morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-07-10
From: Manchester Center, VT (Rutland)

To: Campsite at mile 1,674.0
Miles today: 22.9
Weather: few clouds

Earned my last minute name this morning. I got to the bus stop 30 seconds before the bus this morning. $2 ride back to Zmsnchester then fifty cents to get into town. Five minute walk to the highway to hitch back to the trail. Lots of traffic but it took about 25 minutes to get a ride. A guy building a new motel in town went out of his way to give me a ride. He dropped me off and headed back to town. He would not take gas money either. What a great guy.It was cool hiking in the morning. The trail was not as muddy as the previous miles.Saw lots of hikers. Mostly Long Trail, section, weekenders and day hikers. There were som good climbs and several very nice views.I got very tired between three and four even though I felt great in the morning. I think it was just the heat and an area with no winds. I felt better after hiking on and a breeze picked up.Hiked by Little Rock Pond which is a small lake. There were teenagers on the other side swimming and screaming. Not a chance I was staying at the campground there. Come to find out they hike the two miles up there to swim for the day then leave.I always find a spot to stealth camp to have my privacy and because I get in late and leave early. They are getting harder to find. Not many flat and level spots. This one is only 15 feet from the trail but I will be gone before many if any hikers come by. There is a strange critter making noise outside the tent. Probably a bird. Weird.
Date: 2015-07-11
From: Campsite at mile 1,674.0

To: Killington, VT
Miles today: 30.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Started hiking at 6:00 am. The temp was cool and the trail conditions as the mud is drying up. I had my destination set as Killington or someplace near there.The temperature got warmer early and I slowed my pace a bit. Then I ended up talking to two guys from Florida hiking the Long Trail. Long Trail hikers are a lot more friendly than AT thru hikers I have met. I will miss that as the two trail parted ways near Killington today. The trail was crowded again today with hikers of all sorts and going North and South. I talked to a young AT thru hiker that is Southbound and started from Katahdin June 3rd. I asked how the White Mountains were and he said they were beautiful and he wished he was still there. He also said his mileage was only about ten or twelve miles a day. I sure hope to do more than that.The climb up to Killington was long and challenging in the hottest part of the day. I reached the spur trail to Killington Peak at 3:30. I had hiked 20 miles to get to this point and knew I could hike another ten into Killington. I called to find a room not expecting to find one on a Saturday but Killington Motel had one and I made a reservation. What a relief to know what was waiting for me at the end of the day. I could relax a bit. The spur trail to the the top, Killington Peak, was only 0.2 miles. There is a restaurant there. I had mixed feelings about going up but curiosity got the best of me so I hiked up the steep trail to the top. Great views but very crowded with people that rode the gondola up. I walked another another five minutes to reach the gondola and restaurant. I was surprised to find people offloading with mountain bikes. There are several bike trails to ride down. It appeared there was going to be a wedding up there shortly. There were also young ladies walking around covered in mud. There is a women's gardening club that does an annual dirty girl mud run. They all seemed to be delighted to be muddy head to toe.The food was to expensive so I filled my water bottles and headed to my motel room ten miles away. Time, 4:00. The walk started out pretty easy, mostly down hill until the last few miles. It got harder to walk as I passed my 12th hour on the trail. I trekked on the last two hours passing thru a very nice Gifford Woods State Park then by Kent Pond. I reached mountain Meadows Lodge where a wedding had just finished and the party was in full swing. In my attempt to avoid the party I missed the side trail to town and took a much longer road walk. Got to the motel about 8:15. I got showered and ordered delivery from iPizzeria. It took 50 minutes but was worth the wait.It was a long hard day but I am glad I pushed on to get a room. I can get my food box in the morning and sort it in my room. A bed and shower are always nice too.
Date: 2015-07-12
From: Killington, VT

To: campsite mile 1723.9
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: light rain

Slept in a bit this morning then had a good breakfast at the motel.Walked down to the outfitter to retrieve my food box.I asked for a late checkout from the Killington Motel and the owner said I could stay until 2:00. I had to sort my food box. That always takes longer than I like. I also had to do some repairs on my gaiters and shoes plus look over going thru the White Mountains so I stayed until 12:30. I would stay there again. It was a nice place with very nice owners. Did not really want to leave today.Stopped at the store on the way back to the trail to get some ice cream. Did not get on the trail until 1:15. It is a hike just to get back to the trail. It was pretty hot when I started on the trail. The trail is right by a lake and there were about five thru hikers down there swimming.I saw six southbound thru hikers. They are all young guys. Friendly. Two from NY, three from Indiana. Did not make many miles today. That is fine. As I ate supper by the trail I tallied how many days I thought I had left and decided there is no reason to push to hard. I think I can be finished by 8 August.
Date: 2015-07-13
From: campsite mile 1723.9

To: Hanover NH
Miles today: 33.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Thanks to Bob, Marian and RC for your comments in my guest book. It means a lot to have readers comment. Bob, you will know what I am looking at when I enter the Whites in a few days. It will be a highlight of this journey.Long day. Started hiking at 5:45 am. Finished a bit after 9:00 PM but then it was an adventure to get to the motel. It was a great hiking day even though it was very hot and I sweated so much that I got som more chaffing problems. Worth it. The chaffing will clear up.I had some great views and talked to a lot of AT thru hikers both Northbound and Southbound. A 72 y/o man was getting off the trail because off foot pain. In West Hartford there were some thru hikers jumping off the bridge into the Pomfret River. It was a far way down to the water. Apparently a permitted activity as a police car drove by and did not stop.I did not plan at the beginning of the day to go all the way to Hanover but the comfort of a motel and crossing into another state pulled me thru. The biting bugs got real intense about 6:00pm. It was nice that the last few miles was out if the woods and on road or side walk. The trail conditions were good today and I felt much better at the end of a long day than I expected.
Date: 2015-07-14
From: Hanover NH

To: campsite mile 1760.8
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: overcast clouds

The free shuttle bus stops near the Sunset Motor Inn so I rode to town and got my mail drop at the PO and took it back to my room to sort. Much easier than sorting in the room.Got on the trail at 10:45 an into the woods as the rain started. I wanted so bad to go back to the motel. But I hiked on. The rain was light and stopped soon after. But later it rained hard for what seemed like an hour. The good side was that the salt got washed off my pack.Stopped hiking at 5:15 and stayed in my tent to escape the mosquios. Then it started raining again after I was in my tent. Good timing.
Date: 2015-07-15
From: campsite mile 1760.8

To: Campsite mile 1778.3
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: scattered clouds

I stayed in my tent from 5:15pm yesterday until 9:30am today. Yet another personal record for me. Needed the rest. I don't want to go thru the Whites tired.I met new hikers today as I have every other day.The trail conditions were good but the hills seemed challenging. I think tomorrow will be a short day to recover a bit more.The picture is from the top of Mt. Cube. It would have been a nice place to watch the sunset but finding a campsite would have been difficult in the dark. I hiked until 8:00pm and was still able to find a nice stealth campsite. No cell service for the second night in a row.
Date: 2015-07-16
From: Campsite mile 1778.3

To: Glencliff, NH. (Hikers Welcome Hostel)
Miles today: 12.2

Thank you Lynn for reading my journal and your comments in my guest book. I amaze myself doing those big miles. A motel room is a big motivation for me. I just started hiking a few years ago.It was a cold night last night. I could not keep my feet warm so I did not get e great night sleep. The morning was chilly and I started my walk at 6:15 with my rain jacket on. It has been a long time since it has been this cold. I got my warm weather gear today so hopefully that will be enough.The trail conditions today were pretty good but muddier than the past few days.I met two Southbound hikers today. It was a father out hiking with his sin for the last few days of his hike. The son started from Katahdin and they were finishing there section today. The told me to say hello to their daughter/sister who works at Lake of The Clouds Hut which is just a mile before mount Washington.I arrived at the Hikers Welcome Hostel at 11:30 this morning. I was the only hiker here for hours. This evening the place is packed. We got a ride to town the pick up to go food and do some shopping at the convenience store. I got two microwaveable breakfast meals. They sell breakfast but it does not start until 7:00am. I hope to be part way up Mt. Moosilauke by that time.This is my third hostel and it is a different life being around a lot of other hikers. In a coed bunk room. I hope I do not snore too bad.
Date: 2015-07-17
From: Glencliff, NH. (Hikers Welcome Hostel)

To: campsite mile 1816.1
Miles today: 25.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Darla, thanks for reading my journal and your nice comments in my guest book. It really means a lot to hear from readers. Glad you enjoy the pictures. They probably look better on a full size screen as opposed to my tiny IPhone. I can enjoy them at home.Started hiking at 6:15 on a cool morning that again required a rain jacket for warmth. It is the only jacket I carry.The 4,000 foot climb that awaited me was intimidating. Into the White Mountains at last. There is a lot of talk of how difficult the Whites are to traverse. I expect the worst. It was actually less difficult than climes that were in Virginia. The view from the top of Mt. Moosilauke is breathtaking. 360 degree view on a mostly clear day. I can see the mountains that are just waiting to be climbed.I saw and talked to hikers of all sorts again today, using um a lot of hiking time. But I enjoy visiting with other hikers to hear about their adventures and share some of my own. All are overjoyed by their hikes, day hikers, section hikers and thru hikers alike.The 2,000 foot climb up South Kinsman Mountain took me by surprise. Half the size but four times the difficulty of Moosilsuke. It was a lot of steep rock scrambling. The timing worked out that I ate my evening chili on the summit. I enjoyed it and look forward to the rest of the challenging climbs. The Southbounders tell me the most difficult ones are in Southern Maine, which is just days away.I was told that the miles per day would be much less in The Whites yet I was able to do 25.6 trail miles plus some additional walking.I found a place to pitch my tent but it was nearly ten pm.It started raining just as I was putting it up. It was also near the interstate. It's all good. Warm and dry. Rain in the forecast for tomorrow so hiking may be slower.
Date: 2015-07-18
From: campsite mile 1816.1

To: campsite near Galehead Hut ( mile1829.2)
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

It was raining when I woke this morning so I stayed in my tent longer than I wanted. I was right next to a paved trail that lead to Flume Gorge Visitor Center. I needed to pick up a mail drop from the VS but they did not open til 9:00am. I did not feel like standing in the rain so I listened to people walk by my tent in the rain. Thru hikers end up in some odd situations.I got to the VS before nine and they were open. I got my food box, sorted it in the mostly empty cafateria over coffee and pastries. I charged my electronics and caught up on my journal. By the time those tasks were complete it was time for lunch. That resulted in not getting back on the trail until 12:30. The rain had stopped and the temp was much warmer but it was foggy the rest of the day.At the top of the first climb was my first aterstop and a section hiker trying to fill his water bottle from a dripping spring. I showed him how I use a small ziplock bag to make a water trough from the water flowing on the ground. It took 30 seconds to fill his bottle. I let him keep the bag as I have plenty. He was delighted to have learned to collect water much quicker. The rest of the day was spent mostly in the wind blown clouds. There were some tough climbs and my clothes were drenched with sweat. I was surprised to see so many day and section hikers out in such unfavorable conditions. Many were doing a popular 30 mile loop hike. Some were hiking the 30 miles in one day.Camped near the Galehead Hut. I was invited to come up for breakfast leftovers after 8:00am. They just like to get rid of all the cooked food otherwise they have to pack it out. I could not wait long to start my hike.I had a nice campsite. It rained at night. I again stayed warm and dry.Earlier at the hut several of the guests were interested in my hike. I answered questions for a while but had to excuse myself to set my tent up before dark. People will talk my ear off and takes lot of my time up if I am not careful.
Date: 2015-07-19
From: campsite near Galehead Hut ( mile1829.2)

To: Nauman campsite (mile 1850.2)
Miles today: 21.0

Dried my tent off as best I could and got hiking about 7:15. Big climb right from the start. Nice views from the 4,902 foot South Twin Mountain. A hiker from the hut showed up minutes after me carrying only a water bottle. We talked for too long of course it is about hiking The AT and hoe he would like to hike it one day.I hiked on and it started raining again. Drenching rain. Lots of hikers out in the rain, not all as happy as me though. It was only 6 miles to Zealand Falls Hut. I stopped in and bought two bowls of potato soup and some cake thingy. Nice to have hot soup on a rainy day. Hiked on. It had stopped raining but I was soaked and the trail was full of puddles.It got warmer as the day progressed. It was more pronounced as I descended down to 1,000 feet. I felt way too warm and feverish. I seriously did not think I was going to be able to hike a full day. As I trudged up the next 3,000 foot climb I eventually felt better. A break for chili and water helped a lot.Another hiker eventually caught up to me as I was trying to call Barb on a clearing on Mt Webster. He scurried across the open area tow prods me in a hunched over movement, clearly in a panic. There was thunder rumbling in the clouds above. He seemed to think he needed to stay with me. Ibtold him I was ok and he could hike on into the tree line again. We ended up hiking together four miles or more under passing thunder. No visible lightning. It did not start raining until 15 minutes before we got to Mizpah Spring Hut and Nauman campsite. It did dot stop pouring rain until I had my tent set up. This was the hardest rain I have set my tent up in. To make it more challenging there were wooden tent platforms. They was a new experience for me. A wooden platform in the rain is the worst conditions for my tent as the rain splashes off the wood and mists up thru my bug netting. I was able to keep the spray to a minimum with my emergency blanket and a sheet of plastic. I did stay warm and dry thru the entire night of severe thunderstorms. It was quite a lightning show. I am pleased and confident with my tent.
Date: 2015-07-20
From: Nauman campsite (mile 1850.2)

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 19.6

Thanks for reading and commenting Ralph. I do not see very many stealth campsites in the Whites. The ones I do see are at the wrong time of day. I prefer my tent to a dining room floor with other hikers. Work for stay is all about getting to the hut at the right time.Quite a storm last night. I got up later than usual and it set the tone for the rest of the day. I dried my tent off as much as I could. The $8 tent site was very close to Mizpah Hut so I stopped to get tap water in my bottles. More people wanting to chat. I got on the trail about 8:30. Since my tent was wet I decided to dry it out on a large open area that was one huge rock. It was sunny and quite windy so I held onto one end of the tent and let it flap in the 20 mph plus wind. It dried pretty quickly.I made it to the next hut at about 11:15 so it was a good time to have lunch. This hut , Lake of the Clouds Hut, is the most popular and crowded. It is just one mile down from Mt. Washington. There were lots of hikers there eating lunch. One couple was smoking some stuff from a small pipe in a corner spot outside by all the other hikers. Rude.The 1.3 mile, 1,100 foot climb up was not too difficult. Lots of people headed both ways. Lots of day hikers go down just to visit the hut.On top the wind was around 30mph and clouds blew over the mountain top so the view was limited. I went to the snack bar to eat more food. Talked to several people about my hike. The pack is a giveaway. Lots of people just stared. A train shuttles people from the bottom of the mountain. Others drive up. It was very crowded. There are a few historical, museum like places to visit up on Mt Washington. Barb and I visited there in 2012 so I did not look around much. I just ate, talked and tried to make phone calls. Could not get service until I was outside in the wind where the trail just starts to go down the mountain. I had to talk to Barb to have my next pair of shoes sent to me. I had to huddle in some rocks to try to hide from the howling wind. I ignored the tourists taking photos. What a relief to get my shoes on the way. I have to wait another 100 miles because I could not get cell service for several days.The weather cleared up nicely and the views were excellent. The afternoon was all exposed, no trees and rocks until about 6:30. I did have my chili on a nice high place on the way down from Mt. Madison. It was nice to just sit and take in the view. Alone at last. No other hikers passed while are. It is my preferred way to eat my chili.I saw a few hikers heading up the mountain as I was descending. I wonder where the would stay at. It was a long hike to any camping.I hiked to Joe Dodge Lodge and arrived about 8:45, just over 12 hours. It felt like 15 hours as the day was spent, in the sun, strong winds and walking on rocks. It was worth the effort to get a room, shave, shower and some ice cream.
Date: 2015-07-21
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Got a shuttle to the Whit Mountsin Lodge to spend two nights. Today is a zero day. Tomorrow I will slack-pack about 21 miles from Pinkham Notch to the Hostel and sleep in a bed again. There are about 20 hikers here. It is a very nice place. Pretty good price compared to a motel. Got a ride to town to mail some stuff home. Ate at Pizza Hut. Had Dunkin Donuts. Purchased new socks. Bought a small roll of Duct tape to repair my failing shoes if they do not last another 100 miles. I also took a long nap. A food drop box was waiting here for me so I sorted that too. In my drop box was my last section of the trail guide that takes me to Mt Katahdin. It is all new faces here except for three other hikers I have met in the last few days.It was very good to have a day off and I needed it.I am looking forward to hiking with just food and water for the day.
Date: 2015-07-22
From: Pinkham Notch

To: White Mountain Lodge
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Slack packing today was a nice change. The trail was not as bad as I was told it would be. Others agreed.There were a lot of hikers and hiker dogs on the trail. I always enjoy seeing dogs on the trail. They are as happy as the hikers I see on the trail.Other than a couple of minor slip and falls the day was uneventful.Updates may be few in the coming days.
Date: 2015-07-23
From: White Mountain Lodge

To: Campsite mile1908.9
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

I have heard numerous times how hard the southern section of Maine is. Today I can say that I agree, it is hard. There were plenty of hikers on the trail as there have been for the past weeks.I was fortunate to find a very nice stealth campsite. This one was not visible from the trail. I had actually set up my tent right next to the trail in an open but sloped spot. I was gathering loose leaves to level the area out some and saw a barely used trail. I followed it back into the woods about 50 yards and found a clear, flat, level spot. Talk about luck. Better luck is that it did not rain.Today I passed the 1,900 mile mark and entered Maine the last, but probably hardest state.I am more tired every day than I have been on the hike. I have not been sleeping as good as previously. Staying in hostels does not provide as good of sleep environment for me but motels do not exist. The up side is not dealing with a tent, getting a shower and doing laundry. Eating town food helps too.There are only about 280 miles left but they look to be hard ones for the next week or so.
Date: 2015-07-24
From: Campsite mile1908.9

To: Grafton Notch
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

Today was a very tough day. It was chilly and windy on the higher peaks. It threatened to rain all day but just rained lightly.I passed through Mahoosuc Notch. It is a mile long valley with steep sloped sides. The bottom is filled with huge boulders that have to be negotiated around, over or under. Some small passages under the boulders required removing my pack and putting it thru before I crawled thru. It was a long mile.I walked thru a marshy area and my shoes and socks got soaked. The result was new blisters on the bottom of my feet. Big bummer.I ended up calling Pine Ellis hostel in Andover, reserved a room and arranged for a shuttle from them. Very glad to be off the trail and in a building with a shower and bed.
Date: 2015-07-25
From: Grafton Notch

To: Grafton Notch (Andover)
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday I realized that I was too tired to hike today so I took a much needed zero just four days after my last one. Getting some rest. Better than being on the trail and hiking tired with blistered feet. Rain is forecast for the next few days. I will likely slack-pack 10 or 20 miles tomorrow depending on the rain and my feet. I may spend two more nights here to let my feet heal instead of making them worse.It has been good to eat more town food. I feel like I am getting soft at the tail end of the trail. Lots of north-bounders continue to say how they are tired and ready for the hike to be over.
Date: 2015-07-26
From: Grafton Notch (Andover)

To: South Arm Road
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: light rain

Took advantage of a reasonable slack-pack opportunity. This was a good distance, 20.4 miles, and did not bust the bank in shuttle fees.Got on the trail at 6:30am and finished at 3:50pm. The trail was not overly difficult except for several miles that were overgrown with trees. There have been many sections of the trail that are not well maintained but pushing thru miles of pine trees gets tiring and frustrating. Takes the fun out of the hike. All the hikers were commenting about it. The best part of the day is going back to a shower, washing clothes, town food and a comfortable bed. Hiking that many miles and being done before 4:00 is great.Plenty of new faces back at the hostel.It was a good day of hiking. I focused on how and where I placed each foot step to let my feet have a break while the blisters heal. It helped tremendously.