morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2021-08-15
From: Mark Nopel Shelter 

To: Sherman Brook campsite 
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: scattered clouds

We broke camp early, on the trail by 7AM. The weather was still chilly from the night before, but we didn't mind, we welcomed it.Today we go over Mnt Greylock. Honestly I was not familiar with the Mountain, but it is a popular tourist spot. We were one of the firsts to get to the top, where we had a great view of the vally below.  The monument at the summit is War Memorial, from the state of Massachusetts.  After walking around and taking in the great views, we decided to see if the Lodge was open. A short walk later, we were being seated for breakfast and had a hot cup of coffee in our hand. What a blessing.After breakfast we started our trek down the mountain. We were taken by surprise when we saw several trail runners run past us with numbers on thier shirts. When we crossed the next road ahead of us, one of the Park employees told us about the Haf Marathon that we found ourselves in the middle of. So we started cheering the runners on, and stepping aside for them as they ran up the steep Mnt Greylock.As we continued cheering runners on, telling them "You got this", "Looking good", "Stay strong", I realized I didnt recall when I had saw the last White Blaze. I asked to "Stitch" and "Pheonix", "Do you guys see a blaze?" No response. I pulled out my phone, opened Guthooks and.... said "Shit!"  We were NOT on the trail. We somehow missed the turn as we were cheering these darn runners.  We all agreed we were NOT going to go back up the trail to try and find it. It was too steep to do this twice. The trail had to join down the mountain, and it did.After we got our bearings, the next task for the day was resupply. We started walking towards town and putting our thumbs out asking for a ride. It only took us about 5 minutes before Pete & Virginia picked us up. They were vacationing with thier family from Manhattan and agreed to take us to the store and back to the trail head. They were our trail angels for the day.
Date: 2021-08-16
From: Sherman Brook campsite 

To: Bennigton Vt
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: light rain

Hit 1600 miles today as well as crossing into Vermont!! Super excited to get another state under our belt. We've been averaging 100 miles every 8 days and I'm so happy we're able to maintain our miles°When you cross into Vermont the A.T. and the Long Trail converge for about 105.5 miles before its breaks off and heads more North towards Canada. It's an older trail than the A.T. and I was surprised at how many hikers we met that were doing it.Vermont has a reputation that we quickly experienced, MUD and lots of it! Hikers have renamed it VERMUD and unfortunately, it didn't disappoint! It's hard to hike in mud. You try to avoid it but it's impossible and you feel the toll it takes on your feet and ankles from bending and sliding awkwardly! It messes with your gate, making it impossible not to fall down. We had a long day ahead of us and did the best we could. Our hike ended with a steep bolder scramble down to VT 9 where we shuttled into town for resupply.
Date: 2021-08-17
From: Bennigton Vt

To: Goddard Shelter 
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: light rain

We are getting talented, able to resupply at a convenient store. While certainly not our preferred source for resupply, we have figured out how to make so many poor food options work for the trail. Ramin, crackers, candy, beef jerkey.  The hike was long, damp, and uneventful. When we got to the shelter, it started to rain, and there were few level sites to pick from.Ate in our tent, and went to bed. Turn the page on this day.
Date: 2021-08-18
From: Goddard Shelter 

To: Stealth 
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: light rain

The rain was still gently falling in the morning so we ate breakfast in the tent again.  Not fun packing up in the rain.Stratton Mountain is a Ski resort our friend Storm had told us about. She used to ski in the area back in the day. The summit is about 3 miles north of where we camped, and we heard there was a Mountain Club Cabin at the top and to stop and talk with the care taker. No one was there when we arrived. They must be "fair weather" care takers.We wanted to get as many miles in as we could today, but the shelters were not aligning with our plans. Time to check Guthooks for stealth sites. We read through several way-point comments and found a site. We would have to carry water, but it would get us closer to a 15 mile day.The stealth site was small, but we were able to get both tents in it.
Date: 2021-08-19
From: Stealth 

To: Manchester Center 
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: clear sky

Woke to another wet Vermont morning. It is easy to see why they named this area the Green Mountains. With all the moisture the area gets, it can't help to be Green. Well, Green and muddy that is. Most of the day was spent walking through mud puddles. And lets be clear, these are not the puddles in the road your mother told you to stay out of. These are 20 to 30 foot stretches of black Vermont mud, 6+ inches deep. Sure you start the day trying to dodge them, by walking on the edge, but you slip and by mid morning your feet are soaked and covered in mud, Vermud.With all the hard work we did this week, we are getting to Manchester Center a day early.  So thankful! We are tired as we walk into the trail head, but happy to see our shuttle driver Wayne waiting for us.  He was kind enough to stop off at the grocery store on the way to the hotel so we could pick up some adult beverages. We won't be up late tonight.
Date: 2021-08-20
From: Manchester Center 

To: Zero
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Ah, a zero day.  We got into town a day early, so we decided to take a zero day. Had to do laundry and buy new shoes. Today would be our last day with Pheonix, as she was heading north to summit Katahdin early.We had been hiking with her since NY, it will be sad to see her leave, but excited for her to summit.  After shopping we relaxed and caught up with family phone calls.
Date: 2021-08-21
From: USFS 10

To: VT 11
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

Slack packed 17.5 miles through more Vermont MUD. Really, miles and miles of mud we trenched through. We did get a few nice views and a walk by a pond during the day. Towards the end of the day we were at the top of Bromley Ski Resort and had a 360 view of the area. Then we got to hike about a mile down one of the ski runs before the trail goes back into the woods. Once we got to the trailhead, we asked a local with a pickup for a ride into town. There we are, Tumble and Stitch cruzing into town in the back of a pick-up.  Our driver dropped us off at the local Thai restaurant, where we got take-out. Then Wayne our shuttle driver met us there and we went back to his house for a few beers. Would you believe he has a cow? Yes, a cow, oh and sheep, chickens and a jackrussle terrior. We ate dinner, marveled at the animals and then went back to hotel. A full day no doubt, and another one scheduled for tomorrow.
Date: 2021-08-22
From: USFS 10

To: VT 103
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: broken clouds

So The Weather Channel said Hurricane Henri would hit land near NY City at mid day, so we could get some miles in before the rain. We had Wayne, our local shuttle driver pick us up at 7, we were on the trail by 7:30.  About 2 miles into our hike, we were Slackpacking, we got to Little Rock Pond. It was a quiet morning, very few people on tbe trail. There was a little drizzle coming down, but not enough to put the ponchos on. The view across the pond was peaceful. It was the kind of morning that you just needed a chair and a cup of coffee. Mother Nature would take care of the rest.At mile 1678, we saw White Rock Junction. It was basically a 30' square area where people have built Cairns also know as rock stacks. No rhym or reason, just stacks of rocks. It was kinda creepy and reminded me of that scary movie called Blair Witch Project.After passing this area, we did walk through a lush green pine forest. Tall pines on both sides of the trail and the ground and rocks were covered in green moss. It is no wonder how it got its name, The Green Mountain Wilderness.
Date: 2021-08-23
From: VT 103

To: Governor Clement Shelter 
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: moderate rain

Woke up in the hotel room before dawn. Stitch was scurrying around the room with something on her mind, I could hear it.I asked her what time it was, she said "5AM, I got an idea" She had been monitoring the storm, formally known as Hurricane Henri, so I figured it was related to that.She explained that the forecast was wrong, and the rain was not going to come until later this evening. We could get 7 miles in today and be in our tent by the time the rain comes verses sitting in the hotel room waiting all day. We agreed to go for it.Got our gear together, finished up our admin tasks, called for shuttle driver, and were on the trail by 11.We arrived at the shelter at 4, rain came in about 5:30. We are 7 miles closer to our goal. Tomorrow we summit Killington.
Date: 2021-08-24
From: Governor Clement Shelter 

To: Gifford Woods State Park
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: clear sky

It rained most of the night last, but stopped before we woke up at 4:30.We were able to get out of camp early and started our assent on Killington. We planed and it took us about 3 hours to get to the top. Unfortunately, it was still foggy and to views were to be had.Fortunately, the hike up the mountain and most of the day was in a mossy Pine forest. The smell of pine triggered our thoughts of Christmas. Nothing like the smell of a Christmas tree.About midday we hit the 1700 mile mark. Wow. 1700 miles. So hard to believe. We dont feel like we have walked that far, but we do feel like we have been gone that long.
Date: 2021-08-25
From: Gifford Woods State Park

To: Wintturi Shelter 
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

When we left Gifford Wood SP today the sun was shining thru the trees and glistening off the water as we walked along Kent Pond. A picture perfect morning as we passed a long dock with two empty Adirondack chairs. My mind immediately leaped to a different time and place. I imagined Tumble and I waking early and having no agenda, a lazy kinda morning. A cup of coffee in our hands, taking a seat and breathing in a hint of crisp fall air as we enjoyed the stillness, watching the morning mist rise, while being suspended in time. Then suddenly I stumbled on a rock and caught myself with my hiking sticks and quickly I was back in reality, hiking behind Tumble settling in to a familar rhythm with no time to relax as we continue our trek towards Maine...
Date: 2021-08-26
From: Wintturi Shelter 

To: Thistle Shelter 
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: scattered clouds

We've been following the weather, that is when we have connectivity. The heat was going to be a factor today with temps in the 90s and heat index well above that..ARRGH! It was going to feel like hiking in Florida and we're not big fans of that! Thsts one of the reasons we moved away, to escape the brutal summers! So we broke camp a little earlier. We noted in GUTHOOKS ( an navigational app on our phones that almost every hiker uses) that there is a farm store about 6 miles ahead at a road crossing a mere .2 walk from the trail. We needed a few more food items until we arrive at the next town. Oh and the homemade blackberry pie and icecream was a huge motivator and a great distraction from the oppressive heat! We arrived at "On the Edge Farm" a half hour before they opened but the owner was kind enough to let us in. I grabbed a couple fresh tomatoes, omgosh we forgot what straight from garden tomatoes tasted like. With a little salt and pepper they hit the spot! Then we had hard boiled eggs and washed that down with a half a gallon of chocolate milk, couple Bananas(need the potassium) and finished it off with straight out of the oven blackberry pie and a pint of vanilla icecream! Ahh hiker bliss.. °
Date: 2021-08-27
From: Thistle Shelter 

To: Hanover 
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: clear sky

Yesterday our hike was a little shorter then we had planned. The heat plus humidity had completely drained us of energy so we pulled up at Thistle Shelter. A hiker named Not Sure already had his tent set up and mentioned that the water source was good and there was a nice water fall to cool off in! My ears perked up. Nothing feels better after a hot, sweaty, and bug sprayed day then cooling your core under a cold mountain spring, nature's outdoor shower. I couldn't wait for dinner to be over so we could race down to the spring with our bandannas(make shift towels) little bar of soap(I know, I know,, thats not LNT Leave No Trace) but we were so uncomfortable from the dang mosquitoes bothering the hell out of us at dinner. We had to keep spraying deet on and around us while we were eating, so annoyed, it made eating challenging! So off we hiked down a two tenth of a mile blue blaze trail to find this oasis, fountain of youth in the forest. I could hear the water splashing and falling the closer we got. Tumble calls me a Labrador cause every water source I see I quickly drop my sticks and douse my bandanna and soak my head. I feel refreshed and ready to keep on hiking. But tonight it was all about getting the nooks and crannies while under this ice cold water fall. I was in heaven, singing and splashing at Tumble! It was soo freaking cold but so exhilarating, our hearts were pumping the blood so fast, we were so alive and smiling in the middle of no where!
Date: 2021-08-28
From: Hanover 

To: Goose pond Rd
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

We reached our 13th state, New Hampshire, Yes!!! Only one more to go! We were so happy to pass the state line on a bridge crossing the Connecticut River! The only down side was coming out of the forest and hiking the two plus miles through the town of Hanover.Not being protected from the green tunnel the sun was blazing hot and our eyes had a hard time adjusting. Youthful people from Dartmouth College passed us on the sidewalk. So much hustle and bustle in Hanover. The buz of the weekend was all around but to us it felt like just another day. Days, weeks, months, and holidays melt into one another while you hike the A.T. But when you're in town the first thing you want to do is EAT! Luckily for us we turned the corner and saw a Thai restaurant, our favorite. We filled our tanks with vegetables, chicken, rice and washed it down with Tsinghua Beer while chatting about the majestic and mysteriuos White Mountains of New Hampshire. What challenges and difficulties lie ahead for us Dames... °»Want to see more Appalachian trail through the Dames eyes, then click the link below..Thanks!-Tumble and Stitch https://youtube.com/channel/UC...
Date: 2021-08-29
From: Goose pond Rd

To: Dowds
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up in the Dowds Inn. We both slept well but had to take care of administrative items before heading back to the trail at 7:30. Lately we have been so tired after hiking, we have not done any admin items like paying some of the new medical bills that finally came in from our falls in Pennsylvania, or figure out where to have our winter gear shipped to. We have literally been going through the cycle of eat, hike eat, sleep, repeat. The Inn was established in 1781, Tami, the current owner bought it in 1989. Her and her family have done a great job renovating it and keeping the historic charm. The Pub onsight even has "Tap Engines" drafts handles which were brought from England. Instead of simply pulling the draft handle towards you to fill a glass of beer, you need to pump these handles just like you would a water pump. The bar staff get a good workout every night.
Date: 2021-08-30
From: Stealth 

To: Hiker welcome Hostel 
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Our tent was situated right by a creek. An unofficial camp sight. In New Hampshire the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club) manages the trail and post signs about where and where you should not camp. If we are too exhausted to make it to the next shelter we will check our GUTHOOKS app to see if there's any stealth spot coming up. Previous hikers will take the time to mention nice stealth tent sites at mile marker such and such. Many sites are by a water source and that is how we found our site for the night! °The terrain has changed as we move forward towards the White Mountains. We're encountering steep ups and downs on granite mountain tops with higher elevation. Our bodies told us so as we huff and puffed up Mount Cube. We had hoped for some big views but we were socked in with cloud cover at the top. We followed the Carins(rock piles) and painted white blazes on the rocks that lead us back into the woods and down the mountain. About half way down a hiker climbing up ask if Mt. Cube was up ahead. As we were going to tell her yes we realized it was our friend from Florida Louann!! Omgosh we were overwhelmed with joy to see a familar face! She has our GPS coordinates and has been tracking us since her and Noelle dropped us off in Georgia. Every summer she visits New Hampshire to climb the numerous 4000 plus footers. She told us where she parked and gave us an extra set of keys to her car so we could drop our packs in her car and then we could slack pack the rest of the way to Glencliff where she pick us up. We grabbed a pizza and spread out a map of the Whites mountains. She knows these parts really well and we had lots of questions about the terrain. Our eyes were wide as we looked at the vast area of the Presidential range that is above alpine!!Tomorrow we hike over Mt. Moosilauke and reach 1800 miles! We're so nervously excited...
Date: 2021-08-31
From: Hiker welcome Hostel 

To: Hiker Welcome Hostel 
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: light rain

The Hiker Welcome Hostel was buzzing with North bound thru hikers excited, like us, to start the Whites!Tucked in amongst several other tents we woke early from our pitched tent in the front yard. A mini base camp of sorts.We signed up for the first shuttle to the north end of Mt. MOOSILAUKE trail head, where we will slackpack south and hike straight back to the HWH. Departure time was 630 a.m. sharp and we were ready by 6:15! Besides us and the the driver there were 3 other hikers in the van. Tumble and I in the back seat quietly listened to there conversation as we stared out the window. Both of us in awe as we saw the mammoth mountain ranges in the distance. The sun was just coming up over Franconia Ridge, (part of the Whites) the driver paused for us to take it in. We all squinted at the beauty and honestly I don't think any us really grasped at that moment that we would be on top, traversing those ridges in the next few days! They seem soo far away from our reality.Hiking up and over Mt. Moosilauke was challenging but beautiful. We followed water falls on our asent while carefully climbing up the granite slabs. Then traversed thru the aromatic pine forest covered in thick moss until we broke thru tree line. Finally after we passed carin after carin we were at the top. The views and wind took our breath away as we could see miles of mountain ranges in the distance. Welcome to The Whites!!!
Date: 2021-09-01
From: Lost river road trail head 

To: Stealth 
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: moderate rain

Today's plan was to head for Eliza Brook shelter as we hit the trail early we immediately started a steep climb straight up. There were water falls, rocks, and roots to entertain and challenge us. Although our pace was slowing down we made it to Eliza brook shelter by mid afternoon. We decided to push on to a stealth sight by a stream that was noted in our GUTHOOKS app. The site wasn't perfect but we made it work. The other option would be to push on to the next shelter but that was over the Kinsman mountains. Tired we surrendered and settled under some not so healthy pines. I said an extra prayer that they remain strong and standing through the night.
Date: 2021-09-02
From: Stealth 

To: Liberty Springs trail head
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We crossed over Eliza brook stream and headed towards the Kinsman mountains. The heavy morning fog slowly creeped in. Leaving everything in its path covered with dew as we made our ascend through the narrow thick pine trail towards South Kinsman mountain. The forest was changing around us the steeper we climbed. Granite bolders and ledges became the trail and quickly we were using all of our limbs to heave us up and over the slippery surfaces. Neither one of us said much as we concentrated on every move we made. The normal cadence of hiking with our trekking poles was no longer possible. We were now boldering with 25lb plus packs on our back. A sudden transition hit us as we studied the best route up for our short legs. Pine roots became handles as we grabbed hold, pulled hard, and lunged towards the top. Too socked in for a view we now headed back down which was more challenging then climbing up. Always present in both of our minds was our falls in Pennsylvania. It was here we came up with our mantra.."slow, steady, and methodical." This will be our imaginary safety net over the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Date: 2021-09-03
From: Liberty Springs trail head

To: Liberty springs campsite 
Miles today: 2.5
Weather: clear sky

Our friend Louann met us half way up the trail yesterday and hiked us back to her car where we headed to a motel in Lincoln. We had made arrangements with my sister-in-law to have our winter gear shipped here but unfortunately it hadn't arrived yet. So off we went to town to pick up a few items we would need for the colder climates of the Whites. So thankful again for Louann as she drove us all over town to get what we needed plus resupply! Oh and we had a great breakfast of pancakes and eggs to get us fueled and ready for the Franconia Ridge section.After all that running around we finally made it to the trail head around 1230pm. Louann hiked the 2.5 miles with us towards Liberty springs campsite. 2.5 miles normally doesn't sound like much but this hike was again straight up on small rocks and boulders! Finally at the campsite, we said our good byes to Louann and started looking for the care taker.In the Whites you have to pay to camp unfortunately and this campsite was created on the side of a mountain ridge. They only have wooden platforms to set your tent up on and we were lucky to find an empty one as all the other platforms were already occupied! This was the first time we set our Z-pack tent up on a platform. The wind was howling and wiping as we figured out how to set the tent up without staking her to the ground. We actually had to reinforce the tent with our clothesline so she could withstand the strong wind gust that persisted throughout the night. Sleep was elusive as I lay listening to the strong winds twirling up the mountain side while inflating our tent then quickly snapping as it exited. It's going to be a long night...