morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-09-23
From: Moxie Bald Lean To

To: Monson ME./ Shaws lodging
Miles today: 18.0

We got up at 6 AM and left camp at 6:45 AM. The trail itself was not bad compared to what we had been hiking on. It had a lot of roots and because we hiked along a river there were many ups and downs but of the smaller variety. We had read in the guide book that there were two rivers to ford and previous hikers said they did not think they could be rock hopped. We were hiking at a good pace and the miles started to really fly by. We hiked with a hiker named Smail (who is a very fast hiker). We got about 5 miles into the hike and there was a bog we could not get around. We had to take off our boots and put on our crocks, pull our pants up and wade in. It was cold and muddy and the water was thigh high. Later we would learn that this bog had just been created by beavers. When we got to the other side we needed to clean our feet and put or socks and boots back on. Our feet were red from the cold water.Shortly after this experience we got to Marble Brook. It also was to be forded but I saw some boulders leading to the other side. I ventured out on to these boulders with the idea of just rock hopping across. When I got the last boulder, however, I said to Carol that this last boulder was a long way away. I hesitated, threw my hiking poles to the shore and jumped toward the boulder. Unfortunately the boulder was saying "no you don't". I got to the boulder and fell back into two feet of water, but was partially saved by my pack against the boulder I had lept from. I them proceeded to walk in the water in my boots, and my dignity in tatters. Carol followed by just walking in the water from where I fell. She later took her boots off and rang her socks out. My boots are so warn out, and have holes in them that the water just leaked out.We proceeded down the river for a few miles to another area that was marked for us to ford. When we got to the Piscataguis River, however, there was what we thought was a beaver dam to cross. We crossed it without taking our wet boots off. In inspecting the dam it was obvious it was not a beaver dam but a man made dam of sticks etc.We had one 500 foot climb and called the hostel and asked if they would pick us up at the road. They agreed and we hustled the last mile and a half down to ME 15. Snail just arrived at the road when we got there and the van was along 10 minutes later.We showered, did our laundry and went for some beer and dinner. The restaurant was absoutely full of hikers we knew.The Canadian Geese(Never quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-09-24
From: Monson ME.

To: Monson ME./Shaws lodging
Miles today: 0.0

Monson is the last trail town on the A.T. I consists of only about 4 or 5 commercial buildings. I will be getting a shuttle into a larger community for new boots and a few other supplies today.I went down to the municipal office and they very nicely let me use the computer because the library is closed.There are 114 miles left to our hike. Tomorrow we enter Maine's 100 mile wilderrness and when we emerge we will be a few miles from Kathadin. I will not be making an entry into the journal until we are finished because I will not have access to a computer. Once we finish we will make our way back to Hanover NH where my daughter Andrea lives and I will complete the journal.The Canadian Geese(Never quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-09-25
From: Monson ME./Shaws lodging

To: Long Pond Stream Lean To
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: light rain

We got a shuttle to the trail at 8 AM. As we entered the woods there was a sign warning that we were entering the 100 mile wilderness and that we needed 10 days of food. We had only 5 and an emergency meal. We knew there was a wilderness camp at 65 miles and we planned on a minimal resupply at this location. The wilderness had a lot of rocks and roots and it seemed slow going. We had to ford 4 streams as Maine generally does not build bridges for the hikers. We removed our boots and wore our crocs into the streams. One was a muddy mess thigh high created by water backing up due to beavers. Some of the steams we could rock hop but Carol slipped and got her foot wet. I was feeling quite smug as I headed across the same rocks -- then suddenly I slipped and got both feet wet. Great start to the 100 mile wilderness. The rivers we forded today had a rope across to assist in the fording but it is problematic as to how much help these ropes were as we both got wet.There were several section hikers in camp that we had met previously and we were glad to see them again. Trog came into camp after dark. Trog we have known since Virgina. He is a 70 year old man. His back has been bothering him and it has really been slowing him down. The Canadian Geese (Never quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-09-26
From: Long Pond Stream Lean To

To: Chairback Gap Lean To
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today we entered the Barren Mountains. These are small but difficult mountains. They are around 2600 feet high. There are 4 peaks. Our legs were tired and we felt out of steam. It took us 10 hours to hike the 11.9 miles.We hiked most of the day with Trog. His back was still bothering him. I gave him some information on dosing maximums with Ibprophen but it does not seem to be helping much. Carol and I hope he can continue as this 70 year old man is quite inspiring to us.After looking at tomorrows hike we decided to break it into two days. Carol was unhappy with this but she finally understood that we could not hike the approximately 20 miles in one day.The Canadian Geese(Never Quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-09-27
From: Chairback Gap Lean To

To: Carl Newhall Lean To
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: overcast clouds

We started out early because we had heard the hike down Chairback Mt. was difficult. Suddenly we saw it. It looked like a drop off the earth. Straight down a long rock scramble. We slowly picked our way down. We are always aware that one stumble could end our hike. It would be a painful end also.Trog hiked with us today and I was starting to feel responsible for him as I did not want to leave someone in pain alone in the 100 mile wilderness. He said he called the hostel in Monson to come and get him at a logging road. He was going to rest his back and then try to continue later. Just as we left him we saw some trail magic of sodas and beer down the trail. I walked back with a beer and gave it to Trog.In a half mile we reached the Pleasant river and had to remove our boots and ford the stream. It was about 150 feet wide and 18 inches deep, but very cold.We got to camp early and Carol made a fire and we had a cup of tea. We normally don't have coffee or tea because we don't usually make fires, and we only carry enough fuel for one hot meal a day.Tomorrows forecast is for rain (50% chance). Oh well we are 78.6 miles from the prize.The Canadian Geese(Never Quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-09-28
From: Carl Newhall Lean To

To: East Branch Lean To
Miles today: 10.8

It rained all night leaving the trail wet and the shrubs and trees soaking. As we passed them we also got wet. Today we are set to climb the last big mountain before Mt. Kathadin. We started by climbing Gulf Hagas Mt. at 2682. This was immediately followed by West Peak at 3178 feet, Hay Mt. at 3245 feet, and finally White Cap Mt. at over 3800 feet. This is just above the tree line at this latitude.Just as we were approaching the top we could see the stunted trees blowing wildly. We stopped and put on our rain gear and gloves. As we stepped up and out from behind the trees we were greeted with 50 mile per hour winds and even greater gusts. Our glasses fogged up immediately. We had to remove them and put them in our pocket. Carol was blown over twice. At the top of White Cap Mt. there is suppose to be a great view of Kathadin. Not today. The winds were blowing from the north directly from Katahdin with nothing to block it. The top of White Cap Mt. is rocky with no trees. We slowly started down the other side. It was good to get off the summit. The trail down off White Cap was great as there were rock steps at the difficult places.The Canadian Geese(Never Quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-09-29
From: East Branch Lean To

To: Potaywadjo Spring Lean To
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: overcast clouds

This was the best trail we have encountered in the 100 mile wilderness. The temperature was in the 70s and it was humid. The weather was calling for heavy rain the next few days. This rain was to start tomorrow.We hiked up a small mountain called Boardman Mt. and crossed the East Branch of the Pleasant river. We successfully rock hopped this one with the use of a rope strung across the river. The rope helped with balance. We crossed many streams today without getting our feet wet.One of my hiking poles broke today as I pressed down on it to save myself from falling. Carol gave me one of hers and she used a stick and one pole to make her way down the trail. She primarily uses the poles for balance, while I need them to step up and down the big rocks. We are a few miles from White House Landing where we planned to resupply. Hopefully we will get there before the rain.The Canadian Geese(Never Quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-09-30
From: Potaywadjo Spring Lean To

To: White House Landing
Miles today: 2.4

The temperature was still warm and the trail was not bad. We miss counted the roads as we hiked and temporarily got lost as we looked for the trail to White House Landing. Finally we figured it out and found the side trail and hiked the 1.2 miles to a lake. There we blew an air horn and the owner came to pick us up in a boat.Several other hikers were there and they were going to hike on despite the weather report. We chose to take 2 days off as the remnants of the hurricane passed by. We showered and went to the main house for a one pound burger. We had a cabin all to ourselves and once the propane lights were lit it was quite warm inside. There was no laundry but Carol washed our socks and some underwear and they dried fine.Carol played solitare most of the day and I went through a trivial pursuit box asking Carol questions occasionally.We now have only 45.9 miles to go but the rain is going to make it very difficult as the trail will be a sea of mud.The Canadian Geese(Never Quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-10-01
From: White House Landing

To: White House Landing
Miles today: 0.0

We were feeling quite depressed as band after band of rain swept across the lake. The weather report was calling for 4 to 6 inches of rain. We continued with the card games and trivial pursuit and then heard the air horn blow meaning other hikers were arriving. Carol looked down at the dock and saw some friends we had not seen for several months. It was Cody and Stick walker with Wonder Dog Belle. The dog has hiked the entire trail except for the Smokies where she was kenneled. At dinner time we all sat together and had a great time catching up on what was happening on the trail. We decided to hike with them for the remainder of the trail and finish together.The rain is suppose to stop tonight with perhaps showers in the AM. The temperatures are then suppose to drop and be much colder.The Canadian Geese(Never Quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-10-02
From: White House Landing

To: Polywog Stream - Stealth Camping
Miles today: 13.4

We had breakfast at White House. We got a late start and had to walk the 1.2 miles back to the A.T. to start our hike for the day.The trail was soaking wet and there were huge puddles to bushwack around. We were suppose to not have to ford any streams from White House Landing to Kathadin but the rain changed all that. All the streams were swollen and rushing. Some of the streams were very precarious as we had to butt shuffle across trees to get across one and Carol slipped on a log on another and fell in to her waist. Even the dog fell off a log and into the rushing stream. Carol had to stop 4 times to wring her socks out as they were wicking the moisture from her boots.We realized we would not get to the shelter and so we decided to stealth camp by a river. It was called Polywog Stream. This was a misnomer as it was a raging river that kept Carol awake for a good portion of the night. It was getting dark when we arrived. We got water cooked and went to bed. We gave Stickwalker our food to take into his tent, as Belle would keep the animals away from it.The Canadian Geese(Never Quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-10-03
From: Polywog Stream - Stealth Camping

To: Hurd Brook Lean To
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: overcast clouds

To day we walked much of the day along Rainbow Stream and Rainbow Lake. The steams were all over their banks and we had to always figure a way across. Just before the shelter there was a very difficult stream crossing were we tight roped walked across a log to an island and then with a long stretch rock hopped to safety. Cody got one foot wet.We were all tired today and tried to eat more because we can get food just outside the Baxter State Park at Abol bridge tomorrow. We now have only 18.6 miles to go and we are feeling confident about success. The only thing holding me back is knee pain. I again fell and hyper flexed my prosthetic knee. The pain from this is always intense and it leaves my leg weak and sore for a few days. I hope it does not affect my trip up Kathadin.Carol is hiking very well. She is like a horse going back to the barn. She wants this over and wants to be out of the cold. It has been in the high 30 degree range at night and packing up in the AM is tough in this cold weather.Hiking the A.T. is suppose to be a life changing event through personal growth and introspection. I can't really see this in myself but I sure can in Carol. She started out the hike being afraid of crossing a stream on a 8 inch wide board when the board was 6 feet long and the stream was 18 inches deep. Eventually she was free climbing 35 to 50 foot high rock walls at Webster cliffs and other places. If she had fallen she would have been seriously injured or worse. In the Wilderness she was fording some deep streams despite being afraid of water because she does not swim well. She never complained about any obstacle we had to face.The Canadian Geese(Never Quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-10-04
From: Hurd Brook Lean To

To: Mt. Kathadin Stream Campsite
Miles today: 13.4

The trail was pretty good even though we had some big mud bogs and streams to cross. We hiked for a few miles and saw a sign going south and realized we were now leaving the 100 mile Wilderness. Another mile later we hit a road and hiked along it for .5 of a mile to the Abol bridge camp store. This store is just outside Baxter State Park where Mt. Kathadin is located.Belle is not allowed in the park and was picked up and taken to a kennel until the hike was over. We gorged ourselves on food and picked up a few snacks for the climb up Kathadin (the name means The Greatest Mountain in the language of the Penobscot native American tribe). It is a great mountain as it absolutely dwarfs everything around it and completely dominates the vista. We entered Baxter State Park and started the 10 mile hike to the base of Kathadin. Baxter State Park is 204,733 acres and was purchased privately by a former Governor and later given to the State of Maine. What a gift!! Carol and I hiked ahead as Stickwalker and Cody seemed to be reminiscing about their hike together (they met on the trail). After hiking for a few hours along a raging river called Nesowadnehunk we came to the river crossing. It was absolutely frightening. The water was roaring through a gorge and it was at least waist to chest deep. It seemed like all the rain that had recently fallen was all draining into this river. Carol and Irealized that trying to cross this stream would be very dangerous. After talking about it we decided to take a .9 mile high water blue blaze. It is the only blue blaze we had taken on the trail and we were kind of sad about it. Our only consolation was that it was a blue blaze that did not shorten our trip - it lengthened it. Even with the high water trail we had to bushwack around large bodies of standing water.We told Cody and Stickwalker we would wait for them at the junction of the blue blaze and where the AT met. They went to look for another way across the stream. Carol and I hiked on but felt nervous for the two of them. Once we reached the AT and blue blaze junction we sat and started to eat lunch. About 10 minutes later Cody and Stickwalker showed up walking the blue blaze trail. They had come to the same conclusion. The stream was too dangerous to cross. We later found out a hiker tried crossing the day before and was washed down stream. He was saved by his water proof clothes bag that floated and he grabbed on to it as he washed down stream.We hiked the final 4.5 miles to the ranger station and waited for him to return. We registered to hike Kathadin and paid for a campsite. Cody and Stickwalker did the same. Later that night we had dinner together and decided to get up extra early to hike. Cody was having a friend hike up with her. The friend was a thru hiker several years ago and knew the mountain. We now had only 5.2 miles to hike to complete our journey. Of course we also had to hike back down the mountain.The Canadian Geese(Never Quit on a bad day - Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-10-20
From: Millinocket ME / AT hostel

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

We have been home for 15 days now and are slowly recovering. My knees are still sore, and in fact after I stopped hiking they were more sore for the first 10 days. Carol immediately got a cold and both of us slept every 4 hours for the first 3 or 4 days and then 12 hours each night. I don't deal with frustration well and when we got home we found the prius would not work, the TV satellite dish was blown to a different direction and the TV would not work, a storm took out our freezer in the garage and all the meat went bad. The freezer and garage smell like death. The computer also had a virus and we needed new phones. I long for the simple trail life. This will have to wait until next year however.We will adjust to life at home over the next month or so.The Canadian Geese
From: Springer Mt, Georgia

To: Maine
Miles today: 0.0

                  Randy {The Wizard} and Uncle Doyle's                        "WALK FOR THE KIDS"   Well, we have our trail names. I was coming down Blood Mountain on a rainy, windy day with two young guys behind me. I had my poncho on and they told me that the way the wind was blowing the poncho around and me with the walking sticks that I had to be The Wizard, So be it, I am The Wizard. Stick Walker and Mountain Man were walking with Stick Walker's dog Belle. When I told him Doyle's name, Stick Walker said his favorite Uncle's name was Doyle. So he decided that Doyle is Uncle Doyle.   I am in Fontana Dam, NC. Gateway to the Smokies. About 3 hrs ago they picked up Doyle to take him to the kennel. No dogs allowed in the Smokies. The gentleman who picked him up told me he will not be going to hang in a kennel, he is going to be hanging with them. If they are out hanging around a fire, Doyle is out hanging around athe fire. When they go for a walk, he goes for a walk. They are dog people and it made it a lot easier. When they pulled up to get Doyle, Matt, Lisa and Loki there dog were in the car. We had been hiking off and on with them and Doyle and Loki were already good friends. Matt and Lisa were going to shuttle around the Smokies and start up north with Loki.When Doyle saw Loki he just jumped in the car, so it worked out fine. I will start the Smokies in the morning and it should take about 6 days.   My darling wife sent my mail drop here with all kinds of goodies. The cell phone is almost useless out here, so when I cannot get through to talk to my honey, I just listen to the loving messages that she has left me and it lifts my spirits.   You walk with a lot of the same people and everyone looks out for each other. Makes the trail a lot easier to handle.   People waiting for the comp so as always, if you are enjoying the journey, please remember the kids and donate to the "JIMMY FUND".                                    Danielle Grossman                                    Jimmy Fund Walk                                    10 Brookline Pl West                                    6th Floor                                    Brookline, MA 02445                           Thank You                           Randy and Doyle
Date: 2010-03-04
From: Springer Mountain, Georgia

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

                          Welcome                     Randy and Doyle,s                                          "WALK FOR THE KIDS"           11 days and we leave Somerville and head for Georgia.The planning and the research seem to be endless, but every day something else falls into place.   I spend time every day reading journals from the people that have started. Has been a rough start for everyone. A lot of folks have got off the trail to figure out their next move. Some have decided to leave the trail. A very difficult decision to make. Mother nature has turned this hiking season into a season of survival.>   < Doyle likes to chew things. He has not met a pair of shoes or slippers or boots that have escaped his love of chewing. Not that he doesn't have his chew toys but he only uses them when we are watching. Today I hooked him on the front porch while I ran up stairs to get him some treats. As I headed for the stairs there he was on the top step. with about 8" of leash hanging from his collar. The day didn't get much better as he proceeded to bite the handle off his pack and a strap off my pack. I think he wants out of this madness that I have him involved in. But my pal Loyal Doyle will follow me anywhere and therein lies the trap.>   So if you see me down in Georgia, I will be the one with no belt, no straps on my pack and probably a few chunks out of my hiking boots, Doyle will be the big black dog with the smile on his face.   My heart goes out to all the hikers out there that are not enjoying mother nature's sense of humor right now and we wish you the best.   As always, if you are enjoying the journey, please show your support by contacting Danielle Grossman         Jimmy Fund Walk         10 Brookline Pl West         6 th Floor         Brookline, MA 02445         617-632-5029         danielle_grossman@dfci.harvard.edu                           Thank You                            Randy and Doyle