morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-29
From: Wilbur Clearing Lean-to

To: Congdon Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: light rain

A beautiful day. We ended up being the only ones at the shelter last night. Souleman didn't sleep well, but I passed out. This morning we hiked 3 miles into North Adams where we walked to a Friendly's for breakfast. About two miles into our hike we met two day hikers coming south. They asked if we were Brownie and Souleman. We were a little taken aback -- how did they know our names? They said we had trailmagic waiting ofr s at the next roadcrossing. When we got there Draggin' had left us a tray of Brownies and a kind note. We've never had individualized trailmagic before!We sampled the brownies and then pushed on to Friendly's. As we were finishing our milkshakes (dessert) a man came in and introduced himself as Bird, the owner of the Birdcage hostel in Dalton. He offered us a ride back to the trail. We hiked the next section pretty quickly even though it was almost entirely uphill.This afternoon we went by Sucker Pond which was a beaver pond. It was really an incredible creation. The trail was about three feet below the damn. We had to walk on wooden planks so that we weren't in the mud and muck below the damn. We actually saw a beaver. He even smacked his tail on the water for us. And the beaver wasn't the only animal sighting we had today. We saw the largest bear either of us have ever seen. It must have seen or heard us first, because all we saw was his rear end running away from us.The shelter we are in is cozy and everyone here is talkative and kind. The conversation has gone on non-stop since we arrived. There are two Longtrail hikers here from Starksboro which is right near where we lived pre-trail.
Date: 2006-07-30
From: Congdon Shelter

To: Melville Nauheim Shelter
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: few clouds

"Two roads diverged in a yellow woodand sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveller, long I stoodand looked down one as far as I could ..."These words of Robert Frost are so well known. But how many people have been lucky enough to spend days basking in the splendor about which he wrote? Frost lived in Vermont and many of his writings about woods and nature describe areas similar to those in which we are lucky enough to be hiking. Souleman and I walked the Robert Frost trail in Middlebury, VT last fall. It exhibits some of his poems along a path in the woods he supposedly frequented. Somehow, though, I understand his writing more out here. He wrote that poem that goes:"The way a crow shook down on meThe dust of snow from a hemlock treeHas given my heart a change of moodAnd saved a part of a day I had rued."I had to memorize that my Freshman year in highschool. Asidfe from the Lord's Prayer and the 23rd Psalm it may be one of the few things I've managed to memorize. Yet until these past few days it meant nothing to me. Suddenly I understand what he is saying about how hte tiniest unexpected event out in nature can change a person's whole mood or perspective. Like yesterday, we were at the end of a 17+ mile day and I was caught up feeling sorry for myself when we hit the beaver slap his tail on the water. That one unpredictable moment lightened my mood and made the whole day worth it.I think that out here would be a great place to read some more heavy literature, especially if you had someone to talk about it with. Maybe some of the philosophers or Thoreau or Keats or Kerouac.But I ramble...This morning we hiked to Bennington where we were expecting to meet a 9:30 shuttle. We waited awhile before some southbounders let us know that the shuttle is no longer running. It took us awhile to hitch. Finally this trail angel Patty-O, a former thru-hiker, pullos over and takes us into town.We did laundry then borrowed bikes from the outfitter to go around town. The bikes were unexpectedly rough on the knees. We ate at Friendly's (again), showered at the rec center, tried the library but it was closed, got our package and then ate icecream. All in all a successful town trip. Many thanks to Barbie, Nanny and Nicole who sent us mail. We hiked a short distance to the next shelter after town. We met Kurly, Swansons and some others.I'm a little beat up after two falls during the steep descent this morning and the bike riding. At least my feet feel great and my legs strong. Less than 600 miles to go!
Date: 2006-07-31
From: Melville Nauheim Shelter

To: Storyspring Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: overcast clouds

We ushered July out in style. We had a somewhat late start considering our planned mileage. But we made it the 17.4 with plenty of light for setting up and cooking. Pretty much the entire day we hiked with Charlie Foxtrot and Dan (out for a week). Charlie is from England and has an awesome accent. He kept us all laughing all day. Dan was an incredible hiker and kept up with us enthusiastically the whole day. Once during the day I fell and Souleman literally just picked me up by my shoulder straps. Charlie said "I've really got to look into getting me one of these husband things." I'm a lucky girl.On Glastenbury Mountain today (right after lunch) there was a lookout tower. It was extremely high. From the top we could see Stratton, Mt. Snow, Greylock, Equinox and Okemo. It was blisfully clear -- especially considering out luck with views lately. I can't believe that we climb Stratton tomorrow. That means we have walked all the way back to where Bill and Kim (Souleman's parents) picked us up. That seems so unreal.Tomorrow we're really going to push ourselves hard. We're going to attempt 21.6 miles to Route 11/30 in Manchester. That means we can double zero at the cabin. But it also means doing a long day after a long day today. It looks like Stratton is really the only big uphill though and then it is relatively flat.
Date: 2006-08-01
From: Storyspring Shelter

To: Manchester, VT
Miles today: 21.6

Success! After a long but satisfying day we made it to Manchester. The day went perfectly even though it was extremely hot with record breaking heat. According to the weather man the heat was "not only uncomfortable, but a danger to your life." We drank a lot of water and looked forward to some Powerade in town. The climb up Stratton wasn't bad, but of course there was little view from the tower because of the heat haze. Stratton was nothing like I expected. In my mind I imagined reaching the top and walking beside the ski lifts and being able to see the trail signs. There is a big wooden bear up on the mountain that Souleman and I posed with this winter when we skied on Stratton. But the trail doesn't pass by any of this. You hike over a completely different area on the top of the mountain. I did see the ski lifts to my left when I climbed the tower.Stratton Pond was beautiful and looked like prime moose territory. We even saw moose tracks in the mud. We made good time hiking and were at the road to Manchester by 7:15. We were lucky with hitches and were settled in for the night by 8:00. We picked up Charlie Foxtrot and the three of us settled in the basement for a night of TV and relaxation.
Date: 2006-08-02
From: Manchester, VT

To: Manchester, VT
Miles today: 0.0

A hot, hot zero day. Just being alive was enough to make you sweat today. We went into Manchester for errands and other than that hung around the cabin relaxing. We picked up Kurly and Swansons in town and they joined us for the evening. For dinner we cooked spaghetti and garlic bread and had a picnic in the basement where it was cooler. The night consisted of many games (pool, darts, Hoopla, cards...). It was a fun town day with new friends.
Date: 2006-08-03
From: Manchester, VT

To: Manchester, VT
Miles today: 0.0

Today was another zero. It's funny, zeros are rarely relaxing, but at least they don't involve hiking so they rest our legs and feet some. Swansons and Kurly hiked out today and Charlie Foxtrot met his family to flip flop. We were able to spend some time with my mom and sister who came up to meet us. They took us to a wonderful dinner at a BBQ place. It was wonderful to see family again and get to exchange adventure stories. We tried to convince my sister to join us, but no luck -- it seems she is fond of showers, deoderant and her pillow...Tomorrow we head back out to tackle Bromley and to work our way toward NH. Next weekend we will spend in Middlebury with my inlaws (wow, that is so cool to say!). Before we know it we will be in the White Mountains. Neither of us have ever visited the whites so we are pretty excited. Maine is getting so close!!
Date: 2006-08-04
From: Manchester, VT

To: Peru Peak Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: light rain

Prior to the trail I pictured summitting Stratton and seeing all the ski lifts I had ridden in the winter. Sadly Stratton wasn't what I expected (though it was still pretty). However, today, Bromley was exactly what I thought Stratton would be. We walked up part of a ski trail and then on the summit we saw the lifts and the trail signs. From Bromley tower we had incredible views of the mountains all around us. It was really neat to finally know what was on each side of the trail from VT route 11/30 since we drive by there so often.The rest of the day was pleasant. For some reason I was hiking much more slowly than usual and we didn't get to the shelter until 8:15. We were intending to continue half a mile further to the camping site but decided it was too dark. So, for the first time this year, we stopped short of our intended destination. That is OK though since tomorrow we are going further than scheduled. At lunch my mom asked if there was anywhere they could meet us to take us to dinner. As we studied the book and a map we realized we would actually be close enough to come back to the cabin with her and see my family. Since we hadn't seen my dad in awhile we made a definitive plan to meet her tomorrow at 5:00 at a road crossing. It's amazing the way trail plans change so quickly.
Date: 2006-08-05
From: Peru Peak Shelter

To: Manchester, VT
Miles today: 16.5

Today we walked with fairies. Or at least we walked where fairies had walked... or so it seemed. We were walking along the ridge line today when suddenly we came upon an area of forest where there were hundreds and hundreds of rock creations. All the rocks were built into little towers and buildings and neat designs. It looked as though fairies had come in during the night and made these strange but beautiful creations. We admired them, took some photos and continued on. About half a mile further we came upon another section just like this only about three times as large. Once again we stared in wonder. We have no idea why this area was decorated like this, but it was an amazing sight.Other highlights of today included numerous swimming holes in the river, a gorgeous lake and a waterfall. At one point we crossed the river and the bridge we walked on was a narrow suspension bridge. There was a large sign on the bridge that read "weight limit: one person" -- which of course makes you think Just what size person are we talking about? With a pack? Without a pack? Skinny? Large? Man? Woman? It was somewhat nerve-wracking as we scurried across the swaying and bouncing bridge one by one. Today we also climbed Baxter peak which was a scramble up a vertical slab of grip-less rock. The climb was fun but a little difficult. I was grateful we both have new shoes on with good grips. At the top of Baxter peak we were rewarded with an incredible view.The day was fun and the weather could not have been more perfect. It was about 70 with a slight breeze. The skies were clear and blue. We were rewarded with numerous views. And, it is amazing how fast one can hike 16+ miles knowing there is steak at the end of the day!We spent a fun evening with my family eating steak and fresh vegetables and then telling stories around a fire pit on the deck. My dad got the fire pit for a birthday gift and was trying it our for the first time. As the temperature outside dropped we all huddled around the fire, passing around a bag of chocolate chip cookies and sharing stories. A very pleasant evening. Tomorrow we happily return to the woods to trek on toward New Hampshire.
Date: 2006-08-06
From: Manchester, VT

To: View Entry
Miles today: 13.0

Clarendon Gorge is by far one of the prettiest spots we have seen on the trail. We passed this six miles into our day. It was so, so tempting to stop and swim, but our late start dictated that we hike on. Luckily it is right off Rte 103 in Rutland so we can visit another time. There were so many people there enjoying the beautiful day -- families, couples, other hikers... The gorge was pristine. I didn't see any litter or debris in or near the water. There was an old, rickity bridge over the water to the parking lot on Rte 103. After we crossed the road we had a steep climb up.This afternoon we came upon trail magic twice. First there were cold sodas left in the river at the 500 mile mark. (It's funny how hikers first count up in miles -- "I've gone 300 miles," "I've gone 679," but somewhere in the trip the counting changes to "I have 500 miles left to go."). We've just recently begun this new way of looking at miles. Anyway, this was extremely professional trail magic as the donors had actually built a little cage into the river to hold the sodas and chill them. He also kept a running tally of how many sodas he had delivered each year. Then, a little further up the trail we came across a cooler and large tupperware which contained more soda and peanut butter crackers. Mmm!We are camped tonight at a "secret shelter" located on private property near the Governor Clement Shelter. It was rumored that the Gov. Clement shelter is in bad condition because there is road access to it and locals tend to party there. This secret shelter is perfect. People who for no reason do wonderful things like this for hikers must have such huge hearts. I cannot wait until we can start to give back some of the generosity we have been shown. It will be a great feeling to be on the giving end of some trail magic in the future.When I got to the shelter tonight, Baldilocks and KnockKnock were here. KnockKnock had a shirt on that said "Two paths diverged in a yellow wood, and I took the one with the white blazes and that made all the difference." I thought it was the coolest shirt. He said he bought it at an outfitter. I'll have to look for one when I get back. As a sidenote, it was strange to see him wearing that shirt since I was just writing about/thinking about that quote a couple days back. I'd love to own some AT shirts. I still maintain that someone should create a sweatshirt with a white blaze on it. I know tons of hikers would buy it.   On to Mountain Meadows tomorrow... but first, up Killington!
Date: 2006-08-07
To: Mountain Meadows Lodge, Killington
Miles today: 15.3

Today we walked up and over Killington. It was a climb of over 4,000 feet and took over four miles to go up. We felt strong though and stopped only twice for quick water breaks. We had planned to take a spur trail that added an additional .4 miles round trip and reach the tip top of the mountain. But, as seems to be our luck, it was extremely overcast and all we could see was greyish fog so we knew the summit would have no view. We decided to skip the final ascent and push on toward Mountain Meadows Lodge, our destination for the evening. A mile before reaching the Lodge, we crossed a bridge on the Appalachian Trail and stopped to reminesce. This was the spot on which Souleman asked me to marry him last September. It was as beautiful a spot as we had remembered, though without our jumping hearts and his sweaty palms it seemed a much shorter distance from the road. We took some pictures and then hurried up the trail to reach the spot where we had been married.Although it seems impossible, we made it back to Mountain Meadows Lodge. A couple days after our June 10th wedding we drove down to PA to start our hike. Now, two months later we are here again -- only this time we walked here. As we walked up the hill toward the lodge we scanned our surroundings. We spoke of our beautiful ceremony under a white tent on the lawn and wondered when we would see the owners. A week prior to our wedding the lodge had been sold to new owners, Bill and Anne. I was a wreck because they would be running my wedding and I had never met them. However, as soon as I arrived at the lodge that weekend my worries were abated. They are an incredible couple with huge hearts and a desire to please. The wedding went flawlessly (except for the crazy monsoon-like weather which no one could control). We were excited to see them again and find out how they were enjoying running the lodge. They have five wonderful children, four of whom were here today. It was wonderful to catch up with Bill and Anne and to be at the Lodge once again.The lodge is rustic and beautiful. It is the perfect get-away for people like us who love the outdoors and enjoy the tranquility of a remote location. I foresee many long weekends at this lodge in our future. We spent a relaxing evening playing ping-pong, talking with Bill and Anne and the two other guests, and resting. Bill cooked us a gourmet dinner and even scrounged up some ice cream to satisfy my sweet-tooth.Tomorrow we are back on the trail pushing on to a lookout tower where we will spend the night.
Date: 2006-08-09
To: Thistle Hill Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

Another day that seemed longer than the mileage indicates. We hiked from 8:30 to 7:30 with only three stops and only went 14 miles (plus 0.5 out of town, 0.2 from the "lookout," and 0.4 to the icecream and back). So I guess 15 technical miles.Today there were two roads listed in Wingfoot as being 1.5 mils and 30 feet (altitude) apart. What wasn't mentioned was the enormous, straight up and down mountain between the two roads. Oh boy. Luckily we were motivated because road two had a general store nearby. We got sandwiches, chips and icecream. Then we went four more miles and stopped for more icecream at a farmstand. Souleman's all natural strawberry was good buy my mint left something to be desired. There were literally mint-leaves in the icecream - which got stuck in my teeth. Crunchy leaves do not belong in my icecream.The last two point whatever miles went quickly. There were 5 other people at the shelter. Two claimed to be snorers so we pitched our tent. They had a fire going which was nice. The pine branches let off lots of smoke and helped keep the bugs away. Smoke also acts as a kind of natural perfume to hide a little bit of the hiker odor.Tomorrow we leave Vermont. Is that even possible?!?!?
Date: 2006-08-10
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Quechee, VT (via Hanover, NH )
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: clear sky

We celebrated two months of marriage today by walking into New Hampshire. The miles went quickly and the second half of the day was almost entirely downhill.We heard on our radios that 22 Islamic fascists were captured in England today. They were trying to bring liquid bombs onto planes flying into the U.S. I guess if they had succeeded it would have been worse than 9/11. The Pakistanis tipped the British police off and they were able to prevent disaster. It is weird that such huge negative events go on in the world while we are wrapped up in the tranquil, peaceful world of hiking. This kind of disaster reinforces why we enjoy "escaping reality."As soon as we walked into Hanover today, Kasia pulled up next to us and we jumped in her van. She took us back to her house at Quechee and spoiled us rotten for the night. We were treated to hot showers, a wonderful dinner, a comfortable couch to read on, use of a hot tub and a fabulous bed. It was superb and so generous. It was wonderful to rest and relax and enjoy conversation with Kasia and her kids. (Thanks so much to all the Novaks!)It is incredible that we are about to enter the Whites and before we know it Maine. This trip will be over so quickly so we better embrace each moment!
Date: 2006-08-11
From: Quechee, VT (via Hanover, NH )

To: Middlebury, VT (via Hanover, NH)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today = much Needed!We were picked up extremely early (6:30 AM) by Jer's dad and were at his parents' house in Middlebury, VT by 8:30. We did laundry, bought groceries and added our winter gear to our packs. Other than that we enjoyed visiting with family and relaxing in front of the TV. Our niece, Star, is already so much bigger and more active than when we last saw her. She is beautiful and we enjoyed passing her back and forth and oohing and ahhing as she shrieked and giggled. We ate all sorts of wonderful food including his mom's famous goulash! Mmm mmm!
Date: 2006-08-12
From: Middlebury, VT (via Hanover, NH)

To: Middlebury, VT
Miles today: 0.0

We finally found new zip-off pants for me today. We had to go all the way to Climb High in Burlington. But now we are prepared for the cold weather in the White Mountains.This afternoon we went to a cookout with Jeremy's extended famiy. It was great to see his aunts, uncles and cousins. Everyone had questions about our hike, and they all marveled at how much Jer ate. We had all sorts of fabulous foods -- meats, casseroles, salad and even brownie sundaes for dessert. I got to wear a pink skirt and top and I greatly enjoyed feeling "girly" again for a few hours. I didn't stray too far from hiker world though -- no make-up or jewelry. I didn't even go so far as taking a brush to my hair. But I sure did delight in the pink and the skirt.Tonight we will soak up some TV and veg with his family. Then tomorrow it is back to the trail and the continuation of our hike.
Date: 2006-08-13
From: Middlebury, VT

To: Moose Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: few clouds

Happily we returned to the trail today (by way of Pizza Hut). We had a pleasant weekend visiting famiy but were ready to come back and tackle New Hampshire and Maine. Our winter gear was added to our packs and our feet and backs protested the added weight. But since the weather in the Whites is so unpredictable, rain gear, hats and gloves were essential. Souleman got his sleeping bag back which is sad for his packweight, but good for his nighttime comfort level. He was only carrying a thin liner before (which is the equivalent of a sheet) and it has gotten rather chilly and he has had to leech onto me for warmth. All night long he was glued to me stealing my heat. Lucky for him I shared my sleeping bag. Even with our bodies letting us know they recognized and were not thrilled with the weight change, we coasted pretty easily today. We only went 11 miles but there were two climbs over 1,000 feet. It is nice to feel our bodies gaining strength and stamina. We will see how we respond to the Whites. I bet we don't feel so tough then!Somehow I lost my IPod and headphones (which, although related, were not even together in my pack). This means that I am music-less. I can't even use my radio without headphones. I guess I'll have lots of time to "philosophize" this week.Tonight we got in to the shelter before dark and set up with daylight to spare. It seems like lately we've been in a routine of getting in late. When we were getting ready tonight Jer was cleaning the MIOX and it broke. A piece literally snapped off. This is incredibly bad news for two reasons. One, we do not carry backup water treatment. And two, the New Hampshire water sources are few and far between. Right after this happened we realized we never got fuel. So we are filterless and fuel-less. This should be interesting.