morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-09-15
From: Telephone Pioneers Shelter

To: Wingdale, NY
Miles today: 10.6

Jack got up early, and therefore, I did too. By 8:00 AM, I¢d made my way to the Dover Oak. It is the largest tree on the AT. According to the guide, it is 20 feet, 4 inches in girth and estimated to be over 300 years old. There was a very nice field afterward, then a long boardwalk. This was all very nice hiking. Soon I came to the Appalachian Trail Railroad Station. I recalled seeing a picture of Not Yet and Zubie, hikers I¢d met in 2007, taken here.I stopped in at the neighboring nursery to get some water. The owner talked about his uncle, named McEnry, who was 98 years old and had just authored a book ¢Hell in the Pacific¢ about his days in World War II.At the Wiley Shelter, I met three other north bounders: Coco, Wildcat, and Sasso. Back at the Wildcat Shelter, Paddy-O had mentioned these three hikers. I knew it was these three because he¢d talked of one of the hikers being on crutches. This was Sasso. He¢d broken a toe. He seemed better now, but was still carrying the crutches strapped to his pack.At 3:15 PM, I crossed into Connecticut and said goodbye to New York! At Connecticut Rt. 55, I called the Dutches Motor Inn and got a ride from the owner into Wingdale, NY for a hotel stay and re-supply.
Date: 2012-09-16
From: Wingdale, NY

To: Mt Algo Lean-To
Miles today: 10.6

At 9:00 AM, the owner of the inn shuttled me back to the trail. Soon I came to the Ten Mile River. At the Ten Mile River Shelter, I came upon Coco, Wildcat, and Sasso. They were getting a late start, and we hiked together for a while before I dropped back. Connecticut is beautiful, and not very hard going so far. When I got to the shelter, I decided to tent for the night.
Date: 2012-09-17
From: Mt Algo Lean-To

To: Silver Hill Campsite
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

The travelling started with a bit of up and down, the pinnacle being Caleb¢s Peak, which offered some great views, and St. Johns Ledges.The highlight of the day was meeting Dave and Jennie, an uncle/niece pair out for a day hike. I first saw them as they passed by me going southbound. I then met them again as they passed me on the VERY steep downhill of the St. Johns Ledges to the Housatonic river. I then caught up with them at the parking lot where they offered me a ride to the end of the River road (which I declined), some water and power bars (which I accepted). We talked for a while. Jenny had a thousand questions about the trail, and I answered as best I could. She was surprised to learn that women often hike the trail alone. I walked the road and again ran into them by the river where I stopped for lunch. Dave offered me his lunch as it turned out he had spare since they both packed lunches for each other!The next five miles was an easy stroll along the Housatonic River, ending with a short uphill walk to the Silver Hill Campsite where I set up my tent. This is a great site! There is a pump for water, a platform with a swinging seat, and a covered pavilion with picnic tables. Heavy rain predicted for the morning. I plan to get up early and beat it if I can.
Date: 2012-09-18
From: Silver Hill Campsite

To: Cornwall Bridge CT
Miles today: 0.8

I woke at first light. The rain was starting to fall, so I hurried and got the tent packed up and went to the pavilion to fix breakfast. It was a short hike from the Silver Hill Campsite to Cornwall Bridge CT. It rained all day, but so far, no ¢Wow¢ storm as had been predicted. There is an outfitter here, and I bought a new raincoat, as the one I have is not doing the job at all. I resupplied at Baird¢s, the general store. I¢m spending the night at the Hitching Post Motel. A call to the Salisbury Post Office let me know my winter gear from my wife has arrived. Since it is supposed to get cold, I¢ve decided to hitch to Salisbury tomorrow and get it, and then go southbound for a few days to make up the miles.
Date: 2012-09-19
From: Salisbury, CT

To: Stealth Site near Mt. Easter
Miles today: 14.3

I will remember today as being one of the best on the trail. A bit ironic since I spent much of the day hitchhiking, walking through towns, and I missed my target site for the night and wandered on until just before dark before finding a site to tent. It was just a very pleasant day. It went like this:I was up early and ready to start my journey after nearly a full day of rest. I went down to Baird¢s for breakfast and coffee. A group of locals was sitting at the tables in front of the stores. After eating and re-filling my coffee, I asked them their opinion of the best way to get to Salisbury. They agreed that the best way was via the town of Sharon. I then asked if any of them were heading that way. One named Colby said he could take me part of the way. Colby got me as far as Butter road. I was disappointed with the spot though. It was not a place where people would want to stop their cars and pick up a hiker. Soon, my fears were alleviated. Pete, who was also at the store, came to my rescue. He took me on to Sharon. I walked for about half a mile down Main Street through Sharon, looking for a better spot to hitch. By this time, it was nearly 8:00 AM, and traffic was getting heavy. Woody, a retired New York Times reporter, picked me up and took me to the Salisbury town center. With my 20-degree sleeping bag and my new rain jacket in my pack, I headed down East Main Street to the trailhead. Up Weetauwanchu Mountain I went. The woods were pine and the forest was very dark. I love deep pinewoods. On Raccoon hill, I came to the Giant¢s Thumb. I¢d not heard of this before, so it was an unexpected treat. I went past the Limestone Spring Lean-to without stopping. I then came to the Great Falls at the Falls Village Dam, which was an enjoyable site. The terrain below the falls was a jumble of rocks and rapids. I talked briefly with a local. The trail went along a road and there were houses. This was not really an outdoor experience, but it was fun. There was the Iron Bridge, a ¢bridge to nowhere¢ over the Housatonic River that has been left up just for the hikers to use. I stopped and took a self-portrait, using the roadblock for a camera stand. Once past the bridge I walked by the hydroelectric plant. Here I actually managed to get lost for a short while. The trail markings were not clear. The blazes were on telephone poles and guardrails. I think they continued up the road and must have marked an earlier route. I met a cyclist who told me to continue on the road. After a short while, I turned around and went back to a pull-off/parking lot. Here I picked up the trail where I should have been all along. The trail went along the river for a short while, then back onto the road (as the cyclist had mentioned). As I went by the Housatonic Valley Regional High School, took a photograph of it. Here again the trail crossed the Housatonic river by way of a road bridge.
Date: 2012-09-20
From: Stealth Site near Mt. Easter

To: Stealth Site in Salibury Ct
Miles today: 7.7

Today was another great day of hiking and hitchhiking. I soon came to the Pine Swamp Brook Lean-to where I found water. A bit later, I came to another cracked boulder similar to the Lemon Squeezer, but not as trying. Just past the Carse Brook footbridge, I walked along a swampy area. There were some nice views today, with just a hint of the fall leaves. Due to the bypass of a fast moving brook, the last half mile into Cornwall Bridge was along Old Sharon Road. Upon reaching town, I hitched back to Salisbury. This took only one ride, and it was right to the local marketplace (La Bonne¢s). I stopped at the store to resupply. Outside the store, I again met Coco, Wildcat, and Sasso. They had resupplied too and were getting a ride with a local, but I¢m not sure where they were going.I¢d purchased a grinder (New England for sub sandwich), and found a picnic table behind the store. When I¢d finished, I once again headed down Main Street to the trailhead. This time it was to go north, which I did at Cobble Road. It was getting late, and I needed to find a site to camp. I was tired and couldn¢t face the 4 miles to the Riga Lean-to. There is a parking lot where the trail crosses Under Mountain Road. It has a privy, so I thought it would make a good stealth site, but I was wrong. I turned around and went back to the earlier found site. As I said, it was another great day on the trail.
Date: 2012-09-21
From: Stealth Site in Salibury Ct

To: Laurel Ridge Campsite
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: broken clouds

I woke at dawn, in my tent, to the gobble of turkeys. At 8:00 AM, on the way up to the Lions Head, I paused to let three turkeys cross the trail only a few feet from me. I passed by the Riga and Brassie Brook Lean-tos without stopping. Along the way, I met Hacksaw and Scooter. We stopped to talk. As we were talking, another hiker came along. He was carrying a daypack, and introduced himself as Warren Doyle. Hacksaw asked ¢The Warren Doyle?¢ Turns out Mr. Doyle has hiked the Appalachian Trail 16 times. The views from Bear Mountain were fabulous. It is the highest point in Connecticut. Soon after Bear Mountain, I crossed into Massachusetts at Sages Ravine. I lived in Massachusetts for years. How had I not heard of this marvelous place? It is a dark wood with a cascading river cutting through it. It must be a great place in the summer time. I imagine it is quite busy, but only with those willing to hike to it. On this day however, I saw only Hippie LongStocking, a young SOBO, and a father-daughter pair of day hikers here.
Date: 2012-09-22
From: Laurel Ridge Campsite

To: Great Barrington, MA
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: broken clouds

By 8:30, I was up on the top of Race Mountain. There was no view due to fog. A short while later the fog had cleared and the views from Mt. Everett were great. The downhill side was rough going as it was very steep. I need to go into Great Barrington to get my new boots at the Post Office, but I¢ll never make if before they close at Noon, so I guess I¢ll be hanging around until Monday morning. I met a trio of day hikers near the peak of Mt. Bushnell. They told me the weather was going to be bad tonight. After the Jug End view, the rest of the day was downhill and then flat terrain for the next 6 miles or so. Therefore, I decided to get into GB tonight and stealth camp near town. This way I can get a hotel early tomorrow and have it all day. I passed the Shay¢s Rebellion Monument around 4:00 PM. By 4:40, I was at the road to Great Barrington. I walked up the road for about half a mile until I came to the Rt. 7 Grille. Here I went in and got a bite to eat. I asked the owner If I could camp behind the restaurant and he said ¢Sure, hikers do it all the time¢. He even suggested that I set up under the pavilion. This was great as it allowed me to tent, but to not get caught in the expected rain.
Date: 2012-09-23
From: Great Barrington, MA

To: Great Barrington, MA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

At dawn, I woke in my tent at the Rt. 7 Grille. The rain came during the night. At some point, the tent blew down. I thought this might happen due to the gravel in which I set up. It didn¢t matter though as I was under the pavilion. Route 7 is not a very good place to hitch. It is too much of a highway, and being straight, is not the type of road that people want to stop on. After half an hour, a nice Hispanic family stopped to pick me up. They took me all the way to the Travel Lodge on the far side of town. Here I was able to get a room for the night, even though it was only about 9:30 in the morning. I had the continental breakfast with coffee too. It was very nice! During the day, I did laundry and resupplied. I then spent the afternoon watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lose to the Cowboys. I was surprised that the game was televised in Mass.
Date: 2012-09-24
From: Great Barrington, MA

To: Tom Leonard Lean-to
Miles today: 6.4

It actually felt a bit sad to part with my old boots. We¢d gone through so much together that I wanted to keep them as a memento.The day¢s walk started with a nice and easy walk along the Housatonic River, followed by an easy climb up East Mountain. Then into the Tom Leonard Lean-to which is right alongside of Ice Gulch.
Date: 2012-09-25
From: Tom Leonard Lean-to

To: Mt. Wilcox North Lean-to
Miles today: 7.1

It was another short day today. I¢m really losing steam lately. I know I¢m not going to go all the way, so I¢m just taking my time. Today I passed a pond with a beaver dam and saw a tree that had been downed by a beaver. This was a first for me.
Date: 2012-09-26
From: Mt. Wilcox North Lean-to

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

It has been too long since I've been able to update this journal. I¢m sorry for the wait. This is the first chance I've had to get on-line since New York. I left Upper Goose Pond Cabin this morning and I'm in Lee Mass to resupply. The trip is going well, but my legs are tired and sore. Fern will be picking me up in Vermont in early October, and I'm ready for it. There are not many hikers on the trail these days, but my audio books have been great company. As I walked the trail today, I came to a hollow. Suddenly I heard the frantic cries of a large bird. About a hundred yards away, a tall thin tree was shaking and, as I watched, a porcupine scurried down it. The bird continued its cries. As the porcupine ran (waddled really) nearer to me, the cries of the bird receded to a very sad cooing sound.Upper Goose Pond is absolutely wonderful. It is so serene. The Upper Goose Pond Cabin is a great stay. It is a house in the woods with no electricity. There are different people running the place each week. Dana and Carey were the caretakers for this week. They shared their dinner with me and another hiker named Piper. They served boneless ribs, baked potatoes, homemade applesauce, and broccoli! The scuttlebutt has it that there will be pancakes and coffee in the morning. It was another great day on the trail!
Date: 2012-09-27
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: October Mountain Lean-to
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: broken clouds

It has been a very nice day. The rumored pancakes and coffee were real! How very nice! I stopped into Lee Mass to resupply and go to the library. It was an easy hitch. A nice, young woman stopped and gave me a lift into town. In my inbox I found and email from an old friend, Bill Webb, whom I'd not heard from in years! A guy named Bill gave me a ride back to the trail. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I messed up today when leaving the cabin. The trail merged with a motorcycle path. I¢d gone only a few feet in the wrong direction when I figured what the heck, I can hear the traffic on the Mass Turnpike, and I¢ll just stick with this path. How wrong I was. When I got to the turnpike, the way onto it was blocked by a large stream. I bushwhacked my way along the highway for half a mile until I could get up on the side. It was another half mile of road walking on a major highway until I came to the footbridge over the highway. I learned my lesson. Stick to the trail! I called Fern from the shelter. She says rain is coming my way.
Date: 2012-09-28
From: October Mountain Lean-to

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: mist

I woke to the sound of rain. I stopped by the Cookie Lady¢s house to get a break from the rain. Met Mr. Cookie Lady and we talked for a while. They have a great story. He worked in the area for years and when he decided to buy a house, he bought this place. It was not until the next year that he realized his field next to the house was a very healthy blueberry farm. He is now a blueberry farmer. How very nice how life works out sometimes, yes?At the Shamrock Inn, I met the owners/workers Laura and Kathleen. The attached restaurant has great fried clams. I¢ve not had real New England fried clams for over 30 years. I received another e-mail from my old friend Bill Webb.
Date: 2012-09-29
From: Dalton, MA

To: Cheshire MA
Miles today: 9.4

The first mile of the trail today was a walk through the town. Where the trail again meets the woods, I met Jay and Bob. These two are out for a week of section hiking. We hiked together and talked for a while. After twenty minutes or so, we began to question whether or not we were on the trail. There we no blazes, but there were AT boundary signs. Jay pulled out his GPS and determined the trail was somewhere to the west of us. Since west was the way the trail we were on was going, we stayed the course. (See entry of two days ago in which I state; ¢I learned my lesson. Stick to the trail¢). After walking another half hour or so, the trail we were on came to a dead end. I start losing my cool, having been lost just two days ago. I was really just mad at myself for not paying attention to the 80,000 or so blazes I¢m supposed to follow. Jay again consulted the GPS. Now the trail was east of us. As Jay and Bob started bushwhacking east, I decided to turn around, go back, and start over. After just a few hundred yards, I came to where the AT crossed the trail were on. Heading north on the trail, I soon found Jay and Bob. They were only a few yards from the trail themselves. We stopped and took photos of us hugging a blazed tree. I really enjoyed hiking with these two, but I soon found myself outpacing them. I stopped for water at a very pretty cascade near the Crystal Mountain campsite. Here I saw them for the last time. I stopped at Gore Pond and took a few pictures. I then went on to the Cobbles, an outcropping of marble. Sadly, I did not choose to climb and take in the view. I later learned this view is considered to be quite spectacular.I soon was in the town of Cheshire. There is a hiker kiosk in town. Near it is a monument to Elder John Leland, which denotes him as the Father of Religious Liberty.   I stayed at the St. Mary of the Assumption Church. This ¢hostel¢ is really just a room where you can put your mat on the floor, but it was nice having four walls, a roof, heat, and light, so I¢m not complaining! I went for pizza, and passed a spooky looking old house. It must have been wonderful in its day. See photos.
Date: 2012-09-30
From: Cheshire MA

To: Mark Noepel Lean-to
Miles today: 4.5

I had to get an early start this morning because the shelter room is used for Sunday school. I went straight to the gas station on Route 8 and had coffee. I was here last night to resupply. Just as I left the station, a light rain began to fall. I spoke with my wife yesterday, and we decided she would start the journey to meet me on October 2nd. The trip from Florida, with visits to family, will take four days. So I¢ll meet her on October 5th. Logistics point to Bennington Vermont as our meeting point. Since this is not very far away, I¢m taking short days, and frankly, my body is ready for it. I¢m pretty well beat up after 5 months of hiking. I got to the Mark Noepel Lean-to early in the afternoon. The rain had let up, so I decided that since I had all this time on my hands, I¢d light a fire. This was quite a challenge since everything was soaked. I started by finding a large birch tree that was downed and stripped off some birch bark. Using a petroleum jelly impregnated cotton ball, I was, after an hour of trying, able to get a fire going. Soon after this, it again began to rain, this time with some force. The rain lasted throughout the night. All said, It was a good day.
Date: 2012-10-01
From: Mark Noepel Lean-to

To: Mt. Greylock
Miles today: 3.3

It rained all night and morning, and then the rain cleared for the afternoon. The tower at Mt. Greylock was just barely visible in the fog. Knowing I had many days left to get to Bennington, I decided to stay overnight ($35.00, how could I resist?) even though I'd only done 3 miles. The climb was consistently steep, but the terrain was easy. As the sun was setting, I took some great pictures. I met some nice people too. Three ladies that I¢d seen leaving the hotel back in Dalton and a young couple who were southbound.
Date: 2012-10-03
From: Sherman Brook Campsite

To: Seth Warner Shelter
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: overcast clouds

It rained last night too. This morning everything was pretty well soaked through. I hung it all on my food line to dry out, but it really stayed damp.Into the 12th state today - Vermont!Into Vermont, the 12th state!It is exciting, but I cannot quite accept the fact that this wonderful journey is coming to an end. I'll be meeting my wife in Bennington is just a few days.
Date: 2012-10-04
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Bennington Vermont
Miles today: 15.0

Well dear reader, I'm done for the year. I¢m a bit sad that I didn¢t make it all the way, but I did do over 1000 miles, covered most all of 8 states and had a blast for most of the time. I met great people along the way. I'm at the Autumn Inn at Bennington (The best I can say about this place is to avoid it at all costs). My wife is driving up to meet me today. I can't wait to see her! Thank you all for following along. God willing, I'll finish up next summer.
Date: 2012-01-18
To: Preparation
Miles today: 0.0

I continue to prepare for my trail journey. I've accumulated almost all my equipment, and I'm doing daily tests. I take a two mile journey every day with my loaded pack and my two training partners....Abbie (Lab mix) and Layla (Yorkie)...We go to Rock Creek Park in all kinds of weather and conditions. I'm not expecting too much snow when I begin, in March, but you never know. (This picture was taken during DC's Snowmageddon)
Date: 2012-01-19
To: Training Hike
Miles today: 0.0

Today it is 27*F, so a good day to try out different clothing combinations. I plan to hike the whole trail, in Teva's, so it's going to be a bit challenging to have the right sock combination for all different types of weather conditions. Remarkably enough, on a fair but cold day, layering two/three pair of smartwool socks keep my feet comfortably warm. The challenging days are the high thirties, low forties, when it rains. I'm experimenting with gore tex socks and some cycling shoe covers that I've modified by sewing the cleat holes shut. My reasoning for attempting this is the trouble I have, after days of hiking, (and lots of descending) with toe pain. (Pic is Rock Creek Park....great place for my 2 to 3 mile test hikes.....also, pretty amazing that this park exists in the heart of Washington, DC)
Date: 2012-01-19
To: Adventurers
Miles today: 0.0

In case you haven't noticed, my last name is Amundson. My husband's family claims some distant relation to the famous explorer, Roald Amundsen....the Norwegian who beat Scott to the South Pole. I recently went to this exhibit, at the National Geographic Museum, and was fascinated by the story of the 'Race To The End of the Earth'. It was incredible the time and planning that went into each man's attempt at this grand achievement, but the most remarkable thing was the starkly different choices the two men made on how to meet and overcome the challenges of the Antarctic. Seeing the successes and failures of both, helped me understand that no matter what my approach, or how well I plan, there will be successes and 'failures'. I guess that's what makes an adventure, an adventure.
Date: 2012-01-20
To: Taste-off
Miles today: 0.0

I have decided to have a "Mountain House" freeze-dried food taste-off this Saturday. There will be seven entrees to sample....beef stroganoff with noodles, pasta primavera, beef stew, lasagna with meat sauce, spaghetti with meat sauce, chili mac with beef and chicken and rice. The purpose is to determine the tastiest meal, but to also develop appreciation, among some friends, for the culinary distress I will soon be facing. We will also order pizza, after the taste test, to simulate when a thru hiker emerges form the woods craving pizza and carbonated beverages. Pictures of the winning entree to follow....