morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-08-16
From:  US 201

To: Bald Mtn. Brook lean-to
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: light rain

Pressure D and I were the only ones at the hostel last night. We went to Northern Outdoors and had a nice dinner. This morning we got up and Steve took us to the post office in caratunk so Pressure could mail a couple of items home. We were on the trail about 7:50 a.m. The first part of the hike today was fairly easy, with a gradual uphill and a good footpath. The hard climb of the day was over Pleasant Pond Mtn. Coming down the mountain we saw Starfish, a thruhiker who hiked north to the 501 shelter in PA, then went north and flip flopped.   After Pleasant Pond Mtn. there was a long downhill to Moxie Pond followed by a gradual uphill to the shelter. Just after we got in it started to rain. It quickly stopped and cleared a bit. At the shelter we saw Walking Cowboy, whom I have hiked with several times, the last being north of Duncannon, PA. I am sleeping in the shelter tonight due to the threat of rain.
Date: 2007-08-17
From: Bald Mtn. Brook lean-to

To: Pleasant Rd., 19 mi.
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

Late last night Triple A came in the shelter. Just after he got in the skies opened up for about an hour. He had just done 29 miles, including fording the Kennebecd. We were glad to be in the shelter. It was the first time I had seen Triple A since the halfway mark when we did the half gallon challenge together. In the morning Pressure D and I left about 7. Walking Cowboy had left a little before. The three of us walked more or less together all day. Triple A decided to read a bit before leaving. At the first shelter we all decided to try to make it all the way to Monson. The hard climb of the day came first thing over Moxie Bald. It was a bit slippery after the rain. The rest of the day was fairly easy. We had to ford two streams, but both were pretty easy to cross without taking off our boots. At the last shelter before Monson Triple A made falafel for all of us. It was yummy. Triple A is a Mormon from Utah who just completed his mission before starting his thru-hike. What a nice, intelligent, considerate young man.   We got to the trailhead south of Monson about 5:30. However we had to hike almost two miles more to get into town because there was no traffic. We got into Shaws, dropped our packs and got a quick shower before going to the pub for dinner. We had excellent pizza and some beer. We saw Triple A there again. He is going to camp at the pub and then meet his sister tomorrow. She is in for a shock, because the last time she saw him he looked like a typical clean cut Morman.   Now he sort of resembles Grizzly Adams. Walking Cowboy, Pressure D and I are sharing the bunk room with two section hikers. Once again we are getting rain showers in the evening while we are snug in the hostel.
Date: 2007-08-18
From: Pleasant Rd., 19 mi.

To: Wilson Valley lean to
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: light rain

I got up, finished my chores and partook of Shaw's wonderful all you can eat breakfast. I ate quite a bit, but Triple A had a breathtaking amount of breakfast. By 10:30, Pressure D, Walking Cowboy and I were ready to go. The folks at Shaws shuttled us to the trailhead and we were hiking by 10:50. Our first day in the hundred mile wilderness was one of moderate ups and downs. Near the end of the day we had to ford Big Wilson Stream. Cowboy and I took our boots off and forded in our camp shoes. Pressure decided to try to hop across the rocks but he fell in.   The only thing he got seriously wet was his shoes and socks. He built a fire tonight to dry them off a bit. The weather today was very changable. Several times the sky changed from completely overcast with rain to blue skies with almost no clouds, all within a span of about five minutes.We are joined in the shelter tonight by Revdr Dan. He's a Baptist minister from Hampton, VA who is completing a 9 year series of section hikes.I got some sad news today. Long Hunter, the Army colonal section hiker that I met last year, has passed away. I met him while preparing for my thru-hike. I mentioned him in the prepration entries of this journal. He had cancer and did section hikes while recuperating from chemotherapy treatments. Today's hike is dedicated to his memory. Farewell, friend. As he said in his trail journals, Resolute!
Date: 2007-08-19
From: Wilson Valley lean to

To: Chairback Gap lean-to
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

It was cool last night, but not bitter cold, probably getting down to 45. Pressure D, Walking Cowboy and I broke camp and left shortly after 7 a.m. This was a deceptively hard day. Looking at the map, it didn't look so hard, with just one significant climb up to Barren Mtn. However, the footpath was very rocky with many short ups and downs. Probably the hardest parts were two descents, down from Barren Mtn. and Fourth Mtn. It was just very difficult to make good time. It took us a total of eleven hours to do a bit over fifteen miles. By the end of the day we were all pretty bushed. There are several others in the shelter tonight, so Cowboy and I are tenting while Pressure is in the shelter. It promises to get pretty chilly toinght.
Date: 2007-08-20
From: Chairback Gap lean-to

To: Sidney Tappan campsite
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: broken clouds

Both Pressure and Cowboy beat the Early Bird out this morning. I was moving slow after the tough day yesterday. I got up quickly when I heard a brazen chipmunk attacking my food bag. They are really aggressive here. Today was much easier than yesterday. There were fewer hills and the footpath was much more accomodating. We had to cross the west branch of the Pleasant River, but we did it by hopping over the rocks rather than fording. We decided to stop at the Tappan campsite about 3:30 and make it a short day. About 5:30 Revdr Dan showed up unexpectedly and camped with us. We didn't think he would catch up to us. So far the hundred mile wilderness doesn't seem so isolated. There are lots of section hikers going both north and south. It is finally starting to sink in to Cowboy and me that our adventure is almost over. We're both starting to get excited about summiting Katahdin.
Date: 2007-08-21
From: Sidney Tappan campsite

To: Cooper Brook Falls lean-to
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

It was chilly this morning, but not as cold as forecast. We guessed it was in the high 30s. Everything was covered in a heavy dew. The hard climbs were in the first part of the day, over West Peak, Hay Mtn. and White Cap Mtn. I was surprised to get cell service near the top of White Cap and called Judy. We got to East Branch lean-to by 1:30 and decided to push on to Cooper Brook Falls, getting there about 5:45. This was longer than we planned to go, but we thought we should take advantage of the excellent weather. This will allow us to do shorter days later in the week if the weather turns rainy.We saw a surprising number of section hikers today. I think that the name "Hundred Mile Wilderness" for this section has become a misnomer. It is true that there are no paved roads in the section, but there are several decent gravel roads. You can even get meals, stay the night and resupply at White House Landing. A better name for the section might be The Hundred Mile Section with Limited Resupply. Doesn't have much of a ring to it, however. Here at the shelter is Triple A and his sister, who is hiking with him for a few days.
Date: 2007-08-22
From: Cooper Brook Falls lean-to

To: Mahar Tote Rd.
Miles today: 18.1

Pressure D was eager to get started this morning. I told him that he had White House Fever. Not the kind that the Presidential candidates have. He was eager to get to White House Landing, a lodge that serves hikers. We were underway by 6:45 a.m.We made outstanding time for the first five miles, because the trail was mostly flat and the footpath smooth. The rest of the hiking day was a little slower, but we hit the turn off for WHL before 2 p.m. A little before the turn-off we got an outstanding view of the big K. It is so much larger and higher than anything else in the vicinity.WHL is located about 60 miles into the alleged Hundred Mile Wilderness. To get there you hike about a mile off the trail to a dock, then sound an airhorn. They pick you up in a boat. It is a beautiful spot on Pemadumcock Lake. When not serving hikers it also caters to hunters and special events like weddings. There is a dining lodge where they serve enormous meals, a bunkhouse and a few smaller private cabins. Our choices for dinner included half pound or one pound burgers and pizza. I got pizza. Triple A, Cowboy and Pressure had the pound burger. As we were digging in, the horn sounded and the boat brought in Revdr Dan. Dan had camped last night a couple miles behind us and did a big day to make it here. Also with us tonight is Fred from Roanoke, VA. He is completing a hike of the AT through a series of section hikes over several years. He is active in the Roanoke AT Club. After dinner Pressure and Triple A took canoes out to look for moose. The rest of us were too tired and full to move. Tomorrow we start the final push.
Date: 2007-08-23
From: Mahar Tote Rd.

To: Rainbow Stream lean-to
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Breakfast was not served until 8 a.m., but it was well worth it. It included scrambled eggs, bacon, english muffins and AYCE blueberry pancakes. Once again Triple A lapped the field with his eating ability. He is slackpacking the 30 miles to Abol Bridge today, then meeting his sister and they will summit Katahdin on Saturday. We were dropped off a little after 9 a.m. and hiked the mile back to the AT. The trail was not too hilly today, but the footpath was not as favorable as yesterday. We got to the shelter about 5:45.We are in the shelter with Camo, doing a section hike. He did the whole trail in 2002. Also with us is a section hiker from Dayton, OH and Ron, a southbounder from State College, PA who thru-hiked northbound in 2000 using the trailname Bulldog. Because of the forecast of showers overnight, the shelter is full. With only 30 miles to go, it is starting to sink in to Walking Cowboy and me that this odyssey is coming to an end.
Date: 2007-08-24
From: Rainbow Stream lean-to

To: Abol Pines Camping Area
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It rained lightly for much of the night. We were glad to be in the lean-to. By the time we left around 7, it had stopped. The hike was relatively easy, with some rocks and roots made slippery by the rain. It rained off and on as we walked, but never very hard. We made surprisingly good time, doing the fiften miles in seven and a half hours, including breaks. We rolled into the campground store and gorged on burgers, chips and soda. We are spending the night in a lean-to right on the Penobscot River at the primitive camping across from the campground and store.Today I fulfilled a wish I've had throughout northern New England - I saw a moose!! Two of them in fact, a mother and an adolescent calf. We came upon them in the rain and murk, which I think masked our noise and scent. They were around us for a few minutes, but I couldn't get my camera out in time to get a picture of them.
Date: 2007-08-25
From: Abol Pines Camping Area

To: The Birches campsite
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke up to a beautiful morning on the banks of the Penobscot with fog rolling off the river. We got to the campstore when it opened at 7 and had coffee and breakfast sandwiches. It was a pretty easy day, gradually uphill with some rocky and rooty patches. We first hiked past the Penobscot River, then the Nesowadnehunk Stream. Both had beautiful stretches of waterfalls. The rivers and streams here are perfectly clear and pristine with mostly gravel bottoms. Later we passed Elbow Pond, Tracy Pond and Daicey Pond befire we got to the ranger station. Thru-hikers are supposed to register with the ranger to be included in the official records. I registered as thruhiker number 111 of 2007. Walking Cowboy, Pressure D and I are going to start up first thing tomorrow morning. Fred, the section hiker from Roanoke that we saw at White House Landing, is here and planning the summit tomorrow. Revdr Dan just left after hiking here. He summited earlier, so his multi-year thru-hike is finished. We saw Triple A just after he had finished. He said it was great. The hardest part was the hike downhill after the exhultation of finishing was over. Cowboy and I took a look at the register at the ranger station. A surprising number of the hikers who passed us earlier appear not to have finished.
Date: 2006-12-17
To: Live the Dream 
Miles today: 0.0

When I was about 14, I was visiting a friend during the summer in Westchester, NY. My buddy, a savy, outdoor oriented scout, hatched this idea for both of us to take a 3 day backpacking trip. At the time I had done some camping but no backpacking that I can recall. He picked an area near Bear Mtn., NY which he explained was on a trail, called the Appalachian Trail. I hadn't a clue what that was, but over the course of our planning for this trip, found out a bit more about what the Appalachian trail was. His parents dropped us off at the trail head one day, and up the trail we went. We experienced a brief time on the trail, and what it had to offer, the good and the bad. The good stuff is what I remember most (actually the bad stuff, rain, heat, blisters, etc. were fun too...for a 14 yr. old). I found out what the Appalachian Trail was during that trip but the idea of hiking the entire trail in one shot did not fully sink in until later. After moving on in life and completing college, getting married, starting a family and career, I had one day opened the Sunday paper and came across the first of a series of articles that would appear in each Sunday issue for the remainder of the summer. Reporters for newspapers all along the trail, would hike a section near their home location, and each reporter would file his story in the next Sunday paper. I was hooked on these articles which lasted all Summer, and could not wait to get my hands on each Sunday edition. This definitely struck a chord with me, and really got me dreaming about hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. Unfortunately I could only dream about it, at this stage in life, oh but dream I did!About nine years back a certain book came out which poked a little fun and humor at this idea of thru hiking the Appalachian Trail. Well I read it, and got a laugh, but more importantly it really brought that dream to the surface again. It seemed all I could think of at the time, was thru hiking the AT. At this same time I also found the Trailjournals web site and other useful sites dealing with information about the trail and how to prepare for a thru hike. That's when the dream slowly started becoming a reality. I started thinking about how I could make this happen, and went into "long range planning mode". I eventually came up with a date - 2007. At the time, that sounded good to me. I thought, maybe I could retire by then and still be in fairly good shape to follow this dream. Well, I'm not quite ready to retire, but I have decided to pursue this dream in 2007, as I had envisioned.So as another thru hiker called Footslogger once said to me, "Live the Dream". And so I shall.
Date: 2006-12-18
To: Decisions
Miles today: 0.0

I had been mulling over the pros/ cons of taking this thru hike in 2007 as opposed to waiting for a later date, possibly 2010, when I will most likely retire. Some days I had doubts about my current decision to go in 2007. The nagging thoughts about plans not yet completed, putting my younger son through 2 more years of college, retirement plan issues etc. etc. On other days however I felt so strongly it was the right thing to do. I picked 2007 as a potential date, a while back when I first seriously considered a thru hike. Somehow I feel there was a reason for that. Maybe I'll receive some insight about that, on the trail. My one consideration for finalizing a 2007 date was to be sure that by doing this now, there would be no negative impacts (financial, emotional, etc.) to anyone close to me. After much thought, planning, and discussions, I am confident now that all will be fine. I'll be heading up the Approach Trail to Springer this April 2007. If I don't do it now, I don't think family, friends, and co-workers will be able to stand me talking about this for 3 more years :-)
Date: 2006-12-20
To: Gear and Attitude
Miles today: 0.0

As I understand it gear and attitude are two major players which factor into completing a successful thru hike. Thru hikers are constantly striking a balance of taking whatever gear will be necessary to safely get them to Katahdin, yet allow them to hike the kind of hike they wish to hike. Some pack in the luxury items and deal with the extra weight because that adds value to their hike - so be it. Others will pare down to only the essentials, allowing them to move lightly and quickly. I make no judgements for any one philosophy. I guess I probably fall in between these 2 ends of the spectrum. I have accumulated the key pieces of gear over the years, and have inventoried / weighed it all. At this point I'm satisfied with most of it and will not spend too much time analyzing ounces in this journal. I still need to decide on a few items which I can improve on, but for the most part the gear situation looks OK.What really interests me, and what I will place a greater priority on during my planning and thru hike, is ATITUDE. I think for me anyway, this will be a critical success factor towards the completion of my hike. I can't tell you how many times I have rolled my imagination forward, hiking each mile of this hike in my mind, wondering how I will feel at each step of the way. Obviously I won't know until I get out there and experience it. But no matter what my expectations are at this point, I plan to follow some basic rules:Never lose the focus of enjoying the experience of each day. Strive to be "in the moment", and be in tune with the beauty and the grandeur of the natural world, God's wonderful work of creation. Never forget to search for and find some joy in hiking each day, even on those days where discomfort, frustration, and anxiety about "making miles", becomes hard to bear. Hopeful (a 2003 thru hiker) had a wonderful attitude which he maintained even in the midst of the physical pain he was experiencing. We all have a choice as to how we ultimately experience life. I will make it a priority on my hike to make the right choices each day to maintain a frame of mind that will get me to Katahdin.
Date: 2007-01-01
To: Daily Bread
Miles today: 0.0

Usually when Christmas arrives each year, I have a hard time providing friends and family with ideas for gifts. I just never seem to need much of anything and would rather just spend time with everyone and keep it simple. I've reached a point where I just want to cut back and thin out the "stuff" that clutters my life and focus on more of what really matters. I guess that is one of the reasons this hike appeals to me so much. Walking 2160 miles carrying on your back, everything you could possibly need to survive, is the essence of simplifying.But getting back to Christmas gifts.... this year I was excited that without hesitation, I was able to tell everyone what I would like. Well I bet you never saw a person so happy about opening gift bags full of Mountain House freeze dried meals and gift certificates to EMS. So I have gotten a small jump on the food re-supply issue. This is a part of the planning that is a little tricky for me. I am aware how important it is to maintain good nutrition while hiking for six months. Along with maintaining a good attitude, this is for me, the second most important success factor in reaching !Katahdin . It seems like there are differing strategies for resupply. Some would rather purchase the bulk, if not all of their food along the trail. Others would rather prepare food drops ahead of time, at home, and have these food packages mailed to them as they move up the trail. I think I will rely on both of these strategies. By preparing food drops, I'm hoping to put together the most nutritious and calorie dense light weight food I can find. I will supplement the drops with fresh food (vegetables, fruit, etc.) purchased along the way. I'm getting a little nervous about getting this all planned. With the first day of the new year here (Happy New Year everyone!), the clock will be ticking, and the first day of this exciting journey will be here faster than I anticipate. If anyone has some tips on the subject of food resupply, I'd really like to hear your ideas.Once again, Happy New Year and good luck to the class of 2007 getting an early start and hitting the trail this month (a hardy bunch indeed).
Date: 2007-01-11
To: It's In The Stars
Miles today: 0.0

The other day a neighbor gave me a birthday card. In it was enclosed a clipping from the Jan. 8 copy of the newspaper (the day of my birthday). It was the daily horoscope. Now I rarely read the horoscope and certainly don't take it seriously, but I must say, this one really caught my eye and made me smile. This is what it said:"Capricorn (Dec.22 - Jan. 19): Prioritize. The few minutes set aside to put tasks on a list and number them from 1 to 10 might be time well spent." Hmmm...could this mean:1. Finalize gear selections.2. Select a start date.3. Finalize transportation to the trail4. Decide on mail drops or no mail drops.... and on and on it goes..."Take time in finding intelligent or rationale solutions..."Well maybe..... should I take my Kelty Red Cloud pack (6+ pounds) or buy that Osprey Atmos 65 pack (3 lbs. 13 oz) on sale at EMS ??? It continued:"IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: In January and February your energy levels are high, so much can be accomplished on the physical plane...."Gee... I was wondering why my legs were feeling so good after all the daily stairmaster and treadmill workouts !"It may be a good time to join a health spa or get the bicycle out of storage..."...or hike the complete 2160+ miles of the Appalachian Trail!"Maintain a low profile in June when your instincts and business sense are somewhat off center..."No problem...in June I hope to be hiking along the trail somewhere in VA, in peace and solitude. Sounds like a low profile to me."April, July, and October are the best months to put important plans or projects into motion..."Well, I don't know about July or October, but APRIL will be the month that I put a really BIG plan in MOTION!!.....I think I'll be reading more of the daily horoscope :-)