morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-07-22
From: Bald Mt Rd

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: scattered clouds

7/22/14145.5 Pleasant Pond Lean-to17 milesTook me 12 hours to do those 17 miles. I was really dragging at the end. First I went up and over Moxie Bald, a beautiful mountain with a 360 degree view. I could see the Bigelows, where I will be in a few days. On the way down I met Rocky yet again, doing his leapfrog hike, and he was hiking with Problem Bear, an old guy who started Jan 1st at Key West. He did the Florida Trail, the Pinhoti in AL, then linked up the BMT to the AT, and is now almost done with that. But he won't be finished - he's going on to Cape Breton in Canada.Way too much hiking for me! I'll be doing good if I can finish the AT.Then I went up Pleasant Pond Mt, which took forever. Way too many false summits, where you think you are at the top, the trail starts down, only to go back up again, higher than before.Just before the shelter, at 5:30 PM, I met 4 NOBOs going up the mountain! 6 miles to the next water or place to camp. They are really motivated to be done with the trail.Here tonight with 2 section hikers. I hiked away from the SOBOS I saw yesterday. There's a lake here, with houses all around it - not exactly wilderness. But there is a beach that hikers can use, so I got to bath off.I'm now within hiking distance of the canoe ferry over the Kennebec River. I'll report on that tomorrow.
Date: 2014-07-23
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-to

To: East Carry Pond
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

7/23/14161.0 East Carry Pond15.5 milesI set myself up last night to get to the canoe ferry by 9 and I made the ~6 miles with a few minutes to spare. For the most part, it was a long downhill. Met Rocky yet again ( the northbound southbounder flip flopper leapfrogger) and he told me that he had some doubts about Problem Bears story of hiking from Key West - not enough time, since he claims he doesn't hike over 20s. I would like to believe it, but I'm having doubts too.I totally skipped Caratunk and the rafting/microbrewery/sports bar upstream - just crossed the road and headed back into the woods.Met fellow SOBOs Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn at the ferry. Thats your picture, the canoe ferry headed back across the Kennebec to get them.The hike up Pierce Pond Stream is simply gorgeous. Laurie and I did this a few years ago in the opposite direction. Its drop and pool and a big waterfall, surrounded by evergreen forest. At the top, the rock dam with the old wooden boards holding all that water back is just scary - and the AT walks across the top of it.Those lazy bums Tom and Huck stayed at the shelter because rain was in the forecast, even though they had only done 3.7 miles from the bar in Caratunk. But the shelter was beautiful, and they were having fun.Me, I took an hours break ( I had already done 10 miles) and then shouldered my pack and hiked on. A look at the guidebook will show you why - if I can do decent miles tomorrow, then I can do as little as 10 miles to get over the Bigelows. I'll probably just average 1MPH over them.On the way I met Slow Mosey, who has taken 42 years to section hike the trail, and was on his last section, planning to end at Katahdin. Wow! I'm glad I am shooting for just one year,The sky darkened, the thunder rumbled, CRACK - BOOM of nearby lightning. I didn't want to stop until I got to water, so not long after I saw the lake I found a clear spot for my hammock. I set up in the pouring rain - hang the tarp first, then the rest of the setup stays dry. Now I am snug and relatively dry in my hammock.
Date: 2014-07-24
From: East Carry Pond

To: Safford Notch
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: clear sky

7/24/14177.8 Safford Notch Campsite16.8 milesRained hard most of the night, but was promising to clear when I packed things up. The first few miles were relatively easy for Maine, through the area where General Benedict Arnold (before he became a traitor, or maybe before he got caught!) tried to lead a force to attack the British in Canada. The ponds are called Carry Ponds because they were linked together by portages. Its hard enough just hiking through this area, I would hate to drag cannons with no trails.Then I climbed up Little Bigelow. There was a hiker in the shelter halfway up who had lost his hiking partner. They got separated somehow after Caratunk, when the partner without the maps or guidebook got ahead. The other guy didn't have his cell number or his home number to try to get a message to him, so he was relying on hikers going north or south to pass a message.The climb of Little Bigelow was brutal, especially since it came at the end of the day. The picture is of the real (BIG) Bigelows as seen from Little Bigelow.The trail down to the campsite passes through some house sized boulders and one large cave under the boulders. This is the highest campsite I've had, and its cold here. Its only 2224 feet, which is small by Southern standards, but its the latitude that makes it cold.Only 10 miles tomorrow, but they are very tough. I planned out the miles so I would only have 10 over the Bigelows, since it will be 1 MPH.No other SOBOs around today or tonight. I did meet one section hiker who tried to tell me December in the Smokies would be impossible. When I could get a word in ( he loved to talk), I told him I had experience in the Smokies in winter and new what to expect. I moved on as soon as I could.An older lady hiker showed up as I was cooking supper. She said she was so glad to find someone else camped here because it was so spooky!Tomorrow night - Stratton!
Date: 2014-07-25
From: Safford Notch

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

7/25/14188.2 Stratton Maine10.4 milesI knew it would take 10 hours to do these 10 miles and I was right. First was 2 hours to climb the 2 miles to Avery Peak ( one of the twin peaks of the Bigelows). Outstanding views, except for an uncharacteristic haze below me in the valley. On the way up I almost stepped on a NOBO who was cowboy camped in the trail. Cowboy camping is just throwing down the sleeping bag and rolling in - no tent, no mosquito netting! Many NOBOs, when they get to this point, just hike till they drop, hurrying to the finish, so the finer points of comfort are abandoned. Anyway, I tried to sneak by him but woke him up.Once I got to Avery (above treeline), I dropped down to the notch, which was crawling with campers, then climbed to the other peak, West Peak, also above timberline. Cold and windy!Then it was down into the trees and back up again to the Horns. Between the Horns is the most beautiful pond in Maine, and that is your picture for today. It's perched high up in the notch.Then I had to climb the other horn before the long descent to Stratton. On the way down I discovered "Wrinkles" resting on a rock. Turns out he is an older guy like me from Statesboro GA. Unfortunately he's just doing a section, and walking slower than me."You're not gonna get to Georgia sitting on that rock," I told him, so we walked the 3 remaining miles to the road together. On the way down we passed the 2000 mile marker - only 2000 more miles to go!My second experience at hitchhiking, and there was one guy already there with his thumb out. I turned on the phone, and it worked! Will wonders never cease! So I called for a ride, and Wrinkles and I rode into town for $5 each.Staying at the Stratton Motel tonight, doing chores and resupply tomorrow, and heading back out Sunday. The first thing I did was FaceTime with Laurie!
Date: 2014-07-26
From: Stratton, ME

To: South Branch Carrabassett River
Miles today: 8.4

7/26/14196.6 South Branch Carrabassett River8.4 milesWell, I didn't take a zero in Stratton after all. Got up at oh-dark-30 and got the food packed, the laundromat opened at 7 so I washed clothes. At 8 the diner opened so I had a real breakfast, then went to the grocery next door to get bread and cheese. They also sold alcohol for my stove by the ounce. Then I rushed to the PO to mail my bounce box forward to NH (Will I ever get out of Maine? The box will be there long before I am). Then back to the motel to get a refund for the extra night and a ride back to the trail.So I started hiking at 10:30, with a too full food bag and tired legs. Wrinkled started about an hour before me. Of course it began with a climb up Crocker Mountain. I lost count of the number of NOBOs going down the hill to Stratton. "Bad weather coming," they all said, "got to get to town!"About halfway up the 5 mile climb I found a coat lying on the trail. It was a GoLite, lightweight and expensive. "That looks like the coat Wrinkled was wearing this morning," I said to the trees. There was no way to know for sure - it could have been a NOBOs coat. But I strapped it to my pack and headed on up the mountain.No views until I got to the second peak, where I snapped todays photo of the backside of Sugarloaf, where the ski resort is.Halfway down the other side, there's Wrinkled, getting water at a stream. The first words out of his mouth are, "Did you see a coat on the trail?"He was very happy that I had it, and I was very happy I hadn't carried it all that way for nothing.We went on another mile and slung our hammocks by the river, scarfing up some trail magic (Oreos and Chocolate Chip cookies) at a gravel road crossing.Wish we could hike together until he goes home (he's doing long sections), but he says he hikes too slow. I did catch him today, but it took all day to do it.Oh, and the bad weather the NOBOs were running from? It never arrived. Funny how these rumors start - maybe tomorrow.
Date: 2014-07-27
From: South Branch Carrabassett River

To: Poplar Ridge lean-to
Miles today: 13.1

7/27/14209.7 Poplar Ridge Lean-to13.1 milesI worked really hard for those 13.1 miles. It started at 6:00 with that ford across the river right out of camp. That's your picture for the day. Before I left camp though, Wrinkled and I decided to meet at Poplar Ridge.First was a typical Maine climb up the backside of Sugarloaf. There were cell phone towers I could see so I called Laurie! Then I met more NOBOs warning me about the bad weather. Of course the sun was shining. Then Spaulding Mt and Lone Mt. Then a long descent down to Orbeton Stream. That's when the clouds rolled in and things got really dark in the deep woods.I stopped and rigged for rain - tarp to the top of the pack, outside the dry bag, so that I could grab it and put it up without getting anything wet. Then the rain cover over the pack.It poured for about 2 hours, then the sun came out! It was fine the rest of the way to the shelter. The shelter is crammed full of wet hikers, but I am snug in my hammock.And Wrinkled just showed up - 7pm, so he was about 2 hours behind me.Now my left knee is acting up - stiff and sore. Hope that will clear up soon.
Date: 2014-07-28
From: Poplar Ridge lean-to

To: Hikers Den
Miles today: 10.7

7/28/14220.4 Hiker's Den, Rangely Maine10.7 milesAnother difficult day. Little Saddleback, the Horn, Saddleback. 3 miles of that was above timberline, which is the longest stretch yet. The views would have outstanding if it hadn't been raining, in the clouds, with the wind howling and threatening to blow me off the mountain. It took about 9 hours of hard labor to get over it all.One question has been answered: How tall does a cliff have to be to get a ladder? The answer is today's photo - I think about 7 feet. So anything below that I have to scramble up on my own!And I saw my second and third moose today. The first I may not have mentioned - way back at Cooper Brook in the 100MW, the part where the brook widens out into small lakes. I knew there should be a moose there, because it looked just like the picture postcards, and there she was, standing knee deep in the water.But on the way down Saddleback in the rain I spooked a moose that was resting by the trail, a huge one, with the beginnings of antlers in velvet. He lumbered up, crossed the trail and clomped down the mountain. He really looked blue-black in the rain and dim light. So I looked at where ha had been lying, at where he went into the woods, and marveled at how fast he had moved.I went down the trail about 50 yards, and it happened again! It had to have been the same moose, who probably thought I was stalking him.Wrinkled and I are staying at this hostel, just .3 off the trail. It's off the grid, and for $20 we got a bunk, a fantastic chicken dinner, and rides all over town. They donate the money to charity.
Date: 2014-07-29
From: Hikers Den

To: Beamis Stream south bank
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

7/29/14234.4 Bemis Stream (south bank)14.0 milesStrong blustery winds this morning, hopefully blowing out the rain. I started walking with all my coats on, and didn't take off my raincoat until afternoon.The terrain was "easier" today, since there were no severe climbs or descents. Wrinkled and I were determined to make some miles. Still, it took us all day, about 12 hours for me to go 14 miles, Wrinkled an hour longer. At least we fared better than the moose in the photo - that one is not going to run away, and it stayed very still while I took its photo.A mile before the end of the day, at a road crossing, there was trail magic! Three kinds of soda, candy bars, and apples. I took extra for Wrinkled, in case it was all gone before he got there, and he took extra for me when he came by, in case it hadn't been there when I hiked through. So we had plenty of goodies to go with supper!
Date: 2014-07-30
From: Beamis Stream south bank

To: South Arm Road
Miles today: 12.4

7/30/14246.8 South Arm Road, Andover ME12.4 milesI'm just exhausted - I can't hardly think I'm so tired. Its been 19 days with only 1 day off. And I underestimated the food needed to get out of Maine by a few days.Today started with the climb over Beamis Mt, which is one of those long ridges with several peaks. So its a long climb up, then little aggravating ups and downs over and over, never knowing when you are at the actual top, then a long climb down. The maps are no help (yes, my orienteering friends, I am carrying maps) since they only suggest the shapes of the mountains, and are the wrong scale for much detail.Then I contoured around Elephant Mt before climbing Old Blue. The climb up Blue going SOBO was almost normal trail, but the descent was some of the worst trail I've seen yet - almost all of the trail has eroded into exposed cliffs. They are working on it, though, since I saw evidence of cables and rock slings and some new steps.So I am now in Andover, where I will take a real zero day tomorrow and attempt to regroup.The hostel here is similar to Shaws, an old house stuffed full of beds, but not as clean and no breakfast. Its run by 3 senior ladies who do the shuttling and cleaning and bookkeeping. I'm in a bedroom with 5 single beds!
Date: 2014-07-31
From: South Arm Road

To: South Arm Road
Miles today: 0.0

7/31/14246.8 South Arm Road, Andover ME0 milesYeah, I know it says 0 miles today, but I will make at least 3 walks to "downtown" Andover for meals and supplies.The general store has a convenience store on one side, an ice cream counter with tables, a liquor store, and a little diner with a counter and 4 booths. Last night I had a burger, this morning french toast, and tonight will probably be pizza (yes, they have a pizza oven). The country stores back in Georgia could learn something from this example. The only difficulty is getting waited on - this morning there was one poor guy running around being cook, cashier, and busboy.Wrinkled is here with me, so the Georgia boys are still together for at least one more day. We never hike together, just camp at the same spots (he arrives an hour or so after me). We decide in the morning where to stop, and so far he has kept up with me - I know it must be hard on him to spend the extra time on his feet.Health assessment:Big Toes numbSwollen and sore feetRight side of right knee numbMuscles on top of shoulders are painfulYour typical thru-hiker complaints.Today's picture is the Pine Ellis Hostel where I am staying - an old Maine house re-purposed.So I am now readjusted mentally for getting out of Maine in 5 days starting early tomorrow. I've also adjusted my mind to getting through the White Mountains (including 6000 foot plus Mt Washington, with the worst weather in the lower 48) with 10 mile days. Disappointing, but probably the best I can do.
Date: 2014-08-01
From: South Arm Road

To: Dunn Falls
Miles today: 10.9

8/1/14257.7 Dunn Falls10.9 milesGot the early shuttle from the hostel and was back on the trail at 7. The day started with a big up, then a big down, then a big up. The photo for today is looking down from Moody Mt. on the clouds in the valleys below.There were a lot of NOBOs in the hostel yesterday. There are 3 road crossings that the hostel will pick you up from, and the NOBOs use the southern ones. So all day I kept meeting hikers I had met at the hostel, going the wrong way (northbound).That's the way it has been so far on the trail. I speak with someone for 20 seconds going the opposite direction, or a minute or two when I stop for lunch at a shelter, or longer in the evenings or at a hostel. I may see them again the next day or a few days later or never if they are NOBOs.At home I rely on Laurie to do the small talk - she's good at it. But out here I have been making an effort to be more congenial.Wrinkles is still keeping up, although he was 2 hours behind me tonight - ouch!We hope to make it tomorrow to within hiking distance of Mahoosuc Notch on Sunday. That is described as the most difficult mile on the AT!
Date: 2014-08-02
From: Dunn Falls

To: Speck Pond lean-to
Miles today: 14.1

8/2/14 - day 22271.8 - Speck Pond lean-to14.1 milesThe object today was to get close enough to do the hardest mile on the AT - Mahoosuc Notch, tomorrow. So it was up and down and keep moving all day. In the early afternoon we passed from the Maine club's territory into the AMC's territory - the Appalachian Mountain Club, otherwise known as the Appalachian Money Club. The reason for that will become clear when I get to the White Mountains in New Hampshire.It was a Saturday, and the trail passed through Grafton Notch State Park, so all of a sudden there were day hikers! It seemed so odd to see normal, clean, well groomed people hiking, with no packs or tiny day packs. And they smelled! Perfume, aftershave, shampoo, were assaulting my nose.I had to climb Old Speck, and the day hikers dwindled the higher I got. Then it started to rain and they were hurrying down to the parking lot as I was hurrying up.I got to a high point and called Laurie. She was missing me and depressed, and then I got depressed, and I still had 6 miles to go. The mental aspects of thru hiking can be worse than the physical.Finally I got to the shelter, my first experience with an AMC shelter with a caretaker and a fee. I was so late that every camping platform (like little decks) was taken, and he wouldn't let me sling my hammock unless it was at a platform. So I had to stay in the shelter, for which privilege I had to pay $8.Wrinkles never showed!
Date: 2014-08-03
From: Speck Pond lean-to

To: Carlo Col shelter
Miles today: 9.5

8/3/14 - day 23281.3 - Carlo Col Shelter9.5 milesIt took me 2 hours and 15 minutes to get through the 1 mile Mahoosuc Notch, and 12 hours to go just 9.5 miles.But first, guess who came walking up to the shelter as I was preparing to leave? Wrinkles. He had come dragging in at 9:30 after dark, never looked up the caretaker, hung his hammock where he wasn't supposed to, and got packed up the next morning without paying the fee!I didn't sleep well thinking about Laurie. At the top of the first climb (Mahoosuc Arm) I called her and we talked for a while and I felt a little better. If she's feeling low then I feel guilty - it's complicated.For my orienteering friends: the Mahoosuc Notch is not a saddle (gap), but a deep reentrant with a stream at the bottom. Boulders have fallen from the hillsides above and almost totally obscured the stream. You can hear it murmuring out of site. The boulders are huge, and the trail climbs over, under, and around them. I had to take off my pack 4 times and push it or lift it ahead of me. Its very cool down there, and in a few spots on the upper end, there is still old snow and ice visible (in August!)So now I am only a half mile from the NH border, and a day and a half from Gorhsm.
Date: 2014-08-04
From: Carlo Col shelter

To: Trident Col campsite
Miles today: 10.1

8/4/14 - day 24291.4 Trident Col Campsite10.1 milesTodays picture says it all. I am out of Maine and into New Hampshire! Maine was a long and difficult state, right up to the last half mile.New Hampshire is not much better, of course, but its mentally refreshing to be done with one state. Only 13 more states to go! It still took 10 hours today to go 10 miles.I lost Wrinkles somewhere, unless he shows up here tonight. Maybe I'll see him in town, since I plan to take a zero day. I've learned my lesson about not getting some rest. I'll get my resupply box from Laurie and my bounce box and make a plan to get through the Whites. It is a daunting beginning for southbounders, to deal with ~280 miles in Maine and then the White mountains. If I were a northbounder I'd have done 3 states already, including a gentle start in GA.I'm meeting different types of NOBOs now. Met my first hiker trash yesterday, and the ones last night were smoking in the shelter (which drove one couple out to tent). The worst ones are what I call NOBO Popes, pontificating on all things thru-hike The nobos have to finish by Oct 15, when Katahdin closes. If they can hike north at the same speed as I hiked south, then I should meet my last nobos around the end of August.Only 7 or 8 miles tomorrow into town. My food bag is literally empty - I will coast into town on fumes and scraping the peanut butter jar.
Date: 2014-08-05
From: Trident Col campsite

To: Gorham
Miles today: 6.8

8/5/14 -day 25298.2 Gorham, NH6.8 milesDown the hill to Gorham, except I went over Cascade Mt and Mt Hayes to get there. It was a very pretty hike though, with an occasional view down into the valley. In the picture it is still about 6 miles away!The forest changed - less peat and more dirt on the trail, and more deciduous trees. Less cliffs and boulders to negotiate. Of course, the white mountains are next...I ate the last food in my bag for lunch, then crossed the Androscoggin River on a highway bridge (there was a neat old hydroelectric power plant there). Staying at the White Mountains Hostel, which is right on the trail where it crosses a busy highway.This is a very nice place, super clean. I'll post a picture tomorrow, but its another converted old house with a warren of rooms inside.Right at dark Wrinkles showed up, a half day behind me. He fell in the Notch and got bruised.Ordered delivery pizza for supper - that's almost civilized!
Date: 2014-08-06
From: Gorham

To: Gorham
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

8/6/14 - day 26298.20 milesZero day at the hostel, doing the usual things. Every hostel is different though, and this one does your laundry for you! $33 a night. My room has 3 beds, but it is also the hallway to get to other rooms in the back of the house! The picture is the hostel. Its very clean, and the breakfast this morning was great.Its also crammed full of hikers. On the ride to Wal-Mart we had 10 people in a 7 passenger van.The plan is to do an old style hike with 7 days food to Franconia Notch. Hopefully I can supplement with food from the huts. At Franconia I'll get a 5 day box to get me to Hanover.After that, things are supposed to get easier!But first, I have to get over many mountains, including Mt Washington, and a long section above treeline.