morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-08-12
From: RT 12 WOODSTOCK VT 

To: WEST HARTFORD VT.
Miles today: 12.6

From: Rt VT12 Woodstock, VTTo: West Hartford, VTToday's Mileage: 12.6Total Mileage: 1722.3Mileage Left: 451.7Today Steve drove Feather and I to where she picked me up yesterday and we both hiked out. It was really unique to have someone who has hiked the whole trail walking behind you and the discussions we had about hiking, the trail, its people, and our families made the miles seem to go by so much faster. It is hard to believe that someone I never met before Thursday could take such an interest and care about your hike. Feather said she remembered this part as being rolling hills, so as we were walking straight up many parts today, we laughed at her definition of rolling hills. But the trail was some of the best I have walked on for weeks or even months. There were very few rocks or roots and it was mostly dirt and/or pine needles. We walked through some beautiful stands of red pine where the trees seemed to touch the sky they were so tall and straight. Also today we went through many fields and openings in the woods that had some tremendous views of the surrounding mountains. That was something else I had not seen in a long time. We had lunch at one of these spots which was exposed to the sun but had a breeze to keep us cool.Feather found a bluebird feather today and has given it to me so I will add it to my special collection of items I am carrying to Katahdin: a rock from McAfee's Knob (my training place) a rock from Springer, a small Buda that belonged to my brother, and a small bear that I picked up after I saw the mother a cub. Do you think this all adding weight to my pack? I carry it all in my pocket so it is not that bad.We got to the Thistle Hill Shelter and found Mouse Trap there. He started February 27, but had to take a month off because of a knee problem, and had just gotten back on. I had not met him before today. We arrived at the car around 5:00 PM and Mouse Trap was there so Feather offered him some soda. Because of the heat today, we were all very thirsty and the cool sodas went down very quickly.We drove back to the house for another delicious dinner cooked by Steve and I went to bed early to get ready to hike into New Hampshire tomorrow!
Date: 2007-08-13
From: WEST HARTFORD VT.

To: HANOVER NH
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: clear sky

From: West Hartford,VTTo: Hanover, NHToday's Mileage: 9.8Total Mileage: 1732.1Feather hiked with me again today and since she lives in New Hampshire is was special to have her with me, as I crossed the border into her state.It was another nice day and the walk was pretty easy. We did not have any views today, but did stop at Happy Hill Shelter. It was a small stone shelter but had windows, two levels, and looked fairly new. There is a long road walk from Norwich to Hanover. We walked by some trail magic in front of one home put out by a 2007 hiker who has already summitted Katahdin!!I said goodbye to Vermont today. I will remember Vermont for mud and roots at the beginning, but dry and great trails at the end. I will remember Vermont for sharing the path with the Long Trail and so I got to meet Miss America and Better Man, for getting to know Blissful and Paul Buyan more and meeting Circuit rider and Sherlock, for climbing Bromley Mtn and Killington Mtn, and seeing the ski runs down the sides of mountains. And for many lakes and ponds along the trail. So goodbye Vermont and hello to the 13th state, New Hampshire. Crossing into New Hampshire was pretty big event for me. Vermont was the first state I hiked completely alone except for a few people I met at the shelters (and of course two days with Feather). NH has the Whites in it, the tallest mountains to climb, and the next state is Maine!We hiked into Hanover and through town to Ben & Jerry's ice cream store. We had not seen another hiker all day of any kind but at the store there were two northbounders who have caught up to me. And we saw Sagbutt talking on his cell phone. I had a chocolate milkshake and then a hot fudge sundae. I need to enjoy these days where I can eat anything I want and still lose weight. I will be back on carrot sticks and yogurt after the end of September. I have been very apprehensive about hiking in the Whites since I have been hiking alone, so my family and friends got together and gave me the Hut to Hut system. What that means is I will only go from hut to hut in the White Mountains that are run by the AMC, Appalachian Mountain Club, and at each hut I will get a bed, dinner, and breakfast each morning. I will not have to worry about where to camp and it will keep my pack very light as I will only have to carry lunch, snacks, and cloths. I can leave my tent, most of the food, stove, etc. out. This will make the climbing a little easier. So to all my wonderful family and friends, I cannot thank you enough, and will look on my time in the Whites as a vacation. But because I had to make advanced reservation, it puts me on more of a time schedule and will be at the first hut, Lonesome Lake, on August 23. This gives me a few extra days I will need to take zeros to wait for that date. Tomorrow I will take a zero at Feather's home and rest for a day which will help my feet as I seem to have done something to my right foot and I am limping after a few miles of hiking.
Date: 2007-08-14
From: HANOVER NH

To: HANOVER NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

From: Hanover, NHTo: Hanover, NHToday's Mileage: 0Total Mileage: 1732.1Mileage left: 441.9Well today I took a zero at Feather's home. I did not do much except wash, repack, and sit with the puppy, Finn and the cat, Jasper. The ball of my right foot and toe joints are swollen so it was good to rest today. I did read the end of Model-T's book when he thru hiked and I am not sure that was a good idea as it was somewhat scary reading about the Whites and Maine but I guess I will just take it one day at a time.I will miss Feather and her husband Steve. I could not have asked for better people to stay with these past days and they both were always so encouraging to me. I hope I too can give back to the trail community.Back out tomorrow with a full pack but I have another friend in Vermont who I have not seen in years, who will pick me up Thursday, so not a bad way to hike!
Date: 2007-08-15
From: HANOVER NH

To: MOOSE MTN SHELTER
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

From: Hanover, NHTo: Moose Mtn ShelterToday's Mileage: 11.0Total Mileage: 1743.1Mileage Left: 430.9Back on the trail today with a full pack. I was up early and packed up to go but really wanted to linger at Feather¢s house. It was so wonderful to be in a home with normal things going on all the time. I said goodbye to Finn and Jasper and Feather and I headed for Hanover to have breakfast. We went to Lues and breakfast, lunch, bakery place downtown Hanover. It was a wonderful place. Both Feather and I had French toast made with donuts. It was a heart attack waiting to happen but it was delicious! We met Tennessee Jed coming out of town and said he would be at the shelter tonight. Feather dropped me off on the trail and I started up of course, out of town again. One part that went up a steep rock had a rope attached to a tree, so you could actually pull yourself up hand over hand. It worked well and made it easier to climb. It was a day when the sun would come out and then the next minute it was threatening to rain, but it never did and I walked all day dry. I never saw another northbound hiker today but did meet three southbounders. I climbed Moose Mtn which was not too bad just a steady up. I took a break at the top and the sign said it was at 2222.2 ft elevation but the book said 2290. When I reached the Moose Mtn Shelter, the two section hikers I met the other night were there and Flying Turtle and his friend, Billy the Kid. It was good to see them and we cooked and ate dinner together. The spring and the brook were dry but luckily some local man Joe, arrived with 3 gallons of water he has been hiking up at night. Later Mouse Trap, Alpine, Pony Whisperer, and Marco Solo came in to stay for the night. They said they have been following me for a long time. They have all just graduated from college and the talk was all about dorm life.Some have set tents up but I have decided to stay in the shelter tonight and there are four of us here. Well, 11 miles closer!
Date: 2007-08-17
From: LYME-DORCHESTER ROAD

To: LYME-DORCHESTER ROAD
Miles today: 0.0

From: Lyme-Dorchester RdTo: Lyme-Dorchester RdToday's Mileage: 0Total Mileage: 1751.6Mileage Left: 422.3Today was another zero day to visit with my friend Woody and rest my and ice my foot and most of the morning that was just what I did. I sat on the couch with my foot up and ice wrapped around it and watched the weather channel.We went over and talked to Woody's neighbors for awhile and they are having skunk problems under their deck. Sounds like the trail.In the afternoon, we toured Vermont (yes I was back in Vermont again!) and visited with Woody's brother and sister-in-law as they have a wonderful and unique summer home in Vermont. They also have three German-short-haired pointers. I had the same kind of dog when I was five and lived in Canada so they brought up memories from the past for me. Woody and I then went to dinner at another friend's house, who had also moved up here from Virginia, Susan, and we had a great dinner and again talked a great deal about the past.It has been good to see and visit with people lately, as hiking is getting boring, and I need things to look forward to, to keep me going.I was extremely tired and went to bed around 10:00 to be ready for the trail tomorrow
Date: 2007-08-18
From: LYME-DORCHESTER ROAD

To: FIREWARDEN'S CABIN
Miles today: 3.9
Weather: broken clouds

From: Lyme-Dorchester RdTo: Firewarden's CabinToday's Mileage: 3.9Total Mileage: 1755.5Mileage Left: 418.5I woke up to a cold wind and pouring rain outside around 5:00 AM so I was in no hurry to get back to the trail. Woody and I waited for the rain to stop and headed for Dunkin Donuts. I also could get use to eating those every morning. I am really going to need to change my eating habits soon!We drove the hour and a half back to the trail going in and out of rain but it had stopped by the time we reached the trail head. I knew I was doing very short mileage today so I was not in a hurry. We said goodbye and I hope we can see each other next time with fewer years in between. There was a south bounder at the trailhead and Woody gave him the food I didn't eat. As I went up the trail, I soon ran into three more south bounders and one north bounder, Chuckles, passed me. The weather turned very windy and cold but the rain held off and I arrived at the shelter pretty early. It took me a long time to hike the miles as it was almost all up and there were some rocky places that always slow me down. I met many day hikers at the shelter and they all talked to me for a long time. They are as encouraging as most of them would like to do this hike at some point in their lives.The temperature continued to drop and I was glad the Fire warden¢s Shelter was a small enclosed cabin. I changed into warmer cloths, set my pad and sleeping bag up and crawled in to keep warm. It might be a long cold night here and I will be glad to get my warmer sleeping bag and my fleece jacket. The local people said this was cold for August in New Hampshire!   Kilgore Trout arrived. I had not met him but we had dinner together and talked about his hike. He had to get off last year in Vermont because of Lyme disease and now is finishing the trail. Chef also came in to camp. I met him in PA just before Palmerton so it was good to see him. He has hiked the trail before so he is just out having fun this time. Then Riggy walked in. I had not met him either, but then Bucket and Water arrived. It was really good to see them as again it had been since NJ since I saw them. We talked until dark and then went to bed.
Date: 2007-08-19
From: FIREWARDEN'S CABIN

To: NH 25A
Miles today: 10.2

From: Fire Wardens CabinTo: NH 25 AToday's Mileage: 10.2Total Mileage: 1765.7Miles Left: 408.3This morning was very cool and I left with three layers of clothes on top and a hat and gloves on (August right)! Everyone was still sleeping when I left at 7:15 AM but I knew I had a hard climb and Mary Anne was meeting me at 3:00 PM. It was a nice walk down off of Smarts Mtn and I enjoyed the stillness of the morning after yesterday's wind. Riggy caught up to me and we saw each other a few times during the day.The trail was very crowded today as it was Sunday and a nice day to be hiking. The whole Dartmouth Ski team was running the trail and about 20 day hikers were out. I heard a couple of hikers behind me and it turned out to be Circuit Rider and Sherlock who I have not seen since Manchester, VT. They had gotten off for a wedding. I ran into them again later in the day when they were taking a break with Riggy.I had to climb Mt. Cube today. It had three peaks and each one was a rock climb but also each one had beautiful views of the surrounding mountains that went on forever. It made the hard climbs worthwhile.Mary Anne picked me up and we drove to where we are going to meet Feather Tuesday and saw Mousetrap walking out of the woods. We picked him up and took him to North Woodstock where there is a free hostel. We went with him and had dinner and ice cream and took him back to the hostel. We are staying in a small cabin in Lost River Campground.
Date: 2007-08-20
From: NH 25A

To: GLENCLIFF NH
Miles today: 9.8

From: NH 25ATo: NH 25 Glencliff, NHToday's Mileage: 9.8Total Mileage: 1775.5Miles to Go: 398.5Mary Anne cooked breakfast over an open campfire today and then drove me to the trailhead. I definitely eat better when I am not staying in the shelters and I think that is a good thing. I need to build my strength up to be able to finish this journey.I was on the trail around 9:00 AM and although cool, it was a beautiful day. The trail today was one of the easiest I have had in days and probably the last one until I get to the 100 Mile Wilderness or summit Katahdin!I met three southbounders right away. I haven't see any in a few days.   When I got to the shelter, at 10:00 AM, a southbounder was still sleeping! He woke up and we talked about the Whites and the Huts for awhile. When I was about to leave, two northbounders came in for a break. They were going to hike from Hexacuba Shelter over Moosilauuke Mt. to Brook Shelter today. I doubt I will see them again.I met a section hiker, Doubleback, who along with three other gentleman who are sectioning the whole trail and have reached New Hampshire. They started in 1987 and two of them hike north and two south and they exchange keys when they meet and rendezvous back where ever they are staying. About a mile from where I was stopping for the day Doubleback caught up with me again and we hiked in together. Again it was nice to have someone to talk to and I might see them in the Whites again.Mary Anne and I came back to the cabin and cooked burgers on the fire and I went to bed
Date: 2007-08-21
From: GLENCLIFF NH

To: KINSMAN NOTCH
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: overcast clouds

From: NH 25, Glencliff, NHTo: Kinsman Notch, NHToday's Mileage: 9.5Total Mileage: 1785.0Miles to Go: 389.0Well I have done my first White Mtn, Mt. Moosilauke! Mary Anne and I met Feather at Kinsman's Notch and Mary Anne took us to NH 25 and off we went. We had to ford a stream, the Oliverian Brook, but it was easy and I didn't even have to take my boots off. After we crossed Sanitarium Rd. we started to climb. We went from 1140 ft. today to 4802 ft. in elevation. It was a long hard climb but people kept telling me it would be amazing at the top. Well it was all that and more. We finally reached the Carriage Road and the trail flattened out and we went above the tree line for the first time for northbound hikers. It was beautiful and you could see forever.I stood in awe of the mountains I could see. It actually got warmer as we neared the summit. Circuit Rider and Sherlock had passed us going up and they were sitting behind a rock wall waiting to congratulate me on climbing my first White Mountain. What nice guys they are. They got up to go and we took their spot in the warm sun to have lunch. I was so glad that Feather was there to share in the moment with me. Again I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done. We started the descent around 12:45. Now I had been worried for days about going down Mt. Moosilauke as I knew it had steps rebarred into the rock at some point. Well the descent was long and hard also but the steps were actually the easy part and the Dartmouth Outdoor Club was doing tail maintained on the steps and most of them looked new.As Feather and I were walking the last few minutes to the road, Mary Anne came to meet us. It was along hard climb but I managed to get up and down and I built up my confidence to continue through the rest of the White's. Of course it is nice to come back to a cabin and have a hot shower and a bed! Mary Anne cooked chicken over an open fire so it is somewhat like being at a shelter only much better. And I am so glad for the company!!
Date: 2007-08-22
From: KINSMAN NOTCH

To: KINSMAN NOTCH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

From: Kinsman Notch, NHTo: Kinsman Notch, NHToday's Mileage:0Total Mileage:1785.0Mileage Left: 389.0I took another zero day today for three reasons: my foot is still pretty sore so I am trying to baby it, I can't start the hut system until the 23rd, and I wanted to help Mary Anne move and set up camp.It was a beautiful day so it was hard not to hike, but we went into North Woodstock and had breakfast and I got my hair cut, I hope for the last time on the trip. We drove to Crawford Notch Campground and set up the tent and camp. The sites are large but the one she has is loaded with roots, but with a little maneuvering we got the tent and camp to work pretty well.We went out to dinner in the small town of Glenn. This is a huge ski resort area but did not seem to have many places to eat, but we had a good dinner and celebrated my entering the Hut System tomorrow. I am excited and apprehensive at the same time.We went back to camp had a fire and then went to bed early as I have got to be on the trail early to complete the mileage tomorrow.
Date: 2007-08-23
From: Kinsman Notch, NH

To: Lonesome Lake Hut
Miles today: 13.4

From: Kinsman Notch, NHTo: AMC-Lonesome Lake HutToday's Mileage: 13.4Total Mileage: 1798.4Miles Left: 375.6Mary Anne and I were up very early and had a quick breakfast before I got on the trail. It was very cool and misty as I started walking today. The trail was very steep at the beginning but, although, still going up got somewhat better until I passed the Eliza Brook Shelter. I had to rock scramble up South Kinsman and I could not see anything from North Kinsman as I was in a wet damp cloud. But going slowly I made it up and over. I really dislike this kind of hiking, if that is what you can call it! I get so scared going up and down these rocks.I went down to Lonesome Lake Hut. I was very glad to be there and I am so so thankful that I have this hut to hut for the next days so that I don't have to have such a heavy pack to climb these huge mountains and I get to eat better and will be dry each night. So a big thanks again to everyone for doing this for me. There are a lot of tourists here and sitting in my bunk, I laugh every time someone goes to the privy for the first time. They think it is disgusting but after being in the woods for almost six months and seeing and going in every kind of privy this one is not so bad.I am in a bunkhouse with a party of seven but I got a pretty good bunk as I was here before anyone else. The group is three fathers who are middle school teachers and their children. Three seven-year-old girls and a six-year-old boy. I think it is so good of these fathers to be out here hiking with seven-year-old girls.When I went into the dinning hall Focus was there. I have not seen him since Pearisburg. It was so good to have someone I know and we talked about the trail and people for a long time and had dinner together. He had taken 18 days off as he was ahead of where he wanted to be at this point. He will be at Greenleaf Hut tomorrow but then I will lose him as he is going two huts to Zealand Hut on Saturday. I just can't do 14 miles in one day here in the Whites.
Date: 2007-08-24
From: Lonesome Lake Hut

To: Greenleaf Hut
Miles today: 9.3

From: Lonesome Lake HutTo: Mt. Lafayette Greenleaf HutToday's Mileage: 9.3Total Mileage: 1807.7Mileage Left: 366.3It rained most of the night so I was glad to be in the hut. There are no shelters through this area just campsites and it would have been a long wet cold night if I was not in a hut. I was up at 6:00 AM as the children were waking up and I wanted to be ready to hike as soon as breakfast was over. One of the crewmembers came around at 6:30 playing "Here Comes the Sun" on an IPod to wake everyone up and breakfast was served at 7:00. We had cream of wheat and eggs to eat. I said goodbye to the fathers and children and started to hike. It was cool and misty as I left the lake. It was a rocky but easy walk down to Franconia Notch (in Georgia I got that I hated the word gap and now it is the word notch). After the notch I started up and then it turned very rocky and I continued to climb. I finally reached the Liberty Springs Campsite, and I talked a long time to the caretaker. I was the 145 northbound hiker he has seen but he is not there one day a week so it has not counted everyone.I continued to climb until I reached the Franconia Ridge trail at 4250 ft. I then continued to climb Mt. Haystack and at one point there was such a big rock climb in front of me I could not get up. I threw my sticks up, took my pack off and pushed that up, and then I could climb up. It was the first time I have had to do that in a while.I then went above tree line and the wind was blowing at about 40 mph. I could barely stand and the clouds were so thick I could only see about 20 feet in front of me. I climbed Mt. Lincoln in the clouds with a very strong wind. I actually got blown over once and landed on my hands. There were a lot of day hikers so I was glad for that. I then climbed Mt. Lafayette at 5249 ft. and all of a sudden the clouds cleared and the sun came out. The wind slowed some and you could see 360 degrees for miles. The Greenleaf Hut Trail was at the top of the mountain and I could see the hut one mile away. I was pretty exhausted by now so just took my time getting to the hut. The Greenleaf Hut is a much nicer hut than Lonesome Lake. All the bunks are in the main building and the bathrooms are also inside and much newer. Focus was already settled in and I was going to bunk in with him but I wanted a bottom bunk so went to the next room. The bunks are stacked in three layers and I like being on the bottom. Dinner was very good again and I actually brought a book with me as I know I will be getting to the huts early each day and will have time to read and relax. My foot continues to plague me and I mostly limp down the trail.