morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-08-21
From: Tyringham

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: clear sky

8/21Tyringham to Upper Goose Pond cabin8.1 milesCabinI had my best night's sleep in months last night. I woke up fully rested after eleven hours of sleep. I turned off my white noise air conditioner and opened the windows. I sat down and experienced absolute silence for twenty minutes. No cars moved, no people spoke. It was the quietest, most peaceful place I had been since a mountain top in the Smokies. I luxuriated in the feeling. It was the aural equivalent of the relaxation of a hot tub for me. I packed up, then went and chatted with Lynne while she started breakfast. With a cup of coffee in hand and a dog to pet, I was happy. Lynne served up blueberry pancakes, local syrup, local sausage, and a fruit salad. It was all delicious and filling. I didn't get hungry again until after noon. As I finished breakfast the other two guests came down and we talked for a while. They wanted to know about my hike. They were nice to talk to, and I enjoyed the conversation so much that I didn't get going until 9:30. Also while I was there I managed to get enough cell signal to update a couple of days' worth of journal. It's been bad recently so don't be concerned if the journal lags a few days. The walk today was short and pretty. I dawdled, listening to an audiobook while looking at pretty mushrooms and the occasional chipmunk. Eventually, however, I fetched up at the cabin. While I feel that I should swim or canoe, it's a little chilly and I'm enjoying sitting on the porch with the caretakers. So that's my big plan for the evening. Sitting.
Date: 2010-08-23
From: Route 20

To: October Mountain shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: overcast clouds

8/23 3US 20 to October Mountain Shelter7.2 miles shelterI dreamed of zombies. In my dream, I retreated to NASA, which was a single, large, indefensible building with escalators. I had pretty much given up on saving all the scientists and was about to head for parts unknown to save myself when Rapunzel the cat breathed on me and touched her wet nose to mine. It was a relief to wake up. To avoid returning to the zombie dream I visualized myself hiking. This always works. In the morning I had a sore throat and serious brain fog. Laurie fed me coffee, pancakes, and bacon. It helped but I still felt more like a grumpy hillock than a hiker. Nevertheless I got my things together and we headed out into the rain. After a quick stop to feed the herd, Laurie started driving me trailward. Then she had a bright idea. "Want to go by Cheshire and get your boxes?" Genius!  I could get my stuff now!  She detoured up there and after some difficulty we found two boxes for me at the church, plus an unexpected one from Mom. (Thanks Mom!)Finally at 12:30 we got to the trailhead and I got walking. Any plans of making mileage were gone. I just wanted to get to the first shelter. The wind and rain were so loud that it was hard to hear my audiobook. I trudged along as my new pants and shoes became covered in mud. My throat hurt. My knees hurt. I just, generally, didn't enjoy myself. The blowing rain and mist felt very much like some of my early days on the trail. There was a brief bright spot in my day when I stopped to drink my sprite and eat my leftover bacon and bleu burger. Delish. I trudged on through the afternoon, too harassed by weather and mosquitoes to stop. When I reached the shelter I was surprised to find it nearly full.  I bitched about my day but the company cheered me up a lot. It was quite chilly. Everyone was in their sleeping bag by seven thirty. And that includes me. I am so grateful to have my bag tonight. It was in my maildrop and tonight is the perfect night for it.  In fact it's cold enough that my fingers are getting numb.  I believe I'll go cuddle in my bag now.
Date: 2010-08-27
From: Wilbur Clearing Lean-to

To: Seth Warner shelter
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: few clouds

8/27 2Wilbur Clearing Lean-to to Seth Warner Shelter9.9 miles plus side trip to N. AdamsThe college group left during the night. I didn't hear them go, so I was pretty surprised when I went to get my food out of the bear box and their site was empty. And, of course, all their random ziplocs and dirty dishes were gone from the bear box. That was nice. So my day started on an unchaotic note.  I love it when you're getting toward the top of a mountain and you start seeing blue through the trees. It meansThat you're almost at the top. I saw that almost first thing this morning after leaving camp. And there was an excellent view, too. I arrived at the intersection for North Adams around ten in the morning. I figured by the time I walked to the Price Chopper, bought what I needed, and stowed my supplies, the Chinese buffet would be open. And it was!  I had a long, luxurious lunch. Favorite find: Vietnamese summer rolls. After leaving town I was super thirsty, probably from salt in the food. But as I had just bought a new Gatorade bottle, this was fine. I needed to empty it so I could treat my water anyway. I downed a quart of Gatorade very quickly. It was delicious. In late afternoon I crossed the Vermont border. The border also marks the southern terminus of the Long Trail, which I find pretty exciting. I'm camped with some Long Trail hikers tonight, both north and southbound. And an AT thruhiker named Thor who made cheese biscuits in a campfire and shared them around. The biscuit and fire were both welcome. I really enjoyed sitting and chatting. One hiker here turns out to work at an Apple store. He rebooted the phone for me to see if it might fix my notepad problem. No word on that yet. I managed to tear up my rope bag when hanging the food tonight so I'm going to have to get creative with it for the remainder of the trip.
Date: 2010-08-28
From: Seth Warner shelter

To: Bennington
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

8/28 2Seth Warner shelter to Bennington11.5 milesMotelI froze my butt off last night. (Thor says he did too. ) It wasn't truly cold, but it was damp. Damp plus forties plus down bag equals uncomfortable. I don't know how much sleep I got, but it was not what I would characterize as "enough".I eventually sloped off out if camp. It was not a high energy day. I kept at it but the miles seemed to come slower than usual. Or maybe that was the town stop at work. I'm always eager to get there, and it always seems like it takes forever. I was dismayed and angered by the trail blazing (or lack thereof) today. More than once at a trail junction there was not a blaze in sight to show where the AT/Long Trail went. I had to make a best guess and walk for several minutes before I saw a blaze. Come on, folks! It's not that hard!  I mentally wrote angry letters while I walked and hoped I was on the right trail. I was surprised when I got to Sucker Pond to find the pond well above trail level. I'm not sure what's holding the banks of the pond together, but it sure is cool to walk by and see it. A little bit of water ran over the bank as I walked by, about four feet above the treadway. I figure, it's Vermont. Who says the laws of physics apply here? Water can hang out wherever it wants. After Sucker Pond there was a whole lot of natural beauty involving ferns and trees and rocks, but you really need a picture to do it justice. Eventually I got to route 9 outside of Bennington. I checked my phone but I had no cell signal so I couldn't call Bennington Taxi. I stuck my thumb out. Eventually a fellow pulling a boat pulled over and let me climb in the back of the truck. He dropped me at the motel I least wanted to go to but assured me that downtown was a couple hundred feet away. And I believed him!  But he lied. They have laundry at the motel, but the machine malfunctioned. However as soon as I told the manager, he ran my clothes through the non-coin laundry, so that was good. But it lost me time. By the time I got going for dinner it was nearly nine. I walked a very long time until I finally got where I wanted to go, the Madison Brewing Company. The food and beer were good, but the walk decided me that I didn't want to go back in to town in the morning. (Future hikers, the Autumn Inn is not in what I consider walking distance of most town businesses. )Luckily a convenience store was open on the walk back. (Bennington goes to sleep remarkably early on a Saturday night. The traffic lights were flashing by ten. ).  I wrote off the herbs I was going to get and resupplied at the little shop. The lady in line behind me at checkout correctly guessed I was a hiker based on the granola bars and trail mix in my cart. Back here at the motel, I'm going to bed very late. After eleven!  Assuming I can sleep through the moose lodge shenanigans next door. I hope to sleep in tomorrow.
Date: 2010-08-29
From: Bennington

To: Goddard Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

8/29 2Bennington to Goddard Shelter10.1 milesShelterGoing uphill, I am not gravity's bitch. Uphill, the heart and lungs feel the strain. But a brief rest has them ready to work again. Downhill, the muscles and joints work hardest. And they do not recover quickly. Thus, while the climb out of Bennington is nearly as steep as the descent to it, it feels much easier. A misstep or a slip is an annoyance, not a constant worry and possible source of catastrophic injury. This, ladies and gentlemen, is why I prefer to go up. When I woke up this morning it was a slow process. I'm really glad I had the foresight to buy a twenty ounce coke last night. Without it I might still be puttering around the room, ineffectually packing and arranging objects. The motel owner drove me back to the trail and I set off. And you've already heard my thought on uphills, which is pretty much what today was all day. With my morning slackitude I didn't get walking until after ten. That is really late for me. So I was dubious about making my originally planned destination.  But the day was beautiful, the area was really pretty, and the terrain suited my particular hiking style to the proverbial T. So I bopped along and didn't really worry about it. Around mid afternoon I started listening to stuff on the iPod and the miles melted away. I was very surprised to reach the shelter at six thirty. And happy, too. I'm always happy when I manage more than a mile an hour.  There was one spot left in the shelter, which I claimed. It's so weird but also nice to be in a full shelter again. I like the company. The shelter itself has a great view. I'm looking forward to the sunrise, assuming I can pry my eyes open.
Date: 2010-08-30
From: Goddard Shelter

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: clear sky

8/30 2Goddard shelter to Story Spring shelter8.9 milesShelterI lay in my sleeping bag watching the stars come out. It's a pretty unpopulated area without much light pollution so the night sky is very dark. Unfortunately I quickly fell asleep, and when I woke later it was cloudy. In the morning I was the first one up. I devoured some rice krispy treats and got underway by seven thirty. First stop was the Glastenbury fire tower with fantastic views. The lower lying valleys had clouds following them, far below me. I took some pictures and clambered down. Shortly after that I came across a distressed biker. He had gotten lost the previous day and had spent the night in the woods without food or water. The sum of his possessions seemed to be a bike, a ragged pair of shorts, shoes, socks, and a phone. It must have been a cold night for him. He was on the phone with a ranger when I got there. I got the biker food and water and then spoke with the ranger to let him know exactly where the fellow was. I got the biker headed toward the shelter, where he was to stay until rangers reached him. I walked on. Later in the day I found more traces of his passage - red cloth he had ripped off his clothing, ferns piled on the trail where I think he slept, and bike tracks. So far seven miles of bike tracks. Also, other hikers who met him yesterday and showed him where he was on a map at that time. I'm starting to think mr biker was not all there. I stopped around three to sit on a rock and look at a pond. Then I looked at a map to try to place myself. No pond. For some reason the Vermont maps are really horrible compared to others I've used. There is very little detail shown. No ponds, few streams, no power lines, mostly not the cross trails either. When I reached the second shelter I dithered about moving on. But I was hot, tired, hungry, and grumpy. I ate for a long time and still felt tired so I decided to stay. So far I'm in the shelter but if these skeeters don't leave me alone I might set up my tent. I'm looking forward to getting my stove back. I'm already planning to buy cookable food. And hot drinks!  Mmmm.
Date: 2010-08-31
From: Story Spring Shelter

To: Stratton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

8/31 2Story Spring shelter to Stratton Pond Shelter10.4 milesShelterThe sunset was a fantastic display of pinks and purples last night. We watched it through the trees in front of the shelter. This morning I saw more people before eight AM than I did on any day in Pennsylvania. Weird. I don't think I can count on much privacy on the trail today. I woke up headachy, crampy, and generally gross. I can tell it's going to be a fine, productive day. Maybe after the excedrin kicks in. I put my sleeping bag over my head to change into my hiking shirt. Enclosed in the small space with my clothing, I was almost overcome by the fumes. My eyes watered as I struggled out of one shirt and into another. I am thankful JD has no sense of smell or it would be a long ride home next week. As it is I may double bag the clothes so I can bear to be in the car with them. At eleven thirty I stopped to eat my lunch on top of a big flat rock. I savored, not so much my bagel and cheese, but my freedom. I feel it slipping away. JD will pick me up in mere days. Then it's back to a world dominated by other people's schedules. Business hours, at my office and everywhere I shop. Doctors office hours. Rush hour. Coordinating dinner plans. I feel that if I'm not careful I'll be crushed by the demands. I need to ease back in. My hike has been about freedom for me. From responsibility, schedules, rules, and customs. I deeply needed the time to decompress. I needed the time with friendly strangers, with whom I could strike up a conversation easily. They were all free from the same strictures as me, and more open than strangers usually are. I love that and I'll miss it. As I hiked up Stratton Mtn I ran into Olive Oil, a section hiker. We leapfrogged all the way to the shelter. I really enjoyed her company and the folks at the shelter seemed pretty nice, so I decided to stay. I was intending to walk on a couple miles to make tomorrow easier, but tomorrow can take care of itself. Olive Oil and I went down to the pond to swim. It felt cold but good, and the scenery from the pond was amazing. I swam in my clothes. I really hope they're dry by tomorrow. Although I've been sweating through my clothes really quickly so I'm not sure it'll make a difference. Tomorrow my longtime online friend Madeline is picking me up for dinner, laundry, and a night indoors. This trip has been wonderful for meeting people! I'm looking forward to meeting Madeline in person. After that it's two days to Danby. I hear there's a hurricane heading my way. I have no real desire to hike in a hurricane, so my overnight at the B&B in Danby might extend to two nights. If they have room.
Date: 2010-09-01
From: Stratton Pond Shelter

To: Manchester Center
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

9/1Stratton Pond Shelter to Manchester Center10.7 milesHouseThere are several mucous membranes in the human body which can be affected by, or reached by, the outside. And let me tell you, NONE of them is a good place to get a bug bite. Anyway. The mice were pretty bold last night. None climbed on me, but they got in my backpack and pooped all over. They got into Mudmonkey's foodbag. I woke up early and never did get back to sleep after hearing their scrabbling. Oh, I forgot to mention that yesterday Olive Oil and I came across moose poop. It looked just like the moose poop candy excreted by the various toy pooping moose I've seen. For some reason I'm now bothered that the toys are so realistic. I didn't set off particularly early this morning. I felt a little sluggish. It was about twenty to eight when I left. I was therefore astonished to find, at the next landmark, that I was walking at nearly two miles an hour. The terrain was pretty nice, but not that markedly different from nearby areas that I had walked at one mike per hour. As I passed more landmarks, I was still walking fast. (For me. ). I was so psyched. And then I got cell signal, too! A dozen or so text messages came in all at once. I got belated messages from JD, Laurie, Madeline, and DeLee. I was finally able to get in touch with Madeline about a pickup time, which was awesome. And that pickup time was hours earlier than I had counted on when figuring my mileage for the day. Early pickup meant much more leisure for buying supplies and doing laundry. I listened to podcasts about physics and also archaeology as I walked. Both were my favorite fields of study in school, but the more I hear now, the more I think both fields are a crock. Archaeology seems to assume that if people didn't record something on a durable surface, it didn't happen. And modern physics says some frankly nuts things about forking universes. It's all enough to make me say bah. It is probably good I didn't pursue either field after college. Madeline picked me up at the road crossing and we were off to an outfitter. I'm excited about getting my stove and pot back. I bought alcohol and a dehydrated meal in preparation. I was also amused to see Thor at the outfitter. He was the first person I saw. It was pretty funny to walk into a business in a town I've never been to and casually say "Hey Thor" like I was a regular. Madeline took me to a nice grocery and I got many yummy things, including a small box of wine, a delightful crusty bread, and some miniature strudels. She really made my day when she informed me that we had to stop and feed puppies. Oh, twist my arm!  The puppies were adorable. I got puppy kisses. Back at Casa Rockwell I got clean, sorted my food, and met animals. And then Madeline cooked an amazing dinner. OMG. Fresh corn, zucchini and onion, and incredibly tender chicken with an orange sauce. The sort of food I love and have missed. And fruit and ice cream for dessert!  I am a very happy hiker right now.
Date: 2010-09-02
From: Manchester Center

To: Peru Peak Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: few clouds

9/2 2Manchester Center to Peru Peak Shelter10.1 milesTentI have a philosophical problem. I wasn't raised in a religion. I don't believe in a god, heaven, hell, or any kind of afterlife. And yet I have experienced several kinds of ghostly visitations. I must think about this more, as there seems to be a contradiction. Unless ghosts aren't ex-people at all, but something other. Hrm. Unrelated: I have noticed that I seem to be getting faster.  I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Now, legs? Now, heart? Now when it doesn't matter any more? Really?Madeline dropped me off this morning, and I started walking up Bromley Mountain. It was a pretty nice, easy walk. At this point if I don't have to step up in two plus foot increments, I think it's easy. Other opinions may vary. At the top of Bromley I found very poor trail marking. It took me several minutes to locate the continuation of the trail. But then I was off, bopping along and listening to podcasts. My head is full of information now. The distinguishing feature of today was flies. Big meaty ones. Outhouse flies. Not at outhouses, oddly enough. They were everywhere. I decided tonight was a good tenting night. At the shelter I found Mark, who I had met before and who also turns out to work at NASA. He had been joined by his (also nice) brother. Clover and Cha-cha Coconuts formed the southbound contingent. After I got set up and treated some water I joined them at the picnic table.  I gave away the ding dang pringles I had bought yesterday. I had thought they were low fat, but they were really fat free and made with olestra. I don't eat olestra because of two words: anal and leakage. Dinner was kind of random for me. I had packed in a little Cabernet Sauvignon. I had a few plastic camp cups of that to go with my cheese bread, pepperoni, cheddar, and dried mango.While I sipped and ate the caretaker showed up to collect the fee that is charged to stay here. The caretaker and also two of the hikers are sick with upper respiratory symptoms. I hope I'm not doomed to share. Hiking is snotty enough without viral help. By eight pm it was too dark to see out. We all retired to our tents very quickly. Everyone here is either getting off the trail or going in to town tomorrow, so we all have a reason to look forward to getting to a road.
Date: 2010-09-03
From: Peru Peak Shelter

To: Danby
Miles today: 7.7

9/3 2Peru Peak Shelter to Danby7.7 milesMotelI cracked an eye open at about nine last night and saw a light shining through a tree. I scooched and shimmied until my face was up against the screen of the tent. Then I grabbed the top of the tent and pulled it to the side. With it out of the way, I could see nearly all of the sky in the shelter's little clearing. It was tremendously starry out.  I lay there a while, just staring up at the night sky. It was very clear, and dark enough to see the Milky Way. I love to watch the stars. The more I looked, the more I saw.  Too soon I was again overwhelmed with sleep and I slid back to my sleeping pad. In the morning I was the only one heading north. The trail was awash with spiderwebs. Long sleeves and my headnet mostly kept them off my skin, but I pulled a lot of webs off my hands and relocated dangling spiders throughout the morning. I kept hoping a southbounder would come through and I would know the trail was clear behind them, but no luck until after lunch. Shortly thereafter I arrived at the much discussed (via trail signage, registers, and shelter talk) "very dangerous" ford of Big Branch while the new bridge is being worked on. With a very dry summer, the stream is in fact very low. I was easily able to rock hop, but had I waded it wouldn't have gone over my knees. I was really glad I hadn't taken the three mike detour especially as other signs said it had a bridge out, too. The new Big Branch bridge looks nearly finished. They appeared to be putting handrails on it today. A mile after that I was at USFS 10 and called the Silas Griffith B&B to come get me. They did, and I was quickly installed in a room. Sadly, I left my room moments too late to get lunch at the nearby cafe, but I got a sandwich at the little store in town. And a lot of snacks. I was so so hungry. My box from JD had arrived with my last vitamins, some warm clothes, and my cook set. Unfortunately, due to a miscommunication, it arrived without my mug. But I can work around that, and now I can cook dinner in the cool evenings and have a hot drink in the morning. It's not absolutely vital but it will be nice. According to the long range forecast, my last week on the trail will be a little rainy, and in the forties and fifties at night with some pretty nice daytime temps. Sounds delightful. And now I have the gear to make me comfortable with these last cool nights. I rounded out my evening at the inn with a soak in the hot tub here, charmingly situated in a gazebo with a view of the mountains. I'm pretty relaxed. I'm hoping for a good, monster-free sleep.  Breakfast isn't until eight so I can sleep in if my empty stomach will let me. If not, in the morning I'll retrieve one of the sodas that Madeline's daughter left me and scavenge in my food bag for a pre breakfast snack.