morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-06-27
From: Brink Road Shelter

To: High Point Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 96, 19.6 miles, 6:30 am - 5:45 pm    Well it rained all night and was really drippy this morning but we survived. We also heard 2 owls calling to each other right over the tent, so that was really cool.    Hit the trail in "foggy dew" as Matt says. The trail is really quite overgrown all along the ridge. Oh well. We saw a nice misty view of Culver's Lake as we came down the Rt. 206. I decided that I really needed some coffee from the deli there. Matt and I had a good time drinking 4-18 oz. cups of coffee! That was good.    Other than that, uneventful day. We got rained on alot, especially as the day progressed, and it still hasn't let up. We saw lots of dayhikers and weekenders out today, but only a few thru's on the trail. It's after 8 and we are the only ones in this old stone but comfy CCC era shelter.    19 miles to do tomorrow, and already we will be picked up again! I am looking forward to that a bit too much. Lately I have been enjoying the trail more when it hits civilization than not. Unfortunately the rain is severely testing my relationship with the trail. I hope things change soon. For the most part I have felt agitated and anxious when I've been out, and I haven't been having a good time. I don't want things to be this way. * * *I think most people go to the hostel in Unionville and slack out of there and take a few zeros, too. We hardly saw anyone on the trail in NJ and we camped alone both nights.
Date: 2009-06-28
From: High Point Shelter

To: NJ 94
Miles today: 18.9

Day 97, 18.9 miles, 6:30 am - 3:30 pm   What a great night! We escaped the rain, and got to enjoy the shelter sans leaks, mice, and company. The trail has been so quiet lately. I think everyone is at the Mayor's in Unionville.    So...we finally had a great blue sky day for our last full one in NJ. Mentally I feel much, much better.    We walked through wet, muddy woods, surrounded by many streams and swamps. The woods were so pretty today. We also walked through many fields, some planted, some fallow with wildflowers. The trail crossed many rural roads, and hearing roosters calling added to the feeling of walking through country side. I really enjoyed this section.    Our first break was at the secret shelter, which right now is closed. You can still get water and camp there, though. We had a happy and relaxing time sitting on a porch, drinking cold water, and watching all of the birds. We saw at least 10 different birds there! Cardinals, red grosbeaks, blue birds, some others. I could have sat there all day.    Anyway, continuing on, we went through the Walkill River NWP which was so pretty and also had a ton of birds, butterflies, and flowers. We ate some cheese and crackers before heading out to Pochuck Mountain and finally hitting the boardwalk.    We passed through so many great areas today. I really liked this part in '04 and except for wet feet up to my hips this time around did not disappoint. I can't believe that we are already done with the bulk of NJ. That makes me sad. It was even hard after we had gotten to Heaven Hill Farm and I called my brother to pick us up. We got some ice cream and fruit, and we had been looking at their farm animals and bunny rabbits, and I really did not want to leave so fast! We spent over an hour there and it was not enough.    So except for my blistered wet muddy feet the NJ section ended well for us. Matt is excited to get up to Massachusetts so he can finally be somewhere new. I'm just ready to get done which is unnerving. Is it wrong to like the trail better when it hits up civilization? That is what is starting to happen. 830 miles to go and I am starting to crave a softer life. Beds, clean clothes, hot food, etc. Outside I still don't sleep so well no matter what. I am starting to get nervous about terrain in NH and ME. I try not to worry about it but it is getting close now. We have 2 months left on the trail.
Date: 2009-07-04
From: NJ 94

To: Wildcat Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: broken clouds

Day 102, 17.4 miles, 8 am - 5:45 pm   What a long day, again my mind and body have been transported from the softness of town back to the trail, 17 miles and a new state no less, in 10 hours.    Finally after waiting out days of rain we have a beauty today. We were dropped off near the fields outside of Vernon and we were off. We were surrounded by sweet smelling milkweed before we were back in the woods and climbing back up the rocks. 5 days off did not give me renewed strength, healing, and energy, rather I felt rather off and stilted. My feet felt like they were pounding on needles all day, my joints were stiff, and all in all I almost felt like I was learning to walk all over again. Oh well.    Such pretty woods again today. We passed many hemlocks and dark streams colored with red tannins. Some places are unfortunately chock full of blowdowns from the ice storm they had this winter, but things were still pretty nonetheless.    I was sad for our last miles out of NJ into NY but it is good to be making miles up the trail again instead of being stalled out. I am so sad that our rest did not heal me. I am already feeling sore and my pack feels unbelievably heavy. Matt is not feeling too great, either.    So we started NY today, there were lots of rock slabs to walk over, with pitch pines and blueberry bushes growing all over them. We had the greatest views of Greenwood Lake and surrounding hills. The views are pretty forested, a break from the pastoral views of Pennsy and some of NJ. We took a few breaks here and there but mostly trucked slowly all day long.    Now it's tent time and only a few here at the shelter, Red Leg, his son & grandson, and a section hiker. The spring was crazy overfull, I could barely tell where the source was since it was overflowing everywhere. I finally finished reading 1984, I'm starting Fields of Fire tonight.
Date: 2009-07-05
From: Wildcat Shelter

To: Arden Valley Road
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 103, 15.4 miles, 6:30 am - 4:45 pm   Wildcat Shelter area is really quiet. I like that. I woke up to a calm morning with the calling of mourning doves. 5 nights in a bed have made the ground a little uncomfortable again, so I was tired today from not sleeping well, but it was good to be out in a fresh and peaceful (and dry!) morning.    Today was simply a perfect day. The woods were open and mature and had lots of hemlocks. Fitzgerald Falls were paticularly nice, the falls were rushing and the trail followed and crossed many feeder creeks afterward. All of this was bone dry in '04 so it was nice to finally see all of it. Dappled woods, pretty streams, and nice temps made today pretty good. I had to remind myself not to let my mind wander off--a bad habit left over from walking through so many days of rain.    Terrain today is a bit harder than we've had in awhile! More ups and down, more rocks to get over. So this is a good '15.'    Harriman SP is still gorgeous, and so green! I wish I could spend more time here since the park is so big and has so many more trails. We went over open ridgetop trail, hemlock forest, and up some rocks. Now we are camped in the park, kind of within eyesight of the road if we stand up, but we are secure enough. We stocked up on potable water at Lake Tiorati Circle, were tortured by the sight of so many 4th of July weekenders chowing down from overflowing coolers, and then trucked back to the trail to look for a flat spot to camp on. The 1st place we found we called home. Matt is cooking dinner, and we will put up the tent soon.    Right now it's this: The sun is setting golden, the breeze is in my face, my feet are hurting but blissfully bare, the day is winding down and I'm watching it from my thermarest. Tomorrow we'll do it all over again.
Date: 2009-07-06
From: Arden Valley Road

To: Graymoor Friary Ballfield
Miles today: 19.5

Day 104, 19.5 miles, 7 am - 7 pmI'm too tired to write, powerpoint entry:-Our campsite last night was actually on the old AT, I found some blacked-out white blazes-The ranger drove by a few times but never saw us-We saw lots of deer around and they were noisy-Beautiful woods and wonderful views today-Tougher day, up and down trail over Black, West, and Bear Mountains-Finished up Harriman SP today-I felt good about hiking today-We had a good break at the 'Appalachian Market' which wasn't there in '04-At the zoo today some of the animals seemed kind of kennel crazy-I can't believe we're past the Hudson River!-Back at Graymoor, lots tenting here-Buggy here -The cold shower was awesome-A good but tiring day
Date: 2009-07-07
From: Graymoor Friary Ballfield

To: RPH Cabin
Miles today: 18.8

Day 105, 18.8 miles, 6:30 am - 5 pm   OK day, bad nights sleep, thrus came in at 11 and were really loud and turned on all the flood lights. We should have tented farther away from the people but oh well.    I'm in awful pain, my body is falling apart! It's bad. I'm in pain with every step. I hope I last another 800 miles.    Started the day in blue skies but as predicted t-storms came through for a few hours in the afternoon. All the rain we've walked through you'd think I'd be used to it but it sends me into the worst mood possible.    Clarence Fahenstock was very nice, good woods and streams through there, lots of big rocks and boulders, too.    Not much more to say. Tstorms and a haze of pain leave me less than focused.    Bunked in RPH now, we were going to tent but got lazy, admittedly I can't resist my own bunk. Plus it's supposed to rain tonight. Ironman, Andy, Bonsey, Huck, and Ducky here, nice people I like, but someone just came in with beer so we'll see if I get any sleep...
Date: 2009-07-08
From: RPH Cabin

To: NY 22
Miles today: 20.0

Day 106, 20 miles, 7 am - 6:15 pm    Exhausted, spent state of mind, here it goes:   Luckily we spent the night in the shelter, as it rained, rained all night long. I layed down at 8 and luckily it did quiet down and I slept fine.    Foggy dew today as we hiked up and over Stormville and Hosner Mountains. It was so dark out I could barely make out Matt hiking 40' up the trail in front of me.    We went to the deli 0.3 mi off the road and ate too much and drank too much coffee but that place was as friendly as I remember. The sun came out and I sat on a bench with my legs crossed, coffee and egg/cheese sandwich in hand, and thought--this is the life. I can't wait to retire.    Beauty woods, hemlock forest, fields, and temps in the low 70's. I spotted Rick's 6/2/09 entry in the Tele Pioneer's Shelter register. It was pretty good. (**Rick's trailname is Jester, he hiked the AT in '04, and he wrote a book called 'Dead Men Hike No Trails.') We took a 1/2 hour break there. I would have wanted to stay there for the night as the stream was running, but we hardly have any food left, and we need to get as close to Kent as possible.    So we hiked on and now we are bizarrely cowboyed out on a porch of a landscaping/nursery on the highway. It's crazy loud, there are hens running around cawing and acting territorial, there are automatic lights and sprinklers, I don't think it's a good idea, but it'll have to do since I can't hike another step. I'm full of ice cream and pretzels that Ironman and Bonsey picked up and shared with us. They are so nice.    No more 20's, I am just done, wiped out. A beautiful day with an odd ending. The sun is going down and I need to get ready for bed. * * *So we pushed on to this landscaping place because we heard that they like hikers and let people camp there. It is very nice of them and I'm glad they offer it, but it is right in front of a highway and next to a commuter rail line, there are lights and sprinkers and chickens and basically it's impossible to sleep. I guess that's how you find out.
Date: 2009-07-09
From: NY 22

To: Mt. Algo Lean To
Miles today: 18.0

Day 107, 18 miles, 5:30 am - 6:45 pm   Well, truck traffic, commuter trains, porch lights, a sprinkler system, and crowing hens do not make for a good night's sleep. They just don't. Matt's nemesis, a little hen we named "Crazy Little Chicken" started cawing at him before the sun was up, and any semblance of sleep was futile after that. Soon after that started, we were packed and walking across the street to a truck picnic area so we could eat breakfast.    Early this morning we walked through more fields, and despite everything I was glad to be out so soon. The day felt fresh, and the air smelled so sweet and grassy. Dawn light reflected silver into the clouds. I was happy to be out in the open, and awake.    More nice woods after that, but lots of hillsides are disturbingly choked out with barberry. I don't remember so much of that from '04. Oddly enough the worst of it was through a Nature Conservancy area. They need to do something about invasive species in there. What good is a conservation area if native plants and animals can't thrive there?    Anyway, we took a break at Wiley Shelter, and shortly after that we crossed into Connecticut. Woods filled with giant hemlocks led us down to the Housatonic River, and eventually we made our way into Kent--on an alternate route. We took Schagticoke Road instead of the trail that kicked back into NY on the ridge. It was really fun, albeit a little buggy. The road travels through an Indian reservation, along the river and swamps. We saw an old burial ground that had graves from the early 1800's until the present. I'd bet that it used to be a horse road, some of the trees lining the road were so huge they had to be planted over 200 years ago!    So we resupplied in Kent, did some laundry, ate lunch and dinner in town, the usual. Actually, it was kind of sad, since we had to temporarily call the laundromat home base. Maybe we are morphing into homeless people. We cleaned up our mess, though, and didn't scare anybody.    Most hikers found somewhere to tent out in town, but after zero sleep last night I want back in the woods where it's quiet. So we backtracked 0.3 miles to the shelter outside of town. A good bet--we found an excellent tentsite at the shelter area, and only one other person, a weekender, is tenting here. Should be a quiet night. What a long day.
Date: 2009-07-10
From: Mt. Algo Lean To

To: Silver Hill Campsite
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 108, 10.2 miles, 8:30 am - 2:30 pm   I want to remember this: it is a most beautiful July day. Mild temps with blue skies, pretty clouds, and a light breeze. Silver Hill is so nice I can't properly expound upon how much I like it here. There are tent sites covered in pine needles, a porch swing, birds calling, unobstructed sky views, an old picnic shelter. Also--no one at all has even been by for a break since we've been here. I suppose the name of the game right now is miles, miles, miles.    How we've only done 10 ourselves--something is wrong with me. I am weak and dizzy, I walk 10 steps up the trail and I have to stop for a break, I have an awful headache and an upset stomach. I dragged through the whole day and took a million breaks and when we finally got up here I asked Matt if he was okay with us just staying here for the night, which we ended up doing. We set up the tent and I took a nap. I woke up at 5 o'clock and lay listening to the birds and the wind in the trees. It was peaceful.    Now dinner has been eaten, water procured from the rusty old well, and I'll be back in my bag soon. I'm rocking on the porch swing and looking out right now. I really hope I feel better tomorrow. I suppose I should just worry about it then, but I've committed us to a 20 mile day tomorrow! No!! Oh well, this afternoon off was basically a necessity.    So I figure that Matt and I have 2 more months of walking to go. A long but manageable time frame. I am starting to have powerful urges to be back "home" wherever that may be, doing simple things like reading, folding laundry, cooking dinner, drinking tea with Matt, walking around town unencumbered by a pack. Hiking makes me appreciate the more mundane aspects of life, and now I am starting to look forward to them again.* * *A note about Silver Hill--it's a nice place but hardly a wilderness experience. It looks like it used to be on private property or something. Also, the water from the well is horribly rusty, the water is orange and 1/2" of rust settles on the bottom of your bottle.
Date: 2009-07-11
From: Silver Hill Campsite

To: Limestone Spring Lean To 
Miles today: 20.0

Day 109, 20 miles, 6:30 am - 5 pm   Another pretty day in Connecticut. I am really digging this state. It's so great to be in pretty woods all day long. Some views have little church steeples, and today we went past waterfalls.    I am feeling much better today, obviously, since we went 20 or more miles what with a long trail detour out on the road and a 1/2 mile drop into this shelter area. I'm tired but thankfully not on the edge of insane exhaustion like yesterday.    All in all a good day...except the water filter is broken and the bugs have gotten horrific. I'm killing 4-5 of them at a time whenever I slap my neck!    Tonight we are the only thrus here, we arrived to a tent city of boy scouts tented in a circle, I swear there must be 30 people with the kids and their adults. We're camped above the shelter well out of the way of everyone.    Now we're hunkered again in the tent waiting for thunderstorms to come through. It's really dark and the wind is howling. Hopefull the tent won't be ripped from it's moorings!    I can't believe that we are walking into Mass. tomorrow! As long as we survive the storms tonight...
Date: 2009-07-12
From: Limestone Spring Lean To 

To: Glen Brook
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: clear sky

Day 110, 17.6 miles, 8 am - 7 pm   So I'm having this dream that I'm eating these really great cupcakes when I'm woken up by Matt telling me that he's soaked and that the tent has water all over it.    It was true. The storms came through with horizontal rain all night. So that's one thing. It was still drippy when it was time to get up, and a few dozen or so mosquitoes were waiting for us on the bug netting of the tent. What a great start for the day! I affixed my rain poncho and a lot of DEET to myself and started getting ready. I dumped out our breakfast stuff down at the shelter so we could eat somewhere dry, and I saw that Braid had come in during the night. I was very happy to see him. He has Lyme's, but is taking antibiotics and is feeling much better.    We climbed up the steep path back to the AT and the day righted itself quickly because we had another great day! No kidding. Hemlock woods, blue skies, not too hot. Here's what we did--we took a long break at Lion's Head to enjoy the view and spread out all our stuff to dry off. We took lots of pictures of waterfalls in Sage's Ravine, and then we had a lovely evening walk up the open Race Mountain ridgeline. What a beautiful but tough day! The trail has definetely gotten more mountainous, steeper, rockier, and sometimes downright tricky.    We are in a hiker void, yesterday and today we didn't see any other thrus or sectioners (except for Braid.) Tonight we are at this site by ourselves and that's good enough for me. Goodnight.
Date: 2009-07-13
From: Glen Brook

To: US 7/Great Barrington, MA
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 111, 7.9 miles, 6:30 - 10:30 am    Wow, it got cold last night, maybe 40 degrees. Motivation to get up and out since it is a town day today. We've been out on the trail for 10 days straight now but it still snuck up on me.    An easy hitch brought us to the grocery store, and it was almost off how fast I transitioned from hiking through the woods and swamps to eating doughnuts and drinking coffee in the cafe at the grocery store before we started our chores.    After grocery shopping and laundry, we made it to this hotel in town where we've been parked since the afternoon, eating and watching cable. I actually haven't thought about the trail since hiked off this morning, but we'll be back on tomorrow.    Trail today--pitch pine and rock slab on the mountain, swamps and bogs, trumpet lilies, dark woods, and bright green fields. Oh, and mosquitoes to match. Mass. has been good so far but I anticipate a hellishly buggy week. So I bought some more DEET. And a new pen to journal with.
Date: 2009-07-14
From: US 7/Great Barrington, MA

To: Mt. Wilcox S. Lean To
Miles today: 10.4

Day 112, 10.4 miles, 1:45 - 6:45 pm   Another coffee fueled morning spent getting ready and packed in our comfy room. I ate alot of fruit, took a long hot shower, and watched the Daily Show & Colbert Report. We made our way out at 11 am even though the owners of the place told us that we were free to stay a few hours longer if we wanted.    Hitching yesterday was so damn easy but today I didn't have any luck. So we ended up taking the bus 1/2 way back to the TH. We had to wait at the stop for 1 hour, but it was actually nice to be outside, clean, enjoying the day from a bench with nothing much to do but people watch.    The bus took us to the store we resupplied at yesterday, and I couldn't resist a last cup of coffee and more doughnuts.    This trip is starting to hone in for me how easy and nice it is to just relax with your surroundings. I am definetely becoming an expert at decompression, I don't need much to do it. I don't need much for contentment, either.    Anyway, finally in the afternoon hitched out of town all the way and got back to the trailhead. We were picked up by a girl named Carol. She said that it is so rainy this year that she can't buy any hay for her horses to eat--no one has been able to cure any because it's so relentlessly wet out.    Well back to the trail. As soon as we were back in the woods the mosquitoes made their assault. They were so horrible that they were flying under my glasses and biting my eyelids. So we spent the afternoon basically running down the trail. I don't think we stopped once. There were pretty trees, rocks, and ponds on the trail but perhaps they are best enjoyed in the fall.    We are camped in a tentsite at this shelter, others are here too but I think they are further down the blue blaze since I haven't actually seen anybody here. I guess that's it for today.
Date: 2009-07-15
From: Mt. Wilcox S. Lean To

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Day 113, 16.3 miles, 6:30 am - 3 pm   What a beautiful day! Sunny and mild with lots of varied terrain to hike through. Dark pine forests, fields, and swamps with boardwalks over them. I especially like the fields. I wonder if I'm getting tired of being in the woods, it is so nice to be out in the open, seeing summertime flowers and birds.    So today we are staying at possibly the best place so far. We get a bunk with a mattress, a canoe to take out on the lake, and--supposedly--coffee in the morning. Matt and I took out the canoe and we paddled around for over an hour. I think it's the best thing I've done all month. It was just fantastic to be out on the water with the wind skimming over everything. I loved it. It reminded me that I haven't been in a canoe since Denali State Park in 2003.    Now we are glutted with people again and it's getting loud and packed in here. I think they are all headed into the 'secret' but not so secret hostel in town tomorrow. Bedtime soon, but book first.