morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-09-11
From: Caribou Valley Road (ME)

To: Stratton Brook Pond Road (Stratton, ME)
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: few clouds

Day 154: South and North Crocker MountainToday the trail gave us great weather, easy hiking, and very few scenic vistas. For much of the day, we felt like we were on automatic pilot, if the Appalachian Trail had such a thing. Not to say the day was boring - the woods were too pretty for that - but it seemed a shame to waste the cloudless skies on so few overlooks of distant peaks.Susan had us out to the barricade for our 12 minute walk back to the AT by 6:40am. The first mile up to the Crocker Cirque Campsite was a steady uphill, but afterwards, the next mile up to South Crocker Mountain was the only really steep climb of the day, allowing us to work up a sweat even in the breezy 40° temperatures. We descended several hundred feet from 4,040' before climbing up to 4,228' and the North Crocker summit. Again, it would have been nice to have a view from among all the evergreens...The next five miles was a gradual downhill (well, maybe a little steeper at the end) with few landmarks along the way. After arriving at ME 27, we continued on about another mile until we crossed Stratton Brook Pond Road, the last road before the Bigelows. As Suz was still off dropping food for us in Caratunk and Monson, we had to hitch back to the motel. A Maine state worker out checking on beaver activity met us as he turned around on the little traveled dirt road (what luck!), and gave us a ride back to ME 27. There we had a 20 minute wait for a hitch, our longest of the trip, as two out of every three passing vehicles were log trucks, and the rest swung to the center of the road to avoid us like we had leprosy. Finally a college professor retired locally from Kleenex's home state of South Dakota stopped on his way to the grocery across the street from our motel (again, what luck!).A remarkably easy day that seemed like a working zero, putting us on the edge of 2,000 miles and allowing us to wrap up all our town chores before hiker midnight. With the weather forecast great for the next three days, we are eager to get back in the woods to climb our next to the last 4,000' peaks...Note to our friend Don Rogers: With our iPhones fully charged, we were able to add a few more pictures to September 7, 8, and 9. Although they still don't to justice to those three days, we hope you will enjoy. Thanks for following us along. You are more involved than some of our relatives!
Date: 2012-09-12
From: Stratton Brook Pond Road (Stratton, ME)

To: Safford Notch Campsite (ME)
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: clear sky

Day 155: Castaway's Birthday! and as a gift the AT presents him the perfect morning hike!Castaway turned a young 64 today, and was treated to as nice a day on the AT as you could ask for. Each of the Gang of Four rates this one at least in the top five of the entire trip! It started with an emotional goodbye to our trail archangel Susan who put us back on the trail on her way to the airport and home (although she was still meeting and shuttling other hikers after she saw us!). We hold out the faint hope she will miss us and come back before the end...We started with a level warm-up mile to Cranberry Stream Campsite before beginning the first Bigelow climb, which turned out to be as pretty, gradual, and pleasant as a 2,000' ascent can be. A view with Horns Pond below and the Bigelows beyond was especially spectacular, but only the first of many on the day. On the sharp climb to South Horn we met nine kids, half of the high school enrollment from a small island off the coast which brings the entire school on such a trip to start each school year. (The other half/ nine were canoeing on Flagstaff Lake far below.) The two teachers said they give their students a lot of freedom on the trip and it always works out well. On top of Horn we ran into GOMan (as in grumpy old man, at 66 one of the older hikers still out here) who has the well-deserved reputation as the most negative person on the trail. By his own account he hates everything about the trail on this, his first camping trip. He took a really nasty backwards fall on the Mahoosuc Arm, winding up with a bad cut on his arm. But here he is with less than 200 miles to go, we guess proving that plenty of piss and vinegar is a good recipe for AT success.As N notes, you can't have too many 2,000 mile markers on the AT, and today we passed three. The first (and we think this year the most accurate) was carved in moss on a rock. The second was part of the fairly new formal signage on Avery Peak, and the third was a hand painted sign on the next descent. Today under clear blue skies, the Gang of Four enjoyed all three as we soaked in what they stood for...After a long lunch break taking in the view on Bigelow West and much picture taking on Avery Peak, we started down from our next to the last 4,000 footer. The second mile of this descent was tough on the knees, especially for all those in the group over 64, and was the only downer on an otherwise perfect AT day. At the bottom we considered making the Little Bigelow climb, but the worry we'd have trouble finding room for three tents on top convinced us to duck into Safford Notch Campsite, where Kleenex produced chocolate chip muffins for the birthday boy, which she had somehow carried all the way from Stratton! Our campsite for the night is quite secluded, and we saw only Nooga camping here as well. We go to bed with many good memories of a spectacularly beautiful day on the AT...
Date: 2012-09-15
From: US 201 (Caratunk, ME) 

To: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to (ME) 
Miles today: 14.7

Day 158: Pleasant Pond Mountain and Moxie Pond X was responsible for both of today's highlights: First, she yogied us an early ride back to the trail. We had two scheduling problems conflicting with our ideal starting time of 6:30am - the hotel's free shuttle didn't leave until 9:00, and the dining room didn't open for breakfast until 7:00. We decided a big breakfast would be worth the wait, but that as soon as we finished eating, we'd go out to the road to try to hitchhike. However, walking through the parking lot, X struck up a conversation with some members of a big bachelor party who'd come to eat at Northern Outdoors before heading off to do some Maine white water rafting. The next thing we knew, the four of us were in the back of a big pickup zooming the two miles back to the AT. Right then we knew it was going to be a good day!The second highlight was the stream at the south end of Moxie Pond, which our guide book said we'd have to ford. However, once again, X took the lead, rock hopping from one to the next, reaching the other side with dry feet before anyone could pull out a camera to document the event.Otherwise, it was just another great day of hiking the AT. The rain we'd worried about overnight never materialized, and by mid morning sunshine dominated the scene. We had a 1,900' climb up Pleasant Pond Mountain, but only parts of it were especially steep, and the scenery on top more than made up for the brief sweat we worked up on the climb.  After passing Moxie Pond, we ran into a group from the University of Maine Outing Club, who were out for their semi-annual trail maintenance day on their section. Many freshly cut small branches on the ground, and white blazes shining like new money. The forecasted low for tonight is in the 30's, and although there is a good crowd in and around the shelter, it had gotten quiet really early, as everyone is trying to bed down to stay warm. Tomorrow we hope to go over 2050 miles, and see our first view of Katahdin from the top of Moxie Bald Mountain...
Date: 2012-09-17
From: Woods road north of Piscataquis River (ME) 

To: ME 15 (Monson, ME) 
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: clear sky

Day 160: Monson Today the plan was to get to town as quickly as possible, allowing us maximum time to prepare to tackle the 100 Mile Wilderness, starting tomorrow morning. Our short five mile hike featured more roots and rocks than we'd hoped for, plus a detour around beaver activity that had left parts of the AT near Doughty Ponds three feet under water, if the posted signs are to be believed. Still, we arrived at ME 15 in about 2.5 hours.We were planning on staying at Lakeshore House, but had heard that Shaw's offered Monson's best breakfast. As luck would have it, the shuttle from Shaw's arrived to drop off hikers just as we reached ME 15, and we were able to catch an immediate ride into town. When we called Shaw's yesterday to inquire about reservations for breakfast, they had not been very encouraging. However, when we arrived about 9:15, although they had already served 38 people this morning and were closing down the kitchen, they agreed to fire up the stove and cook for us as well. They offer meals based on appetite, numbering them 1, 2, 3, and 4, based on the number of each item you want (including blueberry pancakes, bacon, sausage, and potatoes). It was a very good meal.At the Lakeshore House, we collected all of our packages, including the large one Susan had left last week, and started organizing our food for the final week on the trail. After much discussion, we decided to try the bucket drop system offered by the caretakers here at Lakeshore House. They will drop off a large plastic 6-gallon bucket we have filled with our own food on a road crossing about 30 miles through the Wilderness. This will allow us to begin with only a few days of food, then go up to four days' worth for the rest of the trip. We hope the system works...We will also worry about the one inch of rain in the forecast, but one way or the other, the final stage begins tomorrow.
Date: 2012-09-18
From: ME 15 (Monson, ME) 

To: Long Pond Stream Lean-to (ME) 
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 161: Brief Notes from the 100 Mile Wilderness[See Post #13 (October 7th) entry for an extended recap.]After another great breakfast at Shaw's, the Gang of Four was back on the trail at 8:15, immediately disappearing into the 100 Mile Wilderness. With an inch of rain in the forecast for tonight, the goal was to cross the four streams that usually require fording before they got out of hand with a lot of storm runoff. An even more important priority was getting to a shelter before all that rain began. Both were accomplished, with GipC Girl, Spiceman, and Funnybone (now back on the trail and heading south) joining the Gang of Four acting as sardines in a shelter designed for only six. The rain arrived just at dark, and looks like it will be a soaker...
Date: 2012-09-19
From: Long Pond Stream Lean-to (ME) 

To: Chairback Gap Lean-to (ME)
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: broken clouds

Day 162: (More) Brief Notes from the 100 Mile Wilderness[See Post #14 (October 8th) entry for an extended recap.]Absolutely the wettest morning we've ever seen on the trail. We spent 100 times more time slogging through ankle deep water on the AT today than we did with our four stream crossings yesterday combined. Several times the AT was a waterfall, looking like ones back in the mid-Atlantic states we had to divert a good ways from the AT to see! Fortunately, at least, the rain stopped this morning just as we were getting back on the trail. The weather was chilly, windy, and foggy in the morning, but by the time we took a lunch break on Third Mountain, we had moved to "not a cloud in the sky" conditions. GOMan was the only other hiker we saw out on the trail all day. He joins us here at the shelter tonight with Mad Hat, who zeroed here today to let the Pleasant River's west branch recede before he tries to ford it. We hope it's low in the morning. With the clear skies, it looks like we're in for a cold night...
Date: 2012-09-20
From: Chairback Gap Lean-to (ME)

To: Sidney Tappan Campsite (ME)
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Day 163: (Still More) Brief Notes from the 100 Mile Wilderness [See Post #15 (October 9th) entry for an extended recap.][To M B and the boys from Hamburg, PA: In our 2107+ miles of hiking the AT, we have met only one person from South Dakota, our own Kleenex, so she must be the girl you met with sore feet back around the Pinnacle. She is doing great, as you can see by today's lead picture. We've mentioned it before, but she also has an AT blog website: www.atforslcc.wordpress.comShe was glad to hear from you!]Today was much better than yesterday to be out on the AT. In fact it was picture-perfect: sunny with cloudless blue skies and a temperature perfect for hiking. The trail was much drier: yesterday the climb down from Chairback Mountain would have been risky, probably dangerous. Today it was only challenging. Today the ford of the Pleasant River never got over knee deep; yesterday we're glad we didn't have to try it!And in the most comforting news of the day, the good folks at the Lakeshore House had our bucket with four days' worth of food waiting for us exactly where they said it would be. What a relief, even if the now heavier packs have also slowed us down a bit!We wanted to go further this afternoon, but concern about making the next water source and finding a stealth site large enough for our three tents before dark made us conservative, so we stopped early. With only 76.8 miles to go, we need to cover more ground tomorrow, once we get over White Cap Mountain...
Date: 2012-09-21
From: Sidney Tappan Campsite (ME)

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to (ME)
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 164: Crossing White Cap Mountain [See Post #17 (October 11th) entry for an extended recap.]We climbed West Peak, Hay Mountain, and White Cap Mountain, getting our first great view of Katahdin (70 trail miles away), and making our last climb above 2,000' until the final day. Leaving the White Cap summit, Kleenex tripped and had a run in with a small tree or big bush which left a nasty scratch on her right cheek. Just past Logan Brook Lean-to, Castaway began experiencing foot pain that would trouble him the rest of the day, but he persevered, saying if it wasn't better in the morning, he might need some time off. After we forded the east branch of the Pleasant River, the trail eased up and we decided to try and make this shelter before dark. We made it and found no one here! A creepy man dressed in a flannel shirt and dungarees (obviously not a hiker) made an appearance a little later, but apparently moved on. Tonight we are less than 60 miles from Katahdin...
Date: 2012-09-22
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to

To: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: moderate rain

Day 165: Jo-Mary and beyond (100 Mile Wilderness continued)[See Post #19 (October 13th) entry for an extended recap.]A day of more roots, rocks, and rickety bog boards. Castaway's right foot got no better overnight, and at Jo Mary Road, he considered a ride to town, but decided to slow his pace, take a day or two off at the White House Landing hostel, and see about re-joining the Gang of Four to summit Katahdin. We hope rest will provide a cure...The other story of the day involves the eight pound pack of food left by a hiker at a shelter which two southbounders took to be abandoned and which the owner had to chase down twelve miles to recover when he discovered it missing from his pack. It deserves a better telling, but that will have to wait until later. A congenial crowd is at tonight's shelter: Flintstone (who we haven't seen since the NOC!), Stoves, Stoves' Dad, Kleenex and us. What started as a rather soggy 1st day of Autumn ended quite nicely with a handsome campfire on a damp, but clearing night with just a sliver of moon visible through the trees...
Date: 2012-09-23
From: Wadleigh Stream Lean-to

To: Hurd Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 166: 99% Done!We wake up at 4:50. We start packing up at 4:59. At 5:01 the heavens open up and the rains pour down. (Stoves, a Maine native, remarks, "It's just a cloud!") At 5:01:01 1/2, the Troverts rejoice at being under the tin roof of the shelter and being able to pack up dry gear. At 6:20 the Gang of Four (minus one) begin the day's hiking and the rain immediately stops for the rest of the day...Out of camp we begin a steep 700' climb up Nesuntabunt Mountain. We don't mind as we hope the fair trade off will be to have cell service and a view of Katahdin, only 16 miles distant. Katahdin is in and out of the clouds and mist, like she does not want to reveal herself all at once today. We have no phone service on top to send several days worth of Trail Journals reports to the BCM, but find a spot on the way down where we can get a few text messages out to our neighbor Susan to report our progress and seek assistance on finding a place to stay in Baxter SP tomorrow night. We also have a brief note from Castaway confirming he is at White House Landing taking a zero. The wet roots and rocks are especially troublesome until the first gravel road, but by Crescent Pond, the sun is breaking through and the temperature is starting to drop. As we take a break on the logging road bridge over Pollywog Stream, it's a perfect autumn morning for hiking, with the wind rustling the first changing leaves of fall. We eat lunch at the Rainbow Stream shelter, where we are behind schedule for our day's goal of 19 miles, but the trail, although still muddy and full of roots, allows us to pick up the pace in the afternoon, with Kleenex and X sharing most of the lead. The woods and ponds are quite lovely when we're not dealing with decrepit bog boards.After several miles of skirting Rainbow Lake (where in addition to several day hikers we've encountered, we meet two young men who've come in by float plane to fish the local lakes), we begin the 400' climb up to the Rainbow Ledges. The trail follows wide expanses of exposed rock until around a corner, there in the distance is the Mighty Katahdin, in a clear view with only a few puffy clouds as a crown, and lit by the full afternoon western sun. It's enough to take our breath away, and we gaze in awe. We've walked 2163.1 miles, now there are only 21.1 more to  go. We take pictures, finally get some emails to go, and then just stare, until we realize we still have 2.5 miles to the shelter before dark. Just as we cross Hurd Brook, we are passed by two of our younger shelter mates from last night, Stoves and Flintstone. We are happy to leave the lean-to and its old style "baseball bat floor" to them, as we find spots for our two tents close to the nearby pond. It's a rush to get water, cook dinner, and eat one of our last meals in the Wilderness, but we get our bear bag hung right at dark. Tomorrow should be a hectic day for us, and we hope the weather holds until Tuesday morning...
Date: 2012-09-24
From: Hurd Brook Lean-to (ME)

To: Katahdin Stream Campground (Baxter State Park ME)
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: broken clouds

Day 167: Abol Bridge and Baxter State ParkWe got up with Kleenex's sister Alison (which was not as easy as we make it sound here, in a park with no electricity and hardly any phone coverage, cell or otherwise!) and arranged for her to slack pack us from the Baxter State Park boundary at Abol Bridge to the last campsite we'll use before summiting mighty Katahdin. Carrying some Gatorade and just a few snacks, we flew down the first and last sections of trail, being slowed only in the middle part by one final stream ford. We signed in at the ranger station, being Northbound thru-hikers #538 and #539. We had been 839 and 840 at Springer Mountain, and 614 and 615 at Harpers Ferry. Last year, Baxter's total count was 589, and there are still three full weeks left in this year's hiking season! We first learned about the Charon's in Georgia, and first met them just past the C&O Canal. We would have enjoyed hiking with them more, but multiple zeroes for health issues (both N and Tree Trunk) and our nephew's July wedding always seemed to keep us a few days apart. Since Connecticut, we have been consistently one or two days behind them, and the beneficiaries of their "trail intel" on conditions ahead. Today as we stood in front of Abol Bridge store, low and behold, they come walking up out of the campground, where they spent the previous night! Tonight we share a six person campsite with them not ten feet from the AT. Their friend Debbie is taking care of Yo-Yo for Log who is also with us (as dogs are banded from wild primitive Baxter SP), while Alison and Kleenex's friend Beth are at a cabin about ten minutes away. We all are together for one final meal on the trail, sitting at the first picnic table we've seen since Crawford Notch, way back in The White's. The mood around the table is one of both excitement and melancholy. One final day will bring this great adventure to an end. And that day is here at last...
Date: 2012-09-25
From: Katahdin Stream Campground (Baxter State Park ME)

To: KSC
Miles today: 0.0

[For those at home who wish to sing along with today's summiting song, we suggest you do a search on YouTube for an instrumental version of the main theme from the epic WWII D-Day movie "The Longest Day." N is partial to the one by the Mitch Miller Chorus, especially the whistling parts...] (Here is the link.)The Final DayMany folks hiked out of Georgia. One in five walked all the way. Now a climb up Mt. Kathadin Marks their final A.T. day. Many gals are tired and weary. Many guys slept cold and wet. Now the view from Mt. KathadinIs a scene they won't forget. A six month hike, a six month hike:What is there not to like?Through the rain and wind and hail,On the Appalachian Trail. Counting steps, there were five million. Fourteen states along the way. One more time, pick up your backpack,As we hike the final day.