morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-09-07
From: Kinsman Pond Campsite

To: Beaver Brook
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: few clouds

It was a hard day from Kinsman Pond to Beaver Brook, especially as the climb up to Beaver Brook was very steep indeed and came at the end of the day. There was a sign at the bottom of the climb up to Beaver Brook warning about the difficulty of the trail and suggesting it be attempted by experienced people only. There were some areas of smooth slippery rock very close to a cascade where it would be easy to fall quite a long way. When we were there the water was low so did not splash over the trail, but in a wet year I could see it could be quite a lot more dangerous. Up and down were about equal with 1520m up and 1515m down. Temps ranged from 15-31C today, too hot for the amount of work we did. Beaver Brook is a really nice site but I am too tired to really enjoy it. Dawn at Beaver Brook campsiteThere are always a lot of camp chores to be done when you first arrive and they must be done no matter how tired you are. It is good to be hiking with someone as you can share the chores, but my bit seemed a lot tonight. I finally got to lie down at about 6.30 and just read my book. During the day we met a couple of groups from a local college (tertiary) doing orientation trips. They said you make either friends or enemies very fast when hiking and this seems to be the purpose. We met their supervisors at one point and they were all dressed up in amazing outfits. I wondered how the facepaint would last in that really hot weather, and if the feathers and other adornments would wilt. On the way there was very little water. We had studied the maps before leaving Kinsman and thought it might be dry, so we had carried about 2 liters each. It was so hot we ran out fairly quickly and were very happy to find a spring in an unexpected place on a ridge, so stopped and had a whole lot to drink. Sometimes it can be hard to carry enough water, especially if the weather is really hot as it was today. We must have treated and drunk about 4 liters along the way, then there were the morning and evening brews as well.
Date: 2007-09-08
From: Beaver Brook

To: Glencliff (Hikers Welcome Hostel)
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: broken clouds

We are staying at Hikers Welcome at Glencliff, after having gone over Mt. Moosilauke this morning. We wondered about the weather as it seemed very windy and not too good at all when we left Beaver Brook, and when we got to the bushline we stopped and did the NZ thing putting on our storm gear before leaving the protection of the trees. When we got out of the bush there was wind and mist, but not anything like we had expected. In fact it was very pleasant in spite of not seeing very much. We've been surprised at how little preparation there is here for weather as we know it at home. Some people's packs have no cover on the top. I asked why and they are trying to save weight by leaving the top at home! If it rains they put on a pack cover - not a waterproof one as far as we can tell, but then we have hardly had any serious rain, only what is associated with thunderstorms. It may be just our luck this year. Chester said there was a serious drought in progress, especially further south. The NOBO thru-hikers we have talked to said they had problems finding water in some areas, especially Georgia and Tennessee.We've been looking at what hikers here actually do for rain protection - sometimes they have no plastic bags or coats (we have read that people leave their coats behind in summer to save weight and just plan to get wet if it rains), maybe no top on their pack, cotton clothing sometimes, we've heard complaints about camping in rain on consecutive days, we've seen people carrying unprotected gear outside the pack. We have heard comments like - "it's only rained four times since we started in March", "I've never put my tent up in the rain". It might be just this particular year that is so dry and the experience of this year's thru-hikers must be reflecting that. On the other hand 2003 was said to have been a very wet year. Our New Zealand friend John Craig ("Kiwi") did a thru-hike in 2003 and said it rained every day. We seem to be overprepared for rain, but I'd rather err on the side of over-preparedness than get caught out. People from here understand the conditions a lot better than we do. Next stop is Hanover, near the border of New Hampshire. This has been a big update and I've run down for now. I wonder how many of you get to the end of this. We have had a very kind offer from Lipstick (with whom we have an arrangement to do our journal entries if we can't find computers) to tidy up our journal and add in pictures if we send them to her. I am thinking about taking that up. We will add pictures when we pick up the camera cable which we inadvertently sent on in the bounce box to wherever Dave sent it. Signing off now.{Lipstick here, they did ask and I've been editing the journal to separate days to add mileage and pictures, while we wait for some of their personal photos. A picture is worth a thousand words and helps to give us readers an idea of the terrain and beauty that is out there!} Climbing Moosilauke near Glenncliffs (357 Magnum Photo)
Date: 2007-09-09
To: ZERO Day at Glencliff (Hikers Welcome Hostel)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

We had an unplanned zero day at Hikers Welcome because, guess what, it was raining when we got up. After my rave about rain we are getting some! One thing led to another and we all agreed it was a good place to stay. Lee also stayed - he is SOBO too and we have become friendly. He is a retired Lt. General in the Marines - amazing how many military we have come across on the trail. It seems that Hikers Welcome is run by veterans of the Vietnam war and to some extent the place is a replica of a temporary army base, somewhat reminiscent of the 4077 of Mash fame. There is a mess tent, an ablutions tent, a sleeping tent. There is also a building, but in the best of tradition as we have seen it, it is unfinished. The wooden walls of our bunk room (upstairs) were in some places lined with plastic sheeting, but mostly comprise just the bare wooden walls complete with gaps between and pretty draughty. The builders did get around to putting in windows, but no window sills. They've done just enough to make the building more or less weatherproof. Someone said the place was intended to be trendily rustic, but to me it just looked as if someone had got it to the point where it could be used and there all progress stopped. We have seen this repeatedly. It did, however, serve its purpose of keeping us dry on that wet day and what more do you want? We went to Calamity Jane's for breakfast (where else?) then in the afternoon to town with Fat Chap, Lee and Mike and had nachos and locally brewed beer in a smoky dungeon of a pub at Woodstock Station. Calamity Jane¢sFat Chap is a Vietnam vet who spends a lot of time at Hikers Welcome looking after hikers, then when the mood takes him and the season is over he heads to Florida where he¢s from and stays there till the hiking season starts again. Apparently a lot of Vietnam vets live in and around Maine and New Hampshire, forming a distinctive subculture - it is said that they like the relative remoteness from big government there. Fat Chap does not own Hikers Welcome but spends a lot of time there. He has his motor home parked out back. There are usually a number of hangers on at the hostel too, people who are apparently hikers but who never seem to get out on the trail. One I asked had been in residence for about 3 weeks and I am told this is not uncommon.Fat Chap (photo by Gray Spainhour) Hikers Welcome Hostel
Date: 2007-09-10
From: Hikers Welcome Hostel

To: Hexacuba Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: light rain

We left Hikers Welcome at 7:30, heading for Hexacuba Shelter. It was amazing to be on trails that allowed us to walk normally instead of climbing over rocks and roots. We did 15 effortless miles and arrived at about 3:15, after climbing 1450 meters and dscending 1088m. We had an early lunch at Ore Hill on the way. After the rain of the previous day, the forest was dripping, but dried out for the afternoon. Hexacuba shelter is, as its name implies, a six-sided shelter with a center pole. We liked it! No-one there, but Dave and myself and Lee. Potato for dinner. Surprise!Hexacuba Shelter (photo by Canine)
Date: 2007-09-11
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: Trapper John Shelter, NH
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: light rain

We (Lee, Dave and myself) headed out for Trapper John Shelter. It rained all day, more or less, though it is pretty hard to tell what is actual rain and what is from mist being caught by the trees. We had some of the real thing just about the time we arrived at the shelter. It was an easy day due to our reluctance to walk in the rain. We are getting soft! 12 miles and 932m up (1020m down). We arrived about 1pm and have been hanging out. We passed the Firewarden's cabin on Mt. Smart and the fire lookout tower. These structures are fairly common along the way but are no longer used as far as we can see and are falling into disrepair. The hikers still climb up onto the towers and, having done one today myself, I wonder if anyone is taking responsibility for the safety of these structures. They are rotting. There was a tiny orange lizard-like creature on the trail today, in fact I saw one or two of them. Lee said they are salamanders. They are so brightly coloured that they stand out from their surroundings, which seems odd.Several NOBOs arrived at Trapper John for lunch and to get out of the rain. It was a bit crowded for a while till they all moved on. They seem pretty relaxed about getting to Katahdin before the rangers close it in mid-October but we think only the fittest and most committed ones will make it now. Mostly we haven't mentioned the difficulties to come as we remember all the doomsayers we've met who try to scare us about imminent hard times. They were talking about their "averages" meaning the average miles they are doing in a day (statistics are very important). We privately think their averages will take a big hit when they move into some of that country north of Glencliff. Ours is a modest 10-11 miles per day as near as I can work it out but apparently that is not too bad for SOBOs through Maine and New Hampshire, and will do nothing but improve as the terrain gets easier. Being part of the grey brigade has to be taken into account as well.
Date: 2007-09-12
From: Trapper John Shelter, NH

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 26.88
Weather: overcast clouds

Headed for Hanover today - 17 miles. We had a short deluge during the night but when I got up there were stars out. It has clouded over again but no more rain as yet. I must have irritated the weather gods with my rave about the lack of rain the other day! Lee set off in advance and we did not see him again till Hanover. Despite this being an easy day we clocked up the usual 1261 meters of climbing before reaching Hanover at 2:30. We stopped for lunch by an old cemetery where there was a small stream and as we ate, a heron poked its head around a tree. It had been working its way up the stream looking for food. As soon as it saw me it took off into a nearby tree. These birds are extremely tall, nearly up to your waist and it was surprising to see it creeping up such a small stream. We are staying at the Sunset Motel ($81) and will be looking for new boots for me tomorrow (groan!). Dave is doing the washing and since all my clothes are being washed I am sitting in the room wrapped in towels waiting for them to dry. Lee has a room next door and the plan is to order in pizza. Unfortunately, because of my boots problem we have to stay in Hanover tomorrow - not only boots but various things. Dave has been teasing me for all the gear I have destroyed so far on this trip - this includes my umbrella, the boots, the zipper on my front pack, one of my boot liners, a platypus water bag (which now leaks) and one of the water bags which lost its lid just when I was filling it. Dave reckons I am hard on gear.Elevated Trail en route to Hanover (photo by Boo-Boo)
Date: 2007-09-13
To: ZERO in Hanover!
Miles today: 0.0

We are in Hanover for the day. What a time we had trying to get around! Amazingly, there is a bus system with red, orange and blue lines, but no-one could tell us where they go. Nobody rides buses so anyone you ask hasn't a clue. Only the bus drivers know where the bus goes. Eventually we got the orange line into town, the blue line to Lebanon then the red line to the Plaza in West Lebanon. This all took upwards of 2 hours. My boots had really reached the end of the line but buying new boots is a terribly risky thing to do as you have no chance of trying them out, except around the store, and no recourse if they don't work out. We ended up at EMS with their excellent salesperson who was extremely well-informed, not only about feet, but about the stock they had. I only had to try on one pair rather than wasting a lot of time with no-hopers, and I ended up with as good a pair as I could have hoped for. Actually I felt fortunate that they did not have the size she thought I should have and ended up with a size larger. All my experience tells me that a close-fitting boot is a recipe for disaster, despite what the salesperson said. Whoever is telling them that hasn't got a clue (in my view). You need plenty of room for your toes. We ate takeaway Chinese for lunch then went out to an Indian restaurant for dinner, the first we've seen. In fact we have hardly seen any ethnic restaurants or indeed any people from other ethnic groups. Maine and New Hampshire seem remarkably monocultural, what little of each state we've seen from the AT. Downtown Hanover, NH (photo by Rangoon)Sunset Motel (photo by Upload and Stitches)
Date: 2007-09-14
From: Hanover, NH

To: Cloudlands Farm (Shelter), VT
Miles today: 18.9

We took a taxi to the trailhead. Not something a purist would do. A purist is a strange breed of hiker that does things like walk around a fallen tree, then go back and poke their foot under it so they can say they did the whole trail, and did not miss out on anything!! We, on the other hand, took a taxi to the trailhead to miss out on a long and boring road walk out of Hanover. Road-walking invites all sorts of foot problems and is definitely not recommended for a new, unbroken set of boots. (Not that we would have done it anyway!) So we headed off for Thistle Hill Shelter. I had to stop a few times for minor adjustments, but on the whole my feet were ok. Climbed 1363m (down 1126m) over about 18 miles of easy travel. We entered a new state today - Vermont! The countryside is so different from Maine/New Hampshire with meadows interspersed with forest trails and easy underfoot. Sometimes you feel as if you are walking through someone's backyard, you are so close to rural-type dwellings. There are plenty of ups and downs, but no big rock steps and not steep. What a change! When we got to Thistle Hill we decided it was too early to stop for the day so we went on another couple of miles to Cloudlands Farm where they have a huge barn where people can stay. What a mansion of a barn! It has a row of stalls on each side of a central passage and can accommodate lots of horses or whatever. There were wings where chickens were housed and brand new farm machinery. The owners are great people, very friendly and welcoming. They sell a few things like ice cream (compares with NZ best, too) and different sorts of sodas like maple flavor, very nice.We stayed in one of the horse stalls which had been swept out for the purpose. Next door was the home of the owner's dog and further down there were two horses. Down a bit and across the way were the farm's chickens, but most of the barn was empty. There was quite a strong wind blowing and the barn was pretty draughty so I spent most of my non-chore time sitting in the office with my book where it was warmer. Near Thistle HillAlso near Thistle Hill (photo by Mouse -06)
Date: 2007-09-15
From: Cloudlands Farm (Shelter), VT

To: Wintturi Shelter, Vermont
Miles today: 7.3

It rained during the night and into the morning so we hung around in the owner's nice warm office till lunch time when the rain cleared up. Gosh, we are getting soft! Finally, we set off to Wintturi Shelter - not very far due to the late start, but even so we climbed 1117m (down 1009m) and for some reason I found it hard work. Lee said he'd felt the same. Maybe it was due to being later in the day. We haven't seen many people today. I think the rain must have put them off. It has turned pretty chilly today after the cold front went through (12-17C) so maybe I will finally get a night's sleep where I can zip up my sleeping bag. That will be nice!
Date: 2007-09-16
From: Wintturi Shelter, Vermont

To: Mendon Mountain View Resort (Rutland, VT)
Miles today: 20.7

I'm trying to catch up here because got to go now. We are in Rutland (County) staying at the Mendon Mountain View resort ($59). What a great place for hikers (except for lack of laundry facilities). They have a hot tub and a gourmet restaurant. Rutland, Vermont
Date: 2007-09-17
From:  Mendon Mountain View Resort

To: Clarendon Shelter, VT
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Trail up Killington (photo by RestStep-05)US4 to Clarendon Shelter. There was 17 miles to go and we did not get started till 8am due to the owner's timetable - he gave us a ride back to the trail. We climbed about 1252m (down 1406m). I am looking forward to a day when we do not climb or descend that much! We climbed Mt. Killington, which is quite a way off the trail up a steep and rocky path. It is the top of one of the best known ski fields in the US. When we finally got there the sun was shining, there was no wind and the views were great despite some haze. The climb was well worth it. Later that day, we passed a tiny electricity generating station with a small stream feed. First time I've seen one that small. I suppose it produces enough power to be worth the cost of upkeep. Clarendon Shelter was in a lovely spot with a lawn out front. There were two Canadian men there when we arrived. We chose to pitch the tent that night and a good thing too as the symphony of snoring could be heard all night resounding through the bush. It seems that old men (sorry guys) snore! So do some old women, but not as many. The biggest snorer I know is a woman, but this does not mean that women snore worse than men whatever Dave says! I always have my ear plugs and am not too disturbed by snoring these days.Clarendon Shelter (photo by Andrew Reiff)We were so well organized that we planned for having treated water at lunchtime before we got to the lunch spot. We had stopped and got water from a stream and had the treatment process underway during the last hour before lunch. (Treatment with Aqua Mira involves mixing two liquids, leaving it to sit for 5 minutes then pouring it into your water bottle and leaving it for 15 minutes.) So we had our water all ready for lunch when we got there and were quite put out to find that there was a pump and the water produced by that pump was clean. C'est la vie!View of Clarendon Gorge (photo by Handlebar-06)
Date: 2007-09-18
From: Clarendon

To: Big Branch Shelter, VT
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

We climbed 1259 meters today (1158m down) and covered 17 miles on our way to Big Branch Shelter. The Clarendon lookout revealed views of the local airport and also of trees gradually changing color with the advance of fall. Leaf peepers are going to become common - these are a special breed of tourist that drives slowly along during "leaf season", forcing up the prices of motels and upsetting all the locals (who do not make money from them) by clogging the highways. The trail alternated between very easy and very rocky with lots of tree roots, so both fast and slow. These 17 mile days are pretty hard but we are motivated to cover some ground since the slow hard days of Maine and New Hampshire. The trail is very long and we have a deadline thanks to the US Immigration Service. My lovely new Asolo boots are bending in such a way that they are starting to give me trouble across my toes. I am trying all techniques I know for this problem but without a great deal of hope. Past experience tells me that you cannot fight a boot once this has happened and it seems these boots have a short life left to live (with me anyway). Both of us have thrown away new boots before when this problem has developed and you just wear the cost. Big Branch Shelter is right on the trail next to a lovely river which babbled all night producing just enough background noise to drown out the worst of the nightly symphony, so I got a bit of a night's sleep! River in front of Big Branch Shelter (Photo by Red Dane -06)
Date: 2007-09-22
From: Melville Nauheim Shelter, VT

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 2.57
Weather: few clouds

We are in Bennington and I am in the public library. We have done the posting and been to the outfitters for more fuel. Still can't replace our two leaking Platypus water containers, seems no-one stocks them. I wonder why not. Went to Friendlys (fast food) for the first time and it was not so bad, although the portions seemed small. Hikers have big capacities. We will not leave till tomorrow later in the afternoon and will do about 5 miles. (Brian, for your collection of Americanisms, this is called taking a "nero" day, "nero" meaning "nearly zero".) Time to give the body a rest. We have met up with Pooh Bear and her (non-hiking) husband again. We met her and her dog on the trail the other day and turns out she has the next door room at the Autumn Inn. They have wheels! They are driving us around! Better go as they have offered to drive us to the supermarket this afternoon. Stream one mile south of the Melville Nauheim ShelterView of Bennington, VT - Rick Ostheimer/Handlebar photo
Date: 2007-09-23
To: Photos added
Miles today: 0.0

Hi Readers!! Weka asked me to help on their journal and I've enjoyed separating the journal into single day entries, added some photos while we wait for their personal ones, and mileage updated (kilometers!). If you check 8/20 entry, you'll see 2 photos of the Te Araroa in New Zealand that they write about and other hikers have asked them about. Lipstick
Date: 2007-09-24
From: Seth Warner Shelter, VT

To: Mark Noepal Shelter, VT
Miles today: 16.5

Dawn broke reluctantly today. Dave was up at 5:00am as usual, but it was hard yakker for me. Our plan was to go to Mark Noepal Shelter down the hill from Mt. Greylock. It was 17 miles away and we climbed 1822m (1728m down). Just as we were leaving, a jackrabbit popped out of the forest onto the track and sat there for a while observing us. We went through North Adams and detoured to the outfitter in Williamstown to get gaiters for my running shoes and try for a new Platypus water container. A very kind woman gave us a ride from the supermarket to the outfitter then rang the outfitter while we were there to tell us when the bus went back to the trailhead. We got the gaiters but they are not very good as they ride up behind my shoes - a bit of help but a poor design as it turns out. We were able to replace one of our leaking Platypus. Vermont Massachusetts state lineThere was a big climb up Mt. Williams, then Mt. Greylock. As it was pretty late in the day due to our diversion we did not arrive till about 6:15 pm. Too late for me. I don't like arriving late. There were 5 people at the shelter - two couples and Lee (who had done a big diversion of his own), all SOBO. We are constantly amazed at the people who do this trail. These 4 in their 30s had all started at about the beginning of July, all in poor physical shape, never having hiked before. One was over 300lbs. Each had a story to tell about weight loss and general hardship. You wonder what makes them do it. After a lifetime of whatever lifestyle they were living to get into the shape they were in, one day they wake up in the morning and go "I must thru-hike the AT"!! Where could such a thought possibly come from? We were terribly impressed. Lush Trail on the Way to GreylockQuote etched in stone at Mt. Greylock