morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-14
From: Moxie Bald Lean-to, ME

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: overcast clouds

If it¢s not one thing it¢s another. We set up the tent last night to fend off the bugs and what happens? Of course it rains during the night so we have to take down a wet and dirty tent in morning. I thought that we were safe because Mrs. GORP told us that it wasn¢t suppose to rain until Thursday. I guess that makes her 0 for 2 thus far on the weather. All that we had today was an easy 18 miles to get into Monson (a.k.a. the start of the 100 mile wilderness) to meet Sam¢s sister Katie. The big excitement was that after more then 2000 miles we finally had to get our feet wet this morning! When we got to the West Branch of the Piscataquis River we saw that there was no dry way across it so we decided to test out the strength of our sandals and we just sloshed/splashed right through it. We laughed at the thought that most people would have to stop to take off their boots or shoes before going across it. In the afternoon we had to ford the East Branch as well. The water in both rivers was about knee high and just slightly chilly. We met Katie in Monson and she took us back to her place for the night. The cheese and crackers that she had in the car was a great touch. It¢s hard to think that this will be our last town visit of the entire trip!
Date: 2004-07-15
From: Monson, ME

To: Leeman Brook Lean-to, ME
Miles today: 3.0

Ok, ok, I¢ll admit it I lied. I was almost sure that when we did 3.1 miles last Saturday that would be our shortest day of the trip. Well we topped that today with a big 3.0 mile day. We were planning on doing another 7.4 miles to get to the next shelter but it was starting to rain and that would have meant a real late finish. So we decided that there was no reason to start our last leg of the AT with a late wet night, especially when we only have to do about 110 miles in the next 6 days. It shouldn¢t be too hard to make up those 7.4 miles, hopefully. I think that it was probably a wise choice to stop early because both Sam and I fell within the first 3 miles due to the wet rocks and mud. AS for the morning we had a nice visit with Katie and her husband Matt. First Katie made us some blueberry pancakes for breakfast. I don¢t know what I¢m going to do when I don¢t have people to wait on me any more. Then we went shopping for the last time before heading to Governors for lunch. Then Katie took us back to the trail where we started the 100-mile wilderness and our last week of hiking. Thanks a lot Katie and Matt for all of your help. Along the way I stopped to pick up a couple of mail drops from Mom and Tricia. You guys have really been there for me over the past 4 months and I really appreciated your support.
Date: 2004-07-16
From: Leeman Brook Lean-to, ME

To: Chairback Gap Lean-to, ME
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: light rain

As Sam pointed out this afternoon, ¢It¢s official, Maine sucks!¢ And so far I would have a hard time disagreeing with that statement. I would go a step further to say that somewhere it is written that we have to be miserable the whole time that we¢re in Maine. It started out last night with a miserable nights sleep. I¢m not sure if it was from the bugs, the rain, or the girl next to me kicking me all night or what but I didn¢t get much sleep. In the morning the weather was kind of overcast and all of the rocks and roots were wet, which lead to what else but me falling right on my butt first thing in the morning. Luckily that was my only fall of the day but next on the agenda was a wasp sting above my right ankle. Of course that stung like crazy and got all swollen and puffy. In the afternoon the weather finally cleared up but of course it improved way too much. Just as we were starting to climb a mountain it got sunny, hot, and humid to ensure a nice sweaty trip up to the top. But don¢t worry that nice weather didn¢t last long because just as we started to come down the steep rocks on the other side the rain came back with a vengeance. It rained so hard that a good 2-inch stream complete with a current formed on the trail in a matter of minutes. Man what a cruel day! Of course like most bad days there were a few good things to cling to. In the morning we got to ford not one, not two, but three streams. The best was the Big Wilson Stream where we were going through water about thigh deep. We almost got to ford the Long Pond Stream as well but that one ended up being rock hop-able, well sort of. If Sam wasn¢t there to pull me out of a pretty nasty split I might have gotten a little wet. The other big thing was that we past the 100-mile mark. As of tonight we only have 88.5 miles to go!
Date: 2004-07-17
From: Chairback Gap Lean-to, ME

To: Logan Brook Lean-to, ME
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Oh and the misery continues, at least for the morning anyway. Things started out with another bad nights sleep due to some obnoxious snoring. Usually snoring really doesn¢t bother me but this one was literally inches form my head and it actually made the floorboards shake. I ended up having to turn around so my head was on the other end of the shelter so that I could get a little amount of sleep. Besides some nice views from the top of Chairback Mt the morning was pretty lousy. I slipped on just about every wet root out there but I managed to stay on my feet on all but one occasion. Then I caught my toes on some roots a couple of time. I must have gotten my left pinky toe good at least once because when I took off my socks at the shelter the toenail was just hanging on by a thread. Things started to turn around a bit, about 4.5 miles we had to ford the West Branch of the Pleasant River. A good river fording is always fun. We forded it right after a husband ¢helped¢ his wife across kicking and screaming. The 100-mile wilderness isn¢t as remote as I thought that it was because the river was only .2 miles from a parking lot! The afternoon was a lot better for starters it didn¢t rain! It was really actually pretty pleasant. We also climbed the only 3000¢ mountains in the 100-mile wilderness. None of the climbs were that bad, there was just a bunch of them in a row. But hey, we did get our first positive view of Katahdin on top of White Cap Mountain. Only 71.4 trail miles we¢re on top of that beast looking back this way!
Date: 2004-07-18
From: Logan Brook Lean-to, ME

To: Potaywadjo Spring, ME
Miles today: 23.1
Weather: overcast clouds

We officially have MOOSE!!! After all this time searching every waterway that we have walked across since Vermont we finally saw a moose today! And to top that we actually saw two of them. Now I¢ll have no regrets about finishing up in three days. I showed Sam the bear and rattlesnake that he wanted to see down on my turf in VA and now he was nice enough to find me a moose up here in ME! We saw the first one eating in the Mountain View Pond. We tried to sneak up on her by only moving closer when she put her head underwater to get food but really was no reason for that because she just kept on eating even after she spotted us. Our presence didn¢t seem to faze her in the least. The second one actually ran away from us when it noticed we were there. As far as the rest of the hike went we have officially begun our cruise to the Big K. In the morning we climbed Little Boardman Mt and at 2017¢ it was the highest point that we¢ll hit until we get to Katahdin. It¢s funny to think that Katahdin is over 3000¢ taller then the hill that we climbed to day. You would actually have to stack this 2000¢ peak on top of mountains that we climbed yesterday to get up to Katahdins height! The weather was actually great today. If anything it was a little hot but I won¢t complain seeing that it was dry. Today¢s thunderstorm even waited until after we got to the shelter tonight, which was just great timing if you ask me. As for an injury report my wasp sting still itches like crazy and my pinky toenail ripped off the rest of the way at some point in time today. But other then that all systems are a go for the last 48.3 miles.
Date: 2004-07-19
From: Potaywadjo Spring, ME

To: Rainbow Spring, ME
Miles today: 22.0

Today I decided that I should start to thank the endless supply or rain, mud, slippery roots/rocks, and the bugs. After all, if it wasn¢t for these fine things we might not be as relieved or happy when we finish in a day and a half. So I would like to send a big thanks out to all of those things that have made the last handful of days really tough to get through. Yeah as you could guess, today wasn¢t a very pretty day. It was sprinkling when we started out but I hoped that it would stop early in the day so that things could dry up a bit so that we could stay in the tent tonight. Well things didn¢t quite work out that way. It slowed down a bit in the morning but then it picked back up again right around snack time. Because of the rain we decided to stop early to have lunch at the shelter instead of continuing on to the top of the next mountain. That ended up being a wise decision because it rained pretty hard all the way up the mountain. The rain slowed and then stopped around mid afternoon, which made it a difficult decision whether to stay at the Rainbow Stream shelter or to push on to the next campsite. It wasn¢t raining when we got to the shelter so we decided to push on to the campsite and wouldn¢t you know it, it started to rain about 15 minutes after left the shelter! Fortunately that didn¢t last too long and the weather cleared for a dry night at camp (so far, hopefully). It was even nice enough for me to soak my feet in the Rainbow Lake for a while. From what I hear sunset was really great around the lake but I was safe in my tent away from the bugs when the sun went down.
Date: 2004-07-20
From: Rainbow Spring, ME

To: Katahdin Stream Campground, ME
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Man I can¢t believe it, the last full day of hiking! It¢s hard to imagine that after 120 days we are only 5.2 miles from being done with the AT! Georgia to Maine! 2174.1 miles! From the start the day was much better then yesterday. The trail was still wet and muddy but it wasn¢t raining! And hey, I¢m even working on a new record here. So far I¢m on a 3 day stretch in Maine without falling! Yeah, it has been a pretty rough state for me. The big climb today was a 500¢er up The Rainbow Ledges. The climb wasn¢t that bad except for the steam that was flowing down the trail but we were rewarded at the top with a great view of Katahdin. Man that thing is massive! From there it was a mere 6-mile stroll down out of the 100-mile wilderness and to the Abol Bridge and camp store. Of course we had to stop for some pictures from the bridge of the ¢postcard¢ view of Katahdin. What a site! After a double cheeseburger and some junk food from the store we started our push to the campground. The 10 mile stretch was pretty easy but it did allow time for me to tell Sam the famous clown story, for us to see the Big Niagara Falls, and for 3 more moose sightings. We met up with Katie, Matt, and Sam¢s dad at the campground where they had prepared a great chili diner for us. What a last night on the trail. Unfortunetly we did get some potentially bad news this evening. Right now there is a rescue up on Katahdin, from what I heard that is the fourth rescue in five days! Because of that the authorities have closed down the entire mountain until further notice. The ranger said that they would probably open it back up again around 7:00 tomorrow, which will lead to a later start then we planned but hopefully we¢ll get the green light early in the morning so that we can finish this thing.
Date: 2004-07-21
From: Katahdin Stream Campground, ME

To: Baxter Peak, Katahdin
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: scattered clouds

After 121 days and 2,174.1 miles we finally finished the Appalachian Trail today right around 11:10 am. Wow, what a rush! And let me tell you, the final push to the finish line was just as challenging as the rest of the trail because Katahdin is one heck of a mountain. Today we climbed about 4200' in just over 5 miles. That in is self would be a tough climb but then if you add to that the fact that both the first and the last mile of the ascent were relatively flat, that made the middle 3 miles extremely tough. Most of it was one big rock scramble that you needed the use of both your arms and your legs to get up. But really, I think that it would be a let down to finish the trail any other way. Our good weather luck on big mountain days continued again today. We were in the clouds a bit at the top but other then that it was a beautiful sunny day which gave us views of what we thought was the summit for about the last 1.5 miles. It last mile or so seemed to be dragging along until we came up and over the last ridge where we realized that what we thought was the top was actually a mile past the summit so we were much closer to finishing. It was a mad dash up to the summit sign once we could see that it was right in front of us. Sam and I actually ran the last 200 yards or so, well sort of ran. I could feel my body cover in goose bumps as we approached the summit sign. And then just like that it was over; we had finished the Appalachian Trail. What an incredible feeling! We stayed at the top for about an hour eating lunch (all the left over candy bars that I had), taking pictures, and just enjoying the moment. Unfortunately we had to hike back down the same hard 5.2 miles to get back to the parking lot. Things started to feel more complete and wrapped up when I saw my mom and Mrs. VerPlanck waiting for us about a mile from the bottom. It's kind of strange to think that we are actually done hiking (at least for a week or so before I start back up again). All in all it was quite an amazing journey, but I guess that it is time to move on to the next one. I would like to thank everyone who has followed me over the past 4 months for all of your love and support. It really meant a lot to me. Thanks a lot guys. Keep checking on the website because I hope to add more pictures and such as they get developed.
Date: 2004-04-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I'm heading out on the trail again. I feel I have some personal challenges I'd like to surmount, especially getting through a full "continuous and contiguous" hike without having to take any time off for injury.So after some issues were resolved three weeks ago, I decided to spring the idea on my wife Pattie, and to my surprise she didn't wring my neck when I said I'd like to hike the Trail again -- I was out in 2000, 2001, and 2002.I've covered over 4500 miles on the AT, but not in the way I intended and I'm out to do something about it. So here I go again!
Date: 2004-04-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I've put most of my gear together -- two days shy of my departure -- and I'm trying to keep my pack weight down around 25 lbs. Over the years I've lightened up the load I start the trail with: 53 lbs. in 2000, 40 lbs. in 2001, 28 lbs. in 2002, and I'm hoping to have my pack weight down another 5 lbs. this year, but I'm still tweaking gear. I still need some cold weather gear -- I'll never forget the 11 degree temp. (with wind chills in the single digits below zero) my first night in the Smokies in 2001. I'm trying to balance pragmatism, comfort, and the desire to avoid another overuse/stress injury as I had in 2002. I'm going to take it a bit slower this time.
Date: 2004-04-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I've finally finished my harried and disjointed preparations five hours before my train departs for Georgia. I have my pack down to 23.44 lbs., and after adding at least a liter of water I'll be hovering somewhere around 25.5 lbs. I wish I could go lighter, but this will have to do until Virginia, when I hope to pare it down to the high teens. At this point, I wish I hadn't bought that digital scale a few days ago, pack weight has become a mania of sorts. Enough about pack weight!I hope to post a gear list before I leave for Georgia in a few hours -- there's plenty of fitful sleep to be had on a twenty-four hour train ride.Over the last year and a half I finally started graduate school at the University of Massachusetts, but have made slow progress -- I have not been fully engaged in my academic endeavors! I have until 2007 to graduate, and I fear I'm going to stretch it out that long.I did help open, along with an "excellent-good" group of people, the (still relatively new) Boston REI store last April. I just completed my first year there before my impromptu sabbatical. I'd wax poetic every time a customer came in with plans to hike the Trail -- it's difficult to disengage from the trail experience after it's gotten so far under one's skin. Well, that and some personal challenges are the catalyst for my hitting the trail again -- and if I can, I might as well, because one day I won't be able to do it again.
Date: 2004-04-06
From: Springer Mountain

To: Justus Creek
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: clear sky

¢Happy as heck to be back on the trail that guides me, this is a great magical place . . . ¢- D-Bone from Stover Creek Shelter RegisterAfter 24 hours on a couple of trains, I was quite ready for the trail. A cool, cloudless blue-sky day ¢ perfect weather for hiking. The walking was slow and steady, with a couple of hour-long breaks at Stover Creek Shelter and Hawk Mountain Shelter for lunch and dinner respectively. The footpath is in good shape, but most of the water sources seem a bit low.Had some good first day sightings: White-Tailed Deer, Pileated Woodpeckers, Eastern Cottontail Hare (which escorted me 30 feet down the trail on Justus Mountain), Turkey Vultures, Juncos, Rufous Sided Towhees, a couple of very cool looking Luna Moths, et al.I¢m pretty tired and sore ¢ as any good first day out on the trail should be. I was going to camp at Cooper Gap, but a unit headquarters and mash unit for the Camp Merrell Army Rangers were set up there for the evening, and it looked like it was going to be noisy, so I moved on. We just had an Army helicopter buzz over the camp, it seems as there are war games or maneuvers going on, and now ¢ at 9:13 p.m., we¢re hearing machine gun fire a few miles southwest of camp. Is another night of fitful sleep in store? If it is there¢s nowhere else I¢d like to be.Nine campers are spread out over an eighth of a mile around Justus Creek tonight. I¢ve got some very sore hip flexors and calves ¢ so what¢s new? Just like ¢the Dude abides,¢ so does the trail.It¢s a fantastic starry night ¢ as if the night sky were ablaze with stars.
Date: 2004-04-07
From: Justus Creek

To: Blood Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

¢Three days on the trail. The ecstasy of the agony . . . ¢- Gramma Lala & Scout, from Blood Mountain Shelter RegisterThe Army Rangers were quiet after 9:30 p.m. last night, but some folks at Gooch Gap Shelter ¢ 1.1 miles north of Justus ¢ heard the machine gun fire well into the night.I was surprised to see Sleepy the Arab out thru-hiking again. We hiked together for a while in 2001, and yes, he has dropped the ¢Arab¢ and is now only Sleepy.Another sunny day and just about all the hikers I¢ve seen (including myself) are crispy red. It became quite warm, someone claimed over 80 degrees according to their thermometer. Tough but gratifying walking today, plenty of ups and downs; the memorably steep Big Cedar Mountain and many others.Spotted a couple of White-Tailed Deer, Pileated Woodpeckers, et al. I think most wildlife ¢ hikers not included ¢ were wise enough to stay out of the sun.I¢m at Blood Mountain Shelter tonight with Stickman, Mist, Steve, and Bud, and we¢re expecting a nasty storm tonight, so Stickman boarded up one of the windows. This shelter was built in the 1930¢s by the CCC. We¢re waiting for the resident shelter skunk who raids packs looking for food ¢ the mice are already active. A night o¢ fun in store.
Date: 2004-04-08
From: Blood Mountain Shelter

To: 1 mile north of Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

¢On to Poplar Gap, too many people tenting in the spring.¢- Loon, from Low Gap Shelter RegisterAnother ¢excellent-good¢ day today. The rains, skunk, and mice stayed away, and there was a nice 2-hour break at Walasi-Yi Center this morning.My pack weighed 21 pounds coming in, and I sent a pound of stuff home that I accidentally left in my pack ¢ extra long johns, a cup, a small book, and a bottle of Ibuprofen. But after re-supply my pack was back up to 24 pounds, including water.Walasi-Yi is one of the landmarks on the trail ¢ the only place on the trail where the footpath goes through a building ¢ the breezeway between the hostel and the outfitters.The walking was good, improved by cool overcast weather. Spotted more deer, and some Bluets today. By the time I arrived at Low Gap Shelter, the area looked like a Boy Scout jamboree had exploded and spewed tents pell mell all about the gap. There were nearly two dozen tents set up and the shelter was half full. I haven¢t seen a tent city like that since Trail Days.So I pushed on about a mile north to a small, seemingly unnamed gap south of Poplar Stamp Gap. It cleared up quite nicely, and I¢m sleeping under the stars ¢ sans tent ¢ testing out the ¢red skies at night, sailors delight.¢I read somewhere that a study was done proving that aphorism was correct 88% of the time ¢ I¢m hoping this isn¢t one of the other 12% nights.
Date: 2004-04-10
From: Vista site at Powell Mountain

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 1.2
Weather: broken clouds

¢A slice of Paradise right here in Hiawassee . . . ¢- Swiss Miss, from Blueberry Patch Hostel RegisterSince I have such a short way to go to get into Hiawassee, I sleep late, until sunrise around 6:50 a.m. I guess I was prescient picking this sight, because stretched out in front of me are manifold ridges, receding into the haze under the bright orange sun beginning its ascent. ¢Excellent-good¢ stuff!Apparently, I¢ll be the first one into Dick¢s Creek Gap today as I¢m doing all the web breaking going in. I know Gary drops off hikers from the previous night¢s stay around 9:30 a.m. so I take a leisurely pace.Gary is dumb-founded when he sees me ¢ I decided to surprise him and not tell him I was coming. To my surprise two other hikers from 2000 are with him ¢ Chill Out who I hiked with in 2000 and 2001, and Loon, he of trail legend, countless hikes, and also out in 2000. Loon helped me with a ritual head shaving and ablutions in the river at Wesser, N.O.C. in 2000. A great guy!Anyway, all is set for a great town stay and a day of re-supply. I could obviously re-supply and head back out of the trail, but I have to stay with Gary and Lennie Poteat at The blueberry Patch.In 2000, I fell out of the second story loft at Plumorchard Gap Shelter and got a terrible contusion that developed a softball size pustule that had to be lanced at the emergency room at Hiawassee. Walking the 4 miles off the trail was the most tortuous pain I¢ve ever endured. Some people thought I had a compound fracture, it looked so awful. After the pustule was lanced at the hospital, it ended up getting infected. And as a result I spent 18 days at The Blueberry Patch Hostel recovering until I could hike again. And I came back in 2001 and 2002, so in essence this feels like home to me.Loon is staying another night so that makes it even more special. After re-supplying, laundry, and a town meal, there is much catching up to do. And Stickman, Puck Finn, B-Dub, Roadie, and Radio Flyer (also on trailjournals) are staying here as well.Loon, B-dub, Stickman and I go through the ritual shavings of heads, but only Loon is brave enough to jump into the ice cold creek on Gary¢s property ¢ I just dunk my head in, I like my ablutions a bit more sedate.Later Gary and Loon regale us with ¢excellent-good¢ tales of the trails - Gary about his 1991 thru-hike and Loon about his recent hikes on the PCT in 2002 and 2003. These are the moments you live for on the trail.