee. The ascent out of Kent is steep. Then, after a few miles, it takes you for a steep, slippery descent past big boulders called Saint John's Ledges. Luckily, though, the trail settles down and becomes flat for about seven miles as it runs along the Housatonic River. The trail is soft and cushions the feet with mulch and fallen leaves. It sure beats the Pennsylvania rocks. Yet, by the time you get to within a couple miles of the Pine Brook Swamp Lean-to, the trail gets rocky.Within a couple of miles of the lean-to is where I lost track of the blazes. It made me angry at the lack of prominent trail markings. I was tired, hungry, and only a short ways from stopping for the day. I spent at least thirty minutes wandering around trying to find out where I missed my turn. I wasn't the only one who missed the blazes just north of West Cornwallis Road. I observed the paths that were bushwhacked through the area by other confused hikers. After a while, I found my way and felt relieved, but felt even more drained and exhausted after such a long day.There must be a mosquito farm around the shelter here (the "swamp"). I set up my tent, ate dinner, and "jumped" into my tent before the mosquitoes could follow me in there.Speaking of mosquitoes; I've carried Ultrathon 34% deet, Ben's 100% deet and have tried a patch that you stick on your arm that infuses B1 into your bloodstream to ward off mosquitoes. Only the 100% deet really works, even though it's not entirely "healthy."In and around the area: Lucky, Packrat (brothers hiking a couple of days with their mother). The following people stopped by and move 5 miles ahead to the next campground: Granite, Terapin Flyer, Salaam, Golden Boy, Pogue, Six String, and Sublime. Backyard Boogie is camping a few miles behind.
Date: 2007-07-20
From: Cheshire, MA

To: Cheshire, MA
Miles today: 0.0

The initial plan for today was to meet Beach Bum and hike with lightweight packs from Cheshire over the steep Mount Greylock to North Adams about fourteen miles away. In the afternoon we would get picked up by First Wife in her car and stay somewhere in an area not too far from North Adams. Unfortunately, I received a phone call this morning from Beach Bum with the news that First Wife had a medical emergency. Please keep her in your prayers for a quick and healthy recovery. She has been a welcome and helpful part of everyone's "trail experience." Beach Bum will be attending to her care for a while and expects to return to the Trail in a week or so.Meanwhile, before I heard this news, I considered the possibility that Beach Bum and I might resume our plans for the following day and I would stay put and take another day off. When Beach Bum called me later in the day, I understood that I needed to make arrangements to continue hiking without him.I walked down the street towards a house owned by Tom Levardi. He offers shuttles and hospitality to hikers when they travel through the area. Before I could walk more than two blocks, I ran into Pogue and Six-String. They had planned on doing the same hike tomorrow and I made arrangements to hike with them and to get a shuttle back to Dalton for the night, thanks to the generosity of Tom. So far, the logistics appear to work out, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Date: 2007-07-21
From: Cheshire, MA

To: North Adams, MA
Miles today: 14.0

For the past few days, I've had breakfast at the same coffee shop each morning. I hope you can imagine how difficult it is for me to sit there with a cup of coffee, a bagel, and a newspaper, then try to get the initiative to go hiking all day getting sweaty, dirty, and exhausted, once again. I met Pogue and Six String at Tom Levardi's house for the opportunity to slackpack between Cheshire and North Adams, Massachusetts. This was a great opportunity to tackle a difficult section with a lightweight pack. I followed Pogue and Six String, but even with a light pack, I had a very difficult time keeping up with them. It made me wish that I was a little younger and a lot leaner and lighter (regarding my body, not my pack). However, the three of us made good time getting to the top of Mount Greylock. The lodge, extraneous buildings, and roads to the top of the mountain are all closed until 2009 while renovations are in progress. Surprisingly though, there were at least forty or fifty hikers (day, section, and thru) up at the top. Dude, Six String, and Packrat played Frisbee for almost an hour on the lawn by the scenic viewpoint.The view was incredible on this perfect day. Just our luck, a ranger arrived at the ninety-three foot monument, on the summit of the mountain, that looks very similar to a lighthouse. We all had the opportunity to climb up its metal spiral staircase to the top observation level. Incredible!After soaking in the sun and watching the groups of hikers enjoy the area, I continued down the mountain with Pogue and Six String. The trail was muddy in many parts because of the recent heavy rains. Every so often, the mud was so deep that my shoe completely submerged in it. It was like quicksand. My hiking poles were not immune to being swallowed up in the gunk, too. Fortunately, it was a really pretty hike through a thick forest of evergreen trees and moss covered rocks.By 6 PM, Tom picked us up and drove us back to his house where he prepared a huge pasta and salad dinner. He's really generous and goes all out for the hikers. He wouldn't accept a donation from me - or anyone else for that matter. He's been treating hikers this way for twenty-five years.Tomorrow, I'm going to do my best to get into Vermont. Massachusetts has been great, but I want to get going and feeling like I'm making progress. I'm actually more interested in finishing this trip than in going on to the next state of Vermont, but I'll try to continue one day at a time for the next two months. I've walked through eleven states since I started this "journey" in 2004. I have only three more to go, but they are the most difficult states. Not a day goes by that I think of some other place I'd rather be. I wish I did not have those feelings, but I do. This hiking trip has its great moments, though. It's just a chore to do it day after day. I guess I keep on keeping on because I've made it this far. Yes, this journal is ending on a bit of a down mood, but that's just how I'm feeling right now.