morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-08-23
From: Gifford Woods State Park

To: Wintturi Shelter
Miles today: 16.8

I spent most of yesterday in the room at the Killington Motel. It was a nice change of pace to the traditional hotel. When I opened the door to the room I was greeted by a nice couch. I spent much of my time relaxing on the couch while updating my journal and watching TV. I felt more of being in a living room verses a hotel room. The rest and relaxation were great and I was ready to get back to hiking now that the weather was nice.The day began with an awesome breakfast. I had pineapple, cranberry bread and six blueberry pancakes. I truly believe they may have been the best I've ever had! The couple running the motel operate it more like a bed and breakfast and it shows their loving touch. They roast coffee as well and sell that as a side business. There were large burlap sacks of coffee beans from other countries in the lobby. I had three cups with breakfast.When I started hiking it was like I was hiking on air. The sun was out and there was a nice coolness in the air. It felt like an early fall day. When I entered the woods I hiked around a huge pond. With the sun low on the horizon, the shadows and being only 20 feet from the pond's edge, it created a great hiking atmosphere. The mud that was prevalent in southern Vermont was also gone. Before I knew it, I'd hiked the 16.8 miles in only seven hours. I arrived at the shelter by 4:30 PM and wanted to keep on going. But the next shelter was 12.3 miles away and after looking at the guide, I decided to just call it a day. It may have been all the carbs, high caffeine coffee, the rest, the weather, or the combination of all these that made hiking today the easiest day to date.Since I had time on my hands I was able to chat with the hikers more than usual. And today there were about seven other hikers in camp. One of them was an unexpected ranger. By that I mean he was from North Ridgeville, Ohio. The school district's athletic teams' mascot is the Rangers. His name is Tom and he's lived in northeast Ohio since the year I was born, 1968. He's hiking in Vermont this year. It really is a small world. I also met a 71 year old gentleman hiking south. Each year he does parts of the AT he's not seen before. One hiker brought out a guitar and played a few songs before bedtime arrived. It was a great camp evening. But just like all others it was lights out and all quiet by 9:00 PM. I needed to sleep as I was planning a day of 21 miles tomorrow and the terrain was looking like it would be quite a few ups and downs. For book followers, mile 1,721.8 page 176.
Date: 2018-08-25
From: Happy Hill Shelter

To: Hanover, New Hampshire
Miles today: 5.9

I had a good night's sleep and there was no rush to break camp today. The town of Hanover, home to Dartmouth College, was about six miles away and that was a very short hike. I was leaning toward doing just a resupply and having town food then being on my way. But I will be honest. At this point in the adventure it has become tougher and tougher to get out of town. I'm betting you can correctly guess where this is going.The morning was slightly foggy when I departed camp. It didn't appear as though it was going to rain and as I suspected the fog slowly dissipated as the morning progressed. The terrain was pretty favorable as well and my excitement grew the closer I became to town. When I finally reached paved road I was thrown a curveball. I had to walk a mile and a half of city streets, all counting as trail miles, before arriving to Hanover. Once there, I sat on a bench in a central park while people played and others walked through. Behind me was part of Dartmouth's campus and it was busy with incoming students. It was nice to watch these young men and women starting their lives away from home. Especially since I have more than 30 years on them. I wondered how many would find themselves at age 50 having as many questions about life on Earth as I do.It was time to get some town food. One place offered a free donut and another a free slice of pizza to AT through-hikers. I decided to pass on these and visited a small diner named Lou's. I sat at the counter area and loaded up with a big tossed salad, cheeseburger and fries, and finished with an awesome slice of pecan pie. All were great! Now the all important decision. To resupply and hike out of town or spend the night. Hanover is an expensive town for lodging. After a few calls, I found a hotel close to Wal-Mart in the neighboring town of Lebanon. Of course I decided to spend the night. These town visits are part of the adventure. I called upon an Uber and was soon on my way to a hot shower and some rest and relaxation. For book followers, mile 1,748.8 page 177.
Date: 2018-08-26
From: Hanover, New Hampshire

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 16.6

Yesterday, my day in the town of Lebanon, New Hampshire, was nice. After checking into the hotel and taking a shower, I completed a few online journal entries and made a resupply list. Around dinner time I walked the half mile to Applebee's and enjoyed a nice steak dinner with a couple of beers. As luck would have it, they gave me mashed potatoes instead of a baked potato, so I ate them both. Hikers love extra food! After dinner I crossed the street to Wal-Mart and bought six days worth of trail foods.Today it was time to get back on the trail again. Even out here I am a creature of habit. Every day when I'm back on the actual trail (wooded or dirt portion) I say out loud, "I'm back on the trail again." Then I follow with a short prayer for getting through the previous day's adventure and for a good day of adventure today.Today, the paved portion of trail took me past more sections of the Dartmouth campus. I walked past the small football stadium which had perfect green grass. They probably haven't played their first game yet. Then I moved onward to pass the practice field and a soccer field before finally entering the woods and beginning a small climb. Today had two large claims and with a full pack of food the climbs were tough. That's the one drawback to visiting town. You leave town with a heavy pack that gets lighter with each passing day as you eat a day's worth of food.I made my destination called the Trapper John Shelter. This must have been the site of an actual trapper. The chimney still stood and the surrounding rocks formed an outline of the old foundation. There was even an old, completely rusted, sewing machine. The shelter was constructed about 20 feet in front of the chimney. I imagine the stream nearby where we took our water from is where Trapper John did his trappings. I was the first one to arrive at the shelter, but by nightfall there were about nine of us in camp. I felt really good today as I begin hiking the state of New Hampshire. It is a tough state having the White Mountains, but it is the next to last state in the adventure. For book followers, mile 1,765.4 page 180.
Date: 2018-08-27
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Hexacuba Shelter
Miles today: 12.0

The farther I move into New Hampshire the bigger the mountains become. The days of a flatter terrain are officially behind me. From here on out, it will be more frequent high, steep climbs and large rocks. On the positive side, the views are getting better and better. There will be days of fewer miles as well. Today was one of those days.The climb to the summit of Smarts Mountain was very strenuous. It was over 2,000 feet in elevation change over about four miles. Add to that there was a heat advisory in place and you have the recipe for a short day. My goal was to reach the Hexacuba Shelter which was most of the way up Mount Cube after coming down from Smarts Mountain. I arrived at the shelter at approximately 3:00 PM and I was totally exhausted. I ate some trail mix and beef jerky before taking a nap at 4:00 PM. I awoke at 5:30 PM when hiker 'Chuga-Chuga' strolled into camp. He and I would be the only two to camp here for the night. This left me 14.8 miles from a hostel, tomorrow's targeted destination.Do you recall my mentioning in a previous journal entry that I met a man named Tom from North Ridgeville, Ohio, in a Vermont shelter? Well, his wife is a sales rep for WOW Cable. When I met Tom we discussed that his wife may have signed me up for service. Today I received a text from his wife and she was the rep that came to my house three years ago. It is such a small world!Hey, do you know the difference between an AT through-hiker and Bigfoot? One is a hairy, smelly, creature that lives in the woods, the other a myth (ha ha!). For book followers, mile 1,777.4 page 181.
Date: 2018-08-28
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: NH 25
Miles today: 14.8

It has been talked about for months. Just wait until you enter the White Mountains of New Hampshire, they're tough! Well, the time has arrived so today's plan was to take some rest and relaxation before entering the Whites by hiking to a hostel.I took time off the following day staying at the Hikers Welcome Hostel. It wasn't the fanciest hostel. It had an outdoor laundry facility, shower and restroom. The bunk house I stayed in had no electricity. There was a central area that had electricity and this is where we hung out most of the time while watching movies. There wasn't a town close enough to enjoy either. They placed food orders each of the two days and we were shuttled to the small roadside grill for pickup. Both days my dinners were chicken fingers at 80 cents a piece so I loaded up. Ten the first day and only seven the second day but with a large fries.I did climb Mount Cube today which had a very tough portion to reach the summitt. The peak was small compared to what will soon come. Mount Cube's peak was just shy of 3,000 feet. Mount Washington, the crown jewel of the Whites, is more than double in elevation. These smaller mountains will help me prepare for what most claim is the toughest section of the AT.With the tough section looming I went through my pack and cut as much weight as possible (excluding food and water). I cut 10 feet off my rope to hang my food bag. I threw out a small hard case that held my credit cards, drivers license and insurance cards. Also tossed were extra Ziplock bags and I reduced the size of two rolls of medical tape. It was now time to tackle the Whites. For book followers, mile 1,792.2 page 181.
Date: 2018-08-30
From: NH 25

To: Beaver Brook Shelter
Miles today: 7.8

After my day of rest I was eager to begin the tough mountains of New Hampshire. I awoke to a foggy mourning which eventually turned to rain. It wasn't until 10 AM that the rain stopped and I was able to hit the trail.Today's task was to climb Mount Moosilauke with an elevation about 4,800 feet. It was a long uphill climb but I moved fairly well on fresh legs. When I reached the summit I found myself in a cold and windy environment. There were no views to be had so I took a picture at the summit and a small video. I was at the summit for roughly 10 minutes and then moved on to the nearest shelter.When I arrived at the shelter I was the only one there. It was just after 2:00 PM. I reviewed the guide and the next shelter was nine more miles. Your average miles while in the Whites is cut in half for most hikers and I'd not be the exception. The miles are tougher. An average of one to one and a quarter per hour can be reasonably expected. And so nine more miles wasn't going to happen and I had a short day of hiking due to the late start because of morning rain. I changed clothes and took a nap until another hiker arrived around 4:30 pm. Slow and steady is good enough in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is good enough for reaching 1,800 adventure miles too. For book followers, mile 1,800.0 page 188.
Date: 2018-08-31
From: Beaver Brook Shelter

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 9.0

Although yesterday was a short day of hiking, it did take me over a 4,800 feet peak from nearly the very bottom. I was now officially within the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the terrain was only going to get tougher.This morning, the decent from Mount Moosilauke lived up to its reputation. It was steep, rocky, and even had foot and hand holds made of rebar and hard wood. I was glad to be getting this out of the way early in the day. And it took me down to a parking lot where I'd be sure to see other hikers and local residents. Most of the decent followed a river which provided great scenery to many small water falls. Once I arrived at the bottom I came across some trail magic from a hiker named 'Stiches'. She'd been named so for a nasty fall while hiking a few years ago that required stiches. Today she sat comfortably in the van and was giving out cupcakes and I had two. She was also full of knowledge about the AT in this area and answered any questions we hikers had. I asked about a good resupply point and was told Crawford Notch.One of my main concerns about being in the White Mountains is the lack of accessibility to the real world while in them. This goes for having access to food and being prepared for adverse weather conditions since I'd be in high elevation for awhile. For example, last night was chilly and I'd wore most of my clothes while in my sleeping bag. I just hope it doesn't get much colder while I'm in the Whites. For book followers, mile 1,809.0 page 188.
Date: 2018-09-01
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Liberty Spring Campsite
Miles today: 11.5

The temperature was chilly last night and once again I had to layer up my clothing to stay warm. Today I'd be passing by the first hut in the White Mountains. Huts are places where you can stay for a hefty price, around $140 per night. Included in the price is a family style dinner and breakfast. They are sold out way in advance and used primarily by vacationers. But, anyone is free to stop by and as you'll see, they are good spots for hikers like myself.It was more of the same tough terrain that the Whites are known for. I was beginning to accept the fact that my daily mileage would be cut in half while in the Whites. This was the case for all of us and it felt good not being alone in this regard. When I arrived at the first hut named Lonesome Lake it was like a cabin in the woods but nicer from the outside. The huts are staffed by three to five young adults, mostly college aged. They stay in the huts for up to two weeks before hiking out for a day off. Well, I strolled in and asked about the benefits to through-hikers like myself. We can access the rest rooms, get safe water, buy limited food, and sometimes help ourselves to free leftovers the paying guests did not eat. One reason for free leftovers is the staff would have to pack it out of the mountains. Well, this morning I was able to get some cold lasagna, chicken, oatmeal and sausage. I only took a cereal bowl sized portion but it was great. I filled up my water bottles and went on my way.It was more of the same tough terrain today and I was only moving about one mile an hour most of the time. I hiked up and over Mount Kinsman then there was a long uphill to the campsite I was aiming for. When I arrived I found the caretaker to check in. In New Hampshire the campsites and shelters require a fee to stay. Liberty Spring was campsites only and it was $10. Each time after that would be only $5 and I was given an orange card to prove I paid the $10. I asked for a dirt spot rather than an elevated wooden tent pad. My tent is designed for the ground. I was given a spot at the edge of the campsite. I was basically all by myself in the woods on the side of a mountain. Cool, actually. I setup camp, ate dinner, and was soon in bed to stay warm as night rolled in. I was exhausted from the day's hike as well so the extra rest was welcome. For book followers, mile 1,820.5 page 189.
Date: 2018-09-02
From: Liberty Spring Campsite

To: Garfield Ridge Shelter/Campsite
Miles today: 7.6

I broke camp after eating a cold breakfast of oatmeal and two protein bars. I'm still too lazy, or time conscious, to cook oatmeal in the morning. Getting out of camp as soon as I can is more important than hot oatmeal to me.I completed the rest of the climb from the campsite to the peak of Little Haystack Mountain, about another 1,000 feet. For the next two miles I was above the tree line and it was a nice clear day. For the first time the beauty of the White Mountains hit me! Walking on the ridge line with full views all around made every ounce of effort needed to get here totally worth it. I can say without a doubt that these views I'm starting to see far surpass those of the south. Seeing mountains behind mountains behind mountains is awesome. Especially knowing I've hiked through them in one direction and will be going through them ahead. I found myself taking extra long breaks just to soak it in and confirm that, yes, I'm here at this moment in a place I've never been and may never return to. The adventure was really sweet today!The views came with a price though. I'd spent loads of energy to reach the ridge line and it was taking its toll on my body. I've been out here hiking for about five months. When I finally decided to depart from the ridge line the decent was as tough as it gets. It was .6 miles nearly straight down wet terrain to the campsite where I was planning to only take a break and eat a late lunch. However, once at the campsite I reviewed the guide book and learned the shelter that was two miles further was off the main trail by an additional mile. And that would add an extra two miles in the roundtrip to my hike. In this terrain it wasn't worth it and I called it a day and took an extra long rest. I didn't necessarily feel good about my decision until five other hikers I'm familiar with showed up for the same reasons. There is comfort in shared misery along the trail. Misery is a harsh word, but it fits well on days like today. Tomorrow's terrain looks a bit more promising. I'll have to wait and see what's over the next mountain. For book followers, mile 1,828.1 page 189.
Date: 2018-09-03
From: Garfield Ridge Shelter/Campsite

To: Ethan Pond Campsite
Miles today: 14.5

Today the adventure was going to take me past two huts. And I was aiming for a campsite about 15 miles away. It would be my longest mileage day in the White Mountains but there was talk of an easy five mile stretch of trail just before the destination campsite.The Galehead Hut was just under three miles away and would make a great place to take a break. It was also downhill from the campsite but that means nothing here in the Whites. Sometimes the decents are tougher than climbs. Your knees are absorbing the force of stepping down with the weight of a pack on your back. Do this for an hour or longer and you can imagine the stress our bodies are going through. Some of the steps require dropping down and that's even more force the knees are absorbing. Nonetheless, I made the first hut and a few hikers were already there. I was entitled to a free bowl of soup and two baked goods as a paying customer at my first campsite. I had a bowl of mushroom soup and two pieces of a sweet cornbread with shaved coconut. Both were delicious!I was surprised when hiker Red Bard came walking around a corner. I'd not seen him since the morning I arrived in Dalton, Massachusetts. It was good to see him and I'm happy to report he's doing well. I left the hut and climbed South Twin Mountain and Mount Guyot, both having nice views. At the second hut, Zealand Falls, I stopped in and had two slices of fresh baked herb bread and four pieces of chocolate cake, total cost $10. Shortly after leaving this hut I arrived at the five mile stretch that was supposed to be easy. And easy it was! I was now moving at about three miles an hour and reached the destination campsite in no time at all. This ended up being the easiest five miles in all of New Hampshire.About an hour after I arrived at the campsite, which had a shelter I chose to stay in, Red Bard walked in and said, "Jawz, I have some good news!" You'll want to read tomorrow's journal entry for sure, trust me. For book followers, mile 1,842.6 page 190.
Date: 2018-09-05
From: Mizpah Spring Hut

To: Madison Spring Hut
Miles today: 11.8

This morning there was a buzz in the air. Today I'd finally reach the summit of Mount Washington. This mountain holds the record for highest recorded wind speed in the 20th century that does not include a tropical cyclone. There are signs warning you to turn back in inclement weather as many have lost their lives on this mountain. Lucky for me it was a beautiful day.It was Red Bard's birthday today and he was doing morning chores for leftover breakfast. I was so excited that I opted to hike on after eating from my food bag. I couldn't handle sitting around while the hut guests ate. When the hike began Mount Washington was in the clear. About every half hour or so I'd stop and take pictures and a small video. The views this morning were the best yet. You'd stop and admire a view, hike 100 yards, and the view would be different but just as spectacular. On the way I stopped at the Lake of the Clouds hut and had coffee and two baked goods. At this point the summit of Mount Washington was only 1.5 miles away. The excitement was really intense now. My initial fears of being in the Whites with limited options had all passed. I was about to summit the crown jewel!When I was about half a mile from the summit a cloud front rolled in and put the peak out of site. It was still an awesome feeling when I reached the summit and saw the sign. I was so happy I was offering to everyone to take their pictures so all could be in the photo. Eventually I found the visitor center and made my way in. There I saw familiar faces and sat with another hiker while enjoying a bowl of chili and a hot dog. There is a cog railway train that takes passengers to the summit. Perhaps today the conductor is the same one that gave us a ride in his vehicle yesterday. I spent about two hours at the summit hoping the clouds would clear but no such luck. It was time to move on. By now Red Bard had arrived and we resumed hiking together.We crossed over the cog railway tracks in the fog of the clouds. Later, when we decended below cloud level, we were able to see the train moving down Mount Washington. We crossed over Mount Clay and Mount Jefferson which are included with Mount Washington in what's called the Presidential Range. The views leading away from Mount Washington were as awesome as they were on the way to it. Today was an entire day of beauty. I took probably ten times the photos I'd taken on any other day of this adventure. At times I wished this day would never end. But sadly, I reached the destination hut where Red Bard was given work-for-stay and I was declined as they filled their quota. I hiked another .6 miles to camp below the tree line on the side of a mountain in King Ravine. It was no easy .6 either. The winds howled above all night but I did get a good night's sleep while I unwound from a magical day. Rain was in the forecast for tomorrow and caused me some concern. For book followers, mile 1,863.7 page 191.