morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-08-27
From: South Arm Rd., Andover, ME

To: East B Hill Rd., Andover, ME
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Today we walked up and down over mountains through woods.  Although we crossed two mountains (Moody and Wyman), we didn't get any views.  The slower hikers in the group - Arlene, Bill, Randy, Greybeard, and I - hiked south.  This gave us two steep uphills and one steep downhill for the first four miles, followed by six miles of relatively easy trail downhill.  It was slow going on these steep parts. Although we were not pulling ourselves up with our arms, it was still very hard.  In the first hour we hiked 1.3 miles, which was not bad for the terrain.  Then Arlene and I came across Bill sitting on a rock trying to figure out how to use Guthook.  We spent about 15 minutes there and ate some snacks.  We continued on with Bill in tow.  Soon he decided to stop to eat again.  At the top of the first mountain we stopped for lunch.  By the time I left it was 1:38, and we'd just gone four miles.  As we started at 8:00, this was less than one mile an hour.  I began to panic.  At this rate we wouldn't get in till 7:00. Dinner is served at 6:00.  I took off at a much faster pace and got in a few minutes after 4:00.  I hiked part of the way with Grey Beard.  He is slowed on the uphill by some kind of cardiac issue, but he can't be caught on the downhill.  He's a real athlete and was enjoyable company.  Later we caught up with Randy and finished the hike with him.  Arlene and Bill arrived shortly after that.  Tonight Honey and Bear served a wonderful meal of lobster, steak, salad, potato salad, rolls, and carrot cake with ice cream for dessert.  We spent the evening doing laundry, packing our food for tomorrow, and organizing our bins. This is our last night here.  Tomorrow we hike 13.1 miles with some difficult trail and go back to living in our tents.  Note on mileage:  We actually hiked 10.1 miles today, but the total miles in this journal are wrong.  I've subtracted .6 to correct the count.
Date: 2017-08-28
From: South Arm Rd., Andover, ME

To: ME 17, Oquossoc, ME
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Maine is so lovely.  We continue to have cool (mid 60s) clear weather, bright blue skies, and clear views from the tops of the mountains we cross.  We ate another hearty breakfast at The Cabin hostel and were on the trail by 8:00.  Leaving so late creates time pressure to finish before dark.  The days are getting noticeably shorter, and it gets darker in the woods earlier than out in the clear.  The terrain here is rugged, full of rocks and roots, steep ascents and descents.  Even though we kept a steady pace and didn't take many breaks it took me nearly 11 hours to go 13.1 miles.  There was a three-mile ascent to reach the top of Old Blue Mountain.  The top was huge rock slabs, and the vegetation was all scrubby evergreen trees and lichen.  It's a severe place, but I really like it.  The second mountain of the day was Bemis, which had two separate peaks.  The hike to Bemis Second Peak was over rock slabs and had lots of cairns.  Very beautiful.  We are camped tonight in an illegal spot, with not much appropriate space to set up our tents.  Warren hiked today.  He has just a few miscellaneous sections to do to complete his 18th traverse of the trail.  He was hiking one of them today.  He was not here at the endpoint when we got in.  Later we learned that he had determined that his speed was too slow to finish before dark, so he turned around and went back to a road crossing.  He walked out to where he could get sufficient phone signal to call Patti to have her come get him.  Patti left in her truck and was gone for quite some time but eventually returned without him.  She had gone to the place he told her he was, but he wasn't there.  She concluded that he didn't really know where he was.  This was all quite hush hush because Warren is the leader of the expedition and a sort of guru of the AT.  Eventually Warren made contact with Patti again, and she left to look for him again.  By then it was 10:00 PM, way past our bedtime.  We were worried but decided that there was nothing we could do to help, so we all went to bed.   Tomorrow is a town day.  After our hike (13.1 miles) we'll head to Rangeley to get groceries and do our other errands.  I did laundry at the hostel, so I might actually have some free time in town.  My recollection of it from last year is that it's a lovely town with a good ice cream place and a good library.  All the basics.  I'm looking forward to it.  There are lots of things I want to write about every day, but by the time I finish hiking, set up my tent, pack my daypack, and eat I have no more energy to spare.  I hope this will change once we get past this really difficult terrain in about a week.
Date: 2017-08-29
From: ME 17, Oquossoc, ME

To: ME 4, Rangeley, ME
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

Last night we camped at a scenic overlook near the trail.  My site was slanty enough that I kept waking up squashed against the side of the tent.  When I got up today the mist was hovering over Lake Mooselookmaguntic, making it impossible to see that a lake was there (see photo).  It was a beautiful dawn.Our hike was short (13.1 miles) and not very difficult.  We left at 6:05 and took very few breaks.  We wanted to finish early so we could go into Rangeley to get groceries, do other errands, and eat real food.  Wildlife sightings have been scarce of late, but yesterday Arlene and Bill saw a porcupine, and today the group of us women saw an American ptarmigan.  We've been seeing a lot of moose droppings, but so far no actual moose.  We were in Rangeley by 2:30.  There we headed for a restaurant to eat, went to an outfitter looking for wool long-sleeved hiking shirts, went to an ice cream stand to pile on a few more calories, etc.  I stopped at the public library to use its wifi.  My cell service since I entered Maine has been somewhere between abysmal and nonexistent.  I continue to write daily journal entries, but some days I don't have enough cell coverage to send them.Rangeley is a pretty town on several lakes and has been a tourist destination since the 1800s.  The Main Street in town is decorated in pink and purple petunias and has several restaurants and outdoor recreation type businesses.  Several places on the sidewalk had modified Adirondack  chairs that seat two people and had drink holder cuts between the two sides.  Arlene was taken with the poster at the ice cream stand advertising a jumping frog contest.  It's now 8:47, and it's been dark for quite a while.  The temperatures at night have been in the 40s lately. I've been warm enough in my cozy tent in my down sleeping bag, but summer is definitely on the wane. This makes me sad, not just because of the shortening daylight (fewer daylight hours to hike) but also because I love summer and its hot weather and hate to see it go.Tomorrow we hike 15.6 miles of difficult trail.  This is part of the section I hiked last year.  I recall the hike as grueling.  It'll be interesting to see whether it will be as hard this time.  I'm way more fit now, having had roughly 1950 miles to prepare, but those miles have worn me down and made me very weary.  My pants have ripped from so much butt scooting on rocks.  Arlene remedied the situation by sewing on a large Wonder Woman patch while we were at the Cabin.  I'm probably one of the very few thru hikers sporting sequins on their behinds!
Date: 2017-08-30
From: ME 4, Rangeley, ME

To: Perham Stream
Miles today: 15.3

Fall is definitely on its way.  The woods are mostly devoid of birdsong.  For several days we've been seeing fallen red maple leaves on the trail.  It was about 55 degrees for most of the time we were hiking today.  This is fine so long as we keep moving, but we get instantly chilled when we stop.  Tonight the temperature will be in the forties; later in the week the overnight temperatures will be in the thirties.  I don't like this.  It's so hard to drag myself out of my sleeping bag in the morning.  Today we hiked over Saddleback Mountain (elev. 4120), The Horn (elev. 4021), and Saddleback Junior (elev. 3655).  Much of the trail was very steep, especially the downhills.  All of the trail was rocky and rooty. There were many boggy places, but they weren't bad today.  It appears that it has not rained here in some time: the mud is partially dry.    This is the same section that I hiked last August on one of Warren's Smart Hikes.  At the time, I felt that it was the most physical work I had ever done in one day.  It doesn't feel that way this year, although it's still difficult enough.  In addition to the 15.3 miles of the trail we hiked, we also hiked an additional 1.5 miles to get to where the van is parked.  Last year it took me 14.5 hours; this year it took me 13 hours.  The day was overcast until about five o'clock.  We had good but muted views from the mountaintops.  I didn't take many pictures.  Photos don't capture the essence of the places under perfect conditions, so I didn't try to capture it on this dull day.  Tomorrow we can sleep in a bit.  We're not leaving till 6:30 because we're only hiking 10.5 miles.
Date: 2017-08-31
From: Perham Stream

To: Caribou Valley Road
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: mist

When I went to bed last night the temperature was in the 40s, and it felt quite cold.  Inside my tent I activated some hand warmers.  When my hands warmed up I put the warmers in my socks.  Two friends, Meg and Lisa, had sent me a bunch of hand warmers after the spring cold had mostly disappeared.  Now they are coming in very handy.  When I emerged from my tent this morning the temperature was in the 50s, and there was a warm breeze. We left around 6:30 after singing happy birthday to Lizzie and eating birthday cake.  At first the weather was sunny and mild, but it became overcast and cold by noon.  When I started down Spaulding Mountain I wore a long-sleeved synthetic shirt, a lightweight fleece, a windbreaker, and a heavier wind-resistant fleece on top.  Some of these layers came off depending on the level of effort we were expending.  Tonight a cold front is moving in, and lows are expected to be in the 30s.  Camping out in such conditions is not my idea of fun.  According to Warren, the Expedition organizer, the next two days are the last of the really difficult days till we get to Katahdin.  I hope the rain holds off while we hike these very rocky parts.  A friend asked me what emotions I'm feeling as the end of the hike approaches.  He recalls hikers having a sense of urgency at this stage of the hike.  So far I've been totally focused on getting through the difficult terrain in New Hampshire and Maine without injury so I can finish the hike.  But I do feel the sense of urgency - even a mix of anxiety and anticipation- amongst the hikers.  We stopped for a snack at a shelter today.  The blustery weather had drawn half a dozen hikers inside, and the topic of conversation was what their next hikes would be.  No one seems to want to consider the end that's coming soon.  But at the same time we are all tired and ready to be done walking.  I too have been thinking about where I might hike next, after a rest, of course.  I really only like camping when it's warm and dry, which is to say, I'm not a camper at all.  I'm thinking of the Camino de Santiago in Spain or the West Highland Way in Scotland.  In the meantime, I'm carefully picking my way up and down the rocks and obstacles to get to the end of this hike.  Sometimes it feels like I'm holding my breath that nothing goes wrong.  I'm a strong and skilled hiker at this point, but as I learned when I broke my wrist, one wrong step can end the hike.  Fifteen more days to go.
Date: 2017-09-01
From: Caribou Valley Road

To: ME 27, Stratton, ME 
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: overcast clouds

It was as cold as predicted overnight - in the 30s.  I woke at midnight needing to pee but couldn't bear to get out of my sleeping bag; I decided to hold it all night.  I woke this morning to the sound of high wind.  I had to force myself to get out of the sleeping bag and get dressed.  I couldn't bring myself to eat my normal breakfast concoction (granola, almonds, powdered milk, and powdered espresso) because it would have required me to drink half a cup of water in it.  So I started the day cold and noncaffeinated.  When I finally got to pee, leaning against a birch tree (my knees no longer allow me to squat), the tree swayed from the wind.  Thru hiking is not a glamorous life.  The hike was short but not easy.  Although there were no really difficult places, the whole trail was a mass of roots and rocks to be negotiated.  I got to the end point shortly before one o'clock.  It was a town day, and Grey Beard offered to take Terri and me into town.  I've now eaten two real meals, bought a few groceries, done laundry, and am settled into a hotel/hostel room for the night.  Yesterday Terri wrote in her journal about the power of imagination to create and exaggerate hard places in the trail.  One of the scary places she had imagined was a place with a large slanted slab of granite that I had described as really frightening.  Last year I stood a long time at the top of this place before deciding to sit down, spread my arms and legs wide, and gradually let myself down.  I thought yesterday's section was the one with this place and was waiting to arrive at this place.  I never did.  Looking back, I recall a slanted slab, but it was apparent to me that the best way to get down was to go down the steeper but smaller rocks on the left.  The place is still there, but having hiked 2,000 miles in the interim I'm no longer the same hiker.My sister/editor Diane says my journals have had a sequence of themes: first how cold I was, then how hungry I was, then how tired I am.  Now it seems I'm headed back to the theme of being too cold.  We passed the 2,000 mile mark today.  We now have less than 200 miles left to go.  Two weeks from today we'll be climbing Mount Katahdin.  It's hard to believe the journey is coming to an end.Note to Readers: Several readers were disappointed there was no picture of my sequined Wonder Woman patch.  I have now changed the photo of one day to show the patch.  You can always find more pictures by clicking on the Photos tab to the left of the entry.  Each day I post four or five photos, but the Trailjournals format only allows one picture to appear with each journal entry.  There are lots more photos in the Photos section.
Date: 2017-09-02
From: ME 27, Stratton

To: East Flagstaff Road
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: light rain

We had a cozy night at Stratton Motel/Hostel.  Instead of camping out in the wind and cold, we had two rooms at the hostel, which is an old motel.  I shared a room with Terri; Jeff Emmons, a guest hiker, slept on our floor.  We got up at 4:30 to be picked up at 5:30.  I was on the trail by 5:45.We had a hard hike across the Bigelow range.  We crossed South Horn (elev. 3831), Bigelow West Peak (elev. 4245), Avery Peak (elev. 4090), and Little Bigelow (elev. 4010).  There were a lot of ups and downs, much of it rocky or rooty.  It took me 13 hours to hike 16.8 miles, and that's with only the shortest of breaks. I hiked the second half with Lizzie, which made me go faster.  I'm completely wiped out and find it hard not to doze off while writing.  Warren says this is the last of the very difficult days, for which I'm grateful.  He says the next days will be much less wear and tear on our bodies.  Tomorrow we hike 16.6 miles, and there are no mountains.  Author's Note:  I was so worn out last night that I neglected to write the highlight of the day: the view from Bigelow West Peak was the most spectacular view of the entire hike. At the top, which was rocky, there were 360-degree views of range upon range of mountains.  To the left lay (west, by AT convention, even though it might not be compass west), Flagstaff Lake with all its wooded islands.  To the right were views of valleys, more mountains, an airstrip.  Straight ahead was the rounded shape of Avery Peak and, farther ahead, the oblong shape of Little Bigelow, the next mountains to be climbed.  Behind we saw the mountain we'd just crossed, South Horn.  I tried but failed to take a panoramic photograph.  I would like to have stayed a while, but the peak was crowded (it being Saturday) and the wind was quite strong and cold.
Date: 2017-09-05
From:  Moxie Pond

To: Shirley- Blanchard Rd., Monson
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke to an overcast day with rain expected.  We got off to a slow start, not leaving till 6:20; however, I put extra coffee in my breakfast concoction, so I started fast.  The hike was 18.5 miles through woods, with one mountain and several streams to cross.  The terrain was mostly rolling ups and downs, none of them very long.  As I approached the top of Moxie Bald, fog rolled in (see photo).  At the top, fog prevented my seeing where the cairns that mark the trail were.  There were no white blazes.  I explored several different directions looking for signs of the trail but found none.  I discovered that I had cell service on the east side of the peak, so I stopped to send my two latest journal entries and their accompanying photos.  Then another hiker came by.  He was having the same trouble finding the trail.  Guthook eventually pointed us in the right direction.  The fog moved on, and we saw the cairn.  While I had cell service, I took the opportunity to call PROChem to pay for my upcoming indigo dyeing class and to call my sister (and journal editor) Diane.  While I was stopped Bill and Arlene caught up with me. Later Lizzie caught up.  The four of us hiked the rest of the day together.  We spent much of the afternoon walking alongside the western branch of the Piscataquis River.  It was full of slate boulders and was quite fast running in places.  At one place there were tall cliffs on the other side. At the fording place, I took my socks off and waded across in my hiking shoes.  After I was across I put my dry wool socks back on.  They kept my feet warm and absorbed a lot of the water from the shoes.  The ford of the East Branch was much easier.  We managed to cross on stones and a beaver dam. Tonight we're settled into beds in a bunk room at Shaws hostel in Monson after having a wonderful dinner at the Lakeshore House Dining and Lodging.  I had scallops in a white wine sauce, rice, salad, four-berry cobbler, and two beers.  It's nice to be sleeping indoors on a very rainy night.
Date: 2017-09-06
From: Shirley-Blanchard Rd., Monson

To: ME 15, Monson
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: light rain

Today was our first day hiking in the rain for quite a while.  I'd forgotten just how much I hate it.  It wasn't cold while we were hiking, but as soon as we stopped we got cold.The hostel where we're staying is well-known for its breakfast, which is served at 7:00 AM. We started hiking late so that we could eat breakfast first.  We ate a huge breakfast.  The blueberry pancakes were great, but they were served with fake maple syrup.  I consider this a sin in a state that produces a lot of real maple syrup.  It wasn't raining when we started, but water was dripping off the trees from all the rain overnight.  I decided to wear my rain jacket, which isn't really waterproof, until the rain started, then switch to my poncho, which is more waterproof but sometimes too hot.  I never realized when the rain actually started, so I was drenched to the skin before I realized it was raining.  Bill remarked it was too bad we didn't have cell service: he could have called me to let me know it was raining.  It was a quick hike.  We started at 8:30 and finished by 11:00.  Warren then took us to Greenville to get groceries.  I got very chilled in the grocery store until I discovered I could buy hot coffee.  When we got back to the hostel we headed downtown to get lunch at Pete's Place, a really nice bakery.  I had an excellent grilled cheese sandwich made with oat bread and Swiss cheese.  Bill, Arlene, Terri, and I hung out there for quite a while relaxing and talking.  I ordered a peach split made with a one scoop each of blueberry, strawberry, and black raspberry ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and peanuts on top.  Bill, Arlene, and I shared it, then ordered and ate another one.Later we all got showers and did our laundry.  I got on a scale for the first time since Harpers Ferry and discovered I weigh 110 pounds.  I'm very bony and no longer have much fat, but I'm also muscular, dense, and strong.  So I'm not going to worry that I don't weigh much.  We're now fortified and ready for our last nine days of hiking.  At the end of tomorrow's hike we'll have less than 100 miles to go.  Mileage note: We actually hiked 6.3 miles today, but somehow the mileage count is short by .3.  We've finished 2075.3 miles and have 114.5 left to hike.
Date: 2017-09-08
From: Long Pond Stream

To: West Branch Pleasant River
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: clear sky

Today was a long day.  I was on the trail at 6:00 AM and didn't finish till after dark, around 7:15.  The terrain wasn't terribly difficult, but there were a lot of rocks, roots, mud, and other slowing factors.  So it took a long time.  However, there were beautiful views from the peaks we climbed, so it was all worth it.  They included Barren Ledges, Barren Mountain, Fourth Mountain, Mount Three and a Half, Third Mountain, Columbus Mountain, and Chairback Mountain (see photos).  Near the end of the afternoon we passed the 2100 mile marker (see photo).  We also caught our first glimpse of Katahdin.  Lizzie and I have been talking about the hike - what we've learned, what places we liked best, what memorable food we've eaten, etc.  Serious contemplation is still impossible because we're still focusing really intently on finishing these difficult hiking days.  We have exactly one week left, and we have mixed emotions.  Most of us are more than ready to head home, but we're cherishing this remaining time we have together.  Editors note:  I just received a text from Sturdy Peasant (sent from someone else's phone) saying that she has no cell signal and doesn't expect to have one until Baxter State Park next week.  She would like her readers to know that she is writing daily journal entries and will post them once she has cell service.  She reports that the 100 Mile Wilderness is aptly named and no joke.  She was swept downstream in a river fording yesterday, but is still here.  Stay tuned.