morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-09-18
From: Big Rock Mountain, ME

To: Long Pond Stream Lean-to, ME
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a good day in that I had been seeing a lot more of my friends that were hiking Northbound. These were people that I had hiked with or around as I too was hiking Northbound but now that I¢m going Southbound, we¢re passing each other. The list of people that I saw today alone include ¢Old Smoke,¢ ¢Gumbi,¢ ¢Thirty Pack,¢ ¢L.C.,¢ ¢Preacher,¢ ¢Prada,¢ ¢SOS (a man from Ft. Wayne),¢ ¢Bad Penny,¢ ¢Riffraff,¢ ¢Walkabout¢ who is from Australia. Also I saw ¢Nooga,¢ ¢Chameleon,¢ ¢Manula and Tree Trunk,¢ a married couple from New York, ¢Log,¢ and her dog ¢Yoyo,¢ ¢GOMAN,¢ ¢White Wolf,¢ ¢The Troverts,¢ ¢Gipcgirl,¢ ¢Castaway,¢ ¢Kleenex,¢ ¢Spiceman,¢ and ¢Seminole.¢I got an early start today and enjoyed perfect weather for most of the day. It was so foggy when I got up that the view that I had during the night seemed like a distant memory. I went over Chairback Mountain, Third Mountain, Fourth Mountain, and Barren Mountain, taking a break at Long Pond Stream Lean-to. I visited with ¢GOMAN¢ and officially took back my title as the oldest man who was through hiking for the first time on the trail. I had relinquished my title to him when I went home but now that I¢m back he is apparently in second place. He is about five months younger than me and is doing very well on his hike. I hiked on, and forded another stream by wading across bare foot. There was a rope, strung from one side to the other to help hold on to as you would walk across the river for extra stability. This really came in handy. Then I was able to hop across two more streams that had large rocks in them to cross. After I had done this I ran into ¢Spiceman¢ and ¢Gipcgirl.¢ It was so good to see ¢Gipcgirl¢ again. I had hiked with her for three or four weeks but had not seen her since my sudden departure from the trail two or three weeks ago. ¢Gipcgirl¢ and ¢Spiceman¢ invited me to spend the night with them in the shelter I had passed about two and one half miles back so I turned around, hopping across the two streams and wading across the deeper stream with my shoes still on.It was great to see them. We caught up on old news . After setting up our sleeping bags in the shelter, the ¢Troverts,¢ both ¢In¢ and ¢Ex¢ came along, as did ¢Castaway¢ and ¢Kleenex.¢ The small, six person lean-to type shelter was cramped with seven of us in it. However, we knew rain was coming and there was, indeed, a terrible storm that night that started early evening and continued all night with a lot of rain and wind. The metal roof of the lean-to sounded like somebody was throwing rocks at it all night long as sticks and nuts came crashing down upon it. The rain stopped in the morning just in time for us to hike out; everyone else going Northbound but with me heading to the South.
Date: 2012-09-19
From: Long Pond Stream Lean-to, ME

To: Shaw's Hostel in Monson, ME
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: clear sky

As I had mentioned, in the morning, everyone else in the shelter headed North as they progressed through the 100 mile wilderness, on their way to climb Katahdin, and to finish their hike.   I progressed South, as I need to get all the way back to where I got off the trail on that gondola near Gorham before I can consider my hike finished. I came to the stream that I had to ford yesterday, twice, and it was chest-deep with raging water from the terrible rain we had in the night. There¢s no way that I could safely cross that so I turned around and walked again past the shelter to a trail that led off of the mountain to a road. I found this trail led to a parking lot rather and then I followed it to a road and then followed this road five or six miles until a kind Trail Angel came along in his pickup truck and told me I was going the wrong direction. He however put me in the back of his truck along with his trash (which seemed very appropriate) and took me to the Shaw ¢s Hostel in Monson, where I had left my car a little over a week before. Again, a Trail Angel just when I needed one the most. I cleaned up, did laundry, and resupplied, had a good meal and took a nap. The storm had kept me awake most of the night with the high winds, with things falling on the tin roof, and the massive amount of rain. I also visited the local library to use their computer. Monson is a very small town, but filled with friendly people. Another thing that just crossed my mind is that the thing that I missed most while I was hiking the first five months and that I appreciated the most when I got home was ice cream. It was a great thrill to be able to get up in the middle of the night, go to the freezer, and eat ice cream. I think that is probably the one thing that I missed more than any other physical thing while I was on the trail for those five months.
Date: 2012-09-20
From: Shaw's Hostel in Monson, ME

To: Shaw's Hostel in Monson, ME
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

Today I had an excellent breakfast at Shaw¢s Hostel in Monson, and was returned to a logging road that I had to follow for about a mile to get to the trail. The other roads were impassable due to flooding. While I was walking up this logging road there was a set of moose tracks along the road that were huge and recent. I kept looking for a moose but no luck. I finally found the Appalachian Trail, went North for the first time in weeks so that I could return to the area where I had met ¢Gipcgirl¢ two days earlier. I turned around then and resumed my Southbound hike without trying to ford the streams as I knew they would still be very flooded. I had also crossed them twice earlier so I didn¢t need to do it again. I did have to go over several smaller streams and jump across some flooded bogs. The trail was very muddy with many roots and rocks as well.Finally, I came out the end of the 100 mile wilderness and I officially had completed the 100 mile wilderness. I eventually got a ride back to Monson, had a good meal, and rested doing some paperwork and electronic communication type stuff. I now have 194 miles to go before I finish my hike.
Date: 2012-09-21
From: Shaw's Hostel in Monson, ME

To: South of Monson, ME
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light intensity drizzle

I was able to get a ride back to the trail early and started Southbound over relatively benign terrain. There were a couple of shallow fords. The streams have receded significantly from the rains that we had a few days ago. The weather was sunny and dry, but still a day-long chill in the air. This is perfect for hiking.I¢m surprised that I¢ve not met more Northbounders that I know. I met ¢Kaboom,¢ ¢Ogre,¢ ¢Renaisance Man,¢ ¢Wishbone,¢ ¢Roboticus,¢ and ¢Croc Hunter¢ at Shaw¢s yesterday.   Today there were only a few Northbounders. I felt like I had the trail all to myself.The days are definitely getting shorter and the nights colder. Clear skies allow for much heat dissipation.I would like to mention that the Aqua Mera I treated my water with as needed, from Georgia, ran out about two weeks ago. It lasted me for almost 4 12 months. I never treated spring water, or rushing streams that were clear and in the higher elevations but any suspicious water I did indeed treat.
Date: 2012-09-22
From: South of Monson, ME

To: South of Pleasant Pond Mountain, ME
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was another good hiking day. The weather started cloudy with occasional mist but turned sunny and warmer. I went over Moxie Bald Mountain and Pleasant Pond Mountain. There was a small ford along the way but essentially today¢s hike was easy. Still not many Northbounders. None that I know at least. They¢re all in a hurry so as not to be excluded from finishing their hike by bad weather on Katahdin. Mount Katahdin is the Northernmost terminus of the trail. I believe the prettiest state of all 14 that I¢ve hiked in is definitely Maine. New Hampshire is second, and then Virginia, but no state has been a disappointment. New Jersey was a very pleasant surprise to me.The colors in the trees are changing. It¢s definitely become more autumnal in the New England area. I no doubt will find a flat spot tonight and pitch my tent. Today has been a good day for hiking.I wrote a poem a couple of days ago. Here it is:Funnybone is back!Beat me up, sent me home ¢ the trail thought it had won.I rested, ate ice cream, but knew I wasn¢t done.I got my mind right, felt the consuming yearn.Started making some plans for my certain return.They say the trail teaches, it will wait for you.The lesson I learned was that I was not through. My friends all praised me, my family was relieved.But a quitter I¢m not, in my heart I believed.¢Would you think less of me?¢ I asked my closest friend.¢Just hike your own hike, it¢s your choice, be a man.¢I sped back to the trail, made Mount Katahdin my own.My wife¢s ashes, some prayersI spread on this throne.A list of my Trail Angels I¢ve been keeping since the startI read to no one special,but it warmed my heart.So from the depths of despair to the summit of Mount KatahdinI¢m renewed, refocused, avoiding what could have been.Second chances are precious, they provide for the bestA purely human emotion, I¢ve been truly blessed.
Date: 2012-09-23
From: South of Pleasant Pond Mountain, ME

To: South of Pierce Pond, ME
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: few clouds

I had an unexpected rain in the night but I stayed dry. The trail continues to be relatively flat. But as always, there are many roots, rocks, and mud. Today, in the morning, I went across the Kennebec River in a canoe. That is the official way to cross the river as this river is given to sudden, sharp changes in depth and current associated with the power station upstream. You are forbidden to ford the 150 foot wide river due to this potentially dangerous water flow. A white blaze is painted in the bottom of the canoe so you are still technically on the trail. A man named ¢Hillbilly Bob¢ is the canoeist.The trail went by Pierce Pond, where I believe a young hiker drowned earlier this summer. Apparently he had gone swimming alone, got cramps, and was unable to save himself. His passing has been a sober reminder to all who follow of the need to be very safety-conscious. I was able to do a good number of miles today because of the trail and because I¢m still feeling stronger following my R and R at home. I¢m enjoying the trail more and appreciating the solitude and peace that it provides.
Date: 2012-09-26
From: South of Pierce Pond, ME

To: The End of The Trail
Miles today: 28.0

The last three days have been good hiking. I am lumping the days and miles together as I am running out of pages in my journal and I¢m just trying to crank out miles so I can bring this journey to an end. It was six months ago today that I started in Georgia. I have about 123 miles to go over some very difficult terrain before I am finished. I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel. Ice cream, here I come!I was so impressed with myself for not falling after my return, but yesterday changed all that. I did a major face plant right on a rock. I somehow missed hitting my teeth but did jam my glasses into my nose. Neither was broken, not my glasses or my nose but my nose was indeed scraped up a little bit. The pointed rock won that round. I¢ve met a few more Northbounders but most of them are people I don¢t know. They¢re all hurrying to get to Mount Katahdin before mid-October, when the park closes. I¢m now their biggest cheerleader. Since the nights are getting so long, I have a lot of time in my dark tent. It gets too dark to hike out here after 7:00 and doesn¢t begin to start getting light until 6:00 or a little bit after. Consequently the hiking day is getting much shorter. Therefore, I have time for more poems and here¢s another. This one was inspired by Robert Service. For sure some night the stars will shineupon a cold headstoneand illume a name with light so fine,yes it will be your own!That night is rushing to the day,when silent as a mime, your life was but a little beat within the heart of time.A little pain, a little gain, a laugh or else a groana little blame, a little fame,just starlight on a stone
Date: 2012-09-29
From: The End of The Trail

To: The End of The Trail
Miles today: 43.0

It¢s been cold and wet much of the time. The rain is not hard, just intermittent; enough to take the fun out of the hike. I am counting the miles and days. About a week to go. The clouds have obscured any good views. That¢s OK. I¢ve had enough views to last a lifetime.I was able to get a ride from a section-hiker I met named ¢Chisel.¢ He returned me to my car, and then I drove it to the parking lot near Stratton where the Appalachian Trail goes across the road. I resupplied from my car, and hiked on a few more miles. The stretch South of Saddleback Mountain was relatively flat, or else I¢m just not noticing the ups and downs like I used to. I¢m not going into Rangeley or Andover, as these towns are about nine miles from the trail and I don¢t want to take the time to hitch. I have enough food. My focus is on ending this hike safely. It¢s getting really lonely out here. I would like to mention that, as my hike winds down; I¢m noticing some changes in the remaining hikers. There is no one sleeping in hammocks any more. It must be too cold. Also, the toe shoes that were common in the beginning are now absent. The partiers are also gone. By the time you get here, you are hardened and your focus is the trail, and what it¢s going to take to finish. Interestingly, the ladies are prettier. Their complexion is great, no makeup is needed, and they¢re shapelier. Can you stand another poem? Here goes. The title of this one is ¢Heartbeats, not Minutes.¢I¢d like to write a melody, a simple song that¢s full of truth.It goes to you but comes from me; its origin comes from our youth.Life should be measured in heartbeats, not just by the passage of time.Excitement and passion are treatsthat speed up our pulse every timeSo don¢t praise the obituary for its lengthy number of years,But rather seek, do not tarry,to measure life by love, not tears.
Date: 2012-10-02
From: The End of The Trail

To: The End of The Trail
Miles today: 31.0

For every good hiking day, there is one that¢s wet and cold. I don¢t mind the cold much since you can usually keep warm if you keep moving. The mountains had open tops where the trees were replaced with slabs of rocks and small, stunted trees and shrubs. Still seeing very few others on the trail. Because of the constant rain, there have been essentially no views lately.   Many rocks and roots wait patiently for my careless passage, hoping to grab my feet.I¢m getting tired and looking forward to going home after the completion of this hike. My feet, knees, and ankles still are relatively good and mostly pain free. I have about 42 more miles to do. I went into Gorham after easily getting a ride from Grafton Notch back to my car in the parking lot near Stratton. My car retrieval has not been a problem. The luck I¢ve had getting rides back to it has been outstanding. In Gorham I took a shower, ate some town food, did laundry, rested, and then looking forward to a good night¢s sleep in a bed. The drama of summiting on Mount Katahdin will be followed instead by the lonely victory of summiting on Wildcat Mountain at the gondola where I got off. I am staying at the same motel where I spent my last night before I quit the trail and went home about five weeks ago. The circle is almost completed.
Date: 2012-03-26
From: Blue Ridge Gap, Ga.

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: clear sky

Since 2002 I have sectioned hiked for several hundred miles on the AT in Ga.,N.C.,Ten.,Va.,Vt.,NH.,and Me. The only time that I have ever kept any written documentation of my hikes was in 2010 when I hiked all of the AT through Georgia. I have not even written in any of the trail shelter logs.I have only read a few entries in just a couple of the shelters I have stayed in. I am now starting another hike and hope to go from Blue Ridge Gap in Georgia to at least Harpers Ferry in Va. This will not be a continuos trip for me. I'm sure I will be leaving the trail at times for a number of reasons, but the plan is to return to the trail ASAP and continue on. This time I plan to keep written notes of my activities daily as I did when I hiked Georgia, but this time using this Journal in hopes of having a permanent record. Today is day one. I started about one mile west of Blue Ridge Gap and walked one mile uphill to get to the AT at Blue Ridge Gap. My shuttle could not get me closer because the old dirt road was just too washed out and rough for the vehicle she was driving. Today my plan was to go to Standing Indian Shelter about 12.4 miles north. I started walking and saw no one until I approached Bly Gap. There I saw several people packing up from a camping site on my right. I saw two hikers up in a tree. It was not just any tree, it was the odd shaped tree that is written about in most all trail guides. I had seen pictures and knew the tree immediately on sight. I did not see this tree in 2010, because I finished that hike at the Ga/NC state line, and hiked back to my starting point today, ending that trip.I continued on north passing several other hikers. I reached Standing Indian Shelter and met a family of three, and a lady named Mickey, trail name "Mouse". A while later a male hiker showed up and I later learned his name: John Mumaw, small world). He was the uncle of Billy Mumaw who worked at the Police Dept. with me for years before I retired in 2008. More about him later. By nightfall the shelter was full, and about twelve other hikers camped around the shelter. A hiker made a fire and most everyone else went to bed. Note: Stamp date on photo is not correct.Good night.
Date: 2012-04-02
From: Davenport gap

To: Deep Gap groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: light rain

Got into Hot Springs last evening, and made arrangements for a shuttle to Davenport Gap today. I had dinner last evening at the Iron Horse Station, pasta and shrimp, and sweet tea. The food and service was very good.I stayed last night at the Alpine Court Motel. It is not upscale by any means, but the room was clean, and the bed and pillow was very comfortable. I got a sausage and egg biscuit at the Smokey Mr. Restaurant and waited for my shuttle. My shuttle driver was a lady named Ruth. She is from Ireland and seems to be a very nice person. She has a son who is in law enforcement in the state of New York, so since I am a retired officer we had something in common and had some good converstation on the way to Davenport Gap. When we arrived I took a picture of her and her car which is covered in bumper stickers. Her tag had an unusual name on it(ERIU)and she told me that the name was that of an Ireland queen back in the 1600s. She asked for a hug and wished me well, and she was gone. I was all alone and now it was time to hike.The sky was dark grey and looked as if it was going to pour rain at any moment. I set out down hill for about two miles following a stream. I then came to interstate forty and went under the overpass and then up about 40 steep stone steps which was the start of a very long hard climb for about the next five miles. I was at about 1600 feet elevation and had to climb to the top of Snowbird Mountain, elevation 4,263 feet. The trail was uphill all the way; a long long climb. Now its a long down hill for two to three miles. Down hill can be rough on the knees and feet, but I did ok.I made it to the shelter,filtered water for tonight and tomorrow, set up my sleeping gear, had dinner, and a while later went to bed. I'm going to Walnut Gap Shelter tomorrow which is about 13 miles away,and will also be a lot of climbing, but not quite as steep.
Date: 2012-04-03
From: Deept Gap groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

Lots of ups and downs today, but the views from on top of Max Patch Bald made it worth while. The summit is 4,629 feet. A good climb to the top, and then a long walk across the summit which was all covered in dark green grass and I could see all the surounding areas -the forest and the round bales of hay in the surounding fields, etc. I wish I had been able to stay longer than I did.I did not stay long because the sky was starting to look like rain again. A while later I could hear thunder in the distance so I moved on in hopes of beating the storm. Later when I reached Walnut Gap Shelter the storm was approaching and now there was lightening and it was starting to rain. It rained for about forty five minutes with thunder and lightening, but it was very dry in the shelter, and it was nice just listening to the rain on the tin roof.Now dinner, and bed. Bedtime today, because of the rain was at about 1730. I had a few mice running around my head and on my sleeping pad, but overall I had a good nights rest.
Date: 2012-04-04
From: Walnut Mtn Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up to a clear sky today,packed,ate,and headed north, going into Hot Springs about 13 or so miles away. Again, today was up and down climbing some high Mts. such as Bluff Mountain, elevation 4,686 feet. I stopped at Deer Park Mountain Shelter about 10 miles away and had lunch, and a long break. I took off my boots and socks to let my feet, boots, and socks dry for a while. They don't dry completly, but they do dry some and this helps a lot in preventing blisters.The shelter, as some of the others have been, is very small and very old. I think this one was built maybe in the 1930s, but it is still in sound condition, thanks to the volunteers who maintain the shelters and the trail. To all of you, I say Thank you.Time to go, as I'm approaching the top of the last mountain before Hot Springs, Deer Park Mountain which is about 1.5 miles from Hot Springs, I started to hear sounds of civilization such as lawn mowers, chain saws,heavy equipment beeping horns made when the vehicle is backing up, children yelling and playing;I could even smell the fragrance of fresh cut grass. Shortly I could see the town from above and the town is bigger than I thought. The sounds sound good as they got louder and I got closer, because I knew soon I would be getting a good meal. I got to town and the first place I went to was the Smokey Mt. Restaurant and got my meal, and then I sat on the front porch rocking in a rocking chair for about forty five minutes, just enjoying life thinking about my next section, which I will start soon.
Date: 2012-09-18
From: Katahdin Stream campground

To: Rainbow Spring Campsite
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I entered the hundred-mile-wilderness today, with reserved expectations. Many Northbounders have told me that it was mostly hype, and the many intrusive snowmobile trails seem to bear that out. As best as I can tell wilderness only means deferred maintenance; the trails are really beat. I hiked twenty-one miles to Rainbow Spring Campsite, which is populated by diseased Beech trees. This site is already farther than I intended to hike, but the ever-increasing winds make me wish I had kept going. The only thing that stopped me from continuing was the specter of injury.  That would have kept me at Hurd Brook Shelter, except I reached it early in the afternoon, and the floor was of thick spars. Fortunately I found a spot away from the Beeches, and free of other widow makers, to bed down for the evening.