morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-06-28
From: Wilson Valley Lean To

To: ME 15
Miles today: 10.4

I'm warm and dry at Shaw's right now. It was a very wet hive over however. I woke up to rain hitting the roof of the shelter, and it rained pretty much all day. After a few miles and the first ford I just gave up trying to stay dry. The trail turned into a stream/giant puddle, and I would still be out there if I had tried to stay dry. I passed someone heading north who looked a lot like Mike Lero. When I got to the road I decided I was too wed and cold to stand and wait for a hitch, so I started walking. I stuck my thumb out a few times, but the cars kept zooming past. One masshole gave me a thumbs up back. After about a mile, and after I stopped trying to hitch, a pickup pulled over, and the driver offered me a ride. He dropped me at Shaw's, and I took the greatest shower ever. I'm warm and dry, and my clothes are in the washer. I have on my rain pants and a loaner shirt.I'm hoping this rain will let up after tomorrow, or at least changes to (infrequent) scattered showers. We'll see. I'm going to zero here tomorrow to let my legs and knees rest. Sam gave me his email and asked me to let him know when I finish. I can't decide whether it's too early to call home. Quarter past two on a Friday, I have no idea what's going on there.
Date: 2003-05-27
From: Old Orchard Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 24.7
Weather: light rain

Day 33I wasn't looking forward to back-to-back long days, but the terrain is noticeably milder now. I hiked 14 miles by lunchtime. During the hike I met John the Mechanical Man section hiking. He has a home near Lehigh Gap in PA on a dry stretch of trail and he invites hikers to his place to get water. He has hosted Earl Shaffer and Wingfoot and maybe Awol in about 6 weeks.I don't feel too worn after my two long days. My broken toenail and foot bruises are my only irritations.This is the most accommodating shelter. It is next to a visitor center with hot showers and a phone. Crash and I just ordered pizza!
Date: 2013-06-29
From: ME 15

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Took a zero today. I got up around 6:30 after staying in the bunkroom. Luckily there were no snorers. I ordered a 3 at breakfast-- 3 pieces of French toast, 3 scrambled eggs, and home fries. It was big and very tasty. Mostly I've been sitting around today and letting my legs relax. I walked over to the gas station/ convenience store where I got dinner last night to pick up a few things that weren't in my box.We played a few rounds of Scattergories this afternoon. I'm still feeling full from breakfast, so I don't know what I'll do about dinner. At home I just wouldn't eat it, but the scale here says I lost 5 pounds in the wilderness. Too many more and I'll be thinner than a pancake. Most of the other hikers hit the trail this morning, so its been quiet here.Apparently the Piscataquis River is running at 1600 cubic feet per second (normally 100), and is 3 feet higher than normal. One of the owners told us about a roadwalk to avoid fording it. With all of the rain we've gotten today, I think I'll have to take it for safety. Someone said that this has been one of the rainiest Junes on record in Maine. It has certainly felt like that out on the trail.
Date: 2003-05-28
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: broken clouds

Day 34Today was a "nero" (near zero) day. Hiking was easy from the shelter to this tiny town, with only one climb. Rhododendrons are in bloom on the mountains, then moved into farmland, and walked into town through grain fields.Many hikers staying here: Crash, Jeff (Demon Deacon), AA, Old Bill, and Mountain Dog.Since not much happening today, I'll go into detail about my trail food.For breakfast I'll eat a couple of instant oatmeal packs or cereal. Instead of milk, I mix protein powder (Myoplex or Protoplex). This stuff mixes easier than powdered milk, tastes better, and has more nutritional value.I rarely have "lunch", and just eat something about five times between lunch and dinner. I'll eat protein bars, candy bars, beef jerky, gorp, or a bagel (hikers often carry bagel six-packs). Sometimes I'll have an apple or banana that I eat on the first day out of town. I have Glad sandwich containers so I can take slices of bread, peanut butter, and the little jelly packs I scarf from restaurants. (Please take some on your next restaurant visit - especially Cracker Barrel - and give them to Juli to mail to me!) Dinner is a freeze dried meal, instant rice and dehydrated black beans, or tortellini. Knorr sells a dry sauce (tomato pesto pasta) that is great, only needs hot water and olive oil. I have a 2 oz bottle with olive oil, and have had no trouble refilling it from bottles left at hostels or in hiker boxes.
Date: 2013-06-30
From: ME 15

To: Moxie Bald Mountain Lean To
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up and took a shower before breakfast. Today they served blueberry pancakes, and I got another three. I paid, and then got a ride back to the trailhead on ME 15. The walk to the east branch of the Piscataquis River was nice. However, the river was still very high so I had to do the road walk around. This added about three miles to my day, so today was 21 miles total. That is a lot of miles and my feet hurt. The roadwalk was long and boring, though one guy did tell me when I was close to the trail. He offered to let me ride on his tailgate, but I guess I am enough of a purist to walk. A white van with a trailer passed me twice. The second time they asked me if I had seen a bunch of French-Canadian guys. I told them I hadn't, and they kept driving. About a mile down the road I ran into said group, and told them their van was going the other way looking for them. They weren't too happy to hear that. The trail was still a river, and there was one stream that was high with a rather strong current, but I made it across safely. Here at the shelter there is a female section hiker who started at Pinkham Notch, and another guy doing Caratunk to Katahdin. He put his radio on briefly, but thankfully reception was bad and he turned it off. It's amazing how quickly I've come to appreciate the quiet out here. I still like seeing people, but they should be quiet people while on the trail.Last night at Shaw's I played a game of Euchre with Forever Sunshine, Heather, and Conner. Forever Sunshine and I won. Andrew and Christine, you guys taught me well. The shelter here is kind of buggy, but a few sprays of DEET seem to be keeping the bugs away. Hopefully it will be clear tomorrow so there will be a view from Moxie Bald Mountain. I'm tired of summiting and only seeing clouds.
Date: 2003-05-29
From: Atkins, VA

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 22.9
Weather: light rain

Day 35Yesterday I met Hot Dawg floating down the trail after taking EIGHT vitamin-I pills to start his day. He carries Stubby Cat (his tail-less cat) on top of his backpack. The cat has 16 confirmed shelter mice kills.Started out late 'cause I waited to the last minute to write my newspaper article. It was raining when I headed out and it rained off and on all muddy day. The first 2 miles were across waist high grain, and it was like walking through a car wash.The trail went through a number of cow pastures. We climb about a dozen fences on makeshift steps that the cows haven't figured out yet. Bovines aren't alone in this - how many of us fail to recognize freedom just a few rungs away?I am getting really tired of hiking in pain. I don't think I've hiked a single pain-free day. My knee hurt, then my bunion, Achilles tendon, broken toenail, bruised feet, my traps get sore from pack straps and using trekking poles and my feet are full of blisters.Yesterday and today the worst pain has been a heel blister forming under the callous of a previously healed heel blister. When that heel lands on a root or a rock it causes me lip-biting-cursing pain.I got to the shelter 15 miles from Atkins at 4:30. It was a full house and the water source was far from the shelter. Crash was there laying out his sleeping pad. I pushed on another 9 miles to here and got in just before dark. It was a stormy, cold night on this bald ridge. Good thing this is a fully enclosed concrete shelter. It reminds me of an artic outpost.A half hour after I arrived, Crash came in too, influenced by me to push on.It was a rough day.
Date: 2013-07-01
From: Moxie Bald Mountain Lean To

To: Pleasant Pond Lean To
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

It rained pretty hard last night, so the lady in the tent got a little wet. She came over to the leanto to pack up her stuff, and said she was going to Monson to dry out. I left around 6 and made it to the top of Moxie Bald in about an hour. It was sunny and there was a view. My left heel then started to hurt which made the next 11 miles very painful. I hope that whatever is wrong fixes itself quickly, or I will be slowed down or in pain a lot for the next 2000 miles. The ford today was only waist deep. I had an audience while crossing- someone wanted to see what they were in for. I made it across without falling or making a fool of myself.The climb up Pleasant Pond Mountain wasn't bad, but there were a few false summits before I got to the real one. I had very good reception on top, so I called home. They're leaving for Spain tomorrow, so I'm glad I got a chance to say hi. There was a steep but not too long descent down to the shelter.Its kind of trashy here, but the mosquitos are easier than normal to kill. There's a NOBO staying here who is terrified of bugs. He said that rather than opening his tent while there were mosquitos around, he turned one of his bottles into a pee bottle. A bee flew near him and he freaked out like an elementary schooler. But he shared some candy with me so its all good. If nobody else shows up I'll get the shelter to mylesf tonight, which would be nice. Tomorrow morning I have six downhill miles to the ferry, which I have to get to by 11 am. If I don't sleep in it won't be a problem.
Date: 2003-05-30
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 36Just walking out to pee this morning was agony. Every other pain that I've had, I've treated with ignorance - ignored it until it went away, but this heel is difficult to ignore.All I wanted to do today was get off the trail and Bland was the earliest out, over 20 miles away. The first part of the trail was rocky, and the middle part was an obstacle course of mud, blow-downs, and a bunch of stream crossings. The last part was well-graded fast walking.When I got to US 52, the very first car pulled over and gave me a ride to the Big Walker motel. I'm considering a zero tomorrow and there is nothing in this town.
Date: 2013-07-02
From: Pleasant Pond Lean To

To: West Carry Pond Lean To
Miles today: 19.7

I woke up early and it was raining. It continued raining while I packed up and hit the trail. It rained the six miles downhill to Caratunk and the ferry across the Kennebec River. I woke up too early, because I had to wait for the ferryman to arrive. He showed up about 45 minutes later, at 9, and after signing a release form I was quickly across. There is a very strong current across the river, and the canoe was pointed upstream most of the time. On the other side was a NOBO who videoed the landing. It was a quick four miles to the next leanto where I stopped for a snack and to refill my water. I was feeling good so I decided to push to here, 10 miles further. It was pretty flat most of the may, with no steep ups or downs. If this is what the trail is like down south, I will be flying when I get there.So far today I've seen three people- 2 NOBOs and the ferryman. It looks like I'm going to have the shelter to myself again. This is a big, nice, shelter, so I'm not complaining. Today was a big mile day. My legs feel pretty good, but my feet hurt. They should toughen up, or this will be a long trip to Georgia. I keep hearing clunks that sound like heavy footsteps, but there is no one else here. If I was superstitious I might think this place is haunted. My dinner is just about ready, so I'm going to go eat it while it's warm.
Date: 2003-06-04
From: Wytheville, VA

To: Dismal Falls
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: broken clouds

Day 41Back on the trail and it's raining. Not too bad really, and it cleared up by noon. My heel wound did well, never hurt, and it looks about the same tonight as it did in the morning.The new boots felt snug around the top of my ankle, since I'm not used to hiking with shoes that come up so high. After a couple of miles, I started feeling discomfort, especially when going downhill. The top of the boot would hurt the back of my leg above my ankle. After about 8 miles I couldn't stand it anymore.An unfortunate thing about gear out here is that you don't know how it's going to perform until you use it. After using it, you can't take it back, and you are usually a day or more away from being able to swap it out.In the case of my boots, it would be a week before reaching another outfitter. So I took out my knife and did some custom tailoring of my brand new $140 boots. I cut a line an inch and a half vertically down the back of the boot to loosen the "collar" around my leg.I sat around Jenny Knob Shelter from 3 pm until 5 pm trying to convince myself to do a short 12-mile day. The weather was perfect and I'm too damn restless for my own good. Walked another 8 miles and set up my tarp in near-darkness.I saw three snakes today; one was a black snake about 4 feet long.
Date: 2013-07-07
From: Poplar Ridge Lean To

To: Piazza Rock Lean To
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: clear sky

I was the first one out of the shelter this morning. The climb up Saddleback Jr. was less bad than I thought it would be. I stopped for a minute, then cruised up the Horn. I was going to stop an the top, but it was too windy to stay long. In the shelter of some trees I had a granola bar. I then powered up Saddleback. The summit was really nice, but very windy. I stayed up there for about an hour and ate most of my M&Ms. When I got cold I went down to the shelter. Blue Sky is here, and 2 NOBO section hikers. The others will probably get here eventually.The other SOBOs showed up, and 3 NOBOs. The NOBOs are entertaining to listen to. I wonder if I'll sound like them when I get down south. Tomorrow I'm heading into Rangeley to get some more food and some lunch, then back to the trail for a few more miles. Maybe even to the shelter. Hopefully it won't rain too much, hitching is nicer when its not raining.
Date: 2003-06-05
From: Dismal Falls

To: Pearsiburg, VA
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 42I saw a number of deer today, getting closer to them than ever before, some only 20 yards away. I am beginning to think I¢m alone in white-blazing this trail. Seems like many took the opportunity to blue-blaze off a few miles today. The new boots were a mistake. Hitting some extended down hills was torture on my feet, especially the 2-mile foot-jamming descent into Pearisburg.On down hills, my toes jam forward and boots have an unforgiving toe box. This is a huge disappointment. I'm having the roughest time of my hike now when it is supposed to be getting easier. The terrain is definitely less demanding. I just wish it were all up hill (or level!).In the last two days I've met other trail-journalers: No Pepsi, Woods Dragon, Blip, and Mudbutt. I wandered over to the sports bar when I got into town and had beers with No Pepsi, Superfly, Stretch, Jason and Shelton, Snot Rocket, and others.
Date: 2013-07-08
From: Piazza Rock Lean To

To: Campsite near Bemis Stream
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: few clouds

It was raining when I woke up. Naturally I was the first one awake, and the first to pack up and go. The hitch into Rangeley was super easy. The first car that came after I stuck out my thumb picked me up and brought me to the grocery store. I got enough food to get me to Gorham. I then walked into town to try and use the library computer, but of course the library is closed on Mondays. I then went to the diner for a second breakfast. It was pretty good.A couple from New Hampshire offered me a ride back to the trail, which I accepted. They said they had thru hiked a few years back, and were hiking the VT-NH-ME section until bad blisters forced them off the trail. Now they're just doing shorter hikes and picking up their mail drops. The trail to Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to wasn't bad. There were a bunch of teenage French-Canadian girls there so I decided to push on. The other SOBO guys will probably be there tonight as well. I think I hate people while out here on the trail. The NOBOs last night were amusing, but there went to bed later than I would have liked. The shelters are convenient, but you have to deal with people while at them.The campsite I'm at now is nice. It's near a road, but only a couple of cars have gone by. It is also sunny now, so maybe everything will dry out some. I hope it doesn't rain tonight, packing up wet stuff is no fun. The weather on the TV in Rangeley said it should be nice the next few days. It also said there was a tropical storm going to hit Florida on Friday, so next weekend might be rainy. Hopefully I'll be able to take a zero in Gorham then.
Date: 2003-06-06
From: Pearsiburg, VA

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: clear sky

Day 43Another day to try to solve my foot problems. I rented a car and drove back to Blacksburg, to buy shoes for the second time in a week. This time I went for a lightweight trail shoe (Salomon Raid).Renting the car and making the round trip, hitting the P.O., etc., took most of the day. At 5 pm I was tempted to sit out another night in town, but thankfully drug myself out to this shelter. Good to keep making forward progress.The shoes felt good, but I'm afraid a blister that had started on the pad of my right foot while wearing boots will run its course. It burned today.I met Bigfoot on the trail. He is tall and lanky, just out of college where he ran cross-country all 4 years. Perfect prep for the AT. He started May 5 and is the first hiker I've met that is passing me having a later start.I was happy to follow him up the trail 'cause I was in a little hurry to get to this shelter before dark. We walked the 7 miles non-stop while climbing 1700', talking the whole way in about 2.5 hours. I tried not to let on that I was winded.Rice Field shelter is interesting; it¢s on the edge of a bald where cows graze. Andy, Dude, and Gray Matter came in just about dark. Andy and Dude have 32 ounce White Russians mixed in their water bottles.
Date: 2013-07-09
From: Campsite near Bemis Stream

To: Hall Mountain Lean To
Miles today: 16.4

What a tough day. I woke up early and climbed up to the Bemis Mountain Shelter. I got there at 8. Mapless, Woody, and Chefbeard were still there taking a lazy morning. The climb up Bemis Mountain wasn't bad, but it was very fogy with no views. On m way up Old Blue Mountain I met Chef and at the top Windsock. Windsock is a teacher and is just section hiking to Gorham. The descent down Old Blue was steep. I thought I was near the road when it flattened out a bit, but it got even steeper after that part. At the read someone had left cans of Coke. It was the best room-temperature Coke I've ever had.The climb up Moody Mountain was fairly quick. Then came Sawyer Notch. It was very steep. There was a lot of mud and rebar on the way down. Knee-shattering to put it mildly. I stopped at the bottom to refill my water and have a stack before going up the other side of the V. It was a long climb, but less steep than the way down. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a leanto. Bothe my knees are pretty sore, so I plan to take an easy day tomorrow to let them rest.It looks like in three days I'll go through Mahoosuc Notch. This is the hardest (or most fun) mile on the AT. I hear the descend down the arm is rough, but I don't think it could be worse than what I did today. I'm only 30 miles from the NH border, and will probably cross the day after the notch. That will be exciting to get to my second state and to go through the Whites.I like the 2 NOBOs that are here this evening. They aren't talking loudly and constantly. I'll probably be able to go to sleep early without listening to people talking all night. If only all NOBOs were like this.
Date: 2003-06-07
From: Rice Field Shelter

To: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: moderate rain

Day 44Headed out into the rain this morning and it rained most of the day. The morning rain was a constant, drenching rain, and in the afternoon it was just a light drizzle.On days like this, there are no views, and I just trudge along dodging mud puddles and watching water gush out of my shoes. Two toenails came off tonight. They didn't hurt, cause they both broke a while back. Jason sees the nail and says, "The skin still hanging from it is a nice touch."I took a long break at the shelter 4 miles short of this one with Jason, Shelton, their dog Mission, and Gray Matter. They are all here tonight.
Date: 2013-07-10
From: Hall Mountain Lean To

To: Frye Notch Lean To
Miles today: 10.5

Long Gone and NBC got up early, and when they started moving around it woke me up. I was on the trail around 6 this morning. It was an easy descent to the pond, then to the road where Mapless and Woody were waiting for the shuttle into Andover. When they got picked up I headed back into the woods for the remaining 4.5 miles to the shelter. Dr. Scholls and Chaco were there and I finally got to meet them. Up showed up shortly after they pushed on, along with Polechar. This shelter is in a neat location, sort of a bowl. There is a river running in front, just out of sight. No one else is here right now. I'm guessing that a few NOBOs will spend the night here. I think I am a full day ahead of that SOBO bubble I was with over Saddleback, so they'll probably catch up while I'm zeroing in Gorham. All of the NOBOs recommended staying at the White Mountains Lodge, so I'll probably stay there. I'm looking forward to entering my second state. It feels like I am no longer a newbie hiker, I am truly a thru hiker. It's also hard to believe I've walke 260 miles in just 22 days. If my math is correct that is 11.8 miles a day.
Date: 2003-06-08
From: Bailey's Gap Shelter

To: Sarver Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: light rain

Day 45Put on my wet shoes and socks and headed back upstream on the trail. As dreary as things are right now, I am in a positive mood this morning. This is as strong as I have felt since Damascus, and I have minimal pain. Looking forward to a visit from Juli and the girls, and I have a few people to visit in Virginia.I was sitting on the platform of War Spur shelter for a lunch break, with my food bag inches from me. A huge black snake slithers out of the shelter, between my leg and the food bag.Some one left beer in a stream near the trail. Funny how my way of thinking about food and drink has changed out here and the first thought that popped into my head was - calories! Also, the trail passed under a cherry tree, so I stopped for a few handfuls.Still waiting for Virginia to get easy. For about 13 miles today, starting with the descent to War Spur Shelter, the trail yo-yoed between 2400 to 3600 feet. It was difficult.It rained lightly just a few times. Since getting into the shelter (a nice new large shelter) it is coming down hard.