morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-06-26
From: Blairsville, Ga

To: Richmond, Va
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayGoosebump The Snow Princess, Baby Bump, and Rainbow Slick's homeRichmond, Va New plans!!!! For several years now I have told Frogcaller, a very close friend that I met at the beginning of my '02 nobo hike, that when she finished up her 5 year section hike of the AT, that I wanted to be there on Katahdin and celebrate with her. Well, she's finishing on July 12th!!! I had originally planned on being in Maine by this time on this year's hike to do that with her, but this year has not even been close to going as I had planned. I have decided to flip up to Maine and after we summit Katahdin, I'll walk south back to where I got off the trail at The Homeplace (Catawba Virginia). That will be a great place to finish this year's walk. :-))) My right heel is a little better, but then I haven't really been walking much on it, but I have a plan!!! I'm going to see a doctor. Ha!!! :-))) Today started out at 2am here in Blairsville, Ga when I woke up too excited about leaving for the trail again to go back to sleep. I tried going back to sleep, but started thinking about coffee, so I knew it was useless to try anymore. I got packed up, then closed up the house for until I return....hopeful which won't be until October or November this time. I headed north at 7;10am and drove in rain most of the day....heavy rain at times. I got to Goosebump The Snow Princess, Baby Bump and Rainbow Slick's home in Richmond, Va about 5pm. Goosebump The Snow Princess called Rainbow Slick's office (he's a podiatrist) and he said to come on down and he checked out my right foot. Turns out I have an Achilles spur AND a plantar fasciitis spur....both on my right foot. I got a cortisone shot and learned how to tape up my foot for more relief, then went and ate some fried chicken that Goosebump The Snow Princess got for all of us. :-))) Rainbow Slick made the comment at dinner that I am the "most non-compliant" patient he's had. I like that label!!! :-))) We sat up talking until I just had to get some sleep. I'm not used to getting up at 2am. I'm on my way back to the trail. Woohoo!!!!
Date: 2006-06-29
From: Richmond, Va

To: New Milford, Ct
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayVannucci Inn and SpaNew Milford, Ct. I keep getting closer to Maine. :-))) Yesterday's drive took me up the way too busy I-95 from Richmond, Va to New Milford, Ct. I always hate to say goodbye to such good friends as Goosebump The Snow Princess, Rainbow Slick, Baby Bump and Maggie. I had a great time at their home and even got to play Hearts, which ended up with me winning by a landslide over Goosebump The Snow Princess and Rainbow Slick. The final score was Rainbow Slick going out with over 100, Goosebump The Snow Princess ended up with 96 and I came in with a low, low score of 94, which of course....low score wins!!! I think there might have been another player, but I don't remember THAT score. ;-))) I arrived at Moosie, Mrs Moosie, Stewie and Goldilock's home at 5pm. It took lots longer on the ride than I had figured today, so I was tired when I got there. I perked up a bit when they put a really thick cut of steak for each of us on the grill though. Ha!!! I feel like I'm the luckiest person alive to have such great friends. :-))) I woke up this morning to a little more rain, but it was OK because Mrs Moosie let me sleep inside the house last night. I had some coffee and really started feeling stressed because Moosie was getting ready for work and I was taking Goldilocks to work when he got ready....well, he was ready for work WAY before I was done with my coffee. I don't think anyone realizes how stressful it is for a hiker to watch everyone hurry around in the morning getting ready for work!! I survived though...guess I'm tougher than Liteshoe gives me credit for. When I dropped Goldilocks off at work, I got some trail magic from Goldilock's old scout master....a half pint of just picked red rasberries...yummm!!! Well, my plan is to stay here another day and leave in the morning to get closer to Maine. I may make one more stop along the way though along the coast of Ct tomorrow to see some more trail friends before I actually get up to Maine on July 1st. My heel is still feeling good after getting the cortisone shot the other day. Looks like I'll be ready to start walking on the 2nd of July. That gives me 10 days to play in the 100 Mile Wilderness!!! :-)))I'm planning on starting at Monson on the 2nd and walking north to Katahdin, then getting back on at Monson and walking south from there to The Homeplace in Va.
Date: 2006-07-02
From: New Milford, Ct

To: Barren Mountain, Me
Miles today: 16.0

16.0 miles todayStealth tentingBarren Mountain, MeToday started off at about 2am when it started raining.I was sleeping in the back of my truck over at Frogcaller's house.Mrs Gorp got the bed inside the house, so I just went out and slept outside...you know, being a gentleman and all. :-)))It was nice out and even got cool enough that I needed to pull on 2 blankets in the middle of the night.The rain didn't stop. By the time I woke up at about 6am, it was raining pretty hard out.I went inside the cabin and everyone was already up.We all loaded up and Lew drove us down to a community breakfast buffet that started at 7am. I had eggs, sausage, bacon, French toast, some juice and lots of coffee.It was still raining, so after breakfast we stopped by the outfitter in Greenville, Me to check and see if they've heard what the weather was supposed to do later today.They were just pulling up a weather report on the computer.While they did that, I talked to Kineo Kid who's working there now.The weather forcast called for rain...how about that!!!Lew drove Mrs Gorp and I up to the trailhead at Rt 15 near Monson and we got out in the rain, then Frogcaller took our picture...from inside the car. :-)))We left at 8:30am and walked into the 100 Mile Wilderness.I stopped by Leeman Brook Lean-to and signed the register a few miles later.Even with the rain, it still feels great to be walking in Maine.We walked on and came up to a group of 14 teenagers crossing some deep mud on a very slick bog bridge and 2 of them fell in the mud. :-)))They were covered in mud, but were having fun. :-)))We forded Little Wilson Stream which was flowing fast, then we took a break on the next ridge.We took one more break just before we got to Big Wilson Stream.When we got to Big Wilson Stream, it was flowing even faster and was up to my belt, so it was pretty hard to keep from being swept downstream.We both got across, then stopped at Wilson Valley Lean-to to sign the register. There wasn't any register. :-(((Running Bear was there and we talked to him for a while. Turns out he and Mrs Gorp had a mutual friend from Rutland, Vt.We stopped and filled up with water from a nice spring about half a mile north of the lean-to.We forded Long Pond Stream, another fast flowing ford. We ended up fording six streams all together today and it turned out that the rain let up and wasn't too bad out, just very wet.We stopped by Long Pond Stream Lean-to, but again there wasn't any register to sign. :-(((It was getting late, but we were still hoping to make it to Cloud Pond Lean-to. We wanted to tent out on the point, but we heard from a southbounder that there were lot's of people there, so when I found a flat spot big enough for a couple tents on the way up Barren Mountain, I stopped.I didn't set up my tent yet though. I waited until Mrs Gorp caught up to see if it was OK with her that we didn't go all the way to Cloud Pond.She got a big smile on her face...I think we were both pretty tired from the day's walk.
Date: 2006-07-03
From: Barren Mountain, Me

To: Gulf Hagas, Me
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: clear sky

17.4 miles todayStealth tentingGulf Hagas, MeWe had quite a bit of heavy rain and high winds last night. I was glad I had a warmer sleeping bag with me because it got a little on the cool side.I woke up at 4am and it had already started getting light out. I rolled over and went back to sleep until about 5:30am when I stuck my stove outside and started my coffee brewing, then had a couple fruit pies for breakfast.I was packed up and walking by 7am.Mrs Gorp was raggin' on me this morning. She would get ahead of me climbing up to the summit of Barren Mountain, then turn around and yell back to me; "Come on you old, brittle man, let's get moving."That's not nice to make fun of me just because I broke my arm earlier this year. :-(((All these old, fat, slow, bossy, nagging lady hikers I know always call me names and make fun of me. I would never say anything bad about one of them. ;-)))We stopped at the summit of Barren Mountain and I got some pictures, took a break and dried out my socks and shoes a little.We walked by the side trail to Cloud Pond Lean-to without stopping, but did stop when we came to a spring, then took a break and tanked up on water.When we got to the Fourth Mountain Bog, we saw a bunch of pitcher plants that had sent up a stem with a single flower on each one.We crossed the bog on a bunch of bog bridges, then climbed the steep up to the summit of Fourth Mountain, took a break, then descended the steep down.We stopped for lunch on a ridge with some nice views and while we were eating, The Traveling Dingleberries and Guns of Jesus showed up.Mrs Gorp had hiked with all of them earlier this year and I had hiked around Guns in the beginning of my adventurous year. :-)))We all talked for quite a while before hiking on.We finally met the first sobo thru hiker. I was beginning to wonder if anyone was walking south on the trail this year.His name was Tomatoe and he called Mrs Gorp a "legend". Ha!!! I'm hiking with a "legend" and didn't even know it. :-)))Actually, The Traveling Dingleberries were just playing with her and sent the message back with Tomatoe.We walked on, but Mrs Gorp kept smiling and reminding me just who I was walking with.Just as we were getting close to the wide ford of The West Branch of the Pleasant River, we ran into two sobo's...Alan and Pi.I had met Pi earlier this year just as he was getting ready to walk into the Smokies.He said he was off trail for 2 months with a stress fracture, so he decided to do a sobo hike instead.We forded the river, then as we were walking through the Hermatage, Mrs Gorp saw a moose.I caught up in a hurry, but could only hear it running off through the bushes. I never did get to see it.It was getting late and we were both getting tired, so when we found an area to set up our tents,then we called it a day.
Date: 2006-07-04
From: Gulf Hagas, Me

To: Little Boardman Mountain, Me
Miles today: 16.8

16.8 miles todayStealth tentingLittle Boardman Mountain, MeIt was a mild night and we had NO rain overnight for a change.I woke up at 5:30 and started my coffee not long after that. I ate a couple fruit pies and I got packed up and was walking by 7:10am.It started raining about 10 minutes after I started walking.Mrs Gorp left camp after me. She missed the cow moose I saw crossing a stream about a mile after I started walking.I saw it from about 60 yards away. It looked up at me, but I didn't think it saw me. When I got up closer to where she was, she had left already.I stopped by Carl A Newhall Lean-to to sign the register, but again, there wasn't one. Mrs Gorp caught up to me and we walked on.I climbed Gulf Hagas Mountain and when I got to Sidney Tappan Campsite, I thought about walking down to the spring for water, but decided that since we had so much rain, I would find it along the trail.I was completely out of water.I climbed West Peak...no water, I climbed Hay Mountain...no water, then finally half way up White Cap Mountain I found a nice spring.I sat down there for about 30 minutes and took a break and enjoyed some water. :-)))Mrs Gorp had passed by me by the time I started walking again, but I caught up to her before we summited White Cap.It was blowing fog and cool on the summit, so there were no views, but it was still beautiful.We took some pictures and walked on.On the descent, we walked over lots of new rock steps that MATC has been working on...very nice!!There was also lots and lots of moose poop everywhere, but we didn't see any moose.We got to Logan Brook Shelter and took a break and signed the register.A sobo by the name of Beater came in while we were there.I kept my distance because he had a cold.I walked on and ran into another sobo by the name of Copper Top. We talked a while, then I walked on.Next, we ran into two hikers that also flipped...Stampede and Blind Monkey.I knew Blind Monkey from earlier this year.We stopped by East Branch Lean-to and signed the register and talked to a couple that were sectioning the wilderness.We stopped at a nice spring just before the climb up Boardman Mountain and filled up with enough water for overnight.Our plan was to sleep on the summit of the mountain if we could find enough room for our tents.We climbed Boardman and did find some flat spots. Mrs Gorp sat out in the lite rain and cooked, but I set up my tent and cooked my dinner from inside and I stayed dry.Even though she's an old timer at this stuff, I think I made the better judgement by cooking in my tent and staying dry. :-)))It started getting really windy and ended up raining harder and harder, but I was in my sleeping bag and enjoying life.
Date: 2006-07-09
From: Rainbow Stream Lean-to, Me

To: East End of Rainbow Lake, Me
Miles today: 7.2

7.2 miles todayTentingI can't believe how fast last night went by. I went to sleep again while it was still light out and the next thing I knew, it was getting light in the morning, but it starts getting light until 4am this far north.I woke up again when I heard Mrs Gorp outside packing up her tent. She's been leaving early and walking with Frogcaller.I had a couple small apple pies and my Starbuck's for breakfast and just layed in my tent listening to the birds waking up.I got packed up and walked down to Rainbow Stream Lean-to and talked to Zulu and Brian, who is now known as Squeeky Clean.There was just a small tree laying across the stream to walk on. This is the very same area where my friend Rainbow Slick got his trail name when he fell in. :-)))It was 6:45am when I walked out of camp.I saw some very large moose tracks and was busy looking for the moose when I caught up to Mrs Gorp and Frogcaller. I hid behind a tree and started making some whooping calls. They stopped and was looking all around.By the third call, I couldn't stand it any more and busted out laughing...I got in trouble for that. :-)))Turns out they saw the bull moose that made those large tracks and got some pictures of it. Mrs Gorp said it ws the biggest one she's seen.We took the side trail to Rainbow Lake Dam and I couldn't believe how beautiful it was there.Looking down the length of Rainbow Lake was nice enough, but then to have Katahdin in the background just blew me away.I would have to say that this has been my favorite view of Katahdin that I've seen.While we were looking out at the lake, a sea plane came right over our heads and landed a ways down the lake.There's a camp half way down the lake and I guess they were bringing supplies.We got to Rainbow Spring Tentsite and walked down to the lake and sat on some rocks enjoying the day.There's a nice piped spring there that flows into the lake.I got enough water for later tonight, so I didn't have to take pond water to drink.Zulu walked by while we were down there and he kept on walking.While I was sitting on a rock, I watched 3 crawdads playing around in the lake.We saw the first sobo by the name of Bobby today towards the end of our walk.I took more than my share of verbal abuse today, but I'm a strong person and I can handle it. :-)))There was a loon making his call just as we got to where Zulu found some flat spots along the shore on the East side of Rainbow Lake.I set up my tent about 5 feet from the water and after thinking about it for a few minutes, I crawled in and took a one hour nap with a real nice breeze blowing through the tent.When I got up, the others were eating dinner. Since I had mine before my nap, I just sat there and talked about food. :-(((Frogcaller now has just 23 miles left to the summit of Katahdin to finish up her hike of the AT!!
Date: 2006-07-13
From: Roaring Brook Campground, Baxter SP, ME

To: Greenville, Me
Miles today: 0.0

Zero miles todayLew and Frogcaller's cabinGreenville, MeI woke up at 6:15 to rain this morning at Roaring Brook Campground in Baxter State Park, Me.I wasn't sure when Lew, Frogcaller, Zulu and Mrs Gorp would be walking in from Chimney Pond Campground, so I brewed my coffee and packed up.I drove Lew's car over to the day use parking lot and waited on them to show up.I used the time to answer some emails and just sit and do nothing for a while.I did take a walk up the trail about half a mile and left some smiley faces drawn in the dirt of the trail for Frogcaller, but didn't want to go too far just in case they were coming in from another trail.I ate the last of my hoagie that Lew brought and just waited.They showed up at noon and we got food out of the cooler and went up to some picnic tables and ate lunch.Frogcaller's AT journey is now over...she's been up and back down Katahdin.They ended up staying at Chimney Pond Campground last night and said it was the most beautiful side of the mountain, so I guess I'll have to go back again sometime. :-)))We drove 2 1/2 hours back to Greenville and I had a hard time staying awake.We stopped by the seaplane to see about going up today, but tomorrow was the soonest he could take us up over Katahdin.That will have to wait for a few days to get that seaplane ride now.Mrs Gorp and I are planning on walking the Caratunk/Monson section of trail now before we go up in the seaplane with Frogcaller, Lew and Zulu.Lew wanted me to have more of the hoagies for dinner, but I had that last night, this morning and today for lunch...besides, Flatlander's is just down the hill. :-)))Mrs Gorp and I rode down there and ate dinner, then met Frogcaller and Lew at the community center to hear a talk about the history of the local firetowers.When we got back, I loaded 340 pictures onto my laptop and we sat in the cabin and watched a slide show of the trail we just walked.I'll load some of the photos on my jouirnal just as soon as I get to a place with high speed internet.Frogcaller said she's sore all over, but when she says it, she always has a great big grin on her face. :-)))She is part of the Class of '06!!!
Date: 2006-07-21
From: Near N Branch Carrying Place Stream, Me

To: Caratunk, Me
Miles today: 8.2

I ended up sleeping pretty good last night when I finished smushing the no-seeums that had gotten into my tent.I woke up this morning at 4:30 and guess what...I had coffee and 2 apple pies. :-)))We were walking 8 miles into Caratunk today and I would be reaquanted with my truck.It's been parked at Carl Huff's home for almost a week.We wanted to get to the Kennebec River at 9am when Steve Longley starts ferrying hikers across the river each day.We were packed and walking at 5:40am.It was supposed to rain last night, but didn't. It looked like it might rain this morning.That would almost be welcome just to get rid of the bugs for a while.We were both walking in the same direction for a change.We ran into Roaming Goat. I was glad to see him because up to that point, I had been knocking all the spider webs down with my face that were stretched across the trail.Turns out we were almost to Pierce Pond Lean-to, so I only got a reprieve from the spider webs for about 5 minutes. :-)))He's from the Ocala, Fl area...just north of where I'm from.Mrs Gorp and I got to the lean-to and there was a privy, so I lost Mrs Gorp again. Ha...she just can't pass up a privy. :-)))I talked to a couple that were out for an overnight, but were leaving today.When Mrs Gorp came walking back to the lean-to with a smile on her face, we walked on.We crossed the dam at Pierce Pond, then walked along a Pierce Pond Stream for a few miles of rushing water and waterfalls before we got to the Kennebec River at 8:45am.Steve Longley wasn't there yet, so I just sat on a log and waited.A little before 9am, I saw a ferryman come up to the other side of the river.I had been hoping to see Steve, but I couldn't tell whether it was him or not.A few times it looked like him by the way he moved around, but then sometimes it looked like someone else.I saw him get into the canoe and he stood up in it like Steve does to cross the river, but I still couldn't tell if it was him.Finally, when he got close, I saw it was Steve. He looked up at me and said; "Hey Stumpknocker, I've heard you were in the area."The 3 of us stood there talking for about 20 minutes before we crossed the river, then talked for another 15 minutes before Mrs Gorp and I walked up to Carl's home.Carl was outside just as we got there and I tried giving him $10.00 for letting me keep my truck there, but he just smiled and wouldn't take it....thanks Carl. :-)))We went up to Steve's store and got a couple sodas and talked to Squeaky Clean.I met him at Rainbow Stream Lean-to a couple weeks ago.We left and drove the long drive to Mrs Gorp's car, then headed for a motel that had wi-fi.My plans have been to take the rest of the day and load my photos on the journal from the last couple weeks here in Maine.I ended up loading 106 photos that are dated from 7-2-06 to 7-21-06....go take a look. :-)))I also loaded some on the page of each journal...something I like to do whenever I get a chance.I spent the rest of the day with that project. It takes a long time, but it's done now and I can start all over again. Ha!!!
Date: 2006-07-22
From: Caratunk, Me

To: Perham Stream, Me
Miles today: 9.0

I slept good, but not long enough last night.When I woke up this morning, I put on a pot of coffee, then checked my laptop to see if I had wi-fi yet.I had it last night, but the signal got weak, so I finally went to bed after loading lots of pictures on my journal.I loaded the last couple of journal entries and added photos to them, then went in and took a shower.I wasn't in a hurry this morning because Mrs Gorp and I are doing 24 miles in the next 2 days and I think we are only doing about 10 of it today.I made some phone calls...talked to Shortcut for a while, then ate some left over fried chicken. :-)))We left the room just before 11am and dropped off Mrs Gorp's car at the Rangely trailhead.A nobo by the name of Yeti was hitching into Rangely from there, so I gave him a ride.We headed on over to Stratton and had lunch at the diner...a cheeseburger and fries, then went over to the hostel and waited on Don.He was going to shuttle us out to Caribou Valley Rd so I didn't have to leave my truck out in the middle of nowhere overnight.Susan ended up giving us the ride out to the trail.She dropped off Poptart and Fungi at the Stratton trailhead first. They have hiked up from NJ and plan on climbing Katahdin.Susan dropped us off at 2pm and we headed south up Sugarloaf Mountain.It was a steep climb, but it was overcast and felt pretty good out.I had a few gnats bothering me at first, then the bugs went away and the rest of the day was bug free!!I could learn to like walking if the bugs would stay away. :-)))We sat down and took a short break at the sidetrail to Sugarloaf summit, then walked on.It was sprinkling litely, but was still a beautiful day.We climbed Spaulding Mountain, then descended to Spaulding Mountain Lean-to. We didn't go up to the lean-to, but we did stop at the nice spring and filled up with enough water for the night.We then walked by the side trail to Abraham Mountain, then over Lone Mountain before descending to Perham Stream.The rain kept getting heavier as the day went on. It was nice and cool and NO BUGS!!!! :-)))I'll walk in this kind of weather anytime.We didn't find flat spots for the tents until about 15 minutes past the stream.We set up in the rain and I got in mine and ate the hoagie I packed out from town...and I drank the coke I packed out too. :-)))I'm in my tent and I'm nice and dry and it feels really good out tonight.The best part of the day was there were NO BUGS!!!! Ha!!!!