morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-08-11
From: Grafton Notch, Maine hwy 26

To: Lickdale, PA
Miles today: 0.0

Left the hotel about noon and walked to the bus station, 2.7 miles away. Could have taken a taxi but that would have cost $7.00 and besides, to a hiker, that distance is a mere walk in the park. So save the money and buy more food! Along the way, I walked through a rather depressed looking neighborhood and heard someone speak to me from a storefront. It was a young mother with two kids. She inquired about hiking and I asked her if she was a kiker. Her reply was no but there was one who was going to speak at her store next Monday. The person she was talking about was non-other than Vagabond, who I had hiked with in VA and again in MA. He is traveling around the world mainly by hiking, on a 7 year mission to raise awareness for the need of clean water in Africa. He has sponsors and his website is www.earthexpedition.com if anyone is interested. In my photos, he is the middle person of the three who are hitching a ride into Front Royal, VA. This lady also told me this neighborhood was the poorest north of Boston and many of the residents are from third world countries such a Samolia. I thought of "Blackhawk Down" when she told me this, but after I left her, everyone on the street especially the kids were very nice. I wondered what they thought of me with my back pack, worn out boots, beard and long hair.Stopped at Shaws supermarket and had them make me a "to go" lunch which I ate on a bench outside a medical building after purchasing my bus ticket. Interestingly, the one way ticket from Lewiston, ME to Lebanon, PA was $112.00. That is almost double what it would have cost less than two years ago.
Date: 2008-08-13
From: Newfound Gap, GSMNP

To: Derek Knob Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

To begin this last leg of my 2008 hike I parked my truck at the Sugarlands Visitor Center of the GSMNP and caught a ride with some day hikers to Newfound Gap. The weather was nice and so I lightened my pack by taking out such things as tent, clothes, rain gear, etc. I was carrying about 15 pounds including 1.5 days food and 2 quarts of water, which felt like a day pack. I got on my way about 9:15 A.M. and immediately noticed how easy the trail was, even the uphills. After the Whites of NH, I could fly through the Smokies. At one point a section hiker joined me but soon realized the pace as pretty fast. I stopped ever so often, or let him take point to set the pace. I took several breaks including spending an hour at Clingmans Dome. My hiking companion dropped off at Silers Bald Shelter. After a very easy day 18 mile day I arrived at Derek Knob Shelter about 7:00 P.M. There was a father/son there and I had them take my photo at the official end of my 2008 hike. We socialized for some time. They gave me food, drink and made me some coffee. I don't know why it is, but people are free with their provisions to thru-hikers. Maybe it's because of our ravished appearance, or maybe its to pay for the answers to their many questions. They insist that they have too much and we are welcome to it. I never turn it down because I am always hungry.Sleep will come easy this night as I reflect on this finish to a journey that began March first. Only one more leg of this hike remaining and that is to leave the trail .3 miles north and exit the mountains via the Green Briar and Middle Prong trails. 11 miles, all down hill to the road and a hitch to where I left my truck. The same trail that I took March 15th with shins that hurt so badly I didn't think I would make it. This time I would be skipping.
Date: 2009-06-29
From: Grafton Notch State Park

To: Baldpate Leanto
Miles today: 2.3

Hike resumed at Grafton Notch SP about 3:00 PM, in the rain "of course". Have stored my pickup truck with Paul at the AT Lodge in Millinocket, ME and hired Buddy Ward to shuttle me 270 miles south so I can begin hiking where I left the trail last August of 2008. It's been a long time off the trail and I have missed it so much. Once this trail gets in your blood you find it hard to stay away. This is a hard emotion to eplain. You'll just have to try it.Since I got such a late start I only hiked up Baldpate mountain as far as the shelter. When I arrived there was a group of ME Conservation Corps workers there. The have been doing trail work. They are a nice group and we had some good conversation.
Date: 2009-06-30
From: Baldpate Mountain Lean-to

To: Surplus Pond
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

First full day of hiking and I can tell that I haven't worked out enough. The mountains of southern Maine are tough! I had been warned about this by Yeti. It has been very foggy all day and the woods are very dark. Visibility could be measured in mere yards. Baldpate east and west peaks are nothing but rock and the trail is marked with rock cairns. With the poor visibility I had to search for the cairns and a couple of times I missed the trail and had to double back to the last cairn and search for the next one. On a clear day it would be no problem. I was within 30 feet of Surplus Pond before I could see the water. This tough slow day has me worn out and the sleeping bag is going to feel really good.
Date: 2009-07-01
From:  Surplus Pond

To: South Arm road
Miles today: 8.3

Another very tough slow day. I hate being a whinner but Moody mountain is one steep dude and doesn't give up easily. The rain and fog adds an element of risk to hiking these mountains. My plan for today is to stay in Andover at the Pine Ellis Hostel so South Arm road best place to end the day. Upon arriving at the road I had to ford Black Brook and the water was running high. It was all I could do to keep my footing in the swift current, but I made it. Caught a ride with a couple into Andover. Interestingly, the gentlemen informed me that he hiked Maine in the 1970's and the AT by-passed several of the mountains and was much easier then. Moody and Old Blue mountains were not in the trail in those days but the relocations now include them. In fact several old time hikers have told me that the AT is not only longer now than in was in the early days when men like Shafer and Espy hiked it, but it is also considerably harder. But to that I reply, yeah, but we have a lot better, lighter equipment now and we should have it easier than they did.I only saw two hikers today. Both were southbound thru-hikers and had been on the trail 18 and 25 days. They were both demoralized by the rain. Both were condsidering leaving the trail as it had rained every day since they left Mt. Katahdin. I tried to encourage them best I could but understand haw they feel. I had only been back on the trail 2 or 3 days and the rainy conditions was mentally working on me already. Trying to avoid the water holes as much as possible I have wasted most of my energy hopping from rock to rock and trying to go around the water.A hot showere and meal at the diner really fixed me up!!
Date: 2009-07-02
From: South Arm road

To: Maine hwy 17
Miles today: 13.3

Slack packed this section south so I could spend another night at Pine Ellis hostel and have real meals at the diner in Andover. This section of the trail is very pretty, or it would be if I could see it. The rain and fog has the woods socked in so close that visibility is almost nil. The woods are dark and resembles something out of a movie about prehistoric times. I halfway expected a tyranasaurous rex, (guessed at the spelling), to attack at any time.These new blisters are very painful. But I've found that the best way to deal with blisters is to walk them into callous. Takes about a week to 10 days for the cycle to complete itself. In these wet conditions it will probably take longer.The left lens fell out of my glasses. Because of the rain and fog visibility is so poor that it doesn't make much difference if I have them or not. I can't see either way.Didn't meet anyone on the trail today.
Date: 2009-07-03
From: Maine hwy 17

To: Piazza Rock Shelter
Miles today: 14.9

It didn't rain today until 4 PM. But the trail is one very long mudhole. The mud and roots makes walking very difficult and slow. Took a very hard fall after crossing Sandy river, but luckily I didn't get hurt. The one thing about falling when you have a heavy pack on is that you cannot stop once you start. During a forward fall the added pack weight is similar to someone shoving you really hard from behind and simoultaneously tripping you. The sooner you give in to it, the sooner it's over with. But I always fight to maintain balance and fall and fall and fall some more. Fortunately for my pride no one has witnessed this as I am sure it would be quite comical. Tenting near the shelter at one of the sites provided. The caretaker chased me down and made sure I signed in. Heavy thunderstorms rolled in just as I got my tent set up.
Date: 2009-07-04
From: Piazza Rock Shelter

To: Poplar Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 8.9

The rain in maine drives me insane. The rain in Maine drives me insane. THE RAIN IN MAINE DRIVES ME INSANE!!!!   aghHave I mentioned the rain? The is getting old. Correction, got old!As I crossed Saddle Back Mountain today the wind was blowing rain and sleet at about 50 miles per hours. No kidding!! I couldn't believe it. Sleeting on July the 4th!!!   The wind blew my cap off and as I went after it I tripped and fell face first into about 6 inches of water. I was glad to get off Saddle Back and down into the trees. I am staying in the shelter tonight as it is just too wet to pitch a tent. There's an interesting guy here tonight from Italy. His trail name is Ickarus.
Date: 2009-07-05
From: Poplar Ridge Shelter

To: Sugarloaf Mtn trail
Miles today: 10.9

Notice swelling along the shins today. No pain however. Plans are to stay in Stratton tonight. Got bad news about the Carrabasset river level. All the rain has the river raging and dangerous to ford. One hiker was swept away and banged up his knee. Decided to take the blue blaze over Sugarloaf to avoid the possibility of injury.Cold and windy on the summit of Sugarloaf. Went inside the ski warmup shack to "warm up". Then hiked down a ski slope to hwy 27. Called Sue from the Stratton Motel/hostel to pick me up. Feels good to get a shower. The wolf burger at the White Wolf Inn was great also.
Date: 2009-07-06
From: Sugarloaf Mtn trail

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Decided to Zero today. The swelling on the shins is worse and the pain has started. Another hiker looked at them and he thinks it the splints. Luckily I haven't done too much damage and rest may help. Have gotten a private room so I can prop my feet up and take it easy. The sun has broken through and I have a clear view of the Bigelow range. They are beautiful.Bad Hummus is somewhere behind me. Our plan was to meet up somewhere in the 100 mile wilderness and summit Katahdin together. The last I saw of him was at Crawford Notch in the White Mountains of NH on June 28th. I met him and Slick John at the road highway crossing and carried them for a meal, resupply, and dropped them off at a motel. They had resumed their hike at Delaware Gap on May 31th with a planned summit date of July 18. At present they are about 1 day off schedule but should be able to make that up once they hit the flats.
Date: 2009-07-07
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

It's a tough decision but I've decided that the best thing for me at this point is go home and rest my legs. The swelling hasn't gone down and I do not want to push them into a severe case of the shin splints. My wife is about to dispose of me. She's got to be the most tolerant person in the world. I owe her so much that I will never get it made up.I'm not done with this trail......"I'll be back"!!!!!
Date: 2009-08-31
From: Trail to Sugarloaf Mountain

To: Maine hwy 27
Miles today: 10.6

I'm back. Driving from west TN to Millinocket, ME is no easy drive. It is 1650 miles. I camped at the White Birch campground and hostel outside of Gorham, NH so I could take a day hike to trail test my new shoes. Up until now I have been hiking in Vasque Wasatch GTX boots but have switched to Salomon Pro 3D Ultra trail runner shoes which green Super Feet insoles. The insoles were recommended by Jody at Little River Trading Co., Maryville, TN. Jody really knows his stuff. My reason is that the boots stay wet constantly and weigh a total of 6 + pounds!!! And, trying to keep them dry by jumping from rock to rock for 70 miles in early July is what gave me the shin splints. So I made the switch and I am glad I did. My test hike began at the Stoney Brook trail head on NH hwy 16 on August 30th. I hiked the Stoney Brook to the AT, then south over the Carter mountains, the Wildcats and rode the ski Gondola down the mountain. This was a cool hike, and fun with just a day pack. The weather was clear and I had a great view of Mt. Washington and other presidentials. My feet did great, and I wasn't tired so I drove on the Millinockt, ME so I could resume my AT hike the next day.Anyway, today, I once again left my pickup truck with Paul at the AT lodge and Dick from Shaw's in Monson shuttled me to the Sugarloaf Ski Lodge on hwy 27. From there I hiked back up a ski slope,(ski slopes are not made for walking on), and tote road to the top of Sugarloaf Mtn, then took the blue blaze trail down the south slope to the AT. From there I hiked north to hwy 27 and Sue from the Stratton Motel picked me up. A nice day and it felt great to be back on the AT.
Date: 2009-09-01
From: Maine hwy 27

To: E. Flagstaff Rd.
Miles today: 16.7

My plan was to slack pack the Bigelow Range and have Sue from the Stratton motel/hostel meet me with my full pack at 6:00 P.M. but, I picked up some knee pain and felt I should go back to the hostel and get some knee wrap. My wrap was left at a motel in Medway, ME along with my day pack and other item. Later I called them and ask them to mail it to Shaw's where I could pick it up in a few days, but in the meantime, I had to get some ace bandage or something.What's neat is that the Bigelows were wonderful and everything people had told me. The weather was clear so I really enjoyed the views and met some nice NOBO's also. Sue met me on time at 6:00 PM and she surprised me with a foot long sub, cookies and a root beer. She and I have become good friends since I first me her in early July.I also met another thru hiker named Gail over breakfast at the diner in Stratton. When she found out my trail name she said she had followed my journal last year to get data for a stastical comparison on hikers, young and old. I was one of the "older" hiker she used her sampling. Older?
Date: 2009-09-02
From: E. Flagstaff Rd.

To: Pierce Pond leanto
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

The trail was nice and easy today and the weather was great. The last time I was in Maine in late June and early July it rained each of the 6 days that I hiked. But today it was nice and only had one mountain, (Roundtop) to climb.Pierce Pond leanto sits on the shore of the lake. The sunset was gorgeous. The loons doing their mournful calling. There were a total of 17 of us in and around the shelter. After dark a fire was made and two hikers, Braid, (my age) and Hammock, (a young guy from PA), brought out their musical instruments. Hammock played a ukelele and Braid the harmonica. They sang folk songs including two songs about the AT. Hammock had written one of them. It was probably my most enjoyable evening on the trail thus far. The song about the AT sung by Braid put all the young hikers and older ones also in a most somber mood. From the look on their faces I could tell that they felt a sadness that their hike which had started 5 or 6 months before was coming to an end soon. I took several pictures of these young hikers and will post them to my journal soon. I will let you know when I have them added.Sleep came easy this night.
Date: 2009-09-03
From: Pierce Pond leanto

To: Bald Mountain Brook
Miles today: 18.7

Took the blue blaze trail to Harrison's Fish Camp for an AYCE breakfast. It was great but I couldn't eat all of my pancakes. My hiker appetite hasn't kicked it yet. But the meal was great. I sat at a small table with Bunyan, a NOBO from NJ. He is also a deer hunter so we had some good conversation.The trail was nice and easy again today, except for a little mountain named Pleasant Pond. It was surprisingly steep.   I ran dry of water today which is odd because I thought Maine was one big hole of water, but since the rain stopped 5 or 6 days ago it has really started drying up. All the black water/mud holes have dried to a hard, spongy consistancy which feels good to your feet. Back in early July I spent most of my energy trying to avoid walking thru them. But now, I can just walk in a straight line. Much more fun.Crossed the Kennebec river today in the canoe ferry. I can tell you now, I would not want to try and ford it. This river is full of holes and drop offs and has a swift current. I can understand how hikers have been swept away while attempting to ford it. The canoe ride was fun and Hillbilly Smith, the pilot had lots of stories.Well, I have more entries to make but have to get off the computer now. Take care.
Date: 2009-09-04
From: Bald Mountain Brook

To: Maine hwy 15, Monson
Miles today: 22.0

Only one mountain today, Moxie Bald, and I got that out of the way first thing. The remainder of the day was a series of PUDS, (pointless ups and downs). Had two river fords today, those being both branches of the Piscataquis. The water level was back to normal so it was no big deal. I left my crocks at home so I use an old pair of smartwool socks to cross the rivers in. That keeps my shoes and hiking socks dry.On 8/31 when Dick from Shaw's in Monson dropped me off at Sugarloaf Lodge to resume my hike, I asked him to pick me up at hwy 15 near Monson at 6:00 PM on 9/4. Amazingly, when I got to the road, it was 5 minutes shy of 6 o'clock. How's that for timing? When I called them, Dawn answered and said that she had just asked Dick why I hadn't called. Dick arrived in a few minutes and picked us up. There was in addition to myself, a young thru-hiker from NC whose trail name was Fiddle for obvious reasons. Had a good meal at the Lakeshore hostel and pub. Started with a Queen Ceasar salad and finished with an AYCE haddock fish meal. I was stuffed. Several other hikers including the 3 Texans, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Ugly Stick plus Fiddle. Other hikers included was a young lady, Wing-it and Don't Panic.Next up.....The Hundred Mile Wilderness...
Date: 2009-09-05
From: Maine hwy 15, Monson

To: Long Pond Stream
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: few clouds

Left town at 10:30 AM. Spent too much time resupplying and purchased some things that I like to eat, such as, salsa, potatoe chips, pepperoni and the like. Didn't sleep well last night. Ate too much and that always messess up my sleep. Felt Nauseaus for the first couple of miles. Entered the 100 mile wilderness and read the sign cautioning hikers to carry 10 days food as there is no place to resupply. I had purchased enough food for six days as I planned to be through in 5 days. My pack seems heavy and this has not been an easy day. The first 40-50 miles of the wilderness is steep and you earn your mileage.Forded a wide and swift stream named The Big Wilson. A taunt rope was across to hold to for balance and I'm glad it was there.A few days ago my 35mm camera quit on me so I purchased a disposable in Monson. I hope it works.I am camping tonight on a ledge in thick hardwoods on a small mountain. It is level and I made a mattress of leaves about 10 inches deep before setting up the tent. I want to sleep well and this is the way to do it.
Date: 2009-09-06
From: Long Pond Stream

To: Chairback Leanto
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

I slept like a log last night. A full 10 hours. Started early this morning by 6:30 A.M. There was a lot of ups, downs and rocks today. My right knee started hurting again on the outside and the tendons swelled up. Took 800mg of vitamin I which took care of it. Someone told me the 100 mile wilderness was easy but I can assure you that they have not hiked north from hwy 15 or they would have qualified their statement. Because it is not easy, yet.Climbed to the top of the remains of a fire tower on Barren mountain and took some pictures. The view was quite nice from up there. Didn't see anyone on the trail today and the weather remains perfect. Day time highs in the 60's F and nights in the high 40's. You can't get any better than that.For supper I had the remainder of a can of spam that I opened yesterday. I had eaten about 1/3 of it as sandwiches so I had a large chunk left. To be sure that I didn't get any harmful bacteria I roasted it over an open fire. For this cooking, I cut a small hardwood bush which had two parallel tops about 3 inches apart. I cut these to about 6 inches in length and peeled the bark off. After holding them over the fire for a few seconds, I inserted it through the spam which I had cut into two pieces about 1 inch thick each. I held this over the fire for about 10 minutes, turning it often so it wouldn't scorch. After this time I was sure it had reached 180 degrees F internally and all bacteria would be history. This stuff ain't half bad roasted and coated with salsa and cheddar cheese on soft tortillas. If you are reading this and getting hungry that means you would make a good long distance hiker. If you get sick while reading it you may ought to limit your hiking to a day or two. Haha. Just kidding. I have more entries to make but have to do that later. This hike is getting short.
Date: 2009-09-07
From: Chairback Leanto

To: Logan Brook leanto
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

The day started off easy but went down hill from there. The climbs today included Gulf Hagas Mtn, West peak, Hay Mtn and White Cap Mtn.   A good view of Mt. Katahdin from White Cap. From 73 trail miles away I can only describe it as awsome, but the descent from White Cap got my right knee to hurting again and I had to take some vitamin I before I could sleep. Met two hikers today, Carpenter and Double Zip, from SC and GA. Carpenter gave me some 800mg vitamin I for my knee. I looked into the shelter when I passed. There were 3 or 4 "older" hikers, (my age), who looked like they wanted to keep the shelter all to themselves. I spoke and only one of them grunted. They need not concern themselves about my wanting to stay there as the last place I want to stay the night is in a shelter. I enjoy the solitude of my tent with its mattress of leaves and pine needles. Carpenter and Double Zip tented near by.