morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-08-29
From: Piazza Rock Lean To

To: Spaulding Mountain Lean To
Miles today: 16.9

If days have beginnings, middles and ends then today would be easy to describe in those terms with 2 out of the 3 categories being fairly memorable.The beginning was all about 8.9miles from Piazza Rock Lean To, or rather about the wonderful walk and stunning Maine scenery along that particulatr stretch of trail. In my opinion the walk up and over Saddleback Mountain, the Horn and Saddleback Junior is right up there with the best of the AT. The walk was made all the more enjoyable as the elevation gains were, for the most part, steady, constant and on well graded smooth trails. As beginnings go ¢ not bad at all.The middle was the exception to an otherwise action packed day with uneventful walking among the trees, followed by one steepish climb up Lone Mountain where I had a rushed stop to snack at the top (rushed due to the chill wind that had been around for most of the day). This brought me to camp and the ¢end¢ of this particular day. The campsite was busy with two other large groups already there. An extended family group who come out and hike on the AT every Labour Day Weekend as well as a group of freshmen from Colby College out for a bit of orientation (as well as a few blisters no doubt) before starting college proper.Anyway it became apparent that one of the family group had gone AWOL and although he arrived another was going to head out to find the last searcher still out there. Now I can¢t help but stick my nose in and don¢t like to see people heading out on their own in that sort of situation so volunteered to go along. There was no real worry about safety, only that maybe the light would go. I grabbed my head torch and we headed off. It¢s great to do some miles without the pack but I couldn¢t help but think I¢d have to do all this again tomorrow. Anyway to cut a long story short everyone eventually ended up back at camp and all was well in the world. Things turned out to be particularly well with me, however, as I was treated to rice, steak and tea as a thank you. The steak was particularly tasty and a welcome relief from the tuna I¢ve had every night since Gorham. The fun wasn¢t over quite yet as the Colby lot got the camp sing song thing going with ¢memorable¢ renditions of Bohemian Rhapsody and American Pie.I went to bed with the taste of steak still in my mouth and one question puzzling an otherwise happy mind. How do kids 10 to 15 years my junior know all the words to Bohemian Rhapsody? I mean I was around while Queen were ¢Top of the Pops¢. Was it popular in the maternity rooms of early 80s America or what? Will they still be singing it around campsites in 2023?
Date: 2003-08-30
From: Spaulding Mountain Lean To

To: Stratton,ME
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

A quick change of plan today. I had planned on dawdling into Stratton tomorrow, in which case I could post some journals home Monday morning but I have just been made aware that the PO will be closed on Monday. So I may as well head for town today which meant 13 plus miles today and once again the lure of town meant I wanted them over and done with as quickly as possible.I spent the morning passing and being passed by the Colby lot as I made my way down to the next ¢ford¢. Once again the water was low and there was no need to get my feet wet to cross. No ¢need¢ but I managed anyway when I slipped on a wet rock while collecting water and ended up calf deep in water. I took this as an excuse to take of my socks and shoes and take a 15 minute break by the stream. While I was sitting there I overheard a 200 mile southbounder giving gear tips to a 1,900 mile northbounder. Effectively telling him where he was going wrong! Just when you think you¢ve heard it all!I reached the road at 3pm fairly tired. I had decided to hitch for the second time this trip as Stratton was about 5 miles off the trail. I¢d have had to take a rest anyway so I may as well do it with my thumb out. I didn¢t wait long though, as the 6th car along pulled in and took me to town (windows down for extra ventilation).I settled into my usual hotel routine, only this time the beer in the bath bit had a bit of a novel twist. The TV, you see, was on a swivelly stand thing and could be adjusted to be nicely visable from the bath. So it was bath, 4 beers (I think), and episode of Enterprise and some college football.LUXURY!
Date: 2003-08-31
From: Stratton,ME

To: Horns Pond Lean To
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Night 200 since I left Aberdeen. Night 138 since I left Springer Mountain, GA. 5.1 miles from Stratton to Horns Pond Lean To or at least 5.1 trail miles. I decided to road walk to the trail head so it ended up nearer 10 miles by the time I reached camp. It did feel like a long day but not a bad one.The road walk had been quicker that I had thought and gave me some nice views of the Bigelows (the hills) that I would soon be walking up and over. Next it was fairly steep uphill, but I was rewarded with a great viewpoint for dinner about a mile short of camp with views north along the peaks in the range and east towards Sugar Loaf and some of what we had walked over before Stratton.Perhaps most of all, though, today was about the people that I spoke to in camp. I had a long chat with a couple of guys down from Montreal for a few days hiking, then I talked to Jellybean (a previous thru hiker). It was refreshing talking to him as he seemed to share many of my opinions on backpacking and criticisms of the trail.Last I talked with the caretaker. She mentioned that she had read 30 plus books over the course of the summer so I offered her ¢The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul¢ for some light relief. I had finished it but was still carrying it as I was hoping to find someone who I thought would appreciate it and this seemed to fit the bill. I hope she gets a good laugh as it certainly made me smile.
Date: 2003-09-01
From: Horns Pond Lean To

To: West Carry Pond Lean To
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: overcast clouds

¢The clouds didn¢t look like cotton, they didn¢t even look like clouds¢ ¢ Townes Van ZandtNo they looked like cartoon bears and dragons and halloween pumpkin ghouls, or at least that¢s what some of them looked like to me as I lay on Little Bigelow Mountain watching them drift past and having a generally swell time.It¢s not what you would call a hard life out here. In fact if you cut down on the walking it could really be just about perfect.As it was, it was a day of easy walking, nice stops and lots of snacking (with the last two often coinciding). Breakfast on South Horn before going over Bigelow West Peak and Bigelow Avery Peak then a few undulating miles before my break for cloud watching on Little Bigelow.Over 2,000 miles today but the mileages are meaning less and less. It¢s got to the stage when you don¢t have to quantify your progress so much. It¢s now more obvious what¢s gone because you can comprehend what¢s to come and that with a few big hop, skips and jumps it will be very nearly over.I had one of my more enjoyable nights at a shelter tonight with some old friends and some folks I was meeting for the first time.I arrived to find Llama and Skywalker in for the night and we chatted as we ate. Also here were Trailfrog, Bree Stoker and Space Monkey. Onse Llama and Stoker got the fire going we all sat around chatting as dayilight turned to dusk and eventually darkness.Everybody was in a bit of a reflective mood and, although I didn¢t always agree with what was being said, it was nice to share these folks thoughts.
Date: 2003-09-02
From: West Carry Pond Lean To

To: Pleasant Pond Lean To
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: broken clouds

¢It¢s just gone noon, half past monsoon, on the banks of the river NileHere comes a boat, only afloat, oarsman grins a toothless smile¢ ¢ MadnessOr rather it had just gone 3 on the banks of the Kennebec River when here comes a perfectly sea worthy canoe whose oarswoman greeted us (Cakalaki, Flowcefus, Skywalker and me) with a charming smile.Today you see brought us to the famed ¢ferry¢ crossing that forms part of the official route of the Appalachian Trail. Apparently this stretch of water can be dangerous as a dam upstream can cause the water level to rise rapidly and, therefore, make fording unsafe. For this reason first Cakalaki and Flowcepus were ferried across and then Skywalker and me,with Skywalker¢s paddling (after losing the toss of a coin) helping to power us to the opposite bank.A short walk then brought us to Caratunk. I had planned on staying here but things didn¢t work out that way. It¢s fair to say that this stretch of Maine is truly rural and remote with only small communities spaced far apart. Caratunk fitted this to a tee and had very little to interest me in staying. There was a hiker hostel but in case you haven¢t worked it out by now I¢m not a big fan of hiker hangouts and like to avoid then if at all possible. I tried another place but at $80 and no TV or bath I felt I would be better off out in the woods.I bought some food, shouldered my pack and headed out. The only problem being that it was now 6pm and almost 6 miles to the shelter.I set a good pace and thought that I might indeed make the shelter before dark, although I had planned to take the first decent tent spot after 7pm. I kept going in the belief that I was making good time (incorrectly as it turned out). With no map and the limited info the databook gave me I actually thought I might have walked past the shelter as I lost light and donned my headtorch for my first bit of night hiking. It was going to be another 9 miles to the next shelter and I was seriously contemplating plodding on into the snall hours when it started to become apparent that I probably had not passed the first shelter after all.I passed a decent tent site and gave myself 5 minutes to find the shelter or turn back. Right on 5 minutes I found the sign to the shelter and settled in for the night with the other 4 occupants who were all still awake.In all my night hiking experience had lasted 35 minues but as far as I was concerned that was quite enough.
Date: 2003-09-03
From: Pleasant Pond Lean To

To: Horse Shoe Canyon Lean To
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Indecision, IndecisionI do have a plan it¢s just that it¢s not the plan I thought I had. Originally I was going to take it easy to Monson and stay the night. However, after seeing Caratunk I now prefer the idea of going in and out of Monson during the day. The only real way to make that work is to do 22 miles today. I think it¢s worth it though, sacrificing some of today¢s pleasures so that tomorrow is more to my liking and so that I don¢t then have to twiddle my thumbs in town.As it turned out the walking wasn¢t too bad, especially the last 9 miles which took well under 4 hours (it¢s always nice when the later miles go well) and I even got my feet wet fording one of the streams. It was all of instep deep and although my feet actually stayed dry my shoes did get a little damp.Here at Horseshoe Canyon tonight with 2 other guys and hoards of mosquitoes ¢ they are really bad!The reason I haven¢t mentioned the bugs lately is because there haven¢t really been any. After my concerns in New Jersey that the bugs might blight the rest of the trip they have only really been an intermittant problem and therefore a minor inconvenience. I mean most days you would get a few bites but nothing to write home about.And just while I am on the subject of issues that I haven¢t mentioned in a while because they have more or less gone away. My feet are fine and dandy these days too. No real problems since I switched tothe sandals way back in the Shenandoahs.
Date: 2003-09-04
From: Horse Shoe Canyon Lean To

To: Leeman Brook Lean To
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I¢m a firm believer that too many choices, or avaliable options, are not a good thing and certainly not conducive to a happy and contented life. People fret about trying to analyse the options so that they make sure that they pick the ¢best¢ one and then instead of going all out on it can be beset with doubts and spend more time watching the outcomes of the choices they passed over.Anyway, this morning when I woke to the rain the flexibility available to me at this stage of my trip openned up just those options and that opportunity for second guessing myself.I could zero in my tent; or I could sit it out a while and overnight in town (the very option yesterday¢s big miles were supposed to avoid); or I could stick to Plan ¢A¢.At any other time during the trip I would definitely just have got up and got going but now near the end I seem to think that I have more options and as a result less clarity of purpose.Well, a leopard doesn¢t change it¢s spots and, although I lay in bed longer than normal, I couldn¢t help myself and got going to face the day. Plan ¢A¢ was back in effect (although I must admit to keeping the other options in my mind and close at hand).As usual it turned out not to be too bad and if anything helped pass the miles into town, On the way I stopped for a nice chat with a Mr Dunfee (his first name escapes me). He had been to Scotland and had fond memories of driving on single track roads in hte Highlands and of coming across a red telephone box in the middle of nowhere.I love the way something so unexceptional becomes such a warm memory and wonder what memories of the AT I will cherish in years to come that fall into that category.Town went well. I had been a little concerned about what I would find (or rather not be able to find) with regards to food resupply. I knew it would be a small town and while confident there would be plenty for those using a stove I had had visions of my rations being made up totally of candy for the duration of the Wilderness to come. The general store did me proud though with ham, tuna, tortillas, ginger snaps and, of course, Milky Way bars.After a quick lunch and read of a paper I hit the trail fully kitted out with everything I ought to need to see me the 90 or so miles to the foot of Katahdin herself.
Date: 2003-09-05
From: Leeman Brook Lean To

To: Cloud Pond Lean To
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Highlight of today was the ford of Big Wilson stream.It was nothing spectacular but I thought it warranted changing into my sandals and taking off my socks (not in that order though). It turned out to be a wise decision as I was well over calf deep in water in places.Anyway, once safely across with a few miles under my belt and the sun warm on my back it seemed like as good a place as any for a break.Then about 5 minutes into my elevenses who should appear coming south but Asaf from Israel (aka The Hungry Hiker). Asaf is a guy I met on my very first night proper out on the trail at Gooch Gap and who I had last bumped into at Traildays. At that time he was a little behind but I knew he had passed me sometime back from his entries in the registers. It appeared he had completed his hike a few days earlier but now having a month until his flight home (from Atlanta) had decided to hike at least part of the way south.It was good to see him again and was once more proof that the trail has its own way of bringing people together. Anyway, it was final congratulations and once again we parted heading in our opposite directions (I wonder if our paths might cross again and under what circumstances?)The miles weren¢t coming easily today and I wonder if I¢m approaching the downturn in my ¢trail bio-rhythm¢again. Mentally I¢m also indecisive ¢ being unsure whether I want to take another 4 or 5 days to reach Abol Bridge, the end of the Wilderness and 2 days from the end!I¢ll probably need to decide tomorrow and I dare say that will come soon enough.Night All!
Date: 2003-09-06
From: Cloud Pond Lean To

To: Sidney Tappan Campsite
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: clear sky

Over the last few days I¢ve spent quite a bit of time mulling over the finish of my trip ¢ and by finish I mean the last 10 days or so.You start to see lots of entries in registers saying things like ¢why do people have to rush the end?¢I don¢t like that. It seems to me to be somewhat judgemental and to give more significance, or importance, to the last week say than to any other week (does it infer that it¢s ok, or more ok, to rush the middle?).I do find the end different though but in a different sort of way. People often place more importance on beginnings and ends but for me this trip has been more about the mundane normal middle with the start and finish being somewhat more ¢unnatural¢.In the middle I settled down into a very simple routine, being (as I like to think of it) on the ¢never-never¢ but that¢s changed now as I realise that I¢m now on the ¢sometime soon¢ and although you can delay it it is inevitable.In many ways slowing down to put off post trail life would seem less positive to me than rushing to embrace the challenges that lie ahead. I face a few new, exciting and probably uncomfortable challenges once I get home. I need to find paid work again, and in all my life I would say that I¢ve never even been to a ¢proper¢ job interview. However, before I do that I¢ll enjoy seeing friends and family again and even before that I need to organise the last month of my 8 months plus of travelling that started way back in mid February. Of course there is also still that little matter of actually finishing what I started back in Georgia before I can get round to any of that.So maybe I am rushing a bit but I don¢t think it¢s towards the light at the end of the tunnel ¢ there have been very few dark moments on this trip. Perhaps the rushing is towards the rewards that lie ahead and the thought of leaving one or two things behind. I know I look forward to freely available food, to not feeling like I smell even after 2 showers and a bath and to a nice new shirt which, although I may well wear every day, I will launder more than once a week (promise).
Date: 2003-09-07
From: Sidney Tappan Campsite

To: Rough Camp ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ South of So-Mary Road
Miles today: 19.8

Spent last night alone at the campsite and was up bright and early to face the challenge of getting up and over White Cap Mountain ¢ the last biggish ascent before Katahdin.Again the walk brought truity to the saying that we have nothing to fear but fear itself (have I set a record for Trail Journal cliches yet?) as it turned out to be a nice, easy , smooth walk.They say you can see Katahdin from up here but I didn¢t know what I was looking for or where it might be so I just took a weight off and took in the view ¢ Maine is a really nice place.The easy walking continued and I ended up at my planned destination by 3.20pm ¢ way too early ¢ so I just took a rest and plodded on.Now all the way through Maine I¢m yet to see a moose, just lots of squirrels and chipmunks and that¢s ok because chipmunks really are quite funny. As I was walking along I saw one on a log in front of me nibbling away on what looked like a pine cone. I stopped and watched and, although I think it always knew I was there, it took a little while before, looking round feigning a look of shocked surprise, it scurried up the back of a nearby tree. A couple of seconds later it pops its head round the tree, sees I¢m still there and ducks back into cover. It then waits about 5 seconds and does the same thing. It was like something out of a cartoon.You see them around camp often and they seem to work on the principle that if they don¢t look directly at you they must be invisible but then when they do look they dart off, aware that they have been rumbled.Just set up camp on a bit of flat ground by a river tonight so once more I¢ll be on my own.57 miles to go.
Date: 2003-09-08
From: Rough Camp ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ South of So-Mary Road

To: Rough Camp ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ Crescent Pond
Miles today: 23.1

¢And God made even Gilles, He gave him wings to flyBut only from the place that he called homeAnd I¢d fight with God himself for the look in Ewen¢s eyeAnd with anyone who told me he was wrong¢                                                Brian McNeillI¢m a believer that travel, by definition, means going somewhere other than home. For me that means severing more or less all contact until I eventually return. Ok I¢ve done these journals and sent a couple of postcards but generally, even despite technology making it easier, I¢ve kept to that philosophy. (I hang my head in shame about the time I¢ve spent on the internet ¢ although it has been a real pleasure to receive mail and guest book entries).However, in Gorham I did make my first phonecall to speak to anybody that I knew from home (the first time since I left California in mid- April). It was nice but that¢s not the reason I tell you this. No, the reason is related to something he said about this Trail Journal, namely that there may be a bit too much mention of toilets, privies and bodily functions. Now I can take criticism (usually badly) and said ¢OK, no more¢.   However today I¢m afriad I¢m going to go back on that. Hopefully for resons that will become apparent.Anyway, it was pretty early in the day when the call of nature called and I set off 60 or 80 yards uphill away from the trail. The problem was that when I went nearer 100 yards back downhill I couldn¢t find the trail. I didn¢t like this. I didn¢t like it at all and was aware how easy it would be to lose my bearings. No, I didn¢t like it so, reluctantly but sensibly, headed back up to where I knew the ¢toilet¢ had been.I started to think of the end of Bill Bryson¢s book where Katz went off the trail and got lost and I really didn¢t want that to happen to me - if you don¢t know where you are you are pretty stuffed. Being back at the toilet didn¢t help me find the trail but it meant I knew I was definitely within 100 or so yards of it, probably downhill and I could go through some sort of systematic search.I headed off about 30 degrees right of my first try but still nothing. Once more it was back up the hill. I really didn¢t want to lose this spot so tied my yellow jacket to it, while keeping my pack with me. I limited my first search to all points downhill and set off in one of the untried areas. This time it was successful! I went back for my jacket and set off north once more happy to be on the trail.It turned out I¢d initially been about 90 degrees out and then went a further 30 degrees wrong, It¢s easily done if you don¢t concentrate particularly if, like me, you are travelling alone. My advice would be that discretion is definitely the better part of valour.As for the rest of the day? Got a great view of Katahdin from a lake side. It¢s an impressive lump of rock. Have some concerns about a big group I¢ve heard are only just up the trail ¢ I¢d rather avoid congestion in Baxter ¢mmm?