morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-09-05
From: Hanover, NH

To: Lyme Dorchester Rd.
Miles today: 17.6

Slackpacking is awesome. Cloudy, cool day today. We, Pokey, Mr. T, Flint, Chicago Rob, London, Hoover and I, slacked the 17+ miles out of Hanover. We used two cars and had two groups of hikers heading in opposite directions. John and I hiked northbound. The others headed south. We exchanged car keys when we met in mid trail. The southbounders ran into a large number of northbound hikers heading out of Hanover. We did not encounter any hikers other than our group because we were all headed in the same direction at about the same rate. John and I had a good time hiking and talking about our past experiences. It was a faster hike today without our packs but my feet and knees still hurt just as much at the end of the day.We came back to Fancy Free's house where Pokey and Fancy prepared an incredible vegetarian dinner. It looks like we will be slacking at least two more days. John plans to help us for 5 more days. Fancy offered her extra car as long as we need it. Sooooo!!! Maybe we can slack through Franconia Ridge. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-05
To: Art's Hike
Miles today: 0.0

Art¢s hike Sept. 5It is hard to believe that I have only 425 miles left. Hiking in NH is like being home. John Salcius from South Windsor has been slacking a group of hikers including me and Pokey of course. We have been doing good miles without packs. I really needed this help from an emotional point of view. I know I can handle the mountains and rocks of northern New England from a physical perspective but it is hard to keep walking after all of these miles. The rigors of the trail have depleted all of the fat on my body and now it has taken a toll on my muscle tissue. Every step is hard. My feet hurt every day. My right knee aches all night long and starts throbbing about 3 hours into my daily hike. I want to finish this hike but it is tough to keep going. I still enjoy every view, even on cloudy rainy days.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-06
From: Dartmouth Ski Way

To: Rt. 25A
Miles today: 16.0

Another slack pack in great weather. John (Hoover) and I got out of Fancy Free's house before 6:45 AM. The others left about an hour later. Pokey drove Fancy Free's car. They were south bound we were north bound. John and I got on the trail by 7:45. After a 2 mile walk across relatively flat area we started up Smart's Mountain. John commented about how the trail in this area reminded him of New Hampshire. (Actually, tis is the beginning of conditions found in the Whites. Lots of rock and granite slabs to walk upon. We stopped at an overlook where we were overtaken by Zazz. She hiked the AT in 1996. John and I met her in 98 when we camped at Imp Shelter. Zazz was the care taker. We stopped at the fire tower where two young hikers were in their sleeping bags at 11:00 AM. After a short stop to snack we headed down the mountain. Around 3/4 down we ran into Pokey, Mr. T, Flint, London and Chicago Rob. They were taking a lunch break so we joined them. We had finished around 10 miles, the southbound slackers had finished 6 miles.The hike up Cube Mountain was strenuous. Several times we thought we were at the summit but always we had more trail to hike. Finally at the summit we found Fancy Free lying in the sun for a rest. She had been there 2 hours. A long walk down to the street where we got into the car the south bounders used to get to the trail. Fancy rode her motorcycle to Canaan where she placed a pizza order. We drove to the pizza joint about 1/2 hour behind her and picked up the pizza. After eating we are all too exhausted to do much tonight. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-07
From: Rt. 25A

To: Kinsman Notch
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: overcast clouds

The Happy Brigade was reunited today on top of Mt Moosilauke. John and I reached the summit around 10:30 followed by Pokey, Mr. T, Flint and London arrived shortly after. The wind was blowing clouds and cold air on our sweat soaked bodies. We ducked down behind the stone walls erected at the summit to try to keep warm. As we got settled we heard the click of hiking sticks on the rocky trail from the opposite direction we hiked. Pokey looked up to discover Burnie and Katie hiking toward the summit. It was a fun reunion. I tried to persuade them to come to Fancy Free's house but they were undecided. We had a car parked in the direction they were headed so had time to decide before we went back to pick up the car. We were slacking southbound. Burnie and Katie were hiking with full packs northbound. On our way to the summit we passed Crazy Legs and Tall Tales. Tall has shaven his beard so that he can get some color back on his lower face before their scheduled wedding on October 3. They will go back to the trail after the wedding to finish.We stopped in Glencliff at the Welcome Hikers Hostel. Fancy Free opened this hostel in 1997. She later sold the hostel. Last year I picked up Jan Liteshoe and Chief at this hostel and brought them back to my house for a little r&r. Later in the summer I picked up Regan Wendell and her hiking partners for the same purpose. Colleen McCarthy a coworker from Meadowbrook Farms came with me one day and hiked south from Glencliff to find Leanna Joyner aka Moonshadow standing at an overlook to see Moosaluake. She and her partner went back to my house and cooked dinner then spent the night. Glenclif is a good transition spot on the AT. The next section of AT is into the White Mountains.Scortch showed up at the designated trail head to bring John and I back to Kinsman Notch to pick up the two cars. Low and behold there were Burnie and Katie waiting for us at 7:00 PM. Scortch then went back to 25A to pickup the rest of the hikers and John brought the girls to Fancy's while I made some errands back to the Hiker's Welcome Hostel in Glencliff before heading back to Francy's. We finally all got back to the cabin where Fancy had prepared a wonderful dinner which we wolfed down like a pack of hungary hikers. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-09
From: Franconia Notch

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

John and I woke at 6:00 AM as usual, the rest of the crew slept late. It was raining very hard with some winds and fog. We decided to go out to breakfast in order to use up some time. Back to Fancy's we found everyone up. Some of them decided to go out for breakfast. While they were gone London and John repaired the two front doors to Fancy's cabin while I washed dishes and cleaned up. We did some shopping in the afternoon the returned to Fancy Free's house. Fancy came home from work before John, Pokey and I had to leave for Gilmanton. It was a tough goodbye since it is likely we will not see the others for the rest of the hike. Pokey will be in Miami for 3 days. I will stay off the trail to wait for him and to recover from some of the stress induced by the hike. Sue had a great dinner prepared for us when we arrived home. I plan to do as little as possible for the next 3 days.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-10
From: Franconia Notch

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

Had a great breakfast at home this morning after sleeping in my own bed. John took off for home. Pokey, Sue and I took a walk along Crystal Lake. We drove Pokey to the airport in Manchester so he could make it to Miami for a Barmitzva. Life is really good!! Gabby
Date: 2004-09-11
From: Gilmanton Iron Works

To: Gilmanton Iron Works
Miles today: 0.0

It is great to be home. I am so fatigued from my hike that I cannot be much company for Sue. We got up late for me, 7:00 AM. After breakfast a walk along Crystal Lake was interrupted frequently by friends walking, biking or driving past us. I had to answer a lot of the usual questions addressed to hikers. How do you get food? Were do you sleep? How far do you walk each day, etc. But I got tons of encouraging words from everyone we encountered on our morning walk.After lunch and another nap, we went to EMS in Concord to buy another pair of hiking shoes. The pair I bought when I got off the trail in PA are spent. The rubber cleats on the bottom are peeling off and the top surface is beggining to wear through. I had the sales person measure my feet suspecting they would be larger than when I started my hike. I was surprised to find they were actaully a little shorter, under size 7. But they are now wider, E. They had no E width shoes my size in the store. I had to purchase a size 8D in the same shoe I have been hiking in and hope for the best.I've been trying to lighten my pack and add winter type gear for the anticipated colder weather we should find for the rest of the hike. I haven't figured it all out yet but I am getting there. I may replace my hammock with my bivy sack. I could use it under the tarp fairly easily. It would be very warm. I wish I had the guts to ditch the tarp and just use the bivy, or ditch the bivy and use only the tarp. I've decided to continue wearing the kilt and keep the long pants/shorts for colder weather but leave my backup shirt at home together with my heavy hiking socks. I purchased some lighter weight socks to fit a little better inside my shoes.Dinner with Sue and a quiet evening at home are just what the doctor ordered. My knee feels better today. Instead my right achilles tendon is screaming at me. I hope all of these pains are signs of healing.   Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-12
From: Gilmanton Iron Works

To: GIW
Miles today: 0.0

I'm beginning to feel like my old self. My feet don't hurt nearly as much as they did on Friday. Me knees are not swollen or sore. And I don't stink after several showers.I mostly rested today. Watched some football. Sue and I went shopping for fresh veggies at the farmer's stand in Alton. We stopped at the hardware store to get some denatured alcohol for the backpacking stoves. I packed and repacked my backpack adding in the winter gear that I will need for the Whites and Maine. I retired the hammock and put the bivy in my pack. I will try to use my 20 degree bag instead of switching to the zero degree bag.Pokey called from Charlotte to say he was on schedule. We headed for the airport around 1:45 PM. He was waiting for us when we arrived. Back at the lake we had a nice dinner with fresh corn on the cob, salad and a veggie chili, that Sue made. It was delicious. It was topped off with apple pie and ice cream.I am ambivalent about hiking tomorrow. It is so nice at home. I've missed Sue and my daughters terribly. But I want to finish this hike. The best views and exciting trails are just ahead. We hope to leave tomorrow morning by 7:00 AM. If all goes well we will pick up a mail drop in Lincoln then get on the trail in Franconia Notch camping tonight at Garfield Ridge Campsite. I hope our hiking friends are not so far ahead that we never see them again. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-13
From: Franconia Notch

To: Garfield Pond
Miles today: 9.2

I have forgotten how difficult the Whites are. I have been so used to hiking in them that I had nothing to compare them with. But today¢s hike was awesome. We were rewarded with near perfect visibility the entire length of Franconia Ridge.Sue dropped us at the trailhead around 9:00 AM. I recognized Brenda from Gunstock Ski Area as she prepared to hike the ridge with a friend. We never saw her again after those few minutes.   It was a haul up the Liberty Spring Trail to the Franconia Ridge Trail and continued to be tough going all day. As we reached tree line the clouds and fog lifted providing incredible views. Pokey was almost speechless. He bought a new digital camera - Elph- while in Miami and shot over 40 pictures before we reached Mt. Lafayette. We stopped often to enjoy the view and talk with fellow hikers. Most were out for the day. We could make out Killington, Mansfield, Moosilauke, North and South Kinsman, Cannon, Washington, Bond, Twins, Garfield, Owl's Head and many more peaks. The difficulty of the trail tired me out to the point that I decided to stealth camp 1 mile short of our planned destination of Garfield Ridge Tent site. Saved us each $8 and got food into our bellies an hour earlier. Besides, my knees and ankle were beginning to complain.I rigged my tarp so that all sides touched the ground so as to trap a little body heat. Weatherman suggested hard frost tonight in the mountains. Brrrrrr! and Pokey is using his hammock.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-14
From: Garfield Pond

To: Stealth Camp on Ethan Pond Trail
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: few clouds

Another wondrous day. We are so lucky to have such incredible weather. We spent over 1 hour on the summit of Mt. Garfield. It was time we should have been hiking but the views are so rare that we could not move on so quickly. Pokey checked the register at Galehead Hut for signs of our friends. The Garland 5 got back on the trail on 9/11, just 3 days ahead of us. Flava signed the register on 9/12/04. That means Burnie and Katie are just 2 days ahead of us. We hiked over Guyot for more awesome views with not one cloud in the sky. A south west wind will likely warm up the air and bring in humidity.   While we checked out a view from Mt. Zealand we heard voices pass by on the AT.   When we reached Zealand Hut we discovered 5 thru hikers we thought were several days ahead of us. They have been slowed down by the Whites, weather and huts. One of the crew from the hut claims he saw Burnie and Katie this morning at Mizpah Hut. That means they may be only 1.5 days ahead. We canceled any thought of staying at the hut for the night and headed toward Ethan Pond campsite. Darkness caused us to stealth camp. We'll have to get up very early since we are camped right on the trail. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-15
From: Stealth Camp on Ethan Pond Trail

To: Stealth Camp on Webster Cliff Trail
Miles today: 8.1

We couldn't out hike the 5 guys from yesterday to Mizpah Hut so decided to stealth camp short of Mizpah. That way we will save the $8 fee again. Also, we hope to fall behind the 5 and get work for stay at Lakes of the Clouds.Sue was meeting us at 9:00 AM this morning to help me pickup a mail drop and to bring Pokey 5 days of food he left at my house to lighten his pack for at least 3 days. There was a mixup in the trail head location but after 1.5 hours we were together. Sue provided some trail magic in the form of donuts and cider. We fed the 5 hikers and spent some time with Sue before heading up the Webster Cliff Trail. What a haul up to the Cliffs. I've done this section several times but Pokey was very impressed as to the difficulty of the Whites. The sky was incredibly blue again today. We've had 3 straight days of fine weather. Yesterday the visibility from Mt. Washington was 136 miles but we were not there. Maybe tomorrow.After the first great overlook on the Webster Cliff we met a young woman SOBO named Mystery. She was quite pleasant I thought and attractive to boot. Pokey did not like that she said everything this side of Mahoosuc Notch was cake. He felt this put down his efforts. I disagreed with him and we argued the point for a couple of hours. We have done this kind of argument several times on our hike. I tend to find a way to forgive everyone and to play devils advocate. She apparently had a real tough time in the notch taking over 2.5 hours to do the one mile. She claims to be a slow cautious hiker but found her self upside down with her legs sticking up wedged in some rocks until a fellow hiker came along and helped her up.She stopped at Lakes of the Clouds last night and met Burnie and Flava and the Garland 5. There were 3 other thru hikers there spending a second night who were eating the last available food. Mystery was willing to work for stay but they ran out of food.   She did get to stay free. We hope it works out for us tomorrow. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-16
From: Webster Stealth

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: haze

Boy was I surprised to find we did not camp on Mt. Jackson. We were still on Mt. Webster. I corrected the distance on my entry for yesterday but don't plan to change the rest of the entry. It will reflect what I believed to be true.Pokey and I both came to the conclusion that this was the best day of our hike so far. The terrain got a bit easier after Mt. Pierce yet the setting was way more hostile. We made it to Mizpah Hut before 11 AM where we each had several servings of pumpkin soup with beans. Liza, the cook, talked with Pokey for a long time. I headed up Mt. Pierce and over Mt. Franklin with bright sunshine but Mt. Washington and the northern presidential appeared to be in heavy fog. I stopped for lunch and to wait for Pokey to catchup. He didn't show when my lunch was finished so I hiked on. The views were magnificent. I stopped to talk with a young couple hiking for the second half of their honeymoon. They met on a hiking trip but have not be on the trail in two years. I told them not to let that happen again.Pokey caught up with me near Mt Monroe. He hiked over Eisenhower even though it is not on the AT. We compared notes of our hike today and agreed it was the best. We reached Lakes of the Clouds around 4:30 PM. Gabriella, the crew member manning the desk, told us we could work to stay. I offered to give a talk about stories from the AT. Pokey may have to wash dishes tomorrow. After the guests ate we were given the left overs. Mashed potato, rice, and stir fried veggies and a great split pea soup. At 8:00 PM I gave my trail talk. I let it flow by inviting questions and got to have a lot of fun. The biggest attention getter came when a young woman wanted to know why I was wearing a skirt. So I explained all about rashes and fungus and quick dry underwear. The crew had to shut me down at 9:15 for lights out. It was a lot of fun. Right up my alley. I am writing this entry in the dark because the lights have been turned off. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-17
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Madison Spring Hut
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke to heavy winds and thick fog. After the guests were fed breakfast, the thru hikers ate with the crew. We were then given the job of packing all of the library into boxes to be shipped out for the winter. By the time we finished it was 9:30 AM. Pokey and I headed up to the summit of Mt Washington. All morning I received praise from most of the guests for my presentation last night. A young couple who had spent he night in the dungeon asked my advice on where to hike for the day. I recommended the Gulfside Trail which is the same as the AT. They have until early Sunday morning to get back to their car. Another couple from the Lakes offered to drive us from the summit to Gorham. Given the weather conditions it was very tempting but Pokey felt he needed to hike all of the AT. I agreed with him so after a bowl of clam chowder and Pokey writing and mailing post cards from Mt. Washington we headed back out into the weather. We got a few nice views but mostly it was very foggy and very windy. The forecast was for 35 mph winds with 55 mph gusts. We got some 50's while hiking near Mt. Adams then it started to rain. The addition of rain gear made us hot in raingear and the going was very slow for me. I think I stretched Pokey's patience to the limits today. We finally reached Madison Hut around 5 PM. I offered to entertain the guests for stay but they would only accept work tomorrow since they are closing down on Sunday. The entire building must be bleached to prevent mildew.The couple that I advised made a wrong turn and did not make it to the Hut until 9:00 PM. They were cold and wet and exhausted. The hut crew helped them get hot water for trail food dinner. They got a couple of bunks for the night.A lot of friends of the crew came to the Hut to party for the next to last night. The thru hikers must sleep on the floor and tables in the dining room so it is almost midnight and I still am not able to sleep. Hope they don't make us work too late tomorrow morning. I want to make some miles.   Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-18
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: moderate rain

The Madison Crew party hardy and work hard too. After a decent breakfast we were put to work scrubbing anything wood in the hut and bleaching all of the same. Wooden tables, benches, walls, ceilings and floors will all be scrubbed and bleached before the hut is closed Sunday 9/19. Pokey had to work in one side of the attic. I washed and bleached 12 benches and 6 large dinner tables. We finished a little before noon. The crew promised lunch but never came through. They got busy really fast this morning with groups coming in to escape the heavy rain and fog the was outside. We left the hut around 1 PM with some clearing and spectacular views of clouds below. The hike up Mt. Madison was tough but the downhill was extremely tough. The views from Osgood Ridge were magnificent. We took our time and took photos as we carefully picked our way down the rocky, ledge only falling a couple of times each. We caught up with Jason and Andrea, the couple that came in late last night and who spent the night in the dungeon the night before. We walked the rest of the way to Pinkham with them.Andrea offered to drive us to Hikers Paradise in Gorham,NH. We accepted the offer and where whisked off only after the clerk at AMC helped jump-start Andrea's car. She had left the lights on for 4 days.We found our hiker paradise room and discovered Burnie, Katie, Gorbo, Mr T, Flint, London, and Rev Yukon Jack were all there. A great reunion followed. We are still two days apart because the others got here from route 2 about 20 trail miles north of Pinkham notch. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-09-19
From: Pinkham Notch

To: North Carter Summit
Miles today: 11.4

After an early morning shuttle (6:30AM) to Pinkham Notch and a great AYCE breakfast at AMC Information Center we headed up Wildcat Mtn. The Rock, Mt Washington, was sparkling with the morning sun. Ottie, Swedish and Golden Fox were striking their tent site near Lost Pond as we walked past. The trail becomes very vertical very soon. As we climbed, Atlas and Trail Dog passed us doing a 21 mile slack to route 2. The higher we climbed to foggier it got. The temperature slowly dropped as well. We didn't seem to be able to make good time. It was noon before we reached the gondola lift at peak E of Wildcat Ski area and 2:30 before we got to Carter Gap Hut for a lunch break. Now it was very foggy with strong winds. The hut was filled with day hikers shivering as they ate their lunches and tried to keep warm. An older hiker told us he took 5 hours in hiking from Imp Shelter, our destination this day. We hoped we could do it faster.   We had to make it by 7 PM or end up hiking down an extremely treacherous section of trail. Unfortunately we had a slow passage over the 5 peaks of Wildcat and the Carters. There was rime ice falling from the trees as we walked and the temperature was dropping. Fog began to thicken. It was now 5:30 PM and we could tell we would not get to Imp shelter. There was a small clearing in the woods suitable for setting up camp. But we figured if we walked another 30 minutes we would likely find another spot that would shorten our hike tomorrow. It didn't happen. We hiked over Middle Carter and finally reached the 4500 summit of North Carter where there was a flat sandy but windblown area. It was past sunset and almost too dark to see without headlamps when we set up our camp. There were no trees for Pokey to set up his hammock so he put his gear under the tarp with me. We changed into dry clothes and layered up to make it through a very cold, windy, foggy night. It was too windy to cook so we ate some lunch snacks and went to sleep.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman