morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-07-31
From: couple miles before Village Vista trail

To: just past E. Mobasha Rd
Miles today: 13.3

Day 129 7/31: if we ever break up, it will probably be the result of ice cream!What a day! Trudge and I almost split up over ice cream! Ok, so this is an exaggeration, but it was a big dilema. You see, we had arrived at the road intersection for Bellvale Creamery at 10:30 am and it didn't open until noon! I was convinced that we shouldn't wait and Trudge had the complete opposite view. I walked away determined that we should keep going, only to give in a few minutes later. How can I pass up homemade icecream??On our way the 0.3 to the creamery, we passed a surpise hot dog stand. 2 hot dogs, 1 topping each, 1 soda, and a bag of chips for $5! Will it be ok for me to be this obsessed with food when this adventure is finito??The ice cream at Bellvale Creamery was worth waiting for, but only if you make sure you get your required chunks! Trudge ordered Bellvale Bog which was supposed to be chocolate with some sort of chunks in it! It looked like plain chocolate, so I convinced him to go ask about it. Turns out he had the right one, it was just missing the CHUNKS! Of course, I eat all of my icecream and not until the last bite do I remember there is supposed to be chocolate covered pretzels in it! GRR! The end of the day had some very tough climbs with lots of steep boulders. Bootlegger caught up to us and said he would split a room with us in Southfields, NY. We all really just wanted the Chinese take-out in town. Luckily we had phone service and called, because the hotel was booked! Who would have thought in nowhere NY. Maybe they just don't want smelly hikers?
Date: 2011-08-01
From: just past E. Mobasha Rd

To: William Brien Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 130 8/1: Gone with the wind!This morning Bootlegger was gone with the wind. He must levitate over these mountains. He says he walks 3 mph. Our pace is closer to 2 mph. Who knows when we will see him again?We crossed over the NY state Thruway/Palisades Interstate Parkway and were only 34 miles by road from New York City. Our wilderness experience has come to a screeching halt. I've also come to realize that wildneress is as much a fabrication of the human mind as it is a real thing. With over 7 billion of us, we have touched almost every inch of this earth. Our impact knows no end. We went through a section of trail called the Lemon Squeezer, which was two giant boulders that had leaned up next to each other creating a narrow tunnel for us to walk through. This was tough with wide packs. This reminded me of a section of a cave in Virginia called James B. Squeeze. I used to lead campers there and we would tell them a made-up story about a criminal who got stuck running away from the cops. There was no one chasing us today, thank goodness. After the Lemon Squeezer, we had a rock scramble to tackle. One place was labeled "the hardway" and one route "the easy way." Can you guess who went which way?We walked down the road into Harriman State Park to Lake Tiorati where supposedly you can swim and get a shower. However, it is thunderstorm season so the lifeguards were getting everyone out of the water as we walked in. So much for swimming. Plus, the shower was cold and you had to hold a string to keep it on. I washed the important spots, if you know what I mean.While waiting out the storm under a small pavilion, I called my friend Laura who is from the Empire State. I was hoping she would know someone in Peekskill. We have a box at the Post Office that we need to get, but lodging in town is outrageously priced. When we finally got to William Brien Shelther this eveing, there was a group of 9 there. They were a Jewish boy's camp from upstate. They were well-behaved, but I am grateful that I have had the chance to do this trip for myself, instead of leading a bunch of children in the woods.
Date: 2011-08-03
From: Fort Montgomery

To: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center
Miles today: 5.8
Weather: clear sky

Day 132 8/3: Practice random acts of kindnessWe had amazing luck today with the kindness of strangers. We have heard stories where people you meet invite you back to their house. We thought it was all rumors, until now.The manager at Garrison B&B said that if any of her friends came by she would see if they could give us a ride into Peekskill. Meanwhile, we walked down to the gas station/deli, made a sign that says Peekskill, and hoped for some luck. Sundance and Pacemaker were also there doing a resupply at the deli, but didn't need a ride. I hoped people wouldn't think that we were all searching for a way into town. The B&B manager calls and says her friend Randy is on his way and will take us to Peekskill. Once we get in his truck and he finds out that we are going to Peekskill, he tells us he isn't going there. I think he might have changed his mind. He takes us a couple miles to the traffic circle and goes on his way. Thankfully, it is still early enough for us to walk the 6 miles on the trail to where the guidebook says you should try for a ride into Peekskill. The trail was easy and we moved quickly.When I got to Appalachian Market (deli), I found Trudge talking to a man who I was pretty sure wasn't going to give us a ride. How could I tell Trudge that we need to be actively searching for someone else without being rude? I didn't have to since the man left shortly after. Then a woman in a fancy car pulls up, gets out, and chats with us for a minute before heading into the store. When she comes back out, she overhears us talking to Tom (a section hiker who just started in NJ) about how we had to get to Peekskill. She says "You aren't going to walk there." So we pile in her car for what we think is going to be a quick ride into town where she will drop us off at the post office and be on her merry way. Turns out, Susie, planned waiting for us in town and taking us back to the trail. The only catch was we were anticipating spending a long time at the library to work on this infamous journal. When we tell her our plans, Susie says "No, you can come back to my house, use my computer, and take a shower." What an angel!! After a brief deliberation, we take her up on this amazing offer. A big thank you goes out to Susan and her husband Robert for everything they did for us. On the way to the grocery store, we get a flat tire so Trudge promptly puts on the spare. We spent the better part of the even at their house taking care of chores and sharing trail stories. Then Robert drove us to Graymoor Spiritual Life center which was right up the road from their house. We spent the night with many southbounders and a few other northbounders camping under the picnic shelter protected from a torrential downpour.
Date: 2011-08-04
From: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center

To: Clarence Fahnestock State Park
Miles today: 11.5

Day 133 8/4: Trail magic is back!Trudge's feet were really bothering him today. Seems like this is becoming the norm.We stopped at Dennytown Rd where there was a spigot hikers could use. There was a unique old stone building (ruins) nearby. I wish the history of these places was available to me. Check out Trudge's pictures.We had a good evening at Clarence Fahnestock State Park. We took the road because the guidebook made it sound like the side trail to the beach was hard to find and follow. Plus on our map, the beach and campground did not look close together, even though they were.   When we got to the park office it was closed, so we walked to the campground in hopes that we would find out where we were allowed to tent for free as advertised in the guidebook. There were no rangers around, so luckily we ran into Stride, a southbound hiker, who told us that the ranger said we could tent in either site 1 or 3. He took 3, we took 1. Neither were great. But since it was free, we can't complain.We also met Joe Cruz, a trail angel from Yonkers. He told us to come to site 18 before we went to bed if we wanted some food. He made hotdog/egg/cheese sandwiches for us. He has been feeding hikers at this same state park for the past 4 years every other week. What dedication!
Date: 2011-08-05
From: Clarence Fahnestock SP

To: Morgan Stewart shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 134 8/5: Beach FRIES!Late start to the day, because we went to Joe's (trail angel) campsite for breakfast. And then we went to the beach concession stand for more food. The fries were awesome! After second breakfast, it was time to find the side-trail that would lead us back to the AT. The trail was easy to find and follow, so we probably should have followed it yesterday instead of the road. Oh well, and after all of this we didn't even go swimming. I'm not following my own made-up rules.It was a late night. Trudge needed to make some phone calls, plus email about his boots. I went on ahead and he finally caught up with me at the shelter in 6 miles. While I was hiking alone, I turned over as many logs as I could. I found a small Yellow-spotted salamander under a log. Every time I turn over a log, I am hoping to find a salamander and usually I have no luck. I scared up a pileated woodpecker really close to me. At one point, I walked up to a big hollow stump and was startled by a larger grayish green toad staring at me. I started to take pictures of it and it dove head first into a crevice. I hoped I didn't kill it, so I waited around to make sure it upright itself. And then I made a sign (LOOK written in stones and a stick arrow) for Trudge, but apparently my friend the toad was no where to be found when he came through.We went to a pizza place near Stormville, NY for dinner. This deli to deli hiking is really going to get expensive. Then of course we had to night hike, because there was no suitable campsite for 3 1/2 miles. I was reminded how much I HATE night hiking. I am sure Trudge was reminded how much he hates hearing me whine and complain. We stopped at a flat place a little before 10 pm.
Date: 2011-08-06
From: just short of Morgan Stewart shelter

To: NY 22/Native Landscape Garden Center/Pawling
Miles today: 11.0

Day 135 8/6Turns out that we set up camp last night about 2 minutes before the shelter we were aiming for. I just couldn't walk any further. Cold pizza is great for breakfast whether you are on the trail or not. Yumm. We looked for a school bus hot dog stand that was possibly supposed to be at NY 55, but it was missing in action. We walked by Nuclear Lake, a site of an early atomic research and development laboratory, and enjoyed lunch by the shore. Although, it is said to have a clean bill of health, I wasn't so certain about swimming. The rain was unreleneting by the time we got to the Native Landscape Garden Center outside of Pawling. Hikers are allowed to tent on the property and use the restroom/shower when the store is open. We ran into Dust who has been working there. We shared stories and then walked the 0.6 in the rain down the highway to Tony's Deli. Trudge finally got a cheesesteak, which he has been craving. I even read the paper.We set up our tent on the north end of the property over some huge piles of mulch. We weren't sure that the tent was going to stay up as the stakes did not want to stay in the wet, mushy, ground. We were camped smack down in the middle between train tracks and a highway. The first train that went by in the night Trudge was certain it was going to hit us!
Date: 2011-08-07
From: NY 22/Native Landscape Garden Center

To: Wingdale, NY
Miles today: 0.0

Day 136 8/7: A much-needed zero!The rain continued all last night. Our tent does not prevent all water from coming through. Puddles from water underneath the tent drenched the floor. This morning it was still drizzling, but not nearly as bad as last night. We went up to the Garden Center porch to decide our plan for the day. Should we hike on or take a zero? Trudge has a new blister in what we thought was just a callous.We finally decided to get a room at the Duchess Motel in Wingdale, NY a few miles up the road. Time for a real zero with almost no camp chores to do! What a treat. It was expensive at $73, but at least laundry was free and Trudge had a chance to rest his feet.Trudge asked the owner's wife if she had a needle and thread so I could fix my torn sleeping bag. She said she didn't, because she didn't know how to sew. What is this world coming to? No one can do anything for themselves anymore. I want to learn so much: breadmaking, sewing, canning, soapmaking, cheesemaking, and the list goes on and one. Some day I'll make time. Today was lazy and wonderful. We went to the Big W's Roadside BBQ for dinner. Probably the best BBQ near the trail so far. I also couldn't pass up an ear of corn. We watched really bad tv and were reminded that there are some really screwed up people in this world.
Date: 2011-08-08
From: Ten mile river shelter

To: Wingdale, NY
Miles today: 9.7

Day 137 8/8: I want hitching to be legal!!Donuts and milk for breakfast!   Trail towns are a blessing and a curse. We walked the 2.6 miles back to the trail, because we didn't want to pay someone $10 to drive us. I tried to hitch a couple times, good thing the cops didn't see me! Thank goodness we will be in Connecticut today where it is legal to hitch.Back at the Garden Center, Trudge called Wolverine and turns out they do a one time accommodation so they will be mailing him new boots to Dalton, MA. He doesn't have to send the old ones back either!The threat of rain was upon us all day, so after 5 1/2 miles we ate lunch at Wiley Shelter and decided to wait out the impending storm. The storm never came, but sleep did. I desperately needed a nap after staying up till 1 am last night watching stupid TV. We crossed the New York and Connecticut line. I always want Trudge to take a picture of me where the book says the state line should be even if there is no sign. And of course this time there was a sign, but Trudge was ahead and he missed it.
Date: 2011-08-09
From: Ten Mile River Shelter

To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 8.6

Day 138 8/9: Welcome to ConnecticutLots of hills today, so welcome to Connecticut! We got into Kent about 2:30 pm. Just enough time to go to the library; took me one hour to write 6 entries! Ugh! I will slowly catch up.There were a lot of people in town, mainly southbounders and others we didn't know. We had great Japanese food, but pricey. We had no idea where we were going to stay the night! The next shelter was 7 or so miles and the rain would not let up!We had heard a rumor that the Episcopal Church allowed hikers to tent in their yard, but we couldn't find anyone to ask permission. Finally, we went over to the house next door and spoke to the rector. There was a little L-shaped lawn in which a bunch of hikers set up camp. I am so glad we could tent here, because the rain was horrible.I am not sure what I am going to do after this adventure. Plus, I'll be lost without the white blazes.
Date: 2011-08-10
From: Kent, CT

To: Stewart Hollow Brook shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: light rain

Day 139 8/10The terrain out of Kent was rough: straight up with a heavy pack. The down St. John's Ledge was steep and rocky.   I didn't even like the flat river walk, which really hurt my feet. I don't understand since it was completely flat and free of all rocks. A couple nights ago my water bottle broke when I told Trudge to use it in place of a rock for throwing the bear bag. It came down and smashed on some large boulders. I called Nalgene and they will send me a new one for free! sweet!We cooked dinner at Stewart Hollow shelter. Our chicken stew was too hot to eat for long while. We were planning to go on, but I knew I'd complain about night hiking. So 7.3 miles it is. I thought Trudge and I were the last northbounders in the pack. Turns out there are hikers behind us. We met Nate from Texas, tonight.
Date: 2011-08-11
From: Stewart Hollow Brook shelter

To: Sharon Mt. Campsite
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 140 8/11: The most beautiful campsite on the whole trail!I am writing this too late to really remember anything. When this happens, I often look at the pictures on my camera to help jog my memory. It looked like a day of fungus and great Connecticut views. We stopped for lunch at Silver Hill Campsite, where we had hoped to get to last night. A beautiful spot with tall pine trees and lots of flat open space for tenting. Some people even wrote in the shelter log that it was the best campsite on the entire trail. The shelter burned down awhile ago, so only a pavilion is left. There is also a swinging bench, where I could have rested all day. We camped by ourselves at Sharon Mt. campsite. It seems like we will be camping a lot alone as we continue north.
Date: 2011-08-12
From: Wendy McCormick

To: Mt. Riga Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: clear sky

Day 141 8/12: If you can't beat them, join them!We have joined the ranks of the yellow-blazers who go from town to town by hitching. Granted we had already skipped two big sections (one in VA and one in PA), but with plans to go back and complete those miles at the end. Today, we skipped a little over 10 miles with ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTIONS of going back. I guess for all the grumbling I have done about others, now I can't say one little thing.On our way down off the mountain towards Falls Village, CT, we saw a piece of paper stuck on a branch of a tree. It read "Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake on rock ledge." Which rock ledge? We quickly spotted the creature and as it turns out there were TWO of them and they were HUGE! We spent awhile checking them out and wishing that they would come just a little bit closer, but not wanting to mess with them and press our luck. As I was stepping off a rock to get a closer look, I started to teeter. Trudge said "Great, you are going to fall face first, get stuck, and then the snake will bite your head." Thankfully, I quickly caught my balance. As we left, we added to the note on the tree that there were two snakes and a better description of which ledge. Such excitement.When we got to US 7, we decied to skip 2 miles of field walking and hitch into Falls Village so we could get lunch at a cafe and visit the post office. Time to mail some more extra stuff home! At the cafe, we start talking to a man, named Tom, and his children who were eating next to us. When we said that we had originally wanted to get to Salisbury, CT today, he said "We live near there. Why don't I give you a ride?" Of course, Trudge made the decision up to me and after much deliberation we took Tom up on his offer. SURPRISE YELLOW-BLAZE! Thank you. Once in Salisbury, we visited the library, which is the oldest publically-funded library in the US. Everything about the town was quaint and lovely, but very expensive. We hiked out in the evening over a tough, steep, rocky climb up to Mt. Riga shelter. At Lion's Head, we had an amazing view of the stars and town lights below. There were plenty of people at the shelter and tentsites. We ended up walking in circles looking for a place to camp when someone in a hammock said there was plenty of room at his site. Thanks!
Date: 2011-08-13
From: Mt. Riga shelter

To: Sharon, CT hospital
Miles today: 3.0

Day 142 8/13: Horrible, Horrible DayI woke up this morning around 3 am with excruciating pain! I knew instantly that it was a kidney stone. I had one a couple years ago, and there is no mistaking that pain.   Even though it was in the middle of the night, I tried to convince Trudge that we needed to walk down and go to the hospital. He didn't think it would be safe for me to walk down the steep trail in the dark in so much pain. "BUT WE HAVE TO!!" He was probably right. But, there is nothing like vomiting all night and tossing and turning in a pain that is likened to childbirth (so I hear!). Neither of us got a wink of sleep. At 7 am, we start to walk down the mountain the way we had come yesterday in the dark. Everyone camping nearby had heard me moaning and getting sick. One young man said "I had the same thing back in TN." I think he thought I had giardia. I think I would have rather had giardia.When we got off the mountain, I saw two people walking their dog near by. I told Trudge to yell "help", but he didn't see them so he thought I was going crazy. Finally, he saw them and headed off in their direction, while I sat down on the spot.   Thank goodness Charles and Karin lived close by and were able to get me to the hospital. Karin gingerly loaded me in the car for the 15 minute drive to the hospital in Sharon. I love friendly people!Sure enough the CAT scan at the hospital showed a 1 cm kidney stone in my right kidney. GREAT, now I have to stop the trail! I was very glad for pain killers and that my parents were willing and able to drive the 5 hours to come rescue me. Mom and Dad got there around 5 after I had spent the entire day doped up in the hospital. We got some dinner (suprisingly I could eat) and then found a nearby hotel.
Date: 2011-08-14
From: Sharon, CT

To: home
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: light rain

Day 143 8/14: Homeward boundBefore Trudge and I started the trail, we had made an agreement that if one of us got hurt or ill that we would both get off the trail. I didn't specifically remember this plan. I told Trudge he should continue on if he wanted to. There was nothing he could do to make me feel better. Plus, if I couldn't be hiking I then at least I wanted him to still have a good time. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do. Would he regret going on? Would I be jealous or mad? Finally, he decided to keep hiking, so we dropped him back off where we left off yesterday. Mom, Dad, and I piled in the car for the long drive home. Hopefully, the doctors at home could treat me and I'll be back on trail very soon. Hopefully...
Date: 2011-08-15
From: Massachusetts

To: Massachusetts
Miles today: 0.0

Day 144-153 8/15-8/24: The most time apart in a long timeIt is now actually October 2nd and I haven't added ANYTHING to this journal since the middle of August. How time flies when you are hiking. I hope those of you that were reading will pick it back up. So here goes.... (let's pretend it is August again) For the past two weeks, I have been at home in PA as sick as a dog. I am sure this is the sickest I've ever been with unbearable pain. My parents were glad to have me home, but too bad it couldn't have been under better circumstances. Thankfully, my doctor was able to get my kidney stone out on the first try. Now, although I have been instructed by the doctor to drink copious amounts of water and come back in November, I am "allowed" to head back to the trail. I am tentative; will my body be able to handle it??While I was home, Trudge hiked through Mass alone. I missed the entire state, but he had fun just the same. He spent 3 days at Moon in the Pond farm near Sheffield, MA doing work for stay (mostly mechanic work). He saw a huge moose, which he originally thought was a horse. And,now holds the record at The Byrd Cage hostel for the longest (time) slackpack from North Adams, MA to Dalton,MA: 23.3 miles in 12 hours. Granted he spent a long time lounging on Mount Greylock. If I had been with him, I am sure he probably wouldn't now hold this honorable title!