morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-05-02
To: Island Guy
Miles today: 0.0

53 days left!So I would like to formally introduce you to Island Guy (my sister named him). He is a travelling gnome that we last took on a road trip from New Orleans to Seattle in December 2005 3 months after Katrina. So unless he misbehaves between now and June 24th, he will be joining me on the trail.In other news, I met up with the former thru hiker Butterfly Moon from 2005 to get some trail info. She was so great to let me come to her house and show me all her gear, stories and pictures. Now thanks to her help I am changing a lot of my gear to take of pack weight and to simplify my hike.Thanks so much Butterfly Moon!!!!!
Date: 2007-06-10
To: Graduation!
Miles today: 0.0

Ok, so I have jumped the last major hurdle before my hike, graduation from University of Washington with my BSN. I have all my gear except the costco food run that I will make tomorrow, and I need to activate my service with Pocketmail. I ran into Ridgerunner on a recent gear shopping trip, an employee at REI Seattle and class of 2005 PCT thruhiker (he said he didn't have an online journal though)and had a good thruhiker gear conversation. Important things like "nalgene bottles weigh too much" and "many people regret not journaling enough on their AT thruhike because it is such a social trail."My family today learned about the beauty of bounce boxes. Bounce boxes are a box that a thruhiker sends from one town to the next with stuff they only use in town (for me that will be cell and camera chargers, maybe some soap items as well), and it is sent via U.S. postal system. Pretty neat, and it decreases the amount of weight I carry in my pack = increased probability of trail completion.I have three more 12-hr shift left before I leave. We (my parental units and I - hey how else am I going to get a free trip to Baxter?) arrive in Boston June 21st and will do some tourist thingies as we drive up the coast to Baxter State Park. Cannot wait, this will be a long 13 days of waiting...Happy trails!Only 13 days left!
Date: 2007-06-23
To: Millinocket
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

On the eve of the start of my AT thru hike I am here in Millinocket, Maine at the AT lodge. My parents, Eric (another SOBO thruhiker starting tomorrow) and myself had dinner at the AT cafe after a run to the grocery store for a few last minute things. At the cafe there was a door from a hostel/lodge at the other end of the trail in Georgia, and we signed the door with our names and starting date. Very friendly place and friendly town. To bed early because we are having breakfast at the AT cafe at 5am to get an early start on Mt Katadin!You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-06-24
From: Mt Katahdin

To: Katadin Stream Campground
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: broken clouds

Starting up Katahdin this AM after a 5 am breakfast at the AT cafe in Millinocket. Weather is looking good with slightly overcast skies and mild temperatures.Game on!It is official, my legs are jello. So I started my AT hike today with Eric at 7:40 am, 52 degrees. We climbed Mt Katahdin via the Abol trail for some variety and came back down via the AT trail. You see the trail doesn't officially start until the summit and it was nice to not take the same trail up as we hiked down. This was Eric's idea. Rain was in the forecast but the higher we got on the mountain the higher the clouds got too, so we had sun and wind at the summit and an almost 360 degree view. In general most of the hiking today was over and around every size boulder, mostly huge ones bigger than cars. We also saw where the trail heads for the next several days. On the way back down I went for a swim in the creek (brrrr!). Dinner at the campsite, quality entertainment watching Eric try to hag his food in the tree so the bears don't get it. i am sure that if i had tried it i would have been more entertaining, but bears aren't the big deal here it is the mice and squirrels in the shelter that you need to keep your food bag from. You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-06-25
From: Katadin Stream Campground

To: Hurd Brook Lean to
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: broken clouds

Started hiking today around 6:30am with Eric on the trail nearly an hour earlier than me. Although that meant that he cleared the trail of spiderwebs that had been spun the night before. Overcast skies with sun breaks. The trail was mainly flat today and was always wandering past a body of water, first several ponds then streams, rivers and a freshwater spring. Most of the bridges except the Abol pedestrian bridge were out which made for some exciting crossings at times. Highlights of the day include a wild turkey/chicken thing flying directly at me that looked like an owl head on until it landed, and getting lost at Abol bridge as logging trucks flew by (the trail was poorly blazed, hot toes got lost there as well). The mosquitoes were bad until I had a good coating of deet on then they pretty much disappeared.Late afternoon Stickman and Faithful walked up to the shelter to spend the night. They are doing a flip-flop hike where they started in Andover, Maine hiked north to Katahdin that they will likely finish Wednesday, then head back to Andover to continue a thruhike South to Georgia. Nice guys with great stories and they gave us our first trailmagic, maps for the rest of the trail into Monson. Thanks guys! You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-06-26
From: Hurd Brook

To: Rainbow Stream Lean to
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: moderate rain

Early start today only 20 minutes or so behind Eric. Nice generally flat trail over rainbow ledges, past rainbow lake and rainbow dam on to rainbow creek. We had brief rain showers but no actual rainbow per se. Had a nice lunch at rainbow lake campsite, went for a swim and talked to the hippies from Indiana that were section hiking. They guy had a backpack made out of 2X4s (not kidding!). We saw total 8 people section hiking NOBO today. The bugs were no worse than yesterday, mainly mosquitoes and no-seeums (maybe they are the black flies, I am not too sure) that like to hang out around your head and eyes. Deet was a necessity but I have not used the headnet yet because it is too hot, although Eric has been wearing his. Other wildlife today other than the hikers included frogs, butterflies, moths, ducks and woodpeckers.The lean to we are staying at tonight opens out to the fast moving stream in the middle of a mini rock gorge, very nice and was highly recommended by the hikers we passed today. We push on to Whitehouse Landing tomorrow for burgers, shower and a bed. You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-06-27
From: Rainbow Stream Lean to

To: White House Landing
Miles today: 16.7

Started the day at 5am. A thunder storm rolled past during the night with the works, lightening, thunder, and rain. I was scared a bit but glad to have Eric there sharing the shelter with me.Hiked up and over Nesuntabunt mountain with great views of Nahmakanta lake. The bugs keep getting worse as we go further south. Had to finally put my bug headnet on to stay sane while hiking. The highlight of the day was getting to the dock at whitehouse landing and you blow the airhorn once and they come across the lake and pick you up in a motor boat. They have a bunkhouse, showers and yummy food, 1 pound burgers but I only had the half pound version as I do not have a crazy hiker apetite yet. My stomach is more confused than anything. What was cool was there were 7 northbounders about to finish their hike in the next few days! They were rockstars to us and we were in awe. They were almost too cool to talk to us. Here tonight are SOBOs Smiles, Eric and myself. Smiles is the first SOBO thru hiker we have met. All you can eat breakfast (AYCE) in the am at 8am sharp and a lazy start to hiking.You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-06-28
From: White House Landing

To: Cooper Brook Falls Lean to
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: light rain

Hanging around Whitehouse Landing to have breakfast here. As promised, the thunderstorm that was in the forecast came as we were going to bed at 9pm (hiker's midnight). It is still raining lightly which help cooled things down nicely. had my first shower on the trail this morning too. Mostly flat hiking all day on abandoned logging roads. Took a quick break at the really nice Potaywadjo Spring lean-to. It started raining the last mile of the day. Smiles pushed on the the next shelter. He had already hiked several hundred miles from his home to the start of the AT, he was already in great hiking shape. I hiked most of the day in my crocs as my feet were in so much pain, my boots just aren't big enough! You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-06-29
From: Cooper Brook Falls Lean to

To: Carl A. Newhall Lean to
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: clear sky

Tough day today as my knee was hurting pretty bad. I had stopped just before our rendevous point with Eric and had a good cry as I pondered how I would be rescued with a bum knee hiking alone. I get up hiking again after a rest to find Eric at the meeting point. He had waited for me! At the end of the day we pushed another few miles to get to the shelter because Eric had a feeling there might be some SOBOs there to meet. We learned that chatting with someone passes the time pretty quickly, is a good distraction and made us forget about how much we hurt everywhere.Turned out there was another person at the shelter, "curley" a section hiker but no thruhikers.
Date: 2007-06-30
From: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to

To: Cloud Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Another big day today up and over 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th mountain. Arrived at the shelter after a 0.4 mile(!) hike off trail. A group of boy scouts were tenting at the site and watched us do our camp routine for the first 20 minutes or so of our arrival. We went to bed almost immediately as we were so tired. I hardly slept though as my feet were hurting so much even with waaay too much Vit. I in my system already.
Date: 2007-07-01
From: Cloud Pond Lean-to

To: Wilson Valley Lean-to
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: broken clouds

Today is the first day of July and the last night in the woods before our first trail town, Monson, Maine. We woke up around the same time as the boy scouts did only we got on the trail earlier. The descent off of barren mountain was tough on the knees, but great views of the barren slide, a huge huge rock slide down the hill - luckily we didn't have to hike down it. Lunch at the long pond stream lean-to then on to Wilson valley lean to for the night. Smiles and Tennessee Tina are a 1/2 day ahead of us, and Curley should arrive later this afternoon. Oatmeal for dinner then to bed early. several NOBOs showed up for their afternoon snacktime and we were able to pick the brain of "remix", a guy about to finish a northbound thruhike. He was full of wonderful advice. Other nobos there for snacktime were stash, kentucky blue, traveler, and tao. on to monson tomorrow for a relaxing day in town.You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-07-02
From: Wilson Valley Lean-to

To: Monson, Maine
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Eric and I got up at with the sun around 4:30 and on the trail by 5:30a. had some generally easy trail miles for the day except that I subconciously decided to take the scenic route, twice. that means that I missed the white blazes that mark the trail when they made a strange turn. I walked what felt like a mile in the wrong direction. I started before eric and the plan was to meet at the next shelter for a break. so needless to say he was confused when he got to the shelter and i wasn't there. So we get near town and get going on the road away from town, as we found out after walking up a person's driveway to ask them. We were going in the wrong direction but got picked up hitch hiking by a flooring company van. Sleeping at shaw's boarding house for the night, with an all you can eat hiker's breakfast in the morning. There is currently a group of 22 high school kids tenting on the lawn and they will start hiking into the 100 mile wilderness tomorrow. Add that to the boy scout troop, outward bound group, and Quebec Canada group with the starting southbound thruhikers and you have one busy "remote wilderness" trail. I am here in the bunkhouse with smiles and eric. oh yeah we got our second trail magic of the hike. We were in the post office getting our food boxes and care packges and a lady by the name of suzy was in the lobby. She overheard that we were thruhikers and before we knew it she was giving us a ride to the next town to go to the outfitter store and grocery store for resupply. she then gave us a ride back and hugs to each of us. there was a moose on the side of the road eating and she stopped so we could see it up close, and before you knew it there were 10 other cars there doing the same thing. You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-07-03
From: Monson, Maine

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Lazy late start to the day after a Shaw's hiker breakfast. I had 2 of everything and the guys had 3. We got a ride back to the trail and right away ran into a boys hiking group that were from a camp in Maine that was Canadian based.The trail was really flat all day long, really flat nice hiking. When we arrived at the shelter TNadine and Scott the Marine were already at the shelter after leaving Shaw's the day before. Dinner then to bed. They had a fire going at the shelter to keep out bugs.I didn't sleep well for the 4th night in a row because my feet throb after hiking all day, and it takes several hours for it to subside.You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-07-04
From: Moxie Bald Lean-to

To: Pleasant Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Fourth of July. We got a decent start on the trail by 7am. We left Smiles and Scott the Marine sleeping in the shelter.The first 2 miles brought us to the top of Moxie Bald Mountain with a 360 degree view. Supposedly we could see Katahdin but none of us could figure out which one it was. Down the hill to a shelter for snacktime and water resupply, then on to hike up the never ending pleasant pond mountain.The shelter tonight is near a pond with several camps along the shore and everyone is in their ski boats for the holiday. Eric and I got to the shelter around 2:30p, had dinner then a nap. A few hours later a rain squall swept through but didn't stay long.You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-07-05
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-to

To: Pierce Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Had a semi-rushed start this am as we had to hike 6 miles to get to theKennebunk River ferry crossing between 9 and 11 am. The ferry is really a canoe that is paddled by a person that is paid by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. It IS the official Appalachian Trail. There is even a white blaze on the canoe to make it official. Well, I ended up hiking almost 3 mph and got there in plenty of time.Once we crossed the river it was a few short miles to the lean to, but we stopped at Harrison's to make a reservation for breakfast and chatted with Tim the owner for a while.When we got to the lean-to "Red" was already there for the night, and after we cooked some hot meals another Quebec group of campers showed up and set up their tents. They are currently swimming in the pond near where I am sitting typing this. This is the 3rd hiking group that we have seen from the same camp.So some clarification¢¦when people hike from Georgia (GA) to Maine (ME) they can say GAME on. We however should say MEGA on, as in hiking from Maine (ME) to Georgia (GA).You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-07-06
From: Pierce Pond Lean-to

To: Little Bigelow Lean-to
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: moderate rain

So yesterday after I typed up my entry we had a lot of action at the shelter. First was the French cooking television, the Quebec camper group leader cooked spaghetti at the shelter where we were just hanging out. Then Amy (nobo section hiker) and I showed Eric some yoga moves. A short while later 3 nobo thruhikers showed up and 2 of them quickly stripped down and went for a swim. During their swim Tim showed up to take breakfast orders. They said that was the first time that they have ever ordered in the nude.We slept in our tents because the bugs were pretty annoying. In the morning we had breakfast at Harrison's Pierce Pond camps, complete with 12 pancakes with blueberries, apples, and rasberries. Also sausages and eggs and the great company of Tim the owner and nobo thruhikers Tunamac, Turbo and Hatchet Jack.We asked our 20 questions of advice to the nobos and they were great to talk to. After breakfast we got on the trail around 9am for a 17ish mile day. The Quebec girls hiking group were gone by the time we started. I passed them first and had them give Eric a message when he passed them. "the owl flies at midnight." Then when I passed the second group I had them give him the message "how now brown cow." Around the same time I had spotted Turbo's eyeglasses in the middle of the trail. When we got to Little Bigelow I passed them on to L-train to give them to him as he and Hansel were going to catch them in the next few days. We arrived at Little Bigelow lean to and took a dip in the "tubs" which were pools of water that had collected in the creek in between waterfalls.There was a big group of boys camping in the shelter so we tented in the back.You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-07-07
From: Little Bigelow Lean-to

To: Horns Lean-to
Miles today: 10.2

Slightly lazy start to the day, but headed up quickly to the top of little Bigelow Mountain. We had a view of the hiking we had ahead of us, Avery Peak and Horn Mountain. They seemed so far away and impossible to hike. Pretty uneventful day, but beautiful and humbling. Great views!We are staying at a lean-to site that has a caretaker by the name of David because it is a high use site and 5 miles from town.I have almost run out of food so I have been Yogi-ing food from Eric because he still have several snicker's bars. Nero day tomorrow in Stratton, Maine.You have to see the world before you can change it.
Date: 2007-07-08
From: Horns Pond Lean to

To: Stratton, Maine
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: light rain

So we got up early and headed the short 5 miles into trail town #2. When we got to the road it had started to rain and all the cars were going in the wrong direction to hitchhike into town. So we called up Susan, the owner of Stratton Motel and she came and picked us up, how cool is that. Part of the hotel is converted into a hostel that caters to what I assume generally to hikers. Once we completed our first trail town task of hot steamy showers we headed across the street to the local diner for a late 10am breakfast. Eric felt that he wasn't hungry, ordered a bagel and cream cheese, watched me eat my yummy french toast and proceeds to then order a waffle with whip cream. All for a guy who wasn't hungry. When we were paying for breakfast I asked the waitress if she knew of a place that did haircuts and she did, and she called the lady to see if she would be willing to cut my hair today or the next. Only it used to be an in home salon at a lady's house. She has since retired but she still cuts hair occasionally on the side. So it was set, "sometime" after 3pm I could go to this kind lady's house and she would cut my hair! Oh small towns, aren't they great. Of course after I got 6 inches of my hair cut the guys (smiles and eric) didn't even notice!Later, I headed over to the town museum that covers Dead River Plantation history and the plantations that surrounded the area. Stratton was previously the Dead River plantation, which was a collection of families and their farms that petitioned the local government for plantation status. The main industry is logging.We will take a nero (near zero) day today and head back on to the trail tomorrow. There are a few section hikers here but no thru hikers, we hear a big group left 2 days ago heading south. We however cannot get our bounce boxes until tomorrow when the post office is open again.Dinner with Chuck Norris (section hiker from Austin, TX), smiles (SOBO thru) and eric (SOBO thru) at WhiteWolf Inn then back to the hostel to digest. Skeeter (SOBO thru) then brought in pounds of cookie bars, pie, chili, and curry that his dad had sent with his mom to give to him. SO much food! We have decided that we will now make great efforts to hike with Skeeter.
Date: 2007-07-09
From: Stratton, Maine

To: Sugarloaf Summit Hut
Miles today: 10.6

We left town around noon. After breakfast at the Stratton Diner (Smiles is no longer allowed to pick seats! He chose to sit at the counter and the seats were so uncomfortable!) and 2 trips to the post office, we were on our way. Sue, the owner of the Stratton Motel, gave us a ride back to the TH (trail head). There were scattered showers with sun breaks, and it looked and felt like it was going to clear. But we were very wrong! It just sort of drizzled and was overcast all day. We got to the campsite around 4 pm and didn't want to set up tents in the rain, and we felt good, so we continued on up the next mountain 3 miles further up the trail to Sugarloaf Mountain. Ever heard of it? Yup! The ski resort Sugarloaf USA. They leave their summit house unlocked for thru hikers. It is the 2nd tallest peak in Maine at 4,237 ft, 2nd to Katahdin which is 5,267 feet.The trail up Sugarloaf Mountain has sections of some semi-technical rock climbing. Add in a 40 lb pack with 6 days of food, plus rain and wind, and it was actually a lot of fun.The summit trail is a 0.5 mile blue blaze uphill off of the AT. And when we got above the treeline we were in the clouds and had very low visability and we were soaking wet and it was windy and rainy. So we stumbled around the summit and the 4th building we found was the right one. There were three NOBO thru hikers there, and Skeeter and Puck showed up an hour later (they are SOBO thru hikers we met in Stratton.) Dinner, chatting it up with the NOBOs, then to bed. Worn out but feeling strong for a change.
Date: 2007-07-10
From: Sugarloaf Summit Hut

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-to
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: light rain

Tues July 10, 2007Start: Sugarloaf Summit HouseEnd: Poplar Ridge Lean-toMiles: 10.9Woke up warm and toasty. The temperature had risen 10 degrees since last night. There were sunbreaks and I caught a glimpse of the valley/view in between the clouds rushing over the summit. The clouds never fully cleared. Lunch at Spaulding Mtn. Lean-to where we ran into Tnadine and Scott the Marine getting a lazy start to their day. Arrived at the lean-to late afternoon and a NOBO thru hiker NAL showed up shortly. He was a lot of fun to talk to, and had already been in the Peace Corps. TNadine and Scott showed up, then Red, then Speedo (a NOBO thru hiker). We roasted hot dogs on the fire and made chili dogs (THANKS Tnadine!) It was the meeting of the SOBOs and NOBOs. Good times!
Date: 2007-07-11
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-to

To: Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: light rain

Our first 20 mile day! Wahoo!! However, we were walking in a cloud/fog all day. We were very moist and had no views from Saddleback Mountain. Maybe 30 ft. visibility max! Just enough to see the next cairn/white blaze. 30 minutes or so after arriving at Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to the sky opened up and it rained all night with thunder and lightning. At the shelter that night was Emily (SOBO thru hiker) and a Canadian NOBO thru hiker. There is a Quebec boy group tenting at the site. Also, I saw a moose on the trail in the morning. He ran off when he spotted me.