morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-14
From: Monson

To: Moxie Bald Lean-To
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Well, I finally left Shaw's around lunch time. If I had stayed any longer, I might have had to get a job and find permanent residence. I really enjoyed the hospitality of Dawn, Buddy, and Susan and enjoyed meeting other hikers as they came through. Everyone was so helpful, from taking me to the dentist to make sure that I had not broken my jaw, to sewing up my ripped rain pants.So like I said, I left Shaw's in the heat of the day and hiked 9 miles to Horseshoe Canyon Lean-To. Spoonman and Nemo (Jeremy from Atlanta) stayed there as well. It was nice to be on the trail again, but it took my body three long miles to get back in the feel of it. With my family gone and the other hikers I know well ahead of me, I have decided to take it at my own slow pace. Afterall, that is one of the reasons people hike the trail - to get away from dictated schedules. Ileft the rat race of Atlanta, I'm not going to recreate it out here!So, day 14, I got up and left at the same time as Spoonman and Nemo, but I didn't try and catch them, nor did I go as far as they went. I only covered 9 miles today. I stopped and had lunch at a stream crossing with a swimming hole that I cooled off in and then, at the Moxie Pond Lean-To, I took a dip in the pond and decided to stay. I was done hiking by 3 instead of the usual 7 pm and had lots of time to relax, get cleaned, eat, and socialize with two other wonderful, slow-moving, SOBO's, Dawn & Mary and their dog Coal. I had met them briefly the day that I arrived at Shaw's and had hoped that I would see them again. I will leave them tomorrow but will hope to reconnect with them again further south. I have been hiking alone and just meeting folks at shelters. In a way this is nice, but sometimes I wish there was someone walking at my pace that I could talk to. Maybe there will be other sobo's and I'm not the caboose!By the way for those of you not so connected with the hiking community, SOBO is short for Southbound and NOBO is short for Northbound. MEGA is ME to GA and GAME is GA to ME. There is usually a register in the shelters where hikers leave messages for each other or just to record that they were there and any thoughts they want to put down on paper. It's fun to read these registers and follow along with other hiker's journeys.
Date: 2006-07-15
From: Moxie Bald Lean-To

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, today started off pretty nice. Climbed to the top of Moxie Bald, a desolate looking rock top with some would be nice views if not for the haze. The weather was cool and I cruised for several miles until the Moxie Pond ford. The ford was easy and I spoke with this grandmother out fishing for a few moments. Stopped by the lake for lunch and then began the hike up Pleasant Pond Mtn. Stopped for water, but thought twice about it as it looked red and was downstream from a beaver dam (beaver feces is the biggest carrier of giardia). Wish that I had resupplied my water at Joe's hole at Moxie Pond, because the hike up the mountain was never ending and I ran out of water midway through the false summits. Luckily, I saw Stumpknocker and Mrs. Gorp who informed me that I was very close to the summit but that I had a steep decent to the lean-to and I soon found out they weren't kidding. I about cried except that I was too dehydrated to make tears. I fianlly made it to the stream, filling up every water container I had and then rolled into the shelter before dark. Thankful that I had the place to myself, that there were no bugs, and that once agian I had skirted thunderstorms while on an exposed mountaintop. I gulped down some water, forced down some crackers (I was not about to cook) and went to sleep. Amazingly, I slept well (shelter floors can be very hard). It's now 9 am on day 16 and while I've been up for awhile, I'm slow to leave. My brain is telling me to get going, but my body says rest some more. The ferry runs until 4 so I have some play time, but still, I think I should get a move on.Later.
Date: 2006-07-16
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-To

To: Pierce Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: few clouds

Spent some quality time at the Pleasant Pond shelter and finally started hiking about 10. Made it six miles to Caratunk by 2. Went by Moose Crossings for lunch, but they were closed due to a friend's memorial service. It's Sunday so the post office is closed. Didn't think I had enough time to go a mile the other direction for a cola so I went and met Steve the Ferryman for my canoe ride across the Kennebec River. Beautiful river and I am glad that I did not have to ford it! Made it the next four miles to Pierce Pond Lean-To to take a cleansing swim in the pond and watch a beautiful sunset while eating my delicious chicken and broccoli Lipton noodles with added chunks of Sweet Sue chicken! The skeeters crept in right as I was bedding down and were so persistant I decided to hang my hammock. I'm getting really good at putting it up in a pinch (thanks Jeremy for your help with the knots!). Slept like a baby. Loons were actively noisey. I saw my first one fly over the pond this morning. Well want to get an earlier start today, so I'm off!
Date: 2006-07-17
From: Pierce Pond Lean-To

To: West Cary Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 10.0

Today was a fine day to be hiking. I started pretty early, but late according to hiker standards at 7:45. I passed Jolly Green Giant and chatted with him for awhile. I had met his hiking buddies, Pebbles and Fat Camp yesterday in Caratunk. He and Fat Camp are planning to hike the IAT after summitting Katahdin. (Actually, I had met these guys at an REI hiker clinic and then again at Trail Days). I met some trail maintainers, Craig and Donna (Shadow and Sassy) who gave me a ride around the bog detour. I guess I'm not a purist! Actually, I'm still on the AT corridor and really, if you've seen one bog, you've seen too many! Besides getting the opportunity to talk to the maintainers was well worth the 3/10 of a mile ride.Well, lunch time rolled around and Craig had told me about a nice swimming hole so I decided to stop at East Carry Pond. Something so refreshing about skinny-dipping at noon! Then as I'm getting dressed and putting on my shoes I hear this noise and think that it's some Sobo's I know are behind me but actually it's a moose! My second moose sighting. She didn't get too close, but definitely a neat experience.Well, I made it to camp around 3. I had thought I might keep hiking but the last mile was very rocky and wore me out! Plus, West Carry Pond was so inviting! Yep, skinny-dipping twice in one day! I even washed my clothes and my hair just 'cause I could!Later at the shelter, some sobo's I had met in Monson joined me. Actually, all four of us are from GA! Jeremy (Nemo), Blaine, and Drew. They will all leave me tomorrow as they hike faster and farther than me, but I am enjoying their company for now and hope that I will see them again done the trail. Guess that's all for now!
Date: 2006-07-18
From: West Cary Pond Lean-To

To: Safford Notch Campsite
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

Excellent day for hiking though a little humid. Actually, the weather has been in the 90's and very humid - very much like Atlanta. But, despite the humidy, my legs felt great and before noon I'd covered almost 8 miles - a speed record for me. Blaine and Nemo caught up with me at the road that has 2000 miles painted on it so we all took a picture. Of course this means that we have 2000 miles to go! I stopped for lunch at the Little Bigelow Lean-To which is known for it's "tubs" - pools of water in between rocks in the middle of the stream. Very cool. I had just settled into a pool, soaking my feet, and ready to eat lunch and an afternoon shower popped up. No big deal for me but my socks and pack were up at the shelter drying in the now gone sun. I raced up to the shelter and got everything safe before the rain really came down. So I read the register and ate lunch and by the time I was done, the rain had gone. So now I'm off to tackle the first of the Bigelows. Going up was pretty easy and the view was fabulous. Coming down was more stressful, so I decided to cut the hike short at Safford Notch Campground. 12.2 miles total. Nice quiet campground with just one other couple staying there. Cooked a delicious dinner of cheese tortolini with mashed potatos and crushed cheddar cheese nips. Very filling. Then off to bed. I tuned into my radio to avoid listening to the flies buzzing around my head and found that I really like the new Red Hot Chilli Peppers song. I also got to hear the weather report which let me know that the weather should soon be cooling off. Lastly, I tuned into that sitcom with Courtney Thorn-Smith, Kimberly Williams and Jim Belushi. TV is different when just listened to on the radio, but still nice to break up the day's activities.Saw a white tail deer. She snorted at me before dashing off into the woods. Another humming bird visited me at the shelter at lunch time. That makes 3. They are so cool to watch fly around.
Date: 2006-07-20
From: Cranberry Stream Campsite

To: Stratton
Miles today: 1.9
Weather: clear sky

Up and out early today. Something about knowing you are going into town really gets you moving. Got to the road at 7:30, but had to walk a bit before some young, cute construction boys gave me a hitch to the Stratton Motel. Stumpknocker and Mrs. Gorp were there and Don the owner was expecting me. I guess Stumpy had told them I was coming (or I have some strange Twilight Zone quality that informs all trail hostel owners to expect me :o)!) Anyway, at the shelter I picked up my packages at the post office, got cleaned up - I love hot showers and town clothes! and made some phone calls and returned some emails and got my laundry clean, whohoo - no smelly clothes - until tomorrow!, and ate a greasy cheesburger, onion rings and a delicious real ice cream made strawberry shake, and now I am updating my journals so you all will have something to read! Soon I am going to go grocery shopping. Trying to decide if I will go to Rangely or to Andover or both. Need to decide before shopping - gotta keep that pack weight down. Well, I'm gonna see if I can figure out how to download some pictures so you guys can see what fantastic things I have had the opportunity to see.Later!
Date: 2006-07-22
From: Crocker Cirque Campsite

To: Spaulding Mountain Lean-To
Miles today: 6.2

The Day I Almost Fell Off The Mountain!Today Dawn, Mary, Coal, and I left the campsite and headed toward Spaulding Mountain Lean-to. We were very excited because we were going to get to see a plaque today - who hoo! Today's hike included a trip up to Sugarloaf Mountain which was a pretty good climb. It included some bouldering and some of the trail just skirted the edge of the mountain. Well, if you haven't figured it out yet from reading my journals, I fall a lot. In fact, I fell right as we left the campsite! Well, after bouldering up this mountain, the trail flattens out and begins to head into the woods but is still on the edge of the mountain. So, I don't know what I tripped on, but I lost my balanced and fell and rolled into the Christmas trees. Thank goodness the trees were there because if they weren't there to stop my rolling, I would have flown off the mountain! I took off mypack and pulled myself up and was amazed at what happened. Of course now the area where I fell looks like a moose had bedded down. I am just amazed at what pridicaments I get myself into!I made it to the junction of the AT and trail that goes to the summit ofSugarloaf and sat and had lunch. Dawn had hiked the half mile trail to the Summit house on Sugarloaf and said the view was not that great as it was pretty cloudy, so I skipped it.Down the mountain on the way to Spaulding Mountain Lean-to, we saw the plaque that simply recognizes that this was the last section of the trail to be completed making the AT a 2000+ mile trail. Neat.At last, at the shelter, I just get my hammock hung and it begins to rain. Cooking dinner in the shelter, four MIT grad students show up. One is an AT section hiker and the other three are just outdoor enthusiasts joining him for a weekend hike. They are young and boisterous and one of them is a bit too loud, but it is interesting to listen to them. The one section hiking offers us some poptarts and trail mix that he doesn't need or want to carry out. His way of giving back to AT thru-hikers as others have done for him.It's a bit chilly as I head to bed and I am questioning weather or not I should have mailed home my fleece!
Date: 2006-07-23
From: Spaulding Mountain Lean-To

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-To
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Happy Anniverary Shadrix Families!Today, was pretty uneventful hiking. It was overcast and misty, but there weren't really any viewing areas that we past today. There were some side trails to mountain summits but we skipped them figuring it wasn't worth the extra miles.We did pass a really cool stream called Sluice Brook. It was really narrrow and deep like it just cut right through the rock. There was a nice pool with big flat rocks to sit on and so I stopped for lunch. Wish that it had been warmer as I would have taken a dip in this pool that looked like a bathtub, but I just soaked my feet.Immediately after the brook was an old forest road and then the trail descended 100 vertical feet in 1/10 of a mile in order to cross Orbeton Stream. After crossing the stream, you immediately go back up in elevation. Now, why couldn't you just cross the stream on the road? I guess that wouldn't be a wilderness kind of stream crossing now would it?!!Next, I climb to the top of Poplar Ridge, so excited to have completed my final climb of the day, and it begins to mist. So I briefly enjoy the view and press on the 1/2 mile decent to the shelter. Of course now the rocks are slick as the mist has covered them with wetness. Carefully negotiating a long steep boulder and what happens? You guessed it, my foot slips and I slide on my butt down the rock. Well, I tell myself, that's one quick way to get down off that big rock! Perhaps my trail name will be Slip 'n Slide!I meet Dawn at the shelter and there are three other hikers there all heading North. I set up my hammock and it's a good thing, because before you know it there are 5 more NOBO's filing into the shelter. You can tell that these loud, almost obnoxious young hikers have been traveling together for a while and that they are all looking forward to their goal of climbing Katahdin. Some of them are a little mouthy about the virtues of traveling north vs. south and one of the girls, Tarta Ruga from Brazil who is heading north through ME, but did the rest of the trail going south in the winter no less, puts them in their place. Going South is just as hard, if not more difficult, than going North.Dawn, Mary, and I hold council in their "spirit tent" (looks like a teepee) and read through the humourous Poplar Ridge Trivia that has been put together by the section maintainer. By the time we finish dinner and hanging out, all the nobos are fast asleep and it's only 7:30. I too, am tired and so I climb in my hammock and drift off. Again, tonight is really chilly and I am still second guessing my decision to send home my fleece.
Date: 2006-07-24
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-To

To: Piazza Rock Lean-To
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was a beautiful day for hiking. After 3 days of off and on rain and gloominess, it looked like the sun was going to shine. Dawn, Mary, and I were hoping that it would be good weather because none of us wanted to climb Saddleback with it's glacially smooth rocks in the rain. That would be too slippery for comfort. So southward we headed. But, as we approached Saddleback Jr., the sky started thundering. What to do? Well the sun was still shining, so I pressed on hoping that the thunder would pass. Hooray, it did! The climbs were tough and many times it was hand over foot and relying on the help of trees as handholds. But, once you got on top of the mountains, above treeline, in the alpine zone, it was a 360 degree panoramic view. Amazing! From the Horn, you could see the trail as it meandered up Saddleback mountain, a distance of 1.6 miles. While it was a bit hazy, we're pretty sure we could see Katahdin (~215 miles away) and Mount Washington (~150 miles away)! . Downhill was less enjoyable. My knees and ankles were not meant to traverse slick rocks at a 45 degree angle for at least 2 miles! It was tough! And then there were 2 more miles to the lean-to over a more gentle declining slope but just as rocky. It was late by the time I got to the shelter, but I still managed to cook a delicious pasta and cheese meal. Too tired to hang the hammock, so I hope the mosquitoes leave me alone! This is a very nice shelter and since I am only planning a short hiking day tomorrow since I plan to go into Rangely, I think I will check out the short hike to the caves and to the Piazza Rock.Oh, and by the way, those nobos from the last shelter were up and gone by day break, quiet as the little mice that supposedly live near the shelters!
Date: 2006-07-26
From: Rangely, ME4

To: Sabbath Day Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: broken clouds

Up early to pack up and head back to the trail. Enjoyed breakfast with Goatmilk and Severin on the back porch. Still can't believe how lucky I am to have met this family. Devin drives us into town for a quick stop at the Alpine shop; I need a new spoon as mine broke and Goatmilk needs fuel. We get about halfway to the trail head and I remember that we left our hiking poles at the house. Devin teases us about how this is a southbounders mistake (he was nobo, trail name Johnnie Walker), but graciously drives us back to the house to pick them up. We thank him profusely, say our goodbyes and then head down the trail. This section should be pretty easy as it is mostly flat. Now wouldn't you know it, but about a mile and a half into the trail, it begins to rain. Hard rain. I tell myself that I truly hope this is not a trend - leaving town clean (relatively speaking) and dry only to get soaked as soon as I'm on the trail. But press on I do. If I'm gonna get wet, I guess I'll get wet covering miles and not just sitting still. The rain doesn't last long and the sun comes out and pretty soon, I'm beginning to dry out. I realize that my boots are not completely waterproof! Doesn't matter, they are so heavy and cause the balls of my feet to go numb, I'm going back to my torn up trail runners until I get to Gorham and can get some better suited shoes.4 miles in there is a fabulous campsite on a pond with a canoe. I seriously think of staying here. Plus, I know Dawn and Mary have plans to stay there and I'd love to tell them all about the trail magic and hear about their experience at Gull Pond. But, I need to make Andover by Saturday as I have packages at the PO, so I push on another 5+ miles. At about 7 miles, I'm ready to hang my hat for the day. I am so tired for some reason.Finally, at the Sabbath Day Lean-To, I rest a bit, get some water, use the privy, and by the time I am back at the shelter. the bottom falls out of the sky. No hanging the hammock tonight. I have the shelter to myself and dry I am going to be! Cook dinner of pasta, potatoes, and cheese nips, then off to bed. It's late- I'm up until hiker midnight- 9 pm!
Date: 2006-07-28
From: Bemis Mountain Lean-To

To: Somewhere on Old Blue
Miles today: 6.8

Wet. Everything is wet. I am lying in my hammock and everything just feels wet, even if it isn't. I did not make it to my destination of the campsite at South Arm Road. The rain was coming down too hard as I was descending Old Blue. Now I have added a new dimension to my dislike of steep, rocky, downhills - steep, rocky, downhills in the rain! My core being was sopping wet - except my face due to my visor - except for the teardrops rolling down my cheeks. Finally, I find a place with trees that isn't too dense with trees and decide to hang my hammock. I'm getting cold and cold and wet can lead to hypothermia. I don't want to experience that! Plus, I know it's more steep rocky downhill to the road. I'll save that for the morning. My hammock is hung and it's not the best job, but it will do. I'm dry and comfortable now that I have dry clothes on and a full belly.Today sucked. I'm gonna go ahead and state the obvious. Hiking in the rain sucks. I swear when I get into Andover tomorrow, I'm not leaving until the forecast is sunny. I'm not enjoying my job right now. I don't know if it is the terrain or just my mood or the constant rain. I don't particularly feel good and my turtle pace has turned into a slug's pace. Maybe it's a female hormone thing. I hope so because I know that that will pass in time. If not, I don't know what I'll do, 'cause I feel like quitting right now and I haven't even made it to my 2nd state. Coming over Bemis Mountain was boring. No views and plenty of PUD's. That's hiker terminology for Pointless Ups and Downs. The ups and downs don't take you anywhere, no views, no stream crossings. They're not even big changes in elevation. It's just that instead of a flat terrain, it's a rolling terrain like a sine curve. Math students, you'll learn about that in trigonometry or maybe geometry. I did enjoy talking with some vacation overnight hikers, Christina and John at the shelter this morning. They were very inquisitive about this whole journey and enjoyed checking out my hammock. Poor John looked like he was packing everything but the kitchen sink in his pack - it was taller than him!Well, it's 7:30 and I'm hitting the sack and hoping for better spirits tomorrow.