morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-08-09
From: Tim Leonard Shelter

To: Upper Goose Pond Shelter
Miles today: 21.1

Actually I hiked over 23 miles today, because I decided to sample the SOBO experience today, hiking south one mile before turning around and going back north. That's my story, and I'm sticking by it. Some people think I just got disoriented and left the shelter going the wrong way. It turned out to be a very therapeutic side trip, because I vented a lot of pent up anger just before I turned around.   One of the running jokes Loose Bruce and I have is 10-at-3, meaning we almost always have 10 miles left to hike at 3 pm - An ambitious schedule that means we will have to hike late to meet our goal. Today we had 10-at-2:15. This is wise because the days are getting shorter. Actually, though, our original plan had not been to go so far, but we knew the Upper Goose Pond had "luxury" facilities - a stove, kitchen with utensils, and a caretaker who cooked pancakes in the morning.   Plus, the hiking was incredibly easy for the first 11 miles. The cool weather helped. In fact I had trouble keeping up with Bruce after 2:15, a change which I attribute to the cool weather.   As Bruce and I approached the pond, the views were really cool, but since it was dusk it left us excited about what it would like in the light. Peach was already there before us, and in fact was out swimming in it when we arrived. She noted that the water was warmer than the air. Rex did not show up at all - he swam at Lake Benedict, and camped before the Upper Goose Pond area. These northern midwest folks really love water, regardless of the discomforts (Peach is from Michigan, Rex from Wisconsin). Southern boys like Loose Bruce (Tennessee) and Edge (Maryland) prefer to reserve their swimming sessions to times when they are not likely to catch pneumonia.
Date: 2007-08-10
From: Upper Goose Pond Shelter

To: Upper Goose Pond Shelter
Miles today: 0.0

Originally planned to zero anyway because it is such a cool place, but in fact we ended up staying due to miserable weather. After weeks of stifling heat, a cold rainy day arrived (as usual, the rain gods waited until I had good shelter to nourish the earth with water). Pyro, a southbounder, also stayed. With the prospect of warm clear weather returning tomorrow, we decided to wait out the storm. A number of people came in during the day, most chilled to to bone from their hike.    Lunch was an interesting affair - made from whatever anyone had. Our caretaker Maaret, was vegetarian, and suggested a vegetable soup. I contributed 2 packets of Ramen Noodles, and others donated other things, while she provided Udon noodles, tofu, and a number of fresh veggies. I hope my mother is not offended that I liked this vegetable soup. Mom, keep in mind I am thru hiking - everything tastes good.   The zero turned into a reunion of sorts, and a chance to get to know some of the SOBOs. Rex, Fuzzy Monkey, Chuck Norris & Tigger, Little Bug Shoe and Scuffles all showed up. We started a fire in the cabin so they could warm up. Fuzzy Monkey was inducted into Peach's Posse.   One person in particular seemed fascinating to me. He mentioned that his land has natural gas on it, and with the recent increase in gas prices the net value of the resource is over a billion dollars. So he is incredibly wealthy. Yet he chooses to participate in an activity that involves such deprivation. I guess I should understand because to a lesser extent I have done the same, but with that kind of money it seems he should never want for anything for a moment. He suffered today just like the rest of us. And loved it, just like the rest of us.
Date: 2007-08-11
From: Upper Goose Pond Shelter

To: Dalton, MA 
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: clear sky

Stopped at Beaver Pond for a break, arrested by its beauty of appearance and its sound. As an engineer I admired the dam itself, which was about 50 yards long - a lot to build and maintain ("busy as a beaver"?). As I was packing up, Peach came by mumbling to herself, so lost in thought that she almost walked by without seeing me. She was memorizing an Emerson poem. I wondered how anyone could get so disconnected from the real world, only to find out from Fuzzy Monkey later today that he walked by me while I was sitting at the pond, and I never heard HIM. Stopped at the Cookie Lady for blueberry picking, cookies, and a mail pickup. We (Peach, Fuzzy Monkey, Loose Bruce and I) all raced to town, supposedly doing 9 miles in 3.5 hours. It was incredibly easy terrain, the easiest since the Shenandoahs, but still that is smoking fast for me. We spent the night at Tim Levardi's home - he is a trail legend for his generosity and hospitality, opening his home for thru hikers. For some reason all the trail and views were particularly attractive today, perhaps because yesterday was so gloomy.I was disappointed to find out that Rex chose to zero at the Upper Goose Pond Lodge, since that means we are separated again. I was particularly disappointed since this was his plan and he never mentioned it to me. I feel a kinship with this group, and hoped we would hike together for a while. At some point we will make plans to meet up again but for now the posse is Loose Bruce, Fuzzy Monkey, Peach and myself, with hopes that Radar (who is about 30 miles behind) and Rex in the wings will catch up.During the hike, I was caught demonstrating my lack of orienteering skill. I could not find a blaze at an intersection of several trails. I started following some false leads. As I was beginning to check out one, Fuzzy Monkey showed up. When I came back, he was still there. He pointed at a blaze I hadn't seen. I asked why he didn't call me back. Apparently he just wanted a break. Or some free entertainment.Loose Bruce occasionally talks about what differentiates thru hikers from other people, i.e. what drives us to attempt and succeed at this unusual goal of hiking the entire AT. An interesting question, so I tried at a list while hiking today, which we discussed and built on during dinner. Here is what we came up with:Independent minded (not necessarily independent)Nature Lovers (respect it, love to be in it)Hedonistic hard workersToughAre getting closer to something or farther from something?Clarifying their lives?Not necessarily seeking solitudeNot necessarily soul searchingSelf motivatedMore to come, I'm sure.Hiked the 20 miles in only 8 hours - easiest terrain since the Shenandoahs.
Date: 2007-08-12
From: Dalton, MA 

To: Mark Noepal Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: clear sky

Laundered and showered in the morning - what a great feeling! Got an email from Corker that he might be able to meet us in Vermont! Hit the trail at 12:30, and were in Cheshire at 5 pm. This was our original goal for the day - why did we go on? It only caused another late night getting in around sunset, something we say we want to avoid, but never do. Bruce and I talked about how to change this - he says we have to change our goal oriented personalities. A frontal lobotomy seems to be the only answer.   Peach, Fuzzy Monkey and I attended a campfire at the shelter with a youth group. Everyone was asked to talk about someone who affected them in the last year. I talked about trail angels, and how they taught me how it feels to receive charity - validating, motivating to go on, how if I do acts of charity it does so MUCH for the recipients, even though it may be a small effort on my part. Many of the youths were fascinated by thru hiking, and we were barraged with questions.
Date: 2007-08-13
From: Mark Noepal Shelter

To: Seth Warner Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: broken clouds

Entered Vermont - 11 states down, 3 to go. I crossed the border alone, but did a little dance with my hiking poles. Very exciting to be here! I put in the register that the last time I was in the Green Mountains was in 1994 for a running camp, and how excited I was to return to this beautiful range. Every state seems to introduce a new challenge. In Vermont it is MUD. Not as in Mindless Ups and Downs - that is the whole trail. Instead, it is Moistened Unsteady Dirt. Shoe mucking, pole sucking mud. It could be worse, actually it is kind of fun. I do a lot of rock hopping and root hopping to avoid it, though. Where did the day go? A relatively short hike, starting at 8 am but it took me until 7:20 pm, and I was the first posse member into camp. We met a man on a quest to visit the highest points in all 50 states. He has done 35, and may stop at 49 since Alaska's Denali is a major mountain climb. Check out www.highpointers.org for more. He was on his way down the mountain from Mt. Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts as we were on our way up to it. He pointed out that we crossed several high state points on the trail. I was aware of Greylock, MA, High Point, NJ, Mt. Rogers NJ, but he also pointed out that Clingman's Dome is the highest point in Tennessee. And it looks like Mt. Washington in NH and Katahdin in ME too. So I have a good start on this quest if I choose.A funny moment at Mt. Greylock. It was very foggy, and as I approached the monument there, something appeared, dimly at first, a form that as I approached appeared to be a monk carrying a prayer flag. I was a little nervous initially, but continued. It turned out to be the Fuzzy Monkey, wearing his raincoat with the rain hood way over his head, trying to dry out his bandanna. But what a clever effect. Even his quiet nature added to the illusion. I took on a similar pose so that when Loose Bruce and Peach approached, I announced to them "You may approach the Fuzzy Monk". Some mild entertainment on a dreary day. The rain gods continue their favorable treatment - a cold thunderstorm rolled in but I was fortunate to be hiking through a town at the time, and I was able to hide under an alcove at the entrance to an elementary school until it passed. I then treated myself to a salad and a pint of Ben and Jerry's from a grocery store, meeting Peach, Fuzzy Monkey and Bruce there. Felt cold while hiking for the first time in a long time, during the evening. Of course then camp felt cold as well.
Date: 2007-08-14
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: scattered clouds

The amount and steepness of ups and downs continues to grow, as does the amount of mud. One of today's downhills was the steepest hill I have seen to date on the trail, steep enough to bring some pain to the knee that was my nemesis at the beginning of my hike. Fortunately my latest meal package includes my knee pad, a precautionary measure (I hope). I woke up cold this morning, the first time since April. Plenty warm once I started hiking, though. The most interesting sight during the hike was another beaver dam. We hiked alongside it, almost eye to eye with the surface of the water. The most interesting hikers were Audrey and Roger, who were hiking the Long Trail (This trail is 280 miles long, and the first 90 miles follow the AT from the Vermont Border). I was leapfrogging them all day. At some point Fuzzy Monkey caught up to me talking with them at an overlook, and he claimed he recognized them. I thought, yeah, right, until they acknowledged they had hiked the Smokies in May and wondered if they would see any thru hikers in both places. Plenty of trail magic for the 5 mile trip into Bennington. Fuzzy Monkey got a ride from 2 hikers who were waiting for a rental car to be delivered to the trailhead for them. The ladies promised to come back for the rest of us if necessary. Then, one of the locals delivered Matlanta and Jungle Jim to the trailhead FROM Bennington, and offered us a ride TO Bennington. Because we had a ride, we let 4 southbounders take that offer. Interestingly, the car driver was excited because (and this is incredible), one of the hikers had 2 prosthetic legs, and her husband is disabled so he would especially appreciate what she was doing. Rather than just wait for the ladies to come back, Loose Bruce and I asked Peach to stick out her thumb, which she did, and the first car to drive by stopped. She asked if they had room for 2 more (Yes), so Bruce and I came out of hiding (just kidding, LOL) and we loaded up and went. They offered us doughnuts, and mentioned that if we have breakfast at their diner they will make sure we get a ride back to the trailhead from the diner. So cool!   Got my mail pickup, found out about places to get my pack repaired (new stitching needed), showered, dinner, bars. Also found out Rex, Tuna Bag and Wrong Way would be likely to be in town, possibly some others as well. May zero here tomorrow, may nearo. According to my calculations we can still make Katahdin by October 1 if we average 6, 14.6 mile days per week from here on out.
Date: 2007-08-15
From: Bennington, VT

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We stayed in Bennington because it was a neat town and Rex was on his way in. We stayed plenty busy - in fact the owners of the Happy Cook (Bill and Cheryl) let us use their car to run errands (and offered us a ride to the trailhead from their restaurant whenever we were ready). I stayed plenty busy without needing the car. A major item I resolved was a problem with my pack. Some of the stitching is breaking down a little bit more each day - not a problem yet, but on its way. Rex suggested I call the mfgr, Granite Gear, which I did, and they are mailing me a new pack to Rutland, VT. One thing I enjoyed about Bennington is that the locals seem to enjoy insulting each other, and proclaiming how much they dislike each other. But nice folks - Tommy, the bartender at Carmody's Irish Pub offered us a ride to the trailhead whenever we were ready. He was an interesting guy anyway, participated in Olympic qualifiers for Sweden, and good friends with the owner of Steamboat Springs ski resort.Rex arrived, as did Tuna Bag and Wrong Way. I had heard about Wrong Way but never met him - Peach had met him in Unionville with the mayor. Tuna Bag was fully recovered from his bout with Lyme disease. Peach told her story of trying to convince her doctor she might have Lyme disease when she went home in July. He refused to believe it, but she browbeat him into giving her the medication, and getting the tests. They came back positive. Interestingly, the test cannot differentiate between Lyme disease and syphilis because both diseases involve spirochetes, but fortunately the treatment is the same.
Date: 2007-08-16
From: Bennington, VT

To: Caughnawga Shelter
Miles today: 14.4

Interesting factoid of the day: Today is Battle Day in Bennington, commemorating a Revolutionary War battle won by the Green Mountain Boys. Celebrations will start today and go through the weekend. 2nd interesting factoid of the day: Vermont's name is based on the French words Verd-Mont, or Green Mountain Ed's zinger of the day: During the day's hike we came upon 3 female SOBO hikers: Cat, Tumbleweed and Timber. This Tumbleweed noted that she came from the same state as the NOBO Tumbleweed, Missouri. Loose Bruce asked "What were the odds of that?", to which I immediately replied, "50-to-1, of course". Loose Bruce asked why he keeps me around. Why is it that every time I try to use common sense I get in trouble?      Today's hike included a 2200' rise, the largest since North Carolina. I was very pleased at how easy it seemed, which happened in part because it was a very even gradual rise, but also because it appears my legs are rapidly re-learning to climb hills. Another thing that kept me going is that Vermont, the Long Trail and the Green Mountains do not disappoint - a veritable wonderland.   Before we began the hike, though, we had to get to the trailhead. Bill and Cheryl, owners of the Happy Cook, came through for us again. First they let me drive their car with the packs in it to drop them off, then I drove it back and their dishwasher took over driving to take the 6 of us (Bruce, Rex, Peach, Wrong Way and Tuna Bag) there. At the very last minute they gave us a gift of cookies, muffins and brownies. Nice folks. The only thing I could give them in return was the bad news that their clutch was about worn out.   When we camped, I realized I had lost my tent stakes and my rope somewhere. Tuna Bag came through for me, coming up with 4 extra stakes by taking some shortcuts with his tent (Thanks much!). Then Loose Bruce let me hook my bear bag up with his (which we usually do anyway), which covered my lack of a rope. If I can survive these losses long enough, with a little help from my friends, I will be able to replace the lost items in the next town or make stakes out of wood, and make rope out of bark like I saw on Man vs. Wild.
Date: 2007-08-17
From: Caughnawga Shelter

To: Stratton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: few clouds

Highlight of the day: Watched a snake catch and eat a frog. We stopped at Story Springs Shelter for lunch and a privy break. I heard a noise while walking to the privy. It was a frog squeaking because a garter snake had grabbed its foot. The frog was jumping around, but the snake had worked its way up the leg by the time I had to leave to use the privy. When I came back, somehow the snake had both legs in its mouth. I would have liked to have seen how that happened. At this point, the frog was clearly doomed. I thought maybe it made the squeaks not to attract help, but to attract the attention of predators that would be interested in the snake - a clever defense mechanism. Mostly, though, it was probably screaming from pain. A sad thought. But part of cruel nature. Anyway, I was really fascinated by the fact that the frog was bigger than the snakes throat, and wanted to see how it would happen. I also tried to get other hikers to come over and check it out. Apparently they didn't understand what I was saying. I eventually left the frog to tell them exactly, and then they got really interested. Over the course of an hour (I timed it) the snake worked on the frog. It looks like the throat has muscles to crush the frog to make it fit, and it has angled teeth to hold the victim in place and to pull it in further when ready. After about 45 minutes the frog stopped breathing. After an hour, it was completely consumed, having gone from 3" long and 3" wide to 8" long and 1" wide. At the shelter, we also met Smiles, a SOBO thru hiker who is using the AT as the first step of a hike around the world - except he will skip Antarctica. He is keeping a journal on trailjournals.com, should be interesting to follow. It was fun talking to him the way day hikers talk to me - fascination with someone who is doing a more extreme version of what you do. Awesome views from the fire tower atop Stratton Mountain - Stratton Pond, beautiful pine forests, Killington Ski Resort, Mt. Greylock. I had phone reception and found out Melanie and Andy will try to visit me during their Maine vacation - something to look forward to!Saw Sweetwater several times a day, always a treat because, like Fuzzy Monkey he is very quiet yet very funny. I'd been reading his journal entries, and reminded him of one in which he said he was thinking of changing his name to Dead Monk Water because he had gotten water from a stream next to the cemetery of the Graymoor Friary.I hiked with Tuna Bag in the am, but TB had to move on to get to the Long Trail Festival. That sounded like a fun event, but not worth busting tail for only to lag behind the 10/1 schedule.Swam in my skivvies in Stratton Pond. The weather and water were cool, but it was a refreshing way to finish a hike. Those midwesterners are a bad influence on me. Stayed at a shelter that charged 5 bucks, but it was an excellent investment since it started hailing at bedtime. I will wake up dry and undented tomorrow.
Date: 2007-08-18
From: Stratton Pomd Shelter

To: Peru Peak shelter
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: overcast clouds

hit the 3/4 complete mark today! We are charging to Rutland, VT because some of the group is running out of food.I was reading a shelter register and found out why my friends and family have been so helpful and encouraging about my hike. It was a quote from Mark Twain's book "Roughing It"...... "By going away from your home you become a blessing to your friends by ceasing to be a nuisance to them - thoug the people you go among suffer by the operation." Sorry, fellow hikers, you are stuck with my for 500 more miles.I met 2 jerks with dogs. I heard massive barking, and 2 dogs came around a bend, and surrounded me. I stopped, figuring I would wait for the owners to call the mutts off, but they took their good old time. I ended up backing up to a tree because one of the dogs was trying to get behind me. I complained that this was the first time in 1600 miles that I had to stop on the trail because of dog harassment -theirs belong on leashes. They simply said the dogs would not have hurt me. Never apologized. Later I found out that the dogs liked Rex, who was behind me, and the owners were relieved to finally find someone who loved dogs. Apparently it was my fault after all. My apologies to the jerks.Lots of day hikers on this section of trail. I love seeing people appreciating the trail, esp with their small children. They were very interested in my and I was feeling talkative, in fact talked to several groups more than once. However, that meant another late night-got to camp at 7:30.
Date: 2007-08-19
From: Peru Peak Shelter

To: Minerva Hinchey shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: broken clouds

The day started with some trail magic. A father/son team of section hikers, Ted and Richard, camped with us last night, and since they were finishing up that day, they offered their leftover food to us. I needed none, so took none, but it was highly appreciated by the rest of the group.Early in the day Rex saw a moose across a pond. He showed it to me, but all I saw was a large animal with tan fur, could not make out any more than that. Hiked with Peach most of the day. This became a day with a mission - find out how Peach is able to stay on schedule when Bruce and I seem to struggle. I think it boils down to 2 things: First, she is very time efficient. Second, towards the end of the day if she is behind schedule, she is all business, even if it means being temporarily unsociable, in order to meet her daily goal. Unsociable means she walks by hikers she would ordinarily talk to, and leaving her hiking group behind if they are taking too long of a break to meet the goal(Which is why we separated late in the day, though we met in camp). I made passing reference to "chasing a skirt all day", something I do not normally do. It was fun, and it wasn't like we didn't take breaks. We passed some rock cairns(piles built with a purpose, in this case art) at White Cliffs, and also took a side trip to the cliffs themselves. I also was able to talk Peach into taking a swimming break which gave me an opportunity to soak my feet and eat lunch. After a while I knew the secrets of Peach's success and high mileage, and let her break ahead. I ended up talking to a lot of hikers along the way in the late afternoon. One pair of hikers was notable because I ended up doing Loose Bruce and Rex a favor. Jeff and Erin were a young couple already camped close to the trail when I walked by. They asked lots of questions about their camping, and about thru hiking. When I left them, I told them that Rex and Loose Bruce were behind, and were good guys. When Rex and Loose Bruce reached the shelter late at night they were bragging about all the trail magic (food and wine) they got from 2 hikers camped a couple of miles south of us. Seems like I got the conversation, they got the goodies. Oh, well.Ongoing question: Are we ready for the Whites? We have heard horror stories,and I have seen the topo maps, confirming the stories. Today we did a 1300' climb at the very end of the day, that I handled well. Hopefully that is a good sign.