morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-11
From: Ester's House in Hanover, NH

To: Canping on north peak of Moose Mtn. (NH)
Miles today: 12.2

By: PeanutIt was wonderful staying at Esther's house. I got the best night's sleep I've had in ages on the comfy bed. She even made us breakfast this morning and dropped us in town. She is a fascinating lady and I'm pleased to have met her.We stopped at the Co-op food store before leaving town. It's a very interesting concept. The grocery store is non-profit. you join the grocery storem and any profits grossed by the store are given back to the members based upon the amount they spent in the store during the year. We both thought this was a great idea, and we've never heard of anything like it back home.The weather has been wonderful the last two days. Hope it holds out for the White Mountains!
Date: 2004-06-12
From: Canping on north peak of Moose Mtn. (NH)

To: Camped at Mt. Cube 
Miles today: 17.9

By: PickleThe weather has been wonderful! I saw my first moose. I hid behind the bushes so Peanut could see, but the mosquitos were eating me alive, so I walked back to where she was, When we came back, the moose was gone. I wished Peanut would have seen her.We climbed Smart's Mtn. today and saw great views. It was a good spot for lunch!We headed down the mountain to the Hexacuba Shelter. It was huge! Then we finished the day at Mr. Cube, where we'll sleep under the stars and watch a great sunset! I love days like today because you can sleep at awesome spots.
Date: 2004-06-13
From: Camped at Mt. Cube 

To: Hikers Welcome Hostel, Glencliff, NH
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: overcast clouds

By: PeanutToday was a great day--with the exception of the bugs, which I hate so much!We made good time to the hostel where we met Lion Lung, Fat Chap, Junior, Greg, and Big John. We had good times, showers, laundry, etc. I would highly recommend coming here to other hikers. They will take good care of you.We are headed into more difficult terrain tomorrow. I'm feeling a little uneasy, but ultimately I know I can do this. The views in the White Mountains are supposed to be spectacular. I hope this weather holds out!
Date: 2004-06-14
From: Hikers Welcome Hostel, Glencliff, NH

To: Eliza Brook Shelter (3*)
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light rain

By: PickleMy new shoes have been killing my feet because they're too small (always buy too big over too small). I lucked out because they had various used shoes at the hostel, and I found a pair of New Balance that would work and they felt great today!We entered into the Whites today and they are tough! We went from NH 25 at 1140 feet to Mt. Moosilauke at 4802 feet. I figure that this climb was the equivalent of walking up 300 flights of stairs.Moosilauke is an awesome place, but we saw nothing more than a cloud up there. We were kind of disappointed, but we're hoping it will get better in the days to come.Now the other side of Mr. M had the 300 flights of stairs. Very steep!I've seen 200 foot cascades in places before, but I've never seen cascades like these. We followed it for at least 5000 feet. This is probably the biggest cascades in the US!We kept walking down the waterfall and it was spectacular! I want to come back to this mountain on a pretty day.The rest of the hiking was rough! 17 miles in Whites feels like 22 miles anywhere else. We're going to slow it way down and really enjoy ourselves for the next week.The best part of the AT has just begun!!P.S. I for got to mention that Peanut saw a moose and the chicken & rice that Eric gave me is good!
Date: 2004-06-15
From: Eliza Brook Shelter (3*)

To: Camped near Liberty Campsite
Miles today: 11.7

By: PeanutWe started our day with a steep climb over Kinsman Mountain. It was very challenging, and we had to practically rock climb to make it up. The climb was fun though--very different from anything I've experienced.We had a tough time hitching into N. Woodstock. We were starting to think that we look really crazy now that we've been hiking so long. Luckily, some former thru-hikers picked us up.Tonight we decided to "stealth" camp. For those who don't know the term, it basically means camping where you cannot be seen. In the Whites you are supposed to camp at established spots such as the huts or campsites. There is a $ fee here for these spots--so we passed up a campsite tonight.The funny thing is we met the care taker of the site while watching the sunset. His name was Huff n Puff (AT '01). He was a very cool guy and he explained that they try to get people to use the sites to reduce environmental impact. Another nice thing is that thru-hikers can do work-for-stay at most of these facilities. So, maybe we can make it through the Whites without using too much cash!
Date: 2004-06-16
From: Camped near Liberty Campsite

To: Galehead Hut
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: scattered clouds

By: PickleThe Whites are BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, and BEAUTIFUL! My day consisted of watching the sunrise from Mt. Liberty (4:46AM) and hiking above treeline along the Franconian Ridge. Best of all, we got awesome views, which is rare.This is my favorite part of the trail, and I like that we can take it slow. The view from Mr. Garfield is my favorite because you can see where a glacier came through and shaped the landscape.We went into Galehead Hut early and asked if we could do work for stay--no problem. YES!We were treated with an outstanding meal consisting of soup, salad, vegetables, and lasagna. I'm stuffed!The AMC is awesome and I'm glad they're for the Whites. This place needs this kind of organization, or you'll have crowds like the ones in the Smokies. THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST DAY!!!
Date: 2004-06-17
From: Galehead Hut

To: Ethan Pond Campsite (3*)
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

By: Peanut--We had an awesome breakfast to get us going today on our hike. Our chore at the hut was to sweep out the building. Not too shabby!The terrain was a little more gentle today and we made good timne to Ethan Pond Campsite where we met Ball Pahk(he's from Boston). He is the caretaker and hiked the At in 2002. He let us do work-for-stay tonight. Sweet!Not only did he help us out; he let us know about the kind of work that the caretakers do. Let me tell you it's tough work. We cut up some wood with a bow saw in exchange for our stay.To top this day off, we saw a beautiful sunset over Ethan Pond. The Whites are awesome, and I can't wait to see what's next on our adventure.
Date: 2004-06-18
From: Ethan Pond Campsite (3*)

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: overcast clouds

By: Pickle--We started the Presidential Range today. The climb up to it was STEEP! I ran out of water because I was sweating so much.We stopped by Mizpah Hut to grab a bowl of vegetable soup and talk with the croo. Then on above treeline!It is really cool in the Alpine Zone and many of the flowers are blooming this time of year. We rushed to the hut because they were calling for thunderstorms.Lakes of Clouds Hut is really cool with great views, but unfortunately, we're in the clouds as the name implies.They let us do work for stay by washing dishes. That's fine with us.The huts are neat because you can't drive up to them and you sort of have to earn your stay by hiking. There's no showers, private rooms, or luxuries of a $80 board, but they do feed you dinner and breakfast, and also give educational tours.There is a plant called Diapensia that only grows here and the arctic circle and can handle -350 degrees F temps, but it can't handle people's feet or hiking poles. It is really important that people stay on the paths. A patch the size of a frisbee is over 100 years old. It's really interesting.The stay at the hut was good and we'll cross Mt. Washington tomorrow.
Date: 2004-06-19
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Madison Springs Hut 
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: fog

By Peanut--Craziness describes today!! We started out on our trek to the infamous Mt. Washington at 7 a.m. this morning. We made it to the summit house in around an hour--in a cloud the entire time.On top of Mt. Washington there is a visitor center and weather station. It is very "touristy" with a road and cograilroad that takes people to the summit. No people were up there when we got there. We checked with the ranger about the weather and he said there were showers and 3 thunderstorms coming within the next two hours. Since Mt. Washington is known for having the worst weather in the world, we played it safe and waited.However, there was a road race this morning up the auto road, so around 9:00 loads of people arrived at the summit house. It was so packed by the time the runners arrived that you could hardly get out of the building.We decided to go for it. I must be very honest--I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life. The wind was so strong that it moved you around and could almost knock you over. I got scared and we went back to the house to wait some more. Then, the ranger came back by and said we should leave earlier rather than later. So, off we went. Off of the summit things improved.We moved very slowly and around two miles before the next hut a rainstorm with sleet hit us. It was so strong it could sting you skin through your clothes as it hit you.   We were totally soaked and freezing cold. The temperature was dropping as well. We hustled and made it to the hut.They let us do work-for-stay and get dried off as well. We are very thankful that this hut was here. It is a blessing to be out of the wind. Looking forward to a cold night's sleep.P.S. We met some very nice folks today--Early Bird, Walkabout, etc.
Date: 2004-06-20
From: Madison Springs Hut 

To: Camped near Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: overcast clouds

By: Pickle--The hut was extremely cold. I was ready to get moving. We had to do our work-for-stay after breakfast, so we waited around 'til then. This has been the coldest weather up here in a month. The climb up Mr. Madison was cold and windy. The terrain is nothing but rocks and could be compared more to the Rockies. It is hard placing your feet because the wind will take it else where. (The wind speeds were 75-100 mph).After Madison, the wind wasn't so bad. Too bad we couldn't have had good weather over this terrain because I'm sure the views are spectacular.We met the first southbounders. Two Germans that started on different dates. They were very nice and we exchanged info about the terrains ahead. We didn't want to do work-for-stay tonight so we're camping 1/4 mile from the hut. They let us cook dinner there and fill up our water bottles, so half of our camp chores are done. I'm looking forward to a better night's rest!
Date: 2004-06-21
From: Camped near Carter Notch Hut

To: Hiker's Paradise Hostel in Gorham, NH
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: fog

by PeanutWe made it out of the Whites! Those are the kind of mountains that make you very proud when you make it through. The section from Pinkham Notch to US2 has a lot of very steep & rocky climbs and descents - but we did it!We tried to hitch from Gorham, but after we got flipped off we called the hostel and they picked us up which was awesome.As soon as we got settled, we hit up McDonald's for dinner. Thanks to Christy & Rob - we enjoyed the gift certificates. I ate a double cheeseburger, 10 piece McNuggets, and a large fry. It amazes me how much I can eat now. Before I got to sleep, I'm going to finish off this pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. I love hiking!
Date: 2004-06-22
From: Hiker's Paradise Hostel in Gorham, NH

To: Carlo Col Shelter (4*)
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: mist

by PickleWe finished off our McD's gift certificates for breakfast this morning, then we headed off. We got picked up by this girl who lives in a yurt. She likes it because she doesn't have a mortgage payment. Sounds like a plan.We needed to do big miles today so we can take it easier through Mahoosuc Notch - the hardest mile of the AT. The terrain wasn't as bad as I thought so we made good time.Something very exciting happened today, we crossed into MAINE!!! This trip is always described as Georgia to Maine and now we're in ME. No more states to look forward to - we're here!I'm pretty tired and we have a tough day tomorrow on my b-day, so I better get some rest! Peace.
Date: 2004-06-23
From: Carlo Col Shelter (4*)

To: Speck Pond Shelter (4*)
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: scattered clouds

by PeanutWhat a day! We celebrated Pickle's 23rd birthday today by hiking some tough trail!This afternoon we made it to the infamous 'Mahoosuc Notch.' It is basically a bunch of huge boulders between two mountains that you have to maneuver around. It was very fun! [There is year around ice there as well]We had a good time hiking through Mahoosuc Notch, but Mahoosuc Arm (the mountain just after the notch) was a killer! You could feel every muscle contract as you climbed up the mountain.We arrived at Speck Pond and feasted on Chilli, Cheese, Tortillas, Pudding, Avocados, and Oranges with Toad the caretaker. Off to Andover tomorrow.
Date: 2004-06-24
From: Speck Pond Shelter (4*)

To: The Cabin (hostel) in Andover, ME
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: few clouds

by PickleWe got up early this morning so we could get to Andover at a decent hour. The trails are hard because you end up going downhill to get to the uphill. As soon as we got out of the section maintained by the AMC, this trend seemed to end. The Maine AT Club does a better job in my opinion!We keep running into Southbounders now. We've run into a few every day now since we passed our first ones. I think going southbound would be really hard and Katahdin is a great place to finish, so I'm glad we're northbound!We met Bamboo Bob and Copper on the trail today. They are going to be staying at the hostel this evening and they had such wonderful things to say about it. We made it to the road about 4pm to catch the PO by 4:45pm, except you could lay in the road because there is not a single car passing by. We couldn't get cellphone service, so we just laid on the side of the road until a car passed by. We knew that if a car actually came by that we would probably get picked up since there wasn't any traffic, and we did.We called the hostel and they grabbed us from town. Bear and Honey run the hostel and they are some of the nicest folks! They took us in, showered us, and fed us an all you can eat meal of mashed potatoes, roast, corn on the cob, steamed carrots, salad, hamburger, and dessert. WOW!!!!   Hog Walker, a guy we met in Gorham, caught up to us later and we spent the night exchanging stories with the Southbounders. We plan to slack pack tomorrow to stay the night here again.
Date: 2004-06-25
From: The Cabin (hostel) in Andover

To: The Cabin in Andover, ME
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: scattered clouds

by PickleThe Cabin is a great hostel. The food is amazing and our goal today was to slack pack. Slack packing is like taking a rest day, but still putting in miles. And that's what we did!The breakfast that we ate in the morning was so big that we hardly had to eat today. We hiked with 3 Southbounders; Noam Sherpa, Boot, and Rally. It's fun hiking with other people and it's exciting to know that their journey is just beginning.Dirty Bird, the manager of The Cabin, picked us up with tunes from Paul Simon. I've been wanting to hear some Paul Simon for awhile now because I often get his lyrics in my head. Dirty Bird hiked last year and wanted to come back and work for Honey and Bear, the owners. Everyone is so nice here!We came home and washed clothes, showered, and ate pizza. Then we ate a spaghetti dinner and I had 2 desserts. I love this place.After dinner, several gathered around to watch "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" while Hog Walker, a northbounder who caught up to us, and I made a fire in the teepee. This place is a really neat house with lots of fun things to do. And the hospitality is outstanding. Honey and Bear are a really awesome couple!
Date: 2004-06-26
From: The Cabin in Andover, ME

To: The Cabin in Andover, ME
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: overcast clouds

by PeanutWe just couldn't leave today & decided to slackpack one more day for some more rest. Hogwalker even came with us! It was great hiking.My body has been so tired these last few days - I'm hoping that another night's sleep in a comfy bed will do me some good.I enjoyed talking with Zero, Dirty Bird, Double Nickel, & Tasha a lot today. There are so many girls here tonight - I can't believe it. It's nice to have a break from testerone fest sometimes!!!Tomorrow we really will leave . . . I think.
Date: 2004-06-27
From: The Cabin in Andover, ME

To: Piazza Rock Lean-to (4*)
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: scattered clouds

by PickleFinally made it away from The Cabin. We spent a lot of money, but we're well fed & rested.Our minds are more refreshed and we are moving better.We talked with the caretaker, Sara, at Piazza Rock Lean-to. She was very enthusiastic for us and told us about things happening in the world such as Fahrenheit 911. I can't wait to see it!We got a big day tomorrow!
Date: 2004-06-28
From: Piazza Rock Lean-to (4*)

To: Sugarloaf Mtn Summit House
Miles today: 19.8

by PeanutWe started off today very early and actually made it to the summit house. This is a great thing because right now I'm watching a beautiful summit.The end of our journey is nearing and I can't help but think about it all. I'm happy to be going home to family and friends, but sad to leave this way of life. It's pretty carefree!We have less than 200 miles to go ~~ and I think the best is yet to come.
Date: 2004-06-29
From: Sugarloaf Mtn Summit House

To: Widow's Walk B&B
Miles today: 10.6

by PickleEveryday is different out here. We watched a sunset from Sugarloaf Ski Lodge while eating lasagna and we slept in a heated room last night. This morning we met 3 SOBO's (Southbounders) that recommended that we stay at Widow's Walk in Stratton, ME. That's what we did.We got picked up by the 2nd car. I wasn't impressed by the B&B. They wouldn't let Peanut borrow a bowl. They were nice, but not that nice.I think we were tired because we woke up with the lights on. P'Nut even said I snored loudly for the first time this trip.
Date: 2004-06-30
From: Widow's Walk B&B

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to (3*)
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: broken clouds

by PeanutToday was a big day. We went acorss the Bigelow Mountains, which were beautiful! The weather was good and the views were even better.As we left the West Peak, a helicopter flew towards the mountain. It nearly landed on the next peak! It was very cool and Pickle was quick enough to snap a photo.Tomorrow we are headed to Pierce Pond Lean-to, so we can catch the Kennebec Ferry the next morning. Nighty night.
Date: 2004-07-01
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to (3*)

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to (4*)
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: scattered clouds

by PickleWe met a tremendous amount of SOBOs today. They were all trying to stay at the same pace so they could stay together. Staying together is hard and I am always doubtful that groups will stay together, but then again you have the Dutch Boy Posse whom are ahead of us.We also met 4 folks from NC very close to where we live. They are section hiking the whole AT and knew we were out here because of a friend of Peanut's. One of them is good friends with Peanut's friend, Brenda. It was neat meeting them. It's a small world.We're officially out of the tough section, today was a breeze. We took lots of breaks and I was still at the shelter by 3:30pm. I went swimming and the water felt awesome. For the next miles, we'll be hiking around lakes often.We met The Admiral and Graybeard at the shelter. The Admiral was the mole on the reality TV show called "The Mole." I've never seen it, but I wonder if my mom has. He also is an orthopedic surgeon and had very interesting stories. We always enjoy the company.Only 155 miles to go.
Date: 2004-07-02
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to (4*)

To: Camped at Bald Mtn Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 18.7

by PeanutMosquitos . . . I hate them. They have been driving me crazy today. Every step of the way they buzz in my ear, fly in my eye, bite me - regardless of how fast I'm hiking. Aside from the mosquitos, today was great.We crossed the beautiful Kennebec River thanks to Steve the Ferryman. It is dangerous to ford the river b/c the water levels can change quickly. [Faster than you can cross.] A power plant is located downstream so to solve the problem of crossing, they decided to have hikers ride a canoe across to be safe. Thanks Steve!
Date: 2004-07-03
From: Camped at Bald Mtn Brook Lean-to

To: Horshoe Canyon Lean-to (3*)
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: scattered clouds

by PickleToday's been lazy. We climbed up Moxie Bald Mtn. first thing where you're supposed to be able to see Katahdin, but we couldn't or don't know if we did.We hiked on to Moxie Bald Shelter which sits on a pond. The lakes and ponds around here are beautiful. They really make Maine stand out from all the other states.We had our first real ford today - less than knee deep. The other rivers and streams you could cross rocks, but not this one. The bridges they build across the streams get washed down by the snow, ice, and depris it brings along with it. They don't build any bridges anymore and you have to ford.We should have pushed on, but we thought we were going to be camping in the rain and it turns out to be a nice evening. Oh well.
Date: 2004-07-04
From: Horshoe Canyon Lean-to (3*)

To: Trail Magic Massage Center
Miles today: 9.0

by PickleThere seems to be a long time feud between two hostels, Shaw's and the Pie Lady's, in the small town of Monson, ME. We kept debating on which hostel to stay at because they both are expensive and we didn't really want to stay at either one.As we were coming into town, Peanut saw a sign for some other lodging options and we decided we would try this out. We were going to hitch into town and Mr. Shaw, the owner of one of the hostels, pulls up and tells us to get in. OK.We tell him that The Admiral wrote us a note to let us use his vehicle to pick up some groceries at a real grocery store for the 100 mile wilderness. He takes us to his house and hands over the keys. We can't tell him where we are staying because we really don't know and don't want him bad mouthing other folks in Monson.We talk to the lady who offered a place and she is real nice. She said she needs help around the house and we can stay for free! She is very nice. She also has shower, phone, Internet, kitchen; all of which the other hostels charged for.She took us out to her camp to meet up with her sister and brother-in-law and we had a great time sitting by the fire and telling stories. It's been a good day and we'll take a zero day to rest up for the 100 mile wilderness.Our next entry, we'll have summitted Katahdin. We plan to summit on the 12th. I can't believe it's all coming to an end. We're really excited!
Date: 2004-07-05
From: Trail Magic Massage Center

To: Trail Magic Massage Center
Miles today: 0.0

By Peanut:We are taking a rest day in Monson today. It is the first time we have not hiked since May 18th or 19th. Pretty crazy. For most of the day, I chipped paint off the house where we're staying, did laundry, ate, and napped. Gosh, I have such a tough life! The people here are incredible. I've been here for two days, and they treat us like family. Violet across the street gave us some candy and a discount on some postcards. Tim at the General Store cooked us up some delicious hamburgers, and Lindy has treated us like honored guests at her house. We are truly fortunate and blessed to meet these special people. Tomorrow we head out for our first big day in the 100-mile wilderness. I can't believe we've got only a little over 100 miles to go. This journey is quickly ending, and I'm not sure if I want it to or not.