morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-04-20
From: stealth campsite

To: stealth campsite Buchanan Mtn.
Miles today: 18.6

Leaving Furnace Run I experienced some of the most beautiful hiking on the AT. You descend beside small mountain streams covered by thick hemlock. You truly feel that you are in the middle of a pristine forest all alone. I crossed Lakes Road and met a local man smoking a cigar and walking his dog. He asked me the normal questions. I could tell he did not believe that I started in Harper¢s Ferry WV on the 27th of March. Although he had never hiked any of the AT, he was an expert on the trail. He said if he hiked it he would have to take his dog. His dog looked to be about a 6-7 year old Golden Retriever. I said I would never take my dog on the AT. He asked why. I said I love my dog too much. It is as hard on them as it is on you. He responded, ¢well I guess some parts of it are pretty tough.¢ I ran into a section hiker who had already hiked most of the AT. Her trail name was Mrs. Joy. Through out this section hike I would greet southbound hikers by saying good morning, or good afternoon south bounder. They would usually just give a strange look and not reply. Mrs. Joy replied ¢good afternoon NOBO. This is how I knew she was an experienced AT hiker. She was looking for a place to camp. I told her in about a mile or so she would come to a nice clear stream with plenty of flat area to pitch a tent. I ended up stealth camping on Buchanan Mtn.
Date: 2013-04-21
From: stealth campsite Buchanan Mtn.

To: stealth campsite
Miles today: 18.6

Today ended up being a longer hiking day than I had planned. I left my stealth site. I hiked downhill through what is called the Arden Mtn. agony grind. I saw allot of day hikers struggling to make it up. The elevation change is from 780ft. to 1180. Not huge but very vertical. If you are not used to it you it will tax you. So far the local hikers have grated on my nerves. From their expert advice, to them not believing me when I tell them how far I have hiked to being disgusted with the litter they have left behind. Or when I passed them they would look at me with fear and never respond when I greeted them. As soon as I crossed I-87 I started meeting up with some really cool day hikers. They could tell by my appearance and smell that I was a long distance hiker and approached me to ask about my hike. I ran into Three Dogs who had thru-hiked the AT. I would greet these NY hikers. They would return the salutation. Not like in MD, PA, and NJ where they would just look at you with a Homer Simpson look and never say a word. This was another long hiking day. I got off of the trail following some old blazes but figured it out. It was in a spot that I could see was used before. I could actually see the NYC skyline from the trail today. I stopped at William Brien shelter for a break and enjoyed talking with some trail maintainers who had just finished putting in a huge set of stone steps that I got to be the first to walk up.I could not find West Mtn. shelter so I stealth camped again.
Date: 2013-04-22
From: stealth campsite

To: Ft. Montgomery NY
Miles today: 5.2

I broke down camp early so as not to be detected. Besides today I am headed to Fort Montgomery for a mail drop and a room at the Holiday Inn Express. It was a long steep descent down Bear Mtn. I had trouble following the blazes in the park, but figured it out. Normally the AT goes right through the zoo, but being this early in the year it was closed and I had to go around. It was along walk to the Holiday Inn Express. I walked into the hotel filthy, wet, and tired. I checked in and was treated like a king. I was immediately offered hot coffee and breakfast. Pat, Patty, and Mary made sure I found everything that I needed. I was even given a ride to the post office because one of them was leaving at the time. I can¢t thank them enough for their kindness and professionalism. I feel the need to expand on this. There are two things that long distance hikers care about when reaching a town. That is getting clean and cleaning your laundry. These great people knew that and made it easy.
Date: 2013-04-23
From: Ft. Montgomery NY

To: 301 campsite
Miles today: 18.2

I departed Fort Montgomery feeling as though I could have stayed there one more day just because everyone was so friendly and genuine. It still seemed like a long walk back to the bridge crossing the Hudson River. The walk across the river was long, loud, and windy. It is hard to describe how loud vehicles sound after you have been on the trail for a while. The bridge of course was loaded with commuter traffic. I finally reached the end of the bridge just to smack my shin on a sign that had broken off of the railing. It only hurt for a while. I hiked to 301 and camped alone.
Date: 2013-04-24
From: 301 campsite

To: Morgan Stewart shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

My goal today is Morgan Stewart shelter. Once I get there it should only be a fairly easy hike to Hoyt Road the end of my section hike. I asked a SOBO if Hoyt road was marked. He said he did not notice. I did not want to miss it. I met up with a trail maintainer. He had never heard of Hoyt Road. Today for the first time I got turned around and hiked the wrong way on the AT. It happened on Hosner Mtn. It was a 90 dg. turn but I somehow made it a 180. I figured it out after a few hundred yards of covering ground that I¢d already done. I stayed in the shelter because one else was around. I noted in the shelter log GA-TN 10, TN-VA 11, VA-WV 12, and WV-CT 13? I used a question mark because until I actually step onto Hoyt Road my section hike is not complete.
Date: 2013-04-25
From: Morgan Stewart shelter

To: Hoyt Road
Miles today: 12.8

Well now all I have to do find Hoyt Road and my fourth section hike is complete. The day is clear, cool, and good hiking. I stopped at Telephone Pioneers shelter for a break, then at Wiley shelter. I got water at the spring which was so good. I was happy to see that Hoyt road was marked. I had no cell service so I could not get a ride to Dutchess Motor Inn. Thankfully I was picked up by two section hikers who were going that way. GA-TN 2010, TN-VA 2011, VA-WV 2012, WV-CT 2013!
Date: 2013-04-26
To: Pittsburgh PA
Miles today: 0.0

After spending the night at Dutchess Motor Inn I walked the 12 mile or so to catch the commuter train into New York City. Some of the commuters looked at me with a little curiosity but did not seem phased by my appearance. I was at least clean and shaven. I walked the several blocks from Grand Central to the Megabus stop and waited. I enjoyed talking with a beautiful and charming young lady named Merril from France who was on her way to State College Pa. to visit friends. I was reminded that I had the pleasure of sharing the train ride part of the way to Harper¢s Ferry with another beautiful intelligent young lady named Jess. Not a bad way to begin and end a long hike. When I arrived at Pittsburgh I realized that my camera was stolen. I stupidly left it in the case on my pack strap. The camera was not valuable but I lost all of my pictures from this trip. Oh well I have about 734 miles or so to Katahdin. That is what matters.
Date: 2014-05-16
From: Hoyt Road

To: Ten Mile River camp site
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: few clouds

I started this hike in 2010. I read several journals noticing that many thru-hikers would end their hikes in Massachusetts due to fatigue and injury. I wondered why this was because the terrain was not nearly as tough as what they had already been through. By the time I made it to the Vermont border I realized what the accumulate effect of this constant up and down had on an already hurting body.On May 16 I flew from Pittsburgh PA to New York City. I took the airport shuttle from Laguardia to Grand Central to take the commuter train north to Wingdale NY where I had finished my section hike the year before. I had a long wait for the train to leave so I enjoyed hanging out with New Yorkers. Every time I go to NYC I find the people friendly and outgoing. A teacher with a group of school children stopped to ask different people why they were at Grand Central and where they were going. The teacher would instruct the students to takes notes. They were curious about me and my large backpack. I explained that I was hiking the Appalachian Trail and told them that the trail was 2,185 miles long and went all of the way from Georgia to Maine. I had to think that perhaps this might spark an interest in them to one day decide to hike it.I finally boarded the train and headed north with my heavy pack. I had to heavy of a pack not because I did not know better, but because I thought I could make it all of the way from the NY/CT border to Dalton MA without resupply. I was wrong. I did it but paid the price.On the train I met two other local hikers that had just finished a section and were heading home. I met a charming young lady visiting from Germany named Anna. Anna was trying to meet up with some friends but was not sure where the train stop was she was looking for. We were able to figure it out using my Transit app on my iphone and she made it. I made it to Wingdale and started walking the 3 miles back to the trail in the rain. A commuter recognized me from the train station and asked his taxi driver to stop and pick me up. This probably saved me at least a mile and half of road walking. Who ever says New Yorkers are unfriedly just have not met the the ones that I have. I find the trail and pick up where I left off at Hoyt Road and cross the border into CT. I hike the few miles to Ten Mile River camp site. It was a beautiful trout stream with great water and I loved camping here.
Date: 2014-05-17
From: Ten Mile River camp site

To: Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: broken clouds

I crossed the foot bridge looking at the powerful stream flowing into Ten Mile River thinking about what great trout fishing this must be. I was already thinking about my heavy pack and what a mistake I had made to try to hike to Dalton MA without resupply. I met two young and fast thru-hikers on the way "Mile Marker" and "Northern Wind". I never saw Mile Marker again, just guessing that he marked too many miles for me to catch up. I did run into Northern Wind again only because he had stopped in a town. This first day of real hiking took a toll on me. After climbing down John's Ledges I walked the along the river with few blazes. It seemed like forever wondering if I was still on the trail. I made it to the shelter and camped at the very end near a stone wall. The shelter was already full of hikers and Boy Scouts were camped everywhere. I set up my tent and settled in for a good night's sleep. The boy scouts were actually quiet and well behaved. That has not always been the case on the AT.
Date: 2014-05-18
From: Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter

To: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: clear sky

I hiked the miles to Pine Swamp Brook shelter knowing that I had to somehow lighten my pack. There was a garbage bag in the shelter so I ripped as many pages from my hiking companion book and discarded some food items. The tent area here was nice. Only one other hiker showed up. He stayed in the shelter. He seemed to be hurting worse than me. I was glad to have my purifier since the water source was basically a swamp.
Date: 2014-05-19
From: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter

To: Limestone Spring Sheltr
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: light rain

I enjoyed the hike from Pine Swamp to Limestone Spring. I liked the views of the rapids and falls at the hydroelectric plant. When I arrived at the side trail for the shelter someone had written on the sign that the shelter was 1/2 mile straight down. They were not exaggerating. I decided to stay in the shelter thinking no one else would be there but I was happy to be joined by MGD. Some other hikers camped in the tenting area. MGD was from Covington England. He was a very nice young man. He explained his trail name stood for Mr. Girly Drinks. I offered to by him a beer in Dalton. He replied "no thanks I told you I drink girly drinks.
Date: 2014-05-20
From: Limestone Spring Sheltr

To: Laural Ridge Campsite
Miles today: 12.8

Made the 1/2 mile climb from the shelter back to the trail.It wasn't that bad. My goal today is Laural Ridge campsite. The section where the AT crosses from CT to MA I thought was one of the most beautiful on the AT. A rushing stream surrounded by steep cliffs and hemlock trees. I arrived at the campsite to find locals set up on the platforms. I passed the platforms and set my tent up far away from them. When I went to get water they were trying to figure out how to use their purifier. They stayed up late talking. Few long distance hikers ever have enough energy to do that. When I passed the platforms in the morning they were still asleep.
Date: 2014-05-21
From: Laural Ridge Campsite

To: Tom LeonardShelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I am feeling the effects of too heavy of a pack combined with a bad knee and a good knee going bad. I have already hyper-extended my bad knee slipping on mud. So I am being extra careful. I stopped for a break on a mountain top to call home and I see a message from a fellow hiker who lives nearby. His trail name is Chenango. We met on Trailjournals.com and have hiked together a couple of times. He offers to meet me at Jug Road. We meet up and he helps me with all kinds of trail magic then the life saver. He offered to slack pac kme from Jug Road to Homes Road. Slacking these 8 or so miles helped since I was already hurting. I should have taken deet with me because this area was swampy and full of mosquitoes. My knee did not feel bad until I stopped for just a few minute break. Then it stiffened right up. I met up with Chenango shouldered my pack and made it to Tom Leonard shelter.
Date: 2014-05-22
From: Tom LeonardShelter

To: Shaker Campsite
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: clear sky

I was not crazy about the water source at Tom Leonard shelter. It was silty and there seemed to be a lot of algae on the bottom but I filtered it. I started hiking being oh so careful not to hyper-extend my knee again. The constant up and down and steep descents are all wearing on both knees at this point. My goal today is Upper Goose Pond Cabin. Somewhere between Mt. Wilcox at 1950 ft. and Shaker campsite at 1000 ft. I slipped and hyper-extended my bad knee which was just starting to feel better. At about the same time thunder storms started moving in. That is why I suddenly decided to stop at Shaker campsite. I set my tent up on a flat area above the tent platform got my water ate my evening meal just before the lightning and downpour started.
Date: 2014-05-23
From: Shaker Campsite

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: few clouds

I get up, pack up have my coffee and plan on making it to October Mtn. shelter. I am just not making the miles. Any sort of descent just slows me down because of the pain in my knees. I decide to stop at Upper Goose Pond cabin for a break. I ended up staying because I knew I was not going to make it to October Mtn. and I thought the rest might help. The caretaker was very friendly and I met two thru hikers Phil from Germany and Dakota Joe who was not from Dakota. I met several other section hikers and enjoyed their company. I was invited to the pancake breakfast although I was told tenters are usually not. I left a donation in the box to show my appreciation.
Date: 2014-05-24
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Kay Wood shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: overcast clouds

So after breakfast I head out to hike the 1/2 mile back to the AT. Not too far up the trail Phil and Dakota Joe pass me up. Crossing I-90 I really noticed the highway noise. It is amazing how quickly you get used to the quiet. More small ups and downs. The long descents heading towards a highway are really hurting my knees. I figure I have maybe 1 1/2 to 2 miles to Kay Wood shelter. I feel a big storm coming in. I put on my pack cover and hike as fast as I can. I am drenched by the time I make the shelter. It was late in the day so I decided to stay in the shelter. One couple arrived shortly there after. The man's trail name was Freezedry. Then early evening two more SOBOs arrived. The water source was a stream but you had to scale a cliff to get to it.
Date: 2014-05-25
From: Kay Wood shelter

To: Dalton MA
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: broken clouds

I made the short hike to Dalton MA. Finally, I made it to Dalton. I made the right choice in this motel. The people here are so friendly. The room was clean and well maintained. I had to stay an do a zero day because of Memorial Day and wait for the post office so I could mail back as much as I could to lighten my pack. Had a great cook out with people at the motel.I highly recommend the Shamrock Village Inn. The rooms are clean and well maintained. The staff is accommodating. I felt very much at home here.
Date: 2014-05-26
From: Dalton MA

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Memorial Day. Zero day. The Shamrock Village Inn was a great place to stay. I recommend this place highly.Since I had to stay Memorial Day to mail items home the next day. I was invited to a cookout they were having at the Shamrock. Bob directed me to the Dalton General Store where I picked out a steak and stocked up on IPA. I am careful about posting pictures and names of people that I meet but I want to thank every one else who was at the cookout for one of the best trail town experiences ever.
Date: 2014-05-27
From: Dalton MA

To: Old Adams Road
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

As I was leaving Shamrock Village Inn I saw Bob and thanked for everything. He noticed I was walking back the way I came in. He said "You can reach the trail just by walking straight up this street." He looked at me in amazement when I explained doing that would skip about 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the trail. I will slack pack. I will flip flop but I will not skip one step of the trail.I finished hiking the section in Dalton and was finally back in the woods. I wanted to make it to the shelter but since I failed to read the signs for the redirect of the trail, I ended up wading through a fast moving stream and camping on the other side of the stream near Old Adams Road.
Date: 2014-05-28
From: Old Adams Road

To: Seth Warner Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: mist

May 28, 2014I packed up my tent. Everything was wet. My boots were still wet from wading through a waist deep stream which I should not have, if I would have paid attention to the signs. I am thinking "over 1578 miles of hiking the AT and what did I learn." I learned this. You just keep on going. You just don't care how wet, cold, or bug bitten or how many mistakes that you make. You just keep going.This hiking day seemed like a very long hiking day. I appreciated the water hose marked with a sign through the kindness of a local resident of North Adams, since my water was almost gone. I was anxious to finish up MA and get into VT. I noticed a blue blazed trail marked in case of inclement weather. I did not understand why it was there since the stream was miles behind me. Then I came to the gigantic cliff of boulders that I had to climb up the side of and realized how treacherous they would be during slippery conditions. I was surprised that when I reached the Long trail it was just white blazes like the AT. I met YOLO and a few young thru-hikers at the shelter. I could not visit long because a huge storm was moving in. Again I set up my tent just in time to get inside with all of my gear and stay perfectly dry while it poured. Thank you North Face Mica 12 for getting me all of the way from Georgia to Vermont perfectly dry.
Date: 2014-05-29
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Melville Nauheim Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

I am happy to be in Vermont. I can deal with the longer climbs so much easier than the constant up and down in MA. I am surprised that the blazes for The Long Trail are white just as are the AT's. The steep descent to Vt.Rt. 9 was a killer on my knees. I painfully hiked to Melville Nauheim shelter where I ran into Yolo and two other section hikers. I set up my tent far enough away so I might not offend the other two hikers with my cigar smoke. It didn't seem to work. Oh well. The bugs were unrelenting. I was glad to have my bug net. YOLO is from Germany. He is around my age and trying to finish the trail, but in just as much discomfort. He is such a nice guy. He is really pushing the miles to get to Katahdin. Everyone I ask about the black flies describes something different. I think these are black flies. They are not big, but they bite into you leaving a small burning hole out of your skin. DEET does help but the perspiration washes it away quickly.I was told long before I started if you like rain, mud, or bugs don't hike the AT. I might not like it, but I can tolerate it.
Date: 2014-05-30
From: Melville Nauheim Shelter

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

May 30, 20 14The hiking was not bad today. I was going to stop at Kidd Gore shelter but it was too early in the day.It also just didn't feel right. Anyone who has hiked the AT for a long distance, I am sure has had that feeling. I decided to push on to Story Spring. About a mile or two from the shelter a thunderstorm moved in. Lightning, rain, wind. I had no choice but to keep going. It finally cleared. When I got to Story Spring Yolo was there and the two other hikers from the shelter the night before. I met another hiker about my age who was suffering badly. He said he was from Ohio and just started hiking the AT here in Vermont. He said these mountains are rough. I said I know, but I thought to myself that Vermont might not be the best place to start out hiking the AT if you are older and have little hiking experience. It was another instance when I was able to set up my tent, eat my evening meal and get into my tent in between the rain showers. It is a great feeling when everything around you might be wet, but your sleeping clothes and bag are dry.
Date: 2014-05-31
From: Story Spring Shelter

To: Spuce Peak Shelter
Miles today: 18.7

A long hiking day but fun meeting other hikers. I hiked up Stratton Mountain. I am from Pennsylvania, we have deer, elk, and black bears. They do not poop like a moose. It was so plentiful that you could see where hikers were trying to walk around it then just gave up and stomped through it.Stratton Mountain had a couple of nice piped springs. The descent was painful. Once I got off of the mountain I was able to make good time. I stopped at the Stratton Pond shelter for a break. Greeted some other hikers. I left the shelter area. I still had about eight more miles to hike. One local hiker tried to talk me into staying at the shelter. She thought eight more miles to hike when it was already two in the afternoon was too much. I arrive at Spruce Peak shelter to find Yolo with his head net on. I set up my tent. Many other local hikers arrived later but they all stayed in the shelter. I called to make arrangements at the Red Sled Motel. I asked about a shuttle. He said just hitchhike. At this point I have hiked over 1645 miles of the AT and had never hitchhiked. I would give it a shot the next day. Yolo tried talking me into staying at the hiker hostel in Manchester and I liked the idea of meeting him for a meal and some beers,but I don't like hostels and did not feel good about this one. I just like being on my own. Most of these actual hotels along the trail know your basic needs are to get clean, and clean your laundry, and sleep in a clean room.