morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-08-15
From: Long Falls Dam Road

To: US201 Caratunk
Miles today: 17.5

Start of week 21The rain that started late yesterday stopped at 3am so hope it will stay dry.Don and Susan thanks for the wonderful set up you have in the hostel.Just as we were leaving Peeps and Mikey offered to slack our gear on to Caratunk as his parents are coming to collect theirs..So one more slack pack this time with "our" packs. So we put our gear in plastic bags and left them behind.Crazy van ride to the trail and the '2000' marker painted in the road again.Nice temp, and the hike felt easy. It was still rocky, rooty and wet. Within an hour we were at the first lean-to where there were still people sleeping.Well it was only 0735.Walked on sunken planks over marshy boggy ground. If I did not know better I would think it was a mosquito ambush..nice lake (or was it a pond) met a family, grandfather and 5 grandchildren, Slip offered the kids M&Ms then decided to give the bag to the youngest kid, you should have seen his face light up.Had a lazy lunch with MD,P,M at Pierce lean-to with fantastic views across the lake.We saw our first leaches in this pond.!!!In no time we were at the Kenebec river where we have to wait for a canoe ride to cross it. We arrived in perfect time to cross they were just returning from lunch.2 at a time we crossed. Trail magic on the other side from a thru hiker from 1995. Mountain Dancer had his car in Caratunk as he has already completed the next section and is skipping ahead to complete his AT. We got a ride with him to Northern outdoors where we all got a cabin. Mikey's parents arrived with our gear, we soaked in the hot tub for a while before dinner. Should have soaked a while longer as dinner took nearly two hours.. When it eventually did arrive we had one under cooked steak and one still frozen chicken.
Date: 2005-08-16
From: US201 Caratunk

To: wildcamp past piscataquis river
Miles today: 25.1

Slept on and off during the night, there was no where to resupply but Peeps had extra food and we all managed to get enough to take us to Monson.MT dancer dropped P,M,CW and B to the trail head then returned to drop us. We said good bye as he was drivibg back to Canada.Misty morning, made good time and moving well even though it was wet. 5 miles in 2 hours to Pleasant Pond mountain. We were at time now walking on sheets of slate, and they were wet. Coming down of the mountain I slipped on a sheet of slate, and came down hard on my right side. I tried to get up before Slip saw but I could not push my self up with my right wrist!Man it was sore..at first when I stood up I thought I was going to faint, and or throw up.. We sat for a while then I had to keep going . It was either 7 miles back the wasy we came or on to Monson tomorrow! I strapped my wrist in to the top straps on my pack that I hardly ever used. So I have found a new use for them and continued on slowly. Slip had my spare pole strapped to his pack as I could not use it..We had to slow down every time we hade big rocks to climb or if it was wet, rocky or rooty (now you may have noticed this is all the time). Forded a few rivers which Slip had to do 3 times. 1st two to go over with his pack then come back for mine, then me.We tried to make it to a shelter but it was getting dark so we stopped 2 miles before. Ate and bed..After hot chocolate I felt a little better or was it all the painkillers..
Date: 2005-08-17
From: Wildcamp past piscataquis river

To: Monson
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: few clouds

Hand swelled during the night. Slow start with only 3 hands between us.Forded another river where we met Christine, hiking this section to Katahdin.Trail magic from Strider 03 thanks it was needed. Stopped by lake Hebron and on to Monson. The last town before Katahdin. Met Hardcore at Shaws, then we got more trail magic two guys were collecting their car from here and they gave us a lift to a Rite aid in Guildford where I got a wrist support. Hope that does the trick.Pizza and Bombay Saphire which we bought to have on Katahdin...The only problem was there was no where I could get any vegan bars, so I would have to buy 3-4 jars of peanut butter to snack on to the finish. Not something I was looking forward to as I was fed up with it. Just then more trail magic, Christine had posted 15 cliff bars to her self but really did not like them so gave them to me. Thanks Christine please send me your email so I can thank you..There was a fab dog "DOZER" an american pit bull. What a wonderful nature he has.Still not sure what to do about wrist it is not just bruised, I can tell that much.hope it gets better during the night
Date: 2005-08-18
From: Monson

To: Me15 monson
Miles today: 3.3

Decided to hike the 3.3 miles between roads in monson just after breakfast. Met Tri-guy, Bluey and Mellow, all heading into Monson. Had a long lunch over a few beers and lazed hoping the extra day will help. No service here so could not make any calls. Slip went to a BBQ diner while I snoozed. Full moon, warm night.
Date: 2005-08-19
From: Me15 monson

To: Cloud Pond lean-to
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Into the wilderness, dropped of at the trail head and what is called the 100 mile wilderness. Cool morning, slow crossing streams, rivers, logs across rivers...tricky with only one good arm. At the first shelter there was a note from Peeps. Boots off to ford rivers together now. Its a little quicker. Another garter snake.At the next lean-to we had less than 100 miles to go. Bed early as we hope to get up early and see a moose..
Date: 2005-08-20
From: cloud pond lean-to

To: Carl A Newhall lean-to
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Rained during the night, up and hiking at 0630. Think they will all be early starts from now on.On Chairback mountain we had a view if Katahdin, this made up for the long hard day. Saw a few huge toads and one that was so big and fat it kept flipping over. The red squirrels are very amusing they run up a tree and chat to you as you pass by. It started to rain so when we got to the Carl A. Newhall shelter we decided to stay..It was only 5pm but we decided to sleep dry.Mellow arrived just as it was dark, we had an intresting group in the shelter.
Date: 2005-08-22
From: Antlers Campsite

To: White House Landing
Miles today: 5.9

Start of week 22 and unless I do something stupid, our last week. 51.8 miles to go.Loons were calling on the lake during the night, and I got up to use the loo around midnight and stayed looking out over the lake for 40 minutes as the moonlight on it was beautiful.Another early start, not sure where we are going to get to today, it may be a wild camp between shelters. The sun rise was out of this world, and a very good reason to get upearly. A mile or so on we had this amazing view of Kathadin.IT's HUGE...After that we quickly got to White house landing, we needed more food which we could get at a campstore just before Kathadin but they don't take credit cards..There is a horn to press to get a boad ride across the lake. We were on the other side before 0920.Lunch was at 1100 so we decided to have lunch and get some food to go..Luna, Stephen & dozer arrived (dozer was out of food). There was a MOOSE (number 6) standing close to them across the lake, we were watching to see when they would notice it. We were trying to get weather reports for Wednesday and Thursday.By this time PEEPS and her husband (new trail name) MUDSLINGER should be standing on Kathadin.. congtatulations and safe journey home.During lunch the skies turned purple and we knew we were in for a storm, so we decided to stay in the hostel as Thursday now looked better than Wednesday.Mellow arrived very wet as did Water and Wave they were out of food and walked all day to get here with a short stop to view Kathadin.Relaxed on the hammock, last day we will have like this till...Did I mention I had 2 vegan burgers at lunch (slip had a one lb burger) and nearly a whole pizza for dinner (ziplocked a few slices for lunch tomorrow..
Date: 2005-08-23
From: White House Landing

To: Hurd Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 27.3
Weather: broken clouds

Up at 0330, to spend a penny, and again I stood looking out over the lake and moon (as the skies had cleared) this time for an hour. Neither of us slept . We are getting too excited about our last few days..And dreaming of comfortable beds, cold drinks when you want and no more dried food.Left on the boat and we were hiking at 0920. Said good bye to Water and Wave, we are planning a bigger day than they are.What a beautiful day, anyone summiting today will have great views..this time last week, this was our intended summit day..Think we can make it to the last shelter as the terrain is reasonable. Its still rocky, rooty and muddy after the rain yesterday but we can still move. We hiked around a lake and kept up with a guy in a canoe on the lake.Lunch at cresent pond, the weather is still holding out, still getting a signal and now wed looks better than thursday..!!!At this stage what ever will be will be.Met some SOBOs they started friday!!! and are heading south.!!Met up with Luna, Stephen and Dozer on Rainbow ledges where we had an incredible view of Kathadin..It looks massive, NO, IT IS Massive. It stands on its own and jumps over 4000 feet into the air..Got to the shelter at 1925 (just over 10 hours and 27.3 miles)Signed the register in this the last shelter, that felt weird, and quess what we had baseball bats to sleep on as a treat!
Date: 2005-08-24
From: Hurd Brook Lean-to

To: Katahdin Stream Campsite
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: light rain

Happy birthday KILLIAN...........None of us slept, too excited or maybe it was the baseball bat floor in the shelter.All of us were up at 0515 and left just after 6.Crossed the bridge just before Baxter state park where you usually have a great view of "K" but not today, glad we are not climbing today.At the store we Could use our credit cards so we went mad, or as mad as you can with the limited food there was there.The owner was having a Bad day,that all I will say about that..Left Luna, Stephen and Dozer (no dogs in the park so Dozer has finished his trail) we will see them later.Into Baxter state park, we can not believe it. Baxter Park..We are on the last page of our trail book....Nice trail, met a group and the former president of the MATC.got to the campsite at the base of Kathadin and met Hardcore and her boyfriend mike (he thru-hiked a few years ago).We chilled for the remainder of the day, Luna and Stephen arrived (minus Dozer) so there will be at least 5 thru hikers summiting tomorrow.. Strange the day felt like it went on and on.A reporter came and chatted to us about our hike, she went up "K" with her photographer and MASA today..CONGRATULATIONS MASA.We had hope to see him after he got down by we missed him.We checked in as nubmers 145 and 146 to thru-hike springer to kathadin this year, so we have lost/passed a few since the half way mark when we were 228 & 229. We got to stay at the campsite in lean-to number 8 with Luna and Stephen, it was cosey..Tried to sleep but found it hard.
Date: 2005-08-26
To: NEW YORK
Miles today: 0.0

Got back to New York, via Taxi to Medway, then bus to Bangor, where 3cats called, then Bus to Boston and New York. Straight into Manhattan...and the madness of the real world. Or did we leave that behind. Martin and Oisin collected us and we returned to their house, where Trish and my Parents (flew over fron Ireland to surprised us) were waiting to celebrate.Our legs were sore after sitting all day...
Date: 2005-09-22
To: LAX
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

After a few days in Boston we made it to the Airport to check in for our flights to SYDNEY.. First it was off to LAX to arrive and take off again before midnight, we would then skip Friday or most of it to arrive Down under on Sat morning. The weather has been great in the 90s before we left hope it stays that way in Australia..Managed to get a few emails to all those we are missing and have met in the last few months..see ya'll down under
Date: 2005-12-31
To: SYDNEY
Miles today: 0.0

this is just to wish all those on the trail (and those planning a trail) a very happy new year..We are jealous of all those that are thinking of another one or even the AT again next year..We have come full circle and are now back in Sydney Australia.. (26750km) We really miss the trail, so are hoping to get a bit closed to nature in New Zealand..Hope to see you all some day, Happy trails.GG & Slip
Date: 2005-06-24
To: Reflecting on two years ago
Miles today: 0.0

I am thoroughly enjoying reading the journals of others. I'm plotting the tracks of various other hikers to see which ones I encounter on my Dalton MA to NH White Mountains section hike in July and August.Two years ago my son Mark and I did a section hike from Baxter south. That was the year of maximum rain throughout the hiking season, and though it was August we had that same rain every day. Things got crazy for us when we ran into a woman held hostage by a wacko at Nahmakanta Lake beach, the same pair a number of us hikers had encountered at Rainbow Stream Leanto. (The guy went after two other hikers at the beach at the south end of Nahmakanta Lake with a tent peg; they showed up at White House Landing with a story to tell, too.) He pulled a knife on us when she asked for help. We made it out to White House Landing the next day and contacted the Rangers who managed to catch up with the pair. That unfortunately loused up the timing on an already too tightly scheduled hike, forcing us to abort early.My training continues, and I'm now down ten pounds. Four weeks and counting. I'm going to be taking advantage of the shuttle services provided by D-Train in Brattleboro, VT, dropping my car there and having her take me to Dalton to begin and pick me up a month later at Glencliff NH.I look forward to hearing from various friends and family members who live here in Sarnia ON once the trip gets going. God's best for you all!
Date: 2005-07-22
To: Delayed start
Miles today: 0.0

Due to four inches of rain in two hours Saturday, and the sewer water that made its way into our basement, the start of my hike has been delayed by three days. So on Monday D-Train's able assistant Ro will shuttle me from Brattleboro VT where my car will be stored to Dalton MA for the being of the northbound (nobo) hike. Not a good start to the month. But maybe all this heat and humidity will have broken by then!
Date: 2005-07-24
To: Ready at last!
Miles today: 0.0

Made the drive from Sarnia to Brattleboro VT today. Piece of cake. I'm staying at a Super 8 motel overnight. In the morning I drop the Mazda at D-Train's house where it will stay the next month. Her friend Ro is then going to drive me to Dalton MA for the beginning of the hike north.All the planning now comes into play. What have I forgotten??? I'll soon know.Next journaling will be when I arrive in Manchester Center VT 80 miles up the trail. See you then!
Date: 2005-07-25
From: Dalton MA

To: Mark Noepal Shelter
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: light rain

I was dropped off by Ro in the gorgeous little town of Dalton MA at 11 a.m. and promptly headed north on the trail. Rather warmer than I would prefer by a long shot. Someone had left a cooler of cold beverages along the trail, an act of kindness referred to as "trail magic" by the hikers, so I enjoyed a Dr Pepper. I spent the evening in the Mark Noepal Shelter at 2700' with two hikers, Mutombo and Jake. One headed north and one south. I also got to share the shelter with a couple of mice who checked out our stuff all night long looking for goodies. That's why the food bags get hung from the rafters in the shelter. Off for Mt Greylock tomorrow!
Date: 2005-07-26
From: Mark Noepal Shelter

To: North Adams MI
Miles today: 8.9

It was 3.3 miles from the shelter to the top of Mt Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts, and a place with gorgeous views and delightfully cool air. I rested there for 30 minutes before beginning the decent. Unfortunately, I missed the turn in the trail, and ended up on a steep descent called Thunderbolt Trail (aptly named, I might add). By the time I realized I was no longer on the AT, there was no way on earth I was going back up all that way climbing by foot and hand. It was straight down for two hours, putting unusual pressures on my feet since I had to go sideways much of the time to keep from falling. I finally came out at a road and had a very long hike into North Adams along highways in the high heat and humidity. Between the blisters and all the energy sapped out of my by that hike under those conditions, I've decided to take a zero day tomorrow in North Adams and do some recovering. That's earlier in my journey than I had planned for a zero day, but what with the thunderstorms predicted this afternoon it may be very wise. And the shower felt fabulous!!! I'm sure that everyone else in the motel was glad I took one.Keep reading those chapters!
Date: 2005-07-27
From: North Adams MI

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

Hot as blazes, and boy am I glad I'm not hiking in it. I'm writing these journal entries from the public library in North Adams. Nice place. And it's free. After the cool front passes through with the rain this afternoon and evening, it'll be much nicer in the morning to continue the hike.Next stop, Manchester Center VT in about five days!
Date: 2005-07-28
From: North Adams MI

To: Consultation Peak camping spot
Miles today: 11.1

After taking a taxi from the motel to the trailhead ($3.50 well worth not walking the 2+ miles!), I was on my way by 7:45 a.m. headed north. It was a great day to hike temperature-wise after the cool front with all those thunderstorms the day before. But there was (and usually never is) any breeze in the woods, so it was still warm work. I drank my usual 4-5 litres of water.The Massachusetts-Vermont border which I reached after a couple of hours is the southern terminus of the Long Trail, a trail that goes from that point on the southern border of Vermont to the northern border of Vermont where Quebec contacts it. A lot of the hikers we see are Long Trail hikers, referred to as LT hikers as opposed to us AT hikers, though the two trails share the same route for a hundred miles.Something totally freaky happened at that MA-VT border spot. On arrival, there was a single man there named Midnight who is hiking south Maine to Georgia. In a few minutes, a couple came up behind me from the south. All five of us helped each other take photos of this spot with us in them. And I was about to leave when yet another couple came up from the south. I about flipped. It was Redwing and Hopeful.Let me clue you in on Redwing and Hopeful. About three months ago Jenny told me that a friend of hers had a cousin who was hiking the AT, and they were keeping a blog on Trail Journals. I had never heard of it before. So I looked them up at trailjournals.com/redwing and started following their journey. They are a couple from a church in Traverse City MI who are involved in ministry along the trail. The church supports them financially, prayerfully, and occasionally in even more practical ways (you'll see in a couple of days.) I knew them from their trail names and their picture on trail journals. They're the reason this blog of mine exists! Can you imagine my shock when they showed up at this one spot out of all 2100 miles of the AT??Any rate, they're in great trail shape and I'm the rookie, so they soon passed me and zoomed far ahead.I saw two beaver in a gorgeous pond. Lots of good water from streams and springs, though I treat it all with iodine to be sure. Camped all alone on top of Consultation Peak, under a tarp, and wearing the bug shirt the Sauves loaned to me. It works great!
Date: 2005-07-29
From: Consultation Peak camping spot

To: Little Pond Mountain lookout
Miles today: 13.0

I got a great night of sleep and rolled out of the bag to a chilly morning. Breakfast was granola with powdered milk, a combination that works fine. Underway at 7:30 a.m. It takes one hour for me to eat breakfast and pack up everything in my bag and get started.After several miles and a very rough descent to Vermont Highway 9, there were Redwing and Hopeful with three friends from Michigan. Turns out the couple are their Growth Group (read: Cell Group) leaders and their 10-year old daughter. They had come to help create some "trail magic". Trail magic is an act of kindness for hikers, such as setting out a cooler of beverages or treats. So I enjoyed a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and a bottle of Gatorade from their cooler. And I learned that they were planning to bring pizza to a particular shelter 20 miles on up the way for supper the next night (!!)I met tons of hikers south of VT 9, and not a soul north of the highway. I camped alone on top of another mountain in a lovely spot. Still pleasantly cool and dry, though I sweat buckets from the hard climbs with the 40 pounds on the back.One of the neat things about hiking is to have lots of time to think and pray. I have prayed over my family big time, and have been reviewing my memory verses as I go. Hiking adds insight to David's comment "Your word is a light to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105).
Date: 2005-07-30
From: Little Pond Mountain lookout

To: Story Spring Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Underway a little earlier today. I passed two beautiful shelters with great views, one of which was packed with hikers last night. On top of Glastenbury Mountain is a firetower built in 1927, so I climbed the 63 steps to the top and had the grandest view of the world. To the south was Mt Greylock, the scene of my wrong turn disaster, and to the north was Mt Stratton, the highest peak in southern Vermont and along my path tomorrow.There were nine of us at the shelter, and I told everyone that supper was being brought in, but I think everyone thought I was crazy. But long about 5:30, in trooped Redwing, Hopeful, and their 3 friends. They had come from the nearest road crossing of the trail, about 1 1/2 miles away. They had five large pizzas, bottles of pop, dried cherries, chips, apples, grapes, tons of brownies made in Michigan and brought along, a newspaper from that day, and even a table cloth and napkins! Everyone was stunned. We had prayer first which was an interesting experience for the Israeli named Avi who was in the camp that night. And Redwing and Hopeful shared about their ministry and desire to be a blessing in God's name with these treats. What a grand meal! And I ate like a pig!I set up my tarp near the shelter as did six others (only two slept in the shelter itself), and had an excellent night's sleep. One of the campers is a woman doing a solo hike Georgia to Maine, and it's her second time to do it. So ladies, see! you can do it!
Date: 2005-07-31
From: Story Spring Shelter

To: William Douglas Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Woohoo! A new record distance! I was up at 5:45 a.m. and gone an hour later with only one young fellow just out of high school (Sandals) awake at the time I left. I knew I had a long ways to go and wanted an early start, because I didn't know how difficult I would find Mt Stratton.It was cloudy and showered on me twice on the way up the mountain, each time for ten or fifteen minutes. At about 3100 feet I ascended into clouds which would remain the case until reaching a similar altitude on the other side. On top of the mountain at 3934 feet, there's a firetower and a caretaker. She was very chatty and acted as if she hadn't had anyone to talk to in ages. Any rate, there was no point in climbing the tower because there was nothing to see! A big bummer!!The shelter is beautiful, having been reconstructed last year. A delightful spring and a new privy. What more could you want? Well, a hot shower would be nice...A couple from Toronto joined me, calling themselves Slow and Steady. They're doing the LT this summer. She's a grade five teacher in a private school, and he's in law school. They were a delight, and we had the shelter to ourselves.