morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-08-16
From: 199.5

To: 1807.2
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: clear sky

Slept fair - was tilt under leaves I didn't notice until camp set up and I laid down. Oh, well. Worked. Cool night, but woke up DRENCHED with sweat for some reason. I mean, soaked. Trail was bad again - every step was to go past and somehow avoid rocks and roots. If it wasn't that, it was a 5-15 foot rock wall to climb up or down with no help. NO flats or straights - might have made another mile or two, but no camping further on for several miles. Actually stopped at 1500. Was OK, I guess - rain started at 1600 and continued until 1830 or so. I just took naps through it. When it finally stopped, ate, hung the bear bag and went to bed.
Date: 2016-08-17
From: 1811.2

To: 1807.2
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: thunderstorm

Oh, my. What a start to the day. Trail crosses a creek at the shelter area. there was a large rock out in the creek with a 2 foot wide, 18 inch deep channel to step over. No prob - I have long legs. Stepped over onto the rock, slipped and fell. I have learned to fall on my back to let the pack take the brunt of the impact. THIS time, I hit the rounded top of the rock and slid into the channel, rolling over and submerging !! Nothing like a nice, cold bath in the morning. I dripped for several hours. Everything in my pack is in plastic, so no REAL problem, but it was bad. Very hard and technical Trail - fell 3 times. The last time was backwards down a rock face I was trying to go up. I fell hard on some sharp, dead tree roots that went between my arm and chest. A few inches to the side and I would have been impaled, with significant problems, no doubt. Many, many slips as well today. Made 4 miles in over 5 hours. Quit. No idea of camping ahead, rainy, dreary day, I'm done. Very tired. Not happy with miles, but can't go on. This is a NICE shelter - only 3 other people - SOBO Odder, Crow and one other NOBO. Pond was pretty - very foggy with the wind blowing the fog across the pond, occasionally lifting to show the other side. The lily pads were actually lifting up on one edge in the strong wind. The shelter is one of the nicest I've seen to date. No graffiti, clean, well made, very large. Caretaker was very nice and helpful as well.
Date: 2016-08-18
From: 1807.2

To: 1816
Miles today: 4.8

Hard Trail again for the first mile - very technical. After the first mile, seemed to mellow out a bit. Had .9 walk to visitor center after that. Called Autumn Breeze Inn about 1000 and 2+ miles out. Owner said she could get me about 1130 at the Visitor Center. Eeeeek. Told her I would desperately try, but wasn't sure if I could make it with this Trail. Got to the Flume (don't ask me - didn't care about the tourist attraction) Visitor Center for a mail drop ABOUT 1130 - side trail to visitor center was paved bike path which helped. Shuttle was supposed to be here at 1200, but had to be pushed back to 1300+. No prob - I'm in the sun, watching people walk by, short naps, conversations with tourists. Candy bar and coke and I'm a happy camper.Got several days of Mt. House - I'm good. Heh. **Cue ominous music**Motel was OUTSTANDING !!! Owner decided to buy a business up north. Had retired as a nursing home director in south Florida. Talked with a couple of thru hikers to see what they wanted and pretty much followed their advice. Motel only has 5 rooms, but is very nice. She stocks the fridge with complimentary drinks and snacks, gives an old sheet to put over the second bed so we can spread out our gear without messing up the bed spread and provides free shuttles if possible. Very cool.
Date: 2016-08-19
From: 1816

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Very late start. Woke up at midnight last night and realized I had NOT bought a new canister for my stove. A fuel canister is very, very important if you want hot meals. Heh. Wanted to take a zero, but a blues festival 3 towns over had filled every available motel room. Pretty sure this was a sign to keep walking. Outfitter opens at 0930. Motel owner gave me a ride to outfitter and then came and brought me back. She had a TON of work to do, since with only 5 rooms, she does the room service herself. I called a cab and was on the Trail at 1100. Intensely hard Trail - rocks walls where I had to throw my sticks forward and use both hands and feet to climb up. The heck?????Had many, many slips and several falls, luckily none too severe. Got to Liberty campsite and tried for a SINGLE, 1 tent per platform space. Caretaker told me to move my tent as far to the side as possible, as I would have company later on. Really? Doubling up on a SINGLE tent platform? Also, I had to use the bear box way on the other side of the area. Nope - I'll hang my food. Too paranoid with my food getting stolen to do so. She told me fine, but I had to hang it over the bear boxes. "Not my rules." Seriously? I'll save $10 and move on. Few tenths of a mile up to the next trail intersection, saw a "horizon" line above the Trail and took a chance that it would be like in GA and NC - flat place(s). Sure enough, found a stealth spot out of sight about 1600. No problem. Done for the night.
Date: 2016-08-20
From: 1818.9

To: 1826.3
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: broken clouds

Do I have to keep repeating? Trail intensely difficult. What the HELL is wrong with the people? Rock wall climbs up and down. Steep slopes with no finesse, no nothing. Garfield Ridge shelter was pretty nice - only 5 of us in there - everyone else went to the tent platforms for some reason. So far, the shelters here have been very nice - clean, large and well laid out. Will now run out of food, as I planned 10+ miles per day. This is NOT going to work. I have a minimum of 5-6 days at least until I can get to my mail drop. I think I have 3.5 days of food left. Now, I believe I'll panic.
Date: 2016-08-21
From: 1826.3

To: 1835.9
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: light rain

Tough Trail, but the day was filled with blessings. Very bad incoming storm tonight after 1900 or so. Decided to push for 10 or so to the hut up ahead. Blessing #1. Saw Determined at Galehead Hut. He was talking to a hostel in Lancaster and gave me the number so I could call. Set up a tentative shuttle for 22 Aug, 1800. Whew. Blessing #2: Galehead hut was selling Snickers bars and Clif bars. Loaded up and now have snacks at least, stretching my food supply a bit. Blessing #3. Got to Zealand Hut at 1500 (!). Asked for work for stay and was granted it. Work for stay is where the croo (yes, that's how the hut personnel spell it) let a few hikers work a couple of hours in the evening or morning and the hikers get leftovers with the croo and a space on the floor to sleep until about 0600. Now I'm inside and all I have to do in the morning is sweep a couple of bunkhouses out. The other hikers who were picked get to pearl dive after supper. Very tired and cold. Waited until about 2000 to eat. Leftovers were tasty, although lukewarm to cold, but the croo ate what we did, so I'm not griping. Had to wait until 2130 for lights out to get into my bag, but I'm inside and that's all that counts. Good advice about Trail coming up from the croo and other day hikers - somewhat alleviated my fears. Out like a light at 2131.4
Date: 2016-08-23
From: 1843.7

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Last night's shuttle got here too late to really plan and resupply. Very nice hostel by the Yellow Deli people. Very friendly staff, clean rooms and bunks, very cool old building. Got to look inside the construction zone - has hand-hewn, mortise and tenon load bearing timbers with square, apparently hand-made nails. Easy walk to the grocery store, Subway for protein, good relaxing day. Saw Suicide Squad in the evening to kill a few hours. Not bad - tons of violence, hardly any sex or language. 3.5 stars.
Date: 2016-08-24
From: 1843.7

To: 1850.1
Miles today: 6.4

VERY rough slog out of Crawford Notch. SO not happy with mileage in the White Mts, but not many people are making much more. Again, problem is pretty much NO places to drop and camp,so I have to stop. Not sure how much more I could have gone, I'm pretty beat. Made the Nauman campsite by 1530. Over 7.5 hours to go the 6+ miles. Got a platform, but not really happy about it. A tent platform is just what it sounds like: 2x6x in a square up off the ground. It is flat, it is level, but it's pretty hard on my knees in the mornings. My SoLong 6 needs stakes in the ground to hold it up - NOT a freestanding tent. The eye bolts and nails around the perimeter of the platform helped, but not an optimal setup. I like to LOOK like I know what I'm doing and when my tent is not set up to my satisfaction, I don't like it.
Date: 2016-08-25
From: 1850.1

To: 1854.7
Miles today: 4.6

When I started reading all the material about the White Mts, including the AMC stuff, it all said to PLAN the hike carefully. I did so - Nauman, then Lakes of the Clouds (LOC) dungeon (more later), then Madison hut or Valley Way campsite. Got to LOC at or about 1130. It had taken me over 4 hours to get this 4.6 miles. I asked the hut czar about getting a bunk in the dungeon and she flat told me that "It was a nice day and you can make Madison. You made it here in about the "book time". The dungeon is for all the later hikers." or words to that effect. Evidently, they have an average time between shelters and the next shelter was "only" 4.5 hours away. The dungeon is a 12x12 basement room with 6 bunks in 2 tiers of 3. Very small. When the hut is not operating, it is an emergency shelter. Plywood bunks, concrete floor, steel door. I knew my capabilities. I looked at what was ahead and KNEW I would NOT make the next hut or campsite before dark. Relayed this to the czar, no effect. Age - no effect. Leg probs - no effect. Asked for and got her supervisor's number. Supervisor and I had a pretty long talk - he thought I had medical problems that prevented me from walking further, but I told him, No, it was just capabilities and I didn't want to be the guy they had to rescue at night. Upshot - he called the czar and I got a dungeon bunk. Stayed there the rest of the day to keep out of the way of the hut personnel since I was now the face of the entitled thru hiker. So sorry - just following what you said. Now - dungeon did fill up, as did the upstairs with hikers who thought they could just walk in to get space inside. They were given the space, evidently with no questions asked. Here's the rub for me: the dope smokers tried to crowd into the dungeon to CONTINUE their weed smoking when the fog and rain started. I flat out told them take it outside, as I was allergic to smoke somewhat. They were nice enough to do so; however, THESE are the people who smoke weed until 2300 at night, stay in bed until 1000 the NEXT morning and show up at the NEXT hut in time for work for stay and GET IT. Yeah, I'm somewhat bitter about planning, trying to make time and getting grief about it. Maybe I am entitled - don't care. Got a bunk. Oh, yeah. Fog and rain started. Visibility down to about 30-50 feet all night long. Not too cold though.
Date: 2016-08-26
From: 1854.7

To: 1861.9
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: broken clouds

LOC hut czar said the "book time" to Madison hut was 4.5 hours. It took me 8.5 hours to get the 7+ miles. Not sure who these people are who can make it in half the time, but I bet they aren't carrying a pack that's close to 40 pounds and that they are half my age. Out at 0730. Dopers still in bed. Fog cut the visibility down to 30 feet and less at times. Interesting climb, though. Rain started about half way up and continued until the top. Had to look forward and find the rock piles - cairns - one at a time. Could NOT look forward more than 1, possibly two cairns at a time. NO blazes. Wearing rain suit and still didn't sweat much going up. Very rough, rocky Trail going up. Made Mt. Washington in about 2 hours, spent about 30 minutes inside the snack bar, drinking hot chocolate and looking at the exhibits. Got a squished penny as well, a penny that's squished into an ellipse with "I climbed Mt. Washington" on it. Determined came up as I was leaving. He decided to check the snack bar out as well. Pictures at the summit pile of rocks, a bit of confusion over which way to go and then down the other side. Still foggy, but lifting every now and then to about 100 meters or so, then closing back down. Heard the cog train twice - both times the fog closed in and I could NOT see if from 50 feet away OR take a picture. Got lost at the first Trail intersection. Guide says another trail to the EAST - this one was to the WEST. Went down both, found a VERY faded white blaze on the back of a boulder on one, but still waited for another opinion from some other hikers. Noticed that the AT cairns usually have a white piece of quartz on the top for a blaze. Made Madison hut by 1530 - little early for work for stay according to the hut czar - no prob. She was very nice. Got a bowl of soup for a snack and while I was eating it, 3 young pups come in and hand the czar a note from Lakes of the Clouds. She opens it, looks directly at me and smiles........hmmmmm. Never mind - decision was already made to go to Valley Way campsite. VW was down a VERY steep, rock, slick path. Would have been very dicey the previous night. Got a tent site (dirt pad) and set up about 1630. From 1700 on, people kept coming in. By 2100, the site was full, yet people were still trooping by. Not sure where they were setting up, as some came trooping back out but not all. SO glad I called the supervisor and got the bunk yesterday.
Date: 2016-08-27
From: 1861.9

To: 1869.7
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: clear sky

Very hard back up campsite trail - didn't mention before but is was .6 mile down and up. Madison VERY hard up, but even worse down. Climbs seem to be better now. Downs just start the knees hurting. Big flat rocks and boulders to use, just a long, long way down. Day was incredibly clear - views from Mt. Washington and all around. Rare, according to the visitor center. Looking at Mt. Washington, saw a LARGE plume of black smoke from what looked like the cog railway line. On fire? No telling. Lasted for over 45 minutes. Met a couple outside the Osgood campsite - they claim to be reading my journal. If so, many thanks for the encouragement. At the Mt. Washington car road, met e-rock and family - again, thanks for the encouragement and offer of fruit. E-rock thrued several years back. Got shuttle to barn with Wet Tent - nice place. Beds are upstairs in the old carriage house with the downstairs for the common area. Paul was outstanding, even with a family emergency going on. Bed upstairs was an actual old bed. Very comfortable, very clean. Met a lady hiker of an age - states we are "progressing" north. I like that term: "Progressing". Stealing it and using it from now on.
Date: 2016-08-28
From: 1869.7

To: 1875.6
Miles today: 6.9

VERY hard - 2000+ elevation up Wildcat to begin with, then 4 (FOUR !!) other Wildcat peaks. Stiff up, then down, then up....... Made the Carter Notch hut by 1400. Passed a stealth site at the intersection of 2 trails before the hut about .3 miles. Was going to camp there for the night, but.......   Asked for work for stay - too early. No prob. On a whim, asked if there were any openings for the night IN the hut. Only half full for the night? Sign me up. Got a thru-hiker discount (still too much) and a very nice bunk in a 4 bed bunkroom. Very new, very clean, very nice. Glad to get it as I get supper and breakfast with the deal and it's supposed to rain during the night. Wind is whipping very strong. Up the next 1500 foot climb, about half way up, there was a headlamp where some poor camper was setting up. Did NOT envy that person(s) at all.
Date: 2016-08-29
From: 1875.6

To: 1882.8
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: clear sky

Worse today than ever before. MANY places I had to throw my sticks either up or down a rock cliff so as to use hand and feet to climb. Absolutely ridiculous. High winds on summits - clear for a while with great views, but cold. Fog started over the Carter peaks, which just added to the coldness. Made the Imp campsite by 1400 or so and decided to use the shelter. MIGHT have gone further, but again, no stealth sites for sure. The campsites were platforms on a densely wooded hillside, but the wind was very strong and would have been a problem all night, plus trying to set the tent up in the winds on a platform. Shelter was pretty nice - started with only 3 guys in it, but by 2100, had at least 10 or so inside. Met many new people, plus people who remember me griping in VA. Heh. Still griping, still "progressing". Caretaker came by and gave us a tarp to put across the entrance, which helped a LOT in cutting down the wind.
Date: 2016-08-30
From: 1882.8

To: 1890.8
Miles today: 8.1

Very brief notes for a few days from my paper journal - too tired, all the same: hard ups, downs, technical climbs which should NOT be on a HIKING trail. Out at 0730 - early start because of all the early bird hikers getting up and getting ready, even though they all tried to be as quiet as possible. I was second out for a change. Very rough first half of the day - then it eased up a bit. Made the 8 miles in 4.5 hours with one 15 minute break. Yow-zah !!Need 12 miles per day to make it out by the end of September - not sure if I can make it or not. Supposedly, the next 100 miles is easier than the White Mts. Yeah, right and I'm supposed to win the Lotto, too. White Mt Hostel very nice - no packs or boots inside, so it is very clean - full (almost) run of the kitchen, outstanding full breakfast in the morning.
Date: 2016-08-31
From: 1890.8

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Decided to stay for a zero - hard morning rain that lasted well into the afternoon. Was supposed to stop by 1000 or so, but never did. Did NOT want to start. Needed the rest anyway. Was lucky to get a bunk again, as 2 hikers were coming in, but the hostel owners weren't sure if they were going to stay. The hikers decided not to, so I got a bunk and Soul Asylum got the last one. Been leapfrogging Asylum for a couple of days - he knew/knows Hong Kong Steve. In fact, got a massage from him earlier on the Trail. Determined went ahead - hope I can catch him later on. Several other hikers (can't remember names - didn't write them down) stayed on as well.
Date: 2016-09-01
From: 1890.9

To: 1902.6
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

SOBOs painted a doom and gloom picture of this section - little do they know. Everything was hard and technical. Turned out to be a fairly easy(ier) Trail than the last section for sure. Fairly long first uphill - did OK. Hardly any wall climbing (up OR down), so it was nice. What climbs there were, were fairly easy. Shelter by 1630. 11.7 miles in 8 hours. Slowing down, but fairly consistent.
Date: 2016-09-02
From: 1902.6

To: 1912.2
Miles today: 9.6

Again, very brief notes in journal. 3 words to be exact: rough, hard, climbs. Looking at the guide, made it to Full Goose Shelter. Remembering that I got a tent pad that allegedly was reserved for a group "coming up soon, maybe". Same with the twin older guy hikers - nope. First come, first served. 100 meters before the Maine border, took a NASTY spill down a sheer rock face. Left boot caught, left knee hyper-extended, then folded completely shut as I spun around before the boot turned loose and I finished a 180* turn at the bottom. Lots of profanity, totally freaked out and scared my hike was done. Waited for a few seconds while younger hikers came up to help. Waved them off and got up. Surprisingly, the left knee and ankle did not hurt when I got up - just the right ankle for some reason. Ready for the Notch and Arm in the morning.
Date: 2016-09-03
From: 1912.2

To: 1924.2
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Again - most of this entry is from memory and not from my paper journal. Mahoosuc Notch sucked. Fell again - this time, left knee started to hurt. This is a totally stupid portion of the Trail. Can't be explained very well, just large, sheer, wet boulder hopping for a mile. Took me 2 hours and I passed several young pups. Mahoosuc Arm Mt was just as bad - technical climbs, bad Trail. Climb up from Grafton Notch pretty decent. Bald Pate Mts steep, but fairly easy. Bare, naked rock for the most part. Mostly ledges that stepped up every 10-15 meters or so. Up Baldpate East peak, had a small airplane flying through the valley BELOW me. Could not get the camera out fast enough. Got to the campsite, I thought, in a reasonable time. Shelter very small and full. 15+ tents all around. Soul Asylum yelled at me and showed me a flattish place which I gratefully took. Knees hurting bad from falls and ups and downs. ALL pain meds tonight. Bloody - forgot until just now - at the White Mt Hostel, it appeared as though my phone quit charging. I plugged my backup battery and IT wouldn't charge the phone either. Thought I would have to get another phone, when a young lady offered me her cord as she had the same phone. Her cord worked !!! Whew !!! Just needed another cord. Soul Asylum had a car at the hostel and took me to Wally that morning so I could get another cord and put his jump off by about an hour. I owe him big. He claims he was paying it forward and for me to do the same - I still owe him and will STILL pay it forward some day.
Date: 2016-09-04
From: 1924.2

To: 1932.2
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: light rain

Fairly easy to East B Hill Road. However:Called Pine Ellis hostel that morning from a tall peak as directed for a shuttle pickup at 1500. Got to road at 1445. Waited for 2 hours, no shuttle. Finally, the shuttler from The Cabin - Hopper - gave me a ride to Pine Ellis after seeing me there twice. No apology from Pine Ellis, nothing. No explanation about no shuttle. Should have gone to The Cabin. Pine Ellis not too bad - bed comfortable, walking distance to stores. Decent food at both small grocery stores, but I was glad I had mail drops to the hostel, as the hikers before me had pretty much taken what I would have needed. Had my first two Wicked Whoopie pies - raspberry both times. Oh, my, my, my.
Date: 2016-09-06
From: 1932.2

To: 1942.3
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

Dropped off at the Trail. Only 10 miles to next crossing, so I called The Cabin and got a room for the night. Good Trail - no technicals, just steep up and down parts. Starting to see more stealth sites - yessssss. Not sure of exact miles - Trail has been relocated through here and AWOL doesn't have the relocations, I think. I'll take the 10.1, but it was less. The Cabin MUCH better - Bear and Honey run it with Hopper's help. Log cabin, clean bunk house and common area, second floor dining, and even better - 6+ popup trailers out front to spend the night in if you want. I took a truck camper shell with one bed. The other trailers had 2 beds and I didn't want to keep some hiker out of one. Very restful night. $15 for the camper, $15 for AYCE supper and breakfast - wonderful value. Highly recommend.
Date: 2016-09-07
From: 1942.3

To: 1954.5
Miles today: 12.2

Steep up Old Blue Mt, then moderate roots and rocks. Pretty decent Trail. Seems to be moderating through here. Water bad at Bemis Mt shelter - moved on to campsite by dirt road - much better water. Ankles and knees sore, but manageable. Lots of young pups here, as well as older hikers, greeting me by name which was nice, as I can't remember most of theirs. Good campsite - river was supposed to be a "ford" river, but was so down, rock hopping worked.