morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-09-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 9.7

I decided to stay at an AMC hut for the night. There are 8 of them in the Whites and they are pretty much designed for rich tourists. To stay there costs 84 bucks a night (more on weekends). It includes a bunk, breakfast and dinner. For the first two thru hikers, work for stay is an option. I did the work for stay, of course. I spent 45 minutes cleaning one of the buck rooms and got to sleep inside (on the floor) and got to eat leftovers. There were only 4 guests staying the night, thankfully. I don't know if I liked it that much. I think I'll just set up my tent tomorrow.
Date: 2009-09-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 12.1

First day above tree line! Franconia Notch to Little Haystack was quite a climb, but nothing I can't handle at this point. Met a couple new north bounders as I was climbing. Today they were doing the flags on the 48. Raising American flags on the 48 peaks over 4,000 feet in New Hampshire. It was in memory of September 11, I think. I caught a glimpse of the one on Little Haystack, but unfortunately couldn't see another others because it was so cloudy. I passed over Mt. Lafayette and camped next to Garfield Pond for the night.
Date: 2009-09-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 11.2

Lots of ups and downs early this morning. Ate lunch at Galehead hut and was annoyed by several day hikers. I can't wait for Maine. It will be just as beautiful as this, with a lot less people. Later in the day I arrived at Zealand Falls Hut where I ran into an old acquaintance, Stove Kicker. He had flipped up to Maine once getting to Port Clinton, PA and was going south now. We talked for quite a while before I headed a quarter mile or so down the trail to do my usual stealth camping. I would have stayed at the hut I suppose, but it was full.
Date: 2009-09-14
To: View Entry
Miles today: 13.7

Today was probably the easiest terrain I will encounter until the hundred mile wilderness. The first 5 miles were flat and then there was a long downhill to Crawford Notch. I walked a mile off the trail to the Willey House where I ate some food to get me up the next mountain. It started to get really windy as I got above tree line. I did work for stay at the Mizpah hut with 3 other thru hikers tonight.
Date: 2009-09-15
To: View Entry
Miles today: 10.6

Got up and out by 9 AM this morning. I was pumped to finally be getting to the top of Mt. Washington. The climb wasn't too challenging. The wind was blowing harder than it has anywhere else on the trail. Mt. Washington has the record for the highest recorded wind speed, 231 MPH. Today I think it was only in the 50's, but that was plenty for me. Early on (before getting into the fog) I had my first moose siting of the trip. He was no more than 30 yards away. Big one too. I got him on video before he dipped down below tree line. I was surprised that a moose got all the way up this mountain. I reached the summit which was in the clouds so I couldn't see much. It was weird getting to the top, after climbing this massive mountain and then out of the clouds seeing buildings, then cars, then tourists... There is a road and a train that go to summit. It was nice to go into the indoor, heated visitors center despite the annoying tourists. It was hard to leave and go back into the cold. I eventually got out, though, and made it as far as I could before it started to get dark. Some other north bounders tented nearby since we were above treeline and there wasn't many options as far as flat, grassy areas go. Speed Stick let me borrow his trekking poles to string up my tent as there was no trees around.
Date: 2009-09-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 9.0

I wasn't in much of a hiking mood today, so the 9 miles seemed to drag on forever. I decided to go into town today, rather than the next road crossing because I was almost out of food and I needed some shoe laces because the ones on my new pair are already breaking apart. Got in after a cold, windy ride in the back of a pickup truck. Ate some food, resupplied and checked into the Barn hostel. Hopefully I can get going tomorrow pretty early since I've still got some things to do in town.
Date: 2009-09-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 5.9

Once again, I didn't leave town until the afternoon, though I did get up early today. I had to wash clothes. I don't think I've done that since Rutland! I ate breakfast and lunch AND updated photos/the ol' journal at the library before finally attempting to return to the trail. It turned out to be an easy hitch. Some tourists picked me up. I think they were Indian. Very cool and nice of them. I lugged my heavy pack full of food up the Wildcat mountains. Man was that tough! I made it to the last AMC hut by dark. Bottom Bunk and Spice Rack showed up a few minutes later. I bought some shoe strings (they sell them at the huts) because the ones on my fairly new Salomons were in bad shape. I decided to go up the trail a quarter mile and stealth camp for the night.
Date: 2009-09-18
To: View Entry
Miles today: 13.3

Made it up Carter Notch somehow. Tough climb. Spice Rack, Bottom Bunk, Colin, Hawkeye and myself all met up at the top. Colin and Hawkeye were slackpacking today. Bottom Bunk and Spice Rack proposed we get a hotel room in Gorham tomorrow. I might have to join in on that. Might be doing my shortest day ever tomorrow. Today wasn't such a bad day, mileage wise. I'll get to Maine sooner or later...
Date: 2009-09-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 1.9

Did a whopping 1.9 miles to the road crossing today. I don't care, I'm going to enjoy myself a little bit in these last few weeks. The weather today is perfect. It rained slightly yesterday, but for the most part, the weather has been very good as of late. I assume it will be cold soon, though. I'm prepared for it. The five of us from yesterday split a hotel room so it was pretty cheap. The day consisted mostly of eating and watching college football. I was glad to get to see my first Auburn game of the season vs. West Virginia. They worried me at first, but Auburn pulled through and won. WAR EAGLE! Back to business tomorrow.
Date: 2009-09-20
To: View Entry
Miles today: 11.8

Four months on the trail today! And I'm practically in Maine. Bottom Bunk, Spice Rack and I got a hitch back to the trail, mid morning. Colin and Hawkeye cut out early so who knows where they are. Lots of little ups and downs, but nothing awful. Made it to the LAST shelter in New Hampshire right before dark. It was a really nice one too, overlooking a nice view. After it got dark I went on a bit of a star gaze. There were so many visible! It was awesome. I bet it will only get better the further I get into the sparsely populated state of Maine.
Date: 2009-09-21
To: Maine
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: clear sky

I've been looking forward to this state more than any other. Maine is talked about more than any other subject among hikers on this trail, except for food maybe. Perhaps eating food IN Maine might be the most talked about. Well here I am. Finally in Maine. It's hard to believe we walked to freakin' Maine...from Georgia! Still some mileage to do yet, 281 miles in Maine, but it really feels like the hike is winding down. Got some big mountains yet to climb too. Who cares though, I'm in Maine! Mahoosuc Notch tomorrow. Hardest mile on the AT they say...BRING IT ON!
Date: 2009-09-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 12.0

Probably one of my toughest days today. The Mahoosuc Notch, a jumbled pit of giant boulders a mile long. It took me a little over an hour to traverse the notch. It was kind of fun, but with a heavy pack, it was tricky. Up next came a big climb up Old Speck. Got up and over that eventually....only to have another giant mountain of similar difficulty in my path. I got halfway up Baldpate and decided to stay at the shelter that was there. Bottom Bunk and Spice Rack decided to as well. Slowly, but steadily I'm going to finish this stinkin' trail!
Date: 2009-09-23
To: View Entry
Miles today: 8.0

I was greeting this morning by a nice climb to the top of Baldpate. Pretty much completely out of food at this point, which tells me my fatigue is not from my pack being too heavy. I think I'm low on protein. I just feel sort of weak. But I continue to press on. Spice Rack and I saw a Moose today. Huge creatures! They are really amazing to see up close. We all got into Andover for resupply, if you can call it that, thanks to a shuttle from a hostel owner. The store was not the greatest. VERY limited selection and expensive. But that's how Maine is, I hear. I think we are staying at the hostel tonight and doing a slack pack tomorrow to make up some ground. The weather was awesome today. The leaves are just beginning to really change and it looks, feels and smells like fall. My favorite time of year.
Date: 2009-09-24
To: View Entry
Miles today: 23.4

Slackpacking today. Apparently not many people have completed this, so if we make it, the hostel guy "Caretaker" will give us dinner for free. Caretaker is an interesting character. He's ex military and definitely has one of those ex military personalities. He kept telling us stories of combat experiences when he was shot and such. We took a shortcut which saved us money for the shuttle fee, but it was quite a wild ride at the cost. I didn't really care. Caretaker at least assured us that he had been to the best driving schools the military had to offer. I guess they teach you extreme multitasking because that's pretty much what he was doing. Drinking coffee, lighting a pipe and barreling down a narrow dirt road. At one point a moose crossed the road right in front of the car and Caretaker acted like he wanted to hit it and seemed mad that it was too far away to hit. At first I thought he was kidding, but after he went into detail about what he would do with the moose after he hit it (get out of the car, slit the throat, wait for a car to drive by with a chainsaw and cut it up and haul it back to the house) I began to believe that maybe he was serious. Who knows with this guy.Bottom Bunk, Spice Rack and I completed the slack at 7 PM and got a good (free!) meal. Later on in the RV, the three of us and Memo, who had showed up earlier, were hanging out and Memo decides he wants to play Crow's guitar (another guy staying there) So he goes and knocks on the door...at the same time a car screeches to a halt on the street. Next thing I know there's a bunch of yelling and I even hear Memo in the argument for some reason. Turns out, Caretaker's wife answered the door and ran to yell at the car that missed the stop sign. (Apparently they've had problems with people running into their garage.) Then everyone else came out of the house. How Memo got involved, I have no idea. But it was pretty funny. After the quarrel everyone wished everyone a good night and a safe drive like nothing even happened. These small towns can be a little bizarre. Rangely tomorrow!
Date: 2009-09-25
To: View Entry
Miles today: 14.9

Really easy day, and great weather! Got a hitch into Rangely via an ambulance. I think this is the first time I've ever been in one. Resupplied and got back to the trail only to find a full shelter. Looks like a lot of people took a zero in Rangely. Sigh. Oh well, shouldn't take long to blow past this crowd. Maine is awesome. The fall foliage is truly something to behold. I can think of no better place to be this time of year.
Date: 2009-09-26
To: View Entry
Miles today: 8.9

Climbed up Saddleback Mt. this morning and was treated to an amazing view. Then I had to climb two more mountains that pretty much offered the same view. Could have done without those, but whatever. I got down to the first lean-to really early, but decided not to move on. By dark there were 12 thru hikers and 3 section hikers in and around the shelter. It was kind of cool having a lot of people around, had a nice fire going, but I can't deal with this many people for too long. Looks like tomorrow is going to be a long one.
Date: 2009-09-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 21.5

So today was doomed from the start to be a dreary one. 100% chance of rain. Did a good job of getting to the first shelter quickly and I could have stopped right there and called it a day, stayed dry, been cramped as hell with 11 other hikers.Yeah right! I'm doing 13.5 more miles! To Town! This is why I know I'll make it on time. Because I am willing to go the extra distance even when the weather sucks. It rained all day. Only the last 6 miles were in the dark. Not too bad, but not very good either. I still hate night hiking. At some point today I saw an unidentifiable animal...some kind of large cat. It was white and had a bushy tail. I need to look it up and find out what it was. It might have been a fox. That's the only thing I know that has a bushy tail. Though I could be wrong about my description as I only got a quick glance at it. Whatever it was, I don't think I've seen anything like it yet.So I got to the road at around 9:30 PM. It had been dark for hours and there were not many cars passing by. I just started to walk the 5 miles toward town. I thought I was going to have to walk the whole way, but sure enough a guy turned around and picked me up within 10 minutes. Made it to the Stratton Motel where there was a hostel. Nice one too. Really clean. I slept like a rock.
Date: 2009-09-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 8.0

Got out of Stratton late as usual. I had to mail ahead food for Monson, plus stock up on food to last me until I got there. And of course, eat a good breakfast. I didn't really eat much of anything last night so I was pretty hungry. Colin, Hawkeye, Speedstick and I ate at the diner next door. I made it as far as the top of Bigelow before it started to get dark. There was a campsite between the two Bigelow peaks where the trail dipped down below treeline. It started to rain after I set up my tent. The water source was awful, but I ended up having enough anyway. I was worried I might be cold, camping at such a high elevation, but my bag kept me warm. From now on, though, I'm going to stick to the lower elevation sites, it's just getting too cold at night. Luckily, the trail is about to flatten out a lot!
Date: 2009-09-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 14.6

The cold this morning made getting out of my warm sleeping bag difficult. My tarp, once again, kept me dry during a night long rain. Most of the day was awesome. Great weather, easy trail. It began to look like rain late in the afternoon so I hurried on to the shelter. Good thing too. If I had been a minute behind I would have gotten rained on. If I had been half an hour later I would have been drenched! I don't remember the last time it rained so hard. Glad I wasn't under the tarp for this one. Sharing the shelter tonight with a mom and her two kids. Shouldn't they be in school? Passed the 2,000 mile mark today. Whoohooo!
Date: 2009-09-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 19.7

I had until 4 PM to make the ferry across the Kennebec River. 13.5 miles away. It turned out to be quite easy. Got there at 2:30. It's a steady, misty rain today. Not too bad really. Could be worse. I flagged the ferry guy who was across the river and he paddled the canoe over. Gave me a life jacket and had me sign a form and before I knew it I was helping paddle across the Kennebec. The water was swift. 9 miles an hour so said the ferry guy. You wouldn't catch me trying to ford it. I thought I was going to have to hitch to a convenience store for a little extra food, but as luck would have it, the ferry guy had some supplies that he sells to hikers. So I'm all set for Monson. Did another 5 miles and caught back up with Colin and Hawkeye at the shelter. More rain tonight.
Date: 2009-10-01
To: View Entry
Miles today: 22.0

Today began cold and dreary and more or less stayed that way all day. I wanted to do a short day into Monson tomorrow, so that meant getting to the shelter 9 miles south of town. Too bad I didn't go faster. I thought a 9 mile night hike wouldn't be that bad, but it ending up being terrible. I tripped over every rock and root on the trail. And then I had to ford a river. My headlamp was really dim so I couldn't see the trail on the other side. So that slowed me down as well. I finally made it to the shelter about 9:30 PM to find Colin and Hawkeye already there and asleep. Plus some other dude who had his stuff strewn everywhere taking up most of the room. I managed to squeeze in somehow. Very tired. Monson tomorrow for lunch!
Date: 2009-10-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 9.0

Colin, Hawkeye and I raced to town as fast as humanly possible. Yo-yo is the other one, but we passed him quickly. We all were looking forward to some town food. Hitched in and went to this bar-b-q joint and had some good food. Spent entirely too much money. I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay in town, but I knew I needed to dry my socks so I ended up staying at Shaw's. It was a nice place. Resupplied for the 100 mile wilderness. I hope I have enough. I certainly have more food than I've ever carried, so that's a good sign. Watched some tv, though there were few channels so nothing really on. Hard to believe this is the last town stop before it's all over.
Date: 2009-10-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 10.4

Got back to the trail before 11. I'd say that's pretty good for me. My introduction into the 100 mile wilderness was not as I envisioned, though I probably should have expected it...rain. Stopped at the second shelter for the night. Only two of us here tonight. Spirit Fingers and myself. I hear there is a big group just ahead. I'm hoping to pass them and not get stuck at a crowded campsite. I did not see this huge bubble of hikers being an issue when I first started. I figured I'd be the only one walking through the wilderness by myself since I started so late. I guess I'm just going too fast, or they're going too slow. The rain was heavy tonight; it even woke me up at one point.
Date: 2009-10-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 15.6

Another day of rain today. And it was quite slow going. Just lots of small ups and downs. Everyone else seemed to feel the same way, so I'm glad it wasn't just me. Crowded shelter tonight. PART of the large group. Hopefully I can get ahead soon. Some of them yellow blazed up to Monson from somewhere south on the trail. It shouldn't bother me because I try to live by the "hike your own hike" matra, but it still makes me mad. I know at least two of them started a couple months before I did, I passed them in PA, and now they've caught up to me by taking shortcuts. Why not just go straight to Katahdin if you're going to keep taking shortcuts? I'll try not to let it bother me. It's just another one of those things a thru hiker has to deal with. Bigger miles tomorrow hopefully.
Date: 2009-10-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 17.1

It didn't rain last night and it didn't rain today. Oh Boy! My shoes may dry! I took them off for the river I had to ford today just in case. It did sprinkle on and off, but it's been a whole lot worse in the past few days. White cap was in the clouds when I got to the summit so I got no view of Katahdin. I have a feeling I may never see that mountain. Speed Stick and Spirit Fingers are the only other guys at the shelter tonight. Thank God. Tomorrow we're planning on getting ahead of the huge group, as they are waiting for a food drop that they paid 60 bucks for. It's split between a lot of people, so it wasn't that much per person...but come on, if you've hiked this far you should be able to carry a weeks worth of food.
Date: 2009-10-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 23.1

Today was the best day since my arrival in the 100 mile wilderness. No rain, mostly sunny. The fall colors are really out now. All but the beech trees have changed. It must be really close to peak foliage. White Cap was my last major climb until the big K, so today was fairly flat walking. I finally passed the huge group, thankfully. Doubt they'll be catching back up either. When I passed, they were waiting for their food drop that was two hours late. That's what they get for relying on someone else for something as important as food when you can't get it anywhere else. I made excellent time the second half of the day and arrived at the shelter at 7:40 PM. Colin, Speed Stick, Spirit Fingers and myself here tonight.
Date: 2009-10-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 10.1

I woke up to rain this morning. Uggh. I've had enough of this rain! Today is my 23rd birthday and I was really hoping it would be accompanied by good weather, but alas, it was not meant to be. I got to the first shelter and had to call it a day when I found out Colin and Hawkeye were staying. My sleeping bag was damp and I couldn't risk it getting any more wet. (Pack cover sucks!) Speedstick and Spirit Fingers showed up later. They had gone to White House Landing because they needed resupply. White House Landing is the only place in the wilderness where you can resupply. You have to call a boat to come get you from across a lake using an air horn. I heard the guy wasn't very nice so I decided to pass it up. I think I can still make it on what I've got.As I lie here in my sleeping bag, writing by headlamp light, there's very little I can say good about my 23rd birthday. I'm cold, wet, and tired. But then again, this is one of the coolest places I've ever had a birthday. Watching the rain, passing the hours by with some of the greatest guys I've met on the trail. This is an experience I would not trade for anything.
Date: 2009-10-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 19.6

Woke up to a rainless morning today. It still looks like it may rain later, but at least the rainstorm that was still raging when I feel asleep last night had finally stopped. The overcast sky prevented me from seeing Katahdin, once again. I could see about the bottom 1/16th of it, so I kind of have an idea of how close I am. Which is pretty close! Hard to believe this is my last full day of hiking. (I'm not counting tomorrow because even though it's 13.4 miles I'm going to be so excited to get there I'll be done by mid-afternoon) I passed the section of trail I did a day hike through two years ago when I visited Maine. It was weird being back, when I considered the circumstances in which I got here. I arrived at the lean-to right at dark. Same 4 guys as the last couple nights here. I guess we are all going to finish together. Ate the last of my food. It looks like I planned my last resupply perfectly. Three miles in the morning tomorrow to the camp store to get a little extra for the finale.
Date: 2009-10-09
To: View Entry
Miles today: 13.4

I made it to that camp store super quick this morning, completing the 100 mile wilderness. That wasn't so tough! If it hadn't been for the rain it would have been a cake walk. I crossed Abol bridge and for the first time I got an almost complete view of Mount Katahdin. It was an overwhelming sight. Knowing that tomorrow my hike would end on the top of that mountain was hard to believe. I bought some food at the camp store to last me today and tomorrow since I had just ran out last night. I also unloaded my giant pile of trash I had accumulated since beginning the trek through the wilderness.As I suspected, I flew to the Birches Lean-to. I checked in at the rangers station. I was the 508th thru hiker to come through, though I doubt that number reflects the number of hikers who have completed the trail. I'm sure quite a few skipped ahead and probably never went back to finish. Today was like a giant reunion. Hawkeye, Colin, Speedstick, Spirit Fingers and I thought we'd be the only non weekenders there. But sure enough, Memo showed up. He had skipped ahead from Monson. Then Tom showed up, who had done the same thing. He had gotten behind because of an injury and none of us thought we would see him again. It was nice to see those guys one last time. With the arrival of folks I DID want to see came others I did NOT care to see again. Like Top Hat and Duffy, who somehow had gotten out of the middle of the 100 mile wilderness with help from "Caretaker" from Andover. Luckily they were not staying at the Birches so I avoided them for the most part. It was a great afternoon for the most part. Just sitting at the lean-to, joking around. Spirits are high for those of us completing our hike tomorrow.