morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-13
From: St. Thomas Episcopal Church

To: Wildcat Shelter, NY
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Daily Milage: 17.3Total Milage: 1359.6A day that starts off with a Dunkin' Donuts run is a good day on the trail (Ed. note - that or pancakes in Jeff's 'normal' life is a good day as well...) I crossed into NY today after lunch, caught a couple of glimpses of the NYC skyline, did some fun rock scrambling , and did not even get into any fights with Yankees fans! The trail has obviously been teaching me self-restraint, 'cause this is NOT a respect issue.It was amazing how the throngs of people were today. I thought about stopping and asking one obnoxious individual if he'd respect my desire to enjoy a quiet day in the woods. Then I remembered I was in NY and decided not to bother, I will be out of the state in 4 days, and probably not miss the people too much.Early bed time for me. I arranged for a Friday pickup in CT, about 90-100 miles up the trail, so I gotta buckle down and put in the miles. Looking forward to seeing my friends Joe & Diana again!
Date: 2004-06-14
From: Wildcat Shelter, NY

To: William Brien Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: light rain

Daily Milage: 19.6Total Milage: 1379.2So there I was, sitting on some rocks, applying DEET for the second time this morning. I decided to check the post office hours - often they close at 12 and reopen after lunch in these little towns. I check my watch 10:39 AM, then I check the hours 10:30-11:30. Daily. Period. That is 2.2 miles over a mountain and 0.7 miles on a road in Arden NY in 51 minutes - oh crap! Have I mentioned that I hate NY?Don't ask me how I did it, it is too painful to recall. Sufice to say, that when Skyline, hiking one mile behind me, asked a southbound hiker if there were any northbound hikers ahead of him, he got the responce "No, just some runner." Well I am dosed up on advil tonight and not going to do anything again like that in this lifetime if I can help it. Ever surfed down the side of a mountain covered in lichen on wet rocks? No? Good, don't.New York doesn't have any real mountains on the trail, but also New York also won't admit they don't have the hardest, coolest, terrain in the world either. So New York has routed the trail up and down these piddling little hills and through swamp pits to make the trail trecherous. Please look at the state - accept the state, then make the trail pretty and fun, enough of this crap.On the other side, awesome baked goods sent to me by my cousin Sue & Family. The fruit snacks kept me going this afternoon - thank you Emily and Ben! Cic and Bro sent a batch of baffle bars. I shared these treats and Sue's brownies with Condor, Einstien, Skyline & Sundance and Mouth as the evening approached. They were much appreciated. I polished off Sue's banana bread & the snacks sent by my Parents pretty quickly. Made for a good eating night!Should be an easy 15 to Greymor Friary tomorrow - good, I need it!
Date: 2004-06-15
From: William Brien Shelter

To: Graymour Friary
Miles today: 15.2

Daily Milage: 15.2Total Milage: 1394.4I am camped out on the Franciscan's soccer field. Having availed myself to the cold shower and enjoyed all the thruhiker company here. I ran into Moonpie again, and spent 7 plesant miles hiking and chatting with her. Met Stanimal & Big foot, Mouth and Tarzan, Skyline & Sundance, Condor and Einstein round out the crowd.It was a fairly hard 15 mile wak, but at least the trail went though some pretty spots today. The trail goes through the zoo at Bear Mtn. So I got to see another bear, as well as a fox, coyote, bobcat, porcupine, and a bunch of other creatures. They look far happier in the wild!It is hot and muggy and 76 degrees right now and I am hopping the temperature drops out before bedtime in 1/2 hour or so.My knees were sore today and I ahv a mild sprained left ankle but it is better than I deserve considering yesterday's lunacy! I did not get rolling until 8 this morning, hpoing for a earlier start over tomorrow's 19.
Date: 2004-06-16
From: Graymour Friary

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: clear sky

Daily milage: 18.9Total milage: 1413.3Still felt a bit weak today, but it was my nicest hike in NY. The trail was clearer, there were fewer idiotic detours up rock piles and there were stretches of smooth walking.I walked alone again for most of the day. That is how it has been for most of the last 130 miles. Took some breaks and still hit the shelter around 5, much of the same crew is here tonight: Condor, Einstein, Skyline & Sundance, Moonpie, Stanimal and Bigfoot as well as two section hikers.The CT border is 27 miles away and I am planning my friday night pick up by my friend Joe, as well as wen to meet Heather, my cousin Sue and her kids Ben and Emily on the Mass Pike bridge. Looking like mid-day on the 23rd. I am also starting to plan some zero days to get a bit of rest at home.I think I'll be talking half-days on the 23rd & 24th & 27th. Hard planning that far ahead, but my body needs the rest.
Date: 2004-06-17
From: RPH Shelter

To: Telephone Pioneer's Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Daily Milage: 16.6Total Milage: 1429.9The corners of my tent no longer appear water-tight. At least, the streams of water coming into my tent seem to be implying that the seam-sealer has failed. The rain had been falling for 2 hours now and I have been bailing wiht my pack towel every 30 minutes. the good news is that the worst of the leak doesn't effect me - it runs right past me to puddle in the corner, lets see how wet I get tonight.The plans with Joe are a bit uncertain. I am not sure whether he is available tomorrow night, so I just arranged a pick up with Heather in Kent, CT at 5PM tomorrow. She gets to finish school and come and get me, I get to hike 22 miles and take a day off at home. Sounds absolutely wonderful to me!Nice day of hiking again, but again I feel tired. I didn't have any spring in my step, I hiked with Condor all day and Einstein as well in the morning. We took breaks at the deli, a shelter, and Nuclear Lake (don't ask), so it was a relaxing day overall.Tomorrow I leave NY, and enter the 50 mile stretch of the AT through CT. It is rumored to be mosquito-filled, but I am ok with that for 2 days.Looking forard to a zero day home with Heather & Tally. Should be easy to get up and get rolling, even if my gear is all wet.
Date: 2004-06-18
From: Telephone Pioneer's Shelter

To: Home
Miles today: 21.7
Weather: light rain

Daily Milage: 21.7Total Milage: 1451.6It felt so wonderful to walk through the door of my house with Heather, to great my dog Tally and finally be home again.Heather picked me up in Kent, CT around 6 PM. We had dinner with our friends Diana and Joe and got a tour of their nearly finished house. Then up to MA and to our condo, sleeping in my bed was amazing.It was made even more amazing by today's hike, 22 miles of saying goodbye to NY in the true NY fashion - the worst bit of trail on the AT! The last five miles of the state were full of thorny brambles, poison ivy, long wet weeds and bushes blocking the trail with poor blazes. The coup - de - grace was a dead deer on the trail, 2 weeks dead where the thunderstorms had scattered the lovely maggots and stench for 50 ft. down the trail. I will not miss NY!In my hurry to get to Kent I didn't eat or drink enough and bonked with 5 miles to go, this lead to some really ugly slips on the final hills leading into town, and slowed me down by and hour. By the time I reached the trailhead, I was done! Good think Haiku and his sister happened to be there and gave me a lift into town. Looking forward to the zero at home on saturday, I need it!
Date: 2004-06-19
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Daily milage: 0Total milage: 1451.6Bluberry pancakes, 3 pounds of fruit, dinner at Bamboo Hut (our favorite vietnamese resturant in Worcester) and a stop by candy store! Whee!I got to hang out Heather & Tally. Beth, Roger, and Cole came over for a visit. I caught up on other friends trailjournals - checking out who's still on the trail and where they are. Read another 150 pages of Stephen King's Dark Tower 5, great stuff & great day!
Date: 2004-06-19
From: Home

To: Silver Hill Campsite
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Daily Milage: 10.2Total Milage: 1461.8If you live near CT, you should walk the section of trail I did today! The woods are pretty, ledges challenging, and the strolls among the Housatonic River was beautiful! What a great way to come back to the trail - and I needed it!I had another blueberry pancake breakfast and more hang out time before finally packing up my stuff. Heather & Tally and I hit the road at noon and said our goodbyes, I started walking about 3 PM. I am going to see them in just 6 days, but I had a such a good time at home, so I had a hard time hitting the trail again.I am at a super tent site with a pavillion, swing, privy and company. Mouth and Tarzan took a zero on saturday as well and are staying here tonight. Nice cool night, should sleep well...
Date: 2004-06-21
From: Silver Hill Campsite

To: Plateau Campsite
Miles today: 23.4

Daily Milage: 23.4Total Milage: 1485.2Today was a nice, long day of hiking. those two word don't often go together - nice & long but the trail was great and I hiked alone , taking short breaks at all the pretty rest stops. There was another walk along the Housatonic, an overlook with a view of an auto-racecourse (with a race in progress), a grassy lawn by a hydro-electric plant and more.On the other hand, 24 miles is still a long away to walk. The candy I bought with Heather bolstered my mood (I tried to call her but I haven't had cell coverage for 2 days) The tips of my leki poles have worn out - they are starting to slide on the rocks. Gotta do something about that soon, 'cause the rocks are dangerous ahead.Tomorrow is just 14 miles, so I will sleep in a bit and take a relaxing stroll. Condor is supposedly 4 miles back, perhaps we'll meet up at the shelter. Mouth and Tarzan came through around 8PM but kept walking when tehy saw the available tent spots.Oh yeah - Massachusetts is just 6.4 miles away! I am almost home!
Date: 2004-06-22
From: Plateau Campsite

To: Hemlocks Lean-to Massachusetts!
Miles today: 13.2

Daily milage: 13.2Total milage: 1498.4I am home! I crossed into Massachusetts at 11:30AM this morning in intermitant rain. I'd love to say that the sun came out, the angles started to sing, and the trail startd to move, escorting me to vermont. I would also love to say the red sox are about to embark on a 95 game wining streak, but heck it is only massachusetts!I saw my first copper-head snake today, about 1 mile from the state line. Mouth and Tarzan had just caught up and almost stepped on it! The 3 foot snake moved off the trail, into the laurel leaf litter and disapeared.I will say that hiking on wet rocks is not much fun. My poles are almost useless - I really need to get them retipped. I had a couple of good slips today and have some sharp pain in my left arch to deal with. Hoping that goes away overnight.Beautiful shelter here, the rain stopped at 2 PM and I am here with Mouth & Tarzan, Condor, Stanimal & Big foot.Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and comfortable, I will be up early annoying everyone in the shelter at 6 AM :-)
Date: 2004-06-23
From: Hemlocks Lean-to Massachusetts!

To: Mt. Wilcox, North Lean-to
Miles today: 21.5

Daily Milage: 21.5Total Milage: 1519.9The mosquitos are attempting to sing me to sleep again. It is that time of year in Mass when 4 applications of DEET are just sufficient to hold off the little buggers long enough for me to get into my tent and stay there until morning. Ther eis a barred owl calling as well, and the crackles of the fire from the shelter area as well. Whoever came in after me to the shelter is trying to smoke the bugs away. I am just hoping they will have died down enough for a few hours peace in the morning.Good long hike except for the bugs. I was hiking alone again, as I have for the most part since Pennsylvania. The blueberry covered summits of the MA parks are what mountain tops are 'supposed' to be. I got cell signal this morning and arranged a pick-up Friday with Rog. Either I need to do 22 again tomrrow and 12 out on Friday or I get an easy 14 tomorrow and a 20 on friday - we will see how I feel.Rockhound left a message on my phone - he is 70 miles south of me. My taking the weekend off will bring him within one long day, hmmm...maybe I will take another zero. It is still light at 9PM , but I am crashing anyway to give myself a chance at the 22 tomorrow...
Date: 2004-06-24
From: Mt. Wilcox, North Lean-to

To: Tenting in Roy & Marilyn Wiley's Yard
Miles today: 25.0

Daily milage: 25.0Total Milage: 1544.9Well y'see - first the 14 turned into a 22+, then the shelter at 22+ was full & noisy, so I am here after a 25 miler, gonna make tomorrow < 10! Woohoo!Turns out Singe (from Sudbury, now Waltham MA!) Was the late night arrival at the shelter last night. He caught up with me 14 miles into todays hike and we talked and let the miles roll by the rest of the day. I t was great having company crossing the Mass Pike Footbridge - especially a Mass Native! That bridge has always been one of the parts of the hike I visualised the most. The supportive honks of passing motorists mixed with Singe & my triumphant emotions were powerful.Marylin & Roy Wiley run a small blueberry farm right off the AT. They will hold mail drops for hikers, let 'em fill up on water, and somtimes let them camp on the lawn. Marylin is famous for her cookies! I hope to get to try some from the "cookie lady" tomorrow! Since I have only 9.6 miles to go until my 3:30 pick-up, I will hang out in the morning & help mow the lawn (weather permitting).The ponds (Upper Goose & Finerty) we passed today were beautiful. I wanted to stay at the Upper Goose cabin, but will have to do that another day. Otherwise it was smooth sailing on good trail for most of the 25 miles, done by 6:30. Good Stuff!
Date: 2004-06-25
From: Tenting in Roy & Marilyn Wiley's Yard

To: Home again
Miles today: 9.6

Daily milage: 9.6Total milage: 1554.5Ok, I am not home yet - I am in a coffee shop working on a large coffee & waiting for my ride. this morning was a nice stroll 10 miles to town. Heck, I had enough time to spend an hour mowing the lawn an Roy & Marylin's place. Now the last hour has been spent hanging out with Singe, Mouth and Tarzan.Mouth and Tarzan are doing some errands and trying to figure out where to stay tonight. Singe has bigger problems - he lost his wallet, so he is going to be coming home with me to be picked up by his family at my place. As has been the case for the last week, cell coverage has been spotty, so I am watching the traffic go by, waiting for Rog's truck. It just started raining and the forcast is for possible hail tonight, so it is a great time to get off the trail for a day or two!The mosquitos were savage last night. I did fine in my tent but Singe got killed in his floorless tarptent. I am using some serious DEET, but is worth it to me to avoid bites and possible consequences.Wondering what the weather will be like tomorrow. I am not playing in the volleyball tournement, but will knock a ball around as much as possible for fun and to regain my skills. The highschool season starts in just 2 months, I can't wait!
Date: 2004-06-28
From: My house!

To: My house!
Miles today: 0.0

This is the last of 3 zero days I've taken in a row at my house in Sutton, Massachusetts. My friend Rog picked me up Friday afternoon in Dalton, MA and drove me back here and I've had a restful time eating a ton, seeing friends and family and tuning up equipment. I'll be getting back on the trail early tomorrow morning and hiking into Vermont on Wednesday!While I was home, I did a bit more of the journal transcription that's been lagging a bit behind. The entries from 4/14 - 4/23 and 5/7 - 5/9 have been added.At this point, I've completed 1554 miles of the trail with 620 still to do. I'm estimating 8/10 as my summit date for Katahdin as long as I stay healthy! Looking forward to getting back on the trail and seeing some friends who have been hiking a few days behind me, especially Rockhound and Hoplite. My health has been holding out, sore in the feet and leg joints, but no major trouble for almost the past 3 months now.Thanks for all the guestbook entries. I don't expect to come home again until I complete the trail but look forward to returning to my 'real' life with Heather, Tally and everyone else in August...
Date: 2004-06-29
From: My house!

To: Wilber Clearing Lean-To
Miles today: 20.3

Daily Milage: 20.3Total Milage: 1574.8I was flying today, Heather and I got a nice early start, on the road by 7 AM. We hit the trail at 9:45 and, and for the first time during the hike, Heather and Tally walked with me. We said our goodbyes where the trail left the roads of Dalton, and then I started to boogie. 20 miles in 9 hours, including a nap on the summit of Greylock, flying!the trail could have been in better shape - lots of puddles and mud within 5 miles of Greylock. Hopefully the volunteer trail crew I saw at the lodge will make a dent in the next few days. my new pole tips saved my but a few times. I miss home horribly already. Hiking alone lets my thoughts run wild sometimes, and the battle between trail and home has been about even the past few weeks. The lure of catching up with Hoplite and Rockhound (now ahead of me and taunting me in the registers) helps a bunch. the desire to see this journely to completion helps as well - it is a lesson I am trying to teach myself.I thought I'd be alone in the shelter tonight and set up my tent as bug insurance. A couple of sisters (Jen & Linda) on the first day of a section hike across Mass joined me and have been good company. Good thing too - I really could use the distraction right now.Looking forward to reaching VT 7 miles into tomorrow's hike, that is state # 1`2 and less than 600 miles to go!
Date: 2004-06-30
From: Wilber Clearing Lean-To

To: Tenting @ Melville Nauheim Shelter, VT
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: few clouds

Daily Milage: 6/30Total Milage: 1597.8Hard, hard day today. The mountains are rising and the 23 miles were tough, especially when you add mud and rocks! I am in state number 12, Vermont! The woods have been lush and filled with ferns. I'm excited to be in the Green Mountains and to have only NH and ME after this!We got nailed by rain all last night - that made me real happy because I was in a shelter. The trail was empthy of people until 2PM wehn there were 4 groups of southbounders. I ran into Mouse & Cat - A daughter/mother section-hiking duo for the second time. At the shelter I found Singe with his tow friends & 4 other thru and section hikers. Rockhound, Hoplite, Wings & Feathers, Packrate & Mad German had all moved on to the next sheleter unfortunetly. I think I will have to do 28 miles to catch them tomorrow, so perhaps I will shoot to meet up with them Friday night in Manchester Center.I am hoping the trail conditions will improve, the mud and puddles are difficult to avoid, but I try anyway to keep my shoes & socks dry. The decent/ascent around Rte. 9 in VT is quite something, 1000 foot drops, then 1000 foot gain, all within 2 miles. Quite the workout...We roasted the pink chick peeps that Heather had given me over the fire tonight. Crunch sugar shell, gooey marshmellow inside. Good Stuff!
Date: 2004-07-01
From: Tenting @ Melville Nauheim Shelter, VT

To: Stratton Pond Station
Miles today: 27.9

Daily Milage: 27.9Total Milage: 1625.7Yesterday, I thought my hike was hard. Two days ago, I thought I was flying. Now I know what those words really mean! 28 miles in 11.5 hours of hiking! That is 28 miles over Stratton Mtn at 3936' and Glastenbury Mtn. at 3736'! And more importantly, Rockhound, Hoplite, Wings & Feathers, Mad German, and Packrat are all here, hooray!I had a ton of negative thoughts all day. Reasons to get off the trail, reasons to be home. I am hoping that having some company will clarify things for me and silence some of the negative thoughts. Plenty more thoughts to write, but I am too tired...bed time!
Date: 2004-07-02
From: Stratton Pond Station

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: few clouds

Daily Milage: 10.6Total Milage: 1636.3It feels so good to be hiking with my friends again. The emptiness of being stuck in a trail bubble after the comfort of having spent 2 days at home was as much as I could handle. I'm glad the long miles I pulled worked out - one more day of that mileage without catching up with my friends would have put me into a town in absolutely the most negative & dangerous frame of mind. We formed a line 7 thru-hikers long and walked just over 10 miles into this ritzy little town. Great burger and beer - and soda, always craving the fluid, sugar and calories of soda - for lunch, then cruised the town looking for Hoplite's parents. I inhaled the large ice cream shake that crossed my path at Friendly's. Stupid shake - you would think that they would learn by now - cross my path and I will eat you!Wings, Feather, Packrat & Mad German got picked up by Steve - Wing's Dad, they are off for 3 days. Hoplite's parents are wonderful! They drove me to the post office 30 seconds before it closed, then treated me and Rockhound like sons, ferrying us to the hotel, laundromat, and buying dinner, then pints of Ben & Jerry's. Thank you guys! You made the day wonderful!Rockhounds's dad and grandfather showed up around 1 AM, crashed, then took us out to breakfast in the morning.It was just one day between my 28 mile desperation march and being in town hanging out with my friends, but what a world of difference! My spirit is renewed, the hike goes on!
Date: 2004-07-03
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Tenting @ Peru Peak Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Daily Milage: 10.1Total Milage: 1646.4Great relaxing day hiking with Rockhound and his dad. We got dropped off at the trailhead by his grandfather at 11:15 and took seven hours to walk 10 miles on Bromley Mtn. We ran into Skyline and Sundance (on their 6 month wedding anniversery) and Einstein as well as some of Sundance's relatives who were slack packing them for the day.The vermont woods are dense, full of birch, beech, maple and moose. Ok - maybe not full of moose - we haven't seen one yet, but there is plenty of tracks and moose poop! (Ed. note - Or there is one very over-active, incontinent, moose taunting them...)Cheif & Jethro joined us at the shelter tonight. They are a young brother & sister combination. I like the bug net they used int the shelters - cheap, light, and an easy way to take care of the mosquito issue while still taking advantage of the shelters.We're looking at hiking 14 or so today - a long day for Rockhound's dad but it is over fairly easy terrain. I spoke with Heather about a visit on the 5th or 6th, possibly staying with her family in Proctor, VT. Things are going well - good mood, low miles, and great weather!528 miles to go...more than 3/4 of the way to Katahdin now.
Date: 2004-07-04
From: Manchester VT

To: Rutland
Miles today: 0.0

Heather's Entry,Hi All, just wanted to update you on Jeff/Squish's progress, He called on Friday from Manchester Vermont, (no he didn't do much outlet shopping!). He is heading up to New Hampshire by the end of the week.About 500 miles and change to go!I will update the back journals today...sorry for the delay!Happy 4th!Later...Ok, March - May are all now complete, my goal is to have June done ASAP