morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-08-03
From: VT 11/30 (Sutton's Place)

To: Lost Pond Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: few clouds

Dry TrailMileage Countdown: -523.0Today's walk was mostly over pretty dry trail, after a sunny day all day yesterday and again today. Also, there were good panoramic views where you could see the mountains on the other side clearly. From Bromley Mtn there was a 360 degree view, with Stratton to the south and other high mountains in each direction. I think that Killington, one of the highest peaks we cross in VT, was still too far away to see. Then from Baker Peak there was a nice view to the west over the bare rock slope of that mountain.I met several southbounders today. One, Jack Straw, remembered me from way down in the Greyson Highlands, the day I was looking for Dragon Slayer. At that time he was with a church group from Wake Forest, but remembered the story. He had actually met Dragon Slayer, who is 2 or 3 days ahead of me on the Trail, which gave me the feeling of a closing of the loop.Here with me tonight are Mouse, Five Beers, Hobbit, L'Awin and Wet Tap. I met Hobbit just south of Sams Gap the day I left Miss Janet's. I was quite surprised to see her walk up to the shelter, since I knew she was a couple of days ahead of me when I got off for 5 days at the Mass Pike. (The way I know about hikers ahead of me is by reading the shelter registers. Thru-hikers generally sign them when they stay the night, and sometimes even when they stop in for lunch or a snack. It is much harder to get information about hikers behind me, though.) It turns out that she jumped ahead to volunteer for a week in the huts in the White Mountains, and in the process was able to hike most of the Whites. When she gets to Franonia Notch next week, she will be able to jump ahead to Pinkham Notch, and again be a week ahead of me. In thinking over the people who were at the shelter where I met her in TN, everyone I can think of - Hobbit, Stretch, Doc, Diesel, Tank, Mailman, Sauerkraut and me - was still on the Trail as far as Massachusetts. That certainly beats all odds.
Date: 2004-08-04
From: Lost Pond Shelter

To: Minerva Hinchey Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: clear sky

CruisinMileage Countdown: -508.1Today we had a dry trail again, making it an easy 15 mile day. I got to the shelter at 2:15, unusually early. I was considering going on to the next shelter because the mosquitos are pretty numerous, but decided to stay, partly because it started to sprinkle, and partly to be able to have breakfast at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which is about 3 mi up the Trail, and a thru-hiker favorite.On the Trail today I met the Dysfunctional Family, a group of SoBos travelling together. There were 5 in the group today, with two about a day ahead (Jack Straw from yesterday was one) and two more somewhere behind. I will probably meet them in the next day.I want to acknowledge trail magic I have enjoyed for the last few days from fellow NoBo, Crash, and his dog, Cadbury (trail name, Doggie Llama). Crash is being slacked north in this area by his wife. Each day he leaves a cooler full of soda, beer, fruit juice and snacks at the trailhead where he starts his slack. I have been fortunate enough to enjoy this magic for 3 days now.In this shelter tonight are me and Mouse. We will probably stay at the Cooper Lodge Shelter tomorrow night on top Mt Killington at nearly 4000'. I'm certainly glad my son sent me my long johns at Manchester Ctr.Willow and MC, whom I had met in Vandeventer shelter way down in TN, the again briefly a couple weeks ago in Gt Barrington, MA, stopped in at the shelter for a break. It was great to have a chance to catch up a bit.Just as I was falling asleep in the fading twilight, two more hikers came to the shelter. Seeing Mouse and me alread in our sleeping bags, one of them called out "Are you taking a break or just stopping early?". Since I had been there well over 5 hrs by that time, I had to chuckle a bit. One of the hikers was Lunch Time, who is hiking the Long Trail north. The other was Yahtzee, who is hiking the LT southbound, but jumping around from section to section.
Date: 2004-08-05
From: Minerva Hinchey Shelter

To: Cooper Lodge Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: clear sky

KillingtonMileage Countdown: -494.2Two meals only today, both bought. After only a poptart when I woke up, I walked 3 mi to eat breakfast at the Whistle Stop Cafe. The food was good, and the atmosphere one of the most hiker-friendly places so far. In the afternoon I rushed to get to the shelter by 3, because the snackbar at the top of Mt Killington (.3 mi away, but 350' higher in elevation, at 4241') closed at 4. I made it and had a quiche and salad special (with prices consistent with the elevation, as Wingfoot says) that pretty much filled me up. They were serious about their closing time, since all the other people here at the shelter with me got there at about 5 of 4 and couldn't even get into the building to buy candy bars.Even my snack today was not something I packed in. In one creek I crossed, someone had built a wire-fence corral, and filled it with sodas. It was a welcome break.Killington Mtn has a ski resort on its north side, and one of the best panoramas that I have seen so far. It certainly compares with the view that so impressed me on the south side of Chestnut Knob. It is also the coldest I have experienced on the Trail since my last night in the Smokies (when it froze), because it is supposed to drop into the 40s tonight. I'm certainly glad I got my long johns in Manchester Ctr!The Cooper Lodge Shelter is the 4th shelter that I have encountered on the Trail with 4 walls (Most shelters are rectangular, but open on one side. That arrangement provides good ventilation.). All have been at the top of high mountains - Chestnut Knob, Roan Mountain and the mtn just south of Neels Gap, whose name eludes me at the moment. The others have been completely enclosed. This shelter has two large windows in front which are permanently open. Here with me tonight are Mouse and SoBos Eco, Bojangles, Crunchy & Creamy (brothers) and three section hikers.Milestone: I have less than 500 mi to hike to get to Katahdin.
Date: 2004-08-06
From: Cooper Lodge Shelter

To: VT 100 (VT Ken's House)
Miles today: 9.5

Montpelier NeroMileage Countdown: -484.7I hate to harp on the topic of my long johns, but I still will. Last night the temperature got into the low 40s, so it was cold even in the enclosed shelter. When I got in my sleeping bag, I put on nearly everything I have to wear. I was on the borderline between comfortable and uncomfortable all night long, though for the last half of the night I was able to take off the spare pair of socks that I was using for sleeping gloves. Without the long johns, I would have spend a very restless night, at best.I was away from the shelter before anyone else was up. The Trail started out downhill immediately, which was fortunate since my hands were quite chilly for the first mile or so until I had descended into warmer air. I arrived a few minutes early at the place where I was to meet Ken, fellow hiker, mathematician and HS superclassmate (I was in the first graduating class of my high school, but many of the original class members were able to figure out how to stay at the old high school. So our class is quite small and we do all alumni activities with the second graduating class, of which Ken is a member.). It was nice to just sit in the sun with nothing to do but wait for Ken to come. But when the sun disappeared, I was quickly reminded how cool the air had become.Ken is the Assistant Adopter (ie, volunteer in charge) of the Montpelier Section of the Long Trail. So he is quite knowledgeable about trail maintenance, trail history, and similar topics. So we had a good deal to talk about as we slacked together to Rt 100, my ending point for the day. Afterwards, we had lunch and hoisted a brew at the justly famous Inn at the Long Trail, then drove an hour or so to Montpelier, where Ken gave me a tour of the town (It's hard to believe that this state capital has a smaller population than the rural far suburb of Boston, Groton, that I just moved out of.).After a pizza dinner that Ken's wife, Katie, made, I am comfortably ensconced in a nice bed, ready to sleep, but a bit bothered by predictions of rain tomorrow, when I will do a rather long 20 mile slack pack.
Date: 2004-08-07
From: VT 100 (VT Ken's House)

To: VT 12 (VT Ken's House)
Miles today: 20.4

Splashing Through VermontMileage Countdown: -464.3I hadn't intended to do such a long day again, but since I was slacking, the spacing of roads determined the options I had. Since there were almost no accessible roads between Rts 100 and 12, I decided to do the whole thing.I also decided to do it backwards, so I could meet people who were traveling nearly a day ahead of me or people who are nearly a day behind. That worked out well. Ken and I hiked together until the first shelter, nearly 4 mi in, before he turned around to do some errands before picking me up at the end of the day.Almost at the beginning of the hike I met C Legs, whom I had seen several days ago. I had figured he was much farther ahead, so was surprised to see him.Next I met Meanderthal, about whom I had heard a lot (he travelled extensively with Gaiter Women after I pulled ahead of her, then they passed me when I skipped back to PA.). Then I met Hobbit again, with whom I stayed the night before Killington. I had enjoyable conversations with both. Most of the day was spent in the woods, often in a sprinkle of rain. But at lunch time I stopped at a place called Lookout Farm. I was not expecting much, so was quite pleased to come upon an abandoned farmhouse there, with a ladder running uo to a platform on top. The farmhouse turned out to be at the top of a fairly high mountain, so the platform gave a 360 view of the surrounding mountains. I could see all the way back to Killington, and ahead I think I could even pick out Moosilauke, the first of the Whites, and the first peak on the AT above treeline. I could see Mt Ascutney over by the Connecticut River, and was told later that even Mt Monadnock, near where I live, was visible to the southeast, if I knew where to look. And I'm sure that the Adirondacks were also visible, but I just didn't recognize them. I'm glad I took the extra 20 min to go there for lunch, even though it meant being late to meet Ken at the end of the day.In the midafternoon I began to meet the group I have been with for a while, some since the Shenandoah - Mouse, Palm Tree, Boonie, and Tree Frog. I also met Pilot, with whom I hiked in SNP but not since, and her partner, Polar, who was not with her at that time. I was hoping to see a number of others who I have heard are right behind me, but suspect that they all got hung up at the Long Trail Inn, since it was raining off and on all afternoon, sometimes hard. The Inn looks like a very nice place to spend a rainy day.Tomorrow, on through eastern VT, almost to NH.Milestones: Today marks the 5-month anniversary of when I started the Tail, and the 2-month anniversary of my northbound trek.
Date: 2004-08-08
From: VT 12 (VT Ken's House)

To: Happy Hill Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: scattered clouds

DOCMileage Countdown: -447.7After a delicious pancake breakfast, we were off at 7:30 for the hour ride to the trailhead. Thanks Ken and Katie, for your hospitality and three days of long-distance shuttling.Where I got back on the Trail, VT 12, is the southern boundary of the area of the Trail maintained by the Dartmouth Outing Club. DOC must be using the same trail maintenance manual that GA and NY are using. That's the one with the pages about switchbacks missing. Within 100 yds of leaving the road, the trail started up hill - straight up hill. After a long day of slackpacking, with a heavy pack and a full stomach, I felt like I had never even backpacked before. After a quarter mile there was some respite, the trail began angling slightly, but still at a slope that was steeper than most of the climbs the day before.The weather was nice most of the day, and I moved along nicely. I was even able to keep up with Millipede (a 6' 6" hiker whom I met in GA) for a while. During that walk I got stung by a bee (probably a hornet), which led to a conversation about the thru-hiker who got bitten by a rattler near Salisbury, CT, a few days behind us. Apparently he is OK, and didn't even get a large amount of venom in him.After walking with Millipede, I hiked right past the shelter I was planning to stop at for lunch, even though I was looking for the shelter and it was marked by a bright orange sign. Shortly thereafter I met Photo Op in a big field. He is a section hiker whom I met in Damascus my first evening there. We talked a while and then parted, and I began to look for a place to eat. I found a big cairn of rocks at the other end of that field, and sat down to enjoy my meal under the sky (albeit a cloudy one). After I was done I noticed a pair of glasses right next to where I was sitting. I suspect they were Photo Op's, but by then he was to far away to call or even chase. Photo Op, if by some chance you read this, I picked up the specs and put them on a flat rock in the cairn.Tonight I am in the shelter with Slow and Steady, sisters from DC and Boston respectively, who are section hiking for a couple of weeks.Tomorrow, NH and Hanover and at least 2 town meals.
Date: 2004-08-13
From: Lyme-Dorchester Rd (Merrimack, NH)

To: Hexacuba Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: light rain

Oh, No...Not Again !!Mileage Countdown: -413.2It was good to sleep in my own bed for three nights in a row. My son's move went off as planned, and by 10 o'clock he was off to the midwest. I was picked up at 11 by Big B, and dropped off at the trailhead where I had stopped walking by 1.But, no sooner had Big B's truck driven out of sight than I noticed I didn't have my camera. Darn (or something to that effect), NOT AGAIN !! And here I was, entering the White Mountains, the centerpiece of my AT hike. How could I hike the Whites without a camera?!I thought back. I remember just before Big B came I had my pack, my poles, my hat and the camera just in front of the door, ready to go. I remember rolling up the camera in its plastic bag in preparation for putting it in my pocket, but don't remember actually putting it there. Maybe I was distracted and laid it down somewhere in the house. On the other hand, maybe it had come out in Big B's truck. But how? That pocket is quite deep, and it would be difficult for something just to fall out. I tried to call Big B on my cell, but no signal. Oh well, I would have to buy a cardboard camera in N Woodstock, and miss any photo ops on Moosilauke!But for the rest of today it didn't matter. From the moment I got out of the truck it was heavily overcast and threatening to rain. In such conditions I always put my camera deep in my pack, under the rain cover.Once I put on my pack and started uphill, I realized how much I had changed what I was carrying. Since I will shortly be going above 4000' again, and since summer is ending here in northern New England, I had switched back to my cold weather configuaration. I had switched to a heavier tent and a heavier sleeping bag, and had packed my stove so I can have hot meals again. I had added a heavier fleece. And to be able to carry all that, I had switched to a sturdier, heavier pack. The scales said it weighed 37 lbs, but it felt like 50.After walking a couple of hours, shortly after I had passed the first shelter, the skies opened up. This was the longest sustained heavy rain I have been in on my hike. The thunderstorm I was in just north of Hiawassee, GA, had heavier rains, but was over in 20 minutes. The two freezing rains I was in in VA lasted longer, but weren't as heavy, just cold. The three-day rain in the Smokies was not really a rain, but just a very heavy mist that got everything soaking wet.In the shelter tonight with 4 southbounders - Wood Rat and California, and two young men without trail names. I was happily surprised by this shelter, which is built in the shape of a regular hexagon. It is quite roomy and could have held twice our number.
Date: 2004-08-14
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: Jeffers Brook Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Big Thanks to Big BMileage Countdown: -397.4Today was a long day by my new, White Mountain, standards. Like yesterday, it started out going up a mountain, Mt Cube, which has many rock outcroppings on the ascent. As I ascended, the sky started to show blue, and the mist covering the surrounding mountains started to lift. I dearly wanted to take some pictures, but at least the day was turning out to be sunny.After descending Mt Cube, as I approached the first road crossing, I saw a familiar figure appriaching. It was Big B! With a big beaming smile on his face, he reached in his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag, asking if I recognized it. It was my camera !! I was so overjoyed that I didn't know whether to kiss him or my camera (I opted for the camera :-). It turned out that he had spotted the camera on the seat when he had gotten home. I still can't figure out how it got there, since I only take it out to take a picture. In any case, he had driven all the way beck here from southern NH just in time to meet me at the trailhead. He said he was going to a nearby town (possible, since it was where he went to college), but in any case I really, really appreciated his thoughtfulness. A great big thanks to Big B!Later in the day I was able to get a couple of good shots. One was of a big mountain in front of me on the Trail, with a little lake in the foreground. The mountain was probably Moosilauke, about 4800', the first mountain on my hike that will peek above treeline. I will be going over Moosilauke tomorrow, at the pleasure of Hurricane Charlie.Milestones: I am now less than 400 Trail miles from Katahdin.Also, I have now walked more miles as a northbounder (890.5), than as a southbounder (886.2).
Date: 2004-08-15
From: Jeffers Brook Shelter

To: Kinsman Notch (Woodstock Inn, No Woodstock)
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Whites, at LastMileage Countdown: -389.0Ken, who is putting up the photos on this journal (NH Ken), joined me at the shelter last night, so we could walk up Mt Moosilauke together. Moosilauke is the first of the White Mountains that is over 4000'.Since rain from Hurricane Charlie was forecast for the afternoon, we set out early in order to beat it. The climb was almost 3500' in under 5 miles. But it was steady with no rock scrambles so we were on the summit by 9:30, with the sun trying to come out.Ken and I parted at the summit, with him going back to his car, and me heading for the climb down into Kinsman Notch - over 1800' in 1.6 mi, the longest sustained descent I have encountered on the Trail so far. It has been on my mind ever since I drove up to Kinsman Notch about a year ago and thought how can anyone come down that with a full pack.Before I started down the steep part of the descent I met a trail maintainer from the Dartmouth Outing Club. She told me that the rain had been blown out to sea, and that the weather would be good for the rest of the day. That was fortunate, since the descent was quite tough, and could have become dangerous if either it were wet or if I were rushing. As it was it was just a good, stiff, challenge. I took my time and was at the trailhead by 12:30, with just one little scrape and tired knees to show for it.Hiking through the Whites can be difficult, not only because of the ruggedness of the mountains, but also because of the limited options for spending the night. On the mountains themselves there are a number of 'huts' and campsites run by the AMC (Appalachian Mountain (some say Money) Club), for a fee. Then there a few 'stealth' campsites that are free but limited in number.I decided to pamper myself a bit in the Whites and stay in huts a few nights. Only two spots were available near the time I would be passing through, Zealand on 8/18 and Mispah on 8/19, so I took them. Then I decided to stay two nights here in No Woodstock (There is actually a micro-brewery inside The Woodstock Inn.). Finally I will be meeting a group of friends Saturday in Pinkham Notch and taking another zero at home on the following Monday in Gorham. Suddenly, my schedule is all filled out except for the night between No Woodstock and Zealand and the night between Mispah and Pinkham. I sure hope the weather cooperates.George and Ginny in VA have reminded me that there is a weather camera on top of Mt Washington, with its pictures going out over the InterNet every few minutes. Since I will be staying in Mispah Hut the night of 8/19, I should go over Mt Washington on the 20th. It is 6.2 miles from Mispah to Washington, so I should be on the summit by noon. Just to build in some margin of error, I will try to appear before the weather cam at 1 PM. The URL for the weather cam is:http://www.mountwashington.org/cam/deck/index.php
Date: 2004-08-18
From: Garfield Ridge Campsite

To: Zealand Falls - AMC Hut
Miles today: 9.7

Another Boogey Man Bites the DustMileage Countdown: -352.7The trail down Garfield this morning was just as tough as the trail up. It took me 2 1/2 hrs to reach Galehead Hut, so I was glad I had decided not to try to get there yesterday, because it would have been dark by the time I arrived.The Trail out of Galehead Hut leads directly to South Twin Mtn, an elevation gain of over 1000' in less than 1 mi. I came down that slope at the end of my first backpacking day two years ago, and had found it extremely difficult. So I have been dreading this morning's climb ever since I started my hike, regarding it as my definition of steepness. As often happens, reality didn't live up to expectations. It was a strenuous climb up, but nowhere near as challenging as the climb up No Kinsman, much less the climbs down So Kinsman and Moosilauke. Before I knew it almost, I was standing on top of So Twin, feeling pretty pleased with myself.After South Twin the Trail was pretty much downhill the rest of the day, except for a moderate climb up Zealand Peak. I again detoured a bit off the Trail to go to the Zealand summit. The reason is that I am 'peak bagging' NH's 4000' mountains. Peak bagging is a term used when there is a recognized set of peaks and someone is trying to climb all of them. One such set is the set of the highest points in each of the 50 states. Another is the 48 peaks in NH over 4000'. Recall that part of my training for my AT hike was to climb all of the NH 4000 footers more than a quarter mile from the Trail. Now I am getting the rest of them. Three days ago I bagged Moosilauke. Day before yesterday I bagged No and So Kinsman. Yesterday I bagged Liberty, Lincoln (even though Little Haystack is taller than 4000', by a technicality it is not considered a 4000' peak.), Lafayette and Garfield. Today I bagged Zealand. Over the next few days I will bag from 1 to 5 peaks each day, and by Monday I will bag Mt Moriah and become a member of the 4000' Club.Tonight I am staying in the Zealand Falls hut, run by the Appalachian Mountain Club. I get to sleep indoors in a bunk and get breakfast and dinner. It is quite expensive, though, so most thru-hikers don't stay in them much, if at all. However, the AMC does allow each hut to have two hikers 'work for stay' each night, where the work involved is something light like sweeping up the dining room after a meal, and the stay is the two meals plus sleeping on a table after the paying guests have retired. So far, the atmosphere has been relaxed, and the food hearty.There don't seem to be any work-for-stay thru-hikers here tonight, but both Mouse and I are here on 'pay for stay'.Milestone: I have less than 1/6 of the Trail to hike.