morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-13
From: Goddard Shelter

To: Stratton Pond Cabin
Miles today: 19.4

Starting Time: 8:10Starting Location: Goddard ShelterEnding Time: 5:50Ending Location: Stratton Pond CabinMiles: 19.4Morning Weather: Rain in the early morning.Afternoon Weather: Overcast with rain and thunderstorms all nightBreakfast: CIB and cereal barLunch: Bars and gorpDinner: PR and tunaTrail Description: Stratton Mtn. climb was great...long, challenging climb and a great lookout tower on top. The top of the tower provided a much-needed respite from the mosquitos (plus a nice breeze).People: Tex from Missouri, JamieAnimals: Moose tracks! We saw tons of cow-sized tracks along the trail and realized that they belonged to the ungulate family...that's moose! The moose was just walking down the trail...how cool would that be to see?!?Money: 0Complaints: NoneThoughts: Tex from Missouri is a cool dude! We chatted for an hour this morning about rock bands and drums. He was a sound engineer running PA both for touring bands and for local venues. He also plays drums in several regular gigs. I had a great time chatting with him while waiting out the rain.
Date: 2005-06-14
From: Stratton Pond Cabin

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: moderate rain

Starting Time: 6:00Starting Location: Stratton Pond ShelterEnding Time: 11:00Ending Location: Manchester Center, VTMiles: 10.6Morning Weather: Overcast with drizzly rainAfternoon Weather: Overcast and warmBreakfast: CIB and cereal barLunch: Greek salad, small sausage and feta pizza all to myself, two Otter Creek Copper Ales (yum)Dinner: Ice cream...Friendly's Oreo shake and a pint of local-made maple walnut ice cream...yum Misc. Food: Twizzlers at Stars WarsTrail Description: Annoying muddy trail with annoying ups and downs that were not well-documented in Wingfoot, and hence I wasn't prepared for them and really just wanted to get to town. People: Cool lady with infant who gave us a ride to town, Frank at Sutton's PlaceAnimals: NoneMoney: 60 for Sutton's Place, 50 at The Mountain GoatComplaints: Muddy trail is a pain.Thoughts: We went into Manchester Center for a mail drop, but stayed because I wanted to watch the new Star Wars. So, we did the normal town things like laundry, shower, grotesque feeding, etc., but then got to cap it off with a great movie. I'm glad Lucas was able to end his run of movies with a bang instead of a dud (like the last two).We visited The Mountain Goat and found it better stocked than the one in Williamstown. We bought Biscuits! a headlamp, some fuel, more Deet, and cord locks for stuff sacks that Biscuits! is sewing.
Date: 2005-06-15
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Lost Pond Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: light rain

Starting Time: 10:20Starting Location: Manchester Center, VTEnding Time: 5:45Ending Location: Lost Pond ShelterMiles: 14.8Morning Weather: Overcast, windy. drizzling, low 50's...brrrrAfternoon Weather: SameBreakfast: The "Hungry Hiker" menu item at "Up for Breakfast" in Manchester...two eggs, two bacon, two tasty sausages, two pancakes, home fries, toast, and coffee. Absolute bliss!Lunch: Beef jerky, tortillas and hummus, gorp, dried pineappleDinner: RamenTrail Description: Mud!!! Mud and water on the trail everywhere...a trail maintenance nightmare. The trail was literally a stream in many places, and at one point was part of a pond (Griffith Lake). The climb over Baker Peak was a cool rock scramble, but it was a near white-out so we couldn't see the view (which must have been awesome).People: Simone (ride), JamieAnimals: NoneMoney: 15 for breakfastComplaints: NoneThoughts: The weather finally turned cool!!! It's raining off and on and is a little chilly, but at least the bugs are gone! The skeeters have been horrible...We got a cool hitch from Simone that we met at the UPS store. Amy chatted her up and solicited a ride. Simone is a hiker and snowshoe-er (don't know how to properly "er" that) and was very cool to talk to on the way.There was a groundhog rescue as we waited for our ride this morning. A groundhog had been hit by a car and was laying in the middle of a busy street. As we looked at it it actually started to pull itself with its front paws (back legs probably broken). Now, I'm not a big "I'm gonna cry over the dead rodent" kind of guy, but it was a sad sight to see. Some ladies came out from the stores that were nearby and picked it up with snow shovels to move it off the road. They then called the vet to handle the situation. I felt good about the basic sense of decency that was on display...no pretense, just caring. Good Vermonters.
Date: 2005-06-16
From: Lost Pond Shelter

To: Clarendon Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: light rain

Starting Time: 8:10Starting Location: Lost Pond ShelterEnding Time: 5:45Ending Location: Clarendon ShelterMiles: 18.6Morning Weather: Overcast, rainy, coolAfternoon Weather: same, with more rainBreakfast: CIB and cereal barLunch: Bars and gorp, tortilla and hummusDinner: Trail Magic!!! A guy named "Piper" (who is from Rutland, VT, plays the bagpipes, and looks like the burly red-headed guy from Rob Roy) cooked us dinner over the fire. It was a chicken and rice type of thing with corn and green beans thrown in. He also had a hunk of Vermont Cabot cheddar cheese and a bag of cookies. Wow!Trail Description: Mud, mud, and more mud in the morning. We took a break at Little Rock Pond and it was beautiful...mist coming over the pond and surrounding mountains (much like Griffith Lake, although clouds were less dense, allowing more viewing at Little Rock). Once we crossed VT140 the trail became less muddy and more normal. The climb up Button Hill was great. The 3.7 from Minerva Hinchey Shelter to Clarendon was TOUGH! Straight down to VT103 and then straight up to Claredon Shelter via rock steps.People: Jamie, Wildflower (hiked PCT last year...very cool), PiperAnimals: NoneMoney: 0Complaints: My feet are soaking wet in this muddy and "trail as a stream" terrain. I think I will send these home for later "dry land" use and buy Gortex shoes in Hanover.Thoughts: The Piper experience was interesting. Nothing he said made much sense or seemed to add up, but he was a nice guy and wanted to cook dinner for us. I quizzed him on his bagpipe knowledge and he filled me in on some Scottish lore to boot. He made "trail coffee" (means stiff coffee and you strain the grinds with your teeth) and I had 4 cups...I'll be up all night.
Date: 2005-06-17
From: Clarendon Shelter

To: US4 at Sherborne Pass
Miles today: 16.4

Starting Time: 7:30Starting Location: Clarendon ShelterEnding Time: 4:30Ending Location: US4 at Sherborne Pass (Inn at Long Trail)Miles: 16.4Morning Weather: RainAfternoon Weather: Rain and coldBreakfast: CIB and cereal barLunch: Bars and gorp, Thai noodle soup (thanks John and Suzanne!)Dinner: Best Guinness on the trail, Irish stew and soda farl, cheeseburger, apple crisp and ice creamTrail Description: What do you want me to say? The trail, after four days of rain, is a nightmare. It is mostly muddy and stream-like. We ended up slogging through ankle-high water that was on the trail for much of the day. "Pure misery" is not putting too fine a point on it. We crossed a raging torrent of a stream about a mile in, and that "liberated" us from further water-based obstacles...we ended up sloshing through everything.People: Wildflower, Daytripper, TractionAnimals: NoneMoney: "Charge it to my room" Complaints: Trail conditions stink.Thoughts: I have sinned against my AT purist principles. We took a blue blaze route to The Inn at Long Trail to avoid a dangerous roadwalk to the inn. The decision was made on top of Killington Mtn. in the pouring rain and cold. What made me accept it was the fact that the route was the AT as of 6 years ago. The AT was relocated in order to get a protected corridor (which the Pico ski lodge wouldn't grant). The few places where this has been the case the relocated trail is usually worse (e.g. the mosquito breeding ground in MA was this same type of relo). Lastly, my maps are 6 yrs. old and have the old route, plus the intended relocation route...so I was just following my map. As we hiked it, most of the blazes we saw were "blue over white" blazes. There was at least one white blaze that had not been painted over, and this made me feel better, somehow. So, since Biscuits! birthday is tomorrow I dubbed it "the birthday blue blaze." The Inn at Long Trail rules! It is an Irish pub and inn combination, and they pour their Guinness correctly. It has a TV room and a nice lodge-like living room, and just feels nice and cozy all around. The people are super-nice. The funny thing is that they just opened (30 minutes before we got here) after an 11 week break.Daytripper sighting! She decided to hitch north to stay at her house, and then was hiking south to Great Barrington. It was good seeing her again, and I have a feeling when she flip-flops back up north she'll catch us again before it's over. Traction was a cool dude as well, so I hope they catch us!
Date: 2005-06-19
From: US4 at Sherborne Pass

To: Wintturi Shelter
Miles today: 19.9

Starting Time: 9:10Starting Location: US4 at Sherburne Pass (Inn at Long Trail)Ending Time: 6:15Ending Location: Wintturi ShelterMiles: 19.9Morning Weather: Cloudy and coolAfternoon Weather: Sunny and low 70's (near perfect hiking weather)Breakfast: Fruit cup, blueberry pancakes, sausage at the Inn (their French Toast rocks as well)Lunch: bars and gorpDinner: PR, tuna, beef jerkyTrail Description: Long day of ups and downs. We had one hill that was 1000 ft. of gain in one mile. I haven't had that kind of sustained gain since NC/TN, it seems. I was glad to reacquaint myself with it. The Lookout was wonderful! We climbed up to the obervation deck and took a break...the panoramic view was absolutely beautiful. Trail conditions today immediately improved at Maine Junction when we left the Long Trail section. Vermont so far has been one big mud puddle, and I hope that the "AT only" section will prove better overall in regards to mud. People: Jamie (Jackrabbit), Drum Drum and Crambo from Seattle, Oke and others at the InnAnimals: Several garter snakes, I took a good picture of my foot next to a moose print that is nearly as big as my footMoney: Settled up with the Inn and had to take out a second mortgage Complaints: NoneThoughts: What a great day! First of all, both Biscuits! and I want to wish our dads a happy father's day. We miss you and talk about you often while hiking (mostly tall tales). Biscuits! and I hiked our butts off and did her longest day, plus our best day together in terms of pace and breaks. I think the zero might have been needed. The weather was great, FINALLY, and what views we had were spectacular. There were tons of moose tracks and moose poops, but no moose sightings.We're very excited to be heading into NH in two days. NH has the Whites, which have represented a big, intimidating stretch of trail in my mind, and I'm ready to tackle them. It is much like the Smokies were in the beginning of the hike. Last, and definitely not least, I passed 1,700 miles today! Yahoo!!!
Date: 2005-06-20
From: Wintturi Shelter

To: Happy Hill Shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: clear sky

Starting Time: 8:10Starting Location: Winturri ShelterEnding Time: 6:30Ending Location: Happy Hill ShelterMiles: 20.4Morning Weather: Clear and high 60'sAfternoon Weather: Clear and mid-70's. Absolutely perfect day!Breakfast: CIB and 1/2 cereal barLunch: Bars and gorpDinner: PR, tuna, jerkyTrail Description: Lots of up and down today...plum tired us out! We hiked through some beautiful forest though, including a big stand of red spruce trees (see thoughts below). We also had great views of the surrounding mountains as we hiked through mountain fields.People: NoneAnimals: Bird that sang the first few notes of the Wake Forest fight song (ba bah bah ba-ba bah), mother grouse and hens (mom chewed us out)Money: 0Complaints: NoneThoughts: Today was a great, although tiring, day. First of all, I want to congratulate Biscuits! on her first official 20-mile day! Yesterday we were one-tenth short, so we couldn't quite get jiggy wid it. Also, Biscuits! passed 300 miles total for her hike! Rock on!Today's hike was stunningly gorgeous at times. Tall stands of evergreens, whose foliage was way up high, but had spiny, empty branches all the way to the ground, provided beautiful lighting. Deep green explosions of ferns dominated the forest floor, providing color where the trees left off. Reddish-brown needles filled in the gaps for the ferns. It was awesome.We hiked through a stand of red spruce, as I said above. Red spruce is also called commonly Adirondack spruce, and it is highly sought after for guitar tops (where the soundhole is). My Collings D1A has an "Ad" top, and it is basically a copy of the famous "pre-war" Martin dreadnoughts (D-28s and D-18s) which also had red spruce tops. Anyway, I was in near-heaven today, thinking about all the good sounds that could one day come from these trees!
Date: 2005-06-21
From: Happy Hill Shelter

To: Moose Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: clear sky

Starting Time: 6:45Ending Time (at Hanover): 8:45Starting Time (from Hanover): 2:40Ending Time: 7:40Starting Location: Happy Hill ShelterEnding Location: Moose Mtn ShelterMiles: 16.8Morning Weather: Sunny and high 60'sAfternoon Weather: Sunny and near 80Breakfast: 1/2 CIB and balance barSecond Breakfast: Huge sausage and cheese omelet, home fries, two huge pancakes at Lou's. Biscuits! had crueller french toast (basically donuts with french toast batter) with strawberries that were to die for!Lunch: Split a caesar salad and small pizza at EBA's (not too impressed)Dinner: PR, tuna, Cracker Jack (thanks Tricia!)Misc. Food: A Ben and Jerry's store is on the trail in Hanover, so I had my first-ever banana split!Trail Description: Don't remember pre-Hanover because I was too excited for Lou's. Post-Hanover was muddy and bug-ridden...reminded me of VT. Long climb up Moose Mtn., but a nice mountain top to arrive at.People: No one of note, although Hanover-ites were nice in general.Animals: NoneMoney: 38 at Omer and Bob's Sporting Goods, 30 at Lou's, 20 at EBA'sComplaints: NoneThoughts: Today we took an extended break in Hanover, but pushed on instead of staying (a first for me). Hanover was great, and it was mad better by a beautiful walk through Norwich, VT. In Hanover we feasted, as you can see above. Lou's really was outta sight it was so good. Our mail drop contained all of our warm gear for going into the White Mtns (15 degree bag, capilene, fleece hat, gloves, extra fleece), so our packs are extra heavy right now (ugh). At the sporting goods store Biscuits! bought Superfeet and I was able to change out my Salomon's for free since the shoelace blew while going up Killington (they have funky, "fixed" laces so you can't replace them like normal shoes). I know, I think Superfeet ruined my feet and here Biscuits! is getting them, but she needed something, if only to tide her over until we can find Spenco's (my insole of choice).The Moose Mtn. Shelter is cool! It was made in 2004 using only hand tools. The privy is totally awesome...an exposed "throne" where you are literally exposed to the elements. To make things better, we had a red, full moon as we went to sleep. Is that called a Devil moon?
Date: 2005-06-22
From: Moose Mtn. Shelter

To: Hexacuba Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Starting Time: 9:50Starting Location: Moose Mtn. ShelterEnding Time: 7:15Ending Location: Hexacuba ShelterMiles: 17.7Morning Weather: Heavy rain from 4am to 7/8am, clearing after thatAfternoon Weather: Sunny and low 70's...nice breezes kept it feeling slightly chilly all dayBreakfast: CIB and cereal barLunch: bars and gorpDinner: PR, tuna, taterTrail Description: Lots of climbing today! Up and over North Peak of Moose Mtn (not so bad), up and over Holt's Ledge (getting worse), up and over Smarts Mtn (much worse, although beautiful view from firetower), then up Mt. Cube to the shelter (just plain worn out at this point).Lots of mud to negotiate today, and yesterday as well. NH so far is looking like the Long Trail section of Vermont, although wwith better views.People: Graham from ScotlandAnimals: Porcupine!!! He was on the edge of the trail as we came down from Holt's Ledge, and quickly scurried off into the forest. Cute little black and white quills...Money: 0Complaints: NoneThoughts: We've had some tougher days the past few days, but they are welcome as training sessions for the Whites. I've seen the elevation profiles, and they aren't pretty. Both Biscuits! and I are looking forward to the challenge.Cooler weather is here! I'm glad I have my warm gear, as it definitely cooled down last night, and should get even cooler tonight (Graham mentioned possible high-30's).
Date: 2005-06-23
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: Jeffers Brook Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: broken clouds

Starting Time: 9:20Starting Location: Hexacuba ShelterEnding Time: 4:00 (with extra 30 mins to shelter after hostel stop)Ending Location: Jeffers Brook ShelterMiles: 15.8Morning Weather: Sunny and warmAfternoon Weather: Sunny and high 70'sBreakfast: CIB and cereal barLunch: Bars and gorpDinner: Modified ramen, tunaMisc. Food: 2 Snickers, Pepsi, Mtn. Dew at hostelTrail Description: Great climb up Mt. Cube. It was a lot of fun, plus the views were great. Fairly easy the rest of the day. Mt. Mist summit was a bummer (if you've been there, you'll understand).People: Graham, Phat Chap, 3 dudes from D.C. section hikingAnimals: NoneMoney: 13.50 at hostel for showers, laundry, misc foodComplaints: NoneThoughts: We are glad that today was an easier day after yesterday's brutality. We stopped off at Hiker's Welcome Hostel to shower and do laundry. It was a total dump, but a cool hostel nonetheless. All "services" were located under an outside awning-type tent and seemed extremely temporary in nature. The house where the hostel was located wasn't even finished (although it is an older property). It was a very funky place. Phat Chap, who was the overseer, was great to jaw with and provided good information as well as juicy trail gossip.
Date: 2005-06-24
From: Jeffers Brook Shelter

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Starting Time: 6:30Starting Location: Jeffers Brook ShelterEnding Time: 4:00Ending Location: Eliza Brook ShelterMiles: 15.9Morning Weather: Slightly hazy and mid 60'sAfternoon Weather: Still hazy, maybe mid 70's...nice breezeBreakfast: 1/2 CIB and cereal barLunch: Bars and gorpDinner: Beans and rice, Mtn. House, tunaTrail Description: Oh mama. Beautiful but big climb up Moosilauke. We hit the summit a 8:30am and had it all to ourselves. Awesome! Very difficult down the north side...knee buster to the max. Annoying straight up sections going up Mt. Wolf.People: Graham, M&M, other couple, 30 French Canadian tourists/hikersAnimals: NoneMoney: 0Complaints: NoneThoughts: First of all, happy 30th Stevie!!!Wow, the Whites are here! The climb up Moosilauke, at 4 miles and 3,300 ft. of elevation gain, woke us up to a new reality. The contour lines on the map look like a plate of spaghetti gone wrong. Going above treeline was spectacular. The panoramic view was awesome, and taught us that there were more to come. The descent down the north side taught us another reality - that no mile is an easy mile in the Whites. You have to consider every step, because you're stepping on roots, slick rocks, big boulders, and all sorts of other obstacles that could mangle you in no time flat. I got tired of thinking today about where I was stepping...in fact, it's maybe the most thinking I've done on this hike.
Date: 2005-06-25
From: Eliza Brook Shelter

To: Franconia Notch/North Woodstock
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: clear sky

Starting Time: 5:20Starting Location: Eliza Brook ShelterEnding Time: 10:30amEnding Location: Franconia Notch/North WoodstockMiles: 8.8 Morning Weather: Warm and then hot as heckAfternoon Weather: A local told us it reached 100 in North WoodstockBreakfast: BarsLunch: Club sandwich and huge plate of nachos at Truant's TavernDinner: Seafood platter that I couldn't finish at Woodstock Station...somebody could revoke my thruhiker title!Misc. Food: Cold eggs and yummy blueberry coffecake at the hut, ice cream and slushy in townTrail Description: VERY difficult and slow climb over Mt. Kinsman. We had to scramble up and over large rocks, in a pretty much straight up grade, for about 2 miles . The descent was also difficult (rocks, roots, steep, etc.) until the Lonesome Lake Hut, where it got very "trail" like and became a fast cruise down to Franconia Notch.People: Graham, Charles/Rocky (thruhiker in '03 from Atlanta) working at hut, Julie and Andrew from Tupelo who gave me a round-trip ride to the outfitter and back to the motelAnimals: NoneMoney: 50 for room (split with Graham), 30 for lunch, 40 for dinnerComplaints: Short miles, but almost necessary due to upcoming difficulty and the spacing of the campsites and hutsThoughts: We had a super-early start today because we needed to make the post office by noon. The climb over Kinsman took much longer than expeced due to the scrambling, but the summit was beautiful and, again, we had it all to ourselves. I was in a rush to get down, and just like the previous day, the downhill was as slow as the climb due to rocks and roots. The trail finally relented at the hut and I pretty much ran down to the interstate.The hut was cool, and the "croo" workers there gave us leftovers from breakfast. Very cool and very gone in no time. Rocky is from Atlanta and lives in Midtown. He ended up picking us up and taking us into town as well...thanks Rocky!Town was great. There was a festival going on, so there were lots of people. Truant's Tavern and Woodstock station were yummy, and our trip to Lincoln (for outfitter, store, etc.) proved a success. A couple from Tupelo that we saw on the trail in the morning took me to the outfitter, which was super-nice of them. They had been on a week-long vacation dayhiking the AT in several New England states. They did Katahdin two days ago. Very cool!We crashed by watching Pulp Fiction until we couldn't keep our eyes open...By the way, I passed 1,800 miles today!!!