morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-28
From: Rattle River Shelter

To: Gentian Pond Shelter
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: moderate rain

the road to Gorham, NH, was only a couple miles from where I spent the night, and I was given a ride into town by a nice old man who has a cabin nearby which he spends part of the year at (the other part being spent at his place on the Florida coast). As I was leaving the grocery to walk back towards the laundromat and library, the same guy picked me up again. He had completed his errand and was heading back the other way! I've already posted (and since deleted) another entry on the subject of internet access at the Gorham Public Library, so I'll limit myself here to simply saying that it's a joke! I finally used up a Pizza Hut gift card that somebody had given me way back in southern Virginia, so I'll be glad to have that .05 ounce of weight out of my pack =). They didn't have the lunch buffet going though, so I had to settle for a salad, drink, and one of their personal pan pizzas. Those things are so tiny, I seriously could probably stuff the whole thing in my mouth at one time. Thankfully there was a McDonald's right down the street and a double cheeseburger and hot fudge sundae was just right to round out lunch.It started raining while I was eating and wasn't showing any signs of letting up. It's always harder to hitch in the rain, not only for the obvious reason that you're out there standing in the rain, but because fewer people will stop due to (legitimate) concerns about getting their cars all wet and nasty. (Rain definitely reveals and accentuates hiker trail funk). So I stopped at the outfitters in town to inquire about a shuttle. A customer overheard and graciously offered me a ride back to the trailhead. (I'm not mentioning this because it's unusual- on the contrary, this sort of thing happens to us all the time).The rain continued and intensified throughout the afternoon, and together with some of the most rugged trail I've encountered, served to really slow me down. I was hoping to crank out a high-mile afternoon, but there were so many roots, rock slabs, and blow downs on the overgrown section of trail I was hiking that negotiating it felt like attempting an obstacle course! I was forced to stop way short of my goal, but the Gentian Pond shelter was a beautiful one, with a nice little lake that felt warm compared to the cold and humid air around me.In other news, I did run into a porcupine on the trail, which was a first. The little fellow looked cute, but I opted not to pet him. Oh, and I saw my second fox yesterday, near Pinkham Notch. Don't know whether it was a gray fox or a red fox, because his hind quarters and tail were gray, but the rest of him was red. interesting.I didn't make it to Maine today, but there's always tomorrow...
Date: 2006-07-29
From: Gentian Pond Shelter

To: Baldpate Lean-to
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: light rain

Okay, the good things about today: crossed my final state line, and also crossed the 1900 mile mark. The bad things about today: everything else.Okay, so maybe not everything else. The weather started to clear up, which was good. But overall it was a very tough day. The Mahoosuc Mtn range here in southern ME/ northern NH is definitely humbling me. I have to readjust my expectations about daily mileage. In my opinion they are more difficult than even the Whites. The most notorious section in this area is called Mahoosuc Notch, and it's known as "the hardest mile on the trail." There's not a doubt in my mind that it's aptly named. It's incredible- a jumble of house-sized boulders and blow-downs strewn out over a mile between two massive granite cliffs. It's like the Devil's Den area of the Gettysburg National Battlefield, and even though it's only a mile, it often takes hikers a couple hours to get through it. Also, there is year-round ice in some spots, a fact which I had heard about but found hard to believe until I saw it for myself.I made it through in about an hour, but not without a couple of slips and scrapes. I was climbing up one slab, when I slipped and fell off it backwards. In that split second I was pretty sure I was headed for a lot of pain, but I landed right on my nice soft pack, and my pack somehow managed to land on the one decent safe spot below. Phew! The Notch itself ended up being kinda fun (it's also called the "hiker's jungle gym," but the rest of the terrain for the day was pretty taxing, both physically and mentally.But hey, life is good, folks! I'm living a dream, and I can still say I'm glad to be where I am, doing what I'm doing. I was reminded of a saying my old pastor would often quote though: "when the going gets tough, the tough get going." The Mahoosuc mountain range is definitely tough going!
Date: 2006-07-30
From: Baldpate Lean-to

To: Black Brook (South Arm Rd.)
Miles today: 18.1

Well, maybe I haven't been cranking out big miles of late, but I sure have been putting down the food! So much so, in fact, that I had to do an un-planned town stop in Andover today. I'm not sure what the deal is- never before have I eaten so much and accomplished so little! There was no way I was making it to Rangely with what I had left in my food bag. The area I'm hiking in now is really remote. When I got to the road to Andover, I waited for like 15 or 20 minutes and all I saw was one motorcycle going the other way. The folks here are aware of how much we rely on them though, so the first vehicle that came my way gave me a ride into town.After typical town stuff (pizza, fries, and lots of snacks for the trail ahead), I actually went to the local hostel and paid the $8 they charge for a ride back to the trail. I wanted to make good time in the afternoon, and knew that the road was so remote that I could wait a long time trying to hitch back to the trail-head. Two more reminders of how far up north I'm getting. One, I saw one of those pontoon-type planes that can land on water! You see them all the time in Disney movies about Alaska, but to have one fly right overhead out here on the trail was pretty cool. The other thing that amused me and reminded me how remote it is here was the note in my guidebook that says it's SEVENTEEN miles from the one road I crossed to a town with basic hiker services. In most other spots it's only a couple of miles, or the trail goes right into/through town.Picture-perfect weather today. These ME nights can get chilly though! A couple times now I've been able to see my breath, and I'm glad to have some of my warmer gear with me.I left a note on a piece of birch bark in the middle of the trail for some hikers behind me, inviting them to do a night hike with me if they wanted. I had met them a day or so earlier, and my note said that I'd wait for them at the next road crossing (they wanted to do some high-mile days too). They never ended up showing up, however, and so I ended up cowboy camping near the road/stream. No matter, I was pretty tired anyway.There were supposed to be two official "fords" of streams today, but really they were just rock-hops. Apparently ME had a lot of rain weeks ago but it's starting to dry out now.
Date: 2006-07-31
From: Black Brook (South Arm Rd.)

To: ME 4 (Rangeley)
Miles today: 26.4
Weather: scattered clouds

It was cold last night! I woke up about midnight feeling rather chilly, but I put on some warmer stuff, and was back asleep in no time. When I got up, around 7, I could see my breath. I decided to build a small fire to eat breakfast by, and as I was eating, I was serenaded by coyotes. I've never heard them before, that I can remember. It sounded mostly like a pack of dogs yelping.I was finally able to do some respectable mileage for a change. I think I may have actually reached a whopping three miles per hour once or twice. The Maine terrain (haha- I like that- Maine terrain. "The terrain in Maine does NOT stay mainly in the plain.") Anyway, I was about to say, before I was distracted, that the terrain here is getting somewhat easier. Some sections actually involved more hiking than climbing, which can be a real plus. But then again, maybe it's just me, because I did traverse some big mountains today, namely, the Bemis Range. Anyway, I made it to the town of Rangely, and decided to splurge and stay at the hostel in town, Gull Pond Lodge.I hitched to the IGA grocery, which allowed me to make the local call to the lodge for a shuttle. Gull Pond Lodge is owned and operated by the nicest old man. He's well into his 70's, but still manages to maintain his 6 bedroom/ 3 bath place on a lake a few miles outside of town. He lives there alone with his two dogs during the winter, but in the summer he provides refuge to weary hikers, both north and southbound. The living room (with satellite TV) and kitchen are available for hikers use, and each of the bunks has crisp white sheets and a mint on the pillow. I enjoyed my first real shower since (dare I even say?) Massachusetts. And the library doesn't open 'till 10 tomorrow, so I can sleep in, too. Life is good...
Date: 2006-08-01
From: ME 4 (Rangeley)

To: ME 4 (Rangeley)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Not much to report on today. The day was filled with typical town stuff. I did, however, make the decision to bump back my finish date a day or two. I want to be able to enjoy this last leg of my trip, but at the pace I was going, I was starting to feel a little worn out. So today will be my first zero day since PA, and I plan on enjoying it to the fullest (read: two Ben & Jerry's pints in two nights- might have had more but I bought the last New York Super Fudge Chunk in the grocery).
Date: 2006-08-03
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-to

To: ME 27 (Stratton, ME)
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: overcast clouds

The rain from last night continued well into the morning. I sure was glad to be in a shelter rather than under my tarp. At one point it was coming down so hard on the aluminum shelter roof that the it was almost impossible to speak over the dull roar. I woke up bright and early but took one look at the weather and went back to sleep. I must be getting soft. No really, I guess it's just that now that I've only got a couple hundred miles left, there's less doubt in my mind that I will finish, and less pressure to crank out consistent mileage.I finally got to hiking around 10, and actually ended up making good time to the road into Stratton, ME. (yeah I know, for as remote as Maine is, there are a fair number of towns around.) It seems that every time my guidebook describes a road as an "easy hitch," I have trouble finding a ride. But the weather had finally cleared, and as I waited by the side of the road, I watched the sun sinking lower in the horizon, and not far away, the moon growing brighter and more distinct. It was also a good time to get caught up on jotting notes for my journal.Three women in a Lexus picked me up and took me the five miles into Stratton. I hadn't intended to stay in town, but with the short day yesterday it just worked out that way. I had heard good things about the hostel in town, and when I was shown around by the proprietor, I knew that it had worked out well. The free use of a high-speed computer alone was worth the money to me. As I typed up this update (and the last few preceding it), I'm vaguely following the Attack of the Martians movie that another hiker is watching. It's pretty funny, but if the journal entries here don't make sense, at least you know why.Well folks, that about sums it up. Tomorrow I set out for Caratunk, then Monson, then The Big K!
Date: 2006-08-04
From: ME 27 (Stratton, ME)

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up in the middle of the night with another stomach-ache. Not sure why I'm getting these things. Anyway, I got up and had a snack, did some reading, and was able to fall back asleep. When I next awoke, it was 10:30 am! That's late for anybody, but for a thru-hiker, that's practically midday. I guess I must have needed the extra sleep.I was back on the trail by 11:30, with more food than I've carried in a long time. My last sections I cut it pretty close with the food, so this time I packed extra. I took my time hiking today, with a slower pace and more breaks. It's the last time I'll be up high (above 4,000') until Katahdin. It was a beautiful day in regards to both weather and scenery. A few miles in I realized that with all the rushing around trying to salvage what was left of my morning, I had forgotten to grab the plastic bag with the few food items I had arrived in town with. There wasn't much in there- some powdered milk, a partial bag of cereal, some drink mix packets, and (what I missed most =), a loop of string I had made my first night, way back on the approach trail, for hanging my food bag with. The food items had all been purchased recently, but that little piece of string had been with me every mile of the trail, and it hurt me to leave it behind! Before you start rolling your eyes with a "don't be ridiculous" look, let me assure you that reason prevailed and I didn't go back for any of it. I had plenty of food with me, and the rest of my string... =) Since I started late, I was planning on hiking late to make up for it, but just before dark I stopped in at a shelter just to take a break and see who was there, and I immediately recognized a familiar face: Mr. K! He had been no more than a day or two behind for the past few weeks, and when I zero'd in Rangely he had gotten ahead. After a few minutes chatting I ditched the night hike plan and decided to stay at the shelter. It was great swapping stories and getting caught up on all the latest trail news.Ps. If you're ever in this area of Maine and have time for a great day hike, Horns Pond and then up over West and Avery Peaks is absolutely gorgeous. I enjoyed every minute of it. When people ask me what my favorite states on the trail were, Maine is definitely going to be at/near the top of the list.
Date: 2006-08-06
From: Bald Mtn Brook Lean-to

To: ME 15 parking area (Monson)
Miles today: 22.0

My last solo day on the trail! I got up early and the miles into Monson went by quickly. It took about 20 minutes to hitch into town, and I went straight to the payphone in front of the general store. I left a message on Josh's voice mail letting him know I'd be at the laundromat doing laundry if he got in early (this was about quarter after four pm), and then called my sister to chat. No sooner had I done this then I felt a friendly jab in the ribs from behind. I figured it was another hiker saying hi, but I turned around and was happily surprised to find that Josh had made the trip from PA in near-record time! My joy was complete, or rather, nearly complete. Walking around the corner and seeing my beautiful Fiona (sorry, Subaru Impreza RS) gleaming in the sun took me the rest of the way to total happiness. My second to last trail section was finished, and now I had my buddy to hike with the rest of the way. And to top it off, I got to drive my own car for the night, wherever I wanted, listening to my favorite music! You have no idea how nice it is to listen to your favorite tunes after hearing no music other than what you can produce by humming or singing, for months on end. After doing laundry we set off for the nearby town of Dover-Foxcroft, which actually has a real grocery store. There we bought way more food than we needed, but considering that we were headed into an actual wilderness area we considered it prudent. Footlongs from Subway rounded out dinner, and we headed back to the parking area near the trail for the night. We could have hiked up the trail a ways and set up the tent, but opted instead to just recline the seats and sleep in the car.
Date: 2006-08-08
From: Long Pond Stream Lean-to

To: West Branch of Pleasant River
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: few clouds

The rain late yesterday ended sometime during the night, and we awoke to a beautiful sunny morning. The trail, however, was still wet, and though I warned Josh about being extra careful on the roots and rocks, we both had some slips and falls. At one point I heard a whoosh and a "uggh" as Josh bit it hard, and though he twisted his wrist some, he was otherwise okay. After a while you learn to spot the particularly treacherous spots, and be accordingly wary. One of my concerns through this last stretch is that either of us could get injured in a fall. For me, I was determined that nothing short of bone fragments poking through skin would keep me from finishing, but if Josh were injured and needed to get off the trail, I would want to stay with him as long as possible to make sure he was going to be okay. I'd still end up finishing, but it would be late and with a heavy heart. So we both took it slowly and carefully.Taking it slow might have been the right thing to be doing, but it wasn't the easiest for me. I had grown accustomed to my normal pace, and it really felt weird going at Josh's pace. He's a strong and experienced hiker, but this was just his second day out, while I had >2000 miles under my belt. Every time I compared the time elapsed with the distance traveled I could hardly believe how slow our progress seemed. But in reality, we were doing fine, and Josh was doing more in this one week than most any other thru-hiker would have done their first week, including me (especially me, in fact =). Our pace ended up becoming a joke between us, and we never grew tired of exchanges such as: Me: "it's 3 miles to the shelter..." Josh: So, it's 4:00 now; what time do you think we'll get there?" Me: "Oh, I don't see any reason why we won't be there by, say, 9:30, 9:45 at the latest..." =)Tonight we camped in a huge stand of evergreens. I was thrilled to have my tent with me for the first time, and gleefully mocked the mosquitoes trying in vain to gain access to our abode. Our food bags are still enormous, and you should have seen me trying to haul them up into a tree with my skinny little twine. It took some effort, let me tell ya!
Date: 2006-08-09
From: West Branch of Pleasant River

To: Mountian View Pond
Miles today: 18.1

While the past few days saw us starting out before 8 am, today we got going even earlier, about ten of seven. This was a good thing, since we were shooting for an 18 plus mile day, Josh's biggest on this trip.The 100 Mile Wilderness is mostly flat, but there are a few mountains. Today we climbed the tallest of them, including Whitecap Mtn, from which you can get a clear view of Katahdin. In the last couple weeks I had seen a peak or two in the distance which I was pretty sure might have been Katahdin, but this was the first definitive look at our goal, and it was awesome! We ate lunch at the summit, and I couldn't have enjoyed it more. After so many miles and imagining what Katahdin will be like, it was wonderful to see it with my own eyes, a fortress of rock a scant 60 trail miles away.Yesterday we had briefly met another hiker who I later found out was Warren Doyle. I recognized his name and knew he was sort of an icon within the AT community, but wasn't sure why. Today we ran into him again, and learned that he's working on completing his 14th end-to-end hike of the AT! Pretty amazing. I'm quite sure I could never do that- even if my body held up, my mind wouldn't! He mentioned that he's an educator, so probably he just spends his summers hiking, year after year. Anyway, he remembered my name from the day before, and even congratulated me on my impending four-month finish.Josh's feet are really feeling the miles we've been doing, and they've been getting increasingly sore (he doesn't complain, but I could tell). We found a great campsite a little ways off the trail, and after dinner and a quick swim, went to bed, The time was shortly after seven! The last three days have seen Josh in his sleeping bag earlier than I usually stop hiking. I've stayed up a bit later journaling, hanging the food, and whatnot, but with nothing else to do I usually follow suit. It made me glad that I put in so many long days, because I realized that I definitely would have needed a book or something if I had camped this early every night.
Date: 2006-06-21
To: Greenie prepares for her pre-hike kayak trip
Miles today: 0.0

We met at Greenie's house to observe the loading of her kayak. this is something she can do without assistance, nevertheless, we felt we should be there to give encouragement and guidance. Our usual "send-off" friends, Oscar and Elizabeth Frost joined us for a lazy-man's lasagna dinner.Greenie will kayak for one week - a river in Georgia, then join us in Troutville, VA on July 3. We plan to start hiking on the Fourth of July!
Date: 2006-07-01
From: Juno Beach, Florida

To: Lexington, SC
Miles today: 0.0

We drove to Lexington, SC, a drive that took us about 9 hours, longer than it should have been due to holiday traffic, I guess. Visited with friends Elvie and Pierre Kisteneff and caught up with things. The last time we were all together was Pierre's 50th birthday, some 13 years ago.
Date: 2006-07-03
From: Lexington, SC

To: Troutville, VA
Miles today: 0.0

Left our friends on a bright sunny Monday...around 8:30. Caught up with Sharon who finally left Waynesville, NC around noon time. She decided to buy 4 new tires after traveling through Georgia and some rocky terrain. She completed a full week's kayak trip in Georgia, then went to her mountain home.We have a 13+ mile hike planned for tomorrow. Mike's Brother and I cannot wait to start hiking. Weather still holding. We had dinner at Three Little Pigs, the same place we left from on June 30, 2004 when we ended that year's section hike. We also decided to reconnoiter Black Horse Gap area - the area we thought we would park a car for a 13.5 mile slack pack hike. Our instructions were wrong so we replanned a 2-day hike with shelter stop instead. We left one car at I-81/VA11 and drove the other to the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) via local VA roads.J
Date: 2006-07-04
From: Bearwallow Gap

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: few clouds

Weather is sunny, in fact it's hot, very hot. We did not realize there would be so little water along the trail until we reached the shelter. We perspired so and were unable to fill our Nalgenes. Greeny carries one (34 oz); Mike's Brother has a Platypus and one 34 oz and I have a 34 and 14 oz. We drank all and I think we were suffering from a mild heat exhaustionby the time we reached the shelter. Dan lagged behind because he stumbled upon a nice shade tree at Harvey's Knob Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. He napped and we decided to continue on. One nap was not enough. Dan reports having to sleep a second time because he felt so tired. It was definitely the heat. We waited for him at the shelter, unable to drink because he carried the filter. We didn't feel we should drink out of the creek but we did soak our heads in it for relief. Greenie and I felt like Raggedy Annes. We did have spectacular views from the Blue Ridge. The A.T. runs along side the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Skyline Drive for approximately 200 miles.