morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-04
From: Kirkridge Shelter area (Tenting)

To: Mile 1299.3
Miles today: 26.2

What makes The Appalachian Trail so difficult at times? Could it be the 470,000 feet of elevation gain? Is it simply the days that become weeks, which turn into months? Maybe it¢s the rocks; there are quite a few around currently? Certainly it must be the rain, that clammy never ending, clothes damp for day¢s wetness? I suppose each is valid at a certain time, or all at the same moment ganging up on you. However, today I was reminded of one of the tougher qualities that usually zaps me ¢ heat and high humidity! Let¢s see, how much water did I drink today? ¢¦Two, no¢¦ four¢¦ no¢¦ I¢ve got it, SEVEN Liters of water with Gatorade powder added. And I¢m still drinking as I¢m waiting for bedtime!The plan was to try for Brink Road Shelter (sort of insane with its 30 mile distance, I stopped here not because I found a water source and a nice, moss fluffy camp site, but because my feet and legs were starting to cramp. Crazy ¢ Seven liters of water and they¢re still telling me they want more hydration!How much water did you drink today? Two glasses? Three? A liter? Seven liters is a lot of water if it just sits inside you. Of course, carrying 26 pounds in 90-degree temp with 90 percent humidity, and the water pours out of you ¢ or it does me. I¢ll take off the silk weight shirt and give it six or more twists at every rest ¢ about a full cup of water squeezes out. Mystic, when he was around, always sat in amazement at the spectacle!My time at the folks and hiking with my dear friend Jubilant John has given me space between all who were on the trail those first two months¢¦ the large groups at the shelters has thinned. And by tenting more, this hike is giving me more quiet that I want and enjoy. It¢s making this hike different in a good way.Oh good heavens, apparently this dehydration has made me lose my head. Tonight I sleep in New Jersey. Welcome to State No. 8, welcome to the Garden State, and Happy Independence Day. To celebrate, the AT gave me countless black raspberry bushes, ripe with delicious jewels ¢ my hands runath over.
Date: 2006-07-05
From: Mile 1299.3

To: Rutherford Shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: light rain

The mosquitoes last night and here tonight are most annoying. I prefer the ones last night since they were slow flying ¢ killed at least thirty. Tonight¢s sqeetters are a bit quicker, but I¢m nearing last night¢s tally.Many day hikers kept warning us of the forecasted severe thunderstorms. So when BoomBoomBoom made its presents known around 3: p.m. I pulled an audible and headed for the shelter closest ¢ in this case, six miles shorter than planned.Snickers (hadn¢t seen him since McAfee Knob) and I are the only ones here¢¦ other than the mosquitoes. The thunder and rain didn¢t seem to be the fierce monster others had warned us about. So, I¢m still thinking more is on its way even though we just had a nice fuschia cloud sunset.Now that the sun is gone, I can see several bats darting around trying to help with the squeeter situation. Joining them is many hundred fireflies. They really are so magical, reminds me of Tinkerbelle.
Date: 2006-07-06
From: Rutherford Shelter

To: NJ 94
Miles today: 24.2

Bzzzz went the mosquitoes by my ears last night. The Deet kept them at bay, but without my music and earplug-headphones, they beat any mouse shenanigans for annoyance. The Weather Channel recently reported that for Pennsylvania (and maybe New Jersey too), that June was the wettest on record. All that water may have me on a collision course with a very buggy July. And it only gets worse in Connecticut and Massachusetts.Something wonderful happened today that hasn¢t happened for about the last 150 miles. Today, I actually was able to raise my head to look at something other than all the rock strewned trail. Instead of cautiously looking where every footstep could be placed, the rocks finally faded out. How nice it was to walk looking up! Seeing what could be seen. Glorious. However, the smoothness soon gave way to bog and swamp walks on top of lumber called Puncheons. One thing you learn quickly out here is how remarkably slippery wet wood is, so these Puncheons keep you on your guard.The continued humidity and heavy sweating it triggers had my clothes getting a powerful ammonia stench. As a result, I hitched the mile-and-a-half at NJ 94 to The Appalachian Motel. This also helped me avoid another afternoon rain (didn¢t avoid the morning shower). To solve the stench problem, my clothes and I all took a shower. All of us got shampooed and soaped up. My feet served as the agitator. Everything is hanging and will be ready for my heavy sweating tomorrow. Boy is this a hot section of the
Date: 2006-07-07
From: NJ 94

To: NY 17
Miles today: 27.2

In case you¢re interested in owning some Swampland here in New Jersey, don¢t bother looking, the ATC I¢m sure owns it all! It seems that the New Jersey that isn¢t a rock-covered obstacle course is walking lumber through swamps, bogs, marshes and anything else that means land drowning in water.But there is good news (No, I didn¢t just save a bunch of money by switching to GEICO). New Jersey is done!Hello from The Empire State, home of NY NY, the city so great they say it twice. Welcome to New York, State No. 9.One moment you¢re walking in woods, the next you¢re up on these enormous, gargantuan boulders above all the trees. Miles upon miles is spent walking across these monsters ¢ always offering stunning views of the surrounding lakes. It is on one of these behemoths that you find in white paint an NY and an NJ separated by a line. The crossing was made all the sweeter, thanks to a serious break in the heat. A wonderful cool 62-degree morning made for the most pleasant miles. In face, at a particular road crossing where a super homemade Ice Cream farm sits only 100 yards from the trail, I actually got a chill in the cool temps! Of course the TWO vanilla milkshakes, each made with three scoops might have contributed?My second pair of shoes have just about had it ¢ they have 750 miles on them, and frankly, any wetness at all on the rocks and their worthless. As a result on one such slip in footing against the New York boulders, I had to put all my off-balance weight onto one hiking pole today, It snapped in half - BAM! And their titanium! Anyway, thank goodness for duck tape ¢ I made a stout repair only now one of the poles is six inches too short. But its strong and hopefully when I see my buddy Dean in another day we can run up to Kent, Connecticut to the Outfitters for replacement parts or a new set. I don¢t want to head into areas like The White¢s with half-ass trekking poles.That event was enough to say ¢uncle¢ on this pair of shoes ¢ they just have to last till Kent where the folks can overnite pair No. 3. So that¢s it for today ¢ I¢ll say goodnite to you all from New York. Sleep well everyone!
Date: 2006-07-08
From: NY 17

To: Bear Mountain Bridge
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: broken clouds

(Based on the entries of my further north friends of the trail, let me bring their families up to speed so the info can be passed on. Mystic is 4 days ahead of me. Marley is a day ahead of Mystic. Master plan and Bloody Mess (once known as LB) are 13 and 14 days ahead of me.)Lots of deer today ¢ seven does and one six-point buck. Despite expressways everywhere, including having to run across one, the steep up and downs keep the day hikers off apparently. So the deer hang and tolerate the occasional thru-hiker. I like that since I love spotting them.My old friend and creative partner from my early advertising years arrived right on time. Dean and I headed into White Plains to the outfitters to replace my snapped hiking pole. Upon entering, Dean announced to the entire store that a famous outdoor author was here¢¦ Me. To equal the embarrassment, I announced that when I started my thru-hike back in Georgia 3-months ago, I was as heavy as Dean. (Ooo! Dig) Great fun, we certainly had the store in our palm.Big cheddar burgers and Irish ales quickly followed naturally.When Dean¢s second cousin Nina arrived (she loves to hike too), we all went to a membership beach to a BBQ right on The Sound of Long Island and Rye, New York. It was quite yuppie of us, even though we three were short on yup.It was awesome to see Dean again, its been some ten years. In that time, he¢s been one of the most notable Creative Directors in the World of Advertising. He has a great mind. (We sure created some very good work together)Back at the house we all fought off heavy eyelids as his grown up kids staggered in hour after hour.Tomorrow it¢s back to Bear Mountain Bridge early, but maybe a Starbucks first. I don¢t think Dean has gotten up at 5: in the last 20 years ¢ should be silly
Date: 2006-07-09
From: Bear Mountain Bridge

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

Somehow, despite not getting to bed by midnight, we walked out of Dean¢s house by 5:45 a.m. He was amazed that the sun was up and it was so bright out! ¢Yea, the Sun. It actually comes up at 5:30 a.m., not ten,¢ I said. No response ¢ Dean needed Starbucks.By seven we were hugging goodbye at the bridge. The clouds and sky were right out of a Dutch Impressionist canvas. The rocky climb immediately begins, that¢s where two more doe¢s were spotted. The first had one fawn; the second doe had two ¢ a double fawn birth, impressive!No great climbs, however it was far from flat. A flyer on a tree announced that an AT trail crew would be doing work near tonight¢s shelter¢¦AND they¢d be cooking up food there for the thru-hikers. Score!!And what tasty food it most definitely was. Burgers, dogs, pork, salad, and fresh lemonade ¢ we were stylin with our sporks. Oh, and c h a i r s !
Date: 2006-07-10
From: RPH Shelter

To: Wiley Shelter
Miles today: 25.6
Weather: broken clouds

With plenty of food needing to be eatin¢, Map Man and Robin were up early to get the charcoal fired up on the big shelter grill. They¢re a married couple thru hiking ¢ I¢d heard the names, but it wasn¢t until last week that we finally met near Bear Mountain. Robin was scurrying around like a mother hen where all us male, hiker slugs sat in amazement at her selfless energy. They¢re both so nice and closer to my age.A quick ham, egg and cheese sandwich and I was on the trail. The plan was for another 25-mile day; only the humidity and heat were coming back with a vengeance.Its days like today that I¢m glad we walk below the forest canopy. By 3: p.m. I had 19 miles done and had drunk almost six liters of water. At Hwy 22 a woman had a hot dog stand open for business, but it wasn¢t so much her dogs I wanted, but rather what was in the ice chest. Let¢s see, two root beers began the drink fest. Then a black-cherry soda. A diet Pepsi (only it didn¢t have any carbs) followed by another root beer. Yep, five sodas, one right after the other.Sitting with me this whole time was Kutsa; we¢d met back in The Shenandoah¢s. My time with Jubilant John and then hanging out longer than expected so that I could see my nephew when he came home on leave. Preston is a 1st Lutenient in the Army. He¢s recently been told to prepare for Afghanistan, that¢s why I took so many days off from the trail. I wanted to make sure I got to see him.Kutsa and I finally left the soda lady (she packed up and left ¢ damn it!) and finished the last six miles where we found some nice trail magic just before the shelter. I then had a Bud and a bottle of water (and drank another liter from my hydration bladder.)I hope you¢re getting an idea of how much liquid I drink to do the mileage while carrying the pack in this heat and humidity. It seems I¢m always thirsty. You¢d think I¢d be a sloshing container of beverages.
Date: 2006-07-11
From: Wiley Shelter

To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 12.7

I wasn¢t getting a restful sleep last night in the shelter. It was a much older lean-to and the floor depth was maybe six foot three inches ¢ meaning my feet were hitting the back wall and my clothes bag (pillow) was barely staying on the platform. Anyway, by 4: a.m. I decided to just get up, have my milkshake and head out into the morning darkness with my whimpy headlamp. Besides, the morning glow of pre-sunrise would be up in 40 minutes. So I slowly made progress from 4:30 a.m. till then, when the ambient light made my headlamp moot.Ever present throughout it all was the 98% humidity ¢ Oh I just love humidity. You know, how it¢s so wonderfully thick that you can swallow it, how it drenches you head to toe, how your clothes feel as if you¢re swimming in their moist weight. Yep, humidity and I love each other, and today was another interlude with bliss¢¦ NOT! At one point I stepped aside to let a school of tuna swim through. Then some mackerel went around me from behind ¢ apparently I wasn¢t moving up the hills fast enough. Well, excuse me!The only blessing with such conditions, was knowing that it was to be a short 12.7-mile day into Kent. And by the way, somewhere in all that thick, moist soup, I crossed another Stateline. Welcome to Connecticut.I exited the woods just before ten in the morning. The ¢Hiker to Town¢ bandana got attached to the trekking poles and no time pasted before I was in the back of a pick-up heading into town.Kent doesn¢t have many lodging choices, and most are pricy. Unfortunately my choice, The Fife & Drum is closed on Tuesdays ¢ today was Tuesday. But I spotted the housekeeper and ask how I could get a room she said ¢The yellow house¢ ¢ which was behind the lodge. So, I knocked and sweet-talked the owner into walking over and checking me in. ¢I never do this,¢ he said, but I said he was doing it for a repeat customer. He smiled. Amazingly, he showed up moments later with a bucket of ice. Isn¢t it wonderful how being nice makes things happen? Of course, maybe there are other benefits from being a clean-shaven hiker. You seem less ¢homeless¢.Having a place to stay brought calm to my discombobulated mood, all was right with the world so town errands swung into action.Kent would be the first of three town stops on my plan ¢ literally repeating my Connecticut escapade of just two years earlier.
Date: 2006-07-12
From: Kent, Connecticut

To: Sharon, Connecticut
Miles today: 15.9

It¢s always nice to wake up, turn on The Weather Channel and hear ¢Severe Thunderstorms, large hail, high winds and rain accumulation of one inch¢ when you¢re about to hike out of town. Nothing like facing the teeth of the dog ¢ Oh well.With only 15.9 miles into Sharon, plus having a motel reservation, little can bother me. One glimpse at the dobler radar (which is all I pay attention to) I decided there was no rush. I was destined to get pounded into misery all day, might as well go for coffee and Danish.When I did start to walk out of town, without a ¢Hiker to Trail¢ bandana, I used the universal symbol for ride ¢ The Thumb. Bam. I was being driven out to the trailhead. Hey, eight-tenths is eight-tenths.A steep up, although short, awaits those exiting Kent. Back up to the ridgeline to peaks and cliffs. That¢s where the rain found me ¢ just before the steep descent. It¢s always bad timing to face a steep rocky descent just as Mother Nature has made them icy slick with rain.Other than the impending doom forecast by The Weather Channel, the hike was dense with greenery and varied in ups and downs. The easy part (which we don¢t always have) came from a glorious five mile stroll along The Houstonic River, which thanks to the daily rain as of late had it a bit more angry than normal.Other than a handful of orange newts, not many were on the AT. By two I was in a Scion heading into Sharon and The Sharon Motor Lodge, where two years earlier I visited a small restaurant for a marvelous dinner ¢ which I wanted to repeat. Pappadellis¢ is your best choice if ever you¢re in Sharon, Connecticut. If you¢re a grown up, you appreciate a nicer meal ever so often.While enjoying dessert here at Pappadellis¢, the waitress informed me to ¢watch out for the Mountain Lions¢. There are definite Bobcats around, but Mountain Lions? All of a sudden Black Bears are the least of our worries. Yes, I may be skeptical, but if my friend Alleghany can be bit by a Timber Rattler here in the gentile lands of Connecticut, well then anything can happen in my book.I think I¢ll keep my hiking pole tungsten tips sharp and ready. Tomorrow¢¦ Salisbury!
Date: 2006-07-13
From: Sharon, Connecticut

To: Salisbury, Connecticut
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

Two years ago in this same section, it rained the day before, thunder stormed that night and in the morning (today), had rain and drizzle present. So with conditions nearly the same, I was curious if I¢d experience the Mountain of Orange Newts a second time?They¢re the most diminutive four legged critters on the forest floor ¢ I love them. With their bright orange skin and poke-a-dot back, it¢s a fun hiking game to cont their numbers. (It¢s either fun or the monotony of 1,400 miles on foot is taking its toll?)Up to the ridge from the road crossing to Sharon, that¢s where I entered the domain of The Orange Newts. In 2004, after counting 42 of them on my ascent of Roan Mountain, I was pleasantly surprised when I broke that tally on this mountain ¢ 73 sightings set my personal record.Once on the ridge the AT dips and rises gently, this is where they live, play and hike the AT.One. There was the first, Two, Three. The numbers were once again adding up. But surely a number as large as 73 could not happen again. Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-One. Wow. My eyes were riveted to the trail, views ¢ what views. I was walking in the land of the orange midgets. When the number hit forty-eight, I started to think ¢Maybe¢. That¢s when ten minutes went by without any. Then a dip and another rise¢¦ forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one. OK, back on track. This year they seemed smaller than before, it was nearly a month sooner though ¢ maybe they¢ll grow.After a turn a whole cluster were hanging out¢¦ sixty-two, sixty-three¢¦ seventy, seventy-one!This was amazing, just two sky of the same enormous tally. It might happen now, just two more to tie, three to set my new record. So, I walked on, my eyes scanning the trail left and right. The mountain by now was descending, just two more, two more to break the AT World Record of Orange Newts. Of course the accolades that come with such a prestigious record, well, spotting Big Foot pales by comparison. Down the mountain went, nothing¢¦ zip¢¦ bubkiss¢¦ my steps slowed so I could look more, but alas, none were there to be counted. Seventy-One, a good tally, but not a new AT record. Ho-hum and a sigh : - (
Date: 2006-07-14
From: Salisbury, Connecticut

To: Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Miles today: 22.1
Weather: clear sky

Hello from Massachusetts. Gee, I don¢t even know what number state this is anymore? That¢s pretty bad considering I only have to take notice of just a handful¢¦ maybe its state No. 11?This morning started with just my very close friend, Mr. Humidity and me. The fog was so dense with Mr. Humidity at 98% that the air moisture was falling from the sky in splats everywhere. No rain was forecast, but it might has well been with that kind of dew point.The day involved Connecticut¢s highest mountain, Bear Mountain. The Bear isn¢t too difficult on the northbound ascent; it¢s the descent that¢s wicked. Wicked because every rock and root are dripping in wetness. Wicked also since the descent is about 60 degrees of wet rocks and roots ¢ and hiking shoes just hate woodland wet rocks and roots. Or should I say, their owners do ¢ me. Yep, the feet went out from under me sending me sliding down a slanted, impossibly slick rock ledge. Skin just loves sliding down rock ¢ puts a nice tattoo on your arm which you get to feel for a week or more. That¢s fall No. 7, I think?Regardless of the trail theathtrics, I got over the summits of Lion¢s Head & Bear Mountain, which brought me to The Massachusetts Stateline. Then it was up Race Mountain and Mt. Everett. A tough day of climbing and stepping gingerly for over twenty miles. By the time I reached MA 7, a road that leads to Great Barrington, I was heading into town for one strategic reason. The beauty of having hiked before, I knew this area was the absolute worst for mosquitoes. The next couple of days I¢ll hike the day and sleep the night out of the kingdom of the flying pests. One can only carry so much Deet, and here, Deet is necessary.The Hiker To Town bandana has been batting a thousand lately. Almost under sixty-seconds for the last couple weeks. Quite impressive ¢ it certainly makes hiker life a bit easier.I¢m currently sitting here in a Japanese restaurant near the motel. (This is the second Japanese dinner I¢ve had in two days¢¦ Kent, CT being the other. Sure beats Lipton noodle dinners.) Named Shiro, I know from my experience and hobby with exotic Japanese Koi, that Shiro refers to the pure white bodies (or scales) of those garden fish. And I just love the design and style sensibilities of the Orient.The weather Channel is harping on the heat wave blanketing the U.S. I suppose that means more days with Mr. Humidity and wringing out my shirt ten times a day? I¢m a human sponge ¢ only in reverse.
Date: 2006-07-15
From: Great Barrington, Massachusetts

To: Main Road - Tyringham, Massachusetts
Miles today: 20.5

Before ever heading back to the trail this morning, I prepared for Massachusetts mosquito madness. I covered myself in so much 100% Deet that while sitting in my motel room chair, my arms were sticking to the arms varnish. Deet is truly nasty stuff. Then I called the folks for a brief update ¢ the plastic phone earpiece stuck to my ear or should I say the Deet on my ear.Two nice travelers from Providence, Rhode Island volunteered to shuttle me back to the trailhead (Thank You both!), only we (me) had difficulty spotting the AT from the highway. I finally spotted a white blaze on a post out in a field and was able to start my day.With possible Thunderstorms in the afternoon, I moved quickly, which made it tougher on the mosquitoes. No sense making it easy for them.By four that day, I walked over to the B & B and my home out of the woods. That¢s where I got the opportunity to help make an awkward situation for several others, better. Seems a nice couple arrived (one to day hike) and to join up with another couple at the B & B. Only no room was available due to a bookkeeping snafu. So I offered to vacate my room if another could be found ¢ it was, and before I knew it the couple and I were off to talk trail and to enjoy a nice dinner. A great trail surprise and a small way for me to do a kindness for others, the way so many have done for me on this incredible journey.It was a good day topped off with good conversation with new faces. Thank you both for dinner and enjoy the trail, that¢s what its for. Our gift to each other and ourselves was kindness. And every act of kindness gives both the giver and the receiver a self induced shot of Serotonin. So be kind everyone¢¦ it makes You Happy!