morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-07-19
From: AndoverÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂThe Cabin

To: Baldpate Lean-to
Miles today: 8.0

We started our day with another fantastic breakfast at The Cabin¢very similar to yesterday.Honey drove us to the trailhead. There we met Chill Pickle and her father; they gave us trail magic! Pickle was slackpacking today and staying with her parents in town tonight.The weather forecast was for thunderstorms at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM. The rain started right at 10:00 AM. We had to climb over Baldpate Mountain; but finally the rain stopped, and we got some good views. Fortunately, the 3:00 PM rain was late, and we got to Baldpate Lean-to before the rain did! We were cooking in the shelter when the skies opened up. It rained really hard, and we were happy to be under the metal roof! There was even some hail for a while. Then we had another really heavy thunderstorm pass over at about 10:00 PM.A NOBO, Nacho Libre, arrived during the thunderstorm. He¢s with us here tonight. Our group here includes Muffinman, Woodford, Utogg, Itis, and LB. Bunyan is somewhere down the trail in his hammock.
Date: 2015-07-20
From: Baldpate Lean-to

To: Mahoosuc Notch campsite
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Chill Pickle said, ¢Today was a long short day!¢ We only hiked 9.3 miles, but it took us all day. Camping here tonight are Chill Pickle, Muffinman, LB, Nightengale, Woodford and I. Utogg, Itis and Bunyan went on to the next lean-to. It was sunny today and no rain tonight, so we had a good campfire.We packed up this morning and walked down to Grafton Notch. There we met ¢Bubble Gum,¢ who was playing trail angel and had lots of trail magic for us. She is a nurse from Waterton, ME who started the trail on March 15th this year, but she got off at Marion, VA. The neatest thing was when a black NOBO hiker came up; his name is August. He started the trail the same day as her and gave Bubble Gum her trail name.After enjoying the trail magic, we climbed Old Speck Mountain and had lunch at Speck Pond Shelter. After lunch we came down the Mahoosuc Arm to the campsite. We are going to do the Mahoosuc Notch tomorrow morning.
Date: 2015-07-21
From: Mahoosuc Notch campsite

To: Carlo Col Shelter
Miles today: 7.1

We slept in until the sun woke us up (as usual!). This hike is much more laid back than my first AT thru-hike.The highlight for today is the Mahoosuc Notch! The notch is described in our guidebook as ¢the most difficult or the most fun mile of the AT.¢ We decided to have fun, so we took two hours to do the notch. Our group included Chill Pickle, Nightengale, Woodford, LB, Muffinman and myself.After the Mahoosuc Notch, we climbed Fulling Mill Mountain and had lunch at Full Goose Shelter.Then we climbed Full Goose Mountain (North Peak, East Peak, and West Peak). We had beautiful, sunny weather in the morning for the notch, but it started to rain as we went over the West Peak.Several of our group decided to press on to the Gentian Pond Shelter (5.2 miles farther), which is located in New Hampshire. LB, Nightengale, Chill Pickle and I are at Carlo Col Shelter, which is one-half mile from New Hampshire. The shelter is a really nice log cabin with four walls and a door, Plexiglas skylights, and an upper sleeping platform.We were joined by Bones¢a nurse from Texas who is doing a NOBO section hike.
Date: 2015-07-22
From: Carlo Col Shelter

To: Gorham, Chuck & Cindy Martindill's house
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

The first thing this morning we hiked one¢half mile and crossed from Maine into New Hampshire. 281.8 miles in Maine! One state down and thirteen to go! We took pictures and headed into New Hampshire.We climbed Mt. Success and then stopped for lunch at the Gentian Pond Shelter. Beautiful log shelter with a beautiful view.During the afternoon we climbed Cascade Mountain and Mt. Hayes. We have made arrangements to stay with Chuck & Cindy Martindill. Their district superintendent notified them that I was passing through the Gorham area, so they contacted and invited me by email.Cindy Martindill is a nurse and LB has a sore foot that may require some medical attention. It was 8:00 PM by the time Nightengale and I made it down off the mountain. The Martindills met us at the trailhead, and we drove to the White House Hostel to pick up LB. The Martindills took us to dinner at a pizza place on the way to their house. We¢re planning a zero day tomorrow.
Date: 2015-07-23
From: Gorham, Chuck & Cindy Martindill's house

To: Gorham, Chuck & Cindy Martindill's house
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

We stayed up way past hiker midnight last night, so we slept in fairly late this morning. Chuck cooked us a great breakfast!Chuck and Cindy attend St. John¢s United Methodist Church in Jefferson, New Hampshire. It has about forty members. They played trail angel and hosted Short Stop/David Smith who was trail chaplain last year.Our primary job today was to get LB¢s foot fixed so that he can get back onto the trail. No one in the Gorham area had a tetanus vaccine, so Chuck drove LB to St. Johnsbury, Vermont, for a tetanus shot.While Chuck, LB, and Nightengale were getting the tetanus shot, I had an interview with Edie Tucker of the Coos County Democrat. She had done an interview earlier in the day with Jeb Bush who was campaigning in Gorham today.I got my beard trimmed today. I went to Shear Perfection to have Denise, who cuts Chuck¢s hair, trim my beard. I had to wait while she finished doing a lady¢s hair. I remember thinking that the lady looked familiar. When she got up from the chair, she recognized me¢¢WILDCAT!¢ It was Teach/Liz Wyman, who I had met on the trail a couple of days earlier. It turns out that she lives in Lancaster, NH. (Denise didn¢t charge me for the beard trim!)For dinner Chuck grilled hamburgers for us. He and I both use old-style Weber charcoal grills. One more thing we have in common! We both also drink box wine and wear bow ties.We get back on the trail tomorrow to walk from Gorham to Pinkham Notch, over the Wildcat Mountain.
Date: 2015-07-24
From: Gorham, Chuck & Cindy Martindill's house

To: Imp Shelter
Miles today: 8.0

After another great breakfast, Chuck Martindill drove LB, Nightengale, and me back to the trailhead near Gorham. The weather looked like rain, and we only had eight miles to hike to the Imp Shelter.Soon after we started up the trail, we met two ladies with dogs coming down the hill toward us. It was Honey (from The Cabin Hostel in East Andover, Maine) and her sister. Honey recognized us immediately.We stopped for lunch. Chuck and Cindy had provided us with everything to make sandwiches.Soon after lunch it started to rain. At times the rain was really hard. The trail was really wet and slippery. When we got to the shelter, Chill Pickle was already there, eating Nutella. She was on the top sleeping platform, and Nightengale and I joined her. Bunyan was on the bottom deck, and LB set up his tent on a wooden platform outside. We were glad to get in out of the rain!
Date: 2015-07-25
From: Imp Shelter

To: Gorham, Martindill's house
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

Bunyan asked to join us at our trail angels¢ house tonight. He needed to purchase a new raincoat.LB and Bunyan were in the lead, as usual; they are faster hikers than Nightengale and I. Thirteen miles today, and the Martindills will pick up the four of us at Pinkham Notch. Dinner, showers and laundry again! And then we¢ll go to their church with them on Sunday morning.Today we climbed North Carter Mountain, Middle Carter Mountain, Mt. Hight, Carter Dome and Wildcat Mountain, Peaks A, C, D, E. We stopped at Carter Notch Hut for lunch. Hot soup: $2.00, w/refills: $1.00. Freshly baked bread: $1.00. Brownies: $2.00. Drinks: $1.00.It was cloudy with no views today, but at least it wasn¢t raining. There is a gondola from Pinkham Notch to Wildcat D. $12.00/person round trip¢tempting! It would save us three miles of steep, rocky, downhill trails. Nightengale and I got to the car at Pinkham Notch at 7:30 PM!The Martindills took us out for pizza at Scorpio¢s in Lancaster. Then we went to their house and did laundry until way after hiker midnight!
Date: 2015-07-26
From: Gorham, Martindill's house

To: Osgood Tent Site
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: light rain

We got up, had breakfast and went to St. John¢s United Methodist Church in Jefferson, NH with Chuck and Cindy Martindill. Rev. Rick Boyden is the pastor. The church has forty members; six were present. Our delegation of four thru-hikers from The Southbound Wave almost doubled the congregation! Nightengale got to pull the rope to ring the bell in the church steeple. She seemed to enjoy doing it and did a fine job!Last year¢s trail chaplain, Short Stop/David Smith, attended this church when he was here. Rev. Boyden asked me to speak about trail experiences. I told him how the Martindills¢who I didn¢t know and had never met¢had sent an email offering me a place to stay when I reached Gorham.I accepted their invitation before I even knew exactly when I would arrive in Gorham. Then my friend LB developed foot problems and needed medical attention. I discovered that Cindy Martindill was a nurse, and she gave me permission to bring LB and his nurse Nightengale with me. Cindy examined the foot, and Chuck was able to get LB a tetanus shot. Problem solved! Then I told the congregation about my ¢How Great Thou Art¢ experience in Pennsylvania in 2004, and we sang all four verses of the hymn.After church we went home and packed up leftover pizza for lunch on the trail. The Martindills took us back to Pinkham Notch.We planned to camp at the Osgood tent site to be in a good position for Mt. Madison and Mt. Washington in the morning. Obviously, Bunyan and LB decided to hike farther tonight.A brief note about gear: today I replaced the Salewa hiking shoes with which I started the hike with a pair of Lowa Tempest Los that my wife mailed to me. The Vibram soles on the Salewas were worn smooth by the Maine and New Hampshire rocks after only 320 miles! I had hoped for 500-700 miles from these shoes. (The Lowas usually last about 1,000 miles.) The Salewas did have a softer ¢sticky rubber¢ Vibram sole which worked great at first, but obviously wore down quickly. So today I¢m enjoying my trusty Lowa Tempest Los again!
Date: 2015-07-27
From: Osgood Tent Site

To: Lake of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 10.1

We slept in until the sun woke us up. Only ten miles today to get to the Lake of the Clouds Hut tonight, right? Wrong!! First we had to climb Mt. Madison, which is 2,812 ft. in 2.6 miles. (That¢s pretty damned steep!) Then we had lunch at Madison Spring Hut¢soup of the day and freshly baked bread! We got to Thunderstorm Junction at about 3:00 PM. We could see clouds on Mt. Washington and hear thunder. 4.8 miles to go¢Mt. Washington is not a good place to be in a thunderstorm! What to do? We decided to go for it! The skies cleared, and we could see the peak again. We finally reached the peak at 7:00 PM and took pictures¢on to the hut. Got to the Lake of the Clouds Hut at 8:00 PM. Got work for stay¢all right! AYCE dinner and breakfast and sleep on the dining room floor for free. Eleven years ago we were supposed to sleep on the tables; now we¢re supposed to sleep on the floor.There was another thunderstorm during the night¢blinding flashes of lightning and lots of rain. We were glad to be in the hut!At least we got to see the mountain this time. When I was NOBO in ¢04 it was foggy, windy, raining, and I didn¢t see anything. Our timing was impeccable this year!
Date: 2015-07-28
From: Lake of the Clouds Hut

To: Lancaster, NH, MartindillÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs house
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

We got up and cleared our gear of the dining room so that the guests could eat breakfast. After they finished eating, all of us work-for-stay hikers got an AYCE breakfast of leftovers. Chill Pickle, Nightengale and I swept floors, then we were free to go¢abut 10:00 AM.Nightengale and I followed Chill Pickle, but¢¦she took the wrong trail. About 30 minutes later we realized that we were on the wrong trail! This cost us about an hour.Our trail was mostly downhill, but we still had to go over Mt. Jackson and Webster Cliffs. We got to Crawford Notch where Chuck Mardindill picked us up at about 7:00 PM. We drove back to their house for broasted chicken, showers, laundry and bed. This is our last night with the Martindills¢they have been awesome trail angels!
Date: 2015-07-29
From: Lancaster, NH, MartindillÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs house

To: Zealand Cliffs
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: light rain

After breakfast Chuck drove LB, Nightengale and me back to the Crawford Notch trailhead. We had really easy trail today. We stopped for lunch at the Ethan Pond campsite.We got to the Zealand Falls Hut at about 4:30 PM and inquired about work-for-stay, but they had already filled those positions; so we continued on.We climbed up to Zeacliffs and found a great stealth campsite. We met Brent Ervin and his dog Lucy Crawford there. Brent is working for the AMC.A full moon came up, and we decided to cowboy camp on top of the cliffs. We watched the moon until we went to sleep. It was Nightengale¢s first experience with cowboy camping.
Date: 2015-07-30
From: Zealand Cliffs

To: Garfield Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 8.3

We were awakened by a beautiful sunrise! Reluctantly we packed up and started our hike.We stopped at Galehead Hut for lunch. We met a couple who had hiked the trail NOBO fifteen years ago. They were staying at Galehead with their two children. The man paid for our desserts¢trail magic! We checked the register...I did work-for-stay at Galehead on July 30, 2004!It started to rain as we left Galehead Hut. We were soaked by the time we got to Garfield Ridge Shelter. About an hour after we reached the shelter, the rain stopped and the skies cleared. We had eight hikers in a shelter designed for ten, so we had a good night. I taught Nightengale how to dry clothes by wearing them dry.We met Count and Lavender at the shelter. (Mark and Connie Poppenwiner) They were interested in the trail chaplain program, so we had some good discussions. They are husband and wife hiking the trail NOBO.Franconia Ridge tomorrow!
Date: 2015-07-31
From: Garfield Ridge Shelter

To: ChetÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Place, Lincoln, NH
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

After leaving the shelter, we had a steep, rocky climb up to Mt. Garfield. There is a concrete box with no roof on top of Garfield, designed to protect hikers from the wind. Here we had excellent cell phone reception, so I called home.During the day, we quizzed the NOBOs about Lincoln. The majority recommended Chet¢s Place as the best hostel to stay in Lincoln.Then we climbed Mt. Lafayette and Mt. Lincoln and did the famous Franconia Ridge. Now we had a steep, rocky downhill to get to Franconia Notch.We met Sir and his wife hiking NBO on the ridge. Someone (I think at Junaluska) had told me about them. He is retired military, so his name is Sir. He says it¢s the first time in his life that he¢s been able to get his wife and daughter to call him ¢Sir.¢We finally arrived at the Liberty Springs trailhead parking lot at 5:00 PM. We were hoping to be able to hitch a ride to town, but no one was there. We called shuttle connection and got a ride to town with two other thru hikers. The shuttle dropped up off at Chet¢s Place.We met Utogg at Chet¢s Place. We couldn¢t believe that we had caught up with him again! Utogg had taken a couple of zeros in Lincoln for R&R.The hostel was full, so Nightengale and I camped out on a covered wooden deck in the backyard.We went to the Gypsy Caf© in town for an excellent dinner of town food. I had lamb chops and a kale salad. You can¢t get food like that on the trail!
Date: 2015-08-01
From: ChetÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Place, Lincoln, NH

To: Lonesome Lake Hut
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: broken clouds

We slept outside on a covered wooden deck in the backyard of Chet¢s Place last night. We did showers and laundry first thing this morning, because we were unable to do so last night before lights out at 9:00 PM.Chet West was a very active outdoorsman when he was younger. In May of 2002, when he was 30, he was lighting a backpacking cookstove, and it exploded. He received burns on over 45% of his body. He was in ICU in Boston for eight months. Today he has limited use of his legs and uses a wheelchair. He still loves backpacking and backpackers, and operates the hostel in Lincoln, NH for AT thruhikers. His name and phone number is not in our guidebooks, but is passed up and down the trail by word of mouth.After laundry we walked downtown and had a huge pancake breakfast at Flapjacks. On to the outfitter store for trekking pole tips and denatured alcohol and then to the post office and general store.We packed up and were going to call a shuttle, but it started raining, so we waited and visited with Chet. The rain stopped, and we go a ride to the trailhead.The trail passes right beside the Lonesome Lake Hut. We got there about 5:00 PM, so we stopped in to inquire about work for stay; we got hired on the spot! Free dinner and breakfast, plus a dry place to stay. Dinner was really delicious: roast pork with cooked fresh broccoli and peas and rice; gingerbread for dessert. The work was washing some dishes, cleaning the kitchen stove, and sweeping the dining room floor. It rained during the night¢glad to be inside!We met Frankenstein/Kyle Zalaski and his girlfriend. He hiked the AT NOBO last year. He gave me a Heineken beer that he had packed in. They live in Connecticut, so we may see them again when we get there.
Date: 2015-08-02
From: Lonesome Lake Hut

To: Stealth campsite south of Mt. Wolf
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: clear sky

We woke up and cleared our gear out of the dining room by 6:30 AM. After the guests finished breakfast, we got all of the scrambled eggs and buckwheat pancakes we could eat. Unfortunately, the guests ate all of the sausage. We didn¢t touch the oatmeal¢we can get that on the trail!We hiked over North Kinsman and South Kinsman Mountains. It was steep and rocky, as usual. We stopped for lunch at the Eliza Brook shelter.After lunch we climbed Mt. Wolf and hiked about halfway down to Kinsman Notch. We are ¢stealth camping¢ beside the trail tonight. We¢re so close to the trail that it¢s not really very stealthy, but at least it¢s level.
Date: 2015-08-03
From: Stealth campsite south of Mt. Wolf

To: Glencliff/Hebron, Bruce HoltÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs house
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: clear sky

We got up when the sun came up and had a quick breakfast. (That means Pop-Tarts instead of oatmeal!) Moosilauke today and we¢re out of the Whites!Three miles downhill to Kinsman Notch, then up Moosilauke. We stopped for lunch at the Beaver Brook shelter. The privy here has a sign on the door, ¢Bert¢s Bath!¢We got to the top of Moosilauke at 3:00 PM. We could hear distant thunder, but could still see Mt. Washington in the distant haze. We met a bunch of NOBOs at the top.Then down Moosilauke to beat the storm! Down 3,747 feet in 5.5 miles. Halfway down we started to get some light rain...put on pack covers. Got down to the road and said goodbye to Nightengale. She was going on to the next shelter; I was going to Glencliff to meet Bruce Holt. As I walked down the road, the skies opened up; but I had my Go-Lite umbrella. Bruce was waiting when I arrived at the Hikers Welcome Hostel in Glencliff.Bruce drove me to his house in Hebron. I had a hot shower and did laundry while we ate dinner. Bruce¢s wife fixed meat loaf, mashed potatoes, salad, and freshly baked rolls. Bruce gave me oatmeal stout to drink. I love trail angels and trail magic!
Date: 2015-08-04
From: Glencliff/Hebron, Bruce HoltÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs house

To: Glencliff/Hebron, The Collins Camp
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I slept in until 7:30 AM. Bruce took me to a local diner for breakfast: eggs Benedict! Then he drove me to the Collins¢ Camp on the Pond, which translates to ¢cabin on Newfound Lake.¢ My son Bryan and his family are vacationing there this week.So I got to spend my zero day with my son, his wife, and my grandkids relaxing at the lake. My oldest grandson Colin is learning to ski.I took them all out for a seafood dinner at The Big Catch. We went to dinner via boat.
Date: 2015-08-05
From: Glencliff/Hebron, The Collins Camp

To: Ore Hill campsite
Miles today: 7.3

I slept in until 7:30 AM again. The kids woke up early, but I was out on the deck and ignored them as long as I could.Then we went out on the boat and skied. Flat water, no other boats, a beautiful morning!Bryan and Logan (#2 grandson) took me back to the trailhead. We got to Glencliff at noon. I packed up and headed south. It was a good visit, but much too short!!It looked like rain on Moosilauke when we got to the trail, but it held off all afternoon. I¢m at Ore Hill campsite tonight; it¢s seven miles in. The next shelter is seven miles farther. I¢m sharing the campsite with Penguin who is from Charlotte, NC¢a solo female NOBO. We shared a campfire and dinner together. She¢s also on trailjournals.com. (See her 8/07 photo of WILDCAT.)It¢s starting to rain now, so I made the right decision to stop a little early and stay here tonight. This tent site has what may be the nicest privy that I have ever seen! It¢s large enough that I could sleep in it if the weather was bad.
Date: 2015-08-06
From: Ore Hill campsite

To: Smarts Mountain, Fire wardenÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs cabin
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: light rain

Penguin was already packed up and gone when I got up. I had my usual coffee plus a Little Debbie apple pie for breakfast.I climbed Mt. Cube in the morning and had lunch on top. Bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon!Then I went down and back up to Smarts Mountain. I¢m staying in the fire warden¢s cabin with Odometer from South Carolina. He¢s about my age and has section hiked all three trails. Odometer¢s wife¢s trail name is Gutsy; I think that she¢s a Triple Crowner.Everyone has been telling us that there is no water on Smarts Mountain. But I went down the blue-blazed trail and found the spring with plenty of cold, clear water.Odometer had heart surgery in April of this year, but he hiked 21 miles today! He hiked with Earl Shaffer on the AT in 1998¢Earl¢s third thru-hike.Odometer said that we met 50-60 NOBO thru-hikers today.
Date: 2015-08-07
From: Smarts Mountain, Fire wardenÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs cabin

To: Moose Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: broken clouds

I lost the original for this entry in Hanover. But it went something like this:I walked down from Smarts Mountain to the Ice Cream Man¢s house for lunch. Bill Ackerly is ¢The Ice Cream Man.¢ When I got to his house, he was gone and so was the ice cream. Apparently he¢s having eye surgery today. So I had a bagel with cream cheese for lunch on the deck behind his house.After lunch I climbed Holts Ledge and Moose Mountain. Water was scarce, but good enough for cooking supper.
Date: 2015-08-08
From: Moose Mountain Shelter

To: Happy Hill Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up at 5:00 AM, packed my gear and was on the trail by 6:00 AM. I¢ve got to hike 10.9 miles to Hanover to get to the post office before it closes at noon. If I don¢t make it, I will have to spend the weekend in Hanover.I got to town by 11:00 AM and to the post office by 11:30 AM! I¢m getting lighter weight clothes and sleeping system for warmer temperatures and sending my cold weather gear home. This will save me a couple of pounds on my gear weight.The trail angel thing for a place to stay in Hanover didn¢t work out for me, so I¢m back on the trail. Going to the Happy Hill Shelter before it gets too dark. I crossed the Connecticut River into Vermont. Two states completed¢twelve to go!I¢ve got the whole shelter to myself tonight. Everyone else is tenting out. I met Maps, who is section-hiking, her husband Sidekick, and their daughters, Mountain Goat and A¢Capella. They were interested in the Trail Chaplain program. I think it¢s great that her family is so supportive of her section hiking!