morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-21
From: Bear Mountain Inn

To: Graymoor Spiritual Center
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: clear sky

A truly wonderful day on the trail! We awoke this morning in the beautiful Bear Mountain Inn and had a lovely breakfast of cold cereal with real MILK! What a luxury ice cold milk can be.   We walked over to the post office and mailed stuff to Roger and my dad. There is a merry-go-round in the park, so we all went for a ride on the unique carousel.   We were going hiking 6.6 miles today so we didn¢t feel any need to hurry. We left the park and walked through Bear Mountain Zoo. We quickly hiked the rest of the way to Graymoor Spiritual Center and Friary. It is a really cool place where thru-hikers have been invited to stay and have dinner for years. The Friar gave us a great meal and tour.   What a special trip.                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-22
From: Graymoor Spiritual Center

To: Betty and Herbie's House
Miles today: 11.9

This adventure continues to amaze. The most amazing thing is how nice the people you meet can be. Tonight, we are sleeping in the home of two friends of Beagle and Moo Juice, Herbert and Betty Sandberg. They are a very fun, smart and entertaining couple who obviously enjoy the role of host. They picked us up on the trail around 4 this afternoon and drove us to their home. Moo Juice is one of their extended family, so we were immediately made to feel right at home. We all showered while Betty put a tremendous Polish meal together. We sat down and ate our fill and laughed at each other¢s stories like old friends. This is the trip of a lifetime and we are making friends worthy of it.                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-23
From: Betty and Herbie's House

To: Morgan Stewart Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: haze

Today started out great and ended up great, but got damp in the middle. We awoke to another wonderful meal with Betty and Herbie. We had fresh watermelon and cantelope that was perfectly ripe and delicious.   Betty made an omelet to die for with rye toast.   After stuffing ourselves, they piled us in the van and drove us back to the AT. We started out around 10 AM and flew the first 4 miles before the skies opened up. It poured the rest of the day. We stopped at the RPH Shelter for an hour long lunch and then slogged through the rain to our shelter. The rain stopped just as we arrived at our shelter, so I started a fire and we all dried our boots.   The temperature is dropping and we are cozy and dry in the shelter so I am sure we will sleep well.   Goodnight!                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-24
From: Morgan Stewart Shelter

To: Wiley Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

¢I can see clearly now the rain is gone¢¦¢ What a difference 12 hours makes. As we walked the first few steps this morning, the sun broke through and the sky seemed to clear instantly. The humidity of the last week vanished and cool clear air filled our lungs as we strolled through green forests and fields. By 11 AM we arrived at Nuclear Lake where Beagle and Moo Juice went swimming. It is a lovely lake and the water was perfect. I sat on the shore and ate a whole bag of mini-chips Ahoy, so I felt equally happy and refreshed. We walked some more and at 3 we stopped at a deli for an early dinner. We ended the day by walking another 6 miles to the shelter. Connecticut tomorrow!                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-25
From: Wiley Shelter

To: Kent, Connecticut
Miles today: 12.8

We walked into another state today. We are sleeping in Kent, Connecticut tonight after a tough 13 miles of up and down walking. We spent the day hiking with two of our long-term hiker friends, Spiceman and Party Girl.   Don¢t Mind led the way across 4 tough climbs and we completed the hike just before 4 PM. We were able to quickly hitch into Kent, Connecticut and find a lovely hotel room. All four of us quickly showered and headed out to do town chores. We put the laundry in the washer and walked over to a nice Italian restaurant for dinner. It was a perfect evening and Kent is a nice town. Four days to Massachusetts!                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-26
From: Kent, Connecticut

To: Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: scattered clouds

What a lazy day! What a great lazy day. We slept in at the Inn this morning until after 8 AM and took hot showers before heading out to meet a beautiful morning. I ran over to the Post Office to get our resupply package and found a surprise from Popsicle. Twenty awesome cookies later and we were ready for breakfast. We walked through the beautiful small town of Kent, Connecticut. There are lots of small shops and pretty houses lining a manicured street. We ate a large breakfast and went to the Post Office to mail our post cards and a package to Dad. We met Big Red outside and he said he would give us a ride back to the trail. We quickly hit the grocery store for snacks and a milkshake and then headed for the trail. We hiked a quick 7.2 miles and called it a day. What a life!                                        --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-27
From: Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: moderate rain

Rain, rain go away, come back another day! Here we are soaked again and illegally camping in the woods next to a coffee shop.   At least it will be easy to get breakfast in the morning if the cops don¢t catch us first. It rained off and on all day as we walked, first, along a river and then over several sharp climbs and descents. We stopped briefly for lunch at the lean-to, but believe it or not, we had to get moving because we were getting cold.   I know folks back home are thinking ¢cold in July?¢, but it is true.   We have yet to hike in temperatures above 90 degrees! I can¢t believe how lucky we have been. Now if it would just stop raining. There is always tomorrow.                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-28
From: Campsite

To: CT 41
Miles today: 10.1

Some days don¢t go as planned. Sometimes this is a bad thing and sometimes this is a good thing. We had planned to walk 18 miles today, however, we were tempted by our friends Beagle and Moo Juice to take a shorter day and pay for it tomorrow. We are going to slack pack over two 2000¢ climbs tomorrow. This will probably be difficult since it has been a while since we did so much climbing in one day. However, it sounded like a good idea today when our feet were hurting and we were sitting at the base of Bear Mountain. We may cry tomorrow, but we are happy today!                                                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-29
From: CT 41

To: Jug End Road
Miles today: 16.9

Today was an amazing day on the trail. It was also a very difficult day on the trail. We walked over two major mountains, Bear and Everett, and it was a tough 17 miles. As we were climbing Bear Mountain we ran into a fellow thru-hiker, who we had previously met, who is recovering from a rattlesnake bite. We had heard through the trail grapevine that someone had been bitten, but we did know it was Allegany. He had blown a whistle after he was bitten until help arrived. Two fellow hikers managed to get him off the mountain and into an ambulance for him to be airlifted to Hartford. He is mending quickly and back hiking.   Oh, by the way, we are now in Massachusetts.                                                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-30
From: Jug End Road

To: Benedict Pond
Miles today: 15.0

It was one of those mornings where you just can¢t get all the pieces going in the correct direction.   We were being driven back to the trail this morning by skipper, a wonderful man who is a real trail angel.   However, he called and said he was running late. The traffic was bad, so we were not back on the AT until 10 AM. It is always best to knock out as many miles as possible early in the day to avoid the midday heat, but two hours later we had walked only four miles and we were sitting in a gazebo of a farmer¢s market eating ice cream and cantaloupe. It is really a hard life we are living out here! We hit the trail running and hiked another few miles before the tough climbs of the afternoon. We stopped again for trail magic by Skipper and then went for a swim in the pond. A really tough life!                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-07-31
From: Benedict Pond

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light rain

I know it has been awhile, but just let me say that my feet are killing me! Most of the time these days my foot pain is within acceptable limits, however, tonight they are off the scale. It was an extremely difficult 17 miles today and I was worn out when we arrived at the cabin on Goose Pond. However, after a quick swim in the cool lake water, I felt refreshed. Then after a great meal, a guitar appeared and we spent the evening passing it around and playing our favorite songs. Everything was on the menu and everyone was singing along. I did my mom¢s favorite song to rave reviews and sang tenor on several gospel classics. A great time was had by all.                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-01
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Kaywood Lean-to
Miles today: 17.6

It was wonderful to see magical moments happen to people you like. Moo Juice and Beagle shared one such moment with us today. For years they have driven under a pedestrian bridge on the Massachusetts Turnpike that is labeled Appalachian Trail. Each time they would point at the bridge and say that ¢one day we are going to walk across that bridge.¢   Today, armed with brimming smiles and tears, they did just that. They stood on the bridge while cars drove below with drivers waving and blowing their horns. We stood for a while beside the bridge and watched them take it all in. I thought back to how I felt crossing the bridge at Harpers Ferry and I knew the thoughts that were running through their minds.   This is truly a magical journey we are all sharing.                        --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-02
From: Kaywood Lean-to

To: Mark Noepel Lean-to
Miles today: 16.7

Let¢s take a moment to talk about an important and surprisingly engaging member of our support team; the United States Postal Service. Lance Armstrong is not the only one being superbly supported by a Postal team. We have visited 22 post offices between Springer Mountain and Kent, Connecticut, and every office has been represented by a pleasant, professional and helpful postal employee. They are understanding of how difficult our journey is and go out of their way to make our visit enjoyable. Early on, we were told that if we made any purchase with a debit or ATM card, we could get an additional 50 dollars with no fee. We haven¢t used an ATM since! Next time you are in a Post Office tell them DM2 said ¢thanks.¢                                        --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-03
From: Mark Noepel Lean-to

To: Williamstown, MA
Miles today: 9.6

Today is what we thru-hikers call a nero day. We hiked to the top of Greylock Mountain early this morning under cloudless blue skies and in crisp morning air. The views from the top were almost as amazing as the two greasy hamburgers I had for breakfast. The 3.1 miles we hiked this morning left us with a downhill 6.5 miles into town.   We were showered and in our chore mode by 2 PM. We headed for the post office where we picked up our package; including a fresh batch of cookies from my wonderful sister!   We now have a crew of thru-hikers that follow us to the post office for possible treats. Next, we headed for the laundry mat and outfitter.   I am sitting in very humid air waiting for our wash to finish. Next we dry¢¦                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-04
From: Williamstown, MA

To: Congdon Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: broken clouds

Four months on the trail!! Today marks the fourth anniversary of hitting the AT at Springer Mountain in the cool spring air of Georgia. We have walked through spring, summer, and now the air is turning to fall-like temperatures. What an amazing adventure we are sharing. The other big news of the day is, of course, walking into Vermont.   Eleven states down and only 3 to go!   It turns out that Vermont is very muddy.   It is kind of strange to climb a mountain for two hours to arrive at a swamp. Beavers have damned up several creeks forcing us to wade through knee-deep water to continue our hike. Funny how each state has its own quirk that makes it a challenge and unique.                                                                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-05
From: Congdon Shelter

To: Goddard Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: few clouds

I know I talked about the Vermont mud yesterday, but I feel that I owe it to anyone considering a thru-hike to emphasize the word ¢MUD!¢   We do not have this kind of mud in Virginia, except in the swamps of the Tidewater. If you go to the Great Dismal Swamp and walk straight into it for about 15 miles you will experience something similar to our hike today. We passed a sign that was not intended to be funny, but it read ¢Please avoid hiking this trail during the muddy season.¢   Apparently, this has been a very wet year in Vermont and the muddy season did not end in time. With all these complaints in mind, Vermont is incredibly beautiful. The mountains are thickly wooded, but the views are amazing when available. The adventure continues¢¦.                                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-06
From: Goddard Shelter

To: Straton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: overcast clouds

37 degrees in August?!!   We were frozen puppies in a blanket last night. We are going to get our cold weather gear back tomorrow from Carl and Arnesa Lind, Don¢t Mind¢s Uncle and Aunt, but it looks like it was two days too late. Locals have told us that the weather turns like a switch from summer to fall and I guess we should have been paying attention.   One thing we learned last night was that it is coldest on top of the mountain. We walked almost twenty miles today to ensure that we were not on top of Stratem Mountain this evening.   While on the top, however, we climbed the tower and had magnificent views of mountains in every direction. To the north, way in the distance, you could see the Whites. We have walked from Georgia to climb those and they are in our sights.                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-07
From: Straton Pond Shelter

To: VT 11/30
Miles today: 10.5

We are lucky folks and we know it. We are living out a wonderful fantasy and are being supported by a large group of loving family and friends. This fact is not lost on our fellow hikers, many of whom may feel we are a bit spoiled. What a ridiculous thought! However, Carl and Arnesa, Don¢t Mind¢s Uncle and Aunt, and Ronnie Monaghan, my long lost Scottish brother, met us today just outside of Manchester Center and whisked us off to a cute lodge next to Bromley Ski Resort called Johnny Seesaws.   We quickly showered, joined everyone for a five star meal and were taken into town to do our laundry. Tomorrow is a zero day and Ronnie, Carl and I are going to play Glen Eagles Golf Course while Arnesa and Don¢t Mind go to a large craft fair. Spoiled? I don¢t think so.                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-09
From: Johnny Seesaws

To: Lost Pond Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

The view from Baker Peak is amazing! The climb to Baker Peak is just as spectacular. It is up a solid slab of rock for the last several hundred yards.   This evening that peak lies between our friend Ronnie and us. Unfortunately, the 16 mile climb planned for today proved to be a wee bit too much for Ronnie¢s first day. The jet lag, town food and first day blues took their toll and we left him in the care of two beautiful college girls - sorry Sheila - at the last shelter. He intends to wake up very early tomorrow and meet us for breakfast. By the way, Sheila has nothing to worry about because the man was dead! He was probably asleep before we reached Baker Peak. The adventure continues¢¦                                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-10
From: Lost Pond Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: broken clouds

Ronnie is my hero. He awoke first thing this morning and pounded out a quick five miles to meet us for breakfast. We walked together for another 10 miles to reach a daily total for Ronnie of 15 miles over tough terrain. That is an amazing second day on the trail. We decided to camp together tonight and found a stealth site next to a small creek just short of VT 40.   We are going to do 18.3 to the top of Killington tomorrow to catch up with our plan. Ronnie is going to walk with us until VT 103, 8 miles, where we are going to stop for lunch at the Whistle Stop Restaurant. Then we are going to climb Killington and he is going to find a ride to the ski resort and meet us at the top. I just hope he is enjoying this as much as we are.                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-11
From: Campsite

To: Cooper Lodge
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: moderate rain

Anytime you hike 18.5 miles on the AT you have done some work. But when the last 11 miles is a climb to the summit of Killington Mountain, you are really in for a workout. As I sit here writing tonight under our sleeping bag in Cooper Lodge at the top of Killington, I am completely exhausted.   But what a great day and a great feeling of accomplishment! We were hit by some terrible storms last night. We, in our tent, and Ronnie in his ¢green maggot¢ sack, both stayed cozy and dry as storm after storm raced by. Ronnie hiked the first 8 miles and had lunch with us before parting to find a ride to meet us further down the trail. We started hiking up Killington and the sun soon gave way to another strong storm. We kept walking and climbing until we reached the top 5 hours later. This is a tough but great way to live.                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-12
From: Cooper Lodge

To: Stony Brook Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: light rain

Vermont is beautiful.   This is what I am told, but most of it has been hidden by rain and clouds since we walked in. Still, we have had some incredible hiking and spectacular views when we find one. Although it stormed throughout last night, we awoke to no rain this morning. We quickly had breakfast and headed down Killington. It was a nice walk in the woods and the day was going really well until the thunder began to roll. We were just starting up the big climb of the day when the clouds let loose. It rained steadily for our final 5 miles into the shelter. We walked up to the shelter like drowned rats and who do we find nice and dry inside?? Ronnie Monaghan, that¢s who! My long lost Scottish brother is safe and sound and back with us. It is a good day.                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-13
From: Stony Brook Shelter

To: VT 12
Miles today: 13.3

Friday the 13th! A day of horrors like none other! But first, let me apologize to Roger for going over my word limit today, but there is too much to our story to tell in such a small space. Ronnie awoke early as usual and left the shelter in a downpour around 6 AM. Don¢t Mind and I slept until 7 AM, ate a quick breakfast and headed out into the same storm. A few minutes after we left the shelter, I realized I had left my Tilly hat, so I ran back to get it. A I was hustling back, I broke my umbrella. OH NO!!   I grabbed my hat and walked back to catch Don¢t Mind and was soon soaked to the bone. Everything was wet because it rained non-stop until we reached our planned meeting spot for lunch, Wintturi Shelter. Don¢t Mind made me a peanut butter and jelly bagel, which I promptly dropped in the mud. So I ate animal crackers for lunch and we headed for the Rosewood Inn. Ah, the Inn, this is where my day really went off course. On the way, I suddenly realized that I had booked the wrong Rosewood Inn, the one in New Hampshire, not Vermont. When we reached VT 12, I walked up to a house and asked to use the phone. A very nice lady named Cindy handed me the phone out on the porch because I was too soaked to go inside. I called the Rosewood Inn to try and cancel our rooms, but the manger told me that ¢our friends¢ were already there. Tom and Elisha Gregg were waiting for our call and were soon off to rescue us from the rain and pain. Our new friend Cindy drove the 3 of us to Woodstock where we could do laundry while Tom and Elisha drove an hour to come and get us. We all met up at the laundry mat and we happily got into their car for the ride back to the Inn. We had driven less than 500 yards when Tom was pulled over for speeding. Elisha, who is stuck with Tom because I was already taken, eloquently argued Tom¢s case with the police officer and Tom was only given a written warning. Unfortunately, Elisha continued to argue the case well past winning. I was afraid we might all end up in jail! We all had a wonderful drive through the New Hampshire countryside and arrived safely at the Inn. We quickly cleaned up and everyone sat down for a great meal and friendly conversation. Why do they call it Friday the 13th when everything goes so well?                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-14
From: VT 12

To: Campsite
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: broken clouds

Goodbye Ronnie, it was great fun! We took Ronnie to the bus station this morning after a wonderful breakfast at the Inn. He is off to Boston for some business before heading home. He will not believe this, but the hiking was even more difficult today. Several very steep climbs followed by equally steep descents have left us beaten. However, we are still happy to have such good friends as Ronnie, Tom and Elisha. By the way, Elisha makes the world¢s best Snicker doodles, and that was our dinner tonight, served with tea Ronnie pilfered from the Inn. We are in the middle of nowhere, with no water and tenting on an un-level site. There is no place on earth I would rather be!                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-15
From: Campsite

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: broken clouds

We are in New Hampshire!   Only two states to go; however, everyone says these are the hard states.   The Presidentials and the Whites await us. These mountain ranges are supposed to be very difficult and incredibly spectacular. The weather has been questionable at best lately and I hope we get a chance to see something from on top of these magnificent climbs. We have been lucky so far, so I hope it continues.   Hanover is the home of Dartmouth and is a nice upscale village. We are staying in the Hanover Inn, a very nice hotel with all the amenities. It is nice to spoil ourselves now and then. We got really lucky yesterday and walked in dry all the way. The remains of Charley went through during the night while we slept inside.   Our luck continues¢¦                                --Don¢t Matter
Date: 2004-08-16
From: Hanover, NH

To: Moose Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: light rain

As I lie here tonight on my Thermarest it is raining again. I am usually not a negative kind of guy, but come on.   Is this normal weather for New England? The locals say not, but that does us little good. We left Hanover after lunch. It poured all of last night and early this morning, but it appeared to be clearing as we headed out of town.   We walked the first six miles under cloudy but dry skies. The rain began as a light drizzle that I thought would soon end, but it slowly and steadily got worse until it was a mind numbing downpour. So we did what we always do when our spirits get a little down. We started singing our favorite songs as we walked. The last few miles melted away and now we are snug under a shelter with a full stomach, a contented spirit and mountains to climb tomorrow.                                --Don¢t Matter