morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-07-21
From: Imp Shelter

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: fog

Done with the Whites! I really enjoyed them alot, and so far my favorite part of the trail. I won't miss the crowds of people everywhere, but I will miss the beauty of being above treeline. We are so close to Maine, it's Insane! We weren't really planning to do such a short day today, but it's just the way it worked out, and it was the best decision we have made. It was the easiest 8 mile stretch ever going into Gorham, where we were just going to eat lunch, resupply, and head on out. When we went to McDonalds, we totalled up the number of calories we ate, and we all wolfed down over 2,000 calories EACH. That was a mistake. When we got done resupplying and headed back to the trailhead, it was just starting to rain. None of us really wanted us to hike anyway, so we just got another ride from WhiteJeep back to town and called it a day. We are staying at White Birches Campground and Hostel, and it's a really good deal. There are also 5 South-bounders here to hang out with, the more the merrier! It ended up raining literally all night long, which would have been horrible to hike in. The last few days of the Whites had some rain, so I'm sick of it right now.   This is home for today, as they say..
Date: 2010-07-22
From: Gorham, NH

To: MAINE!
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light rain

MAINE! Not much about today was noteworthy, other than that we have finally made it to Maine, the land of magic, mystery, and wonder. The whole day was pretty tough, because it was a full day of just tramping through mud, water, and overgrown limbs. It was pretty miserable actually for the last half of the day. When it gets like this, it feels like I'm a bull in a china shop. It's a guarantee that I will fall many times, and my feet will be soaked, so I stop trying to be careful. But hey, only 281 more miles to go!
Date: 2010-07-23
From: MAINE!

To: Bethel, ME
Miles today: 14.1

People weren't kidding when they told us the Mahoosucs of Maine were darn tough. It took us all day long to do the 14 miles we did, and we were going to go a couple more miles, but we didn't have it in us. This morning was absolutely beautiful though. We went over this range of small peaks that were like balds up top, and views everywhere. Right smack dab in the middle of the day was Mahoosuc Notch, which my guide book says: "Most difficult or most fun mile of the AT? Make your way through a jumbled pit of giant boulders." Sounded fun to me. For the record, it was difficultly slow, but mostly fun. It took us over an hour to do the mile (not like we were rushing). There were parts where you squeeze under large boulders and basically crawl through a small cave. The mile involved jumping, stretching, twisting, crawling, crouching, and everything in between. Pretty tiring. Right after that we had the privilege of shooting right up the 1,500 ft. climb of Mahoosuc Arm, and then down 2,500 ft. to the parking lot at the road. White Jeep was there waiting on Seminole, so he gave us all a ride into Bethel for the night. It's a nice B&B with a hiker bunkroom, and right now I am exhausted and in need of sleep.
Date: 2010-07-24
From: Bethel, ME

To: Surplus Pond campsite
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

Since we got into town so late last night, we had to do all of our running around town this morning, which gave us a real late start. We ate a gorgeous breakfast (probably 2nd best on the trail), resupplied, did laundry, and hung around until about noon. It was going to be a tough hitch, so we were forced to call a shuttle service. Today was a pretty easy cruisin' day. Baldpate Mountain in the first part of our day was amazing. It was almost like climbing a mountain made of just one giant boulder. Open views galore. There were even birds on the summit that were eating straight of my hands! Pretty neat. It was a smooth ride after that down to where we are camping tonight. It's a sweet spot by a small pond with an abandoned cabin on the shoreline. Luckily there were stacks of dry firewood inside the cabin, so we made a fire, ate dinner, and are sitting around burning the rest of the daylight. My thoughts now are nearing the end. I only have a little bit left to go, and I think we will be summitting Katahdin on August 9th. It's so soon... these endless numbered days...
Date: 2010-07-25
From: Surplus Pond campsite

To: Bemid Mountain Lean-To
Miles today: 17.0

Happy Birthday Beefstick! He turned 30 years old today, and what did we do for his birthday? Hike 17 miles! We tried to plan something for him, but there were no road crossings so we could go buy him a cake or something, so he got to hike on his birthday. Last night Tumbleweed and I successfully pulled off our hammock bunk-bed experiment. Her tarp doesn't work that well, and since I have a larger one, we used the same trees and hung our hammocks one on top of the other. X-TREME hammocking. And it did rain afterall, and we both stayed dry. I don't feel like talking about the hike today, so I'm not going to. But we arrived safely at the shelter, all is well.
Date: 2010-07-26
From: Bemid Mountain Lean-To

To: Rangeley, ME
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Another day in paradise here on the AT. The good times just keep happenin'. Hiking today was super easy and flat, so that was a relief, which made it quick getting into town. It was all green tunnel stuff, but I didn't mind at all. We got a quick hitch into Rangeley, where apparently there is a Beach Boys concert tonight. There are old people everywhere! After we ate dinner we got a one of a kind hitch to the grocery store; from a school bus! It was incredible, we never thought a school bus would pick us up. And of course it was a bus shuttling people to the Beach Boys concert. After that we made our way to Gull Pond Lodge, the hostel. There are lots of hikers here, too many actually. It's the biggest bubble I've seen since Port Clinton, PA. The crew we deemed the "Nature Train" is here (P-Nut, Caveman, Bandito, Lil Dipper, Redwing, Hobbes, Robo Jesus), Gumby, a few southbounders, and of course me, Beefstick, Tumbleweed, and Fusion. This place sits right on a beautiful pond, and so while everybody else is inside watching TV, the four of us are enjoying a few drinks watching the sun set right in front of us. This has been one heck of a trip, can't believe it will be over in 2 weeks.
Date: 2010-07-27
From: Rangeley, ME

To: Spaulding Mtn Lean-To
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: broken clouds

I completely enjoyed today, I really did. Maine is a gorgeous state to walk through, let me tell ya. When you get up to the peaks of mountains, all you see is untapped wilderness. Green forests as far as my eyes allow me to see. It's not like some places on the trail where in every valley you clearly see a town and roads everywhere. Today was so beautiful, for the weather and the scenery. 69 degrees, sunny, with a breeze. We went up and over 3 mountains in a range that was mostly open and exposed, plenty of picture taking opportunities, and also the wind was pretty strong. Like I have said before, it's strange to have my hair long enough to have it whipping around in the wind. We got down to a shelter to take lunch and shot the breeze a while with Dave, the ridge-runner, the coolest one I have met yet. The second half of the day was what I really enjoyed. I decided to hike slower in the afternoon, to just take it easy and enjoy the dense Maine forest. I hiked late into the afternoon with Tumbleweed with the sun glaring through the trees. I figure I only have 2 more weeks to enjoy this, so let's enjoy it. Peace..
Date: 2010-07-28
From: Spaulding Mtn Lean-To

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: scattered clouds

A short, tough day to make it into Stratton, and really no views even though we went over 3 mountains. The bummer about today is that Tumbleweed is sick, she threw up 4 times while hiking today. I hope she can recover quickly. She's a tough chick, and went up some steep climbs even feeling as lousy as she did. We still made it into town pretty early, and are staying at basically the only place to stay: the Stratton Motel & Hostel. It's a full house here with 5 south-bounders, a section hiker, and us. Relaxing at a hostel is one of my favorite things to do.
Date: 2010-07-29
From: Stratton, ME

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

Maine just gets better and more beautiful, and has probably taken over the #2 spot on my list of favorite states. Today's hike over the Bigelow mountains was just stunning to say the least. It was also a very monumental day, in which we crossed the 2,000 mile marker!! What a milestone (pun?). The panoramic view from atop Avery Peak allowed me to see probably more lakes in one landscape than I have ever seen. Lakes, lakes, more lakes. Sunshine, sun, and more sun. Avery Peak is also the last peak over 4,000 ft. that we will hit before Katahdin at the end. So pretty much no huge climbs or descents from here until the end, just smooth sailing and easy strollin'. It's gonna be grand, 11 more days.
Date: 2010-07-30
From: Little Bigelow Lean-To

To: Pierce Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: broken clouds

Easiest day on record. I guess I got sick sometime yesterday, which carried into today, but I guess I picked a good say to get sick on. We slept in, quickly hiked the 7 miles over a couple of hills to a shelter by a pond, and took our lunch break. I wasn't feeling good, so I took a longer break than everyone else and just slept for a bit. I don't even think the word "easy" could describe how easy the last 10 miles were. Easy is too harsh a word. Table-top walking with some sweet ponds thrown in between. About 30 minutes after I set out hiking after lunch, it was sunny out, so I decided to go for a swim in the pond. I had all the time in the world after all. That was nice, and about an hour later I got to another pond with an even nicer sandy beach to go with it, so naturally I went for swim #2. After swimming there I just sat on the beach for a while catching up on my journaling. And right now I am sitting by pond #3 for the day, which is where the shelter is. I'm lovin all these ponds in Maine, although what they call "ponds" I would call a lake, because they are all pretty massive. This has been as relaxing of a day as I needed. Ready to be done hiking, but not ready to stop this way of living, if you want to call it that.
Date: 2010-08-08
From: Pierce Pond Lean-To

To: KATAHDIN
Miles today: 155.2
Weather: broken clouds

As the picture shows, I am done with the trail! My mind is in a thousand places right now, but I am glad to have it completed, and also sad that the experience is over. It is by far the best thing I have ever done in my life, and I will never regret anything about it. Such a great experience can only be missed, and I am sure my thoughts will drift to it every day, and I am happy that I have such an experience to draw from.For starts, we got extremely lucky with the weather for the final day's climb up Katahdin. It was perfect weather, completely sunny and cool with a slight breeze. It was what the park considered to be a class 1 day, and I agree. Our original plan about 5 days out was to finish on August 9th, but due to certain happenings, we decided to really push it and summit on the 8th (And I am so glad we did). In the three days before Katahdin, we hiked a total of 75 miles, and then the intense 5.2 mile, 4,200 ft. climb up Mt. Katahdin on the final day of the trip. It really didn't feel at all like we were actually finishing this thing up, even after it was all over. To be honest, the general feeling between the three of us (me, Beefstick, Tumbleweed) was that we were pretty bummed. The actual climb up was so great, and would have probably been the hardest climb of the whole trail if not for our empty packs. (you get to empty them at the Ranger Station) The climb took us under 3 hours, which is pretty quick apparently. We got to the top, emotions were high, we took our pictures, and just like that, we ended the trip of a lifetime. Katahdin is easily my favorite mountain on the entire trail, and this trail is easily my favorite 5 months of my life I could have wanted it to be. So much happens in 5 months out here, so many people make their impact on you, so many laughs are shared, so many stories are told, so many miles are walked, so many pictures are taken, and it will always be impossible for me to translate it to anyone who wants to know how it went. 149 days felt like I had been hiking all my life. You just get sucked into this great trail community and culture, that you forget there was ever anything else. It's a great lifestyle to live, and there are great people who live it. If anyone is thinking about doing the AT, let me just say that I recommend it
Date: 2008-05-02
To: I got the bug
Miles today: 0.0

Getting ready to live the dream. Entries to my journal will be coming slow to begin with, as most do. I'll be adding gear list, starting weights - mine and my gear, and any other thoughts I may have until then. And a Scripture verse as I feel led to share. This picture is of me and my friend Mike Frazier. Don't I look like I need to join the A.T. Crash Weight Loss Program?--John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.Exodus 20:9-10(9) Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:(10) But the seventh day is the sabbath
Date: 2008-06-09
To: The Trail Home
Miles today: 0.0

This sign is on the A.T. about 70 yards from the top of Standing Indian bald. Most hikers don't see it because they bypass this small section when they go up to the top and down the other side. This trail leads right to the Standing Indian Campground. It is about four miles to the campground where I lived as a campground host from July 3rd to December 3rd of 2008.
Date: 2010-02-16
To: Peek mobile email device
Miles today: 0.0

Just received my Peek mobile email device in the mail today, I'll be using it to keep my journal on while I hike. After updating my journal on the Peek then I just send it as an email to my transcriber/mom who will then check my spelling and then upload it to my Trail Journal page. I'll upload my pictures to my journal when I have computer access on the trail, or I might just have to send my camera memory card home by snail mail and uploaded from there. Sent on the go from my Peek
Date: 2010-03-15
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: broken clouds

Finally started, after years of dreaming and planning I'm hiking the AT. Today was a cold cloudy day about 35 degrees on top of Springer Mountain but the snow I had seen on the 4th of this month was all melted. Nothing to see from the top because of the clouds. My pack weight was 34 lbs. 7 oz. and my weight was 205 lbs. I'm hoping to loose about 40 lbs. The hike to Hawk Mountain shelter was fairly easy today. After signing the register on top of Springer Mountain I walked back to the parking lot, said my good byes, picked up my pack and started north at 11:40 am. I stopped and took some pictures of a stream and Long Creek Falls and made it to Hawk Mountain Shelter at 3:pm. The only problem was slight knee pain. This was the first time I have not had foot problems. No blisters and no foot pain at the end of the day. The shoes worked great. There must have been between 40 and 60 other hikers in and around the shelter and scattered through the woods. There was a stream behind the shelter for water that I used after treating it. The temperature during the night was 33-34 degrees, but I stayed toasty warm. I stayed a good way off from the shelter, but during the night a mouse found my leftover bag of trail mix for the day and by the next morning the only thing left in it was the coconut flakes. To begin with I'll be eating freeze dried or dehydrated trail dinners, mixed fruit and nuts while hiking and oatmeal or granola for breakfast. I have a few mail drops but after that I'll be eating what ever I can find that is light weight and high calorie at the grocery stores. Readers who have not hiked the AT at this time of year may wonder why hikers do not post more pictures of the trail during the early sections. It's because during this section of the hike at this time of year there is not much to see. Just a muddy trail with brown colors and bare trees everywhere. Not many long open views of the mountains or anything else to see. Well, I think this is enough for one days journal. More tomorrow.
Date: 2010-03-16
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Beautiful sunny day today and some of the toughest mountains to climb. My right leg is killing me. I am having pain on the outside of my right leg just below my knee joint. At night when my leg is still it gets stiff and when I try to move it the pain is intense. It feels like I've been hit with a hammer and I have the feeling of bruising right at the surface. During the day if I have a long flat area to walk the pain subsides. I'm using my hiking poles like crutches. I pray that it gets better. This is one thing that can stop my hike before I hardly even get started. This is only the second day and I'm already looking forward to the Sabbath and a zero hiking day. There are still a lot of hikers walking at the same pace and camping in the same area but this camp has less camping space with a large shelter but only a few tent sites. Everyone is tenting a lot closer tonight. Good night all.
Date: 2010-03-17
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: light rain

Today was the toughest yet. The trail miles were 11.9 plus another .4 miles off the trail to the shelter. The wind was rough and cold and it looked like rain all day. Finding water has not been a problem so far and I have not had to carry more than a quart at any time. Because of getting into camp so late, the possibility of rain over night, and the lack of open camping areas, I'm staying in the shelter tonight. This is a small shelter compared to the ones so far and it's already full so I had to sleep on the picnic table, but I'm at least under the shelter. We did get rain in the night but the morning was starting to clear.
Date: 2010-03-18
From: Woods Hole Shelter

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 3.7
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a beautiful sunny day with a great view from the top of Blood Mountain. Saw some snow on top. Long steep hike down to Neel's Gap and my knee is killing me. After getting to Neel's Gap I signed up for the hiker hostel and had two free hamburgers provided by a local church. Walking around with out my pack for a few hours has really helped my leg. Did my laundry, resupplied with food at Mountain Crossings and enjoyed a free dinner at the hostel provided by some girls from a local college. The hostel was full tonight with people from all walks of life. Had breakfast of eggs, baked apples, biscuits, jelly, orange juice and coffee. Talked to Winton at Mountain Crossing about my knee pain and he recommended an Open Patella Knee Sleeve by Mueller. After another free hamburger, I'm all packed up, finished my journal and ready to hike on.
Date: 2010-03-19
From: Neels Gap

To: Whitley Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: clear sky

Short hike today as I had a late start from Neels Gap, after 1pm. Beautiful day for hiking, sunshine and cool temps to start with but it was warm by 3pm. Stopped and talked for a while to a couple about my age with a college age daughter who were curious about through hiking. Stopped for water at a spring beside the trail. Took some pictures at some overlooks. Had to start using my umbrella because of lack of shade and I was sweating. My knee did better today because of extra rest and the new knee brace. Whitley Gap Shelter is another 1.2 miles off the trail but is in a very nice location. The reason this shelter is so far off the trail is because the trail is very near a road crossing and if the shelter were closer the local kids would be using it and the place would be trashed. Also this shelter has the best water source I've seen so far, a spring box with a four inch pipe flowing about thirty gallons a minute. No filter or treatment necessary. Most everyone else is going on to Deep Gap Shelter for tonight, but I thought Whitley Gap Shelter would be a better place to spend the Sabbath. Only two others here at this shelter tonight.
Date: 2010-03-20
From: Whitley Gap Shelter

To: Whitley Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Beautiful Sabbath Day, sunshine and mild temps. Zero Day (no miles hiked). I thought that on each Sabbath I would give a Bible verse for you to read and think about, plus, I will include a trail food recipe that others here on the trail are eating. Thus far on the trail I have been eating oatmeal for breakfast and some kind of cereal bar a little later, then a mix of fruits and nuts through the day while hiking. For dinner I have been eating a store bought meal made for hikers that all you do is add hot water. The brands are Mountain House, Enertia Trail Foods, Mary Jane Farms and Backpacker Pantry. I'll be eating these kinds of meals for the early part of the trail because they are quick and easy when you are too tired to think and they are also light weight. Later on up the trail I'll be eating whatever I can get from the grocery stores in the towns where I'll be getting off the trail, or that the trail goes through. Sometimes there's not a lot of things you can do for a hot breakfast so you end up eating a lot of oatmeal. After a while eating that much oatmeal can make you gag. One thing I have found to help make eating oatmeal easier is to mix it with a large cup of hot chocolate and drink it. Now for this weeks recipe. One box of Zatarain's Black Beans and Rice, one foil package of chicken, a package of large tortilla flour shells, olive oil in place of the butter and hot pepper sauce to taste. Makes a lot of food.Now for the Bible verse. Revelation 17:5 "And upon her forehead was written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." Everyone who reads the scripture needs to understand the meaning of this verse. You'll have to search for yourself to find out who the Mother is, who her daughters are, and why are they called harlots. If someone were to just tell you the answer most if not all would be offended and would not believe it. Start by researching the Babylonian Religion (Mystery Babylon). A book you can read about the Babylonian Religion is "The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop. You have to know the truth. The scriptures tell us "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge". Your church pastor will not tell you what this verse means, he may just say that Revelation is too hard to understand sometimes.
Date: 2010-03-21
From: Whitley Gap Shelter

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: light rain

Today's hike was tough, had an additional 1.2 miles added to the daily miles coming up from the shelter to get to the trail. It started raining one hour after I started hiking. I had rain, strong winds, cold temps, and I was in the clouds all day. Blue Mountain Shelter is one of the worst places to be during bad weather. Got there about 4pm and there were already some hikers in their sleeping bags trying to stay warm. Another couple came in about 7pm that had hiked all the way from Bull Gap, about 16.9 miles plus 2.4 miles for a lunch stop at Whitley Gap. The hikers at Low Gap wouldn't make room for them at the shelter there. When they came in they were soaked to the bone and very cold and tired. The wind was howling until midnight, then it cleared by 2am. About 4am we had some snow flurries. We woke up at about 7:45am and then it started snowing at about 8:30am and the ground was covered with snow by the time we started hiking. We're going into Helen to dry out and warm up.
Date: 2010-03-22
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Helen, GA
Miles today: 2.2

Hiked through the snow into Unicoi Gap and called for a ride into Helen, GA. to dry out gear and shoes. Got a room at the Helendorf Inn, did laundry, took a shower, ate dinner, updated my journal, took another soaking bath for my knee and went to bed, ahhh.