morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-07-17
From: Outlook Ave

To: Dalton, MA
Miles today: 10.4

7/17The heat/humidity is on the increase. It's just nuts. I had Mt Greylock staring at me 18 miles out. That would mean a long afternoon climb in the middle of this heat. Ain't gonna do it.I had Thomas Levardi drive me to the next town, short on Greylock, and I slackpacked SOBO back to Dalton. My reason for hiking SOBO was that I scored a motel room in Dalton. I would get a chance to clean up and get out of the heat for one evening. Nighttime temps just are not allowing me a good night's sleep right now when tenting. There was nothing of note on today's hike. It was just typical hiking with no views to share. I'm sure that will change when I hike Greylock. 5:17 duration 1778 ascent 1903 descent
Date: 2013-07-18
From: Outlook Ave

To: Williamstown, MA
Miles today: 13.1

7/18My ankle and quad are now 100%. My strategy to just "walk it off" has seemed to work. Now I have to do my best to stay 100%, easier said than done. Tom Levardi drove me to Cheshire and I resumed my path north. Tom is just a wonderful asset to hikers. He is a treasure-trove of information and really cares about our needs/wants. For those behind me please at least stop and say "hi". He is right on the trail. The climb up to Mt Greylock was our first taste of a 3K mountain since Virginia. The climb was well-graded and with cooler weather probably uneventful. I would have thought that after 1500+ miles I would just walk right up. The heat/humidity thought otherwise. I can't wait for this heat wave to end. There was a fairly large group of young folks working on the trail on the way up Greylock. They had just completed a minor reroute. I asked them how long it took to finish this one little corner. The answer was "three days". This just shows how many hours volunteers put into this trail. Now, that little corner will be there for hikers yet born. I hope these youngsters realize how appreciated they are. Once at the Greylock summit I had lunch at the Lodge. The view from atop Mt Greylock. The hiking the rest of the day had no surprises. I had been worried about the steep descent into Williamstown but it was a piece of cake compared to some of the resent downs. Note to thrus behind me: Take care at Mt Williams. The trail takes a very hard left turn up there. It's not hard to find, just don't zone out. Tomorrow I should be entering my twelfth state, Vermont. It just seems surreal that I have walked this far. Things are going to get progressively harder as I move further north. The Arduous Grind is about to get more arduous. But, at the same time, more rewarding. 9:02 duration 4167 ascent 4800 descent
Date: 2013-07-19
From: Williamstown, MA

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

7/19The scariest moment of the day happened before I hit the trail. The motel offered to shuttle a bunch of us to the trail. Little did we know the driver apparently had little experience behind the wheel. We blew through a "deep red" light unscathed with the driver completely oblivious to what he had done. Compared to this ride the rest of the day was cake. Today is suppose to be the last really hot/humid day before we see a break. Man, I hope so. The climb out of Williamstown had sweat rolling off my elbows. It was about as hot as I have ever been on the trail and this was still morning. The dew point had to be at least 75. Fortunately with a nearly 2K climb comes a bit cooler/breezier air at elevation. I could find a rock in the shade with some wind and actually feel comfortable. But then came more hiking. At the end of the first big climb I said goodbye to Massachusetts and hello to Vermont. I have never been to Vermont. This is my twelfth state and I have not been to the 13th or 14th either. Later on in the day I crossed the 1600-mile mark leaving just under 600 miles to go. My friends that got to Vermont a week, to as little as a few days ago reported horribly muddy conditions. I seem to have lucked out. The mud has dried up and I hardly even got my shoes dirty. They would find this hard to believe. All that could change with one good rain event. Here's hoping for cool, dry air, although rain is in the forecast for tomorrow. 9:07 duration 4506 ascent 3006 descent
Date: 2013-07-20
From: Congdon Shelter

To: Goddard Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: broken clouds

7/20 As soon as I got done typing last night the skies cut loose. It was a grand display of thunder and lightning with what seemed like a very significant amount of rain. Did Vermont just turn into Vermud again?To my thrill it was not Vermud. I'm two days into Vermont and my shoes are still reasonably clean/dry. The weather really cooled as the day went on and my elevation increased. I was perspiring fairly heavily during the morning climbs. I am now camped at over 3500' and wearing a jacket. You read right, a jacket. It is awesome. I am seeing a lot of hikers that are doing The Long Trail and am seeing more SOBOs too. The skeeters haven't been an issue for two days now, with no need for DEET. The cooler weather did me good. I was cruising up this one long hill, feeling pretty good about my pace, when this young guy passed me up like I was standing still. I swear I detected a Doppler Shift as he flew by. I had hoped to get a few more miles in but it looked like rain was rolling in. I stopped, set up my tent, and it then started to rain. I think I found the last patch of level ground. My timing was perfect. I am 30 miles from Manchester Center. I plan to be there mid afternoon on Monday. Looking forward to the Green Mountain House. 8:49 duration 4438 ascent 3057 descent
Date: 2013-07-21
From: Goddard Shelter

To: Winhall River
Miles today: 21.3

7/21In a weird quirk of fate this is my sixth straight Sunday in a different state. PA, NJ, NY, CT, MA, VT. It's 102 trail miles to NH. I don't see me making it seven. I could, but I don't think I want to. Ten miles per day average going forward is about what I want. Low temp at Goddard was 53 last night, taken from my watch on the ground outside the tent. It was wonderful sleeping weather. The only bad thing was that there were slugs everywhere. I had five on my watch alone. They must have liked the salt or something. I pulled about twenty off my tent. Gross, I know. I broke camp the earliest yet for my thru, 6:30. I'm not much of a morning person so that's as good as it gets. I wanted to get close to Manchester Center by the end of the day so that meant a lot of hiking. Here is a view from the first fire tower of the day, Glastenbury Mountain. The cooler temps were just glorious. The cool air gives the pine forest a smell that just makes you want to breath deep. I think the weather is a huge factor in how a hiker views a state. Some of my friends absolutely hated Vermont, but they were hiking in the extreme heat in ankle-deep mud. I love Vermont so far but I have perfect weather, few bugs, and very little mud to deal with. That said, there is no weather that could make me love northern PA. I felt great hiking. I thought I was really cruising until five thrus passed me in the first two hours. I stopped for a break at the Al Gore Shelter, oddly there was no Internet service. We had really cold, clear water from springs all day. I learned one can get a "brain freeze" from spring water. The big climb of the day was going over Mt Stratton. We came very close to hitting 4K for the first time since VA. It is said that Benton Mackaye was so inspired by Stratton that he came up with the idea of the AT. If it had been me I think the climb would have inspired me to invent the escalator. 12:48 duration 3478 ascent 4810 descent
Date: 2013-07-22
From: Winhall River

To: Manchester Center: Green Mountain House
Miles today: 8.7

7/22Woke up to some heavy rain. I was hoping to get an early start and get to Manchester Center before noon. With the rain I just laid in my tent until after 8. After breaking camp it was obvious that my run of dry trail conditions in Vermont had come to an end. Vermud had returned. My dry spot after breaking camp. Even with the rain and the mud my mood and energy levels are higher than they have been in a month. The cooler temperatures mean so much to me. Hiking is fun again. It hasn't been fun in quite awhile. View from Prospect Rock. I finished hiking in the early afternoon. Now all I had to do was hitchhike 5 miles into town. I am a lousy hitchhiker. I just don't like doing it at all. After about a half hour an old pickup truck stops. A young couple and a HUGE dog are inside. The guy says I can sit with the dog or ride in the back, a real Sophie's Choice. After getting bounced around in the bed of the truck for what seemed like an eternity the truck thankfully comes to a stop. "This is as far as we're going. The town is thataway". I get my stuff and get out. I thank them for the "ride". They leave. I look around and have no idea where I am. I don't have enough of a cell signal to pull up my maps app. I thumb another ride and 30 minutes later another truck pulls over. This time I get all the way to my intended town. I need to stick to cabs. 4:56 duration 971 ascent 1316 descent
Date: 2013-07-23
From: Manchester Center: Green Mountain House

To: Manchester Center: Green Mountain House
Miles today: 0.0

7/23I spent the night at Green Mountain House in Manchester Center. For those of you behind me this is another one of those must-stays. Jeff has a beautiful home, and I mean beautiful. Once you get to town, resupply and eat, etc., you call him and he will pick you up. His place is lacking nothing. You even get a free pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. In fact it is so nice it's hard to leave. I had planned to slackpack 18 miles today but the weather had other ideas. It rained and rained and rained. The call for a zero was an easy one. I watched the movie Avatar in the afternoon. Dang, that's a long movie. Bismarck and Hopper Jeff and me
Date: 2013-07-24
From: Danby-Landgrove Rd

To: Manchester Center
Miles today: 17.6

7/24Jeff dropped off Bismarck, Hopper, and myself for an 18-mile SOBO slackpack this morning. The weather was wonderfully cool. For the first time in ages I had bumps on my arms that weren't from mosquitoes. The rains left the trail in a mess. Foot placement was critical. The wet rocks and roots were treacherous. I could not afford to be accurate 99 times out of a 100, as I learned in the past. Any misstep and you were going down. I had a good day with foot placement and stayed upright. We had some good views on the day. Here is one from Baker Peak. I met Molar Man on the trail. There is another crazy dentist out here. His wife, Sweet Tooth, is supporting him for his entire thru. I've been looking ahead on the maps. It's getting serious. I'm getting close to the most beautiful/hard/rewarding/scary part of the trail. I can't believe I'm on the doorstep. 10:06 duration 3527 ascent 3386 descent
Date: 2013-07-25
From: Danby-Landgrove Rd

To: Clarendon Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

7/25Hit the trail at about 7am. The mud wasn't as bad as yesterday. Another day or two without rain will do wonders at taming Vermont's mud. Temps were very cool, probably in the upper 40s at the start of hiking. I was wearing a jacket until the first decent climb. The first highlight of the day was Little Rock Pond. It seemed similar to Upper Goose Pond but much smaller. On a hot day the water just has to be inviting for a dip. Near White Rocks Cliff things got interesting. There is a tradition of stacking rocks. I can imagine this place freaking people out on a foggy day. I chatted with a young man with the trail name Mohawk. He was being supported by his mother. He was flying but took enough breaks for me to catch up and chat. He started on 5/7. I was in central Virginia on 5/7. Wow. I stopped a bit earlier than usual at 5:30. The next shelter was a bit over 5 miles away bit I had already done 15. The climb just before this shelter really got my attention. It had parts that were too steep to use trekking poles and you had to pull yourself up with your arms. I have to figure out a way to quickly stow my trekking poles. These types of climbs are going to become common. 10:31 duration 3406 ascent 3802 descent
Date: 2013-07-26
From: Clarendon Shelter

To: Churchill Scott Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: overcast clouds

7/26The hiking today started with a solid climb up Beacon Hill. On paper it looked just like the section prior to yesterday's camp, but it was tame. The first six miles of hiking in general was pretty tame. There was a section of trail that had been closed due to damage from Hurricane Irene in 2011. We had been told of it at Green Mountain House. The ATC said the newly repaired section or the previously used road walk were both AT. They still suggested the road walk if water levels were high as there was a bridge still out. Almost everyone I know took the original route. I was glad I did as the "500 miles to Katahdin" sign was there. Then came the 2K climb up Killington which didn't look bad on paper. It was. Wet rocks, wet roots, and mud made for a hard slog. Hurricane Irene hit Killington hard. You could see all the downed trees that fell in the same direction. If a thru had not passed Vermont in 2011 they had to skip much/most/all of it. It must have taken months to clear all the damage to make the trail passable again. I cannot fathom the number of man hours it must have taken. I took a couple pics of the cleared damage. I'm glad I got to the shelter area with plenty of time before dark. There was one of those dreaded wooden tent platforms for me to deal with. I had just purchased some cord in Manchester Center, so I was ready. My tent is fairly long from head to toe so I had to place the tent at an angle. After some trial and error I had what I thought was a perfect pitch. I aced the test and no longer dread these types of platforms. 10:27 duration 3730 ascent 2408 descent
Date: 2013-07-27
From: Churchill Scott Shelter

To: Random Campsite
Miles today: 12.2

7/27The trail before yesterday's finish was rocky/rooty. The trail this morning was a gem. For the most part I could stride normally for miles. With the perfect weather it was glorious. In my perfect world it's the way hiking should be. The only blight on the morning's hike were these teenagers. I couldn't shake em. I would speed up and they would be right on my tail. I would stop for a break and they did too. Teenagers in general are oblivious to their surroundings. They are LOUD. I didn't want to hear about how his dad ruined his Grand Theft Auto disc. I wanted to listen to the sounds of the forest. Fortunately they branched off on another trail and I was free at last. I got to VT 100 and decided to practice my hitching skills. Fail. No one stopped in 15 minutes so I walked on. While walking around Kent Pond there was a sign for BOC Outfitters, "only 10 minutes away". Hmmmm, OK I could use a few snacks. To their credit the side trail was well marked and did take about 10 minutes. It was a full-service outfitter with all the hiker food. I'm tired of hiker food. It turns out there was a deli a 1/4 mile away. I got two Italian Combos. One to eat there and another to pack away for supper. They had all the junk food I crave and, and, and Diet Coke. Score. On the way back to the AT I walked through a disc golf course. This is golf with a bunch of different frisbees, all which fly differently. They carry a bag of discs akin to a golfer carrying a bag full of clubs. I watched for a bit and was intrigued with the close similarity to regular golf. The day had been a piece of cake until I got to the climb up Quimby Mountain. It was time to pay the piper, and oh he was not gonna be cheap. The temps had warmed and it was the hottest part of the day. I was briefly back to having sweat drip off my elbows. The mosquitoes even made a return. Oh joy. I thought I was going to have hours to kill before sunset. Not. The shelter I chose to stay at was too close for my liking and the next one was too far, especially with that time I spent at the deli. Tenting areas can be miles apart so I wasn't going past the first shelter on my list. I might end up stuck. Luckily I found one of those rare stealth sites near, not at, the shelter and am tenting alone this evening. My supper. 9:44 duration 2900 ascent 3698 descent
Date: 2013-07-28
From: Random Campsite

To: VT12: The Barn
Miles today: 13.0

7/28Had some pretty good climbs to start the day but the trail was mostly smooth. The big highlight was stopping at The Lookout. This cabin is privately owned but they allow hikers access to it. All they ask is that you follow a few simple rules. There is a ladder leading to a deck at roof level. The view from up there is spectacular. I could see into NH. Those mountains looked ominous. I would have loved to stay here but I hit it at midday. I learned from a SOBO about this Civil War era barn on VT12 where hikers can spend the night. It is not listed in the guidebook. This was a perfect stopping point for me. Dan has allowed hikers access to his red barn for many years. Knowledge of it has been mostly word of mouth. I arrived on the perfect day. Dan was cooking a feast. He asked that I, and one other hiker, share whatever we were going to have that night for dinner. When he saw me bring a Rice Crispy treat and peanut butter he laughed. I was out of my "normal" evening meals and was going to be hitting a town the next day. What can I say? So, instead I was given the task of picking meat off these chicken bones for the dog. Thruhiker life can be so glamorous. The feast was awesome. I was almost in disbelief at my luck. Not only was the food amazing, the company was grand. The conversations alone were worth the stop. This was a very bright gathering, very bright. The Barn itself is almost on my must-stop list. Being that The Lookout is so close by, it is hard to pick. Sunrise and sunset from The Lookout must be stunning. For thrus behind me you have to stay at either The Lookout or The Barn. The Barn is located on VT12. The trail does a small road walk there so The Barn is right on the trail. After you hit VT12 and turn right, it is on your left. 8:47 duration 3422 ascent 4186 descent
Date: 2013-07-29
From: VT12: The Barn

To: West Hartford, VT: Sign Company
Miles today: 13.0

7/29I slept well in The Barn. As a bonus there was electricity so I could charge my phone. I thanked Dan and hit the trail. B-Rocket had told me that the next six miles was sort of Vermont's version of the Roller Coaster. She was right. It was like a series of Jacob's Ladders, and much steeper than Virginia's Roller Coaster. On top of that there was the muddiest spot in Vermont. One spring-fed bog has shin-deep mud that is unavoidable. Fortunately there is a stream just passed this area to clean up. At Cloudland Rd was some epic Trail Magic. A cooler of PB&J sandwiches, Rice Crispy treats, S'mores, water, and Gatorade. My timing was perfect. The Gatorade was still partially frozen. I shook up my bottle and had a perfect Slushee. Some of the views today were breathtaking. Part of the reason my 13 miles took so long was me taking in this eye candy. I learned two days ago that the owner of a sign company in West Hartford allowed hikers to camp on his property. On top of that there is a killer deli a block away. Steve is a wonderful host. His property was inundated by the flood waters of Hurricane Irene in 2011. You can't tell now. He cranked up a fire for Rail Splitter and myself. We chatted long passed Hiker Midnight. In two consecutive nights I have slept in a barn and now next to a workshop. As life on the trail goes this is Livin' Large. 8:41 duration 4065 ascent 4531 descent
Date: 2013-07-30
From: West Hartford, VT: Sign Company

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 10.0

7/30 As expected after tenting on grass near a stream, condensation was off the charts by morning. If you tent at the Hartford Sign Co expect the condensation. But, with the deli a few doors down for breakfast it was worth it. I knew I had a fairly easy 10 miles to Hanover so I had no motivation to start early. I spread my gear out in the sun and burned off the condensation before heading out at 9:30. After hiking over 1700 miles through many tiny towns I would have expected more of the following. I crossed into the penultimate state of New Hampshire early in the afternoon. After just hiking through the recent heat/humidity it is weird to suddenly have to think of the cold. In the elevations of the White Mountains temps can be freezing even in August. I am having Sa mail me the down jacket I started with in Georgia. I am not switching to my winter sleeping bag. No section of the trail has gotten my attention more than what I am facing. The next few weeks of hiking will be the most physically difficult thing I have ever done. I probably will never duplicate it again in my life. I have to keep telling myself that thousands have done it before me. Take it slow and all will be well. 4:52 duration 1975 ascent 1785 descent
Date: 2013-07-31
From: Hanover, NH

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0

7/31With the weather so perfect I hated taking a zero day but feel my feet needed a break. I've made it too far not to listen to my feet and they've been barking. I'm having new shoes mailed to Glencliff in an attempt to make them happier. Other than my feet my body is doing great. All my previous injuries have healed. I think the slowing of my pace over the past month has set me up well for the most difficult part of the trail. My energy levels are high and I am probably in the best aerobic shape of my life. I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I scheduled a SOBO slackpack for tomorrow so I can be in Hanover one more day. I love slacking back to a great town. B-Rocket Update: She is in her home state of Maine. Go Barbara.
Date: 2013-08-01
From: Grafton Turnpike

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 17.4

8/1After the zero yesterday it was time to hit the trail. As per my usual strategy when in a nice town, I arranged for a slackpack back to Hanover. I got dropped off at 8:30 and headed south. The trail had a couple 1000'+ climbs in the first five miles to welcome me back. For the most part the trail was well graded with good footing. It wasn't until the last four miles that the trail got rugged. It just so happened that that was the time it started to rain. Those last few miles slowed me down to a crawl with slippery roots and rocks. I thought I was going to get back to Hanover before 5pm but the rain had me arriving after 6pm. The busses stop running after 6 so I wouldn't have that option. I stopped at a grocery store that was right on the trail. Being that my clothes were wet from the rain I about froze while resupplying. I had never noticed how much some stores crank up the AC. I stopped to get a bite to eat and froze again in the restaurant. Finally I called the motel and they agreed to pick me up. This is fairly common with some motels along the trail. They want hiker business and know we don't have cars. I froze again while standing around waiting for my ride. Note to self: If not hiking directly to your final destination, bring extra clothing on slack days if rain is in the forecast. 9:51 duration 4934 ascent 5167 descent
Date: 2013-08-02
From: Grafton Turnpike

To: Hexacuba Shelter
Miles today: 11.1

8/2I got dropped off at the same road crossing as yesterday, at the same time, and headed north. After two flat miles there were a couple 1000'+ climbs in the next four miles. The second one was especially steep with rebar anchored into the rock in order to climb. I will be seeing more of this rebar, and other aids, as I move north. This pic shows wooden steps, rock steps, and rebar. We got the trifecta on this one. Unlike yesterday the views today were great. Here is me on Lambert's Ridge. View of Smarts Mountain from Lambert's. I was on top of that mountain a couple hours later. If you zoom in on the pic you might be able to see the Smarts fire tower. The views from the fire tower were grand. And finally a panoramic shot from Eastman Ledges. Even though today's hike was only 11 miles, I was pretty spent by my arrival at the shelter. There was a lot of climbing packed into those 11 miles. 8:43 duration 4053 ascent 2633 descent