morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-07-05
From: Southville, New York

To: Mile 1401.9
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: clear sky

Great mileage today which should help me get back on schedule after two zero days. The morning was one of low temperatures and low humidity, and for the most part I had level trails through woods, traveling in solitude. Even the mosquitos took time off. However, in the afternoon it warmed up and I had lots of rock climbing. I climbed Black Mountain and Bear Mountain from where I had a great view of the Hudson River, all the way to the skyline of New York City. Unlike this morning, the trail or mountain top was congested with vacationers, cars, bicyclists, hikers, vendors. I'm sure there was over a hundred people, but this was nothing compared to what I found at the bottom of the mountain. After descending rock steps built by Trail Maintenance, I came to a large lake, swimming pool and zoo. The trail goes through the zoo, but I arrived after closing time and had to take an alternate route around the lake. There were literally thousands of people there taking advantage of the holiday weekend. On the other side of the zoo is the Hudson River and the Bear Mountain Bridge across the river. It is a toll bridge for cars, but thru hikers walk across free. What a beautiful view of the sailboats on the river below. Then I had to climb about 700' in half-a-mile to get to my campsite. I put up my tent and was alone until joined by a young man from New Hampshire, a marine. We had a good chat before turning in for the night around sunset.
Date: 2014-07-06
From: Mile 1401.9

To: Mile 1419.9
Miles today: 18.0

When I got up I discovered another lady had arrived after dark with her dog and pitched her tent. A few miles up the trail, the trail cuts through the parking lot of the aptly named Appalachian Deli, a favorite stopping place for hikers. So I had a hot breakfast and some Jerry's ice-cream before continuing my hike. Traveled almost 12 miles before I found a water source. However it was a good source for the local utility pump building allows hikers to fill their water bottles at the site. About a mile further on, the trail does not follow the lay of the land, for where the land naturally rises, the trail stays flat as the result of a cut-out through the hills; and where the land descends, the trail stays flat for the terrain has been built up between rock walls. The trail is only a little wider than a railway track, so it may be that this one mile section is the bed of an old railroad! Eventually, I came to a state park with a large lake. At the northern end of the lake is a beach with a campground and thru-hikers are allowed to stay free for one night. About twelve of us camped there, including zigzag and her daughter, a couple I'd met a few days earlier. A Vietnam veteran had a grill and provided Trail Magic for us. What was unusual is that he has never been a hiker, but he enjoys conversing with hikers and doing the Trail Magic for a week. We were all in bed by sundown.
Date: 2014-07-07
From: Mile 1419.9

To: Morgan Stewart Memorial shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: broken clouds

I slept much later than usual and by the time I got up everyone else had gone except one hiker, a marine veteran who had served in Iraq, He was having a knee problem and had decided to take the day off to let it heal, assisted by ice packs fashioned by the Vietnam veteran who was providing Trail Magic. I got on my way around 10 am and about two miles hiking brought me to an area of the Shenandoah Mountains I remembered from two years ago because around a decade ago some folks had painted a 9/11 memorial flag on the mountain. I wondered if it would still be visible. It was - a somewhat touching reminder. Today was extremely hot, so when I got to the RPH shelter I took a break for just over an hour. I arrived at the Morgan Stewart Memorial shelter by mid-afternoon, and due to threatening thunderstorms decided to stay in the shelter rather than set up tent. The downside was that the mosquitos were bad. They bit all night. But the upside was some protection from incredible thunderstorms and lightning and in spite of the mosquitos and the storm I slept well.
Date: 2014-07-08
From: Morgan Stewart Memorial shelter

To: Mile 1444.8
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: broken clouds

Today we had to keep moving to avoid the mosquitos. We also had to be more cautious as the overnight storms made the rocks or long slabs wet. They also downed a lot of trees and limbs. Sometimes to navigate the blow down we had to go off trail and into the bushes. We stopped at the Telephone Pioneers shelter where I met some young section hikers, a couple of thru hikers and the gentleman who maintains this part of the trail and checks on the condition of the shelter including the state of the privies! He and I walked to a road crossing and stopped at the Dover Oak, which some people claim is the largest oak tree in the United States. Anyway, it was pretty impressive. I traveled on to a nursery and landscaping center which allows hikers to camp and to use the location to receive resupply boxes. I had intended to camp there, but again the threat of thunderstorms made me look for a hiker motel where I could ride out the storms.
Date: 2014-07-09
From: Mile 1444.8

To: Mile 1462.9
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: light rain

Because of the thunderstorms I awoke to no power and no water. I set out around 6am and arrived in Connecticut by 10am. I hiked in solitude most of the morning before stopping at a shelter for lunch. However, in the afternoon I met quite a few section hikers going north and came across a rattlesnake. By the time I reached my stopping point I set up camp with over 40 other people, easily the largest number of campers I've encountered on my AT hike this year. This included a group of inner city kids and their counselor. Almost all were camping in tents, so there were tents everywhere.
Date: 2014-07-10
From: Mile 1462.9

To: The Bearded Woods Bunk and Dine
Miles today: 16.2

The campsite I stayed at last night is close to Kent, so by the time I got up most of the campsite had cleared out. Shortly after I started, I came upon a cooler that someone had filled with ice and drinks. What a nice way to begin the day, especially as it was a day of up and down climbing, sometimes with difficult descents that required the five-point position (two hands, two feet, and a rear end). This was especially true descending to the Hoosatonic river. However, the five miles along the river were beautiful. Near Cornwall Bridge I came to a nice campground which had a water pump with instructions to prime it 35 times. So I did, and on the 35th time I got water! Shortly after that I met a hiker coming south which was really odd for we had camped together last night. After discussing the oddity, we finally concluded that he had missed a turn and was going in the wrong direction. He was one unhappy camper for he had gone quite a few miles, including crossing a river which now he had to cross again! Someone had recommended that I stay at The Bearded Woods Bunk and Dine so I am treating myself tonight and tomorrow night to what can only be called a Five Star Hiker Resort. The accommodation, meals and hospitality are just incredible.
Date: 2014-07-11
From: The Bearded Woods Bunk and Dine

To: Salisbury Road Junction
Miles today: 15.9

One of the many conveniences of The Bearded Woods Bunk and Dine is that they provide a shuttle to the hiker's starting point and then after the hike will collect the hiker and bring them back to the hostel for another night. What this has allowed me to do is slack pack i.e. hike without my backpack, take only the essentials like food and water, and eliminate 30 pounds of weight! So that is what I'm doing today - slack packing. I had an unexpected experience this morning. As I approached Bulls Village I could hear the sound of screeching tires. The sound got louder and louder and I reached a spot with a break in the trees where I could look down on about ten cars practicing on a road course - almost like watching a race from the press box at the Bristol International Speedway. It was not something one would expect to find on the Appalachian Trail! I stopped for lunch at the falls in Falls Village and then had the most pleasant of hikes to my ending destination at Salisbury Road Junction, where the folks from Bearded Woods collected me. Last evening there were just three of us at the hostel, but tonight it is full. I've had a great meal and chatted with nine other hikers for the past two hours.
Date: 2014-07-12
From: Salisbury Road Junction

To: Salisbury Road Junction
Miles today: 13.7

Because of the fantastic shuttle service provided by The Bearded Wood Bunk and Dine, I decided to take the shuttle north and then go south to my scheduled starting point at Salisbury Junction. The reason I did this is because two years ago I hiked Bear Mountain south to north and it was a really difficult steep descent. By going north to south today I was climbing Bear Mountain and this was easier than the tricky descent. The rocks I have to traverse are 30' - 200' long. The hostel owner, Hudson, calls them "whale rocks" because the head and tail are at ridge level with a large hump in between. Today there were a lot of day hikers, and the thru hikers I met and knew from prior acquaintance looked at me strangely, puzzled by the fact I was headed south. At the junction for Salisbury, the white blaze was obscured by a group of young people so I took the wrong turning and ended up having to back track to meet the shuttle on time. It was packed by the time I got there and I reunited with two old friends from the trail - Dallas and Left Turn.
Date: 2014-07-13
From: Salisbury Road Junction

To: Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Miles today: 8.4

It was back to carrying a full pack today after Hudson, the owner of Bearded Woods, shuttled me to my starting point. The first five miles involved descending "whale rocks" to a highway where the trail leveled off. It was then pine forests and swamps the rest of the way. At the highway crossing it was nice to experience Trail Magic so early in the morning, but I didn't stop for long as the mosquitos were bad. At the crossing there is a monument marking the first major rebellion of the post revolutionary period. In the 1780s, the farmers of Western Massachusetts, led by Daniel Shay, organized a rebellion against the government in opposition to paying taxes at a time when many were deep in debt and needed help. Today I didn't see any other hikers. When I reached my stopping point I had a taxi pick me up and take me to Great Barrington, MA where I've scheduled a resupply box.
Date: 2014-07-14
From: Great Barrington, Massachusetts

To: Mile 1525.5
Miles today: 8.4

After a lot of rain last night, I started out wearing my bug jacket and the mosquitos attacked as soon as the walk began. Because of the rain, the ground was damp and swampy. I met a young trail maintenance group working with a more experienced supervisor. There were ropes and pulleys everywhere to move heavy rocks and a lot of digging to fill in around the rocks to ensure stability. The crew do what they can to facilitate hiking through this swamp land, by building planks across logs above the water. These planks are about 12" wide and 10' long and there might be a number of planks joined together. I walked part of the way with a gentleman from Kansas and by noon we decided to seek relief from the onslaught of mosquitos. We stopped at a retreat which offers showers, a way to call for pizza and sandwiches, and a place to stay. We had not planned to stay there but the lunch hour stretched into all afternoon and into evening, so that became my stopping point for the day.
Date: 2014-07-15
From: Mile 1525.5

To: Upper Goose Pond cabin
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: light rain

I left the retreat center and walked just over a mile to the trailhead. After another night of rain, there was lots of water dripping from the vegetation and I was soaked from head to toe pretty much all day. The problem with wood planks is that when it rains they are slippery like ice. Trying to step between two planks I slipped and fell, ending up with a knot in my leg and a scraped thigh. Over 19 miles today, I met only two hikers - a southbound section hiker suffering from shin splints who was hoping to find an early exit from the trail; and a 72 year-old north bound section hiker, John, who hopes to complete his section hike of the AT this year. I stopped at the Upper Goose Pond cabin which is owned by the Appalachian Mountain Club and operates off donations rather than fees. When I arrived there were about 15 hikers and by days end around 25. The cabin has six double bunks so there were plenty of folks sleeping on the porch and in tents. There were also a couple of dogs tethered to the beds. In the middle of the night, John, the 72 year-old got up. put on his red headlight and tried to walk around one of the dogs. Unfortunately, he didn't realize the dog was tethered and tripped over the lead. It was a nasty fall but thankfully he suffered no major injury.
Date: 2014-07-16
From: Upper Goose Pond cabin

To: A few miles from Upper Goose Pond cabin.
Miles today: 1.6
Weather: clear sky

Hiked 1.6 miles today so you may ask why did I bother. Well, that was not the plan, but after a pancake breakfast provided by the caretaker, I set out on the trail and it was muddy. There were standing puddles, wet rocks and wet planks. When I reached US 20, just after the Massachusetts Turnpike, a trail guide mentioned a close-by motel which has eight rooms. The office was locked but there was a phone number on the door so I called and was able to check in, hoping the trail will dry up for tomorrow. In spite of the short day I am still on schedule with the plan developed last February to reach Katahdin before the trail closes for winter.
Date: 2014-07-17
From: A few miles from Upper Goose Pond cabin.

To: Dalton, Massachusetts
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Made excellent progress today after the short hike yesterday. The highlight was to once again meet the Cookie Lady who I'd met when I hiked two years ago. She and her husband have a long history of serving hikers who stop by their house which is about 100 yards off the trail. They allow hikers to camp on their property, they have water available, and they sell fresh eggs and sodas. But the treat is their free cookies. Additionally, they keep track of hikers by state who visit with them and they have a trail journal for hikers to write about their experiences. They also provide a shuttle service from trailhead to trailhead and that is how I met them two years ago. How great it is to be remembered by someone who sees so many new faces each year. About two miles further on there was a van providing Trail Magic. I noticed it had TN license plates and asked where the driver was from. Can you imagine running into an Erwin, TN resident while he was providing trail magic on the AT in Massachusetts? Thankfully there was no rain today, but the effects were so apparent that someone suggested the AT be renamed the AR - Appalachian River. Today I met no northbound hikers and five southbound hikers who had commenced at Katahdin in May. Tonight, my stop is in Dalton, MA.
Date: 2014-07-18
From: Dalton, Massachusetts

To: Mile 1579.1
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

Today was all about climbing - Mt. Greylock in particular. I climbed about 1800', not a major climb but the most I've done in quite a while. I encountered about six southbound hikers and when I got to the shelter I found quite a few northbound hikers, some of whom I've been hiking with. The mosquitos were not so bad today. Tonight the temperature is forecast to be around 40 degrees, which sounds nice, but my summer sleeping bag is rated for 50 degrees so I'll be wearing some additional clothing. This campsite has some of the best spring water I've encountered in a while i.e. it is not green or brown!
Date: 2014-07-19
From: Mile 1579.1

To: Williamstown, MA
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: clear sky

This was a short day for I've arranged to spend the night with the pastor of New Hope Church in Williamstown so I can worship there tomorrow. So I slept late and then climbed another 500' to the top of Mt. Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts. When I got there with four other hikers I'd camped with last night, we entered the lodge and enjoyed a ranger burger. Then we began the long descent of Greylock. At a viewing point over Williamstown I met an Asian section hiker who is about to complete his hike of New England. He had a lot of questions about hiking in the South. We exchanged cards and I encouraged him to contact me when he gets to Tennessee. The pastor met me at my stopping point and tonight I'm sleeping in the room normally used by a five year-old. Tomorrow I should be able to cross into Vermont.
Date: 2014-07-20
From: Williamstown, MA

To: Mile 1595.6
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: overcast clouds

A short day today as I had the opportunity to worship at New Hope United Methodist Church in Williamstown, Massachusetts with the co-pastors, Dan and Courtney. I was asked to do the mission moment by explaining my chaplaincy role. There were lots of questions at the conclusion of the service and interest in my hike so I believe it was well received. After lunch with the pastors and their family, I got back to my mission of walking the trail. As I approached the Vermont line, I had to use my poles to help navigate a 200' climb over rocks. This part of the trail actually existed long before the Appalachian Trail and for that reason it is referred to as the Long Trail. It goes for 100 miles and the Long Trail was overlaid in part with what today we call the AT. I got to my campsite mid-afternoon. I'm the only AT hiker. The other 9 or 10 campers are doing the Long Trail.
Date: 2014-07-21
From: Mile 1595.6

To: Mile 1617.2
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: broken clouds

Last night when I went to sleep I was the only camper, but when I woke up this morning there was another tent. I tried to break camp as quietly as possible and have breakfast, but just as I was ready to leave a man and a young lady came out of the tent. Lo and behold it was a father and his daughter who I'd met in Maine two years ago when the daughter was 14. I couldn't believe the changes in the daughter and how small the world is on the trail. It was a long day today. I walked almost 22 miles with a steep descent to the road that leads into Bennington, Vermont. I had to go down 800' or 900'in the space of half-a-mile. Then when I got to the road I had an ascent back to the ridge, although this was gentler than the descent. I got to the campsite around 7 pm. I set up tent next to a southbound hiker from Pennsylvania. He told me what I might expect going north and I shared with him what he might expect going south. We had dinner and fellowship together before turning in for the night.
Date: 2014-07-22
From: Mile 1617.2

To: Stratton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: scattered clouds

For the first time on my hike this year, I came across moose scat on the trail so I'm on the lookout to see this magnificent creature. Today I covered another 19 miles but my planning must have been poor for after walking 15 miles I left myself with a 1700' vertical climb although it was over a distance of 2-3 miles. It is at the top of this climb of Stratton Mountain that Benton McKaye is said to have had the idea to construct a trail that would run parallel with the Appalachian Mountains. It is for this reason he is known as the father of the Appalachian Trail. There is a fire tower at the top of the mountain which gives an incredible 360 degree view of the surrounding area. After reaching the summit, I headed for the Stratton Pond Shelter. Hikers have to pay an overnight fee. The fee is used to pay for a caretaker who maintains the privies (something hikers greatly appreciate). The pond is a great place for hikers to swim. Those from Vermont have no problem with the cold, while those from outside Vermont make an entrance more slowly. The shelter is huge. It sleeps about 12 on the lower level and 8 upstairs and mosquitos don't come into the shelter.
Date: 2014-07-23
From: Stratton Pond Shelter

To: Manchester Center Hostel
Miles today: 10.7

I had a great nights sleep. There were 14 or 15 other people at the shelter. Most were young people from New England who were doing the Long Trail which runs from the Canadian border to the Massachusetts border. I started today early for I wanted to get to the Manchester Center Hostel, which I was told was outstanding, and I also needed to visit an outfitter to pick up my resupply box and get some new gear, especially a new food bag. I think mice made my last one holy. The hike was pleasant with little climbing and I arrived at Route 30 road junction at noon. I tried to hitch hike into town but discovered that strangely it is harder to get a ride when hitching without a female companion. Eventually, someone took pity on me and I got a ride to the door of the outfitter. I bought groceries at the supermarket and visited a deli bakery caf© for a sandwich and a beautiful fruit smoothie.
Date: 2014-07-24
From: Manchester Center Hostel

To: Mile 1662.0
Miles today: 14.8

Started today by climbing a mountain. The last few hundred feet were up a ski slope. It is non-operational at this time of year but the ski-lift at the top of the mountain indicates it is ready for skiers come winter. At the top there is a nice building for use by skiers, but hikers are welcome to use it if they need shelter from a storm. Luckily, there were no storms today. In fact, it was a sunny day with no humidity - one of the nicest I've had on the trail so far. The terrain was mostly level with temperatures hovering around 60 degrees and nice walks around ponds, beside streams, and over marshland with the planks elevated about 9" above the water. Add to that the mosquitos and bugs have finally eased up and you can see how the walk was a joy. I met quite a few hikers, mainly those headed southbound. One lady was wearing a brace on her knee much like an offensive NFL lineman with lots of metal and elastic and Velcro. This is because she just had hip surgery before she set out on the trail. And to top it all off, she goes by the trail name Sky Chicken because she is a helicopter pilot. When I reached camp, Sky Chicken was the talk of the camp for many of the campers had met her during the day. On the trail, I also met a not so young chicken and her teenage daughter. The daughter's grandmother had completed the thru-hike in 2009. I met a group of 8-1- boys from Pennsylvania who were maintaining the Vermont trails under the eye of a supervisor. They were cutting down invasive plants, but with the way they were swinging their implements, I didn't hang around long with them. I reached camp at 5 pm and met a father and his nine-year-old from Rhode Island. They were on a 10-day outing doing short miles each day to introduce the son to back packing. What a great day!
Date: 2014-07-25
From: Mile 1662.0

To: Mile 1679.5
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: scattered clouds

It was a nippy night and start to the morning with temperatures down to 40 degrees. Today was one of those days in which not much happened. The walk was gentle. But in one of those strange coincidences, I did meet a thru-hiker whose father had completed the hike in 2012 and I had met his father in Maine in September 2012. In fact, we summited Katahdin together on September 13 and I recall his son being there to welcome him. The son is now walking the 100 mile wilderness. I stopped for lunch at a summer camp of young girls and their two counselors. After lunch, I met 3 boy scouts who had missed a turning. I walked back with them to a point where in 2012 their had been a beautiful rock cairn art display. Sadly, since then, someone has knocked it all down. Tonight I'm camping in a wood close to a road crossing so I can visit a particular restaurant for breakfast. It is called The Whistle Stop.