morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-06-22
To: Orb
Miles today: 0.0

Hello, My name is Matt (my trail-name is ORB) and I hail from NH.First I'll give a very breif background of how we met: I have been hiking with LT now for about 2 months. LT and I started hiking together in Pearisburg, when I made the spontaneous decision to split off with some friends that I had been hiking with since the 3rd day out back in Georgia. LT seemed like a very nice person, and I thought it would be fun to hike with her for a while, and experience the trail in a new way. We had a great time hiking together for a couple of weeks. When Goldberry and Lucky caught up to us things started to get really interesting. Unfortunatley, Lucky had to leave us because he had a more aggressive schedule for finishing. This left me in the unusual circumstance of being a guy hiking with two beautiful young ladies.So know the story begins... I have talked to so many other guys on the trail wondering where all the women are, and I sit around befuddled thinking to myself "they're everywhere!?". Some of you may think how cool it must be to hike with two babes all the time ... Well, I'm here to tell you it's not all peaches and cream. It seems as though often times I end up in places where I am the only guy, surrounded by two or more women. Let me tell you what, it's an awkward place to be sometimes, especially when they start complaining about all the bad habits of men out here. Admitedly, men (myself included) do have a tendency to be rather "pigish" when placed into an environment such as this, but on the bright side, the constant badgering from my hiking buddies has helped me to curb some of my bad habbits, (atleast in their presence). Anybody out there who is married can probably relate easily to my life at times, it's like being maried to 2 moody woman, who often like to gang up, and pick on the "foolish" man. I'll tell you what, it's a good thing I'm such a good natured person!Don't get me wrong though, I love these two girls to pieces, and wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world. I'm positive I've made two great friendships that will last long after this trail is over.Thats all for now!-ORBAddendumWell, after recieving an enormous amount of crap from my two "friends", I've been forced ... uhh I mean asked to write a followup. Apparently they believe that I made them sound like super bitches (note from LT: I am going to edit this word from here on out, because it seems somewhat harsh!). To clear up the confusion, I am being forced ... uhh I mean asked to tell you all that I am having FUN all the time, and life is great, and the two girls are wonderful wonderful people who are always nice!Seriously though, if you got the impresion that LT and Goldberry are mean, or b*t**y, that's not what I meant. In truth, I really am almost constantly having fun. They are both excellent people, and I think we all get along so well. I wake up happy every day, about the fact that I am spending my time with such excellent people. And, I'm thankful of the fact that chance has managed to bring us together.-ORB
Date: 2003-06-28
From: Vernon, NJ

To: Pawling, NY
Miles today: 0.0

Wow! What a difference a day or two can make! Since my last entry, we've been blessed with the most amazing weather we've had yet. It's actually even hot! This wonderful sunshine has given us the opportunity to tent every night and enjoy the many things along the trail that are only really doable in nice weather. So, since Vernon, we've camped/swimmed at Fitzgerald Falls, swam in Tiorati Lake, cowboy camped on a high summit (lots of mosquitos ate me that night so in retrospect, this was not the brightest idea---I'm sure it was Orb's! Ha!), taken a break in a waterfall/whirlpool, and swam in Nuclear Lake. All of this being said, there are way too many amazing experiences and funny stories to share about each of these events, so I'll only briefly say that this week has been one of my favorites. Last night was my favorite of these days because it was exactly the type of day I had expected to be "typical" on the AT. Orb, Goldberry and I started hiking early in the morning in order to avoid the major heat of the day. We found a small deli shortly off the trail and we managed to enjoy 3 full hours in a shady, cool spot here. Goldberry and I headed out later on in the afternoon and pitched our tents by Nuclear Lake. This lake is the sight of where tritium was once produced, but the wonderful EPA claims to have remedied the waste....lets hope so. The lake was beautiful and we enjoyed a swim with Sally and briefly explored a small island on the other side of the lake. Of course, camping here is not permitted, but not all rules are meant to be followed right? It turned out to be a great night and a cold front moved in that night so that this morning was equally as beautiful. Oh, and even better, my skin is not glowing yet so maybe the EPA really did clean up the lake!The three of us hitched into Pawling this morning and we are doing some much needed laundry and resupply. This is a cute town, thought the weather today is awesome and I'm doubtful that we'll stay here for too long. Thankfully, the weather is supposed to hold out for a bit longer and we'll continue to have more amazing experiences in the sunshine!!
Date: 2003-07-04
From: Pawling, NY

To: Lee, MA
Miles today: 0.0

Another great week! I've been able to hike through all of New York, Connecticut, and so far half of Massachusetts without being rained on once. Sure hope this holds out because it's great! I'm hiking alone pretty much ever morning, and then Orb, Goldberry and I meet up for lunch and the afternoon portion of our hike. It's a good way to break up the day. We're trying to average 15 miles a day so that I'll finish in time to return to DE for grad school. The mileage isn't bad right now, but I'm worried that it might start to get a bit exhausting once we continue farther north. Having a timeline is not conducive to trail life as it removes the element of spontaneity and pure laziness! But, Goldberry and Orb are awesome hiking buddies and have agreed to push with me in order for me to meet my deadline. Wonderful friends!I've really liked this section of the trail. It's getting a bit more rugged and we've finally hiked back into the 2000+ foot elevation range. It's very rewarding to hike up to the visitas...something we haven't really had for several weeks now. Massachusetts has been awesome--a pleasant surprise! We took several hours yesterday to enjoy some time in Benedict Pond and this morning, I jumped into Upper Goose Pond for a quick cool-down as well. These areas aren't very populated and it's great to have the solitude of a New England lake! Speaking of solitude, besides Orb and Goldberry, the trail has been pretty quiet lately. We've met many day and section hikers, but very few other thru hikers. Where is everyone??? Perhaps it's because we camp in unconventional areas. Not everyone sets up a tent in the middle of an ATV trail (again, not a smart idea--yup, probably Orb's!)We plan to hit the trail again tomorrow and then we'll be climbing up Mt. Greylock (the highest peak in MA). I feel as though I've gotten a bit "soft" since spending so much time in the States of flatter terrain. One might think that I would be in awesome shape by now, but I'm worried about doing big miles in hard terrain again. Can't wait to get into Vermont and New Hampshire though. Good stuff...!
Date: 2003-07-15
From: Lee, MA

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Yay! We made it to New Hampshire! Vermont was awesome---my favorite state yet. The trail was kinda busy at first because it parallels the Long Trail for the first 100 miles. But, it was fun to meet new people and see new faces again. I've been hiking with Orb and Goldberry (I love my hiking buddies!) as well as String Bean, Tang, Loadrunner, Apricot, Wicked Wizzard, Cosmo, and FireFly. Its been great to see everyone again as it took us some time to catch up! We've really enjoyed Vermont and been able to hike some big days just because they feel good! The scenery has been awesome and we've seen some great sunsets and sunrises. My favorite night was spent at "The Lookout" in a private (but open to hikers) cabin that has a lookout platform over it. Kinda high, especially for those of us who hate heights!, but the sunset was awesome! We only had one day of rain in Vermont, but I found this to be a minor and foregivable offense since the rest of the weather has been so nice! We had one stop in Manchester, VT...I think I want to live there someday. So glad to have stopped there as we met All Right Burrito and Rob and I got to experience my first Long Trail beer (good stuff). We also stayed in West Hartford, VT last night as the trail winds through town. Rob and Linda let 10 of us camp in their backyard. They grilled us some burgers and hot dogs and let us take over their house for a night. Awesome trail magic!We've started meeting lots of Southbounders. They've all been so nice...too bad we have to part ways so soon after meeting. Glad to have met all of you----thanks to those of you who have read my journal!! There are tons of hikers here in Hanover and I know that if I don't hike out of here tonight, I'll likely get stuck here in this friendly hiker town. Seven of us just tackled two Vermonsters. Admittedly, my "team" was not able to finish all of ours and the thought of ice cream makes me feel physically ill! But, I already have dinner plans so I'm sure I'll get over it! For those of you who don't know the Vermonster contains: 20 scoops of ice cream, 4 bannanas, 4 ladles of hot fudge, 3 choco chip cookies, 1 choco brownie, 10 scoops of walnuts, 2 scoops of your 4 favorite toppings, all topped with tons of whipped cream. All of this fits nicely into a huge bucket of goodness!!I'm meeting my Mom and Tom this Thursday and Goldberry, Orb and I are planning to slack pack on Friday. Can't wait to see them as it's been quite some time since our last visit! We're looking forward to a day off on Saturday before we begin hiking through the White Mountains. I have been hearing about this part of the trail ever since I finished the Smokie Mountains down South, so I'm pretty excited to see what all this hype is about. Should be beautiful and we're lucky to be able to day hike through the Whites with the help of Orb's family. So, besides two really sore feet and knees, I'm doing very well and excited to be on the trail still. Only one month of my journey remaining...feels bittersweet.
Date: 2003-07-20
From: Hanover, NH

To: Franconia Notch, NH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Since my last update, we've hiked almost half-way into New Hampshire. I didn't end up leaving Hanover as planned and instead, I ended up sleeping in the basement of a fraternity house in Dartmouth College. Yeah...free stay and they let us hikers take over the house and watch tv and play pool. Hard to leave, though the thought of sleeping on a dirty mattress for another night got me headed out to the trail the next evening! My spirits were pretty low that day as it poured all morning. I think that I've become a fair-weather hiker because the thought of being outdoors on a rainy day leaves me feeling miserable! Luckily, this has been the only day of rain we've had in New Hampshire! The weather has been great and has provided the perfect opportunity for good photos from awesome vistas!Mom and Tom came up for a visit this past weekend and helped us out greatly with a slack-pack through the first two days of the White Mountains. I really needed to see them and my spirits have rebounded considerably. You guys are amazing!! I could never have done this hike or made it this far without the support I've gotten from Mom and Tom! Thank you!!!It's amazing how much bigger the mountains have become...even since Vermont. The terrain is as promised and it makes me feel out of shape! One might think that after hiking 1800 miles a hiker would be in good enough shape to run through any kind of terrain, but I promise this is not the case! I feel exhausted and my pace has slowed considerably. But, I've decided that I'm more than ok with this because there's so much more to see up here anyway that it's worth hiking slowly throughout the day. Our hike to the top of Mt. Mooselauke was a perfect day and it was really exciting for me to finally climb a mountain that is above treeline. Tomorrow Orb, Goldberry and I will start a three day hike that will take us through the majority of the White Mountains. I'm really excited about this because I think this will allow us to take our time and enjoy the scenery as we won't have to be lugging our smelly old packs us and down the mountains. Plus, we'll be able to do more miles and take more pictures all day! I have never stayed in an AMC hut and am excited about trying to do some work-for-stay along the way. I saw a moose today. I think I irritated him a bit with my presence, but it was worth it for the decent photo I got of him. The thought crossed my mind that it might even charge me, but I scouted a good tree that I could probably climb should I have needed to. That would have made an even better photo!Been hiking on and off with a great crew of hikers including Tang, StringBean, Fly, Chameleon, Cosmo, WickedWizzard, Jersey, LoadRunner, and Apricot. Of course Orb and Goldberry too...but that's a given (can't go anywhere without the other two heads of the three headed monster OLG). Orb's family was nice enough to house all of these hikers and feed us all! Orb's mom bakes the best deserts ever...I just polished off a piece of pie and am currently eyeing up the brownies...
Date: 2003-08-01
From: Gorham, NH

To: Andover, ME
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Making slow progress so far in Maine, but enjoying the trail and the beautiful vistas. I've officially finished with the White Mountains, but am only half-way through the Mahoosuc Mountains. Turns out, this section of trail is as rugged as the New Hampshire sections. I hadn't realized this and have been surprised by the difficulty I'm having with the trail in Maine. I feel as though I am working really hard all day and barely making any miles. I've never been so tired in my life! Mentally and physically, I'm exhausted. I'm not sure why I feel this way all of the sudden, though I'm guessing that the combination of tough terrain, not enough food, and 1900 miles on the trail is finally catching up to me.So, here we are in Andover Maine, taking the afternoon off and staying here in the Andover Guest House/Hostel. I hate not being on the trail, but I needed the break (again!) and decided that this would be alot more fun than hiking in the rain (again!). According to the Southbounders, the terrain will flatten out in about 100 miles. I'm looking forward to this!I decided to cut pack weight once again and therefore, I'm no carrying any extra clothes and no longer cooking any hot meals. This seemed pretty smart, but I'm super-hungry on the trail now. Yesterday, I was miserably hungry despite eating the same amount of food that I would normally eat on the trail. I hate being so hungry! It's hard to sleep at night. So, I'll be carrying more food...pack weight increases again!I've loved the trail here in Maine and especially enjoyed the scenery. We hiked through Mahoosuc Notch (two hours, 1 mile). Thanks to Ben, Jon, and D for teaching my basic rock climbing skills last summer---came in handy! The trail takes us straight up a mountain, and then right back down it over and over again thoughout the day. Very tiring, but we get many great views all day.Seems like most other Nobo's are a day or two in front of us, but I'm still hiking with Orb and Goldberry. We've run into Barely Bald the past few nights, but otherwise, I've been meeting many Sobo's and day hikers. Magnolia is a bit ahead, but hopefully not by too much. NOTE TO LEIF: I missed you by only 1 day!! Would have been great to see you...I'm having such bad luck with my timing as I missed Snail by only 20 minutes!!!!Thanks to George L. for reading my trail journal!!
Date: 2003-08-02
From: Andover, ME

To: View Entry
Miles today: 10.1

Hmmm...what to say about today??? Goldberry, Orb and I decided to slack-pack today because it rained all day. We decided to do a short day (10 miles)and then sit around at the hostel again all afternoon and watch movies. It's a tough life to be a thru-hiker! Honestly though, I think I really needed this down time. It seems most important to do what is fun right now rather than to push out miles when I'm not feeling like hiking. I already feel better rested and more nourished. Today's hike: reminescent of the past few months...raining, steep (186 rock steps to the highest point of the mountain) and somewhat cold --- yay for "Augember!" But, we did get a great hitch into town in the back of a truck and Goldberry even got to sit in a canoe (quote by GB: "Best hitch ever"). I'm trying to learn how to hacky sack. I'm pretty bad, but that means I can only get better! Today is "Old Homes Day" here in Andover. Luckily for us, we came into this wild and crazy town on a happen' day! All 20 residents were out and about at the town pig roast and fire engine parade and "we be jammin'" to some country tunes too. Yup, good times!Fun night at the hostel last night. Sally, Snail, T, and Galen all came in yesterday and it was so nice to see them all again. Sally and Snail hiked out with us this morning but as of now, they are probably a day ahead. So sad to see them go...!Maybe another slack pack tomorrow???
Date: 2003-08-02
To: Orb
Miles today: 0.0

Hello All,Well, It's been a while since I've done a guest entry here, and I'm excited to have the opportuninty to do it again. Lot's of things have happened since my last entry (back in Vernon NJ). I've been having a lot of interesting adventures with my hiking buddies in the last month and a half. We've traveled through 7 states, had all kinds of crazy weather, and hit a lot of great swimming spots ... and I've been regularly consuming Soda!Where to start, hmmmm; Well the whites were an adventure in unprepairedness (is that a word?) and even worse I'm from NH and have hiked the whites extensivley ... You'd think I would know better! Back in NY we were slammed with intense heat for a week, which I thought was going to kill me. MA brought the begining of big mountains, and lots of nice swim spots. Vermont was a blast back to the 20 mile days, 5 in a row what were we thinking! CT came and went without me even noticing (it's only 40 miles long after all). Finally, that leaves us in Maine, the last state. ME has been quite difficult so far.Well, now that I've quickly glazed over 6 weeks of my life, I'll tell a more indepth story. One night, our last night in CT, we climbed up Bear MT. This was really exciting for me, because for the first time on the whole trail the mountains started to feel more like the mountains in my home state of NH. Bear mountain had what was called a "Stone Observation Tower" on the top. When we got there however, we were dissapointed to find the "Tower" was nothing more than a large pile of rocks. On the plus side, the tower did provide amazing views to the east. After a rest on top, we were scheduled to go down hill to a camp site less than a mile away. However, this night I decided I wanted to cowboy camp ontop of that pile of rocks. After a snack and a break my hiking pals headed down to there home for the night, and I set to work moving rocks around to make my home for the night a little more comfortable. That evening was quite amazing, the sky's were perfectly clear. I laid in my sleeping bag (a little sad that I was alone, and wishing my friends would have stayed) but enjoying the amazing starlight sky. I slept on and off through the night (rocks aren't that comfortable!) with a nice 10 mph wind all night, and temps probably in the 50s. As morning came around and the sky started to light up, I got up packed up, and got ready for sunrise. Around 5:15 in the moring the sun broke the horizon, and I enjoyed the amazing colors of sunrise. It was a very memorable night.I'm still having fun, every day. I'm glad I have such good friends to help me through the difficult times. But, I'm getting ready to be done. All and all, this has been an incredible journey so far.-ORB
Date: 2003-08-29
To: Final Stretch
Miles today: 0.0

More than a week ago, I was on top of Katahdin. What a nice to place to be! However, before I write about that, I'll start by writing about my favorite week on the trail. The 100-Mile Wilderness could not have been more perfect. This stretch leading up to our summit of Katahdin truly made the trail spectacular. We were blessed with great weather: warm, breezy, no humidity and NO RAIN! The "Wilderness" (not really) offered great ponds, lakes, rivers, and mountains and we made the most of all of it! I slept in late every morning, just because I could! And I spent all day swimming in lakes, sun bathing on peaks, and fording raging rivers. We even managed to find some great camp sites where we saw sunsets, encountered moose, and had camp fires. A perfect week.And then we found ourselves at the base of Katahdin. Papaberry, Uncleberry, Tom, Goldberry ("sometimes I do and sometimes I don't"), Orb ("I suck at life") and I ("if you can,you should...but sometimes if you can, you just shouldn't")made our way to the summit of Katahdin on a hazy, yet otherwise perfect summit day. This was one of my favorite hikes because we adopted a leisurely pace for most of the way up. But then OLG saw The Sign about a mile away and gave in to the urge to race to the top. I was so excited to see the The Sign. We spent more than an hour on top of the mountain posing in every possible way for the many cameras that captured our moment. Katahdin gave closure to a great experience, though I don't think that it's symbolic of an end. I think that my hike is only the beginning of something better. My journey helped me to realize that I could never have fulfilled this dream without the love, support, and help that I received from family, friends, and strangers. I am thankful for Goldberry and Orb, two hiking buddies who turned into the "bestest" friends a girl could ask for. Overall, a liberating experience and one that I will never forget.