morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-09-12
From: Greenwall Shelter

To: Bromley Mountain Ski Slopes
Miles today: 22.0

As usual, I was the first one up this am. Had a quick breakfast of my usual, oatmeal, a pb&j tortilla and my tutti fruiti, double cross latte. I hit the trail a little after 6:00, and hiked hard all day with only a few short breaks.There was a series of peaks, not very high but pretty steep, that included Baker, Peru and Styles peaks. It was raining off and on for most of the day. When it wasn't raining, I was still wet with sweat from wearing my rain jacket and climbing.My initial goal for today was Bromley Shelter/campsite. I am pretty sure that is where Herc & Hobbit spent the night before going into Manchester to leave the trail for a wedding. Well, it was a little after 8:30, and I had been hiking in the dark for nearly two hours with the aid of my headlamp. It was still raining a little but now, I began seeing pretty serious lightning and hearing very loud thunder. I was climbing a hill and spied what looked like something right out of Star Trek, a huge monstrosity, at the top of the hill. I could only see it during the lightning so, I was not sure what it was. As I approached the top of the hill, it became obvious that I was walking up a ski slope and the "alien spaceship" was actually the chair lift building for the ski operation. There was a small cabin at the top of the slope and I saw two lights, hiker headlamps, moving around in the cabin. When I got to the cabin, there was a man standing on the front deck. I asked him if hikers were allowed to stay in the cabin. He said, "Sure, come on in". I told him I wanted to make it to the Bromley Shelter which was about a mile further down one of the ski slopes. We bid each other farewell and I struck off down the slope. I wasn't hiking even five minutes when the bottom fell out and the rains raced from the sky to the earth amid all the thunder and lightning. I was instantly wet in the deluge. Well, I changed my plans about hiking to the shelter, made a u-turn and quickly went back to the cabin. I told the guy I had changed my mind and would be staying with him and his lady for the night. The hikers, The Reverend and Tie Dye, welcomed me into the cabin. It was actually a little house where the ski patrol guys spent the winter when working on the slopes. There was no electicity or water but it was totally enclosed, unlike the shelters which have one side open to the elements. The thunder storm continued on for another hour or more. The lightning literally cracked the black sky with spider webs of very vivid, brilliantly bright lightning streaks. It was like New Year's and July 4th rolled into one huge fireworks show. Being on top of the mountain made the heavenly event even more spectacular. The Reverend, Tie Dye and myself stood at the windows and just marveled at the sight.Ciao for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-13
From: Bromley Mountain Ski Slopes

To: Manchester Centre, Vt.
Miles today: 2.0

Enough of this hiking in the rain. I'm going to town today and it's only two little miles to the road. There, I hitch a ride with a home builder who, because of threatening rain, decided to take the day off and go fishing. I kidded him about it. "So, you don't even need the actual rain, all you need is the THREAT of rain." He just laughed. We talked about the return of the housing market and how happy he was to be working again. He dropped me off at the Price Chopper grocery store and I went shopping. Of course, the first thing I got was a pint of Ben & Jerry's Late Night Snack ice cream. By the time I got the rest of my trail supplies and checked out, the ice cream was good and soft. I went outside sat down at the picnic table, which was their smoking area, and ate my B&J's with a big smile on my face. Ahhh, life is good...My home for the night was a private home listed in the trail guidebook. The owner was Frank. He seemed to be a good and decent man but, it was obvious that he was not comfortable with strangers staying in his home. In fact, he was very uptight about it. When I called to stay there, I thought it was a motel. I feel much more comfortable in a motel than in a private B&B. Not until I arrived, did I realize it was a B&B. There were three other hikers there. A Long Trail hiker named Steve and a young couple, who were engaged,that were hiking the AT, south bound. Her name was Sunshine and she was from Denver, Colorado, via Brazil. Her fiance, whose name I cannot remember, was also from Denver. Frank made us feel uncomfortable because he was so uptight. If we went into the kitchen, he would always find a reason to be in there too. We had some things stored in his fridge and when we went in to get something, he would ask if he could help us. I'm not sure if he was afraid we were going to take something of his or run away with his refrigerator. Frank's wife worked out of the home. I thought she was pleasant enough. But, one of the other hikers said she reminded him of Nurse Ratchett in "One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest". Oh well, we all made it through the night, host, hostess and guests and we were up and out early the next morning.Such is life on the AT...Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-14
From: Manchester Centre, Vt.

To: Stratton Pond Shelter/campsite
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: broken clouds

My objective for today was a lot further than I got. Again, the rains came and that always slows me down. There was not a lot of climbing except that the entire day trended upward. No steep climbs but just a very gradual climb. Stratton Pond Shelter/campsite was one of the nicest ones I have seen. When I arrived it was still cold and rainy and there were six guys there from the Boston area for a two day outing. They were all nice guys. They had lots of gear, all the comforts of home. Big hunting knives, machetes, a shovel, a hatchet and, of course, the bourbon, not to mention lots of food. For some reason, watching them reminded me of the group of men in James Dickey's novel, "Deliverance", which was later made into a movie. It was obvious they had little experience hiking and camping. It was a virtual comedy watching them build a fire. But, after much trial and tribulation, they did indeed build a fine fire. One guy, Dan, had either a plastic plate or a frisbee and while several others were piling birch bark and other kindling types of wood on the coals, Dan would fan and fan the flames until they had a pretty big fire. Then, they prepared their dinner and drank their bourbon. Afterwards, they played cards. They got pretty happy but none of them got out of line in any way. Needless to say, when I got up to break camp at around 5:30, all of them were sleeping hard and several were snoring loudly, too. The remnants of their party were scattered around the shelter and picnic table.Another good day ends on the AT.Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-15
From: Stratton Pond Shelter/campsite

To: Goddard Shelter/campsite
Miles today: 19.7

When I broke camp this morning, it was very cold. But, on my radar screen today was a real mountain. It had a fairly steep ascent and an equally steep descent on the south side. It was Stratton Mountain at 3,936 ft. ASL. So, I was not cold for long when I started climbing. As I reached the summit, I noticed the 50-60 ft. lookout tower, mostly shrouded in clouds. There was also a little one room caretaker's cabin on the summit. A lady, Mary, was standing outside brushing her teeth when I arrived. Of course, we had a little chat and I found her very interesting. She and her husband volunteered as caretakers and actually lived in the little cabin for several months during hiking season. She told me that the temp got down to 35 degrees during the night. That is colder than I want to be. She said it is not unusual to get snow on the mountains in early September. Something else I did not want to hear. I took her picture standing in front of her little cabin and she took my picture standing in front of the lookout tower. We wished each other well and I was on my way down the mountain.My goal for today was simply to get as far as I could. Around 11:30, a Trail Angel, named Onesimus, approached me on the trail. He invited me to come to his camper a few miles up the trail and he would make me some lunch. Well, no hiker turns down Trail Magic so, off I went down the trail to where his camper was parked. I arrived about 45 minutes later. He asked me to come into his camper and he introduced me to his dog, Super Sargent Spencer. The camper was nice and it had all the comforts of a small home. Onesimus made me two of the best cheese burgers I've ever had along with fresh fruit, chips, salsa and good strong coffee. It really was a wonderful meal. I learned that Onesimus had been an Airborne Ranger in the Army. He served with distinction in Desert Storm and later became a Ranger instructor. He retired from the Army in '03 and thru-hiked the AT that year. I also learned that he had found the Lord and was a devout Christian. His trail name, Onesimus, comes from a Biblical slave who helped the Apostle Paul and Paul later helped free him from slavery after Osinimus accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. We conversed about the Bible and life in general. I really felt good when I left Onesimus. Not only did I get a great meal but I found a Brother in Christ, too. It still amazes me that folks like Onesimus, Trail Angels, spend their time, energy and money going out on the AT and helping perfect strangers by feeding them, taking them to places they need to go and just helping them in any way. That, my friends, is the epitome of true altruism. They do it unconditionally and expect nothing in return.When I arrived at Goddard Shelter/campsite, there were two young ladies there on an overnight hiking/camping trip. We chatted for a while and I hit the bag. The only way to get warm on a cold night on the AT.Today was a very profitable day, personally and spiritually!Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-17
From: Bennington, Vt

To: Bennington, Vt
Miles today: 0.0

Today is going to be a zero day or a day off. Gotta wash my clothes, buy groceries, make phone calls, catch up on my email, do a little journaling and...oh yes...watch me some FOOTBALL, not necessarily in this order.Wishing y'all a wonderful day!!Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-18
From: Bennington, Vt

To: Somewhere in Massachusetts 
Miles today: 15.1

What a beautiful day!! The gorgeous, azure blue, Massachusetts sky, lightly accented and contrasted with fluffy, white, cotton candy clouds. My Goodness!! The birds are singing, the sun is shining and EVERY day is a HOLIDAY in my world. Wow!Do YOU ever have days like this??? If not, come on out here with me on the AT. Experience sunsets that will leave you in awe and sunrises full of hope and promise for the new day, a fresh start, a new beginning. Yesterday is done. Good or bad, we can't change it. But, that wondrous sunrise ushers in so much potential, so many fresh possibilities for good things to happen. I have been in Massachusetts for less than a day and I love it already. But, I also loved Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Yes, the mountains, the picturesque valleys, the rivers and lakes and the wildlife are all wonderful things to experience. But, in my opinion, it's the people that make these states so enticing and unforgettable. Like the ones who pick me up when I'm hitch hiking from the trail into town. No matter how disheveled, muddy or smelly I am, they welcome me into their world for a few brief miles. They ask me where I am headed and I tell them the name of an outfitter, motel, grocery store or restaurant that I got out of my guidebook. "Oh yes, I'm going right by there", they will invariably say. Not a chance they are. They just want to help out a fellow human being who needs a little help. Or, the local day hikers who I pass on the AT. They always greet me with a smile and a kind word. Usually, they want to chat and I accommodate them. Then, when I tell them I'm thru-hiking the entire AT, they give me the rock star treatment. Taking pictures of me, telling me how wonderful I am. Several have even offered me opportunities to stay in their homes. For all they know, I could be an axe murderer. The waiters and waitresses have taken good care of me, too. I came into Lincoln, NH after being in the jungle for several days. I stopped at the first pancake house I came to for breakfast. After I was seated, a couple was seated at the table next to me. A minute after they sat down, I heard shuffling of chairs and feet. I turned to find that they had moved to the other side of the dining room. My waiter came back and I asked him, "Do I smell that bad?" He gave me a bright smile and said, "No sir, you really don't smell that bad". I could give many other examples but I won't. Let it suffice to say that there are many people who have gone out of their way to be kind and gracious to me out here on the trail and it has deeply enriched my experience.All of my life I have heard about how magnificent "Southern Hospitality" is. And, I totally agree with that assessment. It really is a beautiful thing. But, it has nothing to do with geography because we have nothing on our New England neighbors. They are every bit as warm, nice and inviting as we are below the Mason-Dixon Line.God is great!Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-20
From: Cheshire, Ma

To: Becket, Ma.
Miles today: 18.8

The objective for today is Becket, Ma. A fairly humdrum day on the AT. No major climbs or descents, just a lot of minor ups and downs.I decided to go into the tiny town of Becket for the night. The town had one motel, one general store with a deli and one pub. I think these three different businesses are the minimum required in order to grant the title of "town" to an otherwise sleepy little village here in the north. The delicatessens up here amaze me. I dined at a deli about a half mile off the trail that was wonderful. It was at a cross roads by the Housatonic River in the middle of the woods. The only other thing there was a volunteer fire station. The chicken salad sub I had was superb! Guess your food better be great if your deli is in the sticks. Oh yes, their Ben & Jerry's New York Double Fudge ice cream was fabulous, too!!Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-21
From: Becket, Ma.

To: Shaker Campsite
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: overcast clouds

If you glance at the elevation profile for half of today's hike, it looks like the O-scope reading of a DOA patient in the ER...a flat liner. That is the first half. The last half of the hike is very much "alive". Not really challenging but the climbs did produce a little sweat on my part. The day ended as a very productive one with me logging 21 miles. That's a good day on any type of terrain, or, it is for me.Ciao for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-22
From: Shaker Campsite

To: Great Barrington, Ma.
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Hiking into Great Barrington, the AT is routed through some big cornfields. These are the first ones I have hiked through since Pennsylvania. The cultivated fields followed the banks of the Housatonic River. It was a warm, sunny afternoon and the bugs were ubiquitous. They were also tenacious, narly, blood sucking, flying, vampirish, parasitic pests...and plentiful!!! I was trying to keep them at bay by thrashing the air around my head with my hat. But, they had already infiltrated my hair, beard, ears and nose in an all out frontal assault. After beating myself ferociously about the head and shoulders with my hat for about 20 minutes, their attack mercifully subsided. But, the pesky little rascals regrouped, reloaded and swarmed me again. This time, they targeted my hands, wrists and ankles. They were voracious!! Apparently, they had not eaten in a long time and I was paying for it. I was being devoured!' My actions had little or no impact on their aggression. So, I tried running through the cornfields. Now, if you want to see a comical sight, watch a 140 lb. man, carrying a 40 lb. pack and trekking poles, running through a cornfield swatting at bugs. That's ok, I ran like my hair was on fire and I screamed, calling them all sorts of bad names, all the while I ran. Finally, I came to the road going into town. I stopped, caught my breath, gathered my composure and walked across a bridge over the Housatonic River and started hitchhiking. And, I never saw another bug this day. Obviously, I was in their territory and they were in ATTACK MODE. But, perhaps, the bugs got tickled at my crazy antics and had to stop their attack because they were laughing so hard...whatever the case, I ran their gauntlet and survived. Over and out for today,Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-23
From: Great Barrington, Ma.

To: Great Barrington, Ma
Miles today: 0.0

It was an easy hitch into town. A former AT hiker picked me up in his big, shiny Mercedes and dropped me off at my motel, The Days Inn. After checking in and showering, I asked for directions to town and away I went, in search of nourishment. My search did not take long. The town square of Great Barrington was only two blocks away. There, on the corner, I spied one of my favorite places to dine, Subway. Very few of the small New England, trail towns and villages had the national franchise restaurants we are so accustomed to seeing on the outskirts of town. In fact, Subway was the only one I saw in Great Barrington and it is the ONE I have been looking for.What a nice little town! If not for the New England winters, I would seriously consider living here. I liked Great Barrington so much that I decided to stay for another day. The gentleman who gave me a ride told me that it was voted The Friendliest Little Town in America last year. I'm not sure who votes or how the title is arrived at but, I endorse Great Barrington's title and whoever voted for her. The town square was about four blocks long and two blocks wide, the sidewalks were wide and adorned with pretty trees full of leaves. There were lots of trendy looking coffee shops, bistros, restaurants and watering holes that offered sidewalk dining and the partaking of libations. There were antique shops, art galleries and upscale clothing stores. The mixture of businesses was in balance and perfect, in my opinion. But, the people are the reasons for The Friendliest Little Town Award and friendly they were. Not only the merchants in the shops and restaurants but, the folks walking down the sidewalks. So many of them, young and old, would make eye contact with me, smile and greet me in an easy, genuinely friendly way. I don't know what Norman Rockwell's hometown was but, if you told me it was Great Barrington, Massachusetts, it would not surprise me in the least.Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-24
From: Great Barrington, Ma

To: Brassie Brook Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: clear sky

My hike today was a little surprising. There were a few pretty tough climbs that made me perspire. I sweated some too. Mt Everett was a steep ascent and descent. And, the north side of Bear Mountain was a wee bit challenging as well. But, I made it to my objective in fine fashion. After a dinner of Knorr's Garlic Shells, a PB&J flour tortilla and water, I hit the bag.Another good day is done on the AT.Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-25
From: Brassie Brook Shelter

To: Sharon Mountain Campsite
Miles today: 18.6

Solitude is a good thing in small doses like three or four days. Since Hercules & Hobbit left for a wedding, I have lived like a hermit. The AT Is becoming a lonely place. I am seeing fewer hikers every day and the ones I do see are local day hikers for the most part. I have hiked by myself and camped by myself for seven days now. About the only interaction I have with humans is when I'm in town. But, that's ok, I'll be through with this madness in a few short weeks and I am ready for it to be over...soon.That's all for now,Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-26
From: Sharon Mountain Campsite

To: Kent, Cn.
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: clear sky

This is another day on the roller coaster, up and down and...up and down some more. Then, I came to St. John's Ledges and I thought I was back in The Whites of New Hampshire for a while. Nearly vertical cliffs and it was a lot of sweaty hard work climbing them. It was another perfect day for hiking, though. Very cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon. We have really been blessed with beautiful weather for over a week. I think it is the longest period without rain that I have experienced in months. Let's hope it continues.This afternoon, I met Sunrise and Sunshine, a young engaged couple from Denver, on the trail. We first met in Manchester Center, Vt, several weeks ago. They said they were going into Kent for the night. I told them I was, too. So, we met at The Pasta Station restaurant and had dinner together. Then, we shared a room at The Fife and Drum Inn. It was a pleasant evening at the end of a hard day. Sandman69In
Date: 2013-09-27
From: Kent, Cn.

To: Wiley Shelter in NY
Miles today: 12.7

Sunrise and Sunshine decided to sleep in. i was up and out by 7:00. I stopped at The Village Restaurant for a magnificent breakfast and walked the mile back to the trail head. By 8:30, I was back in the saddle on the AT.The trail zigzags back and forth between Connecticut and New York in this border area. Both states offered up a few nifty little climbs. They were just tough enough to break the monotony.When I came to Hwy. 55, I realized there was a country store/deli two and a half miles away in Gaylordsville, Cn. Should I hitch in or shouldn't I? I decided to stand at the trailhead on the highway and hitchhike for 20 minutes. If I got a ride, I'd go in an get some chow. If I did not get a ride in 20 minutes, I would just hike on to the campsite and cook my own dinner. Well, it took me a little over 18 minutes to get a ride. A man in a pickup actually passed me by, turned around and came back, picked me up and delivered me to the general store/deli in Gaylordsville. I had a delicious chicken salad sub, two cokes and a pint of Ben & Jerry's Double Fudge ice cream. And it only took me a few minutes to hitch back to the trailhead.I decided to make it a short day and pulled into Wiley Shelter/campsite a little after 5:30. Surprisingly, Sunrise and Sunshine were already there. They passed me while I was off the trail. But, it was good to see them. I had left my phone charger and my comb in our room. Fortunately for me, Sunshine found them both and returned them to me. We pitched our tents, Sunrise and Sunshine prepared and ate their dinner and we retired for the evening.Another good day is done. Thank you, Lord.Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-28
From: Wiley Shelter in NY

To: Poughquag, NY
Miles today: 13.3

Sunrise and Sunshine Were up and ready to go. Their plan was to hike 25 miles today and I wanted no part of that. We said our goodbyes with hopes of meeting again down the trail and off they went.Poughquag was the target for me today. After my breakfast of Quaker Peaches n' Cream oatmeal, a Zone Bar and my coffee and dark chocolate, Tutti-fruity, double cross latte, I hit the trail. It was a fairly short, fairly boring day of hiking and I arrived at Hwy. 55 around 5:00. I hitched into Poughquag and got a room in the Pine Grove Motel. It was the only motel in this small village.That's it for today, y'all,Sandman69
Date: 2013-09-30
From: Poughquag, NY

To: Shenandoah Tenting Area
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a good day of hiking. A few ascents and descents but nothing too challenging. Another beautiful, sunny day, too. Fall is in speedy arrival as the days get shorter and trees drop their leaves more and more.One of the nicest shelters, RPH Shelter, was on my radar screen for today. I arrived too soon to stop for the night so, I just stopped for a break. The shelter is actually an enclosed cabin with windows. It also has a patio with Adirondack chairs for lounging after a hard day of hiking. And, get this, it is close enough to the highway and town to get pizza delivered. Well, I didn't have time to order pizza but I had a snack, stocked up on water from the well and moved on. After I hiked a few more miles, I pitched my tent by the trail and called it a day.Sandman69