morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-09-23
From: Stratton 

To: Lincoln
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I slept pretty good last night. woke up and made pancakes and eggs. it was a pretty lazy morning. we all sat around and watched a movie. About lunch time i decided it was time to start trying to get to Lincoln. I printed off directions said bye to everyone I've been hiking with the past few weeks. I'm gonna miss pillow talk I've enjoyed hiking with him. i started walking down the road and it was a while till someone finally stopped. it was a nice day and a pretty road thought. He took me about 20 miles past Rangly and dropped me at my turn. Nice guy, he was a fishing guide and walked about brook trout a while. The next lift was the longest. About 80 miles. they were coming back from a conference about some multidimensional way of enlightenment. They talked alot and were nice though. from there a guy who owned a grocery tore picked me up. I some how wound up back in littleton again. I was tempted to stop at the diner. from there the hitching became more difficult. it was interstate 93 and in an area notorious for bad hitching. A guy finally stopped but was only going a few exits down. better than nothing though. from there it was even harder to get a hitch. but some high schoolers picked me up. we talked about cliff jumping and traveling. they dropped me off in franconia and that was the hardest. it was 45 mins before someone stopped. very little traffic. but a guy who had just bought a house stopped. he was big into skiing and had got a new house, but was headed back to Mass. He dropped me off in lincoln. 150 miles, six rides and 5 1/2 hours, but i made it back. Now i just have to get my package, look at a new backpack and get back on the trail. I got dinner at the grocery and rode a bit around on a bike. I'm back at chetts place. there are a few backpacks but i haven't seen anyone, not even chett. it's kinda creepy. last time there was 30 people here. Now it's just me. i think i'd rather be camping now. but i need my package. it's got my could gear in it so i'm stuck. maybe mad max will be here tomorrow. or anyone else would make this less creepy.
Date: 2012-09-24
From: Lincoln

To: Lincoln
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

i decided to take a zero today. I've been stiff and just needed a rest. i got my mail drop that had my jacket, shoes, and long underwear. then i went to the outfitter. My new base weight is 18 pounds. i got an osprey talon 44. it's much smaller and is still comfortable. after that i went to the library and read for a solid six hours. curse of a good book. i wandered around town a bit and ate dinner. my heads been hurting so i'm just going to turn in early.
Date: 2012-09-25
From: Lincoln

To: Dancing bones community
Miles today: 17.6

Woke up in desperate need of coffee. i went to dunkin doughnuts and got breakfast. i didn't have any yesterday and my head was pounding by the end of the day. after coffee i went and got snickers and nature valley bars. i still have a few dinners. got back to chetts and called the shuttle. i got on the trail about 10 and a day hiker (who's pack is even bigger than mine) started up. he was nice and tried to keep up, but he soon decided to hang back. i stayed at thh top of moosilauke enjoying the view and eating lunch with a NOBO. coming down moose there was a night and day change in the trail. There is now DIRT!!! i haven't seen extended amounts of dirt in 400 miles. here was 15 miles of dirt. and i think it keeps going! I was averaging 3 miles an hour consistently. my feet didn't hurt my pack is light and holy crap there is DIRT! It's not exposed roots and piles of rocks it's DIRT! i passed a couple of roads and they need markers saying where the trail joins up on the other side. i walked a quarter mile the wrong direction. i got to one hill where there used to be a shelter. it burned down last fall. i was going to hang my tarp (I sent my hammock home) but the water source was a stagnant puddle and i was totally out. i looked at my book and it said there was a work for stay at the dancing bones community. i assumed water and head down the next road. it was forever off the trail but a very friendly lady greeted me. this a farming community that is mostly off the grid. cool people and they have water. i'm set up on a picnic table under a awning. hopefully more dirt tomorrow.
Date: 2012-09-26
From: Dancing bones community

To: Trapper Johns Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: overcast clouds

It started raining about 430 this morning but i was under a big tarp so it was no bother. I slept in to wait out the rain. i have no motivation to start when i know it will probably only last an hour or two. sure enough it stopped. i walked back to the trail and zoomed through the first two miles. at the road, i went the wrong way again. there is nothing to say where the trail comes back and it's never in sight. A lady picked me up and we went looking for the trail. he had just dropped here fiance off the way i came out. we found it and as i was leaving i was more worried about grabbing my rain jacket and i forgot my poles. i freaking forgot my poles. i thought i could run down the fiance. it took me 45 mins of running to catch him. no signal for him to call her back. i told him what shelter i was going to stay at . he said there was a road real close. I told him he could leave them there at the road, but he said no he would hike them to the shelter. he'd be there about five, which was way before me. i had a very long day planned. like an idiot i didn't get his phone number or give him mine. after that i was way behind and had to do some big miles. there terrain was pretty good but there was a lot of clouds. there were a few good views. i passed a french guy again and went to the fire tower. now view at all. Shame cause there has been good talk about it lately. after that i passed french guy and was about to book it again when he asked if i had heard about he plane crash here. i said no, which started a two hour long talk about everything from hiking to books we had read he was really interesting. written multiple books and has been all over the world hiking and climbing. i t slowed me down a bit, but he was good company. i left him when it was an hour till dark. i still had 3 miles to go and he was stopping before the shelter. There was a sign for free ice cream and i forgot all about dark. Bill has been giving ice cream to hikers for years. i was number 934 this year. he gets your name, age, and hometown. he was very nice. we also shared a little drink too. i filled up my water and went to night hiking. i'm the only one here and there are no poles. damn. i found two sticks today and it looks like these are it from now on. i think all told between the road walking, ack tracking and normal miles i've easily pulled more than 20 miles today. i'm tired but it's not cold and the moon has come out. i may read for a bit.
Date: 2012-09-27
From: Trapper Johns Shelter

To: Hanover
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: few clouds

It rained again last night but i didn't feel like sleeping in. i got up and instead started working on my walking stick. i shaved it down and made it smooth. no sense having it ruff since i'll be using it a while now. the hke out this morning was gorgeous. the ledges were this half tree covered cliff face with a n amazing view into Vermont. after that it was walking through a golden tunnel of maple trees. there were pipes and lines connection all the trees for syrup. i walked through this really pretty field with waist high grains and fall color all up the mountain. huge views. i caught up with waffle print (the french guy) again and walked out the last five miles with him. talking about food and places to travel. we got to Hanover about 4ish and went to the grocery. I was so hungry. everything looked amazing. they had bratwurst samples out front that helped. after that i got a half gallon of chocolate mil and a tube of cookie dough. just stat there on the curb people starting as i ate 3000 calories of craving quenchers. from there i went to the DOC and found a list of trail angles. I called a few and miss sally answered. she said she was going to a seminar in town about the white mountains and i could meet here there. i went to the library where it was at and multiple people came and talked to me. such a friendly town. The seminar was a slide show from a conservationists photographer. it was quite interesting. i met sally and she brought me to here home. she made hot chocolate and a salad for me. i got a shower. Such a nice lady. we ended up talking till 10, way past my bed times. tomorrow i'll do some town chores and trail journals. and do a short day to the first shelter. i also caught up to 3 SOBOs in town. I'm not all alone after all!
Date: 2012-09-28
From: Hanover

To: Hanover
Miles today: 2.0
Weather: moderate rain

Woke up and miss sally had made pancakes for me. we ate and she dropped me off in town. i went to the grocery and got food for the next few days and then went to the library. All the books i've been reading were checked out so i just grabbed one. i found a BBQ place for lunch. It was good but kinda expensive. BBQ shack back home could of feed 3 people for the cost of one plate. After that i walked out in the rain and started for the trail. A never ending road walk. i was soaked before i even got to the woods and the temp was in the 40's. i went to put something in my b backpack and the top lid wasn't buckled. My camp shoe had fallen off somewhere between here and the restaurant. I stated walking back grumbling. i found a cooler of trail magic that helped a little bit. i walked all the way to town. i was soaked and cold. i found my shoe all the way back in the parking lot of the place i had eaten. i said bleh with the day and went and called another angle on the list. Greg came and got me. i got a warm shower. ate pizza and just watched movies. Much better way to spend a cold rainy day.
Date: 2012-09-29
From: Hanover

To: Thistle Hill shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Greg tried to bring me breakfast in bed. I couldn¢t do that and told him I¢d bed down in a minute. Its amazing how nice the trail angles are. He dropped me off at the trail and I started out. It was pittle rain but under threes it wasn¢t bad at all. I met a couple of NOBOs and talked a bit. I wasn¢t really feeling it today. There was a road walk and I started down it kinda glum. But there was a a deli right there on the trail! I got a huge sandwich and a blue berry crumble muffin and a cup of coffee. I was more happy after that. And the rain stopped and warmed up a bit. There was cool walk through a big grassy field. My camera just doesn¢t do this stuff justice. I got to the shelter a little before 4. Kinda early but the next shelter is 12 miles away. I was here an hour till a nice couple showed up. I got company and I¢m out of the rain. Big day tomorrow with 22 miles. Maybe I¢ll catch up to someone.
Date: 2012-09-30
From: Thistle Hill shelter

To: Stony brook shelter
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: light rain

Bam! First 20 mile day and I added some change to it. My feet hurt but I¢m jacked up. I also ate enough food to maybe come close to what I burned I counted just my cliff bars and snacks at over 2000 calories. Plus 5 or 6 hundred for breakfast and another thousand for dinner. It rained all day again. Nothing but damp rain and when it¢s not raining the trees are spitting at you. I went out to lookout mt and climbed the tower but you could only see a little bit for all the clouds. I didn¢t¢ stop but once today and that was just before the shelter. I did all the miles in just under 8 12 hours. I got to the shelter and bob and dave are here. Jeremiah joe showed up later. I made two dinners tonight. The section hikers last night gave me a mountain house and I¢m starving. The weather isn¢t really supposed to change any time soon. I¢m tired of rain. My feet were shriveled when I took my socks off. But my camp clothes in my bag are dry and warm. Tomorrow should be relatively easy into Rutland and I¢ll get to go tot the yellow deli hostel. I¢ve heard good things about this one. I found out rocket who I met at lake of the clouds is some where close. Maybe a half a day ahead. He got hurt and got for a week. It¢ll be cool to see him again. Maybe in town. I¢m feel a good sleep tonight.
Date: 2012-10-01
From: Stony brook shelter

To: Rutland
Miles today: 10.0

Woke up this morning and who could of guess it'd be raining. i took forever getting ready. One of the people last night tried to tear the roof off with snoring. i didn't sleep at all. i think Jeremiah joe was of the same mind, he didn¢t seem to enthused to move. I left out about 10 and made really good time until I came to a rerouted section. I did the reroute and then did a side trail to a falls and board walk. After that I lost all speed. I just moseyed along for the last five miles. Talked a while with anyone I met and just stared at he sky a bit. I finally got to the road at two. I flagged down the bus to Rutland and he dropped me off in a city way bigger than I was expecting. Easily the biggest town I¢ve come to. I got to the yellow deli. I¢ve heard about it since Maine. The restaurant is closed for a religious holiday but the hostel is open still. They invited me to their festival thing and I said sure. I asked if I need to eat now or if there would be food there. They said they would bring me something! Some of the best bread I¢ve ever had. Homemade and some great pasta salad and an orange. The festival was a ¢silat¢ don¢t quote me on the spelling of that. The celebration 10 days after yonkipor. They had a big fire and sang songs and toasted bread on sticks and had a cool bit where everyone talks and not just one person teaching a lesson. The kids were adorable. Afterwards I made my way to Wal-Mart and got food for the next stint to Manchester center. I made some phone calls to friends I haven¢t talked to in a while and just caught up. There is only one other person staying tonight and I¢ve got the common room to myself. Pretty relaxing and great food still to come.
Date: 2012-10-02
From: Rutland

To: Governer clemont shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up early and went down for breakfast. There are so many people I actually got two breakfasts. One was rice pudding with banana and the other was toast and a bunch of fried eggs. They also have this tea called mate¢. It¢s really good and I got a could cups of it. I had asked about work for stay and they had me in the back hauling ice and cutting veggies and all kinds of stuff for the deli. There were always people to talk with and I had fun. Afterwards I went to sit down for lunch. I got an awesome sandwich and some carrot cake with a mate¢ late¢. When the ticket came out it said on the house! Yellow deli rocks. Hands down my favorite hostel so far. They are so nice and inclusive. I said bye to everyone and caught the bus back to the trail. It was nice hiking which was good cause I didn¢t get started till 2. I got to the first shelter just after 4. I met rebar who started hiking with two pieces of rebar as walking sticks. He said he was getting off though. He¢s also from Georgia and the cold has been getting to him. I understand where he¢s coming from. Told him good luck and made the last 4 miles pretty quick and got in around 530. Really cool shelter. The second oldest on the AT. I¢ve got the place to myself tonight. I hear its supposed t o rain again tonight. I won¢t be surprised in the least. Day 6 of no sun. tomorrow is supposed to rain but I think Thursday is supposed to clear up.
Date: 2012-10-03
From: Governer clemont shelter

To: Little rock pond shelter
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up to more rain. God I¢m tired of the rain. This makes 7 days of rain. I waited till a lull and headed out at 930. I made good time to the shelter next and ate a snack. I got to the next shelter and there was a straw hat. I should of grabbed it. I found out later it was a SOBO named scarecrow that is a day ahead. I was in a bad funk today. I haven¢t had any company in almost a week and the rain has really gotten old. I pushed on through the mud. I hit 500 miles today so that was exciting. But more importantly I caught up to rocket. I met him at lake of the clouds back in the whites. Finally a little company. I hiked the rest of the day with him and he said everyone else is about half a day ahead. That cheered me up. I made a pretty big day today and I¢m tired. My feet have been so wet lately I¢m getting blisters again. I think part of my heel cracked. It hurts. I¢ll see what I can do in the morning. Today is supposed to be the last day of rain. But still no sunshine for a few more days. I miss blue. There are a few other section hikers at the shelter. It¢s really pretty cool lake and you can see a lot of color on the other side.
Date: 2012-10-04
From: Little rock pond shelter

To: Bromly mt shelter
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Another day of rain. I¢m also beginning to think it¢s impossible to get out of a shelter before 930. I was even up before 8, I just didn¢t get everything packed and ready till 930. I made the first 5 12 miles really quick. I went to lost pond shelter just to sign the log, but it really started raining. So I just sat there and glared for a bit. I started carving on my stick a little and a guy named Flintstone showed up. Started talking and before I realized it was lunch time. So I made PBJ sandwich. I saw rocket go by but he didn¢t come to the shelter so I figured I¢d sneak up on him. I got real close behind him and followed him for almost 3 minutes before he turned for something. His face was great. After that it was just head down and try not to think about how wet my feet are. I started to wonder if my feet would be better just going bare foot. Least they could breathe when not in a buddle. I got to the shelter at 5:20 in a pretty solid rain. I just went ahead and got water then peeled my shoes off. A group of high schoolers came in to make dinner. They were funny and asked a lot of questions. After they left, it¢s just me in the shelter. Rocket must have stopped at the last one back. Going to town tomorrow. Never mind rocket just rolled in.
Date: 2012-10-05
From: Bromly mt shelter

To: Stratton pond shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: clear sky

Blue sky and 70 degrees!!! After 8 days of rain. I woke up to actual blue sky. Haven¢t seen it in a week. And I got out shortly after 8. We got down to the parking lot and walked to the road and two guys pulled up before we were even on the road. They dropped us off at MacDonald¢s. I¢ve been craving biscuits. I got 5 and a large sweet tea. After that we went to the post office. I found out bebop, rocksteady, and most everyone I was so close to catching up to, yellow blazed and are 50 miles ahead again. I did laundry and tried to dry my shoes. After a few hours in the sun I finally have dry shoes and feet. It¢s supposed to rain again tomorrow but for today I am dry. It¢s such a moral buster. Blue skies!!! We left town around 330. Way to late to do 10 12 miles before dark, but we set out anyway. I almost made it but had to pull out my head lamp for the last 20 minutes. I took a freezing cold dip in the lake. But tonight is warm so it was nice once I got out. There are a few other SOBOs today. Marthra and Roo and another couple Fungi and some girl I can¢t remember. Last night I declared war on the mice. I just got a new food bag after the last one got chewed into. They got me after it was hanging on the line with a can. I got some traps while I was in town and just got my first kill.
Date: 2012-10-06
From: Stratton pond shelter

To: Goddard shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: light rain

Some guy¢s alarm went off at 530 this morning. People were moving before 6. Not my way of doing things at all. I rolled over and went back to sleep. I gut up closer to 8. I checked the traps. I killed 4 mice total. It¢s a good start. It started raining again last night so that made yesterday 9 days of rain and today 10. I had a view from Stratton and after that the clouds moved back in. I caught up with fungi and hiked with him a bit. Very optimistic guy. After that I just booked it. I made 20 miles in 7 12 hours. I was at the shelter at 430. I beat the guys who left at 6 by nearly 2 hours even after I left 3 hours after them. There is a group of guys here giving me food left and right. A flip named digit came in. I didn¢t stop at a shelter he was at and he was just doing a short day. It¢s freaking cold. A front came in and it¢s supposed to be in the 30¢s tonight. A guy earlier told me it might snow tomorrow. I can¢t wait for that¢¦ come on south. I¢ve finally hit a good groove I think. I can usually average 3 mph, still take breaks if I want. 20 miles is still tiring but not unbearable any more. I¢ve figured out my food for the most part and things are really coming together.
Date: 2012-10-07
From: Goddard shelter

To: Harmon Hill
Miles today: 12.0

It was cold last night. Easily in the 30¢s. I stayed warm for the most part. But every now and then I did het a cold spot. Everyone slept in. in no mood to get out in the cold weather. I finally moved about 830 and made coffee while still in my bag. There was a group of rugby players who were awesome. They gave me food and batteries for my headlamp. Just cool guys. I left he shelter about 10ish. I hiked with digit all day and went into town with him. I called pillow talk. He summated two days ago and is hanging out with rob of the bird cage. He¢s closed now, but pillow got me in for a few days. I¢m meeting them tomorrow in north Adams and they are going to slack pack me to Dalton at least. I can¢t wait to see pillow again. In town I got snacks and stuff for tomorrow. We got in later than I¢d of hoped for. So it was dark by the time we started trying for the trail. Impossible hitch. So we stopped at a bar and got food and drinks. We tried again after that and no luck. I tried dominoes to see if they¢d deliver a pizza and us like they did in that super bowl commercial from a while back. No go. So me and digit started walking towards the trail. We figured we¢d just walk and eventually get there. But the rugby players drove up and yelled if we needed any help. They gave us a ride. Freaking cool guys. They dropped us off and we started night hiking. We got to the top of the ridge and it started to rain. Since I don¢t have my hammock anymore I¢m camped with digit who just happens to have a two man tent. It¢s amazing how the trail provides for you. Tomorrow I will see pillow and finally get to a shower and maybe a day off. 11 days of rain and I¢ve really been pushing hard the past few days. Even with the rain I¢m still having fun.