morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-09-22
From: West Carry Pond Leanto

To: Caratunk ME
Miles today: 14.0

Town day! Real food and resupply! What looks like easy terrain! A ferry schedule to adapt to! Darn right I got moving this morning, I was hiking by 7:45. Laugh if you like! As I sat in the shelter eating my peanut butter sandwich, two guys set off with friendly good mornings. I returned same and thought no more of it. A bit later Croft came to the shelter and said one of those guys owns the inn at Caratunk and had been lots of fun at the campfire last night. I had not really thought much about Caratunk except as a place to pick up some supplies and rest my head on a pillow, I had even gotten so lazy about it that I did not look at my book to see what was available. Yes, lazy. Took a good look at West Carry Pond, and it is a beauty. Then set off. Hiking today was roots and rocks, roots and rocks, big enough to keep me from getting a steady stride going. Throw in mud for kicks. The scene was gorgeous though. Rounded the bend at the end of the pond and met Wallace and Jay and Burt. Wallace, the inn owner, Jay, a sea captain (yes!), and Burt, a chocolate labrador. We chatted a bit, got info on the inn, felt like we really hit it off. Jay pointed out a Canadian Jaybird that was hanging around, and who wouldn't love Burt!   Then as the hike went on we played a lot of leapfrog. Talked a lot. Wallace is really special, such a nice guy and so much fun. Passed several ponds along the way, the ponds here are so pretty. Finally came to Pierce Pond Leanto where I ate lunch and Wallace, Jay and Burt caught me. What a pretty scene! The leanto looks out over the pond, it would be awesome to lay there and look at the pond and listen to the loons. I really like the loons. Really I do. Well, I sat there and ate tuna and decided to stay at The Sterling Inn, Wallace's place. Good one. From there on the trail followed a wonderful stream that tumbled its way down the mountain beside me. We, me and the stream, were bound for the Kennebec River. There, an interesting fellow named Hillbilly Dave ferried me across in a canoe. This was so cool! I got to paddle too! Hehe, I am such a goober.At the parking lot I found Wallace's truck and waited around till he got there to give me a ride. And a cold drink! Imagine my surprise to find nothing in Caratunk but a post office and The Sterling Inn. No store. No resupply. No phone service. I really should have done my homework. No harm done though. Wallace rustled up some supplies and drove me and two other hikers to dinner, joined us even. We laughed ourselves silly and had a ball. If you're ever in Caratunk, look up Wallace. He's a gem. What a great day.
Date: 2010-09-23
From: Caratunk ME

To: Bald Mountain Brook Leanto
Miles today: 14.7

A great hiking day!!!! Weather was decent and early in the day who comes bopping down the trail? Freeman! I have been thinking of Freeman so how great is this! Last time I saw him he was at Graymoor, trying to heal his sore sore feet. Turns out he took 5 weeks off the trail to heal and flipped and is headed sobo to Kent CT. I am so happy I got to see him again, our paths have crossed several times and I will always think of him as part of my hike. The people on the trail have been so special. There are all the ones I've hiked along with, them I know the best of course, but also all the faces and voices in camps along the way, people I only kind of know. When I think of this shelter or that their faces are there too. Acts of generosity along the way, talk of things that matter and those that don't, no matter what off trail life is, general helpfulness and friendliness. The people I've hiked with are amazing. Then there's all the folks along the way at hostels, in towns, outfitters, shuttlers, trail clubs, maintainers and ridgerunners, it blows me away to think of all the love that is spent on this trail, and I got to taste a piece of that. I like to think of it that way, love spent on the AT. I have a love debt to honor when my hike is over. I like that. This doesn't even begin to address the generosity of Team Cody, the people in my life personally who made this possible for me. It blows me away.So. After catching up with Freeman I headed on to Pleasant Pond Mountain. Tough little climb but a fun one. Had lunch up on top and one more time I could see back to Bigelow and Avery Peak. How lucky I am, I got to climb that mountain. I love looking back from where I've come. Finally the long tiered downhill off Pleasant Pond Mountain and past Moxie Pond. Seems I passed another Moxie Pond some time back. The water level was very low and I wonder if this pond is dammed for hydro power? Not sure about that but it was very low and the other ponds have not been, just wonder the reason. I continued on to Bald Mtn Brook Leanto where I stayed in the shelter. Staying there was a Frenchman from Paris, in the USA to hike the Appalachian Trail. There's a lot of people from everywhere on the AT.
Date: 2010-09-24
From: Bald Mountain Brook Leanto

To: Horseshoe Canyon Leanto
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: light rain

Well, getting a liitle confident, eh? I woke to pouring! rain and got in no hurry at all to get going because I "only" had 13 miles to do today. Big big mistake. When I did get going it was immediately up Moxie Bald Mtn. A tough climb on a relatively smaller mountain at 2600 feet, but a rock top for scrambling around on. Sadly, rain and fog, so no views. I also climbed up a rock slab that was not on the trail because I wasn't paying attention. That's just me.Ate lunch at Moxie Bald Shelter, then set off in the continuing rain for the afternoon. Today was my first time to have to ford a river but man! I was not ready for this! Came to a place where the trail was flooded and I thought this was the ford. Off came my boots, socks, rain pants rolled up my to my thighs, then I set off to wade the trail. That water was COLD! Who are these polar bear guys jumping in lakes in January anyway? The water was up to my butt and I was barefoot in the mud. This was maybe 100 feet of trail in all! I did not like it at all! Whew! Got myself put back together, rounded a bend, and there was the river I had to ford! Still raining, running high, I walked downstream to find a decent place to ford. This time I took off my socks, put my boots back on, and made my way across. Ugh! Of course my boots were already soaked through anyway so that's why I chose to wear them across the river. And there's rocks and algae and rough footing that could take me down any minute. Not a job for bare feet! Funny, the river was not quite as deep as the flooded trail section. From there it was 3 miles on to the shelter. Too bad it was so rainy and foggy, the trail parrallelled the river and the maples were at fine scarlet and burgundy and there was golden light all around. I did my best to appreciate it, but my toes were cold and I was a drowned rat and miserable. All I wanted just then was my cushy warm dry long johns and sleeping bag. When I got them I was very happy. The mice at the shelter came out to greet me before I even went to bed. It's nice to be welcomed. Ugh again. But, that river walk was beautiful, in spite of the rain and the fog and my dreary condition.
Date: 2010-09-25
From: Horseshoe Canyon Leanto

To: Monson Maine
Miles today: 9.0

Headed for town, but slow out of the shelter. I took the time to brush my hair which I almost never do on the trail. Silly girl, I know. Anyway, two miles out it was time to ford another river. The beavers have built a lovely little dam and it was an easy ford. I wore my crocs, perfect. All went well, uneventful. Once I got across I found trail magic, compliments of Strider 2004 I believe. Mmmm, Mountain Dew! Thanks Strider!From the river it was hike hike hike through the forest to town. At one place I walked through a section of maple trees with brilliant scarlet leaves on the ground and on the trees. Talk about your red carpet walks! Even the light was reddish. It was breathtaking. Just before I got to the road I skidded and slid down a face of slate, ripped my elbow up good but no serious harm done. As slow as I go, as careful as I've been, I hurried here and got careless. I'll be stiff tomorrow I'm sure.Hiked on into Monson to stay at Shaws hostel. Oh, met a fellow headed south, he had breakfast with The Geese and Joe, both set off for the wilderness today. That means I'm running 2 days behind them as I'll get out Monday. Little Aspen and Toothpick are summiting today. Yay! Rah! Congratulations to them on a hike well done! Hugs y'all!
Date: 2010-09-27
From: Monson Maine

To:  Bodfish Farm, Long Pond Tote Road
Miles today: 14.2

After the fabulous Shaws breakfast and a quick trip to the post office I set off into the 100 Mile Wilderness around 10:00. Passed by several pretty ponds, one with a thruhiker fishing. The first shelter I passed was on a rock wall above a beautiful creek tumbling below. Later I ate lunch sitting in the middle of the trail. There's never a rock or a log when you need one! Passed by Little Wilson Falls, beautiful! Weather was cool and drizzle began by late afternoon. Wound up hiking in complete darkness where I came upon Loon and Eastwind. Sat outside to cook but steady rain began so I ate in my tent. A mouse tried to sneak in as I sat there eating with my feet out in the vestibule!!! Bold mice in Maine! Gotta be tough I suppose.
Date: 2010-09-28
From:  Bodfish Farm, Long Pond Tote Road

To: Chairback Gap Leanto
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: moderate rain

It rained on and off all day. Luckily it was not cold but it was plenty miserable. The trail was full of watery places and bootsucking mud. My socks and boots were soaked through! Loon and Eastwind set out first to ford Long Pond Stream. After I forded I found them purifying water and I went on ahead. They are hiking a van-supported Geezer hike, but their van did not show up last night so they were low on supplies. I hiked up Barren ledges and Barren Mountain which went on for quite a while. Had lunch sitting in the trail and along came Eastwind who hiked along with me the rest of the afternoon. Crossed Fourth Mountain Bog with a sign from MATC asking please to stay on bog bridges through this fragile area, many of which were rotted out and sunken. It was funny to me. These guys need some help with puncheons! From there I went up and over Fourth Mtn, Third Mtn, and up Columbus Mtn, and all had steep rocky ups and downs. The mountaintop trails were flooded and muddy. Rain was steady. It was very slow going. Got to Chairback Gap Leanto and decided to call it a day because I was drenched and it was almost dark. Eastwind continued on in search of the van. About an hour later Loon showed up and decided to stay at the shelter with me. He'd injured his Achilles tendon that day and was moving slow. The water source was on a steep downhill and the spring was flooded with runoff, but in all not too bad for pond water. I am glad to be at the shelter.
Date: 2010-09-29
From: Chairback Gap Leanto

To: Sydney Tappan Campsite
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Began the day around 7:30 with that same downhill I had to get water on last night. Ugh! Then a bit of an up, then a tough rock climb down Chairback Mtn. I got lost among the rocks for a bit, couldn't find the cairns, no blazes, maddening and frustrating, but I eventually found my way through. Hard work though. Made my way off the mountain from there and to a road crossing where I found Eastwind with the van. So glad he made it safe last night, I was worried. He gave me a Snickers bar! Yum! Loon came along shortly and so they were reunited. Good!I went on to ford the Pleasant River which indeed has a slippery bottom. I was then in the Gulf Hagas area, a popular hiking area, and the trail got smoother and wider for a bit. I sat in the trail and ate my lunch.The forest was so pretty today, I think the fall colors are at their best. Began a climb up Gulf Hagas Mtn and passed Newhall Shelter. As I went up the mountain through different elevations of forest I got a different fall showing. Some trees are still green!! There were unbelievable rock steps built by MATC to help me on up the hill. Wow, nice work! I got to the top with some nice views back, then descended into the sag to the Tappen campsite. I asked some southbound section hikers if they had noticed any good stealth sites beyond the next peak and they said no, so rather than carry water to the unknown I decided to just stay here. The spring was a bit of a walk, but quite nice.
Date: 2010-09-30
From: Sydney Tappan Campsite

To: Cooper Brook Falls Leanto
Miles today: 17.1

Tappen was a nice place to camp. My tent was nestled in among a nice stand of Spruce. There were some section hikers camped there too, both nobo and sobo, so it was a nice group of folks. After leaving camp at 6:55! I climbed first West Peak, then Hay Mountain, then last White Cap Mountain. This was all a really nice stretch of peaks, with White Cap at 3650 feet. Krumholtz at the top. Brilliant views back to where I'd been, fall color all around, and my first clear look at Katahdin out in front of me by more than 70 miles. It was huge. Intimidating. Daunting. One step at a time. The rock work on this stretch of trail by MATC is amazing, there were steps for all the steepest sections so well done. Played leapfrog with some of the people from camp and arrived at Logan Brook Leanto for a snack. There I met a couple of sobo flipfloppers. There have been a lot of them on the trail lately, everyone is nervous about getting to Katahdin before the tough weather does. I am nervous too but am trying hard to stick to my plan, I want a traditional nobo moment on the summit if I can.Left Logan and it began to rain. Passed East Branch Leanto and decided to go for the next shelter. It rained steady and heavy all afternoon, but I wanted to do my best to stay on schedule. There's a big mountain up there yet to climb and I didn't want a wet afternoon to stop me. Came to Little Boardman Mtn, which would have been simply an inconvenience a few weeks ago, but since 9/18 was a brand new trail reroute. The trail was still duff and quite a mess in the pouring rain. And a real tough climb too. After Boardman the trail got wider and steadily descended to 880 feet at the shelter. Lots of mud, lots of flooding, lots of sunken puncheon bridges. I was soaked through by the time I got to the shelter.Cooper Branch is right out in front of the shelter and since everything was wet anyway I rinsed a lot of mud from bandannas, socks, etc. Then I ate a big dinner of black bean stew while watching the mice run around before it ever even got dark! Ugh! The mice have been rather forward in Maine! Got dark early and I went straight off to sleep. Another flipflopper came in just at dark and went through the whole get-dry process. Lots of folks trying to get in trail miles, in spite of the rain today.
Date: 2010-10-01
From: Cooper Brook Falls Leanto

To: Mahar Tote Road
Miles today: 13.8

Woke up to rain, more steady rain, and a hole in my foodbag. The little vermin got into Mom's fabulous gorp, dang it! Its hard to convince yourself to get out of a warm dry sleeping bag to put on wet clothes and socks and nasty stinkin wet boots to go walk in the rain. Well, that's what I did. I was bound for a hostel today, so the promise of warm and dry at the end of the day helped to inspire me. I set off in the rain and mostly it came in waves all day. Apparently tropical storm somebody was spinning around on the Maine coast, juicing up the sky. Oh well, at least it wasn't cold, the temps were in the 50's and 60's, which could have been so much worse. Good and wet though.Passed by Antlers Campsite with its double privy and had a good laugh. Really, I can't think of a soul on earth that I would want to share a privy with. Really. There was a retired privy too, log cabin style. These MATC guys are serious about privys, LOL! Got to Mahar Tote Rd where I found Nails, of all people! I hiked with and around him back in Shenandoah and near Glasgow in Virginia. I've hiked with a lot of people on this adventure, each in their way important to how my hike went. It's weird AT karma to meet Nails again here in Maine. He too was bound for the hostel.Set off down the blueblazed trail for the lake, you get there then sound a horn and the proprietor boats over to pick you up. Got set up in the bunkhouse and found ZeZue, Prometheus, and Evergreen. I like these 3, they have excellent hike attitudes, very positive and pleasant, and fun to be around. I was happy to run into them. I first met them at Bemis the day Kahota broke her wrist and I've been hiking around them ever since. And, Canadian Geese were here too! They've been 2 days ahead of me forever, when Joe passed me in Mahoosic Notch I figured then I'd never see anyone from this gang again. I am so happy to see them!Sadly, the place runs on propane, no electricity, and there was no real way to get boots and clothes dry. No laundry either, so no clean clothes, and I've been out for 5 days since I left Monson. Oh well, at least there's a shower. Food was good. I ate the one pound burger, had some pizza and ice cream, did resupply and went to bed. The Geezers were supposed to be headed in but I figured the rain would slow them down. It did, they never showed.
Date: 2010-10-02
From: Mahar Tote Road

To: Pollywog Stream Stealth Campsite
Miles today: 13.4

Left White House Landing in still wet clothes and socks and boots, but the breakfast was good. Almost 10:00 by the time I was on the trail since their dock is a mile off the trail. This was a day to battle roots and rocks and water! Water was everywhere from the tropical storms of the last few days. Hiking required extra bushwhacking and fording, so much extra time and effort! It seemed endless! The Geese hiked out with me today and I am enjoying their company. Had lunch at a rare Maine find, a picnic table, LOL! The wind was up and it was chilly. In the afternoon we hiked over Nesuntabunt Mountain and it was so cool! Moss covered granite, waterfalls in the trail which made it treacherous as well, steep stair climbs, cliffs and boulders and gorges, I was really taken with it. It seemed like a magical mountain, but tough. Not everyone thought it was great. After we got over the mountain we headed for Pollywog Stream and found a good stealth site. The "stream" was a raging torrent, but it was perfect. Very cold though.At this point in the hike everyone I've met is wore out and just wants to finish. Many are hiking in pain. Attitudes are more about the finish than the day's hike. Today was a good day anyway, I liked that mountain. But I am tired too.
Date: 2010-10-03
From: Pollywog Stream Stealth Campsite

To: Hurd Brook Leanto
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Pollywog Stream should be called RIVER! Loud! Roaring! Got a 7:10 start and it was COLD! Took a while to get fingers and toes warmed up. After a bit arrived at Rainbow Stream Leanto to shed some layers. There's a totem pole there! This cool morning hiking is hot cold hot cold ... Crossed Rainbow Stream on a 3 log "bridge". Uneventful, as I like it. Spent a good part of the day along Rainbow Lake but could not see much of the lake itself. As I hike past these lakes and ponds there are occasionally boats I find in the forest. Kind of strange. Today's boat had the name Millinocket Air Service stenciled on it. Later a seaplane landed on the lake but I could only hear it, not see it. Heard quite a bit of small plane traffic today. Later in the afternoon I crossed Rainbow Ledges with a great view of Katahdin. Skies over the mountain were clear, I think Joe might be summiting today. Yay for Joe! From there it was on to the shelter with Hurd Brook yet to cross. It took three crosings on logs and rockhops on to boulders. In the middle I slipped and my right foot submerged over my boot. Good news, I recovered enough that my whole body did not submerge, LOL! Drat! I had managed to keep my feet dry till the last challenge of the day. I guess tomorrow I'll walk with one wet boot. Better than two I suppose, LOL! As I arrived at the shelter I found dead mice on a rock by the fire ring. Turns out this is another shelter with crazy mice. Ugh.   Maine has crazy mice.One thing though, seeing that big mountain? This is getting VERY EXCITING to be so close to K. Quite.
Date: 2010-10-05
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: AT Northern Terminus, Mt Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: clear sky

No trouble at all getting going today. My friend Judo was meeting me in the KSC parking lot at 6:30 and by 7:00 we were on the trail. Stickwalker and the Geese were with me too. No time today for walking down memory lane, today is all about the hard work of climbing the toughest mountain on the trail. The trail started out a very gentle upward slope. It was fun to hike and talk with Judo, she's been with me every step of the way. Pretty quick the trail got to going fairly sharply up hill and then we got to the boulder part. Treeline is so much lower here in Maine! The boulders were tough climbing, not what I call hiking, but somehow I got through it. Very slowly. Early on Buck and Fresh with Bella passed us. Bella is in the park because she is a service dog. Eventually the big boulders gave way to mostly smaller boulders and we hiked right on up the spine of the mountain to The Tableland. This was rocky mountaintop hiking with enough rockiness to hamper striding, yet still hiking. It was a great relief after the boulder climb. Thoreau Spring was running strong and I got my boots wet, LOL! So what else is new? From there the push to the top! Carol was practically running up the hill, followed by me and Stickwalker and Richard and Judo. I could feel the tears coming on as I made my way up that one last climb. It was so overwhelmingly emotional, but at the top I was all smiles. Others had passed us on the way up, so we were quite a crowd of hikers all celebrating there together at the top. Judo brought a bottle of champagne so everyone had a bit which was so very nice. Stickwalker had carried Belle's collar along to celebrate her hike as well. Then I sat and ate my lunch, as always, tuna. We laughed at that as well, then it was time to descend. As we made our way across the Tableland we met first Eastwind, then Loon, headed up also. Nice to know those guys made it too. Finally, time to descend the boulders and the same old fear of heights took over my brain. Slowed me to almost paralysis. Judo helped by coaching me backwards off the rocks, but eventually she moved ahead with Carol who was moving faster. Richard was fighting through knee pains and Stickwalker stayed with us. We were mighty slow coming off the mountain. Roughly twelve hours from when we set off we returned to the KSC parking lot. It was a long long day. And a fine one as well. Quite fine.As I've gotten older I've noticed that fear has become a bigger part of my life and I don't like it, especially the fear of heights thing. As a young woman I would never think twice to lean over an edge I can barely walk up to now. I thought if I climbed enough mountains I would get over it, or learn to deal with it, or something. A friend told me she believes I talk myself into being scared. I don't know. Anyway, instead of ridding myself of this fear, it seems I've learned to accept it in myself, then walk through it as best I can. Pretty simple really. What an adventure! GA2ME10