morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-14
From: Morgan Stewart Shelter

To: Ten Mile Campsite
Miles today: 20.7

Today was a day unlike any other day¢¦a day that will live in infamy.Well, not really, I¢ve always wanted to say that in my journal.I did almost twenty one miles¢¦I should be proud¢¦not just the miles but it was hot¢¦not just hot¢¦it was hot and humid. I am fortunate in some respects. Not only do I seem to have hiking legs and feet, but the mosquitoes are not inordinately attracted to me. Yes, I get a few bites and use deet¢¦but you don¢t hear me piss and moan about the little pests (except for that so called wildlife refuge back in Vermont¢¦that was a virtual mosquito haven.)Anyway, I awoke at dawn as usual and was hiking by 6:30. I passed the other guy from the shelter last night¢¦he wears a kilt, has a white beard and goes by the trail name of ¢Tippie.¢ I thought it sounded a little¢¦well; let¢s just say it could have a more masculine ring to it. I should have changed mine to TEREX¢¦a company that I once worked for¢¦it is Latin for ¢land king.¢ I already found a name I liked better than that¢¦one that I¢m now using on the Trail, but I¢m not sharing it here.Before I got to the railroad with the Amtrak platform, there was a woman working by herself digging ¢diversion ditches¢ in the trail. I thanked her but didn¢t stop as I had music in my ears. It must have been her that left a twelve pack of cokes and a package of Oreos at the crossing.The ¢big trail magic¢ of the day came later at a road crossing near the NY/CN border. Mac & Cheese (former thru-hikers Big Mac, Mrs. Mac and String Cheese) left coolers and chairs (see picture above) don¢t tell any thru-hikers but I think I took the last cold lemonade. There was all kinds of stuff¢¦bug spray, sanitary wipes, treats, etc¢¦right up my ally. Just like three years ago the same girl was selling hot dogs and drinks where the path crosses NY22. She isn¢t operating out of a pull trailer any longer and sits out under an umbrella. When I asked her if the drinks were ¢ice cold¢ she replied, ¢They¢re cold.¢ Just as I thought, they were barely cool but still tasted good. A couple of semi drivers stopped which made me wonder if she was selling more than sodas and hot dogs.Late in the day I missed a turn and hiked downhill¢¦boy was I pissed!I was the first to arrive at Ten Mile¢¦same place I tented in ¢03. Tipple arrived after me and came over and introduced himself. We both waded into the Ten Mile River (not together) and clean up. I could see Tippie naked downstream. At least I had on my Speedos. A couple with a dog and a young red headed hiker are also here and that¢s it. Most of the grounds are grown up in weeds. But, there is a hand water pump and the water was nice and cold.Since I enjoy my music so much, I¢m going to include a line in each journal from one of my favorite songs that day¢¦something else I can look back on. You can guess the song if you like.¢Maybe someday I¢ll be strong¢¦maybe it won¢t be long. I¢ll be the one who¢s tough¢¦you¢ll be the one who¢s got it rough.¢
Date: 2006-07-15
From: Ten Mile Campsite

To: Stewart Hollow Brook L.T.
Miles today: 15.6

Man I wish you could swear on Trailjournals!...it was f¢¦ing miserable today. I hate Schaghticoke Mountain¢¦I HATE IT!...(I even had to look it up twice to spell it right) I know I said I love to backpack, but I also admitted I¢m nuts¢¦I H-A-T-E Schaghticoke Mtn. You can¢t make me change my mind, I hate it!Jeezus was I miserable today¢¦proves there is a God afterall. Well, wait a minute¢¦I did walk into Kent and screw off for an hour and a half. I have ¢bad mouthed¢ Kent in the past based on my ¢03 trek. I apologize and take back anything bad I said based on the following two experiences.I went to the Scoops ice cream place¢¦the guy there was super friendly (and he wasn¢t gay¢¦not that there¢s anything wrong with that). I bought a root beer float, hot dog and a soda and a ice cream. Then the guy gives me an unopened bottle of spring water someone left behind¢¦then he hands me another hot dog and says it¢s on him¢¦and he talks nice to me too. I bitched about the prices in ¢03 and they were not out of line this time. Yeah, the town¢s a little stuffy, but the whole state is for that matter.On my way out of town and back to the trail I stop at the gasmart to buy a bag of ice to fill up my Camelback hydrator. I find a bag already opened and take it to the cashier. He tells me to get a new unopened bag. I tell him I don¢t really need a whole bag and then he gives it to me free of charge. Damn!...am I dreaming¢¦this Kent, CT¢¦the town that hates hiker trash¢¦I don¢t think so. I love Kent.BTW, I went to Kent State University¢¦I tell people, ¢I didn¢t go to college¢¦I went to Kent State.¢ Can¢t read¢¦Can¢t write¢¦Kent State.Tented in the woods at Stewart Hollow. Met Grey Fox and a ¢foxy¢ chick who was hiking with him. Also met the ridge runner who is a nice guy. Everyone else was so nice¢¦telling the ridge runner how good MA was compared to PA and NY. I didn¢t say anything¢¦I changed the topic to religion¢¦he¢s a Quaker.Don¢t give me any crap about doing only 15 miles my second full day out¢¦okay.We had a nice little shower then the rain dripping from the pines kept me awake all night worrying about having to wipe my tent down in the morning.¢Look at me I¢m only hurtin once a day. Once a day¢¦all day long¢¦and once a night¢¦from dusk till dawn. The only time I wish that I weren¢t gone is once a day¢¦every day¢¦all day long.¢
Date: 2006-07-17
From: CT4 (Cornwall Bridge CT)

To: US44 Salsbury CT
Miles today: 21.6

Now that¢s more like it. It was no less hot and humid but the lure of a cook out and an air conditioned motel room and ice cream had me hiking twenty miles to Salisbury today.The big lure was the ¢Trail Magic Picnic¢ across from the hydroelectric plant past Falls Village. Everyone¢s been talking about it as there have been signs posted at road crossings for the last forty miles. And, everyone was already there when I walked up just before two in the afternoon. I wish I had gotten the hosts names but I believe it was three hikers that did the Trail in the late nineties. They come back here and do a big picnic every year. See the above picture.They immediately threw three hot dogs on the grill for me¢¦not just any hot dogs either, but those kosher Hebrew franks and you can taste the difference.I chatted a little with Energizer Bunny who I met the other day at Stewart Hollow¢¦she left her poor husband at home to fend for himself while she is having fun out here walking the AT¢¦if you can believe that. How does he eat and who does the laundry? I don¢t know how some people can live with themselves.After about an hour and a half, Snickers and I left to hike in the hot sweltering heat. Just about everyone else talked like they were going to camp here with the hosts and hike on in the morning. I immediately lost Snickers who was stopping at the next shelter while I was headed for Salisbury.The terrain wasn¢t too bad and the afternoon heat seemed to let up a bit..even catching a breeze now and then.   I arrived in Salsibury, which is less than a mile off the Trail, around five. Just as I turned up the road to town, one of the picnic hosts was there shuttling a hiker who was posting a note on a tree for one of his friends. I guess he hurt himself pretty good when he was rope jumping in the river back near the picnic¢¦he was limping badly.I was going to check out the hostel but could not call ahead as the phone space was dead. I just checked into the motel attached to the old Inn in town. They have kept the same low price since I was here in ¢03, $95 for hikers ($145 for everyone else) I had eaten enough at the picnic that all I had for supper was ice cream. I first went to the ice cream shop for a root beer float and some ice cream; then came back to my room to get cleaned up.Tomorrow I¢d like to do another twenty and sleep in the woods. There is no let up in the heat in the foreseeable future.¢I have a mansion forget the price¢¦ain¢t never been there they tell me it¢s nice. I live in hotels tare out the walls¢¦I have accountants pay for it all. Lucky I¢m sane after all I¢ve been through¢¦¢
Date: 2006-07-18
From: US44 Salsbury CT

To: Glen Brook L.T. 
Miles today: 14.2

After a nice two entry breakfast at the Inn, I filled my Camelback with ice and water and headed out in another ¢record¢ heat day¢¦record for me regarding the number of consecutive days of hiking in extremely hot and humid conditions. I tell you, this insulated Camelback I carry is wonderful¢¦it allows me to sip ice cold water until its gone hours later. You know how a dog cools itself with its tongue¢¦I swirl ice water in my mouth for a few seconds before swallowing¢¦it¢s great.This entry I can name some of the people around me on the Trail. The NOBO¢s are beginning to meet the first of the SOBO¢s. I chatted for a few minutes with ¢The General¢ and ¢Sauce Dog¢, two clean cut young SOBO¢s who seemed to be enjoying themselves.Early on I met Peter the Ridge Runner coming the other direction. He thought it was a big deal when I told him I wanted to make it to Glen Brook today.I joined Ponch and Mo taking a break atop Bear Mountain. They¢re a young couple who were also at the cook out yesterday. We chatted awhile before I moved on. I ran into them again at the Brassie Brook Lean-To where Mo was nice enough to return my bandana that I lost along the trail. I was wearing it draped over my front pack strap¢¦using it to wipe off sweat from time to time. I ended up losing it the second time for good.I also met Tex who is a polite young man with a British accent.One thing I forgot to mention, as soon as we crossed the line into MA it became unusually dry¢¦the swampy areas and small streams are all dried up which brings me to the last topic. I ran out of water while climbing one thousand feet up Race Mountain and Mountain Everett. (I hate both these mountains) It was pure stupidity¢¦I was enjoying the ice cold water from this morning and didn¢t think to stop and fill up before it ran out completely. I was sweating and swearing the last hour and a half.There was one enjoyable moment when I met a group of young girls from the ¢Y¢ coming the other direction around Race Mountain. They were having water problems too and were asking everyone they met where the next water was SOBO. I told them, ¢About a half hour.¢ They said that was what the last guy told them a half hour ago..One young lady asked to take my picture and wanted me to give her a trail name. She was cute so I said, ¢How about Miss America.¢ She liked it. All the other girls had frowns and were not having a good time. Luckily I met them before I dried up completely and started swearing.There are two shelters a tenth of a mile apart at Glen Brook. I was going to set my tent up in one because they were calling for thundershowers tonight. The mosquitoes were too bad not to tent. Several others had the same idea so I just found a nice bed of pine needles near a new bear box at the north shelter. You could hear it storming in the distance most of the night but we never did get rained on.¢It used to seem to me that my life went on too fast and I had to take it slowly just to make the good part last. But when you¢re born to run, it¢s so hard to just slow down¢¦so don¢t be surprised to see me back in the bright part of town
Date: 2006-07-19
From: Glen Brook L.T. 

To: Mt Wilcox South L.T.
Miles today: 19.6

The heat does not let up today but we somehow manage to muddle through another twenty miles. Today I did the same stretch starting and finishing at the same places where Charlie and I stayed in ¢03.Back then I can recall us reaching this road crossing where a little over a mile down the road in the town of S. Ergemont was this restaurant that serves breakfast¢¦I¢ve been planning to revisit Mama¢s restaurant this whole hike. I hitched a ride both ways right away and had a great breakfast and was only off the trail for an hour. This time I had a table out on the back deck next to a stream¢¦made me feel like I was still out on the trail.There also was a nice level stretch around Shay¢s Rebellion Monument. The stone marker is by a road in an open field area that is still farmland. The History Channel names it as one of the ten most influential events that shaped our democracy. I always find the history along the Trail fascinating.Just before lunch I stopped at the nursery where the trail crosses Rt7 again. This one, Charlie and I missed for some reason. Here I had three cold drinks and a fresh peach while relaxing out of the sun in their gazebo. Just as I was leaving in comes Ponch and Mo.As I was getting back on the trail I ran into Tippie and we hiked together for awhile. He had gone into Great Barrington overnight and picked up a drop box. Turns out he is getting paid to do some kind of work for the ATC, measuring shelters and gathering info for them.He and I were the only ones staying at Mt. Wilcox South and we both tented. I tented on the exact same spot as before. Ironically in this year of a lot of mosquitoes, they weren¢t that bad here¢¦in ¢03 this was one of the worst places.Tippie let me hang my food bag on his line. I¢ve never seen a line over a tree branch so high¢¦I don¢t know how he did it. He says he just attached it to a small rock or something. I have trouble stringing one half that high.Did I mention that my lovely wife Julia has incurred a stress fracture of her foot?   Don¢t worry, she can still go to work every day but can¢t walk Poochie. I guess I¢m using this as an excuse to head back from either Lee or Dalton. We still plan to go on our vacation. I¢ll be back¢¦I only have a couple of hundred miles and I will have completed this section hike¢¦looks like I will get over one thousand this year on the AT¢¦not bad for a section hiker.¢Now this mountain I must climb¢¦feels like the world upon my shoulder. Through the clouds I see love shine¢¦it keeps me warm as life grows colder. In my life there¢s been heartache and pain¢¦I don¢t know if I can face it again¢¦can¢t stop now I¢ve traveled so far¢¦to change this lonely life¢¦¢
Date: 2006-07-20
From: Mt Wilcox South L.T.

To: US20 (Lee, MA)
Miles today: 17.4

This will be a short entry¢¦I¢m pissed.Started out at 6:45. Hiked the wrong way 2 miles. Hiked back 2 miles. Re-started the right way at 8:30. Arrived in Lee, MA at 4:00. Hiked 21.6 miles¢¦not 17.4.Silver, an ¢02 thru-hiker, picked me up and gave me a ride into Lee. Thank you sir!After checking out three places, ended up staying at the Pilgrim Inn for $74 plus about the same amount in taxes.I was pissed and swearing all day so I can¢t tell you anything positive about the hike itself. I know¢¦I know¢¦it¢s better to be pissed off than pissed on.ADD is a legitimate handicap¢¦I¢m entitled to social security disability benefits.
Date: 2006-07-21
From: US20 (lee, MA)

To: Zeroing
Miles today: 0.0

Today I¢m hitching back to the Jeep parked back at NY 52 and going home. Then I¢m taking Julia on vacation to visit some friends in WY and her nephew¢s wedding in MN.I shall return. I have only 200 miles to complete this section hike of the AT and I want to finish it this year.Things seem to fall into place when I hitch. Got the first ride from a local contractor who restores these old homes up here¢¦a great guy. Thank you.Second ride from was a guy named Dana Murphy who was being paid to shuttle two section hikers (Lost & Found and Sunshine) who are also out section hiking. I ended up paying Dana to take me right to the door of my car. It was worth it as I was able to drove on home to Ohio this evening.Got there around nine...I would have been home around 7:30 but I picked up a guy whose van broke down on I84 and took him into town.I¢ll be back on the AT as soon as I can.
Date: 2006-08-27
From: At home...

To: Back to the Trail
Miles today: 0.0

BTW, did someone say this was a hiking journal? Well, I do hope to get back on the AT this week. I promised myself I would finish the section hike of the AT this year and since it includes the famous ¢Hundred Mile Wilderness¢ and Kahtadin I can't finish any later than October 15th when the park closes.I just got tied up with that damn property I bought¢¦I still haven¢t got the pole barn problem solved¢¦looks like I may be putting up a new one if the Amish builders south of here are available. I¢ll worry about that when I get back.Julia has her ¢cast¢ off, isn¢t limping; said the pain is gone and might be willing to go back walking Poochie this week. She said, and I quote, ¢I¢m gonna milk this for all I can.¢ That¢s gratitude for you¢¦I sacrificed big time by leaving the Trail¢¦waited on her ¢hand and foot¢ and this is the thanks I get¢¦Geeesh! But she always misses me when I¢m gone and is always asking when I¢ll be coming home. (Yeah, I know what you¢re thinking¢¦it ain¢t cause she needs to get her boyfriend out of the house either)   My friend Frank calls her a ¢saint.¢ Never has someone been so misunderstood! (me)The ¢celebration of life¢ service for Uncle Roger was packed¢¦no surprise There was literally ¢standing room only¢ at the back of the church. Plus, they had a reception before and a lunch afterwards. They asked folks to say something and I read yesterday¢s journal entry¢¦not very well but I read it.   Thanks for your kind words Ed Wright¢¦yeah, I had told him what a difference he made in my life. (But, for some reason it¢s not always easy for me to say what I mean) I¢m gonna be thinking about him everyday on the Trail¢¦I know he would not want me to dwell on his loss but I have a lot of time to think.I missed seeing my sixth grade teacher who was there¢¦he used to squeeze my neck between his thumb and fingers (hard) and pick my whole body up off the ground   Damn that smarts!!..but then I respected the man and knew not to piss him off. I wasn¢t going to say anything to him but ¢hey.¢ He also taught everyone to play chess in his free time...he was a good teacher.Finally, I got my tattoo (see above)¢¦I like it¢¦when I asked Julia about it, all she would say is, ¢I don¢t want to hurt your feelings.¢ I don¢t think she likes it¢¦I love it so much I¢m going to replace all my T-shirts with sleeveless ones! I could have gotten the tattoo Guns suggested¢¦that kid has a great imagination...I can¢t talk about it here.
Date: 2006-09-06
From: US 20 Lee MA

To: Becket Mountain
Miles today: 1.0

I got off the Trail (and back on today) at a perfect spot...Lee, MA. Took I90 from my front door and straight to Lee: had a double cheeseburger and fries at McDonalds and was back on the AT by five. I'm leaving my ride in a nice parking lot where the AT crosses US20 about five miles east of town. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to make it to the first shelter by dark so I camped at the crest of the first mountain (Becket) only a mile up from the road. There is a register here and I talked with a young SOBO, Fisherman Tom, who was filling it out when I arrived. He wants to get a couple of more miles in before dark...trying to get to Goose Pond I think. I'm back to using my new tent as the zipper is shot in my Wunderlust Nomad Lite. This tent is not as cool (temp cool that is...not cool like, "that's cool man!") but has a lot more head room. I can actually pack up everything inside the tent.The weather looks good for the next few days...clear and getting warmer each day...very summery. I will miss the extended daylight.I plan to hike 17 miles to Dalton tomorrow where I have a drop box that I obviously don't need...I'll bounce it on to Monson.   Also plan to check out the "Bird Cage" hostel. In '03, Charlie and I stayed at the Shamrock and zeroed an extra day.It already feels good to be back on the AT. I've been away too long.
Date: 2006-09-07
From: Becket Mountain

To: Dalton MA
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: broken clouds

Up at 5:30, hiking by 6:30. Great weather again...unusually warm for this time of year.At the "Cookie Lady's" by eleven where I took a forty-five minute break on one of her lounge chairs. No cookies but not a problem since I'm packing way too many cookies myself. Had a nice chat with Cookie Man there who was trimming some blueberry bushes. Well, I am now officially a "Celebrity" on the AT! To become a celebrity one must be hiking along and have someone who you've never met before, yell out your name and stop to talk to you. Furthermore, this must happen two times (to confirm) and it must be totally coincidental. I couldn't believe it...for me it was the famous "Mrs. Gorp"...I kid you not. She even took my picture to commemorate the event. (However, I don't think she liked my tattoo.) We had a nice chat and I can't even to begin to tell you how good it feels to finally attain celebrity status on the AT...I thought it would never get here...as I'm already finishing up my second complete hike.Met a nice young SOBO out for six weeks named, "Just Pink"...didn't ask...figure he washed his whites with the coloreds.Got to Dalton and headed for the Bird Cage Hostel where the owner is especially generous guy...puts up hikers for free and that includes refreshments, shower, etc. I tried to be as polite as I could in turning him down. He is a heavy smoker (and one of the guests was also smoking) I just needed some rest away from the second hand smoke so I headed for the Shamrock where Charlie and I stayed in '03.I did get a nice foot long veal parmisagn sub for $3.99 in town."...when you're a celebrity it's adios reality...you can act just like a fool and people think you're cool just cause you're on rhe AT..."
Date: 2006-09-08
From: Dalton MA

To: Mt Greylock
Miles today: 17.0

I kind of took my time getting going today. First I overslept until 6:30. Then, I had to walk several blocks to the other side of town to eat breakfast at the Dalton Restaurant. Rob told me to have their strawberry pancakes and man were they ever good!There is something about 90% of the waitresses I run into in the towns along the AT¢¦they are not all that friendly¢¦they're all ¢matter of fact¢ and businesslike¢¦maybe they've just been stiffed by hikers too often, I don¢t know. Like the one today...but she did fill up my Camelback with ice when I aske her even if it was only three quarters of the way.So it was nine before I really got to hiking. The trail takes you all the way across Dalton before getting to the woods. Along the way I saw this beautiful red Chevy pick up for sale by a landscaper. I was ready to write down the phone number when this guy comes out and tells me the sign was wrong¢¦it wasn¢t twelve thousand, it was twenty. Oh well, I wasn¢t that interested anyway.I can¢t remember the time when I ran into Teatree and her mother going SOBO. Teatree had thru-hiked¢¦ahh ¢04 maybe¢¦and was letting her Mom get a taste of the good life on a short hike. Teatree was the first hiker that ¢went nuts¢ over my tattoo. I was beginning to get a complex until I met her¢¦she even took a picture of it she liked it so much.I also met another mild mannered young man going SOBO, Whisper.There were a couple of long climbs today so I didn¢t make all that great a time. And, I fooled around in Cheshire at the ice cream/sandwich shop right on the AT. The young woman there was quite nice. When I found out the library in Chesire was closed she checked the next town and the bus schedule for me. I ended up hiking on anyway after a milkshake and a soft serve.When I got to Bascom Lodge at Mt Greylock a few minutes before six I was tired and ready to turn in. The black guy working the desk said the only thing they had was a room for $98. Seems the bunk room was filled up with guys setting up antennas for an annual citizen band competition of sorts.I then asked the young manager how far it was to the next campsite. He said three miles but he was sure he could find me something there. He did. Seems there were a couple of extra bunk beds open for the $27 rate. The other guy did apologize for almost sending me on my way. I never would have made it to the next shelter until way after dark.In the bunk room I met a young man from Florida named, ¢Florida.¢ He, and another guy whose name slips me, are headed SOBO. He wasn¢t sure if he was going to make it all the way to Springer¢¦just going as far as he could.