morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-07-16
From: Big Branch Shelter

To: Pico Camp
Miles today: 29.5
Weather: light rain

Well, you might notice I've been doing some REALLY crazy miles the last few days. 27.8, 27.2 and now 29.5 and that comes after 6 other 20+ mile days. Well, I have a mail drop in Killington, VT and wanted to get there before the weekend. I knew today would be a stretch because of the miles I've hiked over the past week, but also because my day was going to end with a climb up to Killington Peak. My ¢food stop¢ for the day was at the Whistle Stop Cafe, about 16 miles into the day. A perfect time to stop actually, because I still had 11 more miles planned and I was facing some tough climbs. I had a reuben platter,. a soda and a large side of french fries smothered with gravy, then I got a bowl of maple walnut ice cream for dessert. Not long after I left there I ran in to Plans-Too-Much on the trail. He helped me out when I was in this are in 2007 with a ride in to Rutland and he even bought me breakfast one day. Funny story...he took me to Denny's that morning and after we were seated he noticed his in-laws eating across the room. He went over and talked ot them and they told him they had seen me hitching and the man was going to pick me up but his wife said ¢no...he could be a mass murderer for all you know¢. It was good to see him again but he said he was leaving town the next day and gave me contact info for someone else who might help me out if I needed any help in the next few days. He also recommended I go past my planned destination for the day (Cooper Lodge) on the summit of Killington because it was in such bad shape. He said I should go about 3 more miles to Pico Camp. Well, I reached the summit at about 6, weighed my options and decided to head to Pico Camp. I kept hearing thunder off in the distance so I kept up a good pace to try to beat it to the shelter. As it turns out, I just made it. I had time to get some water from a spring before the lightning and rain hit. Fortunately it didn't last long.
Date: 2009-07-17
From: Pico Camp

To: Killington, VT
Miles today: 7.1

I made my way this morning to The Inn at Long Trail for a big breakfast and caught a shuttle bus out to the hotel I had reservations at. As I reflected on the effort it took to get here by Friday morning and though about how much ¢computer work¢ and other things I had to do, I realized it would have been fine to get in on Sat morning, pick up my boxes and head to the hotel. Then I could use my computer all afternoon Saturday, all day Sunday and ship stuff on up the trail first thing Monday morning. But...I was shooting to get in on Friday morning and ship stuff out Saturday before Noon. That's just not going to work because I can't type fast enough. It takes me a long time to get these journal entries typed into the computer. It is already past Noon on Saturday as I type this entry. So...I called Bug Bite (the contact Plans-Too-Much gave me) and arranged to do a slack pack on Sunday, giving me access to my computer until Monday morning and a third night in the hotel. Bug Bite will then take me back to the trail Monday morning and either run me by a post office to mail my box up the trail or do it for me after she drops me off at the trail. And it turns out I know Bug Bite...we both did thru-hikes in 2007 and met a couple of times on the trail. I can't picture her, so I'm anxious to see her Sunday morning when she picks me up for the slack pack. As usual, the first soak in the tub was wonderful! And this one had the whirlpool jets in it. Now it's time to plan out how I'll spend my zero time to get all my chores done.
Date: 2009-07-18
From: Killington, VT

To: Killington, VT
Miles today: 0.0

I took my laptop to the breakfast bar in the lobby of the hotel this morning so I could graze for a few hours while I worked on my journal. I also took my laundry over since the machines are in the room just below the breakfast area. Worked out great! I plan to catch a bus to the mall in Rutland to do all my resupply this afternoon, then get back here and do all the necessary repackaging, etc.By the way...if you would like to donate a penny per mile to the non-profit organization I'm raising funds for, please learn m,ore by visiting www.abgraham.org
Date: 2009-07-20
From: Killington, VT

To: Wintturi Shelter, VT
Miles today: 16.6

Wow¢¦three nights in a hotel can really spoil you when you¢ve been on the trail a while. I¢m both anxious and a little apprehensive abvout getting back on the trail. I got all my gear together, then headed for the lobby for breakfast. I finished in time to catch the 8:10 bus down to the Post Office so I could be there to mail my box up the trail when they open at 8:30. As soon as I got it mailed, I walked across the street and stuck my thumb out to try to get a ride back to the trail head. I got a ride in about 10 minutes and was on the trail by 8:45. Not as late as I thought it was going to be. But¢¦as usual, coming out of town after resupply, my pack is at its heaviest and I¢m definitely in some mountains now. I¢m doing just fine, I¢m just having to work harder at it. I was rewarded with some pretty nice sights today. Lakes, waterfalls, vistas, streams, etc. I would have liked to go more than 16.6 miles today because I got to my shelter at about 4, but the next shelter was 12 more miles away and that is just way too far at that time of day. I just relaxed in camp and turned in early. It was pretty buggy at that shelter so it was a good night to turn in early anyhow. I met a guy named Buckeye today. Turns out he is a recent OSU grad and grew up in Miami County, Ohio¢¦same as me¢¦and he went to Bethel High School, one of the schools my old high school used to play in sports. Small world indeed!
Date: 2009-07-21
From: Wintturi Shelter, VT

To: Happy Hill Shelter, VT
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I heard ¢First Date¢ getting his stuff together at about 5 this morning. I saw him later in the day and asked him if that was a typical start for him and he said yes, that if he wasn¢t hiking by 6 AM he felt like he was behind for the rest of the day. Not me! I¢m usually awake by 5, but I like to drift in and out of consciousness until 6, then get up and start the day. I like to be on the trail by about 7. I also like to break my hiking day into several distinct segments. Today it seemed logical to break it into 3 parts; about 9 miles to Cloudland Road, 7 miles to West Hartford, VT, and 4 miles to the Happy Hill Shelter. I usually take my longer breaks at these milestone locations throughout the day. There was very little level terrain today. It seemed like you were either going up or going down a large mountain almost all day long. I did pull the camera out a few times today, so there were some nice views from time to time. I saw the rubber tubing in the trees again that they use to collect sap from maple trees for syrup. I enjoyed my stop at Cloudland Farm today. I saw Bill and Cathy Emmons (owners) and explained that I had stayed in their barn in 2007. I also told Bill about meeting his son (Gritty McDuff) and how we got staek dinners at Young-N-Dumb¢s house on the 4th of July. Of course I ate a pint of their organic ice cream and drank a couple of locally made sodas. It was a good break, but the clouds were building and I still had 11 miles to go, so I only stayed about half an hour. The second leg of my hike was 7 miles to West Hartford, VT for a lunch stop at their Deli. The terrain was more of the same, but I did run in to half a dozen SOBOs during that section. I recognized one of the last two I saw and I asked him his trail name. Sure enough, it was Flaxseed whom I had met during the 2007 hike. He was hiking with Ringmaster who ended his 20076 NOBO hike in PA when he got Lyme disease. Flaxseed said he had read my journal and was expecting to see me on the trail. It was pretty neat to run in to another 2007 through-hiker in 2009. When I got to the deli, First Date was just preparing to leave. He said he planned to go to ( and through) Hanover, NH today and I told him I was going to stop just short of Hanover and go through the next morning. I had a sandwich and fries and a liter of coke and was feeling much better, except that it had started to drizzle outside and I still had a 4 mile climb to get to my shelter. So, I took off in the hopes I¢d get to my shelter before it really let loose. And¢¦that¢s pretty much what happened. It basically just drizzled and misted until I got to my shelter, then it poured for about 15 minutes and it has been raining gently, but steadily, ever since. I love to hear the rain from a dry shelter. All in all¢¦another great day on the trail.
Date: 2009-07-22
From: Happy Hill Shelter, VT

To: Trapper John Shelter, VT
Miles today: 22.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Pretty big day! Started in VT and ended in NH, plus I finished 1/3 of the trail today. Just one more state line in the NOBO portion of my journey (NH/ME). I got in to Hanover pretty early. I ran a few errands at the pharmacy and bank and went by the only open outfitter at that hour. I got some breakfast at a local diner then headed to the other outfitter once they opened. I found a new pair of shoes there. I was a little worried about how slick mine were getting on the bottom, especially since I was heading into the White Mountains soon. I wore the new ones about 17 miles this afternoon and so far so good. My steri-pen is acting up even worse and I¢m about to dump it. It gave me fits this afternoon and I was wishing I had gotten some aqua mira while I was at the outfitter in Hanover. Not sure when the next chance to get some will be. Well¢¦when I got to my shelter tonight I was chatting with several section hikers and one was abandoning his hike due to knee problems. He offered me his brand new aqua mira. I said ¢Isn¢t it amazing how God provides?¢ and proceeded to tell them about my steri-pen. The day had started out pretty cloudy and it looked like we were going to be socked in all day long. But by mid afternoon the sun started breaking through and it felt so good. I was able to get a few pics today once some of the clouds burnt off. Looks like a couple more pretty intense climbs tomorrow.
Date: 2009-07-23
From: Trapper John Shelter, VT

To: Hiker's Welcome Hostel, NH
Miles today: 26.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today could probably best be described as damp. I didn¢t hit any rain, but it must have been near 100% humidity all day long. Each time I gained enough altitude, I found myself hiking in the clouds. And guess what! When it is that humid, your sweat doesn¢t evaporate, so I was soaked from head to toe all day long. I did see a couple of glorious peeks of sun throughout the day and it cleared at just the right times for me to take a couple of pics today. In 2007 when I got to the top of Smart Mountain there was a guy there handing out citrus fruit to through hikers, so I was craving citrus all day long. I came a cross a cooler later in then day and it had some cold cans of lemonade in it. Man¢¦that felt and tasted so good going down. It is hard to explain just how much better things like that taste out in the middle of nowhere when you are least expecting them.
Date: 2009-07-24
From: Hiker's Welcome Hostel, NH

To: Beaver Brook Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: moderate rain

I woke up to a steady rain this morning. I didn¢t plan an early start for today, so there was no rush to get up. I went downstairs and had a couple of cups of coffee at about 6:30, then went to breakfast with a father and son who were staying at the hostel. I was really glad I could catch a ride into town with them. When we got back I did my laundry and went through my pack again to see what I might ship ahead instead of carry through the Whites. I think I found about a pound of stuff I shipped to Gorham, NH for under $5. Not a bad deal in my opinion. I finally hit the trail by early afternoon. It was still overcast and drizzly, but I was only planning on going about 8 miles today. I got to the shelter pretty early and was there by myself for several hours. I took some great pictures from here in 2007, but it is pretty socked in here this year. Eventually a SOBO hiker and a group of 12 kids and 2 chaperones showed up. Fortunately the group tented and didn¢t try to cram a bunch of kids into the shelter.
Date: 2009-07-25
From: Beaver Brook Shelter

To: Lonesome Lake Hut, NH
Miles today: 14.9

I woke up to a steady rain this morning. Luckily, I knew I didn¢t have a strenuous day ahead of me so I laid there and listened to the rain for a while. I hit the trail at about 7 and it was a soggy, foggy mess. Going down Mt Moosilauke on the North side is very treacherous, but very beautiful. It follows a series of waterfalls for about a mile. My approach was to go slow and easy and to not get hurt. Mission accomplished! Once I got to the bottom, it was pretty much up for the rest of the day. South Kinsman Mountain was as difficult as I remember it. By the time I got to the top, the sun had started to poke through and I had some pretty good views. I only went 14.9 miles today and I really had to dawdle to not get to the Lonesome Lake Hut too early. As it turns out I got there at about 4:30 and wound up being the only through-hiker there, so I got to do work-for-stay. My feet are a mess. They have been inside wet socks and shoes for over ten hours today. I sure hope I don¢t get too many days of that strung together. It can cause some pretty serious problems pretty quickly. I also slipped a couple of times today and banged the big toe on my right foot a couple of times. It didn¢t do any serious damage, but it feels slightly bruised. There was a more serious fall near here yesterday. A man lost his footing on wet rocks and took a tumble, hitting his head on some rocks. Luckily it just resulted in some nasty scalp wounds and nothing more serious.
Date: 2009-07-28
From: Mizpah Spring Hut

To: Madison Spring Hut
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: scattered clouds

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L¢¦just a fabulous day! If there were any place in the Whites to get a perfect weather day, the section I hiked through today was it. The views are incredible through this section and bad weather can be very dangerous, so I¢m extremely thankful I had great weather today. I woke up about 5 and went to the dining area about 5:30 and they already had coffee ready. I had a leftover mint brownie from the previous night¢s supper with a couple of cups of coffee. It was a great way for a hiker to start a morning. We had oatmeal, bacon and eggs for breakfast¢¦very good and very filling. Mount Washington was the only part of the range in the clouds all morning, but about 30 minutes after I got there even those clouds began to dissipate. Soon it was sunny and warm on the top of Mount Washington and I could see for many miles in every direction. I spent several hours up there because I only had about 6 more miles to go to get to Madison Spring Hut for the night. As it turns out I could have stayed even longer because the hike was easier and quicker than I remembered. I enjoyed my time on the top and even got my cell phone recharged thanks to the nice ladies in the gift shop. The summit of Mount Washington is a very touristy spot with gift shops, snack bars, museums, etc. There is a road that people can drive up and there is a cog railway that ferries people up and down the mountain. When I got to my hut and checked in they said they didn¢t have a reservation for me. I guess when they made reservations for me on Sunday this hut was already completely booked, but luckily a few reservations had been cancelled so I was able to stay after all. Wow¢¦this sun feels soooooooo good! I really miss it when I don¢t get to soak any of it in for more than a few days in a row.
Date: 2009-07-29
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: haze

I am getting spoiled with these huts. I slept very well last night, had a great supper and then a great breakfast this morning. I think because of the reduced miles and the increased food intake I may have actually put a pound or two back on. I kind of hope so because after tomorrow it is back to business as usual for a while. Bigger miles and more trail food. I met some great people in the huts¢¦I hope some of them contact me through this journal. I gave it out to quite a few folks. I had another amazing day today. They were calling for thunderstorms by late afternoon and possibly heavy rains tonight. But, it stayed mostly sunny until mid-afternoon. It was a little hazier than the day before but there were still good views. I did the 8-mile hike (mostly descent) to Joe Dodge Lodge in Pinkham Notch in about 3 hours, so I decided to take the time to hand wash my hiking clothes and get a shower. Both were long-overdue activities since the last chance I had was 6 days ago. I also grabbed a burger in the cafeteria and bought a couple of things in the gift shop I needed. I had left my spoon at the hiker hostel in Glencliff, NH when I ate a pint of Moose Tracks ice cream there and I found a replacement spoon in the gift shop. I also picked up some more batteries for my camera. When it came time to leave I was faced with another Blue Blaze opportunity. I could hike a very steep and difficult trail to the top of Wildcat-D mountain or I could hike 2 miles down the road to a ski lift that would take me to the top of Wildcat-D mountain. With afternoon thunderstorms threatening I decided to have a little fun and take a gondola ride. It was the best $15 I think I ever spent! Each foot of elevation I effortlessly gained as I went up that mountain made my day all that much better. I would not have dreamt of doing that on my first thru-hike because I had defined that hike as more of a purist (see every white blaze) hike, but I¢ve got to tell you¢¦I¢m enjoying the freedom I¢ve given myself to get off the beaten path and ¢do what¢s more fun¢ this time around. It is kind of adding some of the excitement and anticipation back to this hike that was missing a little because I have already done the whole trail before. I got to Carter Notch Hut around 3:30 and a light shower rolled through at around 4:30. The sleeping accommodations here are better than any hut I¢ve stayed in. they have two bunk houses. Both were completely remodeled in May. Each one has four rooms with either 4 or 6 bunks in each room. Since there are only 6 guests registered here for tonight it looks like I will have a room all to myself¢¦bonus! The thunderstorms started rolling in at about 5:30 and heavy rains followed soon after and it continued to rain all night long. Another good night to be in a hut.
Date: 2009-07-31
From: Gorham, NH

To: Amanda's Mom's House
Miles today: 0.0

It is amazing how quickly things can change! I went to bed last night planning to zero in Gorham with Amanda then hit the trail Saturday morning headed for the final state in my northbound trek. I woke up this morning to a knee about the size of a volleyball that I couldn¢t bend at all. It was obvious that it was worse than I had thought it was last night. At best, I¢d have to nurse it for a week or more before I could get on the trail. At worst, there might be serious bone, ligament or cartilage damage that would haunt me for years to come. I decided pretty quickly I needed to get home to get it checked out by a doctor, and once again it amazed me how God provided for my needs. Amanda was already on her way to visit with me. She would be spending Friday night with her Mom, a physical therapist, then going to Portland on Saturday morning. I checked with the airlines and I could get a Saturday afternoon flight out of Portland for a reasonable price. Ben, Trashbag and Rodeo Clown (more friends from my 2007 hike) all wanted to see me but couldn¢t make it over to the trail on Friday from Portland but would be able to visit with me if I came to Portland on Saturday morning. So, long story short¢¦Amanda took me to her Mom¢s for the night and she did therapy on my knee twice to help reduce the swelling. We had supper and watched a movie together and they took great care of the old crippled hiker. I felt so helpless, but they made me feel right at home and cared for me very well.
Date: 2009-08-01
From: Amanda's Mom's House

To: Saint Paris, OH
Miles today: 0.0

I rode to Portland with Amanda and we had breakfast with Trashbag and Rodeo Clown. Amanda had to leave after breakfast for a family get-together so Trashbag and Rodeo Clown took me home with them for a while. They had to go to the airport at about the time I needed to be there in the afternoon because they were picking up someone coming into town to visit them. While we were out running around they took me by Ben¢s work site and I got to visit with him for a while. It was just amazing how all those things fell into place to get me off the trail and back home so easily. I had an eventless flight home and Kim picked me up at the airport in Dayton and took me home. It really seems weird that just 2 days ago I was in the middle of my hike and now I¢m home. It¢s a lot to process so quickly. Kim couldn¢t get an acute care appointment for me at the hospital, so I plan to go to the emergency room first thing Monday morning. I¢ll keep you posted as to the outcome.
Date: 2010-11-15
From: Saint Paris, OH

Miles today: 0.0

Someone just asked via the journal if I intended to do any hiking in 2011. The funny thing is that I just mentioned to my wife this weekend that I might do the northern-most 300 miles (from Gorham, NH where I fell last year to Katahdin) next summer. Just a thought right now, but she seemed to be OK with it. We'll see...
Date: 2009-01-11
To: Another Year
Miles today: 0.0

Last year was a highpoint for me in terms of hiking. I got to climb the big K, the queen bitch of the trail, and believe me, when it's your first day on the trail, that's exactly what she is. Climbing in the sunlight, and descending in a thunderstorm definitely colored my view of the mountain. But still...when you near the summit in the fog, and you first catch glimpse of that sign. It doesn't matter much if you've done 600 miles or 2100 miles, it's still a heart racing experience, the only difference is that I still have miles to do. Every year spent on the trail changes me a little bit. I'm not the same hiker I was in 2005, or 2007. Life changes you, experience changes you, and the trail changes you, or at least your perceptions of it, based upon experience. Don't get me wrong, I love to hike, but I'm no longer bright-eyed and bushy-tailed about it. I get through with a long hike and I don't do anything regarding trail stuff for 3 months afterwards. I think it's a mixture of integrating back into the real world and the fact that I don't want to focus on what I can't do for several months again.This year finds me possibly doing a reunion hike of sorts. Not with other hikers I know, but with old teenage friends from Illinois. This particular hike will be short and will take place between Hot Springs and Erwin, a section I have yet to do. I'll hike with my friends Randy and Gene, and it won't be more than a 3-4 day hike tops.My other big hike for the year will be somewhere over 160 miles, and it will take me from Damascus to Pearisburg. Now for anyone who has followed my journals in the past you know I did the southern 50 miles in Va SOBO in November of 2005 with Orangebug. So why do it again? Well, this time I get to go NOBO, and I'll blueblaze the Creeper for as long as I can. On top of this I am taking a virgin to the AT out for his first hike on the trail. Graham graduates high school in May, and he's the captain of the wrestling team I coach. He's been out to do Philmont, etc., and he asked if he could hike with me this summer. Being the great guy I am, I said sure, so at the age of 34 I get to go hike with an 18 year old. It will be interesting to see who has to keep up with who. Anyways, I thought I would lay down my plans for the upcoming year, and I have to save some things to say in my next two journals so I can get this baby up and going for human consumption. Catch y'all later!