morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-08-06
From: Beaver Brook Shelter

To: Franconia Notch Bike Path
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I have two things to say about my mileage today. First, if I do say so myself, 18 miles in the Whites is pretty awesome. I'm feeling good about my accomplishment. The second is that 18 miles in the Whites is insane, and I'll never do it again! The first 1.6 down to Kinsman Notch took me an hour and a half. It was a good thing I started at 6:00!I was awake at 4:45 with several other people in the hut to watch a beautiful sunrise over the mountains, and was packed up and gone by 6. The downhill was slow because it was precipitously steep and rocky, but it followed a stream with a series of waterfalls all the way down. With the morning sun on it it was a lovely way to start the day. The next section to the shelter below Kinsman Mountain I expected to be relatively easy, but it was rocky and full of ups and downs; slow and tiring. I had lunch at Eliza Brook Shelter, a very pretty place, and after a few Penguin mints, felt sufficiently energized to roar up Kinsman (hand and foot climbing) at the fast pace of a mile an hour. I got up there, though, and the view was terrific. The air quality was so good today that the viewing distance on top of Mt. Washington was apparently over 120 miles, and it was comparable on Kinsman. Then I picked up speed and actually beat Allen to Lonesome Lake hut, where he was going to walk in and meet me. I met him on the way down to the road, and wonder of wonders, he brought me donuts! He also carried my pack the last 3 miles, for which I am eternally grateful, because by that time I was staggering with fatigue.All in all it was a good day, with much accomplished, and now I am in a nice room at the Woodstock Inn, all fed and washed, and about to go to sleep. Allen, fabulous trail angel that he is, brought me the weather report for the week, and it looks good except for some thunderstorms, so I can hope that I will have good views and hiking conditions for my last week in the Whites.
Date: 2005-08-07
From: Franconia Notch Bike Path

To: Stealth Camp near Galehead Hut
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

Wow! What a great day for hiking! Incredibly I was full of energy and climbed the 3500 feet up to Lincoln and Lafayette in record time (for me). I was groggy and grouchy at breakfast. I didn't get enough sleep. It seems I never do in towns. The B&B was really nice, though, and had its own restaurant with excellent food. The breakfast was good too, but I was so stuffed from the night before I couldn't eat much. Maybe all that food helped me up the mountain today. The two cups of tea probably helped too.There were alot of people on the summits because the weather was so glorious, so I didn't linger long. I got to see the view from Lafayette, which was socked in with fog when I was there before. You could see the buildings on Mt. Washington, and the little puff of smoke from the cog railway. Hard to believe I'll be there in a couple of days.The section of trail from Lafayette to Galehead is one I walked at least 10 years ago, with my friend Patsy. What a difference! We barely made it from Greenleaf to Galehead in 9 hours, and I covered the distance from Franconia Notch, including the climb, to Galehead in about the same time. I'm tired, but not beat up by the trail this time.I hurried some in order to make it to the hut in time to get one of the work-for-stay spots, but they were all filled. The hut crew told me where I could camp (this side of South Twin Mtn, thank God!) and once I heard what the work-for-stays are doing (cleaning out the freezer for one) I think I got the best of the deal. Except for the bugs the campsite is lovely, in the middle of the forest off the trail at the foot of S. Twin. There is one other too late thru hiker camped here, and, unlike the hut, which I can hear from here, it is peaceful and quiet. Tommorow is an easy day after climbing S. Twin so I can take my time in the morning. What could be better!
Date: 2005-08-08
From: Stealth Camp near Galehead Hut

To: Ethan Pond Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

At last an easy day! And boy did I need it! My knees hurt, my legs are tired, in fact, everything is tired. An easy day in the Whites is still hard work, but at least I could take it slow and spend some time hanging out at Zealand Falls Hut eating lunch and talking to the Hutmaster. I also decided to spend some money to give myself peace of mind and asked him to radio in reservations for Lakes of the Clouds tomorrow and Pinkham on Wednesday. After last night's experience at Galehead I realized that I might really have a problem on the way to Mt. Washington, because there are a bunch of NOBOs around, most of them faster than me, and who knows how many SOBOs also headed for the hut tomorrow. There really is no place to camp near there, so if I was too late for work-for-stay, or a spot in the Dungeon (the basement room especially for thru-hikers) I would have a real problem. I got the last bunk at Lakes so I am going in style tomorrow; a bed indoors and food cooked for me. Most importantly it takes the pressure off of me to get there early, and since there is a killer uphill (2500 ft in 2 miles) I'd like to be able to take it slowly.Today I dropped over 2000 ft in elevation, and the difference in vegetation is striking. Now that I am down here I can see that summer is coming near its end. I saw the first asters today, and some goldenrod. The Whites are just as beautiful at lower elevations as they are up in the forest of pine and fir and moss. Walking here has been a joy despite the sore knees and fatigue, and the weather has been perfect. I am praying for it to hold for the next few days, at least until I am over Mt. Washington.I had a wildlife sighting today! I left my pack on the porch at Zealand Hut and went inside. A little later a guy came in and said there's a squirrel trying to get into someone's pack. He had gotten into the plastic bag of chocolate covered espresso beans I had in a pocket on the outside of my pack. So somewhere out in the woods is one very hyper squirrel!
Date: 2005-08-09
From: Ethan Pond Shelter

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Another super day! The weather was great, although a little warmer and more hazy, so the visibility was not as good. The climb up Webster Cliffs went better than I expected, but the mile from there to Mizpah Hut turned out to be an endless series of rocky climbs and drops, a lot of work for only 500 ft of gain. I was still at Mizpah in time for lunch, and enjoyed some potato dill soup and the company of Shadow, another thru-hiker. After Mizpah the trail goes above the tree-line and stays there for the next 12 miles, 5 of which I did today. There is really no way to describe how beautiful and how wild the Whites are. Today was a section of trail I had never walked before. The words that come to mind are grandeur, and majestic. I walked along a bare ridge top with views forward of the 4000' footers ahead and of the summit of Mt. Washington getting closer and closer. In every direction are mountains, layers and layers of them off into the distance.The walking is relatively easy, because these are old paths; some have been in use since the 19th century and they are well-maintained and not too steep. I even had the extra energy to drop my pack off and climb Mount Eisenhower on the way up to the hut, and Mt. Monroe after dinner, so along with Jackson and Clinton, which the trail passes directly over, that makes 4 more 4000' footers to add to my list. There are a bunch of thru-hikers here tonight including some who stayed last night at Mizpah and just did 5 miles today, and a fair number of SOBOs, so I am glad I decided to reserve a bunk upstairs. The thru-hiker accomodations are pretty grim, and space was definitely limited, and better allocated to hikers who really need it. As for me, I much enjoyed the chance to have a real meal cooked by someone else and a bunk indoors. I seem to have my bunk room to myself as well, so I will have privacy and no snoring!(unless I do it). And a real breakfast in the morning instead of protein bars. Oh, boy! The little pleasures of life!
Date: 2005-08-10
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Joe Dodge Lodge, Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: few clouds

It doesn't sound like much mileage, does it? It sure had me beat. I left Lakes a little late, around 7:45 and spent sometime at the summit of Mt. Washington making phone calls and waiting in vain for the weather to clear. Alas, no view from the summit today. It did clear by the time I got to Thunderstorm Junction, and the views from the ridge were spectacular, if a little hazy. The trail from Washington to Madison was much harder and slower than I remembered it and I was pretty beat by the time I got to Madison hut, but a quick stop for water and lunch was all I got as I was anxious to be down below tree-line before any thunderstorms or rain. The descent from Madison is rocky, steep and long. In the middle of it, about 45 minutes from tree-line thunder started in the distance, making me even more anxious to get down, but I could not go any faster than the slow pace I was already maintaining. I did make it below tree-line before the showers came and the thunder never came close, but that was sure an anxious and stressful hike.The downhill killed my knees. They are still sore. I hope they will be OK for tomorrow and the next day. After that I get a zero! Yay! I can't wait. I don't think I've ever needed a zero more.I was so slow today that I was late for dinner at the lodge, even though I ran the last mile or so, but they kindly served me anyway, and I ate like a pig, to the amazement of the family sitting at the table with me. Another thru-hiker, Shadow gave me his meal card that he wasn't using, so my dinner was a trail magic gift as well.It was also cool to see Warren and Terry and Mary at the Lodge, and I hung out and talked with them awhile after dinner. Warren had some helpful suggestions for bail out points if I get tired before I get to the Imp shelter tomorrow. I may need it if my knees don't recover. Can't wait for that zero!
Date: 2005-08-11
From: Joe Dodge Lodge, Pinkham Notch

To: Imp Shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: fog

One more long, tough day in the Whites, but this was the last one. Tomorrow I have only 8 miles and 1 mountain and then I will begin my zero! This will be the most needed zero I will have, I think.Today the weather was good again. I have been so lucky with the weather. Many of these trails would be difficult or impossible in the rain, and I would have had to wait it out somewhere until I could go on. Today began with a nice mile walk along a pond, and from there everything went uphill! Very much uphill(2000 ft in less than 2 miles) over the Wildcat peaks, a section notorious for its difficulty. Then it was down a thousand feet to Carter Notch, where I enjoyed lunch and admired the lake. Then it was uphill again to Carter Dome (1500ft in a mile), a lot of work for no view as Carter Dome is almost all wooded on top. The view from Mt. Hight was great though, and then the trail went down and up again over the Carters. The descent from North Carter to the saddle where the shelter sits is a vicious one. I did it last year on a three day backpack, and it hasn't improved any. You have to climb down a series of steep exposed ledges, praying that you won't slip. I was much relieved to be done and swear I'll never do that section again if I can help it! I had the company today of Shadow, and together we reached the shelter in good time. The walk, my next to last in the Whites was beautiful as they all have been, but the pain in my knees and hips made it less than fun. I can't wait to see my chiropractor tomorrow and get everything straightened out, because I am sure a mess at the moment! Still happy to be here, but I'm definitely beginning to look forward to the end.
Date: 2005-08-12
From: Imp Shelter

To: Wildberry Inn, Rte 2
Miles today: 8.1

At last my zero day! I was so tired today and my knees were so sore that I walked the 8 miles to the B&B as slowly as I could, but I still got here before 1:00. The last few miles of trail were gentle and easy, along the Rattle River, with the sound of running water to accompany me.By 1:00 I was out of my nice hot shower and sitting in a reclining chair by the pond drinking ice tea and reading an old copy of the Readers Digest. Ah, bliss! The only thing missing was food and friends and both arrived soon. Martha and Mike showed up first and kindly drove me into town where I loaded up on calories at McDonald's and when we got back everyone else began to arrive. It was great to see my family and friends and we hung out and talked until dinnertime. Dinner was at Libby's and was delicious, but so late that I almost fell asleep. Now that I am back at the B&B I am looking forward to some help with my knees from my favorite chiropractor. I sure hope he can put me together again, because I definitely need it!
Date: 2005-08-14
From: Zero day in Gorham.

To: Gentian Pond Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

I had a great zero day yesterday, an excellent dinner on Friday with friends and family and a nice hike on Saturday with Patsy and Mark up the Valley Way. It was a nice short stroll alongside a stream with waterfalls, all my poor tired knees could take. Then they left for Maine. Everyone else did a long hike up to Zeacliff for the view so I had the afternoon to do chores and relax. I even read a book! The Wildberry Inn is a lovely place to hang out, and Jackie, the innkeeper, even made us gluten-free breakfasts, including a fantastic French toast.It was hard to get back on the trail this morning and the weather didn't help. The showers predicted for today turned out to be steady rain, which made the hike over roots and rock ledges slow and painstaking. I did finally make it to the shelter fairly early, and it has gradually filled as people show up out of the rain, all cold and wet like I was. The view, when the mist lifts, from the shelter is lovely and there is a pond nearby with a resident moose, already seen by two hikers this evening. It's going to be an early evening. It's already getting dark at 8:15. Lets hope tomorrow the weather will clear!
Date: 2005-08-15
From: Gentian Pond Shelter

To: Full Goose Shelter
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: light rain

I made it to Maine today! In the middle of the woods there was a sign that said " Welcome to Maine. The was life should be." Then the trail proceeded up and down a series of hellish rock ledges. It took me 8 hours to cover less than 10 miles, much of it wondering if I was going to wipe out on the way down one of the steep hills. Needless to say, the trail is difficult here, harder, I think, than the Whites. Or maybe its that I am already tired. Whatever it is, today was a real struggle. Tomorrow I do Mahoosuc Notch, a mile of boulders and crevasses, and then climb a very steep rocky 1100 ft in a mile, and that's only the first 5 miles! A SOBO staying here says that the trail continues to be tough for the next 90 miles or so, so I guess I'd better get used to going slow and dtopping early.Physically the trail is challenging, but it is also a challenge mentally, because you have to pay attention every moment even on the "easy" sections, or you will trip and fall. I don't know which gets more tired, my legs or my brain!
Date: 2005-08-16
From: Full Goose Shelter

To: Speck Pond Shelter
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: light rain

Today was incredibly difficult and tiring. I did the infamous Mahoosuc Notch and then the steep climb up Mahoosuc Arm. My time was pretty good for both of them, for an old lady. I was at Speck Pond Shelter before 2:00, and I was completely exhausted. So I quit for the day. This is first for me. I quit at 2 and after 5 miles! By 3:00 I was asleep in my sleeping bag and I slept until 6. After my nap and dinner I am beginning to feel human again, and I got to see a great sunset/moonrise over Speck Pond.This does throw a kink in my schedule, however, as I had planned to be at East B Hill Rd. tomorrow to be picked up and stay at the Cabin. I'll have to decide whether to try to do the 15 miles there tommorow or call and get picked up after 4.6 at Grafton Notch. It depends on how I feel.I felt bad about quitting early, but I knew I was so tired I was likely to hurt myself if I kept going. The Notch just used so many muscles I'm not used to using that I got tired from the inside out. My brain was also tired from figuring out where to put my arms and legs for so long.The Notch was really fun for awhile until I got too tired. Sort of like a giant jungle gym. It's so cold down there that there was still ice in some of the crevices, and there were spring flowers blooming. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience, and I plan to keep it that way. Never again! Since I left Rte2 my list of never agains has been growing rapidly. I have been assured that it will get better from here, although it's not exactly clear when. That's a good thing because if there were many more days like today I would quit and go home.
Date: 2005-08-17
From: Speck Pond Shelter

To: Frye Notch Lean-to
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: few clouds

I am certainly feeling much more like myself again after my long rest yesterday. I don't think I can remember ever being quite that tired on the trail, so I'm glad it was temporary. The trail today was challenging, with considerable elevation and lots of exposed ledges, but not hair-raisingly terrifying like the last two days. I understand that the trail will continue to be tough, but not to the point of being scary for a while. That's OK with me. I don't mind working hard. I just found being scared so much of the time because it was really hard. I am sure half of my exhaustion yesterday was physical and the other half was from trying to pay attention and keep myself safe for so long.I arranged by cell phone to reschedule my stay at the cabin to one day later, and hiked today to a shelter just 4 and half miles from the road. The hike was plenty strenuous and I was good and tired when I got here at around 6. The train went over a mountain called Baldpate, which was bare ledges on top. There is a front coming through so there were very strong winds on top which made it hard to keep my balance on the ledges. Some times it was actually better to crawl, but even if I had fallen it wouldn't have been far or dangerous so it was kind of fun. The views from the top were great and we (I was hiking with Shadow, who is sharing the shelter with me tonight) had a rest and a snack up there behind a rock for shelter.Our lunch stop was a shelter on the way up surrounded by raspberry bushes. Yum! All in all it was a great day to be hiking in Maine. I am so glad the Mahoosucs are over with and I can relax and enjoy the trail.
Date: 2005-08-18
From: Frye Notch Lean-to

To: East B Hill Road
Miles today: 4.5

Another easy day, because I was behind by 4.5 miles, but needed to go into Andover for a mail drop and planned to stay at the Cabin and slack the next 10 miles. Everyone I met practically recommended the Cabin and they have been wonderful. It is an extremely warm, hiker-friendly place and I am looking forward to spending another night here. The food has been great and more than enough, the company excellent, and Honey and Bear terrific hosts. By getting in so early I have had time to do all my chores, including a little pack repair. I think the Mahoosucs were a little too much for my pack, so now it's held together with duct tape, but it only has another 256 miles to go. Everything is getting a little worn, including me.I'm beginning to get impatient to be done, but I still have a few more tough days ahead, and will be going slowly some of the time. I've revised my shedule to stop in Stratton and resupply, so I may not summit until the 7th at the earliest, but that still gives me time, and I may pick up some miles later after Monson. The last few days have been a real test of my patience, as I have not been able to cope with my difficulties by walking more, which is what I have always done until now. Instead, I have been forced to rest, which is very hard for me. It has done me good though and I am working hard to pace myself realistically, and go on enjoying being on the trail in Maine.
Date: 2005-08-19
From: East B Hill Road

To: South Arm Road, The Cabin
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: few clouds

Today was like a nice easy day hike. I slacked the 10 miles to the next road where the Cabin picked me up again and enjoyed every minute of it. The weather was nice and I took it slow. In fact I sauntered, moseyed, lollygagged along. I walked with Shadow most of the way and enjoyed the company and conversation as well.The trail was over two small mountains and through lovely Maine forest. We passed a pretty little pond with a house and a boat dock, a few modest vistas, and some lovely streams. To ease the way there were raspberry bushes and lunch by a stream.Alas, tomorrow is back to work, with more elevation and distance and a heavier pack, but I have less than 250 miles to go and I'll be in Stratton in five days for a motel room and a couple of meals. By then almost all the hard part will be done! Can't wait! But I also am looking forward to the hiking.
Date: 2005-08-20
From: South Arm Road, The Cabin

To: Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light rain

I feel pretty good about today. Respectable mileage, and in the rain, too! No views today, or very few, but the woods were lovely with the fog winding through them, and toward the end of the day we walked past several ponds, with brief misty views.Some of the downhills were slippery and steep today, so I was pretty slow for part of it. I managed to fall once on an innocent looking piece of rock. That makes a total of 13 falls. I also had an impressive skid down a rock ledge, when everything, poles and feet just started sliding. I grabbed a passing tree branch and stopped myself before I hit bottom, which didn't look too comfortable. At the bottom of the steep downhill was a river crossing before the next uphill, and some kind trail angel had left sodas in the creek, so I got a dose of caffeine before the final big hill. I zoomed up it, even keeping up with Shadow, but alas, the cola wore off before the trail reached the shelter, so the last mile or so wasn't too much fun. I kept thinking I would see moose, because we were near so much water and it was near dusk, but no luck. After dark we did hear a loon on the lake though, my first loon for the trip. What an eerie noise! I forgot to mention yesterday that I saw a spruce grouse on the trail, my first; very cool, with a red eye and black and white plumage.So, I am happy to have made it to a shelter in the rain and to be warm, dry and fed in my sleeping bag, listening to loons calling across the lake.