morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-09-25
From: Campsite by the Carrabasset

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

The climb up Crocker today was okay. Unfortunately, it was totally socked in. Still crazy warm, though, so I'm not complaining. The downhill turned out kind of crappy (which is a little complaining). Just too rooty, rocky, and steep. I also slipped as much on it as I probably have in a week. I did play the Kevin Bacon game in my head the whole way down. Because I'm insane now. When I got to the road there was a car with Mass. plates, the trunk open, a cooler, and a folding chair, but no one around. I fooled with my stuff for a bit, then saw someone coming out of the woods from the other side of the road. I was really excited to recognize that it was RockDancer. Turns out he'd decided to spend the balance of his trail time helping the hikers after he broke his foot. Incredible. I hung out with him for a couple hours while we waited to see if anyone was behind. No one came, which was good because I'd eaten all of his chips. We caught up and he showed me pictures of everyone he'd helped out in the area. He drove me to town where Sundance, Pacemaker, Bear Bag, Hover, and Snowy were all zeroing yesterday. Wiggles and The Dude came in right after and I wound up splitting a room at the White Wolf Inn with Whiskers, who I'd seen in Rangeley. RockDancer and I had planned on having dinner and invited Whiskers. On the way back from the laundry, we saw Icebreak and Sky High on the way in, so we picked them up and all went to eat. Wiggles and The Dude came by halfway through and had drinks, so it turned into a real banquet. Those two, Whiskers, and I hung out after on the motel balcony for about an hour, which was a good time.Today was a big boost. It was so great to see RockDancer again and he was such an amazing help. It's fantastic to feel like I'm actually in the midst of people again, too.
Date: 2011-09-26
From: Stratton, ME

To: Little Bigelow Lean-To
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: few clouds

Got up early and wandered over to the diner, but they're closed Mondays, so I checked out the co-op. Ditto. I waited for the little grocery to open at 8:00 and bumped into Snowy there. We talked for a long while and a lot of it was about all this yellow-blazing going on lately. It's really good to talk to someone who feels the same as me, because I've been questioning my sanity.I packed up and then saw Sundance, so talked to him for a bit. I walked to the PO and saw Bear Bag and Hover on the way back. I also met Goopah there, who someone was just talking about. RockDancer drove me, Icebreak, and Sky High back and said goodbye. Those guys had stayed at the trail, so still had to pack up. I hiked alone till lunch, where I saw Goopah. Turns out he's going to UM, so we talked about that for a while. I saw him again up on West Bigelow, which was far and away the best view of the trip. As much as it gets me down sometimes to be this late in the season, the colors up there were just unbelievable. Mt. Avery was just north and I sat there for a long while.I planned on hitting Safford Notch Campsite because it was getting late, but there was a recent sign about bear activity, so I decided to hike a little late to here.It took forever. The trail over Little Bigelow was much more up and down than I was reading it on the profile. The sunset was beautiful, though, and later I just popped out of the trees to a totally exposed section where the stars just exploded almost like I've never seen them. The Milky Way was super clear, which I haven't seen in a long while. I really crawled the rest of the way here. By the time I got here, everyone was asleep in the shelter, so I set up a ways behind and cooked a very late dinner. The good news is that if I can manage 17 tomorrow, I knock a day off my schedule. Which is a big deal at this point. Oh, I also went over 2,000 miles today. I was looking for the sign and didn't see it. I figured someone swiped it, then saw it a couple miles north of this year's actual spot (I think). A little while later was the road with the congrats spray-paint message.
Date: 2011-09-27
From: Little Bigelow Lean-To

To: Pierce Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

Long day today. Not too much happened, actually. I got on trail about when I meant to. I had a long lunch at the first shelter. The trail was mostly flat, but sometimes very rooty and rocky. I wound up hiking after dark again, but not for too long. Same crew here as last night. Doing the big Kennebec ferry tomorrow. I have to get going earlyish to be sure I make the morning shift.
Date: 2011-09-28
From: Pierce Pond Lean-To

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

Made good time to the ferry this morning. Which is a canoe and a guy named Dave. I went across with Snags, who I met the other night. I gave her the choice to sit up front and paddle or just be passenger in the middle. Luckily, I got to paddle. I promised Dave it would be his fastest trip of the year.Town was right across from it and up a little embankment. I hit the PO, which took forever. I got a new Verizon phone from my mom, which is such a big help. I talked windmills with the postmaster lady forever, then hitched down to Northwoods, which is like a lodge and river outfitter. I ate there, used the computer, and mapped out the rest of the trip. Twelve days, knock on wood. It's really hard to believe.I got a hitch back from a pair of comically snotty French guys. The six miles here were super fast and it was a pleasure to not have to night hike. I met Brother of the Wind on the way and Whistler here. He had a fire going and we ate and talked for quite a while. It's supposed to be about the same temps coming up, but rainy, especially tomorrow. Hopefully it holds off till later, but it's getting really windy so I'm not optimistic.
Date: 2011-09-29
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-To

To: Moxie Bald Lean-To
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Had breakfast with Whistler and got going right about on time. It looked like rain, but never did more than sprinkle a minute or two until right now. I'm set up right next to the shelter, which is empty. I got here about 6:00, hemmed and hawed about where to set up, then finally got all set by 7:30. I was worried about storms because this shelter is right on the pond, but so far it's just light, steady rain. I'm pretty happy it waited all day and then for me to get all set up. And it's not cold. Again. I've been so luck with the weather the last couple of weeks.After saying goodbye to Whistler this morning, I haven't seen anyone. And I can't remember the last time I was near a shelter alone. Not much of note happened today. I went over Pleasant Mountain and Moxie Bald, neither of which was very tough. Moxie was really socked in. I had lunch in between at Bald Mountain Brook Lean-To. No register there or here, which is a bummer.
Date: 2011-09-30
From: Moxie Bald Lean-To

To: Off trail at 2062
Miles today: 14.0

Had a nice breakfast by the lake today. There was a picnic table down there and the sun was out. I even got to dry my tarp. I was also able to call the PO in Monson and have my package sent over to the hostel so I can get it if I get into town after 11:00 tomorrow.Pretty uneventful day. I continue to see no one and it continues to be nice out.
Date: 2011-10-01
From: Off trail at 2062

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: moderate rain

So, the woman at the PO yesterday said no problem sending my drop over to Shaw's. It was raining pretty good the whole way in. I got to the road at about 11:30 and was able to call the hostel for a lift. I got a double, but no one else is using the other bed, so a room to myself. And it's hot pink. And of course my box isn't here. Which means instead of leisurely figuring out how to pack eight days of food tonight and getting an early start into the 100 Mile Wilderness, I'm stuck here until Monday. And will have to pack in a hurry that morning.
Date: 2011-10-03
From: Monson, ME

To: Wilson Valley Lean-To
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I managed to get up early and to the PO right as they opened. I crammed all the food in the world into my pack and got a lift back to the trail by 10:30. Dawn, who runs the hostel, was incredibly nice.   She warned me about all the upcoming water crossings, which are going to be high thanks to days of rain now, and told me to call her if I got in a jam anywhere in the Wilderness.It was slow going to here. Everything is unbelievably wet and muddy. There were also two big fords. The first, I tried to scoot across a fallen tree, which wound up being too slick in the middle where the water had worn the rough bark away. And both poles fell off my pack. I watched them float away downstream. After getting back to shore, I was able to find both a little ways down, which is a miracle. I wound up just fording in my shoes and rain pants. They were pretty wet anyway and the river was about thigh-deep. The second was right before the shelter and much wider, but it went fine.Little Bruce from Honolulu, who I met at the Eliza Brook Shelter, just before the Kinsmans, is here, but I arrived just at dark, so only talked to him for a few minutes, before eating dinner under my tarp.Tomorrow is more rain and it's supposed to start getting colder again. But only eight days to Katahdin.
Date: 2011-10-04
From: Wilson Valley Lean-To

To: Off trail at 2087
Miles today: 10.0

Frustrating day. I got going in good time, but only made ten miles. Part of that was the terrain. I was here at 4:45. There's a decent mountain ahead and I didn't think there was time to get over it and find a spot before dark.Today was non-stop sloshing through mud and water. It rained all day. There were many times when the trail was under more than a foot of water. The only marked ford today had a narrow, but very strong, course through boulders. I pulled a large branch across for a bridge an was still congratulating myself when I came to the next stream. Which was thigh-deep powerful water for a good 50 feet across. There was a guide rope, which I used for the first time.It's pretty cold. I cooked from my hammock and have the hammock sock pulled up for the first time in quite a while. Tomorrow's supposed to be worse with more rain, then below freezing at night. Should be a blast.
Date: 2011-10-05
From: Off trail at 2087

To: Southern junction with Gulf Hagas Trail
Miles today: 11.0

Crazy day today. I got going a little late because of the cold. It went from sun to rain to sun to snow to sun to sleet and a few more. It was also crazy, super windy. I actually went about another mile, but the trail went up on a ridge and was really windy, so I came back down. I'm tucked into a tight valley about ten feet from the stream right now and am taking almost no wind.I was considering camping just south of the Pleasant River. It's only a mile or so back, but I decided to get the ford behind me rather than having it to do first thing in the morning. I took off my pants and shoes and went in Crocs. Not pleasant. Fifty yards or so. Only knee-deep, thank goodness, but crazy cold. My feet were like blocks of wood still as I was hiking here.Tomorrow is going to be really cold at night. I need to do 15 to get up and over Whitecap and back down under a thousand feet. I'm going to try to get a really early start. Ideally I'll camp before dark, but it depends on the terrain.
Date: 2011-10-06
From: Southern junction with Gulf Hagas Trail

To: East Branch Lean-To
Miles today: 15.0

That's seven months. Today was a battle. I didn't get going quite as early as I wanted thanks to a nice 32F morning, but was walking by 8:00. It was super cold all day and just crazy windy. Most of it was over 2,000 feet and it was a little scary. There was tons of ice up there and I really wanted to get down while it was still light out.Thankfully, the climbs weren't terrible and the big downhill at the end of the day wasn't bad at all. I also got my first view of Katahdin from the top of Whitecap as promised. Incredible. It looked Himalayan, huge, and covered in snow at the top.I made it here well before dark and set up for a cold one. Its' a great spot. Very pretty and totally protected from the wind, which is still going a little. I had dinner in the shelter with the mice.The original plan was 16 tomorrow, but I'm going to do 12 so I can sleep in a little. It's supposed to be a lot warmer tomorrow and I have a river ford about 10 minutes in.
Date: 2011-10-07
From: East Branch Lean-To

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-To
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

Calamitous start to the day. It was really cold this morning, so I dawdled until almost 11:00. When I got to the ford, I was wearing my long johns under my rain gear and planning on stripping down to shorts and Crocs again. But the river got fairly narrow and I could rock hop pretty far out to one spot that was just a tiny bit too wide to jump. I was trying to work it out when I fell right in. And dropped both poles, one of which go away from me.I made it to the other side, then went crashing through the bushes downriver after my pole. The river widened into almost a bog about a hundred yards down and my pole wound up there, pretty much stopped. One guess on which side. So, I took my bear line out and forded BACK over, then back through the bushes on the other side and into the muck of the swampy part. I tied my bear line to my remaining pole and javelined it out to the lost one. After eight or nine attempts, I finally got it. I was having visions of throwing the hook from the Cornelia Marie.Then back across the river (that's three) and got everything off to dry. Including the clean socks I'd put on this morning. All this to avoid what would have been one step in the river. Which at that part wasn't even cold.The trail the rest of the day was crazy easy. I wish I could have gone farther, but there's nothing for a while after this and it's a pretty spot. I"m shooting for 17 tomorrow to catch up. If the terrain is the same, that'll be a breeze.For some reason, it hit me all at once today that this is all almost over. I've been counting down the days, but the reality of it really landed on me. Three more nights.
Date: 2011-10-08
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-To

To: Nahmakanta Stream Campground
Miles today: 17.0

[Editor's note: I'm writing this after the fact as I was good for nothing this night]Disaster today. The stomach troubles that have been getting worse for the last week or so, and were very bad last night, really landed on me. And it's such bad timing because the trail is so crazy easy right here. I was so weak all day. I stopped at Antlers Campsite for lunch and just laid on the ground. After that was more flat and then a tiny, slight rise that I pretty much dragged my poles up slack-jawed before stopping again at Potaywadjo Spring Lean-To. I really thought about stopping there for the night and maybe should have, but I pushed on to here. It was beautiful and you could see Katahdin amazingly from the shore of Pemadumcook Lake. A couple of small fords later and I was at the campsite just after full dark. It didn't look like much, so I thought there might have been more farther up. I walked another five minutes then figured that was it. I felt too tired to go on, so I just lay down on the trail in the dark for I don't know how long.I finally got up and dragged myself here and threw up the worst setup ever and just fell in without eating. I've never felt anywhere near as weak as I did today in my life. I suppose it's giardia. I can either push on tomorrow or walk south a couple miles to White House Landing. There's a boat guy there that can come get you. From his place, I figure I can probably get to Millinocket.
Date: 2011-10-09
From: Nahmakanta Stream Campground

To: Millinocket, ME
Miles today: -2.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night was horrible in ways you don't want to hear about.I woke up this morning and did my best to give it a go. I think I forgot to mention that horrible nausea is also part of this. My favorite. And, where I'd normally be happy to throw up in hopes of it passing, I'm carrying the bare minimum of food out here and am terrified of losing the calories. I got about a mile today and then sat down to figure out my options. I finally had to admit that hiking back to White House was probably the smart thing. Right after I did, Snowy and Gumby popped up. They seemed genuinely concerned, especially Snowy, who'd had a bout of giardia early on. I crawled along for a while and then saw Sundance and Pacemaker just before the fords. They were stopping for a break, so we got to talk for a bit. Sundance said I ought to flip once I got better, with the idea that I could hike the rest of this stuff in three feet of snow, but once Katahdin is closed for weather, that's the end of the hike. I told him I came to hike north and if I didn't make it, it wouldn't be from lack of trying. We shook hands, said goodbye, and I made my way to the dock. From there I was able to get a cold soda and arrange a shuttle from town, which was excellent. A former two-time thru-hiker who was good conversation. I'm in the motel now and feeling a little better. The plan was hospital right away, but I'm going put it off to the morning and see how I feel then.
Date: 2011-10-10
From: Millinocket, ME

To: Millinocket, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up feeling a lot better and think I'm going to skip the doc and just push on tomorrow. Hopefully whatever this is has mostly run its course. I got laundry and stuff done today and called White House to make sure I could get a boat ride back tomorrow, which I can. I should be there at 8:30 or so. I'm getting another shuttle out.I'm sure making this exciting by going right to the wire like this.
Date: 2011-10-11
From: Millinocket, ME

To: Rainbow Stream Lean-To
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Felt mostly okay today, still fairly weak. But the terrain was easy and the weather was okay, little cloudy.I got back to White House and got a lift from the guy. Normally he drops you off at a spot closer to the trail, but the lake was really low, so it was another mile on that blue-blaze, then two more to catch up to where I was the other night.I got slightly lost this evening, went up what turned out not to be the trail. Not a big deal, but that hasn't happened in a while. I got here a little after dark. No one's here. It's a nice shelter right in front of the stream and I'm camped up behind on the hill. The emotions are starting to get me. Tomorrow's the last night.
Date: 2011-10-12
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-To

To: Abol Bridge Campsite
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It's my last night out. Tomorrow, Erica and my mom will pick me up at KSC after a fairly short day, back to Millinocket, then back on Friday for Katahdin. So, basically two days hikes.The original thought was to camp between here and the Baxter border. My first night of the trip was off-trail, so I thought my last would be, too. If you'd asked me this morning if there were any chance I'd be in a pay site tonight, I'd have said no way. But it feels weirdly right. The little store is run by a real nice woman and her sons, the sites are primitive enough, on the river, and there's no one else here. For this goofy trail where you never know where the day's going to lead, it seems like a great close. I saved my last Switchback Shells for tonight, I've got bread from Millinocket, a brownie from Erica, and sodas from the store.Today was pretty uneventful and unemotional, but it hit me like a hammer while I was setting up my hammock that it's the last time. It's supposed to start raining tonight and go all day tomorrow. I'll do 10 and shoot to be there at 3:30. Going in the rain isn't a big deal with a dry car waiting. Friday's worse. It's supposed to rain then, too. I'd wait it out in town, but it's going to get a lot colder after that. I need to take the sure thing in case they close it off. I'm dreading doing the hardest climb of the trip in horrible weather, but I'm hoping it being the finish line will make it okay.
Date: 2011-10-13
From: Abol Bridge Campsite

To: Millinocket, ME
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: moderate rain

Got going early enough today. I'd talked to the owner last night for a bit about the moose hunting season, which is in effect right now. Evidently, they do it one weekend a month for a bit. As I was getting a drink in the store, there was a girl with a lot of makeup, fancy fingernails, an orange vest, and blood all up one arm. It clicked what that must be and sure enough, they were hoisting a massive bull moose out of her husband's truck by the neck as I walked outside. Cheerful start to the day.It was very overcast as I started out. I could see Katahdin, but only the base. It's so close now. I entered the park pretty quick and saw a deer in the trail right after. We watched each other for a long time.The trail today was rolling and very easy with the exception of the river crossings. Finally, the slipperiness of the rocks in Maine lived up to their reputation. I don't know if it was them or me, but I never felt like my hike was so close to an abrupt end.I made it to KSC in the rain. They have covered picnic tables and one of them had three people there, so I went over to say hello and have lunch. It turned out to be Little Bruce and a married couple, Chuckwagon and Chowhound, who I'd seen in the registers, but never met. They were really nice. The three of them had gotten up early to summit and had just gotten back down. I felt as in awe of them as I did for completed thru-hikers I met back in Georgia. We all sat and ate and talked about Katahdin and the upcoming days for a while then walked over to the ranger building or whatever it is to try to stay warm and check out the last register. The shuttle from town came and got them, I said goodbye, and am now waiting for Erica and my mom, who should be here any minute.
Date: 2011-10-15
From: Millinocket, ME

To: The End
Miles today: 5.0

Spent yesterday in town waiting out the weather, but without luck. This morning the forecast looked bleak, with snow on top and terrible wind. I didn't think there was any chance they'd be letting hikers go up, but we had to drive to the park to find out.Turns out it was only a Class II day, but it was rough. Class III must really be something. The trail goes up through normal woods for a while, all of which had water just gushing down. After that, it goes above treeline and up, then up again onto more of a sharp spine. That part was pretty scary. The wind up there was just ferocious, the kind that is so strong it feels like it's about to do something to you. After that, it was up to the table land, which was also very much underwater, then the final scramble to the top. Just at the base of that, I saw an older guy with no gloves coming down. I said you must be COG and it was. I think he was hoping to be the last finisher of the year, but I just beat him. We couldn't talk long because of the weather, so pushed on. It was painfully driving sleet up there and I couldn't see the sign until I was right up on it. I walked up to it slowly, pulled my hand out of my mitten, reached out, and touched it.
Date: 2011-10-18
From: Off trail

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Just a quick update from the road. I summitted successfully on the 15th. I have a bunch of journals to go back and transcribe as well as some final thoughts, gear reviews, etc. Erica and I are making our way back down through New England and New York right now. I'll take care of all that as soon as I get home. I'll also get some pictures up here finally and link to Picasa with the whole trip photos. Thanks again to everyone for reading.