morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-08-11
From: Clarendon Shelter

To: US 4
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was another milestone day. We're scheduled to go over 1700 miles, under 500 miles to go and we're going to climb our first 4000 foot mountain since southern Virginia. We climbed Killington - a climb of about 2600 feet over ten miles. When we got to the top we took the steep and rocky side trail to the peak with our packs on - still a little nervous about the pack thief story we heard the previous day. On the way up I met a man in saffron monk robes climbing back down in his bare feet. When I asked how he was doing he gave me a big smile and said he was wonderful. I was certainly full of wonder watching him negotiate the rocks with his bare feet.The summit afforded the best views we've seen in all of Vermont and we noticed that the wind and cold was a little sharper than what we've been experiencing the last month or so.Lunch was at the snack bar near the top of the mountain. There is a gondola that takes people to the summit so the snack bar was a busy place. We had a good lunch and waited out a short rain at the snack bar before taking a much easier and safer trail back down to where we left the AT.Carolea met us at the trailhead and took us into Rutland for a resupply and a welcome zero day. I stayed in town at the Travel Inn and Foggy went with his wife to join a family event for the weekend.  Foggy's daughter surprised him showing up for dinner. I know he was happy to see her for the first time in five months. We'll be back on the trail Sunday.
Date: 2017-08-13
From: US 4

To: Forest Stream at 1715.8
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: broken clouds

I'm in my last few days of Vermont and I'm thankful for that. Vermont has been fairly easy going and not with a lot of interesting featires. It's a stretch of long days in the forest without much to see or distract you.Foggy's daughter Emma was our trail angel today, providing a ride to breakfast and then to the trailhead. It was fun to see her energy and excitement about her father's adventure.There were no significant landmarks on the trail today and no convenient shelter so we stealth camped just past a small stream. We did come to a drop off on the trail that included an aluminum ladder to.climb down. Not sure how I would have made the climb down without it so I was certainly happy to see it. There are a number of places on the trail where a ladder would come in handy but this is the only spot I've seen one.
Date: 2017-08-14
From: Forest Stream at 1715.8

To: Thistle Hill Shelter
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: clear sky

We hiked a little longer than our average today to set up a shorter hike into Hanover, NH and had some mid-day pie to make the going easier. The pie stop is a great example of how information gets passed up and down the trail quickly and efficiently. For several days we've been hearing about the homemade pies at a place called Edge of the Farm and when we got to the road crossing we made quick work of the 0.2 miles off trail to enjoy some lunch and to share a small mixed berry pie. It was delicious and well worth the stop.The plan is to walk through Hanover tomorrow and to hold off on another zero day until we enter the White Mountains.
Date: 2017-08-15
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Hanover
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Today is the day we get to New Hampshire, state number 13 of the 14 total. Foggy arranged for us to stay with friends of his sister in law and when we walked into Norwich, VT Sarah met us. We asked Sarah if it would be OK to walk another mile or so into Hanover so we could put the border crossing behind us. Also I wanted to celebrate my birthday today with a nice glass of Jim Beam. She was kind enough to keep herself busy while we walked into Hanover and had dinner at the downtown.Hanover is home to Dartmouth University and is a very much a small college town.Earlier in the day, sometime late morning, we crossed the Connecticut River for the first time and after crossing heard someone calling to us from a house just off the trail. This was the famous Blue Barn where Linda and Randy cook breakfast for any hikers going by. We stopped for second breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage and enjoyed the company of a cope more hikers. This is another great example of the kindness and generosity of people all along the trail.After my celebratory dinner and bourbon Sarah drove us out to her home where we met Mike and Jesse. Just as we arrived Sarah pointed out Mike working one of his border collies in the field across the road. Mike participates in trials showing off his well trained border collies and we watched him practice with his dog Kip. Kip was very efficient in herding a small flock of sheep through a course and I was amazed that I was standing there enjoying this experience. Only on the trail do you experience these serendipitous encounters, it seems.We enjoyed the evening with Sarah and her family, sleeping in a real bed after a hot shower.  And now I'm a little smarter about what it takes to train a dog to herd sheep. And I'm grateful for that.I had one more interesting birthday experience. Mike and Sarah's daughter Jesse has two cows that she keeps pretty much as pets. After watching the dog do its work we walked back to the house and the two cows approached, walking right up to me expecting a good head scratch. I obliged, amazed at how comfortable these cows are around people.
Date: 2017-08-16
From: Hanover

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Left Hanover this morning after a breakfast at Leo's. Through hikers get a free donut and I got a maple iced cruller to go with my French Toast.Easy walk with some small ups and downs. The highlight was trail magic of pizza and soda for lunch at one of the road crossings. Also I came across an area deep in the woods where there were many plastic tubes running from tree to tree. I was told later these are set ups for collecting the maple sap during sap season I've never seen these before so it was fun seeing how they make the collection process more efficient.Still running into  a lot of South bound hikers. They are always full of hiking advice and after a while you wonder whether they have some awareness that we north bounders already have almost 1800 miles behind us. I'll be glad to get past the bubble of south bounds so the shelters will be a little less crowded.
Date: 2017-08-17
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Hexacube Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

I climbed Smarts Mountain today and had a unique experience. Usually when you're hiking the trail it's impossible to get a good picture of where you're headed. Smarts Mountain runs in such a way that you can see the mountain ridges you'll be crossing for the next several days. This perspective gave me a much better idea of the distances I cover from day to day.Ran across some old friends today which is always fun. Saw three young men that I hadn't seen for several states.  Goal tomorrow is to get as close to Moosilauke Mountain as we can so we can make the first of the big White Mountain climbs.
Date: 2017-08-18
From: Hexacube Shelter

To: Hikers Welcome Hostel
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night we stopped at Hexacube shelter and I met up with U-Turn and Colonel, a father and daughter that were some of the first friends I made on the trail. They hiked to Harper's Ferry and then flipped up to Maine to resume their hike south bound. U-Turn gave me a big hug and I had a good talk.with her father and it felt like a real reunion. It started raining steady before we even left the shelter and it rained pretty hard almost all day long.  These days don't get toe like they used to - I guess I'm just getting used to being wet every now and thenFor days we had been hearing about the omelette guy and today I met him. About three yards after the Welcome to the Whites sign he was set up right along the trail with tarps, chairs and other comforts, cooking omelets for anyone who wanted one. He asked you how many eggs you wanted a then cooked up an omelette with ham, onions and green peppers. Juice and coffee were also on the menu. I settled for a four egg omelette although most hikers were asking for ten or twelve eggs. The record was 30 eggs, if you can believe that.  First thing that morning I had to climb and cross the summit of Cube Mountain. The rain was falling hard and the wind gusts were strong enough to stagger me a couple of times.  So taking a break for a hot omelette was much appreciated. Foggy and I decided to abandon our original destination and head to a hostel just off the trail so we could clean up and dry off a bit before taking on Moosilauke Mountain. I got there too late to get a bunk so I had to set up my tent and of course I got rained on for most the night. But I was dry and warm which is all you need for a good night's rest on the trail.
Date: 2017-08-19
From: Hikers Welcome Hostel

To: Kinsman Notch
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: broken clouds

South bound hikers we've been running into have been warning us about Moosilauke for the last week or so. It's the gateway mountain to the White Mountains and the first of several big climbs. It's been months since we've been this high and I have to say I was a little intimidated at the thought of a 3000 foot climb.But all went well and we negotoasted a steep climbup and an even steeper climb down. The down part was the most challenging as we had to negotiate the last mile and a half through wet rocks along side a fast moving waterfall of a creek.The last mile or so to the top was an easy climb after a couple of miles of steep rocky climb and when we got to the top I was disappointed that the weather didn't allow much of a view. The top is above tree line and we had to navigate from one rock cairn to another and the fog made it hard to see the cairns at all. But I made it, snapped some pictures and began the long climb down. I did about a mile per hour down the steep decline which is about half as fast as usual.When we got down to the notch Carolee, Foggy's wife, was waiting for us and we had a ride reunion with Barrel. He left us a couple weeks ago and we haven't seen him since, so it was fun to catch up with his progress.I also crossed over 1800 miles today. Tomorrow is a scheduled zero day to rest up for the rest of the White Mountains. We should hit Maine in another week or so and we'll make a big push to the end. The end is in sight!
Date: 2017-08-21
From: Kinsman Notch

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: clear sky

August 20 was a well deserved day of rest as I shared a two bedroom suite (with kitchen and living room) with Foggy and Carolee.  We had a short, unexpected reunion with Barrel and Chilli Dog and they spent the night on the floor of the living room.  There are two trailheads near Lincoln, NH and they were coming off the second one as we came off the first, so they are still a day or two ahead of us.  It was fun catching up with them and hearing their stories from the last couple of weeks.We got a late start today with a big breakfast and after after dropping off the other two  we were back on trail by 10:30, climbing Mount Kinsman, the second of the big White Mountain climbs.  Our breakfast was at the Indiana Head resort, a tourist resort overlooking a mountain with what appears to be an Indian looking out over the valley.  We're in the area of the former Old Man of the Mountain (which fell down several years ago, of course.) The climb to Kinsman Peak was steep and rocky with lots of hand over hand rock scrambling.  Because of the late start we knew it would be better to shoot for a low mileage day and that's what we did. We were first to the Eliza Brooks Shelter and set up tents anyway.  Before the evening was over the site filled up and a Dartmouth freshman orientation hiking group took over the shelter.  I was glad to be away from there as it was pretty lively and noisy for awhile.  Among the through hikers we drew straws to see who would be the one to tell them to keep it down, but they quieted down on their own at about 8:00 p.m. so all was well.The Presidential Range is next and that's a little foreboding with tales of long rock climbs, high altitude and lousy weather.  The hike at this point is largely mental (60 percent mental and the other half is physical for all you Yogi fans) so the thought of the big climbs ahead is a little intimidating.
Date: 2017-08-22
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Liberty Springs Campsite
Miles today: 11.5

Up Kinsman we continued climbing boulders and long steep rocky ascents.  The going is at about 1 mile per hour which is frustrating after four long months of a pace double that.  For now our days of 17-18 miles a day are gone.  The climbs are just too tough.Ran into my first Appalachian Mountain Club hut today.  these are not like the shelters we've been staying in for the last 1800 miles.  Instead they are pretty full service stayover points for day hikers willing to pay in the range of $100-$125 per night for two meals and a warm, dry place to stay.  The huts vary in size but typically hold thirty or forty people. They are still useful to through hikers because they keep a pot of soup on most of the day and if you hit the hut at the right time you can get a hot bowl of soup and some home made bread for a couple of dollars. And that's what we did.  There is a work for stay option that allows a very small number of through hikers to sleep on the floor with full meals in exchange for some labor, like washing dishes.  We got to this first hut around lunch time so we had no interest in staying the night.  After our soup we hiked on.Ran into another group of young people participating in a freshman orientation experience - this time from Yale.  We talked a bit with them and this is one of several experiences incoming freshman can choose for their orientation.  They are assigned to a group of 10 or so hikers, with a student leader and use the hike to make new friends and learn a little about what to expect gong forward.  they said their hike is scheduled for six days and five nights.We stayed the night at Liberty Springs Campsite, our first New Hampshire paid camp site.  All the way back to Georgia the campsites and shelters are free but the Appalachian Mountain Club requires a payment to use the sites, something that's not particularly pleasing to the through hikers.  The AMC is clearly in the business of funding development of resources for hikers of all types, not just through hikers, and the emphasis seems to be on paying customers. The first site is $10 and then you get a card that lets you stay at other sites for $5. The card also gets you a free bowl of soup at one of the huts, so there are some benefits for the through hiker.
Date: 2017-08-23
From: Liberty Springs Campsite

To: Galehead Hut
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: moderate rain

The goal today was to make it up and over Mount Lafayette the third peak on a range that topped out at 5291 feet.  We made a steep climb to the ridge line of the range and then walked for a long time on the ridge.  For most of the hike the peak of Lafayette was obscured by clouds moving across the summit.  We made it up Haystack and Lincoln Mountains and found the top of Lafayette after two false summits.  This is the highest altitude I've hiked since the Smoky Mountains, almost four months ago.After the summit we pushed for Galehead Hut with the idea of testing out the work for stay program.  We didn't really need to stay at the hut but we thought it would be fun to experience work for stay.  We got there a little before 5 p.m. and the staff let us know that the work for stay jobs had already been given away for the evening but if we were willing to stay over and work after breakfast we could have dinner and breakfast and sleep on the floor of the dining area.  We weren't sure what our tasks would be the next morning but for free food and an indoor place to stay we were happy with the arrangement.  But early in the evening the hut manager approached Foggy and me and asked if we would participate in a short presentation to the hut guests and do a Q&A session with the other guests.  She assured us this would count for the work portion of our work for stay and we were glad to do that rather than risk washing dishes all morning. Right after the guests finished dinner about twenty or so of them gathered to listed to Foggy and me relate our experience with the trial.  They asked lots of good questions and it was a fun and interesting experience for us as well as the guests.The White Mountains are a little frustrating because the terrain makes it impossible for us to get any big days in and the spacing of huts and shelters is a bit of problem. At this point we're resigned to spending a couple more days in the Whites than we had hoped.
Date: 2017-08-24
From: Galehead Hut

To: Ethan Pond Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

Not much of significance today - just putting in miles as we move through the Whites.We did bump into another freshman orientation group today; this group from Bowdoin College.  that makes Dartmouth, Yale and Bowdoin to this point.  I guess these orientation hikes are a thing out east.Stopped for a lunch of soup and bread at another hut and there was a bit of a crowd - human and reptile.  Right out front of the hut was a cluster of small snakes (18 inches or so) intertwined under a small bush. Someone counted nine of them and since they weren't venomous everyone left them alone and they left us alone.  Not sure what was going with the snakes but it seemed odd that they would hang out in such a crowded place.Last night's work stay proved to be enough for us.  Free food (free calories) was OK but by the time we got to eat - both dinner and breakfast - the food was cold, congealed a bit and not all that tasty.  Hikers never complain about free food but it was enough to teach us that we can feel good about leaving the work for stay option for hikers with fewer resources than us. The rest of the day was spent getting closer to Mount Washington, the highest point in the Whites, second highest on the Appalachian Trail at 6288 feet and a real test of endurance and tolerance. We got a long five mile flat section that hikers say are the only easy miles in the Whites and landed at the Shelter for our first discounted $5 stay.
Date: 2017-08-25
From: Ethan Pond Shelter

To: Mizpah Hut Tentsite
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: broken clouds

We planned another shorter today because we had to get to a town to add a bit to our food bags.  Getting over Washington tomorrow would require about a day and a half more food than we were carrying. Doug and Elaine, friends of Foggy, were in the area and asked to meet up with us and do some hiking.  We were glad to accommodate and they were glad to take us into town for a short resupply.As we came down into the notch, before meeting up with Foggy's friends, we came across trail magic and had a couple of hot dogs and soda before moving on.  the timing work out perfectly and we met Doug and Lorraine just as we were leaving the trail magic.  They took us into town and we had second lunch, grabbed some food from a small grocery and headed back to the trail.The four of us spent the rest of the day hiking up Mount Webster. Doug and Lorraine had to leave to get back to their care and foggy and I continued on over Mount Jackson landing for the night at the tentsite near Mizpah Hut.It was a fun day with Foggy's friends and I told Foggy I enjoyed eavesdropping on their conversations because it assured me that there's a real world going on back home with real things going on that are very different from our day to day work on the trail.  It felt good to share in the conversation and I felt even better than soon I'll be on my way back home to a different reality.
Date: 2017-08-27
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 7.8

Immediately after Madison Springs Hut is the climb up to Mount Madison.  Madison is literally a big pile of rocks and boulders - no trees, shrubs or other vegetation - and the task for the morning was scrambling up through boulders ranging in size from a foot or two across to some twenty feet across.The climb up was a steep half mile and the trail climbed directly over the summit.  We walked toward the sun in the early morning and the shadows fell long behind us as we summited at 5500 feet.The way down was less steep but was still three miles of boulder scramble back down to the tree line. When we finally found the tree line it was the first time in the last two days we were back down in the forest.  Climbing a boulder scramble is tiring; going down one is dangerous.  Even though we had scheduled a short distance day it was still long in hours and stressful most of the way down.  But the bottom leveled out and the final miles were a relatively flat, but rocky, walk through the woods. We ended the day at Pinkham Notch and Foggy's children met us with doughnuts and coffee for a ride into Gorham where we plan to resupply and take a day off from hiking.  We're done with the Presidential Range - a great relief and we'll be off to the Wildcats on Tuesday. Just for perspective it took us seven days to go from 1700 miles on the trail to 1800 miles. So far we're seven hiking days past 1800 miles and we still have 30 miles until we hit 1900.  It's slow going through the big mountains, but we just keep trying to move forward. A month to go and I'm really looking forward to being home.
Date: 2017-08-29
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Doug, Elaine and a third friend, Lynn and her dog Wilson, joined us for the climb up the Wildcat Mountains today. They picked us up in Gorham and we had a big breakfast to fuel up. Of course this meant we got a late start - the usual process when leaving after a zero day.Because of the late start and the climb we planned another short mileage day.The first mile is very flat but once we reached the mountain the clb seemed straight up, with a 2000 foot rock scrbe to the top. The Wildcats apparently are a ski area and as we moved along the ridge after the big climb we came across a gondola setup with signs pointing to various ski slopes going down. Our hiker friends considered taking the gondola down but instead decided to hike down what they hoped would be an easier slope.The rest of the day was more of the same - ups and downs with a number of smaller rock scrambles. We ended the day at about 4:30 at the Carter Notch Hut and we're able to get work for stay at the hut. Work for stay is a mixed blessing. Free food and you get to sleep on the floor of a heated space, but you can't set up until after 9:30 and you have to be out by 6:30 the next morning. We weren't so lucky this time with our work assignment. We got spend about an hour scrubbing the black gunk off the bug pans they use for baking, with nothing more than steel wool and warm water. The crew said the pand had to be clean before the season ended and we gave them a good start in the task.We plan to leave early tomorrow to get back to the trailhead and into town to retrieve a box of food we stored at the motel. The trail travels in strange ways some times. We left Pinkham Notch this morning - one of the access points  to Gorham - and tomorrow we'll get down turn US 2, another Gorham access point on the other side of the town. Two days of hiking and it seems like little progress. In reality it'll be 20 more miles behind us.