morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-08-01
From: CONGDON SHELTER

To: GODDARD SHELTER
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: few clouds

From: Congdon ShelterTo: Goddard ShelterToday's Mileage: 14.4Total Mileage: 1606.2I was up and out by 7:00 AM this morning. That's the earliest I have been out in awhile, but I knew it was going to be a hard day. The day was very fine weather wise and the bugs, although they have not disappeared, have diminished significantly. The trail down into Bennington, VT was very steep. It took me forever to get down, as I need to place a foot and make sure it is secure before I committed my weight to it. I was grateful the rocks were not wet or I would still be coming down that trail. A young girl passed me just bounding down and I just watched in amazement. As soon as you got down one mountain of course you need to hike back up the next!The trail passed right through a huge boulder that was split in two pieces. It was very neat. I stopped at the Melville Nauheim Shelter for a break and met some southbounders. They were all excited about going into Bennington as there is a hiker feast going on today, B-Town Thro-Down. I had not heard anything about it but every southbounder I met was headed there. My second break was at Porcupine Lookout at the 1600 mile mark. I can't believe I have walked that far! I have 567.8 miles to go as of tonight. Jeff (Better Man) the young man who is doing the Long Trail from last night, was there so we chatted a while. He left and Blissful showed up and we hiked and talked for the last five miles to the shelter. Her son, Paul Buyan, had gone into Bennington to get a few supplies.The shelter was full tonight. I haven't seen this many people since the Smokies. There are about 10 northbound Long Trail people, the three AT northbounders, a few AT southbunders and a few boyscouts and their leaders, so it is a full house and forest. It was hard to find a place for my tent. It was a good thing it is free standing as I am sort of in a hole and could not stake it down. Blissful could not find a place so I helped out and found her one also. Paul is going up to the fire tower to watch the sun set and rise and spend the night. This is the nicest shelter I have seen in a long time. It was good to have so many people around and the conversations at dinner time were very lively. It is getting quiet now but I could still hear the scouts, I hope they go to sleep soon!
Date: 2007-08-02
From: GODDARD SHELTER

To: STRATTON-ARLINGTON ROAD
Miles today: 12.5

From: Goddard ShelterTo: Stratton-Arlington RoadToday's Mileage: 12.5Total Mileage: 1618.7I was up early as I did not sleep well in my hole in the ground and the place was too crowded. I was hiking north by 6:40 AM. I walked by the fire tower and called up to Paul Bunyan to get ready as his mom was coming up to meet him for breakfast. He had slept up in the fire tower. I felt very good walking today and before I knew it I had gone 4 miles to the next shelter. I stopped at the Caughnawga Shelter that is dilapidated and closed to hikers but had a good water source right next to it. I then walked another 4 miles to the next shelter, Story Spring. Better Man passed me just before the second shelter. Blissful and Paul Bunyan arrived a short time after I did. We all ate lunch and then moved on to the road as my friend, Mary Anne, was coming up so I could get to the dentist in Manchester. Well we were there at 3:30 PM but Mary Anne did not show up until 5:30. We actually had fun waiting as we got to know each other. We played games such as throwing rocks to see who get closest (bocci ball), and kill the deer flies (PB won that one, but Better Man had more flying around him. Mary Anne arrived and we stuffed ourselves into her car and drove to Manchester. We dropped them off at Sutton's Place and we went to the Avalanche Motel after making plans to meet in the morning.
Date: 2007-08-03
From: STRATTON-ARLINGTON ROAD

To: STRATTON-ARLINGTON ROAD 
Miles today: 0.0

From: Arlington Stratton Rd.To: Arlington Stratton Rd.Today's Mileage: 0Total Mileage: 1618.7I took a zero today to be able to get my tooth fixed. Mary Anne and I picked up Better Man, Blissful, and Paul Bunyan and went to beakfast at the Friendly's in town. They did laundry and ran errands and I went to the dentist at 11:30. The dentist did a great job but told me I really needed a crown on that tooth so I hope it lasts to the end of the hike. Mary Anne drove Blissful and Paul Bunyan back to the trail around noon and Better Man left from a spot near town around 2:00 PM. Manchester is a cute little town with lots of tourists and very crowded. I walked a few miles from the dentist to town as it took Mary Anne a long time to take them back to the trail. It was much further than I thought it would be. I went to the bookstore and browsed for awhile.Mary Anne and I went to dinner at Bob's Diner as we were ready to eat early and none of the other places were opened. I felt as tired to as if I had hiked all day so went to bed early
Date: 2007-08-04
From: STRATTON-ARLINGTON ROAD 

To: VT 11/30 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

From: Stratton-Arlington Rd.To: VT 11/30 Manchester Center, VTToday's Mileage: 17.5Total Mileage: 1636.2Mary Anne dropped me off after a great breakfast at Bob's Diner and I started up Stratton Mtn. I thought it was going to be hard but with almost nothing in my pack it was a great hike. The day was clear and cool with no threat of rain and I was ready to hike. On the top of Stratton Mtn, there was a fire tower and a caretaker. This mountain is said to be the birthplace of both the AT and the LT. After I got to the top, three section hikers and two thru-hikers, Circut Rider and Sherlock walked up. I did not climb the tower but started down after I signed the register and talked to the caretaker. When I got to the Stratton Pond, Circuit Rider and Sherlock were taking a break. I talked to them for awhile about hiking alone etc and they gave me lots of advice and helped me to focus on my hiking.Later, as I was walking down Old Rootvile Rd looking for blazes, the section hikers caught me and we hiked for most of the afternoon together. They were asking lots of questions and it helped to pass the time. Two of them had become engaged at Galehead Hut in the White Mountains and later invited me to their wedding
Date: 2007-08-05
From: VT 11/30 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT

To: GRIFFITH LAKE TENTING AREA
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: clear sky

From: VT11/30 Manchester Center, VTTo: Griffith Lake Tenting AreaToday's Mileage: 10.5Total Mileage: 1646.8It was nice to have a good breakfast this morning before getting back on the trail. We ate a Bob's again and I was walking around 9:30 AM. That is late for me, but it was to be a beautiful day and I was only going 10 miles. I know I have said this before but I never like leaving town as it is almost always up and your pack is so heavy as you have just re-supplied. And so I started up Bromley Mtn. It was a good climb and I was glad to reach the top. There was a ski lift at the top and all the maps for the ski resort, and a great warming hut that you could use as a shelter, all enclosed. We had just stayed at the lodge on Thursday night at the bottom of the hill so it was fun to see it from the top, a totally different perspective. I took a long relaxing break there and thought of when I worked at a ski resort as a waitress during my college years at SUNY (State University of New York) at Oneonta, NY. Today's walk was again mostly in the pine forests with lots of roots and not much to look at except trees. The white blazes I follow on the path of the AT are like my best friends. I follow them where ever they go, they give me comfort to see them, I desperately need them with me, and sometimes I even talk to them so when a section is not blazed well it is very disconcerting. I know that it is often obvious where the path goes, but when you are out here by yourself, you NEED those blazes. Much of today needs to be reblazed and a few more put onto trees or rocks. So if someone from Vermont is reading this, the part around Styles Peak needs some help. I know they do not like to blaze much in wilderness areas but it is better than having hikers lost. I hiked all day today and never saw another person with a backpack on. Not a north or soutbounder, or a Long Trail hiker, nor a section hiker. I saw two groups of day hikers and that was it. I still wonder where everyone is.I arrived at Peru Peak Shelter around 4:00 but there was no one there. Peru Peak Shelter is one of those that you need to pay $5.00 to stay at but is was an old shelter and I did not want to sleep in it so I moved on .5 miles to the Griffith Lake Camp site. Again you needed to pay $5.00 but at least it had many tent platforms. I set my tent up on one and then later realized Miss America (formerly known as Raven) was next to me. I had met her the other night at the Goddard Shelter. She hiked the AT in 2001 and is now doing the Long Trail from south to north. Today she decided to change her trail name and I think it fits her. I took my dinner over to her tent platform and we ate and talked together for a while. It is nice to have someone sleeping near me at the camp.
Date: 2007-08-06
From: GRIFFITH LAKE TENTING AREA

To: LITTLE ROCK POND SHELTER
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: light rain

From: Griffth Lake CampsiteTo: Little Rock Pond ShelterToday's Mileage: 10.1Total Mileage: 1656.4I woke up to rain on the tent so did not look forward to hiking today, but after a while it stopped and I packed up. Miss America was doing yoga and I slipped out without disturbing her too much. I remember when I thought I would get up every morning and do my yoga routine. I think I did it once back in GeorgiaIt drizzled on an off most of the day but the tree and leaf cover were so thick that I really never got too wet and still hiked all day in t-shirt and shorts. I met Spring Man today as he is doing a 50 mile section of the AT. We climbed over Baker Peak and I was glad to have a buddy as it was a hand over hand climb on wet rocks. But the vista was beautiful at the top and we took each other¢s picture. When it is wet out like today, it is hard to take pack-off breaks so I hiked to Big Branch Shelter for lunch and met up with Spring Man and then Miss America also joined us. I still did not meet a thru hiker again today, neither north or south bounding!The trail was wet, muddy, and rocky today which made for slow going but, since again I was only doing 10 miles I just took my time and enjoyed the day. We walked by Little Rock Pond, another beautiful swimming pond but it is too cold for me to go in and get all wet. I would never dry out. The Little Rock Pond shelter is up from the pond and I am going to stay in it tonight. This will be the first shelter I have slept in without my tent since PA. There is suppose to be a $5.00 caretaker fee but no one ever showed up to take the money. These shelters where you have to pay are in worse shape then most of the others that are free! Miss America joined me for the night and it is just the two of us here. Where have all the people gone.
Date: 2007-08-07
From: LITTLE ROCK PONS SHELTER

To: MINERVA HINCHEY SHELTER
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: light rain

From: Little Rock Pond ShelterTo: Minerva Hinchey ShelterToday's Mileage: 9.5Total Mileage: 1665.9At least we woke up to the sun shining this morning. In the middle of the night, we heard a tremendous crash that we assumed was a tree falling somewhere so we were glad it did not fall on the shelter.The caretaker never did show up last night so again I put my tent up in the shelter as it was only Miss America and me.Miss America was doing her yoga again as I left around 7:30. The time I leave is getting later but with shorter mileage I do not need to rush out. The shorter mileage is great for my body but hard on my mind, as I feel like I need to be putting in more miles but my feet are always sore when I get to the final days destination. In Virginia, I lost a nail because of a blister, and I have again developed a blister on the same toe so I might lose the same nail again!Today was hot and humid but at least it was not raining. There was a big climb in the morning up White Rocks Mtn ,and when I got to the top there were 100's of little rock sculptures put there by hikers over the years. As I entered this fairyland I was intrigued by how much time went into this beautiful place on top of a mountain and I sat among them for a long time and contemplated all the different hikers who have placed rocks on this spot. There would be of course north and southbound AT hikers, north and south bound LT hikers, section hikers and day hikers all adding to the magic of the place, all loving the outdoors and wanting to create something. I added a few rocks and finally moved on.I next had to climb Bear Mtn which was not on my elevation map as it is recent trail relocation. It was a pretty good climb but the trail was good and it was very well blazed. Thanks to whoever looks after this section. I was beginning to think it was a Vermont thing to not blaze, but I now think it is the clubs. We crossed into the Killington Club at VT 140 and I could tell the difference immediately.I got to the shelter at 2:30 and thought I would be bored but Rain Dog (AT northbounder) came in and we talked for a long time, he then moved on. Then Miss America showed up. She went down to Spring Lake for a swim. Then Snow Plow came in and we again talked and he moved on also. But here tonight are 3 or 4 northbounders (Toesocks, Nuclear, and others) and a few southbounders (Bo Bo was one) so the shelter had lots of people in it. Miss America and I set our tents up down from the shelter. Snow Plow was telling me there is a huge group of north bounders behind me and they are coming up fast. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing. Tomorrow night is the last one with Miss America and again I will miss her.
Date: 2007-08-08
From: MINERVA HINCHEY SHELTER

To: COOPER LODGE
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

From: Minerva Hinchey ShelterTo: Cooper LodgeToday's Mileage: 13.9Total Mileage: 1679.8Mileage Left: 494.2Well it was a bad decision to tent last night. Around midnight it started to rain and it poured all night. At 5:30AM I could hear people up in the shelter so I stuffed everything in my pack and went up there to get dry. The tent did okay but with so much rain I was starting to get wet. I had to pack a very wet tent today and it caused my pack to be a lot heavier. Everyone got a late start and I did not start walking until 8:00 AM. At least it had stopped raining by then but the trail was so wet and muddy it made for treacherous walking. We first went down into Clarendon Gorge where there was a suspension bridge and a roaring river. The downs always take me such a long time but then after that there was a rock scramble up to Claredon Shelter. It was the hardest one I have done in awhile and the wet rocks didn't help. Miss America and Snowplow were at the shelter. Snowplow had stayed there last night. I stopped for a break and then headed out. I passed the 500 miles to go mark today. Someone had left trail magic for us and Snowplow was sitting in a chair as he wanted to congratulate me! I decided to start listing the miles to go as it seems to be getting closer. We next had to ford a stream. But it wasn't too bad and actually felt good on my feet and I got to wash the mud off my legs. We had another hard climb to Governor Clement Shelter but the sun came out for a minute or two! Miss America and I put our tents out for awhile to dry off. And then it was up Killington Mtn. At first I thought this was not too bad but it again poured rain again and made everything wet and slippery. The roots grabbed at your feet and you could not step on them or you would go down the side of the mountain. And then throw in a few more rock scrambles and the temps were dropping (it is August correct). It was 6:00 PM by the time I got to the shelter so it was along hard day of climbing for me. The Cooper Lodge shelter is enclosed except it has three huge windows that the wind is blowing through. It has four double bunks and I am on the top as I was the last one to get there. We are at 3900 feet and it is a very cool night for August but at least it is not raining. Snowplow, Ox, Nuclear,(all AT Northbounders) Sock (compeleting the trail in sections), Miss America, and a father and son section hiker and me are here tonight. It is a full house and it was nice to all cook and eat together.Since I have started this journey a AT thru hiker, Feather, has been writing too me. She is going to pick me up tomorow and take me to her home. I am looking forward to meeting her and learning more about her.
Date: 2007-08-09
From: COOPER LODGE 

To: VT 100
Miles today: 9.5

From: Cooper LodgeTo: Vermont Rt 100:Today's Mileage:9.5Total Mileage: 1691.5It was a very chilly morning, but everyone was up early as things were still pretty damp. I said good-bye to Miss America and Snow Plow, as I will not likely see either one of them again. Feather is picking me up to take me home for a few days and I will be slack packing with her some. I walked by some beautiful sites today and then down into the Gifford Woods State Park. This would have been a nice place to stay and I thought of Calamity Jane and missed her very much.Then I see this women walking up the road and it was Feather (04) and it was wonderful to finally meet her. She took me home and introduced me to her animals Finn, the puppy, Jasper the cat, and another black cat whose name escapes me. Of course, I took a shower, and Steve, Feather's husband came home and cooked us dinner. They have two grown daughters, one of whom hiked the whole trail with her mother. What a wonderful adventure to have shared together. I went to seep in a my room tonight dreaming of breakfast in the morning.
Date: 2007-08-10
From: VT100

To: STONY BROOK SHELTER
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: scattered clouds

From: VT 100To: Stony Brook ShelterToday's Mileage:6.7Total Mileage: 1696.0Miles to Go: 478.0I could smell bacon cooking as I went downstairs in Feather's home and knew at once it was going to be a good day. She had made blueberry pancakes, bacon, and had maple syrup from her brother's business. As a Canadian, I love real maple syrup! What a great way to start the day. I had decided to stay out one night and then come back here as the next road is just too far for me to hike in one day. We left and got back onto the trail around 10:00 AM, a very civilized start also! Feather hiked about a mile in and it was threatening to rain, but after she left the clouds broke apart and a bright blue sky took their place. Again it was cool and crisp, and having such few miles to go I took my time. I could get use to this.There was not much too see but the ups even though long and steep were not rocky and eventually I arrived at the shelter. The terrain the last two days has been rooty but not too rocky or muddy. I walked all day again without seeing another hiker either north or south bound!There was no one at the shelter when I got there, but that soon changed. Two sisters (Twisted Sister 1 & 2) section hiking south arrived and were staying the night. The shelter was not bad but the three of us set up our tents as there was not a cloud in the sky. Sagbutt arrived for a break. Now I have heard of him for a long time and thought he was way ahead so was surprised to finally meet him. Then Snowplow came in. I was very glad to see him and shared Feather's wonderful chocolate chip cookies with them. We talked for a long time and then they both went on to the next shelter 9.9 miles away. Then three more section hikers arrived and then Barry Manalow walked in. I have not seen him since the first shelter out of Standing Bear! He asked about Calamity Jane, Hobo, and Flint as that was who I was with the night I met him. I asked him about MA and Marshal but he said they were off also, but you never know. We also sat and talked about the trail, some of our experiences we have had, and the people. Again because of our shared experience we spent about an hour talking and eating before he too moved on to the next shelter. I could never leave at 5:00 PM to walk 10 miles. If I walked really fast I would get there at 10:00 PM.Later five young southbounders arrived tired and hungry. We sat and talked for awhile telling each other the good, the bad, and the ugly about the opposite ends of the trail.Then Flying Turtle arrived. He is a 62 year old northbounder. We sat a talked as the night grew colder. It was nice to have another northbounder in camp. It was a pretty crowed shelter again.So it is a beautiful cool night in the Vermont mountains and I should sleep well tonight. Tomorrow I walk forward to stay at Feather's again!
Date: 2007-08-11
From: STONY BROOK SHELTER

To: RT 12 WOODSTOCK VT 
Miles today: 13.7

From: Stony Brook ShelterTo: Vermont Rt 12: Woodstock, VTToday's Mileage:13.7Total Mileage: 1709.7It was a very chilly morning but everyone was up early and I started walking at 6:45 AM. I like it better when I can get up and out early in the morning, especially when it is another beautiful Vermont day. I hope the weather continues like this for the next seven weeks or so. Flying Turtle, the 62 year old gentleman, left with me this morning and we found out we hike at the exact same pace so we stayed together all day. It is the first day in a long time I have hiked with someone. There was a lot of up today, but again the trail was good so it was not a bad day. We took three or four breaks and got to know each other some. We stopped at Wintturri Shelter for lunch and two day hikers came in for a break. Flying Turtle needed a few supplies to get him to Hanover and the hikers offered him a ride and he took them up on it. We had to travel pretty quickly to keep up with them which put me at Rt. 12 early to meet Feather, but I just wrote to people, caught up on my journal, and read the book I have been carrying until she picked me up. We drove back to her home She drives across and through a covered bridge to get to her home each day, very cool. Steve, her husband, is a supurb cook and we had another wonderful dinner! I may have a very hard time leaving this place. It has been good for me mentally to be here with someone who has done the whole trail, understands how hard it is, and is so encouraging all the time.