morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-07-13
To: outside of Kent, CT
Miles today: 15.0

It was a nice day to hike, and I recall going all over the mountains, up and down in a trail-teasing sort of way before reaching Kent, CT, a half-mi. off the trail. To get there you hike thru the split campus of The Kent School, a hi-toned prep school.The town is real nice and appeals to the wealthy tourist/shopper. I used the empty laundromat, taking a bath in the utility sink in the restroom. IGA supermarket, deli lunch/dinner and some food shopping. Library/internet. The outfitter had my package, thanks, again, Joan. I bought a pair of socks and a cheap tent stake to replace an expensive titanium one I'd lost. The owner gave me a headband, imprinted with the Backcoutry Outfitter logo.As I was walking out of town a gent asked if I were staying there and I replied that since I hadn't won the lotto I was hiking on. This was a friendly exchange; rooms start at $155.Back to the trail and the bite valve to my hydration system come off, I had to search for some 10 min. in stinging nettle. Had I not found it, I would have had to overnight there and walk back to the outfitter to find a replacement.Later I realized that I'd left my umbrella at the laundramat, third time this trip, and no, I wasn¢t going back for it.Hiked on a ways and tented in the middle of nowhere. 15 mi.
Date: 2007-07-14
From: outside of Kent, CT

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Hiked down to the Housatonic River Walk, one of my favorite parts of the trail. Gorgeous day and various runners and recreators out. At Stewart Hollow Brook Lean-to met "Segue" from ME, he's been in AL for 20 yrs. and is now hiking back to ME to stay, his name, then is about transitioning back there. Segue had his nephew "Gymn" (named for a character in a story he wrote) in tow for a few days. Gymn was only so pleased; likely he cheered up later as he was getting off the trl. that AM.I lost the trail when it turned off the river and followed a sleepy country road past million-dollar homes until I reached Hwy. 4, which led back to the trail. Had lunch at a gas station and found the Mohawk Trail, which led back to the AT. Alas, it went higher than the AT before re-joining it, but I guess that was my penance for missing some of the AT.(I don't recall where I stayed that night, nor the mileage).
Date: 2007-07-15
To: Salisbury, CT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Late AM I was in another hi-toned town, Salisbury, CT. Deli lunch, then went to one of the 2 homes in town which offer rooms to hikers. I made a deal for hald price of overnighting, so I could shower, laundry, recharge my cell phone and camera and use their phone.After that I did some food shopping and was about to leave when the skies darkened. The B&B owner's son said there was a band of rain showers coming through, so I paid the remainder of the fee and stayed the night. In true B&B tradition, I had no TV, the Sunday "NY Times" was my entertainment. This was my first bed in a month.
Date: 2007-07-16
From: Salisbury, CT

To: past Great Barrington, MA among the slugs
Miles today: 22.1
Weather: clear sky

Underway as the church's bells struck 5, incredibly they pealed on the hour all night. Loud mess of blackbirds, crowing as I left town. The day was as gorgeous as they come and afforded great views of the green countryside, especially as we were on rock ledges quite a bit.As the trail left CT, we went by the state high-point, a well-stacked bunch of boulders, making a cabin-sized cube. Then we were in Sages Ravine, a real nice run of clear water with several inviting pools. Then my eleventh AT state, MA.One northbound dayhiker who's doing the AT in sections. Three southbound short-term hikers. A group of retired-looking folks, out for the day. A nice MA Park Ranger; I'm pretty sure she's the first Ranger I've seen on the AT. There are bear warnings out and I asked her about them; yes, the nearby residents even have them breaking in.All day my quest was to get 22 mi. in way earlier than normal so I could get to a farm store on U.S.7, outside of Great Barrington, MA. Alas, it was just after 7, and the place was vacant. I got some water at a truck depot next door and hiked over to the AT, where I went in just a ways and tented right off the trail. I had to clear away a dozen or so slugs, they're disgusting and love getting on the tent. I have no doubt that some will attach themselves tonight - yech! 22.1 mi.
Date: 2007-07-17
From: past Great Barrington, MA among the slugs

To: past Wilcox North Lean-to
Miles today: 13.4

Rain sprinkles woke me on time to get going at 5. Some 15 slugs were on my tent, to my disgust. Walked along the Housatonic river again and eventually came to the Tom Leonard Lean-to. There four thru-hkers were leisurely getting ready for the day's hike, one got going at 9:45, the others a bit later (I'd done 6.4 mi. by this point). One of 'em was a gal; I've seen few of the thru-hiking variety lately, I think only Boo Who in CT and Sprit and Catchup in NJ. This gal was nice in that she gave me some water so I wouldn't have to go down to the water source (a sign points to a spring .2-mi. away, but everyone uses a nearby creek).Poor math had me thinking I'd reach Dalton in just 2 days, but I later realized it would take a day-and-a-half longer, so food being short, I decided to hitch into Great Barrington, MA. A secondary reason: one of the metal tips to a trekking pole has gone missing and the hard nylon point that's left glances off the many rocks, so I'll look for a new tip, or rubber tips at the outfitter.In just 10 min. had a nice, breezy ride in the back of a pick-up truck, strangely, the first time this trip in a truck bed. The town's spread out so I had a mile or so to McDonald's, Grocery store and Radio Shack (serendipitously found a small radio there). Then a mile walk to Main St. Left my camera's merory card at a photo shop for down-loading onto a CD; got to charge my phone and camera there as well. Then library for some internet. The outfitter couldn't help me with pole tips. Then walked a mile back to where I could hitch back to the trail. At a busy intersection someone yelled "Rodney! (my gtrl. anme)", it was the Castenet and gang, in a car. Got some B&J ice cream, packed it and got a ride back in just a couple of minutes. This episode took some 5.5 hrs., what with inquiries, photos, internet, etc. Back at the trail at 4:30, a Scout group, hiking MA southbound was at the trail-head. Hiking on, I came to a nice pond and waited while a camp group of 15 or so beautiful girls hiked by. They had a female counselor and a guy, who was leading.Hiked to The Ledges where I had my ice cream. A northbound hiker came by. Towards day's end I unintentionally walked the .3-mi. side-trail to the Mt. Wilcox North Lean-to. The lone occupant explained my error. I went back to the main trail and quit when I reached it at about 8:15. This was a little early, but 'skeeters have been bad and the trail was descending deeper into their neighborhood. BTW, I sure enjoyed my National Public Radio. 13.4 mi.
Date: 2007-07-18
From: past Wilcox North Lean-to

To: past Wilcox North Lean-to--zero day
Miles today: 0.0

Rain kept me in the tent. I slept 'til mid-morning, placing mqy collapsible plate/bowl outside to catch water; water collected to 1.5-inch depth. Eventually the gent who'd been at the shelter the night prior hiked by and I congratulated him for being a hiker (as opposed to a slacker such as myself). 1 slug and several 'skeeters on my no-see-um netting. Wasted the whole day in the tent. Late PM here came a couple new to me, "Sniper", a gal from Nashville, who has a boyfriend, and her hiking companion, "Trailblaze", a young guy from NH. They were going to the shelter .3-mi. away, the one I had erroneously hiked to last night, and invited me to come down. I was there for a couple hours as the rain ebbed and flowed. We had an enjoyable trail talk/visit. 0 mi.
Date: 2007-07-19
From: past Wilcox North Lean-to--zero day

To: October Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 22.0

Underway at 5:20. The day stayed dry 'til late AM, then mostly wet. Plenty of moss-covered rocks and wet roots, not to mention a bunch of fords which required occasional trepidacious rock-hopping. At one road crossing I was waiting for a car to pass and got a friendly wave from the driver. I forgot to mention, while hiking by the last farmer's field in NY, the farmer gave me a real big wave from his tractor. One short-time hiker with dog passed me twice, the dog barking each time, happily they were getting off the trail.Early afternoon we crossed over the MA Turnpike and I ate lunch under the bridge, not more than 20 ft. from hwy. traffic, but out of the rain.The skies cleared a bit, but we were in tall trees all day, no views and no chance to dry things out. Some nice walks around lakes and bogs, however.Toward 7 PM at October Mtn. Shelter, two other thru-hikers and a short-term hiker there. One other person was tenting and I set up my fairly-wet tent, too. Here came Sniper and Trailblaze, who'd hitched into Lee, MA for food and did way more than the 17-mi. that they'd planned. One gent had a small, anti-'skeeter fire going and TrailBlaze took it over. He has a unique technique of blowing on the fire, learned on the trail: you put put two fingers from each hand together and make a small, diamond-shpaed opening with four finger tips, through which you blow; it works great."Quattro", so-named because he was part of a 4-person group, said that Deet doesn't seem to work; it only gives the 'skeeters a high. 22 mi.
Date: 2007-07-20
From: October Mtn. Shelter

To: past Dalton
Miles today: 14.0

Slept in a bit to let the wind dry off the trees, otherwise it would have equated to being another rain, hence underway at 6:50. The day looked like it could go either way, back to rain or to the good, but by mid-morning it was brisk and clear. Soon at a road-crossing where an incredibly nice couple live. They have high bush blue-berries, a crop which they open to the public as pick-your-own. For hikers, they offer for free: tenting, water, and the lady has become known as the Cookie Lady for providing cookies over the yrs. The lady gave me some cookies and went to her garden while her husband came out and chatted. He pilots his own airplane and has a grass strip on the property. Very nice folks.Soon continuing my hike on a day which grew nicer. Moose pellets! Some nice ponds, minus the moose.Towards 1:30 into the nice little town of Dalton. The trl. goes by a trail angel's house, that of Tom Levardi (I¢d been there before, when he let you sleep on his porch). Tom was there, as well as two hikers I met: Mike and "Michigan", who's in finance and is from a few mi. out of Detroit. Tom has retired and is now offering a full hostel, for free. I went to the laundromat where I did two loads (very small, but had to clean each change of clothes). I also dried out the tent and some other things and took a bath in the sink (with permission, as opposed to stealthily in CT). Later Tom brought the other hikers to the laundramat. Turns out that there's another free hostel in town, as well. I had a sub-sandwich lunch, did some shopping in the small general store, and left in the late afternoon.On the way out of town I bought a pint of ice cream for later and a beer to have at the trailhead at the far side of town. Then hiked a couple of miles and slept on some fairly flat ground. Interestingly, the sky had looked ominous but Tom assured me it wouldn't rain, and it didn't. 14 mi.
Date: 2007-07-21
To: past Thunderbolt shelter
Miles today: 15.6

Underway at 5:20, slightly delayed by having to remove a doz. or so unsightly slugs from mostly under my tent.Soon at The Cobbles, a marble outcropping which overlooks the very nice trl. town of Cheshire. Then down to the town for mail, lunch, etc. Joan had sent me a new pair of shoes and I unceremoniously got rid of my tired Innovate shoes I'd worn too long (1,300 mi.; they are a good, light shoe). I was typing this on a park bench when 2 older gals told me the Catholic Church Hostel was open, so I went there for some quiet. Shaved, washed my rain jacket and sleeping pad. Met Nancy from the Pacific Northwest, who'd started the trail at Harper¢s Ferry but had decided to get off.Lunch from a small stand by the bike trail, then banana and ice cream to go from the convenience store and more hiking. Strangely, in New England the trail has a lot of bogs and wet spots up high. Often there are puncheons to walk on and often not. It makes for slow going sometimes. At the Mark Noepel Lean-to for water. Met the ridge runner, a retired gent who was apparently having a ball - a lot of laughs. Then hiked on towards sunset, my goal to get to MA high-point, Mt. Greylock, then see how the hike developed. It was a slow climb, but nice views atop. The lodge has been closed, as is the mountain road to the top, and you can't climb the inside of the tower. I hiked on; T.B. unsure of what he'd do. On the north side of the mountain top is a warming hut/emergency shelter, known as Thunderbolt. It's a stone bldg., but has windows all around and a fireplace in the center. There was Quattro, sitting inside. I went in and there was Mike as well. It was such a beautiful structure, made by the CCC that I joined the guys. Before long T.B. was in, and we all each had a sort of bunk/table. I was happily journalling when a ranger drove up and politely invited us to leave. This meant that in MA I've seen the only 2 authority figures on the AT, ever. We packed up and headed north, and happily found so-so tenting space just .2-mi. downhill to set up our hobo camp.Later T.B. and went back to the summit and we¢re the highest folks in the state, watching the sunset from one side, then the lights of Adams, MA. T.B. had some hootch he shared with me, firworks were going off in town. 15.6 mi.
Date: 2007-07-22
From: past Thunderbolt shelter

To: before Congdon Camp
Miles today: 19.9

Slept in a bit due to the late night prior (not the hootch) and underway at 6. Basically a half-AM going downhill to a road crossing. Soon the trio of Castanet, Wing-Heart and Boo Boo came by, slack-packing southbound.Down at the road, through some nice neighborhoods and across the valley floor before stating anew up the other side. Occasional "cobble" of rocks with views. At 1 PM was at the MA-VT State Line, also the southern terminus of the Long Trail. Took a lunch break there, soon joined by a couple of young southbound section hikers, then by a trio which was doing the Long Trail.Walked by a beaver pond of the huge variety. Their lodge was in the middle of a 3-acre pond, and they'd built up the walls around it, some 3 ft. high, with a perimeter of hundreds of feet.Uneventful PM, 'though the going seemed slow; I worried about making my day's destination, the shelter at Congdon Camp. Sure enough, I wasn't there by 8:30. I spotted some nice ground and tented. 19.9 mi.
Date: 2007-07-23
From: before Congdon Camp

To: Kid Gore Shelter
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: light rain

Day 100 on the trail, and underway at 5:30, after removing some dozen slugs from the tent. In just .3-mi. was at the shelter, stopped to sign the register and hiked on. Soon was joined by "Fire Marshall" who grew up in FL and lives in Raleigh now. He is doing the north 1/2 of the trail and got off this AM at Hwy 9, bound for Bennington. Interestingly, at the road crossing there was a Forestry sign-board and someone was offering a free place to stay, again this was tempting.Up from the highway and a break for journalling at Melville Nauheim Shelter. Two guys who are doing half of the trail were just leaving (at 10:15!). Then two day-hiking couples came in and I had to give them the total AT briefing. The day is blustery with o'cast skies. We might have an AM shower, the radio warns. I decide to take a nap...we'll see how this affects my day/mileage. PM got wet, fog and light rain, with plenty of wind to blow all that moisture about. Long, gradual climb up Glastonbury Mtn., which affords great views from its fire tower, but not today. There's a nice shelter there, this time w/several guys staying the night. I had a snack break there and headed my final 4.3 mi. to Kid Gore Shelter. One fun thing; moose traks on the trail for at least a quarter-mile.Toward 7 at the shelter, which has a few occupants and wet clouds being blown inside, not really inviting. I trudged another few paces where there's an abandoned shelter which is not usable. I went behind it to some tent spaces, next to the 2 guys w/dog, they each have a tent, they're from IN. Nothing to do but set up the dry tent, which soon will be wet. A weather report indicated 50% chance of heavy rain tomorrow. All this and my radio batteries are dead, so I'm carrying the dead weight, some 3 oz. of the radio for naught. BTW, as today was my 100th day on the trl., I checked out my total mileage and it's 1610.5, which equates to 16.1 MPD (had hoped to raise it a bit, but...). 19.4 mi.
Date: 2007-07-24
From: Kid Gore Shelter

To: Prospect Rock
Miles today: 20.0

Underway at 5:25, on a slightly-dark day. It would get lighter for a while, and some sun at 10 AM. After a while heard my first call of a loon, it had taken wing, I think from a small pond. Loons have two main type of cries: a maniacal laugh, and a plaintive keening.More moose tracks. Met two southbounders, but we all were "under pack" and with threatening weather, everyone wanted to make miles while they could, rather than chat. AM break at Story Spring Shelter, golden squirrel, obviously well-accustomed to shelter traffic, my boon companion. As I left I took the Jon Phipps option of leaving something behind, in this case, my pack cover (meaning, I forgot it).A bit further at Black Brook Bridge, with the sun a bit more out I took a lunch break, so's to dry the tent out. While there I think I was witnessing the prelude to a ribbon snake mating scene; didn¢t have the time to watch it, but got a photo of the two lovers. BTW, slugs still like my tent, usually I get most of 'em off in the AM, then while air-drying said tent at lunch, I find a couple more. This afternoon I found a nice hiking hat, so brought it with me, later, I found a slug on it!Mid-afternoon passed by Rio, a young guy from Richmond. He apparently got stopped for the AT Question Drill a couple times, as I met the day-hiking couples who told me of him. The trail took us over a near-4,000-footer, Stratton Mtn., which was fog-shrouded. At the top I went by the caretaker's cabin and he said "Hi", then came out while putting on his official hat. I didn't want to be importuned by the gent and was spared when a day-hiking couple came by. Normally one would linger atop such a mountain, especially since there's a tower here, but with clouds all about, and a bit of a wind, I soon went down the other side.At a road crossing there was trail magic in the form of a large cooler w/Old Brown Dog Ale (from NH) and sodas. The beer was great.I took a PM snack break at the beautiful, large Stratton Pond, hearing another loon, while chatting with a southbounder. He told me another moose had gotten into the infamous Mahoosic Notch in ME and died. While the bull was still alive the caretaker from nearby Speck Pond called Forestry to see if they could put the trapped animal out of his misery. They replied that it was too far so he called a friend with a pistol but the beast died before the friend arrived.Made a final push as the skies totally cleared and it was a beautiful late afternoon/early evening hike. The hikers behind me would be having great views from the Stratton tower. I got to my destination, Prospect Rock, which is along a dirt road. It must be a bit of a local destination as there's a garbage can here. Beautiful sunset as I journal and set up camp, what a difference a day makes, compared to yesterday's misery, and tomorrow, the town of Manchester Center! 20 mi.
Date: 2007-07-25
From: Prospect Rock

To: Manchester Center
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: clear sky

Underway at 5:45. A nice day and uneventful 5-mi. hike to the highway for a hitch to town. Got lucky at the trailhead as a lady was pulling out; she'd worked late the night before in another town and had gotten some sleep in the parking lot.Donut breakfast, post office, then up to the Sutton Place. Alas, Mr. Sutton wouldn't let me pay for a shower and leave, as was my want, so I opted to stay the night. I have a room for three and hopefully two others will join me to share the cost. Good news: two more guys came in and shared the room, so it was rasonable, 'though still costly in terms of time.Spent the day walking all over town, going to the two outfitters, where I bought a new spoon (incredibly, yesterday my hi-tech spork broke while I dipped it into a jar of Nutella) and a small clip, with which to attach my hydration hose to my pack. Dollar Store, supermarket, laundramat (dried things on the line, as well as washed my tent).Saw Rio in town; turns out we camped real near each other last night, even heard the same car, but unaware of the other.Met "Caps" (lost his cap the 1st day on the trail; is doing the northern half, and then whatever he can get of the southern part) and his father. The father joined him for a while but had some difficulty. They're from N. VA, where the father has been a city manager.Also there was "Shalom", a northbounder about whom I don't know much else. And "Bicycle Barb", who once biked across the county and is doing the trail solo, with home support from her husband.I went to bed early as I intended to hit the donut shop at 4:30, when it opened. I even gave up the double-wide bed I could have had, because I knew that Shalom would sleep in it a few hours more. Have projected out my trip and, hoping not to jinx it, I'm guessing that with no bad weather or other problems, I could get through around 1 Sep., we'll see. 5 mi.
Date: 2007-07-26
From: Manchester Center

To: along the trail
Miles today: 21.2

Down at the donut shop roughly on time and read the paper while I had two breakfast sandwiches and got two donuts to go. Alas, the hitch wasn't so great, it took an hour.As I got to the trail I walked over to retrieve my trekking poles where I'd stashed them so I wouldn't have to cope with them in town. Got them, and there was Trailblaze, in his hammock; he had my pack cover and had been wondering how he'd get it to me.Pleasant morning's hike. Saw 4 southbounders, a day-hiking couple, and a camp group of of two leaders and eight boys. They were doing 5 or six days each of hiking, biking and paddling.PM break at Peru Peak Shelter, joined by Caps and "Crazy Bear", whom I'd seen in town. We understand there are some Green Mountain or Appalachian Mountain Club caretakers in upcoming shelters with comensurate fee, and we're hoping to avoid that.Went by a mostly dry pond with beaver lodge and dam. Made it past the fee area, which consisted of a couple of shelters and a couple tenting areas. Found a nice piece of high ground, and a good day was had by all. 21.2 mi.