morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-08-16
From: Long Pond Stream Lean-to

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I made it to my first trail town, Monson. However, those 15 miles felt more like 30 miles b/c every step I took with my right foot sent shockwaves of pain throughout my heel. At one point I was hiking about 1 mph due, in part, to the terrain, but mostly due to the tendonitis in my heel. Speaking of the terrain, I can't fail to mention that it has become much more challenging over the past couple of days. Not only am I searching for the best route through the roots that spread out over the trail in all directions searching for the nutrients it needs in the black muck, but now I am having to scramble up boulderfields and slick 8 ft. rock faces with a 30 lb pack on my back, only to descend the other side of its sharp summit. Yes! The views are amazing! Is it worth it? You betcha! I just want this heel problem to be resolved. Please pray that it will.So now I've come 114.5 miles from Katahdin to Monson. Tomorrow I'll relax and enjoy my first "Zero Day" (a day in which a hiker puts in 0 miles).Still working on a trail name. . .Possibly --Easy Goin'-- or --Easy Feelin'--Until next time,Gray
Date: 2006-08-18
From: Monson, ME

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

As I was lounging in the front yard of Shaw's hostel, I mentioned the problem that I was having with my heel to the other hikers gathered around. Bill, a 70 yr old hiker from Chattanooga, TN asked me what size shoe I wore. I told him and immediately he hopped up and went to his room. A few minutes later he came back with a pair of slightly used New Balance Trailrunners and asked me to try them on. When I found them to be too big another man sitting there kicked off his shoes and handed them to me. They were too small. These men were willing to give me their shoes. I asked myself: "would I be willing to give up my shoes to some stranger in need?" I experienced two acts of kindness, back to back, by two complete strangers. Although neither pair of the shoes were my size, Bill offered me a ride to the next town over after breakfast of the following morning. So this morning Bill drove myself as well as another hiker with the trail name "MOAT" (Man Of Any Trade) to Greenville, ME. I hobbled into the store wearing my boots and found a pair of Merrell trail shoes marked down from $80 to $65. The pain subsided immediately and I left the store with feet. Bill accepted no gas money, and even offered to pay for the shoes! I wouldn't let him do that, but I wish there were more people like him in the world. So after we returned to the hostel Bill and I went for a walk to the nearby slate quarry. On the way there he said: --"Don't you just love it when you feel you've got it together?"--"Well, what do you mean Bill?" --"You know, I've got everything I need, and I don't want anything else."I didn't really know how to respond. It seems that I'm always chasing some whimsical "THING" to fulfill my happiness. I eventually just said: "Yeah, I'm hoping the Lord will bring me to that point." He simply responded: "That's exactly what I'm talkin about." Then we scrambled over the mountain of thin black slate washed clean by the rain, snapped a pic, and walked back to the hostel. Turns out, old black chalkboards may have just come from Monson, ME.Gray
Date: 2006-08-19
From: Monson, ME

To: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The breakfast at Shaw's hostel is amazing. For $6.50 you can have an AYCE breakfast of blueberry pancakes, hashbrowns, eggs, bacon and sausage. When they take your order you simply say a number between 1 - 5 (5 meaning: 5 bacon, 5 sausage, 5 pancakes, etc. etc.) It is served at 6:30 and by 7:45 a shuttle takes the hikers back to the trailhead. So after my belly was full I began to hike the 9 miles to the next shelter south. I wanted to go take it easy so I stopped and enjoyed a few spots on the shore of Lake Hebron. Plus its not that easy to hike on a full stomach. These new shoes are working out great. They're much lighter and don't put much strain on my heel. Tomorrow I'm gonna hike 13 miles, so I'll see how they really work out. Peace,Gray
Date: 2006-08-20
From: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to

To: Bald Mtn. Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: light rain

Last night we had heavy rains for a good portion of the night. Today the rains have been off and on. I climbed Moxie Bald, and for about 20 minutes the clouds lifted and I was able to have a beautiful view of my surroundings. I reached in my pocket and unfolded the topographic map of the area. It allowed me to distinguish the mountains that lay across the the valley. It was great!Now I am here with two NOBOs, Don Quixote and Grits. Both are in their fifties and seem very friendly. Grits is from Southwest GA and D. Quixote is from England. Grits is hilarious and always seems to know what to say to add humor to the conversation. He's working on his 7th thru-hike. It started to rain again so now is a good time to fall asleep.Uh oh, we've got snorers in here tonight!Gray
Date: 2006-08-21
From: Bald Mtn. Brook Lean-to

To: Caratunk, ME
Miles today: 15.0

I woke up this morning to another light drizzle. It continued to do so until about 2pm. Needless to say, I was thoroughly drenched by then. I ate breakfast and then headed out. But the trail was flooded in many spots, so my shoes, which were damp from the previous day, were soaked once again within the first mile or so. Thankfully, either wet or dry, these shoes are holding up great. No blisters, no soreness in the heel! In fact, I'm rolling my ankle less in these low-cut shoes than I was in my boots. I'm hoping the next few days will be dry so my shoes will be too. Tomorrow I'm going to cross the Kennebec River which is the only river that thru-hikers are ferried across in a canoe. A few years ago a hiker drowned there because the water level rose quicker than he could ford. The river is probably about 130 yds wide. Recently the waters have been up due to the rain, so I've had to ford is some fairly strong currents. My next town will be Stratton, ME. I think I'll buy some peanut butter and jelly for the next section of trail. I need to mix things up a bit. Lately my lunch has consisted of tuna or pepperoni on flour tortillas with slices of sharp cheddar cheese. For dinner I usually eat Lipton rice or noodle packages. I think about food a lot, and I don't think I've been packing enough here lately. Thanks to all who have signed my guestbook. I really enjoy reading the entries and I find them very encouraging. I'll be able to update from Stratton, and when I get to my first town with a WalMart (Gorham, NH) I'll post some pics.Life is Good,Gray
Date: 2006-08-22
From: Caratunk, ME

To: Pierce Pond
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today has been an awesome day. It was a NERO day (near zero miles put in). I spent the first half of the day drying out my shoes and gear and talking with the Ferryman, Steve Longely (who will talk your ears off, so NOBOs beware!). Tonight I'm tenting on the shore of Pierce Pond. My tent is set up about 4 ft. from a rocky ledge with an amazing swimming hole. The sun just set across the lake, the loons are howling and moose come and go in the a.m./p.m. hours. I have never camped in spot so beautiful. There's even a camp nearby which a fella named Tim operates. He serves up 12 pancakes, eggs and sausage to thru-hikers for 8 bucks.Well, I'm enjoying this moment so much (with my mug of hot chocolate) that I just have to put the pen down.Goodnight and God Bless,Gray
Date: 2006-08-23
From: Pierce Pond

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: scattered clouds

This morning I woke up to a cool wind blowing under my tent fly from across the lake. (Lows in the thirties recently) Last night it rained a bit so I had some condensation inside the tent, but it wasn't too bad. That is the only downside to a single-wall tent. Too bad there isn't a perfect tent out there. If you want to go light, be prepared to sacrifice some luxuries.This morning's breakfast was awesome. 12 fresh blueberry and apple pancakes, 3 links of sausage and 3 eggs. That fueled me up for the rest of the day and easily hiked the 17.3 miles to the Little Bigelow Lean-to. There were a few ups and downs, but today's hike brought me to the base of a big mountain range called the Bigelows. Tomorrow I've got some tough climbs to do, but the weather has been beautiful and I'm ready for an amazing view.If you want some fresh mountain spring water, give me a holler,Gray
Date: 2006-08-25
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: scattered clouds

I had a wonderful day in the Bigelows. The cumulus clouds were flying by just a few hundred feet above my head, and the views were amazing. The climb was just as expected, TOUGH. But I managed it well and even made time for plenty of breaks. One of the stops was on Avery Peak, named after Myron H. Avery who helped bring the Appalachian Trail into existence. While there I met Nathan, a Presbyterian youth minister, his wife, and their youth group. Then I descended Avery Peak only to begin ascending the next peak which was even higher. Across the valley was Sugarloaf Mountain Ski Resort which the A.T. passes about 10 miles south of Stratton. The Summit House on top of Sugarloaf is open for thru-hikers to stay the night if they choose to do so. It's about a .5 mile hike off the trail, but is well worth it since it's glass enclosed and one can catch a sunset as well as a sunrise if conditions are good. I've dried out my gear and need to get some supplies. Marvin, thanks for Isaiah 40:31. I've needed it here recently.Hasta pronto,Gray
Date: 2006-08-27
From: Stratton, ME

To: Sugarloaf Mtn. Summit House
Miles today: 10.5

I came into some pretty harsh conditions today. After I climbed Crocker Mtn. and reached the first peak it started to rain and the winds picked up. So I stopped to put on the rain gear. Here lately I've opted to just wear the t-shirt and shorts and get soaked b/c the daytime temperatures have been fairly warm. But on top of that peak it was cold cold cold cold... So I followed the trail down into the valley, but before long I was climbing again. But this time climbing up the north face of Sugarloaf Mtn. (the 2nd highest mountain in Maine). There was a certain exposed part of that mountainside where the wind would not stop trying to blow me off the wet boulders I was having to scramble up. My hat nearly flew off so I put it inside my jacket and the winds were just howlin' as I was slowly moving along in the cloud. Finally I re-entered the forest and was shielded a bit, but the trail continued up, and I was on my way to the peak which is above treeline. After about another long mile I came across J-Byrd, a fellow southbound thru-hiker who I had not seen since Aug. 9. We chatted for about one second. (We were both heading to the same place) So I kept moving along, and finally reached the peak, but it was a whiteout. J-Byrd, who's working on his 6th thru-hike had told me that when I reached the peak, the Summit House would be to the left. So I followed the blazes until I was fully exposed but the gales were so strong I really had to focus on each step to keep from being blown over. (I had never experienced winds of that magnitude.) All I could hear was the howling of the wind through the radio tower which I could barely see through the fog. But there was no Summit House. So I turned around and made my way back to treeline, where luckily I saw J-Byrd. He led the way to the shelter and I followed behind. Right before I got to the stairs leading up to the door my pack-cover flew off and I caught it just in time. I was greeted by two other hikers who had sought shelter in the summit house, and once inside, I warmed myself with a mug of hot chocolate. The storm worsened, but luckily I was under a roof. Finally I went to sleep after J-Byrd and I tied the door shut with some rope we had found in a closet.Sugarloaf Ski Resort leaves its door open for hikers to use in their off season. It is a pentagon-shaped building in which about 3/4 is double-walled windows. However I had absolutely no view whatsoever. Supposedly, on a clear day, one can see all the way south to Mt. Washington, and north to Katahdin (1/6 of the entire A.T.). I wish I could've seen it!
Date: 2006-08-28
From: Sugarloaf Mtn. Summit House

To: Unknown forest service Rd.
Miles today: 17.7

"Cause I've got a peace-ful easy feelin'" After having various NOBO thru-hikers attempt to name me, I've decided to go with the name that was given to me in Monson, ME ---Easy Feelin'---. It just describes how I feel at this point in my life. I walk through the woods every day, I sleep in the woods, I do my business in the woods, I listen to the woods, I write in the woods, I sing, I slip and I step in all sorts of mud in the woods. . .and all this just gives me an Easy Feelin'. (I may be above the Mason-Dixon Line, but I still leave my g's off all words!)Today I hiked from the Sugarloaf Summit House in hopes of reaching a shelter exactly 20 miles south. However, I didn't take into consideration the fact that Saddleback Mtn. stood between me and that shelter, nor did I consider the rain that had fallen the night prior. Since Saddleback has about a 2 mile section above treeline (and all that is above treeline is rock) I had a bunch of wet rock to deal with. On my way up I passed a NOBO thru-hiker from the U.K. with a bloody knee.   And with his british accent he exclaimed: "'Tis a bit slippy." And boy was he right!It finally got dark and I was about two miles from my planned destination. I found a flat spot on the side of an old loggin road. I hope nobody drives by before I'm outta here. ---I've had some questions about some of the trail lingo I've been using. Here's a very brief explanation.--NOBO - Northbound hikerSOBO - Southbound hikerGAME - Georgia to MaineMEGA - Maine to GeorgiaThru-hiker - The insane person who attempts to hike the entire A.T. in one               continuous journey.Trail Magic - Unexpected acts of kindness from strangers shown towards hikers (example: a hitch into town, food, leaving water by trailside during a drought, etc.)Yo-Yo - When that insane thru-hiker completes a hike, but then immediately       turns around to start another hike in the other direction.NERO - A day in which a hiker hikes nearly zero miles. (below 10 miles would       be a NERO)ZERO - A day of R & R in which a hiker hikes zero miles. The body needs rest       occasionally.Thanks to all who've signed the guestbook. Will try to post more pics ASAP. I love you all!Gray
Date: 2006-08-30
From: Rangeley, ME

To: Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a relaxed day since I only hiked a few miles. Tonight I'm here with NOBO thru-hiker Karuna Miel, Sobo hiker Jaybird and one other section hiker from New Hampshire "Mountain Jam." We all sat around a real nice campfire which Mtn Jam started, and talked about all sorts of things. . .we did a lot of reminiscing about "the good ol' days" and comparing them to our current situation. I resupplied in the small but touristy town of Rangeley, and left with 5 days of supplies. I'm hoping that will get me to Gorham, NH, but from what I have been hearing from other hikers, that may not be possible. The next section of trail is one of the tougher sections. I just want some good weather!!!With plenty of sunshine and smiles,Gray
Date: 2006-08-31
From: Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to

To: Elephant Mtn.
Miles today: 11.5

Today is the last day of August, the leaves on the birch trees have already turned and many are lying on the forest floor. Autumn is creeping up on me. It has been cold in the evenings, and when its daylight I have to keep moving to stay warm. Hopefully, as I move south, the temperature will rise just a bit. Today I left the shelter and walked about 4 miles to a road crossing where I sat and enjoyed a snickers bar and some crackers. The view was amazing so I stretched out the break, and then Jaybird gets to the trailhead and wants to hitch into the nearby town of Mexico, ME. So I think to myself..."hmmm, I could get my pics off the camera and put onto a cd there. . ." So Jaybird and I try to hitch. About 25 cars had driven by while I was taking my break, but when he and I started to hitch there was NO TRAFFIC. At least nothing more than the occasional logging truck and SUV loaded with family and dog. People just stared at us and sped up. We tried hitching for about an hour and a half, and finally just gave up and started hiking again. So now I'm upset because 2 hours of my time was wasted. I could've hiked 4 or more miles during that time. I eventually made it to the Bemis Mtn. Lean-to, but it was 3:30pm...too early to stop hiking. So I move along, thinking I'll find a place to stealth camp further down the trail. Nope. Not a piece of flat ground anywhere. I stopped by a spring after the sun had already set and filled my 2Liter water bag thinking I'll need it for camp (wherever that may be???) and continued hiking through the last minutes of dusk. Finally I came to a boggy forest that had just enough of a cleared area to pitch my tent. The guy line is actually staked in the trail itself. So tonight I'm sleeping in the worst spot imaginable and I keep sliding into the tent wall. Maybe that really nice campsite is only 0.05 miles away,Easy Feelin'
Date: 2006-09-01
From: Elephant Mtn.

To: Andover, ME
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I neroed into Andover, the very small town with the very classy name. It has a church, a general store and a gas station. Yes, it also has a hostel and an Ice Cream shop (but the Ice Cream shop just shut for the season). The hitch from the trailhead was easy if you look at it from the perspective that the first car that came along stopped for me. However, it was the only car that passed in about 30 minutes. And actually it was a big R.V., whose driver came up to Maine for bear season which started today. So this really nice fella --Don(I think??)--was sharing with me "the art of bear hunting." He explains that you have to get a barrel, but then you have to put some doughnuts in the barrel and go place it in the woods. (I only wish I would've known where that barrel was located---Krispy Kreme baby!!!) You do this weeks before bear season opens up... (So the R.V. driver really didn't do this, he just drove his R.V. up to Maine on September 1.)Now, when September 1 rolls around, all you have to do early that morning is climb up in the tree stand, look invisible and wait... The doughnuts are already there. The odor has been coming from that barrel for some time now. Fresh ones have been delivered. Weekly at first, then daily towards the Big Day. And boy do they smell good... So I finally did get to hitch into Mexico to get some of my digital art put onto a cd, and now--ya'll/you'ins/you guys-- (trilingual for my peeps all over) can see all the cool things I'm seeing everyday. Enjoying the Lord's creation,Gray
Date: 2006-09-02
From: South Arm Rd.

To: East B. Hill Rd.
Miles today: 10.1

Today I started hiking around 10:15. Two other hikers and I were shuttled to the trailhead after we took care of some town business (I went to eat breakfast and then to the post office to mail off a cd with the pics I've taken so far). When I got to the trailhead I just didn't want to start hiking so I slowly moved along and stopped at every viewpoint for a nice break. There was one grassy overlook in particular where I used my pack as a pillow and laid down for a nap. I   really felt drained of all my energy. When I finally started moving again the remnants of Ernesto were arriving. The clouds moved in then the winds picked up.   So when I did get to the next road crossing I threw out my thumb and the first car that passed picked me up. Soon enough the rains began which only crowned this day as the most tiresome and depressing day I've experienced so far in my A.T. experience.The good news is that the bad news is wrong!Easy Feelin'
Date: 2006-09-04
From: East B. Hill Rd.

To: Baldpate Lean-to
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: light rain

Yesterday I enjoyed a rainy zero day. I woke up to rain and fell asleep to rain.   The highlight of the day was that I made it to a church in Andover. The service was great and the pastor invited me to the fellowship afterwards. So Snickers, another hiker and myself joined her for coffee and cake. It was very refreshing. So this monday morning I was shuttled back to the trailhead with two other southbound hikers: Twinkle-Toes and Grimace. But when I was dropped off at the trailhead I realized that my trekking poles were still at the hostel in Andover. So I rode back with David (who is from Guatemala but who speaks perfect english) to the hostel to get my poles. I had to pay another 3 dollars for him to shuttle me 8 miles back to the trailhead and finally started hiking around 10:00. I was excited to be back on the trail and felt very refreshed. I had a boost of energy as well which helped me to get over the first big hump in a short amount of time. I stopped for a break at the first shelter I came to and ate peanut butter & jelly wrapped in a flour tortilla. It started to rain again and I pushed on to the next shelter on the other side of baldpate mountain. I was really hoping for clear weather on top of the baldpates, but that didn't happen. when I finally got close to the first peak everything was wet and slippery. Then I made it above treeline and had to put on the rain gear because it was cold and windy. I moved slowly across the slick bedrock and was doing pretty good until I started back down the other side. I started sliding and took my first big fall. My trekking pole went flying down in front of me and I landed on my left hand. Thankfully my wrist didn't break. But now its swollen and I have a deep bruise in the palm of my left hand. The fall made me doubt my traction even more so I moved extra-carefully until I got back to a dirt trail. So now I'm here at the Baldpate Lean-to with "TwinkleToes", "Grimace", "Dancing Goat" and "Walking on Sunshine". (Great trailnames!!!)Rain, Rain GO AWAY!Easy Feelin'