morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-07-03
From: MA Rte 23--Mountain Spiritual Center

To: MA Rte 20--Lee, Massachusetts
Miles today: 20.7

The General, Chiefdaddy and I are all suffering from varying degrees of foot problems. Chiefdaddy's issue is that his shoes are falling apart and the lack of support is chewing up his feet. The General and I are just old and hiking 1500 miles is just starting to add up. Its funny how one gets over all of the early physical issues of the hike, swollen knees, shin splints, chafing, etc but our feet are getting progressively worse as the hike goes on. Shooting pain, swelling, numbness and fatigue have become commonplace and it has become the primary limiting factor on how many miles we can do in a day. I have begun to take a much lower dose (400mg) of Vitamin I more often during the day to combat the swelling and this has helped. Yesterday was a long hike and we were paying for it a bit this morning as we got started. Fortunately the trail was pretty forgiving and we had a town stop to motivate us. My buddy Tim from college days was meeting us to get us fed and such so we were hustling along. We hooked up with Tim about 3:30 pm and went into Lee, MA. Lee is a very pretty little town and the 4 of us went for Vietnamese food and to the pub. The timing was impeccable as it began pouring down rain shortly after Tim picked us up and it rained hard on and off all night. I have been really fortunate on this journey to have such great friends and family who have come out to support me. Some days are tougher than others and having something to look forward to like meeting up with good friends or family can be a tremendous morale boost. It has also been great to share some of my hike with them and to have my hiking friends meet some of my other friends. Tim was game enough to share a hotel room with 3 smelly hikers so he certainly got a little taste of the trail! JUKEBOX NOTE FROM TSC----Jukebox had a slight mishap while descending off of Mt Greylock on a wet trail. His fall resulted in no personal injuries but managed to mangle his Pocketmail device which he uses to transmit journal entries to TSC. As a result future journal entries may be slower in appearing as they must now arrive by snail mail. Jukebox promises to diligently keep his journal handwritten and post it to TSC every 4-5 days. TSC
Date: 2008-07-04
From: MA Rte 20--Lee, Massachusetts

To: Dalton, Massachusetts
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

After a heavy breakfast with Timbuck, we hit the trail with the intent to get to town, any town, to celebrate the 4th of July. I have been teasing the General with stories of the American tradition of ¢Running of the Brits¢ wherein we gather all and any local Brits, covering them with honey and cracked Ramen and then chase them through the streets. Great fun but I don¢t think he is buying it. Nonetheless we are making a beeline for Dalton, Massachusetts. We pulled into Dalton around 4:00 pm and walked right past the house of Tom Levardi (the trail runs smack through Dalton) who was out front setting up a picnic table. Tom is a bit of a trail legend and he invited us to dinner and to stay with him in Dalton. How great is that? We set up tents in Tom¢s backyard and sat down to a great 4th picnic. Because so many hikers have rushed to town or stuck around for the 4th, there are many NOBOs here who I have not met before. They include Rhino, Padre, Apostle, Columbus, Bad Idea, Start, Root, and Chili Pepper. After dinner we sat on the front porch and watched the fireworks and swatted mosquitoes. All in all it was a great 4th. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-05
From: Dalton, Massachusetts

To: Dalton, Massachusetts
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

The General and I ran into Forest Gimp yesterday. She is in town with her boyfriend for the weekend and she planned on zeroing for today. She had hiked the miles north to Cheshire already but her zero, combined with the fact that Chiefdaddy is coming to town today and the crappy rain meant an ¢administrative day¢ for Dalton. I sorted through my bounce box; we did laundry; and we hit the grocery store. We hung out with Gimp and her boyfriend Michael most of the afternoon and had a great time. We were back at Tom Levardi¢s for the evening and will head north the first thing tomorrow morning. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-06
From: Dalton, Massachusetts

To: Wilbur Clearing Lean-to
Miles today: 20.3

Chiefdaddy had to pick up mail in Cheshire on Monday the 7th so the General and I headed out after breakfast without him. We made Cheshire in time for lunch and managed to get some fresh water and powerade before beginning our climb of Mt. Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts. It is much hotter today and we are sweating bullets on the climb by the time we reach the summit. It was 3:30 pm and we took a ¢shoes off¢ break at the top. We decided that we would stop for the night at the next shelter. We reached the Wilbur Clearing Lean-to about 6:30 pm and were just sitting down to dinner when Forest Gimp showed up. She had hiked from Cheshire after seeing Michael off. We are the only ones at the shelter. Gimp and the General are in the shelter and I am tenting. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-07
From: Wilbur Clearing Lean-to

To: MA Route 2--Williamstown, Massachusetts
Miles today: 3.0

The day started with the intention of a pretty normal hiking day from a miles standpoint but the vortex suck of town is sometimes strong. Seriously, the General, Forest Gimp and I each developed problems that needed solving in town. Williamstown, MA seemed to be the only option for the next 80 miles. We resupplied at a store near the trail topped off with some fruit. The General¢s shoes are nearing extinction and he wants to get a new pair before we hit the Whites. Gimp is going to Grad School in the Fall and has been trying to get her financial aid worked out. By chance on the way to town I fell (nothing new) and crushed my pocketmail device. My pocketmail has been my tool for transmitting journal entries to TSC. So we grabbed a cab and headed into Williamstown. It is the home of Williams College and a pretty cool little town. We stopped at the outfitter situated on a beautiful little river but they did not have the boots the General was looking for. What they did have was free tenting out back and with the heat and humidity we decide to do errands and camp for the day. We headed to the library and got some interneting done. An afternoon swim to wash away the grit capped the day. We turned in early and hoped for cooler weather soon. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-08
From: MA Route 2--Williamstown, Massachusetts

To: Melville Nauheim Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: few clouds

The break in the heat did not happen today as we slugged it out to make some miles through the sweat. The water sources were a bit sketchy this morning so we were reduced to filtering from pond runoff. We have been spoiled with beautiful spring water the past few weeks but today was ice tea colored and warm. The General, Gimp and I crossed into Vermont by mid-morning and picked up the Long Trail. The Long Trail is the oldest long distance trail in the U.S. and runs the length of Vermont from Mass to Canada. The AT and the LT share the same trail for 97 miles and we have already seen a big uptick in the number of hikers as the LT is a popular summer hike for New Englanders. We stopped for lunch and to cool off when Chiefdaddy rolled in. I knew he would catch us after picking up his mail drop in Cheshire. The four of us put in what was some of the toughest 20 miles on the trail so far. The afternoon temps rose into the mid nineties with high humidity. I drank over 6 liters of water during the day and 2 more after we stopped for the night. The shelter area was crowded with LTers and we are tenting. Seems like about 15 hikers here but we are the only AT through hikers. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-09
From: Melville Nauheim Shelter

To: Goddard Shelter
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: broken clouds

We got an early start today as we had a nice climb over Glastenbury Mountain, our highest peak in the NE so far. We reached Goddard Shelter about 11:30 am and none too soon as the bad weather that we had heard about rolled in. Lightning, heavy rain and high winds kept us in the shelter all afternoon. The good news is that the shelter is new and beautiful and the water source is clear and pristine and cold. Although the weather cleared in the early evening we were pretty much camped in and more rain is predicted for tonight. The heat is supposed to break tomorrow and we have to make some miles as we are scheduled to meet Gimp¢s friend near Manchester, Vermont tomorrow night. Three other NOBOs showed up late and were apparently thrilled to see us. They had been hiking together for 3 weeks and we were the first NOBOs they had seen in that time. They were overwhelming in their need to engage us in conversation. It is funny how you get wrapped up in your own hiking group and then get excited about fresh input from someone new. The 3 NOBOs are Mouth, Chef and Dr Zeus and they plan on hiking into Manchester with us. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-10
From: Goddard Shelter

To: Spruce Peak Shelter
Miles today: 27.2
Weather: clear sky

As they say, ¢What a difference a day makes¢. The shelter was at 3500 feet elevation and we awoke to temperatures in the 40s this morning. It was windy and brisk as we hit the trail at 5:45 am. We had a big day and needed to get an early start. This was by far my longest full pack day(or any day for that matter) but the terrain was good and we made good time. The biggest challenge that we had actually was running out of food. Other than dinner for the evening, all four of us basically ate every single item in our food bags by the time we reached the shelter. It is just the only way to keep up your energy. The Gimp¢s friend Kate met us at the shelter and we were joined by Mouth, Chef and Dr Zeus and we all had a good time trading trail stories. It did not last long as we were all exhausted and mostly crashed by sundown. Easy day tomorrow and resupply in Manchester, Vermont. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-11
From: Spruce Peak Shelter

To: VT Route 11--Manchester, VT
Miles today: 2.8

We had a short day into town and we also had the great fortune to have the Gimp's friend Kate with us because the road crossing is 5 miles from town. We had our priorities so the first thing we did was head for food at a joint called "Up For Breakfast" and it was simply the best breakfast we've had on the trail. Even the General, with his dulled English taste sensibilities, loved it. After breakfast we got motel rooms and got cleaned up. Kate then proceeded to chauffer us around town whilst we ran our list of errands including resupply, laundry, outfitter, etc. I really can't thank her enough for her help; her assistance left us plenty of time to relax and enjoy the rest of the day! JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-12
From: VT Route 11--Manchester, Vermont

To: Danby-Landgrove Road--Stealth Site
Miles today: 17.8

After another great breakfast at¢ Up For Breakfast" (I had the special lamb hash with shitakes, poached eggs and hollandaise...my buddy Tim is salivating) and running a few remaining errands, we hit the trail in the quickly building heat. We made the Bromley Mountain Shelter about 2.5 miles from the trailhead at about 11:00 am but we had a bit of problem. The Gimp really struggled up the hill and was in the pretty bad shape, pale and sweating. We finally agreed that she should go back to town and get checked out. She managed to reach Kate by cell phone and hiked back to town as the General and I hike on. Water was sketchy today and we were pulling H2O from tea-colored streams and beaver pond runoffs all day and the heat and humidity assured that we needed lots. As it started to get dark, we passed the parking area for the Lost Pond Shelter campsite and we realized it might be tough to get a spot as the lot was full of cars from weekenders. So, we found a nice stealth site off the trail and set up camp. Shortly thereafter, Chiefdaddy, Mouth, Chef and Dr Zeus all showed up and shared our spot.JUKEBOX------------------------------
Date: 2008-07-13
From: Danby-Landgrove Road--Stealth Site

To: Clarendon Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: light rain

Great early morning hike around Lost Pond as Chiefdaddy, the General and I knew we had two average distance days to get to Rutland, VT. So we had a pretty leisurely pace for most of the day. A logical stopping point for the day would be Governor Clement Shelter at the base of Killington Mountain. However, the shelter is basically accessible by road and the harassment of hikers by locals has been so bad in the past that the Green Mountain Club actually advises hikers not to stay in the shelter. It is insane that they would maintain a shelter that basically is unusable by hikers. This being the case, we stopped short today at Clarendon Shelter, a beautiful spot next to a swift brook. It worked out best as the skies opened up about an hour after we got here. We have met our first SOBOs during the past week and there are two Canadian SOBOs at the shelter tonight along with several sectioners. The General, Chiefdaddy and I are tenting in the rain. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-14
From: Clarendon Shelter

To: U.S. Route 4--Inn at Long Trail
Miles today: 16.4

Up and over Killington today and what turned out to be a pretty easy climb. The weather was misty and cool all morning and by the time the General and I reached Cooper Lodge on the top of Killington, we were ready for some hot tea with lunch (Chiefdaddy opted for a later start today). I also received a text message from the Gimp advising that she had contracted Lyme disease but would probably meet us at the Inn at the Long Trail nonetheless. The General and I were pretty focused on the miles today because U.S. Route 4 is the home of the Long Trail Inn and McGrath¢s Pub. A very Irish pub, it is widely regarded as the best pint of Guinness on the trail and a true icon on brew hiking. We got to the Inn about 4:00 pm and checked in, sorted our food drop and headed for the pub. Later, Chiefdaddy and Forest Gimp both joined us. The Gimp looked better and told us she was ready to start hiking again. We plan on slacking back to the Inn tomorrow with Chiefdaddy hiking out northbound. We will have to keep and eye on the Gimp and make sure her energy says up. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-15
From: U.S. Route 4--Inn at Long Trail

To: VT Route 12--Barnard Gulf Road
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: clear sky

A long day today as we hiked back to the Long Trail Inn for a second night's stay. We did catch up to Certain today and it was fun chatting with her. Certain has one of the best journals on trail journals and I followed her during her thru attempt in 2007. She is back this year to finish her hike and seems to be doing great. After chatting with Certain, we made our way back to the Inn for a few more Guinness and general shenanigans with the pub crowd.
Date: 2008-07-16
From: VT Route 12--Barnard Gulf Road

To: West Hartford, Vermont
Miles today: 12.6

We really struggled as a group to make miles today as the effects of the heat, our super heavy packs (too much food and junk) and general malaise. We had planned to nearo to Hanover tomorrow so it made little difference where we ultimately stopped today. By mid afternoon, we were in the little town of West Hartford, VT and decided to get a bite at the general store which is right on the trail. After chatting to a couple of locals, they advised that a couple down the street a few houses put up hikers in their yard. We thought that sounded like a plan so we headed there and met Kathy and Steve; two very cool folks with a beautiful place on the river, bordered in the back by a brook. Steve completed the Pacific Coast Trail a few years back and enjoys hosting fellow hikers. The General, Gimp and I set up our tents and spent the evening chatting with our hosts. It was a great trail experience.
Date: 2008-07-17
From: West Hartford, Vermont

To: Hanover, New Hampshire
Miles today: 9.8

We were anxious to get to Hanover today as crossing the Connecticut River meant the completion of our 12th state and the beginning of our 13th state, New Hampshire. Pretty easy hike in the morning and by 11:00 am we were in the town of Norwich, just across the river from Hanover. There is a cool little microbrewery in the rear of the Norwich Inn (supposed inspiration for the Newhart Show) so we felt obligated to stop for a cold one. As the General succinctly puts it, it would be rude not to. We eventually made it to Hanover and confirmed our supposition that as a pricey little college town, there would be little in the way of affordable hiker accommodations. So we got a room a few miles outside of town and then returned to town to explore. Also on the agenda today was a complete pack shakedown in preparation for the very tough remaining section of the hike. The General and I pulled about 12 lbs of stuff from our packs and shipped it ahead to Gorham, NH. This includes extra clothing, gear we've picked up along the way and some of our heavier food stuffs like honey. We have been trying to see a movie since Williamstown but every theater we've come across has been showing Wall-e and we are just not into it. What is the Nugget Theater in Hanover showing? Wall-e, ugh...looks like plan b, popcorn and tbs. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-18
From: Hanover, New Hampshire

To: Hanover, New Hampshire
Miles today: 0.0

Planned zero today as Michelle drove up from Boston where she had been visiting her sister and family. We are spending today and tomorrow with friends and I will be back on the trail on Sunday. The General and the Gimp will hike ahead and spend their down time in Glencliff, NH. There is a good hostel there and it is a more affordable place to zero. My plan is to catch back up with the General and Gimp on Monday. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-19
From: Hanover, New Hampshire

To: Hanover, New Hampshire
Miles today: 0.0

Michelle and I spent the evening at the Horse and Hound Inn in Franconia after a very dicey drive up from Hanover in some nasty thunderstorms. The General and the Gimp hiked out yesterday in the storms so I hope they made it to a shelter before the crap hit the fan. Michelle and I spent the day with her friends Sue and Dave and we had a great time relaxing and chatting. I will be back on the trail tomorrow to catch up to the General and Forest Gimp who are waiting for me in Glencliff, NH. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-20
From: Hanover, New Hampshire

To: FireWarden's Cabin--Smarts Mountain
Miles today: 23.4
Weather: moderate rain

Michelle dropped me off at the trail in the pouring early morning rain. It was the hardest rain I have seen since my second day on the trail. Accordingly, everything on me was completely soaked in short order. One of great conundrums of hiking is the concept of 'waterproof' particularly when it comes to boots. Hikers are usually of one of two mindsets; pro-Gore-Tex or anti-Gore-Tex with the anti-Gore-Tex crowd holding the opinion that nothing is truly water proof and that water resistant materials take longer to dry and as such should be avoided or limited. After 1700+ miles, I am definitely leaning towards the anti camp. When you walk all day in heavy rain, your feet will get wet, Gore-Tex or not. It is very effective for the occasional mud bog or such but not over the course of the whole day. Once they are wet, the boots will take a good long day hiking or sitting in the sun to get dry. You have to use what works for you but I would recommend more breathable, easy drying shoes for the summer. I got out of the rain in an old fire wardens cabin that has been converted to a shelter. It is pretty cool and it is dry and I am sharing the space with 2 women sectioners on their first day out and a NOBO flip-flopper named Toad. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-21
From: FireWarden's Cabin--Smarts Mountain

To: Hikers Welcome Hostel--Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

Today was an early start in my very wet gear from the warmth of the cabin. Surprisingly, no mice or other rodents last night and everyone got a pretty good nights rest. It was raining again this morning and the climb over Mt. Cube was treacherous as all of the rocks were slick and wet and the ridgeline was largely exposed. I passed a few SOBOs and one NOBO named Boots today. I have been following him in the trail registers for a few weeks and I finally was able to put a face to a name. Most shelters have registers that hikers sign as a way of letting people know where they are and communicating with other hikers. Some people just sign there name, others talk about their day or just leave anecdotes or info about the trail. One of the cool aspects of a long distance hike is catching up to someone whom you have been following for a long time in the registers. I got to the Hikers Welcome Hostel in Glencliff and tracked down the General and the Gimp (in the pub of all places) and got caught up with them on the past few days. A few days of bad weather combined with the approaching White Mountains have started to bunch people up as the hostel is packed and have met a few new hikers. Here tonight is Chiefdaddy, Mouse and a few others. JUKEBOX
Date: 2008-07-22
From: Hikers Welcome Hostel--Glencliff, NH

To: Kinsman Notch--NH Route 12
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: light rain

The General, Forest Gimp and I entered the White Mountains today as we left Glencliff, and climbed Mt. Moosilauke, our first 4,000 footer since Virginia. Moosilauke is also the first time we go 'alpine' or above tree line on our hike. It was a tough, but really rewarding day as we made the summit by lunchtime and ate on the rocks in the fog and the wind. The weather broke just long enough for us to get some views coming down the mountain but showers broke out again as we hit the Notch. We made our way to the One Step At A Time Hostel in Lincoln, NH owned by Chet West. Chet is a cool dude and he runs a pretty much self service hostel. It is very clean and the hikers here take great care to keep it in good order. The challenge is that the bad weather in the Whites has started to really back up the NOBO thru hikers. There was a time a few weeks ago when we would go 100 miles without seeing another NOBO. At the hostel tonight, we caught up with Tupperware, who I haven't seen since Erwin, TN and a host of others including Twiggy and Spock, Hearts, Bunz and Roses, Mouse, Mouth, Chef, Chiefdaddy, Root, Peg Leg, and several SOBOs. A big group and the weather forecast is not good. One other note, the General, Gimp and I celebrated my 42nd today at the Woodstock Inn down the road. It was fun but an early night because we are lame hiker trash who don't stay up past 9:00 pm. JUKEBOX