morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-07-27
From: Crawford Notch

To: Lakes of the Clouds hut
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: haze

I was up & packed at the bunkhouse by 8am & I headed to the general store for coffee & breakfast snacks. A shuttle took 2 trips to run all of us back to the Trail head & I was hiking by 9:30am.Looking up at the 6,288' of Mt Washington was quite intimidating - it looked like it went on forever. About 3 miles brought me up 2,500' to Mt Webster - great views, beautiful day albeit a bit hazy. A few miles & bumps to Mizpha hut & a $2 "bottomless bowl" of turkey vegetable soup & I was off.1,200' undulating feet over 5 miles, and I was at Lakes of the Clouds hut by 4pm. The work for stay slots were all full & I took a look at the $8 "dungeon." I opted to treat myself to a bunk & the manager Mike gave me a good deal. The hut can accomodate 100 people & it was full. Kid's groups, families, thru-hukers...a circus at altitude! I did a bit of reading & relaxing & it was dinnertime.Great family style dinner & I gorged on soup, salad, cous-cous, beef tips & toll house cookie bars - YUM! Lots of activity, but I was ready to relax, read & write in my journal. 9:30pm...quiet time!
Date: 2006-07-28
From: Lakes of the Clouds hut

To: Osgood tentsite
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: fog

I was woken by song at Lakes of the Clouds hut - the "croo's" breakfast call. My #7 bunkroom stirred & the 16 of us, mostly Rhode Island high school outdoor club members, headed to the dining hall for breakfast. I had a big delicious breakfast of cream of wheat, eggs & coffee cake. I sat with a few thru-hikers later & chatted - Crumbs had sprained her ankle...the Trail was taking its toll. I headed back to my bunk, packed up & headed out into a blanket of thick fog.My 1st 1 1/2 miles was up 1,300' to the summit of Mt Washington. Very little vegetation & mostly rocks - I found my way up through the fog by cairns which are large piles of rocks marking a trail. At the top, I found the main building, had a snack & mailed a few postcards.It was 11am when I left the summit of Mt Washington. I headed 5 1/2 miles to Madison Spring hut through fog & rain. I saw Rosie (Snakebait) & Dr Jones there. Dr Jones had sprained a finger when he slipped - OUCH! Mr Bunny & Baltimoron showed up & were doing work for stay. I sat down with my bottomless bowl of Hungarian mushroom soup, chowed & watched the rain pour down outside. Hikers straggled in - wet & cold. In came Firefly & Mr Mountaingoat & they fed & warmed themselves. The rain stopped for a bit & that was my cue to head out.As soon as I started up the very steep & rocky 700' of Mt Madison, it started to pour. Up & over I slogged & the going was treacherous. 2 1/2 miles with a rocky, slick & very steep 2,800' descent. It was dangerous & I slipped a couple of times, but no damage. I finally made it off the mountain & decided to camp after reaching Osgood tentsite. There was a platform left & I quickly set up my tent & got to making dinner. I felt better after food & hot tea, so I did some reading. London's "Call of the Wild" kept me occupied for a few hours & got my mind off the misery of the day. They can't all be beauties!
Date: 2006-07-29
From: Osgood tentsite

To: Imp campsite
Miles today: 18.0

Woke at Osgood tentsite at 6am to sunny, cool & breezy conditions. I made some breakfast & wrote for awhile. Firefly & Mr Mountaingoat headed out & by 8am I was on my way.Perfect hiking weather & the terrain was tame. By 11am I was sitting at the Pinkham Notch Visitor's Center having a sandwich with Firefly & Mr Mountaingoat. I made come calls, bought some candy & hit the Trail.One more mile of easy terrain before "The Wildcats" & I ran into an old friend. "Cloudwalker" was dressed in his ranger uniform - we were shocked to see one another. He and I met in Georgia when he was doing a section hike to south Virginia. we chatted for a bit & promised to keep in touch.Up the 2,000' of Wildcat Ridge & over a few peaks...a rugged bit of trail! I passed a dozen people out weekend hiking - kids, moms, dads...some strong people up here! I made it to Carter Notch Hut by 3:30pm, had lunch & read the journal. Beautiful hut next to a pond & surrounded by 1,000+ craggy cliffs - nice setting!At 4:30pm, I headed up the steep 1,500' of Carter Dome & along 6 miles of peaks. The sun was beginning to set as I began the treacherous 1,200' descent to Imp campsite. Steep, slippery waterfalls with few footholds - I used my "slide skills" learned as a youngster at the playground.I made the campsite before dark & got a spot in a nice large shelter with 4 overnight hikers from Boston. We chatted & they fed me a generous portion of "upside down oreo cake" - mmmmm sugar! I made a quick dinner & was glad to crawl into my bag after a long day.
Date: 2006-07-30
From: Imp campsite

To: Gorham, NH
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke up at 7:30 at Imp Campsite shelter & took my time with breakfast in bed. Got packed up & met a northbound thru-hiker "Quarters" & his dog Luna. He's a red headed Virginia boy in his mid 20's & she's a 40 pound black lab with a big voice. They were also headed for Gorham. I left at about 9:30 am & had one 700' climb before the 3,200' descent that brought me to the road to Gorham. A few miles before the road, I caught up with Firefly & Mr Mountaingoat. we made arrangements to share a room at the Royalty Inn & made tracks at the road crossing. It was 1:30pm by the time we caught a hitch in an overstuffed Volvo station wagon with a father & his 2 boys. Into Gorham & to the Roalty! Our room wouldn't be ready for 1/2 hour, so we headed to a Chinese buffet with Quarters & Luna who we ran into along the way. We gorged, said good-bye to Quarters & Luna & headed to our room. Mr Mountaingoat hadn't been able to find his credit card & he was resigned to the fact that he'd left it in Hanover, NH - BUMMER! But he took it in stride. We all got cleaned up & had planned to meet Cloudwalker for pizza, but after a few calls with no answer, we decided to move on.To the sauna, cold shower, jacuzzi & indoor pool...very relaxing! We went to Mr Pizza for...pizza, beer - hamburgers & ice cream. Back to our room & we were all beat.
Date: 2006-07-31
From: Gorham, NH

To: Moss Pond
Miles today: 11.1

When I woke at the Royalty Inn, Firefly & Mr Mountaingoat were already busy. They said Cloudwalker called & would be picking us up soon for breakfast. He showed up within a few minutes & minutes later we were sitting down to big breakfasts. Cloudwalker then drove us to the store & he was off to work - see you later Mr Ranger! We did our shopping & caught a hitch back to the Royalty. Organizing, packing, a few phone calls & it was already 11:30am. I said good-bye to Firefly & Mr Mountaingoat & went to an outfitter for fuel & to the library to use the internet. A quick lunch a Subway & I was thumbing it back to the trailhead.Two young ladies picked me up & brought me back to the AT. I met 2 southbounders "Wargiagi" - from Syracuse & Mr Natural. It was 2pm by the time I started hiking & my body wasn't liking the added weight in my food bag. Up the 1,700' of Mt Hayes & along a few 700' bumps of Cascade Mountain & Wocket Ledge. My knees & ankles weren't happy & I decided to camp near Moss Pond as dusk was setting in.Nice tentsite amongst the pines & birches with a small spring nearby. Some dinner, map studying, reading & I'm off to bed.
Date: 2006-08-01
From: Moss Pond

To: Mahoosuc Notch N.
Miles today: 12.9

My nice campsite turned into a nightmare in the middle of the night. I woke to the sound of rushing water around me & dampness in the tent. I found my glasses & headlamp & saw I was in the middle of a stream! I unzipped the front door of my tent to see boots, camp shoes, water & fuel bottle floating in 8" of swift moving water. In unzipping the tent, I changed its stability & water poured in through an air vent behind me. I gathered my half soaked sleping bag, clothes & personal items onto my lap & pondered my predicament. My backpack was in the rear alcove of the tent with the rainfly acting as a "tub." Thank goodness it was dry. I carefully transferred items from my lap to my pack, put on my wet boots & shorts & got out of the stream.It wasn't raining too hard, and I found a tree-crowded flat spot on higher ground & put my pack down. Back to the tent. I pulled the stakes & picked the whole tent up struggling to dump out many gallons of water. I brought the tent to the new site & set it up the best I could. Luckily I carry "snake bite remedy" as prescribed by Dr Jack Daniels. I took a bit of "medicine," crawled into my wet sleeping bag & dozed until 6am.I wasn't too happy upon waking in the wetness & cursed myself for sleeping in a washout gully. I made breakfast, packed up & was on the Trail by 7:30am. Dense clouds & sporatic rain all morning & early afternoon made the going slick & dangerous. Up the 1,400' of Mt. Success & into the clouds. A happy moment came when I crossed into Maine! I took a few pictures, let out a cheer & moved on. Crazy, slick trails in the rain - I made it to Goose Eye Mountain when the clouds broke & the sun shone. It was a good feeling as I rolled into Full Goose shelter for lunch.Quarters & Luna were at the shelter, so we snacked & caught up on adventures since Gorham. He packed up & left & I aired out some gear. It was time - time to hit the Mahoosuc Notch - AAAAH!Slick 1,000' descent & at the bottom I saw house-sized boulders strewn in the narrow notch. It was a mile of death-defying feats. Grappling along mossy ledges, squirming through caves where year-round ice lay - it took a long time to get through & my nerves were fried by the end.After my day so far, I still had a steep 1,700' climb to Speck Pond campsite that I wasn't looking forward to. I filled my water bottle & headed toward the climb when I saw some campers set up. It was the Jukebox Girls: Sasparilla, Crumbs & 4-Today. "Come join us, Orangeman!" & I decided to call it a day. I set up my tent & got to making dinner. We all talked & caught up on the last few days - it felt good to get some griping out of the way. I was introduced to the card game "Euker" & Sasparilla & I won. I said good-night to the ladies & crawled into my still damp sleeping bag...good night!
Date: 2006-08-02
From: Mahoosuc Notch N.

To: Frye Notch Lean To
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: light rain

Rain fell all night, but aside from a bit of condensation in my tent, I stayed dry. The Jukebox girls headed out. I ate, packed & was on the Trail by 10am.The Mahoosuc Arm was to be a bad ascent - 1,600' in 1.5 miles - slick rock...hiking up a waterfall actually. But after all I'd been through it wasn't bad. Up Old Speck Mountain & down 2,500' to Grafton Notch. The sun had come out, so I laid my damp gear out to dry. Mr Bunny & Baltimoron showed up & lunched with me. The sky began to darken & that was our cue to hit the Trail.Up the 2,300' of Baldpate Mountain in drizzle & strong wind. The mountain had 2 peaks which were smooth, slick, steep rock & keeping my footing was impossible at times. On some descents, I'd get on my backside & take a ride down - just hoping for the best. I made it to Frye Notch lean-to & got a spot "indoors."Mr Bunny, Baltimoron, Quarters & Luna were there along with a few section hikers.      We ate, talked & watched the storms roll through. I got in my mostly dry sleeping bag, did a bit of map study & off to bed.
Date: 2006-08-03
From: Frye Notch Lean To

To: Andover, ME
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up at 5:30am at the Frye Notch lean-to...an early rise with Baltimoron & Mr Bunny. I cooked, packed & headed out by 7am.Rainy morning, but an easy 10.5 miles to my lunch spot at Hall Mountain lean-to. On my way up the mountain, I spotted my first moose in the daylight! A small cow standing 7' tall - beautiful! When I was having my lunch, I checked my food bag & found most of my noodles were waterlogged. My plan had been to go to a shelter for the evening - to push on, but I decided to take the next road to Andover.Four miles over Moody Mountain & I was at South Arm Road. Fording thigh-deep rivers had left me soaked, but the first car I saw picked me up. Al & Marie were on a week's vacation from New Hampshire. It was Al's 66th birthday & they had been taking day hikes all week. Al, aka "Can-Do Man" turned out to be an avid hiker & was interested in hearing of my adventures. Al & Marie dropped me at the Andover Roadhouse & I got situated.I saw Quarters who invited me to share a private double - comfy. A shower, some food at the diner & the party was on. Lots of thru and section hikers in attendance. Playing guitar & drinking on the porch - telling stories of Trail adventure. A great time & I was ready to crash by 11pm.
Date: 2006-08-04
From: Andover, ME

To: Bemis stream
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: few clouds

Woke at 8am in my room at The Roadhouse. I was a bit groggy & headed across the street for breakfast. Mr Bunny, Baltimoron & Swiss Miss were there. I quickly scarfed down eggs, toast & coffee. A bit of resupply & back to the roadhouse to pack. My shuttle wasn't due to leave until after 11am, so I made some calls & did some internet. By 11:30 am, Cris (the proprietor) loaded up Quarters, Luna, Elvis & myself. I was dropped at South Arm & the others were run 10 miles south to East B Road.On the Trail by 12:30pm & the weather was perfect - sunny & high 70's with a breeze. Up the 1,100' of Bemis Mountain. Nice peaks with clear views - blueberries, toadstools...beautiful forest. I made it to the Bemis Mountain lean-to by 5pm, had a quick snack & headed down the mountain. I made it to Bemis stream by 7:30pm & set up camp. Some dinner, map reading & it was time to sleep.
Date: 2006-08-05
From: Bemis stream

To: Piazza Rock lean-to
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: few clouds

Woke to a beautiful, clear day & was on the Trail by 8am. Past beautiful, pristene ponds & although the Trail was wet & muddy, I was making good time. I stopped at Little Swift River Pond campsite for lunch & saw there were canoes. I grabbed my lunch bag & had an hour lunch on the cool, breezy water. The rest of the day was easy hiking & I made it to Piazza Rock lean-to by 5pm.At the shelter, I was greeted by the caretaker Chris. we talked for a bit & he told me he was doing a photo project - thru-hiker portraits. I agreed to let him take my picture. Time to make dinner - ramin & tuna...yum, yum! I had an empty shelter, but soon Bonesaw & Tricycle showed up. I hadn't seen them since Duncannon, PA - over 800 miles! The Bunny & Baltimoron showed up & we sat around for awhile chatting. Everyone was in a good mood with the improvement in the weather...thank goodness!
Date: 2006-08-06
From: Piazza Rock lean-to

To: Spaulding Mountain lean-to
Miles today: 16.9

Woke at 6:30am to a beautiful morning. made breakfast with Bonesaw & Tricycle as The Bunny & Baltimoron were still asleep in their tents. 8am & time to roll out.The morning was a 2,000' climb up Saddleback Mountain, The Horn & Saddleback Jr. These peaks afforded magnificent views for hundreds of miles around - I'm even told you could see Mt Katahdin on a very clear day...200+ miles avay! I had lunch at Poplar Ridge lean-to & as I was finishing up, the rest of the crew rolled in. I told them I see them at the next shelter & hit the Trail.The afternoon hike was down the 1,500' of Poplar Ridge & up the same altitude to Lone Mountain. Easy terrain & fueled my many "Little Debbie" snacks - I was flying. I made it to Spaulding Mountain lean-to by 5:30pm & set up camp. By the time I was done with dinner, the cast of characters showed up. They got to setting up & making dinner. Bonesaw made a fire & we all sat around chatting. An outdoor group made up of 8 teens & 2 councelors showed up & tented behind the shelter. They had cooked way too much "polenta" & asked us to finish it...we tried! A few stories around the campfire & off to bed.
Date: 2006-08-07
From: Spaulding Mountain lean-to

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

Woke at 6am at Spaulding Mountain lean-to. The sky was overcast & there was a chill in the air. Had breakfast with Bonesaw & Tricycle while The Bunny & Baltimoron slept in. I hit the Trail by 7:30am.Some rigorous up's & down's - the first was 1,000' to the peak of Spaulding Mountain, along the ridge & a bone-jarring descent (1,000' in 1/2 mile!) into Caribou Valley. Next on the list was Crocker Mountain. 2,000' change in elevation to two peaks followed by a 2,500' descent to Route 27 - next stop Stratton, ME! I met up with Bonesaw & tricycle at the road crossing & we caught a quick hitch into town.Stratton turned out to be a very small town, but it had everything we needed. We stopped at the White Wolf Inn for 1/2 lb. "Wolfburgers" & beers. We ran into "Dodger" - a friendly thru-hiker in his 60's. He had a beer with us & gave us cigars. Our next move was to check into the White Wolf. we got a room with 3 beds, cable & phone for $45 - & it was nice! To the store for resupply & back for showers & laundry. Some snacking & bad TV & we found it was suddenly 9pm. Unfortunately, there were no dinner options so late, so more snacking & our next meal will be tomorrow's breakfast - we'll deal!
Date: 2006-08-08
From: Stratton, ME

To: Safford Notch
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: broken clouds

Slept in at the White Wolf Inn - woke at 7:30am. Bonesaw, Tricycle & I headed to the diner for a nice big breakfast. Then it was back to the room to pack & repair gear. I sewed up my pants (seat & pockets) while Bonesaw put patches on his shoes. By 11am we had finished our chores & we headed for pizza. After a big lunch, we were ready to get out of town. We had an easy hitch - the "King of Maine" had us to the trailhead by 1pm.A beautiful day for hiking - sunny & low 80's...but a tough Bigelow Mountain awaited us. Nearly 3,000' of climbing! A few technical spots, but relatively tame compared to some of what we'd been through. Great views from the peaks - everything seems so simple & organized from the pinnacle...then it's back into the rocks, roots & mud! From the top (Avery Peak), we had a 2,000' descent to Safford Notch campsite.we found a nice site amongst house-sized boulders just before dark. We got to our chores of setting up camp & getting ourselves fed. Then it was time to break out the wine & chat for awhile. Hanging around a warm campfire with a nearly full moon on a clear night & with good company...time flew & we found ourselves wandering to our tents after midnight.
Date: 2006-08-09
From: Safford Notch

To: Pierce Pond lean-to
Miles today: 22.2
Weather: clear sky

Woke a bit groggy at the Safford Notch campsite - it was 7am & time for breakfast in bed! I was slow to get moving - Bonesaw & Tricycle headed out & I followed by 8:45am.One "bump" of Little Bigelow Mountain to get over & the rest was fairly flat & smooth sailing for the day. Another great day of weather - sunny & low 80's. Through murky swamps, quiet pine forests - around pristene ponds. The world looked so lovely & the terrain was treating me well. Big miles today & by the time I rolled into Pierce Pond lean-to, I was ready to relax.It was 2 section hikers, Bonesaw, Tricycle & myself. We cooked, talked, watched a beautiful sunset & sat back & listened to the loons. It wasn't long before we found ourselves to be quite tired, so off to bed.
Date: 2006-08-10
From: Pierce Pond lean-to

To: Bald Mountain Brook lean-to
Miles today: 18.7

Bonesaw, Tricycle & I woke at 6am, packed up & headed to Harrison Camps for breakfast. It was a sportsman's lodge just off the Trail & Tim, the owner, greeted us & offered us coffee while he cooked. We sat & watched hummingbirds at the feeder until our HUGE breakfasts arrived. 12 pancakes, eggs & sausage...gone in minutes! We were well fed...we thanked Tim & hit the Trail.Three miles to the Kennebec River & we met the canoe ferry service. Steve took Tricycle & Bonesaw across first & then came back for me. People do ford this river, but it's dangerous because the hydroelectric plant upstream can release water at any time...and you can't cross faster than the rising water...trouble!The rest of the day was hiking up & down the 2,000' of Pleasant Pond Mountain through cloudy & cool conditions. We made it to Bald Mountain Brook lean-to by 7pm & started our chores. Cooking & eating most of our food as we had a town stop planned...lighten the load! We had a nice campfire & hung out 'til 9pm...then off to bed.
Date: 2006-08-11
From: Bald Mountain Brook lean-to

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: scattered clouds

We woke at the Bald Mountain Brook lean-to & headed out by 8:30am. Up & down the nearly 1,400' of steep Moxie Bald. Crisp, sunny day & I spent awhile picking blueberries...they were still chilly & covered with dew...so tasty! Onto a fairly flat section of Trail with some bogs & river fords. Only at the Piscataquis River did I have to take off my boots to cross. The miles went by quickly & by 4pm we were at the road to Monson.The road wasn't well-traveled...gravel in fact. We started walking. The afternoon had brought clouds & an occasional sprinkle & rumble of thunder - we were glad to be headed to town! A couple in a pick-up pulled up & offered us a lift. We were soon in town.We checked out a B&B called "Shaw's" first, then the Lakeshore House and Pub where we chose to stay. We got our room, unloaded our packs & headed to the Pub for burgers & beer. A bit pricey, but good fare. We then got snacks & beer & headed to our room to eat more, relax & watch TV. It wasn't long before we were totally stuffed & ready for sleep. Lights out!
Date: 2006-08-12
From: Monson, ME

To: Leeman Brook lean-to
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: clear sky

Tricycle, Bonesaw & I woke at the Lakeshore House at 7:30. We gathered our laundry & brought it downstairs to wash & headed out for breakfast. The only breakfast place in town we found was the Mobil gas station, so we had egg sandwiches, danish & coffee. I continued with my chores - groceries, phone calls & finishing my laundry. We packed up & left the room by 11am. Bonesaw & Tricycle did their shopping & we headed to a BBQ place for lunch. Great chicken, sandwiches & sides. we saw Firefly working in the kitchen & we gave him a hard time. It was already 2:30pm by the time we headed out of town. We walked by Shaw's B&B and saw the owner's son. We tried to "yogi" a ride 2 miles back to the trailhead, but ended up paying him $5.Back on the Trail and into the "100 Mile Wilderness!" We were all heavy with food in our bellies & packs, so the miles didn't come fast. We ended up at the Leeman Brook lean-to by 7pm & got down to building a fire & hanging out. We all eventually had some dinner, more relaxing by the fire on a chilly evening...eventually to bed.
Date: 2006-08-13
From: Leeman Brook lean-to

To: Cloud Pond lean-to
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: broken clouds

Tricycle, Bonesaw & I woke in the Leeman Brook lean-to to a chilly & sunny morning. Breakfast & out by 8:30am.The terrain for the morning was fairly flat with a few fords. We took a snack break by a river & a proper lunch at Wilson Valley lean-to. There was some "trail magic" there & we enjoyed noodles, cajun mix & kool-aid "on the house!" The rest of the afternoon was rolling hills until the 2,000'+ of Barren Mountain. we boogied up to reach Cloud Pond lean-to just before dark.The shelter was set amongst pines & right next to the pond - beautiful & serene. We got to the busines of cooking & building a nice "wood fire" to take the evening chill off. We were all beat & called it an early night.