morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-06-15
From: Congdon Shelter

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: broken clouds

Happy day 100 on the AT! I¢ve spent 1/4 of a year on the trail as of today, and that has made me contemplative. I¢ve seen more of the states that the trail passes through than many people will ever see. I rarely slept in the same place more than once, often with just the stars overhead. I¢ve met more people over the past week than I typically meet in a year (other than students, of course). I have pushed myself to physical and mental limits, breaking boundaries I never even considered before now. I¢ve learned what true self-reliance is while simultaneously learning to trust virtual strangers. I¢ve grown as a person more than I thought I ever would by running into the woods.And I still have over 500 miles to go. Yowza.I¢d like to say that today was a stress-free, completely enjoyable day on the trail as some sort of reward to me, but that simply isn¢t how the trail works. In truth, my feet are in the worst condition today than they have been on my entire trip. Not only is the Vermont terrain extremely unforgiving, my already problematic trail runners seem to have completely lost any redeemable qualities they might have had before. The sole has started falling off in chunks, any waterproof capabilities they might have had are completely gone, and the balls of my feet are constantly on fire. When I removed them at the end of the day, my feet had been rubbed almost completely raw. Thankfully, I have another pair of reliable Keen boots waiting for me in Manchester Center; I can¢t wait until these Northface trail runners are on their way to the landfill.Yet even though my feet felt miserable, today was a gorgeous walk through the North Country. We summited Glastenbury Mountain (3,748 ft.) and climbed the fire tower at its summit, giving us a 360 degree view of the alpine forests and lakes that make Vermont such an awe inspiring place. It seems like we pass a beaver pond every other mile or so, teeming with life and reflecting the surrounding landscape. And while it isn¢t the most beautiful thing to look at, the constant trail of moose scat on the path gives me hope that I will spot one of these giants before the end.I have slathered my feet in antibiotic ointment in the hopes that they will heal somewhat for the walk into Manchester Center, where we will be staying and resupplying. It would be great to be able to focus entirely on the surrounding environment rather than worrying about my feet, but even with the aggravation, it¢s still great to be experiencing the wonders of the backcountry.
Date: 2014-06-16
From: Story Spring Shelter

To: Green Mountain House Hostel, Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: scattered clouds

After the long, painful day yesterday, today seemed like a breath of fresh air. While my feet still hurt and my shoes still suck, the knowledge that this was their last day kept me going strong.Even more encouraging were milestones I hit today, the first being Stratton Mountain (3,936 ft.). This gigantic mountain offered even better views from yesterday, allowing us to see all the way back to Mt. Greylock in Massachusetts. Stratton Mountain also holds a special place in the hearts of thru-hikers, as this is reportedly the peak that inspired Benton MacKaye to propose the creation of the AT. As I stood atop Stratton fire tower, I could definitely understand why MacKaye was so captivated.On our way into Manchester Center, we hit our second landmark: over 3/4 of the trail is now behind us. I thought back to all that has passed since I started on March 8th, and it¢s amazing how fast time is racing by. As the final stages of the trail unfold over the coming weeks, I can¢t imagine that time will slow any. I will have to remind myself to soak up as much as I can every day, as my time left on the AT is definitely growing short.At around 3:30 PM, we reached the road to Manchester Center and quickly got a hitch into town. Our first stop was the post office, where I retrieved my long awaited replacement boots. I had no regrets as I chunked my broken, worthless, trail runners into the garbage, as my feet immediately felt better and at home in my Keens. We then hitched over to a nearby grocery store for resupply, where I treated myself to a pint of Ben and Jerry¢s Phish Food ice cream. My soul is in good shape.Tonight we are staying at the Green Mountain House Hostel, a beautiful establishment run by AT 2,000 miler, Jeff Taussig. First, the good news: former thru-hiker Sundance is staying tonight and barbecuing chicken for everyone as trail magic. The bad news two thru-hikers here seem to have contracted Lyme disease ¢ Good Company and our very own Mumbles. GC, who has already zeroed for two days and started his antibiotics, will be heading out with Birdman and me tomorrow despite feeling like crap. Mumbles will be zeroing tomorrow in order to visit a clinic in town and get tested. I already spray myself with DEET and check for ticks every day. I can only imagine that this will lead me to check myself at least twice a day until I climb Big Katahdin.
Date: 2014-06-17
From: Green Mountain House Hostel, Manchester Center, VT

To: Little Rock Pond Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: scattered clouds

After a huge breakfast, Birdman, Good Company and I waved goodbye to Mumbles and were shuttled back to the AT. Even at 10:00 AM, the weather outside was toasty, though we hoped (accurately) that the heat would help dry up some of the mud. Good Company was still drained from his bout with Lyme disease and some undoubtedly powerful antibiotics, so he quickly fell behind as Birdman and I powered our way back into the mountains.While there were several significant climbs today, the slightly drier terrain made the day much easier. This gave me time to focus on the beauty of the forest more than every step I was taking, which is essential for the true enjoyment of the Vermont backcountry. Everywhere there is life, including toads, red-spotted newts, and about a million chipmunks participating in epic territorial battles. The forest floor is covered in ferns and wild flowers, and the trail is typically carpeted with layer upon layer of pine needles. Sadly, the only sign of moose I continue to see are their huge scat piles that litter the sides of the trail. Also disappointing was the nonexistent view from the top of today¢s biggest climb, Peru Peak (3,429 ft.).Yet the lack of view there was compensated for at our campsite, the beautiful Little Rock Pond. This crystal clear glacial pond slowly rippled from the cool breeze seeping into the valley, a refreshing change after the day¢s heat. We are staying in a newly built shelter as well, which has ample room and is very clean for a change. We are sharing the shelter with section hiker Eric from Hanover, NH. He wrote down several places we should visit while we¢re in town, most of them food related. Yet even though my taste buds are already tingling at the thought, my mind is truly focused on how close we are to the White Mountains. These imposing peaks will likely be a true wake-up call after the months of relatively flat terrain.
Date: 2014-06-19
From: Governor Clement Shelter

To: Stony Brook Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: clear sky

We started our day with a slight warm-up: climbing Mt. Killington (3,928 ft.), the second tallest mountain on the AT in Vermont. It was a slow, steady incline as much of the AT in this section becomes a ski slope during the winter. Even the shelter on top of the mountain is referred to as a ¢lodge¢, and a ski resort resides on the other side of the mountain. We stopped briefly at the top of the mountain before retreating from the cold. The higher elevations are consistently colder now, and I¢m glad I have some of my cold weather gear returning to me in Hanover.Today we crossed over 1,700 miles and officially left the Long Trail. To celebrate another set of milestones, Birdman and I stopped for lunch at the Inn at the Long Trail. This hotel has always been a hiker mainstay, particularly the Irish Pub that resides inside. I dined on a heaping pile of nachos and a shepherd¢s pie, and then washed it down with a cold Guinness. It was a great way to break after the morning¢s long climb.Those calories also helped us power up Quimby Mountain, a straight-up climb of over 1,000 feet. After that, however; it was just a 3.1 mile stroll to the shelter. There we reunited with Farmer and met two other hikers: ¢Hillbilly¢, an older man from Knoxville finishing the last 700 miles of the trail; and ¢Crazy¢, a section hiker from New York who is essentially living out of hiker boxes. We¢re an interesting and diverse crew, adding a bit of flavor to this section of the trail.
Date: 2014-06-20
From: Stony Brook Shelter

To: Thistle Hill Shelter
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: broken clouds

If there was a day on the AT that literally and emotionally embodied the idea of a roller coaster, it was today. The trail was constantly going sharply up or down all day, refusing to switchback in favor of going straight up or down. Yet for the first half of the day, I was in very high spirits. The weather was sunny but cool, perfect for hiking. I slept and ate well, and I felt strong as I climbed over these steep mountaintops. For lunch, Birdman and I stopped on a beautiful bridge passing over a crystal clear creek. Beside us was a pasture filled with inquisitive cows, and we watched as they followed hikers around begging for handouts. I even got to pet one, and she rewarded me with a big wet cow kiss. Up to this point, it was a great day.Then we found Farmer wandering down the next road. He had followed the white blazes down the road when they suddenly just disappeared. We assumed that he had just missed a turn and we all ventured down the road again. Sure enough, the blazes disappeared without any indication as to where we should go. For 45 minutes we searched to no avail, until we found a woman with very poor English who was able to point us in somewhat the right direction. We finally found the trail shortly thereafter, and I figured out what the culprit was: there had been a reroute recently, yet someone did not remove or paint over the old blazes. Even worse, they failed to paint new ones pointing us in the right direction. I have been proud in my ability to not get lost out here, so I felt betrayed during this section, like I had been deliberately tricked.Needless to say, Birdman and I were in pretty rotten moods after that misadventure, and every climb suddenly became another outlet for our wrath. Those hills knew that we weren¢t happy by the time we reached the tops. Fortunately, at 5:00 PM, we stopped by a market that sells organic, homemade ice cream and soda. After ingesting a pint of chocolate almond ice cream and a liter of the best root beer I¢ve ever had, my mood improved significantly.Birdman and I are at the shelter alone tonight, as Farmer is rushing to Lyme, NH, to meet with his sister. It¢s surprisingly chilly tonight, so I am snuggled tightly in my sleeping bag. It¢s not supposed to be this cold in June! I will admit, however, that I may just be used to 90+ degree June weather in Georgia.
Date: 2014-06-21
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Hanover, NH (DylanÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs House)
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: broken clouds

This morning began with a chill that kept us in our sleeping bags until well after sunrise ¢ I¢m glad I opted to keep my 25 degree sleeping bag throughout the summer. Once we finally arose, though, the weather proved to be perfect for a speedy hike. Throughout much of the section today, there was very little grass or undergrowth, meaning there was nothing to help mark the trail other than more well-traveled dirt (the AT) and fresh dirt (not the AT). Occasionally I had to stop and stare at my surroundings in order to figure out which way to go, and it made me feel like I was tracking a wild animal through the woods at times - ¢He went that-a-way!¢ I yelled once, though Birdman just stared blankly back. I don¢t think he got the reference, or maybe I¢ve just been in the woods for too long.At around 10:00 AM, the trail descended into the White River Valley and followed the road for just under a mile. Just as I was crossing a bridge over the river, I saw a woman waving and walking toward me, so I stopped to say hello. I quickly discovered that she was Lynda Hart, the matriarch of a well-known family of trail angels. She invited us inside and cooked us eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee all while dissolving the little dramas of her 5 to 6 year old boys ¢ three of them. It was extremely thoughtful and also entertaining, and I am very thankful for the Harts¢ hospitality.Aside from one large climb out of the river valley, the trail was smooth and pleasant all the way into Hanover, my stopping place for the day. Hanover is a small-yet-bustling town, home to Dartmouth College and our last town before entering the White Mountains. This town is very hiker friendly, with free food given away to us at almost every restaurant. Even better, as we were walking into town I was offered a place to stay for my zero day tomorrow! Betsy ¢Short and Sweet¢ Maislen and her husband Bill ¢Greybeard¢ Schults have setup a finished basement for hikers, a Godsend in a town where the ¢cheap¢ hotels are over $100 a night.After devouring some free pizza at Ramunto¢s Pizzeria, Birdman continued down the AT ¢ he is meeting his parents further on for a zero day. I, on the other hand, am crashing just outside of town at the house of my high school friend, Dylan Nicholas, and his wife, Amy. It has been a decade since I last saw him, so it was amazing that the trail has reunited us. They have two Siberian Huskies and are being visited by Amy¢s brother as well (and his Labrador retriever), so it is definitely a full house. It¢s actually an awesome feeling, offering an environment I really haven¢t been privy to since I started the trail.
Date: 2014-06-22
From: Hanover, NH (DylanÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs House)

To: Hanover, NH (BetsyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs House)
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day! Today was one of my final days off on the trail, which I spent primarily by eating as much as I could and walking as little as possible. I am staying at Bill and Betsy¢s house ¢ not willing to overstay my welcome at Dylan¢s ¢ and spent my evening getting prepared for the Whites and watching the World Cup. I also got to catch up with some of my family over the phone, and everyone is excited that I am entering the final leg of my journey.Now, I rest. Tomorrow, once more into the mountains!
Date: 2014-06-23
From: Hanover, NH (BetsyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs House)

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today started off wonderfully, first and foremost because this is my two year wedding anniversary to my beautiful wife, Alison. While it sucks being apart today, her support has been one of the main things keeping me going. I love you, dear.Greybeard gave me a lift into town, where I got a huge breakfast (and a free cruller) from Lou¢s Diner. I then picked up an enormous resupply maildrop from the post office (thanks mom!), and sat in the nearby Starbucks for my final package to arrive. While waiting, two kids walked up and asked if I was a thru-hiker. When I told them yes, they surprised me with a free donut. Then my package arrived, supplying me with the cold weather gear I may need for the Whites. My stay in Hanover was truly great, and it was definitely hard to convince myself to put on my heavy pack and hit the trail.Once I got back on the trail, though, I once again felt right at home. The weather today was warm but not scalding, meaning that I was sweaty but not exhausted from the heat. The terrain was mostly easy as well, aside from one mountain: Holts Ledge (1,937 ft.). While not the tallest mountain of the day, it was incredibly steep and at the end of my day ¢ I didn¢t eat enough today, apparently, as I will sometimes crap out like this when my calories run low. Fortunately, the climb was worth it, as I was given a view of sheer, beautiful rock cliffs dropping straight down into the valley. It really was a sight to behold.I am sharing the campsite with Lars, a Finnish man who helps maintain this section of the trail. He is a delightful man, and he showed me a new, two-tree method of hanging my bear bag. It was odd hiking without Birdman today, though. The forest was eerily quiet in comparison to our usual conversations.Oh well, off to bed.Happy Anniversary, Alison!
Date: 2014-06-24
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Ore Hill Campsite
Miles today: 19.5

I got off to a slow start today despite waking up at 6:00 AM. I¢m thinking it was mainly due to the imposing clouds overhead; my body simply wanted to stay put rather than push out into unfriendly, potentially wet conditions. I¢m glad I did finally move out, though, as roughly a mile into the day, I passed by the house of Bill Ackerman, ¢The Ice Cream Man¢. For 11 years, Bill has spent his time as a retired Harvard professor offering ice cream, water, and assistance to AT hikers. He even has a croquet area set up in his backyard for hikers who need to take their mind off of the trail for a short while. When I arrived, Bill was preparing to leave and meet with the local historical society. Even so, he took the time to sit and chat with me about books, world news, and other topics before he had to leave. He also provided ice cream, coffee, and fresh cherries for me to snack on. I felt fortunate to meet Mr. Ackerman, as he truly seems to be one of the most genuine, hospitable people I have met on the trail.After leaving Bill¢s house, I quickly ran into Sir Laughs-a-Lot, a fellow NOBO (North Bound thru-hiker), who I hadn¢t seen for weeks. He had shuttled up a few days ahead and was walking back to Hanover to meet with his wife (a plan much like the one I devised in Damascus so long ago). It was great to see him and I was glad to know that he hadn¢t left the trail entirely. Today was a day with two massive climbs. The first was Smarts Mountain (3,246 ft.), a super steep mountain with multiple summits. Despite a heavy breeze and higher altitudes, the switchback free climb left me soaking with sweat. At the summit is an old fire warden¢s cabin that has been converted to a shelter for hiker use. I hid from the winds here and had lunch before continuing down the trail.After descending roughly 1000 feet, I began my ascent up Mt. Cube (2,911 ft.). While not as tall or steep as Smart¢s, Cube was still a challenge due to long stretches of smooth, slick rock. While my fears of rain were mostly in vain, a slight mist had still transformed the rocks into a slippery hazard. Thankfully, outside of a few slips and trips, I never had any major problems, and I was rewarded at the summit with a lovely view back at Smarts Mountain. I definitely had the, ¢Did I really climb that?¢ reaction today.I¢m camping tonight at the former site of Ore Hill Shelter, which burned down from an unknown cause in 2011. It really is a shame, too, for if the quality of the privy is anything to go by, the shelter was likely newly-built and very nice. I guess I would have been in my tent anyway, though, as the mosquitoes here are absolute man-eaters. Here¢s hoping that they die down when I reach the higher elevations in the Whites.
Date: 2014-06-25
From: Ore Hill Campsite

To: Hikers Welcome Hostel (Glencliff, NH)
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: light rain

I went to sleep expecting my tent to be soaking wet with rain, yet despite threatening skies, the rains never came during the night. I took the hint and broke camp quickly, hitting the trail well before 7:00 AM. Sure enough, just before reaching my goal for the day, the skies opened up and began to pour.Before this point, however; I hit a major milestone (in my mind, anyway); I met my first southbound thru-hiker! He was an older man and I regrettably forgot to ask his name, but we both congratulated each other on making it as far as we had. I hope to run into more SOBO¢s (South Bound thru-hiker) soon ¢ as long as they aren¢t taking my spot in one of the huts in the Whites.The only significant climb today was Mt. Mist (2,200 ft.), which I passed over before I even realized it. After this, however; there won¢t be any more easy climbs for a while, so I had better enjoy not being out of breath while I can.I¢m staying at the Hikers Welcome Hostel, a small wood cabin with bunks, a TV with movies, a small kitchen, and Wi-Fi. It did have one absolutely unique feature: the Pee Wall, where hikers are supposed to relieve themselves so that less strain is put on the septic system. Needless to say, gross. Still, Hikers Welcome is a great place to recoup a bit before tackling one of the toughest parts of the trail. I also reunited with Birdman today, who came in soaked around noon. He seemed to have a great time with his parents, and he scouted ahead to some good resupply spots later down the trail.While the Whites are imposing, I¢m excited about this beautiful, challenging section we are about to enter. I know I am prepared for pretty much every possibility. Now if it would just stop raining¢¦
Date: 2014-06-26
From: Hikers Welcome Hostel (Glencliff, NH)

To: Eliza Brook Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: few clouds

Last night was excellent, as I met several interesting people at the hostel. Possibly my favorite, however, was Trooper Dot, a 74-year-old lady from Zimbabwe. She is completing another section of the AT, possibly all the way south to Daleville, and is simply one of the most delightful people I have ever met. Even after hiking in the rain all day, I never heard her say anything negative. Birdman had passed her while hiking, as she literally stopped to smell the flowers on the side of the trail. She reminded me very much of Low Gear, who I haven¢t seen since the Smoky Mountains, and I am once again uplifted to know that such wonderful people exist in the world.Today was finally the big day: Birdman and I climbed Mt. Moosilauke (4,802 ft.) and officially entered the White Mountain National Forest. After thinking and talking about these mountains for so long, it seems surreal to actually be climbing up their slopes. Even the terrain seems starkly different than any section before now: it¢s more rugged, isolated, and dark, creating a feeling of true wildness. Adding to the effect was the deluge of water pouring off of the mountain from last night¢s rain ¢ much of the trail resembled a creek more than a trail for most of the day.Moosilauke was also our first mountain to truly go above tree line. The alpine forest kept getting smaller and smaller until we were finally just walking on the rocky summit. Unfortunately, due to the lingering clouds and intermittent rain, we were allowed no views from the summit. Hopefully that won¢t be an issue tomorrow, as we will be traversing one of my most anticipated sections, Franconia Ridge.Climbing up Moosilauke was tough; climbing down Moosilauke was incredibly difficult. The trail follows a cascade straight down the side of the mountain ¢ and I definitely mean straight down. Trail designers had to bolt in rebar and wooden steps into the sheer rock face just to make it possible to climb the mountain without climbing gear. Add in that everything was soaking wet and slippery, and it resulted in us covering a mile and a half in 90 minutes. At least our view on the way down was gorgeous: the cascade was absolutely wild from the rain. While I¢m sure it is always a sight to see, today the cascade was shooting up rooster tails (large, curving spouts of water) at least five feet into the air.The rest of the day went much quicker than the descent from Moosilauke, but even then our pace was slowed dramatically. There are simply so many rock obstacles, climbs, and dips that it is impossible to move at top speed. By the time we reached the shelter, I was exhausted from the strenuous day. I will sleep well tonight, after ingesting plenty of Ibuprofen, of course. We have completed over 1,800 miles on the AT. I feel like that¢s a good milestone to end the day with.