morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-08-18
From: Nauman Tent Site

To: Rough Camp North of Mt Madison
Miles today: 13.8

Another action packed day .First thing found me above the line and up on ¢The Presidentials¢. The view really opened out as I got up and over Mt Pierce and could see along the range with the views of Franklin, Eisenhower and, today¢s big ticket item, Mt Washington.As I made progess north again the early start paid dividends as initially at least all the tops were in view. However, just as I came up to ¢Lakes of the Clouds¢ Hut with less than one and a half miles to go to the top of Washington some cloud rolled in over its summit. This isn¢t all that surprising as it is said that the summit is in cloud 55% of the time and is the home to the world¢s worst weather with winds regularly exceeding 100mph and even getting up over 200mph.Although the cloud was predictable the top was surprisingly calm, at least it was calm weatherwise. Washington, you see, is served by access routes with both a road and a cog railway to the top and, therefore, is also well served with people wandering about aimlessly. It¢s not really for me to judge (though I will) but most of these folks don¢t seem to know why they are up here. They line up for photos at the summit sign, line up to buy mugs in the shop (are that many people really short of mugs?), line up to buy a snack , take videos of the cog railway and then seem to run out of things to line up for. That said I also lined up for snacks as the snack bar was an important part of stretching out my food over the next couple of days.I was sitting with Strappy, Tadpole, Hover, Big Red, Skywalker and Cakalaki when a guy they had spoken to at the hut last night came up and asked if we might like a tour of the observatory that pulls together the weather info up here. It turned out to be a really interesting tour. There wasn¢t that much to see but lots to think about in terms of the data collected, ongoing research projects and the ins and outs of running and staffing this type of installation.The afternoon¢s walk turned out to be quite arduous being virtually all over boulder fields. Progress was slow and at times painful (or at least uncomfortable). The weather was changeable and depending where and when you looked the views were both spectacular, moody and even gloomy. It wasn¢t so much beautiful as such but it was great to be out there feeling a small part of the land around you. I stopped briefly at the next hut before a sudden burst of energy saw me bounding (well that¢s how it felt to me) up Mt Madison. The weather was sunny at the top so once more I stopped to look and read before heading on to find this campsite just below the treeline.
Date: 2003-08-19
From: Rough Camp North of Mt Madison

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Today I experienced more of the beauty of the Whites along with some of the commotion that that attracts.Early this morning I arrived at one of the visitor centres that are located throughout the park. I¢m guessing that I couldn¢t have hit it at a worse time as it was around 9am and all these people were rushing about and waving their hiking poles in every direction despite the busy and cramped confines of the centre. It appears to me that evolution is having us regress back to 4 legs with the poles taking the place of the front two. Apparently they are even necessary in flat carpetted visitor centres!I stayed just long enough to eat something, although things were quietening down as I left and perhaps my rush was a little premature.However, once again I landed on my feet as this gave me more time to sit and take in the fantastic views of Washington (this time looking south) and of the walk I did yesterday skirting Adams and over Madison.Previous views of Washington had me thinking that it was an unspectacular, slightly spoiled, mountain but from here I could plainly see that I had got it wrong (and wrong by quite some way).After stopping near the top of Wildcat ¢D¢ in near perfect solitude I was surprised to bump into more people as I got nearer the actual top. I supposed there must be a road up there but it turned out to be a gondola/chairlift thing as this is a ski area in the winter. I didn¢t grudge these people being here, they were getting nice views but honestly I don¢t think they got close to what I saw by slogging it up the path.Tonight I¢m stayng at one of the huts but unlike the others this one doesn¢t serve food so comes within my budget and has vacancies. As I fixed dinner tonight it was time to share some of the Milky Way Chocolate Spread. I¢d promised the girls some earlier but then got cold feet, hoarding it, as I thought I was running low on food. However, those worries were past now and it was time to share the joy with Skywalker , Llama, Bag and the four girls.
Date: 2003-08-20
From: Carter Notch Hut

To: Rattle River Shelter
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: fog

Glad to get going after another night¢s fitful sleep on a ¢real¢ bed. I don¢t know what it is but give me a matress and a nice fluffy pillow these days and I end up staring at the ceiling until the wee small hours. However, roll out the thermorest and stuff my fleece into my pillow case and it will be 9 hours of uninterupted blissful slumber. I guess it¢s just a case of ¢better the devil you know¢.Today would be more or less my last day in the Whites as correctly, or incorrectly, I think of them as being from Glencliff to Gorham. Although I wouldn¢t be making Gorham until tomorrow I would be stopping only a couple of miles short.The morning was pleasant enough with breakfast by the lake followed by a stop at the top of a blustery and cold Carter Dome to both admire the view and catch up on some journal writing. There was already a general air of after the Lord Mayor¢s Show about it all as I slowly but surely put the Whites behind me.My stop for lunch at Imp Campsite saw me both read some more of my book and break my water filter ¢ getting a replacement part will probably be a hassle so I think I¢ll just drink untreated water from now on. I know it¢s not the most sensible option but then again I don¢t smoke or ride a motorbike so I¢ve got to find something to do for thrills!The afternoon reminded me that although I was near the end of the Whites they weren¢t over yet. The trail took me up Mt. Moriah and about 300 feet from the top I found the perfect rock and perhaps (?) my favourite view of the trip so far. I don¢t know what it was about this view in particular but it just felt right with the mountains above, below and around me and ,by now, the sun was on my back.Eventually I dragged myself away for what was a struggle to the shelter. The terrain was ok but I¢m just shattered. I think, like in Pennsylvania, the cummulative effects have been taking their toll and now as the end is in sight my body has given up the ghost and thrown in the towel as well.Oh well it¢s been worth it.
Date: 2003-08-21
From: Rattle River Shelter

To: Gorham,NH
Miles today: 1.9
Weather: broken clouds

Gorham, New Hampshire has the unusual distinction of being somewhere along the trail that actually means something to me from my past. Almost a year ago I sent a card to the post office here - not actually to the post office you understand but to get collected from the post office. So, despite the tenuous connection it is nice to have been able to folow that card here and to see the place for myself. It is also nice to be here in town as I think I have just set a new record for days without washing - it¢s been 13 sleeps since my last shower and I sure am looking forward to washing away the grime and to relaxing with a beer in the tub. All that would have to wait a few hours longer though as my hotel room wouldn¢t be ready until 1pm. So with nothing else to do I set off in search of breakfast.As the morning wore on and after my shower a new and unexpected plan started to form in my mind. When I arrived in town I had planned to roll out tomorrow but now I was toying with the idea of taking a rest day and in the spirit of the Tour de France (when they have a rest day at the bottom of the Alp d¢Huez but spend it cycling to the top). I was considering taking a day off to lug a great big heavy bag around while I walked for a few miles only this time it would be golf clubs round the local course. However it was not to be as unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, there was a tournament scheduled for the next day as I simply reverted back to Plan A. The afternoon saw mw heading to the library to retrieve an address from my e-mail. The ladies working in the library deserve special mention, both for being most helpful and a good laugh while I waited for my turn at the computer. I browsed the books and found one of various short writings on boxing and spent an enjoyable hour or so reading about the Roberto Duran ¢ Sugar Ray Leonard fights.   I wanted to read some more so asked if it might be possible to borrow it overnight, which for a small deposit it turned out it was.After a pizza and a pint I bought a couple of bottles of beer and headed back to the hotel for that soak in the tub.The hotel turns out to be another stop on the ¢Autograph Hunters Appalachian Trail¢ as a signed photo of George Bush (the first, the elder, not the ¢w¢) hung on the wall in reception.A phonecall to catch up with my mate in California, dinner in the hotel and another couple of boxing stories rounded off a most relaxing day.
Date: 2003-08-22
From: Gorham,NH

To: Trident Col Tentsite
Miles today: 6.9

Well despite my best efforts it looks like it¢s back on the trail today. Even after the golf plans fell through I was still up for a day off but my attempts to stay another day were further frustrated by the fact that the hotel had no rooms left for tonight. Now there was no clap of thunder, no heavenly chorus, no parting of the clouds (in fact no clouds at all) but I was getting the distinct impression that the gods wanted me out on the trail today (and no excuses).I guess I was ok with that but just hoped it wasn¢t Thor, God of Thunder, having a right good laugh and sending me out to get soaked one last (or is that more?) time.All of this, however, left me with quite a busy morning looming ahead of me with grocery shopping, laundry, returning the library book, breakfast, lunch and maybe even writing some more postcards to fit in before hitting the trail.As a result there was to be no rest for the wicked and I was up and on the go at 7am ¢ shower, shave, pack and it was time to check out. (It seems such a waste checking out before 8 when I could be relaxing in relative luxury for a couple of hours more)Now Gorham is a mighty long town and after a 15 minute walk into town for breakfast at Welsh¢s it was another 45 minutes to the grocery store. Towns are pretty far off the trail these days and my eccentric belief in not going too far off the trail has (perhaps foolishly) convinced me to pack 9 days fod adn to try to make it to Stratton ¢ stay tuned to see how that all works out.Next stop was the laundry and despite the temperatures being in the 80s (but feeling more like 105) there I was in my rain pants, fleece as everything else went into the machine. This gave me time to read more of the library book and I quickly got absorbed by an account of Ali ¢ Frazer 1 written by William McIlvanney. I love both McIlvanney¢s writing and reading about Ali so it was an enjoyable time desipte my discomfort of being so hot.Things were going well and I had time for lunch and to write those pesky postcards, between mouthfuls of clam chowder, before heading to the library , just as it opened, to return the book, retrieve my deposit and have a quick chat and say goodbye to the ladies working there.Wow ¢ action packed of what and I still hadn¢t actually walked anywhere. Well I did eventually get going ¢ relieved that all the food actually fitted into my pack - but boy was it heavy. It was a slow 7 trail miles (plus a couple on the road to the trail head). I wouldn¢t say it was fun but I plodded on taking lots of breaks and got here around 7pm.I was glad to find a bear box at the campsite as I doubt whether I could have found a branch strong enough to hang all this food from. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little bit more relaxing.
Date: 2003-08-23
From: Trident Col Tentsite

To: Carlo Col Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

Today I crossed into Maine, my 14th and last State. As I have said before States don¢t mean that much to me but this one does have some significance. You see the databook I use for mileage is split into sections and each one shows both mileage ¢From the Start¢ and ¢To the End¢ of that particular section. Normally ¢to the end¢ doesn¢t much matter but as Maine has a section of its own the ¢to the end¢ of the section mileages are, therefore, to the end of the trail mileages. It¢s beginning to feel like the final countdown and as of the end of today it¢s 280.9 miles to go.From reading other peoples journals last year it seems that by this stage people are really keen to either get it over and done with or to stretch things out a bit. As for myself I don¢t think I fall into either camp. I¢m happy to just do what seems right each day and I¢ll finish (fingers crossed) when I finish. That said I so seem to be slowing down and chosing to do shorter miles more than pushing on.Today was a funny day though. It was either 10 or 15 miles and with my heavy pack and memories of the tough terrain of the Whites still fresh in my mind I had originally settled for the 10. However, things were going well and, at first, I became undecided and then started pushing for the extra miles. Unfortunately at the expense of stopping to fully appreciate the view from Mt Success. By the time I eventually reached the first shelter it was wearing on and touch or go as to whether I should carry on. Experience has told me that discretion is definitely the better part of valour out here so I was fairly happy to call it a day. I¢d botched things a bit as I could have spent my spare time on top on Mt Success rather than here in camp but all in all I don¢t really have anything to complain about.All that was left to do was to have some dinner before talking to Plato and his dad and then heading off to my tent.
Date: 2003-08-24
From: Carlo Col Shelter

To: Speck Pond Campsite
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: clear sky

Boy was it cold this morning.For the first time in a very long time it was decidedly chilly in my tent. I woke at 5am with the wind howling outside and my thermometer reading 43 degrees Farenheit. Inside the tent it felt colder as I rolled up to conserve heat. It was a struggle to eventually get going but I knew I had to face it sometime.The morning¢s walk took me over a couple of exposed hills and across the valley between them. I wore my fleece and my wind jacket for much of the time and although I was warm enough my face took a bit of a pelting from the strong winds and I was glad to find shelter where I could. I had been told that it could get gusty up here and was just glad that we had had it so calm along the ridges in the Whites. I had also been lucky so far as with no gloves or wooly hat I¢m probably inadequately kitted out for the sort of weather that gets dished out up here.That said I never felt in danger of getting blown off my feet or anything, although even leaning into the wind I often found myself getting buffetted to starboard.The afternoon saw me down out of the wind but now with an altogether different challenge. This piece of trail included Mahoosuc Notch (or should that be the ¢Infamous Mahoosuc Notch¢ judging by the amount people have been going on about it of late?). The Notch has a reputation as being possibly the hardest mile on the trail and, along with much of the marketing puff that surrounds the normal these days, I¢d say that was a bit overblown.It certainly took time as picking a path and then heaving yourself through it wasn¢t quick but in the dry conditions I had it certainly wasn¢t difficult. It was just another interesting bit of the trail, maybe a little more interesting than most but in my opinion nothing that warranted even half of the hype.In many ways the hype diminishes it and I wonder why people cannot just be glad of things for what they are.
Date: 2003-08-25
From: Speck Pond Campsite

To: Frye Notch Lean To
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Although I can see the light at the end of the tunnel I realise that it would be a huge mistake to only be focussing on the end at this stage. Southern Maine has too much to offer not to take each day as it comes and I need to ensure I enjoy them as much as possible rather than rushing through and wishing these miles away.The scenery is fairly rugged and remote and there are lots of decent ups and downs stretching out in front of me. People had said Maine would be like the Whites in terms of the challenge but I don¢t think that is fair. For instance, today I was a little concerned about the 2,400 feet descent into Grafton Notch followed by the 2,200 feet ascent of Baldpate Mountain (West Peak) but it turned out to be fairly easy as the trail itself was relatively smooth and well graded (nothing like the steep, rocky trails of the Whites). Baldpate Mountain (East Peak) was somewhat steeper however and, although the exposed granite gives great grip in the dry, I¢m not so sure I¢d fancy it in the wet. My calves are starting to feel all the recent exertions too, feeling stiff and tight as they are forced to drive me up these inclines. That, however, gives me all the more reason to stop and take in the views. Not enough perhaps today as the cold, overcast, windy weather does its best to get me moving again. Oh well you can¢t have it all and I did enjoy the view south from Baldapate East.The short miles and iffy weather had me into camp early though and the food bag now seemed light enough (or not too heavy at least) to hang from a sturdy branch that I had found. The branch certainly did prove sturdy enough as I hauled my grub to heights that even the world¢s tallest bear would scoff at but (and there is always a ¢but¢) my rope unfortunately wasn¢t up to the job.What had gone up came crashing down. A couple of days ago at Guyot I had wrapped the rope round a sign and had noticed in the morning that this had frayed it. Of course why deal with it then when you can put it off (or rather forget about it) until later? Well now my horror was directed to the bag ¢ what damage had been done? Had the Milky Way Spread survived the fall? If it had would there be any whole crackers left to spread it on?It was as if the world held its breath!Tentatively I peered inside and was relieved to discover only 2 burst mandarin oranges in orange gel. This almost felt a blessing as now I got to eat these valuable rations ahead of schedule.
Date: 2003-08-26
From: Frye Notch Lean To

To: Hall Mountain Lean To
Miles today: 10.5

It would appear I have rather quickly fallen out of the routine of getting up at dawn that I so enjoyed through the Whites. The shorter mileages over easier terrain means that there is little to be gained from that course of action so I tend to laze about a bit more in the morning of late.That said I still wake at dawn (around 6am) and am usually up and on the go, fully awake, by 7.30am - a time unimaginable when I was having to drag myself out of bed to go to the office. I¢m left wondering whether this routine is one that I could adopt when I get home and reap the benefits of in years to come, however, on serious reflection I doubt it.Aberdeen, you see, is about 57 degrees north in terms of latitude so while in the summer the dawn chorus would have me up and at ¢em at around 4am I would get to lie in until about 8.30am in the depth of winter. That¢s even without having to factor in the artificial lights from street lamps or the fact that I doubt I¢ll be going to bed so early when I get home.Maybe I could get one of those alarm clocks that mimics dawn by slowly increasing the brightness of the big light. Or maybe I¢ll just go back to pressing the snooze button 4 or 5 times and remembering the good old days in my tent in Southern Maine when real men got up at dawn.
Date: 2003-08-27
From: Hall Mountain Lean To

To: Bemis Mountain Lean To
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: few clouds

Unless you camp in the woods it¢s really difficult to find yourself alone out here. So far while staying at recognised shelters or campsites I have spent only 3 nights on my tod and there was one other night when travelling with Mike that there were only the two of us.Last night I thought it might be a fourth night but shortly after I got into my tent I heard someone else arrive. However, it was a pleasure to wake up this morning and find that that ¢other¢ was Ole Smoky Lonesome who I had last seen at Delaware Water Gap. He was packing up as I woke but we had a chance to chat before he hit the trail.Maine is fairly notorious for having numerous rivers to ford which I¢d always understood to involve getting my feet wet. Well, with that in mind and the fact that the databook specifically identified two fords during today¢s hike I decided to wear my sandals and see what it all about. As it turned out neither involved getting wet at all as there were plenty of rocks to skip across. In the end I felt a bit cheated but I guess there will be worse to come.I got to the shelter tonight feeling a bit tired and immediately got stuck into my food bag. This is my 6th full day out from town (and my last resupply) and although I had been doing well rationing my food tonight was time to gorge a little. I ate all my alloted food plus all my spare and one of tomorrow¢s Milky Ways. It may have been a bit extravagant but I¢m still in decent shape with what I¢ve got left and, for sure, there are lots of people much worse than me out there.The water source is also a bit iffy tonight and it¢s at times like this that you can start to appreciate how rough other people have it and how much we take food and water for granted. I mean even when I think I¢ve got it bad it isn¢t really bad.
Date: 2003-08-28
From: Bemis Mountain Lean To

To: Piazza Rock Lean To
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It was another cold night last night. I don¢t know if it¢s just being up north and that this is normal or if it¢s an unseasonally cold snap. Anyway I¢m far from freezing and the last couple of days haven¢t had much in the way of views that the cold would have stopped me loitering and enjoying.Since Baldpate things have been pretty much in the back woods and I¢ve just been plodding on towards my eventual goal. There were one or two nice views today though, especially across the lakes from near the road but it wasn¢t awe inspiring or anything.One thing I have noticed recently is the amount and variety of things Americans describe as ¢awesome¢. It¢s so ubiquitous that it simply ends up meaning nothing at all. An average view in PA ¢ awesome, a hearty meal ¢ awesome, my being Scottish (an accident of birth) ¢ awesome, a truly spectacular view or walk in the Whites ¢ awesome. It really does appear that at times words (or maybe just some words) are things we use when we have nothing to say.The recent short mileage days have felt a bit too short at times and today I faced a dilemma. I reached my planned camping spot before 3pm but it was just too early to sit around camp so, with no regard to what it meant to the big picture, I decided to carry on another 6 plus miles just because it felt right. It proved to be a good decision. I enjoyed walking in the evening and made easy relaxed miles. I stopped to have dinner by a stream shortly after 5pm and again this felt good. Perhaps I have been going a little too slow of late under the guise of not wanting to rush things but I guess there is no point going slowly if you aren¢t doing things the way you enjoy them most.Doing bigger miles isn¢t rushing things if it allows me to stop, relax and eat away from camp, people and distractions and if it means I¢m spending more time actually out on the trail.