morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2021-07-11
From: Mile 1845.4

To: Valley Way Campsite
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Today's hike started at 4:45am, which is only 30 minutes earlier than normal. I thought I could use every little advantage to get through the big mileage. I slept pretty well, but woke up at 3am and mostly just laid there, unable to go back to sleep. I took a couple of Advil to dull the pain and packed a couple more to take around noon.The climb up to the presidential range was pretty intense. First was Mt. Jackson, then I stopped at Mizpah Spring Hut. They had leftover oatmeal from breakfast and I ate all of it. I think the guy felt bad for me, because he also gave me a couple of pancakes, which I also devoured. I knew I needed the extra calories. After filling my water bottles, it was off to Mt. Pierce, my second 4K of the day.The rest of the morning skirted multiple presidential mountains, but the AT didn't go over the summits. Then, it was time to start the big climb up Mt. Washington. I reached the top around 12:30, took a photo at the summit, and hit the snack bar for more extra calories. I admit I had an emotional moment on my way up to the summit. It is breathtakingly beautiful in the White Mountains, and it hits me pretty hard when I stop to think about what I've had to overcome to get here.The descent down from Washington was miserable. It was mildly steep and mostly just a field of rocks. This continued for miles. Somewhere in the middle of that misery, one of my trekking pole tips was lost. Not the entire tip, but the part that does the work - the carbide steel piece. So, now I have one functional pole and one that mostly just slides around everywhere. Not great. Also, my ankles suffered greatly today. They hurt. A lot.Tomorrow will be a short day into Joe Dodge Lodge. I hadn't planned on staying there initially, but that is kind of the way my mileage worked out. It will be good to get some extra calories and charge my devices. Also, there is an outfitter next-door, which is where I hope to buy some new trekking poles and a new fuel canister (I've had the same one since the end of Pennsylvania!). If I can't buy new poles at the outfitter, I should have enough time to shuttle somewhere and pick up a pair.
Date: 2021-07-12
From: Valley Way Campsite

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: scattered clouds

My tent site was on a bit of a slant, so I didn't sleep great last night. Thankfully, it didn't rain and there was no condensation, so I packed my tent completely dry for the first time in days. I made the trek up to Madison Spring Hut and bought a couple of bars to make sure I had enough calories for the next couple of days. After filling my water bottles, it was finally time to start my day at around 6am.The climb up to Mt. Madison was immediate and steep. I took it slow and didn't have any trouble, despite only having one working trekking pole. The summit was covered in fog and visibility was very limited. I could barely see from cairn to cairn. Descending down the rock field was tricky, so I had to be extra careful and pay close attention to my form. I have decided that my injuries and falls are due to moving too fast for the terrain, being sloppy, and not using good form. I hope that by addressing these things, my ankles will eventually heal. At the bottom of the mountain, the terrain flattened out and I was able to pick up speed. Before I knew it, I was.at Pinkham Notch.There is a small complex of buildings at Pinkham Notch. One is a visitors center with a small outfitter, trail information, and a deli. Another building is the Joe Dodge Lodge. My first order of business was replacing my trekking poles and fuel canister. My new poles are a different brand (Leki) and a little lighter. I think they will get me to Katahdin with no trouble. They only had huge fuel canisters. I may end up replacing it if I find a smaller one down trail. It is pretty heavy and unnecessary.I ate lunch at the Deli, waited around for a bit, and checked in to the lodge. It is a decent room. I feel bad for wasting part of the day, but I think the rest will help my ankles and loading up on calories is always a good thing.
Date: 2021-07-13
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Imp Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: broken clouds

The climb out of Pinkham Notch this morning was very steep, but I didn't have any trouble. It did take a little while for my ankles to loosen up and the cool weather didn't help.The first two 4k summits were in the Wildcat range. Between them was a ski lift/gondola. Seeing it inactive and out of season was a little weird. Just as I made the second summit, it started to rain. That made the descent down to Carter Notch Hut a little tricky.I made it to the hut around 9am and that is the perfect time to scavenge leftovers from breakfast. They had a big tub of pancakes, but just as I grabbed one they mentioned a pancake challenge for thru-hikers. The challenge was to eat a HUGE pancake and the reward was a free baked good. I accepted and they brought out a pancake so big it had to be folded in half to fit on the plate. It was a monster, but I finished it in 9 minutes. That was after I ate the regular pancake I already grabbed, a cliff bar, two cookies, a package of pop-tarts, and a package of granola bars. My appetite really is incredible on trail.After refilling my water bottles, I was back on trail. The climb to the final 4k of the day wasn't bad, but the descent down from the ridge was BRUTAL. I'm pretty brave on trail, but at one point coming down I was very scared. My poles slipped on the wet rock and my heart skipped a beat. Thankfully, everything worked out and my ankles are no worse for the wear.I made it to the shelter around 2:30pm, which is a little early. I didn't do a lot of miles today and tomorrow will be even fewer. However, that will round out the White Mountains in 7 days. After I resupply, it will be on to Maine on Thursday!
Date: 2021-07-14
From: Imp Shelter

To: Rattle River Hostel
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I slept well last night, considering I was in a shelter and two people showed up after dark. Thankfully, it was cool enough to keep the bugs at bay, but not so much that I had to bundle up. I knew I only had to do about 8 miles today, so I slept in until 5:30am. Crazy, right! When I woke up, it was light outside and I felt super lazy.The terrain today was pretty easy. It was a gradual climb up to Mt. Moriah, the last major mountain in New Hampshire and essentially the end of the White Mountains. The descent was a little steep at times, but it wasn't bad. The last couple of miles followed the Rattle River and were super flat.I arrived at the hostel around 10:45am and caught the 11:30 shuttle to Wal-Mart. I think that is only the third Wal-Mart I have been to on trail, so I was very excited. I bought a new screen protector for my phone (the old one was hazy from repeated cleaning), new underwear, more Advil, a 5-day supply of food, and some food for tonight. It was a huge morale boost.I will be toting 5 days of food out of here tomorrow in hopes I can make it to The Hiker Hut without another resupply. The next few days of trail will be just as difficult as the White Mountains. I am a little anxious about it. My ankles as feeling a little better, though. I am going to start stretching them in the morning and throughout the day. I have noticed they feel better after they have warmed up.
Date: 2021-07-15
To: Full Goose Shelter
Miles today: 21.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a tough day through rugged terrain. I fell to rock twice and another time in a mud bog. The bog was so deep it swallowed me up to my hip and so thick it bent one of my trekking poles. Thankfully, I still managed to knock out 21.3 miles and make it to Maine!Tomorrow will be even more difficult. I will immediately hike down to Mahoosuc Notch, which is less than a mile of trail that takes an hour to traverse. Then, it is up the Mahoosuc Arm, a steep and technical climb that goes on for a while.
Date: 2021-07-16
From: Full Goose Shelter

To: Frye Notch Lean-To
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: broken clouds

I finally made it to one of the hardest sections on the AT, the Mahoosuc Notch. It did not disappoint. As soon as I descended into the notch, the air temperature dropped about 10 degrees. I looked in the cracks at the bottoms of the boulders and some still had ice in them...in the middle of July! The section was mostly bouldering and highly technical. It took me about an hour to traverse the 0.8 miles and it was a lot of fun. A lot of work, but a lot of reward.From the end of the notch, it was time to climb 1500 feet in a mile up the Mahoosuc Arm. It was starting to get warmer and the climb was exhausting. The arm transitioned into Old Speck Mountain, which is a 4k. I took a pic at the summit, but didn't climb the fire tower. A storm was moving in and it didn't seem wise to stand on top of a metal structure. Also, I didn't really have time.The rest of the day was mostly climbing up and down mountains. I am so tired that it was all I could do to make the 15.5 miles to the shelter. I hope to make quite a few more miles tomorrow.
Date: 2021-07-17
From: Frye Notch Lean-To

To: Bemis Stream
Miles today: 27.1
Weather: clear sky

I slept terribly last night. Someone rolled in late and made a lot of noise. Then, they proceeded to snore loudly all night. I finally decided to wake up (lol) at 3am and made it to trail at 4am.The day was pretty uneventful eventful, other than the massive elevation changes. The terrain was still challenging and there was some ladders and such. It was still much calmer than the trail has been. I managed 27 miles today, which is more than I have hiked since Vermont! It took a long time, but I did it. I feel like I needed to prove to myself that I could do it after my weak showing yesterday.My ankles are finally starting to feel a little better, though the descents today didn't do them any favors. The bigger pain right now is the fourth toe on my left foot. I have had trouble with it before and it is back. I think it is a friction issue, so I will need to remember to put a bandaid on it every morning.Lauren sent me a video of Piper putting her seat on a regular potty and going all by herself! It really lifted my spirits. She is growing up so fast. I need to hurry home so I don't miss it!
Date: 2021-07-18
From: Bemis Stream

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-To
Miles today: 24.7
Weather: broken clouds

Today was neatly split into two parts. The first was an easy 14.7 trek to The Hiker Hut. I picked up 2-1/2 days of food there, ate one of their egg sandwiches (meh), and made it back to trail within an hour. The second half was...not so easy or enjoyable. It was 10 miles of climbing and descending over rugged and often steep terrain. The two 4k summits were completely exposed and the weather was brutal up there. The wind was strong, the rain was pelting me in the face, and the temperatures were in theory 50's. Even with rain gear, all of my clothes were wet. Good conditions for hypothermia.I finally made it to camp and around 5pm and rounded out another strong day of hiking. I am sore, but feeling good and proud of what I've been able to accomplish.Tomorrow, I am looking forward to a slightly lighter pack, though there will be more 4k summits and plenty of climbing.
Date: 2021-07-19
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-To

To: Cranberry Stream Campsite
Miles today: 23.4
Weather: light rain

Today was a long day. I woke up at 3:30am and tried not to wake the others in the shelter. It's never easy and one of the things I hate about staying in shelters. It may also be why no one seemed to be thrilled about me being there.I made it on trail around 4:45am and things had dried out a bit. Hiking in the dry is so much easier and more fun. The tree roots, rocks, and mud are a disaster in the wet. I climbed two 4k summits before it started to rain again. It dumped rain for about 3 hours and stopped about an hour before I made it to camp.Early in the morning I was crossing a stream and slipped on a Boulder. I tried to catch myself and ended up taking the skin off the side of my left, middle finger. I had to bandage it up on site because it was bleeding a fair amount. It isn't bothering me at all, but I will need to pick up some extra bandaids when I resupply.Tomorrow morning, I will climb the last 4k before Katahdin. I am super excited about that! Better terrain is coming!
Date: 2021-07-20
From: Cranberry Stream Campsite

To: West Carry Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 23.4
Weather: light rain

I let myself sleep in this morning, knowing I only had 21.1 miles to do today. I still woke up at 4:15am, but that is late these days.The rain from last night left my tent wet...again. After my morning routine, I was on trail at 5:35am. Immediately, I was climbing up the Bigelow Range, where I spent most of the day. It was a typical set of 4k mountains and minor mountains. I didn't have any trouble with it and made good time, despite the sometimes steep terrain.I started feeling an irritation in my left food around noon. Then, it was my right foot. I eventually stopped at 1pm at a shelter to refill water and see what was going on with my feet. I'm still not sure, but I think they are sores, possibly bacterial. Most likely, it is from letting my socks get too dirty. I am going to get back to doing trail laundry and start washing my feet every night with soap. At the shelter, I rinsed my feet and let the dry in the sun. Then, I applied some athletes foot cream (couldn't hurt!), and put on my "emergency socks". They were clean and dry. Immediately, my feet felt a little better.I was able to continue on to the shelter where I planned to camp. It is beautiful here. There is a huge pond about 200 yards from the camp and the water is crystal clear. Plenty of other hikers are here, too. Some are section hikers and others are SOBO's. I think I am the only NOBO.
Date: 2021-07-21
To: Caratrunk
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was an easy day. I woke up and hit the trail at 5:30am. It rained in the early morning, so I had to pack my tent wet, but thankfully it had stopped by the time I woke. I had eaten everything except breakfast and lunch, so I needed to make good time today. Also, the ferry across the river only runs from 9am-2pm, so I was definitely on a schedule.The terrain was relatively smooth, easy, and mostly downhill. I hiked as fast as I could and made 13 miles or so in less than 5-1/2 hours. I wish I could do that every day! Unfortunately, it did start to rain a bit, making the rocks and roots very slick. I must have fallen 3-4 times. It was pretty frustrating.The ferry was really neat to experience. When I made it to the shore of the river, I called out to the guy on the other shore. He hopped in his canoe and paddled across. Another Hiker (ninja kitty) and I filled out a form, put on PFD's, loaded our packs, and rode back across with him.I walked 1.3 miles up the road to the hostel. It is a very old house, converted to a B&B style place. The people are very nice and the owner used to be a professor at OSU! Small world. I am very glad to have clean clothes, charged devices, and a full.bag of food. I also ate A TON of town food at the local pub.Tomorrow, I head off for the final big stretch of trail. I will be out for 5-1/2 days. Then, I am pretty much done with the AT. I bought my plane ticket tonight. So surreal.
Date: 2021-07-22
From: Caratrunk

To: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-To
Miles today: 28.3
Weather: clear sky

I am proud of the work I put in today. My goal was a little over 24 and I ended the day at 28. The terrain was pretty flat, but with tons of rocks and roots. If there weren't rocks or roots, it was a bog. Still, I was making good time, I felt strong, and the weather was perfect.My pack was certainly heavy with over 5 days of food. The shoulder strap adjusters kept slipping and required constant attention. I don't think they are rated for the load I'm putting on them. Lol. I kept telling myself that my pack will never be this heavy again. Each day it will magically get a little lighter.One of my water bottle sport caps broke today. I had a feeling it was coming because it felt flimsy. I have decided to stop using the sport cap function on both bottles so I don't have to remember which one is broken. It is going to be a pain, but just for a few days!I am pretty sure I am burned out on hiking. I am tired and I need a break. No way I am going to take a zero this close to Katahdin and mess up my 100-day goal. I will instead use it as additional motivation. The sooner I finish, the sooner I get to rest.
Date: 2021-07-23
From: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-To

To: Cloud Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 28.1
Weather: clear sky

It rained a little last night, but my tent was dry by morning. I packed a dry tent for the first time in several days.After trying to unscrew my sport caps every time I wanted to take a drink, I decided it wasn't worth it. When I made it to the road to Monson, I decided to try getting a hitch into town. It would be 4 miles to walk. I got a hitch in 5 minutes from a nice lady from New Hampshire in a Suburu. She took me to the general store where I was able to buy new bottles with caps. I also bought two packets of instant potatoes, two builders bars, and a pint of ice cream. I ate the ice cream on site for extra calories and the rest was for future days. I got a quick hitch back to trail from the mother of a hiker. She was helping him resupply before he headed into the 100-mile wilderness.When I entered the 100-mile wilderness, I got emotional. I called Lauren and we talked for a few minutes. I am going to miss my best friend and I am going to hate feeling so isolated. I made a video for Piper to explain why we can't talk while I'm out here. I know that is going to be hard for her, too.The terrain today was tougher than expected, but still manageable. I am surprised at just how many people are on trail in the 100-mile. It's almost like a bubble. I ran into an old friend named "Steady". We hadn't seen each other since the White Mountains. We have been doing different miles, but it looks like we are going to summit the same day and we are camped at the same Shelter tonight. I think we are going to stick together for the rest of the trail.
Date: 2021-07-24
From: Cloud Pond Lean-To

To: Logan Brook Lean-To
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today involved a lot of climbing and it was most of the last climbing until Katahdin. There is one little mountain I will have to deal with tomorrow. The rest of the trail is flat. I've heard there are a lot of roots and rocks in some areas, which makes progress a little slow. I will take that over the big elevation changes!I can feel Katahdin getting closer. This afternoon, I got my first good glimpse at Big K. It is really a sight to behold, even from miles away. I am very excited to be done with this epic journey. The next couple of days are going to fly by. Then, it will be time to summit and come home. I'm sure I will miss the trail, but I think I will get over it. Lol.It's a little past 7:30pm as I write this and I haven't seen "Steady" all day. When we talked yesterday, we agreed on the same shelter. I wonder what happened to him and if he is okay. I know he starts and stops late, but it was only 24 miles and it will be dark soon.
Date: 2021-07-25
From: Logan Brook Lean-To

To: Nahmakanta Stream Lean-To
Miles today: 27.4
Weather: few clouds

Last night was NOT a restful sleep. I chose the shelter over the terrible tent sites. There were only 4 of us in the 6-person shelter, so it wasn't cramped. However, I think everyone snored and the floor shook every time anyone made a move. On top of that, my inflatable pillow has developed a slow leak, requiring a breath every 2 hours or so."Steady" rolled past the shelter around 8:00 last night, just before dark. He was with another hiker I hadn't seen before. The other hiker stayed in the shelter and Steady kept hiking. I thought he was going a but farther to find a tent site, but I didn't see him this morning when I hiked down trail. Mysterious!Today's terrain was very flat. I had to climb one mountain in the early morning, then it was smooth sailing. Well, as smooth as the AT gets in Maine. There were still blow-down's, rocks, and roots everywhere. I did 27.4 miles in under 11 hours, which is pretty good!Part of my motivation today was setting up camp early and eating. I was very hungry all day long. Another part was going to bed early in my tent. The last part was taking a Benadryl and laying down inside the bug netting. I forgot to apply insect repellant this morning and the mosquitos destroyed my legs.Tomorrow, it will be a quick 25.4 miles to the last Shelter in the 100-mile wilderness. I am tempted to do another 5 miles and try to tent at the campground next to the store and restaurant. I will see how I feel when the time comes.
Date: 2021-07-26
From: Nahmakanta Stream Lean-To

To: Abol Bridge Campground
Miles today: 28.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I stayed up for a while last night reading about the final couple of days on the AT. Apparently, there can be some competition over the 12 slots at the Birches Shelter. If I was too late sigbing up at the kiosk, I would either have to try again the next day or hike another 9+ miles before starting the Katahdin summit (terrible idea, though it has been done). There are no other options. Knowing that, sleep was difficult. I finally decided to get on trail and be productive. At 2am, I began the 29-mile trek to The ABOL campground by headlamp. It was pretty difficult to navigate by headlamp, but after first light it was quite a bit easier.I arrived at the campground around 12:30pm, secured a tent space, and promptly began eating. Then, it was time for laundry and charging my battery packs. There was a long line for laundry, so I had to wait a while to take a shower. I used that time to keep eating and eating and eating. I feel so much better now than I did when I arrived.Tomorrow, I will wake up pretty early and hit the trail by 5am. It is less than a mile to the kiosk and I think I will be one of the 12. I know of at least three other hikers here at this campground who want a spot and maybe two more at a campground across the street. That's the game. Who is dumb enough to get there first and who is unlucky enough to miss out. After I sign up, I have to proceed directly to the shelter, which is about 10 miles away. It will be a waste of a half day, but I am taking a ton of food with me for the day and for summit day.
Date: 2021-07-27
From: Abol Bridge Campground

To: Birches Lean-To
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I made it to the kiosk at 4:45am to sign up for the Birches Shelter, but the sign-up sheet was missing. From the looks of it, the ranger hadn't been there yet, so I waited. A couple of other hikers showed up about 30 minutes later and the ranger arrived around 6:45am. I was first on the list, but it felt like a lot of wasted effort.After hiking 10 miles to the shelter, I set up my tent. I wanted to dry it out and I think I will sleep better in it than in the shelter. Other hikers did the same thing. I think there are only three people in the two 4-person shelters.Most of the day was spent eating and resting. Around 5pm, Demin Dan and I made a campfire for the site. Most everyone went to bed early in anticipation of the summit tomorrow.