morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-07-03
From: East of Manchester Center, VT

To: Danby, VT
Miles today: 17.6

My wife dropped me off at the trail head after breakfast this morning and I hiked 17.6 miles for the day. One of the problems I've found with slack packing is I tend to have an almost "vacation-like" attitude. Without the pack, the hike becomes less like a job to be accomplished and much more enjoyable. I tend to slow down and enjoy the sights more, I take more time for lunch, and I take more pictures yesterday than I normally do in a week. In the end, I don't finish any more miles than I typically do when wearing my pack, but, it's a lot less wear and tear on the body.Another issue I've found with slack packing is your hiking day is limited by the location of road crossings. For example, my day tomorrow can either be 6 miles or 24 miles. There is nowhere in between to meet/be picked up. This time it works for me because I have a local geocaching event I want to attend in the morning over in New York so I won't hit the trail before about noon, or later, anyway. But sometimes, it can cause a really long or short hiking day.Today's hike was very nice. The terrain is beginning to change. The hills are getting taller again and there are more and better views. The forest is changing too. There are more fir and evergreens and less hardwoods.  Most of the streams are clear again and not stained with tannins. There are more ferns and moss, and where poison ivy and Virginia Creeper appeared to be the primary ground cover just a few days ago, they are almost non-existent now. Beaver ponds are becoming more common. My picture for today is just a pretty view from one of my hike¢s high points.Oh, one more issue regarding slack packing. My wife and I some difficulty meeting at the end of the day. Even with coordinates, and a GPS, it's not always easy to coordinate the pickup location and phone reception tends to be very poor away from the towns. I recommend future hikers plan carefully and, when possible, visit both the drop-off point and pick-up location prior to the hike.After my hike, I showered, put on clean clothes, and had a very nice dinner with my family at a local brew pub...a great end for a long hiking day! Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry in my hotel room. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-04
From: Rutland, VT

To: River Road, Killington, VT
Miles today: 5.6
Weather: broken clouds

Happy Independence Day! My wife, son, and I watched a wonderful fireworks display from the balcony of our hotel room last night before retiring for the evening. This morning we were up early and traveled back to New York to attend a breakfast with my local geocaching friends and family. My son decided to hike with me today, but it was after 1 pm before we got back to the hotel and changed into our hiking clothes, and after 2 by the time we reached the trail head. I knew I was only going to be able to do a short section hike today so I jumped forwards about 30 miles and did about a 6-mile section with a road crossing at each end. Tomorrow, I will go back and finish half of what I bypassed, then finish the other half on Thursday. I know it seems confusing but it works with my time constraints and family being here.Our hike today couldn't have been better. The weather and trail were perfect and I really enjoyed hiking with my son. I wish he could stay longer but know he must get back to work and get ready for his next school year. My photo tonight is of him on the trail.I'm really enjoying this slack packing opportunity. Clean clothes each day, sandwiches for lunch, a shower every evening, and a bed to sleep in each night is something I could really get used to. And, spending time with my wife and son has been great.Tonight, I'm safe, warm, dry, well-fed, showered, and getting ready to fall asleep in a bed in my hotel room. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-05
From: Danby-Langrove Road

To: Upper Cold River Road 
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: light rain

It was another beautiful day for hiking. The weather was phenomenal. The ups weren't too high or too steep, and the downs were rather gentle too. I was able to complete 20.3 miles and my wife and son were waiting for me when I arrived at the road. Today, while I hiked, they visited the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Tomorrow, to finish the section I skipped, I only have to do around 12 miles. Of course, this is right over the top of Mount Killington. Well, within 2/10s of the top, but I've heard the view is spectacular, so I'll take the side trail on up.Tomorrow night will be my last night with the family until I'm finished. I'm not looking forward to their leaving. It has been wonderful to be able to spend time with them. The slack packing and the antibiotics have helped my feet to start healing. New boots and insoles have certainly helped too. My feet are much better than they were just a few days ago. My photo tonight is of one of the small ponds I passed today. My photo doesn't do it justice but it's the best I can do with my phone.  Most of these ponds don't appear to have road access and I often wonder how the fishing would be if you managed to put a kayak or canoe in the water.Tonight, I'm back at my hotel. I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-06
From: Upper Cold River Road 

To: Rutland, VT
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: broken clouds

Today was the last day for slack packing with my wife's assistance. It was only a 12.2-mile day but it allowed me to pick up the rest of the section I skipped over when I was hiking with my son a few days ago.Today's hike took me over the top of Killington Mountain. The climb up and down on the trail wasn't too bad. There is a shelter about 2/10 of a mile from the peak. The blue trail leading from the shelter to the top of Killington was steep. It wasn't a big deal on the way up, but while I was up there a sudden storm with hard rain and strong winds came through. I'm guessing the temperature dropped at least 20 degrees in just a couple of minute. Being caught without my rain gear didn't help and the 30-40 mph wind gusts certainly didn't make it any easier. I considered just waiting out the storm in the lodge but because of how steep the mountain was, I really wanted to be back down near the shelter before everything got too wet and slippery.  Of course, the rain and wind was pretty much gone by the time I scrambled back down to the trail.The rest of the hike was very nice. By the time I met my wife back at the parking lot, the sun was back out. I'm hoping tomorrow's weather is at least as nice as today's but they say there is a 50% chance of rain all day.I also passed the "500 miles to Katahdin" sign today. With the other miles I covered today, and the ones I hiked with my son, I should have about 480 or so left to go. The terrain for the next two days doesn't look too bad. I'm hoping to be knock out a large number of miles in the coming days because I know I will slow down considerably once I enter the White Mountains. I want to stay on schedule to finish before August 15th if possible.Tonight is my last night in a bed for the next few days. I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-07
From: River Road, Killington, VT

To: Stealth Camping in the Woods
Miles today: 22.5
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning, my wife dropped me back on the trail just after light and I managed to do 22.5 miles before calling it quits for the day. The trail was really nice but there were numerous 200-300 ft. bumps along the entire route. I considered pushing on for about two more miles and staying in the old "Cloudland Shelter" but one of my guide book lists it as:  "Now on private land" and "No Camping". My other guide book states that "hikers are still welcome" and a SOBO hiker told me he stayed in it last night.  However, I'm willing to risk the rain tonight and I like the spot I found just fine. I believe this may only the third time I camped alone during the entire trip.It was hard leaving my wife and son this morning. The first couple of days after they leave is always hard. This time, I won't see them again until I'm done with my hike, about 6 weeks from now. I'll just try to hike a couple of long days to keep my mind off their leaving.On a good note, my feet did pretty well today. They're still sore but better than they've been in a while. It's tough, I want to get in some miles but I need to protect my feet at the same time.I only saw five other hikers on the trail today. Three of them (hiking together) were section hikers and the other two were a married couple that started in Harper's Ferry. It seems the further north I travel, the fewer hikers I see.My picture for today is of some unripe blackberries. It seems I've been chasing fresh berries for most of the trip. I've seen unripen strawberries, blueberries, mulberries, apples, and blackberries. Hopefully, the season will catch up with me soon and I'll get to have fresh fruit with my breakfast at least once.They are still calling for rain tonight and tomorrow but right now it's still clear. Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-08
From: Stealth Camping in the Woods

To: Near Velvet Rocks Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today, I entered state #13!!! I am now in New Hampshire, home of the White Mountains and considered by many to be the toughest area to hike on the entire trail. I also managed to complete another 20+ miles even though I got thoroughly soaked by rain not once, but twice, during the day.I'm exhausted and my feet are sore (but sore in a ¢you walked all day¢ kind of way).  But, overall, I'm feeling pretty good about my progress. Everyone keeps telling me the ¢Whites¢ will slow down my daily mileage so I'm trying to get a little bit ahead while I can.My picture tonight is of a bench I found alongside the trail. I think it did a good job of summing up Vermont. I enjoyed hiking the state, even if the first couple of days were very muddy. Hopefully, I will enjoy New Hampshire at least as much as I did Vermont.Tomorrow, the weather is supposed to improve.  It looks like there will be a lot of uphill hiking though out the day... actually, it looks like a lot of uphill hiking for the foreseeable future. But, it's nothing but another thing to get through at this point, and I'm excited about seeing new sights.Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry in my tent near Velvet Rocks Shelter. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-09
From: Near Velvet Rocks Shelter

To: Campsite on the Trail
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: light rain

I had another long day of hiking today¢¦completed almost 22 miles. Tonight, I'm staying at a campsite with about 7 or 8 other hikers. Three of them are headed south bounder. I only started seeing them over the past few days. They started at Mount Katahdin, Maine, and are headed south to Springer Mountain, Georgia.My goal is to stop at a hostel tomorrow afternoon/evening, get everything done I need to do, and slack pack the next day. Someone from the hostel will take me about 16 miles north, drop me at a trail head, and then I will hike back to them. The next morning, someone will drop me at the same trail head again, but this time with all my gear, and I will continue hiking north from there. Everyone says it takes about 6-7 days to get through the Whites and I can only fit about 5-6 days of food in my bag so slack packing will decrease the amount of food I need to carry through the Whites. Just a couple of days ago, I posted a picture of unripe blackberries and complained about not finding any ripe fruit. Today, I found my first ripe blueberries! There were only a few, and they were small, but they were delicious. Much, much better than grocery store berries and I hope this repeats itself all the way to Maine.Today, I lost my first toenail of the trip. Gross, right? It's a very common occurrence on a long hike to lose one or more nails.  I know some of you are considering hiking long distances in the future so you should be aware of this.  It started turning black right after I started the hike and took all this time to finally fall off. I'm lucky its only one because several people I've met have lost 5 or 6 already. It didn't really hurt...well, maybe just a bit. Overall, my feet have been pretty good over this past week. My boots were soaked in the rain yesterday and they are still wet. This makes my feet tender but I try to take my boots and socks off at least during the mid-morning break, at lunch, and during my afternoon break. Even a few minutes helps to dry them out. My sore toes aren't 100% healed yet but I'm continuing to take my antibiotics and they are healing quickly.Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry in my tent. Tomorrow, I will have just under 400 miles left on the trail. I'm excited about reaching the White Mountains and the next week should be very interesting. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-10
From: Campsite on the Trail

To: Hiker's Welcome Hostel
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: overcast clouds

It was another long hike..just over 20 miles...but I'm ending my day at the Hiker's Welcome Hostel with a shower, laundry, dinner, and a bed. Tomorrow, several others and I will enjoy breakfast and then catch a shuttle to a trail head on the northern side of Mt. Moosilauke. We will then hike south over the mountain back to the hostel and hike carrying only a lightweight pack, our lunch, and a few other necessary items. The following morning, we will be dropped off once again at the trail head north of the mountain and hike north. For the next leg, we will carry two day's of food and then resupply in Lincoln, NH. Our resupply there will consist of the remaining 5 days of food that we need to finish the Whites. If all goes well, we should reach Gorham with one day of food remaining. But if we are slowed down for any reason, we will at least have a one day¢s worth of food.There was a package waiting for me at the hostel when I arrived. Mudpuppy and Woodcutter (I mentioned The Parkers in a previous post) sent me a pair of rain pants. This was incredibly nice of them. I sent mine home early in my hike and forgot to ask to have them sent back. I'm sure I will need these in the Whites, especially because they are calling for rain most of the week.The next few days promise to be interesting and exciting. I will continue to try to post each day but have been told service will be spotty at best. But tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-11
From: Hiker's Welcome Hostel

To: Mount Moosilauke
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning we were a little late getting started due to needing to wait for our shuttle driver. We weren't complaining though, he was busy preparing our breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and coffee!   Soon after breakfast was over, we loaded up in his truck and he drove us to the other side of Mount Moosilauke. We arrived at about 8:00 am, hiked 9.3 miles, and were back at the hostel by 2:00 pm. Its a small number of miles but a very big climb. We were also concerned about the afternoon weather. They were calling for severe thunderstorms and heavy rain but they never materialized. Tomorrow is supposed to be clear and sunny.  I hope they're right.I am currently hiking with Pa John and Spass. Our plan tomorrow morning is to catch our shuttle at 6:00 am back to the drop-off point from this morning and then continue north. We would like to hike 16 miles to the next road crossing our driver told us it just might not be possible. This section of the trail is supposed to be extremely steep and difficult.  Just in case, we'll carry food for two days just in case his warnings prove to be true.I did hear from Beaker this morning.  He is currently about 100 miles behind me.  I'm hoping he, Sitting Bull, Hoops, and the rest of the gang catch up to me before I reach Maine. At the same time, I'm hoping to see Friendly Ghost and Beetle again, and they are ahead of me.My picture tonight is of Pa John calling his wife from the top of Mount Moosilauke. We've all been apprehensive about hiking the Whites but the hike today provided us with some needed encouragement.We're excited, but still apprehensive, about the next week or so. But, tonight, I'm safe, warm (a little too warm), and dry.  Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-12
From: Mount Moosilauke

To: Hotel in N. Woodstock, NH
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was tough. I mean, really tough.  It was no doubt one of the toughest days of the entire hike¢¦up and over Mount Kinsman¢¦and we only hiked 16 miles! The caretakers at the hostel we're staying in recommended we only hike about 8 miles to the first shelter. However, we were sure we could do the whole section between the two highways and find a place to camp at the end of the day. Well, we did hike the 16 miles but all of us agreed it might be the hardest section we have done so far.  Once we got to the second highway, a section hiker and his son who have hiked the last few days offered us a ride to town. We even have a ride back to the trail in the morning. The rain missed us all day but they are calling for severe thunderstorms tonight. We jumped at the opportunity to stay in a hotel. Pa John, Spass, and I are now sharing a room in a great little hotel about 5 miles from the trail.  Tomorrow, we are looking at only hiking 11 miles. Campsites and shelters are spread out up there. The climbs promise to be as big and as numerous as today's were and they are calling for rain all day. Most of the hikers I have been hiking with for the last week are currently in other rooms in this hotel or in other hotels up and down the street.  My photo for today was taken at the summit of Mount Kinsman.  Tonight, we managed to resupply for the next 5 days. We had a great dinner at the hotel restaurant well known locally for their breakfast. I'm currently safe, warm, and dry in a hotel room. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-13
From: Hotel in N. Woodstock, NH

To: Garfield Camp Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

I woke up at the hotel this morning in N. Woodstock to pouring rain. The forecast was calling for more rain for the next few days, so there was no way we could just zero and wait it out. We made our way across the street to the local deli and picked up sandwiches for lunch. Then we headed back to the hotel for a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, potatoes, French toast, juice, and coffee.Our ride arrived at 8:00 am as promised and we were on the trail by 8:30 am. We were only able to hike 11.5 miles by 5 pm but this included reaching the top of at least three mountains...mostly in the rain.Tomorrow, we are hoping for better weather with better views and hoping to complete at least 14 miles. I know it doesn't seem like a lot of miles but the climbs up and down are grueling. Please don't misunderstand me; it's tough, but I'm still enjoying the challenge.My picture tonight is of Pa John and Spass at the top of Mount Lafayettte. We spent much of the day walking in the clouds.Tonight, as it continues to rain, I'm sharing a shelter designed for 12 with about 20 others. It's tight but I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from Garfield Camp Shelter on the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-14
From: Garfield Camp Shelter

To: Camp Site
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: light rain

Today, we managed to complete 17.5 miles on the trail. It was incredible and we got some beautiful pictures but also spent about half the day hiking in the rain.We originally planned to hike about 14 miles to Ethan Pond Campsite but when we arrived at about 3 pm, we realized several things: 1. We weren't done for the day. We felt we could continue further on and complete a few more miles. 2. The shelter was going to be too crowded. We were early enough to insure a slot but that left little option for those behind us. We might be old and we might be slow, but we have one thing most of the younger hikers don't have...we have credit cards. If we continued another three more miles, we would come to a road crossing with two parks with cabins to the left and a hostel to the right. 3. The extra three miles today would be three less miles tomorrow we would have to hike to the top of Mt Washington, giving us more time and options if there was no room in the hut. Three less miles can be very important when they are calling for bad weather on a mountain top with the highest sustained wind speed ever recorded in the US and where it has been known to snow every month of the year. So, we continued hiking with the hope of getting a cabin or a bunk in the hostel but because everything had already been reserved, we camped out in the rain in a park.Today, I realized two major things: It can and I can. It can continue to rain that hard or even harder for hours, even days. It can continue to go up long after I thought it would stop. It can get muddier. It can get steeper. It can get colder or hotter. Bugs can get worse; humidity can get worse, rocks and/or roots can get worse, etc. But, I can too!  I can continue climbing. I can go further!  I can tolerate more bugs, heat, cold, humidity. I can do this! I will do this. 345 miles left! It's nothing but another thing to get through. And, if I can do this, so can you! I'm just an average guy. I have done nothing that the average person can't do.  You just have to do it about 170 days in a row. If I can...you can too!Tonight, I'm in my tent, in the rain. Tomorrow I will climb Mount Washington. But tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-07-15
From: Camp Site

To: Lake of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: fog

Tonight, I'm spending the night at Lake of the Clouds Hut. Reservations are typically filled months in advance and since thru-hikers can't know the exact day of arrival at a hut until just a day or two before, there is almost never an open room available. My friends (Pa John and Spass) and I were willing to ¢work for stay¢ but there were several other younger people there who probably needed it much more than we did. ¢Work for Stays" get to eat the leftovers from dinner and breakfast, and sleep on the dining room floor. We decided to pay the $10 fee charged to non-work for stay thru-hikers and sleep on the dining room floor. I'm just glad we were inside tonight. The wind is howling outside to the extent that I can feel the building shake slightly with each gust. Tomorrow morning, unless the weather is dangerously bad, we will hike for approximately one hour to the peak of Mt Washington. Mt Washington has the distinction of holding the record of the highest recorded sustained air speed in the United States of over 300 MPH. It held the world record until a few years ago when a hurricane in Australia exceeded it. Sudden weather changes and wind speeds over 100 MPH are not uncommon here and over the years, more than 25 people have lost their lives on the mountain.Today, we only completed about 10 miles of the trail but it was all uphill. Some of it was very steep, slick with rain, and we were in a thick fog so we went very slowly. As the day progressed, the sun began to peek through the clouds and for about four hours, it was gorgeous out. My photo tonight was taken near the summit of Mt Eisenhower. As the afternoon began to wane, and we neared Lake of the Clouds Hut, the fog rolled back in and visibility dropped to about 100 feet. We were glad to be here.We only have a few more days in the White Mountains. Without a doubt, it has been the most spectacular portion of my hike so far. Someday, I hope to come back and visit it again.Tonight, as the wind how's outside, I'm safe, warm, and dry at Lake of the Clouds Hut. I'm excited about tomorrow and the days to come. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.