morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-07-17
From: Glencliff, NH

To: Kinsman Notch
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: broken clouds

We all got up early and hit the trail by 6:45. I think everyone was nervous about the descent of Mount Moosilauke. We had heard a lot about it and everybody warned us that it was going to be dangerous going down.The ascent turned out to be not too serious but the decent was genuinely sketchy and dangerous for most of the three hours it took us to get down. Much of this was brought on by how wet the trail was but a lot of it had to do with simple trail design coming straight down sheets of barren rock.At the end of the day we found a good stealth campsite near a pond that was very nice. Since the weather was forecast to get severe we decided to call it a day early and had our tents pitched by 2 p.m.That turned out to be a good idea since we ended up with a severe storm coming through around two to three hours later. We were glad to be safely in our tents and not on the ascent of Kingsman Peak at that time. It was a good day!
Date: 2017-07-18
From: Kinsman Notch

To: Kinsman Pond shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Knowing that the trail had gotten more difficult we got a very early start but in the end today turned out to be the hardest day on trail since Springer with respect to trail conditions.We worked very hard for every foot throughout the day. Mostly once again this was due to very wet trail with lots of mud and some super steep sections.The White Mountains are genuinely no joke and we'll be glad to get up onto the ridgeline after the ascent from Franconia notch in a couple of days.We reached the Kinsman Pond campsite around 4:30 p.m. and decided to call it a day. We had hoped to make it to Lonesome Lake Hut but we realized we would get there too late to likely get a work for stay.We pitched all three tents on one very large 10 platform and settled in for the evening after a great conversation with Mark who is the new caretaker for that campsite. It was a beautiful spot at the end of a very grueling but overall good day.
Date: 2017-07-19
From: Kinsman Pond shelter

To: Franconia notch
Miles today: 4.6
Weather: scattered clouds

We hiked down from the shelter and reached the Hut around 8:30 in the morning. I stepped inside and asked if they were any leftovers from breakfast and within a few minutes we were all seated around the table eating oatmeal and eggs.After eating we did the dishes, even though we weren't asked, as a means of payment for the gracious gesture.We quickly hiked the remainder of the distance down to the notch and ate a decent lunch at The Flume restaurant. Shortly afterwards our shuttle arrived and we reached the hostel ready for showers and some down time.We went into town and enjoyed ourselves while we resupply after drinking a few beers at a local restaurant. It was a great day!
Date: 2017-07-20
From: Franconia notch

To: Garfield Ridge Campsite
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: few clouds

We were later leaving the hostel than usual, but after getting our packs together we managed to hit the trail around 8:30.The day started off with a 3,800'+ climb to the top of Mount Lafayette. Today we really started to feel like we were in the Whites for the first time. Our legs were tired, but our hearts were full!We enjoyed our time at the summit while being accosted by a begging Raven. The walk along the ridgeline after lunch was amazing.It was a great day!
Date: 2017-07-21
From: Garfield Ridge Campsite

To: Ethan Pond shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: clear sky

Caboose and I rolled out of camp at 6:30 with Popcorn and Sarge in tow. Since we had a potentially tough day planned, an earlier start was important. The morning was filled with smiles and we made good time over the very tough terrain. That included a 1/4 mile stretch hiking down a minor waterfall.The morning hours were difficult, but we laughed and enjoyed ourselves. After enjoying lunch at the hut we hiked the final miles to the campsite over amazing trail.I found the caretaker and we all pitched our tents on a group platform. That's harder with a non-freestanding tent, but Caboose and I managed to get it done.
Date: 2017-07-22
From: Ethan Pond shelter

To: Lakes of the Clouds hut
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: mist

Caboose and I experienced an amazing day of hiking with Sarge and Popcorn. Like all hiking in the White's, it was difficult, but the scenery was amazing and we made good time.After a stop for lunch at Mizpah hut, we continued on to Lakes of the Clouds hut and arrived by 3:30. It was a bit early to request a work for stay, but we were successful in asking and were all excited to have a place for the night.After dinner we did our chores and retired to the dining hall for the evening. As a final reward for our efforts we were treated to a fireworks show from the cog train station thousands of feet below us. It was a unique experience to witness the fireworks below us.What an amazing day!
Date: 2017-07-23
From: Lakes of the Clouds hut

To: Osgood tent site
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: light rain

None of the thru-hikers at the hut got any sleep due to the dozens of hikers walking back and forth to the bathroom all night.After getting our gear together we ate breakfast and moved on. The climb up to Mount Washington went quickly and it was a beautiful morning for it since we Could See For Miles in every direction.After grabbing a quick snack at the snack bar on top we moved on toward Madison Hut. The hiking on the north side of Mount Washington was immediately more difficult and much slower and the rest of the day went by with much effort compared to the miles gained.We ate lunch at Madison hot and then climbed over Madison and worked our way very slowly down to Osgood tent siteThe scree field that we had to work our way down was dangerous, steep, and mentally exhausting.By the time we reached Osgood tent site we had barely managed to average a mile an hour for the day and we were all exhausted. It was probably the hardest 10 miles Caboose and I have ever hiked.Hopefully they won't be much more of this to come.
Date: 2017-07-24
From: Osgood tent site

To: Pinkham Notch
Miles today: 4.7
Weather: moderate rain

We hiked a fast 4.7 miles after getting up early so that we could get to the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center and catch a ride into the hostel. The trail was smooth and they hiking went very well. After arriving at the hostel we got settled in, resupplied for the coming days, and then relaxed for the evening.It was a good day!
Date: 2017-07-25
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Gorham
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: scattered clouds

In the interest of getting some miles under our belt we decided to slack pack this section of Trail. In the end we were glad that we had made that decision as the trail was extremely difficult in the morning going over the Wildcats on slick slab rock.We hiked hard throughout the day and by early afternoon it was obvious it was going to be a very long day. We finally reached the far trailhead 12 hours and 33 minutes after we started the day.It was a great day of hiking and we enjoyed each other's company throughout the day. But in the end we were glad to be done.
Date: 2017-07-26
From: Gorham

To: Gentian Pond shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

We caught our shuttle back to the trailhead and hiked through the morning headed to the gentian pond shelter.The trail was much different after leaving Gorham Northbound that it had been prior to that point. It felt more like we were back in Tennessee or Virginia for a while until we got higher up and started to hit the rocky trails again.Both Caboose and I were happy to be hiking with friends like Popcorn, Sarge, and Pudge.It was a good day!
Date: 2017-07-28
From: Full Goose Shelter

To: Speck Pond shelter
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: scattered clouds

The day started with us heading for the MahoosuP notch probably with a little bit of fear in our guts. The notch itself turned out to be fun although very slow. We came out the North End approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes after we started.Caboose and I enjoyed a good lunch with Popcorn, Sarge, and Pudge. After lunch we made the ascent on the Mahoosuc arm which was a very steep climb, but it seemed to go quickly.As we descended I began to realize how much fatigue I felt and by the time we reached Speck Pond campsite I was done for the day after only five point one miles.It was a tough day...
Date: 2017-07-29
From: Speck Pond shelter

To: Andover
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: few clouds

We got an early start and were on trail by 6 a.m. this morning. The day was filled with smiles and it was incredible Trail for the first time in weeks. The climb up over baldpate and down which had been hyped to be very dangerous turned out to be a non-event as we walked over and back down the rock slabs without issue.We stopped for lunch around 1 in the afternoon, enjoyed the typical peanut butter and jelly wrap, and then finished our day by 3:45 after viewing an amazing waterfall and headed into town to stay at the lodge and enjoy a fine dinner. All in all it was our best day since we got into Maine and the views on top of Baldpate mountain brought tears to my eyes for the first time in months. It's good to be a thru-hiker!
Date: 2017-07-30
From: Andover

To: South Arm Rd. stealth campsite
Miles today: 10.1

The day started out with an early morning walk over to the local ball field in hopes of seeing a cow moose and calf that are frequently spotted there in the morning. When I arrived and there were no moose and attendance I went over to the local market to have breakfast and a cup of coffee where I was informed that the Moose usually comes around 4:30 a.m. and that was too early for me this morning.After we all eat breakfast a little later we got a shuttle back to the trail where I am mediately realized I had left my hiking shoes back at the hostel as I watched the shuttle drive away knowing I had no cell phone service.Of all the times to become a bit senile this was not one of those times and I had a minor meltdown for a moment before asking popcorn, Sarge, and punch to hike on ahead. I told them we would catch up with them after I sorted this issue out.Thankfully, I was only a quarter mile down the road hiking the nine miles back toward town when I somehow managed to get cell phone service and called the Hostile to have the shoes delivered. Within 30 minutes I was wearing my shoes and was hiking on the trail back toward our friends.We caught up around lunch time and finished the day together enjoying each other's company on another beautiful day of hiking. Southern Maine has been hard but knowing that we are on the home stretch seems to continue to push us all through.It was a fantastic day!
Date: 2017-07-31
From: South Arm Rd. stealth campsite

To: Sabbath Day Pond lean-to
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

Given that we have committed to a finish date of August 18th and time is inevitably marching by, we decided to put in a longer day. The trail was probably more difficult than we had originally realized and by the end of 17 miles we were all fairly exhausted.Some of that exhaustion stemmed from a lack of water at one of the shelters and all of us were dehydrated by the time we got to camp.Even though there was a beautiful swimming spot with a Sandy pond I told Caboose I just wanted to pitch the tent get dinner cooked and go to bed. Since she isn't much of a swimmer, there was no argument from her. By the time Sarge, fudge, and popcorn had all rolled in we were thinking about sleep.We are particularly concerned about popcorn as he looked extremely fatigued and just wasn't himself when he came in around 6:30 p.m.Hopefully tomorrow he feels better.
Date: 2017-08-01
From: Sabbath Day Pond lean-to

To: Rangely
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: clear sky

This morning was a very difficult morning since when it was time to get up and Hike popcorn remained in his tent. He just didn't have the energy or the mental desire to go on at this point as he was feeling very poorly.We all told him we would see him later in the day and hide on over beautiful easy trail for the 9.4 miles down to the road to get a ride into Rangeley.Once in town we went ahead and grabbed something to eat, and then took care of our resupply. Once we got to the local supermarket I ran in to use the bathroom prior to purchasing supplies. You can imagine my surprise when I looked down and noted a significant amount of blood in my urine. Certainly this is not normal and not to be expected on a thru-hike. But, it's not uncommon among the ultra marathon runners and even marathoners to occasionally have the condition known as hematuria. I decided to go ahead and tell Caboose since I knew she would be upset if I didn't. I just made it a point to hydrate especially well the rest of the day and the condition went away within a few hours. Hopefully it is nothing serious!Our original intent was to hike on after taking care of business, but we found an amazing room at the Farmhouse Inn with 3 beds, a private bath, and a kitchenette. We all agreed that Popcorn would like the comfort of a room and a short day.Unfortunately, by dinner time he hadn't shown up and we heard from Monkey that Popcorn was still in his tent when Monkey left camp hours after we did.Concern was evident and none of us were very cheerful for much of the afternoon and evening. We are praying he's feeling better, but since he doesn't have cell service we cannot contact him.We shared dinner and ice cream in town and went straight to bed, worried about our friend.
Date: 2017-08-02
From: Rangely

To: Sluice Brook Logging Road stealth campsite
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Knowing that we had Saddleback to get over we got an early start and hit the trail. We were all still very concerned about popcorn but with no way to contact him there was nothing to be done but hike on and hope for the best.We got over Saddleback in beautiful weather and the views are nothing short of miraculous. We all had tired legs but we made it to a Logging Road which was a perfect place to camp just as the sky began to rumble and it looked like we were going to get a bad thunderstorm.We pitched our tents in a beautiful spot near a gorgeous small waterfall and set up camp.While getting things together I had just enough of a cell phone signal that I was able to get a text message from popcorn. It was not good news. He informed me that he was feeling very poorly and asked us all to hike on without him since he felt at that time that he would probably be ending his hike early.When I shared this news with Pudge and Sarge it created a very somber time. We know it's possible since people do stop their hike close to the end but the see someone as dedicated as Popcorn thinking about doing that very thing broke our hearts.After dinner, we all went to bed with a prayer in mind that things would work out well for our friend.
Date: 2017-08-03
From: Sluice Brook Logging Road stealth campsite

To: stealth campsite under North Crocker Mountain
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: clear sky

It was a relatively good night of sleep since we were all very exhausted from the unseasonable heat. The highs have been approaching ad with high humidity and that's very rare this far north. Even given the great sleep I just did not want to get up this morning. My energy levels have been very low and I haven't been feeling myself, especially since the health-related issue in Rangeley.We did get up and get moving at a decent time however and I was rewarded shortly thereafter by an amazing experience. Well hiking at the head of the line and enormous moose broke out of the brush and ran across the trail in front of me as it went up the mountain.Unfortunately, Caboose who has been wanting to see a moose so badly was too far back in line to Spot It. Hopefully she'll get another chance for their North.This was another day of very difficult hiking as we went up in over South and North Crocker Mountain as well as an earlier climb almost to the summit of Sugarloaf which is the second tallest mountain in Maine. The trail has been difficult most of the day and we were all very tired by the time we reached the stealth campsite by a spring under the summit of North Crocker.The tent sites were fairly terrible with very little level ground and we pitched our tent in what amounted to a bowl filled with roots. But with the oncoming thunderstorm we were glad to have it and approximately 15 minutes after getting the tent pitched we were inside while the rain came down for an hour. We've been very lucky with respect to getting out of the weather the last few weeks.After it stopped raining, we cooked dinner and filtered water before heading to bed. For the past few nights I've been getting dizzy when I lay down and tonight was no different. Hopefully this passes soon! We're so close...
Date: 2017-08-04
From: stealth campsite under North Crocker Mountain

To: Stratton
Miles today: 4.2
Weather: overcast clouds

After a restless night of sleeping on roots, we hiked the 4.2 miles downhill on rough trail to the road that leads into Stratton Maine.In addition to being dizzy, I felt somewhat nauseated as soon as I lay down in the tent last night. I have also had a deep level of fatigue that is becoming worse and worse. On the way down to the road this morning the wind picked up and it felt like rain coming from the trees which caused me to basically snap. I had reached the end of my rope dealing with crappy weather and rough trail so I decided to call it a day in Stratton and recharge my mental batteries.This was a difficult decision to make as I know it affected the entire group, including Caboose, who seemed to be just fine to go on but as always my loving wife supported my decision to take a day off trail and get a few things done including just rest and relax.After eating breakfast together we went into town where Caboose and I got a room that included a single bed so Sarge would have a place to stay as well. Pudge decided to go ahead and hike out, which we completely understand on a beautiful day like today having hiked only just over four miles.Hopefully tomorrow I will have more desire to continue hiking.I took a quick shower and I went to get our laundry done and just spend some quiet time by myself to get my head straight.Only a few weeks left...sure hope I feel better.
Date: 2017-08-05
From: Stratton

To: Little Bigelow lean-to
Miles today: 15.3

It turned out that a short day filled with much rest was exactly what the doctor ordered. That and the fact that I started taking antibiotics in case I had Lyme disease seems to have already begun to improve my energy levels.Caboose, Sarge, and I were all a little nervous since we did not know what to expect in the Bigelow's. It turned out that even though the weather was very windy with low visibility up high, we had a good hike.There were some exposed ridgelines and Peaks but at no time was it slippery and I think we all actually enjoyed the experience throughout the day. It's unfortunate there were no views as we'd been told you could see both Mount Washington and Katahdin from the top of Avery Peak. But we've been blessed with great weather so much for the last month that none of us could complain.We arrived in Camp tired but happy to find a place to pitch our tents and called it a night.
Date: 2017-08-06
From: Little Bigelow lean-to

To: Kennebec River
Miles today: 21.3
Weather: light rain

Knowing that we had over 21 miles to get to the river none of us really expected to make it by the 2 p.m. cutoff for the canoe ferry across to Caratunk. With that in mind, we set off at a pace that would make the 21 miles go by as quickly as possible without completely exhausting ourselves.We had great weather and there were some amazing views along the way. Some of the nicest Trail we'd had in Maine thus far so we all felt like we were blessed to enjoy this dayOnce we got to the river around 4 p.m. could moose and I tried to dry our tent out down by the bank but there was not much sun at that point in the day, so it never really dried.We carried the tent back up to an old roadbed bed just as you reach the Kennebec River and pitched it there, where we had a beautiful view across the river both upstream and downstream.Both of us as well as Sarge admitted that we were tired but that it had been a good day.
Date: 2017-08-07
From: Kennebec River

To: Bald Mountain Brook lean-to
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: moderate rain

Last night we all joked about being able to sleep in this morning, but as always that never really happened. Knowing that many hikers behind us would be arriving at the river we decided to get down there so that we didn't have to wait for too many Ferry trips. Since the ferryman can only take two hikers at a time and we had heard rumors of up to 20 or 30 hikers waiting recently, we decided to beat everyone to the punch and got down to the river around 7:30.By 9:15 we were across the river where we ran into Mr. Bean, a thru-hiker sponsored by LL Bean around 20 years ago. He's a very nice guy who we've had the pleasure of meeting along the trail a few times.Caboose and I were thrilled to see Jam standing in front of the hostel as we walked up and we greeted one another with a large hug. We had not seen him in close to two months and it felt good to be reunited as he had come north from New Hampshire so he could finish the hike with us.Along with Sarge, we resupplied quickly at the hostel just up from the river crossing and we were back on trail with Pudge, Jam, and Honey Sticks along with us by 10:15.Since they were not as many big climbs as there have been in recent days we made good time along the nice trail. We were in camp a little after 5 p.m. input arrived about 45 minutes later. We were worried about her since she sounded terrible and had all the signs and symptoms of a bad sinus infection. We were hopeful that a good night of rest along with some Benadryl and ibuprofen would help her to feel better.All in all, it was a good day.
Date: 2017-08-08
From: Bald Mountain Brook lean-to

To: Monson
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: mist

When we awoke this morning Pudge said she was feeling much better and although she still sounded stuffy we were hopeful that she was on the mend.Caboose and I were both eagerly anticipating sometime in town and in speaking to everyone else that seemed to be the general consensus.It's strange how after this many miles, in many ways we feel a little weaker now than we did a thousand miles back. It's almost like we spent the first half of the trip getting stronger and then the second half of the trip trying not to wear out.With that in mind we weren't too eager about doing a 22-mile day, so we took the earlier route at 18.7 mi into Monson after what was a fun day of hiking.It was a fantastic day of hiking on great trail with good friends!
Date: 2017-08-09
To: Monson
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Like most of zero days, this is zero day was spent doing the myriad of things that are left undone while you're on the trail. So, we ended the day nearly as tired as we started. It's just part of trail life and we've come to accept that we won't get any real rest for another week and a half until we summit that large mountain 117 miles north of us.