morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-09-13
From: Rangley, ME

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-To
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Awesome day in Maine. Sun was shining bright. Think I got sunburn. Breeze was cool and the views were great. 100s of miles to be seen. THink I spotted Mother K but unsure. So many large mtns north of here.Climbed up Saddleback mtn by noon. THe best ridge walk in Maine yet. Took everything out of me. Saddleback Junior was done one step at a time.Here with NE, Walnut, eulah, and Low GEar. Awesome ladies. Am enjoying them a lot.Shelter floor looks like its made with baseball bats. Very interstingTHinking that Soco summitted by now. Thats exciting. Its coming quick.
Date: 2007-09-15
From: Caribou VAlley Rd

To: White Wolf Inn
Miles today: 0.0

Its 8 am and pouring down rain. Can't pull myself out of my tent to even go pee. I'd bet I'm not the only one contemplating a zero day. RAined most of the night. Not a drop of moisture inside the Big Agnes. Love my tent.Later...Yet another zero day. I think thats 3 in a week. I'll get to Katahdin some day. We have been so spoiled this year with good weather that most thur hikers have turned into fair weather hikers if they are anywhere near a town. Enjoying hanging out watching movies and cooking food. We got a small apartment at the motel. Sounds like my dad is going to make it to Katahdin. Excited that him of all people want to come pick me up. Funny how he shows his support sometimes.
Date: 2007-09-16
From: White Wolf Inn

To: Stratton Brook Pond Rd.
Miles today: 9.1

After a day spent doing absolutely nothing. Totally wasting a day watching Americas Top Model. Yes a marathon 'til midnight. Actually felt great being able to waste time as the rain kept on. Felt good to move again.The climbs of Cockers mtn's peaks were steep but sweet. Big open rock climbs, some views. DIdn't start hiking until 11am. Great morning making pancakes and drinking coffee. Sun was shining but it was chilly.Saw Uncle Silly and Katy on the trail just after Stratton. Everyones headed north.
Date: 2007-09-17
From: Stratton Brook Pond Rd.

To: Flagstaff Lake
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: few clouds

Picture perfect Maine night. Camped on an island on Flagstaff Lake, named for the village that was drown while damming the river. Sand bar to the island made it possible. Water is low.Loons calling in the distance, echoing off the peaks. Watched the cresent of the moon sit in the curve of the ridge then witness it falling before our eyes behind Bigelow Mtn. Now this is the way life should be.Weather was perfect all day. Hardly a cloud in the sky. At times a whisper of a breeze but none really to speak of. Bigelows were rough, high, and beautiful. Have a feeling its going to be the last of its kind. Katahdin is out in the view somewhere. Every peak we believe its a different mountain. Thought is would be more noticible by now. One of these days she will make herself known.P-hawk met us at the campground with the van full of wood. Even the front across the windshield. Funny. We proceeded to have a fire on the lake. Couldn't ask for anything more really.
Date: 2007-09-21
From: Flagstaff Lake

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

As I sit on this snowmobile/ATV path taking a much needed break about 2 miles from the blue blaze into Monson, I remember the dozens of days just like this one but very different.The days that the trail leads you into town are very different from the rest. They take on a much different agenda and motivation. they are the hardest mentally for me especially now. Monson is the last trail tonw. The last......have I really walked all that way already. What a perspective. Theres always a push on time to get into town. To hit the PO, library, to shower and clean clothes before the evenings entertainment, usually drinking beer. Tonight a bluegrass jam.At 2:35 in the afternoon, I will stroll on, thinking about the beautiful and strange little towns the trail has led me to in the past 6 months.Later....Got into town 5 minutes too late for the post office. Will hit it tomorrow morning. NE and I are planning on taking a zero tomorrow to not get ahead of ourself on time. Still planning on summiting on the 1st, weather dependent. Getting more excited to be done. 6 months sure is a long time. As of the last email dad and Terry are coming to pick us up. Excited for them to come out. Off I go to the pub to do the last trail town up right. Eat, drink and be merry.
Date: 2007-09-23
From: Monson, ME

To: Big Wilson Stream
Miles today: 9.0

Really excited to sleep tonight. Haven't had a good nights rest the last 3 nights. Either drama, mice, or beer getting in the way.Took forever to get out of town. Finally hitching by 2:05. Took 3 minutes to get a ride. Maybe the last hitch. Going to miss being able to just put out my thumb and get a ride, meet great people, and have magical things just happen.Talking to the girls last night about lessons learned on the trail. When I really want to stop I know I can't so I push on. So much of my life I have been able to get myself out of things. Whining when I was younger and just working it as I got older.But onthe trail it is different. If you do something half ass then you only get halfway and have to make us for it tomorrow. I believe its a deep lesson of commitment, endurance, motivation, and following through. Some self responsibility in there as well. Wow! Low Gear talked about how on the other side you can just float through a day without playing an active roll in it. Out here that is not possible. What a great parrell. And really why not play an active roll in everyday life. You only have that day to live once. They left this am while I was taking a nap. Don't know if I will see them again.A little surprised we made it 9 miles. First I thought we wouldn't make it on hte trail then doubted making it past the first shelter.Very exciting to be in the 100 mile wilderness. Keep waiting to see the boundary sign. Maybe tomorrow.Pack is the heaviest ever. Impressed how the Nimbus Latitude Ki is holding the weight. Takes careful packing to fit it all in.Here with NE and Uncle Silly. Really enjoy his company. 105 miles to go. 8 days. Camped on an old road of sorts. Found just after dark. Didn't make it to the shelter. We all ate our heaviest food and drank some of the summit whiskey weight.
Date: 2007-09-24
From: Katahdin

To: West ChairbackPond
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Cowboyed up under the nearly full moon and the stars on a beautiful lake. Ended up with the girls. They didn't make the miles yesterday like they wanted. Think I actually have them talked into summitting on the first. Yeah. Very happy to hang out with them again.The morning starteed off with the highlight of the day, fording the Big Wilson Stream. Freezing cold, up past the knees. Katy (Uncle Silly's dog) had a hard time. She was getting scared of the current. Was quite a show to watch.Was hopeful that we'd see Mama K on Barren Mtn. but didn't have a view in that direction. Probably tomorrow.90 miles left. Now what incredible. Almost took a couple good spills today. With one I thought I broke 2 of my toes. Reminded me that anything can still happen. The sole of my boots are peeling off. Expect that they will be duct taped before Katahdin.
Date: 2007-09-25
From: Katahdin

To: Carl A Newhall Lean- To
Miles today: 11.6

Let myself get dehydrated today and it is still affecting me. I so know better than that. Must have been in the 80s with high humidity. I thought that it was fall in Maine. Just felt like a total disaster.Took the Gulf Hagas trail with the intention to do at least the middle loop. Ditched out at the first short cut. Just couldn't do any extra miles that day. More than I had already. Drank as much water as I could and trudged back to the AT. Uncle Silly and NE continued on. At the junction ran into Eulah, Low Gear and Walnut. Eulah and I trudged up the mountain together. Before that it was one of the best days on the trail yet. Think I saw Katahdin from atop Chairback Mtn. Oh, so close. Fored a shallow river. Saw a lot of day hikers. Surprised me for a Tues. Tuesday, right?!Went down a blue blaze looking for the hermitage. Found nothing but a great cammpsite. Did see some old, old, white pines though. Also saw the largest Maple ever. 123 or so tall. 5 feet or more in diameter. Awesomely huge. I love the trees of the northwoods.
Date: 2007-09-26
From: Carl A Newhall Lean- To

To: East Branch Lean-to
Miles today: 10.8

Highlight of the day was truely spotting Mama K. Thought I saw her yesterday but I was mistaken. What an amazing feeling. Woke up this morning with lines from Top Gun in my head. Made me laugh. Loaded up on water after yesterdays events. The climb up and over Gulf Hagas mtn. got us all. Took an hour break at the campsite on the other side. The next 3 peaks were grand. Felt great. No problem compared to yesterday. Water is an amazing thing. Was excited to get to the top of White Cap. Mama K was hidden by the clouds at first then she appeared. It was a moment we'd all been waiting for. Everyone hooted and hollered. then a moment of silent joy. I felt like the general thought was "What do you mean thats the end?"Saw a moose on the way down to the first shelter. A very large cow only 10-15 feet off the trail. I scared her and she stomped at me. Too close for comfort. Full shelter. Calling for rain but the skies are clear. Was another but humid day. 76 degreesaat 5:30 in Maine on Septemeber 26th Wierd.
Date: 2007-09-28
From: Antler Campsite

To: Pollywog Stream
Miles today: 19.3

Stopped at the White House Landing for lunch. Expensive but tasted great. Yet another place that this year will be thier last year serving hikers. Was fun to get a boat ride across the lake. Cool experience. Took the road to Pollywag Stream. Arrived well after dark. Wil make for a much easier day tomorrow. Staying down a side trail with NE, Uncle Silly and Katie.
Date: 2007-09-30
From: Hurd Brook Lean-To

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: clear sky

Excitement is around the campground. Its been a celebration ever since waling into this place. First Terry the travler invited up over for vodka drinks. He yelled out of his van "Hey are you thru hikers?!" Went to find P-hawk and the girls. Ran into a celebration with Spacement and Forrests family. They invited me over for some much needed ham sandwiches and awesome brownies. The best brownies. Kilgore and the Band Aid kid were there. Was awesome to see TBAK again. Thought I'd never see him on the trail again.Went back to visit with Terry. Such an awesome dude. Told me his story about why he's in a wheelchair. Something about him that is comforting. HOpe to see him tomorrow. P-hawk cooked up some Maine lobster. What a surprise. Tasted great. Such a change from trail food.Freezing in the shelter tonight. Everyone is so excited. What a night. Oh, ja the hike was great today too. Had no energy after Abol Bridge. Thought the bridge would be something more than what it was but the view....WOW! Its the pics we've always seen. Excited to see my dad tomorrow. Glad he's going to be a part of this.
Date: 2007-11-28
To: Back into the woods
Miles today: 0.0

Almost been off the trail 2 months and off I go again. This time with a different twist. The transition back to Duluth was an extremely tough one. No one ever talks about that so much. But just as I am getting into my groove I leave for 22 days to take 4 teenage girls into the wilderness of Northern Minnesota through the state of Minnesota, Dept. of Corrections. Although I have led many a groups in the outdoors before, this feels different now. I have a totally different perspective after having completed such a journey. Really excited about living outdoors again and having an excuse not to shower every day or even every other day. The weather here is much different than I saw on most of the trail. Yesterday it didn't get above 0 degrees and snowed last night. Oh, the winter in the northland. I feel very fortunate though to have found a instructor position in this area this time of year though. It will be an adventure. Off I go. This will be the longest time Nice-enuff and I will have spent apart in 8+ months. Weird. Miss him already. I think about my trail family a lot. Very happy to see that Fahmah is almost done. Congrats to you!!! Hope to hear from you when you get done.
Date: 2008-04-09
To: Post #2
Miles today: 0.0

My mind is back on the trail again. I wake up every morning thinking about where I was a year ago. Climbing the bald just outside of Franklin, NC. First slackpacking thanks to Ron Haven. Taking some time to type in some missing trail entries. Planning my next adventure of hiking the Superior Hiking Trail. Much shorter trail of only 205 miles. Going to do it sometime towards the end of the summer. Taking Hempie with me this time.
Date: 2008-05-12
To: Post #3
Miles today: 0.0

I sat this morning drinking mate' and reading the AT Journey magazine that found its way to my door. Pleasantly surprised since I have changed my address twice since finishing the trail last October. The magazine had the normal stories about the trail maintainters (Thank you!!!) and the other random stories. But this one was special. In the middle of the mag I opened up to a list of 2007 hikers. First things first, "Where's Torpedo?" And there I was. Yet another feeling of accomplishment. Had my name printed at other times, newspaper articles about my hike and such, but nothing could compare to what it was like seeing my name amongst the class of 2007. Then I took the time to scroll down the names of the other registered thru hikers. It was amazing how the faces popped in my head and stories of each person I recognized was so vivid. Some of the stories my mind recalled was spending the night along a railroad track in Hot Springs, TN. Didn't get much sleep that night. The days of slack packing in Maine with the girls. Meeting Fahmah at the Hiker Hostel and becoming instant buds. Seeing The Band Aid Kid's smile ramdomly along the trail. So many stories, I could go on all day. A few of the names on the list I was suprised to see. It also got me thinking about the other hikers that had become my family on the trail and what happened to them. One of the many life lessons I learned on the trial is to let people who you care about know how you feel. As what happened time and time again on the AT, they can literally walk out of your life. So many people made such an impact on me and there are so many questions about what happened to them. Mostly, when where and why did they pull themselves off the trail?The days go by and I can usually remember exactly where I was a year ago. Sometimes have to remind myself with the trailjournals entries. My love for long distance hiking is committing me to another thru hike of much shorter duration this year. When getting of the trail I told myself I would never spend 6 months on a trail again. But it does sound appealing. PCT?? So never say never, right?! This time it will be 3 weeks on the Superior Hiking Trail this September with Grainger, Hempie, and Emma. 280 miles seems like childs play at times but I have to remind myself to not down play it. Excited for the future and thinking about the AT thru hikers that are currently on the trial. So many of them are doubting themselves at this point. I know I was. I think I doubted myself the entire way but as long at I could walk, no matter how bad it hurt, I kept walking.
Date: 2007-03-11
To: Retuning to the Trail!
Miles today: 0.0

After my 2004 thru hike I noticed that thru hikers went one of two ways after reaching Katahdin or Springer. Either they loved it so much that they became addicted to hiking, wishing that they could do it every year. Or they decided that that was enough for them and they'd be just as happy if they never spent another night in the woods again. For me, I knew before Good-To-Go and I even finished our hike last time that I wanted to do it again. That desire exponentially increased the moment that I reentered the fast paced world out side of the trail. I remember sitting in a Walmart parking lot on a Sunday afternoon shortly after I moved to Virginia. There were so many people running around in such a hurry that it made me miss the laid back free lifestyle that I had enjoyed for nearly 4 months on the AT. I never made it into the Walmart that day, instead I went home and went out for a run at the near by Bull Run Trail, which was much closer to the pace that I was looking for. Unfortunately I wasn¢t able to escape civilization forever. I eventually ran out of food and toilet paper and had no choice but to enter that busy Walmart. But the longing to return to the trail has remained with me for the past 3 years.   So needless to say I was excited when Erin said that she was thinking about doing the trail. I didn¢t have to think for more then 14 seconds about it. If she was going to hike the trail, then so was I. I just had to spend the next few months convincing her that she really did want to hike it. Oh ¢¦ mmm ¢¦ I mean I had to sit patiently for the next few months until Erin decided that she did indeed want to hike the tail ;-). So the countdown has begun, only 3 more weeks until we head to Georgia and I can¢t wait!
Date: 2007-03-11
To: Willie's Intro
Miles today: 0.0

If you¢ve read our About Page and my first entry it wouldn¢t take a rocket scientist to figure out that I¢m hiking the AT again. If you didn¢t already know that, stop cheating and go back and read the previous entries. Ok, now that everyone is on the same page we can begin. First of all, thank you for following along with our trip. On my 2004 hike I was really amazed at how many peopled read along with our journals. I was equally amazed at how much that support helped us get to Maine. We definitely couldn¢t finish this trip with out a lot of peoples help. So thanks!I¢m expecting a much different trip this time around. What would be the fun of doing the exact same thing again right? So this time instead of going with a college friend who wants to ¢run¢ from Georgia to Maine with me, I¢ll be going with my girlfriend, who wants to ¢walk¢ from Georgia to Maine. Which way is better? Who knows, that answer is different for everyone. It will be interesting to try something new though. Another big difference is that now I know full well that challenges lay ahead of us and I¢ve seen first hand the extra struggles that couples have on the trail. I¢m definitely not taking the trial for granted, and I know that this is going to be a big challenge, but I really think that we¢re ready for it.Well, since a lot of you probably know about me from my last hike I¢ll try not to bore you by repeating everything about myself. Instead I¢ll relinquish the keyboard to Erin so that she can make her grand debut to TrailJournals.
Date: 2007-03-11
To: Erin's turn
Miles today: 0.0

Well hello everyone, its Erin, my turn to say a few words. I know that some people out there reading this are not surprised that I have decided to hike the AT. Others may be a bit confused as to why I would want to do this. I know my co-workers think I¢m a bit crazy, which is true. My parents wonder why I¢m willing to give up 5 months of pay. Then there are the ones that either knew me in college or remember me from college. Remember that I used to do this kind of stuff all time. In college I was a Recreation Parks and Tourism major and I was outside any chance I got. Usually I was either under ground caving or above ground climbing, for a change I¢ll have my feet on the ground hiking from Georgia to Maine. I have decided to do this because I have come to realize that I need to make a change. Working a job isn¢t all its cracked up too. The closer and closer I get to the ¢start date¢ I am excited to think that I will be free from schedules, metros, commuting, paychecks, and bills. Well maybe not paychecks...but you know what I mean. I¢m doing this because I want to and because when else will I have the chance to take 5 months off to take a walk in the woods?
Date: 2007-03-11
To: Our Theme Song
Miles today: 0.0

(Erin) After seeing the band Hoobastank at the Chilli Cook-off in DC and then again at the 9:30 Club we started to really listen to the lyrics of the song ¢Moving Forward¢. We liked to so much that it is going to be our ¢theme song¢ for our hike. On the days that we may not feel like hiking or when things are getting hard we can think about the chorus of this song, and ¢at least we¢re moving forward, at least we¢re moving forward¢.      At least I'm moving forward. At least I'm moving forward. At least I'm moving forward. At least I'm moving forward... I stand before, a road that will lead, Into the unknown. At least unknown to me. I want to go, but I'm paralysed with fear. Fear of a choice, where the outcome isn't clear. Nooo, but still I gooo. And I take, the first step of a million more. And I'll make mistakes I've never made before. But at least I'm moving forward, at least I'm moving forward. At least I'm moving forward... I wonder if, the journey will be, Shorter as I hope, or much longer than it seems. But either way, I've made up my mind. I'm through feeling scared, I'm leaving that behind. Sooo, Now it's time to gooo. And I take, the first step of a million more. And I'll make mistakes I've never made before. But at least I'm moving forward, at least I'm moving forward. At least I'm moving forward... And in while I'l be singing, Na, nana nana And I take, the first step of a million more. And I'll make mistakes I've never made before. But at least I'm moving forward, at least I'm moving forward. At least I'm moving forward, at least I'm moving forward. And I take, the first step of a million more! And I'll make mistakes I've never made before! But at least I'm moving forward, at least I'm moving forward. At least I'm moving forward, at least I'm moving forward!
Date: 2007-03-19
To: Problem
Miles today: 0.0

(Erin) Ok I'm having a problem but I think I may have figured it out. I still wanted to see if anyone has any suggestions for me. I don't know what to eat for lunches while on the trail. I know that the staple diet is peanut butter, but I don't like it. People have suggested tuna but I can't stand tuna either. I only have one option right now and that is to eat summer sausage or something similar to it. If you have any other suggestions for me it would be greatly appreciated. thanks!
Date: 2007-03-22
To: packing
Miles today: 0.0

(Erin) So tonight I went to Hudson Trail Outfitters and bought a few more items. I picked up a few small stuff sacks for food, more socks to choose from and a pair of light weight fleece pants. So I get home to start taking off the tags and pack my back pack to see how things fit....and guess what I find!!! The security tag is still on the fleece pants. I think the tag weights more then the pants do so i'll have to do something about that, little bit annoying to get home and find the stupid security tag still on my clothes. Oh well. So tonight I did a walk around the block with my mom to test out the pack . I know I know I should have done this weeks ago, but I think everything feels pretty good. At least as good as 30lbs on my back is going to feel. getting excited!!