morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-07-16
From: Stewart Hollow Shelter

To: US 7 Bridge Housatonic River
Miles today: 16.2

I was planning to hike about 13 miles today, but when the skies opened up and poured all their raindrops on me in the afternoon, I figured I might as well keep hiking to dry off a bit before I stopped for the night. And it ended up being a great decision... Just about a mile past my original planned stopping place, the ground was completely dry! I was so happy to know that most likely the campsite I was going to end up at would be dry. I just hate setting up knowing I will be wet when I have to pack up in the morning. But as I arrived to Belter Campsite, I thought it might be worth calling the local hostel to see if they would be wiling to pick me up... which they were! So I kept hiking until I got to the road and Hudson met me at the bridge and took me to his BRAND NEW hostel! "Bearded Woods Bunk and Dine" is by far the most beautiful hostel I have ever stayed at! The food by BigLu was amazing and you know I'm always up for a shower and since the price also came with laundry so I would have both clean clothes and a clean body! Exactly how I love to hike! When I arrived the dinner table was set and 5 hikers were already eating their salads. And it was really great to see Huff & Puff there at the table. So glad "DevilFish" and "Pippi" both going SOBO recommended I call the Bearded Woods!
Date: 2012-07-17
From: US 7 Bridge Housatonic River

To: Under Mountian Road Salisbury CT
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: clear sky

Gosh it feels not to carry a pack! Slacked NOBO and man I flew! Or at least it felt that way.Love to meet the wonderful maintainers who keep the trail beautiful for all of us hikers and this day I was lucky enough to meet two of them doing chainsaw work clearing a few logs from the trail. Made it into town and picked up a few resupply items, and then had a great lunch at The Bistro in town with "Shanty" and "Mr. Fabulous" who I had heard of but had yet to meet. Also ran into "Deep" again and met "Video" who I originally had been passed by on the trail a few days ago. Although I had started to hike alone, I caught up in town with "Huff" & "Puff" and once we were done in town, Hudson came and picked us up and we spent the rest of lounging in the cool of the basement hostel.
Date: 2012-07-18
From: Under Mountian Road Salisbury CT

To: Sage's Ravine Campsite
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: clear sky

Weather today is going to be BAD! Or at least that is what the forecast says!Thunderstorms, some severe, all afternoon and though out the night. Just the kind of day I hate to leave the dryness of a hostel in! Oh well, gotta hike. H&P had decided they would at least hike to Sage's Ravine if the weather really did look like it was going to turn bad, but if the sun held strong we would hike on and plan to camp at the next campsite up on the ridgeline. Of course, just as we arrived at the ravine campsite the thunder started to roll and kept rolling. So we decided the ridgeline might not be such a great place to be if the storm really was coming. We raced to get out tents set up and since it was the first time any of us had tried to set up our non-free standing tents on platforms were we a bit apprehensive. But I think we did well. I was lucky because the way the platform I chose was made I was able to use my stakes in between the boards of the platform. Funny thing is it only sprinkled fro a short time 3 different times, no real downpours, or lighting to be seen all night. But we still enjoyed the afternoon getting to know each other and be bitten by all sorts of bugs.
Date: 2012-07-19
From: Sage's Ravine Campsite

To: Great Barrington, MA
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Ok, so I already typed up this entry and it somehow got deleted... not happy about that... oh well, since you didn't get to read it I will retype it...After no rain last night we packed up our dry tents and headed out (as Puff wanted)"at a number that starts with a 6" it was actually 645am. For those of you how know me well, know I never like a time that starts with a 6... but on the trail it seems I am much better at the early days.   But I also head to bed much earlier too...The 3 of us hiked strong and actually made it to the road crossing at Great Barrington by 430 in the afternoon. H&P had 2 friends, "Rocky" and "Sunshine" who were also in town that night and were staying at the house of two local former thru hikers by the name of "Bearwalker" and "Buttons". These trail angels, had opened their house to any hiker that needed a free place to stay while in town. And when they were able they were happy to come to the trail head to pick up hikers and even left cold cokes and water for anyone who needed it!Funny thing is when they jumped out of the car and we were introducing ourselves, when I said my name she said "I know... we met in in 09 while you were doing trail magic here in town" So crazy how small the world is. After I was diagnosed with Lyme in 09, I decided to help 2 friends while they were in western MA, and while EO and Odin were shopping in the grocery store I had a conversation with a young local woman about the trail. She had been asking me all sort of questions and I encouraged her to hike it... well she did just that the very next year! And now she was giving back by helping anyone who called! Crazy small world!Once we got cleaned up and Rocky and Sunshine returned, we decided it was time for dinner, and I think it was mostly due to the location (just about across the street) we decided to go for Indian food. This was not only a birthday dinner for Rocky (her 21st!), but also a goodbye dinner... Rocky and Sunshine had made the decision to head home after a lot of thought. After weeks of Rocky having a lot of foot pain, even after taking time off to rest, it was decided she needed to see a Dr and have x-rays to determine if the bone was actually broken. It was lots of fun to meet these two amazing women, even if it was only for a moment. Wish them both well, if they return to the trail or not. I know they will always take the experiences of the trail with them for the rest of their lives.This was also the day that I found a bullseye on the back of my right calf... at this point it was a small red spot with a perfect white ring around it. I decided to watch it and see if it changed over a 48 hour period of time before I would take any action.
Date: 2012-07-20
From: Great Barrington, MA

To: Mt Wilcox Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, started in the one way I hate to start... in the rain. But thankfully the day turned out really great!While it was still raining, and in the 1st 5 miles of the day I was passed by my good friend "Many Names"... aka this year "Trekking Pole" he was practically skipping down the trail. But it was really nice to have a friend to hike and chat with as we headed to the shelter for a dry place to have a morning break. I always love to see friends in the woods and the amazing thing about this day was that I got to see tow friends! Not long after our shelter break we arrived at a road crossing. Since the rain had stopped, I was working on putting all my raingear away, and who should walk out of the woods right behind me but "Raindancer" form 09! Crazy thing is I has just seen butterfly wings on the trail the day before and was thinking of her and "Raspberry" as I always so when I seen butterfly wings! She was getting off trail right there so the chance of us meeting was so slim, but as the trail goes, that really doesn't mean it won't happen!I figured the next 3.5 miles were going to be tough for me since they were all up hill, but as it turns out it really was a good day, and I hiked stronger than I expected, but I still chose to stay there instead of going on as originally planned. It's really hard to leave a beautiful new shelter when you know the next one is old and small. And of course spending the late afternoon and evening laughing, chatting with H&P and Trekking Pole was really worth it.
Date: 2012-07-21
From: Mt Wilcox Shelter

To: Upper Goose Pond
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Puff was happy again since we "hiked out at a time that started with a 6". I was hiking slow... and lots of up hill. And I have to say I was really feeling weak. Stopped for a lunch on a stone wall with H&P next to a road crossing.Wow... Ok so it's been a while...Knowing it was quite a climb that day I figured I wouldn't see them again until I reached the cabin, which was exactly what happened...Sometimes (ok, more than sometimes) the person you didn't even know you needed to meet, will be there hiking the same spot of strail just when you need it... This afternoon that was Eddie. I'm sure he had no idea just how much he helped me keep hiking that day, but he really did. Chatting about the gear shop he owned and all the adventures he and his family went on really made quite a difference in my afternoon hike. Some how when hiking with good conversation then hills just don't seem as bad! If only I could find someone like that to hike with all the time!I reached Upper Goose Pond Cabin just after 4pm, giving me plenty of time to soak my feet in the pond and joke with friends. One of the highlights of the evening was the family out for their first family backpacking trip... chatting with the son about his adventures in the boysouts but the most amazing part was the watermellon, and smore's they shared with all the hikers that night! Jeff and Jenny the caretakers that week were so friendly and really seemed to love the hikers and the "vacation" they had chosen even if they were missing their kids back home who were staying with their grandparents and I'm sure were having a great time. And as a little side note the veggie soup Jenny made that night was amazing and added a lot of yum factor to my ramen.
Date: 2012-07-22
From: Upper Goose Pond

To: October Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: clear sky

Short day but that was becasue I got to see my family! Since my partent and Nonna live in MA and I was going to be walking right past the Mass Pike they had decided they would make the drive out to visit with me. The day stared off with blueberry pancakes with coffee made by Jeff and Jenny for all the hikers. But since I was going to meet my family I didn't need to rush off down the trail which was a nice change. Taking my time I walked toward I-90 which was a bit of a milestone for me. I remember talking about hiking the trail in high school with a classmate, Lynn Kosty (Morrissette), who said she didn't believe anyone ever hiked the AT since she had never seen a hiker on the bridge that crosses over the highway. Well, it felt really good to happen to run into another hiker named "Solo" who was able to take a photo of me on the bridge, proving Lynn wrong! (I'll post photos at some point I promise!)Just past the highway crossing I met my family. Turns out my Nonna didn't understand they were only coming to visit and not to bring me home with them. She was quite sad about htat, but it was still nice to see them. After hitting the Big Y grocery store for a bit of resupply and then thankfully they took me to EMS so I could get some new gear. I really needed some more electrolyte tablets, and new socks since one of the pairs I had worn just a few days before turned out to not be good for my feet when they got wet (I love them otherwise but out here if they can't get wet it's not worth carrying them!)Mom had also gone out of her way to get th toothpaste I use in a travel size container and a small bottle of DEET. Plus she gave me my final paycheck which had been mailed to my parent's house but just missed me before I headed out to the trail. Even though nono of us were that hungry we decided to get lunch since I knew I would need to eat before hiking back up the trail, and in the little town of Lee we decided to go to the Peruvian restaurant, which was really good. They dropped me off again at the trail crossing at about 130pm and I was headed up the trail again. Originally I was thinking I would camp at the Cookie Lady's house but decided to call it a day when I got to the shelter just a few miles short of her house. Because I had cell service I thought it might be a good idea to send a note to a friend who had also had Lyme disease and decided to treat a bullseye rash with tea-tree oil just to see what her body's response was. Turns out the rash went away when she treated it... just like mine, but her symptoms just kept getting worse. Just something else to think about...As it started to get dark I realized I was going to be the only one in the shelter. This is only the second time in all the nights I've spent on the trail where I was alone in the shelter... which is always slightly creepy...
Date: 2012-07-23
From: October Mountain Shelter

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

Woke early and it was a good thing too... normally when I get up I start to pack up and eat my breakfast just before heading out for the day but this day I decided to get my foodbag from the bear box and then start to pack up. The air felt like rain and again since I had cell service I decided to get the weather report... (I know all of you old school hikers might shun this but I like knowing if a storm is coming!) and sure enough a BIG one was on it's way. So I decided to read in bed for a bit and eat my breakfast with the hope that the storm would be fast moving (it was) and I would be able to start my day's hike without getting wet. Again my great friend Patch had the day off and had told me he would meet me in Dalton to help me with anything I needed... through texts as I hiked that morning we planned to meet at a road crossing and he would take my pack so I could slack into twon. Gosh I really LOVE to slackpack! It always feels so wonderful to have nothing on my back. I actually feel like I'm in shape and can hike!After resupplying and getting dinner in town, Patch had to head home so he could work the following morning, and I stayed at the Shamrock Inn because I knew Huff & Puff would also be staying there and I wanted to meet back up with them.
Date: 2012-07-24
From: Dalton, MA

To: Chesire, MA
Miles today: 8.8

After another night of very little sleep, I knew I would not be able to keep up with Huff & Puff that day. And I figured since I had been ingoring my symptoms for a few days now it was time to face the facts and start taking the Doxy I was prescribed my Dr before I left for the trail. Taking the drugs wounldn't make things worse but if it was Lyme I would only keep me from getting as bad as last time...So I took the first pill. Feeling weak, I decided for another short day and sice it was going to rain again I figured I could spend the night in the church hostel in Chesire. I also ran into "Mr Fabulous" and Shanty" just as I entered town and they too were staying at the hostel. Together the 3 of us went to dinner at the local pizza place.(My entries will be shorter now as I hope to at least keep updated more often and most likely will be done from my phone since I finally got 2 more batteries)Just a quick update, I will be sure to fill in the blank days when I get a chance and I don't want to worry anyone with this but I have decided to start taking Doxy for possible Lyme Disease. For over a week now I have been feeling not right... not awful but not right. About 5 days ago I noticed a small (no more than 2" across) bullseye on the back of me leg. I treated with Tea-Tree-Oil and it looks much better but I haven't slept a night though in 4 or 5 days and I seem to be urinating more than I should be for the amount I am drinking and sweating, both of these symptoms were the ones that I noticed in 09 when I first had Lyme. I don't want to take the meds, but I also would rather take care of this earlier rather than later. More updates to come and I promise I will be careful.
Date: 2012-07-25
From: Chesire, MA

To: Williamstown, MA
Miles today: 14.8

It's amazing how much better just 2 days of meds can make... still feeling not right, but so much better than before!I was even able to make it over Mount Greylock (the highest point in MA)... granted it took me a long time, but I did it!I'm not sure why I am always amazed by how small the trail is, but while snacking on the stone wall at the top of Greylock a couple came up to ask another hiker and I if we were thru hiking and just wanted to chat. Turns out they were 04 thru hikers, called "the Roman Noodles", and were doing the high point of the US and since although they had hiked Greylock in 04, the weather had been so bad they couldn't even see the monument on top and figured they would need to do the peak again just to get their photo. But this is the small trail part... they gave me trail magic at Cheese Factory in 09! While I had been hiking though there in 09 I came up on them and another couple camped out with all sorts of food and drinks for any hiker that walked through... and when she saw I was injured (they are doctors) that year she offered to take a look at how my incision was healing. Later that same year I ran into them again just on the north side of Max Patch. Just makes me wonder if I will see them again somewhere up the trail!I must have been confused while I was hiking that afternoon, because I was planning to go to the first road into town but somehow managed to read my book and the map wrong and ended up hiking farther than that. Not by much but still on the wrong road leaving me confused why I hadn't reached the Stop & Shop. Thankfully a local woman named Trish saw me walking and offered me a ride to where ever I was tryin to get to. And once she knew I hadn't gotten a hotel room yet she asked if I was interested in staying with her at her house! I was so amazed. It was exactly what I needed. She also had offered if I needed to stay longer I was more than welcome to. and considering I was still feeling a bit sick I was thankful for the offer.
Date: 2012-07-26
From: Williamstown, MA

To: Williamstown, MA
Miles today: 0.0

Can you guess? Yep, I zero'd yet again. After spending the morning reading in bed, watching a movie and working on updating my journal some, I decided to walk the 2 miles into town to get some ffod and run a few errands.I started my first bounce box, mailing a few items I wasn't using up to Rutland VT, and got pizza. I was kind of hoping I would feel well enough to enjoy walking around town some and even going to a museum but I was just too exhausted and decided to rest at the library and call a cab. It was kind of pathetic... the cab took 55 mins to pick me up and it was $8 for a 2 mile ride which if I had been feeling well enough to do would have taken me no more than 40 mins to walk! Oh well.
Date: 2012-07-27
From: Williamstown, MA

To: Congdon Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

Crossed into VT... 11 states done and only 3 to go!!!!!The hike today wasn't too bad, but I was still going slow of course. At the state line I met "the Voice of Reason" a young kid who was a lot of fun to chat with.Now that I was hiking in southern VT I was not only hiking the AT but the Long Trail as well... and the shelters were packed! Granted it was expected to rain, yet again, but with hikers doing sections or thrus of both trails, it was alomst overhelming with all the new faces each night.
Date: 2012-07-28
From: Congdon Shelter

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 4.3
Weather: light rain

Another short day...I had been looking forward to hiking into Bennington becuase I knew my good freind Blister Sister was now living just outside of town and I was really looking forward to catching up with her again after 3 years... but just before I was to walk into town she sent me a note and said she was going to be out of town the days I would be there... Decided to walk into town for dinner and resupply and even though it was raining some knowing I was going back to my hotel room to dry off I was ok with the hot rain. I ended up staying up way too late watching women's gymnastics (it's always hard for me to turn olympic gymnastics off!) but completely enjoyed the restful evning.
Date: 2012-07-29
From: Bennington, VT

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

yep... again...When I got up it was pouring out... and by now you should know how I feel about hiking in the rain... so I decided to zero again.I did get at least one important thing done though... Since I had brought the Doxy only as an emergency supply incase I got sick I didn't bring a full supply. So I diecided to get a refill at Walmart and figured I would take the bus to pick it up. Only problem, the bus doesn't run on weekends. And the taxi service was closed for their summer picnic... thankfully a hiker (one of the "GA boys") and his girlfriend had a car and was willing to drive me out to the store to get my meds! Other than that though, I really was a slug... watching more of the Olymics and bad TV and was pleasantly surprised to run into Muck Ficigan and Gypsy Soul again.
Date: 2012-07-30
From: Bennington, VT

To: Kid Gore Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: light rain

Back on trail again.I was very thankful to get a ride from the hotel back to the trail with a park ranger who was headed to work just east of there the trail crossed the highway.I know I say I'm slow... but I REALLY AM! So again slowly I hiked up the hill. 10 miles of up hill never feels good and is only made worse when your pack is full of food and water!At the first shelter I ran into 2 hikers who had never hiked before and decided to go out for 5 days while their kids were at summer camp. Together we hiked the last 4.4 miles into the shelter. Being runners, they figured it would be no big deal to hike 16 miles on their frist day... I think by the time they made it to the shelter they understood just hard backpacking can be. Again the shelter was full of all section hikers. I know I too am a section hiker, but I feel accepted by the thru hikers as one of them... thankfully.
Date: 2012-07-31
From: Kid Gore Shelter

To: Stratton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Thankfully I got the last spot in the shelter. I always think of the shelters as a place for the long distance hikers. Not for someone out for just one night... unless the shelter isn't full of course. But if I was out for an overnight and there was a lot of long distance hikers in the area, personally I would not take a spot in the shelter. But this was not the case this night. There were a few southbounders, and me going north but other than us everyone was out for a short trip. While hiking earlier in the day I was really lucky to see an owl! My first spotting on the trail. Of course I have heard them all the time, but never do I get to see them. This one was sitting on a dead branch of a dead tree on the edge of a beaver pond. When I got to the summit of Stratton Mnt while resting at the base of the fire tower, I ran into Hungus and Pace. I'm not sure how I didn't know that he was hiking, but somehow I didn't! I met Hungus 5 years ago when he was hiking for "Mr Sweepers" and with "TDS". It was great to meet his girlfriend Pace and although I'm sure they are much faster than me I hope to hike with them for at least a few days.