morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-08-05
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 27.0
Weather: few clouds

Jumpstart was up and out of the shelter before I woke up, which was about 6am. He is meeting a friend in Monson Sunday night so he had to put in a big day. I had no real plan for the day. I am well ahead of my schedule for finishing on the 14th so I thought about just hiking a short day. The terrain was very flat although I was slowed a bit by the swamps and mud. At one point, I was sledging through thigh deep swamps. But in the end I arrived at the shelter at about 2pm.There was a nice pond at the shelter, but I didn't think swimming by myself for 4 or 5 hours before dinner sounded all that fun. The next shelter was another 10 miles which was doable but the issue was crossing the Kennebec River. This is a fast moving river which is over a tenth of a mile wide. In the 1980's a hiker drowned while trying to ford this dangerous river. Since then the A.T. has provided a ferry service. That was my issue, to make it to the next shelter I had to get to the river before 4pm when the ferry service ended for the day. I decided I should be able to handle the 4 miles in an hour and a half.I made it with time to spare and Steve, the long-time ferryman, rowed the canoe over from the other side to pick me up. I had my camera ready to take some photos on the way over, but had to change my plans quickly as Steve yelled, "Grab the ore and start rowing." I thought I was going to relax and not have to work to hard for this short portion of the trail. With the strong winds I may have worked harder for this part of the A.T. than any other part. It was fun though and Steve was super nice. Once across, he offered me a soda and we talked. He informed me of the Moose Crossing which was a snack stand about 1/4 mile down a road I would soon cross. This sounded like the perfect place for dinner which also relieved me of my cooking duties for the night.After my burger, hot dog and onion rings I slowly walked the final six miles of the day. I am the only one at the shelter as the trail continues to be much less populated with thru-hikers. I have not passed any south bounders for several days. I have met several flip-floppers hiking south. A flip-flop occurs when a northbound hiker doesn't think he or she can finish by October 15, the date Katahdin is closed to hikers. They leave the trail and come to Katahdin and then hike south to the point where they got off. It would be a very anticlimactic way to finish your hike. Mr. Blister, who I met today, will finish his thru-hike in Duncannon, PA. That just wouldn't be the same as finishing with the toughest ascent of the entire trail. Well it's almost 9pm time for some sleep.
Date: 2006-08-06
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-to

To: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: clear sky

Last night it was nice and cool and I slept great. I didn't wake up until close to 7am which is the latest I have slept on the trail in a long time. Today's hiking was not too exciting. I did have a more challenging day than yesterday climbing two small mountains. I also had to ford two streams and one river. When fording, I have been taking the time to switch to my crocs. It has not rained for two days and it feels so good to walk in dry socks and shoes. So the little bit of time to switch to the crocs has been worth it.It continues to be very quiet on the trail. I passed about 4 section hikers going south and did not see any northbound hikers. I talked with one of the section hikers for about 2 minutes and simply said hello to the others. I am at the shelter alone so I guess those 2 minutes of talking will be all for today. It sure will be a drastic change in less than a month. School will be back in action and I will talk for almost 8 hours a day.I am going to try and find a radio station to entertain me for the rest of the night and hopefully get to sleep early. I want to get an early start tomorrow so I can get to Monson my last trail town.
Date: 2006-08-07
From: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to

To: Shaw's Hostel (Monson, ME)
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

I was on the trail just before 7am on my way into Monson. There was nothing real exciting happening on the trail. I didn't see any other hikers, although I did listen to the sound of chainsaws all morning. As I approached the trailhead, I made the decision that I was not going to wait for a hitch. It was 4 miles to town and I figured I was better off walking and trying to hitch as I went. When I got to the trailhead, I found a number of cars parked there. Sometimes you get lucky and find some hikers that may be headed to town. I walked over to the cars and to my surprise found Jumpstart and his friend. His friend drove his car up from PA and they slept in it last night. He offered me a ride into the hostel which was awesome.The hostel is a nice bed and breakfast type deal. The town is tiny and every other restaurant is closed on Monday, so I will be eating dinner at the hostel. I got my laundry done, picked up my mail drop and now I am at the library checking my guest book.Thanks so much to everyone for their contributions to CF and Team Shad. Because of my classmate Keith Johnson's generous donation my total is up to $3,275. It looks like when I reach Katahdin I am going to have to Yo-Yo. This means I will turn around and hike south until I hike as many miles as the dollars I have raised. Ok the Yo-Yo thing was all just a lie, but seriously thanks to all of you who have helped to raise funds to allow the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to continue their search for a cure. There were many days out here where I drew my inspiration to continue from little Shad Murphy.Well I am going to go and enjoy my last trail town before heading into the 100 mile wilderness tomorrow morning.
Date: 2006-08-08
From: Shaw's Hostel (Monson, ME)

To: Long Pond Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: few clouds

After last nights amazing home cooked dinner, my appetite was not ready for an all you can eat breakfast. Yes, I did clean my plate of delicious French toast, eggs, potatoes, bacon and sausage. But I was unable to go for seconds. This would have been embarrassing in front of other thru-hikers but I was the only one eating breakfast. The caretaker said the day before there were 21 people for breakfast and today it was just me. I let my food settle for a bit and then got a shuttle back to the trail head.I was hiking by 9:30. It is nice and relaxing to hit the 100 mile wilderness and be ahead of schedule. I sat and enjoyed some waterfalls today and even picked up a book from a shelter (Brave New World). Hikers often leave books behind once they finish with them. My pack is awful heavy with about 5 days worth of food but one more little book won't kill me.I made it to the shelter before 5pm. Ramble On was at the shelter and I later found out he was the one that had left the book. I had read the first chapter and was a bit confused so talking with him helped me to make sense of it all. He is a NOBO that is finishing up before heading back to college. He plans to finish the 13th. I really look forward to the next couple of days of hiking moderately short miles, reading and enjoying the last days of this journey.
Date: 2006-08-09
From: Long Pond Stream Lean-to

To: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to (Tent)
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: clear sky

Well today was not quite as relaxing as I would have thought. There was not one monster mountain to climb but the trail went up and down all day. It was very rocky on the climbs and any short flat section was full of roots and mud. I did take time at lunch to read a chapter of the book I picked up. I don't want to jinx it but the weather has been perfect. It has been getting down into the 50's at night and no higher than about 80 during the day. To my delight, the cool nights have driven most of the bugs away.The 100 mile wilderness seems to be a very popular spot for section hikers. I am actually at a full shelter. Ramble On is the only thru-hiker and the rest are all section hikers. I don't mind sleeping in my tent, although it was hard to find a nice spot to set it up. I am on a fairly level spot but it is on top of some roots. My sleeping pad is almost an inch thick so I should sleep ok. It is really starting to feel like a farewell tour as I close in on Katahdin. I spend a lot of the day reflecting on the good and bad memories of this hike. I also keep thinking about how excited I am to see Danielle and my parents. Well its time to eat and then crawl into my tent.
Date: 2006-08-10
From: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to (Tent)

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up last night around 1am to adjust my position so that a root would no longer be jabbing my kidney. It was at this time that I was very thankful to be tenting. I was at least 50 feet from the shelter and I could hear the chorus of snores. I could only imagine being in the shelter and trying to sleep through that racket. The morning lead me up and over a number of mountains with White Cap being the largest at almost 4,000 feet. The summit of White Cap was rather special. From this mountain I was able to see Katahdin for the first time. It was mostly in the clouds on this cool cloudy day, but it was still amazing to finally be able to see the end. Over 100 days I have been walking to this great mountain and today I saw it for the first time.The rest of the day seemed to fly by as the terrain got easier and easier. I enjoyed the afternoon and spent the time thinking about my next long distance hiking adventure. Prior to this hike, I had never been on a backpacking trip for more than 2 nights. But I have truly found something I love to do and I am hoping there are many trips in my future. I would love to spend a week or 2 or longer hiking with Danielle. Hopefully even someday once we have children take my children out on a trip. I would like to give the PCT a try and maybe even someday hike the A.T. again. All I know is that I will be back on some trail before long.I hardly noticed the time go by and arrived at the shelter before 4pm. It seemed early to call it a day but I am trying this relaxing thing so I set my things up in the shelter. Directly in front of the shelter there is a waterfall and a swimming hole. It is a little cool today but I couldn't pass up a swim. After splashing around in the water for about 20 minutes it began to get very dark. As I was getting out of the water and collecting my things, the thunder started to rumble and moments later it began to pour. I was glad to be at the shelter where all of my things are out of the rain. I am wearing every piece of clothing I have trying to warm up as the temperature dropped with the rainfall. I think I will make dinner now and spend the rest of the evening in my sleeping bag reading.
Date: 2006-08-11
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to

To: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: scattered clouds

The morning was chilly enough that I actually hiked with long sleeves for the first time in a long while. The first 10 miles of the day flew by in about 3 hours. It was like walking on a rail-trail with an occasional boulder in the way. I pulled into a shelter around 11am to eat lunch and read. I decided to pass up the White House Landing Wilderness Camp. It is a hostel that serves 1 lb hamburgers, but in order to get to the place you have to walk a mile through a swamp and then blow an air horn and hope that the owners come to pick you up in their boat. I had enough food to get to Abol Bridge where I am meeting Danielle and my parents so I moved on.After deciding to pass up W.H.L., I was treated to an amazing view of Katahdin. There was an opening by Pemadumcook Lake which allowed me a breathtaking view of the "greatest mountain." It was an amazing feeling that I couldn't begin to put into words. Yesterday I had a glimpse of the cloud covered giant, but today it was clear and the mountain stood before me bringing a tear to my eye. Katahdin stands alone as there are no other mountains in its proximity. It is such a fitting end to this great adventure. Tomorrow I will move even closer to Katahdin and in 2 days I will stand on top of that monster bringing this great journey to an end. For now, I am going to get cozy in my sleeping bag and finish reading Brand New World.
Date: 2006-08-12
From: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to

To: Abol Bridge Campground
Miles today: 23.1
Weather: light rain

The thought of seeing Danielle and my parents had me up and hiking by 6am. I picked a bad day to start so early with the temperatures in the 40's it was a brisk morning. Throughout the day I had views of Katahdin, although most of the morning it was hidden in the clouds. As I was hiking, I often thought about the fact that it was my last "regular" day on the trail. I took my last lunch break in a shelter, treated my last liter of water from a beautiful mountain stream and on and on. It was a little sad but when thinking of all the amenities I will soon have at my fingertips my mood changed quickly.I made it to Abol Bridge just after 3pm. I had told Danielle 5pm so I figured it would be a bit of a wait. The views of Katahdin from Abol Bridge were awesome. After standing in awl of the mountain for about 30 minutes, I made my way to the camp store for some food. I was able to reach Danielle on her cell phone and found out that they were about 30 minutes away. The time went by fast as I sat and spoke with Dave, the ridge runner. It was so amazing to see Danielle and my Mom and Dad. They seemed happy to see me as well, although it took them a second to recognize me with the new bearded look.Luckily, the campground had one tent site opening left. While I showered, they got some burgers and hotdogs going over a charcoal grill and we had an awesome night eating and getting caught up. The tent site borders the Penobscot River and late in the evening there was a moose out in the water eating. It was an amazing site to stand and watch the moose eat with the sun setting on Katahdin in the background. We took pictures, but the beauty and the perfection of the night could never have been captured on any kind of film. Eventually my parents headed off to their hotel room in the closest town about 40 minutes away. Once the fire died down and the cold air moved in Danielle and I climbed into the tent. Tomorrow we will hike 10 miles to the base of Katahdin and summit on Monday.Life's great on the A.T.
Date: 2006-08-13
From: Abol Bridge Campground

To: Katahdin Stream Campground (Millinocket, ME)
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: broken clouds

Danielle and I woke up to a chilly morning and beautiful views of Katahdin. We got a fire going and huddled around it while eating breakfast. Danielle watched in disbelief as I downed 5 donuts and a large danish. My parents met us at the campground about 9am. We hashed out a plan for the day and then Danielle and I headed for the base of the mountain.My Mom and Dad drove from Abol Bridge to Baxter State Park and then hiked south on the A.T. to meet Danielle and I. The distance on the A.T. was ten miles, they drove over 30 miles on back roads to get to the Katahdin Stream Campground. This part of Maine consists of some serious backcountry. Baxter State Park, home of Katahdin, contains over 200,000 acres of beautiful backcountry wilderness. The campgrounds within the park have no electricity or plumbing. I decided I would travel with them the 30 miles to their hotel room in Millinocket and spend the evening with them rather than sit at the base of the mountain alone. It was a pretty easy decision to make especially after the excellent dinner we had at the New England Outdoor Center. So I am lying in the comforts of the modern world and will return to climb Katahdin and end this journey early tomorrow morning.
Date: 2006-08-14
From: Katahdin Stream Campground (Millinocket, ME)

To: Baxter Peak Mt. Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

We drove almost an hour back into Baxter State Park and were ready to start up the mountain by about 7:30am. My Dad, Danielle and I blew through the first mile with ease. Of course the first mile did not have any gains in elevation. Then we began the ascent up the rocky mountain. As we continued up, the terrain got tougher and tougher. Eventually we got above tree line. The climbing was steep and the wind was whipping and Danielle and my Dad determined that was enough for them. They gave an admirable effort but thought it was best to head back down the mountain.I continued along scrambling over the rocks using the rebar hand holds to keep me on the mountain. After getting excited that I was there I realized it was a false summit and I had another 2 miles to go. I eventually summitted Baxter Peak at about 10:30am. It is cold and windy with limited views, but I am not complaining. Seeing the famous Katahdin sign that signifies the northern terminus of the A.T. was amazing. I laid against the sign not sure what to do next. It was quiet and peaceful. As I read the sign and focused on the mileage to Springer Mt, Georgia my eyes began to tear and I realized I had accomplished my goal. I had successfully walked from Georgia to Maine in three and a half months.Not long after I reached the summit, day hikers started rolling in from a number of different side trails that end at Baxter Peak. I had one of the many day hikers take some pictures of me at the sign and then I bunkered down behind some rocks for a snack. Once the tourists learned I was a thru-hiker, I spent about 15 minutes playing celebrity. Now, I am sitting here on top of this great mountain trying to summarize into words what this means.I've been tired, sore, sick, cold, hot, wet, hungry, lonely and down right miserable. But those aren't the things you remember. I'll remember the beautiful views, the fauna and flora, waking up to the sunrise and birds singing, the awesome friendships, the neat towns, the trail magic, re-uniting with family and friends and on and on. I have been lucky enough to travel by foot for more than 2,000 miles over some of America's greatest lands. Without the help of many people this would have never been possible. I want to thank Danielle, my parents, and all of my family and friends, all of the great people along the trail that helped me in many ways, everyone who so generously gave to the CF fund and helped me meet that goal (currently $4,140), all the volunteers that maintain the A.T. and anyone I may have forgotten thank you as well.So it is here at the summit of this great mountain that my journey on the Appalachian Trail has come to an end. Although the journey has ended the wonderful memories of the experience will be with me forever.I truly believe that you need to dream big and chase those dreams. Now that I can check this one off my list, I will go back to helping others to achieve their dreams. (And hopefully I make it down off this mountain alive.)
Date: 2006-03-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Overview:Goal: Hike the Appalachian TrailWhy: Why not - this is my 60'th birthday present to myself. "If not now, when?" "If I am not for myself, then who will be for me?" "And if I am only for myself, then what am I?" From HillelProposed route: Departing from Roanoke/Daleville going north to Katahdin, then other transportation to Springer, and come back up to Roanoke. (A Flip Flop)Proposed departure: - End of March 2006Proposed gear style - Light to Ultralight, pack weight < 10 Lbs, not counting food and water. More later.Proposed rate: amble and gentle walk, no rush, no deadlines, start out 8-10 mi/day, gradually bring up to 15-20 mi/day. Take time to see the sights and smell the plants.Inspiration: George Steffanos 1983 Trail Hike documented in "Then The Hail Came" at http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.htmlIMPORTANT NOTE - I WILL NOT BE TAKING A CAMERA. ALL PICTURES LINKED TO IN THIS NARRATIVE ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE OWNERS OF THE LINKED SITES, AND ARE TO BE TREATED AS DESIGNATED IN THE LINKED SITES. THEY ARE LINKED TO HERE ONLY TO AID IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE NARRATIVE.AFTER VIEWING ANY OF THESE PICTURES, YOU WILL NEED TO USE THE BACK BUTTON ON YOUR BROWSER TO RETURN TO MY NARRATIVE.
Date: 2006-03-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

On The Trail         Part The first            (c) 2005-2006 Elliot S. Wheeler, All Rights ReservedI stink, truth to tell, but I can't smell my smellSix days crawling over thirteen mountains,One hundred and twenty three miles of hell,Steaming and sweaty, I paid for my sins.The hot humid days lingered beneath the hazeAs the apricot sun struggled to shine.The streams and the springs were empty and glazedI was cooked dry, without water or wine.Each day the fragrant dew induced deja-vuMaking beads on the sodden forest greensThen the air would steam as the sun broke throughAnd I had no water in my canteens.Water adds more weight. Pounds per gallon are eightAnd I was too lazy to carry it.I swelter as I hike and dessicate,Then spend the night so dry that I can't spitThe placid morning air relieved my despairAs waterfalls of vapor descendedInto the cols and the green forest's lairIt felt like time itself was suspended.Rhododendron thickets, ferns, woods and cricketsMosses, bluets, and the small, rocky streamsProfusions of growth; dense, entangled threatsThese are the Appalachian hills, not dreams.There beyond the red barn, lies an azure tarnGlowing in the dawn on the mountain ridgeWhich also illuminates the stone cairnAnd behind it, Bifrost, Valhalla's bridge.There, past the ridge rest, over toward the westA twisted cluster of arthritic treesRises hauntingly from the fog and mistBowing and rising in the morning breeze.Often, in the rain, I'd hike muddy terrainWhile the lightning thundered and cracked the sky.I'd freeze while racing flat out -- I'm insaneAnd shaking with cold.   I'll never get dry.It is hard to prevail hiking the App trailYou need not be psychotic to walk it,But perhaps it helps.   I crawl like a snail;Slow, sore, wet and thirsty, but I'll not quit.<===== End of Part the First, More to come ====>