morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-07-19
From: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center

To: On Shenandoah mtn 
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: broken clouds

As usual, I was the first one up, though someone else was ready to go by the time I had breakfast & got packed. He got ahead of me while I stopped at the privy on my way out. About half mile of road walk later [the monastery has a lot of land!] I found myself back on the AT at the place I'd been shown last night. I tried approaching it from the South and still couldn't really remember noticing this intersection as I came thru last night. The only thing that looked at all familiar was a blank sign-board on which someone had written a note to a hiker. Maybe originally it had said to turn there for the campsite, but there weren't any clues now, & it had come much sooner than I'd expected last night. It's funny how you sometimes see only what you expect to see.It was another hot day, with lots of little ups & downs, but no major climbs. The second half of NY is really pretty nice trail, with hardly any rock-climbing. Nevertheless, I just wasn't going very fast. I had hoped to get to RPH shelter today; but that would mean a 20-mile day.   It was soon obvious I wasn't going to make it. I stopped for lunch at Denneytown Road, where there is a pump house with a faucet on the side. Two other hikers stopped there too, & we rested together. I tried Mountain House Chicken Salad for the first time. It wasn't bad, even tho I ate it plain [it' supposed to be on bread or some kind of wrap]. The convenience of it is that it's made with cold water; no need to cook on a hot day. I later discovered that the disadvantage of it is that it's really only one serving [the others are all 2, altho they seem none too big at this point in the hike], so it doesn't last thru the afternoon.The next official campsite is at Fahnestock State Park. I had stayed there last time, so I knew that the campground is almost a mile [road walk] off the Trail. That didn't appeal to me, but some hikers had told me they thought it might be possible to camp at the other end of the lake, nearer to the Trail. So I went down a steep side trail to the beach, just as it closed for the day [disappointing!]. A couple of section-hikers & a couple of thru-hikers were at some picnic tables, so I started on supper. Just then some of the park staff came to remind us that we couldn't camp outside the official campground. I stayed a while to finish eating while the others left either for the campground or to get back on the Trail. I'd gone 12 miles in almost 12 hours ¢ not auspicious for getting anywhere. Finally, I went back up the steep slope to the AT & tried to continue on.After about 2 miles, I was still more than 3 miles from the shelter, & it was getting dark. So I camped at a nice spot along the Trail at the beginning of Shenandoah Mtn.
Date: 2013-07-25
From: R&R in Connecticut

To: R&R in Connecticut
Miles today: 0.0

My hosts understood that I was mostly interested in eating & resting; so that's what I did. And it turned out to be for 2 days, rather than the one I'd expected. Joe had been in the submarine service & still works on subs, so they both wanted me to see the submarine museum in Groton & the USS Nautilus moored there. Very interesting. The close quarters on the sub, especially the bunks stacked 5 high for the enlisted men, reminded me of some of the huts in NH, with their multi-level bunks. The weather had turned cold & a bit rainy for these two days, so they didn't get to take me to their favorite shore restaurant to eat outdoors. Instead, we went to another great restaurant. Joe told them it was my birthday (only a week or so off), so I got the special birthday dessert.Lots of good eating, & a pleasant place to rest up, tho I probably didn't sleep as much as I should have (got busy on the computer).Ready to get back on the trail!
Date: 2013-08-04
From: Congdon shelter

To: Goddard shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: few clouds

My main agenda for this morning was to do the 6+ miles down to Vt 9 in time to get to church in Bennington. That involved going up & over Harmon Hill & then a steep descent to the highway (at least, I remembered it as steep, but this time it wasn't too bad). The trailhead was also a parking lot for fishing in the nearby river, so there were lots of cars, but not many leaving to go into town. You never know which cars are likely to stop for hitch-hikers. I usually think ones with lots of people in them won't stop, but that's who picked me up this time: a family who had been out camping nearby & had 3 kids in the back of the old mini-van. The oldest girl had to move to a back seat (I thanked her for that), & the car-seat for the youngest got moved, but they fit me in & dropped me off downtown, after driving me by the church so I'd know where that was. The first couple of places I tried for breakfast didn't really look good, but then I found a bakery/coffee-house [with WiFi] that had some very good breakfast items. By that time I had to rush a little bit to get to church on time. St. Peters Episcopal Church has stained glass windows all over, filled with people with halos. The preacher made reference to some saint & commented, "That's probably the only saint not included in our windows." After the service, I met a woman named Celia, who belongs to the local AT/LT-maintenance group. She gave me a ride to Wal-Mart & some other places, but I had no luck finding a fuel canister. That was the first NON-"Super-Store" Wal-Mart, i've been in in a long time! Then she dropped me off at the oriental restaurant near the church, which advertized "All-you-can-Eat Buffet". After I got there, I found out that was NOT on Sundays! I ordered 2 meals & thought that worked out OK [They also let me charge my phone]. Then Celia came back & gave me a ride to the Trail. Thank you! She likes to hike, & her husband doesn't; but since she's gotten so involved in the Green Mtn Club, he now cruises around town looking for hiker to give rides to.Melville Nauheim shelter didn't have a shelter register. I found many places yesterday & today for me to use my saw because there were blowdowns across the trail. Of course, many people passed me while doing so.I got to Goddard shelter about 8:00, not quite dark but everyone in the shelter was in sleeping bags, seemingly asleep. Soon some "awoke" & helped make room for me. I cooked my supper & went to bed, trying to be very quiet. Then, after 9:00, some very noisy hikers arrived, & most of those in the shelter stirred up, not to object to the noise, but to welcome them & even make room for another one in the shelter. Interesting!
Date: 2013-08-05
From: Goddard shelter

To: Stratton Pond shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: clear sky

I didn't stop at the Glastonbury Mtn lookout tower because I figured it was too early to see much, & I'd be able to try the Stratton Mtn lookout later in the day. I did stop at Kid Gore shelter for the view, tho I was there long after the sunrise. A nice day of hiking on Vermont trail. So far, the mud has stayed fairly dry most places. I stopped at Story Spring shelter for water & late lunch, & then up Stratton Mtn. Stratton Mtn seemed harder than last time, but I still was making pretty good time for the day. I got up to the tower in time to see some good views of the surrounding area. I was going to cook supper, but didn't have enough fuel left. Shakespeare was going to fix supper there too, so I asked if I could use some of his fuel. He said he'd just boil enough water for both of us, but first he had to go to the spring nearby & get more water. His alcohol stove wasn't very fast for that quantity, so this all took a lot of time. I appreciated his help, but it was getting toward dusk, & I still had 3 miles to go to the shelter. Meanwhile, Beer Goddess came up the Mtn, talked with us for a while, & then left for the shelter. Another hiker appeared before I was done eating & ready to leave. After I started down the Mtn, Beer Goddess came rushing past me. She had taken the wrong trail trying to leave the Mtn & was trying to make up time. I tried to keep up with her for a while because I was feeling late also, but bouncing down the rocky trail as it continued to get dark seemed risky to me. I thought I was still going pretty fast, but it took 2 hours, during which time Beer Goddess passed me again, having taken a potty break along the way. The trails around Stratton Pond are confusing, & it took a while to find the shelter. It was completely dark, but there was room for both of us. Hoping to get into Manchester Center tomorrow [10 miles].
Date: 2013-08-08
From: Peru Peak shelter

To: Greenwall shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: moderate rain

Well, I had hoped to go another 5 miles, to Minerva Hinchey shelter, but the rocks were still damp from last night's rain, & some parts of the Trail were just a stream bed anyway. At least, in Vt they usually [but not always] either build a boardwalk or toss some rocks into the stream to walk on. Toward the end of this section, I came to the rock art. At 2 different places along the Trail, people have spent years building various cairns & other structures out of small rocks, resulting in a variety of shapes & a surreal appearance to the whole area. I also spent some time working out scheduling with Susan, for meetings in NH. So I didn't get to this shelter till 6:00, needing water & supper. If I went on, that would mean getting to the next shelter around 10:00, way too late, even for me. Last time I came thru here, I stayed at Lula Tye shelter. As I left it going South, the Trail was under water because beavers had tried to create a new lake just below the old one. This time, the dam was in disrepair, thus no new pond, but the Trail had been re-routed to higher (& of course rougher) ground anyway. Although some guidebooks & signs still referred to it, that shelter is apparently gone.   There is supposed to be a Little Rock Pond shelter along the same lake. I thought I'd stop there for an early supper, but I just couldn't find it (even when the GPS said I was right there).
Date: 2013-08-09
From: Greenwall shelter

To: Cooper Lodge
Miles today: 18.9

Where is everybody?? That's the question of the day. There were so many hikers in Manchester Center; yet I haven't seen many on the Trail. The only one who passed me today was Bison, an extremely fast thru-hiker. I stopped at Minerva Hinchey, Clarendon, & Governor Clement shelters; & each time there were section hikers or long Trail hikers, but I don't recall seeing any AT thru-hikers. I hadn't been able to stay at Green Mountain hostel because of "warrior hikers", but I haven't actually seen any of them since the Smokies. I heard they were at Cooper Lodge; maybe they were camped just before the shelter (in the dark, I tripped over someone's tent peg that was right in the Trail). If so, I don't know how they passed me. The last 2 shelters (Gov. Clement & Cooper Lodge) were in pretty bad condition 7 years ago when I came thru this area -- if anything, they are worse now. And they didn't have any pens to write my opinion in their registers. I did meet a pair of SOBOs with the worst trail names I've heard so far: Crazy John & Fart-Master. There was also a fast-moving SOBO named Green Flash. But NOBOs were scarceTo my trilogy of slipperiness (wet roots, rocks, & mud) I now add pine needles (a wet Quartet?) Today had light rain off & on all day, enough to keep things slippery. It felt like I was putting on & taking off my poncho every few minutes. I got up early & planned to do a lot of miles today so I could be at Killington post office before Noon tomorrow. Last 2 days I've tried to do more & each time have come up one shelter short. This time I was determined, so I kept on going even in the dark on some deplorable trail going up Killington Mtn. There was no visibility even before it got dark, but I could tell that the Trail was along the side of the Mtn all the way up. I almost fell down the Mtn once when I grabbed for support from a non-existent tree. My flashlight, focussed on the rocks & roots of the Trail, showed a tree, but only the bottom 3 feet of it. Turned out that was all there was [as I grabbed for it at the 4-foot level]. I fell but stayed on the Trail. I think that's when I lost one of my water bottles [didn't notice till later]. Slow going over wet rocks, roots, & mud!I didn't get to the Cooper Lodge shelter till almost 11:00! It's an old stone & log cabin with windows on one side but no glass, so the wind can blow right in. Fortunately, the wind was mostly up higher; it didn't get all that cold. One of the 2 occupants was still awake when I got there! Mystery of the day: why is there enough wind to shake water off trees, but not enough to cool the hiker? It reminds me of a few weeks ago when it was so hot & the breeze never seemed to reach the ground.I've really been enjoying the lack of poison ivy in Northern Massachusetts & (so far) in Vermont. Stiles are most common in Virginia, where they ALWAYS have poison ivy around the base. So I was noticing the lack of it around a couple of stiles in Vt, but soon afterward I crossed a power line easement that had the only poison ivy I've seen in Vt. But just a little bit.
Date: 2013-08-10
From: Cooper Lodge

To: U.S. Rt. 4 -- Yellow Deli Hostel
Miles today: 6.3

After the workout last night, this sure felt like more than the 3.7 miles I had thought it was. Still lots of rocks & mud. It took me almost 4 hours (including a break for water & breakfast). My hope was to get to the highway in time to get to the post office in Killington before Noon (Saturday) & then go have a relaxing day at the Inn at Long Trail. That's a nice place with a nice rate for hikers, but they were filled up with full-rate guests today. After toying with the idea of just getting back on the Trail, I decided to stay at Yellow Deli Hostel in Rutland. Altho it took a while to hitch to the P.O., there I ran into someone who was doing lots of shuttling & taking a hiker to the AMTRAK station in Rutland. So he took me to the hostel too. It was a good move!The Yellow Deli is closed on Saturday because of the owners' religion. They still let hikers stay in the hostel, but for free (including free laundry)! They have a kind of commune & try to live as the first Christians did. It's a pleasant place, kept very clean, right downtown. Even has a big deck out back, where you can dry things out on a sunny day like this.   Nice place to relax after a hard day, although I had hoped to experience the Inn at Long Trail ¢can't do everything! I was able to get only a half hour on the library computer, but had a pleasant walk around the town. After having a salad & cider at a restaurant, I went back to the hostel to find that the group that runs it was providing supper to the hikers ¢ for free, but I got them to accept a donation anyway.There were about a dozen NOBO thru-hikers in the hostel, most of whom I'd met before. It was a little hard to tell who was going which way, since many were slack-packing in different directions. In the evening, I met a SOBO hiker named Hunger, from Kentucky. As we talked, I told him I had "retired & moved South" from the U.P. to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. He said he'd spent a lot of time in the West end of the Upper Peninsula, so I suggested, "Around Ironwood?" When he said yes, I told him we'd lived in Bessemer, 6 miles from there. He said that his grandmother lived in Bessemer. Turns out she's someone I knew well from church; so I sent her an E-mail to let her know that we'd met & he was doing fine. Never know whom you'll meet out here!
Date: 2013-08-11
From: U.S. Rt. 4 -- Yellow Deli Hostel

To: Stony Brook shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

After a nice breakfast at the hostel, I went to church. Vermont claims to be the "least-churched" state, but there seemed to be plenty of churches in Rutland, including both Lutheran & Episcopal. I chose to go to the Lutheran one, even tho it was out a bit from downtown. What I didn't figure out was that it was on the way out of town toward the AT. If I'd been a little more organized, I would have taken my pack with me & left from the church. As it was, some people from the church gave me a ride back to the hostel. I packed up & started walking out to the edge of town again, stopping at a couple of stores along the way. By now, it was lunch time, the Pizza Hut down the hill from the church didn't have a buffet, & the only other restaurant in the area was McDonald's; so I got my only Big Mac of the trip. While there, I met someone who was asking questions about the hike ¢ I got him to give me a ride back to one of the stores where I had left my hiking poles. Then I had to hitch another ride out to the AT. So it was almost 1:30 when I started hiking. With a little more planning, I could have started 2 hours earlier!At least I began with some easy trail, up to the "Maine Junction" where the AT turns East & the Long Trail continues North. This section does include one big rock face, for which they provide a ladder ¢ just an aluminum ladder like you might buy in any hardware store. I went by some ponds & bogs with a variety of different-colored flowers than I see in the woods. The Mosquitos today seemed to be mostly arm specialists, especially in the marsh. It had lots of different kinds of flowers, a lot of them purple. Then it was up Quimby Mtn with its numerous peaks.A group of about 6 NOBOs kept passing me. I saw most of them later at the shelter. Also section hikers Marty & Natalie kept passing & being passed. I got a place in the shelter, but couldn't get to sleep very early because the tenters all gathered around a fire just out front (to chase mosquitos, I think).
Date: 2013-08-12
From: Stony Brook shelter

To: On Ascutney Mtn.
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I was the second person getting out of the shelter, even tho I was the first one up. Animal just got up & left ahead of me while I was eating & packing. During the course of the morning, I was passed by Reboot, Scarecrow, & Soulshine, and met Monk going the other way.In a couple of miles, I came to "the Lookout." It's a privately-owned tower on top of a building just off the trail. It provides the hiker with a panoramic view after being enclosed by trees almost all the time. Hikers may stay in the building, which has been improved considerably since I went by it last; I just couldn't get there in time last night.  It was a nice sunny day, which means the mud is more firm than it has been. This did feel like a hillier section of the trail since yesterday. Most of the day it was quiet in woods, especially with regard to NOBOs. SOBOs came in two groups: Patches, Jubilee, Ado, Blue Tick, & Goat Man; later: Ninja & a couple, plus one young man too busy hiking to talk. Then no one the rest of the day. Once again, I had hoped for a longer day, so I wouldn't have to go so far tomorrow, but it just didn't work out. Some days, I can't go as fast as I'd like, & that's that. I ate at Wintturi shelter, but I wasn't happy to find another shelter without a current register (or a pen to write). Near Ascutney Mtn., I just had to stop. It was getting dark, & there are several road crossings coming up, where no camping would be feasible; so walking on in the dark didn't seem profitable. I found Pilgrim (from Plymouth, Mass) camped by a creek, so I set up just beyond. Lots of annoying mosquitos, but only for a short time.
Date: 2013-08-14
From: Happy Hill shelter

To: Base of Moose Mtn 
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: scattered clouds

As usual, I was up & out before the others awoke. I wanted to have as much time as possible in Hanover & still make some progress in the afternoon.The morning was mostly downhill thru some pretty nice woods. Then followed about 3.5 miles of road walk, beginning with a mile on Elm Street in Norwich, Vt. One of the first houses in town had trail magic from a former thru-hiker. Then Main Street, which wasn't very well marked ¢ I guess they figure there's only one bridge over to Hanover; so hikers will find it somehow. The Connecticut river is quite wide at this point, probably ideal for rowing races.Hanover, NH, is the last trail town that the AT goes right thru. They also provide maps & info on freebies for hikers. I got the free slice at a pizza place & the free glasses adjustment from the optometrist. I had thought Moxie was a New England drink, but Hanover was the first place I actually saw it for sale, so I got some. Lou's is a great place for breakfast, so I did that too. I had to spend some time at the post office sorting & re-mailing things. I was able to get a cable for my battery charger at the hardware store for half what they wanted at the electronics store next door. Then I spent a couple of hours using the computer at the Dartmouth Outing Club. That's where I finally caught up with Patchouli, who seemed to be staying in town.Ben & Jerry's used to have a store right on the Trail in Hanover, but that's closed now. Disappointing. So I went to the Co-op grocery store & got some ice cream there which I ate in front of the store while charging my electronics some more. Little bits of fine, warm rain didn't disturb me. From there, it's just up the hill to Velvet Rocks shelter, tho the actual rocks are a bit farther up & more difficult than I'd remembered. I guess "velvet" describes their being covered with green moss. I'd hoped to get to Moose Mtn shelter, but I'd dawdled too long in town. At the base of the Mtn, I crossed a stream (Mink Brook?) at dusk & saw some people camped on a kind of island. Camping with them seemed more appealing than another hour or more of walking in the dark [even tho I do have a deadline at the other end of NH for meeting Susan]. I sat around the fire with them for a while & then went to bed.One of the things said around the fire was one hiker's concern about polluting the water source [the creek]. His solution: "No peeing on the island." I didn't object, but I knew complying would affect me more than the others, since I typically get up several times per night to urinate. That meant fording the small creek in the dark. Well, I ended up doing it successfully 7 times [probably a record]!