morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-07-17
From: VT 12

To: West Hartford
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: light rain

So much happens in a single day on the trail, I can't capture all of it in a blog entry.  At best, I focus on highlights. The play of the day goes out to my friend, Foghat, who waited at mile marker 1738.8 to greet me and bestow gifts of drink and snacks. He's been supporting me with text messages throughout the trek, but I didn't expect him to hand carry his well wishes to me personally.  I cannot adequately thank him for such encouragement.  I wish I could have spent more time chatting with him, but we were trying to outrun a thunderstorm that had been chasing us throughout the afternoon. Soon after we went our separate ways, having gotten no further than the bridge over the White River, the very same bridge from which hikers regularly jump 25 feet into the waters below, the thunderstorm caught up with us.  At that moment we spied Daddy Long Legs at a hostel across the street, run by Linda and Randy.  In his rather persuasive manner, he convinced Shop Teacher and I to stop for the day.  His most effective argument was that Linda had just brewed a pot of coffee. Sold! She also cooked us burgers on the grill and provided soda. The kindness and generosity of people on the trail continue to boggle me.  It's followed me from GA to VT, selfless altruism. On a lighter note, I dropped my bandana into Pomfret Brook this morning. The brook was flowing strongly, and the bandana got trapped under the water by the flow's force.  I balanced myself precariously on rocks and reached for it with my poles, but I could not free it. Then I slipped, and both feet went into the stream up to the ankles, above the boot line.  My feet were drenched.  I abandoned the bandana, aggravated that I would have to hike the entire day in soggy shoes. Someday, when the water level drops, someone will find my bandana, I tell Shop.  Yes, he replies, and then they will dredge the entire stream looking for the rest of the hiker.
Date: 2017-07-18
From: West Hartford

To: Norwich, VT
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: clear sky

We vacated the blue house early, shortly after seven.  The rainy skies had cleared overnight.  Our magnificent hosts left a pot of coffee and muffins for us on their porch.  I don't ever want to take for granted such generosity, and yet on the trail it's become so commonplace, the number of selfless people you run into.  Case in point: from a published list of trail angels who live near or in Hanover and who were willing to house hikers for a night, we chose Warren Thayer because his home lay right on the trail. As soon as you pop out of the woods, you are on Elm Street, and his house is the first one you come to.  Can't miss it. He keeps a blue cooler filled with soft drinks at the bottom of his driveway. Yesterday we called ahead to "reserve" our spots - he advertised that he had enough room for three or four hikers. The morning hike to Elm St. was a short one, just over 7 miles, so we arrived before noon.  Warren greeted us warmly and then apologetically said he did not have space for us in his hiker room.  A group of five SOBOS had stayed the night before and had asked if they could zero today.  Having a generous heart towards hikers, Warren granted them their wish.  Shop and I were welcome to stay, but the only remaining available space was in the garage. We took it. After we washed - often our first act upon reaching civilization - Warren drove us all about, to New Lebanon so I could buy new boots at EMS, to Hanover for resupply, and to Norwich for lunch. So unofficially we've made it to NH, but the official crossing over won't occur until tomorrow. That evening we met Warren's wife Toni, and the four of feasted at a Mexican restaurant. Toni is a hospice nurse, and gave us useful information about the symptoms of Lyme disease, a topic that comes up frequently among hikers.  We all have met someone on the trail who has been afflicted by it.  Easily treatable if caught early. Warren is in the publishing business and publishes a magazine about food. Gracious hosts, the two of them, for whom I am grateful.
Date: 2017-07-19
From: Norwich, VT

To: Moose Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: clear sky

Shop Teacher and I walked from Norwich, VT into Hanover, NH this morning across the Connecticut River.  I've now entered the 13th state of this journey, with just one more state border crossing to make.  We traveled what must have been the longest continuous walk on the AT through town.  Before heading to Hanover, we stopped at Dan and Whit's grocery again, in Norwich, to pick up coffee. Fueled by the caffeine, we strolled into Hanover, the home of Dartmouth, to find it bustling with pedestrians and auto traffic. The trail passed by bookstores, clothing shops, the Dartmouth Green, and several dining establishments.  We stopped at Lou's Bakery to get our free pastry, given to all thru-hikers, and another cup of coffee. We took care to keep our hands over our cups lest a passerby drop in a coin to help out the old homeless men. The free cruller was a brilliant marketing move, because we craved more and entered the diner for a full breakfast.  A full belly and a warm sun are not conducive to hiking.  While Shop Teacher moved in and out of sidewalk stores, I sat soporific on a park bench, eyes closed, the sun warming my face.  I may have snoozed.  Then we shopped at a Co-op for drinks and snacks. It was near 11 a.m. before we finally returned to the woods. We could have easily zeroed in this town. Was I subconsciously resisting the inevitable? The White Mountains are coming! The White Mountains are coming!  It is said that by the time a thru-hiker has reached the Whites, he has covered 80% of the distance but done only 20% of the work.  Well, the road to Katahdin passes through the Whites.  It's nigh time to get it done.
Date: 2017-07-20
From: Moose Mountain Shelter

To: Hexacuba Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: clear sky

A member of our trail family, Daddy Long legs, reports he has fractured his tibia and is off the trail. It's disheartening to hear, especially because he was so close.  He is experiencing what everyone fears at this late stage, a mishap that prevents you from reaching that long sought for, that long fought for goal. My heart goes out to him. We shared many a mile and experiences.  I will miss him.          With a pensive heart, I trudged through the woods.  I could tell Shop Teacher was also thinking about the quirks of the trail.  We moved on in silence for some time.  Then he said he was grateful for present the moment. Unfortunate things happen. They elude explanation.  But for now, we are well and still making progress, and we should be grateful for that.  I was.The hike today was tough, too.  Smarts Mountain tops 3200 feet.  It was a tough climb, a harbinger of things to come.  I'm not sure why it's not considered one of the Whites.  It had many of their features, including a respectable elevation and a rocky steep rise that went on forever.  At the top was a firetower, which is an obligatory attraction to me despite my trepidation towards these metal structures. The view from above was outstanding.  I could see a rainstorm moving across a mountain range just south.  Thunder in the distance and dark clouds motivated me to descend quickly back to the forest floor.That evening we stayed near the Hexacuba shelter.  To reach the shelter required a nasty upwards climb off trail for 0.3 miles. Uphill and long off-trail hikes are partcularly odious at day's end. But you must sleep somewhere. I found the tenting sites to be sub par. The hexagonally shaped shelter was magnificent, but I don't like donating blood to the skeeters, so I set up the tent in a passable site, atop roots and small stones, figuring my air matress will buffer me from such bumps.
Date: 2017-07-21
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: NH25 -- Kelly and Cheryl's home
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: few clouds

We're in the land of cairns, manmade piles of stones, ranging from a few inches to feet in height. They show the way of the trail across the treeless mountaintops, which is a good thing, because NH is stingy with the white blazes. Cairns are particularly helpful when visibility is poor, such as in dense fog.  We came upon several such pillars yesterday on Smarts Mt.Our challenge of today was Mt. Cube. It was tough, taking us one and one-half hours to climb the final 900 feet. Soaked in sweat and panting, I did not think twice about taking the 0.3 mile side trail to its summit. In fact, I did not think of it at all.  Folks find it funny that hikers who are walking over 2000 miles do not often take these very short side trips. To me it's a matter of energy; the reason for expending it needs to be compelling, otherwise, it is better spent getting you to that day's destination. Compelling reasons include badly needed water, a privy, and coffee.  Gorgeous views of mountain ranges and waterfalls have become commonplace, and I will pass them by if they are inconvenient to reach.Two thrills today along the way.  The first was brought to us by Carl the Omelet Guy. He set up a kitchen tent in the woods just north of NH25C. His specialty is making omelets for passing hikers.  As many eggs as you please, he will make an omelet of that size. One trooper asked for a 24-egg omelet and got it and ate it entirely. I was happy with a three-egger filled with green peppers, onions, and ham. The Omelet Guy also fed us no-bake cupcakes, bananas, oj, and coffee, entirely at his own expense.  You meet amazing people out here.  Eight of us hung about his tent scarfing down the victuals. Cheryl and Kelly Collins, longtime friends from my home town, provided the second thrill. I had texted Cheryl from the top of Mt. Mist to give an estimate of our arrival time at NH25, where she would meet us. As a surprise, both hiked in about one-half mile from the trailhead to greet us and escort us back to the car. Knowing full well the cravings of mad hikers, they drove us directly to an ice cream shop, before taking us to their country home in Pike. The home sits high and has an breathtaking view of the mountains. Kelly cooked up some cheeseburgers, Cheryl set before us a sumptuous table, and we ate until the point of bursting. I cannot adequately thank them for what they did for us. That evening Kelly gave us options for slackpacking the Whites. My eyes gleamed with hope. They showed me my room for the eve, and that night I slept wonderfully, with visions of the Whites dancing in my head.
Date: 2017-07-22
From: NH25 -- Kelly and Cheryl's home

To: Kinsman's Notch
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We slack-packed today, going northbound over Mt. Moosilauke.  It was a tough, unrelenting ascent of 3500 feet in just under four miles.  Not carrying a 30-plus pound pack, though, made an enormous difference.  Shop Teacher and I reached the summit, a peak at 4802 feet, in under four hours.  I can't say enough about slack-packing.The summit of Moosilauke was mobbed with scores of hikers, predominantly day hikers. We had to wait in line to have our photo taken in front of the summit sign. I thought thru-hikers got preferential treatment and were moved to the front of the queue (I've become a hiker snob). No such luck.Going down the north side of the mountain was an entirely different experience. It was nosebleed steep. At certain places, wooden steps were secured into the side of the granite mountainside to make steps for ascending and descending. Rebar was strategically placed in the sides of banks to give you something to hold onto as you walked down. A beautiful falls ran parallel to the trail, but it received only passing glances from me. I could not afford to lose a moment's concentration. A misstep and I would still be sliding and bouncing, and yesterday would have been my last blog entry. It was slow going and rough on my ancient knees. At one point, it took thirty minutes to descend three tenths of a mile.  On a typical hike, this distance would have taken less than ten minutes. We had almost reached the bottom of the mountain at Kinsman Notch, when Cheryl and Tyler, their six-year old son, greeted us on the trail, once again lugging soft drinks and snacks.  I asked her to compare the difficulty of Moosilauke to the other Whites.  It's one of the easier ones, she said. These words were like a punch to the gut.  I had hoped to hear that we'd encounter none tougher.  Nonetheless, the first White down, umpteen more to go.On our way back to their home in Pike, she brought us to Walmart so we could resupply.  As usual, I bought too much. Haven't gotten the food thing figured out yet, despite having gone over 1800 miles. Oh, yeah, I crossed the 1800 mile mark this afternoon. Now I'm getting somewhere.Again, I'm so grateful for Cheryl and Kelly's hospitality.  The breakfasts, the lunches, the dinners, the slack-packing, the taxiing, the comfy bed (special thanks to Casey), the bathroom amenities, and, most importantly, their friendship, are powering me through this, and, dare I say it, making the Whites fun.
Date: 2017-07-24
From: Franconia Notch

To: Kelly and Cheryl's Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It's rained all day, and the temperatures have sat in the low fifties; the perfect day for pulling a zero. I congratulate myself on our good timing and good fortune at having such tolerant hosts (how does that saying go about three-day old fish and three-day old guests?). The only hiking I've done today is from the bed to the refrigerator to the bathroom to the bed.  I've used the time to catch up on my blog entries and to sort through my belongings. Life is good. Thank God for good friends.
Date: 2017-07-25
From: Franconia Notch

To: Galehead Trail
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: overcast clouds

A monster of a day lay before Shop Teacher and me. Moosilauke and the Kinsmans showed me that the Whites are tough. I confess having some trepidation. Now we faced Mts. Little Haystack, Lincoln, Lafayette, and Garfield, all well above 4000 feet, with Lincoln at 5089' and Lafayette at 5263'. And we were back to nearly full backpacks.Yesterday's rain had ceased, but a low ceiling of clouds remained.  We got above treeline at Little Haystack.  The wind was blustery, and the air was moist and cool, so I donned my shell, gloves, and wool hat. It's odd to be wearing winter garb in late July, but such is the Whites.  We walked along the Franconia Ridge and marveled at the splendid view of Franconia Notch below, masked in thin wisps of clouds that drifted heavenwards, like ghosts rising. Across the Notch stood the Kinsmans and Cannon Mt., atop of which was a ski lift and an associated building. The Ridge was exposed for two miles, across the peaks of Lincoln and Lafayette, but we had no concern from the weather. Lafayette was socked in by thin clouds, and a nippy wind encouraged us to take cover behind a wind break, where we ate lunch. About a half-dozen hikers huddled with us.  A jet black, large raven with wings ruffled by the wind took a liking to the crowd because of the frequent morsels tossed its way.  One woman started talking to the raven, calling him Edgar, and praising him for his magnificent bearing.  We took this as our cue to get off the mountain.The descent from Lafayette brought us back into the cover of the trees. Immediately it was too warm for our winter articles. Then we climbed Mt. Garfield, another steep, heart pounding ascent.  But the mountain rewarded us with astounding views of where we had just come from, namely those peaks on Franconia Ridge. Surprisingly, there was no wind, and it was warm and quiet, peaceful even. Again, we were not alone; a camp of about ten girls was already on the summit, all of whom were engaged in some camp exercise that involved sitting in silence and basking in the majesty of the mountains. Thank heavens.The descent from Garfield was harrowing. At times I turned about to climb down near vertical rocks as though descending a ladder.  Progress was at a snail's pace, but safety came first. When we were within six tenths of a mile of Galehead Hut we stealth camped, my legs tired and rubbery from the 12-mile day.  Tomorrow, first thing, we would go to the hut for breakfast.
Date: 2017-07-26
From: Galehead Trail

To: Crawford Notch
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: clear sky

So. Twin Mt. proved a tough climb, a common story for the Whites. The sky was cloudless and clear.  From the top you could see Mt. Washington in the distance, you could even see the observatory buildings atop the grand peak.  Shop Teacher and I hope to ascend that peak soon, hopefully on as clear a day as today.Our hike today had several side tours. We first visited Galehead Hut at 8 a.m., and hovered like vultures just outside the front door, waiting for the paying guests to finish feeding and for the signal to descend on the leftovers. When the moment came, the crew of the Hut placed this morning's leftovers on a kitchen table, and we dove in. Our second layover was Zealand Hut, another AMC shelter, this one situated adjacent a cascading stream.  We bought a big bowl of bean and vegetable soup for two bucks, a tasty supplement to our normal lunch fare of peanut butter sandwiches.  Just beyond Zealand, the trail leveled off, almost becoming flat, for several refreshing miles.  It was an astonishing contrast to the difficult terrain that we have encountered these past four days in the Whites. Our next detour was to Thoreau Falls.  A rapid stream flowed through wide grooves carved in rock by the water and over a precipice.  We soaked our feet in the cold water.  My feet thanked me. At the end of our hike, Kelly met us in the parking lot at Crawford Notch, and drove us back to his home in Pike.  For the fifth night out of the past six, I slept in a bed.  I'm getting spoiled, and I'm loving it.
Date: 2017-07-27
From: Kelly and Cheryl's Home

To: Cheryl and Kelly's Place
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Because our next hike will take us to the Lake of the Clouds Hut above treeline and exposed to the weather, Shop Teacher and I chose to stay put indoors. Kelly once again graciously let us zero at his home.We did venture outdoors, however, to see a matinee movie playing in a small theater in the town of St. Johnsbury, VT. The flick was Dunkirk. It was, in a word, intense. I'm a big fan of war movies. They make my adventures on the AT seem rather tame, which they are.Tomorrow, we're back in the wild. The forecast for the next few days is for stellar weather, which is exactly how we'd like it since we'll be moving over some mighty big Presidentials soon, namely, Mts. Washington and Madison.
Date: 2017-07-28
From: Crawford Notch

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Kelly drove us back to Crawford Notch at 6 a.m., a one and one-half hour drive from his home in Pike, a much appreciated early morning sacrifice. Less than 100 yards from the trailhead, a black bear meandered across the road in front of us, in no great hurry.  It paused on the side of the road to allow for photos and much oohing and aahing. After bidding Kelly farewell, Shop Teacher and I started our ascent of Mt. Webster. It proved to be a doozy. I could not recall so much rock scrambling.  Sections of NY came to mind.  But today the rock climbing continued endlessly. Our pace is near 1 mph now, about half that of our normal rate. Why does no one speak of Mt. Webster when the topic of tough climbs in the Whites is discussed? The views from atop Mt. Webster, however, were worth the effort.Action Jackson and Sunny caught up to us, on our way to Mizpah Hut. When we arrived, they were already devouring leftovers made available at the Hut. Each morning and evening, Huts feed their paying guests breakfast and dinners, and save the leftovers specifically for thru-hikers. It's a symbiotic relationship. Hikers get desperately needed nourishment, and the crews at the Huts have less uneaten food, i.e., garbage, to carry out back to civilization. We joined them and enjoyed a hearty lunch.Visiting the Lake of the Clouds Hut has been a long-term wish. On previous occasions, I'd seen it from the Mt. Washington summit and wanted to go down there and explore it. But, of course, it was remote and not worth the three mile roundtrip across rugged terrain. Now, though, the path to Mt. Washington went through the Lake of the Clouds, so this wish had become a reality.It's a large hut, able to sleep about one hundred.  Because of the Hut's remoteness and because it is above treeline, the crew of the Hut will not turn thru-hikers away. They will allow several hikers to work for stay and will ask any overflow to sleep in the dungeon, for a fee of 10 bucks.  When we arrived at 5 p.m., the crew had already selected the maximum number of workers. We were relegated to the dungeon, located in the basement.The dungeon reminded me of slthe prison in Papillion.  I swear I saw a rat scurry across the floor with a piece of bread in its maw.  The bunks were moldy, the walls made of dripping stone, the floor was sweating, and it was dark, cold, and cramped, supposedly designed to sleep six. There was no possible way I was sleeping there, and I returned to the crew to request better arrangements. They permitted us to sleep in the hut, provided we pay the 10 dollar fee, which I did.  My sleeping quarters was on a bench in the dining area, not terribly comfortable, but at least dry and warm.
Date: 2017-07-29
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Osgood tentsite.
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: scattered clouds

After a dismal night of sleep -- one fellow hiker poked me with his hiking stick to stop me from snoring -- I left the Hut with Shop Teacher at 6:40 a.m. and started the 1.5 mile climb to the Mt. Washington summit. It was chilly, but the skies were clear blue and the wind was an unusually mild 10 mph. The summit came easily and offered beautiful panoramas of the surrounding peaks and valleys.  Several of us, Action Jackson among us, wandered about the mountaintop waiting for the concession building to open, taking in the sights and snapping photos, including the iconic shot of each hiker next to the sign on the actual peak.When the concession opened, we occupied a few tables with our gear, bought ourselves some coffee, and enjoyed second breakfast, our first happening at the Lake of the Clouds Hut. Afterwards, we started a long, arduous hike among the Presidentials.The trail brought us close to the summits of Mts. Clay (who was Pres. Clay?), Jefferson, and Adams, and up and over the summit of Mt. Madison. This last mountain was a half-mile, near vertical ascent. Before attempting the climb, we fueled on leftovers at the Madison Hut, situated strategically at the base of the climb.The descent from Madison took an eternity, being exceedingly rocky, particularly steep, and extending for miles before dropping below treeline. When we stopped for the night at the Osgood tentsite, it felt as though a hammer had been taken to my feet.  My knees felt none too good, too.  Within moments of crawling into my bag, the fly of my tent was rising and falling in synchrony with my snores.  The Whites are tough.
Date: 2017-07-30
From: Osgood tentsite.

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 4.7
Weather: clear sky

On the heels of two tough hiking days, Shop Teacher and I thought it advisable to have an easy day. We hiked 4.7 miles to the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, a familiar sight, as I have started many a Mt. Washington hike from here over the course of my lifetime. We had reserved beds at the Libby House in Gorham. The owner of the House picked us up at the Visitor Center and brought us to the residence, a ten mile ride.  Once I saw the spacious lawn, I changed my arrangements to tenting. The owner later shuttled us to Walmart for a quick resupply.  The weather remained spectacular, making me slightly regret not doing more miles, but my feet approved of the rest.  It is Sunday after all.