morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-06-20
From: Mohican Outdoor Center

To: Green Anderson shelter
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: clear sky

Unadvertised SpecialsOur guide book notes-with a little camera icon--when we can expect a view. However, it can't highlight every view. So when we come to a view we were not expecting, we call that an unadvertised special. There were a lot of specials today. The trail was mostly on a ridge, but it was most more open than we had seen in Pennsylvania, with significantly less dense vegetation. We would come to open, rocky stretches where we could see into the valley below. We were both surprised at how much forest we saw below--forested rolling hills are not what I usually think of when I think about New Jersey. There are also a lot of bears here. We have been told New Jersey has the densest bear population on the trail. So it wasn't a surprise when we saw one crossing the trail this morning. Later in the day, we ran into three section hikers we had met two days ago. They told us they came upon a mother bear on the trail. When she saw them coming, she scampered up a tree right on the trail, where her two cubs were already. She then huffed down at the hikers, as if warning them off. They waited back on the trail for over a half hour to see if she would move. Finally they gave up and did a big bush whack around the tree and the bears. They had just gotten back to the trail when we came along, totally unaware of the bears in the tree above us. We just walked on under them. I guess sometimes it's good not to notice what's around.
Date: 2011-06-21
From: Green Anderson shelter

To: Murray Property Shelter
Miles today: 18.4

SkeetervilleThe mosquitoes really started to get bad yesterday. At one point in the afternoon, when I went to get water from a spring, as soon as I started to use my cup to fill my water bottle, both of my arms were covered with mosquitoes. When we got to the shelter yesterday, we put up our tents and spent most of the evening inside, appreciating the tents' bug netting. We had bought some insect repellant a few weeks ago, after our last really bad bug day. We had been looking for some with DEET, but had to get something else as the store we were in had limited choices. We had never used it, though, as we both have an aversion to repellant-- it's toxic, it smells and it's bad for your gear. We set off early this morning, as we wanted to do 13 miles by lunch time, so we would get to the state park where the guide book promised concessions. Almost immediately, we were both continually slapping at the multiple mosquitoes landing and biting. Suddenly we lost any aversion to repellant. But our non-DEET product was only slightly helpful and we slapped our way to the park. There we encountered two wonderful things. The first was the concession stand, where we got cold drinks and junk food for lunch. The second was a thruhiker we had met who not only had insect repellant to share--he had Ben's Outdoor 98% DEET. Now, in addition to the smell we get when we hike for days at time with no shower or laundry, we have added the odor of DEET and, so, we face the world in full thruhiker glory.
Date: 2011-06-22
From: Murray Property Shelter

To: Vernon NJ
Miles today: 13.6

On the BoardwalkClutch and I had been anticipating this day with much excitement. Her sister and her boyfriend were going to pick us up from the trail and take us to his lake house for some family pampering. We just had 13 miles to hike. Sometime during the hike, I started thinking New Jersey should do a marketing campaign-See the AT the New Jersey Way. During it's brief time in the state, the trail goes through all sorts of terrain. After the open ridge tops and ponds we had already hiked through, today we were in the lowlands. We hiked through fields that reminded us of Virginia. We went around and through a National Wildlife Refuge. And we went over more boardwalks then anywhere else we have seen, including a stretch almost a mile long where we were entertained by all of the redwinged black birds perched on the marsh grasses. Lisa and Tim met us around 1:30. By 4:00, we were at the house, showered and eating grapes, cheese (really good cheese) and the most incredible homemade guacamole--all as a prelude to dinner and ice cream. I don't think we could feel more taken care of or any happier than we do right now.
Date: 2011-06-23
From: Vernon NJ

To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Nero by the LakeWe had such a wonderful, relaxed day today, spending most of it with Lisa and Tim before they dropped us off at the trail shortly after 3 pm for our 5 mile hike to the shelter. We felt especially lucky as there was hard, driving rain for much of the day, while we were inside and staying dry. By the time we left, the rain had stopped, although the mud meant that our socks and legs did not stay clean for long. It is a real treat to see friends and family while doing this hike. We are looking forward to more of this as we continue to head north. We are also very glad to now have our own supply of DEET
Date: 2011-06-24
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: Wildcat Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: light rain

Slipping Into New YorkWe had heard that the first couple of days in New York were extremely challenging, so we decided to make them shorter days. Certainly it was a good decision for today. Soon after starting off, we said good bye to New Jersey and were in New York. It rained heavily last night, as well as the last couple of days. That meant that much of the first part of the trail, while we were still in New Jersey, had turned into a pond. Although we tried our best, it proved impossible to keep our boots dry. When we hit New York, we climbed out of the wet and muddy trail and onto the slippery rocks. For the next four miles, we were going up, across and down rocky ledges--ledges that would have been fun in dry weather but proved impossible to navigate without slipping and falling. Several times, Clutch squatted down and slid down the ledge on her boots. I tried to look for ways down where I could grab onto tree branches or jagged rocks to keep from falling. Despite our care and our very (very) slow pace, we both fell a couple of times (at the shelter tonight, we learned that everyone fell at least once today). Finally we made it off of today's rocks and were back into the mud and the swampy trail--until we came to the road crossing where we could hitch into town. That was the highlight of the day--a late lunch at Murphy's Tavern with chocolate lava cake for dessert. Tomorrow is supposed to be more of the same terrain--and it is raining again. We plan to get up early for what promises to be a long, long day.
Date: 2011-06-25
From: Wildcat Shelter

To: Arden Valley Road/Julia's House
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: light rain

Agony Grind"You've just finished the hardest two miles in New York.". This is what a 2007 thruhiker told us when he saw us sitting by a road crossing, eating our lunch. We were very glad to hear that, as we thought the last two miles were really hard. In fact, just as we came down the steep downhill to the road, we saw a sign and learned that it was called Agony Grind. The day started with us packing up our wet tent and gear. Then we started on the continual series of ascents and descents that made up today's hike. None of them were that long--750 feet was the most elevation change all day. But almost all of them were steep--going up and going down. Fortunately, the sun came out today, so we did not have the slip and fall issue of yesterday. But many of the climbs involved looking for foot and hand holds, as we had to pull ourselves up boulders and ledges. There was, however, only one place where we had to take our packs off in order to be able to get ourselves up a short but rather vertical rock face--a first for this trip. Today was also the first day where we had to take off our boots to ford a stream. All of the rain had raised the water level to a point where the rocks normally used to cross were submerged under rushing water. I double bagged my iPhone in case of a water catastrophe, but made it across without falling. We got picked up and taken home by Julia, someone we met while she was filming thruhikers for a short documentary video. She and her family have been wonderful trail angels, and we and are clothes are now clean and dry. Today was a hard hiking day. Still, there is one reward we can always count on--it is over and we won't have to do it again as the White Blazes we follow only take us in one direction.
Date: 2011-06-26
From: Arden Valley Road/Julia's House

To: Hemlock Springs Campsite
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: broken clouds

Good ClimbingToday was a really good day--for many reasons. I loved the trail today. It was demanding but fun and not overwhelming. We had a number of climbs. Some were relatively gentle and a couple were quite steep. Then there was our biggest climb of the day, up to the top of Bear Mountain. It is part of a state park and is a very popular climb--and almost all of the elevation is gained by going up stone steps built into the trail. It was a fun and different way to climb. Coming down from Bear Mountain took us into another section of the park--on a lake and, on this beautiful Sunday afternoon, absolutely filled with people enjoying the water and enjoying their cook outs. The smell of food grilling was every where. We felt a bit out of place--everyone there were in swim suits and beach clothes, while we are marching through with boots and full back packs. But the AT goes right through the park and so did we. We did stop, of course, at the concession stand for ice cream and cold drinks. Then we continued to follow the white blazes into the park zoo and nature museum. There weren't many animals in the zoo, but there were lots of small placards identifying trees and talking about the ecology of the area. We followed the trail out of the zoo and were immediately on the bridge, crossing the Hudson River. That felt like another important milestone that means we are getting even closer to New England. All in all, a very full and very wonderful day.
Date: 2011-06-27
From: Hemlock Springs Campsite

To: Clarence Fahnestock State Park
Miles today: 15.6

In the CampgroundWe are doing something we have not yet done on this trip--staying at a car camping campground. Since there were over 30 miles between shelters, we had to find something and there were no trail campsites at the mileage we needed. This campground was only a mile from the trail and, although we could have walked, we decided to try hitching and got a ride immediately--one less bonus mile to walk. We are appreciating the advantages of a real campground--hot showers (using a combination of our bandanas as towels with some drip-drying) and our own picnic table--for spreading out our stuff as well as for cooking and eating. There are some disadvantages. Although we don't have to purify the water from the tap, it does not taste as good as spring water, even after we add the purification drops. There is more road and people noise. And we will have to hitch or walk back to the trail. Today was a walk through the rolling hills of New York. We were in the woods all day (except when crossing roads) and, like yesterday, there were lots of ups and downs of various degrees of steepness. Thruhikers talk about losing their climbing legs during the Pennsylvania stretch. I don't think we completely lost them, but we are certainly getting an opportunity to get them back as we go up and down the small but mighty New York mountains--getting us ready for the real mountains yet to come.
Date: 2011-06-28
From: Clarence Fahnestock State Park

To: Morgan Stewart Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: few clouds

What about the Bloom?I recently got an email from a friend, asking whether, after over 1400 miles, the bloom has worn off. I had to think about that question. And, yes, that ecstatic, I can't believe I'm actually doing this bloom has certainly diminished. But when the bloom wears off--or the honeymoon ends-- if we are really lucky, it is replaced by something even stronger. I feel that has happened to me on the trail. Hiking everyday, being outside, experiencing the weather so intimately and constantly--all of those things now make up the fabric of my life in a rich and powerful way. Even the rituals of setting up camp every evening and packing it all up again in the morning keep me connected to the deep realization of how little we actually need to survive, yet how important each item certainly is. I am aware of how far we have come, but also of how much of the journey is still ahead of us. I wait with curiosity and anticipation to see where my mind, body and emotions take me in the coming weeks.
Date: 2011-06-29
From: Morgan Stewart Shelter

To: AT Railroad Station/Mickie's House
Miles today: 10.7

Visitors from HomeI woke up all excited this morning. My best friend from Cambridge was driving down to pick me and Clutch up from the trail and take us to her mother's house (which is not too far from the AT).  Adding to my excitement was the other visitor coming down from home--my dog, Strider, who I had not seen since I left. I can't say a lot about the trail today, as I was moving fast to get to the rendezvous spot. The terrain must have been fairly easy, as I did keep up a good pace. Unfortunately, the landmark Deb was looking for--the Appalachian Trail Railroad Station--is not visible from the road, so she ended up driving past and having to backtrack. Of course it didn't matter--seeing both Deb and Strider was completely wonderful. Once again we are being well taken care of. Deb even brought extra clothes for us to wear while doing our laundry. She brought us an incredible chocolate mousse she had made. It was very tasty with the whipped cream that went with it.  And Strider and I have gotten to play lots of fetch with the frisbee and the ball and to just be happy to see each other again. Tomorrow, after a breakfast of fresh bagels and lox (and more fetch with Strider), we will go back to the trail--with more visitors from home to look forward to in the coming weeks.
Date: 2011-06-30
From: AT Railroad Station/Mickie's House

To: Ten Mile River Shelter
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I Love GLADDeb's mother, Mickie (whose house we stayed at last night),Is a donor to GLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders), the organization I work for. I came downstairs this morning to see her reading Summer Briefs, GLAD's newsletter. When I left for this AT adventure, I told my co-workers that I wanted to separate from work and to have this time on the trail to just be a thruhiker and to learn what that would mean for me. They have been wonderful in respecting that desire. I get occasional hello's from folks there and messages of support, but nothing about work. But I loved reading in Summer Briefs about the great work GLAD is doing--as it has for the last 33 years.  Not that I was surprised--the organization has an incredibly strong and talented staff. The newsletter was just the right amount of GLAD information.  I went back on the trail this afternoon, nourished not just by the wonderful food we ate, but by the contact with my life back home--my friend, my dog and my job. It has only been possible for me to separate as much as I have because of knowing how much I have to return to.
Date: 2011-07-01
From: Ten Mile River Shelter

To: Silver Hill Campsite
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: broken clouds

New Month, New State, New EnglandFour and a half miles into the hike today, we left New York behind and entered Connecticut. Since we couldn't celebrate with a beer, we had to settle for a fist bump. It is a great feeling to be in New England--my region of the country. Besides the psychological boost, it means that we will be getting more visits from family and friends.  It is also a comfort to me to know that, for the rest of this trip, I will always be less than a day's drive from home.  Today's trail was demanding but not debilitating--which is my idea of a good day. There were lots of ups and downs during the first part of the day, with varying degrees of steepness. After lunch, our knees were put to the test as we had to descend a trail that was close to straight down.  However we were rewarded at the bottom by almost five miles of flat trail along the Housatonic River before climbing up to our tent site. In Connecticut, one may only camp at shelters or designated camp sites. This is our first stop at one of the campsites and we are quite impressed. It has a covered picnic table (so important when you have to cook in the rain), benches and a swinging chair. We won't be in Connecticut for long, but I think we will enjoy our first New England state.
Date: 2011-07-02
From: Silver Hill Campsite

To: (Near) Limestone Spring Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: broken clouds

You Can Make It if You Really WantWe wanted to get to Limestone Spring Shelter today. We knew there would be more demanding terrain and that it would be another long day but, given shelter locations and other logistics, getting to Limestone Spring would get us in a good position for the coming days. We did, however, have a back up option that would have been less miles. The day started with a climb and proceeded with a continual series of ups and downs. After three and a half hours, we had barely gone six miles--not a good pace for a planned nearly 19 mile day. But we knew the terrain was going to get easier, so we kept pushing on. There were more ups and downs before lunch, but they were more spread out and we started to pick up the pace on the flats and the descents. When we stopped for lunch at 1:30, we were only 7.5 miles from the shelter. It got much flatter in the afternoon, which included an absolutely delightful section along the Housatonic River. A long climb ended the day and we got to the trail to Limestone Spring Shelter.We weren't happy that the shelter was a half mile from the AT, but that sometimes happens. We had gotten maybe half way there when the trail started to go straight down. There was simply no way we were going down, only to have to start our day with a steep, non-AT climb. So we went back until we were a little closer to the turn off and found a relatively flat place to pitch our tents. Now we are both in our tents, completely cosy and safe from the mosquitoes and gnats. My body is tired and I am looking forward to sleeping, knowing that I will wake to the sounds of birds singing and the gurgle of the nearby brook.
Date: 2011-07-03
From: (Near) Limestone Spring Shelter

To: Race Brook Falls Campsite
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: light rain

So New EnglandA very full day today. We started with a quick, mostly downhill four miles to Salisbury CT for a resupply. We got a ride into town almost immediately. After buying our food at the market, we went into a little cafe, mostly so we could charge up our cell phones. We thought we would just get a small snack, but we both ended up with a second breakfast. It was well over two hours before we were back on the trail. By this time, the rain had started-- gentle but steady. Then we started climbing the mountains--first Lions Head, then Bear Mountain (there are many Bear Mountains on the AT), and then Mt. Race. For the first time in weeks, we were climbing above 2000 feet. More significantly, though, were the trails. It was easy to tell we were in New England. The trails have started getting steeper, and we are scrambling up and easing our way down many more open ledges and large boulders. And then, of course, there are the ubiquitous rocks and roots. It was all very familiar from our many White Mountain hikes, although it was all much less intense than the Whites. Still, this kind of terrain means slower progress, especially in the rain when it is all so slippery. We had hoped to climb one more mountain today, but when we got to a campsite at 5:30, we decided it was a good time to call it a day. In addition to the hiking we did, we left Connecticut behind and are now in Massachusetts. And we passed the 1500 mile mark. So, yes, a very full day.
Date: 2011-07-04
From: Race Brook Falls Campsite

To: Tom Leonard Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: broken clouds

Massachusetts SurprisesAs soon as we started hiking this morning, we climbed up Mt. Everett. Like the other Massachusetts mountains we climbed yesterday, it was a rocky, ledgey scramble to the top. Coming down was surprisingly gentle, although still with some rock outcroppings and great views. We went over one other mountain--Mt. Bushnell--on our way down to lower elevations. After a period of flat terrain that included walking on the side of some corn fields (which mostly made us long for an ear of fresh corn), we climbed two more mountains--June Mountain and East Mountain. Despite living in Massachusetts, neither Clutch nor I have done any hiking in Western Mass outside of climbing Greylock.  Although none of these mountains are very high, we had no idea that they existed--and they are a lot of fun to climb. At the shelter tonight, we got a chance to engage in a newfound pleasure--playing Spades. It's a four person card game we recently learned from Grasshopper, a thruhiker who started the same day we did and whom we have seen a lot off and on on this trip. One of the benefits of playing cards is that we end up staying up longer. Tonight we didn't get into our tents until almost 8:30. It's enough to make me feel like a regular person.
Date: 2011-07-05
From: Tom Leonard Shelter

To: Tyringham B&B
Miles today: 14.1

Hike Your Own Hike??HYOH (hike your own hike) is a mantra on the AT. When in doubt, HYOH. It is an important concept. There are so many different ways to be on the trail. Some people like to go for as many miles a day as they can. Some like to stop in as many towns as possible. Some like to take a lot of zeroes. Some like to drink a lot of beer. Hiking partnerships and groups form and then split up when someone decides he or she needs to hike their own hike-- not the hike the group or hiking partner are doing. Clutch and I have been extraordinarily lucky. For the first three months of our trip, there was very little difference between her hike and mine. Occasionally there were small things about how long to hike and how much to linger, but it was all pretty minor and easily resolved. That has started to change as we have gotten into more challenging terrain. I have found myself energized by the challenges and looking forward to more.  I love spending all day on the trail, experiencing the wonder of the journey and the strength of my body.  I do have a strong goal orientation/achievement drive in my make up. Clutch has been more worn out by the miles and the difficulty and is looking for ways to bring more joy back to her days, primarily by taking more time to enjoy and appreciate the trail through hiking less. We have been making compromises, which usually means hiking less than I want and more than she wants. So neither of us is quite hiking our own hike. Yet maybe there is something more important than HYOH. We are a team, and neither of us would be where we are today without the other. So we are talking--and talking--and talking. And both doing a lot of introspection and soul searching. Once again, I have to ask myself what is most important to me. Why does it sometimes feel so hard to hike a few miles less?  I don't yet totally know the answer to the second question, but I have a pretty good idea about the first. As Clutch and I have said so often, we are having the experience of a lifetime. And what is most important is that together we live in the joy of each day.