morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-07-30
From: Poplar Lean-to, ME

To: Crocker Cirque Campsite
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: broken clouds

Day 9414.2 miles in 10 hoursPoplar Ridge Lean-to (1979.5) to Crocker Cirque Campsite (1993.7)Weather: Sunny to partly cloudy, isolated t-storms in the afternoon, sunny and cooler after the rainDinner: Beef and vegetable noodle bowlHikers: Lots of SOBOs and NOBOs, little village at the campsite I hiked over Poplar Ridge and crossed the stream and then the woods road where Inchworm reportedly got lost two years ago. I honestly do not see anything different in the woods or along the trail that would make this section more difficult. At the summit of Lone Mountain, Spirit and I were joined by Cold Taters for lunch. Besides carrying a big bag of tortilla chips that he used to top off his hoagie roll loaded with pepperoni, he carried ¢Toto Toyota,¢ an aluminum hubcap that had been found discarded 300 miles into along the Pacific Crest Trail out west. Hikers had carried it the remaining distance raising awareness of LNT (Leave No Trail) principles and it was now on its way to finishing an AT thru-hike while strapped to the packs of individual hikers passing it along. Spirit headed out first while I was checking out Facebook and within minutes of her departure, thunder rolled in¢and the first of two isolated thunderstorms passed through. Squirrel decided to stay at the upcoming shelter, but Spirit and I forged on.The descent from Sugarloaf to the Carrabassett River was, as one passing SOBO told us, pretty gnarly. And yup, there was a steep booty-scootching section. My pack already shows wear and tears from past booty-scootching maneuvers.There hasn't been much rain and this is the second river we haven't needed to ford. Another mile brought us to tonight's piney campsite village, where two dozen more hikers were already set up. With only about 200 miles left to Katahdhin, the SOBOs are looking a little harried. It is still their first 200 miles and parts of the trail are definitely still challenging.
Date: 2016-07-31
From: Crocker Cirque Campsite

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: clear sky

Day 957.3 miles in 4.5 hoursCrocker Cirque Campsite (1993.7) to ME 27 Stratton, ME (2001)Weather: Partly cloudy, coolerDinner: Clam strips, French fries and fried fiddlehead at the White Wolf InnHikers: Shrink, Water Tank, Lemongrass and Sassafras, Spirit, Squirrel at the hostel; a handful of SOBOs and NOBOs in the morningToday is a town day and we knocked off the miles by 1 p.m, even after taking a few breaks. We passed the 2000 mile mark¢well Spirit did, seeing as she started in Georgia. I just took a photo of her by the 2¢ high twig numerals someone had artistically placed in the middle of the trail.   Yogi¢d a ride into the town of Stratton, four miles west of the trail head, from a sectional hiker who had just finished his hike. In 2011, my friend Kay had flown into Bangor to join me on my canoe trip and had stayed one night at the Stratton Motel. She slept in her sleeping bag on top of the bed¢that¢s how skanky the place felt back then. I am pleased to report that the new owners, the same ones who own the Farmhouse Inn in Rangeley, offer a bit more of an upgrade¢like clean sheets. The hostel has ten bunks and there were eight hikers staying here tonight¢including Squirrel who arrived later in the afternoon. Did town chores: laundry, grocery shopping and eating out. Was intending to eat both lunch and dinner at the White Wolf Inn, but I ate lunch late, and it was filling. Thus I had to make do by having only a cream puff with ice cream, paired with a half-price glass of Merlot, for dinner.
Date: 2016-08-01
From: Stratton, ME

To: Little Bigelow Mountain, ME
Miles today: 12.6

Day 9612.6 miles in 11.5 hoursME 27 Stratton, ME (2001) to Little Bigelow Mountain (2013.6)Weather: Partly cloudy, sunny, cooler, gusting winds all dayDinner: Sundried tomato tortelliniHikers: Camp groups, SOBOs, a few passing NOBOsAnother gorgeous day to be hiking, so nothing too outrageous to report. Left the hostel at 7 a.m. with the free shuttle and began our assault upon the Bigelow Range. Today¢s EKG elevation changes began at 1201¢ to 3,831¢ South Horn, down to 3,350,¢ back up to 4145¢ high Bigelow Mountain, followed by 4,090¢ Avery Peak, back down to the boulder fields of 2,224¢ Safford Notch and finally back up to 3,010 Little Bigelow Mountain.All of this range overlooks Flagstaff Lake, one of the lakes I paddled five years ago. The history of the lake is interesting¢and potentially sad. The Dead River was dammed to created Flagstaff Lake more than eighty years ago and a town was relocated. On calm days, paddlers can peer into the watery depths near Jim Eaton Hill looking for submerged foundations and chimneys, evidence of a once vibrant community. The wind was howling when we summited Bigelow¢and the trail went right over the highest possible exposed rock point. That was a little dicey, but we stayed low. I also took a bunch of photos of the wildly flying clouds and sheets of rain we could see falling across bits of the landscape. Okay. So there was one outrageous thing we ended up doing¢we cowboy camped on some exposed rocks atop Little Bigelow Mountain tonight. In other words, we slept under the stars without setting up the tent. Spirit and I had been talking about doing this and there was zero percent chance of rain. The wind never really subsided, but we nestled ourselves among the boulders, watched the sun set behind Avery Mountain, waited for the waning moon to set and because it is August, looked to the Persiedes constellation for meteors. It took a long time for the sky to get dark. But meteors we did see¢and also the Milky Way. Every time I woke up I¢d poke my head out of my down sleeping bag and look at the sky I rarely see this illuminated. Or even at all during this trip as I¢m typically asleep by 9 p.m. I also rarely¢or never¢wear all my clothes to bed at night, and by all I mean one wool t-shirt, two long sleeve shirts, a down jacket, wool long johns and wool socks. Good thing my bag is rated to 20 degrees ensuring I could handle a cold, starry night like this.
Date: 2016-08-03
From: East Pond Carry, ME

To: Sterling Inn, Carruatunk, ME
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: few clouds

Day 9810.3 miles in 5.5 hoursEast Carry Pond, ME (2027.7) to US 201, Carratunk, ME (2038)Weather: Sunny, pleasantDinner: First dinner: Pint of Ben and Jerry¢s Chunky Monkey (for the fruit) and half of a cheese pizza; second dinner at Kennebec Micro-Brewery: Quinoa salad and two red alesHikers: Three or more SOBOs, two NOBOs, one flip flopper, some day hikers At one point during the night, I made a half-hearted attempt to check for meteors, but only was rewarded with seeing a mirror image of the night sky reflected in the lake. It was the same this morning¢two twin sunrises¢only differentiated by a rock concert fog machine emanating from the surface of the lake. Today's goal was reaching the ferry crossing the 400¢ wide Kennebec River. And by ferry, I mean the ATC-operated canoe. And by operated, I mean, Greg, an ATC-insured stern paddler who ferries hikers across the river. In a canoe. The ferry only runs between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. A white blaze is even painted on the canoe floor, so it's an official section of the trail. Spirit and I left camp at 7 and hiked the first six miles to the Pierce Pond Shelter in under two and a half hours. The trail was great¢flat, easy on the feet and quiet. We had plenty of time and took our second breakfast break at the pond¢s edge. This area is so similar to the boulder edged shorelines in the Boundary Waters.Then Sybil made an appearance. We had another 3.7 miles to go. From Pierce Pond, the trail followed Pierce Brook and it's lovely cascades and waterfalls. What was not lovely was all the roots and rocks and hills that Sybil threw at us. Beware of flat looking lines. Even though the guidebook showed no significant elevation changes and looked to be easy, it was another foot-bruising obstacle course. Up until now, Spirit and I had been chatting away all morning, but I was slowing down and I needed to take my mind off the trail by listening to a ¢Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me.¢ podcast. I find that it helps pass the distances in measured time. And comedy.The last mile of the trail finally settled down to a flatter path and we had crossed the river just after noon. Phone service is sketchy, so we tried hitching a ride to the inn and hostel we had booked. Alex, who turned out to be a 2015 Northern Forest Canoe Trail summer intern, pulled over in his kayak-bedecked, NFCT-bumper stickered Subaru to give us a ride. Mustard Seed, a hiker Spirit has leap-frogged with since she started, is here tonight at the Sterling Inn, too. Another afternoon spent doing laundry, repacking food and heading out to a brew pub for dinner tonight, but it's back to work again tomorrow.
Date: 2016-08-04
From: Sterling Inn, Carruatunk, ME

To: Moxie Bald Mountain
Miles today: 16.7

Day 9916.7 miles in 11 hoursUS 201, Carratunk, ME (2038) to Moxie Bald Mountain (2054.7) Weather: Sunny, 90s, hotDinner: Edaname Green Noodle Bowl, Whoopie PieHikers: Several slow-moving SOBOs and one fast one; Savage, Spirit, the only NOBO Spirit and I saw todayWildlife: Small owl (Saw-whet or elf?), snakes Today I ate a Whoopie Pie, a beloved Maine dessert consisting of two layers of a moist chocolate cake with a filling of cream sandwiched between¢and about the diameter of a softball. And here's an interesting nutritional note. Apparently one 6 oz. unit actually consists of two portions¢you know, like how a 12 oz. can of soda is intended to be shared. Each ¢serving¢ was 390 calories. So, yeah, I just downed 780 calories¢and that was BEFORE my Edamame Green Noodle Bowl was ready.Got a bit of a late start this morning after waking up before 6. While the bed was cozy, passing semis and unseasonably warm temps made for a restless sleep. Our goal today was tentatively Moxie Bald Mountain, but it was a hot day. After knocking off six miles to the shelter in 2.5 miles, stopped at the Pleasant Pond Beach to dip our feet. Met Savage, a young woman, we had crossed paths with earlier this week.Then headed up Pleasant Mountain. Pretty much during the hottest time of the day. Theoretically the trail should have been easier, but man, it was hot. Spirit and I hike together during most of the day, sharing secrets and talking football, but after lunch I started lagging behind. Only the promise of a swim in Moxie Pond kept me motivated. Met up with Spirit by one of the near waterless streams just under a mile from the lake around 4. Only the lakes and ponds can be relied upon for water right now. All of the rivers we've crossed that were supposed to be forded have exposed rocks we can hop across.Swimming washes away all the fatigue, but it still didn't look like we'd shoot for Moxie Bald, another 5 miles away any longer. But refreshed, we could go another 2.8 miles to the next shelter. Both the tent sites and shelter were empty when we arrived around 6:30 p.m The SOBO and NOBO crowds are really thinning. We appear to be in between groups. Decided to make dinner and it was at this point where the inhaling of the Whoopie Pie came to pass. I am now writing atop Moxie Bald Mountain. A second night of cowboy camping was too good to pass¢especially since tonight is supposed to be the peak meteor shower night. And it was only another two miles with nothing left to do but set up sleeping bags. The last half mile was a little steep to pick our way through the falling darkness. Passed under the cave feature which we might have appreciated better in daylight. A small owl flew between us in the twilight. Arrive atop Moxie Bald and discovered Savage already ensconced near the summit sign. Shared the best half can of warm IPA ever and searched for meteors. Disappointing show so far, but the night is still young.
Date: 2016-08-05
From: Moxie Bald Mountain

To: East Branch Piscataquis River, ME
Miles today: 13.3

Day 10013.3 miles in 7 hours Moxie Bald Mountain (2054.7) to East Branch Piscataquis River (2068)Weather: Overcast, rain showersDinner: Beef StroganoffHikers: Three sluggish Dudes at the shelter, several day or SOBO hikers, Savage, Spirit, AT RidgerunnerA warm wind blew all night¢much nicer conditions than a few nights ago when we were camped atop higher and colder Little Bigelow Mountain¢but less of a meteor show despite the hype. At least when I was looking. The sky remained illuminated by the half moon for quite a while, but I would check the stars out each time I awoke during the night. Really glad we made it all the way¢this was one of the best nights camping so far. A mosquito woke me up just before a few light rain drops fell around 5:30 a.m. Got the sleeping bag tucked away and then no additional rain fell, so we started on first breakfast. Left our cowboy camp before 7, but within five minutes we stopped for second breakfast¢blueberries begging to be picked. Two miles down the mountain returned us to a different end of Moxie Pond and a shelter where we stopped for third breakfast and a quick dip in the leech-infested waters. Still totally worth the risk. Still feels humid, but we don't have the sun beating down on us like yesterday.Within half a mile of leaving the shelter, the rain finally started falling for real. An all-day kind of rain. Decided to head to the next shelter at the eleven mile mark for a late lunch/early dinner before moving on a few more miles to a campsite that sets us up for a short day into Monson tomorrow. The trail was almost entirely flat, just like the guidebook line suggests, so it was fairly easy to walk fast even when the rain turned it into a fast moving stream in places. Walking in the rain (under my umbrella) made the day more interesting. At times it got heavy, then lightened up, then stopped altogether. I don't normally get to experience the life span of a rain shower like this in my normal life. And despite some people's opinion, I didn't melt. We arrived at the shelter where three young, um, self-deceived* SOBOs, have been taking a zero. Dude! It's raining! This after having just taken a bunch of zeros in Monson. Yesterday. This is only mile 123.5 for them. One guy told us he started on July 4¢almost six weeks ago. Another wanted to hike at least a little today and were going to check a campsite another .3 miles down the trail. That would make it one of the shortest neros ever. I'm not a betting person, but me thinks the likelihood of any of these spitting, cigarette-rolling, GameBoy-packing bros making it to Georgia, is slim to none. Another sign that the trail has been a kinder and gentler version of its rough cousin? My knees are not stiff tonight and my feet aren't hurting. *Spell check changed my original adjective and I like this better.
Date: 2016-08-06
From: East Branch Piscataquis River, ME

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 6.7

Day 1016.3 miles in 4 hours East Branch Piscataquis River (2068) to Monson, ME (2074.7)Weather: Cooler, rain showersDinner: Calamari, Shrimp and zucchini casserole at the Lakeshore HouseHikers: No one passing us northbound, but lots of hikers here at the hostelA quick hike along a relatively smooth trail, in intermittent showers with intermittent conversations revolving around opera and art, brought us to Monson by 11 a.m. I checked into Shaw¢s to do my town chores. This is the last town before the weeklong hike ending at Baxter State Park and Katahdin. Lots of thoughts happening¢Spirit will be finishing along with a bunch of other Georgia to Maine NOBOs. I registered for my permit to hike Katahdin nine days from today. They are lots of names I recognize who have finished in the past two weeks and those of us planning to summit on the same day are feeling bonded by this experience even if we've been leap-frogging around each other for weeks or months. Stripe is one such fellow. He met up with me back in Vermont on a particularly hard ascent up to Smart Mountain, where we camped together at the Fire Warden Cabin. We had talked for about two hours. I hadn't seen him since. Spirit, on the other hand, had hiked through the Whites with him and another hiker. Not only did her shared experience differ significantly from mine, she was better friends with him because of the number of days they spent as a little group. Yet we both had overlapping time with Stripe and now we are all set to summit the same day. Spirit also has another unique situation unfolding. She and five other hikers¢all initially strangers to each other¢all started on February 16. All are still on the trail within days of each other. It's entirely possible that four of the six will summit together¢the other two are known to be a few days ahead with a deadline they need to keep. Sam and I finally figured out how he can meet up with me in a place where cell coverage is limited.There is a little giddiness, a little reminiscing and a little sadness beginning to seep into the comings and goings. And I had news today that I'll report on tomorrow update¢which unfortunately might be not until after I reach Baxter and have access to the Internet again. My trip will be even more memorable and remarkable.
Date: 2016-08-07
From: Monson, ME

To: Little Wilson Stream Campsite
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: light rain

Day 1027.2 miles Monson, ME (2074.7) to Little Wilson Stream (2081.9)Weather: Morning showers changing to mist changing to sunshine; a little muggyDinner: Tuna basil pastaHikers: Lots at the hostel, Miss Daisy (Justine) and ATK (TK), Sunshine, Moonshine, one sectional hikerYesterday I was asked to be a witness in the marriage of my fellow 2011 thru-paddlers and 2004 AT thru-hikers Justine and TK. Justine is the person who said I should hike the AT after paddling the NFCT. She and TK live in Maine, and I had been staying in touch about hiking together when I was in the area. But boy did I let out a whoop when I turned on my phone at the Route 17 parking lot. The text read ¢Tis time for me to ask...will you be my maid of honor at 9:00 a.m. in Monson tomorrow? We have been waiting for you."They were married this morning at Shaw¢s Hostel in Monson, in the presence of other hikers. Justine¢s father, who is a minister in this town, officiated. The bride wore a beige rayon tea-length dress and the maid of honor wore her clean hiker clothes. And then afterwards, they accompanied me on my hike entering the 100 Mile Wilderness¢and I accompanied them on their honeymoon. We took our time, talking and catching up and not paying much attention to the trail except that it remains beautiful in my eyes. After yesterday's rains, verdant spaghnum mosses and lichens are thick and spongy. We passed several ponds and TK related bits about the area¢s logging and railroad histories. It was a lovely way to spend a wedding day with friends.
Date: 2016-08-09
From: Cloud Pond Shelter

To: Gulf Hagas Trail Area-Stealth Site
Miles today: 13.5

Day 10413.5 miles in 11 hours Cloud Pond Shelter (2093.8) to just beyond Gulf Hagas Trail West (2107.3)Weather: Partly cloudy to overcast, hot and humidDinner: Mouse-tampered chicken pastaHikers: Subway and Suds, Rabbit, Stripe, Spirit, Patriot, Checks and Monkey King, misc. SOBOs (recent NOBO flipfloppers)A mouse kept me awake most of the night. At various intervals, I could hear it scurrying around the tent, playing with the pot cozie or in my pack. I finally moved the pack with the food bag in the tent with me¢which is a real trick as my tent is a coffin-shaped solo. I had to sleep in the fetal position or have me feet lay on top of the pack so it could fit inside. This morning I discovered it had got in the food bag and chewed through a chicken pasta dinner, spilling the contents of an oil packet. So I didn't wake up in a very good mood. But my shirt was dry.Which may be a reason why the trail felt like work. We didn't pass by any ponds, but did climb five summits. It was pretty tiring. Spirit likes to tell me about the elevation changes and when the trail gets easier, but I tend to look at the whole thing as miles to tick off. And all I wanted to do was tick off miles today to get that much closer to Katahdin. We pushed on for another 2.5 miles, past the last officiating tent site and are stealth camping by a brook. Decided to eat the mouse-tampered dinner after all. It was still tasty and thus far not poisoning me. 1200 miles in the books finished somewhere today.
Date: 2016-08-11
From: Mountain View Pond

To: White House Landing/Mahar Tote Road
Miles today: 20.2

Day 10620.2 miles in 10 hours Mountain View Pond (2123.3) to White House Landing/Mahar Tote Road (2143.5)Weather: Sun, a few light afternoon scattered showersDinner: CheeseburgerHikers: Suds and Subway, Rabbit, Blues Brother, Bald Whistler and his niece, Sunlight and Moonlight, Squirrel, Spirit and three SOBOsWildlife: Morning moose seen across the pond from our stealth site, lots of snakes, including a foot-long one that Spirit stepped on int the trail, bald eagle on tonight's lakeMade it! To the very awesome White House Landing Fish Camp on Pemadumcook Lake. I'm once again in my happy place¢that is to say being on the water vs, carrying it. But I really can't complain too much about the day. Sunshine. Breezes. Few bugs. Lakes, streams and waterfalls. And a very flat trail.Did I mention that the trail was as flat as the guidebook indicated? At times it was a nice even pathway. Except for the very last mountain, a 400-foot climb, and a few intermittent places where rocks and roots took over. But it was mostly parklike. Spirit and I were able to do 14 miles in 5 hours. This was a good thing as we needed to make it to the boat dock by 5 p.m. in order to make dinner at the fish camp. At the same time, it was hard work. I haven't done a 20-mile day since Connecticut and my feet now hurt in new and different ways. Back in Virginia, after my first week on the trail, I remember asking two NOBOs when their feet stopped hurting and they said never. Tis true. The one sure thing about this trail is that your feet always hurt.We took quick breaks at the shelters we passed along the trail, stopped for lunch by the lakeside Antler Campsite and I filled up my water bottle at one of the best springs to date¢at Potaywadjo Shelter. The icy cold water source rose up through a sandy pool and I loaded up my water bottle.The last few miles were some of the hardest. Our parklike path turned psycho. More moss-covered boulder hopping across muddy trail bits. I felt the bile rising, but that could have been due to not filtering my water at that last spring.Just after 5 p.m., an Alumicraft motor boat whisked us across the lake to a series of cabins nestled around a lodge¢all off the grid. Propane powered the hot water, the kitchen stove and the light fixtures. Hammocks, rocking chairs, log benches and the use of canoes or kayaks are available for foot-weary guests. It's too bad we couldn't get here sooner, but it still was great to be able to take a shower, eat a big cheeseburger, drink beer and watch the full moon rise over the darkening lake. Although the breezes have been warm and it is still August, the beech and birch trees are starting to turn and yellow leaves are falling. And there is less daylight left for hiking. Or writing. Musings: My current circle of hikers all include NOBOs ending their hike in the next few days. I haven't been hiking with any Flip Floppers, at least that I know of, since Andover, Maine¢more than two weeks ago. Its hard not to get swept up into the NOBO finale and their feelings as their days become numbered.