morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-08-30
From: Moose Mountain Shelter

To: Dartmouth Skiway 
Miles today: 6.6

Started @ Moose Mountain ShelterDestination: Dartmouth SkiwayMiles today: 6.6Total Miles: 1749.5Stayed in hostelDay 172When we awakened water was still falling on the tin roof but wethink it was mostly water falling from the trees. There was ayoung couple, Tweeter and Terrapin, that had tented at the tentsite which was just north of the shelter. They came to theshelter this morning to boil water for their breakfast. Theyare a nice couple-- Tweeter is from Minnesota and Terrapin isfrom Maryland. Tweeter hiked with her father for the firstmonth or so but they had met Tweeter on one of the first fewdays on the trail, so when the father left, Tweeter and Terrapin stayed together.We did not get on the trail until 8:30am due to our sleeping ina bit later waiting to see what the weather was going to do. The trail and vegetation along the trail were wet all day. Iwore my rain pants and rain jacket for the first half hour or soand then had to get out of them because of perspiration. I thenwould get chilled when we stopped for a break. The mosquitoeshave been bad again--mostly when we stop. We had hoped thatfurther up this way they would not be bad. For a while inVermont we were not bothered with them too much, so we aredisappointed to have to deal with them again. We stopped at Trapper John's Shelter to cook some dinner and getwater. We were about half way done with the miles we hadplanned and it was beginning to look like it was going to rainbefore we met our goal and another hiker that came into theshelter said he heard on the radio that it was supposed to start raining again early this evening. On the way down off the mountain we decided that we could call the hostel here and askto be shuttled to the hostel. Otherwise, we would hike up tothe shelter we were headed for and possibly be stuck there if wehad an all day downpour tomorrow. If we need to take a zero daywe wanted to be somewhere other than on top of a mountain in ashelter. Tomorrow we want to hike but we hear that it is supposed to rainall day. We will make the decision in the morning about what todo.
Date: 2005-09-01
From: Lyme-Dorchester Rd.

To: NH 25A
Miles today: 16.0

Started @ Lyme-Dorchester Rd.Destination: NH 25AMiles today: 16.0Total Miles: 1773.3Stayed in hostelDay 174Fatt Chapp dropped us off at the trailhead at 7:15. FattChapp, I forgot to mention, is helping out here at the HikerWelcome Hostel during hiking season. He has given us a lot ofgood advice about slacking and what to hike when and which wayto hike--north or south. Anyway, we told him if he could meetus at NH 25 at 6pm we would try to be finished. We had somedoubts throughout the day about whether we would be able to befinished by 6pm but we did it. We had 2 mountains to climb. The first one was Smarts Mountain (about 3500 feet) and we didnot have too bad of a climb until we got nearer the top where itwas steeper and there was a lot of water from the rain runningdown the rocks that we had to climb up. Once we reached the topwe climbed the fire tower but it was so cold and windy we couldnot stay. Going down the other side of the mountain it was verywet and mucky. I finally just quit worrying about my fairlyclean new shoes and just got them muddy. At one brook that we had to ford I did not even take my shoes off¢I just waded across. Toto, however, had managed to keep his shoes and feet fairly clean and dry so he took off his shoes and socks to wade across.Up Mount Cube (less than 3000 feet) was also long. We thoughtwe had reached the summit twice before we actually reached it. Then on the way down the mountain, which was 3 miles, we thoughtwe had come to the half way point several times when we came toa brook that was named on the profile map but there was no signat the brook naming it. At one point we thought we would bedone an hour earlier because we thought we had crossed the brookonly to find out it was not the one. At any rate, we got to theroad where the trail crosses at 5:55 and a few minutes later FatChap drove up. When we opened the car door he handed each of usa 1 liter bottle of coke. We had run out of water so the cokewas much appreciated. This was the first day since entering New Hampshire that we hadany views at all and, wouldn't you know it, I forgot the cameraand left it back at the hostel. We saw more water on the trail today than we have in a fewmonths. The sound of flowing water was everywhere. It soundedgood. After a shower and laundry and getting our packs ready forslacking tomorrow we went to bed. We need to leave here by 6amso we can stop by a restaurant Fatt Chapp wants to take us to inthe morning before we start the trail. So far we have beensleeping quite well here at the hostel.
Date: 2005-09-02
From: Kinsman Notch

To: NH 25
Miles today: 9.5

Started @ Kinsman NotchDestination: NH 25Miles today: 9.5Total Miles: 1782.8Stayed in hostelDay 175Today we hiked south back to the road that this hostel is on. It was a beautiful day with sunshine, a breeze, and no rain. The trail followed a falls up the mountain over rocks. Inplaces there was rebar into the rocks and wooden blocks attachedsomehow to the rocks for a foothold. Once on top of Mt. Moosilauke (4802 feet) the views were spectacular! It is above treeline and the wind was whipping through. We sat on one side of the peak out of the wind and ate our lunch. Looking down the mountain side we could see the trail disappearing into the trees below. The descent down was 6 miles and my feet and knees werehurting before we got 3/4 of the way down.We hiked with another couple today--Bumpkin and Papermaker. Wehad met Bumpkin last year at the Outfitter in Harpers Ferry whenwe went there to buy most of our gear for this hike. Bumpkinwas getting back on the trail at that time in Harpers Ferry totry to finish the hike she started the year before. Before wegot into NH we saw an entry in one of the shelter registers thatshe had made so I knew she was a day ahead. We finally caughtup with her and her husband here at this hostel. They decidedto slack-pack over Mt. Moosilauke from north to south todayalso. It was suggested it would be better north to south becauseof the steepness and rocks along the north side. It definitelywas good advice. Going up we missed the sign for the shelter wewere going to stop at because we were so busy watching theground. When we finally did see a sign it was 0.4 mile past andwe walked back DOWN to where the trail to the shelter was and itwas harder going down the rocks than up over them. We are planning to slack-pack the next 16 miles from north tosouth tomorrow. Panda did it today from south to north and wasfinished by 5:15pm but he said it was tough and he hardly tookany breaks except for brief ones and he said he was almostrunning the whole time so he could finish before it got dark. We could tell that he had concerns about it and he was notencouraging us to do it. But he was not discouraging us eitherexcept for his tone of voice. We will do it anyway since wehave a chance to slack it. We will give ourselves 12 hours todo it. Bumpkin is going to go also so that they can pick up aday. Otherwise they would divide the hike into 2 days. Papermaker will stay at the hostel since he has some footproblems and the day would be too long for him.I hope we sleep well tonight since we have to get up at 5am.
Date: 2005-09-04
From: Franconia Notch

To: Franconia Notch
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Started @ Franconia NotchDestination: Franconia NotchMiles today: 0Total Miles: 1799.1Stayed in hostelDay 177We took a zero day today before starting the rest of the WhiteMountains. We decided this last night and I am glad we did. Itwas not the place wanted to zero but it worked out good that wedid. Just being around and talking to Packrat and Fatt Chapp(he spells it this way) has helped me. I have decided we willfinish this. I initially said this morning that we will hike toGorham and then make a decision. But as the day went on I beganto feel better about everything and am anxious to start hikingagain. The Whites are tough but we will not be doing any bigmile days. We will be staying in huts at least 2 or 3 nights soif it gets really cold we will at least be inside. It is hardto believe that in 2 weeks we will be in Maine--our last stateto hike!!We were asked why our trip miles and total miles I journal donot match. I believe it is because when the daily miles areentered on the statistic info screen it totals that with themiles already entered and if there is an error, such as a typo,it adds up to the wrong number. The total miles is most nearthe correct number. It may be off a mile or so but when Isubtract it from the total length of the trail it is very closeto the actual miles left to hike. When I get home I will haveto go back and edit the journal a bit. This afternoon Fat Chapp asked if we wanted to ride 25 mileswith him to Plymouth, NH., to Wal-Mart. We needed to buy somevitamin I and some snacks for the trail and so while we werethere we bought some hot dogs, buns, chips, and coke, for acookout tonight. Fatt Chapp also bought some. There were a fewpotatoes here so we also bought sour cream and margarine so wecould have baked potatoes. when we got back to the hostel I walked in and Hopeful Hiker metme with a big, "Well, hello, Dorothy." We wondered when wewould see him again.. He said he would probably catch up to us(we are 26 miles ahead) because he plans on doing 18 miles a daythrough the Whites. We told him he has had enough injuries sofar and does not need anymore. He has been off the trail for atotal of a month at least. He has not changed a bit except lostsome weight. We will hike north from Franconia Notch tomorrow with full packsagain. We have been spoiled with day packs but we do not plan ondoing big mile days since we have heard that they continue to betough--but with great views.
Date: 2005-09-05
From: Franconia Notch

To: Garfield Ridge Campsite
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

Started @ Franconia NotchDestination: Garfield Ridge CampsiteMiles today: 10.3Total Miles: 1809.6Stayed in shelterDay 178After eating a good breakfast in North Woodstock Fat Chap droveus to the trailhead. It was a long hike up to the ridge (withlots of rocks, of course) but once on the ridge we had marvelousviews of the ridge ahead we would be following and 360* views. The sky was clear and the breeze cool with sunshine. Whilehiking from Little Haystack Mountain to Mt. Lafayette (with Mt.Lincoln in between) we saw a hang glider soaring above us. There were many weekend hikers out enjoying the last day of thelast holiday weekend of the summer. At 4:30 we decided we needed to get started for the campsitewhich was almost 4 miles ahead. We needed to get down offLafayette and go across the ridge and go up Mt. Garfield andhalf way down the other side. By the time we got to just belowthe summit of Mt. Garfield the sun was setting and we ended uphaving to hike in the dark with a headlamp for about 0.2 mile. It was not easy because the trail was very rocky and steep andI was not using my headlamp since it is broken from theheadband. Thank goodness, we were not in total darkness untilafter we got to the shelter. The other people that were alreadyat the campsite were tenting so we were the only ones in theshelter. We were so tired that we just got into our bags assoon as we had them laid out and had changed our clothes. Itwas cold and I put on both my light and heavy fleece jackets, myfleece hat, and my gloves. The sky was crystal clear with manystars--a beautiful cold night.The White Mountains are hard and the views are great. It willbe difficult getting through them in less than 10 days.
Date: 2005-09-06
From: Garfield Ridge Campsite

To: Galehead Hut
Miles today: 2.7
Weather: clear sky

Started @ Garfield Ridge CampsiteDestination: Galehead HutMiles today: 2.7Total Miles: 1812.3Stayed in hutWell, we knew we would not make many miles per day but today we stopped after only 2.7 miles. I slept well last night until midnight but was restless the rest of the night. I ached in my knees and hips and could not get comfortable. I had taken vitamin I before going to bed so I did not feel I should take anymore. When it was daylight it was so cold we did not get up until about 7. Once we started hiking we warmed up. I don't know if it was lack of sleep or what but I just could not get my legs going. Toto said I needed to eat so we stopped and ate. But I was still dragging. So Toto said he had decided to stop at this hut instead of the one 7 miles ahead. We must have arrived here about 10:30 and registered. We took a nap this afternoon--for me it was the first time I haveslept in the middle of the day in months. It did feel good. Ihave been unable to stay at a comfortable temperature. I getcold and put on my fleece and then I have a hot flash and then Itake it off and then I get cold again. When I was in thehospital in Pennsylvania, one of the doctors (a neurologist)told me I should not be taking Prempro any longer so I have nottaken any since then. I think I will start taking it again.At the hut tonight are about 5 thru-hikers that are working forstay and the rest--about 17 older people (like ourselves) thatare day hikers. There is no way to drive in to the huts. Thesupplies are carried in on backs and some are airlifted in. Allgarbage that cannot be composted is carried out on backs. Thetoilets are compost type and the lights, etc. are operated bywind generator. It is a very unique place to stay. The crewstays here for 11 days working and then gets to go back down themountain for several days before coming back up. Some of thecrew are on their 4th year working here so they must like it. The three here today are all quite young and have finishedcollege. I am tired still tonight and have a headache so will go to bedas early as usual. I hope I feel better tomorrow. We will hiketo the next hut at least. The hike up the next mountain ispretty steep and the trail has more rock scrambles. So theWhites are kicking our butts. Guess there is nothing to do butslow up and enjoy the views
Date: 2005-09-07
From: Galehead Hut

To: Zealand Falls Hut
Miles today: 7.0

Started @ Galehead HutDestination: Zealand Falls HutMiles today: 7.0Total Miles: 1819.3Stayed in a hutDay 180After a filling breakfast at the Galehead Hut we hiked out. One question we had at breakfast was how they get the eggs up the mountain. They pack them up in 25# crates or cartons. The scrambled eggs they said, are sometimes a mix of fresh eggs and powdered eggs and the eggs they use in baking are the powdered ones generally.We intended to go to the net hut, which is this one, ZealandFalls, but we thought that when we got here we might see if we felt like we could go 7 more miles to Crawford Notch at US 302where we could go to a hostel with a shower. But before we gothere we were ready to stop because our feet and knees wereyelling for us to stop. Although the trail was much bettertoday we still had some rock scrambling to do. We just cannotrush through here. The views are nothing like we have seenbefore and it is nice to be able to linger a bit at them andtake more pictures. The hut here uses hydroelectric power from the falls next to thehut. We even went to the falls and stuck our feet in. It was SOOO cold that Toto could not sit in it like he had planned. But we did rinse off our face, arms, and legs since the huts donot have showers for guests. When we got here about 2:30 or 3pm there was 1 "croo" memberhere. The rest were packing up food from the valley. Pat, theone that was here and is the cook for today, was making honeyoatmeal bread for the evening meal. There was some delicioustomato soup left when we got here and we each had a bowl of itplus we shared 3 pieces of pumpkin pie. YUM! I have not hadpumpkin pie in a long time. After a couple of hours the other staff members came in with thepacks of food. I cannot imagine having to pack all of that in!There is only a small group here besides ourselves. A mother isout for a couple of days with her 3 sons, ages 5, 9, and 11,hiking these trails. The youngest reminds us of Jacob, ouroldest grandson, in his actions. Then there is a couple that isolder, like us, that have been out here since Monday. They aregoing back home today and have offered to drive us to the hostelat Highland Center when we get down to the notch. They stayedin the lodge there and said the place is very nice. We hearthey have a wonderful dinner and breakfast there.
Date: 2005-09-08
From: Zealand Falls Hut

To: Crawford Notch, U.S. 302
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: broken clouds

Started @ Zealand Falls HutDestination: Crawford Notch, U.S. 302Miles today: 7.7Total miles: 1827.0Stayed in a hostelDay 181We left the Zealand Falls Hut around 8 this morning after a very enjoyable stay. We are at the Highland Center Hostel operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). The trail was extremely nice to us today as we followed an old railroad bed for several miles. It was very flat, with only a few rocks and roots and we made good time arriving here at the Hostel around 1:30 P.M.It is a very clean Hostel with only Harmonica and Toolman here with us. Harmonica is very sick and since they have been traveling together, Toolman is staying with him until he is able to hike again. Guess he drank some bad milk or something.We were blessed again with trail magic coming to this hostel. It is around four miles from the trailhead and we were planning on thumbing to get here. Last night, however, two of the people we stayed with at the Hut said they would give us a ride when we got down. So, again, I truly believe that our God is looking out for us on this journey. We were also able to share with them and others about Outreach International, the organization we are walking for. Please look them up on www.outreach-international.org and see the work that they do!Tomorrow we head for Lake of the Clouds Hut and will only be a couple miles from summiting Mt. Washington. The mountains are very intimidating. It will be slow going but also very beautiful. Keep us in mind as we begin this part of our journey!
Date: 2005-09-09
From: Crawford Notch, U.S. 302

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

Started @ Crawford NotchDestination: Lakes of the Clouds HutMiles today: 11.2Total miles: 1838.2Stayed in hutDay 182We got a ride to the trailhead with Gary, a young man we met at dinner last night, that was down from Canada to do some hiking. We had expected a more difficult climb to the top of the mountain today but it was not as steep as we had expected except in a few spots. It was rocky, though, and our feet and knees are taking a beating from the rocks. About half-way up the mountain we came to Mizpah Hut where we stopped for some hot soup. It costs $2 for all the soup we could eat. Then we went on to the Lakes of the Clouds Hut, which is above tree-line. We walked along a rocky ridge, it seemed forever, before we came to within site of the hut. We could see Mount Washington most of the time and it was clear and the weather station instruments could be seen on the summit. The views all around us were very clear with the exception of a bit of haze. This was one of the longest days we have done in the Whites with a full pack and it was all we could have done. A couple of miles before we reached the hut the wind got strong and was blowing us sideways off the trail. It was hard to walk straight and keep our feet from tripping over rocks. It was also getting quite cold and we were very happy to get to the hut. This hut is the biggest one and there were a lot of people here but the hut was still not full. We paid for our stay to give other hikers a chance to work for stay. Many hikers ask to work for stay since they do not have the money to pay or else do not want to spend the money and most of the huts do help out the thru-hikers in this way.We saw Rocky, a hiker we had met early in our hike and had not seen since we were at the Nantahala Outdoor Center back in NC. She is hiking south through NH with Double Healer, who we met back in Georgia. Rocky had to get off the trail due to poison ivy and cellulitis due to a bee sting, and to work at her job. We saw our first moose today just before the hut. It was a young one. I tried to get a picture of it but the wind was so strong I could not hold the camera still enough. We also saw a gray jay, a bird the size of a blue jay, at Mizpah Hut. We had been told that they will come and eat out of your hand and I have no doubt that it would have. It came right up to our feet and ate a cracker crumb that someone had dropped earlier.Tomorrow we will climb Mt. Washington where the worst weather in the world has been recorded. I hope it stays clear so we can have a view. But many hike up in the clouds and do not have a view when they get up there.
Date: 2005-09-13
From: Pinkham Notch, NH 16

To: Gorham, N.H.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: fog

This morning when we woke up we had planned to continue to hike but neither of us felt like hiking today or any more this year. We have taken 2 days off already but the excitement of getting back on the trail is not there. I have been struggling, as I have mentioned before, with the thought of getting off the trail and finishing it at a later time but have had feelings of failure if we do that. The White Mountains have taken a toll on our bodies and our spirits. We have been slowed up a lot by having to hike fewer miles every day and although we probably could make Katahdin by the middle of next month the possibility of not being able to summit right away is always there due to the weather on the mountain. We are missing our family so much and in addition to that our feet and knees are getting more painful every day that we climb over rocks. So we went to breakfast trying to decide what to do. Going home won! We will stay here another night and take a bus to Boston tomorrow morning and then take an Amtrak train to Cleveland where our daughters and their families are so we can see our grandchildren as soon as possible. I do want to complete the trail but I want to enjoy it when I do. It will only take 5-6 weeks to complete. The longer time takes into account getting our trail legs back after being off the trail for an extended period of time and taking our time to enjoy the journey. Hopefully, when we return we will not be under pressure to finish by a certain date.   We have had so many people following our journey that that is one of the reasons it has been difficult to make the decision to stop short of our goal. We hope people will be understanding of our reasons. I can remember when we were following journals 2 years ago how disappointed we would be when we would be following someone¢s journal and then all of a sudden it just ended with no further entries or they just said they were getting off the trail for one reason or another. Believe me, I think that it is a difficult decision to make for most people and more difficult to explain. So, tomorrow we will be one our way toward home. We have appreciated everyone¢s encouragement and prayers for our journey. It has indeed been an event that will never be forgotten and there are many new friends that we have met on and off the trail that we will never forget.
Date: 2005-01-07
To: Working on some equipment.
Miles today: 0.0

Finally I really start to get some prep done. Today I cut out the footprint for my tent I used a piece of silnylon. I cut out the footpint in the shape of the tent (slightly smaller) and added a piece to extend out under the vestibule about 20in. I had my mother (the seamstress)sew the edges and we added some loops of cord to all the corners. It came out real nice and fits perfect. I also finished up the silnylon packcover and sleeping bag stuff sack had to put in the drawstring and cord lock on both of these. I'm so glad my mom is a seamstress and willing to help me with all my "strange" requests.