morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-08-09
From: Hanover, NH

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 16.6

This morning I thanked our hosts for opening their house to us and they even gave us a ride into town to start our hike. Once here, we went and ate breakfast at Lou's again. I told Sky Pilot I had lost my reading glasses and fifteen minutes later our host walks in and hands them to me. I thanked him over and over again - I hope he's not late for work! After we ate, the rains started. Our trail goes right down through Hanover and Dartmouth College, around the football field and then into the woods. Our goal was to only go about ten miles to the first shelter, but once we got there it was only one o'clock, so we talked it over and decided to push on to the next shelter 5.7 miles away. We arrived at Trapper John Shelter at 4pm. Cash of course was ahead today and Sky Pilot and myself hiked all day together. It was nice to have someone to talk and hike with for a change that I could keep up with. Once we arrived at the shelter I found that there was someone here I've been hoping to catch up to for quite some time. His trail name is Buddy Backpacker and he's doing a flip flop, from Harpers Ferry to Katahdin, Maine and then from Harpers Ferry to Georgia and, with the help of his mom and dad, I think this five year old is going to make it! I told him he's a legend up and down the trail and I'd like to take his picture in the morning. His response was, ¢Okay!¢The rain never stopped until we put our tents up and we were soaked to the bone. It¢s a good thing I carry Desitin because for the first time on this journey I really needed it. Hiking in wet clothes all day can cause things to chafe. So our first real day of hiking in New Hampshire was very wet, very hilly, very slick, very buggy and very painful, but with great people around you, hiking in the rain was actually fun!We are a little over a mile from Bill Ackerly¢s house. He is known to give ice cream, snacks and drinks to hikers. You can even play croquet, but I'll probably just eat ice cream for breakfast in the morning.And if anyone has any good suggestions about slack packing "The Whites", I would love to hear them!
Date: 2013-08-10
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Hexacuba Shelter
Miles today: 12.0

The sun is out this morning, there's a nip in the air and we have less than a mile to Bill Ackerly¢s house. Sky Pilot and I went first; Cash was still getting ready. It was all downhill and as we walked up to the house, Mr. Ackerly was going to his car and he said, ¢Hurry up, I've got to be somewhere.¢ So as we hurried up the driveway, he ran inside and came out with two ice creams and said, ¢Here.¢ He shook our hands, asked where were from and then asked if I had seen Buddy Backpacker. He said he really wanted to meet him but he has to go. So at nine in the morning, two grown men sat on the porch eating ice cream. Little Sas¢ was next, followed by Cash. Then Buddy Backpacker and his parents arrived and they all went inside and got their ice cream. I noticed a cooler with soda in it for fifty cents each so I bought two. Cash said he was going to stay and have a smoke, so Sky Pilot and I left. There's a big climb coming up and on top is a fire tower. Just before we reached the top, here comes Cash and by the time we made it up top he already had his shoes off and was basking in the sun. Little Sas¢ was coming up as I was eating and trying to dry out my wet clothes from yesterday. After I went up into the tower and took some pictures, we left. Four miles of downhill followed and then a mile and a half uphill to the Hexacuba Shelter where I¢m tenting on a hill. I've got my Crocs, my shoes and my food bag propping the low side of my mattress up so I don't roll off of it. Last night I was hot in my winter sleeping bag, but hopefully tonight I¢ll be cool as temperatures are expected to be down around forty six. Buddy's mom said that last night in the White Mountains it got down to fifteen, brrrr! So I¢m glad I've got my winter gear! Tomorrow will be fifteen miles into Glencliff, NH. Then on Monday, the Whites. Everyone is telling us to enjoy the Whites - oh we will!
Date: 2013-08-11
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: Hikers Welcome Hostel
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: scattered clouds

The tenting here at the Hexacuba Shelter is all on a sloop, so I used my shoes to level up the lower side up of my mattress. This worked for awhile but throughout the night I had to redo my mattress. When I woke up, I was half way on my backpack that was next to me. The weather is perfect. I think if it had been like this back in New York, there wouldn't have been so many hikers quitting. Today we have 14.8 miles to Glencliff, where we are going to the Hikers Welcome Hostel. The ups and downs remind me of Georgia. We made it down to NH 25A (near Wentworth, NH) where Buddy's mom, Andrea, was waiting. She gave us a drink and then offered to take our packs to the hostel, which was great! I had the top part of my pack to use as a day pack, Sky Pilot had his empty pack and Cash put his water, food and camera in Sky Pilot¢s pack. So off we go the remaining ten miles to the hostel. Cash took off running and four hours later we see him at the hostel. He had no water and no food and he told us he waited at one of the roads for an hour and then left. Along the way I met a SOBO that I had heard about from Kathy. She had read some of his journal and his dad had posted on my guest book. His name is Crunchmaster and he recognized me from my journal. He¢s a nice young man that should have no problem making it to Springer Mountain. I've already washed my clothes, took a shower and fixed me some hotdogs that had been donated to the hostel and bought a few other items to complete my meal. This place is full of hikers tonight. Tomorrow we slack pack again, thanks to Andrea. Some of the other hikers here are: K Fox, Kokopelli, Buddy Backpacker and his mom and dad, Timber, Little Engine and trail angel Mrs. Janet, from Erwin, TN.
Date: 2013-08-12
From: Hikers Welcome Hostel

To: NH 112, Lincoln, NH
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: light rain

Last night Mrs. Janet cooked us a meatball pasta dish and a tossed salad - my belly was stuffed! I made my way to my sleeping quarters which was outside under a big tent, kind of like a two car garage with single beds. I used my 15 degree bag and I stayed warm all night. Breakfast was at 6:30am and on the menu was pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs for only five bucks. Once again I was full, which is good because I'm going to need it! My big climb, the start of the Whites was this morning. Buddy's mom, Andrea, was going to take our packs over to Chet's Place in Lincoln, so around 8am we leave the hostel and walk down the road a half mile and our first stream to cross was wide and not a lot of rocks to walk on to get to the other side. Our fearless leader, Cash, goes first. He rock hopped about three or four feet out and then realized there's no place left to go except back to dry land. Then our fearless leader, I guess, found out he can't walk on water and his shoes and socks are soaked. Just to see his face and hear some choice words come from this quiet leader was priceless! I'm still laughing at this, hours later. Sky Pilot found a way over on a tree that was laying across the stream and I followed. Even ¢ol wet feet used the tree! Once across, for the first time, Cash was last. So I told Sky Pilot, ¢Let¢s stop and sit down and look all relaxed and we'll let Cash see what it feels like to have someone waiting on him.¢ When he does show up, he's got this big grin that goes from ear to ear, and then (okay, say it with me) he's gone. So the two of us slowly made our way up the mountain and at 11:04am on August 12, 2013 BooBoo, along with Sky Pilot summited Mt. Moosilauke at 4,802 feet. Cash was already here an hour earlier, so on this perfect weather day the three of us had our picture made with the Mt. Moosilauke sign and then found cover from the wind and enjoyed our lunch behind a wall someone had made with rocks.Once back down at the main road, we hitched a ride into Chet's place but all the bunks where taken and all that was left was tenting and they¢re calling for rain, so we called Mt. Liberty Motel & Cabins and got a room. The owner even picked us up and then took us to the store. We ordered Chinese food, something I haven't had since last year and I know why - my stomach is in knots. I'm out behind the cabins sitting on a big boulder in the middle of a wide and fast river writing my journal and enjoying the hell out of myself. With the company I¢ve got around me, it was another great day on the Appalachian Trail!PS. I saw moose tracks today. I feel like Elmer Fudd - Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting a wascally moose!
Date: 2013-08-13
From: NH 112, Lincoln, NH

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Rain and more rain; that's what they¢re calling for here today. So instead of hiking in the cold wet rain and taking a chance of sliding down the mountain, we opted to take a zero. This is something we¢re going to have to do more of going through the Whites if it¢s raining. The first order of business is breakfast, so I told Cash and Sky Pilot that I was going up to the gas station for junk food. That's when they decided to go with me. My intentions were to go and get back as soon as possible, but Sky Pilot noticed this hotel that he had shipped his next supply box to, so we went there first. Sure enough, it was there. He left it there because we're going to be back here in two days anyway. As we were waiting on him, I noticed the Longhorn Pancake House across the street, so we went there to eat breakfast - blueberry pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage. While we were eating, it started raining. We had no rain gear with us so I ask the hostess for three garbage bags. She not only gave us the bags but she also gave us three straw hats that read White Mountains on them. We thanked her and she said, ¢Leave before my sister sees you.¢ I don¢t think her sister likes her giving away the merchandise. And yeah, we felt like idiots walking down the street in the rain. We even had a car stop and take our picture. I hope we don't make the national news, like those people who float down flooded streets on air mattresses! Later, Paul, the owner of our motel drove us into town to shop and then came back and picked us up. They even washed our clothes today. Then they dropped us off at a restaurant and came back and picked us back up. I highly recommend the Mt. Liberty Motel & Cabins. They go out of their way to help you.
Date: 2013-08-14
From: NH 112, Lincoln, NH

To: Kinsman Pond Shelter
Miles today: 11.5

The rain is gone and blue skies are trying to come through the gray clouds. The motel owner, Paul, drives us back to the trail and on our way there, I'm sitting in the front when I thought I saw a horse up ahead, but I was wrong - it was a MOOSE! And not one of them Maine moose that everyone talks about. This was a New Hampshire moose. Hot damn! I saw a moose! Before any of us could get a picture, it stepped over the guard rail and walked off. Today's hike is going to be tough. The rain has everything slippery along with the mud. The first climb was long and at times steep. We made it to the Eliza Brook Shelter for lunch. Joe, the caretaker for two shelters said we can work for stay, so we took him up on that. The cost for staying at the shelter is eight dollars or if you are lucky, you can work for stay. For us this consisted of shoveling bark mulch into bags, for storage and easier handling later. The bark mulch is used in the privies to help break down the waste. We have four miles to get to the next shelter, where we plan to stay the night. The first two miles are straight up, 2000 feet, a lot of hand over feet and sometimes it was feet over hands climbing. Along with gust of winds and wet muddy rocks, and let¢s not forget the roots, it may have been our toughest climb to date. Then it started raining on us, so along with the winds and clouds it was COLD. The view was, well, clouds most of the time. We finally made it to the Kinsman Pond Shelter. It was just the three of us and a SOBO hiker and this shelter holds sixteen people. Then these four young ladies walk up and ask where they could find the water. Cash said from the pond behind the shelter and they headed there. After awhile they came back up and looked inside the shelter and said, ¢Nice.¢ I asked them if they were tenting and they said all they have is a tarp. I told them, ¢You¢re going to freeze tonight, there's room in here.¢ Then one of them said, ¢There's ten of us.¢ ¢We have room,¢ I said. My thinking is more people, more heat. So now we have fourteen here and I'm sitting down out of the wind journaling next to the pond.Today's hike was mentally and physically hard. We had to pick where to put our feet, poles, hands and remember to lean forward. No one fell but we did get our feet wet, along with mud from our knees down and a little blood running from scraping the rocks. Tomorrow is four miles back to Mt. Liberty Motel and Cabins.PS. I saw a moose today - if I had a muffin, I'd give it to him!
Date: 2013-08-15
From: Kinsman Pond Shelter

To: US 3, I-93
Miles today: 4.6
Weather: scattered clouds

It was a cold night. That group of four girls ended up being a group of ten girls and guys, all from Harvard. The person next to me this morning must have gotten cold, because a couple of times during the night I felt them up against me. It wasn't till daylight that I found out it was - a guy! It didn¢t seem to bother me so much when I thought it was one of the girls that was cold. My thermometer inside the shelter was reading 47 degrees, so it was surely colder outside. We only had four miles to go today and then Paul was picking us up. The trail down was as treacherous as going up. We stopped at the Lonesome Lake Hut and Bobby the caretaker said he had a house full of customers and two thru hikers last night. He let us have the leftover pancakes, so we helped ourselves to them and then went on our way. The trail followed a stream all the way down to I-93 and one mile past that was our pick up point. I called Paul and within fifteen minutes he was here to get us. After he dropped us off at our room, he later took us back into town to resupply. If we could figure a way to slack pack to Maine and still come back to Mt. Liberty Motel every night we would! I¢m really thinking about going swimming in the stream behind my room but that water is going to be cold!
Date: 2013-08-16
From: US 3, I-93

To: Garfield Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: scattered clouds

The host with the most, Paul, picked us up at 7:30am and we were back on the trail by 8am. It was more steep, hand over foot climbing, but a least it's not wet and we had some great views. My legs, knees and feet are sore today. The lower body really takes a beating when going downhill and rock hopping. While we were up on Mt. Lafayette, off in the distance, we could see Mt. Washington. The clouds were covering the peak and in a few days, we hope to be standing on it. We're here at Garfield Ridge Shelter tonight. Sky Pilot and myself had to pay eight dollars to sleep in the shelter. Cash got here early and shoveled poo for stay. This placed is packed - the tent sites are full and there's even people sleeping in the entrance way of the shelter. Some are cowboy sleeping - there's probably someone sleeping in the privy. I'm tired, sore and my legs feel like rubber. Today's hike had lots of great views and lots of sharp climbs and descents. It is becoming much more difficult to find a cell signal to call and send information to my wife, so if I don¢t get my posts updated, that is likely going to be the reason.I started something today and it¢s starting to drive me crazy. I started calling Sky Pilot ¢Lieutenant Sky Pilot¢ in a Forrest Gump voice and for the rest of the day, we both talked liked Forrest Gump. I just caught myself saying, ¢I gotta go pee.¢ I can't stop! I need sleep! So¢¦ goodnight.
Date: 2013-08-17
From: Garfield Ridge Shelter

To: Ethan Pond Campsite Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It was another tough day for my knees and feet. I have a habit of wedging my feet between two rocks, or sliding down a foot or two, which really catches my breath. The weather and views have been superb. We stopped at Galehead Hut and once again had free pancakes. I ran into ¢K Fox¢ who I have hiked on and off with since the second day that I returned to the trail after my issue with tendonitis. She said her hike was complete and that she has now hiked the entire Appalachian Trail and she was heading home. She had a satisfied look about her along with a smile. She will be missed. Her knowledge and history of the AT is unreal - you ask her anything to do with the AT and she will gladly answer you. Farewell ¢K Fox¢, it was a pleasure hiking with you. I hope you enjoy your home here in New Hampshire as I am! Later in the day, we stopped off at Zealand Falls Hut and Buddy Backpacker¢s mom, Andrea, was there waiting on him and his dad. We didn't stay long as we had 4.9 miles to go. So at 3:45pm, we head out to Ethan Pond Campsite Shelter. At 5:30pm, Sky Pilot and I arrive. Cash is already here. Amanda, the caretaker, walks up and I asked about work for stay. Why, I don't know. I'm too tired and sore to work. So I fork out the eight dollars and so does Sky Pilot. Then, to my surprise, Cash does the same! He claims he's tired and sore too. I need to write this down! This is a first. We¢re finally wearing him out! That's it for now - peace out!
Date: 2013-08-18
From: Ethan Pond Campsite Shelter

To: Mizpah Spring Hut
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Amanda, the caretaker, said the sunset over Ethan Pond was the best one on the trail, so last night I made it down to the pond with my socks and my Crocs on to see for myself. I rocked hopped out a little way to be out there alone and I have to say Amanda was right. The sun went down behind the mountain in front of the pond and then the fish started jumping up out of the water to feed on insects. I was sitting down on a large rock and I was so relaxed I let my guard down and Splash! My foot went in the water. I don't think anybody else behind me noticed so I walked up to the shelter and quietly took off my socks and went to bed.This morning we hiked down to US 302 and got a ride from Megan. Our first stop was for Sky Pilot at the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) to pick up a mail drop. Then she drove us to the Crawford Notch General Store for some resupply and a hot shower at their campground. After all that, we went out front to the road and started thumbing. After about thirty cars go by, Sky Pilot went to go inside and was stopped by Gary and Sharon. They saw how unsuccessful we were at thumbing and offered to take us back to the trail. We just couldn't thank both of our road angels enough!The hike today is almost all uphill but that's alright, that just means we¢re getting closer to our goal. We had some great views of the surrounding mountains and even one that we've been itching to do for a while now, Mt. Washington. The weather for tomorrow's climb is temperatures in the fifties with fifteen mile an hour winds. I can't wait - I love cold weather! But for now we've stopped at the Mizpah Spring Hut where Sky Pilot opted to tent and the Cash Man and I opted to work to stay in the hut. So we are outside and waiting on the crowd to finish eating, then we can eat what's leftover, but not what¢s on their plates, I don¢t think! Then we have to help in the kitchen for an hour - my guess is washing dishes and cleaning up the area. Maybe my fingers will come clean if I wash dishes.
Date: 2013-08-20
From: Madison Springs Hut

To: NH 16, Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 7.8

After our six tenths of a mile climb straight up to Madison Springs Hut to meet Cash, we were already pooped out and there were no pancakes left - bummer! We started up Mt. Madison and this mountain is nothing but rocks all the way up and then down for about three miles. After that it¢s straight down into the woods and into the Great Wilderness Area where there are no white blazes to follow but there are signs that aren't always lined up with the right trail. After that, it was onto Pinkham Notch where we called the Hiker¢s Paradise at the Colonial Fort Inn and the owner came and picked us up. So here we are in a large room with three beds. We did two loads of laundry and went out to an all you can eat Chinese restaurant. We¢re all sore and very tired. We only did 7.8 miles today but it feels like it was a lot longer than that. We all have mail drops on Friday so we're having to do short mileage to get to town at the right time. I am only 37.4 miles away from my fourteenth and final state, Maine.
Date: 2013-08-23
From: Rattle River Shelter

To: US 2, Gorham, NH
Miles today: 1.9
Weather: light rain

I was melting last night in my 15 degree bag (come on cold weather!) and when I unzipped it, the bugs bit me. Okay, enough about me. To my surprise, this morning Sky Pilot says, ¢Boo Boo, Cash is packing up.¢ What? He's never up first, so I get up and fix my instant breakfast shake - thanks to Cash, because I'm out of food. We head out for our very hard, flat, all downhill 1.9 mile hike to the road where Bruno from the Hiker¢s Paradise and Inn will pick us up. Cash is out front and Sky Pilot and I work up this deal where we try like hell to pass him just before the road, so he can feel what it¢s like to have someone waiting on him. Sky Pilot jumps the gun like 100 feet from the road so I join him and I look back at Cash. I think he's in shock, either that or he¢s got a big heart and just let the old guys go by. I think he enjoyed seeing us pant like dogs on a hot summer day. Mrs. Bruno picks us up and we get the same room as before. Then we walk to McDonald¢s and then over to the post office where Cash and I both have three packages to pick up, but both of us are missing one, his new shoes and my new air mattress pump. We called Bruno and he picked us up and brought us back to our room where we dropped the boxes off and walked down the road to catch the bus to Walmart in Berlin. We missed the bus so we walked the 2 miles to Walmart, did our shopping and were able to catch the bus back. Later that day I was sitting out near the office and I hear this voice calling me. It¢s my new stalker, I mean Lucy Lulu. She said she made it to Mt. Washington and three hikers gave her a ride here, so we all went out to eat Chinese food again, then walked back. She's leaving in the morning and we are zeroing here. Sky Pilot is being joined by Odat, a hiker he had hiked with early on that had to leave the trail, so our group will grow by one. And this also gives Cash and I another shot at the post office in the morning and I can try and rest my sore leg.
Date: 2013-08-24
From: US 2, Gorham, NH

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

This morning Sky Pilot asked if we wanted to go to McDonald's for breakfast, so I grabbed my two boxes to ship and off we go to another high calorie meal of about 1300 plus calories. Then we go to the post office and we have good news ¢ both mine and Cash¢s packages have shown up. Since this is a zero hiking day, we head back to Hiker¢s Paradise and lay around and eat and watch TV. We get a knock on the door and think it must be Odat but it¢s not. It¢s Lucy Lulu. She didn¢t mention having a problem last night but she went to the hospital to have her wrist x-rayed today and one doctor said sprain another doctor said cracked, so take your pick ¢ she¢s zeroing today too. Then we get another knock on the door and this time it is Odat. We all introduce ourselves and after awhile, Lucy Lulu, Cash and I go eat pizza. While we're there, Lucy Lulu tells us that not only has she done the AT before, but she has also done the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) and the CDT (Continental Divide Trail). Wow, we¢re sitting here with a triple crown hiker here! On the way back, we stop and get some ice cream and Lucy Lulu insists on buying mine. Me, being the southern gentleman that she claims I am, let her!