morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-04
From: 501 Shelter

To: Eagles Nest Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: broken clouds

Beagle mentioned I seem to have the worst luck, and she may be right, but we had good luck today with trail magic. At state highway 143, an attempted thru-hiker (who had to get off the trail due to injury) and her mother were dealing out trail magic: pop, cookies, and the biggest, sweetest, juiciest strawberries I have had in a long time.
Date: 2004-07-06
From: Port Clinton Pavilion

To: Eckville Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

Headed into Cabela's one last time this morning. I got $10 of free stuff for filling out an application for a credit card. Walking out of town, I got bit for the second time by someone's yappy dog as I tried to pet it. Ran into Don't Mind and Don't Matter, but never saw Beagle and Moo Juice, since they stayed with friends. At The Pinnacle, me and several other hikers were able to survey the ridgeline we were walking at least as far as Delaware Water Gap. Also along the way, I discovered a small telescope/observatory. I took some pictures and wondered as I did if someone would come running out thinking I was a spy.Eckville was another deluxe shelter, located on a minor country road a couple of minutes from the trail. It had a caretaker and pop and ice cream and snacks for sale. Real comfy digs.
Date: 2004-07-07
From: Eckville Shelter

To: just before New Tripoli Campsite
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Would have done more mileage today, but got delayed by the rain. I'm gonna have to bust some big miles the next couple of days if I want to make it to Delaware Water Gap by Saturday ,morning before the post office closes, so I can pick up my bank card. 22 tomorrow and 20 on Friday, over mean and nasty trail. I'm not looking forward to it. A gradually building rainstorm pinned me down at Allentown Hiking Club Shelter for a couple of hours, so after lunch, I pulled out a copy of "The Hobbit" that I had been carrying around to read, and was just getting into it when I hear the racket of whooping and hollering back at the trail. Poler and Pilot, along with a nephew, were jublilant about getting out of the rain. Unfortuneately for them, I hate to be disturbed while reading, and I'm afraid I gave them a somewhat chilly reception, mainly because at first I thought they were going to be a large pack of kids, probably boy scouts. The rain eventually cleared off, and I cranked out another 6 miles.
Date: 2004-07-08
From: just before New Tripoli Campsite

To: Delp's Spring
Miles today: 21.7

Another long day I'm glad to be done with. Stopped at Bake Oven Knob Shelter. It was really run-down. Just one more reason not to like the AT in Pennsylvainia.When I got to Lehigh Gap near Palmertown, a slight rain was coming down and I briefly debated going into town and stay at the "jail" hostel, because the upclimb looked extremely precarious with a straight-up climb of an exposed mountain face with lots and lots of really big boulders. I decided I really could not afford to lose the time, and would try to go on and only turn back if hiking on would be dangerous. Fortuneately, the rain never got more than a good sprinkle and I made it up without incident. It was indeed treachorous in spots, and I was very glad I was going up, for going down would have been much more difficult and dangerous on the slick rock.After a long and winding climb I reached the top, and about ten minutes later I ran into thru-hiker Luna. Luna is one of strongest hikers I know, male or female, but she was suffering from strep throat and was heading into town to get it checked out. She was going southbound from Delaware Water Gap to Port Clinton for the massive hiker feed that everyone's been talking about. Concerned about her safety in the rain and on those treachorous rocks, I made her promise me that she would take the bad weather route down.Some have dubbed the ridge "Superfund Mountain", due to the fact that the landscape has been stripped bare of vegetation due to excessive zinc mining in the area, and the resulting Superfund clean-up.Such is my luck that the water supplies recently have been few and far between, and the only water source for the next 6 miles before the end of the day was dubbed "Metallica Spring". Not very encouraging.Finally, after a long and weary day, I came to Delp's Spring and set up my tent. The guidebook lists the spring as "unreliable", but fortuneately, since it was spring, there was water. I cannot wait to get to DWG so I can rest.
Date: 2004-07-09
From: Delp's Spring

To: Kirkridge Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Thought I was going to get arrested for indecent exposure today. I crossed Smith Gap Road and was just a half-mile from the shelter, when I decided I just could not make it to the privy there and was going to have to dig a cat-hole. I laid my pack down in the trailhead parking lot and went up the trail a short bit then off the trail. The ground was really hard to dig into but I finally was able to dig a suitable hole. I was just about ready to commence filling up the hole, when a cop car pulls into the lot. I thought he had seen me and boy was I going to be in big trouble. However, he did not see me, and went off looking for me in the wrong direction. I came back down to the parking lot. He asked me to identify myself and actually ran my I.D., feeling my abandoned bag was somewhat suspicious. However, what he told me was that he was doing it for my safety, because bodies or body parts or whatever had been found in the woods before. I didn't question him on that because he was just doing his job and I was just glad I didn't get caught "showing my ass"Well, I'm all alone again for the third night in a row and really, really tired. These rocks and long miles are really getting to me and I am really fatigued. I'm really stressed out, but hopefully tomorrow will be better: short day, rest, and I can have money again. Yah!
Date: 2004-07-10
From: Kirkridge Shelter

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: broken clouds

What a wretched, horrible day. Still tired from the last two days of pushing myself almost 42 miles over over nasty rocky trail, it was all I could do to hike the last 6.4 miles downhill into town. Just before I hit town, I ran across another memorial to someone who had died the day I left Springer. I only stopped to look briefly, but I believe it was a 19-year old soldier killed in the war.Today was my worst day on the trail by far. My bank-card had not arrived at the post office, and when I called Visa to confirm the address, they advised me they had sent it to my old apartment. Now, I am not going to be getting any money any time soon and am going to have to get off the trail for awhile. I considered quitting but decided against it, despite my profound frustration.I called my dear, excellent friends in New York, Stu and Nora, also known as Treebeard and Mapleleaf to some, and they hooked me up with their friend Danine in Pennsylvania. I will stay with her for a short time then over to New York until I can get another card. I think it is amazing that someone would come and take a complete stranger into their home on the say-so of a common friend. It says alot about the kindheartedness of Danine and the trustworthiness, trust in judgement, and integrity of Stu and Nora.After everything was arranged, I sat down in the pavilion at the Church of the Mountain and wept. What a thoroughly frustrating, miserable way to leave the trail. I hope to be back shortly. There's alot more I could write but it's just too painful.
Date: 2004-07-23
From: Hoyt Rd

To: Ten Mile River Lean-to
Miles today: 2.8

I would like to start this entry by expressing deep gratitude to Stu and Nora Septoff and Danine Hughes. If they had not welcomed me into their homes in my time of need, I would have been forced to return to Indiana until I could get my money situation straightened out. I am truly blessed to know such wonderful people. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you guys!After some debate, I chose to jump ahead some on my trek so as not to fall behind schedule. I skipped a 161 mile section of the trail from DWG to Hoyt Rd (the NY/CT state line), or essentially, New Jersey and New York. I will come back and complete the section after summiting Katahdin, but for now, it is exciting to finally be in New England for the first time in my life, and back on the trail after a 12-day absence.After leaving Manhattan by train, I arrived in the early afternoon to the town of Poughkeepsie, NY, then took a cab to Wingdale, NY. It was raining cats and dogs, so after re-supply, I holed up in the local library and passed time on the internet. Eventually, the rain let up enough to try to hitch a ride, and a short time later I was back on the trail.It started raining harder shortly after hitting the trail, so I took shelter under a trail information board. I waited for awhile, and when I saw it was not going to let up any time soon, I walked on. About an hour later I arrived at the shelter. I was running very late due to the late start and the rain delay, and the next shelter was 8.4 miles away, so despite the fact that it was the middle of the afternoon, I decided I was home for the evening.Eventually, Saltlick showed up, and I was very excited to see someone from the trail. He was surprised to see me, as there were rumors that I had dropped off. Talking further, I learned where other hikers were, and was pleasantly surprised to find I had actually gotten a little bit ahead in relation to where everyone else was. People that I was with or slightly ahead of me were now behind me, people that were significantly ahead of me were not as far ahead anymore. I had figured that I had lost ground on the pack, in general. Next into the shelter were Skippy and Poppins.Eventually, it became apparent that the rain was done for the day, and it was still mildly warm and daylight, so I walked down to the confluence of Ten Mile River and the Housatonic River for a splash. I spent alot of time exploring all the rocks and nooks and crannies, just absorbing it all, happy to be back in the wilderness and clean air, the mountains, and the trees.
Date: 2004-07-24
From: Ten Mile River Lean-to

To: Stony Brook Campsite
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: broken clouds

Back to the grind, and I don't mind! Met Pegasus at the start of the day. Someone pointed her out to me at Trail Days but I never got to meet her. She's left some dark, interesting poetry in some of the shelter registers, very Sylvia Plath. I forgot to get water when I was near the river, and had just trudged a half-mile uphill away from the water when I met a local ridge-runner. He knew of a well off the trail, but it took a little bush-wacking to find it. Once we did, however, we got back to the trail much quicker than we got to the well.Passed the road into Kent today. I probably should have went into town to find my friends Walking Stomach (she lives in Kent) and Little Tree. I have not seen them since the first trip through Damascus and have been either just ahead or just behind them for several weeks now. However, I just got back on the trail after a long lay-off, and as far as I know, they're already past Kent.The highlight of the day was climbing down Caleb's Peak. It is in spots like these that give rise to the reputation of the nasty "Connecticut ledges". What felt like a straight drop down the mountain on large rock steps was a little treachorous and would have been dangerous in icy weather. I'm glad I don't have bad knees.After the scramble down Caleb's Peak, the last 4 miles were a breeze, with some dirt road walking, another dip in the cool, wide but shallow Housatonic River, and another campsite next to the river at the end of the day.
Date: 2004-07-25
From: Stony Brook Campsite

To: Belter's Campsite
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: broken clouds

Third day in a row swimming in New England waters. It's hot even in New England summer, and the cool water feels good. The Housatonic is about 100 yards wide in some areas, yet never gets much deeper than waist-high. It is really enjoyable to get in.Ran into a traditional south-bounder for the first time today. I've met a few other south-bounders, but they did not start at the regular time as other southbounders, in mid-May or June. This south-bounder was from my home state of Indiana, and his trail-name was Ft Wayne. We talked for some time as I tried unsuccessfully to hitch into Cornwall Bridge. I didn't need to go into town, I just wanted to look around a classic traditional New England small town and to view the architecture.Later in the day I hooked up with Joker, and we hiked the last few miles together to Belter's Bump campsite, with a nice view at the top of a hill.
Date: 2004-07-26
From: Belter's Campsite

To: Brassie Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 15.8

Love/hate Connecticut. The hitching sucks, but the little cafes just off the trail rock! For breakfast I stopped at Mountainside Cafe just outside of Falls Village. Just a few minutes hike off the trail and the salmon omelet was worth the side-trip. 10 miles later, just in time for lunch, is the small town of Salisbury, 1/2 mile from the trail but not an easy hitch (no hitch at all for me). No matter, the deli at the local market provided a re-supply and a delicious roast beef sandwich.From Billy's View (bottom picture), I could see Massachusetts, the state line on the descent/ascent of the ridge. I lingered here for quite awhile before moving on to Salisbury and then Brassie Brook Lean-to, where I got a cold bath in the stream and set-up my tarp-tent nearby.
Date: 2004-07-27
From: Brassie Brook Lean-to

To: Great Barrington, Ma
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: light rain

Another state line crossed today, and I have to say my first New England state has been awesome. Lots of ruggedness, great views of miles of uninterrupted wilderness from atop small treeless summits, beautiful blue rivers, a little more evergreen as the trail delves deeper into the north, and much less roads. The trail is still rugged, but is much better groomed and less rocky than the trail I left in Pennsylvania. That's not to say it's without challenge, for it's also steeper, and in many places the down is harder than the up. The trail in Connecticut is blazed great, except when you need it to be blazed. Many times I came to a spot where the trail could go in any direction, but of course the only direction one should go is where the trail leads, if you could just find where that was. In one particularly tricky spot ,native of the eastern part of the state April Showers came from behind and helped me out. She's hiked this section of the trail several times.Did close to 15 miles of Massachusetts before calling it a day, and getting a little light rain at the end. After a hitch into town and securing a room in a not-cheap motel, a section hiker and I went out to dinner at the local pub, where he very kindly bought my dinner. Gotta love trail magic and complete strangers on the trail : )
Date: 2004-07-28
From: Great Barrington, Ma

To: Mt Wilcox North Lean-to
Miles today: 13.5

Couldn't resist hittin the Dunkin Donuts on the way out of town this morning. Need them calories! As I was organizing my re-supply outside the grocery store this morning, a nice woman struck up a conversation with me and soon offered me a ride back to the trail. Very gratified, I accepted. We had some initial trouble finding the trail. Passed it once, but soon found it on the way back. She was very nice and even gave me some fudge and brownies. The rest of the day was hot and muggy and not the most pleasant hiking weather, but I survived.
Date: 2004-07-29
From: Mt Wilcox North Lean-to

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: broken clouds

Shinsplints started again today for some reason. Not debilitating but it is slowing me down. At the end of the day there was an awesome swimming spot just before the side-trail to Upper Goose Pond Cabin. Too bad I can't swim. But I can get in and feel water, and shuck off the previous days sweat and dirt. I stayed in for about 10 or 15 minutes, and saw some canoes paddling off in the distance. I later found out that they belonged to the cabin and were free for anybody to use. When I get in the water I usually get in without any clothes, to bathe, and also because it feels good. I was just getting out when Megabite showed up, and boy was he flustered. He doesn't even like to see another man in his underwear.The cabin was a little less than a half mile off the main trail, and boy was it nice. The caretaker and his wife and his two pretty teenage daughters were there, all in their bathing suits. Lots of south-bounders and north-bounders were there, also many of them were taking advantage of the water. The cabin was two-story, with the sleeping quarters upstairs and living quarters, dining area and breakfast prep area downstairs. The cost to stay is $4, $3 if you tent. It's worth it just for the pancake breakfast in the morning, not to mention all the swimming and paddling you could want.
Date: 2004-07-30
From: Upper Goose Pond Cabin

To: Cookie Lady, Pittsfield Rd
Miles today: 11.0

Some southbounders had brought blueberries they had picked from here at the Cookie Lady's blueberry farm, and the caretaker and his wife cooked them into some of the pancakes this morning. Very awesome. I wanted to do 20 miles today and get into Dalton, but my shins were really hurting. I'm not sure if it's shin splints because the pain is kind of low and partially on my ankle as well as shin. So, after a short day I stopped at the Cookie Lady's instead of going further.The place is the second blueberry farm I have stayed at on the trail, but the first one (Blueberry Patch in Georgia) was out of season when I stayed there. There is no hostel set-up here, but she has a huge yard doesn't mind if you pitch a tent as long as you ask first.The Cookie Lady and her husband are a sweet old couple and it is tradition to bring out cookies and a pop to visiting thru-hikers. The cookies were good, but the pop was, I'm sorry to say, an awful off-brand diet cola. Fortuneately, she gave me just a mini, one of those half-size cans.I tried hitching into the Wal-Mart in Becket to get an ankle brace, but gave up after almost an hour of fruitless thumbing.
Date: 2004-07-31
From: Cookie Lady, Pittsfield Rd

To: Tom Levardi's, 83 Depot St, Dalton
Miles today: 9.1

Another short day, doing the second half of what would have been a full day yesterday, and another evening in civilization, this time on the porch of Tom Levardi, who runs an informal hostel at his house, letting as many people as can squeeze in sleep on his porch, and celebrating their accomplishment thus far with a big fat ice-cream sundae.In the afternoon I took a bus to the next town over and got an ankle brace. I don't know if that will help. Played some pool and got some dinner at an old train station, now a restaurant calle The Depot. Waited for what seemed like forever for Skippy to turn off her headlamp so I could go to sleep. That's one reason why I often forego sleeping with others in shelters, because I have to have zero distractions of either light or sound to fall asleep, unless I am really tired.
Date: 2004-08-01
From: Tom Levardi's, 83 Depot St, Dalton

To: Bascom Lodge, Mt Greylock
Miles today: 17.5

Today was a long hard struggle. Despite the pain in my shin (the brace did not help much) I made it 17.5 miles, culminated with a big uphill of over 2500 feet the last 7.7 miles from Cheshire to Greylock. At the end, my ankle was very sore and stiff and I could not wait to get off it.About 10 miles into the day was the small town of Cheshire, where Megabite and his family were throwing an impromptu hiker feed. But before I could get there, and right as I was hiking into town, I had a bad fall, probably my most ungraceful of the trip. Over a ditch there was a narrow "bridge" which was pretty much just a wooden plank. I was not hurrying or being careless at all, but when I stepped on the board, it was slick and my footing went out from under me, I went down and did the splits on the board, and fell off the side into the ditch. I scraped myself pretty good but no injuries.The big hiker feed with Megabite and his family was excellent, with all the burgers, hot dogs, chips,cookies and pop one could want. Everyone got their fill and was able to waddle on down the trail satisfied. While I was down at Cheshire I called ahead and reserved a space in the "hostel", which turned out to be 10 bucks for bunk-beds in a dirty corner room. I was the last one in and was annoyed to find that the only bed left was an upper bunk, and a high one at that, even though the some of the people in there knew perfectly well that I was struggling. In the room tonight are Skippy and Poppins and Poppins's brother, along with Party Girl and Medicine Man (who you couldnt get a yardstick between). Eventually, one hiker decided to upgrade to the lodge and that left me a bed on the floor, to my relief.
Date: 2004-08-02
From: Bascom Lodge, Mt Greylock

To: Bascom Lodge, Mt Greylock
Miles today: 0.0

Decided to take my first day off after re-joining the trail at Hoyt Rd, a little over 130 miles back. My ankle is slightly swollen and painful to do anymore than slow walking After a full hostel last night, I have the place to myself. I slept in late, then cleaned the place up and the maintenance man swept, making it feel a little homier.I did a lot of resting and icing, and a sweet young woman by the name of Jennifer suggested Ibuprofen, "vitamin-I". The swelling has gone down and I think I will be ok for tomorrow.Walking around during dusky hours, I had another cool wildlife encounter. As I was walking the paved path between the lodge and the hostel, I saw a flash of brown fur. I had no idea what it was but it moved FAST. It darted into the trees, and as I peered in, I could make out the dark outline of what appeared to be a large housecat. It never made a sound, but I'm sure it was a bobcat. I've heard at night, their scream is like that of a terrified young woman. I hope I don't have to hear that tonight.
Date: 2004-08-03
From: Bascom Lodge, Mt Greylock

To: The Mountain Goat, Williamstown, MA
Miles today: 6.3

Left Greylock feeling refreshed and healed. I don't know why it did not occur to me to take some Ibuprofen before. Much thanks to Jennifer, the sweet young lady who was running check-in at the lodge and provided me with much welcome company and diversion my two days on Greylock. Descending the mountain, I got my first view of Vermont today, and it was exciting to see the first of the really wild and remote states. All the other states are great, but I imagine the last three are going to be the wildest, most rugged, extreme part of the hike.Ran into Skipper, the proprietor of the hostel back at Harpers Ferry. I was not happy with the service there and mentioned in their guest book I would not stay at another AYH (American Youth Hostel) again. He was not too happy about that, but that is something he needs to fix.I was expecting an important business letter at the post office, along with my winter sleeping bag, in Williamstown, and when it was not there, I realized I would not make my goal of Seth Warner Shelter in Vermont, since I would have to stay in town and hope it would be there tomorrow. I read in Wingfoot the owner of the local outfitter, The Mountain Goat, lets hikers tent in his backyard. I called him just as he was closing up, and he said I could, but he was not going to wait for me. I told him that was fine, I did not expect him to.After finding it for the second time (I was there once already, to get some new underwear as I had lost a pair in Mass.) I set up my tent and headed to the bar across the street for some dinner and a stiff drink (Long Island, if anybody ever wants to buy me a drink). I met and talked to another hiker who was trying to piece together a thru-hike. After hanging out for awhile, I was about to head out, but it was raining cats and dogs. I holed up in the bar for awhile, and when it finally became bearable, I made a run for the tent and went to bed.