morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-06-27
From: Crocker Cirque Campsite, ME

To: Poplar Ridge Lean To, ME
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: few clouds

As I was leaving my campsite this morning at 6 am, I was a little worried about fording the South Branch Carrabassett River. Two people told me to be careful because the current was swift and it could take you down very easily. I was hoping that it had receded enough to be safe to cross.As I approached the river one mile into my hike, the noise of the rapids became very loud. It still looked plenty dangerous, so I did what my friends had done and what they had suggested to me and I went 100 feet upstream and crossed. It was still moving swiftly and the pull on my body was strong, but I kept my balance and didn't step on any slippery rocks. I made it across OK. The water was freezing and it got up to my waist. Once on the other side, I cleaned my feet off , put on my socks and shoes, and headed south toward home.I headed for the Spaulding Mountain Lean To for lunch. I met a lady, trail name Moxie, who was drying out everything that she owned. She had apparently slipped on a rock and was carried downstream 100 feet before she could latch on to something and pull herself out. She lost her Crocs in the process and walked out barefooted. She plans to get new ones in Rangeley.After lunch, it was eight miles to the next shelter where I planned to spend the night. I had to ford the Orbeton Stream, but it was mild and I had no problem with it.Spaulding Mountain (4000 feet) was the high climb for the day. All the other mountains were in the 3000 foot range. The shelter I am in is at about the 3000 foot level.Black flies have not been a problem for me, but I do notice them more at the higher elevations. Mosquitoes are very bad but my 100% deet keeps them at bay.I have been passing by northbounders who are within 200 miles of reaching their goal and finishing their hike. They are usually ultra light, young, and moving fast.It was sunny and warm today. It was a good hiking day.Good night.
Date: 2014-06-28
From: Poplar Ridge Lean To, ME

To: Rangeley Highway 4, ME
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: broken clouds

As the song goes," I couldn't sleep at all last night." I tried to avoid being at the same shelter where the missing lady hiker from last year had been on the last day that she was seen. I thought I had missed it by one shelter. But last night while Moxie was reading the shelter journal, she read aloud that the lady had been photographed, and after she left this shelter for her journey north that morning, she was never seen again. All night long I wondered how someone with a pack and poles and a body could disappear without a trace. Even after a very extensive ground and air search and hundreds of volunteers and dogs tried too, they found nothing. Not a single clue to witness that she was ever there. Occasionally, they will still search for her. As I lay in bed pondering this, I couldn't stop thinking that I had probably walked right past the spot where she had disappeared because she was hiking the exact same trail as me. This whole thing sort of bothered me, and I was glad to leave the area.I was hiking by 06:30 thinking I might see a moose so I had my camera ready but I didn't see one.Big hiking day. I hiked up and over Saddleback Junior @ 3655 feet, The Horn @ 4032 Feet, and Saddleback Mountain @ 4120 feet.I am experiencing a caloric deficit. I can't consume enough calories to keep my energy level high past 2 pm which translates into slow hiking and general total body weakness.This is the result of the harder work load of more mountains in New England that are both higher and steeper.Therefore, I will need to go into towns more frequently to consume huge quantities of food. This always seems to build my energy back up. I believe my weight has slipped down into the 150's which is not good. I carry as much food as I am physically able and I eat as much as I can in the field without running out of food. I did come close to running out several times. So I decided to come to Rangeley one day early to resupply and eat. Until I pass Vermont, I will need more town visits to get these extra calories.A lot of locals were on top of Saddleback Mountain today, beautiful hiking day, beautiful views. I really enjoyed being up there and so that's where I ate my lunch and answered peoples questions about my hike.A ridge runner took this picture of me on Saddleback. You haven't seem my mug in awhile so I put it in.Sorry for the lapse in journals, but we had computer problems and they are now repaired.I found a Catholic Church and tomorrow is Sunday, so I am hoping that the Priest shows up. Thank you for following along.Good night.
Date: 2014-06-29
From: Rangeley Highway 4, ME

To: Rangeley, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Zero DayRangeley is a resort town, and it appears Rangeley Lake is the big attraction. There is swimming, boating, fishing, jet skiing, and just relaxing on a park bench along its shores.It is advertised that Rangeley is halfway between the equator and the North Pole; 3107 miles in either direction. Like other small towns it has its little shops and restaurants.My wife taught me to like small towns, and I consider it an important part of this journey. When I am in a small town, all I can think about is her.I enjoyed mass this morning, the church was packed with people, some even standing. The population here swells in the summertime. In July and August this church goes to two masses on Sunday.In its hey day, The Rangeley Inn pictured above used to draw wealthy clients by train from New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. They would come here to enjoy Rangeley Lake's serenity. It is also the closest lodging to Saddleback Mountain for winter skiing.See you on the trail.Good night.
Date: 2014-06-30
From: Rangeley, ME

To: Campsite Mile # 234.6, ME
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: overcast clouds

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SON PAUL WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN 38 TODAY.With my food laden pack, I was hiking by 9 am. My pack is up to ten pounds heavier after a town visit so I start slowly and build up speed.It was warm and humid as I hiked along so I sweat a lot today.I ate lunch at Sabbath Day Pond Lean To. No one else was there. The pond pictured above is to the front of the lean to. It is both the drinking water supply and the swimming hole for this shelter, but I haven't yet seen anyone swim.As I was hiking along a lady asked me if I was 3x5? She is doing a section of the trail to Mt. Katahdin and she said that she was following my journal. Her trail name is Andante and she said she would sign my guest book. I will correct the spelling of her name when I see how she spells it. It's a musical term that means slowly. She plans to summit Mt. Katahdin with her son on August 4th.Tonight I am in a tent at a trail side camp. No one else is here. My food bag is hung and it's time for bed.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-01
From: Campsite Mile # 234.6, ME

To: Hall Mountain Lean To, ME
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: few clouds

Hiked 14 hours today. There were many steep climbs and descents. I am in my tent tonight. My clothes are on my clothesline drying because they are soaking wet from perspiration.Got in late. Very tired.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-02
From: Hall Mountain Lean To, ME

To: Andover, ME
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I believe yesterday was the hardest one time hiking day I have ever had. I recalled all the water I drank throughout the day and it was ten liters. All day long from 6 am to 8 pm it was up and down hiking and it was hot and humid. The sweat that dripped down from my shirt soaked my long hiking pants all the way down to my socks. I actually rang them out, hung them up, and put on dry clothes. I put up my tent and went to bed. When I woke up I felt like a million bucks.I came into the very small town of Andover, ME (one block long) for resupply. My next resupply will be in Gorham, NH about 45 miles from here.North bounders that pass by tell me the challenges are about to begin. Some tough times lay ahead for about 100 miles which includes Mahoosuc Notch, the hardest one mile on the Appalachian Trail.While taking a shower at this hostel and washing my hair, I noticed a large bump on the back of my head and one on my neck. I went to the lady caretaker and asked her to look at them. She believes they are black fly bites that you can't always feel when the flies are biting you. They swell up but should go away. If they don't subside by Gorham, I will go to the doctor.The hostel has a scale so I weighed myself. After a large breakfast I weighed in at a huge 160 pounds. Welterweight.See you on the trail.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-03
From: Andover, ME

To: Baldpate Lean To, ME
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: scattered clouds

My overnight stay at the Pine Ellis Hostel in Andover was a good one. The owners were nice folks. The town had three different places to eat in a two block area and I ate in all of them while I was there. The little Red Hen Restaurant had just reopened in its new location down the street from where it had originally been, and I was its first customer this morning.The owner then shuttled me to the trailhead and at 10 am I was off and hiking south on the Appalachian Trail toward my wife and our home in PA.As I ate lunch at Frye Notch Lean To, I laid out my hiking plans for the day. Because I had to hike over Baldpate Mountain (3810 feet), I only had enough time to advance one more shelter.Here in New England I can't just say to myself anymore that I want to hike twenty miles tomorrow. I have to pay strict attention to the terrain profile or I might be trying to hike over three large mountains and get into camp very late and totally exhausted. I might just as well face the fact that my daily mileage will be lower for awhile. Once I get beyond Vermont, maybe I can get back to my twenty to twenty five mile days.When I was atop Baldpate Mountain, I was able to call my wife. While talking to her and sitting and looking out at the beautiful scenery below, I heard this fluttering behind me. I turned to look and saw two birds bathing in a shallow pool of water right behind me. They allowed me to take their picture. If you enlarge the picture you can see them bathing.I am in the shelter tonight with Moxie. Two lady hikers are tenting. One of the ladies named Sally gave me her phone number and said that when I get near Waynesboro, PA give her a call and she will shuttle me around. She said Waynesboro wants to be a hiker friendly town and that she likes to help hikers when they need a ride. Thank you Sally.Getting dark.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-04
From: Baldpate Lean To, ME

To: Speck Pond Shelter & Campsite, ME
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: broken clouds

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULYLast night after I went to bed four more hikers came into the shelter. It rained very hard for most of the night and made everything very slippery and slick today.Coming down off Speck Mountain (4033), I was caught in a rainstorm. I was above the tree line near the top of the mountain and the wind was blowing pretty hard. In no time I was soaking wet. The trail had a lot of overgrowth and because I had to brush against it, it made me even wetter. This meant that the very steep decent was extremely slippery and it took a lot of time. I wanted to get to the next closest shelter that was 1.1 miles from the mountain top so that I could change into warmer clothing.I made it to Speck Pond Shelter and immediately removed all my clothes and put on dry ones. It was about an hour before I could use my fingers to button my shirt.I thought it would be too dangerous to go on. There is another steep decent tomorrow and also the Mahoosuc Notch is waiting for me down there. Supposedly the toughest mile on the Appalachian Trail. I hope conditions improve by morning. I will try drying my shirt in my sleeping bag tonight.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-05
From: Speck Pond Shelter & Campsite, ME

To: Carlo Col Shelter And Campsite, ME
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: clear sky

It was cold and rainy last night. I slept in an hour later than normal because it was raining. It was also very foggy and that made it hard to see beyond twenty feet.As I was eating breakfast, I was thinking of what lay ahead of me for today. I heard the other hikers talking about how they weren't looking forward to the day's events because of all the slippery rocks.It stopped raining so I started hiking down the Mahoosuc Arm. This is a pretty steep downhill. As I was leaving the shelter this morning, Tonto a north bounder who came up the Arm yesterday, said he didn't envy me. Coming up the arm is one thing, but going down on slippery rocks and boulders is quite another. "Be careful", he said. "I will", I said and congratulated him on finishing up his section hiking of the whole trail.I took my time. Water still draining off the mountain was keeping my walking path wet. I slipped once and once I held on to a tree for support. I ended up coming down the tree like a fireman's pole. This cut my hand and it bled for several hours. When I got to the bottom of the Notch, I breathed a sigh of relief.The Mahoosuc Notch is a mass of rocks and boulders on the Appalachian trail lasting 1.2 miles and it is dubbed the hardest or the most fun mile on the AT. You go up, over, and under large boulders. There is still ice at the bottom of some areas where I have traveled. I had to take my pack off twice and either push or pull it through the narrow openings. You had to study the rock formations for the clues as to which way to go. Go the wrong way and you have to come back and start over. There are blazes and arrows, but not enough to take the guess work out of it.I finished in a little less than two hours. I collapsed my poles and strapped them to my pack. It was like climbing a rock wall. Hands and legs were going to get this job done. Those with upper body strength probably fared better. You had to think two and three moves ahead. If you weren't careful you could fall into a crevice and hurt yourself. For me it was partly fun but mostly exhausting work. I was glad when I walked out of it.Immediately after that, I started hiking up Fulling Mill Mountain (3395 feet) and then Goose Eye Mountain (3686 feet). Finally to get to this shelter, I had to hike up Mt. Carlo (3565 feet). The wind was blowing very hard on the mountain tops. It was pushing me all over the place. It is supposed to be very cold tonight. The wind is roaring outside the shelter. Four tenths of a mile down Mt. Carlo is where I am tonight.So far I am the only one in this log cabin style shelter. I saw two people in the tenting area.I am one half mile from the Maine-New Hampshire border. Maine has been a workout and I will not soon forget it. Maine made a climber out of me. I think my son John would be proud of me. I am pleased.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-06
From: Carlo Col Shelter And Campsite, ME

To: Trident Col Campsite, NH
Miles today: 10.1

I was still the only one in the shelter at 5 am when I got up. It didn't get as cold as I expected, but it was cool. The stars were out in force and it was a nice night.I started hiking at 6:15 am and by 7 am I was in New Hampshire. First mountain up was Mt. Success at 3565 feet.Picture it being early December and you are looking for a Christmas tree. You go to a Christmas tree farm and you walk up and down the rows. Trees on your left and your right, close to your body. That's pretty much what it has been like for me for several weeks now. Pine trees all over the place.The water has a tannic brown color to it when you pull it out of the streams and ponds. The coloring of the water comes from the decaying pine needles. It is safe to drink after it is purified. Most of the water in Maine had to be treated because of the moose droppings everywhere.Tonight I am camped seven miles from Gorham, NH. I went to the camp's water source which is a spring that comes out of the ground. No brown color. Cold, clear, good tasting spring water. I haven't tasted water this good since Georgia and North Carolina.After my resupply in Gorham, I will be entering the White Mountains. I have long felt that this is my favorite mountain range. I have hiked up Mt. Washington six times. The last time I hiked up the mountain I was with my wife and we stayed in Gorham. I know I will be thinking about that.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-07
From: Trident Col Campsite, NH

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: broken clouds

I packed up my tent, ate breakfast, and started hiking at 6:30 am. I had just enough fuel to cook breakfast. I will need to get a gas cylinder for my Jet Boil Stove before I go back out if I want to eat hot food.I hiked almost seven miles to US 2. US 2 goes to Gorham so I started hitch hiking and caught a ride in about 20 minutes. I was about to walk the 3.6 miles when someone pulled over and gave me a lift. This journey is truly an experience.I would like to buy new hiking boots because the ones I have now smell very bad from walking in all the water and bogs.I have never mentioned the bogs before. They are like quick sand. If you step in them some are six inches deep and some are almost two feet deep. Dark, smelly, decaying mud. Bog foot bridges as pictured above are not always in place and you end up losing your balance and falling in. That's how one girl got her trail name. She fell off a footbridge and went knee deep in mud. So you guessed it, people started calling her "Knee Deep". Add water, that I walk through every day, to the bog mix and before long you have a pair of boots that you can't get the stink out of.Every afternoon and evening I take off my boots, remove the foot pads, and let them air out. It gives my feet a chance to dry. Every time I am in town, I clean the foot pads with soap and water. I wash my socks twice.Tomorrow I will take the bus system to Wal-Mart to get items that I could not find in the four stores that are within walking distance. The local store owners complain about the Wal-Mart store being in their neighborhood, but I couldn't find basic items like shoestrings, lithium batteries, bagels, tuna, water flavoring, or wet ones hand towels. I wonder why they don't realize that they are sending people to Wal-Mart. I will at least buy something to spray in my boots to try and kill the odor, if I don't replace them. I was able to get a gas cylinder at a hardware store and they were able to replace a tip on one of my poles.I need to study the White Mountains hiking strategy so I can minimize the problems I will have there. My hand is healing and it's OK.Thank you for all your comments and information, I appreciate it and love you all.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-08
From: Gorham, NH

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Zero DayI was on the local town bus heading for Walmart at 8:30 am. I was able to get everything on my list to finish my resupply for the Whites.For two dollars you can ride the bus all day. Riding buses is another childhood memory for me. As a child, if I wasn't hitch hiking I was riding the bus system. I was only ten years old but I knew how it worked.The hotel where I am staying here in Gorham has a coin operated laundry on the premises. I washed my clothes twice and they were just as dirty afterwards as before I washed them. The manager returned to me all the money I had spent and now as I am writing this, I am at the public laundromat washing my clothes.I must have been bit by a mosquito in the last twelve hours because it's all swollen above my left eye. It's like someone punched me there.A shuttle service is going to pick me up about 09:30 tomorrow and take me back to the trail head where I will continue my trek towards my wife and our home.See you on the trail.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-09
From: Gorham, NH

To: Imp Campsite, NH
Miles today: 8.1

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SON IN LAW JOHN R.I don't think about her too much when I am coming off the trail and trying to find my way into a town. I am occupied with hitch hiking, calling around for a shuttle, or calling hotels to see if a room is available. Once in a town, I am occupied with getting fed, getting clean, cleaning my clothes, shopping, and going to the outfitters for hiking supplies.But once I start to settle out and try to rest, recuperate, and relax, and I have time to think, I really start missing her.It was a nice restaurant I found myself in last night. The kind of restaurant that my wife and I would go to. I ordered the kind of food we would both order. I had Haddock stuffed with crab meat and spinach. And then I just had to let the tears flow because I couldn't hold it back any longer. I can hike fourteen hours a day, I can carry a forty pound pack 25 miles, go long periods of time without water, work without complaining in all the weather elements, but there is no doubt about it; the hardest part of this journey is missing my wife.The shuttle person had me back at the trail head at 10 am.Hiking up Mt. Moriah (3991) was the workout of the day, but because of all the calories I consumed in town, it wasn't too hard.While in town I took my hiking poles to the outfitters to get new tips. They were able to replace one tip on one pole, but they couldn't get the tip off of the other pole because they were afraid they would break the shaft. While trying to remove the tip they probably did come close to breaking the pole, because about an hour into the hike an 8 inch piece of the shaft broke off taking the tip with it. I will limp along with these poles until I get to the next major resupply town where I will buy new hiking poles. I have probably used them for 2000 miles of hiking.I am starting to make my way through the White Mountains. Tonight I am at the Imp Campsite that has a caretaker who collects an eight dollar fee from everyone who uses the shelter. Because of the high usage of the AT in this area, the money helps to defray the cost of maintaining the White Mountain Wilderness area.I hope to make it to Pinkham Notch tomorrow where I will probably spend money to stay the night and get a shower and breakfast the following morning before I leave. If I get in early enough tomorrow, I can also eat supper.So far there are three people in this shelter tonight. One northbounder and two southbounders. We are starting to mix together now in the shelters and tent sites.See you on the trail.Good night.
Date: 2014-07-10
From: Imp Campsite, NH

To: Pinkham Notch, NH
Miles today: 13.1

I left the Imp Campsite at about 6:15 am. The days are getting shorter again. When I first came to Maine it was getting light out at about 4:45 and now it's getting light at 5:15.I hiked up North and Middle Carter Mountain first thing (4610). I took a picture of Mt. Washington from one of the peaks of Wildcat Mountain.I stopped at my first White Mountain hut this afternoon for lunch. I was too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, so they heated me up some soup (two bowls of lentil bean). I also had two thick slices of pumpkin banana bread and a glass of lemonade. I couldn't eat too much because I had to climb Wildcat Mountain almost immediately.On Wildcat Mountain Peak D, I passed the ski gondola. It was in operation with paying customers. For a $12 round trip ticket, I could have gone to the bottom of the mountain, eaten in the restaurant, and and then been lifted back to the top of the mountain. I passed that up.I then made my way to the Joe Dodge Lodge at Pinkham Notch. This is like an AMC hostel. I paid for a room, shower, supper, and breakfast. In the visitor center I purchased new Leki Hiking Poles with locks and trashed my Black Diamond Poles.It was a tough thirteen mile hike today and it made me pretty tired.Good night.