morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-22
From: Clarks Ferry Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 24.3
Weather: haze

Utah Mike, Sardine and me packed up early and headed out. Poptart and Chicago were both still asleep. Mtn. Goat was zeroing there trying to heal his injuries.   Looking forward to a pretty flat day.   One climb half way through the day at a road crossing.   Nice day.   The miles seem to just fly by most of the morning. It was just a little hot. We all took our lunch break just before our road crossing.   It was a nice cold spring.   I just love that. After a quick lunch I was off.   It didn't take long to find Mike in the parking lot with some trail magic.   A 2001 through hiker had grape soda and beer.   all Just before we climbed.   I was happy for the sugar from the grape soda.   both Utah and Sardine had a beer or 2.   That was about another 30-40 minute break. This day was slowing down.   We all left one by one. I was the last to take off but it didn't take long to catch them hanging out not even a quarter mile away. Someone left some trail magic in the spring. Sodas, cokes and sprites. We all had one and headed off again.The climb wasn't bad at all. The rocks are starting to get bad.   A little rough at times but nothing all that bad.   And no snakes yet. Lots of big turtles but no snakes.   The sky started to look dark.   And we had fighter jets or bombers or some kind of war planes flying close over head all day.   They were loud. They were even louder then the thunder we begun to hear over head.   Somewhere at 5 miles from the shelter the sky got really dark. It was so dark I almost felt like getting my headlamp out.   Now it was a race to get to the shelter before getting wet.   This wasn't good. 5 flat miles but over rocks.   I don't think I'm going to stay dry today but i'm going to try like hell.   So I took off moving as fast as I could. I didn't eat a lot today and I forgot to put snacks in my top cap.   I started to get real hungry while pushing my miles.   I think I lost my battle to stay dry with 3 miles left.   It was like the sky opened up and a giant stumpknocker had a huge bucket full of water dumping it on me.   I decided to keep my clothes dry and hiked in my underwear.   I know what you are thinking but I wear like bathing suite shorts for underwear so I'm not actually hiking in my underwear but a bathing suit.   After an hour of being rained on I made it to camp just behind the guys.   I was soaked and my legs were covered in dirt and pieces of leaves.   I only have my rain gear for colder days so I put that on. Yeah I carry rain gear but I don't actually wear it when it rains.   Why? Well it's too hot and I hate hiking in pants.   I only do it when it's winter and storming. I actually will wear it on windy days like in the whites mountians and maine.   I don't think I ate enough for dinner.   All those miles seemed to go bye so quickly.   I was happy to be in a dry shelter tonight. It was supposed to rain heavy until the next afternoon.   I guess it doesn't matter if anything actually dries tonight it's getting wet anyway.   Well at least I'm dry for now.
Date: 2004-07-23
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 shelter
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: moderate rain

I wasn't rushing out of the shelter today. It's still raining and I'm not in the mood to get wet. Plus I'm a little cold.   Everyone else seems to feel the same way no ones moving.   I guess tea will help start the day since I have no mtn. dews. I think I have a problem!Finally the rain let up and we left camp slowly. I was last to leave.   It wasn't a bad walk down to swatara gap.   Although the one stream crossing turned into a face moving creek and I wasn't about to go through that.   I bushwhacked my way up to the road and walked down until it met up with the trail again.   I sat in the parking lot and thought about hitching to town for snacks and soda. I kept going to the next road crossing.I met up with Sardine and Utah at Route 72. It got really hot and I didn't feel like hiking anymore. I thought a lot about the rock field that was just on top of our next climb. I had run into a lot of snakes one day on those rocks and I never really liked the section anymore.   I normally hike it in colder weather to avoid the snakes.   So I hitched into town for some snacks, sodas and to call home for a ride.   Then I hitched a ride over to the 501 shelter to meet up with Utah and Sardine while I wait to see if I get a ride home.   I got to the shelter early enough to take a nap. I am tired after the last week and a half.   I woke up in time to hear a storm moving in. I wondered if the guys were going to make it before the rain.   They didn't.   Utah and maybe arrived first.   Sardine showed up a little later. I had bought us sodas and picked up snacks for Utah.   All of us really wanted pizza but it got too late for us to hitched into town to pick it up.   So we ate out of food bags and went to bed early.
Date: 2004-07-24
From: 501 shelter

To: Port Clinton.PA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Sardine decided he was going to hitch over to Port Clinton with me this morning. He was trying to catch a couple of guys and thought it would help to jump ahead.   So we took off and said good bye to Utah and maybe.   It wasn't easy to hitch it took about 40 minutes to catch a ride but our ride brought us right into port clinton.   That was cool.We headed to the Post Office so sardine could pick up his mail drop. Then we headed up to breakfast at the dinner.   Sardine ran into those hikers he was looking for and made plans to meet after breakfast.   Then at the dinner this guy and his wife walk up put $10.00 on the table and said "Breakfast is on me guys." . That was great more trail magic.   It's amazing what people do for one another.   So sad most people don;t know about those kinds of things. So we ate good!   I love breakfast!After breakfast sardine went off to meet up with the guys and I headed to see Vern over at the Outfitters for my shoes.   I missed vern yet again but his worker called him to ask about my shoes. I headed up to the Hotel bar to use the phone and wait on Vern.   I called back home and tripod said he was coming to get me in about 3 hours.   Oh good a long wait at a bar with $1.50 Yuengling pints.   yeah this was going to be fun. I ended up sitting having a few yuenglings and some lunch. I hung out with Brood X and London Len for a little while.   Around 3:00 tripod showed up and we headed to the outfitters again.   The had a little problem with ordering my shoes so I didn't get them.   I am thinking about a new pack I saw in the store.   I'll come back for that when I come home the end of August.   For now I have to find my shoes somewhere. I headed back home.   I was tired of walking. I'm happy to head home a few days early to go through all my mail drops and reorganize my maps and travelers check.   I actually think I have a lot of work ahead of me when I get there. I still have the stuff from my cross country trip to go through.
Date: 2004-08-01
From: Abol Bridge

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: light rain

It has been a long time since I updated the journal. Sorry about that. It has been a busy month. I'll update it all slowly. It is difficult to keep my journal updated when on the trail. I'll try to do it more often. So here we go the Month of August from day #1 The start of my Flipflop south....John Galt agreed to drive Coughdrop and myself up to Mtn. Katahdin on the 31st. We were picking up Stumpknocker at Gorham, NH. All of us were planning on doing the wilderness together. It is nice to be hiking with John Galt and Stumpknocker again. We are an odd threesome but hey it works. I had enjoyed my Autum hiking with the 2 of them last year. I could not wait to do the wilderness with them.The weather wasn't looking good for our hike up to Mtn. Katahdin. We all agreed to slack pack from Abol bridge to Katahdin Stream campground. Tomorrow's weather would be better to climb katahdin. I didn't want to miss that great view from the summit. John Galt had to study for an exam so he stayed behind and didn't hike. The first minutes of our hike we ran right into a bull moose eatting. This was going to be a nice and easy 9.9 miles day. We are going to take our our time and enjoy it. Down the trail we stopped next to some waterfalls to take a long break. We even got into the water for a bit. It was freezing! I still loved it. The day didn't turn out to be half bad weather wise. The sky even cleared up by midday. We arrived back at the campground a little early. John Galt was still sitting next to the stream studying. So we all hung out and cooked some food. We got to see all the hikers coming down from Katahdin. Always nice to see the thru hikers that just completed the trail. You just can't fake a smile like that. It is something to know you just walked over 2000 miles to get there. I guess we sat there in the sun for too long. I started getting those crazy ideas again. This time I hit up Stumpknocker to night hiker up Katahdin around 1:30 in the Am under the full moon to summit by sunrise. The crazy old man actually liked the idea. I need to start hanging out with more sensiable people. So we made plans to wake up at 1:30AM (Not 12:30 and Not 1:00!!!) and start hiking up Katahdin. This was going to be fun. Coughdrop and John Galt are going to think about it!
Date: 2004-08-02
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: overcast clouds

So somewhere around 12:30AM Stumpknocker decides to wake me up. Yeah BAD BAD IDEA! I was not interested in waking that early and let him know it with a very foul mouth! I declared I was sleeping until 1:30 and there was it no if's and's or but's about it! Around 1:30 I finally stopped yelling at stumpknocker and woke up. I was not a happy hiker this morning. I think John Galt actually called me a bitch could you imagen me a bitch? Never! Ok so John Galt had to drive us over to Katahdin streams since we couldn't get a site there due to it being full. We hit the trail around 2:00am. It was a very warm morning. I was happy I would have the hardest climb of the entire trail completed before the sun rose and baked me. Stumpknocker lead the way and pushed my lazy butt up the trail. Actually a few places over the rocks he had to push my butt to get me over them. I felt like a child. I guess it was easier to help me then to have to stand around and watch he struggle to get up and over the rocks. Once we were above treeline we could see perfectly. The moon was in the perfect postion for hiking. This was such a great way to climb the mountain. I just love to night hike. We made our way up and over both boulder scrambles. It was starting to get light out when a cloud moved onto the summit. We were afraid there would be no sunrise from the top. Although with as slow as I was moving this morning I don't think I'll make it up to the top for the sunrise. I didn't have a lot of energy for some reason. We didn't make it up there in time. We did get a very nice view once we reached the top. It was going to be a great day. And now I need to sleep for a bit. A nap on top of Katahdin what a great way to start the day.I slept up there for 3 hours. I guess there were some people who made it up early and were walking around as I slept. I heard them but it was to cold to look out of my bag. I can't believe stumpknocker headed out to do Knife's edge. All I wanted to do is sleep. And maybe eat. When stumpknocker got back from Knife's edge I still won't get out of my bag. Well that was until Red Beard showed up and handed me a Yuengling. Yeah I know beer at 10:30am but I started my day of 2:00am so doesn't that 12:00 rule not apply? Besides it was just what I needed to get my butt out of bed.Coughdrop and John Galt showed up around 11:00 or so. We all sat up there for a few hours together. It was a beautiful day to be up there. Not a cloud in the sky. I only had one problem with the day. I had forgotten to bring a hat or sunscreen. My face was so burnt after sitting up on top of this 5,000 ft mountain under a perfectly blue sunny sky. It was a fun climb down. It seemed a lot easier the second time I climbed this mountian. I hope I find the rest of Maine is easier then I had remembered. This is a great way to start off my hike in Maine. A moose my first few minutes, a perfect day to climb katahdin and lots of good friends around doing it.
Date: 2004-08-03
From: Abol Bridge

To: Rainbow Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

Happy Birthday Coughdrop! Doesn't everyone entering the 100 mile wilderness get a birthday jelly donut instead of a cake? At least I brought the candle. I forgot the card in John Galt's car.   It was a nice night out by the river.   I was ready for the wilderness after a good night's sleep.   I can't believe I'm heading into the wilderness.   I'm so excited about hiking in Maine.   It's been so long since I was last up here.   I am looking forward to swimming in all those lakes, ponds and rivers along the trail.   My last thru hike I passed through Maine in late september and early october way too cold to go swimming.   This was going to be great.   It seemed all day we were being chased by thunder storms at first in a distance then right above us.   We made it to the lean-to with out getting poured on.   That is always nice.   It was a packed house.   Huge groups of people everywhere.   I hope the rest of the wilderness isn't like this.   Coughdrop and I sat under her hammock drinking shots of 151 rum hiding from the rain.   Yeah one shot was more then enough for both of us.   We decided to save her blueberry cheesecake Mountain house dinner for tomorrow night.   For now it's sleep off the one shot of 151 that gave us both a buzz.
Date: 2004-08-04
From: Rainbow Stream Lean-to

To: Potaywadjo lean-to
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: few clouds

It was another nice day in Maine.   It seemed I didn't have much energy again today.   We all took a long break near our first pond.   That isn't a good way to start the day.   After our first and only climb of the day we found a nice sand beach on the Nahmakanta Lake.   Coughdrop and I decided to hang out and let the clothes and my tent dry out.   Stumpknocker and John Galt took off to head to White House landing in time for a big burger.   Coughdrop and I weren't heading there so we had time to relax and enjoy a swim.After the guys headed out we layed everything out in the sun and blew up our therma rest.   Who says therma rest don't float?   It worked for me.   We swam and hung out on the beach for about 3 hours.   That killed our pace for the rest of the day.   If that wasn't bad enough I discovered I might have gotten sun stroke on katahdin the other day and spending that much time in the hot sun brought it out again.   I spent the rest of my day getting sick.   Poor Coughdrop had to put up with me. We finally did make it to camp. I felt better but I still couldn't eat.   Tomorrow I'll stay out of the sun.
Date: 2004-08-05
From: Potaywadjo lean-to

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-To
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: scattered clouds

I felt a little better today.   We had only 11.4 miles to hike today. I could handle that.   It was easy hiking to.   Nice weather not to hot not cold at all either.   And we found trail magic on the side of the road. that was awesome. Pepsi and little debbie's.   Coughdrop and I made it into camp early afternoon. There were a few fishermen hanging out there.   I ended up jumping into the stream to get a part of their fishing pole that fell in. Yeah that's it guys send in the girl to fish out the reel.   I didn't mind jumping in. I wanted to go swimming but knew I couldn't if they were fishing right there.   I guess they knew that and since I helped them out they moved down stream from camp.   I jumped in and took my bath. Even got to wash out the clothes.   I spent 3 hours hanging out on the rocks drying out the clothes and myself. It was a great way to pass the afternoon along. It took hours for John Galt and Stumpknocker to show up. They brought us out pizza.   Aren't they so nice!   So sorry I called Stumpknocker a bitch that morning he woke me up at 12:30am. Oh wait no I'm not!   But it was very nice of him to do that.   Even thought he did make me get up and out of bed to eat it.
Date: 2004-08-06
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-To

To: Sidney Tappan campsite
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I really wanted to go swimming at the lean-to before leaving camp today, but it was way too cold for that.   It wasn't as nice of a day as the rest of the week has been.   It figures the weather isn't the greatest with going over White Cap Mtn.   None of us have ever had a view from the top of that Mtn.   We really wanted to see what it looked like from up there.   As we started up and over White Cap the rain started.   Everyone else put there rain gear on.   I on the other hand believe in keeping all of my clothes dry. So I stripped down to the underwear and that's how I hiked.   I hiked behind everyone else at this point.   I was in my underwear after all.   Not that anyone would know that's what I was wearing.Once we got into camp John Galt and Coughdrop couldn't find anywhere to hang there hammocks.   So they continued down to Carl A. New hall lean-to another 2 miles down the trail.   Stumpknocker and me stayed up at the tent sites.   I was tired and just fell asleep after they left.   Tomorrow was going to be an easier day. Not sure if I'll hike the Gulf Hagas trail with everyone or just hang out swimming.
Date: 2004-08-07
From: Sidney Tappan campsite

To: West Branch Pleasant River
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: light rain

I woke up this morning made tea went to the bathroom then decided to go back to sleep I hate hiking in the rain.   Again Stumpknocker tried waking me up to hike and my foul mouth told him to go away. Not exactly using those words but I can at least put those words on my journal online. yeah yeah I was grumpy but so what. I had no need to run out into the rain and hike all day.   There was a perfectly dry sleeping bag with my name on it. So there is where I stayed until 12:30. Everyone else went off to hike the Gulf Hagas trail. I had already hiked that before so I didn't mind missing it.It was difficult to walk the 7.3 miles downhill. NOT!   I did my mileage in about 2 1/2 hours.   I sat next to the west branch of the pleasant river waiting on the rest of the group.   I saw a few people I knew from my north bound section of my hike. It's always nice to see people I have hiked with before. We made camp down the trail a little ways.   I love these easy days.   Almost looks like we might just get ahead of schedule.   Looks like a big day again tomorrow. 18 miles to Cloud Pond lean-to.   I'm hoping for some trail magic along the way.
Date: 2004-08-08
From: West Branch Pleasant River

To: Cloud Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

Stumpknocker got up and out of camp before we all woke up.   It was another rainy morning.   No one was in a rush to get wet.   We stayed in bed as long as we could lay still.   When we couldn't take it anymore we got up and hiked.   Of course there were trail magic at the road. Soda and snacks.   I took a soda and heading up the trail.   Midday John Galt, Coughdrop and myself stopped to dry out our equipment.   I'm just glad to have the top of a mountain to hang out and do this on.   Everyone is already talking about pushing 19 miles tomorrow to get into monson.   I'm not sure if I want to hike those kinds of miles again tomorrow. Not sure what's wrong with me but I just don't feel like I have any energy. Maybe after some greasy town food i'll start feeling better again.I got in earlier then John and Coughdrop.   Stumpknocker was already set up by the pond.   Good thing he got there early there were a lot of people already there.   John Galt and coughdrop ended up in the shelter that night.   Stumpknocker & me were set up in our tents.   And there was a full house.   Not many flats spots left around camp. And the lean-to was packed, even had a few bodies laying on the ground outside the lean-to. We are all hoping for no rain.
Date: 2004-08-09
From: Cloud Pond Lean-To

To: Monson. Maine
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: few clouds

Ok so we are heading into town today!   Greasy food and beer I'm ready!   I could have done without all the fords that day but I guess it was a way to wash my socks, sneakers and feet.   I gave up trying to take off my shoes and put on my sandals every time I forded.   I just walked right through with the sneakers.   They dry really quick. Matter of a fact everyone always asked me about my shoes.   Vasque Velocity are the best trail shoes I have ever worn.   I started this trail in early February with lots of snowy cold days.   They won't keep your feet dry but they did stay very warm even when wet and in the snow all day.   I think that also has to do with my smartwool socks.   Now they might not stay dry but they do dry extremely quickly.   And I have worn my first pair for 1300 A.t. Trail miles (Does not include sidetrails and hikes on my side trips) and they just started to wear out. They will be the only shoe I wear from now on.   I just hope Vasque doesn't stop making them. I LOVE THESE SHOES!Ok back on our day into Monson.   It was a day of fording stream after stream, climbing up and then back down mountains all day but I knew at the end of my day waitted a beer with my name on it.   I just wish my name was Yuengling Lager.   Well instead I got a Yuengling Premuim from a section hiker.   Hey it was a Yuengling so I can not complain.   Best trail magic I got that day.   Well that and Stumpknocker and Coughdrop hiked out ahead of John and myself to pick us up all chicken dinners.   We sat in the parking lots eatting like we hadn't had food in a few days.   Coughdrop and I headed to Linda's house on main st.   She was a woman who needed a lot of work done to her house and put people up in exchange for work. It was exactly what Coughdrop and I needed for a town stay. Free.   So we stayed. Nice house can't wait to see what it looks like when she is finished with all the work.   I only wished I could have been more use to her while we were there.   She really needed a plumber.   I'm just good at cleaning.
Date: 2004-08-10
From: Monson. Maine

To: Monson, Maine
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: few clouds

It was a tough 3 miles today.   We slacked with John Galt and Stumpknocker.   That was all we were doing today. It was perfect.   I had enough time to do laundry, our work for stay at the house and get in an afternoon swim with Linda down at the river.   It was a perfect afternoon for a swim.   The sky was so blue with very little clouds and hot (well for Maine it was hot). It was a lazy town day.   I love days like that.   We had to say goodbye to John Galt and Stumpknocker before they left.   I had to tell Stumpknocker to slow down when he got back out on the trail. I need time to catch up.   I can't believe it will only be Coughdrop and me after this and that's only until I leave at the end of the month for a wedding.   It's going to be lonely autumn.
Date: 2004-08-12
From: Moxie Pond Lean-To

To: Bald Mtn. Brook Campsite
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke up this morning with no motivation today.   Coughdrop decided she wanted to zero at this shetler so we did.   She went back to sleep and I went down by the water.   After a few hours of hanging out on the shore of moxie pond I decided to take a nap.   Hey it was supposed to rain who wants to walk in the rain. After a long nap I woke up to coughdrop wanting to continue on the trail.   We packed up and headed out. So much for that zero day.   We went up and over Moxie with no view.   It was looking like rain but it held off.We made it down to Bald Mtn Brook lean-to and decided to go .2 to the campsite.   It looked like a nice spot.   It took about 5 minuted before the sky opened up and dumped on us.   The entire inside of my tent got soaked.   It was a great way to end an almost zero day.   I hope it stops raining before I hike tomorrow.