morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-05-04
From: Wawayanda Shelter

To: William Brien Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 31.7
Weather: overcast clouds

This may well have been my most challenging day thus far. I just wasn't moving at my normal pace, and it had a lot to do with the weather. The recent rain that made life difficult to enjoy even stopped, and I still despised the conditions.I woke up to more rain, around 6:30. So I went back to sleep, as one naturally would, and woke up about an hour later. By the time I was ready to start my hiking, the last of the rain starting tapering off. The morning remained foggy and left a threat of rain on my mind for a while. That, combined with a later start made my long day present itself as a miserable idea.The morning was spent slipping on rocks just over the New York border. These were large rocks that curved with the slope of the mountains (or hills), and while wet created a surface similar to a water slide. Obviously, I couldn't walk full speed during these parts. When I attempted to, I fell. And several times this happened. Eventually, I hung my head and admitted defeat. I had no choice but to slide on my butt down the steeper parts. I made it to an intersection with a road that was near to a farm that sold ice cream. This had to change my luck, I thought to myself. I walked the extra .3 and got some ice cream. It was wonderful. Then, as I was leaving the sun started coming out. I knew this was when the day would get better.Sadly, the sun wasn't such a good thing. It heated up to somewhere around 80 degrees, and the humidity never burnt off. I couldn't have sweat any more today. This afternoon alone, I probably had 2.5 gallons of water. Hiking was miserable until it got a little cooler in the evening.Once the temperature dropped, I started feeling like myself again. The slow day resulted in a finish just after sundown, but the last 10 miles felt great. I honestly haven't felt this good after a 30, yet. Hopefully I can pick up where I left off tomorrow.
Date: 2012-05-05
From: William Brien Memorial Shelter

To: Woods near Dennytown Road
Miles today: 24.6

I awoke in an interesting fashion this morning. No matter how much I hike, I seriously doubt that I'll ever again wake up due to ultra marathon runners. At 3 am I awoke to someone running by, seemingly lost, finding his way with a head lamp. As peculiar as that was, I went back to sleep. Then at about 6 I woke to the sound of feet hitting the ground. Apparently, an ultra marathon was happening in the Bear Mountain Area today. Runners came right in front of the shelter, nonstop, as I packed up this morning. Once I left the shelter, I even had to hike the opposite way they were going for a few miles. The course included parts of the AT. So I dodged runners for about an hour at one point. It was interesting to exchange pleasantries as they passed by me, exhausted and out of breath. After passing a wave, I ran into one of the runners. He explained that there were 3 races: a 26 mile marathon, a 50k, and a 50 mile ultra marathon. What this meant for me, was not only the opportunity to dodge runners who were as extreme as it gets, but also the invitation to partake in a lot of food once I reached the base of Bear Mountain. They had plenty and were more than willing to share with someone going 2184 miles.Once I had eaten more than my fair share (there was enough, don't worry), I took off for the afternoon. After Bear Mountain, I reached the low point of the trail, both in terms of elevation and experience. This was the zoo at Bear Mountain. I understand the concept of a zoo, but after being out in nature where all animals roam free, I don't really like the concept. Seeing the creatures of my everyday life sitting in cages like prisoners really bums me out. I understand that it's meant to educate people. The first thing I saw was a fox sitting in a tiny cage. I've seen many foxes out here, and I've come to like them. They're beautiful animals, and it's easy to tell that they are athletic and intelligent. Just yesterday I came across one. We made eye contact, he figured out I wasn't a threat, studied me for a moment, then scampered of gracefully. But today I saw one sitting almost with a blank stare on its face.Other than the zoo, my day was pretty good. I made it to a deli right on the trail, in time for a pastrami sandwich snack. Then I went onward to a water source and packed up enough for the night, then took off to find a spot to camp. I set up my tent and ate my dinner by a small fire. I'm right near a swamp too, so I get to hear all the creatures that live there. It's as tranquil of an evening as I've had. But now my fire is dwindling, as is my energy, so I'll move to my tent and read a little until I fall asleep.
Date: 2012-05-06
From: Woods near Dennytown Road

To: The Petersens
Miles today: 23.0

I made it out reasonably early this morning. It was cloudy yet again, but luckily no fog dampened my gear. I hiked onward without much thought of rain. If it were going to happen, it would. At this point, most of my clothes were damp or wet, so it wouldn't make a difference.I hiked all morning, incredibly content, without any rain. The humidity had dropped to a reasonable level since yesterday, and in the early afternoon, the sun even came out. I made it to a deli for lunch. Obviously, I'm getting far too used to this luxury. At about 4 this afternoon, I reached my goal for today and made a phone call. This call got me a ride to the home of some friends from Camp Tohkomeupog, the Petersens. They provided me with a shower, a trip to the grocery store, and a much needed opportunity to clean my clothes. Most importantly, they made sure I was well fed. Some other friends of ours, the Belliveaus, were also present for dinner. Their son Doug thru hiked a few years back, so the trail has been a part of their lives too. It was amazing to be able to fill my stomach, as well as to spend some time with friends. I truly appreciate the hospitality provided, and am happy to know such great people. I'll be back on the trail tomorrow, but hopefully a few pounds heavier and with a slightly less pungent odor.
Date: 2012-05-07
From: The Petersens

To: Ten Mile River Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning, I awoke to clean clothes and a pancake breakfast with chocolate milk. Pretty sweet deal, I think. I got a late start afterwards, as I spent a while talking to JP. No problem though, as today's mileage didn't seem daunting.Once I got out, I cruised along in my newly repaired boots. JP helped patch them up for me, mainly to keep rocks and sticks out of the holes. As of now, the repair has held up well. Hopefully, I can make it to Lee, MA on Friday, without causing too much damage.For the fifth consecutive day, I made it to a deli for lunch. My only fear is that I may have grown too accustomed to it. Having a full stomach in the middle of the day is just too nice. Hopefully I can extend the streak a little longer.After lunch, I had a pretty interesting experience. While hiking along, I came across an ornery rattlesnake. It was sitting right in my path, so I used my poles to try and move it out of my way. This must have angered it, as it attempted to bite my pole. I decided that jumping from the 6 to 8 foot tall ledge to my left, and rejoining the trail at the bottom, would be the prudent option. Unfortunately, my usual grace wasn't well displayed. I somehow caught my foot and wound up diving head first into a rock. Oddly enough, I didn't pass out. I've got some nice battle scars on my face, and my nose bled like a faucet for some time, but no real damage was done. I truly cannot explain how I didn't wake up an hour or so later in a puddle of blood. The only real damage was to my poles. I'll be getting a new set soon enough.I sat down after the fall to collect myself and stop the bleeding. Whilst pinching my nose, I noticed behind a tree a hidden camera meant for photographing animals. These cameras take a picture when something trips the motion sensor, so I decided to have some fun while my face was bloody. I made the most insane, crazed face possible and posed for a picture. The people who look at these photos are either going to have a good laugh, or be afraid of hiking in this area. I'll soon post a picture of how my face looked, so you can be the judge.After that, I crossed the border into Connecticut. I've finally made it to New England. It's a pretty good feeling to be making my way back to familiar territory. Luckily, each step brings me closer to more familiar ground.
Date: 2012-05-08
From: Ten Mile River Shelter

To: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter
Miles today: 25.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Today's weather tired me out a lot more than I thought it would. The rain was light until the afternoon, when it slowly picked up and eventually rained steadily for a few hours. It took me a while to realize that without my poles I don't hike as fast. The wetness only made things worse. There were some steep areas with plenty of rocks, and they tired me out and slowed me down. The poles really are an essential piece of gear for me. I got out pretty early, so I'd have plenty of time to continue my streak. I had a big lunch in Kent. I left full of energy, but the once the rain picked up I crashed. By the time I made it to the shelter, it was shortly after 6. Then the shelter provided an entirely new ordeal.The water source at the shelter was a beaver pond. How ridiculous is that? My guidebook gave me no warning of this, so I had to bushwack about half a mile to the stream filling the pond. That was a better source, but still looked dirtier than I'd like, so I wound up having to go hardcore with the aqua mira. That's never fun and it tastes gross. Even though the day was pretty tough to enjoy, lunch was great. I'm still in good spirits, and hoping tomorrow will be a little better.
Date: 2012-05-09
From: Pine Swamp Brook Shelter

To: Brassie Brook Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Another rainy, foggy morning. I guess that's how I'll remember Connecticut. Nonetheless, I hiked onward this morning, and at a decent pace. With all the clouds and fog it was quite uneventful.Things picked up when I made it into Salisbury, CT for lunch. Before eating, I resupplied. This led to the purchase of too much food, including a loaf of fresh bread, butter, cheese, candy, donuts, and pretzels in addition to my meals and cliff bars. I probably should have eaten first, but I'm having a feast now.After I went to the grocery store and successfully packed these items, I went to grab some coffee and lunch. I spent a while eating and stuck around until my phone was fully charged. For that reason, I got to the shelter around 5:30. Luckily, I moved quickly and beat the thunderstorms that I thought were coming (they didn't arrive until 8). Still, it felt really good given that I was hiking without poles. I dragged a little yesterday and hiking speedily this afternoon was nice. Now I'm just about to read and go to bed. For the first time in a while, I can't hear the road at the shelter. And tomorrow is the first time I'll be over 2,000 ft in a while. Oh yeah, and I'll be in MA, too. Should be good if the sun can creep out from behind these clouds.
Date: 2012-05-10
From: Brassie Brook Shelter

To: Tom Leonard Shelter
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Later start this morning, due to the rain. As forecasted, it stopped a few hours after sunrise. So I slept until then and got out around 9.The wetness lingered long after the sun came out. Rivers ran down the trail and puddles were everywhere. This made the rocks slippery and the going slow. It took a while, but I eventually got to less slippery ground and increased my speed. When I got to the flatter section, someone had left an apple for me. It was in a bag with a sign that read, "Achilles." I'm not sure who left it, but I found it quite thoughtful. Today, that was the closest I came to human contact. I made it to the shelter and settled in as usual. I'm sure I'll have some company tomorrow, though. After about 23 miles, I'm getting picked up for a zero day at home!
Date: 2012-05-11
From: Tom Leonard Shelter

To: Lee, MA
Miles today: 22.7

Perfect hiking weather- cooler, sunny, and a light breeze. Nothing really beats the weather that doesn't make you sweat too much, but is still beautiful. And a break from the rain is always nice (although it appears it will only be a break).Uneventful hiking today, although I do think I'm starting to get back into the wilderness. Elevation is getting a little higher, and I've heard manyfewer roads since entering Massachusetts. This makes me really happy. As nice as daily deli sandwiches for lunch was, I'm ready to get away from society again. The highlight of the day was walking by some ponds. There were a few very beautiful bodies of water. As I go further north, I see more conifers too. Something about dense forests of hemlocks, spruces, and pines just feels comforting to me.Once I reached route 20, I was picked up and brought home by my mother. I'm spending tomorrow at home for a zero day. I've been looking forward to it for a while, but don't worry, I'll be back on the trail come Sunday.
Date: 2012-05-13
From: Home for a zero day

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

I hit the trail this morning with new life. Re-energized from my zero at home, I got back on at Route 20 and cranked out the miles at high speed.Yesterday, I both relaxed and prepared to get back on the trail. I went to my sister's track meet, then took care of my resupply and gear. At this point, I have new boots, poles, and a new packa. My clothes were washed, and after getting all my chores done, I still had time to go out to dinner, see a movie, and catch up with some friends.So this morning, I left home refreshed and got onto the trail after eating a big breakfast. Fortunately, the weather was good again today. It would have been tough getting back on in the rain. Full of food, with the sun shining, it wasn't too hard. And from that point on I went just about nonstop to Dalton. In Dalton, I am staying with Tom. He welcomes hikers into his home and is unbelievably generous. I got a shower, and afterwards a big dinner. Honestly, people like Tom make the trail incredible. But I am really tired, as I stayed up a little late catching up with friends. So, I plan on going to bed fairly soon. And due to Tom's kindness, I have a bed to sleep in, rather than my down bag. I expect I'll feel just as good tomorrow as I did today. Hopefully, the weather will be decent, although it looks somewhat wet.
Date: 2012-05-14
From: Dalton, MA

To: Wilbur Clearing Shelter
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I slept in a little today, in order to get some rest after staying up late this weekend. This rejuvenated me, and in addition to some coffee and breakfast with Tom, gave me a great attitude going into a rainy day. I had such a pleasant stay in Dalton, but obviously, storm clouds weren't going to keep me from heading north.Once I got out, the rain stayed light at worst all morning. The humidity was a bit rough, but other than that the weather wasn't awful. The clouds even started to break when I was eating my lunch in Cheshire. Shortly after getting back into the woods, some rain returned.This rain was light at first. I made it more than half way up Mt. Greylock, and was enjoying the higher elevation and the amount of spruce trees, when a downpour began. It lasted for just a few minutes, but the ominous clouds lingered. Close to the summit of Greylock, some heavy rain came down again. This time, as heavy as I've had in quite a long time, if not the heaviest thus far. Accompanying it were gusty, high winds. I enjoyed the higher elevation, and even liked the more intense weather a little. If I have to be wet, I guess I'd prefer it up high and wild.Once I reached the summit, I went into a fully enclosed shelter down the trail a short walk. The lodge with food wasn't open yet, sadly, but at least I had a place to stay dry until the storm passed. As soon as it did, I headed down to the shelter. And as of now, I'm well fed with an incredible meal my dad helped assemble. It included dehydrated beef, peppers, onions, spinach, spices, and rice. That was probably the best meal I've had on trail, other than pizza or meat I've carried out. Now I'm planning on reading a little until I fall asleep. I can't say I'm looking forward to a day where one to two inches of rain is expected, but there's not too much I can do about it. The only option is to hike on, like always.
Date: 2012-05-15
From: Wilbur Clearing Shelter

To: Congdon Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: light rain

Yesterday's rain continued into today and it was even warmer. The humidity also made it pretty nasty. Yesterday, the humidity contributed to some pretty nasty abrasions from my pack. Bodyglide didn't help much, and I woke up with some wounds worse than I had initially thought. As I began hiking, it seemed they were growing worse. Obviously, this could become a problem.I had to resupply in North Adams this morning and I got breakfast afterwards. I took some time to decide how to handle the chafing and eventually went on. The rain worsened and the abrasions did for a short while too. I kept adjusting the straps on my pack to minimize the chafing (although I've pretty much worn it the same way since day one). Eventually, I got to a point where I could hike without too much of an issue. It didn't get noticeably worse by the end of the day, but I'm going to have to keep a close eye on this. No sense ignoring pain until I'm forced to wait for open wounds to heal.As I hiked on, it got wetter and wetter. This, combined with my abrasions, made today fairly miserable. More than one third of the trail was flooded with over an inch of water. I crossed into Vermont shortly after my resupply, and it only grew worse. Most of my afternoon was spent wading through puddles and streams. I called it a day after just 17 miles, due to the weather and my abrasions. I'm annoyed I couldn't make it much further, but I think I made the right decision. Hopefully, the sun will be out tomorrow and my wounds will only heal.Now, I'm finally dry and sitting in the shelter. My dinner was a sub I picked up at the grocery store. It's nice to have something different for a change. For the rest of the night, I'll read my book. There's no company or cell phone service, so I'll get some serious reading done. Definitely a good night to go to bed early, too. Hopefully that will expedite the healing process.
Date: 2012-05-16
From: Congdon Shelter

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: broken clouds

The weather finally improved today. This happened slowly, throughout the day. I awoke to overcast skies, followed by partly cloudy later in the morning. The humidity still hung around long after the clouds, as did the water on the trail.Fortunately, the abrasions have healed pretty well and didn't get any worse today. That's a step in the right direction. And other than scattered thunderstorms, the weather was vastly better, too. Life is improving and that's what matters.I saw a few people today. The Long Trail seems to bring its own group of hikers, so for the time being, I should have some company. The views are also better here, and the conifers make me feel somewhat content. I'm enjoying the fact that I am further north, and more in the wilderness than before. Good weather is expected for the near future, so I think I'll enjoy myself.
Date: 2012-05-17
From: Story Spring Shelter

To: Peru Peak Shelter
Miles today: 31.2
Weather: few clouds

Today may have been my most enjoyable day on the trail. The weather was perfect, the views were great, the terrain was fairly interesting, and I had an incredible amount of fun. I awoke to a cold gust of wind coming into the shelter. Because of it, I knew the weather would be incredible. There was hardly a cloud in the sky, temperature stayed fairly low, and there was a nice breeze to keep me cool. My day began with an ascent of Stratton. The climb lasted for a while, and I enjoyed being on a real mountain after all the flat the last few weeks. The fire tower on top provided excellent views, but I didn't linger too long as I wanted to do a big day.From there I hiked down to Stratton Pond, which was very beautiful. That's another shelter I would have enjoyed staying at, but that's the way it goes. From there it flattened out for a while so I moved pretty fast. Towards the end of the flat stretch, I met some friendly locals out for a couple hours. They brought me to Manchester for lunch and back onto the trail. This gave me a full tank of gas and only cost about an hour.After eating, I chugged along over a few more mountains with some enjoyable views. I enjoyed being up at over 3000 feet and hiking amongst the spruces and hemlocks, but I cranked out the miles without too much stopping. My fast pace got me to the shelter well before dark, so I was able to wash off in the stream and get settled in and still have plenty of time to eat and relax. Now, I'm sitting around the fire I built, absolutely content and looking forward to a night in Rutland tomorrow.
Date: 2012-05-18
From: Peru Peak Shelter

To: Rutland, VT
Miles today: 22.3

Another perfect day in terms of weather. I knew it would be great, as the morning was cool yet again. Because of that, I got up a little later than I would have liked. Luckily, I hike fast and have no problem making up for a late start. From the shelter, I got to hike only a short distance before my shoes got wet again. I made it less than half a mile before reaching a stretch of planks that were submerged due to recent beaver activity. I had to do some serious bush whacking, and my shoes still got a little damp. But from there, it was smooth sailing and the trail was mostly dry.I hiked for a while, and eventually reached a beautiful pond. I stopped for a while to eat and gaze upon it before I kept moving. After that, the hiking was uneventful so I just made it to the road as quickly as possible.When I did get to the road, Shakedown Cruise and Cynthia picked me up. They brought me to the hostel, and spoiled me with a great dinner and a milkshake. Another great day on the trail, and I can't wait to have another one.
Date: 2012-05-19
From: Rutland, VT

To: Gifford Woods State Park
Miles today: 21.7

After breakfast and my resupply, I was able to make it onto the trail before 10. I spent the morning hiking through washouts from Hurricane Irene. There was an incredible number of trees down. Bridges had been swept away, and reroutes of the trail were frequent. This made life confusing. The sheer number of areas affected by the hurricane was so high, it was amazing to see all the reroutes were opened by now. Still, on a few occasions I got lost. But it didn't slow me down too much.By mid afternoon, I sat atop Mt. Killington, taking in an amazing view. I spent a while on top, just sitting and listening to music, when I realized I had spent close to two hours up there. So I took off down the mountain pretty quickly. I guess I just got lost in the views, which is certainly not a bad thing to do every once in a while.I made it down from Killington to the road, where Shakedown Cruise and Cynthia picked me up and took me to dinner. I thoroughly enjoyed their company, as well as a good meal, yet again. The food was great and gave me the energy to make it to the shelter .9 from the road.Eventually, I hiked that .9, then turned down the Long Trail. Where it split from the AT, my book told me of Tucker-Johnson shelter within .4. But after more than .4, I realized it wasn't there (I have since learned that it burned down last year; it would have been helpful to have a few signs on the trail indicating that it was not available). So I moved on to a spot about 2.5 down the trail, where I could find some water, and called it a night.