morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-08-14
From: Wilson Valley Lean-to

To: Monson
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: haze

I started out today at 6AM because I am totally out of food and have been rationing myself for the last three days. I have more than ten miles to go and the trail is in sad shape - very slow going. I just plugged along trying not to think of food. I just need to put one step in front of the other and Monson will eventually appear. My stomach began to growl loudly around 11AM and I could feel my metabolism switch to body fat and muscle consumption. I continued on not stopping and drank water as the growling increased. At 1PM when I figured I had about 2 hours of hiking left to reach Monson, my stomach did something I did not know it could do. It began to speak to me in English. Clear sentences like: "OK where's the food? Nothing has dropped down that tube in quite a while. How about a burger and fries? Ball Park frank. Anything!" Well, it wasn't long before I could hear the cars and trucks out on Maine Route 15. I began to laugh and hike even faster. Adrenalin took over the show. The sound of the road became louder when all of a sudden a huge Mastiff dog bounded up the trail barking viciously and drooling and wanting to bite me. I stuck my two sharp poles in his face and he stood his ground barking and pacing back and forth. I screamed loudly, "Who's dog?" This I did many times over several minutes while the hissing and growling and barking continued. I could see he was looking for a way at me. Finally I yelled, "WHO'S DOG?" loud enough to be heard over in Franklin County. A female voice called out and the dog ran back toward where I wanted to go. I approached slowly ready for anything and found two females hanging on to this dog who was going berserk wanting to bite me. I passed by quickly saying nothing except for them to leash their dog. (Later the dog attacked Vanessa and Michael who were about half an hour behind me.) I hope these two jerks get it together before someone does harm to the dog. Soon the road appeared and so did Chris from Northland Outfitters who whisked me the three miles into Monson and to Shaw's Lodging House. Pat checked me in. It was good to see her after 15 years. She looks good. Of course we know Keith Sr. passed recently. I located my room after Pat gave me my mail drop. I quickly opened the box and began to devour homemade Judy's granola. When sanity returned I went to the store on the corner and inhaled a turkey sub and a pint of pasta salad. I also purchased enough food to sustain me for the evening. The New Zealand Crew arrived and we went about doing laundry, making telephone calls, and eating. Tomorrow is to be a zero day.
Date: 2005-08-15
From: Monson

To: Monson
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A nice start to a zero day is one of Pat and Keith Jr.'s breakfasts. Then another trip to the laundry to do the second half of this forgotten in haste the day before - like 3 pairs of wet socks and silk sleeping bag liner. In the afternoon 8 of us went to Greenville for re-supply and an evening meal. It was an interesting time to be in the hustle and bustle of touristy Greenville. Quite fun.
Date: 2005-08-16
To: Bald Mountain Stream
Miles today: 13.5

Another great breakfast at Shaw's began the day and then a shuttle to where I had come out of the Wilderness. It was good to be back on the trail but about half an hour in my right foot began to hurt. I stopped, took off my boot, and looked at it but could see no discoloration or anything so walked on. The pain increased but I just walked through it. It was a pretty easy and relatively flat 13 miles today. I could have gone further but my foot was now very sore. I found a great campsite by Bald Mountain Stream and camped. I'm sort of pissed my foot is hurting so much because my will to hike is so strong. Tomorrow there will be some elevation gain going over Moxie Bald.
Date: 2005-08-17
From: Bald Mountain Stream

To: Moxie Pond
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

I broke camp early and was on the trail by 7AM. My hiking friends I figured were about 3 miles ahead. My foot is now throbbing and I'm beginning to think this may be a trail ending injury. But I hiked on favoring the foot as best I could. At 8:30AM I came upon Vanessa and Michael who were just waking up - mum and dad had all ready left. I trudged on and soon assended Moxie Bald Mountain. Although steep, it was not long before arriving at the top. I walked along the bald stopping to eat the many blueberries often. The decent was steep but only twice did I need my hands. I arrived at Moxie Pond aound 3:30PM to find Margarette and Allen looking for a tent site. We found one up a hill and in by a hunting camp. Soon the other two arrived and we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and drinking tea and eventually eating dinner.
Date: 2005-08-18
From: Moxie Pond

To: Caratunk
Miles today: 12.0

It was cold in the morning and I lit a small fire in a fire ring by the camp. We all shared breakfast together and then I was the first out. The five miles up Pleasant Pond Mountain is gradual but tough - especially with a throbbing right foot. But I did it and got some wonderful views as a result. I could see Sugarloaf and the Bigelow's way off in the distant and I could look back as far as White Top Mountain. Not sure if I could see Katahdin. The decent from Pleasant Pond Mountain is straight down. So I took it slow and soon I was on the flats headed to Caratunk. I stopped at Pleasant Pond Lean-to and enjoyed four cookies left by a trail magic person. It was a big cookie jar so there were plenty left for others. Two miles before Caratunk there is an up hill that is very steep. I hit Route 201 by 3PM and walked north a mile to Steve Longley's establishment. He stepped off his porch with his hand extended and said, "Do I know you?" We had met years ago and began to laugh as old friends. Steve is holding a festival this weekend so there were a lot of big tents being erected for the shindig. Two of my New Zealand friends are getting off trail for a couple of weeks - Margarette and Vanessa - so Steve agreed to drive them to Bangor. He first took the rest of us to Northern Outdoors where we rented a cabin for 2 days. The food here is great and everyone is very friendly. It is sort of like NOC without a steep walk in and out. Our cabin was about half a mile from the main lodge and up a steep driveway. Hey, this is Maine!
Date: 2005-08-19
From: Caratunk

To: Caratunk
Miles today: 0.0

They have a great AYCE breakfast here and fresh ground strong coffee. After breakfast Allen and I were doing laundry wondering how to get to the clinic in Bingham when the laundry truck arrived and Dave the driver offered us a ride. At the clinic it was determined I have pilled some tendons in my upper right foot and that I should take ibuprofen and rest the foot for 3 days. So be it. Bingham is a great re-supply town and has a couple of good restaurants. We tried for over 2 hours to hitch hike back to Northern Outdoors to no avail. luckily Steve needed to come down to Bingham to get supplies and gave us a ride. We got back at 7PM! Dinner and bed followed.
Date: 2005-08-20
From: Caratunk

To: Caratunk
Miles today: 0.0

Woke up to an overcast sky and warmer temperatures. Rain is forecast to begin around mid day. Allan, Michael, and I enjoyed another AYCE breakfast together at Northern Outdoors and then I bid them farewell as they headed down to Steve Longley's for their trip across the Kennibec.I returned to the cabin and gathered my stuff for a move down to Steve's bunkroom where I plan to rest my foot. This evening Steve is hosting the 14th Annual Rivers and Trails Festival. There are lots of people here in campers and tents and cars. The rain let up for several hours allowing us to cook food for the throng and listen to great music while standing and sitting around crackling fires. I've met some pretty interesting and down to earth folks this night. These encounters renew my spirit for mankind. I went to bed around 11 but the music and revelry continued on to about 3AM. One more day of resting my foot until I head for Stratton on Monday.
Date: 2005-08-21
From: Caratunk

To: Carrying Place Stream
Miles today: 7.2

Today is Day Three of resting my foot. I got up early to the sound of pouring rain. It was nice to be in Steve's dry bunkhouse. Lone Star was the only person in the bunkhouse with me. He is doing a water quality study of the AT this summer and is just rocketing down the trail. He left Springer on May 12. He has been doing 30 mile days because he must return to college - Texas A&M. Real nice young man.Lone Star and I made coffee and munched breakfast while the rain continued. All the people who had stayed over night in their campers, cars, and tents after the concert, left quickly. The rain drove them away.Steve woke up and opened the store finally and we went over and talked with him for a while and munched more food and drank more coffee. At 8:30AM Steve took Lone Star back to the trail and then went to his ferry duties. Lone Star plans to be on top of Katahdin in 6 days! I was left in charge of the store and sold about 100 dollars worth of stuff.Steve returned around 11:30AM, having ferried across 11 hikers. This was Unusual, he said, with such a rain storm going on. Then the sky cleared and the sun came out. We went about cleaning up the yard collecting all the garbage and returnable cans and bottles. Steve really has his hands full because while doing all this, many hikers wanted him to do this and that for them. It's like they come off the trail expecting all their little wants to be fulfilled. Steve has the patients.With the lovely weather arriving, I decided not to rest my foot any more but have Steve take me across the Kennibec during his afternoon ferry hours and then walk to Pierce Pond Lean-to about 3.7 miles in. I figured this move would give me a jump in the morning so I wouldn't have to wait around for the 9AM ferry time. I said goodbye to Steve as he dropped me off on the west side of the Kennibec and I headed into the woods. It was hard going and my foot still hurt a bit. The pain was tolerable today though. Well, I blew by Pierce Pond Lean-to and when I realized it, I was all ready a half mile past. So I just kept walking figuring a nice campsite would appear any moment. It did, but not until 6:30PM. I quickly set up my tent by Carrying Stream and then heated water for coffee. After that I cooked some chicken and cheddar flavored rice which I added pepperoni to. Quite good. For desert I enjoyed some assorted nuts and dried fruit.Now it is dark and time for sleep with the sound of the stream in the background.
Date: 2005-08-22
From: Carrying Place Stream

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke early and made coffee and ate a couple of almond butter tortilla wraps. I left camp around 7:30AM. The trail is still relatively flat here as I worked my way to Little Bigelow Lean-to. Around 8AM a big bull moose crashed off into the woods after hearing me poling along. He had been grazing in a small pond. This is the fourth moose I have encountered during this hike. I haven't taken a photo yet because it takes me 30 seconds to haul my camera out of my pocket and 30 seconds is too long for the moose to wait. Still, they are beautiful animals to see.Today¢s journey has been a woods walk and every now and then a pond or lake appears. The smell of the woods is delightful and so are the sounds of all the different birds. I thought I kept hearing a Phoebe bird but did not sight it. I did see a bald eagle and osprey plus others. Crows kept announcing my presents.Little Bigelow Lean-to was crowded with a group from University of New Hampshire doing a required outing. Nice group of kids. Also there is a group of blind children from Quebec. Seven NOBO hikers too. We made a fire and sat around talking for quite a while. I spoke with one of the blind children's counselors who happened to have been born close to where I was in Quebec.Tomorrow the big stuff begins.
Date: 2005-08-23
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to

To: Horns Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: light rain

It's 6PM now and getting cozy is the order of the evening. And cozy I am. The temperature has dropped quickly since I arrived in camp at 4:30 PM. I've eaten my last meal with some hard miles to do tomorrow morning before I can get into Stratton. (Gosh I've got to plan my food better. And this statement is from someone who has been connected with the food industry in some capacity most of his life.) Well, you better believe when I leave Stratton in a couple of days, I will be carrying enough food!I started at 6:30AM today with Little Bigelow and Bigelow Mountains ahead of me. Little Bigelow kicked me a bit but I made it to Safford Notch Campground by 10:30AM - a distance of 5.3 miles. Yesterday was the woods walk, but today the views from Little Bigelow were spectacular. I took many photo's because I could see for hundreds of miles. (Or so it seamed.)I ate most of my remaining granola, gathered water, and mentally organized myself for the climb to Avery Peak. This being an elevation gain of 2000 feet in 2 miles. Avery Peak is at 4200 feet. It took me a little less than 2 hours. And again, the views from where I had started from and all around were wonderful.Going over Avery Peak, down to Avery Memorial Campsite and then right back over West Peak was heart clutching stuff. There are signs asking hikers to stay on the trail so the fragile Alpine environment would not be disturbed. Believe me, there was no way this puppy was going to step off the trail. I just kept focused and tried not to look down the thousands of feet.Through out the afternoon there were many ups and downs as I made my way along the top of Bigelow Mountain. Finally I went up over South Horn and Then straight down to Horns Pond Lean-to - where I reside now at 3000 feet.Tomorrow I head down hill for 5 miles to Route 27 and then into Stratton for food and a day off. My sore right foot seems to be holding its own.
Date: 2005-08-24
From: Horns Pond Lean-to

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: broken clouds

Another early start from Horns Pond Lean-to because I'm hungry. A little more climbing and then 3000 feet straight down. I took my time as going down is most difficult. But in 4 hours I had covered the 5.2 miles and was standing on Route #27. I didn't have to walk or hitch-hike because Don from the Stratton Motel just then arrived with 6 hikers ready to hike away. We drove in to town and stopped at the Post Office for my mail drops. Then on to the motel. Don and Sue operate a class act here with a very clean and spacious bunk room. This is one of two as they also operate the Roadhouse down the road a bit on the way to Rangeley. Anyway, the bunk room is large with nice beds and sheets too. Down stairs is a big living room and kitchen. Free high speed Internet service is provided and free long distance calling in the US too. Don emphasized that I could not call Canada for free. And you get all this for only 20 dollars. There are private rooms for 40 dollars.I dumped my stuff on a bed and went across the street for some hot food. Next project was my laundry ¢ it¢s about a quarter of a mile away. I took my sleeping bag too and ran it in the dryer on low to get the dampness out. Then I returned and took a shower and donned clean cloths.Don informed me that the road workers who stay at the Stratton Motel during the week were planning on a steak BBQ. So I went and purchased some vegetables and put together a teriyaki vegetable m©lange and steamed broccoli and also garlic roasted potatoes. The whole meal was a big hit. Lots of fun.Tomorrow I will take a to rest my foot. I also want to re-evaluate my meal planning.
Date: 2005-08-25
From: Stratton, ME

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Here I am in Stratton and am taking a zero day. The swelling in my foot is almost all gone. I also need to take the time today to evaluate my food planning situation. I think it is the snacks and nibbles I¢m just not grasping. You see, my food pyramid starts with protein then fat and then carbs. For me it is important not to be packing my body with empty carbs in the form of refined sugar, corn, or wheat. The two stores here have plenty to chose from. I was glad to see the little 7 oz. beef and garlic summer sausages. I purchased 6 of them along with 2 lbs. of sharp cheddar. To that I have added 4 Rice Sides and 4 garlic mashed potatoes. Then l lb. of semi-sweet chocolate naps for instant energy. I also took 2 packs of trail mix ¢ the kind with real nuts and mostly seeds and not heavy peanuts ¢ and added unsalted, roasted almonds and raw walnuts. I had sent myself a pound of almond butter and spinach tortillas and 3 packaged meals that you add boiling water to. So this should get me up the trail on my 6 day hike to The Cabin in Andover. I spent a summer at Tim Pond up the road from Stratton and used to come into town once a week for supplies and a rest. The town has changed a bit but the people are still very friendly and hospitable. Good to see some folks who remembered me from 14 years ago.Back on the trail tomorrow.
Date: 2005-08-26
From: Stratton, ME

To: Crocker Crique Campsite
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: broken clouds

I decided to hit the trail after going to the Post Office again, eating breakfast, and puttering around. Don drove me back to the trail head and off I went at 10AM. My pack is a little heavy today because I easily have 7 days of food. It is time to stop running out of food! My pack is still under 30 pounds though.The trail south out of Stratton goes straight up for 5 miles to the north peak of Crocker Mountain. There is plenty of little streams along the way. Quite a nice climb. And I could also hear many birds singing and calling out as I grunted by. Fresh moose droppings indicated some poor moose was making this steep assent too. I lunched at the north peak around 1PM. There were two grouse who wandered around my feet looking for hand outs and droppings.Stuffed, I began going down for a bit and then up to the south peak of Crocker Mountain. Then I took a wrong turn and was soon tangled in scrub pine. So I turned around and pushed my way out of the mess I had gotten myself in and found the trail. Getting off the trail usually is the only time I swear. The trail then went down 1800 feet in about a mile to Crocker Cirque Campsite. The campsite is in off the trail about .2 miles. Before going in I gathered 6 or so liters of water from a fast moving stream beside the trail. This campsite has several wooden platforms all sort of private from one another. I chose one off in the woods across a dry stream bed. It was around 4PM when I had my tent set up and consuming a hot cup of coffee. There are a few engine parts strewn in the woods from a time long past. No one else came in - not even Moosey.Today I met 3 thru-hikers just after I began my decent from the north peak. They were happy to know they were almost to the north peak and then had only a 5 mile down hill to Stratton. Later I met a group of twelve section hikers huffing and puffing their way to the south peak. Also a young man was camped on the trail a bit north of the Crocker Cirque Campsite ¢ probably waiting for his buddies to come by. I ate like a king this evening ¢ plenty to choose from.
Date: 2005-08-27
From: Crocker Crique Campsite

To: Popular Ridge Lean-to
Miles today: 14.8

I awoke early this morning and enjoyed a great breakfast and then decided to make a 14.8 mile charge to Popular Ridge. I got back on the trail at 7AM and soon was negotiating my way down a steep rock slide that had me grunting and groaning as I worked my way through it. After that steep ¢slidy¢ part, I began to think of the 2 bail points I was considering in case I pooped out before Popular Ridge. Quite a few folks were camped at the South Branch of the Carabassett River at the bottom of this decent. They were not very talkative. So I crossed the Carabassett and climbed 2500 feet straight up! I continued going up past the turn off to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain. Then up over Spaulding Mountain and down to Spaulding Mountain Lean-to for a 10 minute lunch. I then ascended Lone Mountain and then plunged 2000 feet to Orbeton Stream. I stopped briefly a few times during the day for snacks but basically kept a pace going. It was just after 4:30PM when I crossed Orbeton Stream so I continued up 2000 feet and 3 more miles to Popular Ridge Lean-to. I arrived at 7:30PM and the place was packed with many thru-hikers and section hikers. Only a few tenting spots were left. I quickly made camp and dinner. Then I sat around a nice roaring fire for a while with all the others and listened to several stories about Wingfoot. Funny stories about Wingfoot but not demeaning stuff like found on the Internet. Then someone started riddle time where an obscure answer is given and then everyone is supposed to figure out the riddle by asking yes or no questions. I figured 4 of the riddles out in lass than 60 seconds each so that portion of the evening festivities ceased. They said I had heard the riddles before but I had not. Dyslexia works great some times. I hit the sack at 10PM.
Date: 2005-08-28
From: Popular Ridge Lean-to

To: Route #4 Rangeley
Miles today: 10.7

Today I began early before the others had wakened. I started around 6:30AM. My intent was to get up over the Saddleback Range before the predicted afternoon rain showers. My memory of the western face of Saddleback Mountain is a sheer granite trail that becomes extremely slippery in the wet.Half way up Saddleback Junior moisture laden clouds and a stiff gusting wind moved in. It was exhilarating and exciting. The outer layer of my silk turtleneck remained damp from the clouds while the stiff wind seemed to keep me dry on the inside. I was putting out enough energy so I didn't feel cold although the temperature was only in the low fifties. Soon I was down off Saddleback Junior and climbing up The Horn - another one of the many 4000 foot peaks I have managed to get over. There were no views today as I reached the summit and the wind was blowing hard. I was having a ball but I did not linger so my core temperature would not drop. Between The Horn and Saddleback Mountain it is all above tree line and on a clear day there are lakes and mountains to be seen in all directions. Just as I was to ascend Saddleback, the sun came out and the clouds cleared a bit. I pulled out my camera and took several pictures but this lasted for only 60 seconds. Then the visibility returned to the 10 to 100 feet. This I had been experiencing all morning. Still no rain and the biting wind kept a smile on my face as I hiked over the top of Saddleback and headed down the sheer granite trail to the bottom. I reached Eddy Pond Road at exactly noon and I was breathing sigh of relief because the dangerous part of the trail was behind me. Then the skies open up and it began to pour. That is when I decided to spend the night in Rangeley. I got to Route #4 about 3:30PM and a nice family gave me a ride into town. First up was a chicken burger ands slaw at The Red Onion. I telephoned Bob at Gull Pond Lodge. He came and got me and we made a side trip to the new IGA before going to his place. Bob has a camp that he has winterized and fixed up with 2 bunk rooms and one private room. For 20 dollars a night you get a fresh bed and in the morning he puts out a cold breakfast of cereal, juice coffee, yogurt, assorted fruit, bagels, etc. What a deal. Bob is also a wonderful, intelligent man with a host of local and world recollections to keep anyone interested. Because I'm from the area, many of our stories complimented one another. I hit the sack at 10PM.