morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-06-13
To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 0.0

The girls and I drove into Bennington proper yesterday evening an ate pizza. Afterwards, we returned back to the house they rented where we sat on the back deck until dark. The transition from dusk to dark is always beautiful, and was highlighted by a few fireflies flying about. There was never a lull in the conversation as there was so much to catch-up on in their lives and I was thirsty to hear it all.I made coffee this morning, and soon the girls were stirring. We had breakfast at a local diner and eventually did my resupply.  After lunch, the rainy weather broke, and I continued my quest against ticks with what should be my last application of permethrin on my pack and clothing. The girls and I then went out hiking. We did a short local trail in MA to a waterfall and then a brief section of the AT.Once back at the place, I was treated to a homemade chicken stew over rice, boiled corn, beets, and Louisiana tomatoes and cucumbers. For dessert, we had Christine¢s famous chocolate chip & walnut cookies. Everything was so good, but nothing topped the company and lifted spirits that these two girls brought to my heart. With father¢s Day approaching, it¢s rewarding to have them with me for a couple of days. When raising them, I¢ve tried to provide them with roots and wings. They¢re both very independent women who remember their roots and exercise their wings frequently as they¢ve learned to navigate the world, literally and figuratively. The rest of the evening was spent in conversation in hopes that tomorrow doesn¢t come.
Date: 2019-06-14
From: Bennington, VT

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 10.1

The girls and I had a big breakfast at the house and continued our visit. At about noon, we departed and headed to the trailhead off of Vermont 9. When we pulled into the parking lot, I got out and as soon as I put my pack on it began to rain. I got back in the car and we sat for another 30 minutes or so. The rain stopped at about 2:00 and I headed out. The girls hiked with me for about 6 tenths to split rock where we hugged and said our goodbyes. This was not easy as our visit went by so quickly. I then continued my climb and they descended back to the parking lot and on to Albany, NY to return the rental car as they both had early flights in the morning. I believe that the short ascend gave them both an actual snapshot of the Appalachian Trail.While hiking the 10.1 miles, I couldn¢t help but reflect on how incredible our visit was and how proud I am of my two girls. It was tough to see them hike down the mountain and back to the parking lot. Their visit brought me a sense of peace. I also got new shoes, an air mattress that doesn¢t leak and my pants are now mended. Oh, and did I mention the wonderful evening meal they prepared?I pressed on with high winds and intermittent rain, making it to the Goddard Shelter area at about 6:00pm where I¢ll tent tonight.
Date: 2019-06-15
From: Goddard Shelter Area

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 27.2

I headed out at about 4:45 this morning in order to reach the lookout tower on top of Glastenbury Mountain for daybreak. It was cold last night and there was a stiff north wind. I climbed the tower and witnessed one of the most beautiful sunrises. I stayed up there as long as I could stand the 30-40 mph wind. My hands were freezing and I was concerned about climbing down if I got too cold.With heavy spring rain and the late melting of heavy snow, the trail was boggy once again and hard to traverse. It took twice the effort to hike as I hopped from rock to rock or log to log and on some occasions, I thought there was a rock there, but there actually wasn¢t. If there¢s nothing there, I simply trudged through it as it¢s more difficult to go around. When I reached the Stratton Pond Shelter I learned from the caretaker there about the weather changing with a near 100 percent chance of rain tonight and tomorrow. As a result I made the decision to trek further than planned and reach the Spruce Peak Shelter area. This would give me just 2.8 miles to reach Vermont 11 and hopefully catch a ride into Manchester Center, VT.As I reached the shelter, the rain started. As a result, I opted to sleep in the shelter along with thru hikers Near Miss from Ireland and Devon Maid from England. This shelter actually had four walls and a door. There was also a group of 10 college students attending a backwoods training course to become leaders to expose youth to the wilderness. Some were going to be working stateside, while others were going to Switzerland and other European countries. They were most hospitable and even fed us. I completed the day trekking 27.2 miles and stopping at mile 1650.1. As I lay down to sleep, I am close to shaking off the after affects of my daughters¢ visit.
Date: 2019-06-16
From: Spruce Peak Shelter

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 2.8

Headed out in the rain early this morning for the brief 2.8 mile trek to Vermont 11 where Devon Maid and I shared a ride into the town of Manchester Center, VT. Upon arrival we ate breakfast, then accomplished our resupply. Eventually we met Near Miss then visited the outfitter and went to lunch where I had spaghetti & meatballs and a beer. Later the owner of the Green Mountain Hostel picked us up in town and transported us to the hostel where I¢ll ride today¢s weather out and hit the trail in the morning. It appears that the further north I trek the more difficult it is to get phone reception. This determines when I¢m able to post my journal. The journal is laborious, especially after a 12-14 hour day of hiking, but it¢s incredibly important to me. It will continue to be years from now as I recount the many memories and challenges of this great adventure. At times, I¢ll wake up at night and have to find my phone as I¢ve fallen asleep while journaling. While I try to maintain a positive reflection and document the interesting or magnificent events of the day, I must on occasion mention the hardships as a result of weather, falls and the absolute mental challenge and physical toll on my body. Once again, I would not trade this experience for the anything. I will lace up my shoes every morning to seek a new sunrise and the wonder of the day until I reach my ultimate goal, the summit of Mount Katahdin, Maine!For those of you who trek with me in spirit, thank you for your thoughts, prayers and well wishes. The value of knowing people care and are interested can not be overstated and merely add to my motivation and sense of purpose each day. Thank you and God Bless You.
Date: 2019-06-17
From: Manchester Center, Vermont 

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 19.8

Got up this morning and helped myself to the self serve breakfast offerings at the hostel. At 6:00 am the hostel owner brought Devon Maid and me back to the trailhead.As quite a contrast to yesterday, the weather was beautiful with clear skies and cooler temperatures. The mud on the trail remained the same, especially with the recent rains, however it¢s amazing what a day¢s break will do for your mental outlook and the ability to deal with it all. There were several climbs today including Bromley Mountain (3260), Peru Peak (3429) and Baker Peak (2642). The difference was that there was the reward of a view after each. Other than these it was more of trekking in a heavy canopy. While hiking during the early afternoon I heard loud squealing coming from the underbrush near the trail. As I approached, a grouse emerged and flew at me or as well as a grouse could fly. I had to duck to prevent from getting hit. When I did so, I fell backwards into the mud. I wasn¢t sure if it was protecting it¢s nest or just wanted to get to the other side of the trail and I was in her way. The grouse, which flew like a chicken, landed just on the other side of the trail from where I was now sitting in the mud and ran into the woods. I¢ve heard lots of grouse when hiking through Virginia as they make a thumping sound as their wing beat against their breast, but have not seen one up close. As I stood up, I collected myself and was thankful that it wasn¢t a bear or moose. At the time, I was daydreaming about seeing a moose as there was plenty of moose tracks and scat on the trail. Just prior to reaching my tenting location, Rali hiked up behind me and shouted ¢Tank¢. I believe the last time I saw Rali was in Virginia. Ironically we both started our AT thru-hike on March 11th. We caught up as I hiked into the tenting area near the Little Rock Pond. I finished the day trekking 19.8 miles  and camping at mile 1672.7.
Date: 2019-06-18
From: Little Rock Pond Shelter Area

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 19.8

Headed out this morning at about 5:30. It wasn¢t all that cool, but a pleasure to pack away a dry tent. Rali was hiking with me today and reminded me that today was day 100 since we started. Today marks 88 actual trekking days, meaning I¢ve zeroed 12 days. I remarked that it¢s incredible how fast time has gone by. There were some pretty tough climbs today, but in actuality nothing compared to what I¢ve accomplished in the past or what I¢ll be exposed to by next week.I trekked 19.8 miles today and tenting near the Governor Clement Shelter at mile 1692.4. What this means is I have 499.6 miles remaining to accomplish my goal. That¢s a pretty nice day-100 benchmark!
Date: 2019-06-19
From: Governor Clement Shelter Area

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 10.6

Headed out this morning at 5:30 with warm humid weather leaving an elevation of 1900 feet and climbing to over 3900 feet in four miles. Although strenuous, I prefer these climbs in the morning. I completed the 10.6 miles, at AT mile 1703, reaching US 4 at about 10:00am. Rali and I caught a ride into Rutland, VT. Where I¢ll bunk tonight at the Hiker Hostel at the Yellow Deli. There are a number of flip-floppers on the trail, but I¢m not seeing many thru-hikers as I¢m considered to be early. People in town seem to have a profound respect for my accomplishment thus far as several have asked if I¢m ¢passing thru.¢ I always answer by telling them that¢s the plan, in a very humble and thankful manner. I¢m both excited and thankful to be where I am.
Date: 2019-06-20
To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 0.0

Headed down the street this morning to the local bakery for breakfast. The bacon, egg and Vermont cheddar cheese on a six inch English muffin was great combined with the enormous blueberry turnover.Although I did my resupply yesterday, I walked to the nearby store to buy a pot pie, quart of milk, and a box of cereal. The weather is predicted to deteriorate throughout the day and I wanted to stay off of my feet. I also bought super glue to mend my shoes as the skin is peeling in several places. The trail is tough on shoes and it¢s hard to believe I¢ve only been in this pair for 90 miles.Later Rali and I had a planning session, studying mileage, terrain and elevations as we mapped out the next few days. If things go well, we¢ll reach New Hampshire by Sunday. It¢s our intentions to remain together through the tortuous/treacherous White Mountains. The weather reports were spot on as it began raining during the late morning hours and got progressively harder, with lightning and thunder as the day went on. It¢s predicted to rain throughout the night and into the morning.Other than doing menial chores, I patched my air pillow and kept the promise to myself and stayed off of my feet. The afternoon nap was also refreshing. When I began my trek, I would stop pretty regularly and take a nap after lunch. With my drive to increase mileage, combined with the ever increasing threat of ticks, I quit napping. Others at the hostel continue to read and study about the trail on their town day and like hiking it¢s their preference. I on the other hand prefer to plan then put it away and out of my mind. This provides me with a mental intermission from the trail.After dinner and a beer later at the local brewery, I packed up for my departure tomorrow and settled in to enjoy another night in a real bed with a bathroom nearby. I suspect that the trail conditions will be challenging with all the rain and I¢ll need the best mental attitude I can muster to have a positive and productive day.
Date: 2019-06-21
From: The Yellow Deli Hostel 

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 19.9

I got up early this morning, like other mornings, as I was anxious to get back to the trail. I ate my box of cereal then headed down the street in a light rain to the bakery for a pastry and cup of coffee. I then made it back to the Yellow Deli for their complimentary hiker breakfast. Well fed and hydrated, Rali and I caught the 8:15 Rutland Transportation bus back to the trailhead where the AT crosses US 4. Although wet and muddy in spots, the trail conditions were not as bad as anticipated. The streams and creeks were angry as they were carrying lots of fast moving water from yesterday and last nights rain, but this only required a little extra caution when crossing. It was evident that my body appreciated the rest as my stamina seemed to have improved. Today¢s trek was unremarkable as the foliage is very thick preventing any scenery or views. In the morning I came upon Maine Junction. The Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail have been running together since I entered Vermont. Maine Junction is where the Long Trail splits from the AT and heads to Canada. Later in the evening, the sky cleared and we came upon a cabin with a wooden ladder leading to a lookout tower on the roof. The view was great in every direction as I¢ve been starved for scenery. To the northeast I could see Mount Moosilauke at an elevation of 4800 feet. This is the first mountain I¢ll encounter in the Whites of New Hampshire.I¢m tenting tonight near the Wintturi Shelter after trekking 19.9 miles with hopes that we¢ll get a reprieve from the rain for the next few days.
Date: 2019-06-22
From: Wintturi Shelter Area

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 21.1

Headed out this morning st 5:30 under clear skies and cool temperatures. I woke up last night at about 10:30 and spent the next 30 minutes looking out the vestibule of my tent as the fireflies danced about the forest. There is so much beauty in nature and it¢s easily recognizable especially when detached from the buzz of society and any form of light pollution.Later this morning when descending to cross Pomfret Road, there was a notice on a tree. Rali, still at a distance, asked me what the sign read? I told him that we¢d be leaving the trail for a bit. The sign was welcoming hikers to the back porch of a nearby house for snacks. The home is owned by former AT thru-hikers Firefly and Loon. As we approached, Rali and I stumbled upon Ben. Together we enjoyed gigantic homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches, brownies, boiled eggs and soft drinks. The cost was nominal in comparison to the sheer gratification and It¢s unanticipated opportunities such as this, when stumbled across, that really lift my spirits. The treats also energize me nutritionally for the next big climb. We sat on the porch for a few minutes catching up with Ben then trekked on. I was treated today to large areas of wildflowers along the trail when crossing pasture land. There were also several scenic views as we spent lots of time out of the forest and away from under the canopy. Since leaving Rutland, even with all of the recent rain, the trail conditions are quite improved from what I¢ve experienced in southern Vermont. The elevation ascends are greater, but the actual walking path is better.I¢m tenting tonight near the Happy Hill Shelter at mile 1744 after trekking 21.1 miles.
Date: 2019-06-23
From: Happy Hill Shelter Area

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 6.6

Headed out this morning and reached Norwich, VT. There I walked down Elm Street and crossed the Connecticut River entering the state of New Hampshire at 7:25am and 5.3 miles from the Happy Hill shelter area. It was June 11th when I introduced myself to Vermont and the 150 miles are now history in my Appalachian Trail adventure. Soon I was in Hanover, NH and Rali, Ben and I found Lou¢s Bakery. We were joined by Brown Eyed Girl, who is hiking north from Massachusetts. She originally was going to begin her hike at Mount Katahdin and travel south to Georgia, but due to heavy late season snowfall, Mount Katahdin did not open to hikers until June 15th. We bid farewell to Brown Eyed Girl and the trio headed to a residence where Ben¢s friend is living while attending college and playing football at Dartmouth. We did all of our town chores there. Later Rali and I were picked up by Greg Cooke. Greg¢s contact information was provided to me by the owner of the Green Mountain Hostel during my stay there. Greg is one of several people in the Hanover area who host hikers and his generosity in opening his home is really appreciated. The day encompassed 6.6 miles and I am set to begin tackling the 160 miles of the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire.
Date: 2019-06-24
From: Hanover, NH

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 15.9

Rali and I rode into town with our host, Greg Cooke this morning on his way to work. Greg dropped us of at Lou¢s Bakery for breakfast and afterwards Rali walked to the post office to get his package. I continued on and met Ben at his friends house where we waited for Rali. At about 9:00am, we set out and began our climb out of Hanover, NH. It was a still morning and although somewhat cool, it was going to get into the 80¢s today. The mosquitoes, gnats and flies are becoming a real issue as their coordinated attacks come at times of heavy physical exertion. The gnats fly into and get stuck in my eyes while the flies bite and leave a wound. Mosquitoes do what mosquitoes do and aggravate the hell out of me. Repellent helps to some extent, but sweat diminishes it¢s effectiveness. Once again, there were very few opportunities for scenery today. The most notable ascends were the south and north peaks of Moose Mountain. I completed the day trekking 15.9 miles and tenting near the Trapper John Shelter with Rali and Ben nearby.
Date: 2019-06-25
From: Trapper John Shelter Area 

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 12.0

On an unusual occasion, I had reception and pulled up the weather and radar when I awakened at 4:30am. There was a line of heavy rain headed east and it was expected to arrive at about 1100. The weather prediction added a sense of urgency and I headed out this morning just before 5:30 with Rali and Ben in tow. The plan was to make it to the Hexacuba Shelter before the rain and take refuge there.The biggest challenge was Smarts Mountain at an elevation of 3229 feet. The climb was challenging, but as always it¢s better in the morning than the afternoon. I climbed the fire tower and the views were great, but I didn¢t remain up there very long as I was wet with sweat and the cold wind was blowing hard.As we neared the shelter area at about 11:00am and while getting water it began to rain. The 2 tenths climb to the shelter became a sprint. Although difficult to end the day early, trekking the rocky terrain in the area along with rain would not be prudent and I don¢t care to jeopardize my adventure, especially at this point. The remainder of the afternoon was spent studying my AWOL AT guide and taking a nap, both in preparation for tomorrow and the coming days.As I write this at 5:00pm, the rain continues to fall with no sign of letting up. I ended the day trekking 12 miles and will sleep in the shelter tonight.
Date: 2019-06-26
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 14.8

Woke up this morning at 4:30 and everything was as wet or more so than when I went to bed because of the extreme humidity. The harness on my pack was still drenched with sweat from the day before and putting my clothes on was like putting on a wet bathing suit.For the last two nights I¢ve been using a $5.00 pool raft that I bought during my last resupply because my two-time patched air mattress, with a two-day success record, was leaking again. I threw it away in Hanover as I was not going attempt another patch job. It¢s somewhat frustrating as I¢ve taken very good care of it to prevent punctures, but I guess it¢s time had passed as the seams were failing. It lasted for over 3 months and was stained with grime and blood from my legs being scratched along the trail. For the last two nights I¢ve been blowing my pool raft up, and similar to being at the beach with my kids when they were young, my lungs were not appreciative. When packing up in the morning I had to wake up earlier to deflate the raft so that I could pack it away. This morning I deflated the raft with my knife and the process was much quicker.Yesterday¢s rain left the trail muddy and slippery. The ascend and descend on Mount Cube was treacherous. Oftentimes I would wade through mud then trek across rocks that were wet and as highly polished as a new marble countertop. As difficult as this was, accomplishing this climb yesterday in a driving rain would have been that much more dangerous.We continued on until reaching NH 25 where we hiked another 3 tenths to the Hikers Welcome Hostel outside of Glencliff, NH. There I received my mail package of my new air mattress, my rain pants and a warmer pullover. There were also a few of my eatable treats from home that warmed my heart. I trekked the 14.8 miles, and at mile 1793.3 I am inside the 400 mile mark. Tomorrow I will embark on the White Mountains.
Date: 2019-06-27
From: Hikers Welcome Hostel, Glencliff NH

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 9.3

Headed out this morning after a sound night¢s sleep and hit the trail by 7:00am. The early morning fog and cloud cover burned off in an hour or so and it soon became a beautiful day. The goal today was simple and that was to summit my first mountain in the Whites. The climb, as many will be in the near future, was tough with steep and unforgiving ascends. I summited the 4800 foot Mount Moosilauke at about 10:00am. The views were spectacular, made more so by the weeks of hiking through a heavy canopy in the forest. I stood there on the summit for several minutes looking out over the vast wilderness as it seems to put things in proper perspective and reinforces just how small we are in this huge world. I eventually trekked on and remained above the tree-line for about a mile and a half as the frigid wind blew constantly. Eventually I descended and the view faded, only with the promise that more work will be rewarded with similar or more remarkable scenery.Although I would have preferred to hike a longer distance, there are intervals of safety and the ability to seek refuge from the weather and I didn¢t want to overextend myself. I completed the day with 9.3 miles and will sleep again at the Hikers Welcome Hostel.
Date: 2019-06-28
From: Kinsman Notch

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 16.3

I got up last night at about midnight and walked outside. Once again it was a dark night and the stars were shining brightly. It was cool and I spent the next 30 minutes just looking up and enjoying the majesty of it all and how fortunate I am to have this experience. At 6:00am, we arrived back at the trailhead and set out for the day. The climbs as well as the terrain was rough, but the reward today was the scenic view from Mount Kinsman at an elevation of 4358 feet. On the climb up I had RALI take a brief video clip of a part of the ascend. This illustrates why my daily mileage is lower. At the summit of Mount Kinsman, RALI, Ben and I took a photo together with Mount Lincoln in the background. The day¢s trek encompassed 16.3 miles and we are sharing a cabin tonight at the Mount Liberty Campground just outside of Lincoln, NH. After cleaning up, we headed out to eat and accomplish a substantial resupply as I anticipate being on the trail for several days.