morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-08-01
From: VT Route 4

To: The Cabin at The Lookout
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Three miles into the hike we come to Gifford Woods State Park. Nearby is the beautiful Kent Pond where swimming is allowed but we don¢t have time to indulge right now.We encounter too many ups and downs along the trail today. First we go up 400 ft to Tucker Shelter. Then down 600 ft to cross Route 100. Then up 1000 ft to the top of Quimby Mountain. Then down 800 ft to Stony Brook Shelter. Finally up 1000 ft again to The Lookout. Whew! This is really tiring! To make matters worse our packs are a little heavier than normal because we are carrying extra water. There seems to be a shortage of good drinking water through this stretch of the woods.Tonight we stay in The Cabin at The Lookout. The cabin is private but no one is there to collect money or maintain it. For hikers it¢s first come, first served, and please don¢t wreck the place. On the roof is a makeshift observation deck. The whole affair looks like it¢s ready to fall down, but nevertheless, we go up and take a look at the scenery. The views are nice and nothing collapses.
Date: 2007-08-02
From: The Cabin at The Lookout

To: Thistle Hill Shelter, VT
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

In the first six miles today we lose a whopping 1750 feet of elevation rolling down to the crossing of Vermont Route 12. This is not good ¢ we¢ve read this story before. Knowing that the up climb ahead of us will be difficult, we decide some extra nourishment is justified. At the road intersection we spy a country store just a short distance away. From the store¢s offering of homemade pies we select a blueberry-peach variety. We share it 50/50, and of course, there are no leftovers to tote up the trail.At the store we meet Bob, a 75-year old hiker who offers us some bananas. No thanks Bob, we just finished a pie. He also graciously offers to slack our packs up to the next road crossing at Cloudland. Considering that the temperature is 90 degrees and we are dragging just a bit, we do not refuse his second offer.At Cloudland we get sodas and ice cream. We really load up on the junk food today, but no matter, it will all be worked off by day¢s end. We don our packs for the last two and a half miles to the Thistle Hill Shelter. Luckily we only have to climb back up 800 of the 1750 feet we lost this morning. Vermont is proving to be a tough state!
Date: 2007-08-03
From: Thistle Hill Shelter, VT

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: clear sky

We blast out of the shelter early because we must get to the Hanover Post Office before it closes. The guidebook indicates we will find the trail a little easier than the ordeal we experienced on Wednesday. We go down 1000 feet, up 1000 feet, then down 100 feet to reach Hanover. Because this is stretched out over 15 miles, the travel is moderately easy. When we get to the bottom of the first 1000-foot down stretch, we stop for a big breakfast at the country diner in West Hartford.People around here have a penchant for peculiar names. Along the trail today we intersect Joe Ranger Road and Tigertown Road, pass over Podunk Brook, climb to the top of Happy Hill, then finally hit the day¢s low point at Bloody Brook.Near day¢s end we cross over the Connecticut River into New Hampshire (12 states down, 2 to go!), and climb the side of the highway into Hanover center. I¢m swimming in my own puddle of sweat. Hanover is pretty far north but the days have been in the upper 90s. I'm going to bounce my winter sleeping bag and clothing up ahead. Sure don't need that cold weather stuff now. This is the home of $Dartmouth College$ and it is quite an up-scale town. Even during the summer we find lots of $rich college kids$ driving $fancy cars$ and $Honda Prius¢s$.In stark contrast, I stay at the old reliable Sunset Motel one mile south of town. At $50 per night it's only one-fifth the charge at the five-star Hanover Inn at the town center. For less than a dollar I can ride the Dartmouth College bus back into town. Thanks, rich kids, the bus service is greatly appreciated!
Date: 2007-08-04
From: Hanover, NH

To: Moose Mountain Shelter, NH
Miles today: 11.0

The terrain is getting more difficult every day. We get a fairly late start, not leaving Hanover until 10 am. Immediately we climb 800 feet up to Ledyard Spring. We are thankful that the temperature and humidity have decreased a little. We drop down a few hundred feet then start a long steady pull to the top of Moose Mountain South Peak at elevation 2222 or 2290 feet, take your pick.The Moose Mountain Shelter has a very interesting privy. It perfectly illustrates the phrase ¢sitting on the throne.¢
Date: 2007-08-06
From: Smarts Mountain, NH

To: Ore Hill Shelter, NH
Miles today: 13.6

When we leave the Fire Warden¢s Cabin on Smarts Mountain, it is not raining, but it soon starts. It¢s depressing to walk in the rain all day. By late afternoon nearly everything I am carrying is soaked. When we get to Ore Hill Shelter it is full of hikers. No one is willing to squeeze in ¢just 2 more.¢ We throw the packs on our shoulders and head back out into the rain.In a mile we find an unnamed campsite near the top of the real Ore Hill. We set up our wet tents on the wet ground. After eating a wet supper we slide into our DRY sleeping bags. They are dry because keeping them dry is our number one priority. The bags are double wrapped and tied in large stout garbage bags. If a sleeping bag ever gets wet it will be nearly impossible to dry out short of taking it to the Laundromat.Today¢s hike would have been better if we had no crossings of streams or roads. The trail nominally wants to stay at elevation 2500 feet. Every time we have to cross over water or pavement the trail drops down 1000 feet, only to regain all that elevation in the next few miles. This is tough hiking.
Date: 2007-08-07
From: Ore Hill Shelter, NH

To: Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 6.4

Our hiking group has swelled to about ten in size. That's the largest assembly we've been in since we started four and a half months ago.Short and easy are the words to describe today¢s hike. Four miles after leaving the campsite we climb 400 feet to the top of Mt. Mist, then it¢s 1000 feet down to the town of Glencliff. It might be wrong to call this a town; the only structures we see anywhere are the Post Office and a convenience store.In the store we talk with Carolyn who mentions that her daughter is currently hiking the trail, just like we are. Obviously feeling sorry for us in our soaked and bedraggled condition, she offers us to stay at her home for the night. We accept her Trail Magic without hesitation. At her home in Glencliff we wash and dry all of our wet gear. There is no space for us to sleep in the house, but there is room in the shed. That¢s OK with us, we¢re not proud!We tried, but failed, to get bookings for the hut system in the White Mountains. Every hut on just about every night is fully reserved. So we'll have to play it by ear, sometimes we'll grab some no-shows, other times we'll do a Work-For-Stay. We will survive the Monster Mountains. Trust me.TRAINMAN¢S SIDEBAR COMMENT: The AMC¢s Unique Lodging ExperienceIt¢s been long recognized that New Hampshire¢s White Mountains offer a hiking experience that cannot be surpassed. Because the hiking is so difficult and the weather so extreme the Appalachian Mountain Club decided long ago to provide a system of huts where visitors could safely stay overnight. Currently there are eight huts on the A.T.; most are spaced about one day¢s hike apart. During much of the summer (and especially on weekends) it¢s mandatory to have reservations at the more popular locations. The rates are $75 per person per night (AMC members get a discount) for which you get a roof and walls, a bunk bed in a room shared by 3 to 30 others, three wool blankets that don¢t get washed for the entire season, a pillow case that gets washed once a week, an excellent supper and breakfast, and the camaraderie of fellow hikers. You also get an indoor toilet although it may not be a flush type.What you do not get is a shower because there is no ecologically acceptable way to deal with hundreds of gallons of dirty, soapy water and neither is there a way to heat up those hundreds of gallons every day. (The huts burn propane for cooking and use solar power for general lighting.) All the hikers get sweaty after a day in the mountains, regardless of the time of year. The thru hikers don¢t miss the showers (they¢re tough!), but the absence of showers is the number one complaint from the day visitors.
Date: 2007-08-08
From: Glencliff, NH

To: Kinsman Notch, NH
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: light rain

Carolyn from Glencliff helps out by slacking us today and it makes our hill climbing effort a lot easier. For the first 6 miles out of town we travel steadily upward. Eventually we reach the 4800-foot summit of Mt. Moosilauke. We have climbed 3700 feet to get here; this is certainly one of the biggest ascents on the entire trail. We ask Little Red, Wolf and Kiwi to join in our group photo here on top of the first big mountain in the Whites.The final 4 miles of the day take us back down to just about the same elevation as where we started this morning. Oh well, that¢s what happens on the trail here in New Hampshire.
Date: 2007-08-09
From: Kinsman Notch, NH

To: Franconia Notch, NH
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Wow, we get another slack today. Are we lucky or what?Except for the weather which has deteriorated into foggy conditions, today is a near duplicate of yesterday, geographically speaking. The summit we traverse is Mt. Kinsman, this time only 4300 feet high. Coming down the north side we enter Franconia Notch and cross under I-93. As usual, we again lose 3000 feet to get here. It feels like I¢m on an escalator, going up, going down. Of course, on THIS escalator, the electric motor is not working, but my motor is.TRAINMAN¢S SIDEBAR COMMENT: Trail TalkHere are definitions of some terms used in the journals.Slackpacking ¢ originally used to describe a hiker¢s unhurried ways, but more commonly now used when one is able to hike without carrying a backpack.Trail Magic - free nourishment left at the trailside by Trail Angels (or Trail Magicians). Generally the Angels will fill up a cooler with snacks, sandwiches, fruit and juice and leave it for a day. Anyone who wants some refreshment can take what they like. Apparently most Trail Angels are previous hikers who understand what a wonderful and appreciated gesture this represents. Trail Magic also includes gestures of assistance, whether it¢s a ride to town or allowing a hiker to sleep on the premises overnight.AYCE ¢ means All You Can Eat, the hiker¢s preferred type of restaurant, especially if it¢s pizza.Bounce Box - a container with items that are needed occasionally while on the trail, but none so important that you want to carry the stuff. Items might be extra food, trail guides or clothing. The idea is to continually "bounce" the box ahead so that it always appears at a post office in advance of your arrival. Take out what you need, put some new stuff in it, and bounce it ahead again.Yogi - a verb meaning to connive or wrangle something for free, as in "We yogi'd a ride back to the trail from a guy pumping gas." The term is derived from the Yogi Bear cartoon where Yogi was always getting things without paying for them. At least this is what they tell me; I must have missed this trait of his when I watched the show.GA-ME 2007 ¢ abbreviation describing the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, Georgia (GA) to Maine (ME), and the year the hike was completed. For those doing a southbound trip the term would be ME-GA.Virginia Blues - mental condition that sets in while hiking in northern Virginia upon the realization that the trail in VIRGINIA ALONE is 500 miles long (nearly one quarter of the total).Zero Day ¢ day in which no miles are hiked, usually because the hiker is in town gathering supplies and running errands.Croo ¢ pronounced ¢crew,¢ these are the workers who keep the hut system functioning. They cook and serve the food, and often times have to lug in 50 pounds of food at a time from the nearest trailhead.
Date: 2007-08-16
From: Gorham, NH

To: Gentian Pond Shelter, NH
Miles today: 40.7
Weather: clear sky

We must make a major change in plans today. Montreal's wife, Martine, has been patiently waiting for many months to be scheduled for some minor surgery. According to the Canadian Plan, you may wait a VERY LONG TIME for minor surgery, but when the officials say it's time to go, you gotta move! Anyway, all of a sudden Martine's date has been scheduled around the middle of September. Doing the calculations for finishing prior to the surgery date, Montreal and I have just lost 5 hiking days.So today, instead of returning to our last point on the trail (Madison Spring Hut), we decide to jump ahead 28.9 miles to where the AT crosses the highway just east of Gorham. This adjustment will shorten our remaining trail time by 3 or 4 days. Of course I will add these miles to my growing list of "makeup miles." Looks like I'll be busy filling in all the gaps for the remainder of the fall.The motel proprietors haul us 3 miles east on NH Route 2 to the intersection with the A.T. We start out at the depressingly low elevation of 800 feet. By day¢s end we finish 2000 feet higher, but along the way there are many substantial ups and downs.Thursday, September 16, 2004, Gorham, NHWe hustle this morning. At 6 am we¢re off to the Laundromat to get the wash started, then we zoom over to the open-24-hours grocery store. Thirty minutes later we return to put the clothes in the dryer. Then back to the hotel room to pack up. Then back again to the Laundromat to retrieve the clothes. Next we return to the motel for our free breakfast that we gulp down in record time. I take off to return the rental car. April stays behind to check out. A few minutes later April gets into the motel lady¢s car and they both drive up Main Street to the rental place. They pick me up and we all travel the final two miles up to the trailhead. It¢s been quite a busy morning so far, and it¢s only 9:00 am.Ahead of us is a long twelve-mile hike. The mountains are more rugged than we expect, with the trail constantly going up 700 feet, down 500 feet, up 300 feet, down 800 feet, up 900 feet. This is exhausting. Nine hours later we arrive at the Gentian Pond shelter and campsite. Already claiming sleeping bag space is Whitebeard. Tonight is his last night in the woods. Tomorrow when he hikes south to Gorham his thru hike will be over. (Although he started in Georgia in April, he did a flip flop when he originally got to Gorham. He is now walking south from Katahdin to finish out the miles.) He¢s an old guy, but in excellent shape. The previous day he hiked fourteen miles, including the stretch through the infamous Mahoosuc Notch. I doubt we can match his pace. We find a tent platform on the hillside above the shelter. The three of us are the only ones here tonight. Later at dusk we head down to the pond¢s edge to sponge off the sweat. I strip naked but April disapproves, claiming that ¢someone might see me.¢ Like who, a moose?
Date: 2007-08-19
From: Speck Pond Shelter, ME

To: Grafton Notch, ME
Miles today: 4.6
Weather: scattered clouds

ATTENTION READERS:Now that I have completed the trail and am back home, I have decided to write the remaining entries myself. You will read first-hand about the adventures at the end of my hike.APRILSHOWERS, 9/16/07It is so cold this morning that we cannot get out of our bags until at least a small amount of warmth shows up. Finally at 8 am we crawl out. I have totally frozen fingers while I pack up my gear but Montreal, completely Canadian to the end, doesn¢t even put gloves on.Our immediate challenge is the ascent of Old Speck Mountain, 700 feet straight up from the shelter. Montreal is reluctant about the climb, but I assure him that this is the only way to The Cabin. Somehow Montreal survives the hike up and over.We get picked up early at Grafton Notch by Bear (Earl Towne), owner of The Cabin. This is a wonderful place to stay. Bear and Honey are great people. I enjoyed staying there in 2005 with Flatbread and Skirt. We plan to relax the rest of the day and have one of Honey¢s great dinners tonight.
Date: 2007-08-20
From: Grafton Notch, ME

To: East B Hill Road, Andover , ME
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We are hiking today with a shuttle from Bear. This means we will go back to The Cabin for another great dinner. Wonder what will be served tonight? We are always thinking ahead about food.The hike today is over Baldpate Mountain, elevation 3812 feet. It is above tree line on beautiful rock slabs and we have really nice views. We stop for lunch on the top. Overall it is another great day. Back at the cabin dinner is Lasagna and salad with a treat of wine. Montreal agrees this is the best hostel on the entire trail.
Date: 2007-08-21
From: South Arm Road, Andover, ME

To: East B Hill Road, Andover , ME
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Another slack hike today. It is so much easier without our 30 lb packs. During the day our focus is not the hike, but rather, just getting back to the cabin. I think we will just move in here and forget the rest of the hike. For dinner we enjoy Honey¢s great Sheppard Pie, corn on the cab and wine again tonight.Later that evening Earl whispers to me ¢Are you staying again tomorrow? I am planning a special dinner.¢ I answer yes, we can¢t refuse the offer.
Date: 2007-08-22
From: ME Route 17

To: South Arm Road, Andover, ME
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today¢s hike is up and down Bemis Mountain and Old Blue Mountain. We walk fast to get back in time for that special dinner. We have a key to Honey¢s car that is supposed to be parked at South Arm Road but when we get there, no car. Hope they did not forget about us. I realize even in these mountains I have cell service so I call back to The Cabin. Thank goodness they are on their way. Looks like we will make that dinner after all. Wonder what it is?We get back just in time to watch Bear cook Lobster and Steak. Bear does this only once a year and only for special guests. We¢re so lucky. Imagine that!
Date: 2007-08-23
From: ME Route 17

To: Piazza Rock Shelter, ME
Miles today: 14.9

I leave the comfort of The Cabin behind today. I will miss Bear and Honeys¢ great meals. It was great staying with them but I am also glad to be back in my tent in the quiet woods.I pass by a long pond with sand beach but today it is too cold to swim. As I sit for a snack I am approached by a former hiker with a cooked rib in his hand. He wasn¢t the normal type and he was a bit dirty. Not that I wasn¢t dirty too, but somehow I wasn¢t quite that hungry. Other hikers with me thought the same.
Date: 2007-08-24
From: Piazza Rock Shelter, ME

To: Poplar Ridge shelter, ME
Miles today: 8.9

Today I climb Saddleback Mountain and Saddleback Junior not to mention Horn Mountain in between. These three mountains kicked butt. I must be getting very tired. The Saddleback Junior is straight up. Montreal said it is getting harder and harder to do these climbs and I agree.
Date: 2007-08-25
From: Poplar Ridge shelter, ME

To: Sugarloaf Mountain, ME
Miles today: 10.9

I think the comfort I had at The Cabin has spoiled me. After 2 nights out I am ready for town again. As we climb the half-mile up the side trail to Sugarloaf Summit House we see how easy it is to walk down the slope and hitch to town. The Summit House is an unused ski warming house at the top of the mountain. It has glass windows with views in all directions. At 4237 feet it is the second highest mountain in Maine. You should be able to see from Mt Washington to Katahdin but it is too hazy today.After a nice lunch in the warming building we head down the slope. We stick to the intermediate slopes but they were still awful steep to walk. I don¢t think I could ski these either. Montreal is envisioning telemarking down as we descend. At the bottom lodge we realize it is still 3 miles to the main road. There is very little traffic this time of year so we start walking. Finally a nice couple decide to take us to Stratton even though they are not going that way.
Date: 2007-08-26
From: Stratton

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I take a zero day to re-plan the rest of the trip. I decide to skip (tomorrow) the miles from Stratton to Monson. These miles I hiked on my 2005 trip. Montreal¢s date to be in Canada now is Sept 12. We would have to do 20 miles a day to finish.I believe my friend Ballpahk, it is not the destination it is the journey. I now will do only 10 miles a day and really enjoy the rest of this journey.
Date: 2007-08-27
From: Stratton, ME

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 73.3
Weather: scattered clouds

At about 11:00 AM the shuttle from Shaws¢ hostel picks us up in Stratton and takes us to Monson, 73 miles to the north. It is a longer ride than I realize, takes 2 hours and costs $80. Now I am sitting at the edge of beautiful Lake Hebron enjoying the sun. I stay at Shaws tonight. There are new owners but they kept the old name of Shaws. They did a great job fixing up the place.
Date: 2007-08-28
From: Old woods road, ME

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: broken clouds

Shaws shuttles us into the wilderness this morning. Ha ha, remember this is supposed to be the "100 Mile Wilderness." This is no longer the truth. You can get shuttles just about anywhere into this wilderness. You can even get food delivered to you.We choose to shuttle in about 10 miles and walk back south to Monson. It is important to be in town today so Montreal can call Canada to see if his dad¢s minor surgery has gone well.There are 2 fords today, Goodell Brook and Big Wilson Stream. Because it is a very dry year these are quite easy to cross. We also cross the tracks of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Gee, Montreal could hitch a train home. He has become an expert on hitching. Surely the train would stop for him.We get back to the road about 3:00 PM and get a hitch in no time. I get out in town and as the truck pulls away I realize my day pack is still in the truck. All my important things like money, Ipod, cell phone, etc., are in it. With a loud whistle from Montreal the guy stops. The Canadian saves the day again.
Date: 2007-08-29
From: Old woods road, ME

To: West Chairback Pond, ME
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: clear sky

We get a shuttle back to the woods road where we left off yesterday. There are beautiful views from Third Mountain but first I have to climb over Fourth Mountain. Where are mountains 1 and 2? How do they come up with all these names?I camp this evening at West Chairback Pond. Flatbread, Skirt and I stayed here in 2005. We have a very quiet night. The only sound comes from the loons. They have a very eerie sound in the night. I am still hoping to see a moose come feed at a pond. Maybe I¢ll see one at the next pond.
Date: 2007-08-30
From: West Chairback Pond, ME

To: Carl Newhall Shelter, ME
Miles today: 11.6

We take the old AT route down to the river to see just how easy the trail used to be. Earl Shaffer wrote about his disappointment on just how hard the trail is now. Each year parts of the trail are relocated to be on federal land to protect it. That is great but it usually means you have to go up over another hard mountain. Well, this old part of the trail still has the white blaze barely visible and yes, it is a lot easier. I hiked the other way in 2005. I enjoyed exploring the old way.At the dirt road a jeep stops to give us a ride. The driver is someone I know. The AT is a small world. Another surprise trail magic, we find beer by the river. It is only 10 AM but how can we resist?On to the shelter but first I have to ford a river. At times of high water this could be difficult but it is only 12 inches deep this year. Then the thunder starts, so I hike faster, but it comes faster. I have to walk in the storm and get soaked. I am glad to reach the shelter and to sleep dry tonight.