morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-07-14
From: Little Rock Pond Vermont

To: Vermont Route 103
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: broken clouds

Vermont was looking better and better today. Good weather, good views, and good trail. No rain today. Walked along some pretty streams. Walked to the top of Bromley Mountain which is a ski slope in the winter. On top of Bromley Mountain is a large ski chair lift which sits silent and empty in the summer. I bet the ski lift is active and full of people in the winter. I am tenting at a beautiful little pond in the woods called Little Rock Pond. It is impossible to take a photo of the pond that captures the beauty. It is really quiet here. There really are no roads for miles in every direction. There are several Long Trail and AT thru hikers camped alongside the pond. A couple of hikers swam all the way across the pond this evening. It is on tomorrow to Vermont Route 103 to meet my Wife and to take a couple of days off from walking for my Birthday.
Date: 2014-07-15
From: Little Rock Pond

To: Vermont Route 103, Clarendon,Vermont
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: moderate rain

After a cup of coffee sitting on a boulder beside Little Rock Pond I began walking toward Route 103, Clarendon,Vermont to meet my Wife. Today was good walking with a couple of maximum heart rate, dripping wet with sweat climbs. By 1:15pm I had walked 12.6 miles and had reached Route 103. After reaching Route 103, I walked a half mile down Route 103 to the Whistle Stop Restaurant where I ate lunch with Solo, Zachsquatch, and Pyro. Another hiker I know named Half Loon showed up at the restaurant while we were having lunch. Around 3pm my Wife made it to the restaurant. We took Solo, Zachsquatch, and Pyro back to the trail. We went back to the restaurant, picked up Half Loon and took him to a motel in Rutland, Vermont. After dropping Half Loon off at the motel we drove to Killington, Vermont and checked into the Inn at Long Trail. When I began this walk from Georgia to Maine I was 62 and I wondered if I would still be walking the trail when I reached my 63rd birthday which is tomorrow. Well, I'm still walking. I am thankful everyday to be able to be healthy enough to continue walking, seeing some of the countryside, and meeting the people I am meeting. I am yet to be aware of what effect this experience has had and will have on my life. I do know that a smile comes to my face when I remember some of the things that have happened and the people I have met so far. I still have about 500 miles to go until Mount Kahtahdin, Maine and I look forward to whatever experiences remain one day at a time.
Date: 2014-07-16
From: Mendon Mountain Lodge, Mendon, Vermont

To: nowhere
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Nothing to report. Did little or nothing today except "hang out",whatever that means, and eat. We had a good breakfast at the Inn at Long Trail which included some blueberry pancakes with genuine Vermont Maple Syrup. After breakfast we moved down the road to the Mendon Mountain Lodge. This afternoon we went into Rutland, Vermont to help the local economy. For lunch we ate wood fired pizza. For Supper we went to a restaurant in Killington, Vermont called Garlic. Killington is a big time ski resort in the winter. There are ski slopes all over these mountains. Our waiter at Supper told us the slopes last winter had over eight feet of snow on them and the snow finally just melted off some of the slopes in June. This is the off season in Killington and most of the hotels have very few guests. I've got one more day of non-walking tomorrow before I resume walking on Friday. I plan to be in New Hampshire by Monday and entering the White Mountains late next week. Tomorrow will be another day of doing little or nothing.
Date: 2014-07-17
From: HWY 103, Clarendon,Vermont

To: Hanover, New Hampshire
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Second day of my trailcation. Back in April, when I left Hot Springs, NC, I commented in my journal that as I walked out of Hot Springs I felt like it was the end of the beginning. Tomorrow when I get back on the trail I believe I will feel like it is the beginning of the end. These two days with my Wife, Soon, have been wonderful. They have gone by too fast. My beautiful Wife has supported my every step and every misstep for the past 35 years. She is 100% Gold. My body and mind are somewhat rested. But it is time to walk the remaining miles from Vermont to Maine and to enjoy what will be the most challenging yet probably most beautiful scenery on the trail. It is time to finish what I started back in March at Springer Mountain, GA. Today, after a great breakfast at our motel, we went into Rutland, Vermont to the Eastern Mountain Sports store where I bought a new rain cover for my backpack. After that, my wife spent some time in a gift shop outside Killington, Vermont. Next, we drove on HWY 100 to Woodstock, Vermont. On the way to Woodstock we stopped at The Long Trail Brewery where I bought a Long Trail t-shirt. In Woodstock we ate lunch at a cafe and walked around downtown (see photo left of Right Here and Right There). The weather today was great with bright sunshine, a high temperature in the mid 70's, and a nice cool breeze. Tomorrow morning after breakfast it will be back to the trail where I stopped walking two days ago on HWY 103. I am ready to see what the next few weeks have in store for me. It is time to get moving again.
Date: 2014-07-18
From: Inn at Long Trail

To: Winturri Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: moderate rain

I got moving again today. At around 9am my Wife delivered me back to the trail at HWY 103, Clarendon, Vermont where I stopped walking three days ago. It was a pleasant day to walk. Can't ask for better summertime weather. Things I remember from today: I met some members of the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps who were busy working to improve sections of the trail south of Killington Mountain (the group leader on the left in the photo said she thru hiked the AT in 2008). This group of young people apparently camp out in the woods and do trail maintenance. Great to see these young people outdoors. Later, I saw the Family from Maine again today. The Family are a husband and wife who are thru hiking with their 9 year old son, 8 year old daughter,and dog. I have been crossing paths with the Family for the past month. When I saw the Family today they were at a road crossing on a gravel road having a picnic provided to them by a friend of the husband. This afternoon I hiked over Killington Mountain which I believe is the highest mountain on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont. During the winter Killngton mountain is a large ski resort. Late in the afternoon I came upon a porcupine in the middle of the trail. This was I believe the first time in my life I have ever seen a live porcupine. Upon seeing me, the porcupine raised up the quills on its back and lumbered off into the woods. I wish I could have gotten a picture of the porcupine. It was beautiful. At around 6:30pm I arrived at Vermont HWY 4 and walked. .9 of a mile uphill to the Inn at Long Trail where I was lucky enough to get a small room at a good rate which is adjacent to two other thru hikers' room and we share a bathroom. Tomorrow I plan a full day of walking. Tomorrow morning I will go over 1,700 miles walked and will be within a couple of days of entering New Hampshire. I am beginning to make my plans for my walk thru the White mountains.
Date: 2014-07-19
From: Cabin with tower. Mile 1714.3

To: Thistle Hill Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: heavy intensity rain

I went over 1,700 miles walked today. I have 471 miles to go. At around 10am I reached the location where the Appalachian Trail veers off from the Long Trail and heads east toward New Hampshire. My walk today in Vermont was a lot of up and down, up and down. My walking today was good warm up exercise for what lies ahead in New Hampshire and Maine. Up and down will be the new normal from here on to the end. The photo to the left is of a ladder placed on the trail which I used today to climb down a place where the trail drops straight off to a lower level. The photo is from the top looking down. Thanks to who ever placed the ladder. I walked until about 7:30pm and I am tenting in the middle of a road right below a cabin with a wooden lookout platform built on top of the roof. The cabin is full of hikers spending the night. The cabin was too full of people so I pitched my tent. Not a lot else to report from today. I will be in New Hampshire on Monday.
Date: 2014-07-20
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Hanover, New Hampshire
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: overcast clouds

The Green Mountains of Vermont were beautiful today. I'm going to have good memories of Vermont. I took my time and enjoyed the day. Lots of trail magic today. I found a soda in the cold water at a stream crossing today. Just before Cloudland Road there was a cooler with snacks inside and another cooler with spring water in gallon jugs sitting in ice. From the cooler that had snacks I took a plastic bag that had a chocolate Hershey bar, graham crackers, and marshmallows and made myself a couple of s'mores. Someone had written on the outside of the bag with a marker: "only two s'more states to go." Whoever leaves the coolers must refill the coolers everyday and they leave markers for hikers to sign the coolers. I saw the names of thru hikers written on the coolers who I know are days ahead of me who must have stopped like I did, sat down, and enjoyed snacks from the cooler just as I did. I also signed the cooler. This evening when I went to fill my water bottle at the shelter I found a cold drink in the spring. The weather today was perfect for walking: sunshine, not too hot, and a gentle breeze.   At around 10am I stopped at the On The Edge Farm Market .2 of a mile off the AT on Vermont HWY 12 for breakfast. I had a breakfast burrito, a home baked muffin, and a cup of coffee. It is a great little market and it was a pleasant stop along my way. After walking 14.2 miles I stopped early at the Thistle Hill Shelter where I am tenting for the night. I stopped early because the shelter is located in a nice setting in the woods, there is a beautiful cold stream nearby to get water, there are good tent sites near the shelter, and there were a lot of Northbound and Southbound hikers staying here. There are about ten other hikers either staying in the shelter or tenting near the shelter. Three of the hikers staying here tonight are Southbound thru hikers They started their hike in Maine and are hiking south to Georgia. I spent awhile talking with and listening to the southbounders getting a feel of what lies ahead for me. After listening to them I know that the next four weeks are going to be hard but that some spectacular scenery and experiences are coming up. Tomorrow I will walk into Hanover, New Hampshire then on Tuesday I will begin making my way toward the White Mountains. I'm looking forward to the days ahead.
Date: 2014-07-21
From: Tiggers Tree House, Etna, NH

To: Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: light rain

Live Free Or Die. At around 12:30pm I entered New Hampshire my 13th state. At 6am I was packed and walking. Around 8am I crossed the White River bridge in West Hartford, VT. I didn't jump off the bridge into the White River only because no one was around to take my photo when I jumped. I'm not jumping off a bridge unless someone takes my picture when I jump. As I crossed the bridge someone from Randy and Linda Hart's house located at the north end of the bridge yelled at me and asked me if I wanted something to eat. They didn't have to ask me twice. I went into Randy and Linda's kitchen and sat down. Linda brought me a cup of coffee and Randy fixed me some scrambled eggs with bacon and toast. Now that is called generosity and trail magic. After breakfast I walked in a hurry to get into Hanover, New Hampshire. I always walk faster when I know I'm going into town. It is about a 2.5 mile road walk into Hanover. Before entering Hanover I walked across the bridge over the Connecticut River which is the border between Vermont and New Hampshire. The weather today was once again beautiful and it was a great feeling of accomplishment to finally make it to New Hampshire. I still am in wonder that I have walked this far. Once in Hanover, I left my backpack in the basement at the Dartmouth College Outing Club building, went to Lou's Bakery where they give thru hikers a free doughnut, and went to Ramuntos Brick Oven Pizza where they give thru hikers a free slice of pizza. There were lots of northbound and southbound thru hikers milling around in Hanover this afternoon. Prior to arriving in Hanover I had made arrangements with a lady named Karen and Karen's husband Ralph to spend the night at their house in Etna, NH. For the past seven years, Karen and Ralph having been allowing hikers to stay at their home. After a couple of hours of hanging around downtown Hanover, Ralph came into Hanover to pick me up. Ralph took me to the Co-op Grocery store where I bought some food to restock my food bag. After the grocery store, Ralph took me to his and Karen's home where I showered and did laundry. I am staying the night in an Recreation Vehicle (RV) parked in Ralph and Karen's driveway. Ralph and Karen call the RV where I am staying "The Tank" (see photo left ). Tomorrow morning Ralph will take me back into Hanover and I will get back on the trail with my next destination being Glencliff, NH. In three days I will hopefully be in Glencliff. After Glencliff I will then enter the White Mountain National Forest. After walking thru the White Mountain National Forest I will be close to entering southern Maine. But, it is still one day at a time to be enjoyed.
Date: 2014-07-22
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Cape Moonshine Road
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: broken clouds

At 8:30am, Karen, whose home I stayed at last night, dropped me off at the Dartmouth College Outing Club building. I left my backpack in the basement of the Outing Club building and went to Lou's Restaurant on Main Street in Hanover,NH for a really good breakfast. At around 9:15am, after breakfast, I started walking out of Hanover. I walked most of the day with Incline, who is a section hiker from New York, Taz, who is from Australia, and Shroom, who is from California. Shroom has already hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). When Shroom finishes the AT he will be what is known as a " triple crowner" or someone who has hiked the PCT, CDT, and the AT. Shroom got his trail name from his knowledge about mushrooms. As Shroom walks along he picks edible mushrooms. A couple of nights ago Shroom cooked some mushrooms with a camp stove. I sampled some of Shrooms mushrooms that he cooked and they were delicious. I walked 16.6 miles today. I'm starting to earn my miles now. The up hills are becoming steeper and steeper. I ran into a Trail Angel from New Hampshire today on the trail who gave me a bottle of water. The Trail Angel jokingly said that the trail in New Hampshire does have switchbacks. He said that the trail in New Hampshire goes straight up the mountain to the top then switches back to straight downhill. Then he laughed a hearty laugh. The Trail Angel briefly explained the process of collecting maple syrup. He said he collects 70 or 80 gallons of maple syrup each year. At a gravel road crossing late in the day a New Hampshire couple were serving hotdogs out of the back of their pickup truck. I'm liking New Hampshire. At around 6:30 pm I finished up my day's walk. I am tenting with a lot of people tonight at the Trapper Johns Shelter. Tomorrow I am planning a pretty big day with a couple of sizable mountains to climb. I may enter The White Mountain National Park on Thursday. I am looking forward to the challenge.
Date: 2014-07-23
From: Cape Moonshine Road

To: Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 18.8

Walked 18.8 New Hampshire miles today. It was a hot and humid day in New England. I sweated my way over Smart Mountain and Cube Mountain. The climbs are becoming tough climbs already and I haven't reached The White Mountain National Forest. This is one of those days when I am too tired to make much of a journal entry. The photo to the left shows some metal rebar anchored into the rocks which I used to walk up the rocks on Cube Mountain. At 5pm Sheryl from The Dancing Bones Intentional Community, Wentworth, NH picked up myself, Scuffy (from Maine), and Taz (Australia) from Cape Moonshine Road and took us to their "community". Shortly after picking us up a hard rainstorm began. The three of us are spending the night in a small "guest cabin" on the property at the "community". I haven't figured out what kind of community this place is and what is the intent of this "intentional communiIty". Strange place. Oh well, at least it is good to be in out of the rain. More tomorrow. To be continued.
Date: 2014-07-24
From: Hikers Welcome Hostel

To: Mount Moosilauke
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: light rain

At 6:30am, me, Scuffy, and Taz were shuttled from The Dancing Bones Intentional Community, Wentworth, NH, where we shared a tiny cabin the night before, back to Cape Moonshine Road (I love the name of this gravel road) where we stopped hiking yesterday. At 7am we began walking. I walked 8 miles with Scuffy and Taz to Vermont HWY 24 just at the base of Mount Moosilauke which is a 3,000 foot climb from HWY24 to the summit. I decided to give my body a rest before climbing Moosilauke. Scuffy and Taz went on up the mountain. I walked .4 of a mile up the road into Glencliff, NH to a hostel called The Hiker Welcome Hostel. At around 10am I arrived at the hostel where I have spent the day relaxing and eating. I have set my tent up under a shade tree in the lawn next to the hostel and have been laying in my tent either napping or reading for most of the afternoon. At around 5pm, someone from the hostel shuttled myself and two other hikers to a gas station/deli in Warren, NH where I bought some food. Tomorrow morning I am going to leave early to climb Mount Moosilauke and enter the White Mountain National Forest. I hope for good weather while I am in the White Mountains. As of today I have 398.7 miles to reach Mount Katahdin, Maine which will be the end point of my walk. I hope luck is on my side and I stay healthy from here on in. Wish me well.
Date: 2014-07-25
From: Lincoln,NH

To: Franconia Notch
Miles today: 9.3

I believe the temperature got down to 52 degrees last night where I tented last night in Glencliff, NH in the lawn next to The Hiker Hostel. I've lost track of time but I believe it's still late July? My fleece pullover felt good this morning. The concept of time on a thru hike takes on a whole new dimension. I'm not sure why this is or how to put it into words. It may have something to do with being narrowly focused on one day at a time with simple objectives: get up, walk, eat, find somewhere to spend the night at the end of the day. Two days ago seems like a long time ago, a week ago is hard to remember, a month ago is ancient history, and the start of this walk occurred in the Paleolithic era. This is Day 133 since I started this walk. At around 6am I headed back to the trailhead on HWY 24 to take on Mount Moosilauke and to enter The White Mountain National Forest. Every since Georgia the subject of the White Mountains always came up in conversations amongst hikers. The "Whites" always loomed somewhere on the horizon. One thing for certain is that to get to Maine you first have to get thru the White Mountains. Maybe the White Mountains and Maine are the finale exam for a northbound thru hike. I guess we get it all in the end. We get the climbs, the rocks, the mud, and the roots all here toward the end. Well today I began taking the first part of my final exam because I climbed up, over, and down Mount Moosilauke. I have carried my same loaded backpack all the way from Georgia and now was not the time to change. It really doesn't bother me to carry my backpack when I walk. In fact at this point it would feel odd to walk without my pack. The northbound uphill up Mount Moosilauke wasn't bad at all and it was all worth the effort when I reached the summit. I was finally above tree line and the views this morning were beautiful at the summit. The wind was blowing hard on top. Three hikers sat inside a wind barrier constructed of rocks at the summit and had something to eat (see photo left). The descent was steep and slow going. I had to concentrate and make good decisions with each step on where to get good footing otherwise I would have slipped and fallen. I made it the bottom without falling and none the worse for wear. At the bottom, of Mount Moosilauke is NH HWY 112, Kinsman Notch. When I reached Kinsman's Notch I phoned the owner of The Mount Liberty motel,Paul, who came and picked me up and took me to his motel. After a quick shower, Paul took me into Lincoln, NH and dropped me off. I got something to eat and bought some groceries in Lincoln. After a couple of hours, Paul came and picked me up and took me back to the motel where I am staying the night. Tomorrow I continue my way thru "The Whites" with a climb of Kinsman mountain. I look forward to the tomorrow.
Date: 2014-07-27
From: Liberty Springs Campsite

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 2.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Well I didn't make it far today. At around 9am Rancid dropped Me, Scuffy, and Taz back at the trailhead where we stopped yesterday. At around 10:30am it started to rain a little and I was at the Liberty Springs Campsite. I only made it 2.7 miles from where I started this morning. However, I decided to find a tent site and set up my tent. I got my tent up and everything inside and then it rained very hard for about an hour. The rest of the day was spent at the camp site. I spent a good bit of time today talking with Dave, the Caretaker at the campsite. It is really hard sitting around and not moving forward but I thought it best to wait out the rain. I am kind of stuck here because it is suppose to rain more tomorrow than it rained today. I may have to hibernate in my tent tomorrow or I may push on in the rain or heck I may walk back into Lincoln,NH. It will be very tough to just sit around another whole day. I'm ready to get moving toward home. I do want to be safe and enjoy the Whites. I will wait until morning to make a decision. After tomorrow the weather forecast looks good for awhile. For now I'm right here.
Date: 2014-07-28
From: Lincoln,NH

To: Gorham,NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Early this morning I made a decision to head for drier ground and am I ever glad I made that decision. Since around 9am it has poured down the rain all day. Heading for drier ground meant backtracking on ground that I had already walked. At 5:30am I got up at my campsite at Liberty Spring, packed up my gear, and walked the 2.7 miles I had walked out of Lincoln, NH yesterday and walked back into Lincoln. You might say my mileage total today was negative 2.7 miles, but it was worth it. I dried out and I didn't slip and break a leg trying to walk in the rain. At around 8:30am, Paul, owner of the Mount Liberty Motel in Lincoln where I previously stayed last Friday, came to the Flume Visitors Center, off of Interstate 93, and picked me up. He dropped me at a Diner where I had breakfast. After breakfast Paul came and got me at the Diner and took me back to his motel. I have spent the day drying out my gear, looking out the window, and watching it rain and rain. I feel for the hikers who are out on the trail today without a dry place to get in out of the rain. Frustrating as it is not to be moving forward it was the right thing to hole up and wait for the rain to stop. It's hard enough to walk these mountains in New Hampshire in dry weather. The weather forecast is looking better for the next six days which should give me time to get thru The White Mountain National Forest. I really want to be in Maine by next week. Getting into Maine will be a huge psychological lift for me. First I have some walking to do. I am going back on the trail early tomorrow morning focused on moving along.