morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-08-06
From: North Woodstock

To: North Woodstock
Miles today: 3.5

SO it is raining, seems to be the trend lately up here in Vermont, NH, ME. So we have just begun to hike the white mountains and the rain makes it treaturous in more than one way, higher up the colder it is in the rain, the wind blowing, slippery rocks on steep descents, wet gear, etc....so today we set out to hike 17 miles to the next road where we would be taken back to the hotel we stayed at last night (we had only stuff for day hike, not our full pack) starting out at 7:15 am it was cold and rainy and extremely hard to get myself out of the dry warm shuttle out to the trail, but alas i did, Bearpack says, "Monkey you look miserable", I replied "thats pretty acurate". so off we go up a climb right away to get warm. about an hour and 45 minutes later we had only gone about 3.5 miles and were getting pretty cold even while moving, so after deliberating for awhile we decided to go back to the road we started out on in the am, which was hard decision to make seeing as it required to rehike what we had just hiked...but with not having a full pack with sleeping bag etc...and the next hut about 13 miles away still with a mountain of about 5000ft to climb and two steep descents...we decided to check the pride and turn back as the next road to get out was still about 13 or so miles away if we kept hiking north. So we forded the long 3.5 mile long stream/trail back to the road and called for the shuttle to take us back to the hotel. And I cant finish a day of hiking with out an amazing fall...so there are pieces of wood that you can walk on the stay outta the water/mud but they get really slippery and with one step the next thing i know im on my side lying in a huge river of water laughing and taking about 2 minutes to get myself back up again, hilarious!!! I can say it COLD and WINDY...So now I'm back in town warm and dry working on a plan of what we are going to do next, when we are going to hike out...it is forcasted for rain and storms to continue for a week or so...so a little long to just wait it out but also we wanna get the views if we are going to do the hard work, so decisions decisions...but for now I sit comfortable enjoying the warmth and dry for what little bit I am here!!!!!!! Going for some coffee shortly!!
Date: 2008-08-07
From: clairendon shelter

To: big branch shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: light rain

vermont is muddy but I love the pine trees!!! it is beautiful trail!!!!not quite sure what happened here but the dates and places are messed up...i really did 14.8miles from kinsman notch to franconia notch up the kinesman mountains. long day but it was fun dodging the rain (as crossing top of mt above treeline hearing thunder follow us) and doing some scrambling up rocks to the top. glad to get that 3.5 miles rehiked for the third time never to do it again!
Date: 2008-08-08
From: north woodstock

To: North woodstock
Miles today: 0.0

ZERO DAY!! Mike from NH drove bearpack and I around in his truck, showing us the mountains we were about to climb. Tops of mountains disappear into rain clouds. Great being able to see what we will be climbing, appreciating all the hard work ahead. Hoping for views, but mostly to survive without being struck by lightening. Thanks to Mike and Dave for all your hospitality! Great conversation with Laura H. today, helping me keep my head on straight!
Date: 2008-08-10
From: Galehead hut

To: ethan pond shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: broken clouds

SUN!!! Clear skies!! great views in the am up the twin peaks, mostly down hill today, some flat, who wudda thought flat in NH??? stopped in zealand hut for some lunch waiting for shawna. heading on last five miles to shelter suppost to be easy and it was till the thunderstorm . it was thundering for about 2.5 miles I was seperated from everyone else around me walking through puddles with metal poles when I saw a flash of lightening close by and thunder right after. so I freeked out threw my poles down and squatted in the trail (a huge puddle) crying cause I was really scared not knowing what to do. Probably pretty funny sight if you would have come upon me. but decided to get up and walk on. needless to say i picked up the pace quite a bit, sloshing through puddles, falling a few times. about a 1/4 of mile from shelter I saw a few other hikers who were calmly making their way down the train seemingly unaffected by the storm. I fly up behind them shaken up and saying dude can you believe the storm, scary huh? they look at me like im slightly crazy and shrug their shoulders as they mention that the storm has probably mostly past. In my mine I almost died but I dont think they would quite agree with me, you know just another day on the trail. Well for me the shelter was a sweet sight, and the storm did pretty much end right as I showed up to the shelter. Rain all night long. Nero tomorow as I wait for Shawna to catch up.
Date: 2008-08-11
From: ethan pond shelter

To: crawford notch
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: fog

MOnday Monday MOnday. begin to wonder how the clouds can can hold so much rain. short miles in the rain. cold and wet dust in the wind and I were glad to get a cup of hot coffee, shower and clean clothes. ready for tommorow as we begin the presidential range, mostly climbing tommorwo, taking it one shelter at a time b.c of weather, after about 5 or so miles rest of day will be above treeline, so if thunderstorm dont wanna get caught up there...
Date: 2008-08-12
From: crawford notch

To: lake of the clouds hut
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

today is tuesday, climbing over the presidents today...well we made it unstruck by lightening, pretty much a perfect day! from crawford notch only about 1.5 miles from the summit of mt washington (highest point in NH) from sun to rain to sun. dramatic climbing weather as we came up above treeline, misty cold wind wipping around rain held off till lunch time when we were inside and then when we geared up to hike in rain it clearup to sun again. then more misty rain with clouds setting mood for the final climb today above treeline. close great view of top of washington and surrounding mountians. can see for miles. work for stay at the hut again, washing dishes for a few hours, who knew you could create so many dishes, the never ending pile. now I know how the jya girls felt as they washed dishes for 40 people...great group tonight dust, pacer, creekdiver, snake, whisperer all we need is lotus, thinker and the bear boys. loving the rock scrambles and climbing. about 1200ft to climb tomorow morning up to the summit of washington. at times i forget it is still summer as I sit with my down jacket on...finding myself singing "always look on the bright side of life" a little over 800 miles hiked!! also think my feet are growing webs in between my toes cause they have been wet for so long.
Date: 2008-08-13
From: lake of the clouds hut

To: pinkham notch(white birches)
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: light rain

7am strapped on the pack and rain gear heading out into 45 degree windy clouds headed for the top of washington (how many of my friends are now sitting at the beach, surfing, choosing the flipflops to wear for they day?) but I got the views today! standing up there looking out beyond at all the mountains, taking it all in you get that cheesy feeling, im on top of the world. I cant say it enough how beautiful it is you gotta experience it yourself. wanna come back some time whatta streak!! no rain today, that patch of blue sky continues to follow me, no complaining here!! considering the new england area has been hit with so much rain for the last 3 or so weeks. we were thinking we would hafta suck it up and just do all the work with no reward of views, just the inside of a rain cloud, butta we were sure wrong. so I DID SURVIVE the presidential range above treeline! pretty steep downhills today on jagged rocks, so some slow goin. playing connect the dots hopping from one rock to the other towards the next rock carin. although there is a 60 year old man that flew by me bouncing from rock to rock...guess he used to work at a light house and ran around on the rocks there all the time. our reward tonight, shower, bunk and great pizza!!
Date: 2008-08-14
From: pinkham notch(white birches)

To: carter hut
Miles today: 7.0

another day, another hike...the sun the sun once again lovin it. wildcat peaks today i think a-e. able to see the presidental range that we finished yesturday!! rocky up, short day we were planning to go about 13 miles but with a late start and slow going not going to make it till about 9pm or so. so change of plans, cutting off some of the trail by taking a different trail. work for stay once again. boulder field behind the hut we played around in enjoying the views, peaceful and serene. umm...this little boy just walked up and said to his friend, i can take a tiny tinkle turns around and proceeds to take his tiny tinkle right in front of us, yeah dont think he saw us sitting here...embarrasing! I now sit in all my rain gear nope not raining...trying to stay warm so I love CA but dude did it ruin me in my perspective on what cold is, i think it is about 60 degrees but snake (shawna) thinks its colder than that but dude she sleeeps in a 10 degree bag in 90 degree weather, dont think i can trust her reading of the temps...not sure how im going to survive the winter. so dayhikers today had some interest comments about us as we walked by, one dad says watch them as they maticulously choose each step up the hill looking for rocks like steps...another look it is real hikers they have all their gear on their back sleeping bag etc...funny what people say. tonight I feel like an 80 year old woman having a hard time bending down
Date: 2008-08-15
From: carter hut

To: gorham
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

not all AT miles today...town stay tonight as we get ready to head back out tommorow. getting groceries at a gas station...walked into the gas station singing always look on the bright side of life, then later people stole my groceries before I walked outa the store...little ironic i think. all i wanted was some cheese and they took that last little bit of cheese!! wanting a zero tommorow but pushing on for a zero in maine...
Date: 2008-08-17
From: gorham

To: full goose shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

we made it to maine today!!! walking with pacer, creekdiver, dust and whisperer, what a huge accomplishment for them all they way from georgia!! almost 1900 miles, i have not quite hit my 1000 mile mark. I have about 100 miles till my 1000 mile mark and then about 200 miles until my halfway mark. my knees are really hurting with lots of bouldering tommorow we got the mahoosic notch and arm hardest parts of the trail!
Date: 2008-08-18
From: full goose shelter

To: grafton notch
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: scattered clouds

mahoosic notch and arm steepest climb and bouldering and climbing around on rocks for a mile in the notch took about 2 hours to get through notch with taking pack off about 5 times, complete with a skeleton of a moose that died in the notch last summer...so long day but great feeling to accomplish this part of the trail. also had great motivation to make it to the notch as bearpack and bearbait met us at end of day with cokes and brownies!!! they skipped ahead of us and summited khatadin a few days ago. So they were stopping in to hang out before they leave to go home. It was really great to see them, hang out and relax after day of hiking! especially since i did a little unintitional extra hiking today as a i took the wrong trail accidently, the cartaker at shelter we had break at saw me walk down wrong trail asking me where i was giong, if i was a section or day hiker(this is pretty much a put down...)and then let me walk on in the wrong direction with out a mention. pacer heard and yelled after me that it was the wrong way but i didnt hear so about .5 miles later and a decent climb i figured out i was going in wrong direction totally...turned around and in heated anger headed for right trail, dude why could nt he have mentioned i was going in wrong way? seeing as how earlier he went into great detail about the rules of the privy(toilet) erg!!! the more I think about it I thank God that I saw that one faded blue blaze and that I had a map of the trail that I had just "randomly" been given the day right before by another hiker, the only way I knew i was going in the wrong direction totally on another trail...without the map i would have ended up in the middle of the wilderness not sure where i was or where to go...it also stormed that night
Date: 2008-08-22
From: South Arm road

To: Maine 17, ME
Miles today: 13.0

Best part of the day...twisted my ankle with three downhill miles to hike. Dang Bemis mt. I think it was pay back cause I had just got done saying how ridiculous the trail was up on top as we really were zig zaging back and forth across the rocky top. Climbed old blue mt today also.
Date: 2008-08-23
From: Perham Stream, ME

To: Maine 4 Gull Pond Hostel
Miles today: 16.0

Dude! We got some great views today, definitly felt like summer with some great sun! Over the Saddleback mountains today!! Able to see Mt. Khatadin for the first time in the distance! Quite the climbs today, gained about 4000ft from lowest point to highest, but lots of up and downs between. Sitting on top of saddleback junior for lunch we were able to see the horn and saddleback that we would be climbing after lunch, man junior seems so short in comparison, i just thought it was pretty amazing being able to see what we would soon be climbing, puts it into perspective a little more. Im climbing in Maine guys!! AMAZING sunset at the pond lake thing behind the hostel! even got to watch it sitting in a hammock, did i tell you that I love hammocks, ALOT!!
Date: 2008-08-24
From: Maine 17, ME

To: Maine 4 Gull Pond Hostel
Miles today: 13.0

Slackpacking an easier 13 miles today. Feeling tired and hiking a more relaxed pace today. In town again tonight, ICE CREAM at the end of the hike!! Today snake whisperer and I saw a little owl really close, she got a great picture. It was so cute with its eyes wide open and seeing its head turn all the way around as it was keen to every noise around. Stick with snake whisperer and you will see all the animals, she has seen like 5 moose, 3 bears, lots of snakes, i dont know what else but i am going to start calling her the animal whisperer they all come to her (I have not seen most of these animals, Im jealous) There has been a lot of rain here in Maine this summer and while the trail is begining to dry out, there are still areas of some pretty amazing mud (deep areas that seem to have no bottom that would suck you into the middle of the earth as you scream for someone to pull you out the only thing that is left of you is your hiking pole sticking up outta the mud) we were walking on these bog bridges which are essentially planks of wood over some really wet, muddy areas (granted these are few and far between, dont worry we still have to walk through most of the mud) anyway we were walking on the plank and saw some a pool of water with the green slime, I stuck my pole in and when I pulled it out it was as if a giant man had blown his snotty nose right on my pole, I pulled up this heavy neon green ooze that would not come off my pole, I personally think there has to be a cure for some disease in there??? snake whisperer was not as impressed especially as I tried to fling it at her. And the icing on the cake today was...laying in the hammock that afternoon at the hostel next to a lake, pond thing and then a little kayaking!
Date: 2008-08-25
From: Perham Stream, ME

To: Maine 27 Stratton Motel
Miles today: 0.0

Heading out to the trail today, I was NOT a fan of going out to hike this 17 miles today slack packing it. Had rained the night before and seemed as though it may rain later today. I was nervous, fearful about being able to make it in good timing with the terrain etc...but knew I had to screw my head on straight and read some truth, read through truth that my friends had written for me and some scripture, knowing the strength was not going to come from me today. Once hiking the climbs were not that bad and the feel of the forest was amazing, otherworldly with the fog hanging in the pine trees and a cool breeze. We made it to the road around 4 or so even with me slowing down a little as I had twisted my ankle pretty bad about 5 miles before the road. (snakewhisperer and I now have matching swollen ankles) So I was pretty proud of whisperer, creekdiver and I as we didnt give into the shortcut road in the middle of the day that would cut off about 4 miles we finished the whole 17 miles, which was the end of the next Maine map!! Sometimes you just have to get yourself out there...there are times when the trail becomes a chore just trying to finish the miles for the day in the quickest possible timing just waiting for the ending point for the day. It is tempting to try to push yourself and others to go faster and faster feeling like you have to almost run to make some crazy goal of time but as on sunday I am so tired of doing this, it makes the trail miserable. Gotta be reminded why your out here...
Date: 2008-08-26
From: Maine 27 Stratton Motel

To: horns ponds lean tos
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: broken clouds

Its...the Bigalows! Yep their big and I sit now in a shelter looking out at the first mountain we will climb in the morning. Hiked 5 miles out of stratton today and didi good a chunk of the climb up the first mountain good position to start tommorow! Loved the short day slept in figured out lagistics of mail drop stuff (the guy at the post office in monson and I are best friends I called him like 5 times in the span of and hour) beautiful trail today didn't feel rushed and able to just enjoy the climb part of the trail it was sorta hard to follow but thats what made it kinda fun. Its pacers birthday today we roasted marshmellose over my alcohol stove in onor of it. getting back into the swing of things as we are back in a shelter tonight for the first time in 8 nights. Its gettin kinda cold up here we are at 3000ft or so someonwe said it might snow a little up here tonight, all i know is im glad its not raining and ive got my down jacket and sleeping bag. the marshmello bag says to eat only one at a time, i think pacer ate 5 at once. the leaves are starting to change up here so vibrant as they lay on the trail and contrast the dark ground. Awe Maine...
Date: 2008-08-27
From: horns ponds lean tos

To: west carry pond lean to
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

terrrrrrible bad no good day??? that was today, my headlamp batteries died (had new ones though), my steri pen batteries died(had back up pill things for water but it takes 4 hours for one liter), zipper on my pants broke so my fly was open most of the day, twisted my ankle again so bad that I fell into the bushs/trees in pain, must the list go on??? so yeah i cried today, sorta funny thinking back on it and in the whole skeem of things not really that bad compared to real problems one might have in life. But I did hit the 1000mile mark today!! and the others im with hit their 2000mile mark today! Bigalows had amazing views and a rush as at the top of the west peak felt as if the wind could sweep you off at any point. The large lake we saw from up top of the mountains today we walked by later that day on the trail. On top of little bigalow you could look back on the taller mts we climbed earlier that day, what an amazing feeling to think you were just up there!
Date: 2008-08-29
From: caritunk

To: bald mountain brook lean to
Miles today: 14.8

I have found that most things that are challenging tend to be the most rewarding, this seems to be true of Maine, so much beauty in so many differeent ways its rugged with tree roots and large to small rocks all encompassed by mud then you come to a part of the trail that is somewhat flat and covered by soft pine needles, large rocks that loom above you that have trees and moss growing on/out of it, lots of ponds one area that seemsed bog/pond like with lots of dead trees llying on there side, sticking up crooked etc... like a burial ground for trees. Maine is so curious that you never know what will be next on the trail, you can look at the contours for elevation but as I learned yesturday flatish doesnt mean smooth saling yesturday most 10miles in the morning were pretty flat, clear then the last 4 were following the river and up and down little hills with lots of tree roots and rocks one section were the roots practically made up the trail but just looking on the map you woulda thought those last 4 miles woulda taken not time, but much like life you never know whats comming your way at times but you can choose to see the best in it and enjoy it. todays trail seemed much the same way pretty chill first 6 miles then next 6 miles was long, challenging and last 2.8 wonderfully fast and easy! Creekdiver and pacer got a little help (ride down a road that took them about 6 miles ahead and Pacer guess got a ride even further, 12miles down ) alwasy a temptation to find an easier way but Im not doing it in maine, Ive done it in NY and NH but I usually regret it... Another day and 1/2 into monson and then we will be heading out to 100 mile wilderness fof last stretch onto Khatadin, the last of the first half...we have begun to make plans to get back to west virginia for the second half.
Date: 2008-08-31
From: horseshoe lean to

To: Shaws hostel in Monson, ME
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Well we have ended up in our last trail town of the north, Monson!! There is a famous hostel (shaws) here that I am pretty excited to stay at. We arrived around 9 or so in the AM and showered up and had the most amazing breakfast I have had on the trail. Shaws fixes breakfast every morning for their guests, they have sausage, eggs, homefries, bacon pancakes or french toast, juice, coffee and you tell them if you want a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 which is the number of everything that you want so I started with a 3 (so three of everything)ate it all with an extra blueberry pancake, it was soooooooooo good! Bronco and pack animal came in a little after us, after giving us a hard time about the part of the trail we took to come into town sat down and had breakfast with us, it was so great to sit, eat, have a nice relaxing conversation...just what I needed. We were talking about some of the other crazy adventurous stuff other people are out there doing, snake whisperer mentioned that she recently heard about unicycling on trails like mountain biking, I wanna see this it sounds pretty crazy. So the rest of the day doing the normal resupply, get ready to get back on the trail chores, and buying our plane tickets to get back to harpers ferry for the southern half of our hike. So tommorow we head out into the 100 mile wilderness of Maine!!