morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-07-07
From: Ten-mile River, CT

To: Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter, CT
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: overcast clouds

7/7Day: 118Start: Ten-mile RiverFinish: Stewart Hollow Brook ShelterMileage: 15.7Weather: niceWe got a pretty late start from the shelter (10:00). We were moving pretty slow and got into Kent in the afternoon after meeting Spice Rack outside of town.In town, I picked up a package and Yardsale bought new shoe insoles. We met Montna Lush and she gave us some freshly-baked bread. We also met Dreamcatcher who skipped up from Tennessee because a murder suspect was apparently on the trail. I was hoping to get the new pocketmail device in the mail but it wasn't there. At the post office, a couple of people warned me of a storm that was moving in tomorrow.The last few miles into the shelter were pretty easy. We saw Happy & GG for the first time in quite a while. Matt and Tripp were also at the shelter along with DA (a hiker finishing up last year's thru-hike). The bugs were really bad (as they always are) so I slept in my hammock.
Date: 2005-07-08
From: Stewart Hollow Shelter, CT

To: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter, CT
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: moderate rain

7/8Start: Stewart Hollow ShelterFinish: Pine Swamp Brook ShelterMileage: 10.0Weather: rainWe all woke up pretty early and tried to start hiking before the rain began. We were certainly not successful in our attempt to stay dry, but the rain wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. Nevertheless, we didn't do much piddling around today.Our fast hiking got us to the shelter by one in the afternoon and we called it quits for the day. Happy, GG and I set up our hammocks in the shelter and we all hung out for the rest of the day. Several section hikers came in throughout the afternoon, all of whom were on the trail for their first day. The entire afternoon and evening was a bit of a blur since we were in the shelter for so long. Thus sleep was abundant but strange.
Date: 2005-07-09
From: Pine Swamp Shelter, CT

To: Salisbury, CT
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: haze

7/9Day: 120Start: Pine Swamp ShelterFinish: Salisbury, CTMileage: 15.6Weather: normalDespite the massive amount of time I spent in the shelter yesterday, I was apparently not too interested in leaving since it took me a while to get moving. Because of yesterday's rain, Yardsale and I saw over 100 Red Efts (a bright red newt common on the trail). We counted to around 55 before we stopped counting, but we saw at least that many afterward. I was feeling really hungry this morning and was eating like a horse. We decided to check out the Mountainside Cafe at the next road, but first we saw a baby bobcat. The bobcat was just to the right of the trail and it made me jump when I first saw it. It was just a kitten but it was really aggressive and was darting at us as we tried to take pictures. We decided to leave before mama cat came back from her errands. The food at the Mountainside Cafe was good and it cured my hunger problem. We hung out there for a while and talked with the owner and workers before moving on. We still had quite a few miles to do in order to make it to Salisbury where Yardsale's mom and sister were going to meet him for a couple days of hiking.We didn't make it far before we reached a decent looking swimming hole below Great Falls. The entire bottom of the river was solid rock and outside of the current we saw over one hundred crawdads. The big ones were in one pool and the little guys were in the kiddie pool, but all resided in a small cleft between the river's floor and its walls. This was easily the highest concentration of crawdads that I've ever seen.We walked into Salisbury in a light rainstorm and made our way to Maria McCabe's house to stay for the night. The place was a bit pricy and I wasn't planning on staying, but we talked with some folks that seemed to indicate that the rate was per room rather than per person.We talked with Maria for a bit on her porch before she took us down to the grocery store (very expensive). We resupplied and bought some food for dinner that evening. We stuffed ourselves with food that evening and, after I was completely full, Maria told me that I owed her money (turns out the rate was per person) and needed to pay her before she went to sleep in a few minutes. So I painfully waddled my way down to the ATM to get $30. I was not happy.I came back and hung out with Yardsale, Happy and GG for a while. Then I talked with Christina (southbound Long Trail hiker putting in extra miles) for quite awhile about her experience living in Scotland. I went to sleep feeling heavy in the stomach and light in the wallet.
Date: 2005-07-10
From: Salisbury, CT

To: Brassie Brook Shelter, CT
Miles today: 5.4
Weather: clear sky

7/10Day: 121Start: Salisbury, CTFinish: Brassie Brook ShelterMileage: 5.4Weather: goodI slept wonderfully at Maria's house and woke up feeling much better than I did when I went to sleep. I met Yardsale's mom and sister in the morning before they went out for the day which was very nice. I went to a worship service at a Congregational Church and did not like the service at all. The pastor had quite a few views that were pretty illogical. I had difficulty worshiping God at that place.I resupplied at the expensive grocery store for only long enough to get me to the next possible grocery store and then went back to Maria's house. Happy and I watched a video called "Alone in the Wilderness" that was excellent. The video was about a man who homesteaded in Alaska and it shows him making his cabin along with all sorts of other useful items. Before I left, I saw DA, met Tri-guy and Bluey and talked with my Mom and Chris on the phone until Maria told me I had to hang up (don't stay here - she is far too particular).The short day of hiking was nice and I spent a good bit of time sitting on Lion's Head reading and praying. Today was the first day I found ripe red raspberries on the trail; they were excellent. Just before the shelter, Imet Hal (SC lawyer now living back home in NC) and we talked during the evening. Two hikers came in late and tented. I slept horribly due to really noisy and inconsistent wind.
Date: 2005-07-11
From: Brassie Brook Shelter

To: Boardman St.
Miles today: 18.1

Day: 120Start: Brassie Brook ShelterFinish: Boardman St.Mileage: 18.1Weather: hotI woke up after Hal had already left and discovered the identity of the two late arrivals. Peeps is a woman I'd seen sign the registers lately but had yet to meet until this morning. And I had already met Spice Rack. Early into the hike we reached the highest point in CT where I met 3 Cats (one man) and saw AJ for the first time in a while. We all crossed into MA together shortly thereafter and said goodbye to yet another state. At the state boarder I met Daddy who I later remembered I had met in Hot Springs, NC. He didn't have a trail name or much of a beard at the time, so I didn't remember him. Daddy was tired of the trail and was leaving very soon The day was hot and getting hotter, so I wanted to climb over Mt. Everett before the day came to its maximum temperature. On my way up the mountain, I saw a very large rattlesnake right in the middle of the trail. While most people saw a rattler in PA or even as far south as VA and many people saw more of these guys than they could count, this was my first rattlesnake sighting of the trip. I was pretty excited and I wanted to pick it up but decided that I'd let it go about its business instead. The snake did go about its business after a few minutes of rattling and I made my way up and over the mountain.3 Cats and AJ caught up to me and I hiked with them for the rest of the afternoon. 3 Cats and I talked about our differing spiritual views and AJ acted as the comic relief, himself viewing such conversation as futile. The talk made the time fly by and we were at the Shay's Rebellion Monument in no time. The only thing that slowed us down was a section filled with more mosquitoes than I had ever seen; I could kill multiple bloodsuckers with a single slap to my arms or legs.I planned to meet Yardsale at the Shay's Rebellion Monument but there was no place to camp and it was right on the rod. So I left him a note and pushed on several more miles. 3 Cats and AJ left me when they met up with Spice Rack and Peeps at a road to go into town. There I got water from a flower nursery before moving north a bit more to find a camping spot. Just before I found a nice spot in a pine forest, the trail led parallel to and twenty feet from the road through a short grassy field. I went to sleep pondering the absurdity of this section.
Date: 2005-07-12
From: Boardman St.

To: Mt. Wilcox South Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: few clouds

Day: 121Start: Boardman St.Finish: Mt. Wilcox South ShelterMileage: 10.4Weather: am clouds, pm rainI started moving at a respectable hour this morning, but I was moving pretty slowly. Yardsale caught up to me before I started hiking and we headed up the hill together. Tri-guy caught up to and then passed us pretty early while we were picking blueberries on top of a mountain. If you wish to pick blueberries on this trail you should expect to be passed, and if you don't wish to be passed you should expect not to pick blueberries. Raspberries actually get me into more trouble, but it is the principle that counts.Nevertheless, we caught back up to Tri-guy at the Tom Leanord shelter where we walked quite a distance downhill for water and then had lunch. During lunch, we were greeted by 3 Cats, Peeps, Spice Rack, Bluey, AJ, Mr. Clean Sr. and Raz... quite a crew. I haven't seen Raz in quite a while and it turns out that he had to get off the trail for a week or so due to hurt knees. His dog Foxy was now with a new owner and he was doing the rest of the trip solo.I pushed on ahead of Yardsale after lunch to get into Great Barrington to resupply. I got a ride from the first car that passed (a Polish couple) and went straight to the grocery store. I bought food along with some ice cream that I ate outside while talking with a funny old man about falcons. I then went downtown in search of the post office, library and camera store. The library was closed for renovations but the other two locations were a success. The memory card in my camera was broken (I do not get along with technology) and the folks at the camera store were unable to fix it without loosing the pictures. They did give me some good advice though and I left with a hopeful attitude.I again got a ride back to the trail with the first car that passed (this time with an older, slightly deaf man) and started hiking just before the rain. I had planned to meet Yardsale at the Mt. Wilcox North Shelter but a sign indicated that it was closed for repairs. I stopped at the Mt. Wilcox South Shelter and found Yardsale, Bluey and Mr. Clean. I was soaking wet from the rain but it was a warm day so I didn't mind. We talked for a while and I set up my hammock in the shelter and went to sleep.
Date: 2005-07-13
From: Mt. Wilcox South Shelter

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Day: 122Start: Mt. Wilcox South ShelterFinish: Upper Goose Pond CabinMileage: 15.8Weather: hotI woke up after Bluey and Mr. Clean had already left the shelter. When I got up I met a southbound section hiker named Hillbilly who was stopping in for water. Yardsale woke up and we started hiking.The first eight miles of the day went by really slowly and we ended up sitting on the side of a road for quite a while. There we saw Shawn for the first time in a while along with Happy and GG and Raz. I set off from the road moving pretty fast and continued to move at a fast pace all the way to Upper Goose Pond Cabin. The only thing that slowed me down in between those two points was a lot of mosquitoes and some soda-based trail magic. The two diversions came at the same time and I had to put on lots of DEET before I could enjoy the soda.I got to the cabin just in time for a pizza that Grampy (the caretaker) made. Mr. Clean, Bluey, Grampy and I all enjoyed the pizza as a nice afternoon snack. Yardsale pulled in within the hour and we (along with Bluey) helped Grampy haul gallons and gallons of spring water up from the dock. Yardsale and I swam in the pond for a while before dinner, which must have worked up an appetite within me since the spaghetti Grampy made for everyone wasn't enough for me and I had to cook an extra dinner as well. Everyone mentioned from the road pulled into the cabin that night. Raz was having some trouble walking and he blamed it on being dehydrated. It looked like he was having more serious problems than dehydration, but I couldn't say for sure. He went to sleep really early and Yardsale and I took the canoe for a spin until after dark. We paddled all around Upper Goose Pond and had a really good time doing it. We came back to the cabin to find that most everyone had gone to sleep. So we went to sleep as well.
Date: 2005-07-14
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: haze

Day: 123Start: Upper Goose Pond CabinFinish: Upper Goose Pond CabinWeather: niceYardsale and I had decided that we would take a zero day at this highly acclaimed cabin before we even got there. And after we arrived and saw the beauty of the place for ourselves, we realized that doing so was a great idea.We woke up early with everyone else so that we could get pancakes. Grampy just kept making pancake after pancake and I think I might have had too many (my stomach hurt for some reason most of the day). After breakfast, I tried unsuccessfully to go back to sleep and then packed up when Grampy said we needed stay outside while he went fishing.So I set up my hammock to escape from the mosquitoes and read for a couple of hours until Grampy returned. Yardsale and I took the canoe out when Grampy returned, this time going to the larger and more developed Lower Goose Pond. It took us quite a while to paddle around this pond, the water was rougher and the scenery wasn't as nice; I would have rather stayed on Upper Goose Pond.When we came back to the cabin, we met Southshore and Jersey Fresh. DuBois was also there and we caught up with each other's adventures. Throughout the rest of the day, Porter, Carolyn, Sparticus and Rainbow and the Odd Couple (who I hadn't seen since before Max Patch in NC) arrived and I met Naked Son and Morel. It rained in the evening and people kept leaving the cabin door open, so a lot of mosquitoes came inside. All of this along with no hiking to tire me made for a really rough sleep.
Date: 2005-07-15
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Day: 124Start: Upper Goose Pond CabinFinish: Dalton, MAMileage: 20.6Weather: niceI wanted to get a bit ahead of Yardsale so that I could work on my journal in town while he caught up, so I set out to do a big day of hiking. I woke up for a second morning of Grampy's pancakes, but I didn't eat nearly as many this time. I began walking shortly after breakfast to the tune of singing birds, beautiful weather and easy terrain. Early into the day's hike, I got my first look at a pile of moose droppings. I looked around to find no moose.I stopped at October Mt. Shelter to sign the register, but the mosquitoes were so bad that I barely got my pack off before I decided to leave. I walked on and stopped for lunch along the side of a dirt road; mosquitoes are generally less fierce in dry sunny places, and roads are sometimes the only spots that match such a description.I hiked on and soon found myself stuck behind a slow-moving trail crew who had just finished their week-long project. While these people certainly did a great job maintaining a difficult section of trail, they were also in my way and I needed to get to the post office. I passed them somewhat aggressively as they would not move over when I asked them politely to do so. Shortly after I lost sight of the group, I had my first encounter with a SOBO who started in Maine (Mark). I, of course, had to talk to him and was consequently passed by the slow group once again. This time I did not try to pass and walked behind them until they reached their van.I took a final break for the day at the Kay Wood Shelter (no mosquitoes there) where I met Naked Son. He and I walked together into Dalton and got to know each other a bit. We stopped at Tom Lavardi's house since there was a cooler on the porch. We each had a soda and Tom arrived while we were sitting there. Tom brought us each an ice cream sundae and then took us to the post office and to the convenience store. Tom offered to let us stay at his house for the evening, but I had already promised Rob Bird at Trail Days that I would stay at the Birdcage when I got to Dalton. So I went to the Birdcage and was told that Rob's band was playing that night. So I ate some spagetti-o's quickly and then rode with Rob and Truth to a nearby town to watch Rob's band (Just-n-Kace) play at a restaurant. Peeps showed up later with her friend from Boston and we had a good time.The band was good but the evening was late and I was falling asleep by the end. I slept on a bed called "the cloud" and it lived up to its name.
Date: 2005-07-16
From: Dalton, MA

To: Dalton
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Day: 125Start: Dalton, MAFinish: Dalton, MAMileage: 0.0Weather: niceIn the morning, we took Raz to Mt. Greylock so that he could slackpack back to the Birdcage. On the way to Greylock, we saw Yardsale walking down the road and we picked him up. We went to a mall after we dropped off Raz so that Yardsale could visit an outfitter and I could visit a camera store. Yardsale was unable to get his hiking pole fixed but I was able to get my camera's memory card replaced. Let the picture taking resume. We returned to the Birdcage and hung out there most of the day. Sean, Porter, Rainbow and Sparticus, Naked Son, Morel, Yappy and Dead Animal showed up throughout the day. Rob drove a few of us to a swimming hole where we jumped off of some rocks and into the water.That night we all went to Country Buffet and ate a good bit of food. Fortunately, I was able to restrain myself from eating too much and I left the place very satisfied. After dinner we went back to the Birdcage where Rob and Porter played guitar late into the evening. I went to sleep late again but slept wonderfully on "the cloud".
Date: 2005-07-17
From: Dalton, MA

To: Mark Noepal Shelter
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: light rain

Day: 126Start: Dalton, MAFinish: Mark Noepal ShelterMileage: 13.7Weather: am rain, pm cloudsI went to the general store with Morel, Yardsale and Raz for breakfast.   The guy working there had his hands pretty full and it took a while for us to get our food. After breakfast, I went to a Nazarine church down the street from the Birdcage. The service was pretty nice but since the majority of the service was simply a recounting of a mission trip some congregation members took to Maine, there wasn't much universally-applicable substance to the experience. It rained in the early afternoon so we hung around the Birdcage until about 2:30 and then began hiking. The section of woods we were walking through was pretty buggy and I was glad to reach the higher altitude and breeze of the Cobbles. From the overlook on the Cobbles, I watched clouds dance in the distant sky to indicate oncoming the storm.We stopped in Cheshire where Yardsale bought some dinner while I sat at the Cheese Monument and read. There was a quick downpour of rain shortly after we resumed hiking which was gone very quickly.   We arrived at the shelter shortly after dark and found Caroline with her hammock set up in the shelter. I followed suit so as to avoid the bugs. Caroline talked to us about going to an art museum in North Adams the next day. We slept on the idea.
Date: 2005-07-18
From: Mark Noepal Shelter

To: Sherman Brook Campsite
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: moderate rain

Day: 127Start: Mark Noepal ShelterFinish: Sherman Brook CampsiteMileage: 11.2Weather: am rainWe decided to go to the Mass MoCa contemporary art museum that afternoon, but we had some hiking to do first. The climb up to Greylock was pretty easy and I ran quite a bit of it to try to beat the rain. I was unsuccessful at beating the rain and the three of us entered Bascom Lodge soaking wet. There I met my second SOBO hiker (the first two SOBO's I met were named Mark) and we waited to dry off. When it stopped raining, we went up in the tower on Greylock to see no real views. I met Masa and Wag Daddy at the base of the tower and Wag Daddy slowed down for a while to hike with Yardsale and me. He pushed on when we stopped with Caroline to check out a view and eat some food.We got an easy hitch to Mass MoCa but we then figured out that the place closed in an hour. We checked it out anyway and had a pretty good time. Afterward, we all went to the grocery store where Yardsale had to buy my food since my debit card wouldn't work. We were being very inefficient in town and didn't get out until dusk. I stopped to wade in a nice creek and the others pushed on to the campsite. We got there after dark and met a SOBO hiker who was already in his hammock. I went to sleep after having some trouble hanging my food bag.
Date: 2005-07-19
From: Sherman Brook Campsite

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Day: 128Start: Sherman Brook CampsiteFinish: Bennington, VTMileage: 16.8Weather: normalWe woke up and started moving toward a hiker party that was being put on in Bennington, VT by the outfitter there. I started hiking after everyone else and was therefore by myself when I crossed over into Vermont. Once I entered VT, I was confronted with mounds and mounds of mud. I hiked all day (and for the next several days) through muddy conditions. I caught up to Yardsale and then lost him again when I stopped at Seth Warner Shelter for a rest. I swam (actually bathed) in the water source for the shelter. I walked slowly for the rest of the afternoon and didn't catch up to Yardsale until the last shelter before town. There we met Tinkerbell (despite the name, Tinkerbell is a 6'7" man) and took a short break before going into town. We took the last shuttle into town and heard from the shuttle driver that about thirty hikers were at the party. Between the two of us, Yardsale and I were unable to figure out who all might be there. When we arrived, we figured out that all the unexpected people were southbounders. There were more SOBO's there than NOBO's, but the party was still lots of fun. There was lots of good food donated by the local Mexican restaurant and I sufficiently filled my stomach. We met a Long Trail hiker (Earthling) who talked more about gear than anyone I've ever met - he even asked me about the performance of my food bag. I slept poorly to the sound of trucks that night in the town square under a large tent set up for summer events.