morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-08-13
From: Imp Shelter/Campsite

To: Rt 2, Gorham
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: few clouds

Today we had a wonderful family day at our son, Frank's. It was to celebrate our granddaughter, Jessica's, 22nd birthday! Dad called from the trail and talked to her and then to me. Her birthday is actually the 14th! Happy Birthday, Jess!They arrived at Rt 2 around 6:30 and called Bruno for a ride. We talked about 2007...no cold beer and a lobster roll for snack waiting for them this time when they arrived. Tomorrow will be a zero at Gorham to do laundry, resupply and rest up for crossing in to Maine in a couple of days.FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-08-14
From: Rt 2, Gorham

To: zero
Miles today: 0.0

Resting at the motel, walking to Walmart, doing the laundry and planning for the next leg of the hike was the order of the day. Will leave late tomorrow as they have to wait for Bruno to get through with breakfast before they can get the ride to the Trail. (otherwise it would be an additional 4 miles to walk). FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-08-15
From: Rt 2, Gorham

To: 2.2 miles before Gentian Pond Campsite
Miles today: 14.0

Guys got a ride from Bruno to a spot 2.2 miles before Gentian Pond Campsite and walked south back to Gorham. It rained all day and they were walking in 5 inches of rain in the trail. They were all soaked and their boots full of water. They even walked the extra 3 plus miles back in to town to the Hotel. Tired and wet they spread their stuff to dry at the hotel for another night. FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-08-16
From: 2.2 miles before Gentian Pond Campsite

To: ZERO AGAIN
Miles today: 0.0

Their stuff still had not dried out at the hotel. Their boots still soaked. They stuffed them full of news paper and set them to dry more. It was still raining out and weather said it would rain all morning in to the afternoon. It was a good day to take another zero, which they did.FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-08-17
From: 2.2 miles before Gentian Pond Campsite

To: Gentian Pond Campsite
Miles today: 2.2
Weather: clear sky

They got a ride from Bruno back to the spot on the trail just before Gentian Pond Campsite. It was later in the day (after breakfast was done)and finally the sun shining again. They walked in to the campsite and set up camp. Fahmah set up in the shelter and Klip and QuickToez set up their tents away on a hill....Klip said Fahmah sent them out there....don't know why!! Klip does appreciate being away from snorers as he is a light sleeper. They fixed their dinners and headed to sleep early to prepare for a longer hike the following day.FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-08-18
From: Gentian Pond Campsite

To: OOOPPSIE!!!!
Miles today: 0.0

Through the night Fahmah was feeling a real tightness in his right leg. This was relatively normal, and his right heel had been numb for quite a while. He was doing a normal stretch of all his leg muscles, pulling his toes forward and flexing the muscles when he felt a strange snap in the back of his leg. He felt a shock-like feeling and then some pretty bad pain. This was the middle of the night, so after an "oh sh_t!!!" he tossed and turned the rest of the night and waited till morning to see the results of what had happened. When he moved his leg it caused considerable pain and since he had experience with a ruptured achilles tendon in his left leg, he feared the worst. He got up in the morning, still in considerable pain. Told the other hikers and then called me. The smart thing would have been to get back to the road and catch a ride and go to the nearest ER. But that was too easy. I was in the car and headed to NH within a 1/2 hour. Fahmah wanted to see his own DR in town if there was to be anything major done to him. It was 3 1/2 miles on a blue blaze to the nearest road (North Rd). QuickToez carried Fahmah's food for him to lighten the pack slightly and Klip carried his clothes bag and some other extra weight and they slowly progressed to the road to await my arrival. I made it there in a little over 3 hours and picked them all up. Fahmah's leg had stiffened up a little but QuickToez had given him some vitamin "I" that eased the pain considerably. We had lunch and headed over to the Cabin in East Andover ME where Klip and QuickToez are staying and will hike from there to catch up while Fahmah gets fixed up. A visit his Dr in town (his own Doc is on vacation so he saw a nurse practitioner in the same practice). She felt quite positive that it was not his achilles tendon and is treating it as though it is a sprain. There appeared to be swelling in the ankle and that is where his pain had centralized. Ice it, elevate it and stay off it for a week....take 3 ibuprofen 3 x per day. This works in to our plans, sort of, since we are heading up to Sebago Lake State Park for a week of camping with all our kids and grandkids. We will pick up Klip and QuickToez up for a couple days then send them all packing, including Fahmah, once his week of rest is over.Thank you, Klip and QuickToez for taking care of the old bugger for me. He will be itching to get back before the week is over, I guarantee it. FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-08-27
From: ZERO

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I am just going to combine the last 10 days in one posting. Klipspringer and Quicktoez stayed at the Cabin in Andover, ME while Fahmah's leg got better. And that did't take long. A couple days of "vitamin I" and it was ready to go. However, we didn't leave for Sebago until Sunday, 8/21/11 to see all our kids for our annual family vacation at Sebago Lake State Park. We had relatively good weather, except for setting up in the rain on the first night. On Monday, Fahmah headed up to Andover and picked up Klip & Quicktoez and they came down to camp with us. The Lake was beautiful and beach was warm and sunny. Fahmah had some quality fishing time with his 3 young grandsons and we enjoyed our time with our family and visits from friends. On Friday, I brought them back to the Cabin in Andover. I was scheduled to leave Sebago on Sunday but with the approaching hurricane, Irene, I packed up this morning (with all the help from my kids and their cousins....THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!....) and came back to Templeton to hear that the hurricane will be heading right up over Central Massachusetts toward my house! I heard from Fahmah and their plan to hike a 13-mile slack pack fell through. Some excuse that the hikers that were also going would be much faster than the old farts and they would leave the young ones waiting too long.....good excuse. It turns out the young ones decided to make it a 23-mile hike instead! Oh, to be YOUNG AGAIN!! Tomorrow, as the hurricane hits, nobody will be hiking the AT in Maine. We are expecting heavy rain, wind and flooding conditions. I see that all of NH AT is closed as well. The Governor of Maine has declared a state of emergency over the whole State of Maine. So, ANOTHER ZERO!!! I think they are subconciously waiting for Cimmaron to catch up to them. They are really looking forward to meeting him and hope to hike with him for a while. Klip got some new hiking boots today. His were too tight and high around the ankle. Hopefully it will make hiking more comfortable for him. Quicktoez got the WIFI at the Cabin working again. He was having withdrawal without his Internet connection all week at Sebago.
Date: 2011-08-30
From: Maine, Rt 17

To: Maine, Rt 4
Miles today: 13.1

Our 3 hikers walked a 13-mile slack pack after having over a week of no hiking. They chose a section where they hoped they would not come across any swollen steams to ford and where it would be dried out from the hurricane. They chose correctly but it was a long, hard hike after the time off. They all hurt and were tired from the hike when they returned to the Cabin. QuickToez wasn't feeling very good in the stomach and all went to bed early.FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-08-31
From: Maine 26, Grafton Notch

To: East B Hill Rd, Andover ME
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: broken clouds

While Fahmah was recuperating in Massachusetts from his calf sprain, Klip and QuickToez had done a 10-mile slack pack from the Cabin. Today, while Klip recovered from yesterday's 13 miles in new shoes that weren't right for hiking and QuickToez celebrated his birthday with a stomach bug!!! (I'm sorry!) Fahmah did the same hike just so he could keep moving. He hiked over Bald Pate Mtn and got some great pictures (to be added at later date). By the time Fahmah called me, QuickToez was feeling better from the stomach bug. I didn't get to talk to him, but I hope he had a GREAT birthday, otherwise. He had already headed off to bed. Their plans were made for another slack for tomorrow from East B Hill to South Arm.FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-09-01
From: East B Hill Rd, Andover ME

To: South Arm Rd, Andover ME
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I am writing this in advance....will update with details later. They will have a brook to ford today and I will be very interested to hear how much water they will have to walk in. Update: They got up at 5:a.m for an early start on their hike. They were in Andover Center having breakfast and looked out the window and saw a female moose with her calf walking from the direction of the church and crossing the road. Interesting....... The hike went as planned. There were two brooks to ford and they did fine with that. There were also two long uphills to travel and they were tired when they got in late from hiking. QuickToez was feeling better from his stomach bug and all were in good spirits. Tomorrow they are to do the section between Rt 17 and East B Road, 13 miles, and that will be the last slack pack for them till they reach Stratton. They all will go to bed early for another early 5:00 a.m. start.FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-09-05
From: South Arm Rd, Andover ME

To: Poplar Ridge Lean To
Miles today: 37.1
Weather: light rain

Sorry, am combining 4 days in 1 posting. Fahmah, Klip & Quicktoez slackpacked the section between South Arm Rd up to Maine Rt 17 as their last section out of the Cabin in E Andover. They made it a slow start the following day, picking up what supplies they would need for the next 4-5 days to Stratton that they would stay at shelters or camp sites. Bear dropped them at ME Rt 4, as they had already hiked from Rt 17 to Rt 4. The first night they hiked in to Piazza Rock Lean-to. Though it was a short hike, Fahmah felt a pull on his knee and in the morning it was a bit swollen, but Aleve helped with the inflamation and pain and they hiked on. Fahmah called me from the tip of Saddleback Mtn yesterday to report in. His knee was still a little swollen but not bothering him. It was overcast and soupy and had no view at all, but the hike had been uneventful till that time. After their lunch, they hiked on just past Saddleback Jr and it became very clear they were about to have some major rain and thunder/lightening storm. They huddled as best they could. They eventually got to a campsite between two peaks and set up their tents. Both Klip and Fahmah agreed they were the worst storms they had experienced on the trail thus far in their hiking experiences. It seemed their tents were actually floating. Nobody was hurt in any way, but they were still reeling from the storms this morning. They are going to hike in to Poplar Ridge Lean-to today and set up camp for the night. They will be short of food as they had only planned for 4 days to make this trip and it will take at least 1 extra day, if not 2. Klip teased for me to get a helicopter and come pick them up.....was he just teasing? Yes! They are hiking on.FOR YOU JIM.
Date: 2011-09-14
From: Poplar Ridge Lean To

To: Top of Sugar Loaf Mtn, Maine
Miles today: 0.0

Well, it has been a long time since I wrote and a lot has happened in the meantime. On Wednesday, September 7th, I received a call in the afternoon from Fahmah. He wanted to know what I had for plans for the evening. Hmmmmm!It seems that the waters in Maine had become so swollen from the recent rains, and it had been rainy for days and no chance to dry out and the trail muddy and woods were wet, that they made the joint decision to call an end to the hike for this year. It had been a great hike thus far, but time was getting short and there really wasn't an end in sight to the rain. The day prior to climbing Sugar Loaf they had to ford Orbeton stream, which when they crossed looked like a raging river, not a stream. Quicktoez sent us a video of Fahmah crossing and the water was up over his hips, just barely lapping the bottom of his pack as he crossed. Quicktoez said the video would have been much more interesting if he had fallen!!!! He and the others did make it accross safely but the trails ahead would have many more fords like this and the water would continue to rise with the falling rain. Their decision to leave just then was fortunate. Quicktoez' parents were returning from a trip to Canada. They just happened to be in Calais, Maine when he called them. They agreed to pick them up as soon as they could get there. The hikers were at the top of Sugar Loaf Mtn at the ski area. They headed down the ski trails to the bottom of the mountain. In the time it took them to descend, Quicktoez' parents travelled the many miles from Calais and they were there in approx 15 minutes of one another. They packed them in and headed back to Massachusetts. Fahmah called me when they were in Farmington, ME about to get on the Maine Tpke. He would call me when they got close enough for me to get to the rest area in Leominster on Rt 2 (about 20 miles from home). The timing all worked out just fine for all of us. We met in the drizzle and changed cars and got home around 10:30 that night. We owe a great big THANK YOU to Mr & Mrs Parker for the ride home for the "stinky" hikers. (They had just spent 4 days in the woods with no showers or laundry!) It was a sad to end the hike, but the right decision for them at the time.Many thanks to all of you who have followed the journal and checked in with us. The AT will be there for them when they return to complete their hike at some time in the future!! I will keep you posted.FOR YOU JIM!
Date: 2011-02-18
To: REI Order
Miles today: 0.0

Placed an order today with REI for a Sleep Pad and a Stove. I have several pads already, but decided to go with the 1.5 inch Thermarest full size. I ordered the ladies which is 66 inches long. I am 67 inches tall so that should work out great and it had some very good reviews. I also chose the Snow Peak Giga Power Stove. I have used both the Whisper Lite and a homemade Alcohol Stove and this looked like a good compromise for weight and ease of use.
Date: 2011-02-20
To: A Longer Hike
Miles today: 0.0

I have been backpacking since 1983 and even before. Over the years I never had the desire to do a complete thru hike of the AT until my last section hike. I was hiking the AT in the Roan Mountain area. There was nothing extra exceptional about the hike over my previous hikes and my feet were killing me most of the time. However, when the end of the hike was getting close I kept wishing that I could just keep going. I cannot explain why, but that was when the desire really took hold to do a thru hike. I cannot take the time off to do the whole distance. My tentative plan is to go for around two months.
Date: 2011-03-12
To: A Busy Time
Miles today: 0.0

There is always so much to do to get ready for the hike. It is a very busy time. Going for a week at a time required a lot of preparation, but going for longer periods requires a lot more than just preparing to hike. There are a lot of maintenance type jobs around the house that must be completed. I want to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible while I am gone. Once I start the actual hike it will be a kind of mental release. That is what backpacking is. Life is reduced to the completion of simple tasks and you get a lot of sleep. Especially in cold weather a lot of time is spent in your sleeping bag.
Date: 2011-03-15
To: One Week Delay
Miles today: 0.0

New start date of Sunday 3/27. There are too many tasks to complete around the house, but on the bright side the weather may be a little warmer. I am sure I will not miss out on the rainy days. They seem to be an integral part of the backpacking experience. I have sat at home on my back porch many a time on rainy days and it always made me think of backpacking and wish I could be out on the trail.
Date: 2011-03-29
From: Springer Mountain

To: Neels gap
Miles today: 30.7
Weather: few clouds

Note: I am only updating when I come to a computer. I did not hike 30.7 miles in one day.Had an interesting ride on Greyhound. Made one stop for the police in Ocala in the middle of the night. A much older man decided to smoke on the bus. He did not speak English making it hard for the other passengers to ask him to stop. In the confusion he pulled a ladies hair and earned himself a night with the police in Ocala.Started at Springer in a cloud/fog bank. That night it rained at Hawk Mtn. Shelter. I tented. Second day cold and in the clouds. I camped at Woody Gap. On the third day going over Blood Mtn. it actually cleared some. Fortunately it is only raining at night. The temps are dipping into the thirties up on the mountains.Feeling great, but having pains in right knee that concerns me and it hurts too!I am staying night at the hostel in Neels Gap. Clean up, stock up, then keep going.
Date: 2011-04-02
From: Neels gap

To: Hiawassee
Miles today: 36.8
Weather: broken clouds

Made it to the Blueberry Patch Hostel. Great place.When I left Neels I hiked on to Low Gap Shelter and camped. Next day on to Cheese Factory Site and then stayed at Deep Gap Shelter. This was the first time I actually stayed in the shelter. It was nice and I slept well. I will have to try it again if I can make it there before they fill up.The sun actually appeared Friday afternoon up at Blue Mtn. Shelter where I stopped for lunch. It was great to finally get to see a view. Kind of forgot what that was in all of the fog/clouds. However, that night at the Cheese site it dropped below freezing and my camelbak flow tube froze up. Cold is better than wet, I think!Anyway you slice it life is great.
Date: 2011-04-06
From: Hiawassee

To: Winding Stairs Gap
Miles today: 40.2
Weather: clear sky

Neels Gap to Low Gap Shelter 10.8 mi. Shelter was full. Tented it, but it was not level. Did not sleep well.3/31 Camped at Cheese Factory Site. Someone asked if they had cheesecake. I wish! Temps dropped into the 30s in my tent. Knees are doing good.At Deep Gap stayed in the shelter for the first time. Slept really good.Hiawassee was great. Stayed at Blueberry Hostel. Christian hostel. Gary and Lennie were really nice people and the breakfast was fantastic. I will post a picture later hopefully.April 2 was Sherry's Birthday. I called and sang her happy birthday over the phone.To make a long story short hiked some more days and made it into Rock Gap where several of us caught a ride into Franklin. Here in Franklin for a zero day.
Date: 2011-04-07
From: Winding Stairs Gap

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Took the zero in Franklin. Was able to get a lot of things done. The Baptist Church here puts on a great pancake breakfast for free. They welcomed everyone doing a zero to come again, so I did. There was all you can eat pancakes and bacon. Good coffee!Today I am aiming for Wayah Shelter.
Date: 2011-04-10
From: Winding Stairs Gap

To: NOC
Miles today: 27.3
Weather: clear sky

Florida Gary a.k.a Cellphone.Several of the people I am camping with noticed I was always on my phone. Chucktown commented that I was either eating or talking on the phone. Cropduster christened me Cellphone and it seemed to stick after awhile.On Thursday hiked from Winding Stairs up to Wayah Bald Shelter. The weather was great so I tented. Friday the 8th went on to Wesser Shelter and stayed in the shelter. Left there @0700 headed for the NOC. Decided to stay at the hostel to get some things done. On the plus side they had a festival going on and got to see a pretty good Bluegrass band. Stayed up way past hikers bedtime and drank several beers.
Date: 2011-04-12
From: NOC

To: Fontana Shelter
Miles today: 28.7
Weather: light rain

Made it to Fontana from Locust Gap, an 18.2 mile day. This was my longest day yet. I found this computer at the lodge by accident right after breakfast so I decided to make an entry. It rained all last night and had wind and thunder and lightning. I was glad to be in the Fontana Hilton. That is what they call the shelter. It sleeps 24. However, when you get 24 hikers in one big room with all of their gear it smells kind of funky. Heading up into the Smokies today once I pick up my mail drop. Life is great!I also added some pictures.
Date: 2011-04-20
From: Green Corner Road

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 33.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Made it to Hot Springs after some long days hiking. Max Patch was a fantastic place, a giant bald with views 360 degrees. The weather has been very good. Yesterday though it was a little too warm for a 16.6 mile day.Hot Springs is a great trail town. A lot of the people I have met along the way are all here also.
Date: 2011-04-23
From: Hot Springs

To: Devil Fork Gap
Miles today: 35.0

Left Hot Springs and hiked to Spring Mtn. Shelter. The next day hiked down to Allen Gap and saw a sign for Trail Magic. Followed directions to beautiful log cabin up a steep driveway. Former Thru Hikers from '99 Hercules and Fal had David, Aaron and I in for Belgian Waffles, Pork Chili, homemade bread, coffee, and various desserts. I chose the warm bread pudding ala mode with caramel topping. Anyway, hikers enjoy food. They took us twenty miles north on the trail and let us do an overnite hike back. Now back many hikers have come in for a great dinner, sleep on porch or living room floor, breakfast, then Easter Sunday service at their Baptist Church. The trail and all of the thru hikers are exactly what Christianity is supposed to be about. The sharing, giving and support from hikers and non hikers is wonderful. This kind of thing goes on by trail magic, but also by hikers on the trail and in camp every single day.Tomorrow after church Hercules will return us to Devil Fork Gap.
Date: 2011-04-26
From: Devil Fork Gap

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 33.1
Weather: broken clouds

I still cannot get over the trail magic at Allen Gap. Hercules and Fal went way overboard on all of the great food. Church was a great Easter Sunday service and I ate way too much Chinese afterwords.Hiked to Hog Mtn. Shelter that night. Only a six mile day, but considering I was overloaded with Chinese food it was good that I made it that far. I made up for it the next day by hiking 20 some miles to No Business Knob Shelter.The next day I raced into Uncle Johnny's Hostel. Sherry was going to be there later that day. 31 days of hiking and 339.9 miles travelled. I wish I could just keep going, but I will have to come back some other day and continue my journey.Big Bald was the highlight of this section, but when Aaron and I arrived at the top it began to rain. I stayed for a short time to enjoy the view, but it started to rain sideways and was blowing in my ear. The weather was a little scary. It reminded me of Forrest Gump where he talked about the rain coming sideways and even up.This has been a grand journey!I started the hike at 160 lbs. I weighed in at Uncle Johnny's at 147 lbs. Not sure I trusted the scales. They were said to be accurate. I will have to compare when I get home. Sherry said that I look a little on the lean side.