morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-07-06
From: Fort Montgomery, NY

To: Graymore, Ballpark Shelter
Miles today: 0.0

What a luxury to stay in bed until 7:30, we soon bounced out and went to brekky,I had 3 cups of juice, cereal, toast, 1 boiled egg 1 donut and took an apple with me, Barbara had similar, we are considered small eaters in the hiker community, hehe, anyway we had a short day today, only 6 miles to ballpark which is owned by the St Francis of Assisi Friars, their Monastary is on the hill about the park, at one time hikers could go there and have a meal with a bed for the night also, but that has stopped, what ashame, it would have been and experience, we have a couple of long days ahead on our journey to Kent in Connecticut where we re supply, it will be our 10th state to have hiked with 4 left after that, Barbara told me she read where hiking the AT equals climbing Mt Everest over 16 times and I can tell you, that wouldn't be far wrong.
Date: 2007-07-07
From: Graymore, Ballpark Shelter

To: RRPH cabin Shelter
Miles today: 19.0

Up and on the trail at 5:40 it was a good afternoon/evening with a full shelter, sugarfoot a really nice guy who hiked with us today and who is recovering from a really bad blister on his foot and couldn't walk at his own pace also crazy bear, Jazznuts, Highlife, the dude and Shalom all very nice guys plus Granite and Terapin flyer was there, as well, all of these hikers are here again tonight which makes for an interesting evening, its been a long day, the trail was really good with the elevations being low, we reached our 1400 miles today and we are proud of our selves, time for bed.
Date: 2007-07-08
From: RRPH cabin Shelter

To: Telephone Pioneer Shelter
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Once again the day started at 5am it was already gearing up to be another very hot and humid day, we had sugarfoot along with us again, he is great company and a very funny person, but alas he left the trail this morning nursing his very sore blister,he hopes to be back on the trail Tuesday and feeling a lot better, we are looking forward to his return, we are currently the only ones at the shelter, Pauling is only 3 miles from here so I imagine most have gone to re supply there, we are looking forward to re supply in Kent on Tuesday sometime but are heading back to the trail after it, time to call it a night.
Date: 2007-07-09
From: Telephone Pioneer Shelter

To: Kent, township
Miles today: 24.0

The only way to describe today is , HORRENDOUS, it started at 6 am and already hot and humid we reached about 2 miles out and needing to find a bush I stopped, not knowing Barbara had done the same just up ahead, I put on my pack and walked on wondering where Barb was, not knowing she was behind me, I got to the road and had no idea of want to do next apart from follow the white blaze, so that is what I did, Barbara had don idea of where I was and after looking for me she continued on the trail as well, anyway 24 miles later I was in Town totally worn out and hardly able to think straight I went to a motel not knowing Barbara was arriving from the trail later that evening.
Date: 2007-07-10
From: Kent, township

To: Kent, zero day
Miles today: 0.0

After a very sleepless night I went down the street and much to my relief there was Barbara, she was relieved to see I was ok, as I was her, she is totally physically and mentally run down, and is considering leaving the trail, I can only hope after a day in the aircon and a lot of much needed calories she may re consider, this is normal to feel this way this late in on the trail and as every day passes it becomes a mind game between the hiker and the trail, we are sore and always tired and the fight becomes a mental one, I pray she fights on and wins her battle with the trail at Mt Kathadin Main in September, maybe some encouraging words from some of you guys who read my journal will help her win this battle she is having at the moment. Barbara Corley is her journal name.
Date: 2007-07-11
From: Kent, zero day

To: Zero day Kent
Miles today: 0.0

What a huge difference a day makes, a zero day that is, I didn't get out of bed until around 8am, although awake, it was such a luxury to just lay there, we are staying in town another day which makes it two zero's back to back, things have to change at this late stage in the hike, after talking to more than a dozen other hikers I have found we are not alone in feeling very physically and in some cases emotionally drained as well, it's the challenge of the trail and would be very easy to just give up and go home, BUT, I couldn't and won't do that, I am determined to see this to the end, I want my dream to become a reality, so I am here for the long haul.We hit the trail again tomorrow 12th with some new strategies in place and if they don't work then we will devise some more.
Date: 2007-07-12
From: Zero day Kent

To: Cornwall Bridge
Miles today: 11.2

I am delighted to say today has been a real turn about face, it was cool with no humidity when we left Kent, the trail was a delight to hike on with a lot of the 11.2 miles being along side the Housatonic river, we took our time to stop and enjoy the and all it had to offer,something we lost sight of somewhere along the way, we called into the Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter, there was a man and his two sons enjoying their first camp out alone, the boys were collecting firewood for the fire so they could cook hot dogs for dinner and later for dad to tell the boys a scary story, a family tradition the dad said, he asked me to say I'd seen some scary guys along the trail so the boys would believe his scary tails later around the fire, so I told a whopper, needless to say the boys believed me , I think dad is going to have a very sleepless night with 2 scared boys in his sleeping bag with him, as we left the shelter the thought had crossed my mind to let out a loud blood curdling scream once out of sight just to add some sound effects, but I though better of it.We are at the Hitching Post Hotel at Cornwall Bridge, Dogs life is also here, we met up with a thru hiker we haven't seen since Georgia, her name is Buttercup, it was great to see her still on the trail.I recieved a message from Diesel, it was so encouraging to hear from a fellow hiker we really do care about each other, thank you Diesel and thank you to all for your support and encouragement, one hiker has left the trail for good, Chico, it is a real shame, I liked him, he was fun and full on, great to be around, one of the colorful trail hikers, well time for sleep.
Date: 2007-07-13
From: Cornwall Bridge

To: Belters Bump campground
Miles today: 11.1

Today there was a lot more climbing than yesterday, still it was compared to last week a good day with breezes to cool us down once we had reached the top of the hills, there was also plenty of water through out the day which was in stark contrast to the New York section, it really is a pleasure hiking Connecticut, Barbara seems to be doing a lot better now, although her feet are really sore, that I'm sure applies to all of us long distance hikers, but if we want to finish in Kathadin then discomfort is something we just have to suck up.This campsite is in a natural pine forest, it is a serene place just perfect for some quiet camping and time to gather my thoughts, I am finding myself thinking more about the end of the trail and wondering (what next), it may take a little time to assimilate back into the real worked but only long enough to think about my next adventure, whatever that may be, life really is good.
Date: 2007-07-14
From: Belters Bump campground

To: Salisbury
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

Here I am at the Salisbury at the public library, there is not public phone to call friends, we are hoping to stay for the night at Maria's house, but no one is at home. so we may hit the trail again. I have to get off of the computer, it's someone else's turn.Contiued.There is not public phone here in Salisbury, Barbs cell cannot get service, apart from that it is a nice friendly town leaning towards yuppy, the people at the library were friendy, unlike the Pt C linton Library, there were two old ladies running it and we were told we could not access the computer with out a Library card and not allowed to access emails. they mudt have in in their 80s, they were like Gargoyle's standing guard over the castle gates.Anyway it was a nice hike to our camp with a few elevations just to keep us on our toe's.
Date: 2007-07-15
From: Salisbury

To: Riga to The Hemlocks Leanto 
Miles today: 10.0

There was a breeze all night last night which kept the mozzies at bay, there was a tree creaking in the breeze which had me worries off and on through the night, hoping I wasn't going to be pounded into my last resting place by a huge tree, its been an up hill day with us climbing Bear Mountain, Race Mountain and Mount Everet with some spectacular 180 degree views of surrounding hilla nd country side of Massachusetts, we have now left Connecticut behind us, it's hard to believe we have come 1500 miles with 674 miles to go, it's truely an amazing trail.It has rained this afternoon and we got a chance to meet up with some new faces and some old faces as well, Castanets, Dogs Life, Boo Boo, Dude, Jazz Nuts, Buttercup and Quatro were slack packing and have now moved on to catch their ride, we are staying in the shelter, it's too wet to pitch our tents, I am using deet to keep the horse size mozzies away, we hope to put in over 16 miles tomorrow.
Date: 2007-07-16
From: Riga to The Hemlocks Leanto 

To: East Mountain Retreat Centre Hostel 
Miles today: 16.4

The rain didn't last long, by dark it was over, the mozzies weren't bad untill this morning, we covered 16.4 trail miles plus another 3.2 off the trail miles, the terrain was all up and down, but not to the extreme, the humidity was high due to the rain, it can be draining, we arrived at the hostel around 5:30 pm, showered, washed and ordered pizza and now here I am sitting in bed, although be it a hard futon mattress, it's clean and thats all that matters I am slapping mozzies byt the dozen, they seem to be in almost plague proportions, I have been covered in deet 100% all day, the only place they could get ( and did ) was the top of my head, I have two golf ball size bited there, well time for sleep, it's another early rise tomorrow.
Date: 2007-07-17
From: East Mountain Retreat Centre Hostel 

To: Fire Pavillion, Tyringham 
Miles today: 12.1

We hit the trai and soon it was like were never off of it, but having clean clothes and a shower last night reminded us that we had some reprieve from the heat and humidity, it's now 5pm and we are sitting in the pavillion, Barbara is looking at the map while eating Rice side for dinner, while I am doing my Journal, I couldn't eat all the oeatmeal I made so it got tossed out.This little we are in is vrey cute even though it doesn't have a store, servo or even a soda machine. I would hazard a guess it doesn't have a lot of crime either, It's basicly a cattle farming comunity with a number of dairies, ( I love an icy cold glass of milk right now ),but that won't happen , an ice cream van went by earlier, I can't imagine he'll be ringing his bell for us either, well time to watch the traffic go byt untill it gets dark enough for sleep, or untill the bugs drive me into my tent, Ahhh, life is good on the trail.
Date: 2007-07-18
From: Fire Pavillion, Tyringham 

To: Toms house, Dalton 
Miles today: 27.6

It started raining at around midnight and continued for a number of hours into our very long day, there is nothing you can do apart from walk in it, Barbara had her first fall, I asked her if I could take a photo but didn't, back on her feet again we continued, then some time later down she went again, I started to laugh and said I wanted a photo. she agreed, so I took the pic, we saw her pole was bent at right angles, I tried to straighten it by puttin git over a rock and using it as a leaver, the pole slipped off of the rock which caused me to lunge forward, Barbara got the chance to get me back, now both have our photo's taken down in the dirt, it made us laugh, so lightened the day.Late afternoon it started to rain again,by the evening it poured, we got into Dalton totaly drenched and very muddy, as we passed a house we heard our names called, it was two hikers, they told us we could stay there, the owner Tom has been sheltering hikers for 25 years and hikes himself, what an amazing man he took us in and fed us, showered even clean clothes he keeps for hikers and a warm dry place to sleep.The further I go in the AT the more that amazes me, I have never in my life seen anything like the hospitality and friendliness of the American people.I's been a tough, wet and dirty day, but after meeting Tom I couldn't have wished for a better day.
Date: 2007-07-19
From: Toms house, Dalton 

To: Cheshire
Miles today: 5.0

It was and early day, with an easy hike, although we did get soaded again, we are stying the night at St Marys of the Assumption Church hiker hostel, Barbara has new shoe's arriving in the mornin gat the PO and it is giving us the opportunity to fialy dry everything out, maybe only to get it all wet again tomorrow if it rains, the chance of that happening is pretty high, we are at the 1564 mile mark, well into the home stretch, I am being told we are coming up to the mre spectacular scenery once we get into Vermont, I am looking forward to the next 3 states.Time to sleep, it's a late start tomorrow.
Date: 2007-07-20
From: Cheshire

To: Wilbur Clearing Leanto
Miles today: 11.6

We picked up Barbara's shoe's and were on the trail by 10 am, it was a fun section with plenty of bog jumping and some slips into it, we have survived the ppping caterpillers the stalking grasshoppers as well ast the ticks and mozzie's, I am hoping we survive the slimy slug invasion, because of the wet conditions they are everywhere, I was walking along and there it was, right in the middle of my left hand, ( a slug ), cold and slimmy, they are like leeches, you can't feel them crawling on you, we got to the shelter leanto, there were two hikers there. lucky and pack rat, as well as a ridge runner, we slept in the shelter because of the rain ( and the slugs )hehe.It has been another lovely day.
Date: 2007-07-21
From: Wilbur Clearing Leanto

To: Seth Warner Shelter
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: clear sky

Good thing we slept in the shelter, it rained through the night and a slug found it's way onto the table, it was just 2 and a half miles into North Adams, we ate brekky and got a couple of things at the grocery store, pack rat and lucky hired a car because on of thir wives was coming to visit, they dropped us off at the trail head, after 4 miles we said bye to Massachusetts and G'day to Vermont, we only have New Hampshire and Maine left, then it's goodbye to the trail, but before that happens we still have a lot of miles and climbing left to do, Mt Washington and the Whites, we reache another mile soon, onr 1600 mile mark, it's a short day today, we got to do some hand washing and got it dry, it'a a glorious day with the temps getting cooler at night as we get further North.AND THATS ALL SHE WROTE.
Date: 2007-07-22
From: Seth Warner Shelter

To: Melville Nauheim Shelter, Vermont
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: few clouds

There was 4 of us in the shelter last night, Blue skies, Shalom, Barb, and myself, 4 other hikers set up tents, the trail has been very boggy in places with black mud just laying in wait for some unsteady hiker to fall from a rock, then it's gone forever, sucked into the sticky depths, ( well not really ),but I have a wild imagination, there is a reason they call Bemont the green state, lots of water, we passed by a beaver day, I was amazed at just how high it was, the trail was about 3 feet lower than the top of the water with nothing but sticks and shrubery holding it there, what fantastic engineering skills those beavers have, its's a cool evening and time to get some sleep, the trail is hilly and boggy and it makes for a tirering day,
Date: 2007-07-23
From: Melville Nauheim Shelter, Vermont

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light rain

It started off as just a cloudy and a little windy morning, the perfect hiking weather, that changed, at 11;30, we doned our rain coats, the rain lasted on and off all day, untill we got to the shelter, it is now one continual drizzle, there is a south bound through hiker in the shelter, he says there has beenb a lot of rain in the Whites, so we are expecting not to be surprised when we get there, the trail is sticky and it takes a lot to stay on my feet, I fell once today but did not get hurt, well thats all there is to report for another day.
Date: 2007-07-24
From: Story Spring Shelter

To: Spruce Peek Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: light rain

I raines all night, I woke a couple of times thinking Im going to get soaked hiking, as it turned out I didn't need to go out in the rain to get wet, one of the hikers had their pack hanging above me and it dripped onto my sleeping bag all night, it was a good hike with a number of Moose prints and droppings, we didn't see any Moose, but an earlier hiker got a couple of photo's of a female with two calves, she was very lucky, we did 18.3 miles today which leaves 3 miles to the road then a 5 and a half mile hitch into town, I hope we don't have any trouble getting a ride in, I am looking forward to a zero day, it's been a while since our last one in Kent Connecticut, time for bed.
Date: 2007-07-25
From: Spruce Peek Shelter

To: Manchester Center VT
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: clear sky

We got to the road at 8am and had no trouble getting a hitch, we waited for the Manchester PO to open at 8;30 and picked up our parcels, ate soem breakky, then headed to Sutton'swhere we are staying untill Friday, there were a number of thru hikers there, including Sugarfoot, Blueskies and a father and son team, I managed to walk the 1 and a half miles to the Library after doing laundry, I was luck enough to to be able to psot some of the journal, I have made an appointment for tomorrow to go back and hopefully finish the rest of it.
Date: 2007-07-26
From: Manchester Center VT

To: Suttons, Manchester VT zero day
Miles today: 0.0

I had planned to sleep in but at 6am I was wide awake, not wanting to disturb Barb I got up and took a walk to the near by Servo for coffee, took it back to the house and watched the weather channel, Barb got up in the meantime and we went to town so Barb could buy some new shoe's the others aren't working for her, we had dinner with Sugarfoot and e is now back on the trail as of this morning, I did not make it back to the library to finishe posting my journal, I got caught in a nearby town of Rutland to back to Manchester I waited over 3 hours for the bus, it was a nice day with the temps reaching I heard one person say 95, it wasn't too bad with the low humidity, Its back on the trail tomorrow.
Date: 2007-07-27
From: Suttons, Manchester VT zero day

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

As we walked down the road we had only gone one street away from the house, when a car pulled up, it was another thru hiker we met at Springer and had not seen him since, his name is Steven, he is meetinghis sister and brother inlaw who will hike with him for a short while, he took us back to the trail head and we were back on the trail, it's been hot and humid and it's good to have a short day, I fell and hurt my left shoulder, I think I must have over extended it but I';m sure it will get better with time and use, it is raining here at the shelter, we got caught in a coulud burst on Peru Peak, so I am trying to dry out at the moment, it has been another good day.
Date: 2007-07-28
From: Peru Peak Shelter

To: Minerva Hinchey Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: light rain

We got up this morning after some heavy rain early in the evening, the mozzies were bad and the only place I didn't put repellent was on my face and I woke up feeling like a wart hog with lumps all over my forehead, I got up and solved the problem with some deet, we put out the pack covers thinking there would be rain again, but to my delight it didn't happen, the pooping catapillars have caught up again , it was raining poop, I got to the Greewall shelterat 1:20 we had planned to stay there but it was too early for me and I was hiking onto Minerva Hinchey, a further 5 miles, thats why the daily miles are longer then planned, we have met a lot of SoBo's to day I think it's the main bubble it as been a great day for hiking and I have spent my energy reserves, time for bed.
Date: 2007-07-29
From: Minerva Hinchey Shelter

To: Swansong Shelter ( secret shelter ) 
Miles today: 8.7

The shelter was full of boys out camping for th weekend. so tenting made a nice change, we got up a littler later this morning and our goal was to do 14.6 but along the way we met Castanets, Boo Boo and Wingheart, we got to the whistle stop cafe ate brekky and headed up the trail, found some trail magic then cale along the other hikers, we only made it 8.7 to the secret shelter, there is a lot of hikers here tonight, two new faces, Lion, Wolf Taffy, BooBoo, Sniper, Castanets, Wingheart, Dragon Breath and Little foot, it's a great night lots of laughs, I have got some good pics, we aqre headed to the long trail Inn tomorrow for a nero day, we are now down to less than 500 miles to go, we are all getting excited about the end, or are we.
Date: 2007-07-30
From: Swansong Shelter ( secret shelter ) 

To: Inn at the Longtrail, Killington
Miles today: 11.4

W rose at 5;25 and were on the trail at 6, I had the Inn in mind, shower, laundry, cold drink and a comfortable bed, I arrived at the Inn at 11;30 it was a good hike with the trail being fun, Barb arrived a couple of hours later, we washed, ate and spent some time just laying around, Castanets, Boo Boo and Wingheart arrived back from shopping with some icecream for us, it's been a good day and I'm feeling as though I am getting stronger, I really am enjoying the trail and all it is throwing at me at this time and am already missing it just thinking about the end. so I am making the most of every day
Date: 2007-07-31
From: Inn at the Longtrail, Killington

To: stony Brook Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

We layed in untill 6:30 then went to a delicious brekky, we made our way along the trail to the Mountain Medows Lodge, just 4 miles away, where they have hiker lunch specials, there were sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, a pony, peacocks and the cutest pot bellied pig called Alice, I scratched behind her ers while she geve contented grunts, then it was time to leave, we had some steep miles to do bfore reaching the shelter, we shared with Castanets, Boo Boo, Wingheart, Dragon Breath and Little foot, we have a fire going to keep the mozzies at bay, as the dusk settles on yet another wonderful day on the AT.
Date: 2007-08-01
From: stony Brook Shelter

To: Woodstock Barn VT12
Miles today: 13.7

I was on the trail around 6am with 4 other hikers, I made it to VT 12 and walked up to the owner of the barn and asked if we could stay. he said we could, so I made my way back to the trail to wait to the others, we put our pack away and went up the road for cold drinks, then we all went and helped the owners to build a chicken coup, he was happy and offered to take some of as into Woodstock, so we shared the cost and got pizza and soda for dinner, it's been a good day.
Date: 2007-08-02
From: Woodstock Barn VT12

To: Happy Hill Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

It started out as a good day, it turned hot very quickly and I decided to surge ahead for a while, I am feeling good physicaly and also my head is in the right place to finish this hike, I have a lot of soul searching to do about how I am hiking this hike, I am considering my options.We got to a little town and sat on the road side grass and drank some cold soda's from the local store, there were 5 of us and we decided to group together so as we could all make it to the next shelter, when we got there we found there was no water, so we made do with what there was as the light was fading fast.