morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-07-12
From: Stratton Arlington Rd

To: VT 11 and 30
Miles today: 17.5

Whew, well I'm glad in a way that the road distance dictates miles on this slack pack adventure because even though the yesterday felt aazing I'm still feling those long miles in my body. We had a long 4 mile climb to the top of a mountain with a firetower and view. So cool to share this with my aunt. Surrounded by thick spruce,we got a great view of the surrounding green mountains. Simply amazing. Then we parted ways and I took off down the hill trying to cover miles as quickly as I could. This would be when I came as close as I ever have to breaking my leg. My right foot slipped on a wet root and as I was going dow my other leg got tangled un.der more exposed roo. If it hadn't been for the slant of the tral of a litle bump that caght mejust in time, that tangled leg would have snapped. As it was, I was just a litle hurt by the uncomfortable bend in the wrong direction and shaken up by thisnear miss. I slowed own some after this saving my knees some banging and taking the descents with more cautious speed. Great views and a ve4ry freeing sackpack that ended in beautiful green ferns and mossy cover rocks. Thanks so much to my aunt for doing all the leg work of figuring out where we were staying. Also town food!
Date: 2012-07-13
From: VT 11 and 30

To: Danby-Landgrove Rd
Miles today: 17.6

I'm really noticing the differece of being fed two quare meals a day is making on my body and it's recovery time. Finally I'm not always starving. This really makes me realize just how great the calorie defict I normally run is. More great trals thrugh great spruce forests. Yay.
Date: 2012-07-14
From: Danby-Landgrove Rd

To: VT 103
Miles today: 14.8

Another great day today. I decided that today we should not aim fr the 20 miles that would put us in a weird place on a gravel road with no gps of other landmarks to mark where the trail croses. I am really enjoying the slack packing but more than anything geting to share this with my aunt fills a littlevoid of homesicknes I did't realizewas so large ad present. The trail strtd off well, easy, almost flat compared to some of the steep and rocky climbs we've been doing. It followed a little cascade of falls for awhile ten led up to a lake. Or pond. Whatever they call it here in the north but as far as I'm concernd if it's big enough for wind to case whitecaps ten it's big. All the hard rock allows for there to be these high elevation waer spots and I am loving them. Dos was up here when we arrived and looked like she was having a though mental day. We shared cherries and stories and then had to move on. A lot of hikers are starting t wresle with the mental aspects o the trail much as I did some weeks ago. Currently I'm on such a high high that as I read back ov er the journal entries from that time, it feels like I'm readng wat omeone elsewrote. Who is this strange struggling girl! What are these thoughts. How differen.t from how I fel now. The trail today reminded me so much of Maine with the spruce, needle foor, moss and rocks. There were two sections of trail today tat showed the strangly perculiar humor of most hikers when it comes to stacking rocks. Hehehehe. Oh mn hadx they gone qat it with dozens of small and big stacks littering the floor. Rocks stacked between trees, in bizar little shapes,huts, and animal figures. I just stopped and laughed imagining how this place sprung up. At the end of the day we came to an amazing swimming gorge used by all the locals. Above it spanned a bouncy bridge. We traded ameras and I went down to get shots of all the cool rock formations caused by storms past. Hurricane irene did her damage and we can still see the effect in all the detours, washed out trail, closed oad and miles of downned flooded trees. Hoping this season will be kind
Date: 2012-07-15
From: VT 103

To: US 4
Miles today: 18.4

Well I had hoped to do over 20 today but as we headed out it started to look like rain. Which it did. But only after I got over the big mountain climb of killington. Really pretty foress and also fun chats with passing south bounders that we've started running into daily. The day ended in a downpour so I cut the day short knowing that the storm would steal my daylight and I didn't want to risk going over unknown trail in bad conditions in the dark. Hmm epson salt bath and thick comfortable matress tonight. I'm enjoying being spoiled.
Date: 2012-07-16
From: US 4

To: VT 12 Barnard Gulf Rd 
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: haze

Whew long day today. And I knew it would be because of the miles I didn't do. We seperated from the long trail today which means that up until now we've generally been going with the ridgeline but now we turn ast and go up and down all the mountains running north to south. Big big climbs. Even with the slackpack it was exhausting, especially coming of a week of big miles. I'm pretty well wiped after pratically running the last 5 mils trying to beat the dark. It was almost too dark and I was close to pulling out my headlamp. Awol's gps coordinates were wron and we had some trouble trying to figure out where I was. Got lucky with good neighbors though who helped me out. When in doubt follow the lights and ask for help. Best bed yet.
Date: 2012-07-17
From: VT 12 Barnard Gulf Rd 

To: woodstock vt
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day! Yay first one since harpers ferry. After yesterdays miles I was pretty torn up and it was raining when we woke up. But the clincher was when we checked he weather report that caled for damging winds and hil in the afternoon. So rather than hike we spent the day in town and ended up at a great b and b that upgraded us to a jacuzzi tub room for free. Amazing. The first 20 minutes of the jet massae on my fet hurt but after that they loosend up and were helped out beyond what I could have hoped for. Tomorrow my aunt leaves and it was good to spend all day with her. Back to the full pack plus winter weight tomorrow
Date: 2012-07-18
From: woodstock vt

To: West Hartfolrd, VT
Miles today: 13.1

After a week of slack packing, big meals, epson salt baths, jacuzi tub, soft beds and great compainonship, I am back on trail doing the same old thing. Only this time I'm also carrying about 6to 8 pounds extra weight in winter gearn. And man do I fel it in my joints. My pace is 1/3 of what it was when I was slacking and I fel like I'm moving in slow motion. This is. Harsh adjustment but not an unexpected one. I'm sure my body will get back in the swing of things soon enough. There were a lot more of hose little but draining ups and downs today as we climbed in and out of gaps (now being called notches). But we also had great views to keep these from feeling too much like puds. I ran into a lot of hru hikers I knew and we all ended up at the deli in west hartford mking a hilarious showing with our 13 packs stacked neatly along the outdoor cubby provided. Then like locust we descnded upon the store and did our best t eat everything in sight. It dkdn't ta'e long for me to go rom content, well fed b od t, "give me that burger!" Another great example of the wonderful giving we are fortunate enough to receive, we are all tenting a a locals house who makes his backyard available. Tent and hammock city tonight. Missing my aunt but happy to be back with my trail community. Can't I have I all?
Date: 2012-07-19
From: West Hartfolrd, VT

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: clear sky

Slept weel, my body used to the swinging of the hammock and the familiarity of the trail sounds. Okay maybe not the huge train that ran by juwt a few feet away from the backyard. Whew that one took years off my life. I was amzed when I slung my pqack on this morning how quickly the body adjust because it felt so much beter than yesterday. Ok until the first hill, then it felt way too heavy. Roadwalk today where we had to cross railroad tracks, the warning bells were going off as we aproached and not wanting a 45 minute delay sme of my fellow hikers ran for it. I sped up some but once I saw the train and how close it was I said nope. Not risking it. Turns out just a two car train but I? Still thinking one of my safer decsions. Hills hils hills full of semi aggresive dog packs not being controlled by their people, yeah right, try to convince me that your dog is friendly as he growl at me hackles raised and teeth exposed. Yep. Hikers love their poles for many reasons and defensive possibilities is one of them. Luckily the dogs did not attack and eventually moved on with their people. Grrr. Hanover is an amazingly friendly hiker town with multiple trail magic boxes at the end of peoples driceways, platters of cookies labeled for hikers and free fod in town from different shops. My new shoes were hbere tooc, the old ones pretty much dne for after PA and all the climbs from harpers to here. I also fnally had to admit that my insoles were dead too after looking at the cracked plastic that was no longer able to support my arches. With all the new footgear I fet like a new woman.. despite having recetly come off a week ofhaving more showere than I had in the preceding two months, I knew that I was going intob he whites soon and that the next laundry or shower could be weeks away so I took the time to do all that. With al he town chores taking up much of the day I didn't have much daylight left for hiking so decided to call it a day and see if I could say with one of the many people in the town who open up their homes for hikers. Hanks lizann fr a great say with you and your wonderful dogs. The body is still adjusting to the huge weight difference. Of the winter gear and I go to bed every night with joints aching in unfamilair and new ways. But as I've said from thebegining, I have no plan to mess around with the tempormental and unpredictable weather of the whites. I am prepared for sleet, hail, snow and the wrath of god almighty.
Date: 2012-07-20
From: Hanover, NH

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: scattered clouds

I got out of town pretty early looking forward to an elevation profile5 that promised easier days. Um not so much with this pack. Ugh winter gear and full five das food. Ow. I feel like a clumsy giant stomping through the woods with thisovrweight clinging growth on my back. The hills were muchb better today whih I as grateful for and I ran into dos prety early on so we ended up hiking together. As we hiked groups of four from the college kept comin by. Appaerntly they are doing a 30 hr 50 miles challenge to the summit of Moosilauke. Wow. To put this in perspective I'm planning 3 1/2 days to cover the same distance. We saw them at he begining of this journy cheerful, springing along looking very unprepared. I worry, but I also wish them luck and hope they all do okay. Long hard climb at the end of the day took twice as long as we are used to and put us at the shelter only 30 minutes before dark. Long day. Need to readjust mentally as well as physically to the reality of hiking with this much pack weight over these increasingly long and steeer mountains. Frusrating since we are all used to doing bigger miles. Buth also starting to feel the exhiliration as we get closer and closer to the whites.
Date: 2012-07-21
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: North Jacobs Brook
Miles today: 11.6

Only 4 1/2 miles into the day and it's already been amazing. I will admit that having a new lower daily needed average to make my deadline, ontop of hiking without a watch has certainly changed the natureof my hike. I? Taking more breaks, enjoying more views, doing little off trail advntures and stopping to journal some in the middle of the day. It's al making the expierence as a whole even that much better. I slept in late yesterday, a result of geting in so late the night before. Today is probably going to be a short day with a huge climb expected over smarts mountain. But first a stop at bill the icecream guys house. This great guy lives right beside the trail and has happily been shoveling icecream at us and showing us how to play crocret (no idea how to pell that). His gradkids were there and made quite the greeting party pratically dragging me off the trail and later we had a great game together. Bill is a birder and asked if I was yellow or black billed. Um? Which iks when I got an awesome lesson in the finer details of the bird that I've taen as my trailname. Also apparently multicolored tails that appear blafck at certain angles and shine blues ad gren in a certain light. Awe shucks it's just perfect. This fits in well with some of the talks I've had with other hikers about some of the more smple joys of the trail that include getting to be called by a name that has so much meaning to you. Also the cool fact that in general people don't ask what you o out here they ask how you are doing. The climb up smarts included some great views of the surrounding mountain scae including one where youj could see the coming climb and endpoint at the tower. I sat at one of these views taking it all in. The mountains are large with jagged, interesting ridgelines of peaks hit by al sorts of weather. Some are close, others distant shadows on the horizon. There's no telling (since I'm not looking at my compass) where the trail is heading and there is excitment and adenture in that thought. The clouds are low and puffy whie looking like a freeze captured image of falling feathers. The climb was again a hard one, each of these seming steeper than te last, but the reward was a fantastic view ontop of the fie tower wher I could see the next big climbs of thbe days to come and the distant peak of mnt washinton. This is what I love, give me these mountains any day of the week over easier terrain. These are soul insiring, grand things that bring a smile unbidden to my face and light fire in my eyes. The descent down was gradual and kind to the knees and for the first time in days I felt I was finally making good progress. Only 1 more mile uphill and dos andi found a good tree hanging sigt near a brook. Quite a cozy little spot. Tonight we stgopped with plenty of lighbt left and were in our beds by 8. Plan to get an early start tomorrow and head up the rest of the mountain. Moosilake looms closer and for me is the gateway to the whites.
Date: 2012-07-22
From: North Jacobs Brook

To: stealth camp before Mooseilauke
Miles today: 15.1

I love my hammock, gratful again for a good sleep. A climb was our first task of the day but in the cool morning air, it came easy to fresh legs. We went over huge slabs of quartz and marble which means the part of me that goes "oh shiny, sooooo pretty" was very happy while a smaller shoved into a corner voice said, "smooth, slippery, dangerous". Wahaha. No rain means no woriries, let's scrabble up these things and laugh at how awesome the trail is. Such great colors in them too al pink and white with green patces of lichen on them. I love northern mountains, they havee such personality. We saw some trail runner come crashing down these same rocky roty trails and all I could think (after the intial hey eye candy thought) was my gof hey are insane. But at least they seemed able to control their free fall. After the inital big climb we had more rolling hills. Dos went ahead to stay at a hostel and I went on anothber 5 miles to stealth camp. I am vry lucky to have been offered to sckpack with her tomorrow snce we have a huge 3800ft climb that is suppose to be tricky and interesting. Looking forward to it.
Date: 2012-07-25
From: Stealth Camp

To: Lincoln, NH
Miles today: 4.6
Weather: scattered clouds

I am happy to report that there was no rain last night, just a constant breeze that dried out my tarp. But man was it cold. see your breath, burrow into your sleeping bag, downright uncomfortable cold. Finally though I feel that carrying around all this extra weight is worth it. I did about 4 miles down to the Flume Visitor Center where I had planned on picking up a food drop and continuing on. But when i got there I learned that it hadn't arrived yet. Change of plans it is. Instead I ended up taking a shuttle into Lincoln NH and staying at Chet's place. Chet is an amazing guy who has opened his home to hikers and runs a donation/work for stay based hostel out of his garage. Besides that incredible kindness he is just a really down to earth guy who you can spend hours with, enjoying conversations about every topic imaginable. Thanks so much for your hospitality and kindness.In town I took care of the normal chores of resupply, gear repair, laundry, calorie deficit replacement gluttony, and then spent hours in the library updating my once again well behind journal entries. By the time all that was done, it was too late to take back to the trail and I figured I'd get an early start in the morning. The most difficult part of today was looking up at the beautifully clear blue sky knowing that it would be an amazing hiking day wasted in town. But I also enjoyed hanging with all (and I mean tons) of the other hikers here at the hostel. two different roads feed into the town so there is a good spread of us and it was getting rather lonely stealth camping every night. I also enjoyed meeting so many thruhikers that have been just ahead or behind me this whole time. always weird to think how close we've been to each other through the last 5 months but never meeting. Watching the forecast tonight as it is calling for some very bad weather tomorrow and I have 8 miles of exposed, no where to hide, strike me dead ridge line to cover.
Date: 2012-07-26
From: Lincoln, NH

To: Lincoln, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Zero day today. I didn't want to take one but the weather wasn't cooperating. when there is a 80% chance of thunderstorms and you have exposed ridge lines, it tends to make you a little wary. About half of us hikers stayed put and the other half ventured forward. there was a lot of lip chewing, anxiety, debate, and doubting whether the right decision was made. But throughout the day as hikers coming off the ridge line filtered in and I heard about the conditions up on the mountains, I relaxed a little and accepted that this is just the nature of the trail and flexibility is required. Some of the hikers were forced to take side trails down from Franconia Ridge because the winds were so bad it was pushing them down near cliff edges. oh fun.Having done all my town chores yesterday I think today I experienced only my second true zero day on the whole trail. what to do with all my time? movie theater. Now that is a bizarre culture shock moment after being in the woods so long. nice but weird. Met some great south bounders too.watching the forecast again and debating skipping ahead past the whites and hitting them on the way home if the weather won't clear. There is a lot of uncertainty here but the one thing I know for sure is I can't stay here.
Date: 2012-08-02
From: Stealth Camp

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 9.2
Weather: broken clouds

Without a watch, I woke with the dawn today and packed quite quickly. The trails were still wet but my legs were fresh and there was again the feel in the air that fills you with energy.   I still had a lot of steep down to go and was happy I made camp when I did since there were few other spots and those that existed were occupied by other hammockers in a similar situation. To my left the whole first hour of hiking, the sun was coming through the low clouds butting up against the monster mountains of the presidentals. Really glorious and inspiring. I breathed deeply, as if I could absorb everything into my very being. The views were insanely calming and breathtaking. The sunrise was casting soft pink and blue light across the seas of fluffy white and swirling clouds. Today I leave the whites and I will miss the moments their high peaks create but it will be good to be in an area less affected by the weather. I dropped off a lost camera I found on top of the ridge with the caretaker of the last shelter in the whites and talked with the group down there a bit. He gave us some advice of staying high when we went through the notch in the next few days. More about the ominous and much hyped notch later in the journal.   He was very interesting with great stories but I had a meeting with some family friends so left pretty quickly. The whites saw me off with one more steep, scary, wet and slippery descent down loose rock and trails turned into streams before the At welcomed me back with wide dirt, gradually descending, smooth and near root free trails. Ahhhh glory. And then a shelter! And shelter LOGS!   I stopped real quick to see where all my AT friends were. We all sort of lost one another in the whites without the logs and it was fun to read everyone¢s reactions to both the whites and making it through them. There was a school group camping there who asked me if I was ¢madgepodge¢, ¢magpie?¢, ¢yeah!¢ apparently my friends had hiked in and out and I had just missed them. Well let me tell you the trails are so pretty and wonderful now I was darn near skipping down them. I could actually walk without watching wear I set my feet. These are things to be relished. And just as I got to the parking lot they were stepping out of the woods. From there it was shower time, town food, restock, chill, soft bed, and stretching time, not to mention catching up with old family friends. The hostel had clean cotton clothing for us to change into while all our laundry was done. I used the sun and the extra daylight to air out my hammock and sleeping bag to get them as dry as I could. The evening was spent watching the Olympics and partaking of my last real moment of gluttony by finishing off half a key lime pie. A good day and a great half day relief before taking off back into speedy travel mode and Maine. Have to say though, that was way too long between showers.
Date: 2012-08-03
From: Gorham, NH

To: Dream Lake
Miles today: 9.7

I'm back to the easier pre whites trail but it was hard to get motivated and pick up the pace. Partly this is because of the huge, heavy resupply load but mostly just an off day; spill over from lack of sleep and general weariness. I've often described the trail as a balance between being in the best shape of your life and being utterly worn down. Right now I think the scales are tipping toward the latter. I find that I am prepared for this to end. I'm not disliking it or in a low point so much as I'm just a little tired of hiking. 6 months is such a long time to dedicate to something and I'm ready for a break. fitting my mood, I ended up stealth camping two miles before the shelter I was aiming for next to dream lake. a very peaceful spot and I hope maybe a moose or two will visit while I'm here. I'm glad i made it this far after a brief thunderstorm rolled in and i stopped and set up my tarp to wait it out in dryness.   I moved on when the sun reemerged.Tonight I almost lost my water bottle in a tree. I have taken to using it as a weight for throwing my bear line rather than dealing with a rock. and i got it stuck in a v of a tree tonight somehow edged. 30 minutes of chucking rocks at it and finally I got it down again. these are things to remember I'm sure.