morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-02
From: US 20 

To: Gulf Rd, Dalton
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Started at: US 20Ended at: Gulf Rd, DaltonMiles: 20Another awesome day. We did good miles and it felt like nothing. I have lost 25 pounds at this point, maybe more...and feel like a machine. We are not even remotely sore from hiking these miles, but the problem is that we are not sleeping any more than six or seven hours a night. We hike all day then want so badly to spend time talking with Kathy and Ronnie. Time with family is at a premium. Kathy and Ronnie picked up our mail drop while we hiked today! Now we don't have to worry about post office hours when we go through Cheshire. Very nice. We finished our hike in the town of Dalton today and went straight to a restaurant so we could get eating out of the way before Kathy arrived. The people there did not seem very happy to serve us, maybe because we are stinky hikers. Heather says I look a little maniacal with my beard. Eventually I cornered someone and they took care of us. Before we finished our meals an older man that was eating behind us walked over and asked us if we needed a place to stay. It is still amazing to me how many people out here will take hikers into their homes and treat them like kings for a day. People can be wonderful.   Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-03
From: Gulf Rd, Dalton

To: Mt. Greylock
Miles today: 16.0

Started at: Gulf RdEnded at: Mt. GreylockMiles: 16.0Wow, we ran into another thru-hiker named Footloose today at the top of Greylock Mt. He has been hiking with some other people that are just up ahead of us. Maybe we can join their pack? Finally!!! People to hike with!!!But you might say, "Arwen, you have the pleasure of hiking with your lovely wife Heather...everyday." Yeah, don't get me wrong. I love hiking with my wife, but we have spent over 120 days together, 24 hours a day, many days under miserable conditions. It is a miracle of nature that we have not killed each other!! We definitely appreciate the presence of other human beings sometimes. Heather and I hike for 10 hours a day together, sometimes without saying any more than a few words...other times we talk all day long. It is very nice actually.Anyway, we enjoyed a few snacks in the lodge at the top of the Mt. Graylock and climbed the tower for an awesome view. It felt like we hadn't seen a real vista in ages. We were running hither and thither like kids, unable to get enough. There were cotton people everywhere because you can drive to within twenty feet of the top of the mountain, and someone rented out the lodge for a bar mitzvah. We sat on some couches near the lodge gift shop for a while and watched them do touristy things. Often cotton people smell us, notice the large backpacks and come over to ask questions. My favorite is, "You Hikin?". I would think that was obvious from the hiking poles, backpack, and horrible smell. Another is, "Have you read that book...by uuhmm...you know...that guy?" This is one of the most common question every thru-hiker hears. And yes everyone has read Bill Bryson's A Walk In The Woods. Ok, here is the top ten list of my favorite questions posed to thru-hikers, with my favorite responses:10. You hikin?Nope, just homeless.9. Where do you sleep? Outside.8. Aren't you scared of bears? Yes, especially the polar bears.7. What do you eat? Oh, there's a McDonalds every mile or two.6. Where do you use the restroom?At all the McDonalds of course.         5. Where did you start? Georgia. Yes, really, Georgia.4. When? 5 months ago.3. Did you read that book? For gawd's sake YESSSS!! That candy ass.2. Can I show...I mean...introduce you to my kids?1. When you get to the end are you going to walk back? Oh yeah, that's where my car is you know. -ArwenCamera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-04
From: Mt. Greylock

To: Mill Rd
Miles today: 13.5

Started at: Mt. GreylockEnded at: Mill RdMiles: 13.5Today was supposed to be a half day, a "nero" we call them, as in a near-zero. We slept in, enjoying a deliciously late morning in the most comfortable bed we've had the pleasure of sleeping in in the last 4 months. We had yet another fabulous B&B breakfast before getting on the road. Our hearts weren't in the hike today though. The miles dragged by, the day wore on, and still it seemed we couldn't get to the end. We didn't talk about it, but I think neither of us are looking forward to full packs tomorrow, hard wood shelter floors instead of soft beds, and reconstituted formerly dehydrated food. Yep, we've gotten soft. Better toughen up before we hit the Whites!Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-05
From: Mill Rd

To: Melville Nauheim Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: light rain

Started at: Mill RdEnded at: Melville Nauheim ShelterMiles: 12.8Our first day back to our hiker lives after a 10 day slackpack. There's just one thing I gotta know. What the hell are we doing out in the woods? After 10 days of clean laundry and good sleep, I can finally see clearly. We must have been high on BO to think this is fun. Our packs probably weigh a good 200, 300 pounds. You don't actually expect me to eat pb&j for lunch do you? What about my brie burger and frips! Please, someone wake me up from this terrible dream! Aaaaagggh!Ok, it's not quite that bad. But it didn't help that we were welcomed back to the trail by a morning rainstorm. No matter, it was a short day. We've put in so many miles lately we can afford to cut ourselves some slack. And it's a good thing too. Had we decided to push to the next shelter, we would've been caught in a wicked thunderstorm. Those, I find, are best enjoyed from the comfort of a cozy bunk.Cheers,Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-06
From: Melville Nauheim Shelter

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Started at: Melville Nauheim ShelterEnded at: Story Spring ShelterMiles: 17.4 Today our hiking efforts were rewarded with some beautiful views. After a long climb up all morning, we reached the Goddard Shelter, perched high up on a hill. Just as we were lamenting how fogged in the view was, the clouds parted and the sun began shining. It was a perfect spot for lunch. As we were eating, Walk On, who we haven't seen since Day 2, showed up. And a few minutes later, Sarah and Ash, two Long Trail hikers we met yesterday, caught up. We ate, snoozed, chatted and enjoyed ourselves.Only a few tenths of a mile past this spot we came to the top of Glastenbury Mountain, which has a firetower on top. Mildly disconcerted by the plaque bolted to its base that reads "No more than 4 people at a time on tower," we proceeded to the top. Wow, mountains all around. Haven't seen that in a while. Then we made our way to Kid Gore Shelter for an afternoon break, which offered another beautiful view. We considered staying to enjoy the sunset, but decided to go ahead and push on.It felt like a long day by the time we got to Story Spring Shelter. We weren't exactly thrilled to see that it was packed with boyscouts either. But their troop leaders turned out to be nice and made room for us. Their group is out here working on their 50 mile hike patch. Just before dark, Sarah and Ash showed up, manic and half delirious. We couldn't believe it! They've only been on the trail 3 days, and they pulled a 17 miler! Wow, are they tough. We were glad to see them again, and we all squeezed into the shelter together.Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-07
From: Story Spring Shelter

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Started at: Story Spring ShelterEnded at: Manchester Center, VTMiles: 21.1Today is the day we have finally achieved total thruhiker trail zen. I'm sitting here outside Price Choppers grocery store at 11:30 at night (waaaay past hiker bedtime), having just finished takin care of business (buying the next 2 days rations - "No ma'am I sure don't have a Price Choppers Super Chopper card"), while Arwen finishes up taking care of business (phone calls to his Mom - "Did you get my shoes ordered?" - and our roommate Doug - "Did you get our cold weather gear shipped off?" - and Xave - "How's it goin buddy?").I know that today is the day we've achieved total thruhiker trail zen because of the way we've rolled with the day as it's unfolded in unexpected twists and turns. We started the day by bidding farewell to two new friends we made, Sarah and Ash, Long Trail thruhikers. Then we preceeded to kick butt all over the tallest peak we've summitted in 800 miles without hardly breaking a sweat. We caught a gorgeous view at the top and took lunch and a nap at the bottom. We missed out on swimming in the most inviting pond we've come across so far because the timing was all wrong when we hit it, but we managed to shrug off our disappointment with the promise to make the most of the next swimming opportunuty. When we got to our planned destination with 18+ miles in the bag earlier than expected and feeling stronger than expected, we decided to push the next 3 miles into town, with steak and ice cream on our minds. The steak joint was further than we thought so we contented ourselves with pizza! (Great. Pizza again.) which turned out to be better than average. As we were munching away I noticed in a local paper that next door to the pizza joint, one hour from now Fahrenheit 911 was playing. We were so there. Standing in line with our stinky backpacks, oblivious to the strange looks of the cotton people surrounding us, we were just glad to be there. We took our seats in the theater with our complimentary popcorn, trail magic from the ticket taker, and took stock of the cottons around us. Instead of being envious of their clean clothes and quaffed hair, we thought to ourselves, "Suckers!"After the movie let out we strolled over to the grocery store 10 minutes before it closed and got what we needed. Now we're making some calls. It's way past hiker bedtime but we're still going like the energizer bunny. Not sure where we're gonna sleep tonight. It's a little late to be hitching back to the trail. We might just throw our tent up behind the movie theater. Whatever, it'll all work out.Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-08
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Big Branch Shelter 
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: light rain

Started at: Manchester CenterEnded at: Big Branch Shelter Miles: 16.5We finally caught up with some people today!! We had been in a hiker void for a while, maybe a few weeks. But we ran into Lucky Star, Footloose, and Captain Hook. Captain Hook we hadn't seen since maybe Day 3 on the trail. Lucky Star we'd never met but had heard a lot about. She's the one who got dragged in her bivy sack by a bear. She is also about to complete the Triple Crown, which means she will have hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (from Mexico to Canada), the Continental Divide Trail (from New Mexico to Canada) and the AT. Pretty impressive. She's one tough lady, but she has the gentle, humble demeanor of anyone's grandma. It was fun having other people to hike with again. Captain Hook is a lot of fun. He wears a black hat that looks like a pirate hat and a small stuffed duck (named Luck Duck) on his shoulder, which he refers to as his "parrot." He always seems to be smiling and laughing.Without a doubt, it's the people we've met out here that have been the best part of hiking the AT. I think we've made some friends for life.Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-09
From: Big Branch Shelter 

To: Clarendon Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: light rain

Started at: Big Branch Shelter Ended at: Clarendon ShelterMiles: 15.9What an adventure today. We had to get off the trail to get into the Killington post office for food and a new pair of shoes for Arwen. Late in the morning we realized we weren't moving fast enough to make it to our planned road crossing in time to make it to the PO before it closed. But we didn't have a road map with us to help us figure out other options. Luckily we ran into some locals who clued us in. The only problem was it would be a 24 mile hitch each way: our most ambitious hitch yet.We were off to a smashing start when, still standing on the trail, Arwen stuck out his thumb at the first passing car and it stopped. Unfortunately he was only going about 3 miles to the next town over. He dropped us off there and we tried and tried to get someone to stop for us. I've never seen anything like it. Plenty of cars passing at a reasonable speed, but they all just pretended they couldn't see us. We began to think it would just be too difficult and perhaps we should head back to the trail head and make another stab at it from the originally planned road crossing.Arwen popped into a nearby convenience store to ask if there were any busses or taxis serving the area, an extremely unlikely prospect. Another customer, overhearing, said, "I know where Killington is. I'll take you."Wow, what a trail angel Arnie turned out to be. "You guys hungry?" he asked. "There's a great deli next to the post office in Killington." The deli was in fact awesome. We each got massive sandwhiches, chips, a pint of ice cream, and I added to that the most incredible shrimp salad ever. "I know a great spot for lunch if you guys have time," Arnie suggested. "We can drive up to Mt. Killington and you can get a preview of what you'll be climbing tomorrow." Sounded great to us. Having satiated ourselves and taken in the sights we were ready to head back to the trail. Unbelievably, Arnie offered to take us. We were floored by his generosity. On the way he had one last suggestion. He pulled into an out-of-the-way convenience store run by a Korean couple. "They make the best egg rolls in Vermont. You can take some back on the trail with you." Great suggestion. And the woman behind the counter was hilarious. "Oh, she so skinny!" she exclaimed loudly, as if I wasn't there. "You have very pretty smile. I give you extra egg roll." Wow, thanks.We made it back to the trail head by late afternoon and made our way to the shelter. When we arrived we found we were late for the party. A couple 2003 SOBOs had brought burgers, dogs and beer for everyone. The food was gone by then, but they put a beer in our hands and we hung out around the fire exchanging stories. Good day on the trail.Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-10
From: Clarendon Shelter

To: Churchill Scott Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: light rain

Started at: Clarendon ShelterEnded at: Churchill Scott ShelterMiles: 14.5Today the climb up Mt. Killington kicked our butts. We haven't been so exhausted in a long time. It felt like we were going uphill for two thirds of the day. We hiked up with Captain Hook, Mountain Man and Walk On. Or rather in the vicinity of these folks, as it seemed we were usually dragging behind them.Another northbounder who went up Killington today is worth mentioning. His name is Cimarron, and in a few months he will be turning 82. He's an amazing guy. He said he took his trail name from the boy scout camp in New Mexico. Apparently about 20 years ago his son was leading a troop on a hike out there and Cimarron askd his doctor if it would be ok for him to accompany them. The doctor advised against it. Cimarron went out there anyway, but just to drive, not to hike. A park ranger struck up a conversation with him, offered him the use of a pack and some gear and said "You can do it." So he did. And he came back every year for the next 15 years to do the hike again. When you get to the top of the AT on Killington, you're not at the top of the mountan yet. You are presented with a choice. You can either start heading down, or you can climb the steep .2 miles to the pinnacle. It made no sense to us to climb all that way, get so close, and get no view. What a waste. So we dropped our packs and huffed it up the steep (stuHEEP!) pile of rocks between us and the summit. What a view!Our big dilemma this evening was whether or not to push it an extra 2 miles to the road to hitch to the famous Long Trail Inn, a brewery, restaurant and inn that has been a traditional stop for thruhikers. In the end we were just too beat. We cut it short and stayed at the last shelter with Footloose and Captain Hook. Glad we did too, because there's a caretaker here who ended up being good company. Her name is Ridgerunner Kate, she has long blonde hair, she doesn't shave, and she's ripped. She looks like a cross between a surfer chick and a mountain woman. And she could kick your butt. The guys were, of course, in awe.One of Kate's primary jobs as caretaker is to look after the composting privies. These are all the rage out here. They take human sewage and gradually, over time, turn it in into ordinary garden mulch. Kate was telling us that the other day she moseyed into the main office and found all the admnistrators in a tizzy. "Kate, you've got to get back to the trail, stat! You have a poop emergency!" Oh my, a poop emergency. She hustled back out to the trail and found that, indeed, the privy in question was "full," to put it politely. She then went into mesmerizing detail about how one deals with a "full" privy, details from which I will now spare you. Suffice it to say it made for interesting conversation tonight.Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-11
From: Churchill Scott Shelter

To: Stony Brook Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: broken clouds

Started at: Churchill Scott ShelterEnded at: Stony Brook ShelterMiles: 11.9Today I learned that a dear friend and former colleague, Charles Caron, died in a motorcycle accident. It happened July 5th, over the holiday weekend. From what I understand he took a corner at high speed, lost control, and died instantly. His funeral was yesterday. My heart goes out to the wife and daughter he left behind, who were everything to him.Charles was a good, good person. He was funny and smart and good natured. He made a mean gumbo. We shared a cynicsm about work that helped us survive it. He was my friend. I just can't believe he won't be there when I get home. From the begining of this thruhike I have thought many times to myself that I have to keep going until I get to the end because this trail is too damn hard to have to start over again. If I quit early I'd have to come back and re-do what I've already done in order to "thru hike" it. Today is the first time since March 1st that I couldn't care less about this thru hike. It has become empty and meaningless. Right now I just want to go home. I would like to be able to be with the other people who are grieving for Charles. I would like to be able to bake a casserole for his wife. I would like to be able to do something, anything. Charles' daughter has a disability, autism. A fund has been started in her name to ensure she's provided for. If you are interested in making a donation, email me at vaughan@pocketmail.com and I can forward you the details.Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-12
From: Stony Brook Shelter

To: Woodstock Stage Rd (stealth camping)
Miles today: 15.2

Started at: Stony Brook ShelterEnded at: Woodstock Stage Rd (stealth camping)Miles: 15.2 The green tunnel. I'm so sick of it. It's the green canopy of trees and underbrush we walk through day after day after day. Over flat ground it's not so bad, but lately we've been hitting some long, steep sections. Not just steep. Ridiculously steep. So steep that you can't physically put your entire foot flat on the trail because if you did your achilles tendon would snap in half. We've learned all kinds of tricks for negotiating this terrain, and we can do it even when it takes a healthy dose of willpower. The only conceivable point to putting yourself through this agony is the hope that eventually at the top, if you ever make it to the top, there will be a view. Perhaps you will see lovely mountains rising in the distance. Perhaps they'll be the mountains you'll hike over tomorrow. Or maybe they'll be the mountains you hiked over yesterday. Or maybe instead you'll hike and hike and hike, sweat and pant and gasp, finally make your way to the top, and never emerge even for a moment from the green tunnel. That's how it's been lately, and I just can't take it anymore.Enough of this rant. Tonight is an uncommonly pleasant evening, and I should take a moment to say so. We were able to get a hitch on a flatbed truck, holding on for dear life, down this little nothing road to a little nothing town with a wonderful general store, like an oasis in the wilderness. We got all kinds of wonderful things to eat and systematically devoured them, sitting at a picinic table by a small stream, along with Footloose and Mountain Man. We cracked jokes, stuffed ourselves and enjoyed a beautiful clear sunny blue sky as it turned from late afternoon into evening. Then we hiked halfway back to the trail and set up camp at "Suicide Six," a small ski lodge that's no loner the major attraction it used to be. Summer is the end of season, so we should have the place to ourselves.Camera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net
Date: 2004-07-13
From: Woodstock Stage Rd (stealth camping)

To: Happy Hill Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: broken clouds

Started at: Woodstock Stage RdEnded at: Happy Hill ShelterMiles: 15.1Hey folks, Arwen here. Yeah I'm still alive. Heather has been doing most of the journal writing for a while now. Some times we do them together but mostly she writes in the journal while I do the video camera work. But I'm going to try to do a few more entries these days. Well, we are still hiking. We are entering the last leg of our little adventure and have decided to slow it down. We have caught up to our schedule, and then some, so now we are going enjoy every last minute. We only need to average about 14 miles a day to finish by Aug 15 and 12 miles to finish Aug 20. So, we are thinking about making it to Katahdin between these two dates, should be very easy to do.Tonight was exciting because our buddy Camel caught up to us. We haven't seen him since New Jersey, when he got off the trail for a 5 day bike ride with his dad. Somehow while we were slackpacking 20 miles a day, Camel caught up to us. He's amazing. And Captain Hook showed up right after him. We had lost the Captain coming out of Rutland. We are crossing into New Hampshire tomorrow and people say that NH and ME are the two most beautiful states on the trail! The White Mts are just a few days away and this is the hardest part of the trail. Our mileage will probably drop to around 10 for a week or so. It is supposed to be absolutely beautiful. We will get to step out of the green tunnel (as Heather calls it) and be above tree line for a number of days.I've been reading "A Walk in the Woods" again while out here. It is fun to read it again now that we have been to so many of the places he writes about. But I better go to sleep now...-ACamera 1 & Camera 2Heather & Arwenvaughan@pocketmail.comhttp://www.hobbithole.net