morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-09-08
From: Rangeley,ME

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

September 8 --I am in beautiful Rangeley, ME waiting for the laundry to spin before hitting the trail with hopes to make it to Monson, ME by late next weekend, after which I will head south to Bethany Beach, DE for the 26th Make-A-Wish Triathlon on September 20th. Please check http://www.midatlanticcommunity.org/Page.aspx?pid=359 for more information and sponsor me, Bruce Brekke, with a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. After the race, it'll be back to Monson for the final climb. Thank you all for your interest and support.
Date: 2009-09-08
From: Rangeley,ME

To: Redington Stream Campsite
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: scattered clouds

September 8 --It took a long time to plan out the week and pack this morning, the thing is heavy, good 'til next Sunday, Monday I should hit Monson and start the hellish hitch back to Rangeley for the drive to NJ/DE. Of course, the plan was to finish the trail before the Make-A-Wish race, but I now feel comfortable doing it this way, it'll be a good break, another dose of real life, then back to the trail to finish. ME is a little of everything seen before in the other 13 states, we've been trained and now this is the final. It has been very pleasurable lately, no bugs, no humidity, even no rain since Mahoosuc Notch. Lakes and ponds everywhere, quiet woods, isolated, cool nights. Departure from Rangeley was slow, I drove to the laundry, library and one more stop at the IGA for some Moxie Cola before heading back to the AT parking lot. The pack was stuffed as I left the notch at Sandy River and climbed to Piazza Rock and on to Saddlebrook Mtn, 4120', a ~2500' climb above the treeline, where the views were spectacular, and on to The Horn, 4041', finally settling at the Reddington Stream Campsite, built in 2008, still under construction, very quiet and remote, with water from a small spring down a long blue blaze. The wind picked up right after dark and was blowing hard like it did in NC.
Date: 2009-09-10
From: Crocker Cirque Campsite

To: Avery Memorial Campsite
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: few clouds

September 10 --Waking with the mouse incident fresh in my mind, I arose quickly for an early start after repairing the mouse hole with a band-aid, slicing off the two sticky parts from the pad and sticking them together, one inside, one outside, good enough for now. The hike up the double peaks of Crocker Mtn was a good start with nice views of a cirque, which is another new word for me, along with col, used in the Companion often. Coming off Crocker Mtn I passed 2 guys, my age, and arriving at a side road just before ME27, I found a large rock as big as a love seat, with a hollow, the size of a bucket seat that invited me to sit, which I did whilst chewing a power bar. Shortly after the 2 guys appeared, Rookie and Dioko, who pulled out a cell phone to summon their ride to Stratton. We BSed, they were finishing the trail from last year, but thru-hikers for all practical purposes. Rookie said of completing the AT, "it was just another line in your obit" and Dioko added, "...and 95% of the people won't know what it means". I laughed, but it was so true as I thought of my pick up truck ride to the Bull Moose in Upton. Their car arrived about 10 minutes later and stopped right in from of me, still seated in my rock chair. I knew the driver, he pointed to me with a smile, it was Circuit Rider! Another wacky trail thing, "What in the world?", I stammered. He looked great, and told me that their, he and Sherlock, hike had ended this year at Crawford Notch when Sherlock returned to FL to his ill father and Circuit Rider said it wouldn't be the same without him. He was covering for his friend, Susan, who owned the nearby hostel, while she was away for a break at his urging. They packed up and were off after a few photos, unbelievable, I hadn't seen him since somewhere in VA I think, maybe before. I had a big climb ahead, up Bigelow Mtn, with a couple of options for camp which would be decided as the day progressed. It was a nice climb to the Horns Pond where I decided to push to the Avery Memorial Campsite between West Peak and Avery Peak. On my approach to West Peak the sun was setting, a spectacular display of colors and cloud shapes, and I spent a break on West Peak in the dark and calm admiring all that there was, distant lights of Stratton, relecting lakes, before heading to the campsite. Upon my arrival I found hand drawn sketches of tent sites and 3 water sources. I found a tent spot right away and after stumbling around searching for the 3 sources, I found only a puddle, not suitable, so there was no cooking this late night in the quiet seclusion at nearly 4000'.
Date: 2009-09-11
From: Avery Memorial Campsite

To: West Carry Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

September 11 --It was a chilly morning and I awoke to hear that my neighbor was busy packing up, so I climbed out to talk. It was Slagline, he was surprised to see that someone had snuck in after dark and more surprised to see that it was me. He said that Grits was on a platform somewhere in the maze of trails at the campsite and also told me where the pit well was located. I found both, Grits was in good spirits, packing up, I asked him where he got the new glasses, he said he bought a 3-pack. I returned to my tent and made breakfast before heading out. Today we all expected to reach the trail magic that had been advertised 3 days ago, a 4 day set up, just past Flagstaff Lake. The climb to Avery Peak was nice and the views limitless and from Little Bigelow Mtn looking back at the peaks, beautiful. On my descent to Flagstaff Lake I met a woman, Janice, hiking down, who's husband was running the trail magic below, told me that I should smell the cheeseburgers soon. If I couldn't, I imagined I could and picked up by steps leaving her as she encouraged me along. Shortly I was on East Flagstaff Rd and saw the "sideroad to the sandpit" as advertised, and was called over by Ray, aka Walking Home, '00, who invited me to drop my pack, grab a cold drink and how many hamburgers did I want. It was great, a one man picnic, water with a hand pump to wash up, chairs!, tables with lots of salad, snacks, condiments, 2 gas grills, about 8 coolers, all under a big canopy, with a storage trailer, camper and port-0-john nearby! We were joined shortly by Janice and friend John and I ate and visited for at least an hour, it was first class, difficult to leave, which made my arrival at the West Carry Pond Lean-to under the cover of darkness and under the aid of my headlamp once again. The trail along the shoreline was tediously slow because of the roots exposed on the over used, eroded trail. 2 Locals had a big campfire and I found a tentsite behind the shelter, water from the crystal clear pond, crayfish attracted to my light as I drew water. Earlier, crossing a paved road after the trail magic, I found, in white spray paint, "2000 mi", pretty exciting!
Date: 2009-09-13
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-To

To: Moxie Bald Lean-To
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

September 13 --It was a relatively slow start on this overcast morning making my way past the lean-to where I met and left megaphone man to talk to no one, but himself. The climb up Pleasant Pond Mtn, 2477', was an easy one, slowed by paths of exposed tree roots, now common, esp where the trail follows lake shores and streams. Also more common were sightings of toads and snakes, almost daily. From the summit of Pleasant Pond Mtn I could see my next climb, Moxie Bald Mtn about 10m further and en route I crossed Baker Stream at Moxie Pond. The ME guide translated the Indian word Moxie as "black water" and this crossing is the source of the word, water so black that it stains the rocks that it touches, all I could imagine was the Moxie Cola bottling plant out of sight, just around the stream bend. The climb up Moxie Bald Mtn offered a bypass trail at the top, an intimidating invitation in now threatening dark skies with occassional drizzle, but you don't travel thousands of miles only to close your eyes at the best part. The rocks became boulders, and steep, as the summit neared and the reward was fantastic. Flat, vast exposed rock, where a helicopter could land, views in 270 degrees, then on the descent views of the other 90, plus 180, lakes and ponds everywhere, more numerous as the trail pushed into the ME interior. The sky was full of stormy clouds, only to the east was there hints of clearing, and strong summit winds. I made my way down through intermittent drizzle, stopping once to remove my pack, unzip the pocket that held my new pack cover, but deciding no, as the air stilled, noise ceased. That was it for the rain and soon I found the Moxie Bald Lean-To occupied by Not So Crazy, who I hadn't seen since the Whites just past Mt Lafeyette, and 2 others travelling together, she from KS, he from AL. We chatted for a long while before I found my tentsite and set up. He had planned to summit Mt Katahdin on October 1 when his girlfriend and friends would visit from the UK, so now he was on a liesurely pace to kill time. I offered hope of summiting with him after the MAW race, etc, but thinking about it later I realized just how hit/miss the summit date is and how I had had similar plans with Hobbit & Knickers, Cruiser Don, Grits, Pellet, Lief_e and probly most everyone else who I've met and enjoyed along the way. It is however, fun and exciting to think about, and tomorrow is the Run to Monson, my objective met, with several days to get back to NJ and onto DE for the race.
Date: 2009-09-16
From: Whitefield, NH

To: Whitefield, NH
Miles today: 0.0

September 16 --Today was a real zer0 day, relaxing, cleaning gear, laundry and resting my left foot wondering if the triathlon would be a 10k walk, which could be bad since a flat surface seemed to be the most painful. It was a good day off, so far the plan had worked with time to spare and I looked forward to the time off at the shore, what a contrast. It is funny how things worked out, after 5 1/2 months it comes down to a matter of a few days that determine Plan A or Plan B, I have no regrets. Plan A was the perfect plan, the model, subject to change, suspect to fail, built with weak links, because... there was always Plan B, padded for comfort, the pressure valve, that would ensure an enjoyable finish. Extra running back and forth, ME->DE->ME is no trip to the store, but so what?
Date: 2009-09-18
From: Hopatcong, NJ

To: Hopatcong, NJ
Miles today: 0.0

September 18 --I got my stuff ready for the race after cancelling a 6:00 lake swim, I got in after 22:00 last night and just didn't have it, apologies to Chris. I pumped up the bike tires, squirted a little WD-40 on the chain and the old bike, that had been hibernating in the shed all winter, passed the 1.9m road test. Donations for Make-A-Wish are high, over $1500, as the excitement builds.
Date: 2009-09-19
From: Hopatcong, NJ

To: Bethany Beach, DE
Miles today: 0.0

September 19 --We got off 0k for the 3 hour drive down the GSP to the Cape May - Lewes Ferry, compared to the years past when the car was full of stuff, the three kids and 4 or 5 bikes, but the 1 hr 40 min ferry ride always seems lonely without them. Sarah and Emily would arrive later in the day and our large group, racers, family and friends, would all meet for dinner at a local spot after race check-in. Check-in is always fun. We found our old friends Mike and Mary, who have been organizing this event for years, have been following my hike, and race director Rob Vigorito, great guy, always upbeat, on his way to Kona for the Ironman while I'm on my way to Katahdin. Later, with the help of 8 cell phones, our group did meet for dinner, and after the great Italian cuisine feast, we stopped for the traditional pre-race ice cream at the boardwalk in Bethany beach. It was a chilly evening and the surf was calm.
Date: 2009-09-20
From: Bethany Beach, DE

To: Bethany Beach, DE
Miles today: 0.0

September 20 --Race day, early rise for the 7:30 start, but not as early as Soni, who was out the door before 6:00 to meet her volunteer duty of body marker in the transition area. I snoozed a while, showered and cruised the ~1 mile to the transition area and prepped for the 1 mile walk south on the beach to the swim start. Again the surf looked calm and as we in the 1st wave assembled for the countdown, a small group of 8-10 elites started swimming straight out to the first buoy for the left turn north. And as the megaphone boomed "about 30 seconds...", I stood in the wet sand staring toward the sun watching the small waves crash and for a moment I felt the contrast of the past several days, viewing remote lakes from on high bald peaks in the silence of my own thoughts, driving hundreds of miles each night a new latitude, to this, a 1500 meter swim, which I could probly do, but how well? It wasn't a feeling of doubt, but more like, "Here, I am here?", realizing that in a few days I will be in the 100 mile wilderness of ME made it more surreal. The countdown from 5 started and in seconds I was battling to make the first turn. The surf was choppy and I swallowed more water than in past years, and I could feel that I lacked the strength that training provides. I emerged with a left ear full of water, slightly dizzy, typical, and the barefoot run across the had pavement was killing my left foot to where I walked, probly with a slight limp. The trail had taught me to be meticulous and focus on procedure to do things right, one time, and I applied that in transitioning to the bike, finally pedalling out for the 25 mile course in the chilly air. Upon my return I prepared for the 10k run with a little stretching before running out past the enthusiastic crowd. My plan was to run the first 1/2m or so past the big crowd where I could stop to walk practically unseen, but when there, I felt pretty good, so then I'll run to the first water stop, then, "Hey, this is just like hiking", I thought, "If the trial's good, then keep movin'", which I did, all the way to the finish, where there was a big surprise for me as they held up a "FINISH" banner and annouced my name. I felt great, the weather was perfect and the picnic was to follow where I found a bigger surprise during the awards, I had finished 3rd in my age group, it was an honor just to be there. The rest of the day was the D.B. Fries pigout, beer, body surfing and the crabfest which lasts for hours, and the day traditionally ends with a walk back to the room on the beach, but my left foot was screaming "NO!", a disappointment to CW and a bigger one to me.
Date: 2009-09-21
From: Bethany Beach, DE

To: Hopatcong, NJ
Miles today: 0.0

September 21 --I have gotten off the trail, hopefully for the last time, to compete in the 26th Make-A-Wish Triathlon in Bethany Beach, DE yesterday, which was a very successful event for the Make-A-Wish Foundation raising over $400,000. The race results can be viewed at http://www.championchiptiming.com/Home/tabid/65/Default.aspx?EventID=360, and I thank all of you for sponsoring me this year in this event. I now look forward to the drive from NJ to Monson, ME, the land of Moxie Cola, tomorrow to complete the last ~114m and joining my fellow '09ers in mounting Katahdin, after which I promise to update this journal from my hand written copy. Thank you for your patience and continued interest and support.
Date: 2009-09-21
From: Bethany Beach, DE

To: Hopatcong, NJ
Miles today: 0.0

September 21 --We departed Bethany Beach mid morning in the bright, warming sun, another perfect beach day with plans to drive all the way back at a more leisurely pace since there was no deadline, and besides, $42, the ferry fee, buys a lot of gasoline. I thought about returning to the trail and how pleased I was that I was able to pull off the weekend event, managing to briefly overlap two distinct and different worlds, one of remoteness, solitude, simple and inexpensive, formed by a community of low budget minded people, and the other a concentration of individuals with means, high end cars, dining and accommodations, and gear that is replaced or discarded at the first sign of wear, in a place where the maximum elevation is 8 feet. And of course the treatment of time is black and white, people on the AT, where the measure is months, not minutes, began their movement months or even years ago, and travel at a pace that is their own, with no expiration, and accountability is a system of honor, compared to an event based entirely on the timing clock monitored by the electronic chip and wireless sensors that record wherabouts and perfomance, with set minimum requirements, all of it beginning at a specified, predetermined time. We arrived back in NJ with plenty of time to prepare for the final drive to Monson the next day.
Date: 2009-09-22
From: Hopatcong, NJ

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

September 22 --There is never enough time for me to prepare to leave, when the time comes, I find myself scrambling around for loose end items, this day was no different. The Monson drop box, never mailed, of course, was lacking beef jerky, I needed a fuel canister and I wanted another collapsable water bottle. And was the initial plan for 8 or 10 days in the 100 mile wilderness? It didn't matter, this was the final stretch, I could starve the last three days and still finish healthy, so after 2 store stops I was headed north for a ~10 hour drive. I had called Rebekah last evening and asked her to reserve the room that I had last week, which was waiting for me when I arrived just after 20:00. I stopped in at the her pub and ordered a sandwich and beer while confirming my room, sharing the space with 4 or 5 hikers. I overheard some of their conversation, on and off, and one name mentioned rang a bell, Many Names. I turned half way around on my bar stool and saw her, for the first time since somewhere in VA, just before Trail Days. "Hey, Many Names", I called over, "d'ya remember me?", I asked like a bum begging for a smile. She did, and recalled to Firecracker, next to her, how I had asked her to stop at The Apple Tree B&B in Damascus to say hello to Debbie and Les, which she kindly did. With her in the pub was Firecracker, BigFish, Ox, and Natty Bump and another guy were hanging out, and soon I quietly went to my room, denying the little sore throat I felt when I swallowed, thinking about the $7 AYCE breakfast at Shaw's in the morning.
Date: 2009-09-23
From: Monson, ME

To: Wilson Valley Lean-To
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: light rain

September 23 --I awoke early, sweaty from my cold, or worse, that had developed over the past few days, not a good feeling when preparing to enter the 100m wilderness. Nevertheless, I drove to Shaw's for breakfast where I found Cloudwalker among a small, one table crowd of section/thru-hikers. I had planned to drive to the blue blaze down Pleasant St after breakfast, and walk the ~2m AT to ME15, hitch back to the truck, then move it to the AT parking lot on ME15. After stuffing my pack, I found Rebekah to say goodbye as she was preparing to drive Cloudwalker to the blue blaze and she offered to shuttle me from the AT parking lot too, in turn I offered Cloudwalker the back of my truck to store his pack, and we started together on the short, easy packless walk. Arriving first at the parking lot I heard voices, and found Paddy-O again! I tried to add more stuff to my pack, but it was bulging, and I had to leave behind extra ramen, candy bars and a second collapsable water bottle in order to carry cold weather clothing. A jar of IGA peanut butter made it though, I recently began to divide a jar into six servings by scratching marks in the label rather than as in the past, just eating whatever whenever. Cloudwalker showed up shortly, retrieved his pack and was quickly on his way and I soon followed, after hiding a second key inside the truck as a backup. Passing a warning sign of "no resupply for the next 100 miles", it felt good to be back, and although the sign may intimidate some, it was an invitation to thru-hikers, interpreted by me as, "Welcome, you've finally made it to the big time. Enjoy walking the next few days as you creep toward the mountain that you've been searching for these past 2 seasons, and don't worry about a thing, you've learned enough to survive." My cold wasn't bothering me, except for a slight runny nose and occasional sneezing, but either the cold or the unusually warm weather, or both, or heavy pack, had caused me to sweat a lot, my shirt completely soaked and down into the top half of my shorts, a bad way to begin an 8 day journey. I made my way down the root laden trail to Big Wilson Stream, my first river ford. There was no way around it, it was too wide with not enough exposed rocks and too deep to chance anyway. I whined as a SoBo, who had just crossed, offered tips, and I changed into my running shoes and waded, knee deep, safely across, just what I need to cultivate a cold into bronchitis, I thought. I soon arrived at the Wilson Valley Lean-To where I set up behind the lean-to, right next to the trail with a small spring trickling noiselessly nearby, just before dark. The Swiss-Miss and down bag were a comfort to me and my runny nose.
Date: 2009-09-24
From: Wilson Valley Lean-To

To: Near West Chairback Pond Trail
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: overcast clouds

September 24 --It was a slow start on an overcast morning, and I realized that I hadn't charged the camera battery, so photos would be few until the summit of Mt Katahdin. The climb of the Barren Chairback Range was scenic, overlooking many distant lakes, and I found that although my cold was not affecting my hiking performance, progress was slow, and I would end up between shelters and began looking for a suitable spot with nearby water. It was now dark and with the aid of my map and headlamp I was trying to find a tote road near a stream hoping that a suitable tentsite would be there. Crossing a small rocky stream I found a small, flat ledge amongst big rocks on the sloping hillside, and moving a small, fallen pine tree aside, I squeezed in the Big Agnes, fetched water and enjoyed a healthy dinner, happy to lighten the pack load by eating it. The night was growing colder as the wind picked up and my cold responded with more sneezing and nose blowing, and I would sleep fully zipped, with hat.