morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-08-01
From: Sabath Day Lean-to

To: poplar ridge
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I got up before the others and walked till six. I got some water where a lady named pickles was. She left, I found a key where she was sitting. So once I caught up to her I asked her if she was missing a key. She said she had seen the key and that it didn't belong to her. The cool thing about the whole key incident was we hiked together the rest of the day. Even cooler was we had the same hiking pace. we were so compatible it was mind-blowing. For long as I could remember whenever I hiked with other people it was never my pace. With Pickles we wanted to take breaks at the same time. She let me lead, which was my fave. The guys that were with me at the shelter, were at the road, trying to help hippies with an overheated car. I felt a bit bad, of course, once they got the car cooled off, they were given a ride to town. We hiked over Saddleback and saddle back Jr. We took a break and chatted with a south bounder as some thunderclouds bypassed us. He was really nice, not only did he give me the remainder of his food. I was confused why he gave me his food, but he was glad to hike to town with a light pack. I was running a bit low, so he saved me from a rumbling tummy. He said he thru-hike north bound and he did the Pacific Crest Trail before. This time he was on a trip from the corner of Washington, to bike to the AT hike it southbound, get his bike, and bike to the PCT and hike that Northbound all in one go. We passed many day hikers, all smelling clean. I started becoming conscious of my own smell after a little boy asked his mom "Why are those people so smelly?Pickles who looks like she's in her twenties is really 40. She is a lawyer, but doesn't like the people she works for, and is doing a thru-hike to think about, her future. She told me Thru-hiking is not the best way to figure out the next step of life. That she hasn't decided anything, but it is a way to get away. She said if she had thru-hiked before she would have known better not to do such an undertaking. Her husband is not the hiking type, but encourages her. She told me her Ex wouldn't have let her leave. Pickles is very cool, she is a pilot of her very own plane. She flies to Texas to visit family, and other places in the country. The last section we both ran out of water and therefore were really slow, I felt like one of those people in the desert mumbling "Water." At the shelter was Crumbs. He was inside his tent, because the bugs were bad. He was glad to see us.
Date: 2011-08-02
From: poplar ridge

To: Camp
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

Crumbs and I decided to do big miles to get to town. I needed to get to town I was low on food. Crumbs gave me some of his cliff bars. So to get to town was a 22 mile day. We had quite a few mountains to get over. We were a bit rushed. I felt pretty good though. Well it's always easy to do big miles when you have no food. We would never know when the other wanted a break, and we weren't good at communicating. We got to a shelter just as it started raining. I was a great feeling, when it started pouring. The storm hailed before it was all through, and we proceeded without being wet. I made ramen noodles in the shelter, and slid in my sleeping bag. It got pretty chilly. On the downside of a mountain, twas very rocky, reminded me of the start of Maine. A guy came up towards us and behind him followed a goat carrying the load. It made me feel like a idiot, why carry a backpack, when you could have a goat carry it? Well, we didn't get out of the second downpour, but we we're in a valley, and we decided to make camp instead of dealing with lightning above treeline. This was the first time I set up my hammock in the pouring rain. Crumbs joined me under my tarp, until the rain subsided. He didn't want to fill his tent with water.
Date: 2011-08-03
From: Lonesome lake hut

To: Stratten
Miles today: 7.0

One good thing about getting down to the last of my food was I finally ate the last of the couscous I got when I was in Bosten with Skippy. I'm not sure I'll ever be excited for couscous again. All I had after breakfast oatmeal was a cliff bar that Crumbs gave me. There was a father a son group who camped with us. The son, named Robin-hood tried to make a fire last night. The only success he had was getting the birch bark to burn. I was about to head-out while the others were eating. When Robin-hood offered me a packet of oatmeal, so I put all my things down, and ate the oatmeal. They thought it funny, but neither is starving. I hiked fast the others didn't catch up, they were all planning to stay in rooms at the hostel. I didn't know what to do. I called Dave, who had picked me up before, and he said his friend didn't get back to him. The hike was all down hill, but it was still long. I got a ride easy to town. Where the hostel was right next to the grocery store. There were a bunch of hikers outside chatting at a picnic table. I heard a hikers yell my name. I didn't even know them. One hiker walked up to me and said he was the guy that left the bottle of Bacardi. I made myself two frozen pizzas in the oven at the hostel. Then chatted with two girls from Florida. They were hiking south. They were having problems. So at the picnic table I gorged on my pizzas while I got educated about Florida, and heard their trail horror stories. They just graduated high school, and three of the set off. They lost the guy they where hiking with after he tripped and tore open his leg. Then they had only a single liter of water to share between the three of them. The one goes out to look for water, and hallucinates and starts talking to a tree thinking she's talking to her friends. Other hikers passed by that told her later that she spoke incoherently, "Water, need, friends, water." The one girl couldn't walk without a limp, so they were resting on their third day at the hostel. We then watch several movies. There were no beds left so I got the sofa.
Date: 2011-08-07
From: Stratten

To: Monson
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I should get a high five for finding another computer. The bigalows were a bit tough, i night hiked into the shelter, then set up camp since it looked full of sleeping hikers. The next day I thought I could perhaps hike until dark, but crumbs wizzed by me informing me about the Kennebeck Ferry service ending at four. I did my best to keep a good pace, but once I got to the shelter not four miles before the Kennebeck, I decided against it. besides the lean2 was place right by a lake. I went swimming. I bathed in the sunlight too. Tried making a fire, it smoked a ton before it took light. Next day I got to the Kennebeck half an hour before the row boat was there. I however did not have to wait inline since I was the second to arrive and the ferry takes two at a time. That is if you dont have a goat. I decided to do a longer day and hike an extra 4 after doing 18. Which was over a mountian where I called my mama, and gorged on blueberries. Then at the lean2 were a couple by a fire reading outloud. I took a dip in the lake, which was a couple yards away, and joined them. I retired after getting a backmassage. Today, the goal was to get to town. Yeah, goal complete. I got wickedly overpriced ramen, and other garbage food, like iceing. I called home my bro anwsered. Called my mom, she was busy biking, and told me to call her later. I was about to cross the road to hitch hike, when a lady asked me a question. We got talking and she invitied me to set up camp in the backyard. I said I'd like that, then later she mentioned that I could stay inside, then followed a shower and diner. I really wasnt expecting that, and I was worn out. The place is a ministry, helping out the needy kinda thing. Very cool. I dont think she houses people too often though, its more clothing and shoes, and stuff of that nature. So the 100 mile wilderness, is on my doorstep. I am now thinking I will take my time, and enjoy this last segment of my journey on the AT. I talked to my mama, she said they can pick me up thursday which is the 18th. K bye bye
Date: 2011-08-09
From: Monson

To: Wilson Valley Lean-to
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I started off on the 100 mile wilderness, oh so scary. I went to hitch hike, only problem no cars. So I walked and would thumb when someone came by. I was about a mile down the road when a car took a U-turn and picked me up. He said I was the worst hitch hiker ever, he told me he couldn't tell if I was hitch hiking. It worked didn't it. He told me how he used to hitch hike back in the day, and now does his part to help out others. I asked him what the weather was going to be like, he made it sound better then it turn out to be. The wilderness, well at the first shelter was Lama legs. I hadn't seen this kid for months. He was with his brother. They were planning to get done in just a few days. Their pace was too swift for me. I was kind to myself and decided to stop at the second shelter. My back hurt, due to a weeks worth of food. Though the sign at the start of the wilderness said to bring no less than ten days of food.I was glad I stopped at this shelter for another reason, these guys were very new to the trail. The one guy, his first time. I was luck to be the only thru-hiker to flaunt my knowledge, and mileage, plus receive a perk of hot cappuccino. Not actually I love just watching these kind of people, they have such life. They act like little kids, "Oh, look, It a gumbo sized toad." They fiddle with their new stove, and want to cook more and more, just to use it. They brought a newspaper, informing me of the outside world. I learned that the stocks dropped significantly, and gold flew in value. They gathered so much wood after I started the fire. We had a huge bonfire. One to be proud of. I talked to the kid who had just graduated high school. His father was a dentist. They have been traveling all summer. They went to England, to celebrate after graduation. The kid's job was pulling out invasive plants in lakes, wearing a scuba suit.
Date: 2011-08-10
From: Wilson Valley Lean-to

To: Chairback gap lean-to
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

It rained the entire day. I had a horrid hike. I climbed over lots of mountains, with no view. Who would name a mountain, 4th mountain, how lame. Finally at the Lean-to it was crowded, I had to ask them many times to allow room for me. We were crammed in the shelter, sleeping pad against sleeping pad. In these situations you have to be careful not to hit someone. Everything gets hung up, on nails. I was soaked, but lucky I had dry clothes to change into. Robin hood and his dad where there as well as, Brownie who had lost over 50 pounds. I had to ask if he was the same Brownie. I hadn't seen him since Damascus, Virginia. We didn't talk much, I would have like to hear what his trip was like. There was no water source, so the only water we could get was off the roof. So I had a precious bagel for supper.
Date: 2011-08-11
From: Chairback gap lean-to

To: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: scattered clouds

There was a bit of mist in the morning, nothing too wet. I found water after a steep straight down decent after the lean-to. Where there was water. There was a lot of downhill. Then fairly flat, when it comes to flat in the mountains. I forded a river. At the Lean-to, were two people, one could easily mistake them as being married, but they were just enjoying each others company. They were very happy, I could tell they enjoyed each other immensely, almost made me feel like an impostor. They were even more happy when it started down pouring, as was I. Rain is great when not hiking. Rain makes taking a short day feel like it was meant to be. I thought of all the hikers getting wet. Lucky no such wet people came to join us in the Lean-to. The sun came out a bit before a thunderstorm took over the sky. These two hikers at the shelter were Flip-floppers. One stopped in Monson the other in PA and both went to the northern terminus to head back where they left off from. The lady who had stopped in PA was glad she Flip-Flopped she said Pennsylvania was extremely hot, and water was sparse.
Date: 2011-08-12
From: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to

To: Cooper Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 18.0

As I climbed the mountains in the morning I told myself these were the last mountains I had, that the rest of the way was going to be flat. This was not true of course. The biggest problem I had was that my back hurt badly. I would adjust my pack continually, to ease the pain. I was getting so sick of walking with an achy back that when I saw a lady at a campsite, i called it quits, lucky for me, I was yards from the shelter I was aiming for. The Ladies name was Katie-did. I had seen her before, but didn't get to know her. She was setting up her tent as I rested on the ground and we chatted awhile. I was running out of food, and as all hikers I was trying to figure out how many miles i could last on my food. She told me that I could resupply at The Whitehouse landing, the only resupply in the 100 mile wilderness. I then went to t he Lean-to, where these two interesting guys were. They were in their 20's, but they were doing something very odd, in fact they were digging in the dirt. I inquired what they were up to. The one replied "We're getting worms for fishing." He said excitedly. i advised them to look for slugs. Slugs climb into peoples tents overnight, they climb on my tarp and hammock, in my shoes. I told them I'd make a fire, to cook their fish on. I got the wood, but I didn't know they didn't have a hook, of all things. The one was trying to carve a hook out of wood, another very odd thing to do. I found a safety pin, which they tried to then use. The fish stole their slugs, and then they tried using leeches. No fish were caught. Fortunately they were leaving food at the shelter that they didn't need anymore. Which I took, plus they gave energy bars and snickers as well. Had my first protein powder, plus peanut butter in bags. <- (I would not recommend) Two serious hikers came in late. They seriously judged the two guys fishing, labeling them 'special'. The judging didn't stop there. Earlier, the guys that were fishing totally judged katie-did. The two serious thru-hikers informed us they were getting up extremely early the next day to hike a fifty mile day. They were planning to stealth camp in baxter state park, which i informed them was a crime, and they could be put in prison if caught, this indeed upset them.
Date: 2011-08-13
From: Cooper Brook Lean-to

To: campground
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I've been hiking alone for a while, and was just ready to be done, and go home. I had no problem with the woods. In fact as I sat on a sandy beach looking out at a crystal clear lake. I though how alone I was, and how much I would enjoy having my family splash around in the water. I called my mother, asked her if I could cook dinners when I got home. My mother was jealous that I was by a lake, as I wished she we're with me. I teared up when I had to say goodbye. I was tired and trying to encourage myself on, when I met katie-did getting water. She was done for the day, so I joined her. Things got better. I made a fire. Katie-did was welcoming. I learned Katie-did, hiked the Appalachian Trail 8 times, four being thru-hikes.
Date: 2011-08-14
From: campground

To: secrete campspot
Miles today: 12.0

Katie-did hiked with me the whole day. It was quite wonderful. We had fun all day. We chatted along, we'd stop by pretty views. Life is great when you take time to enjoy the ride. Since Katie-did hiked before, she knew of a sandy beach, where we planned to go swimming. Other people liked that spot too. A couple was there handing out peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches and oreos. I could tell, the man was more excited about hiking than the lady. The lady comment that we stank. That was after we laid out our things on the beach to dry. They packed up their things and canoed to the road. We enjoyed ourselves. I found some oysters, and put them in a bag of water and added ramen seasoning. I've heard if one soaks oysters in salt water they lose their bad taste. Well, Katie-did was quite disgusted, for her sake I ditched the idea, and we moved on.We had a little mountain to climb, it was one of those mountains, one wonders when it will end. Katie-did was more annoyed than I. It looked so exotic. I would wait for her to catch up on the top of steps and enjoy the spectacular landscape. It reminded me of a rain forest. At the top we had a view of Katahden. Katie-did know a short cut. Which was actually the trail back in the day. It's on a road. The ATC has this goal of getting the trail off the roads and into the woods. Of course it is very understandable, until one hikes, and wants a smooth walk once in a while. So in our current situation the trail crosses a road goes in a two mile loop and crosses the same trail once again. So we took the road, it was great. We came to a stream where some sobo's where bathing. We found a camp spot and soaked as well. The camp spot was hidden, therefore it was all ours. Having privacy makes it all the nicer. A moose came down near our camp,but turned around when it saw us.
Date: 2011-08-15
From: secrete campspot

To: The last shelter on the AT
Miles today: 15.0

We had another wonderful day. We both were running out of toilet paper. Which can be a bit nerve racking. I had told my mother I found a way home, and that she didn't have to come pick me up. I was going to go home by grey hound. The trail wondered about, it's quite annoying you're going the wrong direction. At the shelter, we got their right before It started raining. I took the one side Kadie-did took the other. This was a mistake. because we were soon separated by a bunch of noisy hikers.
Date: 2011-08-16
From: The last shelter on the AT

To: Abol bridge campgroud
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: light rain

We were so happy to be getting to a camp store, and finally after a week be out of the 100 mile wilderness. We got a campspot with a view of Katahden, and ordered breakfast burgers. We had a wonderful relaxing day. There was a southbounder, named dirty Dan we played cards with. He told us of some of the trouble he had with working, and life in general. He was a fun guy.
Date: 2011-08-17
From: Abol bridge campgroud

To: birches
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

We headed out early, just in case. There are only so many aloud at the birches, not something to risk losing. We were the first to sign up for the day. Then we walked into baxter state park. I had thrown out my poles since the one got a big bent in it. Was amazing a twelve dollar pair of poles lasted how they did, even though I did super glue them twice. We took beaks at the falls, and chatted with pickles. At the camp office we signed in and paid our twenty dollars to stay the night. When I told them my name, they said "someones been asking if there was an Amish" later at the birches my brother runs up to me. He was so out of place. Then my family follow behind. They had decided to come join me on Katahden, and couldn't tell me because I didn't have service. How wonderful.
Date: 2011-08-18
From: Monson

To: Home, Lancaster PA
Miles today: 0.0

So here's the scoop, In the 100 mile wilderness I was slow, took me a week to complete. I am glad I took my time. First off, I was just tired, and had a big pack, plus the weather wasn't quite on my side. But half way through I ran into a lady named kadie-did. She's a triple crowner, and it's her ninth time to complete the AT. We enjoyed each others company, and went swimming daily. We had a 3 mile day going into abol bridge. It had been rainy for the past week, but the day we walked through baxter had a clear blue sky. At the rangers station, I was informed someone was looking for me. I was confused since I had called my mother and told her I found a ride. But sure enough at the birches my brother Isaac, shows, followed by the rest of my family. They joined me in summiting Katahden. It was a wonderful clear day. We got my brothers to help the ladies up the rockfaces. Once my hike was complete, they took us to Canada to visit friends, then back home.Thanks eveyone for following my journey.
Date: 2011-08-19
From: Home, Lancaster PA

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It feels normal to be home, life as it was. What is strange is to think what I have done for the past couple months. Its been long and hard, and I'm glad to be doing something other than hiking. I haven't shown my family the pictures yet, because we've been so busy. I am planning another trip. I've decided I want to fight against Human trafficking. Its modern day slavery. My bank account is pretty much depleted, so back to work for me, I guess. If there are those who want to support the cause, let me know. I'm going to Germany, to help out some already existing missionaries that I know. Hopefully later down the road I'll be freeing those captive and or helping them recuperate from their traumatic life.I have been thinking I may as well make a book with all these stories I have. It's gonna be a lot of work. cheers
Date: 2011-12-15
To: Conclusion
Miles today: 0.0

When I came home a welcome home party was thrown for me. At the party my dad handed me a package. It looked just like one of my resupply boxes. All I had to do was check the address and indeed it was the package that got lost in the mail after I forwarded it several times. I broke it open and shared the chocolates with my guests.I had the intention to write a book even before I started hiking. After I came home, people would come up to me asking if I was writing a book. So I'm doing my best. I went off what I wrote in my trail journal. Fixed a lot of poor spelling and elaborated. If anyone in cyber land reading this has any pointers. Please feel free. For those that read my TJ, what was your favorite part? Love and God Bless