morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-09-09
From: Carter Notch camp NH

To: Gorham NH
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: fog

9/9/04SlimerGot up, nice to have my own bunkroom. Rained heavily all night. Pack my equipment, go to hut to do some work, end up washing the walls with ¢Bramble¢ Gordy¢ . Blue and Gray Panter have left already.Work doesn¢t take long, hit the trail, trail is flooded as are the creeks. I meet Gray Panter coming southbound on trail, he stops, looks confused , big string of snot dangling from his nose, glasses fogged up. He says ¢which way am I going?¢ I reply ¢South¢. It turns out that he missed a turn on the trail. He basically was doing a giant circle. It¢s very easy to do in NH. The trails are very poorly marked. He begins heading in the right direction.Soon we meet ¢Blue¢ coming towards us! She sees us and says OH NO! Yep, she made a wrong turn as well! Flooded streams cross the trail, I wade up to my waist several times in swift water. Quite dangerous, getting cold, soaking wet. I can¢t believe the trail is this flooded.The last 2 miles are very easy, the easiest since PA. Come to highway 2. This leads into Gorham. Lots of hikers go into Gorham, I had planned to skip it, but the thought of a hot shower changed my mind.Hitching up north just ain¢t much fun! I walk most of the 3 miles into town, get to a hostel. Hikers paradise is the name, Bruno is the owner. I like the hostel itself but Bruno could learn a little more manners and hospitality. Rude, pushy he is. He is from some other country maybe Poland I think.Get settled in. Doc Gnarly is there drinking his beloved beer. A SOBO (south bounder) is here, Gray Panter also. Me, Gray and Doc head down to the Chinese buffet. 2 other hikers are in there as well, familiar face¢s they are. It¢s One-Thing and K-Bear!! I saw them last in VA!! Wonderful couple they are. We talk for a good bit. Really good to see them again. Me, Gray and Doc stuff ourselves silly. We moan all the way back to the hostel. Settle in. Doc and I share a room.Carter Notch Camp ¢ to ¢ Gorham NH - 15.2 miles
Date: 2004-09-10
From: Gorham NH - Zero day

To: Gorham NH - Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

9/10/04SlimerWake early. Lemme tell ya, Ole¢ Doc can do some serious farting in his sleep! Long super-charged farts. I just laugh and laugh he¢s oblivious to this. I hate to admit it, but I¢ve lost a lot of manners, it¢s something you just get used to.Go downstairs and eat breakfast, Fleetwood ¢Mac is on the radio, I stare out the window and soon get lost in the song. My plans are to leave today, but by the time I get all set it¢s 11:30! The day is short. I decide to ¢0¢ here. Besides, I like the company in the hostel, good people here. Go do errands in town. Hikers are piling into town like mad, trying to escape the weather. Walking the side-walk, I see a fellow coming towards me, looks familiar, I stop him, he knows me! The last time we saw each other was in GA, on our 2nd day. He had a stress fracture and flip-flopped.He¢s hiking south, Shaggy-Sticks is his name. Get back to hostel, Impulse, Swan, Regular Brian, Ursa and Blue have come in. We all sit around working on our gear and resting.Grey Panter and I watch some news. Good fellow he is. He is a snowboard instructor from Vermont. Doc is cooking some sort of Ramen recipe, he calls it recipe 1,320! Settle in for long night of hiker farts.Gorham NH ¢ Zero day ¢ 0 - miles
Date: 2004-09-11
From: Gorham NH - Zero Day

To: Mt. Success NH
Miles today: 14.6

9/11/04SlimerGet up early, get packed. Doc is dead asleep. Head down to McDonalds, for a biscuit. One-Thing and K-bear are there. Talk to a local fellow for awhile, move out, I got a feeling that hitching is going to be difficult. These people here are just a different species! Walk for a good while, soon get picked up and taken to trail.Nice day, blue skies, I hit the woods, I feel comfortable in the woods, it¢s a good feeling. Not bad walking, get to Gentian shelter, talk with the caretaker for a bit, trail very muddy. Climb Mt Success, decide to camp up high. Very nice views. Big Problem! Dew has soaked my bag, because of this combined with the altitude I get chilly throughout the night.Gorham NH ¢ To - Mt Success NH ¢ 14.6 miles
Date: 2004-09-12
From: Mt. Success NH

To: Speck Pond Campsite ME
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: clear sky

9/12/04SlimerQuite nippy last night. Get to see sunrise, cold this morning, need to get moving. Heard something large walking around over night, probably a moose. Their tracks are everywhere. Get moving, walk through lots of bogs, wetlands, some good climbs, descents. Soon get to a small blue sign on a tree. It says ¢Welcome To Maine, The Way Life Should Be¢. Hot damn! I take a few pics of myself, keep moving. Soon meet a thru-hiker sitting on the trail, his name is Kayliss, he¢s not feeling well. He tells me he¢s been walking with Alabama! Alabama and I stayed in the same shelter our first night on the trail.Kayliss says Alabama is just hours ahead. He tells me of a big party in Caratunk that¢s coming up. Lots of people gonna be there. I soon move on. Soon get to Mahoosuc Notch. The ¢Monster Mile¢ as it¢s known. It¢s often said that the notch is the most difficult mile on the AT. Often takes 4-5 hours just to get through it. I enter the notch. Immediately the temp drops sharply. The ¢Notch¢ is giant boulders that have fallen from the cliffs above, many deep cracks, crevices to fall into. I¢m told it¢s best to have a partner here, but I don¢t. They say that big blocks of ice are in the holes year around. I believe it. Very, very dangerous here. One fall and you¢ll probably have to be air-lifted out. You must be very focused on your footing, no distractions what-so-ever. I slowly pick my way over and under the boulders. I just can¢t get over the temp. drop here.I slip a few times, but catch myself. Takes much time for me to work through it. Finally past it, start climbing out of the ravine, also is getting late, I¢m whipped, so I start looking for a campsite. Bingo!! Find a good one with good water. Almost too tired to eat, settle in, as I¢m writing this, 2 chipmunks either in love or one is pissed at the other are going crazy chasing each other up trees, down trees, over logs, under logs. They even scamper across the tarp that I¢m sitting on! Funny to watch. Settle in.Mt Success ¢ To ¢ Speck pond Campsite - 11.9 miles
Date: 2004-09-13
From: Speck Pond Campsite ME

To: Dunn Notch Falls ME
Miles today: 14.1

9/13/04Slimer        Wake, get moving, start climbing immediately. I would name the mountains but my data book pages for this section turned to mush during the rainstorm. Ouch! A limb popped my eye, hurt a little, but fine. Get to Grafton Notch trailhead, talk to a ranger for a bit.A silver Dodge pickup pulls up, ¢Pacemaker¢ and another fellow get out he is dropping Pacemaker off. Pacemaker left the trail to attend his brothers wedding. The driver says he has a bag of food, asks me to take as much as I want. I take it all!! M/MS, cheese, trail mix, bagels, cookies. I felt like crying. Lots of food. I¢m going to skip Andover now.Climb lots of rock today. Getting late, get to shelter ¢Beppe¢ and millipede are there. Millipede had flipped-flopped. Nice guys. I push on, camp by a big stream with a big waterfall. Set-up camp, supposed to be a frost warning tonight, that¢s why I camped down low. Settle in, think about family. Speck pond Campsite ¢ To - Dunn Notch falls ¢ 14.1 miles
Date: 2004-09-14
From: Dunn Notch Falls ME

To: Old Blue Mountain ME
Miles today: 13.7

9/14/04Slimer        Something nudged hard me during the night, I bolted up-right, grabbed headlamp, but didn¢t see it. No tracks either. I did hear it running thru woods. Was spooky.         Get moving, doesn¢t take long to get to road into Andover, very little traffic here, other than log trucks. Keep pushing get to dirt road, guy in pickup pulls up, bed is full of hunting dogs.         He is looking for 2 of his dogs. I ask him what he¢s hunting, Bear he says! These woods are full of them, he says. Sheeez!! I haven¢t been hanging my food for a while. It¢s then that I begin to notice lots of big bear tracks in the mud. See more and more moose tracks too.         Take break, ¢Bramble¢ comes jogging by Southbound, he and others are ¢slack packing¢ this section. Later on I meet Alabama. He and I stayed in the same shelter our first night out! I last saw him at Nantahala Outdoor Center. in NC, a pleasant surprise it was.         I¢m catching up with a big group today. I know none of them. While walking a red squirrel peeps at me from a tree, I stop and laugh, very amusing animals to watch, much smaller than a gray squirrel and much quicker too. Typical climbing, descending today. I learned that ¢Kayliss¢ has been diagnosed with Lyme disease! Hope he gets well soon.        Keep moving, climb hill and startled to see a big black Labrador just snoozing on the trail. He has a radio collar on. I scratch his tumus and his ears, he really likes this. I guess he¢s quit hunting for today. A big crowd is heading for the Bemis Mountain shelter, but I decide to call it a day. 4.3 miles from there, find good campsite with good water, watch the red squirrels for awhile and then settle in.        Dunn Notch falls ¢ To ¢ Old Blue Mountain ¢ 13.7 miles
Date: 2004-09-15
From: Old Blue Mountain ME

To: South Pond Campsite ME
Miles today: 21.5

9/15/04Slimer        Get moving at daylight. My alarm clock is the chirping of birds and the chattering of red squirrels. I think that is the finest way to be awakened.        Haul up to Bemis Shelter. T-Bot is still there. I take a break. He leaves soon, typical day. T-Bot is going to camp at the Little Swift River campsite. I¢m going further. I camp at South Pond, (more like a small lake). There is a small aluminum boat there. Is tempting to do some paddling but I¢m tired and hungry. I make camp inside of what looks to be a hunting blind. Tired, settle in.        Old Blue Mountain ¢ To ¢ South Pond ¢ 21.5 miles
Date: 2004-09-16
From: South Pond Campsite ME

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-To ME
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: broken clouds

9/16/04Slimer        Awake to the sound of sloshing water. I tiptoe to the waters edge, 2 big moose are wading around eating. I observe for awhile. Absolutely beautiful. It¢s wonderful to see this first thing in the morning. Push hard to Maine 4 highway into Rangeley. I need food. I flag a fellow down, and hop into the bed of the truck. It is very cold 4 mile ride.        Get dropped off at a grocery store. Go inside and splurge. Sit outside and eat. I notice almost every pick-up has a canoe or kayak on its top. Been here long enough, need to get going. Just then a fellow comes up and says ¢ Do you need a ride back to the trail?¢ I say yes I do.         The gentleman¢s name is Allen Wicken (got degree from Duke) what a wonderful person he is! On the way back to the trail we take a little detour, Allen is the caretaker of a stunning lodge on Rangeley Lake. It¢s empty and for sale and he drops by every now and then to check on the place.        We go inside. Beautiful place! Only 2 million $ Allen says. Lots of float planes on the lake. He drops me off at the trail head. I sit on a rock and finish off some food. A little red car pulls up the driver Tec or Tek? Is a former thru-hiker. He and his friend came out to put some trail magic at the trail head. How Nice! He asks if I need a ride into town. He soon leaves, 5 minutes later a big Suburban pulls up. ¢Gull Pond Lodge¢ is written on the door. Gull Pond Lodge is popular with the hikers. He is dropping a hiker off. He then asks if I need a ride into town. No shortage of rides today! Such generous people. Start walking, soon meet a couple from Wilmington. Take break at the Piazza Rock lean-to. Listen to the squirrels for a while, push on. Begin climbing Saddleback Mountain 4,120 ft, this takes me above tree-line for stunning views. Cold and windy up here, soon climb the Horn 4,400 ft, then Saddleback Jr, 3,655 ft. Up/down, up/down, some of these descents are very time consuming. Is getting late, I boogie on to the Poplar Ridge lean-to. Just before I get there, I come face to face with a huge bull moose. He doesn¢t want to move, so I move off the trail. He gives a little grunt. This is one big damn animal. Stunning set of antlers. He walks by stepping off to the side of the trail. This alone has made my day. Get to shelter. It¢s full, Boo-Boo, Sunshine, T-Bot, Pop-up and Nate are here. I get water and make camp up hill from the shelter. I¢m glad I¢m a good distance away for there is too much noise down there for me. The weather has me concerned, low clouds, wind, but the clouds are moving out fast, the stars begin to appear. Ah yes, the stars!South Pond ¢ To ¢ Poplar Ridge Lean-To ¢ 12.8 miles
Date: 2004-09-17
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-To ME

To: Stratton ME
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: overcast clouds

9/17/04SlimerGet moving before daylight, go up Lone Mountain 3,260 ft., then break at the Spaulding Mountain shelter, Pop-up, pops up, cooks his lunch. The weather is supposed to be nasty tonight, so I decide to try to get to the town of Stratton tonight. This is going to be a long day with 2 big climbs. I slip and fall coming down Spaulding Mountain, no harm done. Get to the Carrabassett river, there I meet ¢Podini¢ and Podunk. Podini is from California, she is living in Northern Virginia. She opened a coffee shop there, she also rides and trains horses. The ¢bridge¢ across the river is a narrow plank. I damn near fall off of it! Soon begin the climb up the North/South Cracker Mtns. Both tough climbs. Weather not looking good. I¢m pushing very hard for Stratton. Is taking forever to get to the highway, I¢m pissed.Soon meet a strange fellow who gives me a jelly donut. He looks just like Charles Manson! I feed the doughnut to the squirrels! Finally get to highway. My knees are just about shot. Light is fading fast, soon get a ride into town. Check in at the White Wolf Inn. Many other hikers are there. The village of Stratton has 2 grocery stores and that¢s about it. The stores are beside the Inn. Some of the hikers are going to do Karaoke tonight.I¢m dead tired. I retire to the shower where I simply melt away. Watch CNN, settle in on a soft bed, listening to the drunkards across the street at the bar. That bar reminds me of ¢Bobs Country Bunker¢ from the movie ¢The Blues Brothers¢ The parking lot begins to fill up around back The booze will flow tonight.Poplar Ridge Lean-To ¢ Stratton Maine ¢ 21.5 miles
Date: 2004-09-18
From: Stratton ME - Zero Day

To: Stratton ME - Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

9/18/04Slimer        Can barely get out of bed. That¢s it for me I¢m ¢0¢ ing today. Looks like everyone else is too! I go and piddle around the hardware store. Pop-up and T-bot, Podini have come into town eat a pizza, talk with Podini while we do our laundry. Saturday night, the bar is really rocking tonight. ( I can hear it across the street).        I make calls to my friends, very good to hear these voices. I couldn¢t get a hold of Gary. I¢ll try again in the next town. I basically stay to myself in towns. Very tired, settle in.        Stratton Maine ¢ Zero Day ¢ 0 miles
Date: 2004-09-19
From: Stratton ME 

To: Horns Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: light rain

9/19/04        Wake still tired, Pop-up comes by with some food he¢s giving away, very cold today. No one wants to leave. I do some last minute errands, then check out. I walk a short ways before I catch a ride, nice fellow, his dog is right with him. I¢m enjoying seeing the bond between a dog and his owner.        The man¢s sister lives in Asheville, says she had some problems with flooding. Such a nice person he is. He drops me off, Beppe is sitting on a rock eating his lunch. Beppe will soon be leaving to go live in London. He currently works with the state Department. I always enjoy his company.         I hit the trail, soon meet a photographer whose dad fly¢s corporate jets for a major construction company. Says the company has a formula 1 race team.        Also meet a lady who has thru-hiked A-T, the ECDT, PCT!!!! My hat is off to her! I¢m not feeling well, very fatigued, I think my diet is the problem. Gonna have to change that. Cold windy walk to Horns Pond lean-to.                There we meet Alice, the caretaker, good person she is. Says her daughter lost most of her possessions due to Ivan. Cold, Cold, Cold, we all have snot hanging from our noses. We eat quickly then settle into our bags.        Stratton Maine ¢ To ¢ Horns Pond Lean-To ¢ 5.1 miles
Date: 2004-09-20
From: Horns Pond Lean-to

To: Flagstaff lake ME
Miles today: 11.7

9/20/04Slimer        VERY cold last night, wind howling all night long. Didn¢t get much rest at all. Alice comes by to bid us farewell. Get going, straight up the Bigelow¢s I go, good climb. Good views through here. Pass by Little Bigelow lean-to, motor on to Flagstaff Lake find a campsite by the lake, good place but windy, very peaceful lake, set up camp. Tired, stressed out, I go to sleep.        Horns Pond Lean-To ¢ To ¢ Flagstaff Lake ¢ 11.7 miles
Date: 2004-09-21
From: Flagstaff Lake

To: Pierce Pond Lean-To 
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

09/21/2004SlimerHad to get up in the middle of the night and build a wind break because the wind was increasing. Feel lika zombie this morning, sometimes my body is just wasted. Surprised to discover a mouse had chewed a hole in my food bag overnight, oh well the mouse has to eat too.Get going, the trail is pleasantly flat (for now) blue shy today. Push hard today, get to Pierce Pond Lean-To, good view of Pierce Pond.Since I don¢t have a watch I¢m not aware of the time, or aware of what day it is. Feels late in the evening, don¢t think I can make it to the Kennebec river in time for the ferry.Decide to call it a day here. I get down by the water and catch up on my journal. Off in the distance I hear a float plane performing a Mag check, followed by a fire walled throttle up. I can see him skimming the trees, I close my eyes and smile.Flagstaff Lake ¢ Pierce Pond Lean-To - 15.8 miles
Date: 2004-09-22
From: Pierce Pond Lean-To 

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-To 
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: scattered clouds

09/22/2004SlimerUp early, 4 moderate miles to Kennecbec river. Wonderful white water streams running along the trail. Am anxious To get to Steve Longley¢s Rivers and Trails store. Steve is well known in the paddling / hiking community. Am not   feeling well today, just no energy at all.I hear the rushing water of the river, I¢m at the Kennecbec, Dean the ferryman sees me and begins to paddle across. Dean is a licensed Maine guide with years of paddling experience. Brand new Old Town canoe, I¢m the first person in it. Water is much more swift than what Dean says due to maintenance on dam up stream. We paddle hard, beach the boat and talk for a bit.I envy Dean, what a lifestyle to live. Five minute walk to Caratunk which is less than half the size of Southmont. I walk a mile down 201 to Steve¢s store. I like this place, has a good feel to it. Steve tells me to make myself at home.I load up on food and sit on the bench watching the leaves fall. Dean soon brings in Podini, Poco and Beppe. Steve drives us down the road to Northern White Water Lodge and Restaurant. We have a good meal and good laughs here.I¢m only 30 miles from the Canadian border. We head back, everyone else hits the trail, I head to the P.O. to mail some stuff home. Ghia walks up, she is happy to receive her package. Soon hit the trail. Ate too much!! Weather looking a little rough so I decide to call it quits at Pleasant Pond lean-To. Sundown soon shows up, Regular Brian, Poco, Podini, Rooney, Ghia and the Skinny. Skinny had already summitted And was just wondering around greeting other hikers, Tenn boy with boy with a southern drawl he is. Says he¢s going to sell his land and do the trail again next year, then go to Alaska. Tired, I settle in¢¦¢¦.Pierce Pond Lean-To - Pleasant Pond Lean-To ¢ 9.7 miles
Date: 2004-09-23
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-To 

To: Piscataquis river 
Miles today: 24.3

09/23/2004SlimerWake, leave early. Soon climb Moxie Bald 2,629 ft, outstanding views from summit. I find a warm flat rock and take a nap, kind of like a snake would do.Sometime I dream of things that are absurd, things like ice cream cones that talk, and clouds that smile or frown, Hmmmm, maybe I shouldn¢t have mentioned that. Dad will probably have the men with white carts waiting for me, HA!!Sundown soon comes by, I get up and get moving. We both walk by fantastic white water streams, sometimes having to wade across. I slip and almost get a wet ass. Sundown calls it quits at the Horseshoe Canyon Lean-To. I push forward for a few more miles. I want to get closer to Monson, light is fading fast. Getting COLD!!I make camp at Piscataquis river, gonna have to wade across first thing in the morning! Brrrrr!!Pleasant Pond Lean-To - Piscataquis river ¢ 24.3 miles
Date: 2004-09-24
From: Monson ME Nero - Day

To: Monson ME
Miles today: 3.4
Weather: broken clouds

09/24/2004SlimerThere is no joy in having to get out of a warm sleeping bag and wading into cold-ass water. Leaves are turning into wonderful colors.Getting closer to Monson! The thought of food is pushing me like a train. Soon come to a blue blaze shortcut into Monson, I decide to skip the shortcut. 4 miles later I arrive at ME Hwy 15, the road into Monson. Begin hitching, soon picked up by an elder gentleman. A true hipster he is, wearing his sinister looking shades, he tells me about his adventures. He drops me off at the P.O., I like Monson already. It¢s smaller than Denton. Canoes and kayaks on almost every vehicle, also dogs in almost every vehicle, happy dogs I might add.A happy dog, the sound of geese honking, and the squeaking chirp of humming birds, they do bring a smile across my soul.Nasty smelly hikers are everywhere here. They are gearing up for the trip into the 100 mile ¢Green¢. I decide to not stay at the hostel, I go down to the Lake Shore Lodge and get a room. Super nice place, full kitchen, free kayaks to use!!I begin to un-wind, Yep I¢m once again sucked into the vortex of town, settle in¢¦¢¦¢¦.. Piscataquis river ¢ Monson ME ¢ 3.4 miles (Nero day)
Date: 2004-09-25
From: Monson ME Zero - Day

To: Monson ME ÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ Zero day 
Miles today: 0.0

09/25/2004SlimerMy plans were to leave this morning, but I¢m staying today. My last Zero day on the trail. Go get a kayak and paddle all over the lake.Monson ME ¢ Zero day ¢ 0 miles
Date: 2004-09-26
From: Monson ME Nero - Day

To: Little Wilson Falls 
Miles today: 9.9

09/26/2004SlimerGotta get moving, the 100 mile ¢Green¢ awaits, start hitching. Soon a gold Impala roars up beside Me. ¢Hey there sonny boy, get you and your gear in the car¢Who in the hell is this, is my first thought? But then I see T-Bot in the car, the driver is non other than ole man Shaw! He owns a famous hostel in Monson called Shaw¢s Boarding House. This fine fellow is quite a pistol!! A true far north character. I sure wish I could have spent more time with him! He tells it like it is and holds nothing back!!As I write this I can hear his voice, $%^^ S.O.B, this and that and so on, I laugh hard. He soon drops me off at the beginning of the 100 mile wilderness.Pack is heavy, get moving, this pack feels like an anchor!! Get to Little Wilson Falls, decide to make camp at top of falls. Roar of water should make for a good nights sleep, settle in ¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦. Monson ME ¢ Little Wilson Falls - 9.9 miles
Date: 2004-09-27
From: Little Wilson Falls 

To: East Chair back Pond Side Trail 
Miles today: 22.1

09/27/2004SlimerGot up in the middle of the night to pee, had to be careful not to step off the falls! Get moving quickly, I soon find myself walking through a campsite with many tents, I tip-toe right by them. It¢s very early so they are still asleep.Long, long day, am startled to find Rooney asleep on the trail, HA!! He gets up and laughs, we push forward and walk into the night. We make camp by East Chair Back Pond side trail, settle in listening to the moose calling. ¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦Little Wilson Falls ¢ To ¢ East Chair back Pond Side Trail - 22.1 miles