morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-08-14
From: Rangeley

To: Spaulding Mt. Lean-to
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: scattered clouds

I stayed at Bob O¢Brien¢s Hostel last night and it was such a wonderful place. He even put mints on the bed. I wish I had time to zero there because he had a lake in his backyard with a couple of boats. I¢m on an agenda though with not much time to spare. I had to go into town still, do laundry and get my supplies from the post office. By the time I got back to the trail head it was 11:30.It was a nice day for a walk, but to be honest with you, I¢m just simply tired of walking. There were a couple of scenic mountains including Saddleback Mt., which on a clear day, you can see Mt. Washington in the South and Katahdin in the North. It was a little too hazy to see Katahdin though. My day will come though.The group I¢m hiking with now is growing as Misfortune joined us yesterday, and I¢m sure Scoot will be here within a day or two. As we were walking we saw a moose in a pond drinking some water. They are amazing creatures. We sat and watched for awhile. I decided to try and get a little closer for better pictures after awhile, she just got tired of me. The sun fell and darkness engulfed us as we found a shelter to call home for the night. I¢m proud of these miles, but feeling the end is near.
Date: 2006-08-15
From: Spaulding Mt. Lean-to

To: Horns pond Lean-to
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Pretty typical day today. Woke up, ate, and climbed mountains. I arrived into Stratton mentally and physically exhausted because of Crocker Mountain. I ate two meals though and made some phone calls. Upon my hitch back to the AT, I got a second wind and climbed Bigalow Mt. Quicker than I thought. I was the last one in, but this shelter area is amazing. Today should be one of the last difficult days on the trail.
Date: 2006-08-16
From: Horns pond Lean-to

To: Long Falls Dam Rd.
Miles today: 14.0

I woke up in the middle of the night to find a shinning light glaring down from above. No, I wasn¢t being abducted by a UFO, it was half the moon beating it¢s light upon us. I spent a half an hour looking up at it feeling alone in the wilderness even though snoring was in the background. A couple of stars shot across the sky as the others gracefully twinkled as if they were singing. The sky was open, and I was blessed to see it¢s beauty.The morning came quick and so did the mountain climbs. Steep and difficult. I felt malnourished during the morning hike, but upon Avery peak, we glared at a tall peak in the far distance and wondered if it was Katahdin. We¢re not sure, but the dream finally hit me. This journey is real. My emotions rose for the rest of the day and then I realized that I finally reached 2000 miles. We went into Rematch¢s summer cabin after getting picked up by his father Dave. Celebrating the 2000 mark we ate caribou, chicken, venison and possibly moose with potatoes, corn and peas. It was an incredible meal. We all just relaxed as I did some word searching puzzles and listened to music. Their cabin is right on a lake with a beautiful view. A goodnight¢s sleep is what I need. Tomorrow, I¢ll be doing it all over again on the AT.
Date: 2006-08-17
From: Long Falls Dam Rd.

To: Pierce Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: broken clouds

Today was great. I woke up to the smell of sausage, pancakes and eggs at Rematch¢s cabin. We relaxed the morning away there and hit the trail at 12:30. The terrain was as flat as the pancakes I wolfed down so I flew through the miles. I stopped at one lake to have a sandwich I packed out and then swam in another lake a few miles further. I hit a fast pace today as my mind wondered off. It was like when you¢re driving on the interstate for awhile and think about everything except your driving and then you realize, wow, how did I not get into a wreck? After I came to, I felt like I was in a video game or some high tech treadmill walking in one place as the rest of the world was coming at me. I was dodging rocks, roots, logs, branches and these damn little frogs. Anyway, I got to the lean-to by 6, which was by another lake. Tonight, it¢s Scoot, Dub, Dufresne, Misfortune, Bravefriend and Rematch with me. The sun is setting in front of us as we start to plan the end of this journey.
Date: 2006-08-18
From: Pierce Pond Lean-To

To: Bald mt. Brook Lean-To
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up early because I had a date with twelve pancakes filled with raspberries, blueberries and pineapples, a plateful of eggs and sausage at Tim Harrison¢s lodge. It was very close to the shelter I was staying at last night. After a wonderful breakfast, I headed a few more miles towards Caratunk. We all came up to a famous part of the trail where it crosses the Kennebec River. It¢s a dangerous river to ford because of its unpredictability. The water level can rise and surge at any time (a dam upstream releases automatically when power generation is needed, not on a set schedule). An unfortunate section hiker drowned here in 1985 trying to ford after and especially rainy period. Since then, a ferry service has been in operation during peak hiking seasons. The ferry is actually blazed and is the official AT. Dean rowed the canoe and took me and Bravefriend as Rematch and Dufresne swam. The swim took too much energy for me to try. I entered Caratuk, stopped at the post office and then Rematch and I went to Moose Crossing Takeout, a trailer home turned fast food restaurant. As the rest of the group scattered, Rematch and I decided to hitch a ride to another trailhead. It put us closer to the destination and helped us catch up to everyone else. We stopped at Moxie Pond to rest and then moved on the shelter. It was another beautiful day full of surprises, including placing rocks in each other¢s packs as a prank.
Date: 2006-08-19
From: Bald mt. Brook Lean-To

To: Monson
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: broken clouds

I got an early start with a light drizzle, but it didn¢t last very long. The only climb for th day was Moxie Bald Mountain, which wasn¢t too bad at all. Because of the clouds and haziness, I missed another opportunity to see Katahdin. I keep telling myself that my day will come. The terrain after the mountain was pretty easy, but I did have to ford the Piscataquis River. I could have simply put my sandals on, but as stubborn as I can be at times, I simply trudged through shin deep water with my socks and shoes on. I put on dry socks a few miles down at a shelter I had lunch at and then moved on to town. Monson, Maine. The last town of the trip. After this, it¢s the middle of nowhere. I¢m staying at Shaw¢s Hostel and taking break because I earned it. And, rain is supposedly coming tomorrow.
Date: 2006-08-21
From: Monson

To: Long Pond Stream Lean To
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: light rain

After a wonderful and rested zero day, while dodging another rain storm, I woke up to the smell of eggs, bacon, sausage and blueberry pancakes. I had three of everything and then was too full and lazy to hike out. It was still raining though. I ran my errands and then after lunch the seven of us (Scoot, Dub, Misfortune, Dufresne, Bravefriend, and Rematch) headed out. It was a late start, but then again, we're starting later everyday. We ran into Little Wilson Falls and then we had to ford three different rivers. I took off my boots each time and put on my sandals. The water was cold and the rocks were slippery, but somehow I managed. The muddy terrain with slick rocks and roots caused me to have two falls today. In the back of my mind I though "please don't hurt yourself now." The sun is starting to set earlier these days and when we arrived at the shelter it was, yet again, full. There have been so many damn groups, section hikers and day hikers that like to spend half the day in a shelter causing us to scramble in the dark putting up tents and hammocks. We found a spot and set up our stuff in our little area. The stars and out and the cool wind is blowing. The days are dwindling down. Double-digit miles left. Goodnight.
Date: 2006-08-22
From: Long Pond Stream Lean To

To: Carl A Newhall Lean To
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: broken clouds

I walked my last mountain ridge today going over Barren Mountain, Fourth Mt., Third Mt., Columbus Mt., and Chairback Ridge. With slippery rocks and roots, I was sliding all over the place. The clouds came in a couple of times dodging two storms. The big story, however, is that some of my gear is starting to fall apart. My stove just about bit the dust due to rust. And chucks of my soles are coming off of my shoes. Yeah, it takes me to get to the Wilderness when this happens. There are obviously no stoves around so I'll have to make them work until the end.
Date: 2006-08-23
From: Carl A Newhall Lean To

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean To
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was an action packed day after a late start. Soon after I set off. I was hauling down the trail and I noticed an older woman sitting the bushes. I said "Ma'am, is everything okay?" She replied by saying, "I thought you were a moose coming down the trail." I laughed as I calmed her racing heart and told her although I'm ugly like a moose, I'm actually a person. I continued on and walked up the White Cap Mountain Range that included our first exciting view of Katahdin. It's amazing how close it was. It's like I could just cross the street and there it is. But the A.T. is interesting, we walked away from it. The feeling, however, put butterflies in my stomach as a small tear fell down my face. Katahdin is for real. And I saw it...Finally!After coming down White Cap Mt., the terrain was perfectly flat which made smooth sailing miles go by quick. I thought about the 100-mile Wilderness and thought there's no remoteness. This trail is a highway full of section and weekend hikers and I even ran into day hikers that drove up on a nearby road. When I got to that road, I almost got hit by a truck that was hauling down it. I mean, I was almost killed by a damn truck in the "wilderness." To add to that, tomorrow, I'll be eating lunch at a small hostel/camp that offers lunch, dinner, and hospitality. I got to Cooper Brook Falls Lean To and it was packed yet again. It's pretty though and a good place to stay. Luckily, I got one of the last spots in the shelter. I'm going to enjoy tonight, got a lot on my mind.
Date: 2006-08-24
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean To

To: Wadleigh Stream Lean To
Miles today: 22.5
Weather: broken clouds

Because the wilderness offers a blue blaze tail that leads to a hostel with food, we all got up at 5:30 to put our 15 miles in by 11. Their lunch hours are short so timing was everything. I got to a pond with an airhorn and blew it so the guy could pick me up with his motorboat. It was there that I took down, not one, but two, one-pound burgers. According to the owner, I was the first hiker this year to defeat the beef. I felt proud until I got the bill. After getting a boat ride back to the trailhead, I continued the flat trail and stopped by the many amzing lakes and streams. When we got closer to the shelter, Scoot, Rematch and I jumped in Nahmakanta Lake to bathe and wash socks. It's going to be chilly night I think, but we staked out our own little campsite to stay away from the masses of people. The countdown continues. Three days to Katahdin.
Date: 2006-08-25
From: Wadleigh Stream Lean To

To: Abol Bridge Campsite
Miles today: 23.1
Weather: broken clouds

Today brought amazing views of Katahdin as the weather has been absolutely perfect. We all spent time just glaring at the mountain knowing and feeling that this adventure is coming to an end quicker than we thought. My gear on the other hand has been falling apart, literally. Chunks of rubber are coming off my shoes. As much as I wish I could say that I've burned them off from my speed, I actually been taking these days slow. It was a big mileage day. Last 20+ day. It was like the second to the last day at work. you know, the last day you actually get work done. In any regards, I showed up to Abol Bridge which is a supply shop that offers cold beers and junk food. I, of course, took advantage and looked at a "postcard" view of Katahdin from the bridge. I caught Tater and Mountain Doer, two hikers I haven't seen since the early part of the trip. It was a late night, but full of laughs and stories.
Date: 2006-08-26
From: Abol Bridge Campsite

To: "The Birches" Campsite
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: broken clouds

I slept out "cowboy style" under the stars and slept great last night. I bought some supplies fom the campstore and began my last full day of hiking. Even the group stayed together on the trail. Everyone was incredibly quiet and in deep thought. I drifted off and thought about life; Past, Present, Future. I'm starting to feel the change. Everything came at me at once, but the slow stride and amazing views and rivers kept it all in perspective.As I relaxed by a rock, I was being attacked by Canadian Paddlers as six boats stopped to swim down a little waterfall. It was quite strange. They were all wearing the same outfit. Along with the river, we stopped at Big Niagara Falls and Daicy Pond which offered a great view of Katahdin. When we got to the ranger station at the Birches campsite, we got our rules and signed in. I'm number 166 thru-hiker as I was 271 in Harpers Ferry. It doesn't matter thought. Tonight were camping our last night on the A.T. It's going to feature a campfire, marshmellows, beers, laughter and stories. It's the feeling of bittersweetness. Exciting, but sad too.
Date: 2006-08-27
To: KATAHDIN
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

After sleeping in the shadow of Katahdin last night, we all got up pretty gradually. There were some early risers though. I think we all had a lot on our minds and didn't get much sleep. I headed out around 8:15 and signed in the register. The first mile was easy, but my nerves and anxiety hit the roof. I didn't know if I wanted to scream, cry, or throw up and I just began the trek up Katahdin. Katahdin means "greatest mountain" and it's the single biggest climb on the A.T. The elevation change is a drastic 4,000 feet as the summit sits at 5,267 feet. It's where dreams become realities.Once I reached Katahdin Stream Falls, the walking became extreme climbing very quickly. Trekking poles were useless as I grabbed large rocks with my hands and feet. My heart and body raced as my mind told me to slow down. I loved every moment of it. After taking a few breaks and keeping the group close, we reached above treeline and the tabletop section of the A.T. It's a mile of gradual incline. It was, at this time, everything in my body took off as tears ran down my face. In the far distance, I could see people by the sign. I could feel it.The last couple hundred yards of the A.T. could not be felt. I was numb. I ran and screamed to the northern terminus sign as some of my fellow thru-hikers clapped and cheered. The mood was quiet for all of us there as we tried to digest the accomplishment we just achieved. As others came up, we broke out the champagne and passed around cigars. We stayed on top for 2 hours as the clouds rolled in, but we laughed and enjoyed the moment with each other. Simply incredible.Going down that mountain was very difficult. Not only were my knees sore, but the soles of my shoes blew completely out causing me to use the plastic guard as my foot grip. I took my time though and walked by myself with a numb feeling of bittersweetness. I'm glad this trip is over, but I will miss it dearly. At the bottom we met Rematch's parents as well as Bravefriend's. We caravanned to a nearby town called Millinocket and stayed at the A.T. Lodge. It's just a good feeling knowing I don't have to worry about how much food I need to hike out, laundry, going to the library to use the Internet, ect. Nope, not today. I'll be coming home soon.,
Date: 2005-04-01
To: Less than a year!!!
Miles today: 0.0

Where to begin? I started hiking when I was about 10 when my father took me to the Linville Gorge in the North Carolina Mountains for a two day 6 mile hike. Let me tell you, those were a long six miles. By the end of the second day I would fall over about every 100 yards. If my dad helped me up I got mad, and if he didn't help me up I got mad. Despite the all the falling over that trip sparked something deep inside me, and over the years I have developed a love for the mountains. The peace, comfort, and solitude a simple hike can give you, along with all of the incredible sites and memories, makes the mountains an inseparable part of you. Eventually I knew I would hike the AT. For nine years the idea of hiking the entire trail has been a constant thought and in less than a year I will leave my friends at App State, as well as my family, to start an adventure of a lifetime.
Date: 2005-04-01
To: Some more about me.
Miles today: 0.0

To know who I am you have to know my parents, Pat and Linda, and my sisters, Jennifer and Suzanne. My father has been an important role model in my life. Through hiking, biking, fishing and sailing, he has molded me into a very active and outdoor loving person. My mother equally has taught me so much and encouraged me to enjoy life to the fullest. From putting up with hiking gear covering the back deck of our house to supporting me in my trip to Alaska for a NOLS backpacking course. Of course, I have to mention my two sisters who have pushed me to get out and do as much as can. With that said I must admit the mountains are in my blood. My mom and dad used to hike the AT when they were in college and when I was an child my family used to go camping up in Grayson Highlands every September. My dad has sectioned hiked well over three quarters of the trail. With a high degree of confidence, I can tell you that when I was born my dad couldn't wait until I could walk so he could take me into the mountains. Just about every hike I've ever done has been with my dad. The most recent was a hike during my Spring Break in 2004. The first four days I went solo before meeting up with my dad. The first day hiking my stove and water filter broke. The following day I came to a road and hitch hiked all day to Johnson City TN, bought a stove and some iodine pills, and hitch hiked back to the trail. That night I realized that the stove I spent all day traveling for ended up just being a box with an empty stove bag in it. Despite the disappointment of my ignorance I knew that soon enough I would meet up with my dad, tell him the story, catch some slack for buying an empty box and then continue exploring the woods as father and sun.
Date: 2005-04-01
To: My current physical shape and preparation.
Miles today: 0.0

My current physical shape is, well, not good. Well what do you expect? I am a freshman in college which means I can get pizza ordered to my dorm room. Also pledging a fraternity does not leave me with much time to get outside and work out as much as I did the first semester. Although this summer I will be starting a very strict workout schedule and diet plan.p>As far as my current preparation on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being ready to hit the trail, I'm probably a 3. I have a lot of the equipment I'm going to use, as well as experience hiking the AT but still plenty of room for improvements. Also I just went to housing a few weeks ago and they are allowing my friend Will,who is going to start with me, and I to room together in a dorm for one semester. Which they usually don't allow. I still have a lot of work to do though, from getting food for mail drops, and making an outline of my hiking schedule. If anyone has any advice about what I should be doing this early I would appreciate your comments.
Date: 2005-04-29
To: School year coming to a close
Miles today: 0.0

The spring semester is about to end, and all I have to do now is make it past these exams. Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday then I am done with my first year of college and headed back to the Queen City! I am not going to lie, I can not wait for summer to arrive. The weather in Boone has been crazy. It got up to 80 a week ago, then it snowed, and now its raining with temperatures hovering around 55. I brought all of my gear up here and was planning on hiking, since I am finally done with pledging, but I guess I will postpone my fun until all my work here is done. I hope everyone is having a great day because if you are not, at least you don't have an Accounting 2 exam in an hour and a half like me, so cheer up.
Date: 2005-07-13
To: For those who don't understand what I'm doing.
Miles today: 0.0

What I am planning on doing is walking from Georgia to Maine. Using the 2,175 mile long Appalachian Trail I will walk through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.Only 8,425 hikers have every completed it. With 1,535 starting in Georgia last season and only 369 finishing, it is no easy task to say the least.I will be starting in mid February to early March and I will hike on average 13 miles a day until mid August. Six months, day in and day out.From extremely cold weather causing my body to go numb, to weather so humid and hot it is unbearable. With mosquitoes, black flies, bears, snakes, rats, ticks, lyme disease, Guardia, hypothermia, shin splints, broken bones and worst of all mind tricks, there are plenty of obstacles to overcome.I will carry everything on my back; clothes, tent, sleeping bag and pad, a pot, a can stove, fuel, food etc. All of which I am hoping will weigh under 35 pounds. Every 4 to 7 days I will leave the trail and head to the closest grocery store or post office to buy food or receive pre-packed boxes I will have sent from home.For those who want to keep in touch with me just check in on this site or shoot me an email.
Date: 2005-12-27
To: Just Waiting
Miles today: 0.0

I feel it. Those butterflies in my stomach that are screaming at me WHY DID YOU LEAVE SCHOOL, WHY DO YOU WANT TO TORTURE YOUR BODY AND MIND?, WHY ARE YOU WASTING ALL OF THIS MONEY?, DIDN'T YOU THINK ABOUT ME, THE LITTLE GUY ON YOUR SHOULDER THAT LIKES A HOT SHOWER EVERY NIGHT AND STAYING COMFORTABLE? I don't know! I have a few ideas of why I'm going to hike. I love hiking, I love a challenge, I want to complete a task I set out to do when I was just a kid, I want to submerse myself in nature, I want to escape this psychotic world we live in, I want to see first hand the beauty of humans interacting and having fun without TV, video games, cars, restaurants, and all these things we call necessities. But still here I am questioning myself. Even with all of this questioning I still know this is what I am supposed to do right now. There is something else pushing me, encouraging me, and there are only a few thousand brave souls that know that feeling. I'm ready, 10 out of 10. Mentally, physically, and emotionally I feel it, the AT is calling me, leading me to Springer Mountain on March 1st.P.S. Thank you Warren Doyle for everything. I'm not hiking for fun, I'm hiking until I reach the end.