morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-07-17
From: The Lookout

To: Thistle Hill Shelter 
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: broken clouds

We stayed dry through last night¢s rain. I felt more normal this morning. I was happy to be done with antibiotics as I took my last pill this morning. The rain held off for a couple of hours and then it rained on and off with thunder the rest of the day.There were a few more relentless steep uphill climbs today and I just went slow, stopping as needed as I couldn¢t hurry. I hit trail magic at a stream crossing -Mountain Dew in cold water; I pounded one and then kept hiking uphill. I then hit a massive red raspberry patch and probably ate a pint. So good!I got to the shelter at 4:10 and got setup in a break in the rain. I ate and then got into my tent right before it rained for about an hour before stopping for the night at around 8:00. I was dry and warm after being wet all day.
Date: 2018-07-18
From: Thistle Hill Shelter 

To: Norwich, VT
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Today I was heading to Norwich and The Norwich Inn for two nights. My wife was joining me and also dropping my son Max off. He¢s joining Maverick and I through New Hampshire. So excited to have him experience this.  I got going at 7:00, it was a nice morning and the hiking was pretty easy to another raspberry patch. I picked my Jetboil stove full to bring to my wife and son.I felt better today than I have for 2 weeks. Finally!After a 1200 foot climb, The Trail topped out and went up and down to Elm Street. There were Cokes in a cooler ( thank you!) and I drank one and finished the mile down to Main Street, turned left for a short walk to The Norwich Inn and sat on the porch. My wife and son arrived about 20 minutes later with an awesome mezze-plate and ice cold drinks for both Maverick and me that we consumed while we waited until we could check in. Trail Angel extraordinaire!After we got our rooms and showered, we drove out to do laundry and then went for dinner at a steakhouse for a real dinner, then headed back to hang out before bedtime.
Date: 2018-07-19
From: Norwich, VT

To: Hanover
Miles today: 2.1
Weather: light rain

Max, Maverick and I left The Inn and walked down Main Street, across the Connecticut River Bridge into New Hampshire and then into Hanover.  We ran into a few hikers we know, Silver and Wiggles, and then went to Lou¢s diner to meet my wife for breakfast.  There were lots of other hikers there too.  After breakfast, we walked another mile or so to The Coop Grocery store wher we waited for my wife to pick us up and take us back to the Inn.  We had an easy hike with no packs, and short miles.  It was really a zero, but technically a Nero. We went out for pizza for dinner and then back for a nightcap at The Inn.
Date: 2018-07-20
From: Hanover

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 16.1

We put Max through a trial by fire.  After we got dropped off back at the Coop where we bought breakfast, we hiked over 16 tough miles on his first day out. There were 2 big steep climbs; one of 1500 feet and one of 1200 feet. His boots caused a painful blister that broke on one foot.  Water was not plentiful, so we were all struggling with that for much of the day.  We got to the shelter late in the afternoon and found 2 almost flat spots to set up our tents. We had to scoop water from a slow stream. Because there was not a lot of available water in this section, there were a lot of campers and late arrivers to this shelter so it was later than I would have liked when I got to sleep.  We started trying to plan around the weather that seemed to be coming in the next several days.
Date: 2018-07-21
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Brackett Brook 
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: broken clouds

7/21 15.3 Brackett BrookLong day of climbing again. Smarts mountain and Mt Cube. We walked pretty slowly as Max¢s blisters were painful. He pushed through though and we made our 15 plus mile day with 4500 feet of elevation gain for the second day in a row. A lot for someone without trail legs. We stoped periodically to drink and cool off and to check his heel blister which is massive and looks painful. We climbed part way up the tower on Smarts with views to Mt Sunapee and the NH Presidentials.As planned Max and I found a spot along Bracket Brook at about 5:45 PM and set up camp. A sobo came in and took the last viable spot so there are just three of us here. Maverick had hiked on to Ore Hill. There is a threat of rain early tomorrow so we plan to get up early and try to pack ahead of the rain.
Date: 2018-07-22
From: Brackett Brook 

To: HikerÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Welcome Hostel, Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: light rain

With the threat of rain coming we decided to set alarms for 5:00 and get packed up before it started. We got ourselves packed and had breakfast/coffee and left camp at 6:25.We had 2 climbs today, 1200 feet and then 700 feet. Max motored up both of them like a champ. We made a 2 mph average and got to the hostel by noon. It rained a bit so we were wet. Maverick was there when we got there and he gave us the scoop on what to do as far as getting a bunk and checking in.  We got sodas, and frozen pizza and picked our bunks then did laundry. We took a nap before the 5:00 o¢clock shuttle run to a restaurant.This was a nice hostel, and a nice place to stop for the day/night after getting soaked.
Date: 2018-07-23
From: HikerÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Welcome Hostel, Glencliff, NH

To: The Notch Hostel 
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: mist

Holy moly did it rain.We left the hostel and walked back to The Trail at 7:00. We immediately had to Ford a stream which was no big deal as it was only marginally over the rocks. We started up the 3800 foot climb and went steadily up until we reached the windy cloud covered summit at 10:30.  It was so windy and raining that we didn¢t want to linger for fear of getting cold or lightning starting. We started downhill, and The Trail decided it needed to go up and down a bunch over big rocky, rooty, puddle filled sections before it started down steeply next to an absolutely raging river- Beaver Brook. There were parts that were really scary-a slip into that stream would mean certain death as it was moving so fast and so steep that you¢d be broken into pieces in seconds. I¢m not being dramatic. It was frightening.  Max was a trooper and made good decisions with foot placement and pace. Safety was key. There were rebar had holds in places and a section where the trail had washed out and a rope was strung up on the hill next to that spot so you could hold onto it while jumping over the washed out section. We came to a place where The Trail turned down so steeply that we elected to find an alternative way to the bottom of a steep section. That meant dropping 40 feet down a slippery muddy gulley, but at least it wasn¢t right next to the brook. I¢m not ashamed to say I skipped this piece.We had to ford several streams that were flowing fast and were shin deep. When we got almost to the parking lot at Kinsman Notch, there was a stream that was flash-flooded with no way across it. It was too fast to risk walking through, but there was a tree down that presented a bridge so we carefully balanced across about 15 feet and then jumped to the opposite side.  We called The Notch Hostel and then tried our luck at hitching a ride. A guy stopped within 5 minutes and then with a short ride we were at the Hostel. We got checked in and showered and then went to Lincoln to eat at a restaurant and then shop at Price Chopper.  We got picked up and returned to The Hostel to get organized for tomorrow.
Date: 2018-07-24
From: The Notch Hostel 

To: Kinsman Pond Shelter 
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

We got dropped off at The Trail at 7:45 in the rain.  We had a big climb up Wolf Mountain and then South Kinsman and North Kinsman before heading down to Kinsman Pond Shelter.  The way up was very steep and had a lot of muddy pools that we were cautioned to avoid as some are knee deep. There was a big with boards that were 5 or 6 inches underwater too. No chance of dry feet at all. At some point early on, we all gave up trying to keep our boots dry and walked through the water without a care. It wasn¢t all that bad once I was wet and accepted that it was going to be that way all day. It made the stream fords easier too.  The rock climbing and scrambling was challenging but a fun change even in the rain, which at times was quite hard. Going down hill was pretty tough on the big slabs with wet muddy boots and we took our time to avoid falling. I was pretty successful not wiping out except one little spot where my pack saved my butt.It stopped taking briefly and the clouds blew out but we were still climbing South Kinsman so no views. Later in the day from North Kinsman, we got a 15 second view of what I think was Franconia Ridge.  We got to the shelter at about 5:00. There were 2 Southbounders there and we swapped information on hostels and The Trail while setting up.  We got settled in our shelter bunks at about 7:45 and then a group of 4 hikers rolled in and noisily set up there kits and cooked and talked about their plans for the next day with little regard for the rest of us.  If not for the rain, I¢d have been on a tent platform and insulated from them. Such is life in the shelters.Thank you to all of you reading and commenting on my journal. I appreciate the support!!
Date: 2018-07-25
From: Kinsman Pond Shelter 

To: Interstate 93
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: light rain

People were up at 4:30 trying to make it the 5 ish miles down to the Flume visitors center for a 7:20 shuttle. Good luck. Max, Maverick and I let the early birds get out of the way before we motivated. The caretaker came by and asked if the four folks that rolled in late had left as they were supposed to have stopped by to pay the $10 fee per person to stay at the camp spot. Apparently they stiffed her and didn¢t pay. Jerks. We made good progress down the mountain with a quick stop to get water at the AMC Lonesome Lake Hut. The Trail was steep and rocky but there were decent stairways of rock, some man made with drills and chisels and not too many slabs. It wasn¢t raining! After the hut stop we rolled down a boulder strewn trail to 2 stream crossings, the first of which was much more challenging and required some acrobatic moves over big wet rocks over a fast moving channel. Thankfully I didn¢t slip in. At one hop I was in position, rocking back and forth, visualizing the jump for about 30 seconds before I could make myself try it. I made it. A different part of my brain was in play here. Not sure I like it. We got to Interstate 93 at 10:00 and walked the roughly 1 mile to the Flume Visitors Center where we got an Uber to our motel within a couple of minutes.  We couldn¢t check in just yet but we used their locker room for showers, then went across the road to an Italian restaurant for sandwiches. When we were done we got into the rooms and laid our stuff out to dry. Then we walked up the road to buy a few things for the next day or so and came back for a rest and laundry before dinner at the Italian place. We had a day off scheduled for tomorrow, so no pressure to do much else but chill.
Date: 2018-07-27
From: Lincoln, NH

To: Lincoln NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

We took a double zero to let the rain clear up. Maverick and I have discussed this strategy for weeks for this spot. We don¢t want to miss Franconia Ridge or be there in a lightning storm. The weather looks better for the next few following days so we went to the front desk at the motel and asked to stay a third night.  It also gave Max¢s blister more time to toughen up so we¢re all fine with this temporary delay in progress. I am antsy to go though. I can see Mount Liberty today and I¢m ready to get up there and tackle the high peaks of The Presidentials.  We¢ve rested, eaten, done laundry, played pool, looked at the guidebooks, studied the weather and watched TV. We need to hike tomorrow!
Date: 2018-07-28
From: Lincoln NH

To: Garfield Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: broken clouds

We were ready to go at 7:00 and met outside our hotel rooms and made the go decision. The weather was 60% for thunderstorms, but we decided to chance it. Good call.  I tried to get an Uber, but the only driver was not on line, so we decided we¢d try to hitch. Within 5 minutes a local woman did a u turn and took us up the road to the Flume visitors center and dropped us off. Thank you! We walked just over a half mile on a bike path back to The Trail.Immediately we started walking up hill and that went in for a couple of hours. We passed Mt Liberty and soon broke out to the view of Franconia Ridge. There were lots of people out and the weather was spectacular. What a jewel. We marveled at the scenery and took our time over Mt Lincoln, the Mt Lafayette and finally the challenging Mt Garfield.We were challenge by lot of steep up hill, climbs up and over giant rocks and muddy spots. The reward was so worth the effort.At the top of Mt Garfield, there was a large group of weekend hikers all heading to The Garfield Ridge Camp. Max hustled ahead and scored a great spot on a tent platform for us with the caretaker. I went as fast as I could down the last about half a mile and was so happy to get there and have a spot to set up. The caretaker expected 60 to 70 people at this site tonight.Once our camp was set up, we went back to the entrance trail and got water and then back to cook dinner. It started sprinkling as we were eating, so we were in our tents by 6:30.  A couple of late arrivers, including a guy sharing the platform, kept us from sleeping until about 9:30. There was thunder in the distance on both sides of us, but it never really let loose, so we stayed dry. Our plan paid off; the weather was kind to us and we traversed the Franconia Ridge without lightning and with amazing views.
Date: 2018-07-29
From: Garfield Ridge Shelter

To: Ethan Pond Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: scattered clouds

We left at 7:15, after breakfast.  I would have gone the wrong way back up an incredibly steep AT had it not been for Max who corrected me that the trail that I thought was the shelter access trail was actually The AT. I was so focused on getting to the shelter yesterday afternoon I failed to realize that when I turned downhill I was still on The Trail. Whoops. Thanks Max.We had to descend a very steep section that was actually a stream and waterfall. I had to sit down at one sot to get down a rock and just sat right in the water to make the climb down. I dried off in an hour.  We spent the next while dropping elevation and then climbed up to Galehead Hut where we filled our water bottles before climbing South Twin Mountain. This was a rather steep and seemingly unending climb of about 1000 feet. After that we dropped for most of the day. We caught up to Maverick at Zealand Hut and then we all walked most of the way to our destination together, although Maverick out paced us and was there when we got there just before 5:00.  Along the way we hit some amazing blueberry bushes with big ripe fruit. Lucky us. We all got a few handfuls. Even though The Trail had gone pretty flat and without a lot of rocks, I slipped on a root or caught my toe and boom! I fell and got quite a scrape on my right shin.  I think that¢s number 13 ( there have been a few I didn¢t report ;). Lucky for me it wasn¢t on a rocky steep section.We set up on tent platforms again tonight; it¢s a much less busy spot, so hopefully we¢ll get better sleep tonight.
Date: 2018-07-30
From: Ethan Pond Shelter

To: Lakes of The Clouds 
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

Max and I left the campsite and hiked alone until Maverick caught us just before Mizpah Hut. We took our time and enjoyed the scenery and the day in order to arrive at Lakes of The Clouds Hut at about 4:30. Much of the day was above tree line again. We wanted to stay at this hut in order to go up Mt Washington in the morning. The best time to get work for stay is between 4 and 5, so our arrival time was perfect. We got night duty, which was our preference. We needed to wait until the paying guests finished dinner, then at about 8:30PM, we swept the dinning room floor and then got to eat- a beef stew, couscous and green beans. We got as much as we wanted and then got assignments for work until quiet time at 9:30. I scrubbed the bottoms of a few aluminum pots, Max- now Stretch- cleaned some cupboards and helped put logbooks in chronological order and Maverick washed dishes.  While we were waiting to eat, the sunset was putting on a spectacular red show. A sign showed the mountains to the northwest that we could see in the far distance-Camel¢s Hump, Mount Belvedere and Mount Mansfield in Vermont. In September, 2016, I was looking at Mt Washington, Jefferson and Adams from Stark¢s Nest at Mad River Glen.  We set up our kits on the dinning room floor. I was next to the window and could see the Big Dipper clearly as I went to sleep.
Date: 2018-07-31
From: Lakes of The Clouds 

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: light rain

We got stirring at 5:30. One of the hut Croo was up in the kitchen and had coffee ready!  We all got coffee, had our own breakfast and got packed up. We weren¢t hanging around for breakfast after the guests.  We took off and climbed up to the summit of Mount Washington; that took about 75 minutes.  We had clear weather and very little wind. We looked around at the buildings (chained to the ground for protection from the wind!) and took pictures at the summit sign. I¢ve heard stories where people had to wait in line to get these pictures. We had the place to ourselves. We waited until 8:00 and then went into the visitors center and the museum and started hiking again at about 9:00.The Trail was essentially just a rock pile for most of the day. We dropped a bit, walked along the edge of The Great Gulf Wilderness which was awesome then climbed around Mt Jefferson and Adams and then up and down some before we got to Madison Spring Hut at about noon. We stopped and had a piece of blueberry coffee cake and a drink and filled our water bottles.  We had a very steep half mile rock climb up to the summit of Mt Madison and then the fun really started. We continued following huge cairns down and then up repeatedly all on the huge punishing rocks that are Mt Madison. I had heard this descent was difficult and it lived up to my anxiety. After we got below tree line, it was just as steep and hard to make time. After 2 1/2 hours we had ¢hiked¢ 3 miles. We still had 4.8 to go and were hosed.  The Trail followed The Great Gulf Trail and there were lots of PUDs, some stream crossings, mud, stone walls and downed trees to get over.  After a few stops to cuss, drink water, rest and re-motivate, we finally got to Pinkham Notch and met up with Maverick.  We asked a group of AMC employees if any one wanted to drive us to Gorham and Hannah offered to do it for $20. Sold.  Thank you.We got ourselves checked in to our motel, showered and went next door for dinner. We decided that the abuse we out ourselves through merited a day off before we tackle The Wildcats.A good meal, with the promise of two nights in a bed, showers and clean clothes does a lot for your attitude, even if you are sore.
Date: 2018-08-01
From: Gorham 

To: Gorham
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I got ice at 6:00 AM and iced my knees and feet and quads. I stretched afterwards and got some good relief.   We all walked to McDonalds for breakfast, then back to do laundry and organized. We walked about a mile to Cumberland farms to buy supplies and then hit Subway for lunch.  There¢s an annual ATV festival in Gorham this weekend so there are ATVs everywhere.  It¢s legal to drive them on the roads in town between trail and it¢s odd to see so many on the road.We lazed around for the afternoon, keeping our feet up, and went to dinner at about 6:30.All 3 of us felt better for taking the day off. We know what¢s waiting tomorrow!
Date: 2018-08-02
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Imp Campsite
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

We got a shuttle back to Pinkham Notch and started across the road at 7:15. Wildcat went straight up for 3 hours. It was very humid and we were all dripping quickly after we got going. Going up Wildcat was easier than when Max and I came down it last August.  After The Wildcats, we dropped steeply to Carter Hut for lunch- we got soup and bread and some blueberry coffee cake and filled our water bottles.Another steep climb up Carter Dome left me wiped out and I caught Maverick and Max for a break at Mt Hight for views back across to The Presidentials in the clouds. The rest of the afternoon was steep rock scrambles and a few walls that dropped 20 plus feet with very few ways down. I don¢t remember it being this tough going the other way. It took me until 5:45 to get to The Imp Campsite.  Max had gotten there faster and got a group tent platform for us- the last one, so I was lucky.  We cooked and ate dinner in the cooking area and headed back to our tents for the night at dusk. Another tough day in The Whites.
Date: 2018-08-03
From: Imp Campsite

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: light rain

Max and I took off just before 7:00. Maverick caught up with us with a couple miles to go. The terrain was easier today. We climbed up and over Mt Moriah and then down to the Rattle River. The last 2 miles was so easy we walked it in less than 30 minutes.  I called Enterprise and they came and got us. We rented the car, went to Walmart, then to lunch and then to a motel.  We had a nice afternoon and then went out for Mexican for dinner and back for bed.We¢re done with The Whites, but know that geologicaly they don¢t end at Gorham.
Date: 2018-08-04
From: Gorham, NH

To: Intervale, NH
Miles today: 0.0

We went out for breakfast and then to do laundry. We went to a different Walmart than we went to yesterday to buy a few essentials and then back to the motel to chill. We went out for lunch at a local tavern just up the road and then went back to the motel to wait for my wife who was coming to get Max and bring us supplies we had left in Boxborough.  When she got there, we went out to dinner and then back to organize our supplies and since we had so much, set up two mail drops that my wife is managing for us. Thank you!
Date: 2018-08-05
From: Gorham, NH

To: Gentian Pond
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Today I said farewell to my son Max who hiked with me from Norwich Vermont. It was a special joy to have had him with me. I think he got a flavor of what a Thru-hike is like and the challenges and excitement that we see every day. He did such a great job with the elevation and distances; I know the first few days were tough, but by the end he was kicking it hard. I¢ll miss having him with me.  Maverick and I got dropped at The Trail at 9:30 after returning the rental car. We road walked for a bit and then hit the woods on a nice trail for a couple of miles. It went up of course and then got really muddy and rocky and challenging.  This section of trail seemed neglected, there were plants crowding in and blow-downs galore, plus a very swampy mud puddle filled trail. There were many puncheons sinking in water or mud. It was slow going, plus very hot and humid and I developed chafing and was uncomfortable. I got to camp at 5:15. I claimed a tent platform and Maverick was kind enough to get water.  It came from a pond, so I double filtered and tried to limit my intake. No point in tempting fate again with Giardia.We crossed 1900 miles today. There was no sign or fanfare. We can feel the end coming and are beginning to think more in terms of miles left than the bigger number we¢ve hiked.  I was tired enough that I went to bed at 7:45.