morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-04
From: Tenting @ Peru Peak Shelter

To: Tenting @ Greenwall Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: few clouds

Daily Milage: 14.5Total Milage: 1660.9Happy Independance Day! What a great way to spend it too! Hiking the granddaddy of all american long distance trails. Rockhound, his dad, and I had a great hike on a beautiful section of trail today. The Big Branch River was an absolutely wonderful spot to hang out and have an extended lunch, joined by Cheif & Jethro.There are lots of roads in the area and we passed a lot of people out for dayhikes.Many of them were ridiculously self-absorbed, neither stepping off the trail or waiting for us to step aside before walking through! Oh well, proximity to people does tend to breed contempt.I can hear a few firewords in the distance, but there is no good spots to watch. This is compounded by the rain clouds moving in to the area. I will have to make due with the campfire we have going at the shelter.Neat spot at the junction of the white rocks cliff trail and the AT where a huge collection of stacked rocks have been built up. Seems like a fairyland for about 50 feet of trail. This is in a cool section of forest where the hardwoods have been replaced by straight, bare pines. The bottom 30' of the trees are bare and the next generation of forest in the form of 2' high pines is waiting below
Date: 2004-07-05
From: Tenting @ Peru Peak Shelter

To: Private Sheter Near Govenor Clement Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: light rain

Daily Milage: 14.1Total Milage: 1675.0The Claredon Gorge is an awesome place to check out. It's a thenth of a mile from VT 103 and is full of water carved rocks. There are deep pools, a great suspension bridge - everything I could hope for except perhaps a guy hading out fresh fried dough!We met up with Rockhound's grandfather at the Gorge and drove into Rutland, VT afor lunch. Our waitress essentially quit during lunch, so we got our food more than an hour after ordering! Beware of Denny's in Rutland!Well fed and restored we said our goodbyes to Rockhound's Dad & Grandfather and climbed up the trail, our intention was to hike one more mile and cal it a day, but when we got to the shelter we found a guy named Piper, dominating everything. He cooked up food nd was offering it and coffee to hikers, but his loud conversation was non-stop noise. I was drenched from a thunderstorm but unwilling to put up with him, his chatter, or his bagpipes. I kept walking, joined by Rockhound and Jethro & Cheif. The Govenor Claredon Shelter has supposedly been hit by some trouble by ATV-pirates lately. The green mountain club does not recommend staying there - rumor has it Hikers have been robbed at gunpoint! A couple of former thru-hikers decided to deal with the situation, by building a shelter on their own land. Tonight we were the first guests at this shelter! It is still under construction, but it looks great! We got nailed by thunderstorms all night, but I slept dry and have only 11 miles to hike with Rockhound to meet heather and spend a night with her aunt & uncle in Proctor!
Date: 2004-07-06
From: Private Sheter Near Govenor Clement Shelter

To: Bob & Nancy's, Proctor VT
Miles today: 11.1

Daily Miles: 11.1Total Miles: 1686.1I am staying with Heather & Rockhound at Heather's Aunt Nancy's Place in Proctor VT. Heather picked us up at 3 after a relaxing 11 mile walk and took us to the Inn at the Long Trail. We had wonderfully poured Guinness with our late lunch, hit the outfitter & fabric shop. Then went and met Bob & Nancy.Bob & Nancy treated us to a ton of pasta for dinner, great blueberry cake, and tasty Kenyan beer. We watched the sox distroy Oakland 11-0 too! This was Bob & Nancy's first taste of the thruhiker community and the first time I had met them as well. They were kind and generous - almost to a fault, I hope I came off anywhere near as well.My pack broke on the prior afternoon! The wire loop stay on my Mountainsmith Ghost disconnected and poked through the bottom of the bag. No problems for 1700 miles and even this break was easily repaired once I had good light to diagnose the problem.I am so glad to see Heather again. There are <5 weeks left in this hike and I'd love to go no more than a week without seeing her! Thanks for hosting us Bob & Nancy!Also met my first southbounder today, cool guy name Cobol
Date: 2004-07-07
From: Bob & Nancy's, Proctor VT

To: Karen & John's, Woodstock VT
Miles today: 23.7

Daily Miles: 23.7Total Miles: 1709.8I swear - my last long, long , long day of this hike! 24 miles in Vermont up this far north is too much! Heather drove us back from Bob & Nancy's at 7:30, then was trimming my beard with small scissors when I moved and she cut my ear, ouch! Ears bleed for a long time! The good news is the ear is still attached and Rochhound and I were hiking by 8:30. Ok, Heather didn't "Van Gogh" me that bad...it was just a nick!We climbed the hard stuff early, including the steep climb up Quimby Mtn. Condor & Einstein met us for lunch & a snack, then Rochound and I pounded the last 14 miles in 5 hours and made it to Rte. VT. 12 by 7:24 to meet our hostess, Karen. Karen is the daughter of Rochound's Mum's former boss. She is also a thru-hiker of the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) and CDT (Continental Divide Trail)! Karen and her boyfriend John treated us to a wonderful vegetarian dinner and some great conversation tonight. Thanks guys! If I had more energy I would have been talking and eating all night!Laundry done, and showered for the 2nd night in a row, with these great people supporting us, this hike is rolling along! 464 miles left, just 22 to NH. Met 2 more SoBos today - it has become a two-way trail finally!
Date: 2004-07-08
From: Karen & John's, Woodstock VT

To: thistle hill shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: broken clouds

Daily Milage: 7.8Total Milage: 1717.6Every step I took this wet, soggy, damp morning kicked my butt. Rockhound and I weren't helping each other out - we were both cranky and feeling the 24 we did the day before, eventhough Karen and John provided a great breakfast before we took off today. Yesterday's 24 hung over us as we went struggling up and down the PUDs today.What to do when hiking stinks? Stop hiking! We hit the Thistle Hill Shelter at 12:30 and decided to call it a day. Spent hours reading & talking. Skyline and Sundance stopped through. I met Little Fish, a Phys Ed instruction at Mt. Holyoke who knew Heather (Her real name is Tina Lee). Condor, Einstein, and Rockhound are staying with Mr. Bamboo bob (SoBo) Recon & Nana K as well. Nana K is a flip-flopper (a person who starts in the middle then goes to both ends) from Worcester, so we've had some good conversation. There is another thunderstorm rolling through rightnow. As Condor says "I don't like hiking in thunderstorms because they make me mess my pants!" Good night to be hanging out in the shelter and sleeping well!Met a number of SoBos today, the trail down Katahdin opened May 18th, so we've been seeing the first hikers. It is really exciting to finally have some hikers moving in both directions, SoBos are great sources of information.
Date: 2004-07-09
From: thistle hill shelter

To: Velvet Rocks Shelter, NH!
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: broken clouds

Daily miles: 16.1Total miles 1733.7Hey - I am going to get married in a year from today! Heather, thanks for transcribing my journal and saying "yes" a year ago...(Ed. note, I am hoping that he listed these items in reverse chronological order, not order of importance to him...)I was up and hiking by 7AM this morning, walking with Condor, Einstein, and Rockhound. We played deep, thoughtful games like "words that begin with the letter 'b'". The miles rolled along! Talked with section hiker Recon for a while - he was finishing his section in Hanover and taking a bus to Cleveland tonight. We got to Hanover at 12:30, crossing the VT/NH border, entering our 13th, and 2nd to last state!Spent the afternoon in the in the space provided by the Dartmouth outing club on the Quad. The rain finally went away around 10 AM and I was able to dry some gear out. I made a number of phone calls to, catching up with Heather & my Brother and arranging w/ a family friend Paul Fleming to backback the northern Presidentials a week hence.After a great dinner & beer, we hit the food co-op and headed in a 1/2 mile to the next shelter.Any day is a good day in my book when the sun comes out!
Date: 2004-07-10
From: Velvet Rocks Shelter, NH!

To: Tenting @ Trapper John's Shelter
Miles today: 15.2

Daily Miles: 15.2Total Miles: 1748.9Other than getting stung for the second time in 2 days, today was easy and relaxing. I hiked with Rockhound, Einstein and Condor for 15 miles. Climbed one mountain, had a long, luxuryous lunch and still showed up at the shelter at 5:30.There was alot of eating time today. Breakfast in my tent, 2-hour lunch, 1000 calorie dinner and I am reading and snacking at 8:30. Trying to store up enough energy for the whites.Rockhound and I met up with my longime family friend Cy Kendrik tomorrow, and I am looking forward to the company. Then 2 more days until I see Heather again!
Date: 2004-07-11
From: Tenting @ Trapper John's Shelter

To: Tenting next to NH 25A
Miles today: 16.8

Daily Milage: 16.8Total Milage: 1765.7Cy & Gail rock! It is that simple. Rockhound and I met up with them at 8AM and headed north. Gail hiked almost 3 miles before turning around to cirle back for the car. Cy powered over the hills for 16 miles and Gail joined us again for the final mile. They took us and Chief & Jethro out for pizza and ice cream! Wow!I was amazed by Cy's strength - and hope that I can do that in 20+ years! We climbed over Smart Mtn. and checked out the fire tower, then headed to the Hexacuba shelter, a neat 6-sided shelter built by the Dartmouth Outing Club. The accompanying Pentaprivy was less than wonderful however...Cy, Rockhound and I climbed the beautiful granite ridges of Mt. Cube before descending the steep slopes to meet up with Gail.After dinner the four of us said goodbye to Cy and Gail and backtracked a few yards to this site rather than climbing 2.2 miles to the next shelter.Tomorrow we enter the Whites, heading up Mt. Moosilauke for the first above-treeline stretch of the entire trail! I hope the weather holds for the next couple of days!
Date: 2004-07-12
From: Tenting next to NH 25A

To: Beaver Brook Shelter
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: broken clouds

Daily Milage: 17.8Total Milage: 1783.5I have waited so long for this! Rockhound and I climbed above the treeline on Mt. Moosilauke this afternoon. We had absolutely no view, and there was a 25 MPH wind and blowing mist, I loved it! It is just worlds different from all the other hiking we have done on this trip and feels like home to me, I love the Whites!We moved quickly this morning, detouring to the excellent Glencliff hostel for a smoothie and some lunch. Oliverian brook is running low, so rather than fording it we were able to rock-hop across. The 4 mile, 4,000 foot climb was arduous, but the nice trail made it reasonable. We hung out on top for a while too - enjoying the mist & carins (rock piles) before heading down to the shleter (still at 3,600 ft.)Tomorrow is another long, 18 mile day. But Heather is going to be waiting for us at the end and Wednesday is a day off! Less than 400 miles to go on this trip! It has been now 4 months an nearly 1800 miles since I started walking!
Date: 2004-07-13
From: Beaver Brook Shelter

To: Franconia Notch
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Daily Miles: 18.0Total Miles: 1801.5Don't hike 18 miles in the Whites, carrying a 30 lb. pack and expect to feel good afterward! Especially don't do it over the Kinsman mtns. Youch!Rockhound and I started down Moosilauke @ 7:30 in the morning. The descent was beautiful with a continuous waterfall running down the left side of the trail the whole way. It was also a 1800 ft. drop in 1.5 miles, the rest of the morning walk took some energy, but it wasn't bad at all. The Whites are beautiful - it is just a pleasure to have great stuff to look at the entire way!We lunched with Skyline & Sundance at Eliza Brook Shelter before attacking South Kinsman. What a trail! I have been using my hiking poles for 1800+ miles and today was the first time they hampered me as much as helped me. We scrambled up the rocks, pulling ourselves up on roots, trees & rocks. Near the summit, the mist came in and the wind buffeted us with 40+ MPH gusts. A nice 1/2 mile stretch across the top, then we started down.The kinsman trail uses wood steps anchored to metal bars driven into the rocks. There must be over 100 of these steps and the are all necessary. The rocks are grippy granite, but 10 foot, 30-degree faces, are common. Want a challenge, try this trail!By the time we reached the Lonesome Lake Hut, we were done. Our energy was gone, we were broken, bruised, and beaten. Good thing Lonesome Lake is beautiful! I bought a handful of fresh cookies for a dollar and we hung out for 15 minutes before heading down the AT to meet Heather. She was only 5 minutes from the top, coming up fast, but rather than turn around and enjoy the lake together we headed for the car. (Ed. note, I have been to Lonesome Lake before, so no worries, if you had seen these two you would have taken them to the car and the nearest shower you could find too!)We hiked for almost 4 miles to the car, then Heather drove us across the state to Jackson/North Conway NH where we cleaned up and got some good food & Drink at the Moat Brewpub. Rockhound then drove us to the B&B, Inn at Ellis River.Wednesday is a much needed and wanted zero day. 1800 miles down, 4 months of beard on face, and less than a month of walking to go.
Date: 2004-07-15
From: Franconia Notch

To: Stealth Camping @ Garfield Pond
Miles today: 9.2

Daily Miles: 9.2Trip Miles: 1810.7Sometimes I want to stop hiking so hard it hurts. I woke up this morning at the Woodstock Inn. Listening to the sound of the rain drumming on the windows. It would be so easy to go home - to be with Heather, stay warm and dry, not hurt every day and have my life back.Thanks go to Heather and Rockhound for keeping me on the trail. Heather is just wonderful and supportive, Rockhound called out over his shoulder "F*ck you, Squish. You're not quitting." Same thing expressed in two different ways. I am seeing this trip through and still finding beauty and grandeur every day. But I am eagerly looking forward to returning to the life that I love.Heather dropped Rockhound, Einstein and I off at the AT crossing on Rte. 93 at 11:30 and we started climbing in the light rain and blowing mist. Franconia Ridge is one of the most beautiful parts of the trail on a good day, today we climbed above the treeline to find 100 ft of visibility, but the severe landscape was still stunning. We crossed the ridge with a few slips and spills. I scraped up my shin pretty well but it isn't anything that won't heal.The AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) runs huts and tent sites in the whites on a charge-for-stay basis. For that reason, we are camped in the woods, but 100 ft. from the trail. Not the "legal" 200 ft, but it is an established campsite, 15 people passed us without seeing us and we are not hurting anything, good enough for me! It is a breezy night at 3600 feet, 55* with a mist blowing through and I am in my winter hat for the first time in 2+ months. Warm and comfy with a good book and Jelly Bellies. Section hikers Aussie Charm and Six-Two just showed up to join us so it is one big stealth party.This morning I was ready to pack it in and go home, now I am ready to walk 363 more miles. The lesson? Stop wasting time and energy dreading doing something you know is right. Just do it - you will feel good about it afterward.
Date: 2004-07-16
From: Stealth Camping @ Garfield Pond

To: Ethan Pond
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: fog

Daily Miles: 15.7Total Miles 1826.2it is so much fun to visit the places I have been to before as a part of this hike - give 'em a much bigger feeling, more meaning. Ethan pond is a place where I have winter hiked before, but I can't remember seeing it without snow. Cool to be here tonight, listening to the moose splace in the pond in the darkness.Rockhound, Einstein and I put in a long day, hiking almost 16 miles past Galehead & Zealand Huts, over South Twin & Mt. Guyote to get here.The peaks were misty and breezy, the lower elevations often sunny and we caught our first good view of the whites this afternoon. Condor is here with us, Rockhound and I will be leaving at 7AM to meet up with Paul Fleming and climb up into the Presidentials. Hope the weather does not get any worse!
Date: 2004-07-17
From: Ethan Pond

To: Mizpah Hut
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: fog

Daily Miles 9.3Total Miles 1835.5Today was a break from the ordinary. Rockhoud and I took off from Ethan Pnd at 7 and met Paul and Peggy on Rte. 302 at 8:45. The weather was the same as it has been for days - alertanting between rain, mist, clouds & blue sky.We started the hike in the rain, then mist, then clouds, and finally summited Webster Cliffs in sun and rain. ther was a beautiful rainbow beneath usover the AMC's Willey House - one of the cooler things I have seen on the hike.The trail up webster was real tough, but Paul was moving well. Once we got bythe climb. We climbed & slid up some more walls, jumped over mud puddles for a few miles then endedup at Mizpah at 2 PM. Rather than keep hiking and tenting with the crowd of Thru-hikers ahead of us, we arranged for a work-for-stay night at the hut. We did dishes and swept for about 1.5 hours (and I got to sharpen knives!) In exchange for eating dinner and breakfast withthe crew and sleeping on the tables tonight.it is only a 9 mile day but we'll be fresh going over Mt. Washington tomorrow and we got some real food out of the deal. Works for me!
Date: 2004-07-18
From: Mizpah Hut

To: Madison Spring Hut
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: mist

Daily miles: 18.5Total miles: 1847.3Today was the day I was hoping for. we climbed Mt. Washington in sunshine with 50 mile views. It was 55* with a 10 MPH breeze at the summit and no rain! Then we had thunderstorms hit us while crossing Mt. Adams, Jefferson, and Madison. But we had sun on Washington!Paul was super-strong today, managing the extremely rough trail north of washington in rain and wind with a full pack. Not bad for 61 years old, eh? We'd been thinking about pushing on to a tentsite tonight instead, but the bad conditions forced us into Madison instead.Rockhoud and I were disapointed in our timing - we didn't see any of the cog railway cars up close. That ment we couldn't moon 'em - as per thruhiker tradition. Oh well...We passed a slow moving group of seven at the Edmund Col and were a bit surprised wiehn the did not show up at the hut in 1.5 hours after us. Rockhound, Einstein and I offered to go look for them and 30 minutes before dark , our offer was accepted. We moved fast up the trail with one of the Croo memebers and found the group within 1/4 of a mile of the hut. We took their packs, escourted them back to the hut. Hope that counts for our work-for-stay...What an exciting day, the biggest mountains, some awesome viewsw, rain, wind, thunder, tons of people and some good miles. The hut Croo here is awesome (great soup and bread) we are with in 8 miles of Pinkham Notch and the end of Paul's hike.
Date: 2004-07-19
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Paul and Peggy Flemings' House
Miles today: 7.8

Daily miles: 7.8Total miles: 1855.1I am in Meredith, NH at Paul and Peggy's lake house tonight. Warm, clean, dry and well-fed. The hike down from Madison was pretty rough, especially the first half but we made it by 4 PM.Yesterday's rocks and mist continued this morning. The ascent of madison was steep and slippery, the descent wus just a pile of rocks. By the time we started down the real drop down the ridge we were already tired. Luckily the osgood trail isn't bad at all and we were able to make good speed to the notch.Paul cooked up pork loin with broccoli, pilaf and salad, we all ate well. The coolest bit of the day was coming over madison and finding the Carter maountains on the other side of Rte 16. Sticking out above a low bright cloud bank. Folding blankets was my work for stay, that was fast and easy too. Those guys were great!
Date: 2004-07-20
From: Paul and Peggy Flemings' House

To: Zeta Pass
Miles today: 8.5

Daily Miles: 8.5Total Miles: 1863.6We put in some tough miles today but timed them perfectly! Paul cooked us edgs and ham, toast & coffee for breakfast than dropped us back at Pinkham notch. (thanks Paul!) We went inside to check out the weather and neatly avoided a 90 minute thunderstorm! Even better Skyline & Sundance showed up wo we got a chance to chat and catch up with them.the climb up Wildcat was fun but tough. We caught some good vieww of the presidentials across the road from the various peaks before starting the steep descent into Carter notch. Today seemed to be Rockhound's day to fall, he took atleast 4 good tumbles!After a brif stop at the Carter hut we climbed up to Carter Dome without a break. I have no doubt I am in the best shape of my life now - sore feet and knees sure but 1650 ft. in 1.2 miles with a 25 lb pack and no stopping, good stuff! We were getting tired by the time we hit Zeta pass so we found a stealth site and crashed.I am so glad we are past the AMC hut system. The do great things for families, kids, and education. I know the huts are a huge fundraiser for the AMC too. But the put thruhikers in a tough position! Rather than hike 7AM to 6PM like everywhere elese, we have to stop early to secure "work-for-stay" permission from the hut croo. We then work for an hour, wait around while all the guests eat and then eat ourselves. We do not get the same food as the guests - we get the cheap scraps. The breakfast bacon is gone, the greens are gone - it is not the good stuff, trust me! We sit aside again until the guests have gone to bed, then get less than 7 hours sleep on the tables before the croo starts cooking breakfast and we get out of the way until breakfast is done, then again get the scraps.I have been a member of the AMC for 8 years, now I tell you this is crap. Only in the AMC/White Mountains are the thruhikers treated like second class citizens. Give us a shelter or two, a place where we belong!
Date: 2004-07-21
From: Zeta Pass

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: mist

Daily Miles: 12.6Total Miles: 1876.2Today was the first day since we entered the whites that it did not rain in some form! Dry, mostly sunny, and wonderful! Rockhound and I enjoyed the views we found on Carter and Moriah all morning. The high point of the day was swimming in an awesome waterfall/slide into a 15 ft. wide, 10 ft. deep pool. I will return to that spot!Last 5 miles into town were smooth and easy. We hit the post office to pick up some mail drops, then headed over to burger king for a 2000 grease meal, mmmmmm....grease! My stomach was upset for 2 hours afterwards...We're staying with Skyline and Sundance and Einstein at a cool hostel called "the barn." $14 buys you a comfy spot that is better than the usual Gorham lodging.I was able to supplement my food with some candy bars and my brother did a good job of replacing the freeze-dried meals with various noodle dinners. The mail drops are convenient but get tiresome after 4 months - I can't wait to be home and eat real food every day!6 days to Rangeley ME, 15 miles to Maine and 298 miles to walk.