morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-09-07
From: Caratunk, ME

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 136Paul at the Caratunk House put out a great breakfast for $4 - eggs, French toast, coffee, juice, bananas, cantaloupe, and blueberry muffins.Yesterday Chief and Jan Lightshoe had slacked to a point about 12 miles north of Caratunk. Before they headed out, I threw some of my gear in a garbage bag and had them leave it near the road crossing, so I walked the first 12 miles about 5 pounds lighter.The walking was pretty easy, with just a few bumps to get over. There were good views from Moxie Bald. I walked the last few miles with 81, who is also staying here. Mosquitoes! I haven't seen them in weeks and they are bugging me now at the shelter. 81 and I build a campfire. From the shelter we can see the nearly full moon, between the dark silhouettes of spruce trees, and it's rippled reflection on the pond.
Date: 2013-03-23
From: NOC 

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Killer day all uphill. It is what they say about climbing out of the NOC. There were many false summits. In fact each summit was topped with a rhododendron thicket that you would weave through, then see that there was another climb. After about 4 or 5 of these, I began to dread rhododendron thickets. It was cold and wet, yet again. I talked to God a lot today. I arrived at the Sassafras Gap Shelter and announced I was reserving two spots, one for me and one for Jesus that got me there.
Date: 2003-09-08
From: Moxie Bald Lean-to

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 137This will be the last entry posted until I finish. Sorry but there will be about a 5 day lag, then I will post entries for the rest of the trip.A few days ago Ken & Marcia told me a story that happened on one of their other hikes. They saw a clump of branches on the trail, dutifully cleared them away, and proceeded to walk 2 miles on the wrong path. I've learned that a favorite trick of maintainers is to put dead branches where the trail forks, to block the path that you shouldn't take. Every time I step over deadwood I look to see if there is another path, and this has saved me from going the wrong way at least a dozen times.There wasn't much in the way of elevation gain and loss today, so I was able to do the miles by 3:30. I won't say it was easy hiking, because there are still places that have tree roots like pythons lying across the trail, and there are still rocks. The weather is beautiful.There were a couple wide rivers to ford, but I was able to rock-hop without getting wet. I am staying at Shaws in Monson. In town is the largest group of NOBOs I've seen since Gorham, including Ken & Marcia, Kiwi, Dreamcatcher, Chief and Jan Lightshoe.
Date: 2013-03-24
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I was glad we set up at the shelter today. It was a easy and early pack up and it was raining and getting colder. We thought that we could get out early and miss the rain. We didn't miss the rain. We had just one climb today and the rest downhill, however, it was a steep downhill, it was the kind you had to really watch the foot placement. There were rock scrambles and slimy, mossy rock slides to pick over. And, yes, I had my first fall today and it was a doosie. If Chris and Sunshine weren't there, I probably would have slid halfway down the steep cliff. Thank you Sunshine for allowing me to fall on your leg. I hope it is better soon!Once we reached Stecoah Gap we phoned Donna at A Cabin In The Woods Hostel. She took Sunshine and Chris to her sweet home and they stayed in The Coop. Donna took me to the Microtel in Robbinsville to wait out the weather.
Date: 2003-09-09
From: Monson, ME

To: Cloud Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: clear sky

Day 138I am troubled by what I saw in front of Shaws Bunkhouse this morning.   A girl about 10-years-old had a simple bike accident and broke her arm. I wish kids never got hurt. I hope she's home eating ice cream and having friends sign her cast tonight. Hungry Hiker is at Shaws after completing his NOBO hike and walking back south. Good to see him again, and he fills me in on what lies ahead. Shaws¢ breakfast choices are "1 around", "2 around", "3 around", etc. I have "3 around" which means 3 blueberry pancakes, 3 eggs, 3 sausage links, 3 slices of ham, 3 pieces of bacon along with hash browns, coffee and juice. Oh, and there were doughnuts, too, which came in handy cause I was still a little hungry. It is common for southbound hikers to congratulate us now, even 100 miles from Katahdin. One was Peter, the first thru-hiker I met on the trail who is now flip-flopping. We both recognized each other from a single 2-minute trail passing 137 days ago.I entered a stretch called the "100 mile wilderness", which means that from here to the base of Katahdin there are no more town stops. There is one unique hostel that I will describe when I reach it in a few days. I hiked and talked much of the day with Kiwi, a nimble 61-year-old thru-hiker from New Zealand. He is the only other hiker here tonight.It was not an easy day today. Even the first part of the day had PUDs with small elevation change. There was a steep climb at the end of the day, and the dastardly trail builders put the shelter a half-mile off the trail.
Date: 2013-03-25
From: Robinsville Microtel

To: Franklin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

So I looked at the weather forecast and there was nothing but cold, snow, sleet for the next week. It looks like the cold would never stop. After booking a flight home to re-group, I rented a car not only to get to the airport, but to help other hikers in need. I drove to Fontana to see if everyone was OK, gave a few shuttles to the Fontana Lodge. I took a few photos of Fontana Lake for 1Foot that really wanted to see Fontana Lake and texted them to her. As I drove to the dam, low and behold Apple Pie was coming south out of the Smokies. She wasn't going to slog thru all of that snow thru the Smokies so after hiking 14 miles from Fontana the day before, she hiked 14 miles back today to end her section hike. I told her I had a flight out of Atlanta the next day so I could give her a ride to Atlanta. WOW, a warm car, a ride to the airport!We drove to Franklin, stayed at the Sapphire, dinner at MiCasa with Journey and friends. It was sad to leave the trail, but I knew I'd be back soon after the weather passes.
Date: 2003-09-10
From: Cloud Pond Lean-to

To: Carl Newhall Lean-to
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

Day 139The moon was illuminating the shelter when I woke up about midnight. Kiwi had his headlamp on and was watching the mice. His pack was hung about a foot from his food bag. The mice would drop from the rafters onto the pack and leap from the pack over to the food.The New Zealand accent is similar to the British in its gentility. I pause when the downhill trail leads into what looks like a rockslide. Kiwi stops behind me and says, "It's quite steep here isn't it." Which is so understated it makes me laugh. Translating for American readers what he was trying to say was "This (expletive) trail goes straight (expletive) down!"...followed by a string of all known expletives in random order.Don't believe anyone who says the 100-mile wilderness is flat. It is definitely easier than the Whites, but the first 50 miles is work. The weather is still excellent. It may have dipped into the 30's last night, but during the day I hike in shorts & tee shirt, with temps around 60.I had to ford Pleasant River, only the second time I wasn't able to rock-hop across a stream. The next 5 miles were a wonderfully gradual ascent to the shelter.There is a full house at the shelter, with Kiwi, Biscuit and her boyfriend (Grasshopper), and section hikers.
Date: 2013-03-25
To: Going Home to wait out the Weather
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

I just couldn't see waiting in a motel room for a week or so waiting out the weather, when Easter was right around the corner and I was missing my family. I flew home to Dallas and had a wonderful Easter celebration! I laid low at the coffeehouse not to disrupt the rhythm they had established without me. It was difficult to be home and it was difficult to be off the trail. I felt like I didn't belong anywhere, I was in "no man's land." I certainly wasn't finished on the trail... I quickly made plans to go back. This time I would drive my car so I could be more flexible with dates to go back. Inch by Inch wanted to return to the trail so we decided a date to return. 1Foot would come back a few days later.
Date: 2003-09-11
From: Carl Newhall Lean-to

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: broken clouds

Day 140Today I got my first unambiguous view of Katahdin from Whitecap Mountain. It was a misty morning, so I didn't get much of a picture. I now doubt that the bump I saw on the horizon a week ago was the big K.I was off to a good start and got over the Whitecaps before 11 am. The climbs over these peaks were not that bad - no hand over hand stuff. After getting down from the last peak it really felt like hitting the homestretch. I had seen the end, and the remaining terrain was as level as the AT ever gets.I hiked with Kiwi again for much of the day. We are both feeling hunger after 3 long days and talk about food "back home". I crave volume - near my home there is a Ryan¢s AYCE buffet with dessert bar. Barbeque is also appealing today. Neither of these I have in my pack so I settle on freeze-dried spaghetti.   Kiwi is here tonight along with section hiker David. NOBO thru-hiker Ostritch is tenting nearby. David is cutting his hike short and gave me a days worth of food! This shelter is well situated with cascades and a swimming hole in front. The days are getting shorter. At 7:20 it is dark.
Date: 2013-04-06
From: Atlanta Airport

To: Plumorchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: clear sky

I drove from Dallas to Atlanta the day before and the next morning I picked up Inch by Inch at the Atlanta airport. It was a nice reunion and we drove back to the trail. We formulated a complicated trail schedule to not only hike some miles we missed but to work around a coffee conference I needed to attend in Boston the next weekend. We started at Dick's Creek Gap at about noon and hiked to Plumorchard Gap Shelter. The miles were easy and it was simply beautiful weather. We hiked thru pine forests and the tread was soft pine needles. Each flat part of the trail we commented to each other, "wow, Inch, I could do this all summer!" I thought we had escaped the weather bullet and all was good... yeah, right.
Date: 2003-09-14
From: Rainbow Springs Campsite (tarping)

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 143I have my guidebook cut up, and I keep the current page in a zip-lock bag in my pocket. Today I'm down to the last page. My goal was to get to the base of Katahdin, and then hitch out to Millinocket where I'll wait for family before finishing.It was special to see the last of the trail landmarks that I've read so much about - Abol Bridge and the classic view of Katahdin. Thanks to hiker Don Quixote for trail magic left at the end of the 100-mile wilderness. I saw Ken & Marcia and Kiwi on and off all day, ending my walk with Kiwi. Kiwi has been a great hiker to be around - always positive, considerate, and sharing.The trail has been about the same. It looks like a cakewalk on the profile map but it's not that simple. There are mini-PUDs, boulders to dodge around, and roots to pick through. My feet hurt by all the uneven footing and my choice to walk these last 2 long days.The final 9 miles after entering the park, I was really dragging. I just wanted it over, I was sick of the trail bobbing up and down alongside a stream, circling around the park when a direct route would be half as long. The threat of hurricane Isabel is also a cloud over me, concerning the weather for climbing Katahdin and my family's vacation days after the end of my hike. Sad to say my last full day ended on this note, because overall the last 2 states have been the highlight of my trip.I was lucky to find a nice couple from Maine who not only drove me into Millinocket; they bought me a Gatorade and gave me a tour of the spread-out town. I'm staying at the AT Lodge, a bunkroom on noisy main street. Ahead: 2 days waiting, then Katahdin.
Date: 2013-04-09
From: Deep Gap

To: Mooney Gap
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

We got up early and slacked from Deep Gap to Mooney Gap on a beautiful and warm day. We were so worried about Standing Indian Mountain. We put on a brave face and began hiking. An hour and a half later, after a nicely graded with switchbacks we started downhill. "Inch, do you think we are finished with Standing Indian?" No, we couldn't possibly be done... but we were, and we had a lovely lunch in the sun on a nice flat rock. We had some lovely views but not too much hiker traffic today. We passed Fahmah and his hiking buddy, clip, and two younger guys, which was gratifying, sorry guys.
Date: 2003-09-15
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Millinocket, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Day 144I'm better today. My feet don't hurt and I have 2 days "off". Pain goes away, memories remain. I write my journal entries in "real time", almost always on the same day I experience it, so I can't help but have some of my negative mood reflected in my journal.I did laundry and visited the grocery store, already having my first feelings of loss, thinking that this was my last trip to raid the grocery store junk food aisle.I moved down to the Katahdin Inn - it is a nice place with an indoor pool, hot tub, and on-site laundry. Just as cheap as the AT Lodge, if I get someone to share the room. Tip: I got $25 off the room rate by going to the library and printing an Internet coupon from www.roomsaver.com.
Date: 2013-04-10
From: Mooney Gap

To: Rock Gap
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: few clouds

Again we were apprehensive about climbing Albert Mountain. We pulled up our big girl panties at the bottom of the hill and began climbing. When we weren't huffing and puffing we were enjoying the lovely views, while holding on the rocks. Even though it was a rock scramble, it was very different than the other days and it was a fun climb. As we were arriving at the top we talked to a father hiking with his twin sons, 17 years old, about the views, thanking God for the beautiful world He had created and how blessed he was to hike with his boys. When another young brash boy breezed past throwing his poles to the ground, yelling obscenities about the climb. He proceeded to throw his pack down and continue his tantrum. Really?After lunch on top of Albert we hiked down to the car parked at Rock Gap. It was a beautiful day and glad I applied sunscreen that morning!For the next few days, I flew to Boston to attend the Coffee Conference and returned with 1Foot to continue the hike in the Smokies with Inch by Inch.
Date: 2003-09-16
From: Millinocket, ME

To: Millinocket, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 145Today is a rainy day. I am impatiently waiting for Juli & the girls to arrive, and unfocused on getting my final newspaper article underway. The hikers who went up Katahdin yesterday were very impressed with the mountain.Kiwi heads home today, but Ken & Marcia Powers will be here another day. When my family arrives we went to the AT Cafe and meet the Powers.The weather looks good for Katahdin tomorrow.
Date: 2013-04-15
From: Newfound Gap

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: light rain

After flying from Boston to Charlotte and then driving to the Aquone to pick up Inch, we drove to Gatlinburg. The next morning I parked my car at the Sugarland Visitor Center and rode the NOC bus to Newfound Gap. We hiked southbound from Newfound Gap to Mt. Collins Shelter. I enjoyed seeing all of the northbound hikers that we had hiked with before. We had beautiful weather and easy tread, it was a great day to be outside.
Date: 2003-09-17
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Mount Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: clear sky

Day 146I'M DONE!I finished the Appalachian Trail today. My wife Juli, and oldest daughter Jessie (who is 9), and brother-in-law Mike hiked with me from Katahdin Stream Campground. The weather was ideal, cloudless and about 55 degrees. It would get windy and cooler as we went higher.We started up at 7:15. For about 3 miles the trail went moderately uphill. Jessie was tired quickly, and I figured someone would be headed back with her. Then we hit tree line and the trail headed steeply up a boulder field. The wind kicked up, and bouldering seemed more precarious in these conditions. I could tell Jessie was a little scared, but we all decided we could continue higher. There was a solid mile of hand over hand crawling. It turns out Jessie got more interested in this than the "plain" uphill walking.Next, we reached the tableland, the top ridge of the mountain that flattens out to a moonscape-looking land. The boulders here are leopard-spotted with green lichen. Here we saw giddy thru-hikers headed down from the summit. We saw Cobra, Ostrich, Dutch, Chief, Dreamwalker and others I didn't know. One had been crying.2172 miles, 146 days, so much has happened. I've been having end-of-the-hike feelings on and off over the past few weeks. Still, finishing seems abrupt. Assorted little bits of my hike pop into my mind; my first trip to a post office to get a mail drop, a bear crossing the trail, a wildflower in the bright Georgia spring, hail pelting me in North Carolina, 2 dozen hikers mulling around the hostel in Vernon, New Jersey. No more memories are to be made, most of the hikers I've met I'll never see again. There are no more miles to walk.Now I'm mostly excited about reaching the top and experiencing the fantastic views. Katahdin is mentioned often for it's symbolic value, and the most common picture seen is simply the hiker and sign on top (like I'll probably post with this entry!) but please take a look through more photos, 'cause Katahdin is as picturesque as any mountain on the A.T.At the top, we spent more than 30 minutes taking photos to cap off this hike. I'm proud of Jessie for making it to the top with me. It's a nice way to finish.
Date: 2013-04-16
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: scattered clouds

In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park you are required to stay in the shelters. We didn't mind staying in the shelters that much it was the mileage you had to do to reach the shelters. Either the day's were too short or too long... So we erred on the side of being too short. The day began with the fog rolling in so thick that you were enveloped in the touchable fog. The hike was very eerie with fog surrounding me. We hiked up and over Clingmans Dome even hiked the tower with nothing but fog. We kept hiking. Made it to Double Springs Shelter, but there were too many loud ladies, so we kept hiking to Silers Bald Shelter. At Silers Bald it began thundering and we were ridge hiking. At one point, I began to have a headache and my head was tingling. Weather hazard training let me know that this wasn't good. At one point I took my backpack off and sat down away from it and my poles, thinking lightening was about to strike. It didn't, but I packed up quickly at got to a lower elevation as quickly as I could. We thought we were going to be the only ones in Silers Bald Shelter, but it quickly filled up to max capacity, we were in another hiking bubble... We met a lot of very nice folks, but kept having to explain why we were going southbound...
Date: 2013-04-30
From: Laughing Heart Hostel

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

All last night 1Foot and I discussed options. What was wrong with my newly damaged left foot? Have I further damaged my right shin by walking 11 miles yesterday? Could we wait here long enough that my feet would heal? I miss my family... I finally decided I would drive back to Dallas and conclude that I would be an AT section hiker. I loved every minute I had on the trail and treasured every experience and each hiker I met, could I really be done?1Foot decided she would get off of the trail as well. We had breakfast at the diner together before I hugged her goodbye when her shuttle came. I hung out at the hostel long enough for the mail man to come that did not bring the package I was expecting. Before I could bring myself to pack up and leave I walked a part of the AT near the hostel up the hill for as far as my feet could take me. The trail kept drawing me farther and farther up the trail before I saw my last white blaze and both of my feet could no longer go farther. I took a few pictures with my phone of the trail, me and the last white blaze I saw. I turned around and tearfully walked back to my car.I said my goodbyes to the hikers that were there, Machete, and others and Tigger and Chuck. I drove downtown took a couple of last parting shots with my camera and purchased a couple t shirts at Bluff Mountain Outfitters before taking off. I drove until I was too tired, on the west side of Memphis and then completed my journey home the following day.I was able to see a doctor in Dallas in the next few days that confirmed I had tendonitis on different parts of both feet. He has a course of treatment that has me resting, on heavy duty drugs to get the swelling down and healing of the irritated right shin and left foot for a few weeks. He also will prescribe orthotics to prevent this from happening again so when the time is right I can hike long distance again.When I arrived home, and as I was relaying all of my trail stories to my husband, I was trying to locate my camera to show him photos of all of the hikers I met, the video of the rainy day in the shelter, the pictures of the pristine vistas of the Smokies and the budding wildflowers, when I discovered my camera was not with me. I was frantic. We both combed through all of my belongings and every inch of the car. No camera. with all of the disappointment in the last few days of unexpectedly leaving the trail, the injury was now not half as painful of losing the photos of my trip. Suddenly it was if the trip never happened. The meltdown occurred.Over the next several days, I called the hostel, the outfitter in Hot Springs where I'm sure I had left the camera, without success. I will continue to call folks in Hot Springs to try to locate my camera, but at this time, no photos...I will be back to the AT again. I loved every minute of the trail and would like to go back with my husband next time. He is better at keeping up with the camera than I am.