morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-09-14
From: Bemis Stream

To: Rangeley,ME
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Cold and rainy was the way the day started for us, it's beginning to become the norm for us while in Maine. We ate some breakfast, packed up and headed out for the trail. We're heading into Rangeley today to do a full resupply and to get some packages that Atlas has waiting for her. Since it's Sunday and the post office is closed, we're going to stay in town. We heard of a new hostel called the Farmhouse Inn that people have been recommending so we're hoping we can get a room there.   The terrain wasn't too bad today except for a uphill out of camp and then it was lumpy the whole way to Rangeley. We both didn't have too much pep in our step and even though we had a good 2-2.5 mile pace,we were running on fumes. My left knee and shin have been nagging me for a bit,I just need them to hold on just a little longer. We both put in the headphones,listened to music and cruised on auto pilot for most of the day. The terrain here is very boggy which has us cross over planks of woods set over the bogs and if you fall in, you will go a good two or three feet deep. It's also full of exposed roots from the trees so a lot of stumbling goes on. We haven't seen a moose yet and have seen the poop and tracks everywhere so we try to keep an eye out for them and that leads to us tripping on the roots.    We made it to the road to Rangeley and it was pretty quiet so I went to call the hostel for a ride and had no signal. So we walked down the road for a bit and stuck the thumb out and luckily a lady pulled over and picked us up. It was a nine mile ride into Rangeley and she was driving right by the hostel so she dropped us off there. We were greeted by Shari who gave us the tour and lead us into a room where James and a bunch of hikers we've been leapfrogging with hanging out and celebrating one of their birthdays. It was good seeing everyone and had played a few card games and had some beers. We were lucky to get some bunks that weren't in the house and had the place to ourselves. With the plummeting temperatures and being in another bubble, the place was filling up quick and carloads of hikers should arrive every few hours.    We were hungry so we got a ride into town and went to a pub for some food. It was weird watching football especially the NY Jets and not really caring about the outcome. Back in the real world, I would be so into it and following my fantasy football team but out here it seems so trivial, I need to focus on getting to Katahdin. We went back to the hostel and it was full and it seemed like the birthday celebration was still going, we retreated to our bunkhouse which was so toasty warm and went to bed.
Date: 2014-09-15
From: Rangeley,ME

To: Piazza Rock Lean To
Miles today: 1.8

Had a real comfortable sleep last night mostly due to the extremely soft and warm blanket the hostel provided. The Farmhouse Inn is definitely one of the best hostels on the the trail. They shuttle you to and from the trailhead,into town and will do it anytime during the day. The owners are amidst of renovating the place so there's a few exposed ceilings and walls but it doesn't detract from the coziness of the place.   We woke up and headed to the kitchen where everyone was congregating and making breakfast. The conversation was mostly about the trail and how everyone was excited to finish and still loving hiking it daily. Everyone's spirits were pretty upbeat but you could tell on everyone's faces that they're tired. When you starts looking into thru hiking the AT, you read it's 90% mental and 10% physical which I think the percentages are a little skewed but after awhile it is more of a mental game. When you reach New Hampshire and Maine, I think the percentages flip as your mentally in the game and made it this far without quitting but now the body is starting to show the toll of the trail and minor pains now become more prevalent. I compare it to a car dashboard as the miles go up and without proper maintenance, those check engine and other lights start popping on and that's what's happening to us,we're getting rundown.   So before heading back to the trail we needed to resupply and to to the post office. We went to the post office first and only one of the two packages were there,she's got no luck with the post office. We then walked down to the grocery store and did a 3 day resupply but we also bought food to send up to Monson which is the last town to do a resupply. The last stretch of the trail goes through the 100 mile wilderness which is a 100+ mile stretch that doesn't pass near any towns. Since Monson has only one general store, we're playing it safe and sending food forward. It also helps that my parents are sending food up there as well because the grocery store in Rangeley wasn't the best. So after the grocery store we walked back to the post office,crammed it all in a box and hopefully it will be there when we get there.   After all the errands were done we got a shuttle back to the trail around 4:30 and hikes to the first shelter. It was pretty full as we're probably in the one if the last big bubbles of this season. There's suppose to be a big storm coming through tomorrow and we have to hike up on exposed ridge lines so we'll figure out how far we go in the morning.
Date: 2014-09-16
From: Piazza Rock Lean To

To: Perham Stream
Miles today: 14.0

Right when we woke I'm it started to rain but luckily it was nothing more than a drizzle so it wasn't too bad of a start to the morning. Today we had some big climbs over Saddleback and then some decent climbs over The Horn and Saddleback Junior.   We were out of camp at 8:15 and started the long climb up Saddleback Mountain. The first part of it wasn't too bad until we crossed another trail and then it was a steep uphill climb. We were in the alpine zone again and the trees were small counterparts to their comrades who grew down below. The whole area was shrouded in fog so nothing was seen for miles and the wind blew hard to make the rain sting against the face. The trail was all rock and now that it was wet it was that much more of a hassle to climb down. Every time this scenario plays out I get that pit in my stomach because I'm afraid I'm going to slip and fall after every step. The three mountains were lines up in a row so you could see the path wind it's away up and down the mountains until the fog swallowed it up leaving you to guess what laid beneath it. We climbed up and over the next mountain,The Horn, and then took a break. We had one more big climb of the day and that was Saddleback Junior which wasn't too bad. Given the way the weather was, it still was beautiful scenery and I could only imagine how beautiful it would've been on a clear day. The leaves are starting to change colors in the valleys and it's great to see the color changes dotted among the sea of green.   Once we were over Saddleback Junior, the trail made it's way downhill over four miles. We had to ford another river,the Orbeton Stream, which thankfully was low enough that we could hop over a series of rocks to get to the other side. So far we're 3 for 3 in not getting wet with river crossings,not looking forward to it in this weather.    We had a slight uphill to climb before looking for camp near Perham Stream, it wasn't a designated campsite but we wanted to camp near a water source. A stream was flowing downhill and cascaded over the side of the mountain and the view over that was of the mountain we just climbed with a beam if sunlight projecting onto the mountain,highlighting the different colors of the trees. It's moments like these that make this journey so worthwhile.The climb up was beautiful as it ran along a stream that was running strong and filled the air with the sound of running water. We found a small campsite right next to the river and set up camp. We'll be under 200 miles after tomorrow's hike, time and mileage are winding down.
Date: 2014-09-17
From: Perham Stream

To: Stratton,ME
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: scattered clouds

We keep making the mistake of setting up camp near water which makes for a cold wake up but it's a beautiful scene to wake up to. There's nothing like sitting against a tree with a hot mug of coffee watching the stream flowing by, it's these moments that I'll miss about the trail.   We were aiming for Stratton today to do a small resupply and hopefully solve the case of Atlas's missing package that we traveled to three towns to retrieve. In our way were a few mountains that would make us sweat and have out knees creak and leave us breathless but that's what's we do out here.   The day was a beautiful one and a quintessential fall day so it made the climbs more bearable. Maine in the fall is a spectacle and one that shouldn't be missed. People come from all over to see the leaves change in New England and have been dubbed 'leaf peepers' and here we are having a front row seat to the show.   We hike over Lone Mountain and Sugarloaf Mountain and took a break at the South Carrabassett River before we had to ford it. Luckily the water is low enough and our feet will be kept dry yet again,we're three for three so far thankfully. While we were sitting on a rock eating lunch basking in the sun, out pops James,somehow he ended up behind us. The kid is the king of pop ins and I know I'll see him every few days,it's a good pattern that we have and hope it keeps going until the end. After lunch we climbed up and over the Crocker Mountains and had a nice leisurely downhill hike that ended in the parking lot along ME 27. Engineer came out of the woods right behind ins and since it was around six at night and the road was quiet,we called for a shuttle.   The owner of the Stratton Hotel showed up and she drove us into town. She hiked the trail ten years ago and bought the hotel and catered to thru hikers. We're also about thirty miles from the Canadian border so she gets a lot of tourists coming on in. It's a small town that gets busy in the winter with skiing so in the off seasons, it's a pretty quiet town.   We ended up staying at the hotel and got some food at the Stratton Plaza. Tomorrow we resupply and cross two thousand mile mark which is pretty crazy. Last big milestone before getting to Katahadin.
Date: 2014-09-18
From: Stratton,ME

To: Safford Notch Campsite
Miles today: 10.4

What an amazing day on the trail today between hitting the two thousand mark and getting some spectacular views on top of the Bigelows. The day started out with getting some coffee and doughnuts from general store net to the hotel and heading to the post office. The case of Atlas's missing package continues as it wasn't at this post office so she had it forwarded to Monson which is the last resupply of the trip so hopefully it gets solved there. In the post office they have a sign saying there's only 188 miles left and for all the thru hikers to keep on going, it was some nice inspiration for the morning.    We packed our bags up and went to the grocery store and did our resupply which wasn't a big one as we planned on getting to Caratuk in two to three days and resupply there. The good thing about this part of Maine is the closeness of towns so you don't have to carry too much food and keep the pack weight down. We went to the deli after that to get a sandwich for lunch and a beer for dinner to celebrate two thousand miles, we were going to the living the high life today.    We started walking down the road towards the trail and took us awhile before we got a hitch,luckily a lady picked us up and we rode in the back of her pick up truck. We hiked for a few miles beiges we saw James again with some other thru hikers and they all had big smiles on their faces. We soon found out why as the two thousand mile sign was pinned up to the tree. We have hiked two thousand miles. It was a great feeling to know what I accomplished so far and what I'm so close to achieving. So many things have occurred over those miles and so many people have been met and now I am here. We hung out there for a bit and hiked on, I had a little pep in my step as I felt good and proud. It was good I had some extra pep because the initial climb up the Bigelows was a big one and slapped the pep right out of me. We finally got to the top and took break at a view which gave us a great view of what we had to climb.       The views from the West Peak of Bigelow Mountain and Avery Peak were some of the best of the trip so far. Standing on top of those peaks with the sun shining and it being so cold out that it negates the warmth,it was an amazing experience. It's one of those moments where time stands still for a moment and you're fully entrenched in the moment, nothing else matters.    We stayed up there for a bit but it was late and the cold was making it's presence known so we needed to get moving and get for the campsite. The worst thing about an end of the end is when you want to get to camp and you get impatient and think it's going to be around every corner but it never is,it just makes those miles even longer. We finally got there and the sites were pretty slanted so a god nights rest wasn't going to be happening. Dinner didn't last long as the temperature dropped quickly and we retreated to the tents as quickly as possible. Hoping it warms up soon,time to bundle up.
Date: 2014-09-19
From: Safford Notch Campsite

To: East Carry Pond
Miles today: 16.3

Another cold morning but miles needed to be done so we were off. This part of Maine is beautiful with walks along ponds and their crystal clear water. We ate lunch along Flagstaff Pond which was a beautiful serene lake that reminded of the lake I used to visit when I was younger, it had a nostalgic feeling to it.      This part of the trail is relatively flat which I think is a gift from the trail. The trail is like high school in a sense and now being seniors we can coast for a bit without doing much work and you can enjoy yourself,the scenery and have time to think. The realization of this journey coming to an end hasn't fully settled in and probably won't until I'm back home in a few weeks. I haven't looked at photos of the trip and the other day scrolled through the list and it seemed never ending. I've been encapsulated in this world of the woods and the glimpses of the real world I get through social media shows how fast paced the world in. It's nice to be naive about the world even for a short time, it's like taking a time out from life but eventually you will have to take that deep breath,open your eyes and dive right back in. That urge to jump back in is happening, that nervous excitement about entering the unknown I felt leaving the real world is back as I enter back into it.
Date: 2014-09-20
From: East Carry Pond

To: Caratunk,ME
Miles today: 10.8

Another cold morning but miles needed to be done so we were off. This part of Maine is beautiful with walks along ponds and their crystal clear water. We ate lunch along Flagstaff Pond which was a beautiful serene lake that reminded of the lake I used to visit when I was younger, it had a nostalgic feeling to it.      This part of the trail is relatively flat which I think is a gift from the trail. The trail is like high school in a sense and now being seniors we can coast for a bit without doing much work and you can enjoy yourself,the scenery and have time to think. The realization of this journey coming to an end hasn't fully settled in and probably won't until I'm back home in a few weeks. I haven't looked at photos of the trip and the other day scrolled through the list and it seemed never ending. I've been encapsulated in this world of the woods and the glimpses of the real world I get through social media shows how fast paced the world in. It's nice to be naive about the world even for a short time, it's like taking a time out from life but eventually you will have to take that deep breath,open your eyes and dive right back in. That urge to jump back in is happening, that nervous excitement about entering the unknown I felt leaving the real world is back as I enter back into it.
Date: 2014-09-21
From: Caratunk,ME

To: Bald Mountain Brook Lean To
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: scattered clouds

The day started out warm and sunny and we were hiking in good spirits and then later in the day it got rainy and cold and everything changed. Most of the hike the trail was exposed rock face partially covered in moss and during the sunny times it was east, rainy times it was like black ice.   I haven't taken a spill in a while with Atlas taking on that role and one rock face I knew it was going to happen. I looked at it knowing my fate with the rock yelling at me reiterating it and I was throwing a Hail Mary pass relying on my shoes to lead me to victory. Well my Hail Mary pass was intercepted and I fell flat on my ass with my backpack taking the brunt of the fall and I got up relatively unscathed. Only thing rattled was my mind and I had a few close calls during the day which led me to hike extra slow. You know when you see a patch of ice and wade across it and when you're about to slip you do those arm motions to save yourself from slipping and somehow it works. That was the last four hours of my day. We finally made it to the shelter and decided to stay in it for the night so we didn't have wet tents to deal with in the morning. We were near a logging road so we heard that throughout the night which shows how close the trail is to civilization and unfortunately is the case for a majority of the trail. Big day into Monson tomorrow which is the last town before Kathadin. Is this really happening?
Date: 2014-09-22
From: Bald Mountain Brook Lean To

To: Monson,ME
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: few clouds

Looking at the terrain for today in the guidebook was a beautiful sight to behold. With one uphill in the morning and after that it was a flat, straight line for miles which meant for big miles and not to much strain. The only thing to contend with is the three river we had to cross which so far we've been lucky with and haven't gotten our feet wet yet.      The weather was beautiful and for the day it didn't feel like hiking but a walk in the woods. Partly cloudy with a stiff wind, Maine was finally opening her doors to us rather pushing us away with her stiff, cold arm. I put on the Royal Tenebaums soundtrack and just drifted away into while roaming in the woods. I felt like a kid exploring the woods of Maine rather than following white blazes, mileage and destination were second to relaxation and fun. Sometimes out here hiking the trail is like work and you can get jaded. These are the times I think section hiking the trail over time is more enjoyable that a thru hike because you sometimes can get numb to the beauty that's around you. I would love to be Thoreau,Muir or Emerson and romanticize every waking moment I'm out here but it's not the case. It's weird that at this point I've been thinking about my plans on his to get home more than summiting Kathadin,it feels wrong. Not many events in life prepare you on how to feel after completing a journey like this so maybe that's why I feel a bit numb. It could be I'm in a shock and haven't really accepted that this is the end even though I thought I did. All I know is tomorrow I take the first steps in the final part of this journey and I'm walking in head high,smile on the face and some nerves in the stomach. I'm expecting to finish this journey on September 30th and most likely won't be able to upload the journals until after the fact so I hope you guys will still be around and finish this journey with me. Until then I post a lot of photos on Instagram.com/li_hiker so you can check them out. See you guys soon.
Date: 2014-09-23
From: Monson,ME

To: Vaughn Stream
Miles today: 13.7

We were heading into the final stretch of the trip and before we left had to resupply. Thankfully my dad stepped up to the plate for the final time and sent Atlas and I a huge resupply to get us through the 100 mile wilderness. There's no towns to resupply at in this stretch so you can either carry 7-10 days of food or set up a bucket drop with a hostel in which you fill a 5 gallon bucket with food and they have a place about midway through the wilderness they drop it off at and you resupply then. So we packed about four days of food and then filled the bucket with another fours days of food. The terrain is relatively flat so it shouldn't take us too long to get the resupply. So after getting prepared, we were ready to go and start the final stretch to Katahdin.   We said out goodbyes to hikers at the hostel which is a weird feeling as it solidifies that the end is near and we got a ride back to the trail. It was a quick ride but I couldn't sit still, I was so excited to finally enter the 100 mile wilderness,the weather is supposed to be beautiful for the next six days so we are going to soak it all in and enjoy everyday.   We got the the trailhead and took the photo with the famous 100 mile wilderness sign and began the hike. There weren't too many people on the trail so it was a quiet hike for the most part. We got to Little Wilson Stream which we had to ford and it was cold. We hiked on and had to cross Little Wilson Streams older brother Big Wilson Stream which was running nicely and we had to ford it and get our feet wet. It was only about calf deep but the water was frigid which made it that much funner. On the other side we sat there drying off on a boulder with a old moose carcass lying next to us,just another normal moment on the trail. We ended up setting up camp near Vaughn Stream which was a nice roaring stream and helped us fall a sleep. It was a great first night in the 100 mile wilderness,the days are dwindling down which is sad but man I'm still having a blast out here.
Date: 2014-09-24
From: Vaughn Stream

To: West Branch Pleasant River
Miles today: 16.6

Tenting near a river tends to bring colder than normal mornings which is what happened today but waking up next to a roaring stream is too good to pass up. After getting getting the hands and feet warmed up with the aid of coffee and a hot breakfast we were ready to go. We had another day of beautiful weather and with the leaves changing it made the day that much better. The day was filled with ups and downs and I guess I was just having an off day because I was playing bumper cars with every tree stump, tree branch and rock along the trail, it was ridiculous. The final blow was on Chairback Mountain and I went head on with a sharp rock and i went down immediately. Atlas had her headphones on so she didn't hear me yelp in pain and go down. I was in a lot of pain but I had to try to laugh it off as it was my own stupid mistake but in the back of my head, I thought I did some damage and my trip was over. Thankfully after about ten to fifteen minutes and being able to bend my knee, I dodged a bullet and limped down the trail. The trail is throwing whatever it has left at us and trying to keep us from Katahdin, hell if I let that happen.   We got to the west branch of the Pleasant River and had to ford it, thankfully it was only ankle deep but real cold, thankfully we were camping right on the other side. Hungry Horse, Osprey and his dog Stitch were camping there as well so it was nice to have some company for the night. Since we were camping near the bank of the river, we had a great view of the sky and the stars were out in full force and we even saw the Milky Way. Maine is quickly becoming one of my favorite states on the A.T.