morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-06-17
From: Shaker Tentsites, MA

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin, MA
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: moderate rain

Day 57 9.9 miles in 5.5 hoursShaker Tentsite, MA (1538.6) to Upper Goose Pond Shelter (1548.5)Weather: 70s, breezy, sunnyDinner: Noodle veggie bowlHikers: Shelter full of hikers I¢m at the Upper Goose Pond Shelter, which is unlike any other shelter in the trail. It's really a cabin. On a lake. With canoes. 15 bunks upstairs and a living area downstairs. The caretakers make pancakes for breakfast. I got here by 2 p.m., but today wasn't easy. Not sure if it was because I took Benadryl last night to offset all those mosquito bites, or because yesterday¢s hike was hard on my feet and body or because whenever I think I have a shorter day, I mentally check out, but for whatever reason I was glad to be done hiking today. I went for a swim in the lake with all my clothes on, thereby accomplishing a light rinse cycle at the same time. Took one of the canoes out with another hiker who has been fishing on occasion. Bear Gryls brought a spool of line and a hook and I paddled about the lake while he tried to lure in a lunker using his bare hands. The bunkhouse was full and the mood was one of being at summer camp, but with beer. Or at least beer that wasn't considered contraband. This week's caretakers brought hotdogs and drinks. People hung around the campfire. On the front porch. Goofing around in the canoes after dark. I scored a single bed by a window and could smell the last embers of the campfire ebbing. People wandered into the dark bunkhouse lit only by the red light mode of their headlamps. It was a wild group, but by 9:45 p.m., quiet. Musings: I had my music going today to help get those miles done. Joni Mitchell was lamenting how she¢s been waiting three hours for her boyfriend to arrive (Car On The Hill). A song like this wouldn't exist today. Joni would be at least be texting, if not calling. None of this waiting and wondering business.
Date: 2016-06-18
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin, MA

To: Cookie Lady's House, Beckett, MA
Miles today: 11.1

Day 5811.1 miles in 6.5 hoursUpper Goose Pond Shelter (1548.5) to the Cookie Lady¢s House (1559.6)Weather: 70s, sunnyDinner: Vindala onion quiche, green salad, rice and bean saladHikers: Leapfrogging with last nights group odd shelter inhabitantsThe sun was out and the trail was rather easy. I left the shelter around 8:30. Turns out the little slice of lake happiness wasn't all that far from Interstate 90. Commuter and commerce sounds soon reached my ears and Box Turtle caught up to me at the interstate hiker overpass. The two of us stopped for an early lunch by a pond a few miles beyond the highway just as three of last night's hikers were leaving. One Boot and Cive (Sivvy) found us there shortly after. I hiked the rest of the afternoon with Cive to the Cookie Lady¢s house where my friend from North Adams was meeting me. She was taking me ahead for a zero day and subsequent slack packing. There were more hikers there from the Goose Pond Cabin¢almost like a little bubble. Headed to a house. With a shower. And a bed. And a friend who made me dinner and is letting me wear her clothes.
Date: 2016-06-19
From: Cookie Lady's House, Beckett, MA

To: North Adams, MA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

My bounce box finally caught up to me. Cue the closing credits of the 1960s animated TV show, ¢The Jetson¢s." My two-day priority mailing left Ft. Montgomery, New York where it went on to visit Jersey City, New Jersey, White Plains, New York, Springfield, Massachusetts, back to Jersey City, back to Springfield, back to Jersey City, back to Springfield, on to Kearny, New Jersey, on to Accord, New York, back to Jersey City, back to Springfield before finally arriving in Kent, Connecticut, a week after I left. ¢Jane! Stop this crazy thing!¢ Sure there is a tracking number, but that only let me watch the revolving carousel action. The Kent post office offered to forward it and believe it or not, I took the chance to have it sent to my North Adams friend with the expectation it would arrive today. And the post office did deliver!I used the day to reorganize and divide my large food drop (the one package that had arrived on time), take a power washer to my backpack and go get me some culture. (Improper grammar is intentional, doncha know.) North Adams is home to Mass MOCA, a fantastic art museum located in repurposed industrial buildings. Becky and I had fun wandering through the exhibits and being challenged by pieces like the wet hoagie, the moving collage of neon-lit plastic swans with candles on their heads, and peanut butter being applied to the back of a purple gloved hand. Then we went out for dinner.
Date: 2016-06-20
From: Beckett, MA

To: Cheshire, MA
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 5918.3 miles in 9.25 hoursWashington Road, Beckett, MA (1559.6) to Cheshire, MA (1577.9)Weather: 70s-80s, sunny, hot, a little humidDinner: Crostini, cheese, tomatoes, green beans, rice salad Wildlife: Fawn, unidentified snakeHikers: Three SOBOs (two sectional, one starting in Hanover), two NOBOs including Future Daddy, a few day hikersJust another day of hiking a nice section of the trail. Becky dropped me off back at Beckett and I spent the next nine+ hours slack packing to Cheshire. The day was nice. The trail was nice. The woods were nice. The shower, food and bed that night were again very, very nice.I just missed seeing a mamma bear and cub. I met a SOBO hiker early in the day and he had seen them smack in the trail 100 yards from a road crossing. I hummed, whistled and clacked my trekking poles together for a half mile in either direction, but heard nor saw nada. My favorite sections today were passing by Gore Pond (my 700 mile mark) and the Cobbles. The Cobbles are a marble outcrop area overlooking Cheshire and the Hoosic River. The trail was slippery in parts where the equivalent of sandblasting sand lay on top of marble slabs, going downhill. Weeeee!
Date: 2016-06-22
From: North Adams, MA

To: Congdon Shelter, VT
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 6114.1 miles in 10 hoursNorth Adams, MA (1592.6) to Congdon Shelter, VT (1606.7)Weather: 70s (higher?), overcast and humid in the a.m., sunny, cool breezes in the afternoonDinner: Tomato rice with chickenHikers: A few SOBO LASH hikers, one NOBO, tent city at the shelter Wildlife: Owl, 3.5¢ non-venomous snake, spruce grouse and chicksBecky packed me some leftover pizza and two white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. I told her that I didn't really need the cookies, but what the heck, I took them anyway. She dropped me off at the trailhead on her way to work. Within minutes I was dripping. It was so muggy even the rocks were sweating. Within the hour, the cookies were the first thing I ate. The incline out of North Adams started out much more gently than the descent coming down out of Mt. Greylock. In general the trail running through Massachusetts has been pleasant and interesting. But then less than two miles from the Vermont border, it threw up one last 200¢ high boulder scramble. It was infinitely easier (for me) to climb up than crawl down. And then I was in Vermont. Vermont is also known as ¢Vermud¢ and it was true. Vermont seems to route the trail through springs. Almost from the minute I crossed the border, the trail had soft muddy spots¢more than any other section thus far. Or if other states had muddy sections, they were cleverly disguised under boardwalks. Just kidding Vermont. I've seen some planks. The weather forecast predicted rain this afternoon and storms tonight, but so far nothing. Still, I am staying in the shelter and sharing it with a brother and sister from NYC who are doing a long-distance section. I expected it to be buggy, but it's better in here than outside. There is a decent sized stream here, way more than a trickle. I found a secluded spot and rinsed off all the sweat in a calf-deep pool.My left foot was feeling better until I changed out shoes yesterday. Even though they were broken in, I got a heel blister¢my first real blister so far. 700 miles in, so I guess I won't complain. Too much. But seriously, what is up with that left foot?
Date: 2016-06-23
From: Congdon Shelter, VT

To: Goddard Shelter, VT
Miles today: 14.4

Day 6214.4 miles in 9.25 hoursCongdon Shelter, VT (1606.7) to Goddard Shelter, VT (1621.1)Weather: Overcast and misty in the morning, changing to clearing skies with cool breezes, maybe in the 60s?Dinner: Vegie pastaHikers: At least a dozen at the shelter (Rootbeard, Deep Throat, Jeremy, Capt. John), and maybe a dozen passed along the trailWildlife: Three grouse, one with chicksWow, did it rain last night and wow, did I stay dry in this shelter. Another excellent call. Storms rolled in soon after falling asleep and at 11:45, so did another hiker. Jeremy started from North Adams at 3 p.m. and said he just felt like night hiking past the first shelter. Then the storm blew in about five miles away from this one. At one point the rain was driving so hard, his headlamp couldn't cut through it. He arrived soaked but said it was a warm rain. The rain stopped around 5 a.m.Today was a tough one. It didn't help that I did some writing first before heading out around 9:30 a.m. But the elevation changes were insane. The trail dipped more than 1200 feet including a 958 feet straight down ¢staircase¢ only so we could cross Route 9 before climbing right back up to 1269 feet. It took me four hours to hike six miles. Going down is so much harder for me and my knees. Hiking uphill makes be feel strong and powerful. Downhill makes me feel old and unstable. There was a pretty creek with a closed footbridge. Apparently it was deemed safer for hikers to either ford or rock hop. Even the creek¢s namesake (Hell Hollow) feel the same way about the area. Not much else to say except that everyone here at the shelter agreed this was a tough section. Even the speedy NOBOs. At least the cool breezes kept both the sweat and the bugs at bay. And tonight's shelter is a nice one, one of the best things about today. Nice woodwork. Cool breeze. Good view. Tiny, but clear and cold spring.Update: We heard that a hiker broke her femur coming down that staircase near Rte. 9 a few days before I traversed that section. She had to be airlifted out of there within earshot of the highway.
Date: 2016-06-25
From: Stratton Pond Shelter, VT

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 6410.7 miles in 5 hoursStratton Pond Shelter (1640.4) to Manchester Center (1651.1)Weather: Sunny, feels hotter and more humid todayDinner: Crab cakes at Jessica's in Middlebury, VTHikers: Beavo and Nevo, Deep Throat, Bucky and Uncle StashJeremy has a trail name, if he chooses to accept it. Beavo and Nevo stopped in this morning as we were packing up. Jeremy did the same 19.3 mile hike yesterday, his longest ever and it's only the third day on the trail of his ten-day long Long Trail hike. His feet are paying a price and he has a huge blister on this little pinkie. Beavo dubbed him ¢Six-toes.¢I'm so excited to see Sam. Texted him all day with updates. And now that I know my iphone battery is lasting, I finally pulled out my earbuds and am listening to music. The trail is very easy today. I was cursing rather heartily as I climbed that final cobbled stream bed of a trail to Stratton¢s summit, but today is a new day and I¢m loving being outside and hiking again. Funny how a good nights sleep and something like a visit from your beloved changes your perception of things. Stopped for lunch at the Spruce Peak Shelter, only 2.8 miles out from Manchester Center and checked in to see where Sam was located. Stuck in traffic. I had time to kill, he was still a few hours away. Spruce Peak Shelter was, I think, one of the original Long Trail shelters. Constructed of logs, it is one of the few that has a working wood stove inside between the bunks. Like the Congdon Shelter, it has windows, but Spruce Peak also had a sliding door. Well I found all of this interesting.When I finally heading to the Route 11/30 rendezvous point at the parking area, I ran into Uncle Stash. He had visited Mass MOCA while taking a zero in North Adams too. We rehashed the point of all the work we had seen and before I knew it, the sounds of the highway got louder and there was Sam turning into the parking lot exactly as I reached the road. The timing couldn't have been more spot on. After giving the two of us a moment, we loaded Stash¢s gear in our car, dropped him off at the grocery store in Manchester Center and headed to Middlebury, VT where Sam had arranged a stay with paddling friends of ours at the Swift House Inn. Not only was this day ending incredibly wonderful, we drove through rain that would soon be falling on the hikers. I scored another dry night in spite of the weather.
Date: 2016-06-26
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Vermont
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Sam really managed to pull off a slam dunk of a weekend, complicated only by the logistics of finding me within a relatively roadless area. Until the texts turned suspicious, Sam had employed the help of several New England friends in an attempt to surprise me with a visit. For the record, I usually figure out my presents before Christmas morning too. So here's the thing. Trails do connect people in addition to places. I have a trail family, a tramily, of sorts. They just aren't AT hikers. Yet. Oh, I have phone numbers for more than few hikers with whom I've spent time, but our paces or time off the trail has prevented us from hanging together for longer periods of time. And maybe we become true tramily post-trip, through our shared experiences and memories of time when our days¢or weeks¢did overlap.I first ¢met¢ Chris, Russ, Sandy and others living here in the Northeast as I began planning my 2011 thru-paddle of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) through Facebook and emails. We eventually got to meet in person, confirming that we weren't 13-year old girls pretending otherwise, and that we really did look like our profile pics. Well most of us. Turns out Russ isn't really a sheep.Then there are folks I've met since that year who have also gone on to paddle the NFCT. People like Laurie (NFCT 2015), who hiked ten miles with me the first week back in the Shenandoahs and Dan (NFCT 2013), who along with his wife Michelle, own the Swift House Inn in Middlebury, Vermont and put us up (or put up with us) this weekend. The Freshet Fest that I attended a few weekends ago in Saranac Lake, New York, along with the help of Mark (AT 2009 and NFCT 2012), reunited many of us¢and apparently at that time they all knew about Sam¢s scheming ways. They kept the secret and were working hard on convincing me to attend a summer party being held at the sheep¢s house in Northern Vermont, a good two hours or more away from the nearest point on the AT.I was still thrilled with my surprise visit. Sam and I spent two relaxing nights at the beautiful Swift House Inn and there is nothing like a soaking in a hot whirlpool bath to help you appreciate being off trail more. Well maybe some good food¢which also featured predominantly in the weekend visit. We hit the local farmer¢s market, did some early Christmas shopping and just for fun, checked out the local real estate market. (Note to friends and relatives back in Wisconsin¢we were only window shopping¢¦)On Sunday, we headed to the summer party, visiting additional friends and their significant others. Patty gave me an awesome foot massage and we stayed up well past hiker midnight with more good food, conversations, music, bonfires and fireflies. Its gonna be hard heading back to the trail.
Date: 2016-06-27
From: Vermont

To: Bromley Ski Hill Summit, VT
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 653 miles in 1.75 hoursManchester Center (1651.1) to Bromley Mountain Summit/Ski Hill (1654.1)Weather: Sunny, high 70sDinner: Cheesy chicken and riceHikers: One flipflopper, two LASHers, one Long Trail NOBOLast fall, our two-year-old granddaughter was staying with us the weekend we had to put our dog down. Her happy disposition and wonder at all things silly was a helpful distraction during a difficult time.Sam and I managed a similar distraction when he dropped me back off at the trail today before heading home.Five years ago today, I began my first long-distance trip¢canoeing the aforementioned 740-mile long Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Clearly life-changing. I first stayed at Grey Gables in 2011 and again two years ago when I was back repaddling a section. Sam had arranged for our stay as part of my surprise. This was my third time, and Sam¢s second, staying at the Grey Gables Mansion Inn in Richford, Vermont. Proprietors Tim and Debbie produced another of their hearty breakfasts. Turns out two 2016 NFCT thru-paddlers, father and son¢Stuart and Lyle¢had arrived yesterday late afternoon while we were out. Over breakfast, we talked all things canoeing. And a little hiking too. They had done the John Muir last year. And then we headed out to rejoin our respective trails¢they portaging through town and me back to Route 11/30 Manchester Center area parking lot where Sam had found me three days earlier. I repacked a few groceries. We shared a beer. While we were finishing lunch and getting ready to give our six-week-until-we-see-each-other-again parting embraces, two young women approached us looking for a ride into town. Having that distraction at least delayed my reaction to Sam¢s departure. Sort of like having a happy little oblivious granddaughter around when you have to say goodbye to a canine companion of more than twelve years. There wasn't time or a place for any long tearful goodbyes. Today's hike was a paltry three miles up to the summit of Bromley Mountain Ski Hill. The next shelter was eight miles farther up the trail and tonight promises to be clear. There aren't many opportunities camping under an unobscured sky on the AT, thus the short day. I await the sunset as Sam is heading west, back to Wisconsin. I did okay back on the trail until I reached the shelter tonight and started telling my mates about my weekend. Ah-geez. I miss that guy already. Best be hiking more than three miles a day to ¢getter-done.¢
Date: 2016-06-28
From: Bromley Ski Hill Summit, VT

To: Lost Pond Shelter, VT
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: broken clouds

Day 6611.8 miles in 7 hoursBromley Mountain Summit/Ski Hill, VT (1654.1) to Lost Pond Shelter, VT (1665.9)Weather: Cloudy in the morning, humid felling changing to sunny, dry, high 70sDinner: Beef veggie RiceHikers: Saw no one hiking all day/shelter town full of Long Trail folks and ¢England¢ who I last saw in Connecticut It was the 4th of July. After we were all tucked in last night¢at 9 p.m.¢one of the section hikers decided to check out the post-sunset view and came back to report that she could see town fireworks rising above the mountaintops and being set off in the valleys below. The ski hut where we were allowed to stay is higher¢and farther away. At this height and angle, the fireworks were more in scale to sparklers without any noise. The ski run meadows were full of fireflies providing a more local display.I felt sluggish and took it slow today even though the terrain was not exceptionally taxing. There was a nice little view at Styles Peak and I took a lunch break at the Peru Shelter overlooking a stream, but the fun part of the day was climbing up the exposed rock of Baker Peak. And by fun, I mean I got to go up it on a nice sunny afternoon. Going down would have elicited a different review. My choices today, assuming I was shooting for a shelter, was either going to be an 11.8 mile day or a 16.8 mile day. I was the first to arrive at the Lost Pond Shelter, and even though it was a little early to stop, I thought a nap might be nice. Plus it had a small swimming hole in the adjacent stream where I could take a quick dip before anyone else showed up. Incidentally this is yet another named shelter with no pond in evidence. The nap was going fairly well until a heavy-footed family arrived and made sure the tent spots closest to me were fully and loudly discussed before setting up a little ways away. Nap time being over, I moved on to dinner. Early bed tonight. I¢m paying today for staying up ¢late¢ to watch the sunset and fireworks last night.
Date: 2016-06-29
From: Lost Pond Shelter, VT

To: Minerva Hinchley Shelter, VT
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 6714.9 miles in 10 hoursLost Pond Shelter, VT (1665.9) to Minerva Hinchey Shelter, VT (1680.8)Weather: Sunny, hot, 80sDinner: One pot chicken veggie pastaHikers: Lots of LTers at the shelter tonightNow this is what I'm talking about. Pine trees, streams, ponds, vistas, waterfalls. Everything about today's mileage¢actually the past two days of trail¢has delivered. I think I have a new favorite part and it's the unnamed section between Little Rock Pond and Greenwall Shelters, near the White Rocks Cliff. The trail passed between towering pine trees, which equates to the forest floor covered in soft pine needles. And there were two areas of cairns. Striking sculptural stone assemblages. I spent a lot of time hanging out at the first one, eating lunch, just sitting and listening to birds. Then I added one too.When the trail wasn't passing through piney woods, it paralleled streams. With waterfalls and swimming holes. Years ago, a friend of mine explained how negative ions are good for you and are present in places like pine forests and waterfalls. Not sure what, if any, science exists for this theory, but there was nothing about today I didn't like. Or make me feel happy to be on the trail. And yeah, there were still roots and rocks, and even a few steep sections, but it all lead to spectacular scenery. And somewhere today I passed my 800 mile mark. I will choose to believe it was by the cairn I built.Only the shelter failed. And I had high expectations for a place with a name like ¢Minerva.¢ It lacked a picnic table or any sort of outside cooking area around the firepit. I retain high expectations for my backwood accommodations. But what was just a wee bit more disturbing was the Jeep parked next to several tents. Wait? What? You could drive here?!