morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-08-02
From: West Carry Pond Lean-to

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: broken clouds

The terrain today was very pleasant-- flat, mostly, and fairly smooth, so that for the first time in a long time I was able to do well over 2 miles an hour for most of the day.Midway through the morning I saw my first moose of the trip! Well, actually I heard it first; the sound of something large moving through the woods to my right. I looked but couldn't see anything, so I backed up a few steps and sure enough, there was a moose-- a large bull moose, with a very impressive set of antlers, about a hundred feet away in the trees. So, naturally, I did what any sane hiker would do-- I pulled out my camera and moved closer to try and get a picture.Unfortunately, as soon as I began moving toward it, it ran off. It's amazing, actually, how fast a 1400-pound moose can move.Fourteen or so miles into the day was the Kennebec River, which has the distinction of being the most dangerous, widest unbridged water crossing on the Maine section of the A.T. (Or the entire thing, for that matter.) You see, the Maine A.T. Club doesn't build bridges at all, really-- if there are any deep streams or brooks that the trail crosses, then hikers have to ford them.So far, we've been lucky. Every stream we've encountered we've been able to get across by carefully making our way across rocks partially submerged in the stream. The Kennebec, however, would actually have to be forded-- and to make matters worse, there's a hydroelectric dam downstream that releases water on an unpredictable schedule, so that at any time the river level may rise between two and four feet!After a section hiker drowned here in 1985, the ATC set up a ferry service-- basically, for a few hours a day, a guy in a canoe will be available to take you across the stream safely.In the afternoon, the ferry service is available from 2 to 4, which means I have to do fourteen miles by 4-- generally not a problem, and definitely not a problem on this terrain. I reach the Kennebec River about 2:15, despite having taken an hour-long lunch break at the last shelter.The ferry is run by Rivers and Trails, a little business in the nearby town of Caratunk that runs river trips, but also has a store and a hiker hostel. I was going to walk there, but when we reached the other side of the river, a fellow named Jimmy Two Dogs (so named because he has two large dogs, Buddy and Junior, that go virtually everywhere with him) came down to talk to the ferryman, and then offered to give me a ride up to the store. Jimmy is a friend of the owner, Steve, and he's staying there for the summer.So Jimmy gives me a ride up to the store, and later a ride to a place that makes a decent hamburger. My original plan had been to spend the night at the hostel, but I hear that Skyline, Sundance and Condor are all at the next shelter, so I get a ride back to the trail to try and catch up.Sure enough, when I get there, Skyline, Sundance and Condor, in addition to Singe and Spam, are there. Great to see them again, particularly Condor, who up until now I hadn't seen in about 200 miles.
Date: 2004-08-03
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-to

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: scattered clouds

The options today were to do either 13 or 22 miles, so we went with the 13. This gave us an excuse to sleep late, but for me, anyway, this turned to be impossible when the red squirrels started chattering at each other slightly before five in the morning. Nevertheless, I stayed in my bag until after 7 in a mostly-futile attempt to get more sleep.Except for a decent climb right at the beginning of the day, it was mostly easy walking again. We stopped to have lunch at a rocky outcropping overlooking a large pond (in Maine, what they call "ponds" can actually be miles wide, and "lakes" are often large enough to qualify as inland seas).We reached the first shelter about 9 miles into the day, in the early afternoon, and just as it was starting to rain. (Excellent timing, if I do say so myself).So we sit to wait out the rain. Thunder comes and goes, and by the end of the storm we have sat in the shelter for almost three hours. It wasn't really a bad thing, though. For one thing, we were all feeling pretty lazy, anyway. For another, since it was a short day, we didn't really need to hurry up and keep moving. For a third thing, there was excellent reading material in the shelter-- a few novels, a backpacking book, and a book about the world's major mountains, so we had plenty to read. But, last and most importantly, is that a couple hours into the storm, Hoplite and Packrat showed up! Very good to see them again; it's the first time I've seen them since Dalton, Massachusetts, almost five hundred miles ago. They are accompanied by two thru-hikers I haven't met, Chapo and Reider, who are from England (specifically, Cambridge) and who started their hike in the beginning of April.So anyway, a little after 5, the rain finally stops and we make our way to the next shelter, four miles away. On the way, we go over a mountain called Moxie Bald-- it's not above treeline, but a fire has left large sections of the top bald. On top, we get an extremely impressive view-- it's not that the mountain is high, or that we can see really far (though we can see a pretty good distance), but the way the Sun's light is hitting the clouds in front of us, and then the storm clouds behind us, and with the lakes and mountains all around us, it's just a very impressive, moving view, and even though it's getting late, Skyline, Sundance, Condor, Hoplite, and I spend a good fifteen minutes basking in the evening Sun.Finally, we head down to the shelter. The tentsites aren't very good, but the shelter is near a pond, which means the bugs will probably be bad, and after a great struggle, I find a half-decent tentsite. Looking forward to Monson tomorrow.
Date: 2004-08-04
From: Moxie Bald Lean-to

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: broken clouds

I am woken early again by the red squirrels, as well as the calls of loons from the pond. With the racket, it's hard to sleep, but I don't mind too much, since I wanted to get an early start for Monson anyway. Monson is the last trail town of this trip, so it's quite a milestone. On top of that, I plan to take a zero day there and recharge a little before diving into the hundred-mile wilderness.The walking is fairly uneventful, except that in the morning we have our first actual river fording of the trip. So far, we've managed to rock-hop across every stream (or in the case of the Kennebec, take a canoe across), but today for the first time I have to actually take my shoes off and wade across. It's about knee-deep, and the rocks are very slippery, but by going slowly and relying heavily on my trekking poles I make my way across. It's kind of refreshing to get in the water, actually-- the water is cold, and the day is hot, and so upon reaching the opposite bank, I feel much better (much cooler) than before.There are actually two river fordings today, and other than a few patches of mud and rocks, they are the only things that slow us down on our way to Monson.A little after 4, I reach the road crossing with Skyline and Sundance, and after just a few minutes of hitching a lady pulls up and gives us a ride into town. I'm staying at Shaw's Lodging, which is supposedly the best place to stay here-- not that there are a lot of options.
Date: 2004-08-05
From: Monson, ME

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

After a hearty (if somewhat early-- I don't like waking up at 6:30 on my day off) breakfast at Shaw's, I spend most of the morning running errands-- the post office, the library, the grocery store, a nearby convienence store with a pay phone. Not only do I need to get ready for the hundred-mile wilderness, I also have to make sure I know what I'm gonna be doing after my hike, and how I'm getting home.My current plan is to take a bus to Massachusetts, where I'll hang out with friends for a few days, then fly home. But now, there are pressing concerns-- like going back to Shaw's and taking a nap.One interesting phenomenon is how, when you get into the extreme rural North, it becomes like the rural South again. We had dinner at a barbeque joint, and in town I saw two Confederate battle flags flying from houses. It's very weird-- like being back in Georgia again!When I get back to Shaw's, I sort my gear out and then turn in by 9-- possibly the earliest I've ever gone to bed while I've been in town. Usually I stay up way too late in towns, but not tonight. I'm bushed.
Date: 2004-08-06
From: Monson, ME

To: Cloudland Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 19.1

The breakfast wake-up call was even earlier today-- 6 am sharp. It was early enough that even though we took our time packing up and leaving, we were still back on the trail earlier than I usually start walking.So here we are in the hundred-mile wilderness-- though really, it's not much of a wilderness. Logging roads criss-cross the area (it has been noted several times that the entire state of Maine is basically a giant logging operation), and we also cross the Canadian Pacific Railroad.The walking is pretty easy, but gets rockier as the day goes on. There's also a stream to ford, and the day culminates in a climb up Barren Mountain (which is, oddly, not barren at all), and a couple ledges from which we get outstanding, 180-degree views. We can't see Katahdin yet, but in a couple of days we will.I don't get to the shelter until after 7, and Hoplite, Packrat, Reider and Chapo are already there. Took 12 hours to get here-- I'll definitely sleep well tonight.
Date: 2004-08-07
From: Cloudland Pond Lean-to

To: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: light rain

The first mistake I made this morning was not starting off until about quarter after 8. Silly me, I figured, "Only 17 miles? I can take an easy morning!"The terrain is rocky, with plenty of ups and downs. The downs in particular are bad, with plenty of sheer rock faces to be negotiated. At least the views are decent, but it takes me almost four and a half hours to do the first seven miles to the next shelter. Good timing, though-- it starts to rain just as I reach the shelter, then later, after I've had lunch and I put on my raincoat to leave, it stops. (It was the raincoat that did it, I think.)I make much better time in the afternoon, despite a harrowing descent down Chairback Mountain that is vaguely reminiscent of Mahoosuc Notch and its boulder scrambling. There is an area around Gulf Hagas that is beautiful walking, and is, amazingly, saturated with dayhikers. Again, proof that the hundred mile wilderness is anything but... I think the road and parking lot is less than a quarter-mile away. The dayhikers have all come to do a five-mile trail called The Gulf Hagas Trail, which apparently has some spectacular valleys and waterfalls on it. Maybe I'll come back and do it another time. For now, though, I just want to reach the shelter, which I finally do about 6:30. It's me, Skyline, Sundance, a southbounder, and a section hiker in the shelter tonight. Hoplite, Packrat, Chapo and Reider have moved on.
Date: 2004-08-08
From: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: light rain

Woke up this morning to pouring rain. I had wanted to get an early start for today's 19 miles, but instead I stayed in my sleeping bag for as long as possible. Finally, the rain began to let up and we were walking by quarter 'til 9.There were quite a few peaks in the first seven miles of hiking today, including Whitecap, which at 3650 feet is the tallest point in the hundred-mile wilderness. You're supposed to actually be able to see Katahdin from here Whitecap, but the clouds have not yet parted and so the view is pretty limited.After seven miles, we stop for lunch, and after that, the miles fly by. There are no more mountains to speak of today, and the walking becomes flat with only the occasional patch of roots or mud to slow things down. An afternoon thunderstorm does threaten later, but it passes after only a few minutes of rain, and the evening is beautiful.I reach the shelter about 7, and since it's at a low elevation and the area is wet there will almost certainly be bugs tonight, so I pitch my tent.Big mistake. An hour later, a thundershower moves through the area that drenches us in a downpour, and for the first time in this whole five-month hike my tent is sitting in a puddle. I had noticed that the site was liable to pool when I pitched my tent, but it didn't look too bad and I figured the rain was over-- oops. Luckily, my stuff was still in my pack, which is dry, so I leave my tent where it is and move into the shelter for the night.
Date: 2004-08-10
From: White House Landing

To: Rainbow Springs Campsite
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: broken clouds

It was a long day today, made more difficult by the late start that we got leaving White House Landing. Not that I'm complaining, really-- the reason for the late start was that we were served a huge, delicious breakfast. Eggs, bacon, english muffins, home fries, pancakes, fruit... I ate a ton, and it was great.So between the breakfast and the post-breakfast conversation, it was 9:30 by the time we were back on the A.T. The walking was fairly easy, though, which was nice, otherwise a 20-mile day off a late start would have been an impossibility.Today, for the first time, our conversation turned to the end of the hike, and what it's meant to us, and how we're going to deal with the paradigm shift as we phase back into "reality". Five months ago, I left that reality to dwell in a world that, at the time, seemed unreal-- the Appalachian Trail. Now, the trail has become my reality, and I am again going to have to completely alter my reality. Even contemplating it seems weird.I dunno-- so many thoughts swirling through my head now, as we come so close to the end of the hike.But it's not over yet-- there are still things to do and see. Like this evening, I saw my first moose in the hundred-mile wilderness (and my second of the trip)! This one was a female moose which I heard splashing in a pond very close to me. But by the time I found an opening in the brush to be able to see it, it had waded to the far side of the pond. I got a picture, but I don't think it's going to come out well.
Date: 2004-08-11
From: Rainbow Springs Campsite

To: The Birches Campsite
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: light rain

Well, after a long day, we're here. The Birches Campsite in Baxter State Park, a mere five miles short of our final goal on top of Mount Katahdin.I suppose I should have something grandly epic or poetic to say now, but really, I'm just tired. It's been a long day. I was woken up at 5:30 this morning by a thunderstorm that, as it reach its peak, sounded like the world was about to end. I listened to the rain pour down and hoped my tent wouldn't wash out, and luckily, it didn't.So, having been so abruptly awakened, I went ahead and packed up once the storm let up. A relatively easy cruise for eleven miles to Abol Bridge, which is a little camphround that sits right on the edge of Baxter State Park. There's supposedly a great view of Katahdin from here, but we couldn't see it-- too many clouds today. So we had lunch at the campstore (tiny little sandwiches at $3.99 a piece), and moved on.Baxter State Park itself is quite pretty-- lots of rivers, fast-flowing creeks and lakes. There were several pretty waterfalls and lakes, but no moose, unfortunately, and no views of Katahdin (darn clouds). The trail was easy, but our energy level was low, and so it was getting late when we finally reached the campground. One last bit of trail magic: cokes in Katahdin Stream. (Okay, so we were going to leave them alone-- we didn't know if they were actually for thru-hikers or not. But then the ranger said they weren't allowed to be there. He was going to remove them, but we offered to remove them for him, and he agreed.)Last night on the A.T. tonight-- hard to believe.
Date: 2004-01-01
To: Part 1 of 3 intro entries
Miles today: 0.0

I once read that everyone who attempts a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail is in some sort of transition in his or her life. In my case, I recently finished a graduate degree in business administration and, ¢thanks¢ to the consolidation in the banking industry; my job was eliminated this year. Fortunately, that is good news for me.I saw the possibility of spending time hiking the Appalachian Trail during June 2003, when I became aware that I might be unemployed in the first quarter of 2004. Before graduate school was over, I knew that I would desperately need to take an extended break from books, computer monitors, studying, corporate America, office politics, and general cubicle life. A two-week trip to Hawaii would not have sufficed. I knew that I would need several months to recharge myself and I hope that attempting this hike will be just what I need.Some people say that it has always been their dream to hike the Appalachian Trail. I cannot say that it is my dream to hike the Appalachian Trail since I have never before thought seriously about the feasibility of spending six months backpacking. However, I am combining my love for hiking, the outdoors, and an opportunity to spend months away from employment by starting the Trail on or about March 15, 2004. My interest in hiking developed from summer vacations driving with my relatives from Florida to the mountains in North Carolina when I was a teenager. I enjoyed the experience, yet felt disappointed when we, as day-hikers, had to turn around and go back to the trailhead, yet the backpackers on the trail could continue farther on. Once I moved to Washington State many years later, I was determined that I would get involved in backpacking. I want to thank my friends in The Backpacking Club in Spokane, Washington, for their instruction and camaraderie during the years that I was involved in their activities.
Date: 2004-01-02
To: Part 2 of 3 intro entries
Miles today: 0.0

I have delayed posting an initial entry to this website until recently for fear that I would not be able to commit to this trip. There were (and still are) many financial and logistical issues that needed to be resolved before I felt certain that I could take the plunge and start this endeavor. It is exciting and stressful at the same time. All sorts of thoughts and feelings surfaced as I contemplated this hike.Some of my thoughts revolve around the feelings that I should just forget about spending six months on the Trail, get another job, and get on with my life. However, I also do not want to pass up this opportunity and possibly regret it later. I also have other fears and worries about this trip.My first concern is about my knees and the pain that I experienced from a running injury a few years ago. With some physical therapy, I feel a little more confident that I can hike without too much pain. I also wonder about whether or not I have the willpower to complete this trip if my knees do hold up. I understand that in Virginia, hiking may become so monotonous that it requires a lot of mental perseverance. Aside from those two concerns I suppose that Lyme disease from ticks, exposure to thunder storms above the tree line, and hyper/hypothermia round out the top five threats that I perceive now, although I am cognizant of many other hazards as well. Perhaps in my final journal entry, I will reassess the perceived fears I have now with what they actually turned out to be. Fortunately, though, I am looking forward to many great things. What is important to me is what I am looking forward to while on the Trail. In general, I am excited about the adventure, the challenge, and a bit of escape from all sorts of things like meaningless jobs and a population of people who plan their daily lives by what¢s going to be on television tonight. I can¢t wait to visit the small trail towns, hike into New England during the fall, and watch the terrain and seasons change. I am looking forward to meeting the people and the social aspect of the trail. I hear that it is a 2,000-mile cultural experience. I love the idea that this will be a tangible goal and will be quite an achievement for me if I complete it. I enjoy having a sense of accomplishment.
Date: 2004-01-03
To: Part 3 of 3 intro entries
Miles today: 0.0

I am really a private person who does not like to attract much attention to himself, so posting entries about my hike seems a little awkward, and I am not completely comfortable with it. However, with that said, I will try to keep this journal as up-to-date as I can. My purpose of writing this journal is to let my friends, relatives, and acquaintances know what I am up to and how to keep in touch with me. In addition, I hope to highlight some details about the trail conditions that will be useful to future thru-hikers. At this time, I do not plan to take a PocketMail e-mail device, but rather a water-resistant paper journal. I hope that I will find time to transcribe what I have written into TrailJournals.com whenever I can find Internet access along the trail at either a hostel or local library. If this task becomes too much of a burden, I will concentrate on my hiking, keep a personal journal, and fill in the details on this website at some other time.As for pictures, I plan to purchase a digital camera that accepts ¢AA¢ batteries since I will have no way to charge a proprietary battery. I hope that I can upload them to this web site in some fashion while on the trail. There are plenty of pictures of trees, creeks, and mountains on this web site, so I plan to take mostly pictures of people so that readers can get a sense of what trail life is like. Unfortunately, I am not a stellar photographer, so I cannot promise that my photos will tell a story. It should be a fun experiment anyway.While I believe that I have planned this trip well and have the determination and physical ability to begin this event, I will go as far ¢my knees¢ and I can go. If I do not reach Mt. Katahdin, Maine, for whatever reason, at least I made the effort and I will try not to get disappointed with myself. What I am doing now, in preparation, is working on an itinerary so that I can assess my progress as the days go by. I realize that it will be difficult to follow exactly, but it should give me a reasonable benchmark for my progress. I am also working on assessing the best places for mail drops, breaking in my second pair of boots, and spending plenty of time at the gym. In addition, I am going through my gear, deciding what to take, and exchanging some of my older, heavier equipment for something newer and lighter. My detailed ¢to do¢ list includes things like filing my taxes, prepaying some bills, moving out of my apartment, storing my belongings, and so forth.
Date: 2004-03-16
From: Springer Mountain Shelter, GA

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter, GA
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: light rain

Well, I'm afraid that I deleted a good portion of my 15TH entry.Last night's peaceful rest was interupted by a wind and rain storm. What was a pleasant drizzle turned into howling winds and rain. You could hear the wind swirling down the valley and then up the mountain. It was like the sound of a jet aircraft on takeoff or even closer to the sound of large ocean waves crashing on the shore.When morning came, the rain had stopped, but the wind was steady. It was quite foggy as well. CuppaJoe, Peakaboo and I decided to continue onto Hawk Mountain Shelter in about 50 feet of visibility.By noon, the fog had lifted, revealing a beautiful day. The trail was relatively easy and cut through several pine forests. You could smell the pine trees. It was like the scent of Christmas Trees that you experience when you are going to purchase a christmas tree for your home.Tonight, I am tenting at Hawk Mountain. There are probably close to 25 or 30 people here. We've all been hanging around, introducing each other and having a few laughs.Peak-A-Boo and CuppaJoe following me towards Hawk MountainSmall creek on the way to Hawk Mountain.Waterfall on the way to Hawk MountainPeak-A-Boo and Cuppa Joe hiking towards Hawk MountainMy tent setup for tonight near the Hawk Mountain shelter.