morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-07-31
From: Madison Hut

To: Mizpah Hut
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: fog

Woke up early and packed up our things. We slept on the dinner benches and tables and had to get out of the way of the guests. Had breakfast and waited around for people to leave so we could sweep the floors and head out ourselves. It was raining and soon lightning was pounding and all the guests were back. We played cards and by 10 the lightning and rain let up and people headed out. My stitch job gave out so I stopped to re stitch it while Stretch ate snacks. My needle broke so it was a half ass job and we pushed on. A mile from Mt Washington Summit it started pouring and lightning started. We had a quick debate..stay or go down and get hypothermia or head up and get struck. We choose the faster death and charged up towards the snack bar.We walked into the Washington summit building sopping wet and immediately got strange looks from people as to say, "what idiots don't they know there is a road that goes up here." I heard one guy say, "holy shit those guys are crazy," and cracked a little smile. Got some overpriced food but hey we're up 6,288 ft and if this building wasn't here we'd be in some trouble. Kicked back for an hour and 30 then donned wet clothes and boots and out into the cloud. It was freezing and we couldn't find the trail for a while and once we did a crack in the clouds showed us a mountain in the distance then it was swallowed just as fast. Charged to Mizpah hut and in out of the rain, RD met me at the counter and was telling me that there were already 10 Thru-hikers here I turned to see Slot machine, Jo and meg! Ahead of me again they took the train up Mt. Washington...check off train for modes of alternative "hiking." Awesome hut croo they took us anyways especially after I told RD about our note from Heidi.And dad if you noticed which you probably didn't...I say hut "croo" yes thats not misspelled that how they spell it.
Date: 2008-08-01
From: Mizpah Hut

To: Zealand Falls Hut
Miles today: 14.0

Real easy walk in the end along an old railroad bed with a ton of blueberries on either side. It started raining at 2 and I walked with Stretch who told me all about his girl ups and downs in highschool. Into Zealand falls and met Top Hat, it was his 24th birthday. Stretch and I couldn't wait for dinner and after a few snickers bars we cooked up 2 potato packets and some chicken to split. We talked to Brian from Providence who was a guest and does a fair amount of hiking. He was asking a lot about our journey and took a picture as we killed our mashed/chicken meal. Soon we were at the diner table and I ate 3 heaping plates of pasta and veggies, 3 bowls of soup, 5 large pieces of homemade bread and 8 cookies. The hut croo gave TopHat a beer with his meal for his b-day. Met footnote, says hes writing a book, my bet is it ends like bill brysons...Also talked to a Jim Chase from Boston about the trail. Nice to talk to people interested in what you're doing. But they remind you of how dirty and scruffy you are with their clean clothes and clean shaven faces, smells of perfume or sun screen. Ha Anyways nice people, trying to convince Jim's son to try the trail when he gets older.
Date: 2008-08-02
From: Zealand Falls Hut

To: before lafayette
Miles today: 0.0

Amazing sunrise, since we had to wait for guests to eat I went off with my camera and took a ton of photos and explored zealand falls a bit. We were really chatty after breakfast and stopped and chatted up everyone we met for a long time. Met 4 Nobos on the peak before the next hut and chatted them up for 20 minutes and exchanged good information. The next hut we paid 2 bucks for all you can eat baked goods which included fresh bread and brownies...amazing. No Car started fidgeting and I said, "No Car I see you hiker ADD kicking, just go we'll catch up." Heard we were about to get 3 inches of rain in the next 24 so we headed out the door, up Garfield and it started raining on top and then lightning so we headed down fast. It was pouring and lightning was just above us so I convinced Stretch to not tempt lightning again and find a place to stealth camp. We both pitch his Hubba (single person tent) since we knew we could set up one together and have it be fairly dry in this pouring rain. I got in changed into dry clothes and Stretch followed. Since we had been eating so well in huts we had plenty of food left over and cooked 3 dinners one after the other. The rain let up so I pitched my tent next to his on roller coaster ground.
Date: 2008-08-03
From: before lafayette

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Heavy rain till 8 this morning and it let up by 9:30 so we packed all our wet things, put on wet clothes and headed up to lafayette ridge. Very cloudy and we kept thinking we were to the top then would walk 15 feet to see another mountain break through the fog. We charged downhill passed 5 kids from MIT who looked beat and were taking a break .1 from where they camped. We were out to the road very soon and got a ride from Fat Chap into town to Chets. Chet is an amazing guy, he's around 30 and had an MSR stove blow up on him in a trailer. He was severely burned and was put in a drug induced coma for 8 1/2 months. He is having to relearn how to walk and as he does he has opened up his home as a hikers hostel. Donation only to help with gas/electric/water bills, such an amazing guy, Stretch and I chatted him up late night. We also caught Batman finally.
Date: 2008-08-04
From: Lincoln

To: Lincoln
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

No car woke up at 6:30 and said "ready to go?" I said, "its a town day I'm sleeping in I"ll catch up." So Stretch and No Car headed out for breakfast. When I got up I went out to see a cloudy day on the verge of rain and Stretch tearing through his pack to look for his pack cover. He couldn't find it and said he was staying to buy a new one. I printed some more photos and bought a card reader to update trail journals with some photos! ya! Chet has a road bike and a trike which stretch rocked with a cell glued to the side of his head. Chet informed me there was a Common Man in town and I announced we must go. My favorite restaurant...I was not aware there was more than one. We took off stretch on the road bike, Slot machine on the trike and me on a bike without a seat. I was informed later this bike was picked out of the dump in the morning ...and it belonged there, a half mile down the street the whole pedal arm fell off and I ran it over. I ditched it and jumped on the back of the trike. Awesome way to end a zero..then back to Chets and more talking.
Date: 2008-08-05
From: Lincoln

To: Rest stop ha
Miles today: 17.5

Mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwich for breakfast and on trail at 9. Our goal was to catch No Car but we heard he was pushing on further than he planned. Into the last hut for leftover pancakes, chicken, juice, coffee and bread. We made it to the base of Moosilauke and it started to rain. At the trail head someone left a 2 liter of coke...trail magic is just what we needed. Stretch headed into the parking lot bathroom and propped the door open with his trekking pole and sat down next to the toilet and began cooking. It was quite the site..after some food we decided to pitch tent on the lawn and attempt the last mountain in the whites the next day. Put our food in one of the bathrooms so we didn't have to hang a bear bag.
Date: 2008-08-06
From: Rest stop ha

To: Glencliff
Miles today: 0.0

Stetch was calling my name at 6:00 but I pretended to be asleep since it was still raining. We packed up in the rain and headed up the steep moosilauke. I had to stop rip apart my pack and put on a beanie and long sleeve and reapply my raincoat. It was freezing in this rain. Up on top above tree line the rain was horizontal and hurt when it hit bare skin on the face or below my shorts. I leaned into the wind hard just to stay balance and tromped through puddles. I got a little crazy up there, you have to be to keep it fun. We charged down the hill and I could see the road when I rounded the road to see stretch in front of me with a charging river behind him right before the road. At Chets we saw the news that roads were being washed away and 3 people drowned this week in the raging rivers. I said, "I think we should look for a better place to cross." and Stretch was in it. Screw it we charged here, I'm not letting this stop me from that road so I followed. It was charging and above my waist, I could hear rocks moving below me and branches hitting my shins, we both made it across and walked to the hikers welcome. We walked in and the place was full from people who didn't want to attempt the trail in the cold rain. One guy asked if we had done the ford and gasped when we said we had. Apparently he went down looked at it for a bit and went back to the hikers welcome.Stretch's friend from south carolina was in VT and drove 2 hours with his dad to visit. They drove us into Lincoln since nothing was around here and took us out to lunch...thank you so much! amazing food! and he drove us to the super market for a resupply since there was only a gas station in glencliff. 3 days to Hanover to meet up with the rents..ya!
Date: 2008-08-07
From: Glencliff

To: Hexacuba
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

6 sided shelter, 2 open sides, got in at 2:30. I chilled on the summit of cube mountain for a long time. No Car doesn't like chillin so only stayed for 5 minutes. It was the first clear day in a long long time so I stayed a while to take in the view. Haven't seen sun since mt Madison, the last day it hasn't rained is 7/25!
Date: 2008-08-08
From: Hexacuba

To: Moose Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: light rain

Out by 6 for a river ford we were warned about by NOBO's. It was a rock hop and it poured last night....psshh We stopped by the fire wardens cabin and met a group of weekend hikers with a garbage bag full of food they were going to leave. So we ate what we could and did a small resupply. They told us 6 miles ahead there was a guy giving away free fudgiscles so smiles on our faces we hit trail. Came across the second field we've seen since the start...its nice to come to an open field for a change. We found the free water and ice cream sign and followed it to a house. An women in her 70's came and gave us each a fudgiscle and took record of our names, ages and direction we were headed. We asked to have lunch on her picnic tabel out back and she said "of course and let me know if you have any garbage you need thrown out." and returned to her easy chair and book. We finished lunch overlooking a beautfiul flower garden and got our trash together. We turned around to get the womens attention but she was not there. Instead a foot long revolver was resting on the arm of the easy chair. We packed fast and back to the trail.
Date: 2008-08-09
From: Moose Mountain Shelter

To: Hanover
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

The trail goes right through the streets of Hanover with the white blazes on the telephone poles. I met a Dartmouth student that informed me it was their summer weekend with chairiot races at 1, a foam party at 2 and buffet during the day. So I sat my pack on the green after some breakfast and with the sun beaming took a nap. Lots of good looking Dartmouth girls, but what do I know I have trail goggles. The bbq started at 4 complete with hamburgers, hotdogs, redbulls, soda, pasta salad, and cookies the size of my face. I had to text Stretch who was sitting in the hotel...and I knew he would be there within minutes. He was there in 15 minutes and had a plate load in no time. My parents showed up at 6:30 with 2 pies and 2 types of cookies, right on Mom! Left Stretch and No Car with lots of cookies and a slice of each and headed to meet Uncle Jimmy and Ken at everybodys favorite resteraunt The Common Man. Laughing within minutes and it was a great change from what we talk about on trail. I was reminded of this when I shared the only way to hike was with boardshorts and no boxers...too much info at the dinner table woops. Finally pictures! Thanks to Jimmy and Ken for laundry and extended computer privalages...in fact I have 7 minutes left on the library computer in Rutland as of now...doh better move on...
Date: 2008-08-10
From: Hanover

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Drove back to chets...3rd time there to pick up my old busted Gregory. Glad my rents got to meet him as he is an amazing person with an amazing story. Back to the house on squam to relax, kick the feet up and play some horse shoes...which was fun and Jim suggested I bring it on the trail for amusment haha Watched some of the olympics...guys my size lifting rediculous weights with moves called "jerk" and "snatch." um...Amazing homemade meal steaks and garden veggies..mmmmm
Date: 2008-08-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It was pouring rain so the rents insisted I come to family camp for a night and I reluctantly accepted. HA A dry place to sleep and more great food, no hiker could refuse. It was good to see the familiar faces of Andy and Deb at family camp. On a walk down to the waterfront I came across Andy and a counselor named Dan taking down 3 trees. I helped on the rope and loading the wood into the truck which was a great change from walking all day. I then road a mountain bike around camp for a change of pace followed by lots of coffee on the porch with a view of the lake. Great dinner of pork chops, snow peas, salad and apple crisp. A chat with the cook, a kitchen raid and bed early.
Date: 2008-08-12
From: Hanover

To: thistle hill shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: moderate rain

Rollin Vermont! rolling hills all day with fields on most of the tops with blackberrys. Crossed a bridge and had lunch on a little sandy beach. A local jumped off and started swimming against current to try and get back and got no where fast, heres the 4th drowning this month I thought. Someone carried an adirondack chair to the top of one so I sat for a rest and took in a view of a small unknown town. Somehow Meg and Jo got ahead of me again...in Lincoln they were a full day behind me and now they are 4 days ahead of me...and we know they didn't hike past me thats for sure! Their biggest finance this hike is going to be gas...
Date: 2008-08-13
From: thistle hill shelter

To: Lookout farm cabin
Miles today: 14.0

Same rollercoaster hills as the day before...Its funny we went from 3k-4k mountains going straight up to little hills that have 10 switchbacks! (switch backs are Z trails across the mountain instead of going straight up you go to one side then the other slowly up) Some of the trail were on the edges of farmers fields. The sun was beaming and I met Stardust who had long pants and shirt and fabric drapped over her head and asked if she could find coffee at the next road...haha I was dying in boardshorts and a tee. Met Rock and Roll, 2 guys who informed me that the next shelter was crap and there was a nice cabin perched on a hill. I arrived at this little cabin and it had a ladder to the roof and a little crows nest. Talked to eric a local known as the tye dye wine guy, he is the wine buyer/taster at a local resort. He pointed out familiar peaks such as Killington, Okemo and Pico ski mountains. Had a nap and more hikers started showing up around 6. Lightning Rod who was on wildcat when lightning struck so close he felt after effects travel up his arm. Also Free-Wil and loveboat.
Date: 2008-08-15
From: Rutland

To: US 103
Miles today: 17.0

Slackpacked with Bungee, Songbird and lightning Rod. I was ahead of the group and the plan was to meet on top of Killington a .2 side trail....after a long wait I was about to head down when Lightning Rod appeared and said they totally missed the side trail and were headed down the mountain when he turned around to come get me. We headed to the summit lodge where we tried to get a beet at 11:56 but were refused because they don't serve till 12...so we said "see you at 12" Returned for a beer "priced to altitude" but the lady popped the can open for me so it was worth every penny. Once I returned I packed my stuff and left the 12 tribes quickly for tent city at the Long Trail Festival. A mile down railroad tracks and D.A.R.E and Creetures campsite was obvious by the easy chair they picked up along the way. We made a camp "Riff Raff" banner and hung that up along with my pirate flag. Juicebox showed up later with Water Babies who was wearing short shorts, no shirt and had his hair tied up. Quickly we re-named him Euro Trash Porn Star much to his dismay. Juicebox said Swing stayed behind and might be loosing his mind.
Date: 2008-08-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

                        Where's Karl? Who Cares!So Karl is an endurance athlete that does some crazy races, so when I heard he was heading southbound to break the speed record I was quite excited. We were out numbered 40+ to 5 Southbounders at the long trail festival and it seems we always are out numbered and looked down on. So I was excited to meet Karl and cheer him on. It wasn't till Manchester that I met Karl, I walked up to him and a scout leader in a parking lot. They both ignored me until a pause in a conversation where I asked Karl, "which way you hiking?" ..."Southbound" he stated. "Oh cool," I said, "me too." He took a tone with me and shot a "Ya but I'm the one running it." then turned his back to me and walked onto his large camper which has his picture pasted on the front. Now I don't think his speed record is so cool its more like filling out all A's on a test...sure you were the first one done, but you failed miserably. So a few days later I'm sitting outside Stop'n'Shop eating my 6th fudge-pop when I see Karl's face and huge block letters "Where's Karl?" on the side of a Winnebago. Karl's driver from backcountry.com walks by loaded with bags without acknowledging me. He returns later, pauses with his arm extending a half gallon of ice cream near the trash and says "you want the last bite?"...."No thanks this is my 7th pop." I looked back to the winnebago and read the side. "so where is Karl?""Oh he should be rolling in any moment," he points "Theres his wife and dog.""and how is it that I caught and passed the guy trying to beat the speed record?""He went to the hospital and has shin splints so now hes walking it.""Is he a cool guy?""Ya he's real down to earth, he eats ice cream and drinks beer..."I cut him off as I did not ask about his diet "well he was an asshole to me"He paused then reached into his pocket for his wallet, "well I can give you his card which is good for 15% off almost anything at backcountry.com"Wow good PR I feel like he has done this before...wow 15% off, I still don't like Karl.
Date: 2008-08-17
To: LT festival
Miles today: 0.0

Ok back to my journal. Last night we all walked to town for a beer run I insisted the shortest way was the railroad tracks but creeture and DARE kept insisting they knew the shortest route. Others followed them so I did but made my voice heard about believing it to be longer. After quite a long walk a pick up pulled over and offered us a ride. "sure took the long way into town." said the driver and we all burst into laughter.Train rolled in early and woke everyone up blowing the horn and ringing his bell. We walked to walmart where I bought a soccer ball for something to do and the dollar store and party store for more things/ decorations for camp riff raff. Euro-trash and I joined the NOBOs in an ultimate frisbe game and soon dominated it. Got a lot of comments about fresh legs and it being unfair. blah blah we're just better athletes ha.
Date: 2008-08-18
From: LT festival

To: white rocks
Miles today: 0.0

So the only class I went to was the light backpacking class yet I hiked out with 3 beers and a soccer ball...whoops. Hiked up a bluff that reminded me a lot of the view from Suffield Mountain so I left the 3 beers there with a little note. I hope Juice/swing/euro would be along shortly to enjoy them but think they got ahead of me. I camped on a bluff at white rocks and was woke at 8:30 by thunder...a huge storm was rolling in and I wasted no time. I picked up my tent and ran for low ground. Went back for my pack and made it just before the rain and thick of the lightning started.
Date: 2008-08-19
From: white rocks

To: bromely Mountain
Miles today: 20.1

Slept in waiting for the rain to stop. I heard from a NOBO that swing/juice were ahead of me and charged to catch them. I stopped on top of Bromely Mountain and decided to stay at the ski lodge on top. Slim and Bogey were there and laughed as I headed outside with my soccer ball. I found a newly mowed area and juggled for awhile then used the unloading ramp as a backboard.
Date: 2008-08-21
From: Manchester

To: Stratton Pond
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Resupplied yesterday then got my uncles mail drop. Loaded up with food now with GORP, Jerky and light 370 calorie bars..woop-de-woop! Thanks Charley right on... oh and thanks for the book. I rolled into the first shelter and from inside the gloom came "hey I know you" I peered in waiting for my eyes to adjust and saw Supertramp! I camped with him on the island in the 100 mile wilderness and haven't seen him since. Thought he dropped, we had a laugh cause he thought I dropped. So together we hiked to stratton pond where you had to stay to pay so we just hiked around the lake a bit and cowboy camped. (cowboy camping is camping w/o tent just putting your pad and bag on the ground) Had a great instant mash with an added ear of corn I hiked up.
Date: 2008-08-22
From: Stratton Pond

To: Glastonbury fire tower
Miles today: 0.0

Hiked up to the top of Stratton Mountain, climbed the fire tower then went back down and started juggling the soccer ball. The Caretaker came out and said, "You just hiked the highest mountain in VT and have the energy to play soccer?!" haha we hiked on shortly after and had a 2 hr nap at the next shelter then headed to glastonbury mtn. When we rolled in there were 3 NOBO's and one exclaimed "oh look he's hiking with a soccer ball too." "who else has one?" I was shocked. One of them not only had a soccer ball but brought his cleats with him as well ha, claimed he couldn't juggle without them. The 3 NOBOs were Gouda, Frodo and Caboose. Gouda and I slept in the fire tower.