morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-08-05
From: Campsite near Cooper Brook Falls Lean-to

To: Mahar Tote Rd. (White House Landing)
Miles today: 13.8

start: Campsite near Cooper Brook Falls Lean-tofinish: Mahar Tote Rd. (White House Landing)miles: 13.8day: 151I sort of slept well last night - I mean, it was a great spot, and with a large waterfall nearby, but I kept waking up. It wasn't as cold as the night before, so that wasn't the problem. Perhaps the waterfall was too loud. Anyway, I woke at 6:30 very bleary-eyed, deciding to hike early to reach White House Landing by lunch. As I was finishing breakfast and packing, it started to rain a bit. I rushed to get the tarp down before it got needlessly wet. I know, you'd think I'd want to stay under the tarp during the rain, but this is reverse hiker-logic where I'd rather be wet and keep my gear dry. At least when it's warm out.The hike to WHL was very easy trail - some of it we haven't seen this easy since perhaps Maryland. I stopped at Potaywadjo Spring for water - it's this great 15 foot round "pond" about a foot deep where the spring water just bubbles up out of the sand. It's very clear and cold. Delicious.I got to the WHL dock and blew the air horn for Bill to come and pick me up in the boat. Aah, that's a good feeling. My work for the day is done and I have a HUGE burger and some root beers awaiting me. Goldilocks, Biscuit, Whitee, and Break Time were already here, finishing their lunch. They left insanely early this morning, I think so Biscuit could say she "walked into the dawn" one morning on her hike, even though it was overcast. Silly, silly...Now I'm laying here in my bunk watching the breezes move across the lake. This is such a beautiful, restful spot. I think I'll go eat another huge burger for dinner.[later...]Ate the burger, and half a pizza. I'll pack the other half out tomorrow. WHL has stopped accepting maildrops as of this year, so my food box will, or has been, returned to sender. Rats. So I'm augmenting what little food I have left in my pack with pizza and traditional "hiker food" which they sell here. Unfortunately, I don't like hiker food, but tuna and Idahoan mashed potatoes are OK. I can get more stuff at Abol Bridge, too.There's a pretty large crowd of hikers here tonight, including three guys we met yesterday who did something like hike to Harpers Ferry and flip up to Monson. Stopsalot and Vertical Eddie seem nice enough, but this guy "ned the fed" was acting like a loudmouth jerk, threatening to use his "pull" with the military to screw with someone who apparently was rude to him on the trail. Chill, dude. Do more hiking and less talking (and drinking) and you won't have energy for this crap. I try not to mention these kinds of incidents in my public journal, but this guy was universally loathed.I had a nice conversation with Whitee about Alaska, where he lives. It sounds like a pretty nice place. I think the bugs and long winters with no daylight would get to me, though.We've planned a big day tomorrow, so I hope things quiet down quickly with the not-so-hiking hikers and vacationers outside my cabin.
Date: 2005-08-06
From: Mahar Tote Rd. (White House Landing)

To: Rainbow Spring Campsite
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

start: Mahar Tote Rd. (White House Landing)finish: Rainbow Spring Campsitemiles: 19.6day: 152Today's trail was so easy it almost felt like a day off. First there was breakfast at WHL, and a nice boat ride. I didn't realize that Goldilocks wasn't feeling well - I took the first boat back to the trail with Biscuit, Whitee and English Bob, and Goldilocks and Chairman got the next one.I've never hiked with either Whitee or Biscuit before and it was fun. We chatted the whole day, with Whitee pretending to complain whenever the trail climbed the least bit, or veered from north. Whitee hiked on when I decided to swim at Crescent Pond. Biscuit was going to go on, but changed her mind and actually swam! I understand this is a rare event. The water was great and I could have stayed in there for a long time, but the miles were calling. So we dried off and kept going north.Later in the day we were walking along a nice stream, with lots of nice little pools and waterfalls. I just had to go swimming again. This time I went alone, with Biscuit watching. I don't think that's as fun as swimming! The pool was great - like a jacuzzi the way the waterfall came down against my back. It doesn't get better than this.We met up with Whitee again at Rainbow Stream shelter, where he was staying the night. English Bob came in, and then Chairman, and I learned that Goldilocks hadn't been feeling well so we all waited. He eventually showed up, feeling not too bad, but with a low grade fever. We all walked a few more miles to this campsite. I really dislike camping in standard "campsites" or near shelters. Everywhere I looked there were bits of trash on the ground. Eventually I found a place to set up my tarp, in a not-so-flat area away from the campsite. The two really nice things about this site are the spring and the loons out on the lake. They're singing me to sleep.
Date: 2005-08-17
From: New Milford, CT

To: New Milford, CT
Miles today: 0.0

start: New Milford, CTfinish: New Milford, CTmiles: 0.0Goldilocks is at school in North Carolina now, after a whirlwind week. He did a fantastic job of adjusting to life off-trail, taking care of business preparing for college in a short few days. He's on antibiotics and beginning to feel better. We learned that he has both Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis! Both are transmitted by deer ticks. I wouldn't have thought he would have encountered deer ticks north of Massachussetts, so I wonder how long he's been infected. He wasn't feeling well for a few days around Rutland, VT, and then felt better, but was feeling tired around Gorham. I've heard that sometimes with Lyme you fell better after a few days like that, so maybe he's had it all this time. It's amazing to me that he could do all those 20s to finish on time, feeling so crappy.Stumpknocker has been calling the house and leaving messages, and sending emails. He's hoping I'll come out and rescue him and slack him to Harper's Ferry. I tried screening my calls, but he's being very persistent, so I headed up to Cornwall Bridge, CT this morning to see if I could find him.On my way through Kent I picked up a northbounder named Jeweler. I almost didn't stop to talk to him because all his gear looked brand new. It turned out that all his stuff had been stolen the day before at Mt. Algo shelter. I gave him a ride to the post office, and then he decided to come up to the Cornwall trailhead, possibly to catch up to some friends. We stopped at Baird's store and he got food while I got egg sandwiches for Stumpy and me. I already had sodas and donuts in the car, so I was all ready to do some magic. The first hikers to come through were northbounders: Dreadie Bear and Blaze with their dog Samson. Shortly after that Stumpknocker came in walking south. My bulldog Stewie had come for the ride and was real happy to see him. Stewie doesn't know any better, so he even likes southbounders. Finally another hiker walks up to the car and says he knows me. Hmmm, I couldn't place him, but he's a southbounder named Nemo and we met at Hikers Welcome in Glencliff earlier this summer. He seems like a real good guy to hike around.Stump decided to keep hiking to Kent, so I took his pack and he walked on. I offered to slack Nemo as well, but he declined as I think he didn't want to hold me up at the trailhead later.After taking Stewie for a little walk and doing some stuff at home, I headed back out to pick up Stump. He was already there waiting for me. Boy, a few days of being cleaned up and I notice that thru-hikers really smell! Especially southbounders.We went back to the Moosie Hostel and had steaks for dinner, as well as corn on the cob and home made bruschetta. Pretty tasty.
Date: 2005-08-18
From: New Milford, CT

To: New Milford, CT
Miles today: 0.0

start: New Milford, CTfinish: New Milford, CTmiles: 0.0Today I slacked Stumpy on a 21 mile stretch. He walked northbound (everybody wants to be a northbounder) so I dropped him at the Dover Oak. He was in a hurry to get started, but I kept telling him he only had 21 to do, so it should only take 7 hours, right? I don't think it took him much longer than that - he's pretty fast for an old guy - and he was again waiting for me at the Kent trailhead. Back to the "hostel" for another night. This time Mrs. Moosie had made eggplant parmesan. I tried to eat a lot, as I'm hiking tomorrow. Woohoo!
Date: 2005-08-20
From: Stealth camp just south of Canopus Lake viewpoint

To: West Dover Rd. (New Milford)
Miles today: 22.1

start: Stealth camp just south of Canopus Lake viewpointfinish: West Dover Rd. (New Milford)miles: 22.1Stumpknocker warned me last night that he always wakes at the first hint of dawn and that we'd be getting an early start. Ugh. So I woke at 4:00 am and looked out of the tarp hoping it wasn't what he considered "light". In my opinion it was still pitch dark. I woke again at 5:00, and finally got up a bit after 6:00. He was already awake drinking coffee, and had been pretty quiet in his tent, pitched just a few yards away.We started hiking at 7:00. I didn't have much water left, but we were able to get some from a hand pump at a campsite a few miles north. I used that opportunity to rinse under the pupm in a vain attempt to combat chafing. It was really humid and overcast. We were wet, and had been ever since early yesterday. Yuck.We moved on, reaching Rt. 52 and a pizza shop right when they opened at 11:30. We saw Nemo coming back up the road to the trail. Stumpknocker and I split a pizza and each ordered a hot sandwich as well. With that and 3 sodas I was ready to hike another 12 miles to dinner and a shower. There were a few northbounders there but I can only remember Plus One and a section hiker named Finn who thru-hiked last year.The chafing was getting as bad as I've ever had it, so Stumpy let me use some vaseline he carries for that purpose. It helped somewhat.The afternoon was uneventful. I wanted to go for a swim in Nuclear Lake as we passed by, but the only way in looked really mucky. We needed water pretty badly when we arrived at the shelter 0.7 miles from the end of our day. We were counting on a nice clean stream, but it was bone dry. There were several northbounders here including Uncle Silly, Kong, Frick and Frack. Uncle Silly seemed really familiar, like I've met him before. Perhaps at Trail Days... He carries a mandolin and offers other hikers to sign it. Pretty cool idea. I was happy to put my little moosie-face on it.We got down to the road and Stumpknocker got some water from a spigot on a nearby house. I just sat comfortably under the huge Dover Oak while we waited for Mrs. Moosie to arrive and bring us home.She showed up right on time with a cooler full of food and sodas! Thanks! It felt good to have completed NY, and Stumpy only has about 30 miles left in that state. It also felt good to get home, shower, eat and go to sleep in a bed with sheets. Mrs. Moosie had made all kinds of delicious food. I had a beer too, and wasn't awake very long.
Date: 2005-10-05
From: New Milford, CT

To: 0.1 mile south of NH 25
Miles today: 0.1

start: New Milford, CT (home)finish: 0.1 mile south of NH 25miles: 0.1Aah, "home" again. I left my house this afternoon and drove to Hiker's Welcome in Glencliff, NH. I arrived just after dark, and the hostel was completely dark. I walked in and knocked on the door to the house, and Phat Chapp gave me a warm welcome. He started turning on lights, asking me if I was going to stay the night, and I told him not to bother, as I really wanted to camp out in the forest. I was just here dropping off my car. We chatted a bit, knowing we'd probably see each other in a couple of days at The Gathering anyway, and I went out to the car, quickly changed into my hiking clothes and hiked out in the dark.It's a beautiful night, around 50 degrees, no bugs, still air, and clear skies. I walked down rt. 25 until I got to the AT, and headed south. Immediately I had to stop and get out my headlamp. There's the blaze I was looking for. OK, heading up the narrow, leafy trail into the woods. Within a few minutes I noticed a tiny clearing in the pines to my left, and it turned out to be a perfect stealth spot. I can definitely hear the road from here, but there's not many cars. It actually sounds soothing, hearing one from far off, getting closer, zooming past, and fading again.Packing up today was a strange affair. I forgot how. I couldn't remember what I put in the pack in which order or position, and I felt like there should be more stuff. Turns out I did forget a toothbrush, but I can pick one up in Hanover.There was a lot of traffic on the drive up from Connecticut, but it's peaceful here. I'm just sleeping out tonight, no tarp, as the weather looks fine. I made myself a nice cup of tea, and then a home-dried dinner. It's good to be home. I can't wait to get hiking. I suspect I'll get a very early start tomorrow.
Date: 2005-10-06
From: 0.1 mile south of NH 25

To: 0.5 mile north of Lyme-Dorchester Rd.
Miles today: 23.2

start: 0.1 mile south of NH 25finish: 0.5 mile north of Lyme-Dorchester Rd.miles: 23.2Slept great, started to rain around 4:30 this morning, so had to pitch the tarp hastily.Most of the water sources are dried up on the trail today.Got tired today, feel like I'm losing my hiking legs since I've been back to work. But I apparently still have the appetite. I wanted to eat every bit of food in my pack![Note: As you can see, I didn't take very good notes on this portion of the hike, and tomorrow's entry is completely from memory. In retrospect months later as I write this note, I'm really glad I used the Pocketmail and wrote such a detailed journal.]
Date: 2005-10-07
From: 0.5 mile north of Lyme-Dorchester Rd.

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: scattered clouds

start: 0.5 mile north of Lyme-Dorchester Rd.finish: Hanover, NHmiles: 18.1Easier day today than yesterday. Yesterday's trail seemed innocent enough, just rambling through the New Hampshire woods, but it contained about 5000 ft. of vertical. Today was only about 3000 ft., with a town at the end.I'm writing this from memory months later - bad Moosie - and all I remember is a generally pleasant hike, and either it rained a bit, and/or I was just sweating a lot, because I remember being soaking wet in Hanover, feeling a bit out of place among all the non-hiking people there.When I got to town, I marched up to the last blaze for me on this thru-hike, and got a passing dude to take my picture. I found out that he thru-hiked an earlier year. His name was Enlightened Rogue, I think.Lots happened after this:I went to a nice restaurant and had a steak dinner, freezing in the air-conditioning in my wet shorts and shirt.I walked down to The Gathering, getting there during the opening session.I read a quotation from Gene Espy about Katahdin as part of the opening session. I was the token current-year thru-hiker. I guess I looked quite hikerly, with my pack and all, as most folks were in cotton clothes and such.Saw lots of friends, including, but not limited to: Weathercarrot, Kaitlyn (Miss Janet's daughter), Miss Janet herself eventually, Stumpknocker, Magic aka HellKat, Early Bird, who I followed all the way to Maine and never met, Amoeba, who presented me with a bag of handpicked Maine blueberries to celebrate my finish, Red Blaze, who I think was the only other to hike into The Gathering, and many, many more.Pouring rain when the session was over, and somehow ended up going all the way up to Hiker's Welcome with some new friends: Thunder, Tree Trunks, and his girlfriend, who, I'm sorry, I can't remember her name. They all hiked this year, but behind me, and I never knew them until now.Anyway, this kind of sucks trying to write this entry in April 2006. Stupid me. So suffice to say that the day ended well, and the next day was lots of fun, seeing folks, attending a nice CDT picture show, and a good PCT presentation / panel, going on a wild goose chase with Miss Janet, going to dinner with Mrs. Gorp and Stumpknocker. Only blot was the constant rain, sometimes coming down in buckets. I had to work Monday, and decided to head home that evening instead of trying to camp in a sodden field with 100 tents. I think Stumpy felt a bit abandoned, and I felt bad, but not bad enough, I guess.Looking back, I realize I was still very much struggling with being off-trail, and Early Bird said it right when she decided to hike all day instead of go to sessions. I liked The Gathering, but really prefer hiking to talking-about-hiking, even though it was real nice to see friends.Now, in April 2006, I'm busy working, saving, dreaming for that next thru-hike of some big, long trail. Can't wait.
Date: 2004-01-01
To: Directions for my map thingy
Miles today: 0.0

This is for everyone who is using the progress tracking map that I wrote.To link to the map in your trail journal, type the following in your trail journal entry and choose "HTML format" as the type of journal. < img src="http://www.wyattmcguire.com/trail/map.php" >To update your position on the map go to the following url:http://www.wyattmcguire.com/trail/mapupdate.phpAny issues? Email wyatt@wyattmcguire.com
Date: 2004-12-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well here we go, my first official trail journal.Sigh.OK now the hard part's done, I've started the journal, now to the easy task of hiking. More accurately now to the task of preparation.This is going to be my year, I had considered hiking last year but prep time was way too low. This year I've been buying and testing my gear, prepping mentally, physically, and (rather arduously) financially for the trail. So much work to go, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't get giddy when I read trail journals or talk about what I'm about to do. Now for the obligatory rundown: My name is Wyatt McGuire, I'm 23, a graduate of Penn State, and I fall into the surprisingly large numbers of computer programmers who do/will/have hike(d) the trail. I was born in York, PA, I live about an hour away from the nearest part of the trail to me. I'm not sure exactly what it is about the AT that makes me want to make the journey. I can identify a few ideas: My Friend Zak (AKA Kramer)-who through hiked a few years back and speaks fondly of his experienceMountain Man and the Side Track Cafe-although it appears the side track is no more, the days I spent there helping out during 2004 Trail days and the breakfast that he cooked for us during spring break of my junior year still leave a wonderful taste in my mouth when I think about the trailMy time spent section hiking the trail - which so far has been nothing but amazing.The ride back from trail days with Kharma (Kharma vacuum)- 'trail magic' if you will, we hauled this guy the entire way across VA and then some more, trail magic feels great to give, and I hope just as good to receive.I want to forget about the president - This is more than just a political jab, but I really hate that guy, and I'd like to spend some time somewhere where I can forget he exists.So that's just a partial list, and an idea of the kind of incoherent babbling to expect in future entries. Oh, and my start date is a rough estimation, if any hikers want to hook up for the start, email me, I have my own website (I know, I'm a huge nerd) and my email is wyatt@wyattmcguire.com.
Date: 2004-12-17
To: York, PA
Miles today: 0.0

What a difference a day makes. I spent last night guzzling coffee with my mind running a mile a minute and making a LONG to do list before I leave. A friend of mine who's a bit older than I am and doing the whole wife and kids thing now called me last night, and the topic of the conversation quickly turned to the trail. I've definitely noticed that people who have become part of the 9-5 club are often the first and most enthusiastic to encourage me to do the trail. Hindsight being 20/20 and all, I take their encouragement as motivation.So the to do list is getting a bit crazy: prepare maildrops, set up all of my bills to auto-deduct from my bank account, pack up everything I own into boxes, and about three hundred other things I can't remember now.But it will all be worth it. I don't just tell myself that, I know it, as much as anyone can know anything. I know that the time on the trail will be a once in a lifetime experience, and even if I only last a week, all of this effort will be worth it. That being said, I'm pretty sure I'll summit Katahdin. I suppose everyone is pretty sure that they'll finish a thru hike when they start it, but I think I've got a few things going for me.1. I'm in "my prime" - I'm 23, and I haven't had any serious injuries.2. I have the uncanny ability to walk away from accidents that would mangle most people. - Notice how I said I haven't had any serious injuries. That's true, never even broken a big bone (I broke four toes once, which I suppose would be bad on the trail, but in the grand scheme of things that's all done now). I just seem to take impact well. I've been hit by a car, and walked away, I've fallen ten thousand times skateboarding, and maybe after a minute or two of grimacing, walked away, I've taken some hella falls climbing and bouldering, you get the idea. 3. I'm stubborn as a mule - The biggest challenge for me is always that first step. For the trail I think the first step was admitting that I was going to thru hike. Now that I've said I'm gonna do it, unless I have an unfortunate encounter with a bear, I'm gonna finish this thing.4. I've got a good bit of experience hiking/camping/backpacking - Not a whole lot, but enough.I don't know why I make so many freaking lists, but I do.On a quick note about yesterday's list, I seem to have gotten some "flack" for my political comment, which isn't really a good way to help forget about stuff, so I think I'll keep those comments to myself for a while .