morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-05-29
From: Mt. Wilcox North Shelter

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

Another very hard day & incredibly hot!  We hiked the .3 M trail from the shelter & were on the AT at 6:30.  The morning started out nicely enough with mostly easy trail for the first few miles.  But as the terrain got tougher, the temperature got hotter.  Judy & I have both been struggling with dehydration.  We just can't drink enough water.  Yesterday, I drank almost a gallon of water --literally--& did not need a potty break all day!  Today, was not much better.  At one point, we reached a road crossing & were low on water.  We had a big climb coming up & didn't want to run dry.  There was a house just down the road, so I decided to go ask for water.  I knocked on the door, but it was obvious no one was at home.  Well, there happened to be a hose right by the front porch.  How convenient!  We quickly took off our packs, filled our hydration bladders with fresh, not needing to be treated water, & then quickly donned our packs & left.  Such bad girls!  Judy & I both struggled with the climbs today.  I know the heat is one factor, but I know that I am not feeling very strong or fit.  We were both completely spent by the time we reached the turn-off to the .5 M trail to Upper Goose Pond Cabin.Upper Goose Pond Cabin is owned by the local trail club.  It is enclosed, but there is no indoor plumbing, electricity, or cooking facility.  There is a large bunk room upstairs.  We found enough energy to go down to the dock & swim in the pond, which was very refreshing & took some of the grime off of our bodies.  It is not a convenient place to stay.  The bunk room is dark & you have to put your food in a bear box outside.  It just seemed like whatever you needed was upstairs, or somewhwere where you weren't.  But, we were glad to be there because a doozy of a thunderstorm with lightening, thunder & heavy rain moved in & stayed for several hours.  Not a good night for tenting!
Date: 2012-05-30
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Pittsfield Road
Miles today: 11.0

The caretaker at the cabin brewed fresh coffee & made pancakes for us this morning!  That was a nice way to start the day.  We had covered the half mile back to the AT & were on our way just before 7:30.  This is a late start for us on this trip, but sipping freshly perked coffee in a porch rocker was not something I was going to miss!The trail was very wet & muddy, & the rocks & roots slippery, so caution was the order of the day.  We only had a couple of significant climbs, but we both felt stronger today.  This was the first day of the hike where we both had the energy to carry on a conversation while hiking.  As good as those pancakes were, I don't think they were the reason.  The weather was significantly cooler & I think (& hope) we are getting our trail legs.Our plan today was to reach Pittsfield Road & the home of the famous Cookie Lady.  She is famous for providing homemade cookies for hikers.  She will "sometimes" allow camping in her yard with "permission".  We arrived at about 2:30, but no one was home.  We waited until 3, then decided to explore other options.  We tried calling the Becket Motel in nearby Becket, MA.  The guide said they would pick up at the trailhead.  We left messages, but no one called us back.  It was obviously going to rain, so we either had to find a place to stay, or get somewhere that we could get our tents up.  After the violent storm last night, the first option seemed best.  So, we walked back to where the trail crossed the road, & put out our thumbs!  Yes, I hitchhiked for the first time in my life!  I have often asked strangers for rides when on the trail, but have never stood on the side of a highway with my thumb out!  The  very first car pulled over.  A sweet grandmother from Costa Rica!  She first had to pick up her cute & articulate grandchildren  from the Becket Public Library.  Then, she brought us to the motel, but not before inviting us to spend the night in her home!  She insisted we take some rolls she had just purchased at the store.  Later, she came back to the motel & brought us all kinds of food--edamame hummus, green olive tapenade, a quart of milk, candy, nuts, jiffy popcorn, & more.  She did not want us to starve!  Sadly, although we tried to explain about pack weight, we weren't really successful.  So, we will be leaving much of her gift with the motel owners who have also been wonderful to us.  The owner took us to a country store where we got Reuben sandwiches & other things we needed.  He's going to take us back for breakfast in the morning on the way to the trail.  Our grandmother trail angel also offered to take us back in the morning.  The trail always reminds me of how many good people there are in the world. We didn't expect to be in a motel tonight, but it was sure nice to have a shower, wash our hair, & not be out in the rain.  We will be in a motel in Dalton, MA tomorrow night.  This is the way to hike!
Date: 2012-05-31
From: Pittsfield Road

To: MA 8 - Dalton, MA
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: few clouds

This was such a nice day of hiking!  When I stepped out of the motel room this morning, the air was crisp, cool, & clear.  Gorgeous & perfect for hiking!  We were on the trail by 7:30.  The owner of the motel  stopped at the general store so we could get breakfast on the way to the trail.  The trail was still mucky & wet from the rains the last 2 nights, but the scenery continues to be exquisite!  A few miles into the day, we climbed up Warner Hill (2050 ft.), where there were panoramic views.  Judy, with her eagle-eyes, was able to spot a wind farm far off in the distance.  A few miles further, we stopped for lunch & ate the edamame hummus that our trail angel from yesterday had given us.  That is good stuff!  I hope I remember to buy some when I get home.  As we reached the town of Dalton, we had to wait for a freight train to pass by.  The trail passes through the edge of town, passing cute New England houses with planter boxes & flowers in the yards.  We passed a very old mill before crossing over the Housatonic River.  We reached our home for the night--The Shamrock Inn--dropped off our packs, went to the P.O. to get Judy's resupply box, & then went to an Irish pub next to the motel & had a beer!  The motel has a hiker box--a box where hikers leave food & things they don't want.  I donated a trail map that i am now done with, & took some food--my resupply.  We were able to do laundry, so all of our clothes are clean for the first time since leaving home.  We are so clean, it's hard to believe we are hiking & making miles every day.  We are not only hiking, but we are getting stronger every day!  We went back to the pub for a good dinner of corned beef & cabbage tonight!  The weather is supposed to be cool tomorrow, & we have a fairly short day to the town of Cheshire where we hope to find lodging in a church hostel.Life is treating us pretty good!
Date: 2012-06-01
From: MA 8 - Dalton, MA

To: Cheshire, MA
Miles today: 9.5

I slept fairly well last night at the Shamrock Inn--on the worst mattress ever!  Just proves that my sleep issues have nothing to do with comfort issues.Judy & I went to the Cumberland Farms at 6 am for breakfast.  It was a cool 47 degrees--perfect hiking weather.  We literally sat on the floor in front of stacked cases of water& ate our breakfast.  We were back on the trail, which was only a block away, by 6:30.  The walk passed by lots of houses before entering the woods.  The first half of the hike was through rather nondescript woods with lots of what we hikers call PUDs--pointless ups & downs!  We did pass by a pretty pond & then climbed up to a nice viewpoint.  We reached Cheshire & a little place called Diane's Twist, where we had the best turkey sandwiches, before heading to St. Mary's Church of the Assumption.  We were done hiking by Noon!  We considered--briefly--continuing on for another 4 miles to a shelter.  But, decided to stick to plan & will hike 8 miles--all uphill tomorrow to the top of Mt. Greylock.  We are spending the night in a little room off the parish hall of this church.  It is so nice of the church to host hikers.  It is free, there is a restroom available, & we are inside which is very good because it is supposed to start raining around 10 pm & continue tomorrow.  Fun!This afternoon, we had the unpleasant experience of having to deal with a young man with obvious mental health issues.  It is a long story, but the long & the short of it is that the hiker had to be taken away by the local & state police for a 72 hour lock-up.  Judy & I were questioned by the police & Judy, who is a retired psych nurse, was asked to write a statement.  After all this, we went to dinner with 2 gentlemen thruhikers who are also staying here at the church.  One is a retired naval intelligence officer & the other retired as a mechanical engineer for 33 years with DuPont.  They were very nice & we had a delicious dinner & good conversation.
Date: 2012-06-02
From: Cheshire, MA

To: Mt. Greylock
Miles today: 7.7

Mt. Greylock is the highest point in MA!  Although today was to be a short mileage day, we still had some trepidation about the amount of climbing we were facing today.  There was a 70% chance of rain & the rain started in the night & it was still raining when we left this morning.  We walked the couple of blocks to the trail, which passed through town at first, then veered off across a field & to a highway crossing.  We went to a Shell station a couple of tenths of a mile down the highway for breakfast. We were soon joined by Pa Burt (that's his grandad name, as well as trail name) & Noreaster--our companions from last night.  We got breakfast & sat on the sidewalk outside to eat.  We started up the mountain about 7 am.  I had decided that I was just going to take my time & if I got to the summit by 3:00, that would be just fine.  In the beginning, we were warm in our rainjackets & had hoods/caps off.  But, as we climbed, it got colder, the wind blew harder, & the rain picked up.  Soon, if we weren't climbing, it was hard to keep warm.  We crossed Saddle Ball Mountain, which at 3238 feet, is the first 3000 footer on the AT since Shenandoah.  Next, came Greylock at 3491 feet.  The higher, the colder, & I found myself hiking much faster than I wanted--first to keep warm, & 2nd to keep up with Judy who is also trying to keep warm!  By the end, even with a big climb at the very end, we were thoroughly chilled.  We reached the summit of Mt. Greylock & it was so foggy, we could barely even make out the big tower on top.  We walked into Bascom Lodge at 11:30 just frozen & soaked, & the lady at the desk looked at us & asked us if we had reservations!  Oh, dear!  We were able to get a bunk in a bunk room, then took showers & had a very leisurely afternoon--again!  This was the first weekend that the lodge was open & there was special programming going on that centered on native American culture & music.  Bob would have really enjoyed it.We have a bigger mileage day tomorrow that will take us into VT.  I am sure hoping for a sunny, dry day!
Date: 2012-06-03
From: Mt. Greylock

To: Seth Warner Shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: light rain

We had to wait around the lodge for breakfast, which didn't begin until 8:00, so Judy & I got an unusually late start around 8:30.  I brought my pack & boots down a few minutes before 7 & took them outside & set them in the sun to dry for a little while.  The minute I stepped outside on this beautiful clear morning, I heard the song of the white-throated sparrow--my favorite mountain bird call!  It is actually the only bird call I have ever taken the time to identify, but--to me--it is a magical sound.  I was going to go back in & found that I was locked out of the inn--in my socks & short-sleeved shirt!  In a few minutes, a guy came up & he had been locked out for 45 minutes!  Fortunately, it was only a few minutes more & his wife came looking for him & we were rescued.  After 3 delicious blueberry muffins & 3 cups of coffee, we saddled up & hit the trail.  The descent off Mt. Greylock was long & treacherous.  The rocks, roots, & especially the mud was slick & the trail was steep.  Judy & I both took falls, but nothing serious.  I am way ahead in the fall count at 4 to Judy's 1.  Anyway, the trail today was slow--very few places where you could stride out & make any time.  It was a beautiful day to hike & we eventually crossed into Vermont--but not before MA kicked out butts one last time.  With a little over a mile left in the state, we came upon this huge boulder pile that we had to climb up.  Shortly after that, our beautiful day gave way to pouring rain!  We stopped at the MA/VT state line & took pictures in the rain.  The already rough treadway was soon underwater in many places making the going even more difficult.We arrived at the shelter about 4:45 to find Cliff (a retired Postal Worker from MI) in residence.  The rain had stopped by this time.  We weren't soaked, but we were damp & chilly.  I am now in my warm clothes & in my sleeping bag as I write.  It has started to rain again & I think it is going to be a very chilly night.  Judy & I were both ready to be back to sleeping in a shelter, where life & our routine is simple.  We were hoping to have it to ourselves, but Cliff is a nice shelter companion.
Date: 2012-06-04
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: VT 9, Bennington
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: light rain

It was a really chilly night last night, but I was cozy & warm, & had my best night's sleep of the trip.  We were all 3 just settled into our sleeping bags when another hiker arrived.  He was a young man who is hiking The Long Trail, but I didn't learn anything else about him.  Whenever I woke up last night, it was raining, & it was still raining lightly this morning.  The Long Trail starts at the MA/VT state line & shares trail with the AT for 105 miles before separating & heading N to the Canadian Border, while the AT turns E & heads for NH.  Judy has hiked the Long Trail & says it is the hardest trail she has ever hiked--& she has hiked a lot of trails.We left the shelter at 6:40 & were on the trail at 6:45.  The going was rough & slow.  The treadway was a rocky gully filled with rocks, roots, mud, & water.  I was hiking in my rainjacket with hood up & baseball cap.  Only on the climbs did I start to get too warm.  We stopped after 3 miles & determined that we would not make it to Bennington & our shuttle pick-up at 2:30 at our current pace.  For the next 4 miles, we really pushed hard & were fortunate to have a few short segments where the trail conditions improved and we could pick up the pace.  At mile 7, we reached a shelter & took a break.  We now only had 4 miles with 3 hours to go, so we knew we'd be fine.  Before leaving, I added my silk long john shirt to help keep me warm.  The descent down to the highway was scary--steep with lots of rocks--& took a long time.  But we reached the trailhead parking lot just after 2 & our shuttle arrived just a few minutes after 2:30.  We made one stop for fuel, & were delivered to the Inn at Long Trail around 4:30.  This is a really neat place!  I have been here before, but have never spent the night.  I had a fantastic dinner of Shepherd's Pie & a Guinness, & did our laundry.It is incredibly cold & rainy outside, so I am so grateful to be in this cozy & welcoming place!  We have had two very hard days.  I know what tomorrow brings because I have hiked it before:  one really big climb, but an otherwise easier day.  Note:  I did not say easy--just easier!
Date: 2012-06-05
From: Sherburne Pass Trail

To: Stoney Brook Road
Miles today: 8.7

Judy & I woke up this morning, looked at the weather forecast, felt our achy muscles & joints, & decided to do things a little different today!  We decided to slackpack!  We called the man who shuttled us from Bennington & he agreed to come get us & take us to Stoney Brook Road.  From there, we hiked back to the Inn at Long Trail.  We actually hiked a tiny bit further than we had planned for today, & we still worked hard, but not having our big packs & all of our stuff weighing us down was wonderful.  The weather was cool & mostly cloudy.  I hiked in a fleece shirt, which is very unusual, & was comfortable most of the time.  Occasionally, the sun peeked through the clouds, but not much.  The trail was pretty.  We passed a very nice pond & a waterfall.  We missed a nice boardwalk & waterfall that I remembered from 2009 because of a detour.  That is part of lots of damage from Hurricane Irene that came through a couple of years ago & flooded everything.Even though we were hiking without packs, we were still ready for the turn-off that put us on the Sherburne Pass Trail & took us down the mountain to the Inn.  We have done laundry again, & had another great Irish dinner.  It is raining outside & the temperature is supposed to drop down to 41 degrees tonight.  The Inn at Long Trail is a warm & welcoming place--& very reasonably priced.We will be in our tents the next 2 nights!
Date: 2012-06-07
From: Winturri Shelter

To: Cloudland Road
Miles today: 9.3

Today was a very interesting day!  My back was still stiff, but not nearly so impairing as yesterday.  We bid our shelter-mate good-bye, with promises to see him up the trail, & were on the trail & in the rain by 7:00.  The trail today had a lot of climbing.  Some of the climbs were quite long, but it was a beautiful trail with lots of variety in scenery.  Several times, we came out into open meadows that were full of beautiful wild flowers of all kinds, & views of the mountains.  We found a patch of wild strawberries that were tiny, but juicy & tasty!  At one point, the trail followed an old road bordered by an old stone wall.  Beautiful walking!  In general, the treadway was much kinder today.  The rain was intermittent & we took our rain jackets off & on more than once until finally deciding to leave our pack covers on & rain jackets off & just get a little wet.We met some interesting people today.  We were taking a break on a bridge at VT 12 & a couple of very fit ladies came by, who I would estimate were probably in their early 70s.  They are also section-hiking, but are using their cars & not staying out overnite.  They had a long day ahead of them to reach Stoney Brook Road, where Judy & I started yesterday.  Next, a father/son team caught up with us on the trail.  They were from Atlanta & had started at Springer Mountain.  Their trailnames are Diesel & the Kid.  The Kid is only 12 & looked to be doing quite well.  Diesel said he could smell the fabric softener in our clothes from up the trail!  There's no fabric softener, but I suspected that the washing machine at The Inn at Long Trail didn't rinse very well!  At least we don't stink like some hikers!Next, we met 3 young mommies, each with a baby in front packs.  The babies were adorable & happy--each around 4-5 months old--Sawyer, Porter, & Brin!  The moms take them on a hike up the mountain during morning nap.  They had 2 dogs along, as well.  A very healthy & fit group!We reached Cloudland Road, which was just a little over 2 miles from Thistle Hill Shelter (our destination), & decided to go .2 miles up the hill for ice cream.  At this little store, Judy checked her messages & found out that her 88 year old mother had been taken by ambulance to a hospital.  Until she could find out the situation, she felt she needed to be where she could  be reached by phone.  The owner of the store was kind enough to take us to Woodstock, VT. & a motel.  Making lemonade out of lemons, we had showers & a nice dinner at a restaurant in cute downtown Woodstock.  We will decide tomorrow what to do when we know more about Judy's mother's condition & prognosis.
Date: 2012-06-08
From: Cloudland Road

To: Happy Hill Shelter
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: overcast clouds

We made the decision to get back on the trail.  We are heading to places where Judy should have no problem with cell service or getting off the trail, if need be.  We had breakfast downtown & then a man from the motel took us back to the trail crossing on Cloudland Road.  We were on the trail by 8:15 & it was a beautiful, clear & SUNNY morning!  We did have some climbing to do, but much of the trail was nice.  We reached the little village of West Hartford just before Noon & had lunch at the General Store.  Judy was able to speak with people about her mom & make the determination that she doesn't need to fly home yet.  It was very buggy today, but it did not rain for the first time in days!  We reached Happy Hill Shelter about 3:15.  We only saw 2 dayhikers today on the trail, but there is a guy & his dog (Bootsey!) tenting nearby.   We were happy to be snug in this funny little shelter before the rain started.  I am wearing my bug headnet for the first time this trip!
Date: 2012-06-09
From: Happy Hill Shelter

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 5.8
Weather: clear sky

We've covered some territory today, but most was not on the trail!  Judy & I were on the trail at 6:45--anxious to get to Hanover & evaluate options.  We really did not know that it was our last morning on the trail.  We were moving along on this beautiful, cool morning & having good conversation,  when we realized that the blazes we had been seeing were not white.  They were a very light blue!  Somehow, we had gotten off the AT & onto a side trail of some sort.  Because we were gabbing & the treadway was easy, we had managed to go quite a ways before we realized the problem.  When we finally found our way back, we could not believe that we had just walked right past this very obvious turn in the trail.  There was a 3 foot cairn marking the intersection!!  All I can say is that we were really not paying attention!!Anyway, we reached the town of Norwich, VT & immediately came upon trail magic!  Someone had put a cooler out by the road with yummy goodies, as well as information on hiker services in Hanover.  There was a list of people who would provide free housing, shower, & laundry.  Perfect!  By this time, we had made the decision to cut the trip short by just a few days.  Judy needs to be in communication with her family & we were limited by where we would be able to get a ride off the trail.  We needed to get cleaned up & work on the logistics of an early departure, so we called one of the names on the list.  The lady agreed to come get us after we had time to pick up Judy's resupply box from the PO & get some lunch.  We stopped to take Judy's picture at the VT/NH LINE (I have my photo from this point already).  The lady (who shall remain anonymous) was nice enough, but we could see that the situation was not going to work out.  We did get showered & did our laundry.  Things have a way of working out &--as luck would have it--a good friend from Stuart is in MA.  We are taking the Dartmouth Coach to Boston, my friend is picking us up & sharing her hotel room.  Judy & I both have booked early flights for in the morning.  The trip is over!  We plan to be back on the trail in August, when I will complete New Hampshire & Maine.