morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-07-14
From: Highway 15 outside of Monson

To: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to
Miles today: 9.0

I left the Crunchmaster at Shaw's for the AYCE breakfast and then headed home. I prayed for safety and God answered. I drove all the way back without stopping except for restroom, gas, and food, 19.5 hours straight. Arrived home at 3:00 a.m.Trevor's post from FB: "We left the hotel this morning at about 6:45. My dad took me to Shaw's for the AYCE breakfast. We then said our goodbyes and my dad left for home. He will be meeting me in Gorham, NH in about 3 weeks. I ate about 3 plates full of food at Shaw's and could barely walk afterwards. I met up with Josh and Matt at Lakeshore and we waited awhile to let the food settle. We ended up starting hiking at about 10:30. The trail was easier today than it has been the whole trip. We only had one small climb and the rest was level. There was also not as many rocks, roots, and mud. I got to the shelter at about 4:00 and decided to cool off in the river. I'm hoping for more easy trail tomorrow and hopefully cooler weather. It was close to 90 degrees today which makes it really tough. Going to bed now."
Date: 2013-07-15
From: Horseshoe Canyon Lean-to

To: Bald Mtn Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 13.0

Received a call at 4:43 p.m. from the Crunchmaster on top of Moxie Bald Mtn. He is a little over 2 miles from his destination and was feeling real tired. He said it is very hot. The heat will take a lot out of you. He was feeling down when he called due to low energy levels. It's hard to understand sitting at home, or in the office at work, just how difficult it can be when you're out in the woods dealing with fatigue, heat, bugs without any of the comforts we're so used to and take for granted, such as air conditioning, cold water or drinks, comfortable seating, prepared meals, restroom facilities, soft bed, etc.I will post Trevor's FB as soon as he sends it. He sent yesterday's post while on top of Moxie Bald Mtn. At best there will typically be a 1 day lag, and in many cases it may be more than that, particularly while in Maine, because of the remoteness of the trail.I did a little research on the amount of cumulative elevation gain in the first 114 miles. It is not exact and, if anything, is less than actual, because there are a lot of little ups and downs that don't get captured when estimated overall. The total comes to 23,111 ft, or over 4 vertical miles. Going down is in some ways more brutal then going up in terms of the strain on the knees and feet, so also include the 4 vertical miles that you go down in this same stretch. I'll plan to share a map profile showing elevation changes in an upcoming post to give an idea of what this trail is like.Here's Trevor's FB post:Despite the trail being pretty easy today, it was one of the hardest days of the trip. The temperature was above 90 degrees and the bugs were really bad! We had easy trail the first 9 miles but then the trail went up Moxie Bald Mountain. For the first time on this trip I actually started missing home a little bit. As I climbed up the mountain thoughts were racing through my mind that I really didn't want to think about. I wondered why I was here and why I wasn't sitting at home. I almost wished I was sitting at home in A/C watching TV. Once I got to the top I called my mom and dad and I started getting really emotional. After I hung up the phone I said to myself, "I can do this". The last two miles I started feeling a lot better. Once I got to the shelter, Josh and Matt were there and we made a fire and ate Mac N Cheese for supper. A Mtn Dew would have made supper even better though! I'm feeling a lot better now and I'm hoping to get a good nights sleep."
Date: 2013-07-16
From: Bald Mtn Brook Lean-to

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 18.7

Trevor texted around 10:30 this morning from the top of Pleasant Pond Mtn. He said things were going much better. He did post his journal from yesterday, which I added to yesterday's trail journal posting. His plans are to go all the way to Pierce Pond Lean-to because it is right next to a hostel (Harrison's Pierce Pond Camps) which serves an AYCE breakfast. The heat and the bugs continue to create a challenge for the hikers.The Bigelow Mtns are just about 18 miles ahead. The chance of rain is increasing, hoping the boys won't encounter thunderstorms in the Bigelows because they are above tree line.I'll add more to this entry when the Crunchmaster sends it.Here's Trevor's FB post:"Today was the best day on the trail so far! Matt, Josh and I started hiking by 6:30 this morning because we had to go 15 miles before 3:30 to catch the ferry across the Kennebec River. We made really good time over Pleasant Pond Mountain and did 9 miles by lunch time. After that it was all downhill to Caratunk where we crossed the river. The ferry ride was pretty amazing and they even had a white blaze in the canoe! We then had 4 miles left to the shelter. When we arrived at the shelter there was a group of about 30 girls staying at the shelter! Before we even set up camp we went and signed up for breakfast at Harrison's camp tomorrow morning. When we got back the girls offered us a huge pot of Mac N Cheese and we definitely didn't decline that offer. After supper I went for a swim in the pond and it felt fantastic! After that Matt, Josh, and I all 30 girls sat around the fire and talked about our trip. They were asking us questions about a thru-hike and it was definitely the confident booster we needed. I'm now laying in the shelter enjoying the AMAZING sunset as well as getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. What a great day! I wish every day was like this. This shelter is my favorite so far."
Date: 2013-07-17
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to

To: West Carry Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 10.0

No word from the Crunchmaster today. He was planning yesterday to go to Pierce Pond but I never got verification that occurred. If he did, I'm hoping he had the energy to do a 17.7 mile day and get to the first lean-to in the Bigelow Mtn Range. That would allow for a 10.2 mile day to Horns Pond Lean-to on Thursday and set him up nicely for a 5.1 mile day to the road and the town of Stratton for the weekend. Stratton is a hiker town, which means they cater to hikers. He could get into town by noon, or earlier, and also take a zero there on Saturday. I texted him earlier today to let him know the weather forecast for the next few days. Rain chances are at 40% on Thursday and Friday and rises to 60% on Saturday. Next week is looking really good, highs around 70 and lows around 50, with a very low chance for rain until Friday.Here's Trevor's FB post:"It's 9:00 PM as I type this and I'm in my tent hoping not to float or blow away. There is a big storm coming through right now with heavy rain and thunder and lightning like every 5 seconds. Hopefully my tent holds up. As far as today goes, breakfast at Harrison's was outstanding! I had 12 pancakes, eggs, and sausage. It's great not having to eat a pop-tart! The trail today was really flat which is good because it won't be for long. I did the easy 10 miles by 4:30 and had plenty of time to take a swim in the lake. As we were cleaning up dinner three NOBO's walked in having walked all the way from Stratton in one day! Their trail names were Tarzan, Packrat, and Norseman. Tomorrow I'll be tackling the Bigelow mountains and that won't be fun if it's raining."
Date: 2013-07-18
From: West Carry Pond Lean-to

To: Safford Notch Campsite
Miles today: 12.6

Finally heard from the Crunchmaster today around 3:30 p.m. He called from the top of Little Bigelow Mountain. Here's his FB post:"Today was another great day! I left camp around 9:00 and the trail was pretty easy the first few miles. I saw 3 snakes in the first 3 miles and even stepped on one. That startled me just a bit! After about 3.5 miles I started the climb up Little Bigelow Mountain. About halfway up I stopped at the lean-to for lunch and water and Josh (Milkrun) and Matt were there waiting. After we finished eating we continued up the mountain and the views from the top were amazing! I made some phone calls from the top and Milkrun and Matt went on ahead. The last 3 miles consisted of a lot of ups and downs which are really tough on the legs at the end of the day. I actually fell for the first time on this whole trip! I ate supper with Milkrun and Matt. It's really hard to believe I've been 177 miles already. There is still a bunch left though. Tomorrow I will hike into Stratton for resupply and another zero day!"
Date: 2013-07-19
From: Safford Notch Campsite

To: Hwy 27 South of Stratton
Miles today: 10.4

Mud, bugs, roots, rocks, river fords, wind, heat, sweat, sore feet, sore muscles, hunger, endless climbs, quad killer downhills...all this just to enjoy beautiful mountains, trees, rivers, streams, lakes, waterfalls, wildlife...what an experience.Trevor's FB post just came in and here it is:"Today was really exciting because I knew I was hiking into my second trail town, Stratton, ME. I left camp around 8:00 just because I knew it was going to be a really tough and challenging 10 miles. The first two miles was basically straight up to Avery Peak which stands around 4,000 ft. It was really foggy and windy on top. The wind was so strong I was struggling to stay on the trail. I actually had my hat blow away and I ended up finding it about 100 feet behind me. It's a shame I missed the views from the top but as long as I get closer to Georgia I'm happy. The weather started getting a lot better as I reached the top of South Horn. I could actually see the peaks that I had just come over in the clouds. I stopped for lunch at Horns Pond Lean-tos and took about a 2 hour break which felt great. The last 5 miles was all downhill but it was a killer! My knees were shot! I just kept moving slow and steady and finally reached Highway 27. Within 3 minutes of arriving a guy in a truck pulled over and asked if I needed a ride and I gladly accepted. Once I got to the hostel I found two new blisters on the bottom of my right foot. They are very sore right now and I'm hoping they heal before Sunday. Now it's time to relax and enjoy my day off. I also have less than 2,000 miles to go now!!!!! Only 1,997.7 miles to go now. That feels pretty amazing!
Date: 2013-07-20
From: Hwy 27 South of Stratton

To: Stratton
Miles today: 0.0

The Crunchmaster is taking a 'zero' today. He has called several times and we've looked ahead at what he will cover the coming week. There will be numerous high mountains and some beautiful vistas in the next few days. He is looking to spend the next weekend in Andover, ME, if all goes as planned.Trevor met Blue Moon, a retired gentleman, who is hiking NOBO. His journal is on a blog at terrybliss.comTwo other SOBO hikers, Sara and NKO, whose blog is at songsoutofthecity.com shared their dinner with Trevor Friday evening and mentioned him in their blog:"Happy to be leaving Stratton after a restful nero day; having dinner with Capt. Crunchmaster, and seeing Halo & Milkrun as they rolled in this morning¢¦" From that I take it that Josh's trailname is "Milkrun" and Matt's is "Halo". Note: Trevor hiked on into town Friday afternoon and Josh & Matt camped several miles from the exit, planning 1 night in town versus 2. They 'rolled' into Stratton this morning. Sara and NKO stayed at the Lakeshore Hostel with Matt & Josh last weekend in Monson. They are a very friendly and interesting couple and I found their blog to be a very enjoyable read.Matt, Josh, and Trevor have split the expenses for a hotel room tonight, which makes it only slightly more expensive than the hostel, but offers AC and much more privacy.I'll post Trevor's comments as soon as he submits.
Date: 2013-07-21
From: Stratton

To: South Branch of the Carrabassett River
Miles today: 8.4

No word from the Crunchmaster today. Plan was to hike Crocker Mtn and go, at minimum, to the South Branch of the Carabasset River. 16 years ago I recall tenting with my father and with Travis at this very spot. It rained all night that night and Travis slept at our feet in a 2 man tent. We were hiking north so had only 8 miles to go before finishing that sectioin. That morning on our walk out a moose jumped out in front of Travis and me and scared us. Once it saw us it ran in the other direction.The weather this week is calling for much cooler temps, highs around 70 and lows around 50. This should make a big difference in miles hiked and/or how the hiker feels at the end of the day. Heat saps the energy out of a hiker's body.Trevor's FB post: "I was up really late last night because that music festival got over at midnight. I woke up around 8:30 and went to the store to get some breakfast. I ended up not hiking until about 11:15 which is definitely my latest start so far. The first 5 miles was all uphill and really tough. I reached the summit of North Crocker Mountain around 2:00 and decided to eat lunch with Milkrun and Matt there. We then made our way another mile to the top of South Crocker Mountain and stopped for awhile to enjoy the view. Then it was all downhill from there. The descent ended up being a lot worse than I had anticipated though. It was incredibly steep and my knees were screaming by the time we reached the bottom. To top it all off, the temperature never went above 70 degrees today which felt incredible compared to the 80's and 90's I've been used to. It is suppose to be in the upper 30's tonight too!!!! It already feels like fall is in the air. I just hope this kind of weather sticks around. It is getting late so it's time to get some rest."
Date: 2013-07-22
From: South Branch of the Carrabassett River

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-to
Miles today: 13.1

Got a call from the Crunchmaster at 3:00 p.m. from on top of Lone Mountain, about 8 miles from where he camped on the South Branch of the Carrabassett River. Temperature was about 68 at about 3000 feet elevation and his feet were feeling better after new insoles and moleskin. He seemed in good spirits and walked while he talked to me. The connection was lost so I wasn't able to get much information. Tomorrow will be the beautiful Saddleback Range and I'm expecting some great photos from above tree line.I'm hoping to load a bunch of Trevor's photos and will note when I do so. He has taken some outstanding photos, all of which he is posting on FB.Trevor's FB post: "I got another late start this morning at about 9:00. The first 3 miles was brutal! I had to put my hiking poles in my pack so I could use my hands to pull myself up the "cliff"! Once we got to the top the trail leveled out for the most part and I made pretty good time to Spaulding Mountain Lean-to for lunch. While I was eating a NOBO and another SOBO joined me for lunch. We talked about what the trail was like ahead and where we were going to stay. After lunch I went down Lone Mountain and didn't stop until I got to the river at the bottom. I had 3 more miles to the shelter and it was all uphill very steep! I was absolutely exhausted by the time I reached the top. I finally reached the shelter at about 6:30 and set up camp right away. The next thing on my agenda was...FOOD! I easily ate 2 servings of pasta and was still a little hungry. While I was eating an obese rabbit came right through the middle of camp. It had to have weighed like 20 pounds!Well tomorrow I will be doing the Saddleback Range which is pretty exciting. It's time to get some sleep now. Only 9 more days in Maine!!"
Date: 2013-07-23
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-to

To: Piazza Rock Lean-to
Miles today: 8.9

Trevor has had spotty cell service and around noon he called from the top of Saddleback Mtn. It was raining and a cool 60 degrees. He's enjoying the coolness, not so much the rain, only because the trail is rocky and slick. He's quite disappointed in missing the views as he has heard from me and others the Saddleback range is outstanding for its views. But he'll have many more opportunities to come.The rain should taper off tomorrow.Trevor's FB post: "Well after 18 days of good weather I finally had to hike in the rain today. It was really disappointing not getting any views going over the Saddleback Range because they are said to be pretty amazing. I broke camp around 9:00 and was soaking wet within 5 minutes of leaving. I had a really tough climb up Saddleback Junior after leaving the shelter but it ended up going by pretty quick. I then made my way over The Horn and Saddleback Mountain. I really couldn't stop because I got cold if I stopped for more than 5 minutes. I arrived at the shelter around 3:30 with the rain still pouring down. I was soaked from head to toe! I quickly changed into dry clothes and ate supper since I hadn't eaten much lunch. The rest of the evening I just sat and talked with Milkrun, Matt, Gabe, and Willis. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day so I'm headed to bed now and it's only 8:30."
Date: 2013-07-24
From: Piazza Rock Lean-to

To: Bemis Mtn Lean-to
Miles today: 19.5

The Crunchmaster is hungry. He called at 3:21 p.m. 2 miles past Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to after walking 13 miles, with 6.5 miles yet to go. The rain has left the trail very muddy. He has run out of snack food for eating during the day. All he has left is 2 breakfasts (for Thurs & Friday mornings) and 2 dinners (for Wedn & Thurs evening). Maybe there will be some 'trail magic' at the South Arm road on Thursday.A hiker must plan carefully to assure there's enough food and fuel until the next resupply. You've got to look at the maps and determine the next town close to the trail where you can resupply. You've got to determine how many days (meals) you need to purchase to last until you get there. You buy too much and you'll carry extra weight, which will slow you down, which will make it take longer to get to the next point. You buy too little and you run out of food in the middle of nowhere with no way to get anything. Trevor indicated his consumption has increased substantially, which is why he is running short. He'll get good at determining the right amount of food to purchase for the next leg. After this many days of hiking and the level of difficulty, the body is screaming for mass amounts of food. For someone like myself there are reserves to call on. For Trevor, there are none. His options, which we discussed over the phone are 1) hike hungry, 2) see if a fellow hiker has extra, 3) hitch a ride into town at the next road, then hitch a ride back, or 4) eat what you have and go hungry on your last day on the trail, knowing you'll be close to hiking out for food.Here's Trevor's FB post: "Today was my longest day on the trail so far. It was still raining when I got up and it continued to rain as I started hiking at 7:30. The first couple miles was all downhill but the rain made it a lot tougher. Once I reached Highway 4 the rain stopped and I could finally take my rain jacket off for the first time in a couple days. The trail was very muddy and after trying to keep my feet somewhat dry I finally came to the conclusion that it was impossible. I trudged through ankle deep mud pretty much all day. I took a really hard fall right before lunch and my right knee hit some roots pretty hard. After a couple pain killers I continued to hobble down the trail to Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to for lunch. I caught up to some other SOBO hikers there (Peter and Ziploc). They started on June 28 so I must be flying! Another thru-hiker, Junco, caught up to me however, and he started on the 9th! The last 4 miles was all uphill and I was tired because it was the end of the day. I finally made it to the shelter and Milkrun, Matt, Junco, .COM, and Queen were all there. The temperature was 48 degrees when I walked in so I cooked dinner quickly and jumped in my sleeping bag. It's so nice to be warm now. Looks like the weather is suppose to be good tomorrow so hopefully all my stuff will dry out."
Date: 2013-07-25
From: Bemis Mtn Lean-to

To: Black Brook Notch - South Arm Road
Miles today: 8.7

Thought you, the reader, might enjoy a little different scenery today. Feet are a marvelous part of the body. They support the whole rest of the body and take a tremendous beating on the trail. They've got to be the toughest built body part to hold up as well as they do. What you don't get from looking at this photo is the soreness that emanates from the bottoms of the feet and thankfully we don't have to smell them.Here's the Crunchmaster's FB post: "I didn't feel like getting up this morning because it got pretty cold last night! I finally got all packed up and was on the trail by 8:30. The trail was pretty rough all day. I started the day climbing Bemis Mountain. As I was coming down the other side I was "attacked" by a grouse. It came flying out of the bushes towards me and scared me to death! I then had another steep climb up Old Blue. On the way up I saw some huge moose tracks but have still yet to see one. I decided to eat lunch on top and met a 19 year old NOBO, Fiddlehead, at the top and we talked for probably over an hour. He had some good advice for the rest of my trip which was very helpful! As I was coming down the mountain I decided to cut the day short at the next road and go into town and get some much needed food. I called for a shuttle and about 15 minutes later a guy pulled up and gave me some ice cold lemonade for the ride back to the hostel. That was one great ride! I plan on slack-packing 10 miles tomorrow and then come back to hostel for another night! I also met about 4 people today, Junco being one of them, who say that they love Crunchmaster crackers. Many others said they are definitely going to try them when they get home too. I never knew they were so well known out here!"
Date: 2013-07-26
From: Black Brook Notch - South Arm Road

To: East B Hill Road
Miles today: 10.1

There are quite a number of people following the Crunchmaster as he journeys south to Georgia. We know because the 'counter' on this site is steadily rising. The Crunchmaster would love to know more about who is following and would welcome your suggestions as a journal reader, what would make for a richer reading experience. Do you have questions for him? Include those in your comments in your guest book entry - see the 'sign' Guest Book link to the left. Or simply let us know where you are from and offer a word of encouragement. It will be appreciated.Trevor 'slack packed' today. That is a thru-hikers way of saying he walked without a loaded pack. Trevor stayed at the Pine Ellis Hostel in Andover last night and got a shuttle back to the trail, hiked the next section without his pack and had a shuttle back to Andover at the end of his hike.Here's his FB post: "I woke up at 6:00 this morning so I could go eat breakfast at the Little Red Hen diner here in Andover. I ate so much breakfast I felt like I had gained about 5 pounds back! My breakfast consisted of 3 huge pancakes, 3 scrambled eggs, hash browns, 3 slices of bacon, ground beef, 2 english muffins, and a large glass of orange juice. It took me about 30 minutes to clean both plates. I then waited until my 8:30 shuttle back to the trail. I slack-packed from South Arm Road to East B Hill Road today. For those who don't know what slack-packing is, it's where you just day hike a section without carrying all your gear. All you really have to carry is some snacks and water. It didn't even feel like I was wearing a pack because it was so light! The first four miles was really tough. I had a steep climb up Moody Mountain and then a extremely steep descent into Sawyer Notch! Once I was at the bottom of Sawyer Notch I looked straight up at a rock cliff and knew the trail was going to go right back up. By the time I reached the top my calf muscles felt like they were on fire! I took a break and ate some snacks at Hall Mountain Lean-to. I didn't stay long because I had to reach the road by 3:00 to get picked up. The last 6 miles was all pretty easy and I reached the road around 2:30. Tomorrow I will take a zero and then hit the trail again on Sunday morning."