morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-07-25
From: Ceasar Brook Campsite

To: Limestone Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Tomorrow we will complete the AT in Connecticut and move into Massachusetts. Just four states remain!This was another great day of hiking. Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I enjoyed the company of The Bills, Mama Lama, and Juice along the way. After coming down the mountain beyond Belters Bump we encountered a trail detour that required quite a bit of road walking. Thankfully Pilot, a fellow hiker that checks our journal, made us aware that the detour is no longer necessary. Thanks so much Pilot!This afternoon our group made a side trip into Falls Village and had a late lunch at the Toymaker Cafe. The cafe was very hiker friendly and the food was incredible.We are camped this evening at the Limestone Spring Shelter area. It took some effort to get here, as it is 1/2 mile off the trail and quite a descent. The mosquitos were glad to see us and welcomed us in full force.My new shoes continued to do well today.I turned 57 today and can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday than on the trail!
Date: 2009-07-26
From: Limestone Spring Shelter

To: Glen Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 17.6

Sometimes the miles come very easy and other times we have to fight hard to accomplish them. Today the latter was true.The day began with picturesque AT trail - well maintained, an easy grade with switchbacks, and beautiful connifer filled woods. Coming out of our lunch break at the Brassie Brook Lean-to, things took a turn for the worse. The trail was either a muddy water filled path or very steep ascents and decents over Bear Mountain and Race Mountain. The trail up and down these mountains was primarily steep exposed rock bed. Recent rains made it extremely slick. All, except young Bill, had one or more spills. We all agreed that this was one of our toughest days so far. I'm coming to the conclusion that my new Salomon shoes don't have the traction that my Hardrocks had. That may be unacceptable.Once at the Glen Brook Lean-to Tag-along and I easily set our Tarptent up on a wooden tent platform, although there were plenty of options on the ground. These platforms will be common once into New Hampshire, and we wanted to get some practice. We carry some small lightweight eye bolts for this occasion, but didn't need to use them.Tomorrow we have a short 8 short mile hike and then go into Great Barrington, MA to resupply and do laundry.
Date: 2009-07-29
From: Mt Wilcox North Lean-to

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

Generally speaking, trail conditions have been easy the past three days. The Massachusetts forests that we've passed through this week have been absolutely beautiful. Tag-along and I continue to appreciate trail maintainers' hard work.Our incredible streak of comfortable hiking weather continues. It's hard to believe that July is nearing an end, and we haven't seen one day in the 90's yet. That's the good news. The bad news is that mosquitos have been relentless. We are using "Off Outdoors" with 30% Deet and have been quite satisfied with the result, however.We've enjoyed meeting several new thru hikers recently. These include Wing It, Don't Panic, Tarzan, and Miles.Mountain Man's wife, Sharon, shared that some areas in Vermont got five inches of rain today. This has to be creating very challenging conditions for our fellow AT hikers. We expect to be hiking in Vermont next week. It's hard to believe that in three weeks Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I will be entering the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Ascents throughout the Whites will take us over 6000 feet. In anticipation of this, Tag-along and I are finalizing the list of cold weather gear we will be asking our house sitter (Walt) to mail up the trail for us.Tonight we are bunking at the Upper Goose Pond (UGP) Cabin, a unique hiker shelter .5 miles off the trail. It offers 20 bunks with mattresses, tent platforms, a comfortable covered porch, reading library, and swimming and canoeing in the lake size pond. Tag-along and I enjoyed a swim shortly after arriving Tomorrow morning the caretakers will cook us blueberry pancakes!
Date: 2009-07-30
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Kay Wood Lean-to
Miles today: 17.5

It rained hard all night as we slept soundly in our bunks at the Upper Goose Pond Shelter. Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I knew we would be facing some messy trail today. Little did we know how true that would turn out to be.The Goose Pond caretakers began serving blueberry pancakes and coffee at 7:00. We began hiking at 7:30 - uncharacteristically late. It took us twelve hours to complete an 18 mile day, mainly due to trail conditions.Much of the trail was underwater and very muddy. Mile after mile we hopped rocks - trying to delay the inevitable soaked shoes and socks. Streams were rushing and we removed shoes and wore our Crocs to ford several.But what a day for trail magic! This morning we came upon cold soft drinks and snacks left near a road crossing by Gimpy, a local thru hiker. This afternoon we encountered an ice chest with cold drinks, fruit, and a bevy of snacks left by our good hiking friend Birch. Thanks so much Gimpy and Birch. You made a difficult day very memorable! Another highlight was stopping at the Cookie Lady's house. She has been baking cookies for hikers for years. Shortly after we arrived, she brought us a basket full of excellent cookies. Throughout the day we noticed that someone was hiking barefoot. It turns out that was Bigfoot.Once at the Kay Wood Shelter we met southbounder Fleegle. He shared many helpful suggestions about what lies ahead for us on the trail and we tried to do the same. He is one on the friendliest southbounders that we've met so far.All and all this was a very challenging but fun day! Tomorrow we head into Cheshire, MA and plan to stay at the Mason Hill Hostel, which we've heard great things about. Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I have rented "the barn". That should be interesting!
Date: 2009-07-31
From: Kay Wood Lean-to

To: Cheshire
Miles today: 12.3

Compared to yesterday, trail conditions seemed rather dry. As we left the Kay Wood Lean-to area Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I moved quickly knowing that in three miles the town of Dalton and breakfast awaited.While leaving Dalton the bottom dropped out. We walked our remaining nine miles to Cheshire in one of the hardest rains we've seen on the AT so far. The trail, already saturated, quickly flooded and soon muddy conditions were as bad or worse than yesterday.Two of Mountain Man's hiking friends, Betty and Phil, met him on the trail several miles out of Cheshire and hiked with us back into town. It's unfortunate that Betty and Phil had to experience the AT on such a miserable day, They did get a realistic glimpse at the life of a thru hiker, however. We are staying in "the barn" at the Mason House Hostel. It is a beautiful renovated building with full kitchen, living area, and three comfortable beds. We enjoyed getting to know One Pint, another long distance hiker staying here as well. Our hiking friend Birch and her friend Susan visited with us and then drove us to a wonderful restaurant for dinner. Thank you Birch for providing trail magic two days in a row!Tomorrow should prove to be very tough - 14 miles up and down Mt. Greylock to Williamstown where more trail magic awaits us. Look for more about that in our next journal entry.
Date: 2009-08-02
From: Williamstown, VT

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

Yesterday's 14 mile hike into Bennington was tough due to poor trail conditions. We were constantly challenged by water, mud, rocks, and wet roots. The Mountain Tag Team put another state behind as we left Massachusetts and entered Vermont. Tag-along and I continue to be amazed at the kindness of strangers that we meet along the trail. The trail magic that we enjoyed today is one good example. Shortly before we left on our thru hike in March, I was contacted by a hiker that lives near the Vermont border - John Haley (Quoddy). Today Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I were the recipients of Quoddy's (and his wife Wendy) generosity. Quoddy picked us up at the trail, took us to a store for resupply, and shared his beautiful home for the night. We enjoyed showers, clean laundry, and a fantastic dinner. He is a very lightweight backpacker and we benefited from some great tips as well. Today Quoddy supported us as we slack packed 18 miles over rough and muddy terrain. Quoddy and Wendy are true trail angels and their hospitality meant a lot to us. We wish Quoddy the best of luck as he begins his second thru hike of the Long Trail beginning in about a week.
Date: 2009-08-04
From: Kid Gore Shelter

To: Stratton Pond Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Yesterday Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I hiked fourteen miles and tent camped near the Kid Gore Shelter area. Today we continued on fifteen miles and stopped at the Stratton Pond Shelter for the night. Thankfully, with the rain temporarily gone, trail conditions are improving slowly. The AT in Vermont has been much like what we imagined it might be - thick lush green evergreen forest with a noticeable scent of balsam. A variety of animal tracks have been noticed. These include bear, raccoon, and moose.The phrase "busy as a beaver" comes to life as Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I have hiked next to five beaver ponds the past three days. It's hard to imagine how these relatively small animals can construct the massive dam walls we've seen. Some of these ponds are the size of small lakes.Mountain elevation changes are becoming more significant as we continue to move north. For much of the past two days we've been hiking at the 2000 to 4000 foot level. We're seeing more hikers now, probably because we are on the hundred mile section of the AT that is also the Long Trail and AT southbounders are starting to move through this part of Vermont as well.Tomorrow we hike ten miles into Manchester to resupply and hopefully get haircuts.
Date: 2009-08-06
From: Manchester, VT

To: Lost Pond Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: broken clouds

As Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I walked by Stratton Pond at sunrise yesterday, the mournful sound of a loon across the pond greeted us repeatedly. Our goal was to hike 10 miles to VT 11 and try to get a ride into Manchester, VT where we had reservations at The Green Mountain House Hostel. Within a minute of arriving at the highway, a very nice local woman stopped and offered to take us into town.After finishing town chores Jeff, the hostel proprietor, picked us up. The Green Mountain House Hostel was absolutely wonderful - one of the best we've seen on the trail so far. Services include a full kitchen, computer and Internet access, a living room with videos and television, laundry, free Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and soft drinks, and a shuttle to the trail - all for $15.Other guests included Don Quioxte, Sancho Panza, and Crow, a deaf mute hiker that we've enjoyed getting to know. This morning Jeff dropped us off at the trail about 7:00. We were reminded that we need our cold weather gear soon, as temperatures were in the low 50's.Today started with a long gradual climb that culminated at the top of Bromley Mountain ski lift. Our trail guide indicated that five states can be seen from the top of the observation tower. Weather is absolutely stellar and should remain so for the next few days- mid fifties in the morning with light wind. It's hard to believe this is August!Tag-along and I are really enjoying Vermont - some of the most beautiful forest so far throughout our thru hike.
Date: 2009-08-07
From: Lost Pond Shelter

To: Minerva Hinchey Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

"This was one of our best hiking days so far," Tag-along shared. Mountain Man and I agreed without hesitation. That's saying a lot, since this is our sixth month on the trail.The Vermont woods are absolutely gorgeous! Today a well maintained trail wound through beautiful evergreen and hardwood fern filled forests. During one stretch we hiked on a smooth bed of soft pine needles. Hikers couldn't have ordered better hiking weather as it was sunny, cool, and breezy. On top of Rocky Cliffs, we encountered a large boulder area with spontaneous rock sculptures created by hikers. We added our rock art as well. Tonight Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I are camped near the Minerva Hinchey Shelter. We read in the shelter register that The Whistle Stop Restaurant is three miles from here, so breakfast has been added to tomorrow's hiking plan. Tag-along ordered a new pair of Montrail Hardrocks, her fourth since we started to AT. Luckily she was able to locate a pair of 2007's. As we've mentioned before, the 09's are not working out for some hikers we've encountered.With New Hampshire (and The White Mountains) fast approaching, we will be picking up our cold weather gear soon in. HanoverI. Once In New Hampshire, we will be hiking at elevations above 6000 feet again. That hasn't occurred since we were in the Smokies.Tomorrow we have our work cut out for us. Specifically, we will summit Killington Peak, a popular ski area at about 4000 feet elevation.
Date: 2009-08-08
From: Minerva Hinchey Shelter

To: Cooper Lodge Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: clear sky

With The Whistle Stop Restaurant (and a HOT BREAKFAST) just three miles up the trail Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I packed and left camp quickly. The food was outstanding and portions were suitable for thru hikers - i.e. huge.Today's hike took us up Killington Peak, a rocky 2500 foot climb. Knowing that our most difficult hiking lies ahead, we looked at this as a good warm-up for the White Mountains, which we will be tackling soon. It is common knowledge among experienced thru hikers that 50% of the overall effort to complete the AT is needed to complete the last 20% of the trail. We plan to cut our daily mileage back somewhat soon to accommodate the increased difficulty of trail that lies ahead. New Hampshire and Maine are often "favorite" states of thru hikers that finish, despite of the inevitable physical challenges.We enjoyed meeting Tenacious Turtle (TT) and Lakoda, two southbounders that began in mid July. Less enjoyable was the swarm of yellow jackets whose turf we invaded. I was stung four times, but luckily didn't react severely.Tomorrow we hike ten miles to Gifford Woods State Park, where Tag-along's sister Janet will pick us up. We plan to take two badly needed zero days to rest and visit with Janet before moving in New Hampshire. Vermont will be behind us in just 43 miles.Our cold weather gear is waiting for us in Hanover. Tag-along and I plan to incorporate several new equipment items in order to lighten our cold weather gear load. Look for more info about that in an upcoming journal.
Date: 2009-08-12
From: Gifford Woods State Park

To: Overlook Trail Cabin
Miles today: 14.2

Three days ago, Tag-along and I got the surprise of a lifetime when we arrived at Gifford Woods State Park to meet Janet (Tag-along's sister who lives in Florida). Accompanying Janet was our six year old grandson, Trey. It took a lot of effort and planning for Janet, our daughter Holly and her husband Hayne to pull this off!   Spending time with Janet and Trey, while resting our tired bodies, was just what we needed as we get ready to move into the challenging final phase of our thru hike. Tag-along (Nana) gave lots of hugs and kiss and back scratches to remind her what it is like to be a grandma. Tagless (Bubba), up to his usual fun grandpa speed, wrestled and played in the pool. Thank you Janet, Hayne and Holly for this special time. We both are looking forward to being home and visiting family and friends again soon.Today's hike took us from Gifford Woods State Park to the "secret shelter" - a privately owned family cabin, just off a side lookout trail, made available to hikers. Also there were Juice and Mama Lama. It was great to reconnect with them again! An observation deck has been constructed on the top of the cabin, offering an incredible 360 degree view. Tag-along and I enjoyed the view looking north into New Hampshire, our next state, and watching the sun set before retiring for the night.
Date: 2009-08-13
From: Overlook Trail Cabin

To: Stealth Campsite
Miles today: 16.5

Today the unheard of happened - Mountain Man missed his watch alarm and slept in. Nevertheless, by 6:30 we were on the trail.It worked out for the best starting a little late because we planned to hike six miles and then stop at a store with ice cream, small pies, smoked meats, beverages, and other delicacies. It didn't open until 10:00. As we approach New Hampshire frequent and greater elevation changes are becoming the norm. Today's hike seemed a lot like the "Roller Coaster" in Virginia.Through the day we met around eight southbounders, all of whom were very friendly. These frequent encounters often result in helpful information about what lies ahead for us on the trail.After arriving at the Thistle Hill Shelter Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I decided to continue on a couple of miles so that we could shorten our time getting into Hanover. Tomorrow we will say goodbye to Vermont and enter the great state of New Hampshire. Twelve states down - two to go!
Date: 2009-08-15
From: Hanover, NH

To: Moose Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

Yesterday's hike into Hanover took Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I past a small country store and deli. There was no way we were about to pass this up, with breakfast and deli sandwiches so close at hand. Stopping in these small community establishments, and getting to know the locals, has added a lot to our AT experience.For the past few days, Tag-along and I have exchanged emails with Don Burrell, a hiker that has followed our journal. Don and his wife Dana opened their home to us last evening, letting us do laundry and serving up a dinner that would qualify as any hiker's dream meal - appetizers, grilled hamburgers, fruit and vegetable salads, ice cream, and beverages. We ate until we could eat no more! The Burrell's incredible trail magic continued this morning as Don invited us back to partake in an incredible breakfast - eggs. bacon, breads, pancakes, fruit salad, juice and coffee. He then supported us with a shuttle so that three friends of Mountain Man could park their cars up the trail.   The generosity of kind people that we meet along the trail continues to amaze us. Thanks so much Don and Dana! You made this week incredibly memorable! Joining our hike today were three friends of Mountain Man - Erika, Ruth, and Gael. All three were strong hikers, and kept up with our pace well. We really enjoyed their company. It was great to meet people that Mountain Man has fondly shared stories about.
Date: 2009-08-16
From: Moose Mountain Shelter

To: Fire Warden's Cabin - Tent Area
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: scattered clouds

We started the day hiking with Mountain Man's friends - Erika and Ruth. In 3.5 miles we reached the road crossing where Erika's car was parked. After sharing goodbyes and parting ways with Erika and Ruth, Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I began our first of two sizable climbs of the day.The first ascent up Holts Ledge was about 1150 feet - a nice warm-up for what the afternoon held in store. The big climb of the day was up Smarts Mountain - a 2250 ascent, pretty much straight up without trail switch backs. In two days we will be in the White Mountains, where all of this will pale in comparison. Our trail angel friend Don awaited us at Lyme-Dorchester Road with soft drinks and blueberry muffins. Those extra calories definitely helped fuel our challenging climb up Smarts Mountain. Thanks again Don!This evening we are camping near the bluff on top of Smarts. There is a fire observation tower just up the trail, which we climbed after dinner to enjoy an incredible 360 degree view. We've recently heard about several of our hiking friends summitting Mt. Katahdin. These include The General, Big Boots, and Spokes. Congratulations to each of you!With the end in sight, we are doing our best to savor each remaining day of this great adventure.
Date: 2009-08-17
From: Fire Warden's Cabin - Tent Area

To: Ore Hill Shelter
Miles today: 12.0

With less than a mile to go to our destination, trail angel friend extraordinare, Don Burrell, met us at a road crossing with cold soft drinks and pints of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. You would be hard pressed to find any AT hikers happier than Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I as we consumed these cold treats.I had left my favorite visor at a motel in Hanover and Don kindly recovered it for me. Spokes, who we met in Hot Springs, NC last April recently wrote in our Guestbook..."I see you've experienced the incredible hospitality of Don and Dana Burrell. What phenomenal people". We couldn't agree more!Tomorrow we enter the White Mountains National Forest, hiking an easy 8 miles to the Hikers Welcome Hostel in Glencliff, NH.
Date: 2009-08-19
From: Hikers Wecome Hostel - Glencliff, NH

To: Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 9.8

Yesterday Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I arrived early in the afternoon at the Hikers Welcome Hostel in Glencliff, NJ. We quickly took care of routine chores - laundry, showers, and a trip to the local market. One unique aspect of the Hikers Welcome Hostel is the extensive DVD and CD collection available to visiting hikers. The video library contains over 900 movies. This morning we took advantage of the hostel's shuttle service, getting a ride to Kinsman Notch so that we could slack pack southbound over Mt. Moosilauke and then back to the hostel. This was our first major mountain to summit in the White Mountains, with an elevation change of 3700 feet. Without our regular pack weight, we didn't find it overly difficult. Our hiking through the White Mountains will prove to be our most strenuous and difficult to date. With this in mind, we plan to cut our daily mileage back, take our time, and enjoy this unique experience. As several southbound hikers have shared the past several weeks, the "wow factor" of what lies ahead is going to be huge.. With just 389 miles to go, we can't help but think about the significance of our journey.
Date: 2009-08-20
From: Glencliff, NH

To: Kinsmond Pond Shelter
Miles today: 11.5

Our plan to cut back on mileage as we move through the White Mountains served us well today.At 7:00 am, Fat Chap (our shuttle driver) dropped Tag-along, Mountain Man, and I off at Kinsman Knotch so that we could begin our long climb up to the east peak of Mt. Wolf. The weather was perfect - cool temperatures and sunny skies. After breaking for lunch and Gatoraide at the Eliza Brook Shelter, we tackled the major climb of the day - a steep and rocky 2000 foot ascension up South Kinsman Mountain. Along the way we met Nedthefed and Waterboy. Together we moved upward - grabbing trees and roots, pulling, pushing, and climbing our way to the top. Once there, we all took a break to enjoy incredible views.The day was extremely physical, taking us 9 hours to hike 11.5 miles. Nevertheless, when we finally arrived at the Kinsmond Pond Shelter, we felt good. We are in the best hiking shape of our lives and our bodies are responding well to what we are demanding.Once in camp we enjoyed visiting with a weekend hiker, Charlotte Bishop. Charlotte is a special education educator planning to move to the Chattanooga area in a year. Also with us at the Kinsmond Pond Shelter tonight is Sailor J - a thru hiker that we like a lot. Tomorrow's plan is to hike five miles to Franconia Notch and meet Sharon, Mountain Man's wife Sharon and sister-in-law Carol who have rented a house near Twin Mountains, will help us resupply and provide valuable support as we move through the Whites.