morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-08-01
From: Stealth site 

To: US 2 -- the Barn
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I left for Atlanta, GA, five months ago. My initial plans were to finish by Aug. 2. Since I have 298 miles to go, and I'm still in NH, it's unlikely I will finish on schedule. But it feels darn good to be nearly done with this state and on the threshold of the last one.  The Granite State has been hard on me.       The objective of today's hike was to make it to US 2 and to shuttle back to the Libby House. Ascending Mt. Moriah was the big challenge of the day, a typical NH climb, virtually straight up. Near the top were huge stretches of bald faces to walk up. It was also a typical NH descent, virtually straight down.  The last four miles from the Rattle River Shelter to the highway were sweet, a gradual, almost smooth path, quite unusual for NH. You take whatever the trail gives you and be grateful for it. I overhead a southbounder saying you can easily tell who is hiking northbound. They're the walking zombies. Admittedly there's much truth to this. Not only is my equipment wearing thin, but so is my energy.  What stamina I have left I am preserving for the miles I have remaining.  I rarely stop now to swap trail stories with people I pass on the trail. I take fewer blue blazes to see the views. And I've grown weary of telling people my trail name and answering questions about my adventure.  It's not their fault, they're naturally inquisitive; it's that I've one overwhelming focus right now, and that's to complete the task. Anything not in line with this focus is simply draining.That said, one goal I had for this AT hike was not just merely to survive, but to thrive. However, NH has been a challenge to this goal. The state has me questioning my ability to do more than 10 or so miles on any given day. Am I running out of gas just as I'm nearing the finish line? I'm counting on ME to be my badly needed booster shot. Tomorrow! I should be in Maine tomorrow.
Date: 2017-08-02
From: US 2 -- the Barn

To: Carlo Col. Campsite 
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Based on my track record in NH, I wasn't at all confident that I could hike 17 miles today, key to the plan to reach ME by day's end. Paul from the Barn drove Shop Teacher and I to the US 2 trailhead at 7:30 a.m., for an early start. Mt. Hayes came first on the agenda and was surprisingly manageable. Surely, we were no longer in the Whites. Perhaps 17 miles was doable after all.The succession of lesser mountains afterwards started chipping away at this optimism.  Cascade Mt., Wocket Ledge, and the mountain prior to Dream Lake were bringing back recent memories of the Whites.  (At Wocket Ledge we hit the 1900 mile mark.)  Then came Mt. Success, a beast of a steep climb coming late in our day, an ascent worthy of being put in the class of a White Mountain. It took hours to reach the summit (Mt. Success was the last mountain in NH that we summitted, and it was a doozy). And we pushed on, pig headed about reaching ME and Carlo Co. Shelter.A wooden sign on the trail told us we had just crossed the NH-ME border.  If I had expected a dramatic terrain change in the new state, I was sorely mistaken. ME picked up where NH left off.  The climb down to the Carlo Col. Shelter was short, just one-tenth of a mile, but frighteningly steep.  At one point I had to remove my backpack so that I could more nimbly descend in reverse, hanging by my fingers from a rock lip while my feet dangled inches above a ledge I was hoping to land upon.  Once upon the ledge, I reached up to grab my pack and bring it down to where I stood. It was an awkward maneuver.  I sensed this was a prelude to the upcoming Mahoosuc Notch.At the shelter, I set up my tent on a wooden tent platform, a first-time event for me. Water at the shelter was scarce to come by, but I managed to filter two liters, enough for tonight's dinner and tomorrow's breakfast.
Date: 2017-08-03
From: Carlo Col. Campsite 

To: Speck Pond Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: few clouds

So Maine is taking over where NH left off. Before we even reached the infamous Mahoosuc Notch, it took us 5 hours to cover 6 miles, much of it over the various peaks of Goose Eye Mtn. The snail's pace and steep rocky terrain have become frustrating. Now I was mentally prepared for Mahoosuc Notch, called the toughest or the funnest mile on the AT, depending on your frame of mind.  I resolved to call it the funnest mile.  I had to remove my backpack at least six times in order to crawl through rock tunnels, pass through tight crevices, and climb over massive boulders.  Some of these boulders were bigger than busses. Holes between rocks were so deep and dark you could not see their bottom. A misstep could result in a long fall.  I even saw snow in some holes, which made it cool in the Notch, like refrigerator air.  It took us 1 hour and forty-five minutes to get through the Notch.  Long before then, though, I was ready for the fun to be over.As our reward for surviving Mahoosuc Notch we had to immediately climb Mahoosuc Arm, an endless ascent reminiscent of the rock climbing in NH. When we finally reached the top, a rainstorm began rolling our way. We descended toward Speck Pond Shelter as fast as we could.  We reached the shelter, a brand new log cabin construction, mere moments before rain fell.  I scarcely got two raindrops on me before I was under its roof.  Then it poured, inducing me to decide to sleep in the shelter rather than pitch my tent in the rain.
Date: 2017-08-04
From: Speck Pond Shelter

To: East B Hill Rd.
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: broken clouds

The early part of Maine is proving to be as tough as NH.  Today it took us 11 hours to cover 14 miles. Our pace has fallen upon hard times. This reminds me of a young man we encountered in VT, who mentioned he had gotten Lyme disease. He said an early symptom of the ailment was a marked drop off in the number of miles he was able to hike on a given day.  Whereas he used to hike 20 miles per day, he discovered he scarcely had energy to hike 15. This tale has me wondering if I have Lyme disease now.  I, too, have noticed a big drop off in my miles per day. Then again, the terrain has been brutal.For instance, Mt. Baldpate was borderline insanity to climb. The last 300 or more feet of elevation was ovet exposed slabs of layered rock. And a strong wind blew.  As I ascended I dared not look down. Midway in the climb, Shop said to me, "If my wife saw me now, she would sh*t." I would have understood if she did.The rocks were slick with moisture from yesterday's rain. I fell hard, the hardest yet, scraping up my left arm.  I landed on one of my Leiki hiking poles and bent it. These poles have taken a severe beating and are ready for the junk heap, but they still have to carry me to Katahdin.I reached my fatigue limit and called Diane to ask her to pick us up one day earlier than planned, which she readily agreed to.  We met her at East B Hill Rd. On the way to the Rangeley cabin, we saw a female moose standing in a bog. I've seen more wildlife of late from autos and kitchens than while on the trail.
Date: 2017-08-05
From: East B Hill Rd.

To: Rangeley, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Sometimes you need a zero just to rest. The weather was good for hiking, but I wanted sorely to give my body and mind a reprieve from the rigors of trudging in the woods. We went into Rangeley for restaurant food and later for resupply. That afternoon it rained, making our decision to take a break from the trail look like a brilliant one.  Tomorrow we return to East B Hill Rd to resume our trek.
Date: 2017-08-06
From: East B Hill Rd.

To: South Arm Rd
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Shop Teacher and I slack-packed from East B Hill Rd to South Arm Rd., a ten-mile jaunt over Wyman Mt. and Moody Mt.  Coming later in the day, Moody was the tougher of the two, but nothing close to what we've experienced in NH and southern ME. I've noticed that my pace doesn't pick up much because of the lighter pack, but my energy lasts longer into the day.  We arranged to meet Diane at South Arm Rd. at 5 p.m.Instead of finding Diane, we found a husband, wife, and their two daughters waiting for us at the South Arm Rd parking lot. The man thru-hiked (NOBO) in 2015. They offered us trail magic. Shop and I sat in lawn chairs by the road side while "Red Hot" cooked us hot dogs on the grill in the back of his pick up truck.  Red Hot grilled me two red-(pink?) skinned hot dogs. Never before had I seen or eaten hot dogs of this color.  I slathered generous amounts of mustard and relish on them. After I devoured the first of the dogs, a stiff wind flipped the plate over, and the other dog landed on my lap, mustard side down. I cleaned it best I could, but my beige hiking pants now had a huge swath of mustard yellow on my crotch. Mustard stains, I later learned, are difficult to remove. Anyone looking closely at my crotch will think I've had an unfortunate accident.  But I tell myself no one should be looking that closely.
Date: 2017-08-07
From: South Arm Rd

To: ME 17
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: moderate rain

Shop Teacher and I enjoyed another slack packing day. Diane dropped us off at the trailhead on South Arm Rd., an hour ride from our cabin in Oquossoc. We immediately climbed Old Blue Mtn, 2.8 miles of up, nothing serious, nothing we had not seen before. Then came Bemis Mt., a peak covered with granite slabs and blueberry bushes.  I harvested a few handfuls of the tiny delicious berries. We arrived at Height of Land near 5 p.m., where we enjoyed a marvelous view of Lake Mooselookmeguntic shimmering in the late afternoon sun.  In the parking lot Diane was awaiting our arrival, and she brought us back to the cabin, only a 15 minute ride.
Date: 2017-08-08
From: ME 17

To: ME 4
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Our third consecutive slack pack day covered the trail between Rt 17 and Rt 4, a distance of just over 13 miles. Wonder (2016 NOBO thru-hiker) and I hiked this same section together about a year ago. I appreciate now why she considered it a easy stretch. The terrain is favorable, flat for long stretched, there being no mountains of any consequence along the way. Shop Teacher and I stopped for lunch at Little Swift River Pond campsite.  We've been packing serious lunches for our slack packs, consisting of two sandwiches, brownies, and potato chips.  Soon, once were beyond Diane's slack packing reach, we'll be back to peanut butter on tortillas.Diane picked us up at ME 4 and brought us to the Rangeley IGA, the town grocery.  We're stocking up food for our time in the 100 mile wilderness.  I can hardly believe we're currently making plans for that stretch of the trail. To my surprise, I bumped into Johnny Walker as he was leaving the store. The last I saw him was in Harper's Ferry. He took a 6-week hiatus from the trail and rejoined at Hanover, NH.
Date: 2017-08-09
From: ME 4

To: Stealth Site at 1984.8
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: clear sky

Diane drove Shop Teacher and I back to the trailhead at ME 4.  Along the way, we picked up Socks at the overlook of Rangeley Lake. He was hitching back to trailhead.  He was quite surprised to see me, the last time we'd talked was at the Lake of the Clouds Hut in NH. He's an older gent - I'd venture even older than I - from the Northwest, who loves to hike. It's his second run at the AT; he completed it about 16 years ago.The three of us hiked together for much of the day.  In nine miles, we summitted three significant peaks, Saddleback, the Horn, and Saddleback Junior.  We parted ways with Socks at the Poplar Ridge Lean-to.  He has managed to hike over 1950 miles without carring a shelter, that is, a tent or a hammock. While this means less weight to carry, he needs to be mindful of the weather and lean-to locations. He can't "cowboy" camp (sleeping bag under the stars) if there's a prospect of rain. So he stops at a lean-to if the chances of reaching the next one within a reaonable time are slim.Since we carry our own shelter, I a tent, Shop a hammock, we pushed on, knowing well that we would not reach the Spaulding Mt. lean-to by nightfall, but could stealth camp on the way. We settled for an abandoned road located near a stream.  I pitched tent in a small field, just off the road, while Shop strung his hammock in the woods.  Later I discovered my tent was in a minefield of human feces deposits, each thoughtfully covered with small rocks, and Shop had strung his hammock over moose turds. He swears the moose came back in the middle of the night to use its habitual privy site.
Date: 2017-08-10
From: Stealth Site at 1984.8

To: Stratton ME 27
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: scattered clouds

I passed the 2000 mile mark late in the afternoon. Presumably I should have felt a sense of achievement, but I was beat, having climbed South and North Crocker, both four-thousand footers, just an hour or so earlier. In addition, I was preoccupied with meeting Diane on time, who soon would be waiting for us at the trailhead on ME 27. (Can't thank her enough for what she's done to support my hike this past week, with the good food, comfortable quarters, shuttling, and slack packing.)  Besides, at this point the number of miles is not significant; it's all about summitting that big mountain in Baxter State Park.The view from South Crocker was priceless. Before me was the entire Bigelow Mountain range.  A dark blue-gray thunderstorm enveloped its peaks and drifted slowly eastward.  Below to my left I saw Lake Flagstaff, snaking between the mountains. High to my right was Sugarloaf mountain with its green ski slopes and towers on top. It is truly a beautiful part of the state. Tomorrow we tackle the Bigelows, the last big ones before Katahdin.  Now I'm getting excited.
Date: 2017-08-11
From: Stratton ME 27

To: Safford Notch Campsite 
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: moderate rain

Shop and I got a late start.  Around 6 a.m. it thundered and poured. It takes more gusto than I have to go off hiking in the rain when you're warm and dry at the Rangeley residence. Shortly the rain stopped, and Diane drove us to Stratton. It was 9:40 a.m. when we hit the trail.Today, though we managed only a few miles, we accomplished big things.  We summitted South Horn, Bigelow West Peak, and Avery peak, the major pinnacles of the Bigelows range. No more four thousand footers from here on out until we reach Katahdin. This does not mean easy street until then, but I'm believing the toughest is behind me.On Avery peak, we ran into a thunderstorm, so we could not tarry long, though we wanted to, because the view of Flagstaff Lake below and the West Peak of Bigelow behind us was awe inspiring.  We descended to treeline quickly and decided to settle for the Safford Notch campsite, since we did not have enough time before nightfall to reach the next shelter.  At the campsite, most of the tent sites were taken because a trail maintenance crew was on hand.  Bad timing for me. So I settled on one site with a considerable sideways slope.  I've learned to use my backpack and various sacks to level out my air mattress. It never turns out perfectly flat, and I do slide along the slope a bit at night, but I've managed to salvage unfavorably inclined tent sites as a result.
Date: 2017-08-12
From: Safford Notch Campsite 

To: East Carry Pond at mile 2028.8
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: broken clouds

All my clothing is damp and cold this morning.  It's most unpleasant having to put it on after being warm and dry in cozy sleeping bag.  But I can't lay in a tent all day. Or can I? The last of the Bigelows, a one mile long plateau, remained for us today's big challenge.  The summit was windy and socked in with fog, a terrible shame, for I've heard the many views from atop are beautiful.  Crossing the "flat" was more difficult than I had expected, it being more like a series of short ups and downs over slippery rock slabs than level ground.  As usual, I had to watch every step, especially on the downs.  Ripe blueberries beckoned as I passed them by, reminders to slow down and enjoy the journey. At the east end of the Bigelows, just before our descent, we happened upon a female hiker, traveling southbound, who was winded from her climb of the plateau.  I'm tired of Maine, she said.  I didn't have the heart to tell her the hardest part of Maine was yet to come, not only the rest of the Bigelows, but also the Crockers, Saddleback, The Horn, Saddleback Junior, Mahoosuc Arm, and Mahoosuc Notch. New Hampshire is another story in and of itself. I wished her best of luck.Once down from the Bigelows, we came upon several bodies of water, Flagstaff Lake, West Carry Pond, and East Carry Pond. These "ponds" were huge and would be called lakes in 49 other states.
Date: 2017-08-13
From: East Carry Pond at mile 2028.8

To: Caratunk
Miles today: 9.5

Shop Teacher and I have 9.5 miles to reach the Kennebec River. The river is 200 feet wide, and fording  is highly discouraged.  Consequently, a ferry service, i.e., canoe ride, is available. However the last ferry across for the day leaves at 2 p.m., so we want an early start.  The terrain on the way to the river looks easy on the AWOL guide.  I'm up by 5:30 a.m., and we're off by 6:45 a.m. It had rained overnight, but the skies were clear and the air warm. Quite a contrast to yesterday. The trail at first was marvelous, flat and soft, cushioned with spruce needles. My envisioned easy stroll to the river was holding true.  I was elated, riding high, feeling like I deserved an easy day. But as soon as we passed the Pierce Pond leanto, the terrain got rocky and rooty, with many pesky ups and downs.  Our two mph rate plunged, but we were in no jeopardy of missing the last ferry. Then it began to rain and to thunder.My concern was that the ferry would not run in a thunderstorm and we'd be stranded for the night. By the time we reached the banks of the river, though, the storm had moved off.  Greg Caruso, who handles the ferrying, came across in his green Old Town canoe, a three seater. Shop and I jumped in (after signing liability release forms), he in the front and I in the middle.  Greg took the back seat.  Shop, being in the front, had to do some paddling.After disembarking, we reached a hiker hostel (the Caratunk B&B) in a very short walk.  It has food and resupply, so we checked in for the night. We continue our push to Baxter tomorrow. Lastly, I want to voice my thanks and appreciation to the folks who continue to follow my journey and post encouraging words on my blog, by text, or email.  Admittedly the legs are tired. But knowing I have folks rooting for me is helping me move forward.  It shouldn't be too long now when I raise my poles high on Katahdin. But for now the next big milestone is Monson.
Date: 2017-08-14
From: Caratunk B&B 

To: Bald Mt. Brook Leanto 
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: broken clouds

Today's my 35th wedding anniversary, and I am not spending it with my spouse, as a good husband would, but am rock hopping and root stomping instead.  Not a wise choice to maintain marital bliss, I acknowledge that, but I can't stop now, not even for everlasting happiness. As the next best thing (ha ha), I texted Diane while I still had wifi at the Caratunk B&B, and sent her my happy anniversary wishes. I'm sure the romantic messaging met all her expectations. And yet she still sticks we me - go figure.Enjoyed an outstanding breakfast spread cooked by the Caratunk B&B owner Paul Fuller.  Around the breakfast table sat One Gallon, Ninja, Lighthouse, Peach, Burning Man, Bullet, Superman, Shop Teacher, and me. We swapped trail stories as we exchanged dishes of food. I find it remarkable that people are already talking about their plans for getting home.  Yes, it's getting that close.Our big challenge for the day was ascending Pleasant Pond Mt., a 1155 elevation change in 1 mile.  It was steep, but we've long since grown accustomed to the exertion.  The remainder of the day involved ridge running with a series of ups and downs. Blueberries abounded on the ridges, so I would grab a handful of the sweet orbs from time to time to supplement my meager calorie intake.
Date: 2017-08-15
From: Bald Mt. Brook Leanto 

To: Horseshoe Canyon Leanto
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: moderate rain

At 5 am, several obnoxious red squirrels awakened me with boisterous chattering. I could hear them rushing about in the trees above my tent, causing debris to fall to the forest floor like rain. I lay awake in my bag, listening to the commotion, thinking about the day's business of hiking.  One big mountain, Moxie Bald Mt., and then flat land for miles beyond that.   On Moxie Bald, we could see for tens of miles.  It was a clear day.  Forested mountains and valleys for as far as the eye could see.  Rumor has it you can see Katahdin from up there.  Problem was I could not identify any of the mountains, let alone one that is 135 miles away, off in the haze.The remainder of the hike was not strenuous. A long section of the trail ran parallel to the Piscataquis river,  a magnificent body of water with several cascades.  We pulled up short at Horseshoe Canyon Shelter, rather than get to Monson late and tired. We'll have most of tomorrow to explore the town.Shortly after setting up camp, we got rain.  Good that we chose to camp instead of pushing on, I figure, otherwise we'd have been tired and wet as we got to town.
Date: 2017-08-16
From: Horseshoe Canyon Leanto 

To: ME 15, Monson
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

It rained all evening and stopped before dawn, just in time to break camp. Perfect timing. The sun came out, and a stiff refreshing breeze blew through the trees, making an ideal day for hiking. The terrain to Monson is beautiful, mostly downhill with only occasional roots and rocks.  The miles passed quickly. Initially we planned to take the first crossroad leading into town, along a historic AT road, but pushed on to ME 15. We had a cell signal, and called Shaws hostel to pick us up.The hostel in Monson was packed with hikers sitting in chairs, drinking beverages, eating pizza; the yard was jammed with pitched tents. It resembled an Occupy Wall Street settlement; smelled like one too. Shop Teacher and I rented a private double for 30 bills each, not as nicely decorated as the Caratunk B&B, in fact, quite stark, but it's a place to lay our heads.  We enjoyed lunch at Pete's Place and dinner at Lake Shore.  Both eating establishments sit on Lake Hebron.   We'll be back on the trail tomorrow.