morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-07-24
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: broken clouds

My only complaint with the Upper Goose Pond shelter was the heat. There wasn't enough ventilation to remove the heat from the underside of the roof. A ridge vent or a simple vent at the top of the roof would have solved the problem. I still managed to get some sleep despite the heat but I could tell it wasn't enough. I started thinking in terms of doing a short day. However, the nice thing about the cabin is the pancakes for breakfast. A kind southbounder had dropped off blueberries from the cookie lady's berry farm located further north on the trail. The caretakers mixed the berries into the batter and we all enjoyed some great tasting pancakes. Afterwards, I got packed up and took off down the trail with "Sparkplug". Unlike the other day, I was rested and she had a full pack. I couldn't do anything about the fact she was 10 years younger and had run many marathons in the past. I had a much easier time keeping up with her. There wasn't much in the way of scenery. We just hiked along. The fun thing for the day was the cookie lady's place. She had become popular on the trail because she hands out chocolate chip cookies to any of the hikers that will stop by. She also sells hard boiled eggs and drinks. There are also blueberry bushes that we pick berries from. Of course, those were sold by weight. Most of the crew that I've been hiking with was already there when I arrived with "Sparkplug". We split an order of hardboiled eggs (sold by the half dozen) and I got a coke. That was lunch. I also pick a bunch of blueberries so I could have dessert. Now I was healthy because the blueberries counteracted the coke. My original plan was to just stay at the cookie lady's place for the night. I got there so early that I was able to take a nap for about an hour and still had time to hike on if I wanted to. Everyone else decided to head for the hostel in Dalton. After taking a nap, I felt rested enough to hike to the shelter just before Dalton. That would have given me a short hike into Dalton the next morning to meet up with "Seeker". I hiked at pretty good pace because of the nap and got there at around dinner time. As I took a look at the shelter and surrounding area, I started thinking that it wasn't the good place to stay. So I cooked dinner and pondered the idea of hiking into Dalton. I thought that the hostels would be full by the time arrived so I would probably have to pay for a hotel room. Even the cost of the room was worth not having to stay in shelter area. It was infested with mosquitos and the tenting areas were not that good. I packed up and headed down the trail for Dalton. Once I got close, I started to feel a little fatigued but I knew I could rest once at the hostel or hotel. Someone had provided sodas for the thru-hikers. Talk about filling a need! That couldn't have been more timely. Once in town, I could not find either of the hostels. I found the hotel and given the time, I just decided to stay there. I was too tired to keep looking. I got settled into my room and did a little bit of journaling before going to sleep.
Date: 2011-07-25
From: Dalton, MA

To: Dalton, MA - zero day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Because I ended up hiking all the way to Dalton yesterday, I didn't do any hiking today. The plan was for "Seeker" to pick me up at lunchtime. Given that, I went to a cafe near the hotel for breakfast and sat there afterwards doing more journal entries. Once it got close to the time for "Seeker" to arrive, I went back to the room, packed up and headed for the deli where we planned to meet. Once she arrived, we had lunch then headed for the store so that I could get new shoes. My feet waited with great anticipation. For weeks, they were stressed by shoes that were too small. Actually, my feet have grown in size. I know have to now wear a size 10 shoe where I was a size 9 before I started. They are both longer and wider. The extra width was the source of trouble. By getting the shoes on my zero day, I could walk around in them to break them in before getting back on the trail. After getting the shoes, we headed for the grocery store so that I could do a short term resupply and we could get food for dinner tonight. Once at her place, I worked on some more journal entries while she did things she needed to do. I really was pleased with the amount of work I was able to do on the journal over the last couple of days. I have done a poor job of keeping it up to date primarily because of the fatigue from the antibiotics I was taking. Once off of them, I made a promise to myself to get caught up on the journal. "Seeker" started to cook dinner and discovered that the drawer for the trash had started to come apart. Her daughter's boyfriend got some tools and found some more screws in a bucket full of hardware. I went to work on the drawer and got it fixed. As much as she has done for me, I felt that wasn't enough. We had a great dinner. After cleaning up, we went outside to see her garden. We talked a little then she showed me my room. As I went to sleep, I realized how blessed I was to have her as a friend.
Date: 2011-07-26
From: Dalton, MA - zero day

To: Cheshire, MA
Miles today: 9.6

Seeker made me a nice breakfast then took me back to the place in Dalton where she picked me up. We said our goodby's and I headed down the trail. The trail goes through the town so hiking the trail is basically walking along the sidewalk for a couple of miles. Soon I was back in the woods with the mosquitos and other hungry insects. I don't like to use deet based sprays but it was just to much to deal with without it. I stopped to spray myself down and all was well. The hike was very easy with just one climb of a 1000 feet. The one view for the day had a view of mt Greylock which was the climb for the next day. Sometimes I get to see where I've been and other times, where I'll be going. I don't know looking ahead is the smart thing to do because it's easy to start being overwhelmed by what's to come. I guess it depends on one's perspective. As I looked at Greylock, I thought about how nice it was going to be once I got up there. Also realized that it was going to be the first time above 3000 feet in quite a while. So Greylock didn't represent some arduous task but another part of the adventure that is hiking the trail. Looking back I would say can be good or bad also. For me, there a sense of accomplishment like what I felt when I saw Little Hump and Hump mountains a couple of days later. Yeah the weather stunk. I camped at Doll Flats when the tornados came through the south. The winds on top of Hump Mountain made it difficult to hike. Yet there I stood, having made it through all of that. I know a little more what I can endure. Also there are the memories of what I saw. The beauty and the majesty of natural world comes to mind when looking back on where I've been. So for me, these sorts of views invoke more positive thoughts. Well, I continued toward Cheshire where I was once again going to be picked up and taken into the lap of luxury, relatively speaking. On the way down, I was overtaken by "Swan" who I hadn't seen since being in Virgina. We talked all the way to Cheshire. Once in town we stopped to get an ice cream at a small restaurant. I was there much earlier than expected so I spent a little time talking with "Swan". I was then picked up by "B" and taken first to the outfitters to pick up some much needed gear. The pole tips were the biggest need. I lost one tip about 3 weeks earlier and have been hiking with just one pole. I also needed to replace the food bag that the mouse chewed into. I took the dry sack for the clothes and made that the food bag and bought a dry sack that was more water proof for the clothes. After gear purchases, we went to a coffee shop while waiting on my surprise, a massage! That was a much needed bit of therapy. Over the years, I have become a big fan of the healing arts simply because of the effectiveness of therapies like massage therapy. After my massage, we grabbed a quick dinner and headed to Tanglewood for the Steely Dan concert. It almost didn't feel like I was hiking. I had a great time there, listening to a great group of musicians. Afterwards, we called it a night since it was way past hikers midnight.
Date: 2011-07-27
From: Cheshire, MA

To: Mt Greylock
Miles today: 7.5

I got up and had a great breakfast. "B" then took back to the trail which was basically the spot in town where she picked me up. We said our goodby's and I was headed down the trail. I was close to being done with Massachusetts being pampered by some wonderful friends. As I thought about the situation, I wondered how I could return to the area and visit them again. One possibility is to have my car up there at Katadyn so I could drive back at my leisure. There are a couple of hostels that also want to stay at because they are such wonderful places to be. Other ideas crossed my mind but nothing else really seemed to stand out. Such are the musings as one does a long climb. Today's climb was the longest since climbing in Virgina. There have been many steep short climbs but this was the longest in a while. I felt pretty good on the way up so I was able to climb at fairly good pace. I wanted to have lunch at the restaurant at the lodge on top of Mt Greylock so there was a desire to get up there fairly quick. Obviously, lunch right at noon isn't necessary but close would be nice. By the time I got up there, my right knee began to hurt enough to concern me. There was also a slight bit of swelling. My plan was to continue to the next shelter but I didn't want to push it and create more problems that would jeopardize the whole trip. I ultimately decided to stay at the lodge. It was expensive but the atmosphere was great. As I approached the top, I met up with "Leap". We talked while we finished the climb to the lodge. Once there, we set our packs outside and headed for the restaurant. As we ate our lunch, "Vegemite" came strolling into the restaurant. I hadn't seen him since being in Kent, CT. He joined us and we all got caught up on our trail adventures for the last week or so. After lunch, "Vegemite" and "Leap" headed out for the trail and I got a room. I spent some time in my room working on the trail journal. I came down later in the afternoon to find "DD" and "Tea" in the porch area. We sat there talking over a beer until dinner time. They did not opt for the dinner because they wanted to save a little money. So it was into the restaurant area as the only thru-hiker. I was seated with a couple of folks who lived in the area. Dinner was good but as usual with such fares, it wasn't enough in the way of calories. Fortunately, the days hike was short enough where it wasn't critical. After dinner, I went back to the room and it was off to sleep.
Date: 2011-07-30
From: Bennington, VT

To: Kid Gore Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: scattered clouds

The lodge I was staying at didn't serve breakfast so I just cooked one of trail breakfasts I had in my food bag. I then packed and headed back down the hill with hopes of getting a ride back to the trail. Along the way, I came across a Dunkin Donuts. I couldn't resist. I hadn't had a cup of coffee and the donuts would be a great second breakfast. So in I went, got donuts and coffee and sat there and enjoyed them. I continued toward the trail along the loop road when a guy asked if I wanted a ride. He enjoyed hiking and thus was willing to help a fellow hiker. He couldn't take me to the trail itself but he was able to get me to a parking area on the road that lead to the trail. I stuck my thumb out and eventually got a ride from the trail angel who keptwater handy at the trail head. So in just about an hour or so, I was able to get two rides back to the trail. I got changed into my hiking clothes and started hiking. I quickly ran into "Vegemite" who had just finished the last night with his friends from home. We talked about our trail experiences as we climbed up out of the gap through which the road passed. The weather was much cooler from the storm that passed through the night before. The day's hike was a lot of climbing because we climbed from 1500 feet to 3500 feet. "Vegemite" jokingly told me that he was going to stop following me because all I wanted to do was climb. Close to the top of the mountain was the Goddard Shelter where we stopped to rest and get a snack. We met an older couple who decided to stay there for the evening. The long climb was enough for them. Even though is was going to be a little late, "Vegemite" and I decided to head to the next shelter. At the top of the mountain, there was a great view of the valley. There was a fire tower that one could climb to get a better view but I wasn't interested in taking the time to climb it. The view from the mountain top itself was satisfying enough for me. It was a quick easy 4 miles to the next shelter since it was generally downhill. I told "Vegemite" that I was glad he was leading because he was taking us downhill for a change. Once at the shelter, we met "Dr Doom" and "Shirtless". "Vegemite" decided to tent next to him despite his warning that he snored. I didn't see any other tent sites so I just set up in the shelter for the evening. After I was set up, "Dr Doom" found another tent area. Not wanting to move everything, I just stayed put. We were soon joined by "Ladypants", "Kermit" and "Caro" who all set up their tents in the area that "Dr Doom" found. We sat around the table eating dinner and talking. Looking out from the front of the shelter, we knew that an awesome sunrise was on its way. The view of the valley was wonderful. This was one of the many topics around the picnic table. The encouraging thing for the day was that my knee did very well. It seemed that the previous day's injury was not that bad. Because of the long climb, I took some ibuprofen to be safe.
Date: 2011-07-31
From: Kid Gore Shelter

To: Stratton Pond camping area
Miles today: 15.2

Our expectations of a wonderful sunrise were fulfilled this morning. As the sun rose over the hill to the left, I took a picture. I really wished I had more than the camara of my smart phone. Still, I was able to get a decent picture with the exposure set where the fog in the valley was visible. I remembered one of the reasons I don't like to stay in shelters. I battled mosquitoes all night. I ended up spraying my upper body with bug repellent and keeping the sleeping bag tight around my face to keep them from biting the rest of me inside the bag. Oh well, I got a reasonable amount of sleep even with the bugs. I ate breakfast, packed up and took off. "Ladypants" was the first to leave followed closely by "Vegemite". I got to the next shelter and met a young lady named "Mango". She was northbound on the LT. We talked for a while then while she went for water, I read the shelter log. In there was a comment from "Ladypants" stating that everyone from the previous shelter should be thankful that she cleared out all of the spider webs along the trail. When I caught up to "Vegemite", I asked him if he saw that comment. He said he did and realized that he should have put a complaint in the log about the webs at his height not being cleared out. We both chuckled about this as we went down the trail. We got to the top of Stratton Mountain, the place where Benton MacKaye conceived the idea for the AT. The view from the fire tower was spectacular. I sat on top of the mountain to take a nap while "Vegemite" went on. After a short nap that was frequently interrupted by the flies, I thought it best to continue on so I didn't get to the camping area too late. We were not allowed to tent near the shelter so the only place for us to go was camping area next to a pond beyond the shelter. After last night, I had no desire to stay in the shelter. Once at the tenting area, I found lots of tent platforms but very few tent spots on the ground. My tent requires that it be staked. This isn't possible with the wooden platforms without some extra hardware that I didn't have. Free standing tents, while very convenient, are heavier than the kind of tent that I carry. I think it's more important to lighten the load. I did end up finding a spot, got set up and had dinner. The platforms were useful for preparing dinner but I think it would have been better to just make sure that there was some flat ground to pitch a tent. "Vegemite" started kidding me about how far behind I was on my trail journal so it was off to my tent to write at least two entries. That way, I felt like I was catching up.
Date: 2011-08-01
From: Stratton Pond camping area

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: light rain

My intention was to continue to a shelter beyond Manchester Center but the long downhill off of Stratton Mountain was too much for my knee. I woke up sore. Also, Manchester Center was a great town to stop in so I thought out would be a good idea to just do short miles and let the knee recover. The terrain was also fairly level compared to what we had been seeing so I thought that would help too. I did my usual morning routine and got going down the trail. The side trail was long but nice because it followed the edge of the pond back to the trail. When I got to the trail, I saw "Ladypants" who was sitting on a bench talking to the caretaker for the shelter and camping area. The caretaker offered me a couple of pancakes which I certainly didn't refuse. After talking for a while, I headed down the trail. As expected, "Ladypants" caught up to me. She hikes at a pretty fast pace but has recently been making a lot of stops so she passes me then I pass her while she makes a stop. We have been leap frogging each other in this manner for several weeks now. As she passed by, I told her about "Vegemite"s comment about the spider webs not being cleared out at his height (see previous day's entry). She laughed and said that she would think of something to say to him when she caught up to him. The rest of the hike was fairly uneventful. There wasn't much in the way of mountain top views but there was plenty of nice forests. I got to the road crossing and stuck out my thumb to get a ride to town. It didn't take long. It was about the sixth car to pass that stopped to give me a ride. The lady who was driving took me all the way to the grocery store since that where she was going. She helped me with finding the place that I wanted to stay at and I was on my way there. It was recommended by "Vegemite" because it was inexpensive. It was very similar to a bed and breakfast except that they didn't serve breakfast. When I got there, the owner was out doing errands. I just sat on the porch while waiting for him to return. "Vegemite" showed up a little while later. He and "Ladypants" stopped for a sandwich before dealing with their lodging arrangements. A lady who was already staying there met us at the door and described the place to us. Since it was a Monday night and wrestling was on, "Vegemite"s question was are there TVs in each room. Since they didn't have TVs in each room, he decided to move on to a hotel down the road. When the owner finally got there, I got my room, took a shower and headed back into town to do laundry. Later on, "Vegemite" and I met up with another hiker named "Montreal" to have dinner. Afterwards, I headed back to my room and work on the trail journal some more.
Date: 2011-08-02
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Danby, VT
Miles today: 17.7

I had to pick up a resupply box at Danby. The problem was that it was a small town with only a bed and breakfast for lodging. The road that the trail crossed was a forest service road so hitching into town was going to be a problem. The only way I could make Danby work was just to stay at the bed and breakfast. They offered to pick up hikers at the trail head if they stated there so I wouldn't have to worry about finding a ride. I wished that I sent my package to Manchester Center. Actually, I could have just bought my food in town and skipped the mail drop altogether. I would not do mail drops except for a couple of places on the trail. Generally, I have found that the towns have what I need in the way of food. I met "Vegemite" for breakfast then headed back to the room to get packed up and going. I started making my way toward the trail but didn't get too far down the road before the owner of a local hostel stopped and offered me a ride. I was on the trail, hiking by about 9 or so. That worked out much better than I thought it would. The first climb got me to the top of Bromley Mountain where a ski resort was located. "Mango" was already up there when I arrived. There was an platform that allowed one to see five states. Of course, it was hard to tell what I was looking at without maps. There was also a cabin there that the ski patrol stated in during the ski season. It was available to hikers during the summer. I thought they resort was very considerate by opening up the cabin to hikers. As I hiked, I thought through my options for getting into Danby and getting my package. One option I considered was stopping at a shelter just before the road crossing then heading into Danby in the morning then back out the same day. With the chance of getting a ride being near zero, it would have meant not getting in a lot of trail miles but still walking a lot because of long walk to and from town. I really didn't like this option but it was the backup plan if I couldn't get ahold of the bed and breakfast. Cell coverage was very spotty along the trail so I started wondering if I would ever be able to call then. I got to the road crossing without knowing if I could call the bed and breakfast but took the chance anyways. I was barely able to get a call through but managed to make arrangements so staying in town was on. I eventually got picked up and by the time I got my room it was late. I made a trail dinner on the back porch to save time. I watched the second episode of the Lord of The Rings trilogy while I ate dinner and cleaned up. After the movie was done, I just went to bed.