morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-25
From: Cheshire, MA (St. Mary's Catholic Church)

To: Sherman Brook Campsite
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Jane and I left out of the hostel this morning around 8:00am just behind Kurly and Swanson heading toward Mt. Greylock. It was only an eight-mile hike but since it is the highest point in Massachusetts the entire 8 miles was up hill. To our favor most of terrain was a very genteel grade, which made for an easy climb. On top of Greylock (3491') is a memorial tower marking the high point of the state. Inside the tower is a spiral staircase that leads up to a great 360-degree view of the surrounding area. After taking a look Jane and I headed toward Williamstown, MA. It is the next town on the trail and home to Williams College. Shasta and H-Bomb left us a note saying that they were planning on going into Williamstown to resupply and visit an art exhibit at Clark Art Institute. When we reached MA2 Jane and I hitched a ride into town to find that it is an upscale town that has a lot of shops and deli's down Main Street. We decided to eat while we had the opportunity and then go resupply at the Stop and Shop on the way out of town. We got back on the trail around 7:00pm with our packs loaded from shopping. This helped make the decision to only go a short distance to Sherman Brook Campsite for the night. When we got to the site we found Fred and set up camp with him. After getting everything arranged the three of us set on one of the tent platform snacking on some goodies from town while talking about how our day had gone and our trip into Williamstown. Tonight: Fred, Jane, Swanson, Kurley, a group of section hikers, and I.
Date: 2006-07-27
From: VT 9 (Bennington, VT)

To: Caughnawga Shelter
Miles today: 14.4

This morning we all woke up after a relaxing evening at Chris' house last night. After getting everything packed up Chris offered us a ride back to the trailhead if we could wait about 45 minutes. This was because he keeps this kid named Tom on occasions and today he had to run him to work. So while we waited to leave we took a few pictures of the place and took a few minutes to sign his trail register of all the thru hikers that has stayed at his place. Just as we were getting dropped off at the trail head Baro was just making his way down into the gap. We joined back up with him and after talking for a while all decided to get the climb out of the gap over with so we started hiking. After a couple of miles we crossed the 1,600-mile mark marking another awesome milestone on our trip. Probably the best view of the day came shortly after from atop Glastenbury Mountain Fire Tower. Even though the skies were mostly overcast when we got there. You could still see the outlines of the surrounding mountains. If anyone is looking for a cool place to stay one night while on the trail this tower would be one of my picks. Since it was still early in the day we pushed on to Caughnawga Shelter for the evening. This place was definitely one of the oldest shelters on the trail and was built in 1931. Thankfully I had my tent because it was leaning a bit and in pretty bad shape from the many years of use. Shortly before dark it started raining once again so we all ate a quick dinner and retired to our tents for a long nights rest. Tonight: Jane, Baro, Shasta, H-Bomb, Johnny Appleseed, Yukon, and I
Date: 2006-07-28
From: Caughnawga Shelter

To: Spruce Peak Shelter
Miles today: 22.9
Weather: light rain

We were on the trail by 8:15am attempting to summit Stratton Mountain today and hike about 23 miles leaving tomorrow morning with a short hike into Manchester, VT. Everyone stayed split up most of the morning because of the climb up Stratton Mountain. On the way up we hit some nice trail magic at Kelley Stand Road that energized us for the climb. Not long after the drinks Shasta, H-Bomb, and I passed six hikers that were just starting the long trail up to the Canadian border. It was amusing because we all three passed them during the climb like they were standing still and they called H-Bomb a little bunny because of her speed. When we got to the top we met up with Hugh the Stratton Mountain Caretaker. He was very knowledgeable about the area and manned the nearby fire tower when International Paper controlled the surrounding land. The fire tower was open to climb, but the views were limited at the top because of the dense fog and approaching storm clouds. After a short break the three of us decided to head down the trail to Stratton Pond. Just as we were leaving Jane summited and decided to take a quick break before moving on north. When we got down to Stratton Pond we met up with the caretaker there and she told us about the rest of today¢s hike down to Spruce Peak Shelter and was telling us about the area that she maintains. Since it was a beautiful place we took a short break beside the pond until the rain started. For the rest of today¢s eight remaining miles it rained and we hardly said a word. When we arrived at Spruce Peak Shelter thankfully there were some guys there that already had a fire going in the wood stove inside. I ended up setting my tent up outside but the cabin was really a great place. Inside it has bunks and a table with a covered porch on the outside. With everything squared away we cooked dinner on the front porch of the cabin escaping the rain. While waiting on dinner to cook Shasta finished up my hemp necklace with five glass beads representing herself, H-Bomb, Jangles, Baro, and I. Just about the time that we finished dinner Baro showed up without Jangles. Some how they had played leap frog and she had not been seen. About 15 minutes later she rolled into camp tired and ready for dinner. Just after dark everyone made their way to bed while I stayed in the cabin. I hung out in the cabin with Shasta and H-Bomb for a while enjoying the fire and listening to some tunes before heading to my tent for the night.Tonight: Jane, Shasta, H-Bomb, Baro, Coach K, a few guys hiking the Long Trail, and I
Date: 2006-07-29
From: Spruce Peak Shelter

To: Bromley Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Everyone was moving early this morning in an attempt to make it into town. Since we put in a long day yesterday we have just less than three miles to the gap at VT11. Shasta, H-Bomb, Jane, Baro, Coach K, and I all left at the same time and when we got to VT11 a local engineer/surveyor was heading into town and gave us a hitch. We first stopped in for breakfast at Up For Breakfast. It was an upscale restaurant that was a bit pricey but very good. H-Bomb successfully out ate the rest of us once again. After eating we decided to stay in town for the day and look around. The town is Manchester, VT and in the summer is nothing more that an outlet shop town but during the winter it is a huge ski resort town. The local outfitter ¢The Mountain Goat¢ let us store our gear in their shop for the day while we resupplied and walked around town. Most of us split up for a while because some needed to laundry while others wanted to shop. The only item that I needed other than food was five glass beads from the bead shop. This was so Shasta could finish making my necklace that she started last night. She ended up with a little extra hemp from another project and offered to make me a necklace. When everyone was done with their chores in town two of the girls in the outfitter gave us a ride back up to the trailhead. We only had a two-mile hike to tonight¢s camp up at Bromley Mountain Shelter. The Shelter is only a few years old and is one of the nicest shelters on the trail. Not only is the shelter nice it also has a really cool new privy. We all ended up camping just up the hillside behind the shelter on the small wooded tent platforms. The platforms are nice because they give you a good flat area to set up your tent, which minimizes the impact to the site. Most everyone was still stuffed from the visit to town so we didn't fix dinner but instead just sat around chatting for a while before calling it a night. Tonight: Shasta, H-Bomb, Jane, Baro, Coach K, Caboose, Walkabout, JohnnyAppleseed, and I.
Date: 2006-07-30
From: Bromley Mountain Shelter

To: Big Branch Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: clear sky

We were all slow moving this morning, as we have planned for a short day. It is nice every once in a while to sleep in a little bit, but still be able to hit the trail by 9:00am. It is also hard to get going when you are at one of the nicest shelters on the trail with a privy that gets four and a half stars out of five. Not long after we got started hiking we summited Bromley Mountain. In the winter it is a ski resort but since it's summer the slopes just become a playground for thru hikers. Even though the grass was all grown up we took pictures on the lifts and climbed the observation tower for another 360-degree view of Vermont. On the way down we stopped at Mad Tom Notch for a break because it had a hand pump well system and made getting water really nice when there is non other around. The next two peaks of Styles and Peru were not impressive and didn't have good views. This all changed when we got to Griffith Lake just on the other side because it was nice. This is another little pond found on the trail that is only accessible by foot and seems to be really remote. A few of us took quick swims and washed off some built up grim while the rest ate lunch and rested. Because today was a slow day we all decided to hang around for a bit and enjoy ourselves before moving on. Just after Griffith Lake we had a short climb up to Baker Peak for some good pictures on the knife-edge rocks. Tonight¢s campsite was only a short hike down from Baker Peak to Big Branch Shelter so we enjoyed the views for a while. When we got to the campsite there wasn't a lot of tenting around the shelter so Baro found us a spot just past the shelter and right on the creek. The sound of the creek was really relaxing and was going to made for really nice place to sleep. Once we got camp set up everyone went down to the creek bed to cook and eat supper. It worked out perfectly because there were a lot of huge boulders for us to spread out on. This is one of those places that you would like to camp at every night that you are on the trail if possible. This place was so nice that after eating we all crashed for the night to the sound of a roaring creek.Tonight: Baro, Jane, Shasta, H-Bomb, and I
Date: 2006-07-31
From: Big Branch Shelter

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

Most every one got a really good nights rest due to the sound of Big Branch Creek nearby. Shortly after getting out of camp we crossed a cooler of ice-cold trail magic giving us a good jumpstart to the day. When we got up to White Rock Mountain the first summit area had several rock figures made out of stacked rock. When I got there I stopped to talk to Yukon for a few minutes because I haven't seen him in a couple of days. When Jane and Shasta caught up we decided to take a break at White Rock Cliffs just ahead. It was a .2-mile walk down to the cliffs but really worth the trip for the views. We ended up on a little rock outcropping with a spectacular view of the valley below. Off in the Distance we could see the town of North Clarendon, VT where we plan to stop this afternoon for a meal. We ended up taking a rather long break but it was hard getting going after such a good lunch break and a good hike this morning. Since we are getting higher and higher in elevation the really nice fir and hemlock forest are becoming more frequent. When you walk thru them it smells like Christmas. Not only do they smell good, but also the surrounding landscape is beautiful. The three of us met up with H-Bomb at the shelter just before VT103 so we could head in for dinner at The Whistle Stop. It is an old caboose that has been converted into a restaurant and is located only a short distance off the trail. When we got there we met up with Baro, Dirt, Low Gear, Fred, Twist of Faith, and King Pin for a while. Since we only had intentions on going about another mile after the gap we set around and ate until we couldn't eat no more. Little did we know that the one-mile hike ahead of us was mostly straight up hill all the way to the shelter. When we rolled into the shelter it was already getting dark so we pitched camp in a hurry and was in bed shortly after. Even though there were 20 plus people at the shelter tonight it was quiet by dark because most everyone is planning on getting an early start tomorrow. We have all heard that the heat index could reach 100 degrees tomorrow and with the big climb up to Mount Killington everyone wants to beat the heat. We will see how it goes. Tonight: Jane, Baro, Shasta, H-Bomb, Fred, section hiker Ed, Twist of Faith,King Pin, Low Gear, and a few south bounders and Long Trail hikers.
Date: 2006-08-06
From: Hanover, NH

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Sleeping in worked out pretty good yesterday so we continued our tradition here at the Sunset Motor Inn and did it again this morning. One differences was Jangles and I raided the continental breakfast bar this morning instead of H-Bomb and Shasta attempting to return the favor. The other big difference was instead of watching MTV we watched an old time favorite Major Payne. There¢s nothing like being able to tear apart and rebuild a pistol all while hanging upside down with a blindfold on. It was roughly noon when it went off so we all got ready, hitched into town, and headed for the library at Dartmouth College to write a couple of journals and check email. We all split up and went to different areas of the library trying to find a station to work at for one but mostly so we would be quite and not talk. I was able to check some mail, take a look at what was happening in the world, and post a couple of pictures on my trail journal for all back home to see before my login time expired. Everyone had planned to spend a little time doing about the same thing then meet up out front of the library on the campus green. Being mid summer all the students that were taking classes at this time typically hangout, toss a Frisbee, lie in the sun, have lunch, and just enjoy being outside so it was crowded. We all met up and decided to grab a bit to eat but we could never decide on a place. Baro and I ended up going back to the buffet at EBAs, Jangles grabbed a sandwich at Quiznos, while Shasta and H-bomb went for Indian food at a place called The Jewel of India. After a trip to Ben and Jerry¢s for a free sundae we hitched a ride back to the room to begin packing in preparation to leave out of town tomorrow morning. The rest of the night was dedicated to resting and reading up on the next section of trail. Shasta finished my hemp necklace tonight that she has been working on for a couple of days now. It contains five green beads one standing for each person in our trail family. Tonight at Hanover, NH: Jane, Shasta, H-Bomb, Baro, and I.
Date: 2006-08-11
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: I-93 Franconia Notch
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: scattered clouds

This morning we were all moving a little slow after the rough afternoon yesterday. Thankfully it was clear and sunny but the temperature is still chilly. Most all of our cloths were wet from the rain and our shoes were still wet from the puddles. It was going to be a soggy day. There is nothing like putting cold wet socks on and slipping your foot into an old wet boot before a long day of hiking. We all ended up hitting the trail around 10:15am for a nice hike up to North and South Kinsman. The first part of the climb was along side Eliza Brook and then ended with a rock scramble up to the summit. The south summit is just above the tree line so a combination of clouds and wind made it chilly on top. We didn't stay long before making our way toward Lonesome Lake Hut. It is our first hut since entering into the White Mountains that offers lodging and has a kitchen. The huts are operated by the AMC and caters more to section hikes than thru hikers because of the high fee that the charge to stay. The huts generally cost about $79 per night and most thru hikers are not willing to pay that much. The one good thing is they are open for lunch and generally have a $2 all you can eat soup and $1 all you can drink lemonade special daily. This is more in our price range and if you are early enough you can do a work for stay shift if available. We ended up taking a nice lunch break at Lonesome Lake Hut before heading down to town. Our intentions were to make it to the post office in North Woodstock, NH before it closes. I really needed to get my fleece jacket and H-Bomb needed to get her weekly letter from Charles. Lucky us H-Bomb, Baro, and I started hitching as soon as we hit I-93 at Franconia Notch and got a ride with a young couple named Allen and Jess. When we were all loaded up Jane and Shasta popped out of the woods and started running toward the truck so we waited on them to hop in. We got dropped off at the post office in North Woodstock just before closing time. Since we were all a little on the malnourished side we went ahead and had dinner at the Landmark Restaurant. With full bellies the girls found us place to call home for a while at the local coffee shop. We ended up using it as a base camp for a while. Since the shop closed at 9:00pm we were able to leave all of our gear there and go resupply before having to leave. At 9:00pm it was dark so we decided to stealth camp in the city park next to the coffee shop. This was in hopes that we would not get arrested, or have to pack up and leave in the middle of the night. With camp all set up we continued to do a few chores around town and chat with the town bum as our entertainment for the night.Tonight in North Woodstock: Baro, Jane, Shasta, H-Bomb, and I.
Date: 2006-08-12
From: I-93 Franconia Notch

To: Garfield Ridge Campsite
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: broken clouds

It was off to an early start this morning due to sleeping in the park over night here in North Woodstock, NH. After packing up we decided to take advantage of the laundromat since it was just down the street and dry out our tents, sleeping bags, and a few articles of clothing. It felt so good to have warm dry socks on for once and I am sure it cut our pack weights down a little. With everything toasty dry Shasta, Baro, Jane, H-Bomb, and I stopped in at Peg's Place for breakfast before heading to the trail. On our way out of Peg's Place Chardonnay, her aunt, and Leon were driving by on their way to the trailhead and stopped. They had room for three more so Jane, Baro, and Shasta jumped in while H-Bomb and I hitched. Lucky us our second car picked us up and took us all the way to the trailhead at Franconia Notch beating the other carload. When everyone got there we ended up taking a group picture before splitting for the ridge just above us. It was a 3300' climb up to our first summit at Little Haystack (4760'). From here we could see the next couple of miles of trail ahead because it is all above the tree line and possibly some of the best views on the entire trail. Due to the altitude and unseasonable cool weather it was really cold on top of the ridge and windy. We made our way across to Mount Lafayette at (5249') and started down the other side. It was much nicer when we got back below the tree line because we were shielded from the wind and it was much warmer. I caught up with Low Gear shortly after and we hiked the next section over to Mt. Garfield together. I didn't see any of our crew until I reaching the Garfield Ridge Campsite where we decided to meet up and discuss going further. Since it was close to 5:00pm and still really chilly out we decided to stay for the night. The only problem was Baro decided to push on before we got there and wasn't seen anymore this evening. Since the tent platform are so big we were able to set all three of our tents up on one saving room for others still arriving. While setting up Chardonnay and Leon rolled in and decided to stay the night as well. She had to tell us all about this campsite because it was the one she maintained while working for the AMC. And just like anything else she talks about it was entertaining. Because it was so chilly outside we ended up eating dinner together and crawled into bed before sunset just to get warm. It is going to be bitter cold tonight! Tonight at Garfield: Chardonnay, Leon, Jane, Shasta, H-Bomb, Low Gear and I (Also about 20 section hikers in for the night)
Date: 2006-08-16
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: fog

Up again early this morning so the hut croo can prepare for breakfast. Last night we all slept in the dinning room so we had to pack up and clear the tables before breakfast could be served. After everyone was done eating our daily chores for work for stay started to kick in as the guest departed the cabin. We once again swept out the bunkrooms, folded the blankets that were used, and cleaned up the dinning room. It really didn't take long and ended up being a good way to start the day. With our work completed, Jane and Baro decided to hit the trail while Shasta, H-Bomb, Donkey, Hot Springs, and I stayed behind for a game of Yhatzee and some hot chocolate. This morning was a little overcast but the temp was in the 50's and the wind probably around 15 mph. Great for hiking, but it is a little chilly for just sitting around. Just after leaving the hut we climbed the last of our peaks in the Presidential Range, which was Mt. Madison at 5363' and rapidly started descending toward Pinkham Notch. About halfway down we re-entered the tree line, which shielded us from the wind. The only problem with getting back below the tree lines was all the exposed, wet roots that made for difficult hiking. Once down at Pinkham Notch we all went in for lunch at the snack bar and bought a couple of souvenir type items. We also ran into Eliza again as she was checking out of the park for a few days off. She was really helpful in helping us plan for a place to stay tonight because she was familiar with the land around Carters Notch and recommended a campsite. After chatting for a bit more with Eliza we went outside and packed up to continue hiking. Before leaving though we all weighed our packs on the scales out side and without water mine was 37#. That puts it around 45# with 2 liters of water. This is a bit heavy but for some reason I have a can of lasagna that I have been caring now for days. Not to mention a few extra meals that the two section hikers gave me last night at the hut. Our first section of trail after the notch was steep, but overall not a bad climb. It carried us by the ski slopes of Wildcat Mountain and started us on our walk of the ridges and peaks through the wildcat mountains. Just before dropping down from the ridges into Carters Notch we had a great view of tomorrow¢s hike over Carter Dome and could see the ridgeline that goes down into Gorham, NH. When we got to the notch Baro found us a little campsite just past the junction to camp. Since it was nearly dark already we put our tents up quickly and cooked a quick dinner. I finally opened the can of lasagna and added it to the Mac and Cheese dinner that I got this morning. It was a lot of food but filled me up like a home cooked meal. When finished with supper we all headed to bed in hopes to get a good night¢s rest.Tonight at Carter's Notch: Jane Shasta, H-Bomb, Baro, and I. (Donkey and Hot Springs at Carter Notch Hut)