morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-05-17
From: Appalachian Market Route 9

To: RPH Shelter 
Miles today: 19.4

AT day 77  5/1719.4 miles to RPH shelterToday was very frustrating. It had nothing to do with the trail or hiking. I don¢t want to go into detail, but due to circumstances outside of my control I only had 10 miles hiked at 2:30. Not acceptable for someone with a daily goal or 25 mpd. Post trail note: Why frustrating? A member of the I Hike With Mike team wanted to hike with us. He was a beginner hiker and didn't have his trail legs yet. We finally left him at a nice campsite by a stream. WOW showed him how to pitch his tent and hang his food bag.After 2:45 we were finally able to hike our own hike and make up some lost time. The trail was challenging in spots but overall it should have made for fast hiking. We had to stop to camp at the RPH Shelter because there weren¢t any other options. When we got to the shelter there was some pizza that someone had ordered to share with other hikers. What a wilderness experience, pizza in the woods. WOW and I pitched our tents out the platforms located just before the shelter.Tomorrow I pick up the new shoes that I had mailed to the Landscape and Garden Center by Pawling New York. Hopefully we can get back on track with our mileage goals. Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-05-18
From: RPH Shelter 

To: Wiley Shelter 
Miles today: 25.6
Weather: clear sky

AT day 78 5/1825.6 miles to the Wiley Shelter I had typed up a nice journal entry for today and then I lost cell service and lost everything. Too late to start over. Sorry Post trail note: The trail passes over railroad tracks and a stop (Appalachian Trail Railroad Station) that will take you into NYC. The Native Landscaping and Garden Center will hold packages. I got my new shoes mailed here.Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-05-19
From: Wiley Shelter 

To: Silver Hill campsite 
Miles today: 22.9

AT day 79  5/1922.9 miles to Silver Hill CampsiteConnecticut may be beautiful but today it was not flat and definitely not conducive to high mph.  I would characterize most of today¢s hike as a scenic hellscape. In my opinion the trail had all of the bad elements from each state that I¢ve hiked so far all jumbled together in a relentless series of steep climbs followed immediately by a steep descent. There should be a standard for the maximum grade allowed on descents.  There is a point where a person with a backpack succumbs to the forces of gravity and momentum when scrambling down extremely steep ledges. We were lucky that the rocks weren¢t wet but the leaves made for slippery conditions.We rewarded our morning efforts by walking the 1 mile into Kent to get some comfort food from the IGA market.  Watermelon, a pint of frozen chocolate yogurt, an orange and a bottle of Starbucks for a snack. I bought a large container of Oreos and demolished most of them during dinner.All things considered WOW and I had a great AT hiking day. 22.9 miles to our great campsite and the 2 bonus miles to Kent and back.  I tried hitchhiking but I guess I smelled so bad that they could smell me from their vehicles. This campsite is wonderful. It has everything a hiker needs and more.  I would carry water up the hill because the well pump water is yellowish and tastes of metal.  Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-05-22
From: Hemlock Shelter 

To: Sheffield Egremont Road 
Miles today: 6.2

AT Day 82  5/226.2 miles to Sheffield Egremont Road Nero in Great Barrington Massachusetts It¢s too late to elaborate on a Nero day.  I just posted yesterday¢s entry.  I recommend that you look at it if you want to read about the misguided adventures of Silver Streak.  We hike out tomorrow for more adventures.  It¢s been such a gift to be able to hike this far and enjoy the beauty that the AT offers and to overcome the adversity that we are challenged with daily.Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-05-23
From: Sheffield Egremont Road 

To: Shaker campsite 
Miles today: 19.5

AT day 83  5/2319.5 miles to Shaker CampsiteWe left Great Barrington at 7am and were on the trail by 7:30.We hiked through a variety of terrain today. Farm fields usually mean that you¢ll eventually encounter a mucky muddy section and get your feet wet. That¢s what happened early in my hike and I got my brand new shoes wet and muddy. The forest sections were wonderful to walk through. Everything is green and the birds are out doing their best serenades. Thankfully the trail was well graded and maintained. We had to stop early at the Shaker campsite, having done only 19.5 miles because we didn¢t have time to reach the next shelter. This campsite is known for bear activity. We saw a bear and her cubs near the trail about a tenth of a mile from the campsite. WOW found 4 ticks on his clothes after dinner. I found a dead tick in my tent. I think that it was on my pants which are treated with permethrin and died. We had a short period of rain. The forecast calls for a few hours of rain tonight. The bear stayed out of the campsite. Around midnight a strong thunderstorm with hard rain came through. The rain lasted less than a hour but it came down so hard that it bounced off the wooden platform my tent was on and splashed up into the tent¢s mesh netting that covers the opening. Only a small amount of water actually got into the tent. Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-05-25
To: Wilbur Clearing Shelter 
Miles today: 23.7
Weather: clear sky

After yesterday¢s 28 mile day we felt entitled to self indulgence so we stopped at minimarts in 2 different towns to load up on calories.  This is a great reward but it eats into your hiking time and makes a 24 mile day seem longer  The  climb up Mt Graylock from Cheshire was long but the trail was graded for day hikers so it wasn¢t strenuous. Picked up our resupply from GCHH team.The campsite was very with Memorial Day weekend people  They can park their cars a half mile from the campsite and carry in ridiculous amounts of stuff. All of the obvious campsites were taken but the caretaker showed us some overflow tent sites  It rained off and on during the night  Sorry about the lack of information. It was a long day and I didn¢t have cell service. Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-05-26
From: Wilbur Clearing Shelter 

To: Route 9 Trailhead 
Miles today: 21.4

AT Day 86 5/2621.4 miles to Route 9 TrailheadWe were supposed to hike 23 miles today, camp and get up and hike 12 to 15 miles the next day before we got picked up to go into a town for a Nero and resupply. However, I couldn¢t find a place to get picked up without hiking too many miles. So we decided to hike 21 miles to route 9, and spend 2 nights in Bennington Vermont.We said goodbye to Massachusetts and hello to Vermont. It didn¢t take long to find out why hikers call the state Vermud. There were many boggy muck pits that gave you no choice but to tramp through the shoe sucking muck. The final descent to route 9 was another ridiculously steep slippery mess. I went slow and carefully placed my feet but I still managed to slip and fall gently over at least 5 times. I was almost down when I slipped again and I was so mad that I threw my trekking poles down the trail. Not a great idea when you need them to hold up your tent. I also managed to break the tips off of my trekking poles. Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-05-28
From: Route 9 Trailhead 

To: Story Spring Shelter 
Miles today: 19.1

AT day 88 5/2819.1 miles to Story Spring Shelter We left the warm, dry comfortable hotel to hike in the  cold rain. Heck if you want to get to Katahdin you will have to hike in the rain. But come on it¢s the last week of May and the high temperature is around 45 with a very cold windchill. Meanwhile back home in South Carolina they are experiencing a hotter than normal May and a drought.Today we were on a section that the AT shares with the Long Trail. There were quite a few Long Trail hikers out today. This first shelter we stopped at to get out of the rain was full of Long Trail hikers. They kind of gave us the stink eye when we came in. I think that they thought we were going to stop and beg for shelter space. Ha! We are AT thru hikers and had more miles to put in. We hiked into the shelter area around 5pm and the area was already packed. I can¢t understand why these people stop hiking so early. Three people were hogging the shelter so I asked them to move their stuff so WOW and I could fit. I was shivering from the windchill on my wet rain gear and wasn¢t in the mood for shelter drama. The more I thought about staying in the shelter the more depressed I became so I went in search of a campsite. Post trail note: One guy I asked to make some room had a crazy look in his eye. He said his trail name was hatchet of chop, I don't remember which one but it was crazy, and he said if I mess with him I will find out how he got that name. This was not the thing to say to an AT thru hiker right after news that an AT hiker was murdered by a crazy man with a machete. I didn't want to post this information in the original journal post in case I ran into him again.)I pitched the tent on a slanted site but sliding downhill a little is a price I¢ll pay for more privacy and comfort. I use an umbrella to keep the rain off my upper body. It usually works great but today the wind was blowing the rain on my rain jacket. It kept me dry on the inside but now the jacket is wet. The bottoms of my pants are also wet. I¢m hanging them from one of the trekking poles that holds up my tent. Post trail note: This was one of the few times that I didn't use my Zpacks rain poncho. I don't remember why I didn't use it but I obviously paid the price. I also don't wear my pants when I hike in the rain. Today was one of maybe 3 days that I got almost hypothermic from the rain.I put on my dry camp clothes and climbed into my sleeping bag to warm up. I was going to cook outside my tent but my lighter stooped working so I had to go cook at the shelter to borrow a lighter. WOW gave me his extra lighter. Post trail note: This campsite required creative rigging of my Zpacks Duplex guylines. This campsite along with several others and the wooden platforms is why I decided to purchase the Flex kit for my next hike.
Date: 2019-05-29
To: Bromley Shelter 
Miles today: 23.1

AT Day 89  5/29  23.1 miles to Bromley ShelterVermont¢s Green Mountains are a beautiful place. Everything seems to be at a larger scale in the forest as compared with the other places we¢ve hiked through. The plants in the forest seem larger and more densely spaced.Unfortunately the muddy sections of the trail are also at a larger scale. For awhile I was calling Vermont the Dementor state (Harry Potter reference) because the mud was sucking the fun out of the trail. It¢s impossible to get into a hiking rhythm when you¢re constantly looking for the best path through a mud pit.We think that we saw a moose hoof print this morning. Sorry for the short post but it¢s late.
Date: 2019-05-30
From: Bromley Shelter 

To: Greenwall Shelter 
Miles today: 23.0

AT Day 90 5/3023 miles to the Greenwall Shelter We woke up to the first bird songs at around 4:45. The sound of rain was hitting the tin roof of the shelter. I¢m thinking it isn¢t supposed to rain. So I checked the weather app and couldn¢t find rain anywhere around us. The clouds were condensing on the trees and then water drops would fall onto the shelter.I fell in love with Vermont today. This morning the forest was shrouded in a light mist like fog. Dew was dripping off the trees and the forest floor was covered with ferns and a variety of flowering plants from small ground cover to Queen Ann¢s Lace that must have been five feet high. As we climbed up the mountain I felt like I was in a Jurassic Park movie and a T-Rex or velociraptor was lurking around the next bend in the lush foliage.  It also smelled like fresh cut Christmas trees. Almost the entire day was filled with delightful sights, sounds and smells. We walked along several fast moving rivers and enjoyed sounds of the water pouring over rocks. We hiked along the rocky shoreline of several picturesque ponds and meadows. These should be prime moose habitat but we didn¢t see any.  We did see several spots with moose poop. Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-05-31
From: Greenwall Shelter 

To: Churchill Scott Shelter 
Miles today: 23.6

AT day 91 5/3123.6 miles to Churchill Scott Shelter Another glorious Vermont AT hiking day. Sure there still was the occasional mud pit and crazy rock scrambling but the beauty of Vermont¢s wilderness made it all worthwhile. There were even sections that resembled what a real trail should look like. Sometimes I stop hiking because I¢m overwhelmed by the grandeur of the forest. I pause and immerse myself in the sights, smells and sounds. I am very grateful that I have the privilege to be here.The reddish orange salamanders were out in droves. I must have seen more than 100 crawling around right on the trail. It¢s a good thing that they are so brightly colored or they would get stepped on The most memorable part of today was seeing the 500 miles to Katahdin sign. We stopped for a few minutes to take pictures and congratulate each other. As I hiked away from the marker I reflected on everything I¢ve been through to get to that point. I must admit that I got a little teary eyed from the pride that I felt for hiking 1692 miles.  The last climb of the day took us up to Killington Peak. Sections of the climb were extremely difficult  Unlike other arduous climbs that we¢ve done recently this climb had not only spectacular scenery but it also had a lot of moose poop. I spent a good deal of the climb scanning the forest for signs of a moose. Unfortunately the moose were too well hidden. Tomorrow we hike about 8 miles to where the GCHH/AARP/I hike with Mike support van will pick us up for a Nero in Rutland Vermont. My hiking pants are caked in mud, my socks are wet, stinky and disgusting and I¢m desperately in need of a good scrubbing to get the filth off of me. I¢ve tried rinsing my socks out in streams and hanging them from my backpack but it¢s been so humid that they don¢t dry. My feet are getting gross because they stay wet all day from walking in mud or streams. The insoles to my Salomon XA Pro 3D running shoes are worthless in wet conditions. They absorb water and then bunch up. I finally took them out today and the shoes feel drier and more comfortable. Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-06-01
From: Churchill Scott Shelter 

To: River Road Trailhead 
Miles today: 6.6

AT Day 92 6/16.6 miles to River Road Trailhead We had an enjoyable hike to the River Road trailhead where we met our GCHH/AARP/I hike with Mike support vehicle. We went into Rutland for a Nero and resupply.Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-06-02
From: River Road Trailhead 

To: Pomfret Road
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: scattered clouds

AT Day 93 6/222.6 miles to Pomfret RoadYesterday I checked the camping options for today and they didn¢t quite sync with our plans.  Normally we are up at the first bird song (4:45) and lately I¢ve been able to pack up and do my morning duties quicker and we have been on the trail by 5:45.  However, yesterday was a Nero day which meant breakfast at the hotel and a drive to the trailhead with a likely hiking start at 7:30.  With this in mind the first shelter at 14 miles was unacceptable and the next shelter at around 26 miles would be too far because in addition to the late start the forecast called for sever thunderstorms.  After last weeks cold rain from heck we knew that we would have to slow down and be more cautions around slippery rocks and roots in the rain.So what to do? I was listening to the Mighty Blue on The Appalachian Trail podcast and he mentioned that he would take days off to avoid severe weather.  Why be cold and miserable if you don¢t have to be. A day off doesn¢t work with our let¢s get this trail done ASAP plan but it would be nice to be able to go to a hotel and get dry after a full day of hiking.So that is what we did.  Our support vehicle dropped us off at the trailhead we stopped at yesterday and picked us up at Pomfret Road so we got to eat breakfast and hike 22.6 miles.Back to Rutland for a warm comfortable night in a motel.Toward the end of the day I started dreaming about chicken pot pie, ice cream and the dry support van.  I got impatient and took off like Silver Streak and power walked/ran the last 6 miles.The odd thing is it only sprinkled in the mountains but rained in the city.Tomorrow we hit the trail again but this time we will be out for 5 days.
Date: 2019-06-03
From: Pomfret Road

To: Velvet Rocks Shelter 
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: few clouds

AT day 94 6/320.1 miles to Velvet Rocks Shelter We got a late start today because the drive to the trailhead took about an hour. Today was our last day in lovely Vermont. The trail today were picture perfect. Nice dirt trails with pine needles and leftover fall leaves. We did do a lot of climbing today. We came out of the woods into a small town and a woman invited us over for an ice cold root beer and watermelon. A while later another woman invited us over to talk and have some yummy banana bread with chocolate chips. In Norwich Vermont there¢s a deli that gives AT hikers day old deli sandwiches for free. WOW told the guy behind the counter that we were thru hikers. The guy didn¢t understand what WOW was getting at. WOW gave up and walked away. I said that we heard that they give thru hikers day old sandwiches. The guy said yeah and went into the back to see what they had. He came back with a chicken salad on pita bread. We walked through Hanover and saw some of Dartmouth University. We got to the shelter around 5;30. It¢s cold and windy. It just started raining Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-06-04
From: Velvet Rocks Shelter 

To: Hexacuba Shelter 
Miles today: 27.2
Weather: overcast clouds

AT day 95 6/427.2 miles to Hexacuba Shelter Our first full day of hiking was an initiation into what hiking in New Hampshire may be like.  The low elevations we encountered from Maryland to Vermont are over.  The gradual elevation gains on nicely graded and groomed trails from the southern states are only a fond memory.  New Hampshire has real mountains and apparently they haven¢t heard of switchbacks up here.The trail conditions were pretty good for the most part.  The small little black flies are out in force.  They all line up along the ascents and wait for slow tired hikers as they drag themselves up a steep climb.  The flies seem particularly fond of your eyes. I wear glasses which protect me from all but the most persistent of these pest.  Any fly that gets near my mouth gets sucked in when I take a huge breath of air to help me get up the climb.  I've found that my permethrin treating clothes and Picardan for my arms, neck and cheeks keeps mosquitoes and black flies away.The rewards for all of this effort are stunning views of rugged mountains. We climbed a fire tower on Smart Mountain to get above the tree tops and had 360 degree views along with 20 mph winds and a cold wind chill. We made it to the Hexamid shelter around 7:15 which is an hour later than my goal stopping time of between 5 and 6.  We wanted to have a shorter 14.5 mile day tomorrow because it supposed to rain tonight which will make the trail conditions dangerous and we need to try to make it to the Glencliff Post Office before 2pm so that WOW can pick up a bounce box at the post office.Happy hiking, Silver Streak
Date: 2019-06-05
From: Hexacuba Shelter 

To: NH Route 25 Trailhead
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

AT day 96  6/514.6 miles to NH Route 25 Trailhead (Glencliff)Before I start ranting and raving let me say that the majority of my AT adventure has been a wonderful experience.  I have seen beautiful places and shown myself that I can adapt to a variety of environmental conditions and rise to the challenges that the trail has provided me.You can call me a wimp, whiner, or an ungrateful AT wannabe but today was a perfect example of what I hate about this trail.  It rained last night and was still sprinkling when we left the shelter at 5:45.  It didn¢t take too long before the trail got dangerous.  Some of the large rocky outcrops we were expected to traverse looked like a mirror due to their glacier polished surfaces.  The trail down the mountain was steep and filled with hazards.  You basically had to pick your poison on the way down.  You could select irregular shaped slippery rocks which threw me off balance, slick roots covered with wet leaves which acted like ice, or wet dirt which was my preferred surface but if the trail was steep the muddy dirt gave way to a mud slide and took me with it. After and hour of this I chose the wrong path, the mud gave way, I slipped and turned around to fall on my right knee and left hip. Frustrated I once again threw my trekking pole down the trail in disgust and just sat down on a rock.  WOW came back to check on me and we took a break.Once we got to a lower elevation the odds of breaking my leg decreased but the odds of filling my shoes with mud increased exponentially. Vermont has nothing over New Hampshire when it comes to miles of mucky muddy trail. I know I¢m complaining and hundreds of people happily slop through the mud every year but I think it sucks.Remember I started on February 17th and hiked in freezing rain, blowing snow, and winds that knocked me off the trail. I loved it when I didn't have to worry about breaking a leg.  I¢m impressed by people who aren¢t bothered by these conditions, i just happen to be gravitational challenged and lose my balance and fall more than others.  WOW slips but never falls.  He is like a cat.WOW was expecting his new boots to be at the Glencliff post office. They weren't there so we had to get picked up by GCHH and stay at a town to regroup.
Date: 2019-06-06
From: NH Route 25 Trailhead

To: Kinsman Notch 
Miles today: 9.5

AT day 97 6/69.5 miles to Kinsman Notch Today was a reverse Nero day.  We slept in late, had breakfast and hiked 9.5 miles.  The climb up to Mt Moosilauke was a wonderful trail and and not too steep.. It must be the trail designed for day hikers.  There were a few areas of snow that were easy to walk over or around.  There was a nice refreshing breeze blowing and the air smelled fresh with the occasional whiff of cut fur trees.  Once we got above tree line we were rewarded with 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains.  The scene on the summit reminded me of the summits on the John Muir Trail.  Groups of people we¢re gathered around windbreaks eating their lunch while newcomers gathered by the summit sign for pictures.The descent was horrible. It had rained last night and this side of the mountain didn¢t get enough sun to dry things out. The one fall that I had was entirely my fault.  I tried to quickly unwrap a Cliff bar while walking.  The next thing I know, I¢ve fallen, jammed by left pinky finger again and banged my left knee.  I also bent one of my trekking poles so bad that it snapped. I was tense from this point the whole way down.The sights and smells at the summit made the whole day worthwhile. We got picked up at the trailhead by the GCHH team and headed back to Lincoln.Scarlet (aka Becky) a JMT hiker buddy drove to Lincoln and treated us to dinner.  A very pleasant way to end our dayHappy hiking, Silver Streak