morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-07-15
From: Stony Brook Shelter

To: Wintturi Shelter
Miles today: 9.9

I awoke   All is new   And fresh   And clean   And pure   And filled with promise.   I watch as   Once again   The world recreates itself.   It is dawn!   Very late last night three NOBO thru-hikers came in. I only got the name of one of them ¢ Stewart, who is a fellow Celt. I told them how to find the water source; they would never have found it in the dark with the Handbook instructions.   Slept OK ¢ the one member of the hiking club who slept in the shelter was a big time snorer. Perhaps that is why the rest of his group slept in their tents!   Awoke early to a promising dawn ¢cf the above poem. Most of the hiking group were up and moving early. One of them tried on my Cho-Pat knee braces ¢ liked them too! I should get a commission on all of the duel action knee braces that I have helped sell for Cho-Pat.   Headed off early in a good day, as forecast. It did get a little muggy as the day progressed. I started along a stream bank ¢ I love streams ¢ but soon left it behind. Climbed down a very well constructed log ladder that the GMC had used to bridge a sheer bit of rock.   The trail was very up and down all day, and I found it surprisingly tiring. The map says I crossed a Continental Divide, but my guidebooks don¢t comment on it [Mississippi v Atlantic?] There was a good outlook over Lakota Lake, so when I got to the trail to the Lookout, I felt little need to hike the 0.2 miles to, and 0.2 miles from, what is reportedly a fantastic view. I just followed the white blazes.   I drank four liters of water during today¢s hike, but I still felt realy tired. Got a cell signal during second breakfast. All is well!   Got here in the early afternoon ¢ a little buggy here, which provoked my registry entry of a verse from ¢The Louse House of Kilkenny¢ an old Irish song.   ¢For the bugs and the fleas they collected to march      And over me belly they formed an arch   And one big renegader gave me such a nip   I was very near loosing the use of me hip¢ I suspect that the hiking group will have a heard day of it. They had planned to leave at 8:00AM and did not anticipate getting here until 6:00PM      I was thinking today about the development of my personal philosophy since I started on the trail. It has been an interesting and a full and complex development. I also realized that most ¢ if not all ¢ of my philosophical musings are most likely not original, I don¢t think that I would have come to any of my conclusions without the milieu of the hike ¢ but they are most likely all written down by some other thinker in some book that I could have gotten from my local library. But I would not have bothered to read it, and I certainly would not have believed it, without the hike and the trail!Thought for today ¢   Life does come with instructions ¢ just read the books!
Date: 2005-07-16
From: Wintturi Shelter

To: Thistle Hill
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

Last night at dinnertime Overhill ¢ NOBO thru hiker ¢ joined us, and then headed off, as the light was fading, to a reputed Red Barn on VT12 where thru hikers can stay ¢ and even get a shower.   Only two of us in the shelter last night, myself and the co-leader of the hiking group ¢ Mitch ¢ the snorer! Neither he nor the bugs were too bad.    I was back on the trail early, while the AMC group was deciding whether to skip breakfast and make a dash for VT12 and breakfast at Woodstock. I realy enjoyed my time with this group which was lead by David Harris from London NH. They were all very nice to me; they fed me Orioles, Fig Neutons, milk and pita bread ¢ all much appreciated.   The long downhill to the road does in fact have several ups and downs ¢ despite what the profile shows ¢ which may very well have dulled the breakfast enthusiasm of the hiking group, but I suspect not much!   Sure enough at the road crossing at VT12, there was a note that confirmed that an overnight stay in the Red Barn was indeed possible ¢ as was the shower.   Then the difficult part of the day began in earnest. It was a steep up and down, but on a very well maintained trail. We are in Dartmouth Outdoor Club land now. Up over Dana Hill, with its meadows on top where a good cell signal allowed me to leave messages for KT. Then the process repeated itself. Still up and down over Breakneck Hill to Pomfret Road. Met Jake SOBO thru hiking on the descent taking a break. Then another up and down to Cloudland Road.   I noticed that the lace of my left book had become frayed, so I cut out the damaged part and tied it all together again. Seem to be working fine.   Then things got confusing. After Cloudland Road the trail to the old Cloudland Shelter comes after the power line [per Wingfoot] In fact it did not, so I was confused as to how far I had to go to get to the top of Thistle Hill. I saw a privy off to the right and thought that I might already be at the shelter, but saw no sign indicating the shelter. It was just an ordinary privy ¢ the one at Thistle Hill Shelter is so unusual that it is ¢well photographed¢ I hiked for such a long time that I began to become convinced ¢ not for the first time ¢ that I had indeed passed the shelter, and was kicking myself that I had not explored the area around the ¢ordinary privy¢ more carefully. But there was no shelter sign, no blue blazes, and it was just an ordinary privy. Plus I was not sure of my distances any more.   I journeyed on, and about half an hour later found the signed, blue blazed, side trail to the shelter ¢ and yes! the privy here is well deserving of a photo,   It was a very tough day. The ups and downs were multiple and steep. It was hot and humid again. I drank five liters of water during the hike but I still felt tired. I tried to find the ¢rhythm of the hike¢ that Mitch and I talked about in our sleeping bags last night. You need to find that certain pace that will eat up the miles and not make you notice the effort. Same thing in life.Thought for today ¢You need to find your own pace in life!
Date: 2005-07-17
From: Thistle Hill

To: Happy Hill Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: light rain

Last night three SOBO hikers joined me. Nemo ¢ who was delighted that I knew that his name meant ¢No One¢ ¢ and his college friend Spud. Nemo has just graduated with a degree in psychology and Spud in communications. They are hiking with Midnight, who works in an art gallery and plays drums in a band. Good company for the night.   Started early on a long smooth decline all the way to Joe Ranger Road. There I met Rover ¢ NOBO ¢ who was looking forward to a swim in the White River. It was a smooth trail all the way to the river. There was a lot of construction near the bridge and no obvious spot to swim to my eyes. No diving from the bridge.   I went through lots of meadows today ¢ I love meadows ¢ and also some pine forest ¢ I have decided that I love pine forests also! Lots of small streams ¢ also love them ¢ gave me lots of water to drink, on an overcast but very muggy day.   The trail goes through the edge of West Hartford, but alas Rick and Tina¢s Country Store and Snack Bar is closed!   Then under I89 and a long slow ascent of Grigg¢s Mountain. Wingfoot has the summit at 1580 feet, lower than the snowmobile trail on the way up [1800 feet]. Let me tell you it is all uphill to the summit.   I have finally found ¢ not alone my pace ¢ but my harmony with the trail. I am not attempting to dominate or overpower it, and it is not trying to defeat me. We both are what we are ¢ I go at my pace, and it goes it¢s own way. We get on well together now. If it is tough, I slow down. If it is easy, I can go faster ¢ but it is what it is, and I am who I am. Neither of us is trying to dominate the other.   I arrived here in the early afternoon. This is a very interesting shelter. The original was the oldest AT shelter ¢ built in 1918, before there even was an AT. It was torn down in 1998 and this new one replaced it. The lower half is quarried from local stone. It has a loft and even two little windows, and it¢s name in tile over the doorway!   A young lady day hiker dropped by, but left quickly ¢ I guess she did not like the look of me. I have had a nice lunch, and now have been joined by Scottie 2 Light. He is trying to complete his thru hike, with lots of flip-flopping. He has just returned to the trail today after a time out ¢ in Paris France.      Thought for today ¢   Hike in Harmony!
Date: 2005-07-18
From: Happy Hill Shelter

To: Hanover
Miles today: 5.8
Weather: moderate rain

A hot and humid night was followed by a hotter and muggy morning. Got underway early with visions of a shower in Hanover leading me on. I did not realize it but, after just 3.5 miles in the woods [all mostly downhill], the trail emerges onto Elm Street. From there on it is all street walking through Norwich, avoiding the town center, and then under I91, on Hwy 10, and across the Connecticut River on a very nice bridge and on up into Hanover.   Scottie 2 Light caught up with me at Elm Street and walked with me all the way to Hanover. He did investigate the possibilities of a swim in the Connecticut River, but was foiled by fences and prohibitions. He caught up with me again before I entered Hanover proper. He had spent time here when his sister had a hemorrhagic stroke ¢ simultaneously with her husband and both of them died! Now what are the chances of that?   I arrived at the Inn so early that my room was not ready, so I had my second breakfast at Lou¢s Restaurant and Bakery. I spent an interesting hour exploring the college campus of Dartmouth College, before finally hitting the shower with great relief.   Have now collected my drop box ¢ strict ID ¢ sorted through what I need to take home, and spoke with KT on the landline. I also figured out the ¢ free ¢ bus service here and took advantage of it, to take a long trip to the nearest Laundromat. So I am showered, fed, phoned, laundered, and have arranged transportation to the airport, and the rental car, for tomorrow morning.   I met Frank and Susan Anthony on my perambulations around town. They are Dartmouth graduates and are here attending a writer¢s workshop. He writes poetry and gave me his card and email address with promises of samples of his work.   I learnt a lot on this particular section through New England. I have come to a harmony with the trail now. In fact I was seriously thinking of going all the way to Katahdin and then ¢ deliberately ¢ not climbing the mountain! I think that it would show a great deal of respect for the trail that I did not finish it. I know that is not what I am going to do, but I think that it shows how much I have progressed in my respect for, and harmony with, the trail, that I have even thought of it at all.   I am however looking forward to going home. I think that we need to remember all the people that we leave behind when we take to the trail, and to not forget the effects our journeys are having on them.Thought for today ¢ They also serve [and suffer] who only stand and wait [at home]
Date: 2005-08-30
From: Hanover

To: Moose Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

It rained and thundered all night long and was raining hard when I set out after a full breakfast at Lou¢s Bakery. The short walk through Hanover quickly led me back to the trail, after crossing over Dartmouth¢s College Soccer fields. Once again I experienced the sudden transition from ¢civilization¢ back to the trail.   A slow climb up to Velvet Rocks shelter was rewarded by a break in the weather and an opportunity to remove the long rain gear. Although the trees continued to drip on me all day long, I still felt comfortable hiking in my regular summer mode. After passing Velvet Rocks the trail continues a slow and steady ascent up to Trescott Road. I met with ¢Z¢ SOBO heading into Hanover just before the road.   The hike took me through some very nice meadows with Goldenrods in full bloom - I love meadows ¢ and I took a nice lunch break at Mink Brook. I was surprised at how well I felt during the hike. I took it nice and easy and slow and had no difficulties with the ascent. Even the dull overcast day and the dripping trees did nothing to dispel my good mood. This is the first time back on the trail that I have not felt totally out of shape.   Met a Dartmouth student out for a day hike just at the bottom of the ascent up to the south peak of Moose Mountain. Just as I neared the top the rain realy started to come down. Hard, heavy, cold, rough rain forced me back into my full rain gear all the way here to this recently relocated shelter.   There were hand written warnings at the site of the old shelter, that the water source here was poor. Indeed it is a rather muddy puddle, but it yielded enough water for my needs.   When I returned to the shelter, I met with Zip-Lock, of the Three Blind Mice, and we are now joined by six of her companions, all thru hiking and trying to figure out when they will summit on Katahdin! So we will have a full shelter of very wet hikers with very wet gear tonight.   I am very pleased at how I feel. This was a good days hike, despite the long layoff and the bad weather. I felt realy good all day long, and still feel OK after 11 miles. Will try for a cell signal later.   It¢s hard to write when the shelter is full of hikers, and the rain prevents me from taking my journal outside. I don¢t think that I had any great thoughts today anyway. It was mostly just seeing how everything was working. It turns out that everything was working just fine!Thought for today ¢   It is Good to be Back!
Date: 2005-09-04
From: Ore Hill Shelter

To: Glencliff NH
Miles today: 7.4

The Hikers Welcome HostelHermit and I sat up late and talked philosophy. There is something about sharing the AT experience with other hikers that leads frequently to discussions of other and more fundamental issues.   I was up early and on the trail by 7:00AM, leaving Hermit still sleeping ¢ he intends to stay tonight at the hostel so I hope to see him later.   The hike started out along the top of Ore Hill on a decent trail in a cool and overcast morning with small flurries of rain that gradually gave way to a much better and sunny day. A smooth descent to NH25C road and then up again on the other side. Passed a beaver pond on the way up and surprised myself when I arrived at the summit marker so early. Then it was a sharp downhill to Wachipauka Pond. After a good photo opportunity of the pond from above it on the trail, I did not even see the pond as I passed it by on the trail lower down.   The trees are still pretty much in full foliage ¢ even at the higher elevations. We will see if we get to experience any of the fall colors. Passed a lot of day-hikers and families and dogs, all out for a pleasant hike, on the descent to NH25 road, on what was now a great day to hike, and I was here at the hostel by early afternoon.   This place is great! Kleifspringer and the guys from Hexacuba Shelter are here and a bunch of other hikers. The building is a rambling add-on hostel with an outside hot shower and bathroom. With tents and buildings and swings and hammocks, it has all that we need. I have had a shower and some cold soda ¢ only Diet Pepsi. No Coke ¢ and will try for a shuttle into Warren later for dinner. Spoke with KT on the public phone near the closed PO. I also spoke with Toto and Dorothy, who have already climbed Mount Moosilauke, and they say it is OK if you just take it slowly. They also say that the 16 miles that they did north to Woodstock - slackpacking SOBO in 12 hours - were the ¢trail from hell¢ it was such difficult hiking.   I think that the reason that so many people like to hike in the outdoors is because we still feel a strong primitive attachment to the wilderness/outdoors. Physically and mentally there is still a lot of the primitive animal in all of us. I was reminded of this when my wife told me of the scenes of anarchy, rioting and looting in New Orleans that are still continuing.Thought for today ¢    Under the thin veneer of civilization, we are all animals at heart!
Date: 2005-09-06
From: North Woodstock NH

To: North Woodstock NH
Miles today: 0.0

The Carriage MotelRoom 6.Zero day. Slept late. Recovered the drop box from the PO with the strictest ID check yet. They realy scrutinized my ID and demanded that I describe the box in detail, even when they had found it. Had a nice breakfast at Peg¢s and did my laundry at the Handy Wash. This is a great town from a hikers perspective. Everything, motel, store, laundry, and restaurants are all within a few hundred yards. They are friendly people clearly used to hikers and very accommodating to our needs.   I met with lots of hikers passing through and saw many more hitching back to the trail. Most hikers seem to have come into town from Franconia Notch, not Kinsman Notch, as I did. I watched the CNN coverage of the disaster in New Orleans and remained shocked at the failure of planning for a major disaster that was clearly anticipated and expected. A complete failure to either have a plan, have a plan that works, implement a workable plan, or to practice and understand and disseminate it! We look like a bunch of idiots. I have organized my food and lounged around a lot. Nice sunny day. No thoughts for today.
Date: 2005-09-07
From: North Woodstock NH

To: North Woodstock NH
Miles today: 0.0

The Carriage MotelRoom 6.   Another lazy day. Met with Kleifspringer who is staying here at the hotel. He says that he is not feeling well and has GI complaints. He says he will go to the doctor tomorrow if he is not feeling better since it may be Giardiasis. Also spoke with a number of hikers today, many of them are also complaining of upper respiratory tract symptoms. Seems to be some sort of bug making the rounds.   Good weather again today. Forecast is for some rain tomorrow and then good for the rest of the week, so I am now good to go in sequence with my reservations in the AMC huts in the White Mountains.   Onward tomorrow!No thoughts today either,
Date: 2005-09-08
From: North Woodstock NH

To: Eliza Brooks Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: broken clouds

The shuttle arrived promptly and I was climbing up out of Kinsman Notch at 7:00AM. The initial part of the climb up from the road is very steep, and proved to be very difficult going for me after my two-day lay off. In fact the whole trail was difficult today.      It was a long hard climb up to the South Ridge of Mount Wolf and then a more gradual climb up to the East Peak of the mountain. The trail was very muddy and had 6 ¢ 10 feet high sheer rocks interrupting the trail. It was high energy expenditure getting over, or down, every one, and impossible to get any kind of rhythm. I was grabbing on to tree roots, trunks and branches to help me up and had to resort to the old ¢slide down on your backside¢ trick a few times to get down some of the steeper rock faces.   Very few overlooks, but a good weather day and the forecast is good through the weekend. A long and difficult descent down to Reel Brook Trail and then a fairly level push on to the shelter.   Met a lot of hikers on the trail today including another group of Dartmouth students who gave me some trail gorp. I met Not Guilty, SOBO after a flip-flop, and a few others NOBO, including Snuffles.   Here at the shelter are Peace Pipe, who is staying the night, and a young couple, Marshmallow and Colorado, who are talking about going on. Cruise Control is also here trying to decide what he wants to do.      Most of my attention was focused on the trail today. I was surprised at how quickly the time flew by. Whenever I was not concentrated on the trail, my mind was filled by the TV images of CNN coverage of the disastrous aftermath of Katrina¢s onslaught on New Orleans.    We need to remember that nature is not going to accommodate herself to us. She is driven by a set of imutable laws that we try to understand, but she is still "red in tooth and claw"Thought for today ¢   Nature will not change ¢ we need to adapt to it, and plan for its vagrancies.
Date: 2005-09-18
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Oak Park Illinois
Miles today: 0.0

Home again for the winter. All in all, a good year for me on the trail, over 800 miles, and some of them very tough miles through NH.   I think that I learnt a lot this year. I have learnt how to be mentally comfortable with the trail. Don¢t fight it; don¢t lament the difficult going, or the bad weather, or the decisions of the trail planners. The trail is what the trail is. It will not change; you will have to change to be happy with it.    I have also learnt to ¢Be in the Moment¢. To ¢Be Here Now¢. What is past is past and in the realm of remembrance and experience. What is in the future is uncertain. Make reasonable plans, and be ready to change and adapt them. But the only thing the we truly experience is the ¢now¢. This single moment of the present. Enjoy it - even if it is wet, or cold, or steep, or rocky ¢ it is still the reality of the now!   I have also been struck by the interrelationship of all things. Not alone the webs of natural life, but the interconnections of all people and the dignity of all things, rocks, land, air, water, people, and indeed all life, and all things.    The task for me now will be to try to keep these discoveries fresh in my mind when I am away from the trail, and to figure out how to apply them to my life ¢off the trail¢   I will of course return again next hiking season, to try to finish up the last 300+ miles of the AT. I have not, as yet, decided when ¢ but not before late July. I want to avoid the dreaded black flies, as much as possible, but still get to Baxter State Park while the weather is still reasonable for climbing the Final Peak.      Until then   ¢Go neiri an bothar leat¢