morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-06-06
From: Bennington, VT

To: Bennington, VT
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: overcast clouds

With rain all night and a forecast to continue through this evening, we thought slack packing 21 miles today would be easy. Wrong.We got shuttled up the trail about 730 and as soon as we started I began to sense this might not be much fun. The temps were in the low 40's, rain falling and gusts up to 30 mph. The real problem was the trail was a river all day. Quickly we stopped trying to dodge the deep water and gave up. We were very cold all day.At one point in the morning, one of the others was so cold, when he had to use the bathroom, he didn't stop and just peed in his wet shorts as he walked. He said the warmth was welcome. Probably the highlight of my day.With about 5 miles left, we came upon a swollen stream that looked very sketchy. We walked upstream about 40 yards and finally decided to try to cross at the AT point. I was a bit nervous as the fast moving water was almost to my knees and very cold. We made it and got back to Bennington by 4. The entire day sucked and was probably my second worst day on the entire hike. Lessons learned are to pay attention to June temps, slack packing isn't always easy, Vermont trails can be a mess and be careful about sections that have no road crossings to bail out.
Date: 2017-06-07
From: Bennington, VT

To: Manchester Center, VT
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We were greeted by sunshine as we hit the trail about 730. I want to give Steve in Bennington thanks for shuttling us around and giving us a boatload of useful info about the trail in that area. We did 19 miles into Manchester Center, VT. Highlights from today included the long climb up to Stratton Mtn, where Benton McKaye, first conceived the AT. We also passed by lovely Stratton Pond.The trail was about 65% clean, but clearly Vermont trails hold water. Our dry shoes lasted about 5 minutes. I had a couple trail puddles that swallowed me up to my ankles in mud.I want to thank all those that have contributed comments and notes of encouragement.
Date: 2017-06-08
From: Manchester Center, VT

To: Little Rock Pond Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

Our stay at Green Mtn Hostel was outstanding.  Jeff is great and the place is immaculate. We hit the trail about 8am and immediately started climbing up Bromley Mtn to the ski resort. We actually hiked the last quarter mile up one of the ski runs. The bugs were brutal up there.The VT trails are drying in spots, but it is clear that some sections stay as a quagmire.  As the temps climbed, the black flies made their dreaded appearance.  By lunch, we had lathered up in Deet just to survive. We sheltered near a lovely pond at the Little Rock Pond Shelter. I saw Splinter, wh3 I had not seen since our dog incident in PA.
Date: 2017-06-09
From: Little Rock Pond Shelter

To: Rutland VT - mile 1683
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

Our plan is to be in NH Monday night, and since we did 3 more miles on Thursday than plan, Friday was a 13 mile NERO. We are staying in a donation hostel in Rutland, to dodge some raindrops. The trail was not bad today, with only one climb over 1000 ft.The picture is of the Rock Garden, which is a collection of rock cairns hikers have built over the years.
Date: 2017-06-10
From: Rutland VT - mile 1683

To: Gifford Woods State Park
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: clear sky

Today we climbed up and over our first 4000 footer since The Priest in VA. It is getting warm in VT, finally. We have finished the 100 miles where the AT and Long Trail are the same. The trail was actually very good today, but the first five days on the Long Trail left me less than impressed. The trail maintenance is lacking and the trail is often a creek bed or mud puddle, the AT is much preferable to me.Today I crossed the 1700 mile mark and have less than 500 miles to go. We are planning for our entry into the very challenging White Mtns next week, but us NOBOs are starting to talk about possible finish dates.  Every one of them I talk with are focused on getting this done as soon as possible. Life on the trail is tough and a thru hike is an arduous journey. I also did 134 miles this week,  which I believe is my highest weekly total. We are planning to zero on Tuesday in Hanover, so with expected decreases in mileage through the Whites and Maine,  that record should stand for me.I have a picture from earlier this week attached. The view from the Stratton Mtn FireTower was spectacular, but very windy up there.
Date: 2017-06-11
From: Gifford Woods State Park

To: Dan Quinn's Barn at mile 1724
Miles today: 20.0

Sunday was a tough 20 miler due to the many ups and downs, but also because we ended up hiking 25 miles on Saturday, because we went the wrong direction for over two miles and had to backtrack. I think we were all still exhausted. We passed Thundering Brook Falls, but saw little else all day, except for some fine views from a private cabin near the end of the day. View in pictures.We ended up sleeping in Dan Quinn's Barn for the night. Thanks, Dan. I also want thank Tom in Rutland, VT for shuttling us for two days.
Date: 2017-06-12
From: Dan Quinn's Barn at mile 1724

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning we were on the trail by 5:45. We had big miles to get and lots of ups and downs to contend with. On top of that, the temps were going to be in the 90's.The day had several views, some meadow walking and our first cable assisted stream crossing. Except for the heat, it was about as good as 24 miles can be. Five straight dry days have really improved the trail. After 23 miles we crossed the Connecticut River into New Hampshire,  the next to last state on the trip. We are staying in the home of trail angel, Fran, who hosts AT thru hikers. Thanks, Fran.
Date: 2017-06-13
From: Hanover, NH

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0

Today was my first zero day in a month. I needed one. We have been pushing hard and the heat was not our friend the last couple of days.  We are staying at trail angel Fran's house. She has been fantastic to us. We cleaned her garage this morning as a little pay back.I have been hiking with Wiz and Freight Train for a while now. We are all early risers and are disciplined to hike every day and move along. We also have compatible personalities. Both of these guys are young military vets with deployments in the Middle East. Good values and hard workers. They tolerate my slow pace and I appreciate that. Our plan is to stay together until we reach the northern terminus. I am fortunate to be with such fine people.
Date: 2017-06-14
From: Hanover, NH

To: Lyme Dorchester Road
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We rented a car in Hanover so we could slack pack certain sections of the White Mtn range when the weather was good. We hopped around between Hanover and Gorham for over a week. I will add the entries in geographic sequence, so the dates won't necessarily line up to when we were there.The section from Lyme to Hanover was comprised of 3 climbs and very accommodating trail. We are now staying with trail angel Jenny, who is a minister in the Catholic Church across the river in Norwich, VT. Last night we cooked grilled chicken at a congregation gathering for her.
Date: 2017-06-15
From: Lyme Dorchester Road

To: Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 26.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We slack packed this 26 mile section. Highlights were Smart Mtn Tower and Mt Cube. We had been told to keep our eyes open for moose and blueberries, we saw neither. We did have some nice views.Wiz is fighting a deep sunburn and some ongoing pain with shin splints. We are concerned about keeping him with us if the leg ailment persists.
Date: 2017-06-16
From: Glencliff, NH

To: Lincoln
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: moderate rain

We did a slack pack on this long section, crossing Kinsman Notch in the middle. The initial climb up Moosilauke along Beaver Brook was very challenging with a lot of wet rocks and rock climbing. There seemed to always be a root or crack in the rock for a handhold when you needed one. After about 3 miles we broke from the water and the climb was a bit easier. The views on top were stunning. We then headed down and up the difficult trail to the Kinsmans, where we had more views and as much climbing as we could stand. We hosteled in Lincoln at Chet's house.
Date: 2017-06-19
From: Crawford Notch

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 26.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We slack packed from Crawford Notch to Pinkham Notch. The day we did it was an awesome weather day with views that only occur on Mt Washington about 10 days a year. The weather at that summit was windy and very chilly.It was very challenging day, with the descent down Mt Madison being about the toughest of the hike in my estimation. We stopped into three huts and enjoyed talking with the croo.The views in this section of the Whites is the most spectacular of the hike so far. There were still patches of snow and I had to cross one of them around Mt Adams. It was slippery and a bit unnerving as a slide would have ended far below in the Tuckerman Ravine. The Whites can be very dangerous when people make mistakes at these high elevations.
Date: 2017-06-20
From: Pinkham Notch

To: White Mtn Hostel outside Gorham
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A tough 21 miles over the Wildcat peaks, the Carters and Mt Moriah. A good amount of tossing the poles and grabbing tree roots. There was also a few butt slides that had to be done. These were the last of the 4000 ft peaks in the Whites.We are staying at the White Mtn Hostel. Eric is doing a great job taking care of hikers and the place is great. I recommend it.Tomorrow we head north with full packs, again.
Date: 2017-06-21
From: White Mtn Hostel outside Gorham

To: Carlo Col shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We left Gorham about 8am and hiked the final 17 miles of NH. The weather was good, but most of the trail was still very rugged with many climbs requiring grabbing roots or rock handholds. It was slow going.About 530 we reached the Maine border, the final state in my trip. Within a quarter mile we were faced with two sheer rock drops of about 12 feet. We did some butt sliding and made it down, but Maine is a different animal. Nothing will be easy. I slept well at the shelter.
Date: 2017-06-22
From: Carlo Col Shelter

To: Grafton Notch
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The first day of Maine is said to be the toughest of the 2190 miles. It proved to be a tough 11 hours on the trail.We started out before 6am and climbed the 3 peaks of Goose Eye Mtn.  Then we proceeded down into the Mahoosic Notch. The most difficult and slowest mile of the trail.  The Notch lies at the bottom of two sheer faced mountains. It is filled with jumbled boulders that have fallen off the cliffs over millions of years. Some are the size of large cars. There is still frozen snow and ice between some of the rocks and there are voids, crevasses and caves. It is like something from Jurassic Park.The only way through the notch is to put away the poles and crawl, jump or pull yourself. It is an absolute full body workout. We did it in less than 2 hours, which is pretty good.After the Notch, we had to make the very steep climb up the Mahoosic Arm, one of the Rock cliffs of the Notch. It rises to almost 3800 ft. After that we climbed up Old Speck, a 4000 ft mountain. Maine trails are brutal. The ascents always include scaling sheer walls and lots of grabbing on to roots and rocks to pull yourself up. The descents are steep and treacherous. I don't see many 20 mile days for a while.
Date: 2017-06-24
From: Pine Ellis Hostel in Andover

To: South Arm Road
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: moderate rain

We had a difficult climb up Baldpate on the rocks and then down and back up Wyman Mtn. We planned to camp near the road, but saw David, the shuttle driver from the Andover hostel. We quickly decided to go back to Andover.We ended up having an awesome AYCE pasta dinner at the Little Red Hen Diner and Bakery. They then let us tent behind their restaurant. The Little Red Hen is a must stop.
Date: 2017-06-26
From: Sabbath Day Pond Shelter

To: Farmhouse Inn at Rangeley, ME
Miles today: 9.0

We got up at 4am and were hiking before 5 this morning. It was actually 9 pretty easy miles into Rangeley. We were highly motivated for a Nero and were done by 9am.We are staying at the Farmhouse Inn. It is a great stop. Rangeley is a neat little town.A couple call outs on equipment vendors. Z Packs sent me a new pack belt to replace one that broke a small loop and got chewed by mice. No charge. Shane at Farmhouse helped me replace the straps on my BD trekking poles. It wasn't easy. Thanks to Shane and the folks at Ecopelagicon outfitters, in Rangeley, for getting my poles ready for the final push.
Date: 2017-06-27
From: Farmhouse Inn at Rangeley, ME

To: Spaulding Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 19.0

We were on the trail by 7am, and immediately began the long climb up to the summit of Saddleback Mountain at 4120 feet of elevation. We were above treeline for over 3 miles, but the wind wasn't too bad. We then crossed over The Horn and Saddleback Junior. Our last climb of the day was a steep climb in the rain up Lone Mtn.It rained well into the night and got down to 40 degrees. We were glad we got to the shelter around 430, because several SOBOs had to tent in the rain.
Date: 2017-06-28
From: Spaulding Mtn Shelter

To: Milemarker 2001.6
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

We decided to resupply and stay in Stratton, ME today. We cannot make it to Monson with current food, and we have to time our arrival at the Kennebeck River to coordinate the narrow 2 hour window to get the canoe ferry service.We had several climbs on this short day, but it was the steep descent down Sugarloaf Mtn that was the most challenging. No rain was forecasted today, but we got rain and hail this morning. We were in town by 2pm and will enjoy some downtime in the Stratton Motel.
Date: 2017-06-29
From: Milemarker 2001.6

To: Mile marker 2018
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

With rain forecasted this evening, we decided to hike the Bigelow Mtn range and spend the night again in Stratton.  It was several 2000 foot elevation ascents and several bumps around 600 feet of climbing. We had great weather and some super views above treeline and 4100 feet.We have all three purchased one way plane fares home from Bangor for July 12. It is still unclear when we will summit, but that should give us some flexibility. We are all three focused on finishing. The only thing that can stop us is an injury at this point, so we are being cautious. The reality is we all slip multiple times each day and several falls each week.An update on Wiz, his shin splints have become a non issue and he is moving as well as ever. He is a lean, mean hiking machine, down over 50 pounds from when he started.
Date: 2017-06-30
From: Mile marker 2018

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: broken clouds

We hiked under cloudy skies over small mountains and around numerous ponds. We arrived at the shelter around 330 and proceeded to lay around. We would have pushed on, but the ferry only operates from 9 to 11 am. It was 3 miles away.  Fording the Kennebeck is highly discouraged.RIP Parkside
Date: 2017-07-01
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: broken clouds

I started the day with a 12 pancake breakfast from the fish camp close to the shelter. Thanks, Tim.I then hiked the short 3 miles to the Kennebeck River to wait for the canoe shuttle. It was a quick trip across and then I hiked around ponds and over 2 small mountains. The rains began about 530 and I slipped into the Moxie Bald shelter. It poured for about 6 hours, which kept me worrying about tomorrow's river fords.
Date: 2017-07-02
From: Moxie Bald Lean-to

To: Monson
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

I was on the trail by 5am. With all the rain, it was a muddy mess. Not much elevation difference, but it was like walking in a swamp. I had two river fords, which were over mid thigh depth and the current required lots of attention. I got into Shaw's Hiker Hostel at 1pm. Poet runs the place and he is fantastic. A hot meal was in order and then some planning for the push through the 100-Mile Wilderness.  I have less than 115 miles left.
Date: 2017-07-03
From: Monson

To: Long Pond Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 15.0

Shaws breakfast is awesome, but it caused us not to hit the trail until 930. The 20 mile day we had planned turned into 15, with some gnarly terrain to deal with.While in Monson, Freight Train decided he wanted to get home as soon as possible and would be hitting miles I could not attain.  Wiz and I wished him well and hated to see him go.At the last ford of the day, we came across a flip flop hiker we had dinner with the previous night, who had fallen into the swift Brook and feared his arm was broken. Fortunately he had an emergency spot beacon and activated it to be extracted.
Date: 2017-07-04
From: Long Pond Stream Lean-to

To: Chairback Gap Lean-to
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

Wiz and I started through the Chairback Mountains and they were tough. Lots of steep ups and downs. At lunch, Wiz said his knees could go no further for the day. We decided to call it a day and stay together. It rained all afternoon and much of the evening.
Date: 2017-07-05
From: Chairback Gap Lean-to

To: East Branch Lean-to
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: light rain

Wiz woke up and said his knees were worse and he was returning to Monson. Not what either of us wanted. We said our goodbyes and I was on the trail by 520. I had 4 mountains to go over, with the last being Whitecap. The final 3000 ft mountain before Katahdin. The weather was great, so I got my first view of the final mountain 70 miles away.Later in the day, I got a text from Wiz, who said he had been diagnosed with Lymes Disease and was taking antibiotics. He is likely headed home.
Date: 2017-07-06
From: East Branch Lean-to

To: White House Landing Hostel
Miles today: 22.0

I was out by 510 this morning and excited to see how fast I could do 22 miles on gentle terrain and just a couple small ascents. I was done by 230. I saw my first moose at a road crossing.  We just looked at each other and moved on. The weather was great today.I am at White House Landing, which is actually a fish camp on a large lake. You hike to a small boat dock and call the hostel on your cellphone.  They come and get you in a boat. I had pizza for dinner and had them make me a burger to pack out tomorrow.  Another 20 mile day awaits.
Date: 2017-07-07
From: White House Landing Hostel

To: Rainbow Lake Campsite
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: moderate rain

I had a great breakfast at White House Landing and then took the boat ride back to the trail. I packed out some pizza and a big burger to fuel my day.It was fairly flat terrain, but an 8am start put me behind my clock. There was a small chance of pm showers,  which in Maine means it is going to rain. Sure enough, I could hear the thunder 2 miles from my tentsite. I quickened my pace and was all set up, with time to eat my burger on a lakeside rock, before the rains came. It rained hard and well into the evening, exactly why I prefer to shelter over tenting.
Date: 2017-07-08
From: Rainbow Lake Campsite

To: The Birches Lean-to in BSP
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: clear sky

I woke up and packed up a wet tent to the sound of water dripping off the trees. It would be a wet trail, but I knew I would be out of the Hundred Mile Wilderness in 10 miles, and sitting at the base of Katahdin by mile 21. The last full day of hiking had finally come.There were no significant climbs and the only issue was the nasty thunderstorm that accompanied me in the last 3 miles to The Birches Lean-to. They are reserved for long distance hikers by BSP. I interacted with several BSP Rangers during the day, and they were all informative and supportive of thru hikers. I included a picture of one of the BSP waterfalls. It was very impressive and probably had more water than any other falls I saw on the trail. Zen Master and Preacher are the only other thru hikers at The Birches tonight.Tomorrow I plan to summit Katahdin and finish my hike. Tomorrow will be all about me. I am a pretty selfish person and this hike was about me alone. However, I would not be here without the phenomenal support of my wife, Michelle. No one, nobody, on this trail had the level of support she gave me. Tonight I think about how lucky I am to have a team of two on this hike.
Date: 2017-07-09
From: The Birches Lean-to in BSP

To: Baxter Peak on Katahdin 
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: few clouds

I was awake at 415 this morning, but did not want to disturb Zen Master. Then he spoke, "you wanna go climb a mountain today?". I replied into the darkness, "we got nothing else to do". So we packed up to mostly sunny skies and headed out for the last 5 miles of this 2190 mile adventure. He was about 10 minutes ahead of me, a much faster hiker and planned to spend some time on the highly exposed Knife Edge Trail after he reached Baxter Peak. I have no appetite for heights and that was never a consideration for me.I was out by 530 and the Hunt trail to the top started getting sketchy above treeline. There were a lot of exposures to long falls, some Rebar pull ups and one just scarey crab crawl over a rock with nothing to grip. By 815 I reached Tableland and knew the worst was behind me. As I approached the iconic sign there were lots of thoughts swimming around my head. This hike is the most difficult thing I have ever done. Fortunately,  I was the only person there for about 20 minutes, so any emotions will remain a secret. A family came up one of the other trails and took my pictures. The wind gusts were approaching 45 mph, so additional layers were necessary after climbing ceased. I stayed about half an hour at the summit, and took the slightly less harrowing Abol Trail back down. I was back at the ranger station by 1215.Katahdin is the most stunning mountain on the AT, and climbing it cannot be considered hiking. It is frighteningly beautiful.  The rock scrambling is straight up at times and slips can be fatal.  The reward today was crystal clear views of hundreds of lakes and ponds, plus the other rugged peaks within BSP. It was the best view in 2190 miles. I got a ride into Millinocket with the first car I stuck out my thumb for. No one can resist a pretty face. As an update on my hiking partner, Wiz, he plans to let the meds work on his Lymes Disease for about 10 days, then finish Maine and make his flip.My trip is over. I will reflect for a few days and make some more entries over the next week. I head home to NC on Wednesday. I will provide my opinions on the hike, my equipment choices, my hiking style and most importantly thank the many people who were so helpful and inspirational to me. I have also posted a few more photos from the last day.Thanks to all of you for coming along on my adventure. Happy trails.
Date: 2017-05-15
From: Waynesboro, Va

To: Calf Mountain
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 1 of hiking.  Thanks to Hillary for the ride to our starting point at Waynesboro, Va.  We both enjoyed the views on the trail but we do not have out trail legs yet.  The highlights for the day include Spiceman losing his aquamira.  Thankfully Milkshake has enough for both of us.  A rookie mistake even though he was a past thru hiker.  We passed our intended destination of Calf Mountain Shelter and hiked a bit down the trail near a beautiful stream. The real highlight of the day occurred after dinner.  As we were cleaning up Milkshake spotted a mama bear with a cub walking directly towards us not more than 30 yards away.  So what did we do, whisper to each other, as if she could not see or smell us, and continued to take pictures.  I did think of her and her cub as I was crawling into my sleeping bag.