morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-09-01
From: Still waiting (healing)

To: Feeling strong and ready 
Miles today: 0.0

Many of you could get the impression from my recent drawing that I¢m superstitious. I¢m not. But why take chances in some cases. Example, I haven¢t walked under a ladder in I don¢t know how long, mainly because most aren¢t tall enough for me to fit under. Nor do I carry a rabbit¢s foot since I¢d rather see them attached to the nose twitching rabbit.         As far as four leaf clovers, do they really exist? Heck, I¢ve never seen one and I¢m guilty of starring at the ground on more than one occasion. Black cats ¢ I love animals and wouldn¢t hesitate offering up some love on a black or poke-a-dotted cat or dog in a heart beat. My cat is leopard spotted and my Labrador is black.         When it comes to money, no one could accuse me of being cheap, but if I find a penny, even if its not face up, I pocket it. I¢m not made of money are you? As far as horseshoes go if I had one to display, I¢d most likely display it in the unlucky pose since to my eye I prefer it looking more like the St. Louis Arch. But that¢s me ¢ the risk taker.        I¢ve never thrown salt over my shoulder but have knocked on wood to avoid certain vocalized events. And think nothing of clinking unmatched glasses together while making a toast (I was told once it was bad luck to do such bold things). I have on occasion said ¢bread and butter¢ while walking with a sweety as we walked on different sides of a tree or pole. Alas, I¢m still single, so the heck with that lore.        Call it superstitious or just plain horse sense, but the idea of heading back out into Maine¢s rugged terrain in the same shoes that contributed to my broken wrist seems unwise. The Montrail¢s I switched to in Vermont were indeed grippy-sticky but fell hopelessly apart in only two weeks and only two hundred miles. They are now back with Montrail for their scrutiny. An impressive shoe I picked up in North Woodstock, New Hampshire replaced them only to suffer the dubious distinction of ¢the fall¢. I¢ll continue to wear them while gardening ¢ to head back out with a cast on my arm in shoes I have no confidence in doesn¢t feel like a good strategy for finishing without further drama. So they just got replaced with a new Vasque that has a softer rubber, toothy sole.         My wrist feels awesome for being in a cast and my grip strength is approaching 50% of my healthy self. Its progress has me thinking a splint will be enough when I see the Doctor next week¢¦then this time next Friday I¢m traveling north to Gorham. By the way, the drawings that have been recently posted have all been done with the cast on. See, you can¢t stop Postcard from postcarding.
Date: 2006-09-07
From: Feeling strong and ready 

To: The cast is off and so am I 
Miles today: 0.0

My mom and I shared a bottle of champagne then watched North To Katahdin on video to celebrate the removal of my cast. Since she¢s a teetotaler, she nearly fell asleep from two sips. (What a lightweight) The doc looked over my new x-ray and said, ¢let¢s take that off¢¦you¢ve been healing.¢ He brought out this wicked looking rotary saw and asked me to put my arm out. ¢You¢ve done this before haven¢t you?¢ I asked. ¢Oh sure, in med school¢ he replied with a grin. At only 3 12 weeks since the break, the wrist isn¢t ready to start grabbing trees without some extra support. Since he worried about the arm not drying out underneath a new waterproof cast, he felt the best compromise would be a splint ¢ a splint would allow me and it to dry out at night. He suggested carrying two so a dry one would always be ready. ¢That¢s what we do with our socks,¢ I mentioned. He just rolled his eyes.So I¢m in a splint and all my stuff has been packed up, again, and off I go tomorrow morning. I hope I don¢t have a hangover?
Date: 2006-09-10
From: Baldpate Lean-to

To: Hall Mountain Lean-to
Miles today: 13.0

I slept long and well in my toasty 15-degree sleeping bag last night. The morning saw temps in the low forties with tonight possibly below freezing. In fact, despite the sunshine, we might not have gotten out of the fifties for the high.As far as life on the trail with this restart, I¢m afraid my fall broke more than my wrist. It seems it also shattered my confidence in where I step. A huge portion of humility has emerged. Where once I felt invincible, now I¢m fearful of everything wet and on a descent.Maybe Einstein was right, it¢s all relative. Yesterday¢s passage of The Mahoosuc Notch wasn¢t nearly as difficult with this new insecurity than today¢s journey over Baldpate Mountain. The west peak is arduous, but doable. However, the east peak was another story. Imagine a giant upside down bowl of granite. Toss some moss and lichens on it and cover with water and you can understand how on the way up I had to resort to moving up it, in some parts, on all fours. Yep, crawling. On the way down I was down right terrified. Where once I fearlessly stepped from rock to rock, now I scooted on my ass, afraid to trust the soles of my shoes. It¢s a heaping helping of humble pie! That east peak descent took me an hour to go one mile.Thankfully that mountain eventually ends and the trail becomes something you can walk on without anxiety.The crisp air was absolutely fall-like and with the punishing rain last evening, the forest floor was awash of gold and yellow leaves.My day ended at 13 miles, which is all my legs can take on this restart.Somehow I misfigured my mileage and thus my food requirements for getting to Rangeley. Not only did I miss it by a day, but also 12.8 miles went unaccounted. After dumping all my food out, my extra dinner I thought I had is no longer extra. It¢s required. A small amount of lunch rationing and I should be ok. What a dope I am¢¦A first for me. By the time I reach Rangeley, my food bags will be filled with only air.On a good note, I¢m using my hiking pole in my bum arm. Not pushing with it so much as penduleming it as I walk, letting it be more of a balancing point. It doesn¢t seem to hurt my wrist, but I¢m being so very careful.Well, it¢s quite chilly right now so I¢m climbing in the mummy and I¢ll talk to you tomorrow. Sleep well everyone.
Date: 2006-09-11
From: Hall Mountain Lean-to

To:  ME 17
Miles today: 17.4

I¢m dead. My legs are nowhere near ready to do this kind of mileage over such demanding terrain. Since I some how managed doing it, I guess that makes me a slave driver.The morning temps hovered around the upper 30¢s, but without a whisper of wind, there was no wind-chill to make it bite. I will admit to not being too eager to exit my toasty mummy. So I cocooned an extra 30 minutes. Once up, the day was stunning. A beautiful day on so important an anniversary, one that teaches us all to not postpone life and its many possible joys.Maine is a gorgeous state and walking it let¢s you immerse yourself in its countless lakes and ponds, vista¢s of hundreds of rolling mountains covered with dense woods. To walk The AT is to follow moose that also walk the trail, leaving their huge hoof prints on top of hiker shoeprints. Not an hour went by that I didn¢t see their prints ¢ oddly, always moving north like me.This cold front has really changed the feeling of my hike; almost that time is running out. But one foot in front of the other will easily get me to Mt. Katahdin before October.I did have a fall today. It was sort of a soft one, that or it was an aggressive sit down. Either way, it went to my left side. My right wrist was unaffected. The seat of my pants was not however. A nice big hole in my ass area that some duck tape solved (isn¢t that stuff awesome!) No pain in the wrist even though I used my pole a bit more today than just swinging back and forth. My footwork was much better today on the rocks since most were dry; it definitely gave a boost to my stepping confidence.Throughout the afternoon I wrestled with stopping at a shelter for the night or pushing to the road for a hitch. Naturally the choice for real town food won out, so the legs got destroyed with fatigue, especially the last mile-point-one where it rises 800 steep feet to the road. Those are always the tough finishes. By the time I reached the road they were Jell-O, and my lungs were secretly plotting an assault on my brain for not talking me out of it.The new Vasque Kota shoes are working well (Montrail hasn¢t contacted me yet in regards to my others) but it may be a long time before that stepping hesitation goes away when I experience wet downhill¢s¢¦ which is probably a healthy thing. Until then, my ass works just dandy for those rocky scoot downs.
Date: 2006-09-12
From:  ME 17

To: Rangeley, Maine
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

As tough as it was to do those miles yesterday, it was nice to be out of the cold. The Weather Channel had a freeze warning for the evening, but no bother, the clothes and mummy are perfect.One wonderful reunion I¢ve failed to mention over the two previous days was seeing Old Drum. He, LB and I shared two nights together back in Virginia. One of which was tenting in a large pasture at the foot of the huge Keffer Oak. He¢s a great guy with a giant smile tattooed on his face. A bigger heart would be hard to find.We met on that tough day two of mine, he was slack packing south. He thought I¢d finished ages ago since monitoring my progress through The AT shelter registers. It was nice to see a familiar face and I believe encouraging to him that people he knew were still plugging away like him.There was a heavy fog this morning and as a nice change of pace, the trail was flattish ¢ no big ups and more importantly, no big, nasty, diabolical, torturous, ass scooting descents. Yea!One thing my big day reminded me, Maine is or can be as trying in daily mileage as The Whites. So I¢ve taken out two 18-mile days I¢d planned on before restarting and pulled them back to what Alleghany and I hiked two years ago. This means my Summit date will most likely be September 27th if all goes well. No zero days in the plan ¢ sitting around healing for a month was enough.Rangeley is a charming, picturesque place. Nestled up next to Rangeley Lake, it¢s surrounded by nature¢s beauty. Not a bad place to consider someday.In fact, I spent quite a bit of time starring at one of the real estate house for sale bulletins. Not sure how I¢d handle a week or two of minus 35 degrees in winter, or black fly season in June, or what I¢d do to make a living, but it sure is cozy now. Especially with all their Maple Trees starting to transition from green to yellow-orange. It¢s a magic time, my favorite time of the year. What a blessing to be able to walk the woods!
Date: 2006-09-13
From: Rangeley, Maine

To: Poplar Ridge Lean-to
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: broken clouds

Grandeur.   It¢s the best word for today.   The hike involved one big climb, up Saddleback Mountain, but once there, you¢re presented with the first of three summits with 360-degree views. At this stage of the journey, we¢re so far north in latitude; Saddleback and the two other summits are above tree line. So you gaze in awe in every direction. The sunshine chased much of the past days cold temps away. Rain is forecast for tonight, but nary a cloud floated overhead until the end of my day. On the third summit Saddleback Junior, I dropped the pack to bask in the sunshine for a lazy forty minutes. I had the whole mountain to myself, not even a contrail in the sky. And other than a small breeze, not a sound anywhere. The moment held a purity that seemed unfamiliar. We all are surrounded by distractions, layers upon layers of events or things that steal the purity of silence. I sat warm in that light and thought of how happy I was. It was the kind of moment that hikers of the AT become consumed by. Moments that touch us deeply, feelings and memories that linger long after the trail ends. This section may be near the top of my list of favorites.Much earlier in the day, halfway up Saddleback, I came to an alpine pond. Naturally I thought ¢Well, Maybe.¢ Sure enough, there on the other side, a moose standing in the shoreline water. She went back to feeding when she grew bored starring at me. I was so jazzed, Moose #2 while on the trail!That¢s 200% better than thru-hike #1.With a short mileage tally, I was here at the shelter by 3 p.m. A look through the register showed trail name after trail name of thru-hikers I was once around. They¢ve all finished now with my month break. A malaise of melancholy fell on my heart. Things happen or said another way, life happens. It won¢t be long, maybe just 14 days and I too will be posing near a weather-beaten sign.Amazingly, despite its distance, Mt. Katahdin came into view from the summits today. As the AT zigs and zags and bobs and weaves, it is 209 miles away. As the crow flies on today¢s visual sighting, maybe only 150 miles. Its there waiting for me, all that needs to be done is to walk¢¦ This just might still happen!
Date: 2006-09-14
From: Poplar Ridge Lean-to

To: Crocker Cirque Campsite
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

The forecast was spot on yesterday. Rain began around 8 p.m. and continued throughout the evening ¢ never getting hard, but just constant rain. By morning, all at the shelter expected lingering showers, we were proven wrong. Although it might as well have been with the humidity nearly 100%. The fog was so dense at times I was surprised it didn¢t just fall.The trail stayed high most of the day, so clouds and fog were erasing any views. Occasionally on a couple of dips before heading back up, maple trees of bright orange and red jumped out at you against the dominate greens.I wondered all day if that single board across the Carabassett River that made my crossing effortless from the first hike would still be there. Not only was it still there to help in the cross, it was now cabled so couldn¢t get washed away. (Way to go Maine AT Club!)It was a blah weather day, grey and foggy and chilly, but one happy note. My stepping confidence is coming back. These last six days have seen the return of my nimbleness somewhat. My progress was so good that the 14.7 miles was completed by 2 p.m. I almost decided to push over The Crocker peaks, which would take me into Stratton. But doing 22 miles so soon would wipeout my legs and that¢s when accidents happen. Instead of continuing on north I turned into the blue blaze and this campsite. Tomorrow it¢s a short 7.3 to bacon and eggs. Can¢t wait to do laundry!
Date: 2006-09-15
From: Crocker Cirque Campsite

To: Stratton, ME
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: light rain

I was tasting bacon last night, so when my 6 a.m. alarm went off¢¦ I was up and ready. The tent was wet from an early a.m. shower but who cares, town is just 7.3 miles away, and that means Bacon.The day before, back at Poplar Ridge Shelter, Chuckbuster strolled in. We hadn¢t seen one another since the Hot Springs, North Carolina area ¢ over four months ago. Actually, we had a funny start that first day. I came upon him in the trail, this normally means that I am faster and normally means the hiker steps aside to let the faster one move on. No biggy, happens all the time without consequence. However, Chuckbuster is a proud hiker, one who was in U. S. Special Forces. Being passed just wouldn¢t do! So when I approached saying ¢Hi, OK if I move through?¢ Chuckbuster gave me an answer I had never heard in over 3000 miles of hiking and hundreds of trail meetings, Chuckbuster answered ¢No!¢ Chuckbuster turned and scurried up the trail. Thirty-minutes later he was lunching on a summit and I passed him, which he seemed to be ok with.By Damascus, Virginia I started my merciless ribbing of that moment to him in front of my other trail friends. Chuckbuster by then had relaxed and could laugh with us at the absurdity. By Damascus, Chuckbuster even bought my book. Jump ahead four months and into Maine and Chuckbuster stood in front of me again. Since then we¢ve hiked to the last three nights camps together with Junco.Here in Stratton, we¢re taking a nero to do laundry, eat and shower. At breakfast the three of us ate enough to feed ten people. The day is beautiful and the remaining mileage to Mt. K¢¦ a scant 187!Most important though was the ascent over The Crockers. Part of the trail moves up on an outside ridge that provided an amazing view of the fog covered valley¢s with distant mountains poking up as the sun battled it¢s way through the remaining clouds. Breath taking was the moment.I¢m also happy to report that my stepping prowess is returning ¢ just needed to hop back in the saddle. Giddy¢up Postcard ¢ let¢s make miles!
Date: 2006-09-16
From: Stratton, ME

To: Little Bigalow Lean-To
Miles today: 15.3

It was a milestone in a thru-hike. To cross fourteen States and reach this point on Little Bigalow Mountain is incomprehensible in many ways. For sitting here sculpted from tiny twigs and rocks is spelled out 2000 (miles that is).By keeping track of the time and judging our pace, I started calling out the minutes remaining until Chuckbuster, Junco and myself would reach the guestimated spot of 2000 miles. I called out six minutes, then four, then two until with only 90 seconds remaining; we came across the twig milestone undoubtedly constructed by another thru-hiker. We sat and posed for photos and thought of all that had been. Georgia was a very long ways away!This day is also my two-year anniversary of my first thru-hike completion. It is only now eleven days more till another is finished ¢ a fact that had me smiling all day.From Little Bigalow, Mt. Katahdin could once again be seen, maybe just a 100 miles of straight distance and 172 as The AT wiggles. The Bigalow Mountain Summits are the last tall mountains until The Big K. Tomorrow has us all jazzed since the terrain starts to relax, be more friendly towards just walking. In camp we made a big celebratory campfire for pay tribute to breaking The 2000 barrier. Two other hikers, Cheetos and Puffy Nimbles are on the same pace as we three and are sharing this nice shelter tonight too.A big open canopy gave us a nice look at a billion stars. I mentioned, ¢that I haven¢t witnessed a single falling star this trip.¢ With that, we all looked up into the inky abyss. As I continued¢ of course I haven¢t really tried looking up¢¦ HEY! There goes one¢, three of us yelled out in unison.   Talk about timing.The shooting star hauled quickly across the sky and before disappearing split in two. Wow! We were all hooked the rest of the evening, splitting time between campfire stare and head back stargazing. Over the next hour another shooting star and a satellite came into view. What a day. Even my footwork has returned to form, building on yesterday. Postcard and his nimble feet are back ¢ Hallelujah!!
Date: 2006-09-17
From: Little Bigalow Lean-To

To: Pierce Pond Lean-To
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: clear sky

In 1937, when all the existing trails and new sections that connected them were completed to create The Appalachian Trail, some had been around a long time. One dated as early as 1775. Famous to the colonies, the young, brash Cournel Benedict Arnold had caught the eye of his General ¢ George Washington. Washington sent him north to Quebec¢ to beat up on the British by way of a route through Maine. Although the assault was unsuccessful, the route became known as Arnold¢s Trail. Existing for more than two hundred years, it might be the oldest trail that took on the duel identity of The AT.In honor of our two thousand miles, The AT rewarded us with a mild, smooth, flat walk along Arnold Trail. The joyful journey today led to easy mileage and an early camp. A good thing since Pierce Pond is probably my most favorite spot. For here, loons sing their haunting yoddel and lonesome song. A cold foot soak was definitely in order before dinner. Wood has been gathered for later, all I have to do now is not eat dinner until after five-o¢clock. If I ate when and what I wanted, my food supply wouldn¢t last into day two.We¢ve been sitting down on the rock ledge above the pond ¢ it¢s nighttime. I can see half the universe and without any clouds, the stars are reflecting on the mirror smooth water. ¢There goes one,¢ yep, ¢another shooting star¢. A few logs are tossed on the campfire so when we turn in the light will be flickering on the inside of this lean-to.Tomorrow morning is another trail milestone ¢ The Kennebeck River crossing. ¢Hey, there goes another one¢.   ¢Yea, Awesome night!¢   -- Goodnight all!
Date: 2006-09-18
From: Pierce Pond Lean-To

To: Bald Mountain Brook Lean-To
Miles today: 18.7

Last night around six, the owner of a wilderness camp that¢s a scant half-mile from our shelter walked over to see if we¢d be interested in his breakfast service? For the meager sum of eight dollars, he cooks up twelve pancakes, three eggs and three sausages, with coffee and juice. My answer was YES. Everyone¢s answer was YES.So this morning we all arrived at Harrison Camp for 7 a.m. breakfast. Isn¢t it amazing what you can get in the woods? By 7:45 I was strapping on my pack and heading north to The Kennebeck River and the 9 a.m. canoe crossing. Junco and I crossed first with the ferryman for an uneventful passage. When crossing water is uneventful, I¢m happy. Had enough drama crossing rivers on my ¢04 thru-hike to hold me for a long time.Junco and I then walked the mile to Longley¢s Store for resupply food, sodas and goodies. (While passing Flagstaff Lake a day ago, I found another nice driftwood sculpture ¢ this one resembles a duck in flight. So I grabbed it and boxed it at Longley¢s to send homeward)Chuckbuster finally joined us a good half-hour later to lollygag in the warm sunshine. Our plan was to only do another 9.7 to the next shelter, but it turned out that it was under six miles ¢ the whole day was to only be 9.7. Well that¢s awfully short I thought and tossed the idea of going farther. Junco and Chuckbuster didn¢t bite ¢ they liked the lollygag plan.We headed back to the trail by car this time and were heading north a little after 12 noon. Even with the pack weight back up with resupply I was feeling fast and strong. In no time I¢d pulled away from the guys and decided to go farther on my own. Once coming to some southbound section hikers, I asked to pass that info on to my buds. My intention was to tent tonight by a pond, but once there, it was slim pickin¢s. So the next shelter was another hour, more than double the mileage of the original plan. Oh well, it¢s either less tomorrow or a long 22 right into the town of Monson¢¦ a full day early.One good indicator of what to expect on these future river fords presented itself today. Two years ago, I came to this same spillway-river where the rocks used to cross were six inches underwater. Today those rocks were nearly two feet above the water, meaning that the land isn¢t swollen with rainwater, meaning that The Hundred Mile Wilderness river fords are going to be a great deal tamer. Thank The Lord! I truly was not looking forward to that experience again. The indicators are saying that they¢ll be little drama.So, here tonight I¢m solo with two young men just starting southbound thru-hikes. Jeeze-Louise, that means finishing after Christmas! (That¢s nuts) I encouraged them to not miss Thanksgiving or Christmas with the family. Besides, those are two of the largest meals of the year!