morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-09-08
From:  Prospect Point 

To: Pochuck Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 16.0

ANOTHER very HOT day in the woods! Starting before daylight helps for a while; the waning moon has been coming up so late with the clear sky that it helps too. Leaving the highest point on the Trail in New York we quickly crossed the line into New Jersey, then 4 miles to the Wawayanda State Park office where I could get water and a little phone charging and then onward towards the "stairway to heaven", kind of a high point where we go down, down, down, over rocks to reach the flatter part on NJ in the hottest part of the day. Rock-Fish was then going into Vernon to the church hostel, while I hung around the road crossing for a while. In one direction, after a walk on a narrow shoulder in heavy traffic, is a hot dog stand. All the man sells is plain, 8-inch hot dogs with a variety of toppings, plain potato chips, & soft drinks. I particularly enjoyed the birch beer ¢ haven't had that for a while. Then I went in the other direction to the fruitstand/garden center. I found they don't make sandwiches anymore, but they still have ice cream and fruit. The plum was very good, the peach was a little hard, the apples were good ... later ... and I got water and some phone charging again. As I was crossing the first meadow, having waited for the cows to pass, I met an older couple on the railroad tracks who I thought were going in the opposite direction from me. They inquired about a suspension bridge, which I hadn't seen. They're doing a one day-hike on the AT in each state [apparently there is a book that encourages that]. Only later did I figure out that the bridge was ahead of me: part of the mile-long boardwalk thru a wildlife refuge. The marsh was so dry it looked more like prairie, but I did see some turtles in one wet spot. Pochuck Mtn interrupts the flat parts of NJ, & it seemed to go on forever in the late afternoon. Several miles of flat, open land follow; so I stopped earlier than usual at Pochuck Mtn Shelter. There I met a couple of section hikers & Blessed Wolverine, a NOBO around my age, who is quitting Friday. Rock-Fish stayed in Vernon, & another SOBO, Wayfarer, appeared & gave me some advice on cook-less meals. He seems to have a very light pack. I told everyone in the shelter that I'd be getting up early in the morning. I had felt awfully slow most of the day, but I did go 16 miles !Did I mention that poison ivy likes man-made structures ? Boardwalks!NJ has many miles of them, & I began to think it has more poison ivy even than Georgia. Pretty quiet on the Trail today, especially compared with last weekend. The new sound is airplane noise: we're right on the flight-path to Newark airport. So there were planes paralleling the Trail every few minutes. I remember, 10 years ago or so, flying from Newark to Columbus, Ohio. We went up this way, then turned SW along Kittatinny Ridge & the other ridges the Trail follows down to Carlisle, PA. I couldn't see the actual AT, of course, but it was interesting to see from the air various places I had walked by.
Date: 2015-09-09
From: Pochuck Mtn. Shelter

To: On Kittatinny Ridge. 
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

ANOTHER very HOT day in the woods! I thought of getting up at 3:30, but I had trouble with my headlamp. I did get it fixed during the night, but I ended up getting up at 5:00. I thought I was very quiet, but everybody else in the shelter soon got up too.The only water source for that shelter is a house near the bottom. After getting water, I took off across the flat area. Most of it is a wildlife area with some very dry-looking bogs. Easy walking, followed by some road walks, followed by lots of boardwalks thru dry swamps. I went into Unionville to buy some breakfast & a sandwich for later & to get some phone charging. Then I stopped again in a few miles on Jim Murray's property. This is a little cabin just off the Trail, with well, privy, & an outdoor shower. I made use of all 3 but forgot there is also an electrical outlet I could have used. Jim drove up while I was there (to check on his jackasses in an adjacent field); so we had a bit of conversation, & I thanked him for providing this for hikers. A few more miles to Kittatinny Ridge. First I stopped at a rock and ate my sandwich, and it was only at that point that Wayfarer passed me After I got up on the mountain near the High Point Monument I saw him again. He had just detoured up to the monument and then he pushed on ahead. I stopped for a while at the state park office and had some more to eat. They were closed, so I didn't get the free Coke they give out to hikers Being really tired by this point, & seeing that I wasn't going to get as far this trip as I wanted to [only getting all the way to Delaware Water Gap would really help], I just went in a couple of miles and camped a ways off the trail. I was having to adjust my sights not only for my ability but also for Susan's desire to have me meet her in Albany.
Date: 2015-09-11
From: US. 206, Culvers Gap. 

To: Cheshire, Massachusetts
Miles today: 0.0

11 September: Off to Albany. Lots of time riding & not much walking. I was surprised that it really took us 30 minutes to get to the bus stop in Matamoros. I really wanted to get going as early as possible. The bus stopped at several towns along the way, so I learned that it would be possible to go from the High Point/Port Jervis area over to the Harriman/Big Bear area by bus without going through New York City. We went down the NY Thru-Way, which I had crossed on the Arden Road bridge a few days ago. I was surprised that it also said "Appalachian Trail" on it. I saw it again on the way up to Albany, but I couldn't get a picture -- it's so hard to take a picture out the bus window. I wandered around a bit in the Times Square area & in the bus station itself; but mostly I just wanted to get out of there. Several places that looked interesting for food didn't open till 11:00. I was scheduled for the 1 o'clock bus, but if I could get on the 11:30 one, I wanted to. The ticket agent told me just check with the driver; so I wanted to be there right away when the driver arrived. It worked! After an uneventful (half expecting something to happen on "9-11") ride to Albany, I was there early enough to walk around the city a bit without a pack. The art museum had packed away their regular stuff in favor of a visiting exhibit that wasn't very interesting, but near there I found I good Italian restaurant for dinner.Susan's plane didn't arrive till almost 11:00 pm, but she made it to the hotel by 11:30, then had trouble sleeping. 12 September: On to Cheshire.By the time we ate breakfast at the hotel & repacked, it was time to walk down to the bus station to catch the Peter Pan bus to Pittsfield. After an uneventful ride, we had time to walk around the well-kept downtown. There were a lot of interesting buildings & a bakery that specializes in gluten-free items & pastries made of spelt. Taking the local bus to Cheshire, we had time to get sandwiches for supper before it was time for mass at St Mary's. The Catholic liturgy is familiar, yet different enough up keep us on our toes. Father David was very welcoming, as were the parishioners. This way, we could get an early start tomorrow, rather than going to a 10 or 10:30 service at one of the other churches (all along Church Street). We got Father David to unlock a room for us, where I had left some hiking things, & soon were ready for bed. We were aware that there was another couple staying in the hostel because they had left their packs earlier. By this time, it was raining hard, & they came in soaking wet. Bear & Haokah are SOBOs who started in VT a few weeks ago. The rain kept up all night.
Date: 2015-09-13
From: Cheshire

To: Dalton
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: overcast clouds

We got up before 7:00 & were packed & on our way by 8:30. It seemed to be raining, so we put on our ponchos, but it didn't last long except for dripping from the trees. As we started up the first hill, we met a couple of women hiking from Cheshire to Dalton. They got ahead of us; so we assumed they were WAY ahead, but they were just getting into their car as we came into Dalton. Shortly before that, we had met NOBO Tarzan, but no other thru-hikers till we had walked mostly into town. Then Bear & Haokah passed us (They had left Cheshire 212 hours after us). First thing out of Cheshire was a steep climb up some rocks called "the Cobbles." We didn't take the side trail to the very top because there was obviously no view today.We continued to climb, with some slight ups & downs, to the trail to Crystal Mtn Campsite, where we had intended to stay, thinking 412 miles was as much as Susan (now hiking as "Tagalong") could do the first day. By the time we got that far, we concluded that another 4 miles (advertised as downhill, but not totally) were doable ¢ especially if we stayed in the motel in Dalton. I was carrying extra weight, which I hoped to mail out tomorrow, but I was willing to go on. Some restaurants were closed Sundays, but we got some good sandwiches at Angelina's, near the motel. Obviously we are still negotiating how far we can go each day ¢ clearly less than I would do on my own ¢ I hope this hasn't been excessive for her first day. It really is nice to be hiking together!
Date: 2015-09-14
From: Dalton

To: Before Washington Mtn. Road
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

Well, I'm giving up on my shoes. These are the New Balance runners I liked so well on rocks, but which have a nasty habit of coming apart on the sides. The first pair was replaced after 340 miles ¢ some of the most difficult on the AT ¢ but from Saddleback to Crawford Notch [145 miles] I had had to tie the soles on with laces. I've tried to be very considerate of not scraping the sides on rocks with this pair, & the Trail has generally been a bit easier, yet they are beginning to come apart too, after 280 miles. So they are doing slightly better, but I decided to abandon them & had some heavier Merrells sent to me in Dalton. They aren't quite as good on the rocks [which are less of a problem now], but I think they'll last longer.While I was at the Post Office, a light rain began. That & the cooler weather caused us to revise our clothing choices before we even left town. We walked by the unprepossessing company that makes the special paper for currency & then past Tom Levardi's, where nothing much was happening [to be expected this time of year]. By the time we walked the 3 miles up to Kay Wood Shelter, it wasn't getting any warmer. While I fixed a warm meal, Tagalong napped up in the loft [warmer there ¢ nice shelter design!]. While we were eating, NOBO Tootsie came along & talked for a while. The shelter had info about Kay Wood, a woman who contributed a lot of effort to the Trail in Massachusetts & did a thru hike after she was 70 [1988]. We spent the rest of the day hiking along basically the same Mtn., tho there were separate names for slightly higher places like Tully Mtn. & Warner Hill. Early on, we met Beepa from Racine. Warner Hill was the only vista -- we could see back to Greylock ¢ there we met Possum & Ukelady & later a couple of day hikers. There were lots more ups & downs than show on the map. Tagalong is getting more comfortable with the Trail, but still finds the rocks difficult. Altho we were energized by the hot lunch at the shelter, we still couldn't make it far enough to camp at the Cookie Lady's. So we found a place to camp along the Trail. Today is where the change in weather came home to me. It's hard to jump from the really hot weather in NY & NJ the last couple of weeks [seldom zipped up my sleeping bag] to the much cooler nights now. Anyway, we didn't plan well. I have a 40-degree down bag, & Tagalong has a 50-degree synthetic. With a liner & many of my clothes on, mine works on 40-degree nights, but hers does not. I tried to give her some of my stuff & finally broke out the "space blanket" I've carried for years but not used. That seemed to help some. This is likely to be a continuing problem.
Date: 2015-09-15
From: before Washington Mtn. Road

To: US Rte. 20
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Once we got going, we didn't have far to go to the next road. We arrived at Cookie Lady's about 9:00, when they were out. We cooked an early lunch & were almost done when they returned. Got some cookies & also some hard boiled eggs, plus water, of course Getting back on the Trail, we started out on a gravel road. I misremembered what the guidebook said about that, didn't see the blazes pointing to turn off after about 50 feet, & went about a half mile before figuring out this wasn't the AT. One really frustrating aspect of this is that I think I made the same mistake back in 2002 on a section hike! I did cut away some branches that obscured the blazes. We were surprised to still be meeting NOBOs on the Trail today: Tree-Hugger & Homey (both started near end of May!), also section-hiker JJ. The two women we met going from Cheshire to Dalton Sunday were also day-hiking this section today. Hardly any views today except around Finerty Pond, a pretty place, but we were getting concerned about time by then. We did about 1.3 mph the first half of the day; so I figured we would be able to make it to Rte. 20 before dark & stay at the motel where we had a mail drop waiting. I thought that would be a nice reward for Tagalong, but the last few miles turned out to be very difficult for her ¢ relentless uphill followed by somewhat rocky downhill as it got dark. I was helping her down some of the rocks & also offered to carry her pack & let her stop for a rest [She refused & powered on]. I did lend her my pole ¢ 2 poles were considerable help on the descent. I felt bad because I had had us walk more than an hour out of our way this morning [when she was the most energetic]. She recuperated pretty quickly after a hot bath, & of course we had a warm bed. We'll plan some of the next few days differently. I really have trouble adjusting to what she finds difficult: rocks I can just walk up, down, or over can be quite different for someone with less experience & shorter legs!
Date: 2015-09-16
From: US Rte. 20

To: Main Road, Tyringham
Miles today: 8.5

Our friend Brenda from Ohio is vacationing in the Berkshires; so we got together with her briefly this morning, & she agreed to pick us up at Tyringham this afternoon. That would give Tagalong an easier day than yesterday (especially since she didn't carry a pack today -- I got to carry enough for both of us). She says she's still exhausted but seems to have recovered from the stress of yesterday.  The only NOBOs we met today were Old Gene & Smoky Bear. They started in March! We also met a couple of NOBO section hikers plus the same ladies we've met twice in the last few days.Overall, the Trail was easier today, tho the first hill was a bit rocky. We decided to skip Upper Goose Pond Cabin even tho many hikers recommended it. Too far off the Trail, & it probably only makes sense if you have time to loaf around in such a delightful setting. The pond is large & beautiful, & the AT gives many opportunities to see it. On the other hand, we didn't get to see much of Knee Deep Pond, & I couldn't get Tagalong to go in & check its depth. Yesterday, the profiles in the guide book didn't realistically indicate how steep the slopes really were. Today it seemed the opposite. The steep slopes shown for Baldy Mtn just weren't there. And they weren't rocky either. This finally seemed like the type of trail I had promised Tagalong. We got picked up by Brenda, went out to a great dinner, & had a nice place to stay, at a condo where she was staying.
Date: 2015-09-17
From: Main Road, Tyringham

To: Mt. Wilcox North
Miles today: 7.1

We were a little slow getting going, partly because Brenda's place was so far from the Trail & partly because we had other things to do. First we stopped for breakfast at a bakery in Pittsfield which specializes in gluten-free goodies & ones made from spelt & other ancient grains that are naturally low in gluten. Lots of good stuff. Then I had to stop to get a fuel canister & again at a post office to forward a package.The Trail appeared pretty easy to me today, & it seemed to work for Tagalong as well [with her pack again]. After some walking thru marshy areas & pastures, we went up Cobble Hill [Apparently any hill that's a pile of rocks can be called a cobble?], which had a few rocks & also some poison ivy, to a rest spot with a nice view of the town & the valley. Then downhill for a brief stop for water at Shaker Campground before the big climb of the day: Mt. Wilcox. Once again, the slopes didn't turn out as steep as they appeared on the map [In this case, the Mtn. is pretty flat, once you get up on it]. We made it to Mt. Wilcox North Shelter by mid-afternoon, but I couldn't convince Tagalong to go on to the newer shelter 3 miles South. She wanted a fire, & we had time to build & enjoy one. By the time we finished supper, another SOBO hiker arrived, one I hadn't seen since Monson [except for a brief encounter in Hanover], but whom I remembered as also liking to build fires. Biscuit & dog Roo shared the shelter with us. They'll be leaving the trail for a while to take care of some business back home. This turned out to be another cold night, where we swapped sleeping bags & wore all our clothes, & Tagalong still needed some help from the space blanket.
Date: 2015-09-18
From: Mt. Wilcox North Shelter

To: Tom Leonard Shelter
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: clear sky

We left the shelter first & stopped for a break at Mt. Wilcox South Shelter, so Biscuit passed us on the way down to the road to Great Barrington. It's good to see that they advertise that it is the birthplace of W.E.B. DuBois. There is even a historical site, but it's a bit South of town & not very convenient for hikers.Sir Scrabble was the only NOBO we met. After getting across & down from "the Ledges", we stopped to eat & get water at Benedict Pond. The beach is a half mile away, & it wasn't warm enough to be seriously tempted. In the pond area, we met quite a few day hikers ¢ some of them twice. One had 2 dogs who came bouncing over to us as we sat by the pond. She said, "Oh, they just want to get in the water." No thought for the fact that one of them was heading for our lunch or that we might not want the dogs shaking water all over us! Altogether, we went by 4 ponds, but otherwise water was scarce (Tagalong drinks a lot more than I, & I haven't adjusted to that). Benedict Pond had good-tasting water [Some ponds don't!]. Tom Leonard Shelter has water waaaaay down the hill. Most of the afternoon, we were crossing a valley filled with scrubby, very new-growth trees ¢ not the kind of woods I enjoy ¢ which is very conducive to poison ivy [& bugs, in season]. Shortly after Rt. 23, we were passed by The Machine, a SOBO Flip-flopper, whom we saw again at the shelter.The final climb seemed difficult for Tagalong, but we made it well before dark. My problem with that section was how different it seemed from what I remembered. I was especially looking for a stream crossing where I had gotten water 2 years ago. I was prepared for the fact that it might not have water in this drought, but I couldn't spot it at all! So I made the long trip down to the water from the shelter.After supper, SOBO "Jones" arrived. We all fit in the shelter, in site of the fact that Machine insisted on setting up his tent in the shelter "on account of bugs", when there weren't any noticeable bugs. In 2002, I had used my space blanket in this shelter & worried all night about how much noise it made for the other occupant [who had set up his tent inside also]. Tonight was warm enough that Tagalong didn't feel a need for it.
Date: 2015-09-19
From: Tom Leonard Shelter

To: US Rte 7
Miles today: 6.6

Tagalong is ready for our Zero day tomorrow.First, we had to climb up & along the ridge of East Mtn. A little rocky, but not steep. When we stopped to eat at the overlook, I concluded that tagalong was becoming a bit more comfortable with the rocks. We were sitting on a ledge that sloped outward over a cliff, & she didn't seem concerned.The rest of the walk was downhill & across the Housatonic valley. Near Homes Road, I was able to locate the place I had stealth-camped 2 years ago [that's reassuring: my memory isn't totally gone!], yet in the same section I forgot to look for what I had called "land sharks", triangular rocks sticking out of the ground like shark fins. I had missed getting a picture of them last time ¢ now I just didn't notice them. On the way down, we met & talked a while with Hendo and Hendo¢s Mom, who were hiking the Trail [NOBO] together, with breaks for military duties. We called ahead about staying with Jess Treat in Sheffield. She said she couldn't pick us up till later in the afternoon.When we got to Rt. 7, I tried to convince Tagalong to continue on across the valley to South Egremont Road. It's quite flat, we could get picked up there just as easily, & it would give us a head start on Monday's hike up Jug End. She wasn't buying. So we hitched a ride into town, had soup & sandwiches at the Marketplace cafe, & waited for Jess to pick us up. It turned out that her place is only a few blocks from where we were. Meanwhile, I explored a little & discovered that other than the cafe, bank, & post office, the town had very little for hikers. The liquor store, the gas station, & another shop had minimal snacks, & another restaurant & the Family Dollar were almost a mile out of town.There was only one other hiker at Jess' place,
Date: 2015-09-20
From: US Rte 7

To: Jug End Road
Miles today: 4.5

After Jess fixed us breakfast, we walked to the joint Lutheran/Episcopal Church, one reason we chose Sheffield. This is a congregation that combines people of both traditions; so the service is made up of parts from each. We thought it was well-done, & Pastor Annie & the organist did a good job. I hope they will be able to continue this way after Annie's retirement next year. After fellowship, we got a ride to the Dollar General, for just a few food items & to get Tagalong something else she could wear on her legs at night. She found some pants that looked like they fit, with the words "BOSS" sewed on them in heavy camo material that probably doubled the weight.Beginning our walk back, Tagalong discovered that she'd left her phone in her sweater at the church. So she spent some effort & mental stress getting it worked out so she could pick those up. Yes, this is a Zero day ... For Susan (Tagalong), anyway. I wanted to get across the flat area so that we could just go right up the Mtn tomorrow. Jess gave me a ride to the trailhead, & I started across a field & over the railroad track. After some distance on boardwalks, I entered some woods. Actually, this section turned out to be more shaded than expected, which was nice, especially since I forgot my sunglasses. Easy, soft trail gave me opportunity to go about 2-1/4 mph, probably a record for this hike.I almost hitched a ride back, but Jess was able to come & pick me up at Jug End Road. I had found another pole for Tagalong in the woods, so while waiting I got it in shape.We've pretty much got the rest of the hike planned out, with mostly 5-mile days for Tagalong. She feels we've been pushing too hard, & now were going over some more difficult hills. We'll see how this works out, since much of what we've been doing turned out to be more difficult for her than I expected. Looking way ahead, if I do a 17-mile day after Salisbury (while she gets another Zero), she'll end up one day short of Pawling, but she can get the train just as easily from Wingdale, NY.