morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-07-24
From: tumbledown dick stream

To: cooper pond
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We're hanging at a stealth site that I think is on cooper pond, but I can't be sure from awol's guide. It's probably a good quarter mile down a blue blaze trail. :/ it's a good one tho and this far off the trail I can do tarp off pants off! Met another sobo matt who's camped a bit further down, and he said this spot was on guthook's app. Seems like a lot of water sources and other stealth sites ate on there but not awol, so we're thinking of shelling out the 60 bucks to get it when we get to monson. If it works like the mtb or hiking project app that'd be pretty cool, just battery dependent. Kate felt a lot better after a nap this morning and we were off by 11am or so, so it was a pretty chill today. There was a gorgeous sand beach on jo Mary lake and we got another great swim in. Man, swimming is the best. Just me and Kate in the middle of nowhere with a huge, beautiful lake all to ourselves. Doesn't get much better. Such a shot in the arm. I did much better at bug management today, with only one brief freakout during a bathroom break. The trick is at around 430 or 5 I liberally apply deet and then make sure to start setting up camp by 530 or 6. That way we avoid the bug rush hour when the sun sets. We just need to get up and go to bed earlier in general. Once I get to camp I zip on my pant legs and get my rain jacket handy if necessary. Although today I think we swatted like 2 mosquitos and a couple of poor friendly beetles by mistake at camp. Tomorrow morning we're going to try for a bigger mileage day. And climb a little bit up from the base of white cap mtn, which looks like a lungbuster.  Get up early and go try to spot a moose in the pond while getting water, hike 9 miles or so to our food drop, and then start making our way OUT of the 100 mile wilderness. We're both now on the longest backpacking trip we've ever been on.
Date: 2016-07-25
From: cooper pond

To: Logan brook lean to
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: overcast clouds

We're hanging at the Logan brook lean-to at around 2500' and it's a bit rainy and windy. I'll take rain and wind over bugs any day. Anything yo grt out of that damn bog. This will be the first rain and wind test for my hammock. I'm pretty snug and weighted the ends of my tarp down so am feeling confident. I did leave a little breezeway do well see how I feel in the morning. The last climb was tough going but I'm really glad we pushed through. That was nearly 17 miles, a record for us both. Met a bunch of sobos at the shelter today that all seem like good people: mcmuffin, thunder?, moose, and blonde bear. It's weird to actually address people by the trail names. Right now we're still just kate and rob and people look so confused wen we tell them real names. I bet there are a lot of people who end up with names like "just x". Earlier today I had a nice swim at cooper brook falls shelter. It's fun to swim in the rapids; kinda like an infinity pool. I picked up a cute little leech friend too! He hadn't attached to my wrist yet so I just scraped him off. It was still worth the swim! But Kate decided not to join me after that. Met a nice couple there, Christina and preston. We may actually see them again. The other sobos we've met recently are all busting out 20+ miles a day. It's always good to ask people's miles when you meet them, so you know if you need to remember their name or not.  That guy mike, aka beaver now apparenthly, we met last night I'd pulling 25 a day , so it's like, nice to meet you, see you again never!Tomorrow we've got a big climb of white cap mountain taking us close to 4000 again followed by more ups and downs so well prob tone back the mileage a bit. Only 40 miles and some change left to the wilderness. Can't wait to gorge some town food and have a few beers.
Date: 2016-07-26
From: Logan brook lean to

To: Carl a. Newhall lean to
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a fun day of challenging climbs and beautiful views. Kate got a big head start on me leaving the shelter, so after I was packed up I decided to eat my breakfast on the go while starting the climb up white cap. I'd forgotten that we were already mid climb from the shelter, and trying to climb 2000 ft over 1.4 miles without using poles while eating pop tarts was not ideal. Afterwards though, in full-go mode, it was an honest day's work and I enjoyed it. We climbed White cap, hay, West Peak and Gulf hagas. Kate was so tired she dry cried at lunch and we decided to call it a day at 7 miles. Felt like 20 miles and I was happy to chill at the shelter and work on the same 2 classical guitar pieces I've been trying to learn for a decade (tarrega's recuerdos de la ahlambra and segovia's version of bach's prelude in something for cello, in case you didn't know). We met a really nice couple, rangely and precip, and just hung out. Rangely is finishing up a 4 year section hike and independently mentioned that she recently was so tired she cried. Apparently that's a thing  The privy there was another luxurious one that smelled of freshly cut pine. Next to the toilet was the first privy graffiti that I actually enjoyed reading. It said, "oh beautiful privy, I am not worthy to receive you. But only say the word and my rectum shall be relieved"
Date: 2016-07-27
From: Carl a. Newhall lean to

To: mt. 3.5
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: light rain

Today was a tough one for me. I was sluggish and Kate was killing it. The morning was nice and easy, but then we made the terrible mistake of not getting more water when we forded the west branch if the pleasant river. We'd heard that the spring at chairback gap was dry, but not that EVERY water source on chairback mtn was dry. That meant 6+miles of several steep climbs on the water I'd gotten 4 miles ago. Even with water I was struggling on the first climb and just generally feeling poopy. I choked down a salmon tortilla, then vowed to never eat that salmon again. I then broke my Spork trying to swat a black fly a bnd next spilled salmon juice over my awol guide page. Glad bears aren't a problem here! A few miles later I went dry and stumbled delirious until finally getting to a running stream. We crashed at a stealth site at the base of 4th mountain soon after that.
Date: 2016-07-28
From: mt. 3.5

To: pre-wilson valley lean to
Miles today: 10.0

Hiked up 4th mountain and cloud pond hill or whatever it's called. Those were some more lung busters and reminders that I need water to survive. I wish I didn't because cloud pond is a steep .4 miles off trail. Beautiful but mileage don't count towards GA, GRR. I got water with a frog friend at the pond and then kate and I got super lucky and waited out a torrential down pour in the shelter while feasting on some mac and cheese. Later in the day, not so lucky. We had heard from several nobos that there was some top notch trail magic (cookout, beer, liquor) up ahead and that got us salivating. I've learned to not really trust anything from nobos, or hikers in general for that matter, because most spend a decent chunk of their day a bit delirious and you don't want to pin your hopes, dreams, or survival on mileage estimates from crazy people. But we had two independent sources give the exact same coordinates for this magic! Unfortunately the sky opened up again and we got our first taste if really soaking wet hiking. Which must've also washed out the magic. When we knew we had missed it and our hopes were dashed, it wasn't long before we crapped out for the day. Oh well. At least the rain cleared out and I had some nice dry clothes and a hammock to kick it in.
Date: 2016-07-29
From: pre-wilson valley lean to

To: monson
Miles today: 11.5

We're out of the 100 mile wilderness! Oh man it was good to see that sign. Jyst knowing we were zeroing in on it left a shit eating grin on ny face. The one for nobos you can actually read what it says. Today was easier terrain than the last few. Which could be reality or just extra motor knowing we were getting beer and pizza tonight. There have been a couple climbs that I've gotten myself up by chanting "beer and pizza" over and over again. That usually morphs into that song by Bill Callahan called "the sing" where the chorus is "the only two things I've said today are 'beer' and 'thank you'". Then he repeats. Look it up! It's a good one. The other good mountain climber is the tame impala tune called "gotta be above it" where that's repeated over and over. Hey, whatever it takes. But I digress.   Earlier in the day we came across a gaggle of quebecoise at a shelter and I got to practice my french a bit. They were polite but clearly waiting for me to sod off, and I obliged. It's cool seeing shelter log entries in french. There have been a few times I've almost gone to Montreal for a spell to really make a dent in that language and it still hasn't happened.  When we got to ME 15 we tried to hitch with no luck and then called shaws and got a room that includes shuttling. That was a goid move. Shaws people are awesome and before we even had our pack off they got us a PBR. So good! And theyve got a piano and classical guitar which wad really refreshing to play. I miss my piano a lot. We met a fellow sobo, Flicker, who shares our garage bunk house and headed to the lakeshore for a glorious dinner. Trail towns are cool because you're pretty much a temporary local while you're there. Ran into dan, aka macroman, and we "closed" the place down with 2 beers each. Doesn't take much to get trashed when you're calorie deprived. The stars are amazing here. You can see the milky way spirals clear as a bell.
Date: 2016-07-30
From: monson

To: monson
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day! Just pure vacation. Shaws makes a great big breakfast family style and we met a lot of nice section hikers. This German couple taking their 6 week holiday is pretty sweet too. They're going as far south as they can in that time so hopefully we'll see them again. I played the piano and guitar forever, drank some ME IPA's, got caught up in my journal and got back into some online shenanigans. I still don't have any cell service at all. Good thing it worked when it did yesterday to call for the shuttle. Met a lot of cool nobos about to finish and flip floppers starting their second leg. Apparently it's pretty dry and hot in VA and as lot if nobos are switching to a flip flop. And we also ran into Christina and preston!  They're debating a bail. Apparently they weren't doing so hot in th ed wilderness and Christina made a deal with God that if he got them outta there she'd go to church on sunday. Well they came across an MATC crew that gave them a ride back to monson, tomorrow's Sunday and she says she's goin!At night we had another delicious meal at lakeshore house then crashed early.
Date: 2016-07-31
From: monson

To: past bald mtn rd
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: few clouds

Were hanging over some logs by a creek a few miles short of moxie bald shelter. Had a killer breakfast at Petes place and and then hopped in the back of Shaw's truck to get dropped off back at the trail. Met a lot of cool folks in Monson and some of them are eventually southbound, so I may even see them again. (Sartech i owe you one! ) I remembered to pick up some olive oil and hot sauce which I'm pretty excited about. I really like these knorr meals with all the fixins. You can get them up close to 1000 calories and the whole meal is like 2 bucks. The trail was really gentle today with no big climbs. Just following the pisquo-something river all day. That was fine by us because we both were nursing some aches and pains most of the day. I think tomorrow I'm starting off with some preemptive drugs since we actually have to climb a mountain in the morning.
Date: 2016-08-01
From: past bald mtn rd

To: mid pleasant pond mtn
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: scattered clouds

At another stealth site, mid climb of pleasant pond mountain. We got a nice second wind today I think due to the availability of sour patch kids, swedish fish and caffeine pills. I am all about the candy and candy bars right now, which I normally can't stand. But if they have sour patch kids at the resupply tomorrow I might get a pound. Tomorrow we're gonna hit carratunk and grab some lunch or dinner, and some beers at this brewpub/outfitter. The tricky part is that after town is the Kennebec river which is the longest water crossing of th ed whole trail and you're supposed to take a free ferry across. It only runs 9-2 though and there's no camping allowed near the river shore. Our plan is to not pay to camp or rent a room but we'll see how easy that is. In the guide book there's talk of a hottub, which if real that might trump all else. Today was fun climbing bald mountain and it was nice to get some good views again. My ankle area is still a little tender and swollen si I was a bit slow going, but steady at least. We met another sobo today, Marty mcfly on the bald top. He's another guy that doesn't filter water. I wonder if you get lucky long enough if you're just immune to giardia. That might even be worth it if there was a way to condition yourself. Filtering water is such s time suck. Speaking of which, all the water sources are still really low or non existent. We haven't gone dryer anything but a lot if the streams are stagnant and the fords are just rock hops. Last night actually got pretty chilly and was the first night I zipped up my sleeping bag and inflated my air mattress. Got the tarp on tonight though so well see how it goes.
Date: 2016-08-02
From: mid pleasant pond mtn

To: caratunk
Miles today: 10.0

We're at a super cute B&B tuin carratunk, which somehow is its own town with post office and fire station for all of its 7 residents. We had planned to just stealth camp near the Kennebec after resupplying but the guy Paul who runs it was so nice and the place was so cool we stayed. Pretty cheap too with a great resupply. He opened after the 2016 awol book was published so he's not listed, but only a couple hundred yards off trail. originally we hitched to northern outdoors brewpub which supposedly had a hiker resupply store but when we got there we were the only hikers, the resupply w as basically non existent, and it just felt weird to camp there. There was a hottub we could use. But it was broken and that was the last straw. We bailed and hitched with some nobos back to the trailhead. Hiking today was an easy 10 miles with just a couple climbs, but my ankle/foot thing is still bothering me and it was slow going. Really hope that gets better soon before hitting some if these bigger ME mountains. I think it may just be a bruise but I'm gonna take it easy again tomorrow. The first part of the trail someone else paddles my gimp ass along in a canoe anyway!
Date: 2016-08-03
From: caratunk

To: West carry pond lean to
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

We're hanging on the shore of West carry pond and it's great. We went swimming, made dinner then watched the sun set over the lake and listened to the loons' calls echoing. It was really cloudy and the lake was like an abstract mirror of the mountains and sky. Just sitting on a tiny little dock watching everything go down and eating oreos. We got a little rain shower earlier but I got my hammock tarp up in porch mode and got to eat my food staying dry. The shelter's a ways up the hill without a view of the lake. This morning Paul made us a stellar breakfast. I got up around 6, updated my journal and drank like 8 cups of coffee chatting with Paul and then the other sobos. When it was all said and done, the bill for kate and I in a private double bed, both our resupply's, a milkshake and snacks, laundry, and ayce breakfast was 68 bucks. Not frickin bad. That dude and his place are wonderful. We got to the ferry by 9 and got to meet this really sweet ferry dog as we all waited for the canoe to bring over the first batch of nobos. The hiking was super easy and my foot and ankle didn't hurt once! i saw a lot more beaver dams, beaver bogs, anf beaver canals. Beavers are pretty cool and are abundant up here. A couple of times a beaver dam has actually been the AT.  Anyway, I'm cautiously optimistic that it was just a bruise from repeatedly smacking my right foot into the left that will be gone tomorrow too. That'd be pretty convenient because tomorrow we start a slew of 4000 footers starting with the bigelows. This is a lot if folks' favorite part of the trail and I'm pretty excited. It's gonna be a workout thpugh. Climbing nearly 3000 feet for starters tomorrow.
Date: 2016-08-04
From: West carry pond lean to

To: Avery memorial campsite
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was an epic day with an epic finish. It felt like climbing katahdin and when I looked it up we climbed nearly 5000 ft and descended 2 or 3 thousand. I was feeling pretty ragged near the end of the climb of Avery peak, but then the sun was just over the Ridgeline as I climbed above treeline and started back lighting a lot of trail features just as the views turned 360. That was pretty great. We're in the bigelows and I had my sights set on getting to 4000 ft all day. The best part about Avery peak was that we got to see it a lot beforehand and it looked like a monster. From little Bigelow peak we saw the twin tips of Avery and big Bigelow 5 miles away or so and thought ok, we're camping in between those tonight! The base if Avery peak had some really cool boulders too. Giant things that seemed to have their own weather patterns as you scrambled through them.   Oh and for fellow sobos, there's a lot of spring water up here too. I wish I'd have known that because the maps made it seem like we'd be dry so I had 5L of water with me. I also thought the campsite would be empty because of that but we're in full audio range of a gaggle of prepubescent boys and their college age chaperons. We couldn't stealth somewhere with our hammocks either because it's all fragile alpine environment and you have to stay on the trail or designated sites. It's kind of annoying, especially hearing the guides bark out orders on the procedural steps the kids must follow in order to receive their chocolate and marshmallow tortilla, but it's pretty amusing too.  I thought Kates head was gonna explode at all the food talk. Justin was strongly castigated for getting chips in the salsa. In return he started lashing out a kid who took real offense and called him a goober. Then HE was called inappropriate and he countered with, "well YOU'RE inappropriately ugly!" That's a pretty good one and I'll probably use it later when the time is right. At one point the whole gang left for a night hike leaving all the food unguarded. I mulled over raiding it and making it look like a bear did it. I didn't though. I'm in my cold weather gear in the hammock with the wind whipping and so far it's holding up pretty good. I'm toasty and not really using my sleeping bag. It's hard to tell when I'll need a warmer bag and/or underquilt for the hammock. I know in the whites it can get down to 20 this time of year still and that might be pushing it with my current set up. I should be OK if I just set my hammock up as a tent on the ground though. If I can get through the whites with this gear I'd be set until late fall in the smokies most likely.
Date: 2016-08-05
From: Avery memorial campsite

To: stealth past stratton
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: broken clouds

We're at a very nice stealth site I think a bit shy of a half mile beyond the rd to stratton. We didn't want to shell out for a room in town so we started the climb out around 7 after resupplying and getting pizza in town. We were about to set up camp at a pretty crappy spot when I spotted this clearing across the trail. Must be a spot locals use because there's no path to it, it's a couple hundred feet aways and it's got room for 5 tents and a fire ring. It was a pretty slow going day descending from the bigelows. Some more pretty terrain. We had first lunch at a nice mountain pond near horns pond lean to with some other nice sobos, jd and lily, that we've been leapfrogging with. The folks at the stratton motel were nice enough to offer a hitch, let us leave our packs and hang at their hostel even tho we weren't staying there. Least we could do was pay them for a rude back to the trail. Thanks yall!
Date: 2016-08-06
From: stealth past stratton

To: sugarloaf lift box
Miles today: 10.0

I misinterpreted the guidebook multiple times today, but the most recent screw up ended up as frickin great. We're in a heated lift operator box at the summit of sugarloaf mountain; I think about as high as well be until the whites at 4200 and some change. The mistake is that we're .6 mile climb OFF the trail. AWOL isn't exactly exhaustive on the water sources, and I passed up several thinking they weren't the ones referenced on the climb up the crockers. I was kinda tired and locking to call it a day. I just glanced at the guide and saw there was water and a view where the trail on sugarloaf plateaus a bit.   I didn't see that water was .2 and the view was .6 straight up to the sugarloaf peak. Being out of water and hearing from a couple nobos that the next water was 3 or 4 miles ahead, had to climb. Then did the same damn thing and ended up at the summit. Long story long, some kind soul leaves the lift box, which has a lock, unlocked. I'm sure it's technically trespassing (incidentally internet, all of this post is a lie for dramatic effect) but it seems there's an unspoken agreement that as long as you're out by 9 before a patrol sees you, and you cleanup and be respectful etc, that this is basically an AT shelter. It's so ridiculously nice. There's a toaster oven and power strip. I just melted cheese on toasted bagels and watched the sun set and moon rise over panoramic mountains, with the wind ripping outside and Kate and I on a plush reclinING chair. I played guitar on a picnic table in the SECOND room before going to bed. It's like a private free motel room. First time weve had d to sleep on the grouMD too so thankful were doing the cheaper option of thermarests in the hammock. Anyway I could obviously rave on. I'm sure other stuff happened today too. Of note, kate got stuck in a torrential down pour while negotiating a steep rock slide pile descent. She's unharmed but took away a bent pole badge of honor after a spill. I'm a pretty sure footed hiker and I was baby stepping down that section in perfect weather. I can't imagine.
Date: 2016-08-07
From: sugarloaf lift box

To: Redington stream campsite
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

It sucks when the first .6 miles of your day don't count. Still worth it to have stayed up there though. Kate even went .4 NORTH because she missed the admittedly crappy water sources on the way off sugarloaf then backtracked to a stream. But whatever it was a good hiking day. We had a nice lunch at Overton stream then climbed over Saddleback junior and decided to stop short of the horn. It's cold out and the wind is strong so I'm decked out in near maximum cold weather gear.