morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-07-08
From: Happy Hill Shelter

To: Moose Mountain Shelter, New Hamphire
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: light rain

It rained ALL night at Happy Hill shelter. I slept in until 7 and didn't start hiking until 8. The rain had stopped, but everything on the trail was soaked. experimented with a trash bag skirt to keep my shorts dry...cut out the bottom of the bag, so there were holes in both ends. stepped inside it and tucked it into my backpack waistbelt. I guess it worked for a little while, sort of like the similar improvised trashbag pack cover, until it got snagged and shredded by tree branches and bushes and other trail obstacles. Only a 6 mile walk to Hanover, a cute and cuddly college town. Once in town, I wandered around. Bought a meatball sandwich at the convenience store and frankly, nothing in my life ever tasted so good. Sat on the bench outside the library eating my sandwich and other goodies while reading the sunday newspaper. The sign on the door said library would open at 1pm. All I wanted to do was check my emails. 1pm--still 2 hours away. killed time, went to grocery, bought some crap, stopped at outfitter and asked for backpacker stuff I knew they wouldn't have, sat in the bookstore smelling up the place while reading celebrity magazines.. Finally, one o'clock rolled around and I strolled over to the library. still vacant. A closer look at the sign said, "closed sundays starting May 27th."   Well f&%$k me! and f@$%&k Hanover! Honestly, if there was a hostel, or a reasonably priced motel in town, I would have stayed and spent the night here. I guess there were motels some miles away, but I didn't have the desire to try and hitch from these snobs, let alone walk more off-trail miles. So I took a stealth piss behind a bush on the library grounds and hiked myself as fast as I could out of Dartmouth-land.But hey, D.O.C (Dartmouth Outing Club), despite my bad attitude, you guys do a WONDERFUL job maintaining the trail and shelters in this area.
Date: 2007-07-09
From: Moose Mountain Shelter, N.H.

To: Hexacuba Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: overcast clouds

In my first full day hiking in New Hampshire, 3 words can describe the trail - Rain, Wet, Mud. Also, first major elevation climbing since the days of Roan Mountain way back in Tennessee--and it was just a baby hill compared to what's ahead in the next 100 miles. Really, the only thing that was making me nervous was the weather. Dry--no problem. I felt like I could handle any type of terrain the AT could throw at me if the sun was out. But wet--that's a different matter. I tend to slip and fall. A LOT. Obviously, the risk of injury is much greater in wet conditions. Hoped the weather would turn, but doubted it. Hiked 12 miles initially and found myself at the Fire Warden Cabin on top of Smart Mountain. I sat for a few minutes, and the biggest flash storm I had ever seen came roaring through. First the wind, then rain, and then the rain turned to hail. I wasn't going anywhere. In fact, I even changed into my dry clothes and started to make myself at home even though it was just 2:30 much too early to call it quits for the day. But, as fast as the storm came, it left. And the sun came out. "Oh screw it," I said, and put back on my wet clothes to put in a few more miles. All I had was 5.3 miles to the Hexacube shelter. I humped it out.. reaching the shelter around 6pm. Along the way, I met my first SOBO thru-hikers, saw Pinky, Sundance, Butch Cassidy, Dogfather, and Thrills, all slackpacking the opposite direction..They had been slackpacking the past 100 miles and were planning to start hiking for "real" (with full packs)in the whites. Ouch. Hopefully, the sudden weight load in the sudden "hardest part of the AT" wouldn't shock their systems too bad.At the shelter, I met a SOBO whose name I can't remember. He was an ex-military kid who seemed to be hiking with all military issue (read: heavy) gear. big leather boots, huge backpack, heavy poncho, and even a bowie knife for chrissake. Anyway, super cool dude, he was out of water purifying tablets and wanted to know if I had any that he could trade for. As a matter of fact, I'd been carrying around a bottle of Potable Aqua tablets since Harper's Ferry that I'd maybe used once. Not treating water was my personal little F.U. to the world on this absurd trek. I ended up getting two Mountain House meals for unloading my potable aqua that I wasn't using anyway. Score!!
Date: 2007-07-10
From: Hexacuba Shelter

To: Glencliff, N.H.
Miles today: 14.7

Hiking this day was M-U-D-D-Y. ick. Bogs and bugs and slippery rocks. But with a relatively short day ending at a hostel, it all didn't seem so bad. The story lately has been the neverending rain - 6 days straight - and counting. Also, felt a lot of apprehension about starting the infamous White Mountains the next day. The hostel was badass! The owner of the Welcome Hikers Hostel, "Pack Rat", had already hiked the triple crown (pct, cdt, at)and had everything a weary thru-hiker needs. outdoor--shower, toilet, washing machine. Indoor--internet, food, TV/DVD, filthy hiker room, filthy bunks. Everything was on the honor system--just check off what you used or ate and then settle up before leaving. At the hostel with me were a bunch of southbounders, some section hikers, and two NOBOs (Autumn Joy and Studmuffin) who were slackpacking and had already been up and over the great intro to the whites--Mt. Moosilauke.Two section hikers were from Montreal, Canada, and their primary language was French. Super nice, they shared a bottle of red wine with us while we lounged. They were planning to stay at the hostel until the rainy weather stopped--they're on vacation, they said in their French accents, and no reason to hike outside in the rain when we can stay dry inside and drink wine. Who could possibly argue with this logic?The hostel was miles from anything resembling a town, so to resupply, we all paid $3 to have "Fat Chap", who is one fat chap, drive us to a general store 5 miles away. Fat Chap was going on and on about the ins and outs of hiking in the Whites, and I felt like asking if he got all of this information second hand, because in my mind, this 450 pound chainsmoking boheomith surely couldn't have traveled these mountains himself. I kept my mouth shut. ****as I now reveal my deep seeded prejudice towards obese people, or as I like to call them, "Bigg'ns"***In the early evening, we watched Casino Royale on DVD, drank more red wine, ate peanut butter m&ms, and watched the rain, all under the shadow of Mt. Moosilauke. I felt a familiar nervousness as the Whites loomed ahead. Like the night before a big wrestling match from my school days. Nothing to do but wait and dread.
Date: 2007-07-16
From: Imp Campsite

To: Gorham, N.H.
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: fog

 Woke up sooooo incredibly sore. After multiple insanity induced big mile days in the White Mountains, my legs were shot. I was ready for a break. The 8 mile walk to town, because I really didn't want to walk, seemed to take forever, especially the first 5--steep, slick, rocky. All downhill, which saved my lungs, but killed my joints and nerves. But the last 3 were flat and fast. At the road, 3 miles to reach Gorham. Tried to hitch, but nobody stopped. New Hampshire has not been good to me in that regard. Screw it, I just started walking. After about a mile, a very nice redneck (complete with flannel jacket, gun, and gunrack) picked me up. Once in town, I went through my town routine as though in a trance--1st library (internet), 2nd Grocery, 3rd laundry, 4th motel. There was a cheap hostel in town, but I was feeling snobbish, so opted for privacy, cleanliness, and creature comforts. Rewarded myself for the past week's torture by ordering pizza and wings. Sat in the motel the rest of the day acting like a properly decadent pig - watched TV, soaked in the tub, all the while gorging myself on greasy food and soda.Bring on Maine.
Date: 2007-07-17
From: Gorham, N.H.

To: Full Goose Shelter, Maine
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: broken clouds

Maine, Baby, Maine!! Made it to the border. Now, even if I break my leg, I can say that I hiked from Geargia to Maine. Nobody gave me a ride from Gorham, so I walked the whopping 3 off-trail miles to the trailhead. No big deal. I like road walking for a change and not worrying about tripping on a root or slipping on a wet rock, cracking my face open.First observation in the Gorham, NH to the Maine border section: there are a ton of youth backpacking groups out here. It's not that I'm bothered by this, I just had no idea this part of the AT would be so goddamned popular. At full-goose shelter, I enjoyed the company (for awhile) of the highschool backpackers and their college age leaders. I was amazed at the knowledge they had about the area, compasses and maps, cooking, gear, etc. Like anything, it seems the more you learn about something, the more you see how much more there is to learn. The more I backpack, the more I realize I don't really know the first thing about backpacking. Yet somehow, the miles pile up.
Date: 2007-07-18
From: Full Goose Shelter, Maine

To: East B Hill Road to Andover, Maine
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

Directly from the unedited notebook journal:Holy Smokes! Today completely kicked my ass like no other (notice I've been saying that a lot lately). I was up hiking at 5:45. A short climb for 1/2 mile, then a steep drop before starting the infamous "Toughest mile on the AT" - Mahoosuc notch. And i believe it. Plus, I had the added bonus of doing it in the rain with all the rocks wet. Just one big annoying obstacle course. I slipped, fell, crawled, jumped, stretched, pack on, pack off, belly slid, saw the dead moose, and finally, after almost 2 hours, made it out alive. Next, a hellacious 2000 ft climb (mahoosuc arm), followed by a precarious descent. repeat. up bald pate peak. Even without rain, this would be vicious. These were the times where I would say out loud, "I hate hiking and I hate the AT. Why am I here?" Each time I fall or almost fall, my nerves take a gigantic beating. considered stopping at last shelter, 4.5 miles from Andover Rd, But a large, obnoxious youth group was heading that way. And, I was really wanting to go to Andover for the night. so I kept going..pushing on to Andover Rd. Finally, around 6:30, I made it. yay for me. one problem - this is the most deserted road in the entire world. This is the definition of a "tough hitch." There has to be cars, or car, to get a ride. I stood in the rain waiting for an hour waiting for someone to drive by. nothing. Around 8, I gave up, made camp a hundred yards from the road by a creek, crawled in the bag, and promptly passed out.
Date: 2007-07-19
From: East B Hill Road to Andover, Maine

To: Andover, Maine
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

First zero since Pearisburg, VA back in May. Well, official Zero day that is. I've had several low mile "near-o" days. One thing I've learned about myself (since that is what people do out here is find out things about themselves) is I don't do well with nothing to do. I live for the routine--Get up, eat, pack, hike, hike, hike, rest, eat, hike, hike, rest, eat, hike, hike, stop, set up camp, eat, sleep--repeat. That is by far my favorite part about distance hiking. There is no question about what to do for the day. Not much down time. When I do low or fast miles and arrive at a shelter or campsite early in the day, it is hard for me to just enjoy nature and relax. Even with the company of cool fellow hikers, I get antsy. Fidgety. A body in motion likes to stay in motion. A body at rest likes to stay at rest. something like that. I've decided this is a huge design flaw in my brain, and am determined to work on changing it.So, suffice it to say, I had much anxiety about an entire day off in Andover. Dirty Bird, a previous AT thru-hiker who was prepping for a SOBO AT hike and working for the Cabin hostel outside of Andover, picked me up in the morning on her way back back from shuttling hikers to the trail. She invited me to come out there, but I had my mind already made up on staying at the Guesthouse, which is in "town" and next to the library and grocery. At the hostel, I shared a room with thru-hiker Stick and section hiker whose name I can't remember. Also, met SOBO Missinglink, her companion, and a brother-sister duo of section hikers. The brother part, I think his name was Gary, was mentally handicapped. I think. Maybe he had a hearing problem, and as a result, talked with a lisp. I didn't ask. This hostel had about a zillion movies on VHS, mostly from the 80s and early 90s. Having stocked up on B&J ice cream, licorice, and soda, I picked out Goodfellas (only the greatest movie ever made) to watch while eating my junk. a perfect storm of pleasure. During the movie, which I played on the TV in our dorm room, Gary came in during a particularly loud, profanity laced, and violent scene (which could be said of about 95% of this movie). He looked at me and Stick and said, in a voice that made me think of Corky from Life Goes On, "Wow, you guys really like those bad words, don't you?"   How could we respond? "Yes," I said, speaking for myself and Stick, "I guess we do."   Corky, I mean Gary, just shook his head and left the room, refusing to speak to or look at us the rest of the day. Despite this, watching Goodfellas in Andover, Maine was a definite highlight on the AT.Later that evening, Stick and I shared a 12-pack on the balcony overlooking this bustling town of maybe 30 residents. All in all, I enjoyed my rare Zero and secretly wish I had taken more of them.
Date: 2007-07-20
From: Andover, Maine

To: Bemis Mtn. Lean-to
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: light rain

First hiking day after a zero in quite some time. Joel, cool surfer dude owner of the Andover Guest house, drove me the 8 miles back to the trail. Along the way, he went into great detail about how stupid and dangerous moose are. Based on the wet and foggy weather, he was convinced I was going to see one today. "Just be careful," he says, "they'll hoove you if they feel threatened." Hoove??? Is that even a word?The climb from the road up and over Moody Mtn, Old Blue, and Bemis was tiring. And with everything wet, 'sketchy' is the only word that comes to mind. Have to focus all attention on where to step and where not to step. Not quite like the other day's shenanigans in the Mahoosucs or some of the dangerousness of New hampshire. No, just your run-of-the-mill life-on-the-edge routine of hiking in the north woods of Maine. Arrived at Bemis Shelter around 6. Stick was there already, waiting for me. He shuttled to South Arm Road from Andover, thus doing half the miles I did (he already did the other miles yesterday). A section hiker chick was there who was finishing up a SOBO Maine section from Katahdin. She seemed mildly interesting, talking about grad school and life in New York city, then became even more interesting when she pulled out some zig-zags and rolled a joint. She was generous, but both Stick and I declined partaking..I liked Stick's excuse that if he smoked, he would promptly eat everything in his food bag, which would be bad since he still had 2 more days until his next town stop. Another early night in my tent, which has become my favorite part of the day. Later, I learned that Tapper, Lost, and a few others rolled into camp after I was asleep.
Date: 2007-07-21
From: Bemis Mtn. Lean-to

To: Piazza Rock Lean-to
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: broken clouds

Right from the handwritten journal--no editing or embellishing:I can hardly believe I've walked this far. Almost 2000 miles. Craziness. Today's hike was relaxing. Sort of. No climbs, but muddy as hell. Nice sunny day, but shoes and socks got wet like usual. Leaving them out to dry tonight. If they dry, great. if it rains and they get wet, I won't know the difference anyway. Bumped into Lost again. She's going to Rangely. This was my original plan, but I really don't need to after already doing a zero. so with mixed emotions, I skipped passed the road crossing and hiked another 2 miles to the Piazza shelter. Got here at 4, made dinner--Mac and Cheese mixed with instant mashed potatoes. Yuck! How could I not have known that would be the most horrible dinner of all time. Mental note: M&C with Tuna, good. M&C with potatoes, bad. No one at the shelter except an aggressive chipmunk who is too quick for my trekking pole spear. Another boring day on the AT done, with the highlight being another night in the tent accompanied by trashy supermarket fiction.
Date: 2007-07-22
From: Piazza Rock Lean-to

To: Spaulding Mtn. Lean-to
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 100! Astounding views from Saddle back, The Horn, and Saddleback Jr mountains. Above tree line. Perfect weather. It is always awe-inspiring to be on top of a mountain and look down and see exactly where the trail meanders up and over the ridges in the distance.Along the way, met Dean, a dayhiker who gave me a couple homemade granola bars. Nothing compares to free food for staving off hunger. Made it to Spaulding Lean-to around 3:30. Talked to section hikers lo-de-do and his dad Slow But Not Sure. They were finishing up the last section of the entire AT..the first section hikers I'd met who could say that. At 4pm, I started dinner. Early on the AT, I would normally wait until at least 5 to cook dinner, the theory being that if you eat too soon, you will be hungry later. Those ideas seemed so silly at this point. I'm hungry, I eat. If I get hungery later, I will eat later. If I get hungry at midnight and eat everything in my food bag, and end up starving for an extra day or two before town, so be it. I had lost the ability or desire to ration calories. Slow But Not Sure was eying my dinner and I could tell he was jealous of my fearless attitude towards 4 o'clock meals. He broke out his cook stuff and started his own meal. lo-de-do just laughed. To celebrate day 100, I crawled into my tent around 6 and wasted the evening away by not looking at the stars, not socializing with the 100 or so other hikers and scout/youth groups who showed up, but instead, spent the rest of my waketime burrowed in my sleeping bag reading my trashy novel.
Date: 2007-07-23
From: Spaulding Mtn. Lean-to

To: Stratton, Maine
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Another town day. Yay. Woke up early and was hiking hard to make it to Stratton. A great stop. Finally met Dice, whose shelter entries I had been following since I started back in Georgia. It's always weird to meet hikers you only know from shelter log posts. They never are like what you expect. Dice was cool though. A smoker with lots of nervous energy, he had tons of enthusiasm for and knowledge about Maine since this was his home state. Also, a fellow Harry Potter fan. His dad was going to meet him the next day and Dice made sure he had a copy of the book with him. (Book 7 had just come out 2 days earlier and I was imposing a media blackout on myself to keep from unintentionally learning any clues.) While deciding where to stay and what to do, I snuck into the hostel and used the internet while the inn keeper was away shuttling folks. Also talked to Lost some more. Nice, sweet, intelligent girl, who happens to be a fantastic hiker. Learned that she did a 50 mile hike back before Damascus. Hiked through the night. That takes some serious moxie. I eventually opted to stay at the White Wolf Inn which was right across the street from the hostel and the grocery. They had a built-in Bar/Restaurant which is almost always the deciding factor for where I decide to stay. That evening I had dinner (a gorgeous 1/2 pound cheeseburger, with everything on it, "run through the garden" is how the waitress put it, fries, and of course, 4 pints of guinness) with Dirty Blond and Backbend. They are a boyfriend/girlfriend couple who are NOBOs still on the trail and still together. They are in their 20s, have lived together for years, and are even in the same gradschool studying the same subject, botany I think. Despite their boring background, we had a great time discussing the absurdities of hiking on the AT.
Date: 2007-07-24
From: Stratton, Maine

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

Today was good. Went up and over the "Bigs", the Bigelow mountains, which are supposedly the hardest mountains until Katahdin. And the hike, as I recall (writing this some 2 1/2 months later) was tough, but not nearly as brutal as the previous mountains in Maine, let alone the Whites. Made good time to the Little Bigelow Lean-to. Obviously made good time, because I was such a mileage driven and impatient little gopher that I didn't take any long breaks. Just pushed on, challenging myself...always challenging myself. Early afternoon at the shelter. Tapper didn't even bother to stop in; she just kept moving 8 more miles. Visited with Lost a bit, but she also had bigger plans for the day. Me - I was determined to not go any further, and set up my tent to prove it. Met a couple of hilaaaaarious southbounders. Can't remember their names, but I think we decided to call them "The Carnies." They had traveled about 175 miles through Maine (not hitting any huge mountains yet) and it had taken them a solid month. Nice. Healthy 20something boys, they were admittedly out of shape. But the funny part was seeing everything they packed. Each had their own orange 5 lb 2 person tent. Giant packs. 10 times for food than necessary. They said they started the 100 mile wilderness with 17 days worth of food. Awesome. And one of them was packing a chair. An aluminum folding chair strapped to the back of his backpack. Again, Awesome!! We experienced thru-hikers cringed at their extravagence, but nobody could deny they were having the time of their lives and didn't give a shit what anybody thought or said, especially us snobby nobos. Soon, a SOBO named Green Flash, er, THE Green Flash, showed up. He was on day 11, making good time with a light pack. And like me, he started out shaking his head at the Carnies, but was soon won over by their enthusiasm. One of my best nights, listening to The Carnies and The Green Flash tell stories from their off-trail lives. TGF was a forest firefighter in Oregon and had done most of the Heyduke trail..first person I've met on the AT who even mentioned this trail.
Date: 2007-07-25
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to

To: Caratunk, Maine (Northern Outdoor Resort)
Miles today: 21.3

Woke up and was on the trail by 6am. Wanted to make it to Kennebec river by 3:30pm so I could catch the Ferry. "Ferry." strange word to describe one dude in a canoe going back and forth across the river. Hike for the day to the river was easy. Long miles, but not much elevation change. At the river, met up with Tapper, Cottontop, and Caterpillar. We had leapfrogged with each other for days and weeks, but this was the point where our paths aligned for good. Apparently, Lost was there too, but was across the river before I got there. Dave, the ferry dude, had the most thick and hick Maine accent I had ever heard. Nasally digesting his A's and R's before spewing them out in a cadence for which only those in the north backwoods would have the patience. The four of us, once across the river, and on the road, had the most amazing luck flagging down a ride. A giant empty van whose driver was on the way to the general store. He was happy to take us with him to the store and then back to the Northern Outdoor Resort. The NOR is a great place. They have all the essentials - bar, restaurant, hot tub, laundry, internet, bar, etc. We split a "Tent Cabin" for about $9 each and relaxed away the evening in this oasis of creature comforts in the middle of the rugged north woods of Maine.