morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-07-23
From: Tom Leonard Shelter

To: Brassie Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 23.2

I didn't sleep well at all last night. I woke up with a really bad headache and the mosquitos were eating me alive! I tried covering up in my sleeping bag, but it was way too hot and I started sweating like crazy. The buzzing around my head got on my nerves so bad that I had to listen to my radio to get rid of the buzzing sound! I finally fell asleep and I woke up this morning and I didn't feel too hot at all! I got going anyway. After about an hour I started feeling better. I climbed over East Mtn. and then went down into a valley. I crossed a road and I saw a coke machine so I stopped there for a break! I then walked through a valley for about 6 miles. I walked through cornfields and hayfields for a long time. It was really easy walking! The mosquitos are extra bad in the valley though. I didn't even think about stopping down there because they eat you alive when you stop! I stopped for water one time, and they swarmed me like crazy! I have bites all over me. I then climbed up Mt. Everett and Race Mtn. There were great views from Race Mtn. I met a northbounder named Old Smokey Lonesome this afternoon. When I told him my name, he knew who I was!!! His friend had read my trailjournals website and told him that he might run into me! It was pretty cool. I then climbed up wet rocks to the top of Bear Mtn. There were great views up there too!!! After Bear Mtn., I went on to Brassie Brook Lean-to. I got lucky enough to be here by myself tonight so I put my tent up in the shelter and kept all of the mosquitos away!!! It's so nice in the tent!!! I would have set it up last night if it hadn't been raining! I crossed the state line into Connecticut today!!! One more state down!!! Great day today!
Date: 2003-07-24
From: Brassie Brook Lean-to

To: Sharon Mtn. Campsite
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: light rain

I woke up this morning and left around 7:15. I hiked about 5 miles and I got to Salisbury, CT. I had to go into town and resupply on some things. It's been raining pretty much all morning so I was soaked going into town. I went to the grocery store first and resupplied my food and got some snacks. I then came outside and it was pouring down rain, so I decided to go into the post office. I picked up my two maildrops and I stayed in the PO lobby for about 30 minutes repacking my pack.:) I felt kinda bad doing that in the lobby, but I had nowhere else to go because it was flooding outside. I then went to the library and got on the internet awhile. The library here is in a very old, stone building. It's a really cool building. Salisbury is a very neat town and everything is centered around one block pretty much. Very easy to get around. I then called home and me and mama got to talking and I am going to be in New York soon. I decided to go into New York City in a few days so we found a hostel for me to stay in when I get there. I got very excited about this! I left town around 1:15. I climbed a few mountains and then I got to walk by the Housatonic River for a few miles! Flat! I then went up Sharon Mtn. to Sharon Mtn. Campsite. About 2 miles before the campsite, it started flooding! I could barely see in front of me! It lasted about 30 minutes and then it quit. I got to the campsite and luckily got my tent up when it wasn't raining. God is good! I ate two freeze-dried spaghetti dinners and 2 pop tarts. I then laid down and listened to my radio! This is my favorite part of the day! I'm also loving the Smarties that mama sent in the mail! I couldn't find any in the grocery store and I was disappointed, then I saw them in the PO box she sent! Thank you! Great day today!
Date: 2003-07-25
From: Sharon Mtn. Campsite

To: Schaghticoke Mtn. Campsite
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: scattered clouds

I will first try to answer a few questions I've seen in the guestbook. I do not really have a set date that I want to finish on. I would like to be through around the first of November sometime, but I don't have to be finished then. The reason I'm covering more miles now than I was at the beginning of the trip is because the terrain is easier and I usually like to hike until around 5 o'clock, and it takes 20 miles usually to hike until that time. Mrs. Judy, I think Matthew and Squirrel Meat are in southern Vermont right now. They are both doing good from what I hear. Hope that clears up a few questions.:)I woke up this morning and it wasn't raining for the first time in a week!!! I was very excited about that. I've had beautiful weather all day long! The first part of the morning was filled with lots of "hills." I call them mountains where I come from, but people up here call them hills. After about 12 miles, I came to another flat section beside another river. I stopped at Stewart Hollow Brook Lean-to and ate my tuna and tortilla. There was a birdnest in the shelter and there were 4 little birds in the nest chirping away. I think they were hungry because their mama was scared to come into the shelter and feed them with me sitting there. Oh well, I still took my time eating!:) After eating, I continued on and the flat ended! I climbed straight up a very rocky section up St. John's Ledges and Caleb's Peak. Halfway up, I passed a group of rock climbers. They were out for the day and they gave me fruit juice, an orange, grapes, and an oreo!!! It was a great treat! I saved the orange until the top of Caleb's Peak and sat down and ate it there! Great reward after climbing a mountain. I then went on and came to CT341(a road.) I sat there for a few minutes resting and a lady pulled up in a suburban. She immediately offered me Gatorade and a coke!!! I sat with Mrs. Sue from South Carolina for about 45 minutes and ate vienna sausage. She also gave me an MRE meal. This is what the military uses. I then went on and got to the campsite and pitched my tent and sat down to devour my MRE meal!!! It had beef stew, tobasco sauce, salt and pepper, a chocolate covered cookie, sliced peaches, strawberry jam, gum, and gatorade powder!!! This was definitely the best meal I've had on the trail yet!!! God is so good! He has provided for all of my needs and kept me safe! I'm heading into NYC tomorrow! I laid down and listened to Jeopardy on my radio tonight and then went to sleep!
Date: 2003-07-26
From: Schaghticoke Mtn. Campsite

To: New York City!!
Miles today: 15.5

Today has been a VERY interesting day! I woke up really early this morning so I could get into the city earlier. I woke up around 4:45 and left before 5:30. I hiked 8 miles straight without stopping. I crossed over into New York state today!!! Goodbye hilly Connecticut!! I had about 5 miles of flat land to start off the state of New York. I then went downhill and came to New York 22 and the Appalachian Trail station, which is the train station that takes hikers into New York City. I hiked 15.5 miles by 11:30 and the first train didn't leave until 2:45. I heard from another hiker that you could go into Pawling, NY(3 miles away) and get an earlier train. So I decided to hitch into Pawling and do that. I stuck out my thumb and a guy in a big white van stopped and picked me up. He didn't have a seat for me, but I sat on wood chips he had in there. I told him I wanted to go to the train station in Pawling so I could go to NYC, and he said he would take me into the city!!! So I rode with him for about 2 hours and he dropped me off on a curb in Long Island! He told me to find the Long Island Railroad into the city. I walked around the streets of Long Island for about 30 minutes asking people where it was, I finally found it!!! I rode it to Penn Station in Manhattan. I then took the subway down to the World Trade Center site. I came to New York a few years ago on a family vacation and we went up to the top of the WTC tower, so I wanted to see what it looked like now. It was very sad actually seeing it in person. It made it more real to me that the towers had actually fallen. There is a HUGE, ten story deep hole there now. It is filled with construction vehicles. I also saw another building beside the towers that was affected. It still has a big hole in the side and it's covered with paper. After viewing Ground Zero, I walked down to Battery Park and looked at the Statue of Liberty. After that, I walked over to Broadway and then took a stroll down Wall St. I was tired after this, so I got back on the subway. I was supposed to take the number 6 train up to Bleecker Street station, but I got on the wrong one and went the wrong way for a stop, but I figured it out and finally got to the right place. I am staying at the White House hotel tonight. It is far from a hotel though!:) It's actually some kind of hostel. I have to have keys just to get in the doorway to walk up the stairs to my room. I say my room, but I actually mean my bed! I have a door that leads to a bed, that's it!:) But that's all I need, so I'm happy! I went to a deli and got a roast beef sandwich and I took a shower!! The shower felt really good! I am going to take the train back to the trail in the morning sometime. Great day again today!
Date: 2003-07-27
From: New York City!!

To: Morgan Stewart Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up this morning around 7:00. I was kinda ready to get out of this hostel, so I packed up pretty quickly and checked out. I then got on the subway and rode it to Grand Central Station. I waited at GCS for about an hour and a half for my train back to the Appalachian Trail. I got on the train around 9:50, and it got to the trail at 11:45. The trail station is just a bench beside the train track. It was pretty cool! It felt really good to get back on the trail! Atleast people don't stare at me like I'm crazy with my dirty clothes and huge pack! I had a pretty easy 10.6 mile hike today to get to the shelter. I got here kinda early and I thought about going on, but I decided to take an early day and rest some. I am staying with over 15 northbounders tonight!!! This is definitely the most people I've seen at one shelter! It's amazing how many northbounders there are and how little southbounders there are! I ate a poptart and 2 spaghetti meals for supper and somebody hiked in the Sunday New York Times, so I'm about to read that and go to bed! I am really glad that I got to go into NYC. I love little side trips like that!
Date: 2003-07-28
From: Morgan Stewart Shelter

To: tent beside the trail
Miles today: 21.9

I woke up this morning around 6 and packed up my tent and got going before 7. I started off the day with a climb up Mt. Egbert and then came down and crossed over I-84. It was one of the busiest interstates I've seen!!! I got to NY52 around 8:15 and I decided to walk half a mile off the trail to a deli! It was well worth it! I got a wonderful bacon, egg, and cheese on a bagel and man it tasted good!!!! I then went back to the trail and continued on. I found a really good country music station on my radio and I've been singing all day. I was walking along singing "The Queen of Memphis" a little too loudly, and all of a sudden I look up and there's a girl right in front of me laughing!!! I was pretty embarassed so I said hey and kept walking!! I couldn't stop laughing at myself for a few minutes!! I did quieten down a little bit, but I didn't quit singing!:) A couple miles later, I saw 2 coyotes. They were both about a year old and I stood there and we watched each other for about 5 minutes. They were about 15 feet away. I also saw a wild turkey this afternoon. I then went on to RPH Cabin and stopped in for a break. After that, I climbed up Shenandoah Mountain. Someone painted a US Flag on a rock on the summit of the mtn. They wrote on it, "God Bless America, In Memory of 9/11/01". They did a really good job and it looked great! I then went on down and I went past Dennytown Road about half a mile and saw a good flat spot on the side of the trail and decided to camp there for the night. It's been extremely hot all day long! I've had to be really careful about water because it's pretty scarce around here and I've been sweating like crazy and it's easy to get dehydrated in this weather! I have also had to start doing tick checks every night. It's not uncommon for thru-hikers to get Lyme Disease from all of the ticks up here, so I have to check for them. I've found a few crawling on me, but none were in me yet, so that's good. Great day today!
Date: 2003-07-29
From: tent beside the trail

To: William Brien Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 21.2
Weather: broken clouds

I left around 7 again today. I walked about 7 miles and I came to a road and I saw a Coke Machine there!!! Of course they didn't have Dr. Pepper, so I got a Mountain Dew! It was very good though! I then carried on and came to Bear Mountain, NY. I walked over the Hudson River on the Bear Mtn. Bridge. It was a very big bridge!!! The trail then went straight through a zoo!! I got to see bald eagles, bears, owls, deer, swans, vultures, and all kind of stuff! The lowest point on the entire A.T. was in front of the black bear exhibit(124'). I guess it's all uphill from here!:) I kept walking and came out of the zoo and I then walked beside the Bear Mtn. Lodge. I wanted to go into the restaurant and eat, so I walked around looking for the door inside and a guy comes up to me and asks if I'm looking for the post office, I told him I was actually looking for the restaurant. He said it was too expensive and he said he would take me to a cheaper one in the next town. So I said sure and hopped in. He took me to Highlands, NY, which is where Westpoint is located. I ate at Andy's Restaurant and I got two of the best hamburgers I've had on the entire trail!!! I also got some great fries!!! The guy ate too and then he took me back to the trail. He is an older guy who is retired and he stays there and shuttles hikers around. Very nice guy! I then got back on the trail and climbed up a bunch of rocks to the top of Bear Mtn. I then climbed West Mtn. and had beautiful views from the top! I came down from West Mtn. and I came to an interstate. There was no bridge to walk over this time, I had to run across the interstate. I saw a sign on the interstate that said NYC was only 34 miles from there!!! I didn't know the trail went that close to the city! Crossing the interstate was one of the hardest parts of the day because it was so busy!!!!!!!! I had to wait for 5 minutes before I could find a clearing in the cars and even then I had to literally run to keep from getting run over! I made it though! I then continued on to the shelter. It's a really cool shelter made out of stones and it's build into the side of the mountain. I'm staying with 4 other northbounders tonight and one of them has a guitar so we're sitting around the campfire listening to him play it. One of the guys here is from Macon, GA!!!! That is only an hour from where I live in GA!! It's a small world! I found a good Christian radio station to listen to tonight also. I was listening to a song and it talked about how we're only passing through here on this earth. This is so true!!! Our life on this earth is only temporary and we should make the most of each day and live it to the fullest!!! I am EXTREMELY glad that I have the assurance of Heaven when my time on earth is done and I hope that each of you reading this have that same assurance. If you want more information about how to have the assurance of Heaven, PLEASE get in touch with me at luke_c_22@hotmail.com!!! I would love to talk with you!
Date: 2003-07-30
From: William Brien Memorial Shelter

To: Wildcat Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: broken clouds

I got up and going this morning around 7 again. It took me awhile to get going though. I stopped every mile for awhile this morning. I just didn't have any energy for some reason. I finally stopped and had an early lunch and then I felt a little better after I ate. I climbed Fingerboard Mtn. and Island Pond Mtn. this morning. I then went through the lemon squeezer. This is a place where the trail passes between two huge rocks and it's a very tight squeeze! I almost got stuck with my pack because it was scraping the sides and it barely made it through. It was fun though. I then crosses over another interstate, this time on a bridge, and came to NY17. There was a payphone in the middle of nowhere there, so I decided to call home and surprise mama. After calling home, I continued on and it was up and down all day! Since Bear Mtn., the terrain has been extremely rocky! It remind me a lot of Maine, except the mtns. are nowhere near as big! I heard about another deli half a mile off the trail, so of course, I had to go!:) I got some ice cream, doritos, and a Dr. Pepper and it helped me make it through the day! I saw another wild turkey this afternoon. I got to the shelter around 6 today. There are two people from Pennsylvania and a bunch of northbounders, as usual! The lady from PA's back was hurting her pretty badly and she didn't have any kind of sleeping pad, so I let her use my thermarest for the night. I guess I'll get to test out these boards tonight!:) It's been extremely hot again today. It's not near as hot as it is at home in Georgia, but it seems hotter because I'm hiking in this hot!! At home, I would be in the water!!! I'm heading into New Jersey tomorrow!!
Date: 2003-07-31
From: Wildcat Shelter

To: Vernon, NJ
Miles today: 17.3

I am now in Warwick, NY for the morning. I hiked about 2 miles from Wildcat Shelter this morning and got a ride into town. I called home and found out some sad news. Mama told me that Matthew hurt his leg pretty badly on a rock near Mt. Greylock, Massachusetts. It hurts him everytime he puts weight on it so he has decided to go home. He's disappointed that he isn't going to be able to finish, but he's had a great time and he's done over 600 miles! He is going to the Boston Airport today to try to get a flight home. I am going to resupply here in town and head back out to the trail. I got resupplied and then I tried hitching back to the trail. I accidentally got on the wrong road, and I got a ride from a guy in a van, but he took me 6 miles in the wrong direction!!! The trail is only 3.5 miles from town, so I knew something wasn't right! We looked at a map and I realized how stupid I was for hitching on the wrong road! Oh well, live and learn. I then had to hitch back to town with a guy in a truck and then I finally got on the right road and another guy in a van stopped and took me to the trail. It took me 3 hitches to go 3.5 miles!:) I finally got back on the trail around 12:30. I hiked on a rocky ridge for awhile and I crossed over the border into New Jersey!!! The trail in New Jersey today has been extremely flat and easy! It's been very hot today though! I thought about stopping at the first shelter I came to, but I got there early so I kept going until I got to Vernon, NJ. I am staying in the lower level of St. Thomas' Episcopal Church tonight. They have a hiker hostel here and I get to wash my clothes!!! Dry socks! I ate at Burger King tonight for supper. Very good! I better head to bed!
Date: 2003-08-01
From: Vernon, NJ

To: Rutherford Shelter
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: moderate rain

I left the hostel around 7:30 this morning and it was misting rain outside. I caught a ride back to the trail with a nice lady who seemed kinda scared to stop and pick me up, but she said she just couldn't stand seeing me walk in the rain. I was thankful she stopped! I got on the trail around 8:00. My feet were immediately soaked as I started in a cowfield and the water from the grass went right into my shoes. The hike today has been very nice!!! This morning I started off with a one mile walk on a boardwalk over a swamp!!! It was good for a change. I then climbed Pochuck Mtn. and then back down. After coming down, I walked through Walkill National Wildlife Refuge Preserve. It's actually nothing more than a mosquito refuge though!! It's a big swamp and a breeding ground for mosquitos! They are horrible here! I then walked on extremely flat ground and I decided to go half a mile off the trail into Unionville, NY for a snack. I called home and talked to mama and to Matthew. He made it home safely late last night. It worked out really well because his friend Alec was up in Massachusetts at the same time Matthew was, so Alec took Matthew to the Boston Airport and he got a flight home. It was good to talk to Matthew again because I haven't talked to him in over a month. I'm glad that we got to hike together for a month and we'll never forget our experiences. After my stop in Unionville, I walked through some cow and horsefields. I then climbed up to High Point and I came to the High Point State Park Visitor Center, which is right on the trail. I went in and asked if they had a Coke machine, they said they didn't but that they could call a restaurant and order me food and a drink and the restaurant would deliver!!! So I stayed there for about 2 hours and ate supper. After eating, I had about 3 more miles to the shelter. I was walking around 6:30 and I looked up and saw 3 bear cubs and a mama bear about 15 feet in front of me! I stopped and watched them for a few minutes and they looked at me and then they walked off. I was very excited about seeing them! I had heard that New Jersey is full of bears and now I believe it! I also saw 3 deer and 3 turkeys today. When I got to the shelter tonight, the first thing I did was take my wet shoes and socks off! My feet looked like prunes!!! Very wet day today!
Date: 2003-08-02
From: Rutherford Shelter

To: Randolph, NJ
Miles today: 11.7

I woke up pretty early this morning so that I could get to Culver's Gap by 12:30. I am supposed to meet Mr. Jim Lipsey there and he is going to let me stay at his house for the night. I don't know Mr. Lipsey, but he has been reading the trailjournals and he emailed me and offered me a place to stay. I was very excited all morning as I hiked in wet feet again over a rocky ridge. I hiked up Sunrise Mtn. and I've heard there are really great views from the firetower on top, but it was very foggy today and I couldn't see anything. I then continued on over the wet rocks. Yesterday, my feet slipped right out from under me and I fell flat on a rock because they were so slippery, so I am being really careful today on the rocks. I got to Culver's Gap about 11:20 this morning. There is a bakery right here on the trail so I got me a few snacks and talked to a bunch of northbounders who are here while I waited for Mr. Lipsey. Every northbounder I talk to says that the rocks in Pennsylvania are horrible so I guess I'll find out in a couple days! Mr. Lipsey pulled up not too long after I got there and I put my stuff in his explorer and we headed for his home in Randolph, NJ. He stopped and bought me some ice cream, which was a wonderful treat! He then let me wash my clothes, take a shower(1st one since Dalton, MA), fed me, and they had even stocked up the refrigerator with Dr. Pepper's for me!!! He and his wife Bambi have been extremely nice to me so far and I am very grateful to them!!! They are going to take me to their church in the morning so I'm looking forward to that! I sat in their living room on a big comfy couch for a long time just enjoying being dry for a change! It feels so good! Mrs. Bambi made a wonderful meal tonight! We had baked ham, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, bread, and ice cream! I have to say it's the best meal I've had on the trail yet! I'm excited about sleeping in a comfortable bed tonight!