morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-10-16
From: Abol Bridge Campground

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: moderate rain

We lucked out on getting back into the park. A former thru-hiker was also staying at the AT Lodge and offered us a ride into Baxter State Park. After a good breakfast in town we headed into the park to do our 10 mile slack-pack. The weather was crappy just as we heard it would be. It rained off and on most of the day, but actually cleared up towards the end of the day. The hiking was pretty easy. It still suprises me on how flat this last section has been. It seems a bit unusual because the climb up Katahdin is suppose to be one of the hardest, if not the hardest, of the whole trail. But the last 50 miles or so have been pretty easy going.We walked along a few small streams and a big river for a lot of the day. There were also two waterfalls that we took short side trails to. At the second waterfall we saw land-locked salmon jumping up the stream. It was pretty neat. I decided to go down a rocky section and get close to the side of the waterfall to get a picture of the fish jumping. Well this was a bad idea. The rocks were very smooth and slippery due to all the rain. I was careful going down and did a controlled slide, but coming back up was interesting. I tried a few times with no success to get up by slowly climbing the same way i came down. However, i just kept sliding back down. It was pretty funny actually. I then tried a different route and got very close to getting to a flatter area but i started to slide so i had no choice but to completely spread myself out on the rock. I slowly slid back down the rock with all my limbs spread eagle.... Luckily i was able to finally work my way back up. We finished our hike back at Abol Bridge Campground (we hiked south for the day) and got some snacks and a beer at the campstore. Then we decided to start trying to hitch. We weren't too confident that we were going to get a hitch because there was practically no traffic on the road. It is just a step up from a dirt road and with the rain not nearly as many people are up this way. We were almost getting ready to call a taxi from Millinocket when a guy picked us up. That night was relaxing and we got to bed fairly early. Tomorrow was the big day. The last day. Katahdin.
Date: 2004-01-23
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I have been itching to hike the AT for several years now. But due to family and work responsibilities, I didn't think I would be able to go until March, 2005. But, rather suddenly, I find the family responsibilities I expected to have this year are not going to materialize! As for work, I'm committed to teaching until May, but should be able to get the fall semester off.So how about that! I have a six-month window!!! As the commonly voiced sentiment goes, Woo-Hoo!!!I'm a little disappointed not to hike northbound. I'm a fairly sociable type and I will miss the camaraderie I saw and experienced when I hiked part of the Long Trail last year. But I'm slow and was considering a mid-February start date so I could be back by Labor Day. It sounded cold.So I'm getting reconciled to a southbound hike. Not only does it fit my schedule better, most of the cold weather I will encounter will happen at the end of my hike, when I'll hopefully be in better shape to lug some winter gear. See you out on the trail! Four months and counting.
Date: 2004-01-24
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A little about me. I'm 52 years old and kinda-sorta retired. I have worked in a number of professional jobs, but my life-long interest has been the study of math. So I started graduate school in September, 2002 with the intention of getting a Ph.D. By this spring I will have been at it for two years. I'm starting to get a little burned out, and my thesis adviser has agreed to allow me a semester off. The original plan was to take the time off in spring, 2005. But fall, 2004 should work roughly as well (I hope) and I'll have plenty of time to hike.I'm married with two grown kids. What else ...Does any of this matter much? I'm a hiker and I'm dying to get out on the trail.
Date: 2004-01-24
To: Preparations
Miles today: 0.0

I think I'm pretty well set for gear for the start of my trip. When I backpacked for a couple of weeks last summer, I found that my 35-pound pack included several items I didn't need that much. So probably I'll add a couple of small items and wind up at roughly the same weight. The main preparation I feel I need is to improve my cardiovascular conditioning before I leave. I know it's supposed to be possible to get in shape on the trail, but I found myself struggling on some of the uphills after I'd been on the trail for a few days. Anything I can do to improve that situation has to be a good idea. Too many years at a desk job ...Look forward to seeing you on the trail!
Date: 2004-02-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I'm getting to the point where many more preparations will be overkill.I am anxious to get an early start from Baxter, so I called the park to figure out the logistics of arriving in Millinocket and going up Baxter the first day possible. I was especially concerned with what might happen if I arrived on a given day and the peak was not open for whatever reason.The lady on the phone was pleasant, but not too helpful. About all she told me was that "it might be as late as June 1," and that I'd need to check back closer to the actual date to find out more. My investment in the phone call was only about 15 cents, so I guess I got my money's worth. I did find out that crampons are specifically prohibited on Katahdin and that "they don't do snow."I have planned a leisurely hike through Maine to get my trail legs. I plan to average a little over 10 miles a day, with some shorter days where the trail looks challenging and some longer days when I'm approaching town. I have found the Delorme Topo USA series of CDs to be very helpful to figure out the difficulty of a stretch of trail. They don't produce super-detailed topo maps like some other programs, but it is very easy to plug in a given stretch of trail and find its elevation gain. The program is pretty good at factoring in random ups and downs, too, so you can find out with reasonable assurance whether you're looking at 2000 feet or 4000 feet on a given day. Sometimes you are surprised.I might be just about the first SOBO on the trail, but at my pace, I'm sure lots of people will catch up with me. I look forward to meeting all of you.
Date: 2004-02-09
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Plans are firming up a bit for the beginning of my hike. My hiking buddy, Carl, is always up for a good hike and wants to do Katahdin with me when I start my thru. Partly, of course, he's being a good guy and solving my transportation problem. I sure appreciate it.   I'm a little concerned about my knees. I know to some extent I can't control the possibility of an injury on my hike, but I feel I should take whatever precautions I can.Carl and I hiked up Mt. Monadnock yesterday. The views were absolutely incredible -- at the ranger station they said there was 100 mile visibility, and I believe it. The Boston skyline and Mt. Washington were both clearly visible. But Monadnock is a steep up and down, and my knees were definitely telling me about their woes by the end of the day. I think I'd better do strengthening exercises. It is really tough getting work done these days. I find myself daydreaming about this summer. Oh well, it will come soon enough.
Date: 2004-02-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I went to a local outfitter to see if I could get a better pair of boots before setting out on the trail. Turned out that they had a podiatrist who came in three days a week and gave free consultations. How could I say no?Unfortunately, I discovered that I have a "condition." The muscles in the back of my calf are so tight that I have very little range of motion. As a result, the only ways I can walk up a hill are on my tiptoes (which I've always done without knowing why) or by side-stepping. So now I have an excuse for being slow on the uphills.The podiatrist said that he thought I could complete the trail as long as I am careful to monitor how I walk. But apparently I'm going to be slow on uphills, regardless of conditioning. May to November may be morphing into May to December.
Date: 2004-03-02
To: Warm-up and weather report
Miles today: 0.0

I went hiking yesterday in the White Mountains with my friends Mary and Sarah. What a great day! It was absolutely clear and the temperature was probably in the 40's. We went up the Liberty Trail on Mt. Chocorua. The Liberty Trail is reputed to be the easiest way up the mountain, and really wasn't bad at all. I was fearing postholing in two feet of snow, but in fact, the snow was never deeper than about 6 inches all the way to the top. Piece of cake.I'm getting optimistic about an early start on my southbound trek. If there are only 6 inches of snow in the Whites at this stage of the game, I don't imagine it is much different on Katahdin. So provided there aren't heavy late season snows, perhaps Katahdin will be climbable on May 15 or soon thereafter. 74 days and counting ...
Date: 2004-03-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today is a red letter day! I have been christened with the Trail Name "Quickdraw" by a woman named Joy in Texas who reads trailjournal.com. Hey, if someone named "Paul Crane" can be Ichabod, a "Bob McCaw" can be Quickdraw. Thank God for Joy. If it were my responsibility to name our cats, they'd all be "Kitty Kitty."I'm trying to prepare mentally for the journey to maximize my chances of hanging in for the duration. So I posted a forum here a few days ago to ask why people got off the trail and got some real food for thought. All the responses were interesting, but two stick in my mind.Baltimore Jack, direct and knowledgeable as always, said that most dropouts had an unrealistic view of trail life. After a few weeks, he said, reality kicked in and they couldn't face five more months on the trail.Datto turned my question on its head and said that the reason people stayed on the trail was that they learned to adapt. They came to enjoy spending time with people different from themselves, to enjoy being in the woods day after day, and to learn to open up to the experiences the trail had to offer.I have looked at the elevation charts for Maine, and I can see right away that "reality" will kick in a day or two after Caratunk. Until Bigelow, the hiking looks pretty easy, but then the mountains will start kicking my butt on a daily basis. So how am I going to deal with this? If I were religious, I'd say that would be a good time to pray for inner strength. Maybe I have a religious streak in me after all, because I'm sure that's pretty much what I'll be doing. Or maybe I'll meet some fellow SOBO hikers by then and we can have some laughs and get each other through the tough spots. Or I can look at the bright side. I love hiking in the Whites and I'm sure the mountains in western Maine will be just as beautiful. If I can make it through western Maine, I think I'll have the mental side pretty much conquered -- or should I say, I think the trail will have worked the changes Datto describes. I have hiked a lot in the Whites and Vermont and a lot of the SOBOs I've met there have had an amazing air of inner calm. I'm hoping the trail will have the same effect on me, too.OK, enough introspection for one day. The weatherman predicts 60 degree temperatures next week, and I think I'll be able to get away for a couple of days in the Whites. It will be a nice shakedown for my gear. I'm packing crampons.
Date: 2004-05-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Only 11 days from starting southbound (I hope)! The Baxter folks open Katahdin Stream campground on May 15, and I'm betting that the trail up Katahdin will be hikeable then or soon thereafter. I went hiking in the Whites with Mary and Sarah yesterday and the snow had just about all melted. We went up Liberty (elev. about 4450), and there was no snow on the trail until Liberty Stream Campground at about 3800'. Even above there, the snow was only a few inches deep. And it had completely melted off all the exposed rocks -- such as one finds on Katahdin. So I've got my fingers crossed. A week of warm weather or rain and the southbound stampede can start.I've been one of the local outfitters' best customers over the past month or two. New pack (Gregory Z-Pack), new boots (Lowa Renegades), new sleeping bag (Western Mountaineering Ultralite), silnylon stuff sacks, Camelback, you name it. But I think the fancy gear is worth the expense. My base pack weight is about 17-18 pounds! Even with 7 days food, a quart of alcohol, and two quarts of water I should be right around 30. Not bad at all. I'll probably even pack a math book.Thanks to all of you who have signed the guest book and contacted me by e-mail. And special thanks to my wife, who has the wisdom or courage or serenity or whatever it is to put up with my six-month adventure.God willing, my next journal entry will be dated 5/15 and be from the trail.
Date: 2004-05-18
From: Katahdin Stream

To: Daicey Pond
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Called Baxter State Park yesterday and the Abol Trail is open. Sent maildrops to Monson, Caratunk, and Gorham. I'm off.My son and his girl friend are visiting us, and they drove me to the trailhead yesterday. Unfortunately, today turned out to be a class 3 day on Katahdin. I hiked up well above the tree line, but at the higher elevations, everything was socked in.The weather forecast at the ranger station called for a 70% chance of "severe thunderstorms." Given the fog and wind, I have no idea when they might hit. So I reluctantly start my southbound journey about 1.5 miles from the summit.I'm back at Katahdin Stream by 3, so I hike on to Daicey Pond where I am able to get a cabin for the night.
Date: 2004-05-19
From: Daicey Pond

To: Hurd Brook
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

Last night, I was serenaded by the loons on Daicey Pond. I grew up near Puget Sound, and there are loons there, but I had never heard them before. I can see why they make a fuss over their nighttime call.The hiking was rather uneventful today. Only met two people today other than the folks at Abol Bridge store -- a hiker who had spent three days at Hurd Brook, and a recent college graduate named Robert at the shelter.The bugs weren't too bad. There were mosquitos at the shelter, but no black flies yet.BTW, the Abol Bridge store is better stocked than I thought it would be. They had all the usual hiker staples and beer as well.
Date: 2004-05-20
From: Hurd Brook

To: Campsite by Pollywog Stream
Miles today: 14.1

More loons on a pond near Hurd Brook last night. Other than that, not many sightings of either wildlife or humans. I encountered a woman on the Rainbow Ledges and could hear the conversation of a couple of guys fishing on Rainbow Lake, but that was it.I pushed a little bit today to make it to White House Landing tomorrow. The bugs are starting to become an issue.
Date: 2004-05-21
From: Campsite by Pollywog Stream

To: White House Landing
Miles today: 13.2

Another day of scenic hiking. Beautiful views from Nesuntabunt Mountain. Other than that mountain, the hiking was very easy and I made it to White House Landing about 4. I met a couple of honeymooners who were heading northbound through the 100 mile wilderness just before I got to my destination.Bill and Linda at White House Landing were great and I enjoyed the respite from the trail. A mother and daughter named Bea and Jen were planning to thru-hike, but Jen was having trouble with an old ankle injury and they had taken a zero day to wait for a food drop.
Date: 2004-05-22
From: White House Landing

To: Cooper Brook Falls
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: light rain

A note to hikers that doesn't seem to be in the books: it is 1.2 miles off the trail to White House Landing, but they take you back to a point only 0.2 miles from the trail. So the extra mileage isn't as bad as it looks.They feed you well at W.H.L., by the way. Their deluxe hamburgers are $7.95, but that includes a full pound of meat. I was up to the job. I was able to speak briefly with my family as Bill and Linda had cell phone reception.The hiking today was nice but uneventful. The last four miles were on an old road that was very rocky and rutted. It made you wonder what travel must have been like 100 years ago.I have the shelter to myself tonight. Good: I can stand to air out my tent as it rained a bit a couple of nights ago.
Date: 2004-05-23
From: Cooper Brook Falls

To: Logan Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: few clouds

A relatively short day today, but there were some steep climbs. I saw my first moose, a female wading in Mountain View Pond near Big Boardman Mountain. She didn't seem to be perturbed by my presence. I probably could have spent awhile watching her, but the bugs at the pond were ferocious.Met a couple of very nice trail maintainers, Jim and Michelle, at Crawford Pond. I guess I was guilty of my first yogi. After chatting a bit, they offered me some oranges, which were a mighty tasty break from trail food.On the subject of trail food, I recommend Jack Link's packaged ground beef. It's a little heavy, but it does a good job of putting substance in the old Lipton's.It's cold tonight.
Date: 2004-05-24
From: Logan Brook Lean-to

To: Carl Newhall Lean-to
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: moderate rain

Cold, wet and nasty over the top of Whitecap. I started late, fearing I was risking hypothermia. I would have been, but my raingear kept me just warm enough. Had the windy conditions on top of Whitecap lasted, it would have been a real problem.Sharing a shelter tonight with three 18 and 19 year olds from Chelmsford, Mass. They are doing the 100 mile wilderness northbound, but may have to turn back because they are relying on campfires to cook their food and the conditions are getting really wet.
Date: 2004-05-25
From: Carl Newhall Lean-to

To: Chairback Gap Lean-to
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: light rain

One of my shelter mates has a weather band radio. Today is supposed to be cloudy and intermittently rainy, tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, and the next day it's supposed to be nice.The forecast for today proves on target. At elevation, the "clouds" are dense fog. So there are no views from Chairback, just as there were none from Whitecap.Hanging in the shelter by myself tonight, trying to stay warm. Note to self: see if anyone in Monson is selling long johns.
Date: 2004-05-26
From: Chairback Gap Lean-to

To: Wilson Valley Lean-to
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Yet another day of rain. It's 26 miles to Monson so I'm pushing today. Besides, I want to get out of the mountains as fast as I can; it's freezing up here. Nary a view from the mountains.Late in the day, fatigue has affected my judgment. I step on a slippery rock and fall about 5 feet. I banged up my leg and it hurts, but it doesn't seem to be serious.I wind up stumbling into the shelter about 8:45. Four guys have set up tents inside the shelter. I'm kind of unhappy, but they make a little room for me. In fairness, they probably were within their rights not to expect anyone so late. And when I chat with them the following morning, they turn out to be quite amusing company.
Date: 2004-05-27
From: Wilson Stream Lean-to

To: Leeman Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: clear sky

Well, yesterday's hike has taken its toll. I have very little energy and I find I have my first physical complaint of the trip, which has slowed me down. I love my Lowa boots, by the way -- still no blisters.The injury in question was due to my own stupidity. I had to get up at night to pee, and I looked for my trusty Teva's so I could amble off a respectable distance from the shelter. Alaas, the guys who were tenting in the shelter had also draped tarps in front of it and I couldn't find them in the pitch darkness. As my need was pressing, I decided to go out barefoot. Predictably, I stub my toe on a rock.Next morning, I note with relief that the skin wasn't broken on the toe. But it proved to be pretty swollen. It's amazing how much that slowed me down. It wasn't too bad on uphill stretches, but on level or downhill stretches where I'd usually be keeping a decent pace, I kept jamming my toe. Ouch!There were a couple of challenging fords as well, so all I could manage was 7.4 miles to the last shelter before Monson. Oh well, the pleasures of the big city will have to wait until tomorrow.
Date: 2004-05-28
From: Leeman Brook Lean-to

To: Monson
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: light rain

Boss! The road! The road!I make it into Shaw's this morning and get a sample of their renowned hospitality. I'm all set up for the next day or two. My toe is getting better, but I can use the time off to let my banged-up leg heal.Update to Wingfoot's book: the phone in front of the Appalachian Station in Monson is gone. You have to walk an extra block or two to the Mobil mart. Talked to my wife for a few minutes, and here I am at the library. So far, so good.
Date: 2004-05-29
From: Monson

To: Monson
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I'm spending a zero in Monson because my left leg has stiffened up quite a bit from my fall a couple of days ago. I should be heading out in the morning.Another SOBO thru-hiker, Neil, has come into Shaw's and we spent part of the day with Keith Sr. shopping in Dover-Foxcroft. I'm able to get a new battery for my camera and stock up on food for the next few days.Neil seems to be traveling at roughly my pace so we may be seeing more of each other. It will be nice to start seeing familiar faces. He also reports that Bea and Jen are still coming along. They had to lift their dog up the Chairback cliffs. Unbelievable! The cliffs were straight up.Later in the day, Just Jim arrives and confirms Neil's sightings of other hikers. Jim is an ex-marine who turns 40 in a couple of days. (Happy Birthday, Jim.)I had hoped to make it from Monson to Caratunk in 3 days, but may have to take 4. I doubt my leg will be 100%, so I may have to take it easy for a while.Shaw's has been an interesting stop. Pat Shaw says they try to make people feel like they're family. They do a good job; you feel like you're staying with a quirky but good-hearted aunt and uncle. By the time you leave, you know they're life stories and know they're impressions of all the trail personalities from Wingfoot to Bill Bryson.
Date: 2004-05-30
From: Monson

To: Campsite near Piscataquis River
Miles today: 11.0

My leg is still not good, but it's better. Besides, I don't think my arteries could take another 3x3 at Shaw's, so I decide to head out.Keith Jr. gives me a ride to the trail crossing on Route 15. I avoid the blue blaze out Pleasant St., and my "virtue" (or whatever) is rewarded by two moose sightings. One was right in the middle of the trail. I'm not sure who was more startled, me or the moose.The hiking today was pretty but uneventful. I met a trail maintainer taking down blowdowns with a chain saw, and a few day hikers.About 3:30, my leg announces that it's time to quit for the day. I'm fortunate enough to find an excellent campsite by the Piscataquis, and I'm nicely set up for the night.
Date: 2004-05-31
From: Campsite near Piscataquis River

To: Bald Mt. Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

The weather is good and my leg is better. Life is good.I break camp about 9. I soon have to ford the West Branch of the Piscataquis, and it's not too bad. Just Jim catches up with me from across Bald Mt. Stream. I'm floored that Jim could cover so many miles so quickly, as he left Shaw's a day later than I. It turns out he got an early start and took advantage of the shortcut out Pleasant St. But he still has done 14 by noon. I'm impressed.Jim and I hang around the next shelter, his destination for the night. Neil and a new guy I haven't met, Paul, show up around 2. I decide to push on so I can make it to Caratunk by tomorrow night. I'm glad I do, as I'm rewarded by killer views from the top of Moxie Bald. The bugs in the shelter tonight are ferocious. I'll almost be glad to get a little rain tomorrow.