morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-07-12
From: Campsite, Mile 1263.4

To: Delaware Water Gap, Mile 1289.6
Miles today: 26.2

A fairly uneventful day hiking into the Delaware Water Gap. The trail was rocky as usual, but had some milder sections and a very nice section along an old dirt road, so I made good time - left at 5:30 and got here at 5:30. I came across Frankenstein when he was taking a break. He recognized me from back in NC at the shelter where Mokapot had "inspired" me to pick up the pace and make it there. He told me Mokapot was off trail, having injured himself at the Pinnacle. He apoarently decided to do some free climbimg on the cliff about 8:30 one evening and fell off. It was 2:30 am when the rescuers finally got him air lifted out. Concussion, 6 broken ribs, 3 fractured vertebrae, lacerated spleen - lucky he wasn't killed. Was in the hospital for three days, but is now recovering. Lots of Rhodies in full bloom coming down off the ridge. They're white up north rather than the soft purple color down south.I'm staying at the Church of the Mountain Hostel - an old church building that a local church has set up for thru hikers. Lots of folks here, so I'm in my tent out back on the grass lawn. Rod and Reel is here and Frankenstein came in after me. Rod and Reel should be way ahead of me now, but some leg/knee problems slowed him down.I hiked down to the outfitters but they were closed so I continued on to a bakery which also serves meals. The chicken pot pie and ice cream sundae on a big warm brownie were delicious. ! :-)Got a nice shower and rinsed my hiking clothes. Spending some time working on my journal before I go to sleep. I'll continue to work on it some more in the morning before the bakery opens for breakfast at 8:00! Then on to New Jersey!
Date: 2014-07-14
From: Campsite, Mile 1306.2

To: Mashipacong Shelter, Mile 1326.8
Miles today: 20.6

All the vegetation was still wet from last night's rain, so it wasn't long before my feet were soaked from the grass and low bushes. The bushes along parts of the trail hung out into the trail, so my shorts and shirt sleeves were also soaked. Although it was cloudy all day, the humidity was high, so the rest of me was soon soaked with sweat, too. Of course, when the sun's out and the vegetation is dry, I'm soon soaked with sweat anyway! :-) At Culver Gap there's a little deli called Joe's To Go. It's had a reputation for a gruff proprietor but there's a rumor he sold it. Anyway, the guy was nice to me and made two huge turkey subs for me - one for now and one for later! I also had a pint of chocolate milk and a pint of V-8 juice. He's got a nice bench around on the side of the store and signs for hikers to set their packs and their rears there.Sunrise Mountain has a large pavillion on top built with stones. Pretty cool! Just a few yards on my way down I met a famuly of day hikers on their way up. The four kids were from Iowa visiting the adults - aunt and uncle perhaps. None had heard of the AT, so we had fun chatting. Very enthusiastic group! As I hiked on, I discovered there was a parking lot just a short distance beyond, so they weren't "hiking" very far. I could now better understand their amazement that this access trail to the pavilion from the parking lot went all the way to Georgia and Maine. Stone Pavilion on Sunrise Mountain Day Hikers Going to the PavilionLater in the afternoon it started raining, then a storm came through as I came to Mashipacong shelter so I stopped in to get out of the rain. A young couple was there waiting out the rain, so we chatted a while then she took a nap while he worked on his paper journal. I ate my other sub while waiting for the rain to stop! I had cell signal and checked the weather radar - it looked like another line of storms was headed our way, so I decided to call it a day. When the rain stopped I set up my tent and crawled in before the next line of storms came through. My intent was to work on my journal some, but ended up taking a nap. When I awoke from my nap, I went back to sleep for the night!
Date: 2014-07-20
From: Bear Mountain Bridge, Mile 1399.7

To: Campsite, Mile 1412.0
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: broken clouds

We had a great time with family and friends in Albany yesterday. I ate and ate and ate! This morning, Linda drove me back to the trail on her way back to VA, stopoing by Stan's on the way to have our pictures taken. Stan's hoping to do a photo book of thru hikers this year or next.When we got to Stan's, Magic Hat and Medic were there getting their pictures taken. Stan feeds the hikers chili to thank them for helping, but I passed due to the large breakfast I had eaten. We learned that Nora V, Achilles, Muffin Man and True Story ended up spending Friday night at Stan's, entertaining him and his wife with their stories and pictures.Linda dropped me off at the trail a little before one and drove off and I started hiking over the Hudson River. After five miles I came to the Appalachian Market at Rt 9. I got a turkey sub, Dove ice cream bar and grape soda. Yum! I'm eating well! Or at least mass quantities. :-) I ate my late lunch with Chop Sticks at the picnic tables outside the market. He had hiked over bear mountain that morning. We met Toes and ?, a young couple who are the first southbound (Sobo) thru hikers I've met. They started at Katahdin the end of May. Chop Sticks was planning to tent at the Franciscan monastary just a few miles down the trail and was in no hurry, so I hiked on. A few miles later I caught up with Moses and Slater. Our plans were the same - to hike M'til it started getting dark and find a tent site. So we hiked together and are camping together.Although it looks like we're in the woods in the middle of nowhere, we're sitting around a campfire listening to a bluegrass concert going on not very far away through the woods!
Date: 2014-07-21
From: Campsite, Mile 1412.0

To: Telephone Pioneers Shelter, Mile 1441.7
Miles today: 29.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Moses and Slayer were still asleep when I left. Pretty soon I came upon Frankenstein breaking camp. He's from CT and told me his parents are meeting him at mile 1489 and theyre having a big hiker feed there on Friday. I'll probably pass through there on Thursday and will miss it.I took the side traiil to the Fahnestock State Park for brunch - a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Frankenstein came in as I was finishing. You can also take a shower there, so he was headed for one when I pressed on. I'd already had one in the past week! :-)I leapfrogged with Ghost and Weatherman today. Both young guys with beards - like most of the hikers out here! I stopped at the Morgan Lewis shelter for a food break and met four older guys there. Old Man was one of them; I forgot the other names. Weatherman stopped in, too. Had good conversation and pressed on.I had planned to tent somewhere shorter today, but aweatherman caught up and we hiked on together to the Telephone Pioneers shelter, arriving just before dark. Several hikers were there, but only Conner was staying in the shelter so I stayed there, too. He's a young guy recently out of the Marines and is hiking Sobo. Almost a 30 trail mile day, and over that in actual mikes hiked - I must be getting in shape!
Date: 2014-07-22
From: Telephone Pioneers Shelter, Mile 1441.7

To: Kent CT - The Kent School, Mile 1463.2
Miles today: 21.5

Well... that's nine down!Conner and I were up really early this morning - a little after 4! I had not slept well, I always sleep better in my tent. I got packed up, ate breakfast and did some planning, then finally hit the trail at 5:15 with my headlamp on. Less than a mile later I had descended down out of the woods and started crossing a series of farm fields. With the open skies and the predawn sunlight, I could put away my headlamp. AT Railroad StopToday's hiking was rather uneventful except that I felt fatigued most of the day. I reckon it was the long day yesterday and the poor sleep last night. I hiked by myself all day, sloooowly on the uphills! I saw a few other hikers, but none whom I knew from before. I passed into CT, back into NY, and finally back into CT where I videoed my leaving NY for the last time. Nobody with me to help with it for this crossing. Well... That's Nine Down!I kept in touch with Judy at the Kent School. She's a friend of a friend at Williamson, and she had offered to pick me up and let me get a shower and some food at the school when I got here. The Kent School is a private boarding/day high school about a half mile from the trail. I was really tired when Judy and her four year old granddaughter Bailey picked me up about four. Boy, was it good to see them! They first took me to the gym to get a shower. Guess I smelled bad. :-) Then Judy gave me a driving tour of the campus before taking me to the dining hall for some supper. It was open to feed the kids staying here for a variety of summer camps. I met her grandson who is here for a camp where he's building robots. Judy then took me to the IGA for a small resupply. I had originally intended that she would take me back to the trail after that, but I didn't feel like hiking anymore and looking for a tent site. I asked Judy if there was a place in town I could stay. She drove around to check out a couple of folks who rent rooms but no one was home. After asking around some more, she said she would check to see if I could stay in one of the dorms. I could! So I'm now in my own dorm room getting ready for a good night's sleep. Thanks Judy! She was awesome - showing me around, waiting for me a each stop to shower, eat and shop, finding me a nice room to sleep in, and being good company all the while. Thank you!
Date: 2014-07-23
From: Kent CT - The Kent School, Mile 1463.2

To: Sharon Mountain Campsite, Mile 1482.6
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: light rain

I slept great last night! For over nine hours, which is unusual for me. I ate some breskfast in my room, then hiked back to the trail. The first several miles today were tough, rocky ups and downs. Ghost passed me, although we walked together for a short while. I found out he had hiked with Kolton for 5 days back in PA.Then after a particularly steep rocky descent, the trail was nearly level as it followed alongside a river. I stopped in at a shelter along here for lunch and saw Muffin Man who was just finishing. After the river walk, it was back into the hills, although not as tough as this morning. After fording a large stream, I met Wiki, who I had heard about. He was there with Achiles, Muffin Man and True Story.I hiked with Achiles for a while. He's got a very joyful demeanor. He's a young entrepreneur, and we ended up talking about personality types, including Myers Briggs and the designer-developer-manager scale - he's on the designer end.I'd been having a good time with the river walk and chatting with Achiles and hadn't been paying attention to my food intake today. I always have to force myself to eat more than my hunger senses. Near the top of a hill I "hit the wall" and didn't have energy for another step. I sat down and had some bars, drank the rest of my water, and chilled out while waiting for the sugar to get in my bloodstream. A short distance later I stopped by a stream, got more water and ate a little more. I walked to the next shelter a mile or so further. Achiles, Muffin Man, True Story were there along with Blue and Longhorn whom I met for the first time. Longhirn didn't go to UT but is from Texas. I ate some more while I chatted and rested.When I left to hike the 2.4 miles to the Sharon Mountain Campsite, I felt great! I covered the miles quickky and set up my tent and settled in just before a couple of big thunderstorms came through. It was quite a show, with lightening flashes and loud thunder directly overhead!Head Tunes: 3 new ones today, starting early with Pollywolly Doodle All Day - I have no idea! Then the Army Song as I was climbing rhe rocks. When I got to the flat stretch along the river it was Proud Mary (rollin' down the river)!
Date: 2014-07-24
From: Sharon Mountain Campsite, Mile 1482.6

To: Brassie Brook Shelter, Mile 1500.3
Miles today: 17.7

I slept later to ensure my energy was back up and got off about 7:20. It was a very pleasant day and I pretty much hiked by myself all day.I stopped for an early lunch/second breakfast at a nice park along the Housatonic River. Frankenstein will be doing trail magic somewhere around there tomorrow. After hiking a little ways further, I came across Blue, Daytripper and Rocksloth taking a lunch break on the side of the trail with a great view across a field and into the valley below. All three are young men with beards. We joke about how difficult it is to describe one hiker to another $ ince most are young men with beards. I was somewhat distinct as an old man with a grey beard. :-) Blue, Daytripper and Rock SlothI road walked into Salisbury for resupply. I started at the bakery by eating a couple of scones and another treat. I then went to the market which is very nice with a large deli. I got a grinder to eat there and one to go. I bought too much food, but it'll get eaten - I just have to carry it!I sat at a nice table in a park like setting outside the market. Pretty soon Achilles joined me for lunch, and then another hiker whose name I forgot. I ended uo spending over two hours in Salisbury - nice town!I got to Brassie Brook shelter about 5:30 and decided to call it a day. There were two section hikers in the shelter just getting packed up to leave. They had been soaked arriving there the night before and spent the day drying out. Their packs were Huge! I couldn't see the actual packs as they had all sorts of stuff bungie-corded all around it - one had a regular size guitar on top that was barely wider than the other stuff on the pack. One of them said his weighed 100 pounds! Wish I'd taken a picture. They were only going a couple of miles to the next shelter, and seemed cheery.Sobo (southbound from Maine to Georgia) hiker Grizzly Grouse stopped in just before the two guys left. He had started in Georgia in May and even hiked a good bit with Kolton. Then he flipped up to Katahdin to hike with a buddy who wanted to hike for two months but wanted to see the northern part of the trail. His buddy had to get off after a few days due to foot problems! So Grizzly Grouse will continue south and finish somewhere in NC or TN where he got off to hike with his buddy. Grizzly Grouse slept in the shelter and I retired to my tent.
Date: 2014-07-25
From: Brassie Brook Shelter, Mile 1500.3

To: Tom Leonard Shelter, mile 1523.5
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Well... that's 10 down!Grizzly Grouse was up when I was eating breakfast, so I got to chat with him some more before I left at 6:15. Two miles later I crossed into MA according to my guide and GPS, but there are no signs there. Nearly a mile later there are signs indicating the border is there. I took a That's 10 Down video at both places. :-) Interesting Bog BoardsThe first 12 miles were tough! Up and down with lots of rocks! Not the pointy PA/NJ type of rocks, but they were often wet and slippery. The few patches of dirt trail was usually mud. If the rocks weren't wet, the bottoms of my shoes were. I slipped a number of times, but was being cautious and usually easily recovered. Twice I fell when I thought I was on an easy stretch and had let my mind wander - the first I just landed on my bum going down a sloped rock. If I had a video of the second time, it would probably be a contender for Funniest Home Videos. I was on level ground, crossing an area of mostly rocks with puddles of water between the rocks. First my right pole slipped on a rock throwing me a little off balance, ususlly not a big deal. Reaching out with my right foot to regain balance, it also slipped on a wet rock. I then proceded into a series of slippery steps, slowly falling forward until I was laying on my side in a depression in the rock filled with a few inches of water, soaking my right side from shoulder to foot. No injuries and I dried out soon - consider it pure joy!By the last big descent at 12 miles, my knees were pretty tired. Then the trail wound its way across a valley for 5 miles of pleasant, fast hiking. My legs enjoyed being able to stretch out and my knees recovered nicely. Then back into the hills, but the trail was nice and dry with not so many rocks, so I could keep up a good pace. Trail with a Great View! Oh.. I thought the Guide said I was climbing Mt Everest!At a rock outcropping with a nice view I met and chatted with Long Bow, Little Spoon, Squanto and Canon. The first three were slack packing for the day. Canon and I remembered each other from when he hiked with Sarah and me for a while near the James River in VA. He and I then hiked together the rest of the way to the shelter. He then pressed on and I called it a day. Canon, Long Bow, Squanto and Little Spoon enjoying the View Squanto, Little Spoon, Long Bow and CanonAt the shelter was Shellback, a former Navy guy I had met way back in NC. I also met AB there, but he was just leaving. Shellback and I were soon joined by Opus, a retired Army guy who graduated from West Point in 78. We all had a good time chatting during dinner, then we all retired to our tents.
Date: 2014-07-26
From: Tom Leonard Shelter, mile 1523.5

To: Cookie Lady's, Mile 1555.7
Miles today: 32.2

I left early, but before I got from the shelter to the AT, I passed a bunch of young women hiking into the shelter. They must have started really early! I soon passed a road with a sign advertising a hiker feed later that day put on by the small town down the road. Unfortunately, I was miles down the trail by the time it was supposed to start.I didn't start out particularly fast and passed a lot of day hikers going the opposite direction. I also leapfrogged some with thru hikers Fuji, Cozy, Spike and Rare Breed. They were planning to stay at the Upper Goose Pond Cabin, which was also my tentative destination for the day. It's an enclosed shelter on a lake where one can borrow canoes to go out on the lake. There's also a caretaker who provides pancakes for breakfast!I got to the side trail leading a half mile to the cabin by mid afternoon. Since I was feeling good and it seemed so many were planning to stay there, I decided to press on to the Cookie Lady's. Tic had mentioned that was a good place to stay. She and her husband allow hikers to tent on their lawn and she usually gives out cookies to hikers. Something I don't think I've mentioned is all the old stone walls I pass by in the woods. I assume these were built many many years ago when farmers cleared the land and built the walls on the edges of their fields. Now it's all forest. I always wonder what it was like to live here back then.Enroute to the Cookie Lady's I stopped briefly at the October Mountain Shelter, where a met a dad and his 12 year old twin sons. They were out for a short section hike. I had a good time chatting with the boys - good to see them out backpacking. I think the grampa was getting water at the stream nearby. Cool!When I got to the Cookie Lady's, Sobos Hungarian Revolution and [I forgot his name] were already set up and getting ready to turn in. I checked in with the Cookie Lady and set up my tent. She had a hose outside for me to get water and the trash cans were in the garage. There was a picnic table in the yard, but the mosquitoes were so bad I moved from the picnic table to my tent to eat dinner - I don't like to eat in my tent, but the bugs chased me in there! Hungarian Revolution had put his backpack and food in the garage for the night, so I put my food bag in there also. I don't think there was any risk of bears, but I thought it was a small precaution to take. Then I sacked out for the night, after my longest day on the trail and still feeling good. :-)Head Tunes: Early on the song "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" popped into my head. I suspect it came from my hiking days earlier with Nora V when we were talking about Musicals. She had asked me my favorite movie, and when I replied "Mary Poppins" that got us started on talking about musicals. For a 22 year old, she certainly knew a lot of the songs from the old musicals. She does a great faux operatic rendition of "Climb Every Mountain!"
Date: 2014-07-27
From: Cookie Lady's, Mile 1555.7

To: Dalton MA, Mile 1565.2
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up a little after 5:00 and packed up the inside of my tent. Luckily, before taking down my tent, I went to get my food bag out of the garage and found the door locked! Didn't think about that possibility last night!Since the mosquitoes were bad I just hung out in my tent and worked on my journal until the Cookie Lady got up and unlocked the garage. She also brought me a few cookies! I ate breakfast and left about 7:20.It was forecast to have scattered thunderstorms all day and I soon started hearing thunder. I only got some sprinkles from the edge of the first storm but the second one got me just before I got to the Kay Wood Shelter 6.5 miles into my hike. Although I'm fine with walking in the rain, the trail through here gets muddy and very slippery. While I waited for the storm to pass through, I replanned my day.I decided to get a motel room in Dalton and spend the rest of the day planning my next two weeks and catching up on my journal, including getting some pictures posted. I'm way behind in that! There's a nice motel close to the trail that even has a computer I could use to make it easier. When I got to the motel, Salty Hat, his dad No Name, and Flinch and her husband Carl were standing outside the office. No Vacancy! I'd met Flinch and her hiking partner I Believe on the trail before, but didn't get their names. Carl is here supporting them for a few days. They had a room since they got here yesterday, and offered to drive the three if us a couple of miles to Pittsfield to get a room at the Quality Inn, which we accepted. Enroute we saw I Believe on her way back to the motel.Flinch asked me when I started my hike (a common question among thru hikers). When I told her April 17, she was surprised how quickly I had hiked this far. (I didn't tell her I've also taken a total of three weeks off!) She then asked how old I was. Guess I'm doing pretty good for an old guy. :-)I spent the afternoon planning, shopping, doing laundry and eating. I got a few days posted on my journal but didn't get to the pictures. One of these days! But I feel much better about knowing what's ahead and how I want to accomplish it. I'm also clean! :-)PS it didn't rain again until the evening when another good thunderstorm passed over.