morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-02
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Some shelter in the woods
Miles today: 16.0

Boy were we slackers today. Marge drove us to the trail around 8:30am. It was already raining and we were in no mood to hike. We charged up the mountain to the first shelter and took a break. Then we headed up to the summit, where there is a warming hut and ski lift, and took a break. By now we had hiked 4 miles and had been breaking for as long as we had been hiking. After eating lunch, we headed on, continuing to take our sweet time. The hiking was rather nice today. The sun is showing signs of reemerging into our lives, and the northern pine forests are almost enough to make me forget that I'm knee deep in mud. Almost. We did get caught in one brief, but powerful rainstorm. Fortunately, there was a shelter nearby where we could take a break. When we were more or less dry, we plodded on. We had been worried that our late start and lazy ways would allow other hikers to fill up our shelter, but when we got there it was just us. We ate dinner and each read a few pages of our books before going to bed. I am looking forward to getting out of Vermont. I haven't been very impressed with it. The trail I mean, not the people or towns.
Date: 2006-07-03
From: Some shelter in the woods

To: Secret Shelter
Miles today: 21.0

Today we made up for yesterday. We got up early and got going. It was one of the best days we've had in a while. We did 16 miles by 11am. In fact, we hiked so fast that we had to take a 45min break before heading out to the road where we planned to eat lunch. There we dined at the Whistle Stop restaurant. It's a lovely little cafe in what was once a train station. Next door is parked an old caboose where the serve ice cream. We gorged ourselves, then relaxed in the hot sun. As we prepared to leave, we ran into the next door neighbor of the owners of the secret shelter. He gave us directions and told us they would bring us sodas and beer. He also warned us about the climb up from town. We should have listened.The next hill, Beacon Hill, was a evil vertical ascent to a viewless summit with a radio beacon. While we were cursing the trail, we ran into a south bound sectioner. He told us about two trailmagic coolers ahead, which sent me scampering. We got sodas galore. It was sweet.We arrived at the secret shelter before dark. It's on private land, built by former thruhikers. The next official shelter has problems with locals. Problems involving ATVs and semiautomatic weaponry. Yikes. It was a great night, and tomorrow is July 4, so we'll be in town. Maybe we'll find a cookout or party or something.
Date: 2006-07-04
From: Secret Shelter

To: Killington, VT
Miles today: 15.0

Short quick hike into town today- but that's not the real story of the day.We were supposed to go to a party today. Granite, a friend of Jebus and Thumper, was supposed to pick us up and take us to Brattleboro, where she was throwing a huge holiday bash. That was the plan. Evidently, while we were hiking in the woods, the plans changed. When she arrived at the meeting point, 2 hours late, she told us we were going back to Bennington to hang out at Chris and Arla's with a bunch of other thruhikers. I don't blame granite or anyone; there was just a miscommunication. We didn't want to go back to a town we spent 2 days in, to hang out with under-age drinkers, and impose on some local trail angels. We opted to get a hotel in Killington and watch tv all night. It was a great holiday.
Date: 2006-07-05
From: Killington, VT

To: Winturri Shelter
Miles today: 16.5

Jebus and I hiked together today. It was a fun filled day of discussion and debate. They day flew by.At the shelter, an inconsiderate day section hiker had pitched a huge tent inside the shelter. It took up over half the shelter for 2 people. He had the balls to tell us we could put our packs in the shelter if we wanted. If he hadn't had his daughter with him, I would have dragged the whole thing out into the woods. As it was, I pitched my bug net in front of the tent in the most inconvenient spot for them. Then he proceeded to give us advice on the AT, though he clearly knew nothing about it. Nothing at all.There was a southbounder there, who seemed pretty cool and had some reliable advice about the rest of the trail. We're going to start passing a lot of southbounders soon. It's kind of cool that they have hiked what we are looking forward to, and we have hiked so much more than them.
Date: 2006-07-06
From: Winturri Shelter

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 26.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Another early start. I really love hiking with this crew. They all get up when I wake them. We had a big day today, but no one really cared. We were heading toward our second to last state. The adrenaline is really starting to kick in. Which is good, because I'm REALLY tired of hiking. There were several options for restaurant stops today. The first was at just over 4 miles. We walked up the road to the fresh fruit and ice cream stand, but it wasn't open yet. We figured we'd just push on to the next one. Little did we know that we would become stuck in some sort of time vortex. The next 7 miles took us 3 hours. We are finally starting to encounter some real climbs again and I guess they are slowing us down more than we think. Still, it took an exhorbitantly long time to get to the Cloudland Farm.Once there, we enjoyed all-natural locally made ice cream and root beer. It hit the spot. At this point, we started thinking that we might be able to push it all the way into NH today. We left the decision for later, but the idea of being in another state and in town was pretty tempting.The next 6-7 miles was much easier than the last, thankfully. We had some hills and poorly maintained fields, but overall it wasn't bad. At one point, Yeti jumped down out of a tree screeching bird noises to scare me and Thumper. I had seen his pack at the base of the tree, so it didn't really startle me, though. The three of us then pushed on to the bridge crossing in West Hartford. There was a little bit of road walking and a local man yelled to us from his porch. He offered water, which turned into an invitation to relax on his porch eating bananas and dates with peanut butter. We had plenty of time left to get to Hanover, so we decided to go for it. There was one climb and a lot of road walking. I celebrated the crossing into NH in the middle of the Connecticut River bridge. Locals driving by kept giving me thumbs up signs. Yeti and I were the first into town. We checked in at then Dartmouth Outing Club to look for possible places to stay, with no luck. Then we went over to Everything But Anchovies pizza parlor to wait on the others. When everyone arrived, we pigged out on the pizza, salad, and fajita bar. By the end of the meal, it was getting dark and we had to make the decision where to stay. We ended up camping on the college soccer field. We had heard that was allowed and figured we'd be up before anyone noticed. Tomorrow we'll find a hotel.
Date: 2006-07-07
From: Hanover, NH

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I wish I could sleep in on town days like the others. Alas, I was up at 4:30am. I packed up and walked around down for hours. When the PO opened, I got my umpteen packages. I had missed several mail drops and had to forward them to Hanover, so I had at least 8 packages. I found the others at Duncan Donuts around 8am. We found out where the cheap hotels were, and everyone but me took the bus over to that town. I had to hitch because of Freckles. I arrived at the Super 8 first and got the room. The others got there a bit later. We were planning on going to see Pirates of the Carribean II, but the hotel was adamant that I never leave the dog alone in the room, and I had the feeling that they might run some sort of sting operation to catch me. Therefore, Jebus and I hung out watching tv for hours and ordering pizza while the rest took the bus to an outfitter.Sometimes doing nothing is the perfect activity.
Date: 2006-07-08
From: Hanover, NH

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: few clouds

It urns out that in Hanover the buses and shuttles don't run on the weekends. We were essentially stranded 6 miles from the trail. Fortunately, we managed to get a hitch pretty quickly. Those of us who still needed to resupply did it at the CO-OP right on the trail. It was a great store with 3 aisles of bulk food dispensers for trail mix and GORP. By the time we actually hit the trail, it was afternoon. We had been planning on doing 24 today, but I had a bit of a headache and there were several tough climbs.   By the time we got to the Trapper John shelter, all of us but Thumper had had quite enough. He hiked on to the fire tower on the next mountain while the rest of us bailed out. I figured I'd rather do the miles in the morning anyway, and we'd probably catch him tomorrow night regardless. I don't want to push myself unnecessarily just before the Whites.
Date: 2006-07-09
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 27.0

We definitely made the right choice last night. I would not have enjoyed the fire tower climb the way I was feeling. It was tough enough as it was. Jebus and I stuck together again all day, discussing everything we could think of. The climbs were enjoyable today with a lot of rewarding views. Even though we took a lot of breaks, we still made it to the Hikers Hostel at Glencliff at a reasonable hour. The rest of our crew had been there for hours and were in town resupplying. I'll have to go in the morning.The hostel has one of those honor system concession deals. I have already "spent" 6 bucks on $0.75 cans of soda. I will undoubtedly go into debt over Coca-cola consumption one day. But tomorrow, I hike into the White Mountains so who gives a flying flip.
Date: 2006-07-22
From: East Andover, ME

To: Somewhere north of here
Miles today: 17.0

(Eventually I will fill in the gap for the previous week and a half. For now, I will summarize.)Well here I sit in Andover, ME. I can no longer tell people that I am hiking to Maine. I'm here. Now I have to say I'm headed to Katahdin. I should be there in two weeks. It will take every bit of discipline I have to keep to that schedule, but I will do it. I am ready to finish with this stage in my life and move on to something else.We had a great time through the White Mountains. The stretches above treeline were just spectacular and we were fortunate enough to have beautiful weather. Freckles had a rough day over the Presidentials, and required some recuperation. He is feeling much better and since we have made it through Mahoosuc Notch, it should be relatively smooth sailing for him. Again, I will fill in details later, but suffice it to say that I have accomplished everything I set out to accomplish, found everything I was looking for, save for one final peak. That summit lies but a fortnight away, and soon enough, it shall be mine.
Date: 2006-09-16
From: Portland, ME

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.2

I have neither explanation nor excuse for going AWOL for so long. Obviously, I completed my hike. On the morning of August 4, five months to the day from Springer, I summited storied Katahdin with Sunshine, Thumper, Jebus,and Yeti. It was everything I had hoped it would be. The weather was wonderfyl and we had the whole mountain to ourselves. I guess part of me felt that as long as I never wrote this final entry, then I could still pretend I was hiking. I miss it every day. But like all things, it had to end. I am currently living in Portland, ME and looking to atend grad school in the fall. My beloved girlfriend Sarah has joined me and we are very happy. Sunshine has also settled here in Portland, so we see each other weekly. Thanks for every second on the trail. I will remember all of you always.
Date: 2006-03-03
To: The decision has been made...
Miles today: 0.0

I am hiking the trail this year! (I guess it will really be official when I quit my job - giving plenty of notice of course since I'm corporate josh) This is a great year to thru hike since I don't have any serious responsibilities right now(mortgage, kids, etc.)I am assembling my gear for the trail and thanks to countless hours spent on whiteblaze.com, backpackinglight.com and trailjournals.com, I have a pretty lightweight kit. I have a $5 kmart scale at home so I can't get precise numbers right now but I'm hoping to begin with a total pack weight of under 25 lbs. Spending a week on the trail last year was the best way to learn to keep it light. I had some pretty large pressure blisters after three days due to a heavy pack (I carried all seven days of food with me) and too many miles.
Date: 2006-03-09
To: A little background
Miles today: 0.0

I wanted to provide some background on the Appalachian Trail and thru-hiking for those who are interested. The AT is a 2,175 mile long National Scenic Trail connecting Mt. Springer in Georgia with Mt. Katahdin in Maine. It was envisioned in the 1920's by Benton MacKaye as a means to promote outdoor recreation and wilderness protection. The trail was completed in 1937 but thru-hiking the trail did not begin to be very common until 1970 and later. Over 8,000 people have hiked the entire trail.The AT crosses 14 states and is marked with white blazes painted on trees and rocks. Volunteers maintain the entire length of the trail and the local trail clubs are always looking for people to help out. In the Washington, D.C. area, the local group is the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. (www.patc.net)Volunteers also maintain over 250 shelters along the Trail that are available to all hikers. These are typically three-sided wooden structures.The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a great resource for information on the trail and thru-hiking statistics. Their website is www.appalachiantrail.org. For more information on the AT, I also recommend www.whiteblaze.net.My plan is to hike the trail in about four months. Most people take around 4-6 months to finish a thru-hike, so I am trying to finish on the faster side. My late April starting date will also push me to hike a little faster. Katahdin closes due to the weather on October 15th or earlier each year, so most northbound thru-hiker's try to finish before mid-October. Some people avoid this problem by doing what is known as a flip flop hike - hiking north to Harpers Ferry, WV (or to another good midpoint), getting off the trail to drive or fly to Maine, and then hiking from Katahdin south to where they left off.The trail passes near or through numerous towns along the way, where hikers can resupply, shower and stay in a hostel or hotel. I plan to stay in a hostel or hotel about once a week or so. I also plan to resupply every three or four days, so I won't have to lug around 20 lbs of food.
Date: 2006-03-22
To: More preparations
Miles today: 0.0

I have been neglecting my journal as I try to get everything set for my hike. I just moved the bulk of my possessions to my parent's house. I am now trying to organize my life and finances so I can handle everything from the trail. And I set up a myspace account so I have been wasting some time with that. My colleagues at work have been very supportive and even if they think I'm crazy for leaving my job to thru-hike, no one has said actually said it. I'm excited to get out of my usual workday routine and get on the trail.My start date is now April 22 or 23, and I'm very grateful to my relatives who will be shuttling me to Springer.
Date: 2006-03-23
To: 2006 Spring Camporee postponed indefinitely
Miles today: 0.0

I'm sad to announce that due to my thru-hike, there will not be a Spring Camporee held this spring. Last year Lisa and I offered to take a group of our friends backpacking for the first time. The weather didn't work out on the initial weekend, and as we didn't want to take newbie campers on a slog through the rain, we postponed the trip. Most of our friends couldn't make it the next weekend, so we ended up with a group comprised of my family members who couldn't bail on me. Despite forgetting one of the tents, we had a good time, especially June the dog.My attempts to encourage my friends to get involved in outdoor activities have not always been complete successes. Check out Lisa's story of the first time I took her backpacking: http://www.thebackpacker.com/articles/reflect/art133.php Please keep in mind that prior to the trip it had been a few years since I backpacked, so my skills were a little rusty.
Date: 2006-04-06
To: Explaining a thru-hike is not always easy...
Miles today: 0.0

I have explained my thru-hike so many times to various people with different degrees of understanding about the trail and backpacking in general. I think it is a good sign that I am not tired of talking about it, even though everyone tends to have the same questions. I have had one person offer to buy me the Deliverance DVD ("if you hear any strange banjo music: run!"...I probably won't since I like bluegrass). Others have warned me that people just disappear from the trail. I don't know where some people get their information but it is all very amusing.
Date: 2006-04-22
From: Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Springer Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: light rain

It is a great feeling to realize that I will be hiking for the next four or five months through beautiful scenery in the Appalachian Mountains. First I want to thank Lisa for driving her homeless and car-less boyfriend to Blacksburg, Va.; my Aunt Roberta for shuttling me from Blacksburg to Morristown, Tenn.; and my Aunt Debbie and her friend Lyle for driving me through the rain from Morristown to Amicalola Falls State Park. Debbie and Lyle dropped me off around 1:15pm at the visitor center where my pack weighed in at 30lbs. We had lunch at the lodge just a bit up the mountain from the visitor center. The weather cleared up just as I hit the trail and the sun came out for the first time all day just as I started up the Approach Trail. A very steep way to begin -- the hike up to the top of the falls was very challenging. The rest of the day was difficult but not as bad as the first mile and I reached Springer around 4 or 5 pm. I met two southbounders finishing up their thru-hike at the summit. Bemis and Southpaw started last summer and hiked through the winter to get to Springer. They said they were "non-traditional hikers." Very funny guys and it was cool to meet people who were a the end of their journey just as I am beginning mine.The Ridgerunner/Caretaker at Springer is Roger, who southbounded a few years ago. At the shelter I met some section hikers and Boowah, a thru-hiker from Louisiana. The shelter was packed so I tented it on top of Springer.
Date: 2006-04-23
From: Springer Mountain Shelter

To: Justus Creek Campsite
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: broken clouds

Another beautiful day for hiking. Caught up with Boowah on the trail and we hiked through a very pretty section with rhododendron stands and pine trees shading the trail. The pine needles were a great cushion for the feet as I hiked along. Passed a couple of Boy Scout troops out for the weekend a couple of miles north of Springer. Stopped for a long break at Long Creek Falls to enjoy the scenery with Boowah. Met Travis and Doug, two section hikers going from Amicalola to the Ga./N.C. state line. They planned to make it to the Gooch Mountain Shelter by the end of the day but I told them I would probably stop long before that - no need to push it on my second day out. I made it to Hawk Mountain Shelter by 2:30pm. I took a long break and then decide to get a couple more miles in since it was so ealy in the day. A few miles up the trail I regretted the decision as the sun was beating down and there were a couple of tough climbs to contend with. Nearly out of water, I had to push it to all the way to Justus Creek where I camped out with Doug and Travis. They are pushing all these mile with very large packs - going without resupply all the way to the state line. I found a nice place to tent where I fell asleep listening to the sound of trickling water in the creek.
Date: 2006-04-24
From: Justus Creek Campsite

To: Jarrard Gap
Miles today: 11.9

Very hot and rugged terrain today...it was at least 80 degrees and the section of trail had very little shade. I stopped in the check out the Gooch Mountain Shelter and met Ryan, who also had been forced into a big day yesterday due to lack of water sources along that section of trail. He had injured his knee on the long downhill decent to the Justus Creek area and was planning to hitch out at the next road crossing.I made it to Woody Gap around 1pm and talked to Dave, a hiker from the Virginia Beach area, who was just planning to go north as far as he could. A shuttle from the Hiker Hostel arrived just as he was getting ready to call them. They were offering rides out to escape the heat. I heard very good things about the Hiker Hostel from everyone who stayed there and I wish I had taken a ride out. Instead, I opted try to make it to the next water source and eventually made it all the way to Jarrad Gap where I caught up again with Travis and Doug. A great spot to camp with a spring 60 yds away.Tomorrow I plan to beat the heat - get up early to make the climb up Bllod Mtn before it gets too hot.
Date: 2006-04-25
From: Jarrard Gap

To: Baggs Creek Gap
Miles today: 0.0

I left the campsite around 7:30am and made it to the top of Blood Mountain while it was still cool. Amazing views and an amazing stone shelter right at the top of the mountain. The climb up was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. My arms are a little crispy from the past two days of sun but I bought some sunscreen as a resupplied at Mountain Crossings. The Walasi-Yi Center is a beautiful place between the mountains and I enjoyed the view from their patio area as a repacked my food bag and made friends with Patches an dvery furry Autrailian Sheppherd. It was cloudy when I left Neels Gap, but by the time a got a mile down the trail, the sun was beating down again and the stretch of trail offered very little shade. Decide to make camp just after Wolf Laurel Top in the Baggs Creek Gap area. There was aspring nearby and some mice shade trees.Doug and Travis showed up after I had set up camp. We are on the same mileage schedule. My packs feels much heavier after the resupply so I may shoot for another 10 miles day tomorrow. A section hiker named Melissa also joined us at the campsite area. A very quiet afternoon on the trail except for the Doug, Travis and Melissa, I didn't see anyone else.