morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-08-30
From: Carter Notch Hut

To: US 2
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

We need to get to town to rescue the box of food we left behind so we decided to push for the trailhead. Originally we thought we'd tent at the Rattle River Shelter, but the trailhead is only two miles more.We left the hut early, starting our day a little earlier than normal and started up a ridge full of Carters. The climb out of the notch was a typical steep rock climb but it flattened out across toe rdge lone after we got to the top of Carter Dome. The ascent to the dome had several false summits which is frustrating but eventally you get there.After the Dome you cross South, Middleand North Carter peaks with steep rock climb descents between each. After the Carters there are more very steep climbs down. It's these kind of descents that damage the knees and ankles and I was wondering whether our choice to try our first 15 mile day in the Whites was a good one.Near the bottom, the last three or so miles it flattens out and I made it to the trailhead after about 10 hours of hiking. Foggy joined me a little later and we started hitching into town. As luck would have it a couple of hikers pulled over to ask us where the White Mountain Hostel is and we pointed ahead about 40 yards. Right place, right time because then they offered us a ride into town, after dropping a package at the hostel.Back to Gorham, pretty beat up. We'll decide tomorow whether our bodies can get back on the trail or whether another day of rest is needed. I'm told we have about another 40 or so miles of the hard rock climbs so we're thinking twice about trying to preserve our bodies.Right at the trailhead we hit the 1890 mark which means 300 miles to go.
Date: 2017-08-31
From: US 2

To: Wicket Ledge
Miles today: 8.5

Got our typical late start from town and planned another short day. First thing in the morning we got lucky with some trail magic. This time the magic came I'm the form of a ride to the trailhead. A 1999 thru-hiker was in town providing help wherever she could and she dropped a couple of hikers at our motel. We asked for a ride and she was g ll ad to do it. A quick stop at McDonald's and then off to hiking.Because of the short miles the day was not hard. There were no big rock scrambles and we called it quit for the day right at the 1900 mile mark. It's the first mile marker with a view as it took us to rock ledges looking over a fine view.
Date: 2017-09-01
From: Wicket Ledge

To: Full Goose Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I crossed into Maine, the 14th and last state on the AT list. This is the first time I've ever been in Maine and now I can say I've been in every state in the Winter cold has set in and the wind howled today at its worst. The trail took us across four peaks and at every one of them the wind blew so hard it was difficult to walk. At one poin I was blown off my feet but missed injury by landing in a row of bushes along the trail. Every peak was the same and the wind and cold made hiking a misery. The downs were tough as well - steep and rocky and at one point I fell face first to the ground but missed by inches planting my face in the rocks.I'm at the end of the White Mountains but the clbs were still high today and some sections even vertical. At one point I had to climb iron rungs planted in the rock.When I reached the shelter I set up my tent far from the crowd but as it were another college orientation group streed into the area and set up right next to me. The slept under a tarp and at one point I had to ask them to move their support ropes so I had a path out of my tent site.There was general agreement at the shelter that today ranked right up there as one of the most miserable on the trail. We're hoping the winds and the winter temperatures don't stay around long.If the trail had an eject button I might have used it today.
Date: 2017-09-02
From: Full Goose Shelter

To: Grafton Notch
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: broken clouds

The weather improved a bit today which was much needed after yesterday.  But today had its own challenges: the hardest mile on the trail.After a mile and a half of hiking I reached Mahoosuc Notch which is a mile long jumble of boulders the size of refrigerators and cars. The boulders rest at the bottom of a notch between two mountains and are at least a flat walk. The trail tradition considers this the hardest mile but as a physical challenge it's not too bad.  The real challenge is figuring ot the path to get through. To traverse the pile you have to climb around, over and under boulders and it seems more a puzzle than hard work. It took me an hour and a half to make it through and, while it was an I teresting diversion, I'm glad it's behind me.After the scramble we went up Maine's first 4000 foot mountain - Old Speck. I had planned to go farther today but the Notch and the climb caused us to pull up short and we tented at a trail crossing.The tall on the trail is that the reman of Harvey, the Houston storm, have reached us and we're going to get rain for the next few days. We'll try for Avalon tomorrow in case we need to dry off.
Date: 2017-09-03
From: Grafton Notch

To: East B Hill Road
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

The hiking seemed to get easier today with smoother trails and climbs that were shorter and more manageable We still had to cross twoout aims and the winds were fierce at the top. As we crossed Bald pate Peaks the clouds closed in on the rock summit and we had to hike from cairn to cairn. It was a struggle to walk against the wind but the duratin above tree line was much shorter than it had been a couple of days ago. The rain came in the afternoon but we escaped to Pine Ellis Hostel and spent the evening in a small cabin listening to the rain. Andover is a small town and we had dinner at the diner at the General Store before the driver took us to the cabin. The General Store was our resupply point which I guess will be typical from this point on. Word from other hikers is typical hat we have no more Walmarts and only one more grocery store between here and Katahdin.
Date: 2017-09-04
From: East B Hill Road

To: South Arm Road
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Pine Ellis Hostel was a good stop but we expected another couple days of rain. We had breakfast at the General Store and then moved on. Shorter climbs today with more flat spots on the ridges and along the ottoms of the hills and mountains. The terrain seems to be getting easier and our concern now is the weather holding out. Planning from day to day is getting a bit harder because there are fewer road crossings and towns. We'll have to figure out resupply as we go.
Date: 2017-09-05
From: South Arm Road

To: Stealth Site at 1956.7
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Rain continued today and the trail is wet and slippery. The rocks and tree roots were especially problem and I fell five times. No serious injuries but a few more scrapes and sore spots.There were many rocky descents whichade the way treacherous and it was one of those days that you long to be over. This is becoming a broken record but the hiking is not f I n in this stretch and I'm really.looking forward to the end.Near the end of the day we came down to cross a dirt road and there was trail magic - a delightful couple fixing hot dogs and hamburgers with pop, cookies and bananas. It was a double treat because Irant I'd eat good hot food and not have to bother fixing my own dinner. Thank goodness for the trail angels.I'm starting to try to figure out how many days left and I'm hoping it's not a lot more than a couple weeks. Can't wait to get to Katahdin and then to get home.
Date: 2017-09-06
From: Stealth Site at 1956.7

To: ME 4 (Rangely)
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: light rain

Today is a good day because it's the day before a zero day. I get to sleep in a real bed with some comforts of home and rest up for the four 4000 foot mountains coming up this week.The only thing that cold mess up the day is if it rained all day long. But Harvey prevailed and it rained all day long. No falls today but there were many fewer tricky down climbs. I'm glad for that. When you fall, even if there's no real injury it still takes a bit of a toll on the body.Got to the road crossing and had some trouble getting a ride into town. Lucky for us a driver from the Farmhouse Hostel came by and said they had room for us for the next two nights. We took him.up on his offer and settled in to a restored, big old farmhouse for a good day of rest. The hostel is well maintained, provide ample rides into town for dinner and resupply and the staff is very friendly.After this we have a long stretch to Monson, the last town before the 100 mile wilderness and Mount Katahdin. It's likely to be 8 or so days before I can update the blog, but I'll try to get back to it as soon as I can.
Date: 2017-09-08
From: ME 4

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-To
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

Left the hostel a little late and didn't get a start until 9:30. Although the terrain is getting easier today's plan is not a big one.  A few big climbs remain and the walk over Saddleback, Horn and Saddleback Junior Mountains slowed me down quite a bit. In each case there was a rocky scramble down the mountain and that's even slower going.Poplar Ridge Shelter is a sort of landmark on the trail because there is a small memorial to a thru-hiker who was lost in the forest a few years back and was not found until a year or so later, long after she died.  Her trail name was Inchworm and the story is that she left the the trail, became disoriented and was never able to find her way back.  Although every hiker's recollection is different I remember hearing that she survived to make 26 daily journal entries before she died.  That evening, after dinner and right before we hit the tents for the night a young man with the trail name Pipes played a short concert on his mini bagpipes.  I've heard of Pipes along the way but had not met him and it was fun to listen to the tunes he played.  He said he plays the Highlander Pipes but the mini set allows him to remain in practice and offer a little entertainment for the crowd. It was fun and certainly something unique - only on the trail as the hikers are so often to say.I'm starting to think about the end of the trail and to count down the days but there are still a couple big climbs ahead.  At this point the goal is to get to Monson and the 100 mile wilderness where the climbs get fewer and the flat trail gets longer.  We've been getting small sections of flat trail which is great for the legs and the spirit and for the next several days the weather is supposed to be sunny and warm.  Thanks for that!
Date: 2017-09-09
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-To

To: Carrabassett River
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

I failed to mention that several days ago foggy and I caught up to Barrel and Chilli Dog so the four of us are hiking together.  the reunion may be short lived because as we get closer to the end each of us have a little different plan about how to finish.  We'll see how long we can stay together.  On and off we've been together for about 1300 miles or since early June.Today's big climb was up Sugarloaf Mountain, a ski resort area and that leaves us only four big mountains before the final hike up Katahdin. On the climb up I passed a marked attached to a large boulder commemorating the site as the point where the Trail was linked together from Georgia to Maine.  The Civilian Conservation Corp finished the final section of the trail in 1937 and the plaque marks the spot of the final trail work.  Back then the trail was 150 miles shorter than it is now - hardly seems fair that the miles keep being added.  We should stop 150 miles short and call it a day.The guidebook I'm using shows 11 or 12 places where you have to ford large streams or small rivers.  so far I've been able to rock hop every one of them which saves time and wet feet.  I hope I stay lucky since my only plan is to take off my socks and wade the water in my boots.  The boots will get wet but I've found that a full day of hiking will dry them out quickly.  Still I don't relish the idea of wading through knee deep water anytime soon.
Date: 2017-09-10
From: Carrabassett River

To: ME 27
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Another short day is planned for today because we're heading to the cabin of a friend of Foggy's.  I've been very fortunate to be hiking with Foggy because once again he has provided a well needed break from the trail by taking up a friendly offer to use a small cabin near the trail.  Not only do we get to use the cabin but the next door neighbors agreed to pick us up at the trail head, take us to town and then get us back to the cabin that evening and back to the trail head the next morning.  this kind of generosity seems to be every along the trail and we're always grateful for the warmth and eager service of others. Megan and Jeff picked us up at the trail head as promised and when we finally got back to the cabin we fund a giant pot of chili that Megan had prepared for our dinner.  It was great to say the least.We got an evening sitting inside and even got to watch some TV, including a football game.  It seems unreal that football season is upon us. It's quite a surprise when I finally realized that I've been out on this trail for half a year.  Since I started in the cold of March I still feel like I'm looking forward to summer when I get home.We crossed the 2000 mile mark and posed for a picture in the same clothes and order that the four of us posed for at the 1000 mile mark.  When we compared the pictures from both sites it was astounding to see how much more weight we had all lost.  We're looking a little gaunt at this point and it's a good thing I don't have a lot of hiking left to go - I might waste away to nothing before too long.We watched news of Irma hoping that the hurricane would go back out to sea before it reached the northeast.  Harvey ended up dumping about three days of good rain on us and we're not anxious for a repeat.  the weather has been really great for the last four or so days - we'd like for it to continue as long as possible.
Date: 2017-09-11
From: ME 27

To: Little Bigelow Lean To
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

If you hadn't noticed the shelters in Maine are all called lean to's.  their design is like a lean to with a sloped roof with a wide open front.  they sleep fewer people than shelters in other states and they seem older. It's no matter to me because I prefer sleeping in my tent - it's quieter and I don't have to deal with others invading my space.We pushed hard today to get a reasonable distance from the Kennebec river.  You have to take a canoe ferry across the river and the line of hikers forms early.  We're trying to get there right at the 9:30 start time so we won't have too long a wait. It was a long day with some climbs over the final 4000 footers we will see until Katahdin.  It took me 11 and a half hours t do 15.3 miles, which is certainly slow going.  With the climbs and the extra miles I had to walk the last half an hour in the dark with my headlamp on.  It's not something I'm eager to do but I did it today to stay in line with our goal for meeting the ferry early.Going across one of the two Bigelow peaks we were able to see Katahdin to the north.  It's about 100 miles as the crow flies and we could just make it out at the farthest point in the horizon.  Even from this distance it's a little intimidating - a 5000 footer with steep rock climbs. We'll get many more views of it as we move north and I'm sure it will loom larger every time we see it.
Date: 2017-09-12
From: Little Bigelow Lean To

To: Pierce Pond Lean To
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: light rain

Today was my biggest day in miles since July 31. We've finally found the flat part of the trail with no more really big climbs and perhpas we can make longer days the norm going forward.  I'm ready to be done with this trail after six months so I'm willing to put in a few more miles every day.I've decided that Maine is the most beautiful of the 14 states we've hiked.  The ponds (small lakes in most places) are serene and beautiful, the mountains provide great views and the foliage, already starting to turn, is stunning as we climb up and down the mountain sides.We're getting pretty far north in Maine and the towns and road crossings are sparse.  In a few days we'll start the 100 mile Wilderness, the most remote stretch on the trail. But for now we're positioned well for an early ferry across the Kennebec river tomorrow.
Date: 2017-09-13
From: Pierce Pond Lean To

To: Pleasant Pond Lean To
Miles today: 9.7

I was up a little earlier than normal, hustled the four miles to the Kennebec River ferry site and then waited for half an hour for the ferry service to start - but I was only the third boat in line.  I crossed with a section hiker and he took the forward paddle spot because he seems to have a little upper body strength left.  We walk so much that our legs are "strong like ox" but everything else seems to wither away a bit.  I sat in the middle seat of the canoe - what everyone was calling the princess seat.  But i was happy to enjoy the ride and the view along the river.After crossing the river we ended up at a hostel in Caratunk, ME for some lunch and other refreshments before moving on. the clock is running now and we're marking down the miles quickly.  today we went under 150 miles!  Many on the trail are conflicted about finishing and, especially among the younger set, seem to be dragging their feet a bit.  I keep catching up to people I haven't seen in a while and have even passed a few.  I am not conflicted! I'm ready to be done today.Saw my first snake in quite a while today and he was a little bit aggressive - wouldn't leave the trail and even came after me a bit after I walked past him - baby copperhead, perhaps?
Date: 2017-09-14
From: Pleasant Pond Lean To

To: Bald Mountain Stream
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: broken clouds

The terrain is getting flatter and after making a couple of small climbs we walked a long way on pretty flat trail. Hurray for that!Today was the seventh day since the last rain.  That's great although when it goes a long time without rain you begin to worry a bit about finding water.  I've walked over many small springs that have gone dry but water is still readily available in the rivers and larger streams.The temperatures are great and it feels like summer again.  The hiking is a little sweatier but I'm hiking in T-shirt and shorts again.  As the terrain rolls again I can't help but think that Maine just gets more beautiful with every day's hike.Tomorrow to Monson and then the 100 mile Wilderness.
Date: 2017-09-15
From: Bald Mountain Stream

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: broken clouds

Today I made it to Monson.  Another of foggy's friends agreed to pick us up at the ME 15 trail head so we made good time and got there on schedule.  The rolling terrain makes planning a little easier as the climbs are shorter and not nearly as high.Still able to rock hop the streams and rivers so no fording.  Everything is going well.  Temps and weather are great - keep your fingers crossed that we get another week of the great conditions.Pulled into Shaw's Hostel to stay tonight and tomorrow.  the final zero day before the big push to the end. Shaw's is another landmark on the trail and hikers gather here to prep for the final leg so I've seen a number of old friends.  I finally met Waterboy.  He's a young man with a very distinctive signature he leaves behind in all the log books and it seems that he's been a day or two ahead of me for four months.  I sat at lunch with him on the zero day so I can finally say I caught Waterboy.The bad news is that you have to carry out a lot of food to cover the 100 Mile Wilderness. When I leave on Sunday it will probably be with the heaviest pack of the entire trip.  But I'll start eating my way through all that food and I'm guaranteed that my pack will never get heavier.  By the end of the wilderness I'm sure it will be feeling pretty light.This will be the final post until after I'm done.  Wish me good luck, good health and happy hiking!  Thanks to everyone who has supported me along the way.
Date: 2017-09-17
To: Wilbur Brook
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: broken clouds

Got the first shuttle out of Shaw's but stilldidnot get on th trail until well after 9 a.m. Today is the first day of the 100 mile wilderness - so called because there are no towns or other resources for the next 100 miles. The sign at the entry point warns hikers to take 10 days of food but most hikers plan to get through much quicker. I packed out about eight days of food which means I'm carrying the heaviest pack of the entire trip. Until now I think the most food I've packed is six days. But the good news is that every day the pack will get lighter.There is a general sense that the 100-milw wilderness is pretty flat but the elevation map shows that there are still three or four big climbs and it's not until day four that the trail falttens out. The climbs are not as big as we've been doing through the WhiteMountains but there are still some 2000 foot climbs ahead. The first day of the wilderness has many small ups and downs but no big climbs - we'll save those for days two and three.Today also provides the first river ford and I'm nervous about testing my fording method. Most hikers carry water shoes the entire trip just for this moment but I didn't see the value in carrying water shoes for over 2000 miles when I knew I wouldn't need them until the very end. I plan to do the fords in my hiking boots. I removed my socks and the insoles and walked through the river. I'm trusting that the shoes will dry out enough that I won't be hiking in wetsocks every day. After this first ford it seems my plans is working. I finished the day with dry feet and only damp socks.The ford took another toll, however. I waited until everyone got across and I sat besidethe river for over an hour. This caused quite a delay in our plans and I ended up hiking into thecampsite after dark. It's never fun setting up camp and cookingin the dark but there's no choice at this point. Also, at the very end of the hike we saw a sign for trail magic near where we camped so after setting up and cooking I put on my headlight and went to the trail magic well after 8 p.m. I brought the food I cooked at the camp because I wanted to lighten my packweight but I was able to enjoy a cold beer and the company of other hikers. The trail angel was a man whose son hiked the trail in the early 2000s and then passed away. He doest this every year as a remembrance of his son.If all goes well I'll finish the hike one week from today and I have to admit I'm starting tocount down the days.
Date: 2017-09-18
To: Chairback Mountain Lean-To
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: clear sky

I was slowed down a bit today by a long climb and ended the day at a lean-to high on a mountain side. We hiked most of the day in or above the clouds so when we got to the lean-to we set up and cooked in the mist of a cloud. Although we've been fortunate to have no rain for the last week or so, camping in the clouds leaves everything wet. I"ll be packing up a wet tent tomorrow which just adds weight to the pack.We went over 2100 miles today but the first two days of the wilderness got me a little off pace for finishing by this coming Sunday. that means I'll have a few big days to make up the lost ground. I have to average 15 miles per day through the wilderness to stay on pace and so far I've done a 13 mile and 12 mile day. The season is working against us now. With fall already here the days are getting shorter so our plan needs to be t get up an hour earlier, take down the tents and prep breakfast in the dark so we can get moving with first light. It's not a lot of fun but to get the bigmiles we need every minute of day light. Tomorrow I anticipate a 5 am wakeup witha start timeof about 6:30.One more climb tomorrow and then we gt the flat part.