morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-07-01
From: Falls Village, CT

To: Falls Village
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

7/1, 0, private home, Goshen, CTI slept in this morning, until 7:30, since we had decided to take a zero today. I folded the couch and started to organize my gear but soon heard some movement upstairs so I ventured up and accepted a cup of coffee. Our plan was to take Walt up on the offer of use of his truck while he and Lynn ran errands, to run to the Salisbury post office and a grocery store. We followed our hosts to their favorite local breakfast cafe where they treated us to breakfast providing even more trail magic. After breakfast we headed for Salisbury arriving a short time later. The post office had my package so we picked it up and searched for the outfitter. Unfortunately the outfitter had closed recently so we were unable to pick up a couple items we would like to have, but can function without. We headed then to Great Barrington where there were more options. Along the way we stopped in Stockbridge to visit Alice's Resturant, made famous in the song by Arlo Guthrie. We located the resturant but discovered it was under renovation due to damage from frozen pipes this past winter so we were not able to eat there. We arrived in Great Barrington, located a couple of miscellaneous items and headed for the grocery store. After the grocery we made a quick stop for lunch, and headed back to Walt's. At the house we set about repackaging and inventorying our food supplies. We decided to keep four days food in our packs, and mail three more days forward which Walt will handle for us in the morning. After repacking, Walt and Lynn had prepared a hamburger and sweet corn feast for us which we enjoyed fully on the back deck overlooking the pond. After dinner it was out to feed the Llamas again and then a stop at the neighbors to visit. The neighbors seemed interested in our adventure so we visited for about 30 minutes answering questions and telling stories. We returned to Walt's as darkness and the mosquitoes took the night and have finished packing for our 7 am departure tomorrow. It has been a wonderful, restful resupply here and I thank Walt and Lynn for their hospitality and kindness providing trail magic above and beyond the usual. Tomorrow we will leave here around 7 and be on trail soon thereafter headed north once again. The weather forecast is for four wonderful days for hiking so we look forward to moving on. Silverback
Date: 2015-07-02
From: Falls Village

To: Race Brook Falls Campsite
Miles today: 18.9

7/2, 18.9, Race Brook Falls CampsiteWe woke early this morning to pack and head for the trail by 7. Walt and Lynn fixed coffee and we set out about 7:10. We stopped by the diner to get some muffins and another coffee then headed the 15 miles back to the trail. Our stay with Walt and Lynn was very restful and refreshing for which we are very thankful. On the way to the trail we passed near the Lime Rock raceway so Walt pulled in to show us around. Unfortunately we could not get past the main gate because of repaving work being done. Lime Rock is one of the oldest tracks in the country with racing history dating back to the early 50's but I guess I will have to see it another time. After goodbyes we were on trail at 8:30 this morning hiking in cooler temps and the promise of several clear days. The climbs are starting to get longer again and we had three today the first of which was right away. After a zero day climbs are always a moment to feel strong again, but that fades after a couple hours of hiking. The hike otherwise was filled with blueberries, climbs and steep descents, grand views and a couple milestones.Early this afternoon we crossed the 1500 mile mark which leaves just 689.2 to hike and finish this journey. In addition we crossed another state line and have moved into Massachusetts. We have been struck by the ruggedness of the mountains in this area and treated to some of the best panoramic views thus far. We arrived at the campsite at 6:30 where we have wooden platforms to pitch our tents, a stream nearby and a privy. We were all pretty tired from the near 19 miles hiked today so we ate and turned in quickly. Tomorrow starts wi another big climb so we have much to look forward to. Silverback.
Date: 2015-07-07
From: Kay Wood Shelter

To: St Mary's, Cheshire, MA
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: light rain

7/7, 12, St Mary's Hostel, CheshireToday was a shorter hiking day but productive nonetheless. We started out after a warm muggy night of restless sleep to hike the three miles into Dalton where our most recent resupply was in the post office. We prepared for rain as the forecast was 60% chance of thunderstorms all day, and it felt like it was ready the moment we hiked out. As usual we started with a climb out of the shelter valley, but then it was up and over the ridge and down into Dalton. The clouds kept changing over the early hike but it never did start raining. We settled into the coffee shop at 8:05 to wait for the post office to open at 8:30. After a coffee and some breakfast I walked over to the post office where only one of the two boxes we were expecting had arrived. Fortunately the one we did get was the most critical as it contained my next two weeks of medications. After chasing down the other it was revealed that it was sitting in the post office in Albuquerque. I wonder how long they would have sat on a box marked "hold for AT thru hiker" in Albuquerque? The post office will get it to Dalton and IB left forwarding instructions to send it to Manchester Center, VT. That will be our next resupply in 3 or 4 days. We hiked out of Dalton at 11:00 heading for Cheshire, pronounced "chesher", where we planned to stay in a hostel to dry out from the rain. The rain finally started around 1:00 and alternated with periods of sunshine all afternoon and now into the evening. Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy as well. We arrived at the hostel at 2:45 and waited to check in at 3:00. We are in the fellowship hall of the local catholic church where they provide a space on the floor in air conditioned luxury for a donation. It is nice to be able to dry out for the evening and start out dry tomorrow, at least for a bit. Otter and Wayfarer are here as well as some others I have not met yet so there is some activity. Mostly though people are preparing for tomorrow by eating and relaxing and getting ready to turn in fairly early. Tomorrow morning we plan to hike out at 6:30 in order to add hiking time to the day since our goal is 21.5 miles and includes our first peak over 3000 ft since Virginia. Mt. Graylock is the highest point on the trail in Massachusetts and we start tomorrow with the 8 miles steadily climbing to the summit. From there we hike up and down above 2000 ft. We plan to slip a half mile off trail to a grocery for a couple of small items, but will be hiking hard and steady all day. Silverback
Date: 2015-07-09
From: Williamstown, MA

To: Congdon Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: few clouds

7/9, 14.1, Congdon ShelterVermont! 1600 miles! The milestones just keep ticking away and I just keep walking. We woke a little later this morning because we only needed to be packed and ready, waiting for the continental breakfast to be open. After breakfast we decided to walk the 2 miles back to the trail through town since the motel owner's provided ride back was not until 9 am. We were on trail headed north again at 8:30 and around 8:45, IB realized he did not have the GoPro camera around his neck. He was sure he left it in the motel room but searched his entire pack anyway to be certain. After not finding it he and JP decided to head back to town to get cell signal and call the motel. Otter had already hiked on ahead and I decided to do the same and wait at the shelter where we decided to make our lunch stop. The hike today was a decent climb for the first three miles, then rolling up and down to the shelter for lunch. Otter and I settled into the lunch spot at 11:45 and waited for IB and JP to arrive. At 12:30 they hiked in with GoPro in hand, or on neck I should say. They had hiked back and called the motel asking the owner to pick them up at the trail to go back and look. When they arrived at the pick up point they waited just a few minutes when the motel owner pulled up and got out of his truck holding the missing camera. All was well again so we finished lunch and hiked on. The weather was good, cool temperatures and some breeze, but the forecast was for rain to start around 4 pm so we were headed for a shelter to avoid tenting in the rain. A slight sprinkle did start around 2 but the steady rain held off until around 4:30. We arrived at the shelter about that same time and found it nearly full. When we reached the Vermont border we joined, and run together for 100 miles, the Vermont long trail. With two trails together the population is higher, and shelter space hard to get. Otter decided to hang his hammock, and IB set his tent with JP. I was able to take one of the spaces in the shelter so I am laying here listening to others cook and talk as more hikers keep hiking in. I have lost count but there must be nearly 25 people in all sharing the camping area, and more keep hiking in at 7 pm. The next few days are forecast to be pretty clear so I am guessing I will opt for my tent when we stop for the evening to minimize my exposure to the many germs and such that can pass along the trail. Silverback
Date: 2015-07-16
From: Sherburne Pass, Inn at the Long Trail

To: Winturi Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

7/16, 18, Winturri ShelterIt's 8pm and I can barely hold my eyes open to write. Our hike today was 18 miles but it seemed like there were no level trails, only steep up or down, but it was a good day. The Inn at Long Trail was a great stop that got better at breakfast. Our stay included breakfast with fresh fruit, a spinach omelette, sausage, fried potatoes, toast and coffee in such huge portions we were amazed. Breakfast service was late, starting at 7:30, so we got out of the Inn late and after hiking the .5 trail back to the AT, we were on our way at 9:30. It was a late start so we knew we would have to avoid long breaks and side trips. The hiking weather was textbook perfect today. Humidity was low, temperatures stayed in the mid 60's and a slight breeze was blowing. We stopped for lunch around 1:00 at a nice shelter so I would have a solid floor to lay on to stretch my back. I have been getting my usual low back knot any time I bend over my pack, put on my shoes, or sit with no backrest. Since all of these things happen with regularity on the trail I have to take regular moments to stretch my muscles and relax the low back knot. After lunch we only had 10 miles to go but with the climbs and obstacles we knew it would be near 6 pm when we made it to the shelter. A few minutes before 6, we crested the ridge above the shelter and by 6:20 we were moving in to Winturri Shelter. We are beginning to see south bound hikers (SOBO's) each day and have heard the southbound bubble is a couple weeks away. The bubble is the large groups of hikers moving together in each direction. The north bound bubble is a couple weeks behind us still. We have 2 SOBO's in the shelter with us tonight, No Rush and Little Miss Sunshine, so it is interesting to exchange information about the trail, and places to visit along the way.We plan to hike 20 tomorrow so we can hit the Post Office in Norwich Saturday before it closes. That is where I get my new boots, and not a moment too soon. The toe of my right boot has torn open now catching it on roots and rocks, and the lace just gave out on my left. It seems a waste to put a new lace in my boot for a couple days but I guess I can pull it out and put it back in spare service when I get my new ones. On to Maine!Silverback
Date: 2015-07-19
From: Lyme, NH

To: Lyme, NH
Miles today: 11.7

7/19, 11.7, Lyme New HampshireWe slept in a little this morning resting comfortably in David and Lisa's home planning to leave around 7:30 for a short hike. Lisa was excited to hike with us a ways so we decided to do the remainder of the hike into Lyme, about 12 miles. David was up early and made coffee, then served up a load of blueberry pancakes and real maple syrup. It was a feast! After breakfast we loaded up and headed for the trail. We were on trail at 8:30, hiking our usual pace but without packs, making it a very pleasant and easy walk. Lisa is a good hiker, so she had no trouble keeping pace, and new stories while hiking is always welcome. The weather was very humid so we were sweat soaked in no time which made the late morning rain a welcome addition. It rained off and on for a couple hours but with temperatures in the upper 70's we were very comfortable. Lisa donned her rain jacket early and asked when we use ours. We replied that we use jackets with rain in combination with temperatures below 50 degrees. The rain quit early afternoon and we continued our hike. We hiked up and over two mountains today, the second of which afforded several cliff edge views of the valley below. Near the end Lisa lead us off trail to an overlook that was spectacular! Around 2 pm we hiked down the final descent and headed for the home of the ice cream man. The ice cream man offers hikers free ice cream bars and drink mix, with sodas for sale from his front porch. He is a very interesting retired physician from Harvard who hands out freebies to hikers who sign his register. We enjoyed a nice visit while waiting for our ride to pick us up. We are back at the house now and dinner is being prepared with plans to watch a a movie together this evening. Tomorrow I will visit the chiropractor on our zero day and we will try and rest our bodies as much as possible as we prepare to hike on Tuesday morning. With today's hike we now have 424.6 miles to go. Next, the White Mountains of legend and lore. We are told that we have covered 75% of the trail, but only done 50% of the work. Bring on the whites!Silverback
Date: 2015-07-21
From: Lyme NH

To: Lyme NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

7/21, 0, Lyme NHAnother day and a day of reckoning. Would I be OK after one more chiro visit or would we need to make a difficult decision, encouraging the others to hike on if I am unable. David's breakfast today was a blueberry/oatmeal/nut pancake that was spectacular and almost took my mind off my plight. My back this morning was much better, but still pretty stiff. I was able to walk and move with much less pain, no spasms and a much smaller area of pain. I felt the progress was good but was not sure if it would be good enough after one more adjustment to hike on tomorrow. I did know that tomorrow is the soonest, so we have decided to aim for that depending on the Dr.s exam.I was back to Sharon and on the exam table getting an electro-message to prepare for adjustment at 10:00 am. The Dr. began his exam after 20 minutes of message and was very pleased. The muscles had relaxed quite a lot, perhaps more than he expected, and he proceeded to assess and adjust my hips. After another twenty minute I was noticeably more comfortable and the Dr. Asked if I would begin hiking again tomorrow. When I said that was my hope he said do the ice and Ibuprofen the same as yesterday and I should be good to go! That was great news so I headed back to Lyme to pack and prepare, while icing every 20 minutes on and off. IB and Otter had come along to run some other errands so we decided to pick up a few thank you gifts for our hosts as we headed back to Lyme. Our trail magic stop here in Lyme could not have been timed better but it is time to hike on so back at the house we all started packing. By this time the routine is very familiar to us as we check and double check our supplies and equipment. This upcoming section of trail we have planned more precisely than others due to the difficulty of terrain through the White Mountains, and the variety of resupply and hostel opportunities. All reports are that the next two weeks will be our toughest hiking of the trail so we are taking it very cautious. We have planned fewer miles per day and fit in a few slack pack days to rest our legs a bit. If all goes well we should be in Maine in 12 days. Well all has settled here. We have packed, arranged and said our goodbyes. I cannot thank David and Lisa enough for their warmth, friendship and hospitality in my time of need. I was just a friend of a friend's friend just a few short days ago, but we are now friends. Did u follow that?...let it suffice to say it has been a good break for physical recovery her in New Hampshire. Tomorrow we march north!Silverback
Date: 2015-07-23
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: Hikers Welcome Hostel
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

7/23, 14.6, Hikers Welcome Glencliffe NHToday started like so many others with the release of air from my mattress and the stretch of my muscles before rising. Meds, privy and pack. Breakfast somewhere in between and we were on trail at 7:15 today. Our climbs were less than previous challenges but as of late, the challenge has been wetness. We had some overnight rain so the trail was full of water, mud and the related slipperiness those two combine to create. The real upside today was the daytime weather with temperatures in the low to mid 60's and overcast skies making for little or no sweat while straining. Those are perfect hiking conditions. We hiked strong today even though we had only 14 miles planned. Today was more about staging our entry into the White Mountains than making miles so it was enjoyable, and almost casual. We enjoyed some magnificent overlooks which we are told are a minor precursor to the views ahead. We had heard about a hiker getting injured and assisted off the mountain yesterday and mid morning learned by text message it was Moxie. She had fallen just before the Fire Wardens cabin yesterday, where we took lunch, and has a very bad, swollen bruise in an unmentionable location. She will be off trail for a week recovering so we wish her a speedy return. The most significant encounter today though, is the number of southbound thru hikers we are seeing. They have finally surpassed the north bounders in number, and we are headed straight for the big bubble in a few days. Here at the hostel tonight the split appears to be 60% SOBO and 40% NOBO. Today did mark our surpassing the 400 miles to go mark just before the hostel. At 15 miles per day we will be finished in less than a month. We are excited, but we are also ready to be done, so it will be a mixed bag of emotions for the next few weeks.Tomorrow we have arranged a slack pack over Mt Moosilauke so breakfast is at 7 and we will be on trail soon after. For now I will retire to my tent, read and fall asleep in the low 50 degree temperatures. Silverback
Date: 2015-07-25
From: North Woodstock, NH the Notch Hostel

To: Franconia Notch
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: clear sky

7/25, 16.1, Franconia NotchThe 16 miles we hiked today may have been the most difficult section of trail this far. We started today from Kinsman Notch hiking north. We had two mountains to hike over, Mt Wolf at 3500 ft and Mt Kinsman at just over 4300 ft. We were on trail at 7:00, which was earlier than we expected out of the hostel. The Notch Hostel has been great and anyone hiking through should stop off here and enjoy the restful accommodations that make this hostel one of the best! With our early timing on trail we started the day talking about how it might end. Crossing the 1800 mile mark we wanted to celebrate a bit and quickly focused on Mexican dinner with margaritas made with 1800 tequila. We even talked about checking out the local playhouse for a show after dinner. All of those plans would soon come to a screeching change. We hiked up and over Mt Wolf by 10:00 and set our sights on Kinsman. The climbing up Wolf was difficult but not awful but the climb from the base of Kinsman was wet, rooty, rocky and steep. There were many times we just tucked our poles in one hand in order to free the other hand to utilize handholds in the rocks to pull ourselves up as we made our way north. The climb had several "false" peaks, where cresting a low ridge felt like reaching the top, only to reveal yet more climb above. We stopped at a shelter on the way up for a lunch break and began to realize our progress was not what we expected, even slack packing. After lunch our climb continued upwards and wet. When we finally reached the top of Kinsman we were rewarded with marvelous views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. After enjoying the top for a time we headed down. We hoped to make up some time hiking downhill, but the steep grade, rocks, roots and mud kept shortening our evening plans. We reached the final parking area at Crawford Notch at 6:30 and decided quickly to call for a shuttle rather than hitch hike because dinner was waiting! We had the shuttle drop us at the Mexican resturant where we ate a fitting meal for exhausted thru hikers. After picking up a few things at the Price Chopper grocery store we called the shuttle one more time to take us the 3 miles back to the hostel. We quickly snacked on some popcorn and settled in for he night, falling quickly to sleep. The two mountains today took their toll so we will see how much healing comes overnight. Tomorrow we head out with full packs again, north from Crawford Notch with four days of supplies into the heart of the Presidential range. Silverback
Date: 2015-07-26
From: Franconia Notch

To: Garfield Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

7/26, 10.3, Garfield Ridge ShelterToday was the kind of difficult day we are told not to make a decision to quit. We woke to rain, and a forecast of rain rain rain. After fixing blueberry pancakes with New Hampshire maple syrup for breakfast we packed tentatively hoping the rain would take a break. Unfortunately there was no break. We were back on trail at 8:15 planning to hike 10 miles to a shelter in 55 degree temperatures with light rain. With our uphill climb for the day the most positive thing we could identify was the lack of sweat we would experience hiking in short sleeves. Todays hike was much like yesterday, just different and higher mountains. We climbed several hours, finally reaching the top of Little Haystack at around 4800 ft. From there we headed across Franconia Ridge toward Mt Lincoln whose peak reaches 5089 feet. Franconia Ridge is 2 miles of above tree line ridge that affords some of the first breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Today the view looked like photos of polar bear hunting in blizzards. Thats an old Wisconsin line that basically means our overlooks were nothing but white mist. The nicest part about the ridge hike was the rain had quit, and the temperatures stayed above 50 degrees so it was a comfortable hike. Additionally, with nothing to see or distract our attention to the horizon we noticed the myriad of shades of green. From the low conifers, to moss and lichens it was a sea of varied color with the occasional wild flower or mushroom forging its way through the harsh conditions. After crossing the top of Mt Lincoln we headed down the other side. More rocks, steep inclines and wet trail made the hiking/ scrambling a real challenge. At 5:30 we finally reached the water source .2 mile before he shelter where I took on a full load, 4 liters, for the night and to refill for tomorrow. The shelter is relatively new, with room for 12 and is our first pay for stay shelter of the trail. The charge is 8.00 which is worth it to me to have the facilities provided here. Dinner, journaling and heading for bed is the order for the evening. The shelter is again a mix of NOBO & SOBO with many more camping nearby. The trail is certainly crowded at tis point, but we will soon be done!Silverback