morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2021-07-22
From: Imp Shelter

To: Trident Col Campsite
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Today marks four months since we started hiking the trail. We've come a long way. In fact, I crossed the 1900 mile marker today. There's a picture in the photo section this journal showing me at the marker.We finally had a clear day and we were treated to some spectacular views. I took the picture featured in this post from Mt Moriah looking back at Mt Washington. It's cool to think that I was on top of that mountain just 2 days ago.I've been feeling really fatigued recently. I think the tough climbs in New Hampshire combined with not enough calories are taking their toll. In fact, at Lucy's suggestion, today I was going to hike 8 miles down to Grafton Notch and take a break for the rest of the day. After getting to the notch, I was prepared to do just that. But then Roadrunner showed up and convinced me that if we could hike 7 miles up the next mountain (2700 feet of elevation gain) it would set us up well for a short mileage day to hike Mahoosuc Notch and Mahoosuc Arm in a couple days. So that's what we did.Hiker fatigue. Many northbound hikers, including me, are really started to wear down. Most of the male hikers have lost quite a bit of weight. For some reason, the female hikers generally don't have this problem. The weight loss includes fat and muscle mass. This affects climbing ability and general attitude. The hiker legs I had a couple months ago are losing their mojo. I've recently heard that some male hikers have dropped out after 1700 - 1900 miles because they just didn't want to keep this up anymore. But, we're too close now. Luckily, Lucy has been very supportive and encouraging. That really helps to keep me going. Just a few more weeks or so and we'll get there.
Date: 2021-07-23
From: Trident Col Campsite

To: Full Goose Campsite
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: scattered clouds

We crossed the border into Maine today. It was exciting to see the sign at the border crossing. New Hampshire was very difficult.  The first hundred miles or so in Maine will be difficult also, but the southbounders I've talked to have said that Maine is beaut. Having traveled only four miles into the state so far I can say that the views have been amazing. Thirteen states down, one to go.
Date: 2021-07-24
From: Full Goose Campsite

To: Grafton Notch
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: clear sky

Mahoosuc Notch was the big challenge for the day. The notch is famous for being the hardest mile on the trail. It's a canyon containing truck-size bolder strewn about, and you have to negotiate over and under the maze of boulders. I went through the notch with Jola and Swamp. It was a lot of fun ...like being a kid again jumping and crawling through the rocks. It was probably the most fun I've had on the trail. We made it through the maze in a respectable 1 1/2 hours.After that there was a 1500 foot steep climb up Mahoosuc Arm. At the top we had more awesome views of the mountains. Maine makes you work for the scenery, but it's worth the effort.
Date: 2021-07-25
From: Grafton Notch

To: Hall Mountain Lean-to
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night Roadrunner, Gigi, and Jeff stayed with us at our site in the Grafton Notch State Park. Lucy and I were glad to have the company and they were glad to get showers and a hot meal at a local brewery.Lucy collected most if our gear so we could slack pack the next 10 miles of the trail. It rained most of the morning and it was particularly dicey as we climbed West Baldpate. We were in the clouds and the wind was blowing at an estimated 40 mph. But we had fun as we made our way to the top. It was great to have company on this hike. At the next road crossing Jeff and I collected our gear and headed north on the trail to the next shelter, while Lucy drove Roadrunner and Gigi headed to a hostel nearby. Lucy's glad to have more activity. Lately she's been by herself at the park campsites. In Maine there aren't nearly as many trail/road crossings for us to meet up as there were in other state.
Date: 2021-07-26
From: Hall Mountain Lean-to

To: ME Rt 17
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: few clouds

Today I thought I'd give you a little glimpse of what I've been doing while Tom is hiking. I mentioned a few entries back that I thought staying at campgrounds would be a way to go for us. Its seems to be working out well. I try to find a spot close to the AT. I'll pluck Tom off the trail sometime mid afternoon. He is able to shower, get clean sox and somewhat a good meal. I usually try to stay in one place about 2 to 3 days before i move further North. A few days ago we met up with some "old" hiker friends from our VA days. Its been fun and they have been tagging along with us. Packing up all our stuff and moving forward takes a good chunk of the day. Also just planning out where to stay and keeping it close to the trail sounds easy but it takes time in planning. I also was able to visit with a hiker, Honey, who now runs a hostile from her home called The Cabin near Andover.  A really sweet gal who is in her 80s taking in tired hikers the w/great home cooked meals and a place to rest your head.On a nature note, I've been on the hunt for moose but have not been successful. I'm learning from locals that they can be moving early morning or dusk and like swampy areas. No luck so far. I continue to say moose are mythical in Maine.
Date: 2021-07-27
From: ME Rt 17

To: ME Rt 4
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: clear sky

We had a relatively easy day today.  There was another road crossing 13 miles north of. yesterday's end point, so we decided to slack pack that distance. The trail was nice with very few hills and we were done hiking by 1:30. This allowed us to go into the town of Rangeley, get more food, do laundry, and get a nice meal.From the trail today we caught a glimpse of Saddleback Mountain, a 4000 footer and one of the objectives for tomorrow. In fact, the next three days are going to includes number of challenges including Spaulding, Crocker, Sugarloaf, and the Bigelow Mountains. But after all of that is over, the terrain will become much easier.Jeff, Roadrunner, Gigi, and I plan to stay together for the rest of the trail. We're all the benefactors of Lucy's kindness. She picks us up at trailheads, drives us to towns, and much of the time we can camp with her in campgrounds where there are hot showers and sometimes even electricity. We are very thankful.
Date: 2021-07-28
From: ME Rt 4

To: Perham Stream
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: clear sky

I completed the first of three mountainous section today, going over Saddleback, The Horn, and Junior Saddleback Mtns. The hiking was tough but not too bad. Even so, I'm very tired this evening. In fact, all of us in our hiking crew are beat. Tonight we're camping in the mountains on an old logging road beside a nice stream.Meanwhile, Lucy was helping Patches, who we've run into a number of times on the trail. We both really enjoy his company. He is about a day ahead of me. He called Lucy and told her the soles of his shoes have come off and was wondering if she could help him. So of course, she jumped in the truck and picked him up. Then she took him to an outfitter in Rangeley. Patches is staying in his tent at Lucy's state park tent site tonight. She'll take him back to the trail tomorrow.
Date: 2021-07-29
From: Perham Stream

To: ME Rt 27
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

We covered the second big mountain section today, climbing Sugarloaf, Spaulding, and South and North Crocker Mtns. Tomorrow we'll hike the Bigelow's, the last of the 4000 footers. That will be a big relief. I've been hiking about 11 hours per day and it's taking its toll. Soon the terrain will get quite a bit better and I'll cut the miles back a bit to make it more enjoyable.But most importantly, I crossed the 2000 mile marker today. It's starting to feel like the end is coming quickly. Right now we're planning to summit the final mountain, Mt Katahdin, on August 13. That's subject to change, but that's the goal for now.Lucy and our daughter Kelly have been working to secure campsites in Baxter State Park, which contains Mt Katahdin. We have a number of family members who would like to summit with us. There are very strict rules that only allow you to enter the park if you have a campsite or a parking pass, both of which are hard to get because they are booked well in advance. But we were able to lock in a cabin and a campsite, so we're good to go. The only real issue is the weather. The officials can shut down the mountain if it is bad weather, and then you have to reset your plans. I'll be praying for good weather.
Date: 2021-07-30
From: ME Rt 27

To: Flagstaff Rd
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

The forecast was calling for rain all day today. It did rain some in the morning at the start of the hike, but it didn't last long. We hiked over the three Bigelow peaks. It was cloudy and windy and we didn't have any views but it was rewarding nonetheless because we are now finished with the major mountains in Maine except for Katahdin. I've been hiking with Jeff for the last few days and probably will be until the end. We hike about the same speed and it's nice to have his company.
Date: 2021-07-31
From: Flagstaff Rd

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

The trail was very kind today. After many challenging days we finally had a day with only a few relatively minor climbs and descents. The temperature was ideal for hiking with a high in the low sixties, sunshine and a light wind. I made it to camp by 3:30 pm for the first time in weeks. It's nice to be able to relax early. In addition, I have a sweet campsite on a remote lake. I really like Maine.I've been hiking for the last four days with Jeff. He's a really interesting guy who's about my age and we hiked at about the same pace. That's a big change for me because up until now I've been hiking by myself for the most part. It's nice to have his company. It looks like we'll stay together until Katahdin.After that Jeff will continue on to Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, or some other cold place in Canada. I don't think he's nuts. He just likes this life. He's hiking the Eastern Continental Trail (ECT), which runs from Key West to the innards of Canada. Tomorrow he'll mark 4000 miles.
Date: 2021-08-01
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to

To: Moxie Pond Rd
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

We made it to the Kennebec River today. The river is about 100 - 200 yds wide where that trail crosses it. Some people wade or swim across, but a number of people have died over the years doing that. So an AT organization runs a canoe ferry service that picks up hikers to shuttle them across. Greg, who runs the service, picked up Jeff and I around 9:30 and it was a quick trip over to the other side. Roadrunner and Gigi came over on the next trip. It was a nice diversion from hiking.Lucy met us on the other side and we put most of our gear in the truck so we could slack-pack the last 12 miles. The weather was nice again and the terrain was favorable. Another good day on the trail.
Date: 2021-08-02
From: Moxie Pond Rd

To: Shirley-Blanchard Rd
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: light rain

A relatively easy day on the trail today. We hiked over 18 miles but the terrain was very favorable so the miles went by much quicker than they have in the last few weeks. Tomorrow will be a shorter day. That will allow us to do laundry and get our supplies together for the 100 mile wilderness.Tonight Lucy and I are staying in a yurt at Shaw's Hiker Hostel in Munson. This will be the last hostel of the trip. Shaw's is well known in the hiking community for its hospitality and friendly atmosphere.It just so happened that an thru-hiking legend is also staying here tonight. His name is Nimblewill Nomad. After retiring from his optometry practice in his 60's he has hiked over 34000 miles and has completed all of the major long trails in the country, including a hike around the perimeter of our country. He gave a short presentation this evening. He's now 82 years old and he's hiking the AT again. When he completes this hike he will be the oldest person to thru-hike the AT.
Date: 2021-08-03
From: Shirley-Blanchard Rd

To: ME Rt 15, Munson
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: clear sky

We have been at Shaw's hostel for the last 24hrs. What an amazing place. It is operated by two previous hikers (Hippy Chick and Poet). The compound is huge. There are 3 buildings w/bunks & private bedrooms. 2 yurts for those who do not want to pitch their tents. And a huge yard for those who do. As i walk around tonight there are 17 tents in the yard. They also do a huge breakfast in the morning starting at 7. And... shuttles to the trailheads. It's THE hiker place to stay if your in Monson, ME.Tonight is one of the last nights we are with our tramily (trail/family)...Road Runner, Gigi, Patches, Jeff, Tom and I. We've been together for the last 10 days. I've really enjoyed their company, stories and the cleaver witt of Jeff. He makes us laugh over the silliest things. They will be one thing i will really miss as we finish up on the trail.On a nature note, I've been looking since we got to ME but still no moose.  :(However, wild blueberries are in season. Even as I walk the trail South to meet-n-greet, I've been finding many blueberries on the bushes along the trail. Yum!!Tomorrow we'll head into the 100 mile wilderness. Tom and I will be separated for 7 days. I'll set up camp at Abol Bridge which is the northern end point of the wilderness. After that, we'll probably take a day off, then spend a day hiking into Baxter State Park, then climb Katahdin on August 13.. There will probably be no cell coverage in the wilderness, so there probably won't be any posts on this journal for at least a week.
Date: 2021-08-04
From: ME Rt 15, Munson

To: Long Pond Stream
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: broken clouds

We entered the 100-mile wilderness today. Jeff and I stayed together all day and we have a nice campsite beside Long Pond Stream. The trail was a bit rugged with lots ifroots and rocks, and some ups and downs. We took it easy. We're trying to enjoy these days in Maine.Lucy is helping out at Shaw's Hostel. We heard from hikers that have passed us that she's been shuttling hikers to the trailhead. I'm sure she's happy to be busy and socializing with the hikers.
Date: 2021-08-05
From: Long Pond Stream

To: Katahdin Ironworks Rd
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: scattered clouds

I've seen quite a few hikers in the 100 mile wilderness, both northbound and southbound. Yesterday I also talked to a group from a local Boy Scout troop. It's strange. I remember days in Massachusetts and Vermont when I would see no northbound hikers at all. Now I see about 10 per day here in the "wilderness".  The ones I talked to are very excited to finish soon.The hike today took us over Barren Mtn and the four Chairback Mtns. Lots of ups and downs but none of these was over 3000 ft. There were some difficult rocky sections that slowed us down considerably. It started to rain in the early afternoon and it's still raining as I lie in my tent this evening writing this. I'm not looking forward to packing up a wet tent and wet clothes in the morning, but we only have about 8 days to go, so I have lots to look forward to.I now have 84.5 miles to go and that's pretty exciting
Date: 2021-08-06
From: Katahdin Ironworks Rd

To: Logan Brook Lean-to
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: scattered clouds

There were four mountains to climb today and I was looking forward to getting them done. After this the trail will continue to get easier until I reach Katahdin. I was excited to get to the top of White Cap, the last mountain. The guides state that Katahdin can be seen from there. However, when I made it to the top the sky was hazy and only the nearby mountains could be seen. But the trail was well maintained over all the mountains, so I was thankful there were no rock scrambles. The picture in this post is from one of the nicer sections of the trail.Tomorrow I'll be over half way through the 100 mile wilderness. We paid Shaw's Hostel to bring our second batch of food and they'll meet us on a dirt road tomorrow with our cache. I'm looking forward to easier terrain and hopefully some wildlife sightings tomorrow.
Date: 2021-08-07
From: Logan Brook Lean-to

To: Antlers Campsite
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: overcast clouds

We've entered the lowlands on the AT in Maine. There was one hill today but it only took an hour or so to go up and over. The rest of the trail was mostly flat. It was a real pleasure to hike on flat land. It's been a while. I also passed by 3 remote lakes today. They're all beautiful. One of them, Jo Mary Lake, had a sandy beach. It was like an oasis.A shuttle delivered my food resupply to a pre-arranged place and time today. Now I have enough food to last until I come out of this 100 mile stretch on Tuesday.I'm staying at the Antlers Campsite this evening. This place has multiple campsites on another lake. A very nice setting. I'm able to get there bars on my cell phone here. Some wilderness!
Date: 2021-08-08
From: Antlers Campsite

To: Nahmakanta Lake
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I'm sleeping on the beach of another lake tonight. I've removed the rain fly on my tent, hoping to do some star gazing and maybe catch the sunrise tomorrow morning.I'm hanging out here with Roadrunner, Gigi and Gadget. I finished hiking today at about 2:00 pm. That gave me time to go for a swim in the lake and relax. These shorter days are nice.Lucy left Shaw's Hostel this morning. She helped them so much that they wiped out bill clean from all the previous nights including the food delivery in the wilderness.
Date: 2021-08-09
From: Nahmakanta Lake

To: Rainbow Lake
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: broken clouds

We're camping on the shore of a remote lake again tonight. The only sounds I hear are from a bird chirping far off in the distance and a mosquito buzzing my ear. There are loons out on the water. We'll probably here their call tonight. This is one of the most peaceful places I've ever been to. I just can't get enough of this stuff.We are only 8 miles from Abol Bridge, the gateway to Baxter State Park. From there it's about 15 miles to the top of Katahdin. We are planning to summit on Friday. Many family members are coming to summit with Lucy and I.This evening Roadrunner, Gigi, Gadget and I sat around the campfire and reminisced about our treks. It's been a long journey and it's taken a toll on our bodies. But we're all in good spirits. Roadrunner talked about another thru-hike in a couple years. Gigi and I want no part of that. It just takes too much time and I'm not a Spring chicken anyore. However, some weekend or some week long backpacking trips are in my future ... maybe with the grandkids I'm looking forward to seeing Lucy tomorrow. It's been 7 days since we were together.
Date: 2021-08-10
From: Rainbow Lake

To: Abol Bridge Campground
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: clear sky

Katahdin in sight! We finally were treated to an excellent view of the mountain. It finally seems real that the adventure is coming to an end. I can't say I have mixed feelings. Both Lucy and I are ready to go home after almost five months of trail life.  We had a short 8 mile hike today. We were done by 10:00 am and we just chilled out the rest of the day doing some laundry and going out to eat in Millinocket. It's like we're on vacation. We're still planning to summit on the 13th after the family members arrive.
Date: 2021-08-11
From: Abol Bridge Campground

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: clear sky

Today Roadrunner, Gigi, Gadget and I hiked into Baxter State Park and stopped at Katahdin Stream Campground, which is the staging area for thru-hikers. The hike was easy and we took our time, enjoying waterfalls along the way. Roadrunner's husband secured a cabin at Kidney Pond and we're staying there tonight.I'm planning to summit Mt Katahdin with my family members in two days. Roadrunner, Gigi, and Gadget will summit tomorrow. It's been a pleasure to hike with them. They're fun to be with and we've all been supporting each other in our final days.Just one more (big) mountain to go!
Date: 2021-08-12
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

We're taking a zero today while we wait for family from New Jersey and Pennsylvania to drive up so they can summit Katahdin with us tomorrow. It will great to have everyone with us to enjoy climbing the mountain together.In the meantime we have to get new tires on the truck. A couple days ago, while driving on a logging road, we blew the right rear tire. After putting the spare tire on I noticed that the tread on all of the tires was low. It's one of those things that went unnoticed while we've been hiking the last 5 months. So we're spending part of today getting 4 new tires. One less thing to worry about We can't wait for tomorrow. Hopefully we'll have decent weather on the summit of Katahdin.
Date: 2021-08-13
From: Katahdin Stream Campground

To: Mt Katahdin, Baxter Peak
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Six of our family members came up from Pennsylvania and New Jersey for our final hike up Mt Katahdin. It was quite an entourage. We started hiking at 5:30 am to avoid potential thunderstorms in the afternoon. The Hunt trail was very steep in some sections and it took a while but everyone was in good spirits as we proceeded to the top.We had very nice weather. In fact, it was almost too nice. At the summit the temperature was in the upper 80's but we were exposed to the sun for many hours. It was emotional at the summit. It was a great adventure and we met so many friendly people along the way. The thru-hiker community is truly special. We have never been in a situation like this before in which everyone was enjoying each other's company and trying to be helpful to each other.We'd like to thank all the supporters we've had. We really enjoy the comments. It meant a lot to have all the support.Fourteen states down, none to go!
Date: 2021-05-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, today grades got updated... I had 3 classes this semester, and got 3 A's. I'd say that's good enough to graduate! With that (almost) official stamp of approval (they just need to review it and send a diploma), I'll be an official college grad. To celebrate, I figured it's probably time to register my hike. I went to the ATC page and filled out the form to register my hike as a northbound flip flop thru hiker, starting May 24 from Harper's Ferry. Tomorrow is going to be another day of shopping to get together any small stuff that I need for the trip. In only 2 days I'm leaving for the beach, then about a week there, coming back to pick up all the trail gear, and then we start on the trail. It feels surreal, but I'm still so excited. I'll update again before the start date to keep people up to date. Signing off for now:   - Glowstick
Date: 2021-05-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today is the beginning (sort of) of my trip. My dad is picking me up from Bel Air to stay the night at my Grandmother's house in PA. Tomorrow morning we're going to Bethany Beach as a graduation celebration, both for me, with my Bachelor's, and my brother with his PhD last year, since we never got to celebrate that all together. Next Saturday, we leave the beach to go back to my Grandmother's for a night again, then Sunday come back to Bel Air to pick up hiking gear. Sunday night we're driving out to Harper's Ferry, and Monday morning starts the trail. So today has been pretty crazy with my last few appointments squeezed in and some packing and planning everything. This will be a short entry since I have to get back to packing, but it's really setting in that I'm going to be on the Trail in less than two weeks!Signing out for now:Glowstick