morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-07-25
From: Hanover, NH

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Verge and I were originally going to hike today, but we decided we just both really needed a day off both for our bodies as well as our minds. My grandparents told us we were all invited to go to Grafton Pond (one of our favorite places to go when we're here) with their friends Jim and Regina, so we packed up the boats, made some lunch, and were off! Verge and I took kayaks and my grandparents and their friends each had a canoe, and we all paddled off into the sunny pond to explore the maze of islands. My kayak sliced through the water as I pushed myself to go faster, weaving around the islands and coming back to the group, panting. As I sat still in the water, admiring the beauty that surrounded me, I saw a loon and its fluffy brown chick poke out of the water nearby. I sat for a while, hoping they'd get closer, but I heard a distant, "Legs!" so I paddled away to find the group.Time to find a nice island to have lunch on! We all relaxed and ate lunch in the shade until Verge decided it was time for some swimming. She decided to kayak to the a nearby island where there was a rope swing; I decided I wanted to get more swimming in, so I swam to the island and we played on the rope. (It wasn't really a rope "swing" but more of a rope hanging off a tree that leaned into the water, which you could attempt to climb up. It required all of our upper body strength--and then some--to get even part of the way up the rope, but it was so fun trying!) I swam back to the other island via an extended route where I got to swim around a different island, too (I LOVE swimming). With the sky threatening to storm and a group explorers aching for a nap, it was time to go home. We all relaxed the rest of the day, and Verge and I went out for a trip to the grocery store (with a stop at the Dairy Twirl on the way back). What a perfect day.
Date: 2016-07-26
From: Lyme/Dorchester Rd

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Verge and I decided we wanted to still hike while we were at our grandparents house so that we don't fall too far behind, so today we decided to get dropped off at Dorchester Rd in Lyme and hike South on the AT into Hanover, NH (a 19.5 mile day). The hike was lovely and went very quickly! I decided that even though I didn't need all my gear for the day because we were going back to our grandparents' house that night, I would still hike with my regular pack on my back with most of my stuff in it. Though I'm not opposed to slackpacking in any way, I'd prefer to limit the percentage of my trip that I slackpack. I view it as a nice trail magic treat to do once in a while. Perhaps some other day this week we'll slackpack!Strangely, we didn't see many people we knew, which was a surprise because typically when we hike southbound we see everybody! We did see Mouse, Stryder, and Scavenger, the elder though. It's great to see so many people out and about hiking! After a few tumbles and a short steep climb up to Velvet rocks, we got into Hanover, which was sadly not very well blazed (we thought), and met my grandpa to go back home to their house in Lebanon. After another wonderful dinner and a scrumptious ice cream sundae (pictured), we watched the Italian Job and went to bed.
Date: 2016-07-27
From: Hanover, NH

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Our buddies Jingle, Sweets, and Wheels were getting into Hanover today, and our friends Mountain Goat and Princess Peach were going to be in Lyme near where we stopped hiking last, so we decided to kidnap all of them and have them stay over in Lebanon at my grandparents' house!We put in a load of their laundry and all hung out, snacking, and taking turns showering. Later, we adjourned to the outside deck where we relaxed and sampled some Long Trail Ale and Angry Orchard Cider. My grandpa came out and started up the grill, and we enjoyed some spectacularly cooked burgers, sausages, and veggie burgers (well, Verge and I enjoyed the veggie burgers...) After dinner and clean up, we started an intense round of Pictionary. It was such a close game! Princess Peach, Mountain Goat, Sweets, and I pulled ahead to victory at the very end, however. It was definitely Princess Peach's beautiful drawing of the Eiffel Tower that sealed the deal.On to Bocce Ball! Sweets and I took on Mountain Goat and Jingle, and although they won the first round, we slaughtered them the next! Better luck next time, guys. As the sun set behind the trees, my grandpa herded us up the hill to the bonfire he'd made for us. Mountain Goat had the honor of lighting the fire (with a blowtorch), and it was spectacularly huge and HOT! We attempted s'mores, but you couldn't even get close enough to it without feeling at high risk for spontaneous combustion. As it cooled down and settled into a pile of glowing embers, however, we were all able to huddle closer and make some s'mores while lying in the grass, staring up at the stars, and listening to music. We were blessed with a beautiful, clear, cool summer evening; we could even see the milky way.A few sleepyheads wandered off towards the house, following the calls of their warm, dry, comfy beds, but the few of us who stayed awake enjoyed some midnight hot tubbing under the stars. I think it'll take a lot to top that one.
Date: 2016-07-28
From: NH 25A

To: Lyme/Dorchester Rd
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

After dropping off our buddies everywhere they needed to go, Verge and I decided we would SlackPack today! We chose to do 14 miles from Nh 25A to Lyme/Dorchester rd over Mt. Cube and Mt. Smarts. It was a rough hike. I got stung by a bee a couple miles in, and holy crap did that hurt!!! Must have been a bee from hell or something. We ran into Mountain Goat and Princess Peach, and it looked like Mountain Goat was havin a rough day too. Boy was it hot and humid too! I later tripped and fell and then somehow inhaled a spider into my nose which so wonderfully came out via my nasal cavity through my MOUTH. Oh so pleasant.On our last mile, we hiked with a young boy named Overcooked, who is an 18 year old from Illinois hiking the trail Southbound. It was fun chatting with him and swapping experiences. We then drive home, had dinner, watched some Netflix, and went to bed.
Date: 2016-07-29
From: Lyme/Dorchester Rd

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Chores day!We cleaned up from our little party, cleaned up and went grocery shopping for the bonfire tomorrow (annual summer family/friends get together), did lots of dishes, laundry, and vacuuming, and then we had to do trail chores too! We took hours to plan out and pack the rest of our drop boxes for the rest of the trip! Only 5 boxes left! Holy moly! I seriously can't believe it. It's real now. We also discovered there's a new season of Lost Girl (a show we like) out on Netflix, so we watched that while packing up the boxes.Productive day off! (Oh, and pictured above is my amazingly delicious and beautiful salad. Grandma makes fun of me for all my food pictures, but I just can't resist! It's so pretty!!
Date: 2016-07-30
From: Zero Day

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Two zero days in a row?! Unheard of!We finished up our post office chores, and soon realized the kind lady at the post office knee our grandparents pretty well from how much they came in to send boxes! They are freaking rock stars. I am so grateful for all of their help. We truly could not have done it with them.We then had to run to the outfitter for a couple things and ran into my old dance teacher whose husband is working at a summer camp right near the trail by Mt. Cube! It made my day to see her because I'd been thinking about them a lot (too bad her son John barely remembered me). A couple hugs later and it was time to head back for final bonfire preparations.The party was wonderful. Great conversations with great people over great food. The bonfire was probably the biggest one ever (pictured above), and I wouldn't have had anything any other way. Perfect way to end our trail magic break. Back to the trail tomorrow!
Date: 2016-07-31
From: NH 25A

To: Beaver Brook Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: broken clouds

Back to the trail! Sadly, the past couple mornings waking up at my grandparents' house, I've had a sore throat...I think I'm getting sick. Being sick in the Whites would not be fun.We soon ran into trail magic from a wonderful gentleman named Carl! We saw Whitecap and Braids, and I packed out a hard boiled egg for later; we were on a mission! We got a late start for our 17ish mile day (10:45), and we knew we had Moosilauke at the end of the day. What a big moment! Finally hitting our favorite mountain!I enjoyed Moosilauke. It wasn't my favorite trail up (I think the other trail--I forget what it's called--might be prettier), but it was still gorgeous. At the top, we were surprised to find a moose! We had heard there was a sick moose at the top, but we didn't know if we'd see her. She was right in the trail! We had to scoot right next to her. It was a truly amazing moment, but her situation is so sad. Poor moose. Glad to have been able to share a moment with you.We got to Beaver Brook shelter, and saw Slim rims and met Splash (a SOBO). We quickly made dinner and went to sleep, ready for our first real day in the Whites tomorrow!
Date: 2016-08-01
From: Beaver Brook Shelter

To: The Notch Hostel
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

As Ron Weasley once said, "What the BLOODY HELL was THAT?!"The downhill of Moosilauke took us forever! We are not used to going under 1 mile an hour. Then, we entered the actual Whites. Getting up to the Kinsman ridge trail was fine, and Mt Wolf was also fine, but we still weren't moving very quickly. Oh, and it was raining. It was a cold drizzle all day, and I'm definitely sick. My nose is completely clogged, and it's making it difficult to breathe. I feel drained. We then got to hike alongside Eliza brook, which was gorgeous. I think if it was a beautiful day, I definitely wouldn't be able to pass up those killer swimming holes. Definitely coming back here sometime. But then, Kinsman happened. For one, it was ridiculously steep. On top of that, it was all slick rock climbing in the cold rain. It was neverending.We finally began our descent, but that was only more dangerous than going up was. It was steep, slippery, and starting to get darker. I was in contact with the hostel because originally, we were going to try to be there by 6 for the shuttle, but we realized that wasn't going to happen even though we left at 7am! 13 excruciating hours later...and we still had to find the liberty springs parking area. It was a whole mile off trail, which we speed walked (not sure how because our ankles and knees and spirits were shot) and didnt get there until 8:30. We got to the hostel, and even though it's only been two days of hiking since my grandparents, my clothes are already disgusting from my strenuous hiking, all day rain, numerous falls, and general hiker grossness. I was excited because I saw laundry was included at this hostel, which is not always the norm, but I was quickly shot down when they told me we missed group laundry at 6 and any additional laundry is $5. That's all it took; my tears spilled over. I couldn't bear the thought of hiking another 5 days through the Whites in clothes that smelled like rain funk, body odor, and pee. By the time we even got to the hostel it was 9pm and we were beyond exhausted, so although she took pity on me and said we could just use the machines, all we had time to do was shower, stuff our faces, and pass out. Tie-dye, the owner, was super nice and helped us find all the unclaimed leftovers in the fridge, and we fashioned ourselves an amazing heap of spaghetti and vegetables. We even got ice cream for dessert. It was pretty funny to see the extreme contrast between the happy, clean sobos and sectioners hanging out and having fun and Verge and me coming in mud-streaked, weary, bruised, scraped, tear stained (in my case), and just generally beaten down. I didn't really have energy to chat, so I hope I didn't come off as rude. Oh, and to put the cherry on top of the day, my time of the month arrived that night. ROUGH DAY. Welcome to the Whites.
Date: 2016-08-02
From: The Notch Hostel

To: Stealth Spot Pre-Guyot
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: broken clouds

We got shuttled back to the parking lot at just past 8am, but we had to walk the mile back to the trailhead. Our bags were extremely heavy because we had just got our new box at the Notch, so we were carrying 5 days of food through the Whites to get us to Gorham, NH. We hiked the 3 very steep miles up towards the Francknia ridge, and it started raining again. Cold, sick, tired, hormonal, hungry, wet, achy, and sore, I finally got up Lafayette. The whole ridge was beautiful, and it felt amazing to be on top of the world, hiking a hard day through the Whites. After a few pictures and a snack, the sun came out and I found Verge. We happily hiked to Garfield (another steep climb), excited that the sun was out. We were trying to get to Guyot shelter, but holy crap my body was tired. It was starting to get dark, and South Twin loomed above us, but we decided to push on. We stopped into Galehead hut for some water (we didn't know we could just go in the huts--we thought they were special and only paying guests could go in--not the case! They let you drink water, sell a couple snacks, and try to accommodate you when they can.) We hiked up South Twin (yet another very steep climb) and were accompanied by a beautiful sunset. Another 12 hour day.We night hiked down and looked for a stealth spot, but they were all taken by people for the next mile and a half! We only had about 0.8 until Guyot, but it was 9pm and we were DEAD. We plopped our tent in a semi-lumpy patch of moss right next to the trail. It would have to work. We were too tired for dinner and had had a lot of trail mix, so we ate a granola bar and passed out.
Date: 2016-08-04
From: Mizpah Hut

To: Osgood Tentsite
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Waking up to put on a damp sweaty shirt every morning is gross.However, it was sunny and beautiful weather.Presidentials today! I'm so excited for Washington.Our friend, the Professor, decided to bag all the Presidentials that were off trail as well! Crazy! The hike up to Washington was one of the most beautiful parts of the trail. It was sunny and gorgeous and the ridge walking wasn't too strenuous. It was amazing. Definitely one of my favorite section of the trail. We got to Lake of the Clouds Hut and smelled freshly baked cookies wafting through the windows. We had to go in and get some. Perfection! Just a steep 1.4 up to Washington!The top was so crowded! We saw Jingle, sweets, and wheels in the cafeteria at the top and enjoyed the best lunch ever with them. Verge and I had LOTS of soup. It hit the spot. We ended up relaxing at the top for almost two hours; a bit risky if we wanted to get as far as we wanted tonight.Sadly, we both got very sunburnt with all the sunny ridge walking. Funny how Washington can have the most dangerous weather in America, and we got it on a gorgeous sunny day. I'm so thankful! We then endured ridge walking through rocks from Washington to Madison. A pretty difficult section of trail. We got to Madison hut (right before Mt Madison) and found Jingle and Sweets. We chatted and hiked up Madison with them and it was so pretty and so fun. I took a group selfie and it took me back to when I took a similar picture back at Max Patch at mile 300 or so. Wow. The way down Madison was SO steep, rocky, and dangerous. It was so hard!Verge and I are so broken--we're both sick and our ankles and knees are shot and we both got bad sunburns, but soup and friends and great weather made us happy.We got to the tentsite late again, but I enjoyed a hot dinner of a pasta side and dehydrated veggies with Sweets in the dark. Only 324 miles left! And only 42 miles left of New Hampshire!
Date: 2016-08-05
From: Osgood Tentsite

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: few clouds

Started the day feeling horrible. I am so sick; its gross. I'm constantly hacking up nasty phlegm and I can't breathe. This made the first part of the day stink.m, which was sad because it was supposed to be the "easy" terrain of the day. 5 miles in and we hit the fictitious Pinkham notch (I say fictitious because Verge didn't believe it was there because it was on Guthooks but not in the book). We got here and saw the Professor, and he suggested we get something to eat. Doesn't take much to convince us! We went in and were flabbergasted by the inspired sandwich options. The caretaker from Ethan Pond that we had run into the other day was there and jokingly made fun of us for how long we stood staring at the magnificent board of options. Verge went with "create your own" and I went with the terrific veggie burger with portobello mushroom and roasted tomatoes. Yum! We took like almost two hours there, and really didn't want to keep going. We visited with a SOBO named Crunchy for a while too, she was very pleasant. But, alas, up the Wildcats we go.Today was also a really tough mental game for me. I kept thinking, "I'm getting sick of hiking." What?! No! Not yet! So, to get those negative thoughts out of my head I had to keep reminding myself what a gorgeous sunny day it was and how if I were at home I'd want nothing more than to be hiking. Also, although Wildcatvwas ridiculously tough, I really enjoyed the rock scrambles! I kept thinking of I didn't have my pack I'd be loving this! But...I did have my pack...and it was hard. And my legs were screaming and my lungs were angry.I finally got to the gondolas and wished how I could go down. Verge was waiting for me at the lookout (she'd flown up the mountain! I felt bad that o was having such a rough day and she felt awesome.) We hung out there for over an hour as well. We had some service so we got to talk to my dad, which was nice. Finally it was 5pm and we'd only gone 8 miles. So much for the 19 we had planned for the day!We got to Carter Notch Hut 3 miles later, and we were just stopping in for water during their dinner rush, and one of the workers said, "Hey if you wanted to stick around we'll definitely have leftovers." Score! Food! We wanted to get up the mountain to stealth somewhere, but free food was too much of a temptation! We stayed and ate and met the workers (Nat and Ian were my favorite; they were super friendly and fun.) It was getting to be past 8pm though, so we asked if work for stay was on the table and they said of course! We helped Ian with dishes and swept the floor, and they let us crash on the floor of the dining room. Awesome! I'm glad I got that experience and also get to have a shorter day because I felt like crap. Cough cough cough. Ew.
Date: 2016-08-06
From: Carter Notch Hut

To: The Barn Hostel
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Gorham, here we come! We were supposed to be doing a near-o into Gorham, but doing 11 yesterday changed that, so 15 miles in it is. We were up and out by 6:45am, which never happens with us! We did the Carters and Mt Moriah (I was thinking of the Lord of the Rings for that one). We were both so tired. I also got Verge sick, which is sad but was inevitable. Even if I'm careful with germs out here (which is hard anyway) I breathe in her face all night. We got to Gorham by 4pm and got a hitch into the hostel. It was such a cute set up with lots of friendly people. We saw Deuces again, and met Bean, Pocahontas, Bandaid, Ziptie, Stellar, Spider, Hot Pepper, Mcdoubles, and a coulee more I can't remember. So many new people! They're all a mixture of nobos, sobos, and flipfloppers. So cool! The shower felt amazing (best water pressure ever) but I was sad at the lack of conditioner. My poor hair is a wreck. I got lots of compliments on my town dress though!I played scrabble with Deuces, Ziptie, and Stellar, which was fun. Then Verge and I had a yummy Walmart dinner of a bag of spinach, some soup, and cookies for dessert. Bandaid was nice enough to share some peaches and watermelon she bought too! Yum! I love fruit! Oh, and Mcdoubles figured out Bombadil was our dad and got SO excited. His reaction definitely wins first place. It was so cute how excited and surprised he was! Apparently he saw Goldberry and Bombadil frequently from Georgia to Pennsylvania! Pretty cool! He's super funny.Before bed, we watched some Dodgeball and Pulp Fiction. Then it was bedtime in the actual bed we decided to splurge on last minute. Nice day!
Date: 2016-08-07
From: The Barn Hostel

To: Carlo Col Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

What a beautiful day! We have been SO lucky with sunshine. Stellar, Mcdoubles, Verge, and I all got shuttled back to the trailhead and started hiking around 8am. Verge and I met Chopper, who is also hiking with his sibling, Mountaingoat! He also apparently knows dad. I feel like everyone we run into these days know him or knows our story or just met him and was told to look out for us. Pretty neat.We leapfrogged Diatom, Mola, Helter, Mcdoubles, Stellar, and Spacious all day. We also met Chaser, a nice fellow with a southern accent and blonde dreadlocks. As we were going up Mt Success (quite the steep ascent) we broke through the tree line and saw a huge sheet of rain coming our way! Uh oh! We kicked into high gear and got moving up the mountain, but it started raining on us, making everything crazy slick. Luckily, it passed pretty quickly, but everything was still all wet. We did pretty well hopping and sliding down the mountain, but we were so eager for Maine!! Finally! We reached the sign. Wow. LAST STATE! Insane. Only 280 or so miles left. The last bit before the shelter was quite the introduction to Maine. It was a very difficult boulder maneuver that almost killed Verge! She was hanging off a ledge with nowhere to put her feet; it was pretty scary. It was a nice group at the shelter. Mostly all the people we'd been leap frogging all day, but we also met Crooner and Fugitive. We got to the shelter before 7, so we even had time for a nice relaxing hot dinner AND cocoa. Hallelujah.