morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-24
From: Timberland Campground, NH

To: Timberland Campground, NH
Miles today: 0.0

Weather: 90'sLocation: Timberland Camp GroundPeople: Dewd, Webb, Dennis and NancyMileage: 0Food: Sandwiches, and leftoversI took a zero and rode ahead with Dennis and Nancy. Webb and Dewd slack packed 21 miles while I went into town and did laundry with Nancy. I got some Epsom Salt at Rite-Aid and soaked my feet in hot water to help the ingrown hairs. When I pulled my feet out I looked a my right ankle which I had rolled last week, which is why I bought boots in the first place. Before I soaked them it was just slightly swollen, barely noticeable. When I pulled it out, it was so big that there was no separation between my calf and ankle. It was so strange, I had an ankle and it was sore when I walked around. I don't know if it was just the hot water or maybe the salt that made it expand but it was enormous. Hopefully I can fit it in my boot tomorrow. Dewd and Webb are going to average 20 miles a day until Monson and there's no way my body can do that. I plan to skip ahead about 100 trail miles and hike 10-12 mile days and meet in Monson on the 4th. I will finish with them and then start where I begin tomorow. Hopefully I can somehow get a ride around the section I've just done through the Whites. If not, I'll probably just do them again at a slower pace and enjoy it much more. I picked up a knee brace today so hopefully that will help with some pain. The shape my legs are in right now make me worried about what they'll be like a few hundered miles down the trail but I'll just have to suck it up and go with it. Going at my own pace and not at Dewd and Webb's monster mile days will help a lot I think, I hope... Until next time,
Date: 2005-06-27
From: Maine 27

To: Horn's Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 5.1

Weather: High 80's CloudyLocation: Horn's Pond Lean-ToMileage: 5.1Animals: 3 small snakesPeople: Alice(caretaker), Family section hiking and a group of 10 Canadian campers doing trail maintenance Food: Frosted Flakes, Hot dogs, New Mexico stewBack on the trail after 2 zero days to let my ankle and knee rest. I started at ME27 near Stratton around 3:30 and just hiked 5 miles to the first shelter. I jumped ahead of Dewd and Webb close to 100 miles so we could get to Monson the same day. After Katahdin I will pick the trail back up at ME27 where I started today. The terrain was pretty easy today and my legs feel pretty good. I wore my knee brace today and it made a huge difference. There's no one in the shelter with me tonight but there are 2 groups tenting nearby. I met the caretaker Alice when I got in, we talked for a little and she headed out. The mosquitos are terrible here tonight. There has been a constant buzzing near my ears since I started hiking. I'm glad I have DEET despite its smell and burning sensation on the face. It's pretty foggy and geting colder, I think a storm is moving in tonight. I hope it clears out for tomorrow when I go over the Bigalow mtns. The bugs are driving me crazy... Hope all is well with everyone, good night.
Date: 2005-06-28
From: Horn's Pond Lean-To

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to 
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: clear sky

Weather: High 80's hazy skies scattered showersLocation: Little Bigelow Lean-to "The Tubs"People: Family of section hikersMileage: 10.2Animals: Snake and lots of frogsToday was some nice easy hiking with some pretty good views. I only did 10.2 miles and I took my time doing it. I slept in until about 9:30 and then kind of mosied down the trail and stopped frequently. There were some great views from atop the Bigelow Mtns. The sky was kind of hazy but I could see the entire Flagstaff Lake from atop Avery Peak. I really liked going at this slow, relaxed pace. It's a nice change from the rushed pace when I was with Dewd and Webb. My legs also feel much better at the end of the day. The shelter I'm at has round rocks in a stream that runs nearby that form a natural bathtub. The water is freezing and it felt great after hiking all day in the hot sun. I never would've thought it would be this hot in Maine, it feels like the South(minus the humidity). The family who is staying here are in tents so it looks like I'll be all alone in the shelter again tonight. I was checking out the Wingfoot and tomorrow looks like a very easy day. I might try and do a 17 miler and get to Monson on the 3rd instead of the 4th. I read an article in Backpacker about Keith Shaw who ran a hostel in Monson for years. He passed away last year but now his son is running it, I think I might try and stay there. I talked to a southbounder today who told me about this lodge in the 100-mile wilderness. He said that you blow an airhorn and a boat will come pick you up on this lake and take you for dinner. I thought it was called the 100 mile wilderness because it's nothing but wilderness for 100 miles. I want that section to be pure for me so I won't be blowing any horn. I picked a book at the campground called Appointment in Dallas: The final solution to the assassination of JFK. It was written in the 70's and is a very interesting story about a man who claims to have spoken with the actual assassin of JFK. And no, it's not Lee Harvey Oswald. I'm about to eat and read some more of it so until next time..."The purpose of a wilderness journey is not to get from one end of the trail to the other, but to enjoy the landscape, and to it's ever changing moods" -Bill Mason
Date: 2005-06-29
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to 

To: East Carry Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 17.3

Weather: 80's rain in the morning and at nightLocation: East Carry Pond Lean-ToPeople: Moped Man, Joe and Joe Jr, Marge, DaveMileage: 17.3Animals: Loons and a snakeI hate mosquitoes, having said that I'll tell you about my day. Other than the bugs, the day was very easy and went by pretty quick. I didn't leave the shelter until close to 9 this morning. Right after I left the shelter the rain started up, but only lasted for about 3 miles. It was only about 7 miles to the first shelter where I stopped and ate lunch and went for a swim. I had 10 miles to go and did it in just under 3 hours. I didn't feel like I was moving that fast, but the terrain was so flat it was a breeze. I'm in the shelter with two section hikers tonight. One guy thru-hiked in 2001 and packed a six-pack up and was kind enough to share one with me. I'm pretty worn out so I'm off to bed at 8pm.
Date: 2005-06-30
From: East Carry Pond Lean-to

To: Rivers and Trails Hostel
Miles today: 3.6

Weather: 70's cloudyLocation: Rivers and Trails HostelPeople: Running Water, Steve, Pretty Boy, Butt UglyMileage: 3.6Animals: Loon and ducksI woke up at about 4:30 this morning because the bugs were so bad. But I didn't start hiking until about 8. Not because I wanted to but because I had to cross the Kennebec River on a ferry. Steve Longley, who runs the ferry across the river, also owns a hostel/grocery store on the other side. Because I'm ahead of schedule I decided to take advantage of this and stay a night here. There is a sobo hiker staying here named Running Water as well. I met two other sobo's down at the restaurant where I ate a delicious hamburger and relaxed in the hot tub. Steve is a very gracious host and the hostel is pretty nice. I plan to meet Dewd and Webb on the 4th in Monson but even with staying here tonight I'll be there on the 3rd. I'm really looking forward to getting to the 100 mile wilderness. I've heard it was the highlight of so many past thru-hikers hikes. I think I'm going to check out the Gulf-Hagas trail which has a gourge deemed the "Grand Canyon of the East." It's a pretty good ways off the trail but I think it will be worth the hike. I'm only a 150 miles from Katahdin right now but still a long way from being finished. It will be cool to be with Dewd and Webb when they finish though. I'm going to enjoy a bed and a MOSQUITO-FREE night for the first time in a while. I bought a head-net and more bug spray because I ran out yesterday which will make a huge difference...I hope. Hope all is well with everyone. Until next time,
Date: 2005-07-01
From: Rivers and Trails Hostel

To: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 16.6

Weather: 60's overcast, foggy and rainyLocation: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-toMileage: 16.6People: Hermit Crab and group of boys from a camp in Maine Animals: Quail and frogs Food: Granola, Pop tarts and snickers, Pasta sides with summer sausageThe weather today was kind of gross, but the cool temperature was nice to hike in. It looked like it was just about to rain all day but didn't start until after I got to the shelter. Hermit Crab was the only one here when I arrived. We stayed at Pierce Pond shelter together a couple nights ago. She is in her 50's and is taking time off work to hike the state of Maine. She hikes shelter to shelter so I probably won't see her again after tonight but she is very good company. A group of young boys from a camp in Maine are also in the shelter tonight and were nice enough to give me a sleeve of Oreo cookies. I've only got two left I'm saving for the morning, if only I had some milk I'd be in heaven. Tomorrow I will be climbing over Moxie Bald which on a clear day is the first spot you can see Katahdin from. Steve told me it is supposed to clear up tomorrow and the next day, I hope he's right. Today was the first day I hiked without my knee brace, ankle brace, and took no ibuprofen. And I actually feel really good right now. The mileage flew by today, the only climb I had was over Pleasant Mtn and I was up and over before I knew it. There was a large river less than a mile south of the shelter. I talked to a sobo hiker today named Hawkeye and she said that she forded it and it was up to her belly button. I wasn't real thrilled when I heard this. But when I got to it I saw a beaver dam 25 yards down the river and decided to give it a try. I was glad to find out that beavers have excellent bridge building abilities. I crossed with ease and didn't get at all wet. I drew an arrow towards it in the dirt for the sobo hikers who pass through. I slept great last night at Steve's, I slept nearly 12 hours of completely bug free sleep. That was a pleasant change from the past few mosquito infested nights I've had. I am currently wearing both the head-net and bug spray I bought at Steve's. It's amazing what a difference it makes. The bug spray is only 7% DEET, so I have to apply it a little more often than the 100% DEET I had before. I must say that it smells a lot better and doesn't burn my face when I put it one. So at least I have that going for me, which is nice. Those Oreos are calling my name, I may have to finish them off tonight. They sure are tasty..."C is for cookie, it's good enough for me; oh cookie cookie cookie starts with C" -The Cookie Monster
Date: 2005-07-02
From: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to

To: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

Weather: 70's clear skiesLocation: Horsehoe Canyon Lean-toMileage: 13People:Ed, Animal, Beef, can't remember the other's name Animals:Hawk, 2 snakes and a loon Food:Granola combos and snickers, pop-tarts and more snickers, Pasta sides with summer sausage and even moe snickersToday was a very nice, relaxing day. I didn't leave the shelter until about 11:30. I made it up to Moxie Bald and laid out in the sun for a couple hours. I believe I could see Katahdin but I'm not positive I was looking at the right one. I'm in a shelter with 3 SOBO's and a section hiker. I think the thru-hikers are high-school kids but I'm not sure. I had to ford a couple of rivers today one of which, the Piscatiquis was mid-thigh deep. I had to check the spelling on that one, it's even harder to pronounce. I'm only about 9 miles outside Monson, so I'll probably get there at a decent hour. I feel like a have a worm in my stomach that is eating all my food. Immediately after I eat I am hungry again. My hiker appetite seems to be in overdrive for the time being. While I was hiking today near a stream I caught something moving out of the corner of my eye. I look up and a large hawk(I think) came swooping down jut inches from my head. It really startled me and I stopped for a second. Just then it made another pass at me right in front of my face. I started to hike a lot faster after that. About 50 yards away I could hear chirping from the trees. I assume they were the chicks and the mother was simply protecting her nest. Although it scared me it was a pretty cool thing to see. About 4 miles away from the shelter I crossed a road and saw a woman sitting on the bridge. As I approached I recognized her as Pooh Bear whom I met about a month ago while hiking down Hump Mountain in NC. She was only hiking 2 days and I just happened to run into her 1000 miles away from where I saw her last month. It's a small world. She was the one who told me of the defect in the Gossamer Gear backpack I used until after the Smokies. She had recieved a new pack since I saw her last and liked it much more. Pooh Bear actually signed my guest book after we met. It was good to see her again and we chatted for awhile. I'm pretty worn out but still a little hungry even after destroying a large dinner. Looks like the food bag is coming back down again tonight. Only 123.5 miles from Katahdin..."Nothing you can't spell will ever work."-Will Rogers
Date: 2005-07-03
From: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to

To: Shaw's Hostel in Monson, ME
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: few clouds

Weather: 80's sunnyLocation: Shaw's HostelMileage: 10Animals: 0People:Gonzo, Waheed, Pine Tree, Nico, Mr. Natural, Canadian Loonie, Keith, and others(can't remember all names) Food:Snickers and Granola, BBQ sandwich, pizza ice cream and chipsI am sitting in the hostel, clean and completely stuffed. I arrived in Monson today about 11:30 after hiking about 10 miles and hitching in the other 2 and a half. I got the last available bed in the bunkroom which worked out nicely. Everyone else here is SOBO and I am the only one headed north. Almost everyone here has extremely heavy packs and still haven't learned what they need on the trail. It reminds me of what I was carrying back in March, it makes me very content with what I'm carrying on my back now. They'll learn in a few weeks, they're still a little ignorant now. The only way to learn how much you need to carry is by experience, and that's not the most fun way. In the words of Vernon Law, "Experience is the worst teacher; it gives you the test before presenting the lesson" It really hits home when you hit the trail with a ridiculously heavy pack and hurt like crazy at the end of the day. I met Pine Tree who hiked with Dewd, Webb, Diesel, Chino and all the people I started with. We talked a while and exchanged stories of the southern Appalachians. He is also flip-flopping, but has done more mileage than I have. He was anxious to see the guys who he started with, who he'll be passing in the next few days. Nico, Mr Natural and I got to do some kayaking on Lake Hebron today for a little while. Nico met a woman who ran a kayak rental shop and I guess he flirted his way into getting us free kayaks. It was very peaceful, it was nice to let my arms do the work on getting me somewhere than my legs. I spoke to my mom earlier and she told me that Dewd took a zero for his birthday in Stratton. Looks like he'll be putting in some big mileage to get here by tomorrow. Better him than me I guess, I wouldn't be here until the 6th most likely. It feels good to be dry and clean after quite a few days of being wet and smelling horrid. I think I will sleep much better tonight without blackflies and mosquitoes driving me insane. My Aunt and Uncle are supposed to be arriving here tomorrow. I hope we can ride over to the next town and maybe check out some fireworks for the 4th. I'll be entering the 100 mile wilderness on Tuesday I believe and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm about to crash... hope all is well with everyone.
Date: 2005-07-05
From: Shaw's Hostel in Monson, ME

To: Wilson Valley Shelter
Miles today: 10.4

Weather: 70's clear skies, rain and thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening Location: Wilson Valley Shelter Mileage: 10.4 People: Webb, Dewd, Fat Agnes(Dennis), Hermit Crab Food: "3-By" breakfast at Shaw's, Donuts pop-tarts and jerky, Chili and snickersToday I finally entered the 100-mile wilderness. After having another monster breakfast of eggs, french toast, bacon, sausage, and homefries at Shaw's, we hit the trail once again. Shaw's was an excellent hostel, Keith Shaw was a really cool guy and I would definitely reccomend NOBO & SOBO hikers stay there. My uncle Dennis (Dewd's dad), is joining us for the wilderness and to summit Katahdin on the 13th. His trail name is Fat Agnes, dubbed by his own wife believe it or not. Today we did only 10.4 miles and did about half of it at Denny Pace. Dennis led the pack and it was a nice, relaxing and easy pace. After about 5 miles, Webb and I took off and made it to the shelter a little quicker. We planned to only eat lunch and do another 5 miles to the next lean-to. But after an hour nap awakened by thunderstorms, we all decided to stay put. We made a good-sized fire and now the rain is slowly drowning it out. I say we, which really means I sat and watched Dewd and Fat Agnes collect wood and start it. I did donate some denatured alcohol though which was really the catalyst of it all. I am reading a book by Mario Puzo called "The Last Don". I picked it up at an antique shop in Monson for 50 cents (hiker discount) and it's excellent so far. It's strange how much I've been reading lately. Before the trail I can't remember the last time I read a book outside of school, or in school for that matter. In the past 3 weeks or so, I've read 5 books and am on my 6th. I'm a big Elmore Leonard fan so if anyone has any old Leonard books laying around that they'd like to donate please let me know. The 100-mile wilderness doesn't really seem as secluded as I pictured it to be. We crossed 3 dirt roads today that were well used and could hear trucks passing by on the highway for the 1st 6 miles. There is also a train track a few 100 yards from the shelter that gets pretty loud when a train passes. It's only the 1st day, so maybe as we get deeper in it will be more secluded, we'll see... I woke up at about 6 this morning which is an early start for me and I am worn out as a result. Time to try and sleep through the bugs and lightning strikes... I thought I'd end the entry with a quote I read in Newsweek that made me laugh pretty hard. "California Governor Arnold Schwarenegger's popularity has been slipping in recent months as residents slowly begin to realize they elected Arnold Schwarenegger to be their governor." -Tina Fey on SNL
Date: 2005-07-06
From: Wilson Valley Shelter

To: Chairback Gap Lean-to
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Weather: 60's rain in the morning, cloudy all day Location: Chairback Gap Lean-to Mileage: 15.6 People: Dewd, Webb, Fat Agnes Animals: A couple snakesPretty nice day of hiking today. The cool weather that followed that storm we had last night gave us ideal hiking weather. The sun only showed through the clouds a couple times and I was hardly sweating. The terrain got a little harder today with a couple of pretty steep climbs. It was raining when we woke up so we really took our time getting up and leaving. And I mean we REALLY took our time, I didn't leave the shelter until close to 11:45. I was the last to leave though. I have a full belly and some tired feet so I'm going to retire early tonight. There wasn't really much to report on so I'm out...
Date: 2005-07-07
From: Chairback Gap Lean-to

To: Outside Logan Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Weather: 80's down to 60's tonightLocation: Ground outside Logan Brook Lean-toPeople: Dewd, Webb, Fat Agnes and a whole mess of young boys on a camping trip Mileage: 17.1 Animals: Rabbit and a couple snakes Food: Pop tarts and donuts, Jerky PB crackers and snickers, Spaghetti with pepperoni and melted cheese and snickersToday was our biggest mileage day hiking with Fat Agnes. He says he felt fine afterwards which was good news. The first 10 miles were really easy, the last 7 was another story. It wasn't very hard but almost completely uphill. The views atop made it well worth the climb though. From Whitecap we could see in every direction, including a beautiful view of Katahdin. It looks so close yet it's still 71 miles out. I am sleeping on the ground tonight about 20 yards away from the lean-to because I am not carrying a tent. Inside the 6 person lean-to there are ten 13 year old boys. They are finally starting to quiet down but I have a feeling they're not done yet. I was a camp counselor last summer and stayed in a bunk with about 12 boys that age and I know how they can be. Big groups really aren't allowed to occupy a shelter like they're doing. But I didn't bother saying anything because it looks like a clear night and I doubt it will rain. I say doubt, but what I really mean is hope! This group plus another group ahead are planning to stay at the same shelter we planned to stay at. Looks like the shelter races have begun. I set my alarm for 6 so I can get up and tear past the group that's ahead. Since they hike in groups I doubt it'll be a problem, especially on the easy terrain we've got tomorrow. It's pretty chilly outside right now and my arms are getting colder as I type. Hope all is well."Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted" -Aldous Huxley