morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-08-18
From: Grafton Notch, ME 26

To: Andover, ME East BB Hill Rd.
Miles today: 10.3

Today was a day of slack packing. I teamed up with Brian and Paul from Massachusetts who were on the last day of a 3-4 day section hike. We got a shuttle to the trailhead at 7 am and expected a sunny, warm day with temperatures in the 70s. Sadly, all we encountered was cold, fog and wind, especially when we climbed above the tree line. We had 40-50 mph winds and dense fog. This was tough on my two companions for all they had was nylon shorts and a tee shirt! Added to the challenge we had to cross bogs by leaping from plank to plank. On one leap I landed on my left foot but my right leg slipped into the bog up to my thigh. My two companions rescued me but I was totally black from the mud in the bog. The top of the mountain was sheer bald and more high winds. But we made it to our pick up point, got the shuttle to the hostel and got cleaned up.
Date: 2014-08-19
From: Andover, ME South Arm Rd

To: Andover, ME East B Hill Rd
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: light rain

Resort hiking is having a bed to sleep in, eating in restaurants, and carrying only a day pack i.e. slack packing. Today I continued my resort hiking, but this may be the last for now as the need to facilitate shuttle pick up points really constrains the amount of hiking I'm able to do and I'm not doing the mileage I had planned. However, the good news - after a week of unseasonable Maine weather, today is sunny and warm. I met only a few southbound hikers on the trail, so I think we are getting to the last of this years southbound hiking bubble. I did meet my buddy, Eastwood, and at a shelter I perused the log book and saw familiar names of some of the hikers who are ahead of me. I finished today around 4 pm, got the shuttle back to the hostel and had an interesting dinner and conversation with Runningnose, a German hiker.
Date: 2014-08-20
From: Oquossoc, ME ME17 

To: Andover, ME South Arm Rd
Miles today: 13.2

Let me begin by wishing my wife "happy birthday" and I hope this will be the last time we are apart on your birthday. Today, I decided to resort hike one last time with a day pack. I got my ride to the trailhead and started with a steep downhill walk, followed by a steep uphill climb. However, the terrain was a little less difficult and I had clear skies and pleasant temperatures. I discovered just how beautiful Maine can be. On the peaks of Bemis and Old Blue I had great views of the valleys below. I finished my hike with a 1000' descent of Old Blue in under half-a-mile. The best news is that I stayed vertical today even when crossing the bogs. I met only two southbound and six northbound hikers, two who I hadn't met before.
Date: 2014-08-21
From: Oquossoc, ME ME 17

To: Rangeley, ME ME 4
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Even with a full backpack, I had hoped to go beyond Maine 4 today. There were no long ups and downs, just gentle rolling hills. My friend Eastwood caught up with me and we walked together to Maine 4. By then I was drained of energy and decided to cut my hike short. I stopped at a walk-in medical clinic, but all the doctors and nurses had gone for the day. So I checked in to a hostel. We had another beautiful day for hiking until the afternoon when we had a few sprinkles. Best of all, we have good water sources - crystal clear cold water, not tinged with green or brown and I'm only about 220 miles from Katahdin!!
Date: 2014-08-22
From: Rangeley

To: Rangeley
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The lady from the medical office, who drove me to Stratton (20 miles) last evening kindly offered to pick me up this morning and bring me back to Rangely so I would be at the clinic when it opened. She and her husband picked me up, I saw the doctor and had my blood drawn. I decided to check out a new hostel that Larry had told me about, 300 yards down the road. The owners are nice. They moved from Minnesota and are restoring an old farmhouse, built I believe in 1835. They opened it on July 1 this year and just through word of mouth they are getting all the business they can handle. The couple have four children (two of whom are adopted) and they kindly drove me to and from Stratton to get my gear as I decided to stay at the farmhouse.
Date: 2014-08-23
From: Rangeley

To: Rangeley
Miles today: 0.0

I walked into town and had a wonderful breakfast. I was looking in through a restaurant window when I saw a man by the window. He came out of the restaurant and asked me if I was a hiker. He too is a hiker. He is 80 years old, from Minnesota, and will complete 1,000 mile of the trail this year. We talked for over an hour and I discovered he is a man of faith. So we shared our faith journey. Then a 19 year-old junior from college joined us and asked, "are you thru-hikers?" He has just completed his thru hike and was back in Rangely relaxing before he heads back to college. He offered to buy us a coffee. What an incredible experience - an 80 year-old, a seventy year-old and a nineteen year-old all together because of the joy of hiking. In the afternoon, I relaxed at the hostel, interfacing with hikers I'd met over the last few weeks. This is the magic of the trail
Date: 2014-08-24
From: Rangeley, ME ME 4

To: Mile 1980.2
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I decided to get a ride to a starting point that would allow me to walk south back to Rangely. That way, I wouldn't be losing more time as I wait for my blood test results. This allowed me a day of slack packing over Saddleback Mountain. What a gorgeous day for hiking and meeting many of my comrades who were headed north! The summit of Saddleback Mountain is above the tree line, a rocky bald with incredible vistas in all directions. Saddleback is also a ski resort and I had a great view of the slopes and could appreciate the beauty of the location. Near the end of my hike I met some groups of college students taking part in a Wilderness Experience Program. It was nice to see the excitement of freshman and upper-class men enjoying the wilderness. The program should serve them well as they prepare for their careers. When I was picked up at around 6 pm, I was informed that Larry and John (who I'd met in 2012) were at the hostel with their wives and that they had purchased enough food to include me in their evening meal. We had great fellowship and food at an outstanding location. And one last note - I saw my first moose today and have the photograph to prove it!!
Date: 2014-08-25
From: Mile 1980.2

To: Stratton, ME ME 27
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: few clouds

Another day of slack packing and another sunny day. This section I'm hiking is where a year ago a lady from Franklin, Tennessee disappeared. In spite of foot and dog searches using all available technology, no sign of the lady has been found - no equipment, no clothes etc. There are still posters reminding hikers to note the GPS location and the authorities should they find anything that might provide answers to this mystery. Today I climbed three mountains - Spaulding, Sugarloaf, and the South and North Crocker. I met quite a few southbound Flip-floppers. These are hikers who started in Georgia, at some point northward they jumped off the trail to start south from Katahdin. The main reason for this is that the mountains at the north end of the AT close in October and this lets them get through the Whites before this happens or before bad weather sets in. I also met one couple who are finishing there last section of a ten year section hike. So there are many ways to tackle the AT, depending on time, health, weather etc. I also passed by a bronze plaque commemorating completion 77 years ago of the last section of the trail linking Georgia to Maine. I finished the day with more energy than I had when I stopped at Maine 4 a few days ago, and enjoyed more fellowship with Larry and Jim and their wives at the hostel.
Date: 2014-08-26
From: Rangeley, ME

To: Rangeley, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

The nature of hiking is that there are a lot of hellos and goodbyes. Most people we never see or hear from again. But every now and then those meetings lead to true friendships that grow and last a lifetime. I believe my friendship with Larry and Jim, and now with Deborah and Libby, is one of those friendships. So it was sad today to part from them for a season. The good news today is that my medical test results indicate that my health is normal, so after a few days rest and great fellowship, I'm ready to push on tomorrow to Katahdin.
Date: 2014-08-27
From: Stratton, ME ME 27

To: East Flagstaff Rd, mile 2013.8
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: broken clouds

In order to slack pack today, I was driven about 2.5 hours to my starting point - not that the drive covered so many miles, but we traveled over gravel, dirt and logging roads. Todays hike was over the Bigelows, the last really challenging climb in Maine until I reach Katahdin. There were three peeks over 4000' - steep climbs, rock scrambling and slab walking. When I got to the top of Avery Peak, it was a nice clear day and I could look down on the world. This was so different from two years ago when I couldn't even take a selfie because of the thick swirling fog. Only today, did I grasp how hazardous it was to do this section of the walk then under such conditions! There were a lot of people on the trail today. I met 30-40 hikers including flip-floppers, day hikers and college students participating in Outbound Wilderness hiking. At the end of my hike I noticed a van with Tennessee tags. Closer inspection showed it to be registered in Johnson County, next to where I was born in Carter County. It turned out to be Warren Doyle, a man who has completed the AT 17 times and is doing it again. At one point, Warren held the speed record for hiking the trail!
Date: 2014-08-28
From: East Flagstaff Rd., mile 2013.8

To: Mile 2030.1
Miles today: 16.3

Today was back to hiking with a full pack. After dropping Left Turn at her starting point, my friends from the Farmhouse Inn drove me to my starting point, thirty miles further on. They are a great family and their hostel will do well. I had no mountains to climb, just fairly level walking over rocks, roots, and bog. I met few hikers on the trail, but at the shelter where I've pitched my tent there were two southbound hikers who had started from Katahdin on August 18. So in just ten days, they have covered an enormous area. A young couple doing a flip-flop also were there and they too need to be moving if they are going to get through the Whites before bad weather arrives. Today, the temperature had fallen to the low 60s and the winds were strong. However, although I am camped by a pond tonight, the trres will shelter me from these winds.
Date: 2014-08-29
From: Mile 2030.1

To: Mile 2034.1
Miles today: 4.0

Today I had to cross the Kenneback River which is 500' wide and has a dam upstream that can cause water levels to rise 3-5' within minutes. Because hikers have been killed trying to fjord the river, the official AT trail is a ferry with the white blazes on the floor of the canoe. The canoe seats two hikers and a dog and the captain. Hikers sign a release, wear a life jacket and must follow the captain's instructions. Hikers need to carefully plan their schedule for the ferry runs only twice a day - 9-11 am and 2-4 pm. I was there at 9:30 am and made it safely over to Caratunk, where I booked into the Stirling Inn as this was my resupply point. While there I met Bucketlist, who had started his hike like me on March 6 at Springer, Georgia.
Date: 2014-08-30
From: Mile 2034.1

To: Mile 2052.8
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Even with no rain for the past couple of days, there was a lot of mud holes to navigate today. The standing water just does not get absorbed into the ground. It stays until such time as it evaporates. I climbed about 1500' to the crest of Moxy Bald Mountain. It was not a steep climb, but there were places that required rock scrambling and other challenges like no white blazes or blazes pointing in two directions, probably because of rerouting of the trail without removal of the old marker. I met a family who were picking and eating wild cranberries which they kindly shared with me. We had a great view from the bald. I got to my campsite just before sunset along with another hiker who was a Harvard graduate. I believe this is the first Harvard graduate I've met while hiking the AT. Later we were joined by a raucous group of college kids who kept us entertained until we all fell asleep.
Date: 2014-08-31
From: Mile 2052.8

To: Monson, ME Pleasant St
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

The objective today was to get to the gateway of the 100-Mile Wilderness, which would leave me about 115 miles away from the summit of Mount Katahdin. The terrain was fairly level, but the route required me to fjord three streams. I started early for the forecast was for rain and the risk of rising water levels. I managed to cross before any rain. The first two crossings had water up to my knees and on the third crossing I was helped by two section hikers I'd met earlier. For the most part I could see what I was stepping in and was able to slide across the rocks. However, removing socks and shoes, putting on water shoes and then reversing the process is time consuming. One hiker I met had found out after starting her hike that she has Multiple Schlerosis, but she is determined to finish her hike. Approaching Monson, the trail has been rerouted, so hikers can take the historic trail into Monson which saves about 3 miles or use the new trail. I decided to keep to the historic route so I could stay at Shaws Lodging Hostel, where I stayed during my AT thru-hike in 2012 and in 2013 after my accident in the 100-Mile Wilderness. I will make up the three miles before I start the 100-Mile Wilderness. Monson also is my resupply point, but with today being Sunday and tomorrow Labor Day, I will have to wait here until the Post Office opens on Tuesday.
Date: 2014-09-01
From: Monson, Maine

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

The highlight today, a zero day, was breakfast at the hostel. Hikers are asked "how much" and can order 1, 2, 3, or 4 servings of eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes. Then they can do it all over again. So today was one of cleaning out my backpack, chatting with other hikers, getting some rest, and lunch at the local barbeque place.
Date: 2014-09-02
From: Monson, ME ME 15

To: Monson, ME Pleasant St 
Miles today: 3.3
Weather: broken clouds

Today, I got my resupply box and made up the three miles I'd missed by selecting the historic route into Monson. Tomorrow, I'll meet up with Pastor Steve Dean, who will assist me with my 100-Mile Wilderness hike and meet me when I reach the summit of Katahdin. At Shaw's Hostel I met Dude. He is on the 83rd day of hiking since starting out on Springer Mountain in June. He plans to reach Katahdin in four days. What an amazing feat - to do the AT in under 90 days. The downside - he has had only three showers in that time. I kept my distance.
Date: 2014-09-03
From: Monson, ME ME 15

To: Mile 2077.6
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: light rain

I started the 100- Mile Wilderness today, the stretch before Baxter Park and Katahdin that has no state or public road access to civilization, except for a few logging roads. Ironically, two years ago when I did my thru-hike, I also entered the 100- Mile Wilderness on September 3. There are all kinds of warning signs for hikers commencing this stretch e.g. carry 10 days of supplies! The warnings are well justified. Last year on a hike there, I fell and broke my shoulder. It took 5 hours for the rescue team to arrive and 5 hours to get me out. Fortunately for me this year, Pastor Steven Dean from Maine is supporting me with food drops as he has an excellent knowledge of the logging roads. This means I only have to carry about 4 days of supplies, thereby saving an extra 12 pounds of weight. I spent a few hours with him this morning, so started my hike later than usual. He is a 1996 thru-hiker who wrote a book about his hike called Backpacking for Jesus. He uses the trail name, BJ. I met 5 or 6 northbound hikers today, but they kept going when I stopped for the day and pitched my tent by a stream.
Date: 2014-09-04
From: Mile 2077.6

To: Cloud Pond Lean To
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Last nights choice of a campsite by a stream turned out great for I was able to lie in my tent and listen to the lullaby of the water over the rocks. Today I had to navigate more water, a couple of streams, one with water up to my thighs. However, it had a rope across it to assist hikers with the current and the slippery rocks. Late afternoon, I had a climb of about 1800'. I didn't meet any northbound hikers. I have a rule never to go more than a short distance off the trail to camp. But today I broke my rule for the Cloud Pond Lean To was about 500 yards from the trail. When I got there I was on my own, but a young southbound couple from Australia arrived, then two guys, and an older couple. The seven of us were treated to the beauty of God's creation - a gorgeous sunset, followed by a full moon as darkness fell.
Date: 2014-09-05
From: Cloud Pond Lean To

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

Today I climbed Fort Mountain, Third Mountain, Mountain Three and a half, Columbus Mountain and Chairback Mountain, and a crossed a river to find the carcass of a moose on the other side. One hiker explained that, "that's what happens when you don't treat the water!" I met some southbound hikers including a college chemistry professor who was doing a loop walk with only a water bottle. We had a great chat about her work with environmental studies. I finally caught up with Bucketlist, who started the hike with me at Springer Mountain in Georgia. We were the only residents at the shelter.
Date: 2014-09-06
From: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to

To: Mile 2117.5
Miles today: 10.8

Today I tried in vain to find the point where I fell last year near Hay Mountain. But I noticed the difficulty of the terrain - lots of rocks, roots, and mud. It brought back to me the remarkable kindness of the two ladies who came to my rescue and I began to understand why it took so long to travel that first mile. To carry my backpack as well as their own, they literally had to feel the ground below them, step by step, for the lady at the back couldn't see where she was going. I met Pastor Steven Dean at my resupply point. I had planned to meet him at 2:15 pm, but because I was ahead of schedule, I had stopped earlier for a rest. When I got to the resupply point, I found out he had been there since 11:30 and had set up a Trail Magic station with tarp and cokes, water, Milky Ways, Snicker bars, tangerines, apples, coffee, and oatmeal cream pies. But best of all, he offered Bucketlist and me communion since we would miss church tomorrow. What a wonderful experience to experience communion outside in God's magnificent creation. Four of us camped together tonight - a warrior hiker, Bucketlist, me and a young hiker who had completed the triple crown (the AT, PCT, and CDT) and was on his second thru-hike of the AT. Unfortunately, he limped into camp with an IT problem. Boy could I empathize with him for last spring the same issue caused me to come off the trail for two weeks.
Date: 2014-09-07
From: Mile 2117.5

To: Mile 2137.0
Miles today: 19.5

Completed a lot of miles today in beautiful weather. The skies were blue, the temperature moderate, and there were no mosquitos. I met only two hikers, Machine and Big Foot, warrior hikers trying to adjust to getting back into society. I met them about 10 miles into my hike, at a favorite resupply point called the Joe-Mary road crossing. Hikers fill a 5 gallon bucket and send it to outfitters who hide it on the trail and give the hikers instructions where to find it. Machine and Big-Foot had done this. It was like opening presents at Christmas. They also had a good size champagne bottle which they are carrying for the moment they crest Katahdin. I had lunch at the beautiful Antler Campground where I had stayed in 2012 and 2013. It was too early to stop. Katahdin is too near. So I pressed on.
Date: 2014-09-08
From: Mile 2137.0

To: 2155.2
Miles today: 18.2

I started early, energized by getting close to Katahdin. After hiking alone for a few hours, I met some southbound hikers, including a lady in her forties by the trail name, Morning Glory, and her dog Norman. She was hiking the 100 Mile Wilderness as training for her planned 2016 AT thru-hike. What foresight to plan in this way. Another two ladies were hiking the 100 Mile Wilderness simply for adventure. It was quite an adventure, for this was their first time to camp in the woods with all the fears of bears, bad weather, strangers etc. I also met a father and son from Clarksville, Tennessee who were completing the northern portion of the AT for the first time. By the time I set up camp by myself, some of the early morning euphoria had evaporated. Although the hike today was easy, my body was beginning to feel the wear and tear of hiking 2,000 miles.
Date: 2014-09-09
From: 2155.2

To: Mile 2170.2
Miles today: 15.0

Got another early start on a beautiful day for hiking. Met numerous southbound hikers. Many were doing the 7-9 day 100 Mile Wilderness section, but some were flip-flopping on their AT thru-hike. I met one northbound hiker who had started 7 miles behind me and planned to do 33 miles today so he can summit Katahdin tomorrow when the forecast is for good weather. The next day, the day I plan to summit, the forecast calls for rain. I arrived at the campground in early afternoon and Dreamtime joined me to finish my hike. We pitched our tents and, after discussing the weather forecast, decided to flip-flop the next two sections - i.e. skip the next 10 miles, climb Katahdin tomorrow, and then go back to do the 10 miles the next day.
Date: 2014-09-10
From: Katahdin Springs Campground

To: Mount Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Dreamtime, Jim and I drove from the Abold Bridge campground to the Katahdin campground to begin conquering Katahdin. We stopped at the ranger station to register completion of the thru-hike. I was the 259th person to begin the northbound hike from Springer Mountain, was 289th to arrive at Harpers Ferry, and now registered as the 452nd person to complete the northbound hike this year. So I'm not the fastest hiker, and my two week respite to recover from my leg problems and a few zero days are reflected in the number. We logged in at the registry (name, time and number of people). After the climb of Katahdin, hikers log out which allows rangers to check if any hikers are missing. We took the Hunt trail up Katahdin. Although it is only 5 miles, the terrain rises 4000' and one of the miles has an elevation of 1700' It is tough climbing, boulder after boulder, and we met some people who wisely abandoned the climb as it was too dangerous for them. Because I had done it before, I felt I could do it again. Dreamtime, Jim and I helped each other figure out the best way over the rocks and we were able to get to the top. My friends from Townsend were there to greet me. The weather was beautiful and we spent an hour enjoying the views and high-fiving with hikers as they arrived at the summit. There were about 30 hikers on the summit. The descent can be more difficult than the ascent, but after a nine-hour day we made it to the lean-to were we had reservations. We prepared dinner and sat and reflected on what had been accomplished.