morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-07-01
From: Wawayanda Shelter, NJ

To: Fingerboard Shelter, NY
Miles today: 26.4
Weather: light rain

Hey...I'm in New York! It rained to beat the band last night, but I was safe and sound in a shelter. I'm shocked by how many countries I've seen represented on the trail in just the three weeks I've been hiking. Let's see: Japan, Korea, Canada, Czej Republic, Germany, Scotland, UK, Australia and New Zealand...and I've probably forgotten a couple more. That's pretty amazing. I mapped out my hike today by looking at shelter distances and mileage. I could go 12.1 to the next shelter or shoot for 26.4 miles to the next shelter. Well I had been doing quite a few 20+ mile dayswithout much trouble so I opted for the second shelter. The thing I didn't factor in was the terrain. I almost bit off more than I could chew today. I just looked back over my 2007 journal and saw that I had commented on how tough the day was and I had only done the second half (about 14 miles) of what I wound up doing today. But, I hit the trail pretty early knowing I had a pretty full day ahead of me. I had an idea the terrain would tax me the second half of the day, but it was much more taxing than I had anticipated. I crossed the NJ/NY line early in the morning and got to the Bellvale Creamery at about 11:15. They don't open til 12, but I knew I needed calories for the rest of the day ahead, so I cooked a pot of mashed potatoes and as I was finishing them and a bagel off the owner pulled up. I got a big black raspberry milkshake and chased that with a two-scoop ice cream cone. It was a good stop to get carbed up for the afternoon and wring my socks out and let my feet air out a little. I was actually back on the trail within an hour and I really needed the energy that food provided. The elevation changes were pretty relentlessthroughout the day and the trail was a sloppy mess. I slid into huge puddles where the trail was supposed to be quite a few times, keeping my feet perpetually soaked throughout the day. When I was still 4 or 5 miles from my shelter with several major climbs left to go, a thunderstorm started to build not far away. I could hear it getting closer so I picked up my pace a little. I considered finding an alternate place to spend the night, but I kept on going. I knew I needed to get to Fort Montgomery before the PO closed the next day and I needed to get to that shelter to be ready to push into town early enough for that. That last 4 miles seemed more like 14. When I got to the shelter I felt very relieved. There were 2 thruhikers (no-name and Yak) and two section hikers with a dog already there. I made #5 in a shelter built for 8 so we weren' too crowded. I quickly cooked up some more potatoes, finished off a bagel and ate some more fig newtons. My food is almost gone (very little selection) which is the way it should be as you are rolling in to a resupply town. No sense in carrying food you haven't eaten between resupply points. I nodded off early and was awaken at about 11 PM by a thunderstorm and heavy rains. It rained all night long.
Date: 2009-07-02
From: Fingerboard Shelter, NY

To: Ft Montgomery, NY
Miles today: 14.2

When I got up at about 6 it was still raining pretty hard. I finally resigned myself to hike in the rain all day and got all my gear together. My most unpleasant hiking ritual is taking off my dry camp clothes and putting my cold, wet hiking clothes in the wee hours of the morning. Even so, after the initial shock it's not all that bad, especially if you finish packing quickly and start hiking right away. I said my farewells and was the first one out of camp. I needed water and there was nonme at the shelter, so I hiked a little over a mile to Arden Valley Road and about 3/10 of a mile down to road to Tiorati Circle where they have drinking fountains, restrooms and a couple of vending machines. I swam in the lake here 2 years ago when I hiked through, but it isn't open this early in the day. I got an ice cream treat and a soda from the vending machines, filled my water, used the porcelain privy and hit the trail again. I saw a lot of deer that just seemed mildly curious about me walking by. Some were so close I could have spit on them...not that I'd want to. Anyhow, it was another up and down day, but knowing I only had 14.2 miles to hike and that I was headed for 2 nights in a hotel made it (and the soggy feet) more bearable. It stayed foggy all day, so I just had to recall what the views looked like from the last time I was here. I do remember there were some pretty decent views in this area. I hiked through the Bear Mtn Zoo and made my way to Bear Mtn Circle soI could hike the 7/10 of a mile into Ft Montgomery for my second mail drop and my first zero. For any new journal readers, a zero is a day you log zero miles hiking on the AT. I hiked 14.2 miles today to get here and I'll spend the night in a hotel. Tomorrow I won't hike at all, just run errands in town, then spend the night in the hotel again. So tomorrow will be a zero day for me. Itsoundslike a leisurely break, but there is actually quite a lot to accomplish in a short period of time. It goes by really quickly. Anyhow, it feels really good to have soaked in the tub for a while then showered off really well. I finally pulled the dead toenail off the big toe on my left foot. I'll try not to kick any more rocks.
Date: 2009-07-03
From: Ft Montgomery, NY

To: Ft Montgomery, NY
Miles today: 0.0

A day filled with journal work, Post Office run, grocery shopping, eating, planning, laundry, phone calls, soaking baths to work on the mud-stained feet, doctoring sore feet, etc.....but a great day...maybe a little relaxation at the pool and/or in front of the TV tonight before hitting the trail again tomorrow.HAPPY 4th of July a day in advance since I probably won't be able to post again for 2 - 3 weeks.Cheers...357 Magnum
Date: 2009-07-04
From: Ft Montgomery, NY

To: RPH Shelter
Miles today: 25.2
Weather: broken clouds

My alarm went off at 5 and I got up and put a pot of coffee on. Then I started getting the pack re-packed for the trail. I was downstairs by 6 when the breakfast bar opened up. I had a good breakfast and was out the door by 6:30 AM walking the 3 miles back to the trail. It was clear from the beginning that it was going to be a gorgeous day. I crossed the Bear Mountain Bridge, which is part of the AT, and was greeted on the other side by some stiff climbs but very nice trails. Within a few hours I got to the road I had taked in to Peekskill, NY 2 years ago. This time I just stopped at the convenience store for a danish and an orange juice. The morning's terrain was more challenging, but by late afternoon I was beat and looking for the shelter. I got there at about 4:30 and was very happy to see the place. I had passed a beautiful lake today in Fahnestock State Park. It had a swimming area with hundreds of people celebrating the 4th of July. I could see them from my vantage point on a mountain top on the other side of the lake. It sure was an appealing site! Two more thru-hikers came in to the shelter not long after I got there, then a guy pulled up in a jeep and came walking over. He said, "you're 357 Magnum aren't you?" I said, yes, but how did you know. It was Young-N-Dumb from the 2007 thru-hike. He had estimated from my journal entries that I'd be at that shelter on that night and came to see if we wanted to go get a steak dinner. Let me think...YES!!! He took us to his house and made a great steak dinner with all the fixins for us. What a great surprise on the 4th of July! Thanks a million Young-N-Dumb!!!
Date: 2009-07-05
From: RPH Shelter

To: Wiley Shelter
Miles today: 25.5
Weather: clear sky

I left RPH and headed for NY52 and the deli in Stormville. I got a great breakfast sandwich, a large coffee and a danish. I sat there and ate and visited with a few folks, then filled my water and hiked on. There were a couple of more possibilities for food throughout the day, but neither one panned out. There are sometimes hot dog stands on NY55 and NY22 (near the train depot) but it was Sunday and I doubt they see enough traffic to warrant setting them up. The weather was awesome for hiking today. Low temps, low humidity, a light breeze and sunny. Couldn't ask for more. There were a lot of people out and I got into a few conversations about the hike. Nuclear lake was especially beautiful and I could have stayed there for hours, but I didn't linger long. I would have liked the chance to fish there for a while.
Date: 2009-07-06
From: Wiley Shelter

To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 12.7

I moved into Connecticut today and I had Kent in my sights. Beach Bum and First Wife had arranged to meet me in Kent today. They wanted to take me out to supper and catch up on what has happened since we last saw each other in 2007. They actually live in Virginia Beach, VA but were in Rhode Island for a wedding and wanted to do some trail magic as they made there way south to home. I got to Kent at about Noon and we found each other at the General Store in Kent an hour or so later. We visited a while, then drove to a hotel to spend the night off the trail. I did the post-trail ritual of soaking in the tub for a while then showering really well then throwing all my dirty clothes in the tub to soak for a while before I launder them. I made a list and ran to Wal Mart to get a few things I needed then we all went to supper together. I got back to the room and did some internet work and sorted my food and ran my clothes down to the laundry. About the time my laundry was done we ran across the parking lot to a Friendly's for dessert. People after my own heart! They were awesome hosts and even recommended I take 2 zeros in VA somewhere and Beach Bum would come to the trail to get me and take me home to VA Beach for a couple days of R&R then take me back to the trail. I can't wait! Thanks Beach Bum and First Wife....it was really good to see you again.
Date: 2009-07-07
From: Kent, CT

To: Unnamed Pond on Mohawk Trail
Miles today: 17.0

I had breakfast in the hotel lobby with Beach Bum and First Wife, thjen they drove me back to the trail head near Kent. They had me on the trail by 8 after we said out goodbyes. There was some tough climbing this morning but later in the morning I did quite a few park-like miles along the Housatonic River. When I got to Cornwall Bridge, CT, I decided to try my hand at Blue Blazing. For people new to AT jargon, a blue blaze is a side trail marked with blue blazes as opposed to white blazes. Some blue blazed trails are ¢out and back¢, some loop and rejoin with the AT somewhere further down the trail, some bypass places that are dangerous to go during severe weather, some take you to sights you might not want to miss, etc. As I said earlier, I was pretty much a purist (stuck to the white blazes) in 2007 but wanted to be a little more adventurous this year. The Mohawk Trail is actually the old AT through this area, so I thought it would be a good one to check out. It goes from Cornwall Bridge to Falls Village which would have been about 12 miles had I stayed on the AT. The Mohawk Trail turned out to be MUCH more than that and it was not nearly as well maintained or marked. What an adventure...I gambled and lost on this blue-blaze. I lost the trail several times and had to stop and ask for directions. I had no landmarks to go by to know how much further I had to go because none of that stuff is listed in my AT Thru-Hiker's Companion for Blue Blazed trails. I had assumed the length would be about the same as the AT which is an easy afternoon hike for me. Well, I hiked until 7:45 PM and still had no idea how much further it was to Falls Village, so I stopped by a pond and set up camp for a rainy night. I used my bivy sack for a long soaking rainy night, and it did OK, but my sleeping bag was a little damp the next morning. All-in-all I have to chalk my first blue-blaze up as a disappointment. Lots of road walks, many extra miles, poorly marked and maintained sections, etc.,m but I did meet a few very nice locals and saw a really neat waterfall I would not have seen had I stayed in the White Blazed trail through that section.
Date: 2009-07-08
From: Unnamed Pond on Mohawk Trail

To: Brassie Brook Lean To
Miles today: 21.0

Well, I got up a little after 6. It had rained all night but my pack and its contents were dry and my bivy sack did a pretty good job of keeping me dry. I was hiking by 7:15 and was in Falls Village by 9:15. Not much there. I got a Root Beer at a local liquor store and the lady working there gave me a bag of cashews after I asked about snacks and she said she's not allowed to sell food in a liquor store. I did go into Salisbury later in the day for some lunch and an Americano. The Americano was not nearly as good as the ones I get at Braden's Cafe & Sweets in Saint Paris, OH. Boy...one of those would be good right about now! I went to a phgarmacy and found a birthday card for Kim and stopped by the post office to mail it. She should get it before her birthday, but if not will get it soon after. Today was a much better day than yesterday. There is supposedly still a 40% chance of rain tonight, but I'll be in a shelter tonight.
Date: 2009-07-09
From: Brassie Brook Lean To

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

I had a very nice day today. I climbed Bear Mountain right off the bat, but was then greeted by the Connecticut/Massachusetts state line. Sages Ravine was even more beautiful this time through with all the extra water from the wet spring and early summer they've had here. The morning was filled with big climbs; Bear Mountain, Race Mountain and Mount Everett, not to mentionm all the mountain wannabe's in between. I was dreading a spot called ¢mosquito alley¢ all day today. I knew I'd be there by early afternoon. I still get the heeby-geebys whenever I think about going through there the last time. I thought it would by much worse this year because of the wet spring, but I ran in to no trouble at all! I suspect it was partly because of the time of day I went through. In 2007 it was late in the afternoon and this time it was at about noon. Anyway,. I'm happy to report I got through with no trouble at all. When I got to US 7 I hitched in to Barrington for more bug spray, some food ands to rest for a bit. (Beach Bum and First Wife may be asking why I needed more bug spray because they saw me buy some at the Wal Mart when we met up in Kent...well, that container only had something like 0.045 ounces and I ran out as I was preparing to enter mosquito alley...it was a cute little bottle, with the key word being little). Anyway, I found exactly what I needed at a little hardware store. I also found a great Stromboli at the deli in a grocery store, along with a bag of chips and a bottomless glass of coke. I hung around there for a couple of hours then hitched back to the trail and took off again. After a couple more mountains I was at my shelter before 6, which gave me plenty of time to do my evening chores before bed. All-in-all I had a nice 23.2 mile day.
Date: 2009-07-10
From: Tom Leonard Shelter

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: few clouds

Great hiking today! The weather was perfect! I'm getting in to some real mountains...well, the start of them anyhow. I was out of camp before anyone was up this morning. When I got to jerusalem Road I walked in to Tyringham. There is a B&B there that sells snacks so I had a Haagen-Daas bar, a frozen brownie and 2 orange sodas while I rested, soaked up some sun and air-dried my feet. It was a good, early-afternoon break. I got to Upper Goose Pond Cabin by 4:30 and the place was packed with hikers. I think we counted 26 people. But...they are serving supper tonight and breakfast tomorrow so I won't complain at all. We had hot dogs, soda and chips for supper and will have blueberry pancakes and coffee for breakfast tomorrow. Awesome...a hikers dream come true!
Date: 2009-07-11
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Dalton, Mass
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: few clouds

I was up before 6 and got my pack ready. I went into the kitchen at about 6:30 to see if I could help. I got the coffee on the table and retrieved a platter for the pancakes, then delivered the first batch to the table. What luck...I was first in line when those pancakes hit the table. I had a stack of three and some coffee and was on the trail by 7. I went about 2 miles and came across a cooler of trail magic (orange crush and little debbie cakes) at US 20. The Cookie Lady's house was the next rest stop for the day. I didn't see her this year, but her husband and I visited for quite a while. I drank a liter of tang and he brought me a few cookies from the house. He said he had sodas and hard-boiled eggs for sale too, so I gave him a buck and asked him to bring me however many eggs that would pay for. He brought me 4. I really enjoyed them...some great protein in the middle of the day. We chatted for 30-45 minute3s while I rested and air-dried my feet. It was a realy nice mid-day break. The clouds started to build, so I headed out and picked up my pace a little. The trail was pretty nice all day long with very few tough climbs. I wound up doing 20.6 miles in 7 12 hours. After I got ¢checked in¢ at Tom Levardi's house in Dalton, I went to the ATM to replenish my cash supply then went to a sub shop for a sausage grinder. It was really good! When I got back to Tom's he was fixing supper and we all sat down around 6 for pasta, salad and bread. I don't think he cooks for hikers every night, but I sure enjoyed what he put on the table tonight. I stayed here in 2007 and really enjoyed Tom's hospitality. I asked him about how he got started helping hikers and he said that 30 years ago, in 1979, a hiker stopped him on the street and asked about where he might be able to stay in town and where he might get his laundry done. Well Tom recommended the only hotel in town but like most hikers that wasn't in his budget. So Tom said the laundromat is right next to my house, you can do your laundry then pitch your tent in my yard if you'd like. Well, when Tom got home from work the next night there were three hikers setting on his porch asking if it was OK to pitch their tents in his yard for the night. The rest is history! The trail was eventually rerouted to go directly past Tom's house (just by coincidence) and I'm sure he has been a blessing to thousands of hikers over the years. I know he was to me! Thanks-a-million Tom for your incredible hospitality and generosity both times I knocked on your door.
Date: 2009-07-12
From: Dalton, Mass

To: Slack Pack N Adams to Dalton
Miles today: 23.3

We all got up and went to breakfast together, then we headed over to North Adams with day packs so we could hike 23 miles back to Dalton by way of Mount Greylock. Since it was a Sunday and the area is well used, I saw people off and on all day long, but especially near the top. It could not have been a better day for views, clear as a bell by the time I summited. I climbed the tower at the top and got some pics from up there but the windows were pretty dirty from peoples faces and hands touching them. I messed around up there for about half an hour, then hiked on. I was surprised when I kept climbing after leaving the monument. I thought I was at the top! But I must have continued to climb for another hour. It can be so deceiving in the mountains. You can be certain you've reached the top and there isw no place to go but down, then wind up climbing for hours. Needless to say, I was happy when I finally did start descending. When I got down to Cheshire I took a break at Diane's Twist (an ice cream shop) and took my shoes and socks off and made some phone calls. My first call was to Kim to wish her a happy birthday. When I left I only had about 9 more miles to go. It was a little depressing hiking up the mountain out of Cheshire. I talked to Tom about that area later and learned that a bad ice storm had hit that section quite a few years back and really did some damage to the trees through there. It looked more like a war zone than a peaceful woodsy setting. I was glad to get over that mountain and into a section that hadn't suffered damage from the storm. I got back to Tom's at about 4 and he said he was fixing supper again tonight. What a great guy! I got a shower and threw my hiking clothes in the community laundry pile...I could get used to this! We had another great supper on Tom's front lawn with about 10 people around the table. It was awesome.
Date: 2009-07-13
From: Slack Pack N Adams to Dalton

To: Melville Nauheim Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

I got back to the trail in North Adams at about 10:15, later than hoped/expected, but I made some pretty good time throughout the day with no major climbs to slow me down. I walked through the beaver dam section today, so I got a few pics of that again. That still amazes me every time I see it. It is kind of eerie to be standing below a dam holding back a large pond and knowing that the dam was built be beavers. You could see the gnawed-off twigs, sticks and logs sticking out of the dam in places. Pretty amazing to see. Baltimore Jack is at the shelter tonight along with 7 other folks. Looks like it is going to get pretty cold tonight.
Date: 2009-07-14
From: Melville Nauheim Shelter

To: Stratton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 27.8
Weather: light rain

It did get cold last night. Cold enough to wake me up several times. Still, I was up and hiking by about 7:15. It was a mountainous, up and down day, but there were quite a few nice views to reward the effort. With the miles covered and the terrain, it was a very tough hiking day, but I got to my shelter feeling pretty good. I've been doing some pretty crazy miles through some pretty challenging terrain and one of the reasons I think I'm holding up OK is the number of times I've stopped at delis and restaurants along the way. One of the benefits of hiking fast for many miles is that in this area you can hit at least one place per day to stop and eat REAL food. If I were living out of my pack right now, with no town food to supplement my diet, I don't believe I'd be able to do what I've been doing. Stratton Pond is a beautiful little pond, but it is way too cold for a dip right now. I was joined at the shelter by two others (one was a SOBO). I got in a little later than normal, so I just got water, cooked, ate and went to bed. Looks like another really cold night tonight.
Date: 2009-07-15
From: Stratton Pond Shelter

To: Big Branch Shelter
Miles today: 27.2
Weather: broken clouds

Well, I talked to a local today and found out that last night broke a record for the coldest temperature ever recorded for that date. I knew it had been cold the last couple of nights. I got going by 7 and was at the road that leads to Manchester Center by 10:30, so I decided to try my luck hitching in for a meal. I saw two women talking in the parking lot at the trail head and asked if either was headed to town and one said sure, hop in! Turns out she was the adopter for Bromley shelter and her and a friend had just been up to check on it. She took me to Bob's Diner where I had a skillet breakfast with a couple of Cokes. I also ordered a turkey on rye to go and bought a small loaf of zucchini bread and some chips to eat later in the day. I walked across the road and put out my thumb and had a ride in just a couple of minutes. It worked out great! I spent about 90 minutes off the trail and got some much-needed calories in my belly and in my backpack. There were some pretty nice views today, but much of the day was just more forest and trail with very few distinguishing characteristics. I think a lot of people have a romanticized view of what it would be like to be out on a trail day after day for 10 to 12 hours per day. Don't get me wrong, there are wonderful views from time to time, but MUCH of the time you are looking at trees and trail and much of it looks the same. I got to my shelter (Big Branch) at about 6 and was eventually joined by two SOBOs (southbounders).