morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-05-28
From: Clarence Fahnestock state park

To: Morgan Stewart shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

5/28Morgan Stewart shelter14 milesI slept well in our stealth site, but as soon as I left my tent in the morning, mosquitoes attacked. Neon said she was still tired from yesterday and was going to be slow getting up, and I should go ahead. I took her up on it. The morning's hike was pretty and fairly easy - a nice change of pace from southern NY. I rolled into RPH shelter around 10:30. Time for a snack break! I devoured mass quantities while I waited for Neon. She arrived minutes later with the announcement that she had decided, for various reasons, to get shuttled back to her car today. I gave her a big hug and continued on my way, accompanied by the usual sadness of parting. She's such good company. But she has a real life that needs tending to on occasion. I hit my next shelter after 14 easy miles and set up in the shelter since rain was predicted. Only one other hiker stayed in the shelter - Dan, on his first section. I welcomed him to our tribe. Terrence, Patty and her family, and assorted others tented nearby. Terrence, Dan and I stayed up late talking about a wide range of topics. All of a sudden I realized I had been talking a LOT and stopped, embarrassed. And then we pretty much all turned in.
Date: 2017-05-29
From: Morgan Stewart shelter

To: Telephone Pioneers shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: overcast clouds

5/29Telephone Pioneers shelter7.8 milesI woke up early, ate a Luna bar, and was underway before 7. The trail was nice and the predicted rain was barely a drizzle. But that all changed about 10 AM. The rain turned cold and hard, the wind rose, and I got soaked and chilled despite rain gear and exercise. I had already planned to take a break at the first shelter, so I pulled up there at eleven, put on my fleece top, and made a hot cider. And then a cup of soup. I was marginally warmer, but not comfortable. I weighed my options and decided to stay. It continued to pour while I sat under cover, willing my clothes to dry by body heat. My shirt eventually dried but the seat of my pants never really did. The reinforcements on the seat tend to stay damp, apparently. I gave up at 7:30 and swapped my hiking pants for my silk long underwear for sleeping. Hikers came and went during the day. Terrence and Purge stayed a while to warm up, then left. Redmage decided to stay. He set up his hammock behind the shelter, then we hung out while he cooked his dinner. There is a small lending library here. I grabbed an Orson Scott Card novel but had a hard time reading in the dimness of the shelter. I think I'll take it with me. I think I somehow missed reading it when it came out, and I'll need something to do on the day off I've promised myself soon. Tomorrow I'll get the mail drop I was going to pick up today, and hike closer to Kent. I'd been thinking of a nearo and a zero so I could effectively have two days off, but the mileage won't work out well for that. Tomorrow when I'm certain what day I'll get to town, I'll call around to see where I can find a room. Kent is officially in New England and therefore it will be expensive.
Date: 2017-05-30
From: Telephone Pioneers shelter

To: Ten Mile River Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: light rain

5/30Ten Mile River Shelter12.8 milesI slept very well in the empty shelter. With nobody to worry about waking, but the knowledge of Redmage nearby in his hammock making me feel safe, it was the best of both worlds. I awoke early to the sound of rain. I was comfy and warm, so I rolled over and went back to sleep. I did this once more before struggling back to consciousness at six. I had to pee. I think this is the reason most people have to get out of bed eventually. I didn't have much food left, nor much fuel. I ate a snickers bar and some water with caffeinated drink mix. That didn't take long. I started walking still warmly dressed. The shelter was in a cloud, hence dripping and cold. Once I lost some elevation and dropped below the cloud, I warmed quickly. The trail was slick and muddy. I had to sit and slide down a rock, soaking my recently dried pants. Grump. But the walk was pretty, with lots of bridges and bog boards. The walk through the swamp was dramatically different from 2010, with a really pretty boardwalk replacing submerged bog boards. At the road I turned east and walked down to Tony's Deli. They made me a fantastic breakfast sandwich full of bacon done just right. I bought a bottle of Heet for cooking, a soda, a burger to go, and some gummy peaches. It's a great stop. I would definitely go there again. Also I saw a 1976 thruhiker I had met on the boardwalk, which was neat. Back at the trail, I stopped in at the garden center to get my maildrop. They have had problems with hikers taking advantage of them, and my reception was lukewarm. But they had my maildrop and  I was able to unpack it in a gazebo and recycle the box there. Good enough for me. Returning to my hike, I walked by cows who were not impressed by me, and into the Pawling Nature Reserve. It had a very Lord of the Rings look, like it had been specially crafted to be attractive. I pictured dramatic things happening in the woods around me while I sat and ate my lunch burger. Just as I finished, Cocoa walked by. It was nice to see him!After lunch I continued to Wiley Shelter where I talked a few minutes with Cocoa, then moved on. The four miles to Ten Mile River shelter went quickly. I stopped high on a hill to call a B&B near Kent to make a reservation. Zero day! Once I finish walking there I mean. At the shelter are Old Growth who I met last night, Happy, Bad Moon, and Andante! It's nice to see him again.  With my zero I expect we'll play leapfrog again, but on a larger scale.
Date: 2017-05-31
From: Ten Mile River Shelter

To: Kent
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: broken clouds

5/31Kent at Cooper Creek B&B8.7 milesI woke with the sun, of course. The other three hikers stayed snuggled in their bags as I got up to visit the privy, change clothes, and get my food bag from the bear box. I ate breakfast outside the shelter to minimize noise. But I had to climb back in and make noise to pack up my overnight gear. Sorry guys! Two out of three were blearily awake as I walked away. The day alternated between clouds and downpours. I started hankering for a rain cape that would be easier to use than my raincoat. Lightheart Gear sells one that I'm thinking about ordering. Maybe when my current gear wears out. I would still need a raincoat at times, but sometimes you just want something over your head and shoulders. The rain made everything slippery, including the rocks. The big rocks I had to get over to get to town. I slid, I fell, I tripped, and I took a long time to get anywhere. But finally, finally, I got to the road to Kent. I walked into town straight away, heading first for the ATM and then for the laundry. They were out of all soap, so I was forced to approach a teenager doing his laundry to ask if I could buy some detergent from him. He refused the money and let me use it. I thanked him profusely. The town of Kent should thank him too. Stinky hikers are bad for business. While my clothes washed, I wore my windbreaker and rain skirt. I decided to get takeout Chinese to eat on the laundry's porch. After a short wait I had an egg roll, ginger ale, and chicken in something. As I walked out of the Chinese place, I tripped on the curb and went down hard in the parking lot. I had gravel embedded in my left calf, and later I found road rash on my back as well as small holes in my windbreaker. What a bummer. This fall shook me up way more than my trail falls, which usually don't leave a mark. I was still shaking as I started eating my food, which luckily survived the fall. Once my clothes dried, I changed out of my rain and wind gear and called the B&B to come get me. The checkin was hassle free. Within moments I was showering. You know those grippy shower mats? I managed to loosen this one, nearly falling in the shower. Gravity and I had issues today. Back in my room, I started recharging my electronics and using Facebook while I lay on the bed. When I checked weather, I noticed a tornado warning. It had apparently just hit Pawling. I headed downstairs and alerted the B&B owners. I hung out on the lower level until the danger passed. Tomorrow I'm excited to meet Chris and Frannie for dinner.  I haven't seen them in three years, since we all spent an evening at Fingerboard shelter before Chris hiked north and I hiked south. They're fun people. It should be a great evening.
Date: 2017-06-01
From: Kent

To: Kent
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

6/1KentZero dayI woke up at four. And five. And six. I don't know what my body was thinking. Now that I d gotten up and had breakfast, it wants a nap. Sounds good to me. I need to buy a little stuff in town today, but mostly today is a day of rest. I sorted out my food to figure out what to buy, then at 11 went down to ask Mary for a ride. I was planning to stay through dinner time but Mary said she wouldn't mind ferrying me back and forth, so I had options. She dropped me off at the Villager. I had a big second breakfast, then moseyed over to the outfitter. They didn't have much I wanted, but they did have ice cream. I got a cone with a scoop of ginger ice cream. So good!Walking back toward the grocery, I stopped in at Kent Wine and Spirits for scotch. The 375 milligram size was perfect. It would fit in a soda bottle with room to spare. I continued to the grocery to buy minimal groceries. Cheese, tortillas, Luna bars, some cookies, some gorp. And then I had exhausted my Kent plans. I called Mary for a ride. Elapsed time: 1:30. Back at the b&b, I sorted and packed things and generally lay on the bed being slothful. At five Cooper drove me back to town where Chris and Frannie had driven up to meet me for dinner. I still find both of them to be a delight. We had a great meal and fun conversation. After hugging them goodbye, it was back to the ranch time. I read a little then went to sleep, but woke up at midnight feeling yucky. Too much town food? I cracked the window to cool the room, and returned to dream land, trying to be as rested as possible for the trail.
Date: 2017-06-02
From: Kent

To: Silver Hill Campsite
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: overcast clouds

6/2Silver Hill tentsite10.3 milesYou know what I like in a campsite? Pine needles and an eastern exposure so I get to see the dawn. Water is a bonus. Silver hill has all that plus a dining pavilion and trees with good branches for hanging food bags. Cocoa being here was a bonus. (The hiker, not the beverage.) Also Swan rolled in. I had seen her in the registers but not met her before. She is a grade A badass flip flopper based on my first impression. This morning I dillydallyed until it was seven and I could go down to breakfast. My appetite was on vacation so I just had melon and an English muffin. Cooper was on a conspiracy theory tear, so we had a friendly argument ranging from quantum mechanics to the moon landing to the presence of life on exoplanets. The day's hike started steeply uphill, as it always does after a resupply. It was so so pretty up on the ridge. I was braced for going down St John's ledges but it was still fairly grueling. At least I didn't ram my kneecap into a rock like in 2010. On the way down I listened to a podcast on Copernicus - birth name Nikolai Kopernik. Polish scientists represent!In the afternoon there was a several mile flat walk along the Housatonic river, which was pleasant. I stopped for lunch at Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter, where the privy was so full that the feces are riding up into the stool. I left my opinion that it's time for people to dig holes until the privy is dealt with. Clouds loomed ominously in the afternoon and I put on the pack cover and kept my rain gear handy, but nothing came of it. About four I arrived at this campsite, which I've wanted to stay at since I first eyeballed it I. 2010. It was a little early to stop, but I have a great appreciation for natural beauty and didn't want to miss my chance to spend some time here. Cocoa called about rooms in Salisbury and one place is full and the other didn't answer. Looks like I might have to resupply, skip showering, and move on. That would be okay by me I guess. The market there is nice at any rate. And sooner or later I'll be in Laurie's vicinity and I'm certain she'll let me shower. In fact she might request it. I ate dinner tonight in the pavilion with Cocoa. It was less of a struggle to finish my polenta with sausage dinner than it was last time. And I added spinach this time. I figure this means I'm nutritionally balanced now that I ate a vegetable. I'm carrying a variety of dried fruits, too. Last time I ate almost everything except the dried spinach and dried kimchi. So even though my food bag continues to be twice the size of other people's, I guess I'm good with it. It's supposed to be about 42 tonight. That's near the limit of my 40 degree bag. Wish me luck that I stay warm.
Date: 2017-06-03
From: Silver Hill Campsite

To: Belter's Campsite
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

6/3 Belter's campsite 12 milesIt happened again. Somebody asked my name. I said Mrs Joy. Then they asked if I had a trailname. My trailname is not the best one ever, that's for sure. I mean, it's better than some. I don't want to be called Skidmark or Bear Bait. But it really doesn't sound like a trailname. Anyway. I was going to get an early start but I turned over and pulled my hat back over my eyes when the sun came up. Then I made coffee. The making and the drinking take a while. Then I talked to Swan a bit. It was eight before I started walking. The terrain was not dramatic today, but it was pretty in a quiet way that I like very much. There were excellent small waterfalls. Big stone walls. Sunlight sparkling down through green leaves. Pine groves. It was nice. It rained for an hour in the morning, then cleared up again. It never got hard enough to put my raincoat on, though I kept it draped over my shoulders. The temperature was pleasant and the rain did not impede my walk. Section hikers told me that it was supposed to thunderstorm on Monday. I let their anxiety infect me. I worried about what I would do. But when I got to camp tonight I realized that it made little difference to me. I'd stay in town, or in a shelter, or just walk. It isn't complicated. Oddly, hostels seem to be booked. I'm seeing the same few hikers in town and on the trail so I have no idea who is filling the space. I just did laundry and showered so I'm not feeling very motivated to get to go to one, but it seems odd to me. Tomorrow I'll likely get some groceries in Salisbury and then move on, as I doubt I'll find a room in town. I'm debating going to Toymaker's Cafe in Falls Village. I wouldn't mind a town meal but it will take up time, meaning I'll spend more time walking in the rain in the evening. Might be worth it though. I'm not sure why but it seems like I'm going a little slower now. The terrain is relatively easy. Odd. I'm in no great rush, though. There's time. I have no plans requiring me to be anywhere by a specific date this summer.
Date: 2017-06-04
From: Belter's Campsite

To: Salisbury, CT
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: overcast clouds

6/4Staying at Maria McCabe's house in Salisbury 9.7 milesThe tent I thought was Cocoa's last night was actually Swan's. I have no idea where Cocoa is. Maria didn't get his message so he never got confirmation that he could stay here. I told her I'd split the room if he showed up, but it seems less likely all the time.  I hope he is somewhere warm and dry. I got up at 5 and was walking by 6. I slept terribly last night. As soon as I lay down, my nose stuffed up completely. I must have been allergic to something at the site.  Or maybe I'm allergic to the damp foulness forming in the bottom of my pack. Either way, it was awful. I snorfled and breathed through my mouth for a while. I took some benadryl and eventually my nose cleared. I felt bad about the snorfling, which must have been audible to the fellow next to me. I declined to use the privy this morning, as it had no walls. It was a seat height wooden box with a toilet seat and a short back. That was it. On my way out I talked briefly with Andante. He wanted to get breakfast in Falls Village. I wanted to make tracks for Salisbury, not knowing if I could stay the night or would need to move on to Riga shelter. But on the way I started hankering for breakfast and a coke. And a bathroom with walls. When I got to Falls Village I headed up to the Toymaker's Cafe and got a "Big Easy" - basically an eggs Benedict, but made with a bagel and Tasso ham. It was amazing. I surprised myself by finishing almost all of it. Andante came in and scolded me a little for changing my mind. He got a less substantial breakfast. I went back for a second coke. Leaving there I plunged back onto the trail and went as fast as I could. I reached town about one or one thirty. I had called Maria McCabe from the mountain so I knew I had a refuge. A hiker got his wife/chauffeur to drop me off at her place, saving me some road walking. After a shower and borrowing a little hiker wear from Maria, I visited the Country Bistro, which still has fabulous food. Then I went by LaBonne's Market for supplies. If the weather shifts I'll abort my plan for a zero and get moving again. I can be ready to go in minutes. But likely I'll be reading and napping or otherwise finding ways to entertain myself tomorrow.
Date: 2017-06-07
From: Great Barrington

To: Mt Wilcox South Shelters
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: few clouds

6/7Tented at Mt Wilcox South Shelters11.7 milesToday was just spectacular. Blue skies and fluffy blue clouds dominated. Rays of sunshine illuminated the forest, drawing my attention to their endpoints - individual rocks lit up like objects in a painting by one of the old masters. This morning I had breakfast in bed - leftovers from last night's pizza. It was still wonderful. Forewarned by Old Growth, I knew that the motel breakfast was awful, but I still walked down at seven to check. It was pretty bad. I had a bowl of Frosted Flakes, a cup of coffee, and an apple juicebox. There were "omelets" in the little fridge that looked like dried up sponges. No thanks. I called a cab to get back to the trail. $14 later I stepped on the soggy AT. In the flatlands there was standing water. I had soggy socks for a while as there was no way around it. I sat on a rock for lunch and was swarmed by mosquitoes. The one downside to today was the bugs, invigorated by the wet weather and warmer temperatures. I covered my legs with my raincoat to keep them from biting through my pants, and wore my windbreaker with my hood up. After lunch I stopped in at Tom Leonard Shelter and ran into Highlander and Wade. They were going on to south Wilcox. I figured they were my only chance for company as I had seen zero other hikers for some time. But tonight Redmage showed up while I was making dinner, then four more nobos I hadn't met before. And somewhere between six and eight men that looked like section hikers just rolled in around 8 pm. I'm tented tonight, both to air out my tent and to keep away from the bugs. The tent was still soaked from the storm two nights ago. I set it up then left it empty while I made dinner. It was still on the wet side after that so I wiped down the insides. I was able to knock off much of the dirt that had adhered to the mesh, for which I am glad. The dirt didn't enhance the structure. I turned the pack liner and tent stuff sacks inside out and hung them up to dry. My pack is attached to a tree, hanging open as well. It's about all I can do until I can get my hands on some destinking agents. Let's see, other highlights. A friendly, cuddly four month old golden retriever pup who had the softest fur and the best personality. I wanted to take him with me. His two human companions got me to take a picture of the three of them. The terrain after Tom Leonard shelter was stunning - pine needle covered slopes along a ravine so narrow I almost felt like I could reach out and touch the other side. Then back uphill through a young dense forest, past a pond that required me to stop and take a picture. I took a lot of pictures today. Today was one of those perfect hiking days for me. It occurs to me that Upper Goose Pond tomorrow will be crowded, given how many people are here tonight. Ah well. My feet have toughened up enough to not need any bandaging, by the way. This does not mean I won't get a blister tomorrow, of course. But it's nice right now.
Date: 2017-06-08
From: Mt Wilcox South Shelters

To: Upper Goose Pond
Miles today: 15.8

6/8Bunk room at Upper Goose Pond Cabin15.8 milesI awoke damp and cold and irritable. Apparently at some point during the night I sweated, and it was humid enough that my clothes didn't dry again. My skin was still warm to the touch, but I felt distinctly chilly. As I awoke a little more I remembered the long day ahead of me and started packing up. My breakfast was a quick poptarts and caffeinated drink mix. I was on the trail by 6:30. I noticed when I awoke that the tent that was set up next to me late last night was already gone. I don't know if they left at midnight or what. All the long distance hikers agreed that it was weird. I hiked for a time with Reddmage. He had interesting things to say about metallurgy, and we nattered on about that for a while.  My interest in the conversation kept me drafting behind him for a while, but his 1500 miles worth of trail legs definitely trumped my 500 miles. I got tired and dropped back. I ran into trail angel Teacher today. She said she was planning on moving north with the crowd so I'll likely see her again. I also met Reddmage's friends Grumpy and Gucci Girl, who wanted to bring Reddmage some trail magic. I told them about my Shocktop/ French fries fantasy, and they almost made it happen. They actually bought them, but Gucci Girl didn't feel so hot hauling the heavy pack down the trail, as she was also carrying a bunch of fresh fruit. Ah well. The thought definitely counted with me. Today was pretty long, with minimal other options. My feet bones and their associated ligaments ache. My options for tomorrow are awkward. 8.8 or 17.something miles. I may have to reread my old journal to try to recall what the terrain is like. I don't remember it at all. The profile looks nice, but it could be all rocks or something. Oh, around midday today I ran into a charming AT Trail Stand. A couple of farm kids turned a small shed into an honor system farm stand type building. I bought a soda and a bag of Fritos and was happy to have them. I sat at the nearby picnic table with Coyote, Cheese, and a couple of others. I'm slowly learning names. Although they'll likely bypass me in a few days, so those names may be wasted brain space. Cocoa is tenting here tonight. I was glad to see him and know he was okay.  Come to think of it I should probably try getting contact information for him and some others I see kind of regularly. This is not something I'm good at. But if I'd had his number I could have just texted him to see if he was all right, rather than wonder for several days.