morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-08-28
From: Pine Ellis B&B (Andover), ME

To: Pine Ellis B&B (Andover), ME
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was my last slackpack out of Andover. I've never spent this much time or money to slack out of town, but the weather has been crummy and it¢s nice to take a hot shower at the end of the day! The strange thing is that my knee has really been bothering me. I noticed it yesterday and it got significantly worse today. It concerns me since I've had no problems with my knees the whole trip. Stumbles is lending me a brace she doesn¢t need anymore, since there¢s no place to buy one in town. I really really hope it figures itself out and I'm not doing more damage hiking on it. There really are weird things moving around in my knee, and it makes an awful grinding noise when I bend it.That¢s it from me. There should be some nice weather ahead this week. If only I could rip myself away from beautiful Andre Agassi playing in the U.S. Open, I could finish packing...Cheers,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-08-29
From: Pine Ellis B&B (Andover), ME

To: Piazza Rock Lean-to, ME
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: light rain

It¢s about that time again...time for another monthly anniversary rant!Five months is a long time! It really feels like the end now. For a long time, probably since the halfway point, I¢d get ahead of myself and think I was almost done. But the heat and seeing people on vacation reminded me it was still summer and I had miles and months to go. But now people are going back to school, I have to wear my fleece hat and leggings, and the trail is increasingly scattered with colored leaves that have fallen. I really am getting towards the end. People who signed this shelter's register only two weeks before me are done with their hike now! That really puts things in perspective.Today was pleasant. The trail was kind to me with a gentle grade, and I was able to move at my old pace of 2 miles per hour. How nice not to fight the trail, but to stretch my legs and be alone with my thoughts and get that much closer to Katahdin and home. Could it possibly be that I've been homesick much of the trip, but soon I may be trailsick?Impossible! There are too many miles left for that.Good night,ChardonnayP.S.: It seems everyone has seen a moose, except for me! Not to fear, there are tracks and scat everywhere. My Aunt Cheryl would be tickled with all this moose scat. I bet she'd take forever to finish Maine because she'd be making necklaces and wreaths and other doodads with all the scat...she's just that crafty of a lady!Ooooh, and one final thought. I went by the road for Rangeley, Maine this evening! Wish I could have gone into town, since I haven¢t been there since my 8th birthday! But alas, too much money spent in Andover. I'll revisit Rangeley another day.I lie! I thought I'd give a knee update since I whined about it so much yesterday. It was bad in the morning, but maybe the brace helped, along with some Advil, because I felt almost normal descending the rest of the day. Relief on my end. Just because I¢ve come so far doesn¢t mean I can¢t have a trip-ending injury. Steech got off in Maine with an ulcer, and Postcard got off with a broken wrist. Traveling Fuzz is zeroing a few days in Andover with giardia. How awful.
Date: 2006-08-30
From: Piazza Rock Lean-to, ME

To: Orbeton Stream, ME
Miles today: 11.6

I feel so at peace with the trail. I know what climbs are ahead and that soon they will end. I've stopped fighting against daylight, terrain, and my aching body to get in extra miles. I don¢t plan on picking up the pace until things get flatter.It was a lovely clear day over Saddleback Mountain. With weather like this, I can¢t complain much. I dread a cold wet day, but the forecast looks good for the time being.My only concern over the next couple weeks, besides rain, is loneliness. I'm not with a crowd right now and I miss my Yahtzee buddies! I have a book being sent to me in Caratunk, so that should make me less lonely. Yes, Donkey and Hot Springs, you are being replaced with a book. But no worries, it's high-quality, not my normal sort of smut book.Good night,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-08-31
From: Orbeton Stream, ME

To: Crocker Cirque Campsite, ME
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: broken clouds

Back in Pennsylvania I used to play this "things I¢d rather be doing in places I¢d rather be doing them" game. Perhaps sunbathing at the lake over hiking in the rain in Pennsylvania. Anyhow, today was glorious and there aren¢t many things I would have preferred to do. It was on the cool side, but it was that crisp clear fall weather that I love. Perfect for hiking. The climbs felt good, so good in fact that I did an extra climb up sugarloaf because I didn¢t want to get to camp too early.   Hooray for short days! I even ran into some trail magic in the form of a snickers bar from a Colby orientation group. Woohoo!The end is in sight, even though it was just out of sight today. They say you can see Katahdin from Sugarloaf, but I think it was too far off and I didn¢t quite know what I was looking for. But I can feel it. I'm down to just a few pages in my guidebook and my last maildrops have been sent out. I have less than 200 miles to go!So cozy bundled up in my sleeping bag,ready to conquer a crossword puzzle,bedtime is getting earlier and earlier,Chardonnay!
Date: 2006-09-01
From: Crocker Cirque Campsite, ME

To: Horns Pond Lean-tos, ME
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: broken clouds

I just couldn¢t get enough of today! Maine really is the way life should be. I'm sure I'll eat those words after the rain that¢s forecasted for the weekend, but let me enjoy this while it lasts.I had a pretty easy hike up and down North and South Crocker Mountains and wound up at the road into Stratton Village in the early afternoon with only 5 miles left to go. The decision was easy - off to town I went! I'm so ridiculously tired of my trail food, but I can never come up with better alternatives to my granola bars, dried cranberries, and Lipton sides. At the diner I had steak tips, carrots, mashed potatoes, apple juice, and ice cream! Ohhhh what an amazing feeling to be full.I started the five-mile climb out of town at 4:00 and didn¢t get in until 7:30 because I stopped to take so many pictures. Maine is just gorgeous. I love the lakes and the rivers and the mountains and all the evergreens. I'm still waiting for my moose.I'm going to attempt an early start and a big(ish) day tomorrow while the weather holds so I wont have to push it in the rain too much. Maybe I¢ll get lucky tomorrow with weather and miles.Cheers,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-09-02
From: Horns Pond Lean-tos, ME

To: West Carry Pond Lean-to, ME
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Another spectacular day! I feel lucky to have been able to enjoy so many beautiful days in Maine. I managed to get up early enough and hike at a good pace to get in my 17 miles. Everyone is anticipating rain, so we're crammed like sardines into this shelter. Now the dilemma is that with another good-sized day I can make it to town a night early!Saving money vs. being clean and dry and full of food...hmmm... I may do another early day to make it into town. I¢ll have to zero there, however, because Monday is a holiday and I'm waiting on mail.Enough boring you with logistics, though they¢re a very real part of my hike. Today I went over the Bigelow Range (let me hear your Bigelow!). They¢re the last real mountains we go over until Katahdin! Amazing. I am so pleased with myself for exercising patience over this last section. It¢s really not one of my strong traits and I conquered it and had a most lovely time! This part of Maine is right up there with my top three sections on the trail. It¢s gorgeous, but with less people than the whites, even on a holiday weekend. I'm glad that I¢m still able to find joy in the trail, even with being so anxious to finish and get home.Also exciting is that I went past the 2,000 mile point today! Geez Louise. I remember thinking how tough I was back at 1,000 miles. I¢m a bit more mellow now, certainly more worn out. My knee was awful today, and the Advil didn¢t seem to be working.And finally, happiest birthday to my cousin Emily. Hopefully the knee figures itself out so we can play tennis before it gets too cold out.Cheers,ChardonnayP.S.: Speaking of chardonnay... Mulligan is at the shelter tonight and he said that the owner of "The Cabin," which is another hostel in Andover, heard I was coming and bought a bottle of chardonnay! How sweet. Maybe Leon and I will go back to Andover in the fall and celebrate with him.And one last addition, just because I¢m going to forget these things when I get home. All I hear as I go to bed are people snoring and loons calling out on the lake...quite the combination!
Date: 2006-09-03
From: West Carry Pond Lean-to, ME

To: Inn by the River, West Forks, ME
Miles today: 14.0

What a surprise. We knew it all along, but now I¢m sure that I¢m spoiled rotten. Leon drove up with his parents from southwest New Hampshire just to visit me... and to try and see a moose. After a great dinner I find myself at an inn with a jacuzzi bathtub in Nowhereville, ME. What a treat. I was certain that I wouldn¢t see anyone until I got home.Today was actually pretty nice. I didn¢t sleep well crammed in the shelter with everyone else trying to avoid the rain that didn't come until later this afternoon. It was a super easy section of trail around some lakes and I was clipping along at almost 3 miles an hour. Both knees are pretty bad, but I'll survive another couple weeks with plenty of ibuprofen, "Vitamin I" they call it out here. I had lunch at the Pierce Pond Lean-to and had a tough time leaving such a pretty spot. It was more of a lake than a pond, and there were loons out calling the full hour I was there.And finally, the second most exciting part of the day, crossing the Kennebec! Maine has lots of rivers to be forded, but he official route across the Kennebec is a red canoe (there¢s a blaze painted on it...official, I tell you!). I bet there are ultra-purist hikers who insist on fording the river, but there¢s a dam upriver that makes the river rise at random times and people have drowned fording it. Hence the ferry. This weekend they¢re actually running both the Kennebec and the Dead River for a river festival, so the water level was six feet higher than normal and fording it would be treacherous. Hobbit and Steve paddled and I enjoyed the ride, queen of the Kennebec.The rain has finally set in and I¢m thrilled to be inside.Cheers,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-09-04
From: Inn by the River, West Forks, ME

To: Rivers and Trails Hostel, Caratunk, ME
Miles today: 0.0

A zero alone today would have been awful, and I was grateful for the company. There isn¢t much in this area. After breakfast we headed towards Moosehead Lake via a logging road. Leon¢s mom was determined to see a moose and would even get out of the truck and look into the woods when she saw tracks. Unfortunately, the closest she got was a picture opportunity with a bunch of moose ¢horns.¢ It was nice to be chauffeured around and give my knees a break.The day ended all too soon and I find myself in the musty bunkhouse at this hostel. There are three 50-something year old section hikers hashing out their trips, hyping up mountains that really don¢t deserve the hype. It¢s like my night in Dahlonega, Georgia, the evening before starting from Springer with Lindsay. Everyone had their two cents for us and we just wanted earplugs to drown them out. I understand giving advice for towns coming up, etc, but the trail doesn¢t deserve to be glossed over and it¢s very misleading. One guy tells a southbounder that it will be easy once he hits Vermont. Such a lie! The southbounder complains about a 1,500-foot climb in the 100-mile wilderness that probably just hit him on a bad day. Every day is something new, and if I enter each day expecting some sort of challenge I will always be right. I finally know not to buy into thinking the trail will suddenly become easy or unreasonably difficult, and my single piece of advice for the whole trail is not to get worked up either way. It¢s such a mental hike.In go the earplugs.Good night, Chardonnay
Date: 2006-09-05
From: Rivers and Trails Hostel, Caratunk, ME

To: Moxie Bald Lean-to, ME
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Have I mentioned that I love Maine?! Every shelter seems to be on a lake and the loons are out again tonight, as well as a nearly-full moon. How eerie.I feel like some superathlete. I wasn¢t sure if my body could step it up and finish the trip with bigger miles since I¢d been moving so slowly lately, but as the terrain has gotten easier my pace has picked up. Aside from my knees, I'm not even sore, and I even had some good climbs today. You can¢t do 10 miles a day forever. I used to dread big days, as its just boring, but I loved today. Maine has so much to look at and I was invigorated by the challenge. It looks like I have a shot at making it home someday! Perhaps I should train for a marathon or something when I get home.Today I had my first solid views of Katahdin. It¢s crazy that I can actually see my final destination that has seemed impossibly far away this whole trip. No worries, its still far enough back on the horizon that I¢m reminded I still have time to get whatever I wanted to get out of this trip. What could that be, other than legs of steel? I'll think on that tomorrow.Good night,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-09-06
From: Moxie Bald Lean-to, ME

To: Shaw's Lodging, Monson, ME
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: broken clouds

My last trail town. My last chance to wear ridiculous cotton clothes (no description possible, I¢ll include a picture ASAP) and limp around town in my crocs. Can I really be in Monson? This is a perfect final hostel to stay at. I have the girl room; everything in purple, and the breakfast is reported to be fit for a thru-hiker. Plus, I get to watch "Sex and the City." Funny that it'll be on every day when I get home, but it¢s still special to me now, along with a shower and some fresh vegetables. Tomorrow I enter the 100-mile wilderness and my final 114.5 miles of the trail. I hear it¢s a bit overrated and there are plenty of logging roads. We¢ll see if it lives up to its name. It¢s the final leg of my trip, however, and I think I¢ll enjoy it no matter what.I apologize that you are about to get a full week of reflection, but a 5+ - month trip deserves nothing less. My mom sent her final mail drop to the hostel. The outside was covered with photos from my trip along with segments from my journal. Back to Springer, Harpers Ferry, entering New Hampshire...I sometimes forget how far I've come and how much sweat (literally) I've put into this. She even put pictures of the family on the ziploc with my toilet paper!I've done my rounds of all these trail towns. Next stop...Katahdin!Good night,ChardonnayP.S.: I miss all my friends ahead of me, everyone I know behind me. I'm in a bit of a lull, but know I'm capable of finishing this up on my own. I do feel everyone's thoughts and excitement around me. Shasta and I were even watching the same tennis match last week from different towns!
Date: 2006-09-07
From: Shaw's Lodging, Monson, ME

To: Thompson Brook, ME
Miles today: 9.2

I finally made it out of town this afternoon, tempting as it was to stay. My pack feels impossibly heavy entering the Wilderness. Most people decided they could make it another 100 miles without certain heavy items (tent, water fileter, etc) and sent stuff home, but I've managed to acquire extra luxury items. After all, it's only another 100 miles, right?! My legs were regretting every extra chocolate bar, piece of clothing, and reading material I brought along. It all adds up. Yukon was teasing, saying how "ultralite" my cooking things are. Sure I can cook for light, but everything else is pulling me to the ground.Enough on weight- it just happens to be the biggest thing on my mind right now. I highly recommend a stay at Shaw's. Everything was really geared towards hikers, and the breakfast was huge! You order by a number. I was ambitious and went for 3's, so I had three french toasts, three eggs, three bacon slices, three sausages, and heaps of hash brown. Mmmmmmm... a big job for all you normal eaters, but not for this hiker!I think the rest of the crew is summitting Katahdin today, or preparing to do it tomorrow. Congrats to them. How utterly strange to think that they're done and I'm still out doing my routine. No matter how emotional I should be this whole time, I still have 100 miles left to go. My job is to hike, at least for another week, and I'm not done until I touch that sign and make it down safely. Donkey is concerned that I may get struck by lightning when I summit because I've planned up to that point in my life but no further. So my plan is to go apple-picking on Saturday, tap class Sunday, and do some serious lounging the next week after. Busy girl.Good night,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-09-08
From: Thompson Brook, ME

To: West Chairback Pond, ME
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: few clouds

Today wasn't very remarkable. The terrain was harder than I expected and I made it just shy of the shelter I'd planned on going to. I had already taken a good faceplant (no joke, spitting out pine needles) and didn't feel like taking another in the dark trying to reach the shelter. No worries, as the pond is beautiful and two female cousins that I met back in Andover are camping here as well.I guess what is exciting is that I have less than 100 miles to go! 90.2, to be exact. It's good to be in the double-digits.It was pretty warm today, which was a welcomed changed from the cold we've had since August. It's much more fun to ford a river when it's warm out. One ford today was so deep it got my shorts wet!I'm zonked.Good night,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-09-09
From: West Chairback Pond, ME

To: Sidney Tappan Campsite, ME
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: moderate rain

By most accounts, it should not have been a good day. I got even further behind mile-wise towards my goal date to summit, and I got poured on. I'mcold and damp now. If I can't get in 17 miles tomorrow, I need to push back my summit date.It's not worth pushing myself every day when I could be enjoying the end of my trip.So the reason I'm not grumpy is that I found some Canadians! They're in the Air Force or something and their packs weigh aboot 60 lbs and they have ridiculous amounts of clothes and speakers for an mp3 player! I told them they were crazy for carrying so much, but they pointed out that 5 1/2 months of this makes me more crazy. Touche. Though I haven't been with other thru-hikers any night in the Wilderness, I've enjoyed my time with other hikers, tonight to the tunes of Leonard Skynard!I haven't been rained on in so long! It was a cold downpour, but I didn't mind. It woke me up a bit, and it was a good excuse to end the day early. I didn't want to go over mountains at the end of the day in the rain. The plan is to get up super early to ensure I get in my 17 miles, but we'll see how that goes. It's tough packing up wet gear on a cold morning.I'm usually yawning as I start hiking each morning, and almost every day the refrain from a Frost poem goes through my head. "And miles to go before I sleep..." One day soon I'll wake up and give my legs a break.Cheers,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-09-10
From: Sidney Tappan Campsite, ME

To: Jo-Mary Rd/Cooper Brook, ME
Miles today: 20.8

BAM! Not only did I get in my 17 miles, but I did a few extra, all before 6 pm! Who knew these tired legs had it in them? It helps that I got a really early start, 6:45 am, even on a wet cooooooold morning. But the day became gorgeous, especially as I descended into the valley. I even had an amazing view of Katahdin that looked like I could just reach out and touch it. Sorry no photos, I was too concerned about my fingers freezing off!But there's always a dilema, no? I've heard it's supposed to RAIN on Thursday, the day I'd like to summit! If I slow down and stay at a hostel tomorrow night I'll finish Friday the 15th, perhaps with better weather. But it could just as well be nice on Thursday. I hate these decisions. I'm going to head to the hostel to get a cheeseburger, a weather update, and a shower at the hostel, just in case I have to wait a day for Katahdin. How frustrating to hike so hard (and wake up early, no less) to have to wait a day to summit.Blah blah blah... I know logisitics are awful to listen to. But soon when I'm job-searching I'll wish I was only concerned about miles and dates. The simplicity of my life out here is going to make the transition at home so much tougher. Everything I need fits into a special spot in my pack. I can never have dirty dishes piled up because all I have is one pot (which is also my mug, my bowl, my plate) and a spoon. I don't have to match my clothes or pick out an outfit each day, just switch socks when the pair I've been wearing gets too crunchy. Then again, plenty of things are more difficult out here. I'm at the mercy of the post office's hours, and I have to rely on strangers to drive me around. Dishes and matching clothes included, I'm still excited to go home. When it gets dark out, I'll just flick on the lights! Imagine that...Cheers,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-09-11
From: Jo-Mary Rd/Cooper Brook, ME

To: Wadleigh Stream Lean-To, ME
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: few clouds

Lindsay will appreciate this more than most: I ripped out the very last page of our guidebook today! We started just carrying along the pages we would need for the upcoming section instead of carrying the whole book (which I don't recommend- just carry the book, you can make notes and it's a great souvenir). At some point in New England I decided the book had gotten light enough to carry the whole thing. And now it's gone! Wow. 38.2 miles to go.I'm so tired from today. I hiked an extra 2 miles for a cheeseburger and some Ben & Jerry's! I was going to spend the night at the hostel on the lake, chill out and finish a couple days later than planned... as I told this plan to Leon on the phone I could hear him get all squirmy and knew something was up. Apparently my father is hiking south tomorrow to meet me and will finish up with me! Crazy. So Leon ruined what would have been a very surprising surprise, but his intentions were good so we'll give him a break. More on all that tomorrow, assuming we actually meet up. Maybe he'll pass me by while I'm peeing out in the woods and he'll continue on to Georgia!My fingers are going to freeze off if I keep typing.Cheers,Chardonnay
Date: 2006-09-12
From: Wadleigh Stream Lean-To, ME

To: Hurd Brook Lean-To, ME
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

It worked! My father ran into me a few miles before the shelter. There was no surprise factor, but me knowing in advance gave me added motivation to continue on today. He's taken a whole week off from work (wow!) and will wait around with me until we get good weather to summit Katahdin. It's great to have company, especially if I'll have to wait for weather. I didn't want to ask anyone to take time off and drive all the way up here, but I guess I was envious of people who had family visiting. Thanks to everyone who made this work out.I had a rough day hiking today. I was aching all over, was exhausted, and felt a bit dizzy. Have I caught something, or have too many big days caught up with me? I didn't sleep well last night either, as my muscles kept cramping up on me. I'd hike three or four miles, then let myself lie down in the sun for 15 minutes, over and over again until the day was done. There was lots of talking to myself today. "Let's go, Chardonnay!"I don't know when it will hit me that these are my last couple days on the trail. I'm still doing my normal routine, still have miles to hike before it's over (only 18.6! insane). Maybe it will atke a week of waking up in my own bed before it sinks in. I used to dream of these days when I firsted started down South, even before I started the hike at all. But I feel pretty normal.I'm so tired.Cheers,Chardonnay