morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-07-10
From: Silver Hill Campsite

To: Limestone Springs Lean-To
Miles today: 19.1

I woke up to clean skies, cool temperatures, and a steady breeze. It was cool enough last night I even got into my sleeping bag. I hit the trail at 6:00am and I made it to the first shelter by 10:30am. I decided to have an early lunch and call my wife concerning my next mail drop. After taking care of business and having a nice conversation with my girls it was off to the trail again.There were hills to climb today but not as many as the day before and not as steep. I saw three garter snakes today, two that were the largest I had ever seen. Both were about 2¢ long with a girth about and 1¢ in diameter. I also flushed a grouse close to the trail.When I got to the Hydroelectric Plant I saw that they had an outside shower. I took advantage of this to wash me and my clothes and since I had a good water source I went ahead and fixed supper.I almost forgot. I got some great trail magic today in the form of a soda and double stuff Oreo Cookies. Man were they good.After supper, I hit the trail for the 5 mile hike to Limestone Springs Lean To. I¢m the only one here tonight. Fortunately they had a bear box and I was able to stick my food bag and pack inside.I will cross the border into Massachusetts tomorrow morning. Another state down, and what a great feeling!
Date: 2008-07-11
From: Limestone Springs Lean-To

To: Glen Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 17.6

A good but tough day on the AT today that marked two significant achievements; 1500 miles hiked and crossing into Massachusetts the 11th of 14 states.A lot of hills to climb and descend and for the first time in quite a while I let the toughness of the AT get to me. About 4:00pm I finally had to stop on a ridge, rest, and eat a little just to get the willpower to continue. Earlier in the day when I thought about how far I had come I was suddenly overcome with emotion, and I found myself emotionally and physically drained for the rest of the day. I finally made it to Glen Brook Lean-To about 5:30pm and set up my tent. There was a group of yuppies there that were making a lot of noise, chopping wood, and making fires. I guess that they did not read the sign ¢No Fires¢ and had no concept about ¢Leave No Trace.¢ Luckily a Ridge Runner dropped by and within minutes all was quite and fires were extinguished in Yuppieville.
Date: 2008-07-12
From: Glen Brook Lean-to

To: MA-23 
Miles today: 16.3

I got an early start and was hiking by 6:00am. The first couple hours were not too bad but then the hills began.I got to the road crossing to go into S. Edgemont MA about 8:00am and was able to hitch a ride into town fairly quickly. I had a great breakfast at Mom¢s Country Caf© while waiting for the post office to open. After taking care of sorting food and forwarding my mail drop up the line, it was back to the trail. Unfortunately I was unable to catch a ride back to the trail head, but it wasn¢t too far of a walk.It was about lunch time when I got to the next road crossing and places to eat were less than a half a mile from the trail. I met Grits and Pack Animal at the Corn Crib and enjoyed an ice cream and soda there. Pack Animal and I then went to the Route 7 Grille and had a great lunch. It was then back to the trail and more hills to climb. I made it to Tom Leonard Lean-To about 5:45pm and made the decision to push on to the hostel about 3 miles away. I was in need of a shower and clean clothes. It would also be nice to sleep without the constant buzzing of mosquitoes in my ears. I haven¢t mentioned it before because I have tried to erase it from my memory but the mosquitoes are bad here, real bad!I got to the road crossing at 7:00pm and the first car that approached picked me up. Another fellow who spoke very little English but took the time to help this tired and dirty hiker out. I met fellow thru-hiker Sojo at the hostel and we had similar feelings about the trail and our hike. Like me he is really homesick and doing a lot of miles to complete his hike as soon as possible.I was heading down the gravel road to the main road by 6:30am. the next morning. The first car that came by picked me and Sojo up and took us to the trail head. I really consider the folks that give hikers rides, Trail Angels.
Date: 2008-07-13
From: MA-23 

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I was determined to have a good hiking day. I took my time and the trail was much better marked and graded. There were still hills to climb but the switchbacks¢ made it easier and improved trail conditions.I ran into a small flock of Grouse today. They must have had chicks nearby because they were more interested in running than flying.It was much cooler today and with the steady wind it kept the bugs at bay. I rolled in to Goose Pond Cabin about 6:30pm and it was definitely worth the 12 mile walk off the trail. What a beautiful place and being able to sleep on a padded mattress was going to be a real treat. It really is the small comforts that make a hiker happy. The caretaker at this cabin is Grampy and I hear that they will have breakfast for the hikers in the morning. After supper and a call to my wife it was time to hit the sack. These 20 mile days are wearing me out.
Date: 2008-07-14
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: clear sky

It rained very hard last night and was still raining when I got up this morning. The cabin caretaker Grampy had a pancake breakfast prepared for the hikers. After several pancakes, I got packed up and hit the trail. It was still raining steadily so I had to wear my rain gear. It was hot but at least it kept the mosquitoes at bay.I knew I had a long day ahead of me but the prospects of town food and a shower were a great incentive to hike hard. As I passed one pond I heard my first Loon of the trip. After a couple hours the rain stopped and the sun popped out. The most amazing part of this day was the trail magic. Can you believe 5 times in one day? It seemed that at every road crossing a trail angel was leaving sodas and snacks for hikers. When I got to Pittsfield Road, I walked down to the ¢Cookie Ladies¢ house. For many years hikers have stopped by this house for water and have been treated with cookies. The Cookie Lady was not there but her husband Roy brought out a basket of home made cookies. Roy was a very interesting fellow who has his own airplane and landing strip right behind his house. I also enjoyed petting his dog Rufus.I got into Dalton MA about 6:30pm and met the group at Tom Leonard¢s home. For many years Tom has allowed hikers to share his home and camp in his backyard. What an awesome friend to hikers! After getting set up, we all went to Angelina¢s Subs for some great sandwiches. After a hot shower it was off to my tent. The temperature has really dropped so it should be great sleeping weather.
Date: 2008-07-15
From: Dalton, MA

To: Mark Noepel Lean-To
Miles today: 13.7

I got up pretty early and Grits and I went down to a local diner for breakfast. It was then back to the hostel to pack up. I had to hang my tent out in the sun to dry due to the high humidity. I then walked to the laundry mat which was about a mile away. After a library visit to check email and get a great lunch (meatloaf, my favorite) I hit the trail. There was a pretty big climb out of Dalton, MA but the beautiful weather made it enjoyable. I saw a lot of Moose sign today and I¢m hoping to see one of these critters soon. Over the past couple of days I have been talking to several thru hikers who feel just like me¢¦.bummed out. We have all been on this trail soooo long and are really homesick. These conversations actually become therapeutic and we are all more resolved to complete this journey. Speaking of psychological quirks: One is the great pleasure I get tearing pages out of my guidebook. Not only does it lighten my load, but each page discarded means another section of the AT competed.
Date: 2008-07-16
From: Mark Noepel Lean-To

To: Seth Warner Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: clear sky

I had a great night of sleep and when my watch alarm went off at 5:00 am I still wanted to stay in my sleeping bag. But the anticipation of this day got me going and by 6:30am I was on the trail.The climb up Mt. Greylock wasn¢t too bad. In fact the descent into North Adams, MA was the thing that got my knees aching. I got into town about 12:30pm and met Grits there. He had already done his grocery shopping so he joined me at the local restaurant for lunch. The food was really good but the place was crowded so it took awhile. By the time I finished lunch and bought some groceries it was 2:30 pm and I still had about 7 miles to hike to the next shelter. The good part was that I would be entering Vermont.At 5:00 pm I reached the Massachusetts-Vermont border. What an awesome feeling!I called my wife to tell her the good news. She told me that she had gotten all my supplies and would be shipping them in the morning.I arrived at the Seth Warner Shelter at 6:30pm. I was still full from lunch so I did some snacking and got my tent set up. I¢ve got a big day tomorrow so it was off to bed early.
Date: 2008-07-17
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Goodard Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: clear sky

I was up and on the trail by 6:30 am. It was warm and humid but fortunately I had good terrain all morning. I¢ve been seeing moose sign along the trail for the past couple of days. That is one animal that I really wanted to see on this trip so as I near beaver ponds I really slow down and walk as quietly as possible.As I picked up my pack today I noticed that one of the suspension rods was broken. Luckily there is a full service outfitter in Manchester Center Vermont so I should be able to get this taken care of. By the afternoon the hills came and within a few hours I was totally spent. I had to keep eating snacks just to have the energy to keep hiking and each stop put me later in the day to reaching my final destination.   The final mile of my hike was a significant climb, but as I made my way up the mountain the temperature dropped. I made it to the shelter at 7:30 pm and with no camping areas available, I sat up my tent in the shelter. It was cool enough that night so I slept in my sleeping bag
Date: 2008-07-18
From: Goodard Shelter

To: Stratton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I got an early start and was on the trail by 6:15 am. Within an hour I stopped for a snack. While eating, a young moose starting walking in my direction. At my first opportunity I took a photo but the camera flash spooked him.The morning hike was fairly easy with only a few hills to climb. When I got to Kid Gore Shelter, I stopped for a water break. I tried my cell phone but had no service. I had hoped to call the outfitter in Manchester Center Vermont to begin the process of getting my pack repairedMy next stop was the Story Spring Shelter where I fixed one of my extra meals for my lunch. At this point I really needed the extra fuel. The rest of the day was about the same with the exception of Stratton Mt, which was a pretty tough climb.I got to the Stratton Pond Shelter about 6:00pm. I decided to stay in the Shelter since thunderstorms were predicted. I¢ve got a 10 mile hike to VT-11 where I hope to get a ride into Manchester Center, VT. I¢ve got a couple of mail drops and plan to take a zero day Sunday since one of my mail drops will not be there until Monday.
Date: 2008-07-19
From: Stratton Pond Shelter

To: VT-11
Miles today: 10.6

Staying in the shelter last night was a mixed blessing. When the storms came later in the night it was great to be dry and packing up in the morning would be easy. On the other hand sharing the shelter with day/section hikers that have no clue about 20 mile days, weeks/months on the AT, and the need for rest made for a long restless night. At 5:00 am I was up and packed up without disturbing a soul.The terrain was good so I made excellent time and reached the road crossing about 11:00 am. Within a few minutes I had a ride into town and better yet Pearl took me to the post office and then to the hostel.After a much needed shower and clean clothes, I headed to the outfitter to resolve my pack problem. Unfortunately, the Osprey dealer could not be reached to authorize an exchange since it was Saturday. The outfitter did not have my particular pack in stock but had a similar model. I had him put this pack on hold and will take care of the exchange Monday morning. The rest of the day was spent doing laundry and tanking up on town food. I had not had phone service for the past three days so I gave my girls a call. Always good to hear those voices.
Date: 2008-07-20
From: VT-11

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

I had experienced a pretty nasty fall about 3 days ago and twisted my hip. Since that time while stationary it has given me a lot of pain. Last night was no exception. It¢s a good idea that I¢m taking the day off and I¢ve become convinced that these unexpected/unscheduled zero days happen for a reason.It was a great day to relax, catch up on journals, and plan the next several days of hiking.
Date: 2008-07-21
From: VT-11

To: Peru Peak Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Severe storms rolled through the area last night. I¢m sure glad I was at the hostel. I couldn¢t sleep past 6:00am so I got up, took a shower, and watched the news until the dinner opened up. It looks like I¢m in store for showers each afternoon, but on the bright side the temperatures are getting cooler. I¢ve got to kill some time this morning until the caretaker at the hostel can take me to the post office and the outfitter opens at 10:00am.I got to the post office around 9:00am and it took about an hour to sort through my mail drops and prepare drops for farther up the line. My wife did a great job as usual getting my food together and the new boots she sent me are badly needed. I decided to walk the mile back to town and I got to the outfitter about 10:30am. Luckily they were able to replace the suspension bars in my pack rather than replacing the pack. But I had to settle for a smaller suspension system which further reduced the size of my pack.It was then back to the hostel to pack up and head for McDonalds for lunch. I called my wife to let her know that I had received all of my packages and to thank her for her help. I had enough food left over to make a third mail drop with the addition of a couple more items so I had my wife send those things to Glencliff NH.I was able to hitch a ride back to the trailhead within 10 minutes from a lady. As she dropped me off I shook her hand and thanked her for her kindness. She made a comment about God and I knew again that I had been touched by his grace.Shortly after beginning my hike it started to rain and continued for a couple of hours. I decided not to put on my rain jacket so within a few minutes I was pretty well soaked. Luckily the sun popped out and I dried out by the time I reached the shelter. Short day today but when I had this much to do before getting on the trail I didn¢t want to push for more miles. I arrived at the shelter about 5:30pm and got settled in for the evening. I saw lots of Moose sign and Ruffled Grouse today at the higher elevations.
Date: 2008-07-22
From: Peru Peak Shelter

To: Minerva Hinchey Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: light rain

I had to put my ear plugs in last night at the shelter. The source of the snoring was a boy about 14 years old. I can only imagine what his snoring will be like when he becomes an adult.I got on the trail a little past 6:00am wanting to take advantage of cooler temperatures. Fortunately the terrain was good most of the day. I really enjoy reaching the higher elevations where the Balsom trees are. The fragrance is very pleasent.I was able to phone the folks at the hostel where I plan to stay Saturday and got everything confirmed.The only tough terrian today was Bear Mountain but the occasional swithback made it easier.The afternoon hike was also made tough due to the high humidity. Lots of folks on the trail today.
Date: 2008-07-23
From: Minerva Hinchey Shelter

To: Churchill Scott Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: moderate rain

I was on the trail by a little past 6:00am, and by 9:00am the rain started and continued throughout the day. The already muddy trail conditions became even worst.The climb up Killington Peak was really tough with a lot of rock scrambles and exposed roots. The fog was also really thick with no possibility of views or photos and the temperatures at the higher elevations were quite cool.During my lunch break today a chipmunk came right up to me. Considering how fat he was it was obvious he had been receiving handouts from hikers.Many thanks to fellow thru hiker; The Mad Hatter for the trail magic he left at a road crossing. The soda and crackers really hit the spot.Today I hit the under 500 miles to katahdin mark. With an average of 100 miles per week this gives me a projected finish date at the end of August.
Date: 2008-07-24
From: Churchill Scott Shelter

To: Stony Brook Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: moderate rain

It poured rain all night long. Man am I glad I stayed in a shelter last night. It looks like I¢m going to have to change my plans for today and stay at a shelter instead of tent camping a few more miles up the trail. I got on the trail at 6:30am with a steady rain falling. The trail is a muddy mess and in some spots water is flowing down the trail like a stream. These muddy conditions make it slow and tough going.My first stop of the day was Gifford Woods State Park where I got a shower and hand washed my clothes. Man did the hot water feel great. I then hiked to the road crossing and headed into town. I had a mail drop at the post office and after taking care of my supplies, I went next door to the deli for a sandwich. The extended forecast showed heavy rain today so I¢m going to cut my hike short and head to Stony Brook Shelter.I had really wanted to hit the 1700 miles hiked mark today but I also don¢t want to deal with a wet tent and gear. The weather is supposed to get better over the next 3 days.The hike to the shelter was really tough. At one stream crossing the water was flowing so rapidly I had to walk up stream to where a tree had fallen and use it to cross the stream. My Gore Tex boots were useless since the water in most areas was over the top of my boots. I got to the shelter at a little past 4:00pm and luckily there was one space left in the shelter. I got out of my wet clothes and decided just to snack instead of wading back down the trail for water. I was really tired so it was to bed early.
Date: 2008-07-25
From: Stony Brook Shelter

To: Thistle Hill Shelter
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: scattered clouds

A long and tough day on the trail. Lots of hills to climb and the trail conditions continue to be very muddy.Today marks 4 months on the AT and I've reached nearly 1720 miles. I am very proud that despite the tough trail conditions today I was able to hike nearly 22 miles. I got into camp and was able to get my tent set up just before dark.The trail magic today was awesome with sodas at two road crossings and blueberries at another. I¢m so thankful for the many trail angels and their acts of kindness. It just seems to happen when you need it most.
Date: 2008-07-26
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Etna- Hanover Center Road
Miles today: 20.5

I got up at 5:00am and was on the trail by 6:00am. I¢ve got a lot of ground to cover and I want to get to the hostel before it gets too late.The terrain was pretty mild and with great weather I made it to Hanover NH by 2:30pm. I was surprised to see that the AT went right through town. Also with this good weather I was finally able to take some photos before I left Vermont.I had an early supper while in Hanover and then hiked the six miles to the road crossing. I had no luck hitching a ride into town so I walked the 8/10 of a mile to the general store and called the folks at Tiggers Tree House Hostel for my pick up. Man there is nothing like a hot shower and clean clothes. My home for tonight is a motor home and boy is it cozy.
Date: 2008-07-27
From: Etna- Hanover Center Road

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Violent thunderstorms rolled through the area last night. The thunder actually caused the ground to shake. I¢m sure glad I was inside the motor home. It took a while for me to get to sleep last night. My hip was really hurting and I had to take pain medication twice to get some relief. Too many long days¢¦When I woke up this morning it was one of those days I could have slept for a few more hours. But the AT was calling so I packed up and waited for my ride. Karen is going to take me by Wal Mart to get a couple items before dropping me off at the trailhead.By the time I got on the trail it was after 8:00am. It was too late to push for a 20+ mile day and frankly my hip and I need a break. I¢m also behind on my journal, my photo log, and I need some time to seam my tent fly.Pretty routine day of hiking. The trail is still a muddy mess and it makes for some slow and tough going. More thunderstorms are predicted this afternoon. Another reason for my short day since I want to stay in a shelter. I¢ll be in the White Mountains in a couple days and I sure hope the weather improves. I¢m at mile 1751 and 425 miles from katahdin. Some times it¢s hard to believe I¢ve come this far.
Date: 2008-07-28
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Mt. Cube
Miles today: 13.4

The storms never materialized last night. I really wished I had pushed on but on the other hand, this is the first night that I have not had to take pain medication to sleep.I got on the trail about 6:30 am and had a pretty tough climb up Smarts Mtn. Many of the climbs were practically straight up across large slabs of rock that were wet and slick. Lots of tree grabbing along the way. When I got to the Fire warden¢s Cabin there was a fire tower there and the views were spectacular. The cool breezes flowing through the tower made it especially hard to leave. I would have loved to have spent the night in the fire tower not only because of the cool breezes but also for the star gazing. I had a really nice lunch there before leaving.After leaving the site I had about two hours of good terrain. What a relief for my sore hip. I got to the Hexacuba Shelter about 2:30 pm and decided to fix an early supper and then push on a couple more miles to Mt. Cube and find a campsite in the area. When I got to the summit of Mt. Cube the vistas were great and I decided that after finding a tent location I would return to write my journal and just soak up the views. Last night I found a mistake in my hiking agenda that will add a day to my arrival in Maine. I am going to try to find a way to hike that extra miles and get this day back, but with my sore hip and the terrain getting more difficult, I may have to settle with what I have.Tomorrow I will be in Glencliff, NH for a mail drop and plan to stay at a hostel there. I hope there will be a shuttle to town for some real food and maybe get on the internet to title some photos on my web site. My wife and daughter have been busy typing and loading pages in the site, but it seems just as they get caught up I¢m sending them more journal pages. I passed a monument today indicating that I had 412 miles left to hike before reaching Mt. Katahdin. Yes, I did hug the monument!After setting up my tent, I walked back to the Mt. Cube summit to write my journal. I definitely need more evenings like this, Beautiful!!!!!!