morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-08-27
From: Frye Notch Lean-to

To: A campsite near Black Brook
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

Sharkchow called mid-afternoon from near the top of Moody Mountain, where he had a good cell signal. He was panting - initially alarming to Mrs. Sharkchow, until he explained that he had just climbed up a ravine. His shirt was soaking wet. That morning, he had gotten up at 5:00 a.m. and walked up the trail 4.5 miles to a road, where he could hitchhike to Andover, Maine, which is ¢in the middle of nowhere.¢ Miraculously, someone pulled over pretty soon, and they happened to be headed to Andover. Sharkchow picked up his resupply box at the hiker hostel, then went to a breakfast/lunch place called the Little Red Hen. There he had the ¢Western skillet¢ - eggs, potatoes, onions, green peppers, and ham, plus homemade cinnamon swirl bread. By 11:00 a.m. he was back on the trail. His intended stopping point for the day was a campsite near a brook by South Arm Rd. We¢re going to assume he made it, and if that¢s not true, we¢ll fix this report. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-28
From: A campsite near Black Brook

To: Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

Sharkchow did camp at Black Brook last night, and spent much of Wednesday hiking Bemis Mountain. The whole top was covered with blueberries, and he stopped to partake: ¢Oh man, they were delicious!¢But the highlight of the day may have been around 3 pm, when he crossed a dirt road and there was ¢¦ trail magic. ¢It was fantastic,¢ he said. The woman presiding over the bounty said her husband was following a particular hiker, and thought he might cross this part of the trail today. Yes, Sharkchow - among others, he said. She had hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, homemade zucchini relish, watermelon, grapes, mandarin oranges, bananas, chocolate chip cookies, assorted drinks, and plenty of water. We¢re guessing Sharkchow vacuumed it all up. ¢Put this in your report,¢ he instructed. ¢It was awesome, awesome, awesome - and at just the right time of day.¢ When he called, late in the afternoon, he was a few miles from Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to, and planned to camp there. Assuming he gets there, he will have done 17 miles today. Less than 230 miles to go. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-29
From: Sabbath Day Pond Lean-to

To: Hiker Hut, Rangeley, ME
Miles today: 9.4

Sharkchow called mid-afternoon from a picnic table in the sun by Rangeley Lake. Earlier in the day, after a 9.4 mile hike, he arrived at the Hiker Hut in Rangeley, got his resupply package, took a fabulous outdoor shower, and awaited a visit from an old college friend of Mrs. Sharkchow¢s who lives in Maine. ¢I¢ve been stuffing my face,¢ Sharkchow said. After David arrived, they went out for barbecue and pasta, then to a grocery store for ice cream. Hurricane Dorian was of considerable interest, as Sharkchow has a place in south Florida. But we advised him to stick to the trail and let sister Carolyn (in Florida) keep an eye on things. Thank you, David, for driving to Rangeley and hanging out with Sharkchow. He enjoyed the visit very much! Mrs. Sharkchowps. click on "Photos" (left) to see additional shots of the Hiker Hut, Sharkchow and David, and Sharkchow calling home from the picnic table by Rangeley Lake.
Date: 2019-08-30
From: Hiker Hut, Rangeley, ME

To: Spaulding Mountain Lean-to
Miles today: 18.7

Sharkchow hiked the various Saddleback peaks Friday - so named, because they look like a saddle. After an 18.7-mile day, he¢s in his hammock at Spaulding Mountain Lean-to. Tomorrow he¢ll be ¢in the Bigelows¢ - that is, Bigelow Mountain and Little Bigelow. But here¢s what he¢s really thinking about: that hurricane. Sharkchow talked to a guy at the top of Saddleback who said, ¢If the storm comes up here, get off the trail.¢In fact, Sharkchow said, he wants to get out of the high mountains ¢before there¢s any chance it comes up here.¢ And if the storm reaches that part of Maine, he¢ll wait it out for 3-4 days. In such a storm, ¢the trail would become a big river,¢ he said. ¢The streams would overflow and become dangerous to cross.¢ As of Friday night, Hurricane Dorian is now a Category 4, heading right for Florida. And Sharkchow has just a little over 200 miles to go on the AT.Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-31
From: Spaulding Mountain Lean-to

To: Horns Pond Lean-tos
Miles today: 18.6

Sharkchow crossed the 2,000-mile mark Saturday, and kept going. Now he¢s in his hammock at Horns Pond Lean-tos. The campsite is overflowing with people, this being a holiday weekend. ¢I¢m basically camped in the woods between campsites,¢ he said. It¢s going down to the low 40s tonite, and later in the week down into the 30s. But Sharkchow has his down ¢puffy¢ and his cold-weather sleeping quilt, so he¢s fine. He also shared about one of his trail buddies, a guy named Pops, whom he¢s been running into regularly since Hanover. Pops is about 60, and has shoulder-length hair and a big beard. He¢s originally from Monmouth County, NJ (like Sharkchow) and lived many years in Florida (like Sharkchow). Pops is known for ¢green-blazing¢ - AT slang for smoking a lot of pot. ¢He walks very fast and takes a lot of breaks,¢ says Sharkchow. Back at Lakes of the Clouds, where they both slept on the floor of the mess hall, Sharkchow had helped Pops get a mattress. Pops was having back issues, and he was super grateful - and would certainly have shared his stash, but Sharkchow doesn¢t smoke (anything). Speaking of Florida¢¦ Sharkchow was relieved to hear that Hurricane Dorian is no longer expected to make landfall in the Sunshine State. But he¢s still worried about remnants that could reach Maine. That¢s life on the AT - one big ¢cone of uncertainty.¢ Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-01
From: Horns Pond Lean-tos

To: East Flagstaff Lake
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: broken clouds

Sharkchow called this afternoon from Flagstaff Lake, where he had just had a swim and rinsed out his clothes. ¢It was fantastic,¢ he said. It¢s going to get cold tonite, so everything needs to dry fast. He was probably going to camp there tonite. We¢ll assume he did. We also brought Sharkchow up to speed on Hurricane Dorian: now a Category 5, wreaking havoc on the Bahamas, projected path now closer to Florida than before. But his part of Florida is still not in the area of most danger, so he can stay focused on the task at hand. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-02
From: East Flagstaff Lake

To: Harrison's Pierce Pond Camps
Miles today: 16.5

Sharkchow made 16.5 miles Monday and is in his hammock at Harrison¢s Pierce Pond Camps, three miles from the Kennebec River. The guidebook says about the river: ¢Do not ford. Use ferry service.¢ We hope he follows that advice. Today¢s hike was a walk in the rain, but he didn¢t seem to mind. Soon he will be in Caratunk, Maine, where a bed and a resupply package await him. The cell connection was bad, so we didn¢t talk much - just enough to give him an update on Hurricane Dorian. A little under 155 miles to go. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-03
From: Harrison's Pierce Pond Camps

To: Caratunk House Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: few clouds

Sharkchow took a ¢nero¢ Tuesday, hiking just 3.6 miles and landing this morning at the Caratunk House Hiker Hostel in Caratunk, Maine. The US Postal Service delivered his resupply package at 2:14 pm. Three cheers for USPS, which Mrs. Sharkchow prefers to Fedex. Sharkchow called mid-afternoon from the house phone at Caratunk House, as there¢s no cell coverage there. It was a quick call. ¢This is a fantastic place,¢ he said. ¢It¢s very, very nice and relaxing.¢ Taking a shower certainly brightens the mood. Yesterday, it was raining and wet and dreary, and he stopped at Harrison¢s Pierce Pond Camps as an afterthought. He'll send pix when he's in cell range. Sharkchow is looking forward to spending a week going to all-you-can-eat buffets after he¢s finished this hike. But let¢s not get ahead of ourselves.Just 151.2 miles to Baxter Peak on Mt. Katahdin.Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-04
From: Caratunk House Hiker Hostel

To: Moxie Bald Pond Lean-to
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: clear sky

Sharkchow hiked 17.8 miles Wednesday to the Moxie Bald Pond Lean-to, so he¢s halfway from Caratunk to Monson - the gateway to the 100-Mile Wilderness. More detail on his crossing of the Kennebec River two days ago: Indeed, he did not ford the river, as instructed. The ATC pays for a guy to transport hikers across in a canoe. Sharkchow pitched in, and paddled from the front. We¢re guessing it felt good to do a little paddling for a change. (The ¢Sharkchow¢ handle comes from his days of racing in a sea kayak off the Florida coast. His motto: ¢Stay in the boat, or you become shark chow.¢ He wrote a book about circumnavigating Florida and other stuff called ¢Without a Paddle.¢)It was kind of rainy most of the day Wednesday, and therefore slippery. The first mountain he hiked was Pleasant Mountain, a funny (to us) inversion of our DC neighborhood, Mt. Pleasant. The Caratunk hostel guy had told him to be careful on the backside of that mountain. But Sharkchow slipped anyway, and did a ¢safe at third¢ slide. ¢I nailed my elbow but it¢s OK,¢ he said. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-05
From: Moxie Bald Pond Lean-to

To: Shaw's Hiker Hostel, Monson, Maine
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Sharkchow made it to Monson, Maine (pop. 680), mid-afternoon Thursday, and checked in to Shaw¢s, the famous hiker hostel. He¢ll take a zero Friday, and greet two special visitors (not Mrs. Sharkchow). He¢ll also get organized for the 100-Mile Wilderness, including the 11.4-pound food resupply box from DC that arrived at Shaw¢s just as he did. Thank you, Fedex. It sounds like he¢ll split that supply in half, carry the first half in and have the second half delivered part-way along. He forded two rivers today: ¢You take your boots off, put on your crocs, strap your boots to your pack, and walk across. You get wet up to your mid-calf or knees.¢ Other rivers, the water is so low you can rock-hop.Dinner was a visit to the BBQ place in Monson - a pulled pork sandwich and mac & cheese. Then to the convenience store for a pint of mint chip ice cream, a blueberry pie, and chocolate milk. The accommodations at Shaw¢s sound downright luxurious: a bed with sheets and a blanket. In the morning, there¢s an all-you-can-eat breakfast with blueberry pancakes, bacon, and eggs. He¢s seen some familiar faces at Shaw¢s: Promo, a guy he¢s been hiking with for a while; Hollywood Tom, a guy in his 70s from Hollywood, Fla.; and ¢Cado (short for Avocado) who¢s there with her boyfriend. Everyone but Sharchow is hitting the trail in the morning. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-06
From: Shaw's Hiker Hostel, Monson, Maine

To: Shaw's Hiker Hostel, Monson, Maine
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

On a lovely zero day, Sharkchow got a visit from his son and his son¢s boyfriend, who live in California. By sheer coincidence, they are attending a wedding in Portland, Maine, this weekend, and had time to make the drive up to Monson Friday morning. They all went out for coffee. Sharkchow, not a coffee-drinker and wanting calories, had chocolate milk. On Saturday, the trek thru the 100-Mile Wilderness begins, and it¢s supposed to rain. But Sharkchow is unfazed. This is really the home stretch.Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-07
From: Shaw's Hiker Hostel, Monson, Maine

To: Long Pond Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Hurricane Dorian - or at least the ¢outer, outer part¢ - reached Maine Saturday, and on the 100-Mile Wilderness, it sprinkled. Sharkchow didn¢t even put on his raincoat. Though he did slip on a rock and isn¢t happy about it. Sunday should be sunny and dry, good news for what is expected to be the most difficult (read: mountainous) day of the 100 Miles. Mornings can be tough. ¢It¢s cold here. In the morning, it¢s very, very cold, which makes it hard to get up and get going.¢ A number of people rode the shuttle from Shaw's with Sharkchow to the trail this morning, and after a 15.1-mile hike, they¢re camped at Long Pond Stream Lean-to. There¢s a young woman from Montreal who¢s doing just the 100-Mile Wilderness and Katahdin. To hear Sharkchow tell it, she just woke up one morning and decided to go hike the 100-MW.¢She¢s pretty fast,¢ he said. ¢Faster than me.¢ The trail is loaded with slippery roots, rocks, and mud. ¢There¢s nothing easy about any of this stuff,¢ he said. ¢I¢m always trying not to fall or trip or fall off a cliff.¢ He especially doesn¢t like the sloping rocks with no guardrails¢¦Today, he forded three rivers. In one, the water was moving quickly, which made it tricky and dangerous, he said. But on the plus side, the scenery is gorgeous, including pristine ponds. 99.4 miles to go.Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-08
From: Long Pond Stream Lean-to

To: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: light rain

Sharkchow had planned to hike 11 miles on Sunday, but oops, he did 20.8 miles.¢I got up early and just started walking,¢ he said. When he got to his intended destination, it was only lunchtime. To heck with that, he thought, and went on to the next shelter, the Carl A. Newhall Lean-to. Sharkchow had prepared himself for difficult hiking on Sunday. The Chairback Mountains are considered the toughest part of the 100-Mile Wilderness. But the Bigelows, earlier in Maine, were ¢substantially more difficult than anything going on here,¢ he said. The weather is cool during the day, cold at night, freezing cold in the morning. ¢And I¢m basically walking in a T-shirt,¢ he says. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-09
From: Carl A. Newhall Lean-to

To: Antlers Campsite
Miles today: 26.8
Weather: clear sky

Sharkchow is on a roll. He hiked 26.8 miles Monday, and landed at Antlers Campsite, which is on a peninsula on Jo-Mary Lake. ¢It¢s the most beautiful campsite,¢ he said. The guidebook says it has a two-seat privy. We¢ll have to try that sometime. Monday morning, he knew he had a string of mountains to climb, so he got up early, and reached the top of the biggest mountain (White Cap) at 9:00 am. He also needed to reach the top of Boardman Mountain by noon, so he could call Shaw¢s Hiker Hostel and have them deliver his resupply a day early, ie, Monday. Turns out he¢s doing the 100-Mile Wilderness much faster than he expected. But at the top of Boardman¢s he couldn¢t reach Shaw¢s, so he called Mrs. Sharkchow, who was in North Carolina for work, and she called Shaw¢s. The delivery happened. Emergency averted. Now he has too much food, and his pack is heavy. ¢Tomorrow I¢ll be eating all day,¢ he says. Speaking of privies... later in the day Monday, Sharkchow came upon a shelter with a brand new privy, which smelled ¢just like pine.¢ Of course he had to use it. 51.8 miles to go. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-10
From: Antlers Campsite

To: Rainbow Stream Lean-to
Miles today: 21.7

No phone call Tuesday from Sharkchow, but he did send a bunch of pictures. So, proof of life. Here's a cool one he took Tuesday morning, which he labeled: "My first real view of the end of the hike." Presumably that's Mt. Katahdin in the distance. When we spoke Monday, he figured he would reach the summit on Thursday.Update: We spoke Wednesday morning, have filled in Tuesday info. All is well, but now he probably won't summit Katahdin till Friday. It's just a matter of logistics.Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-09-11
From: Rainbow Stream Lean-to

To: Abol Bridge
Miles today: 15.0

When Sharkchow called late this morning, he was six miles from Abol Bridge, the end of the 100-Mile Wilderness. He was planning to stay somewhere near Abol; let¢s assume he did. He doesn¢t expect to have cell coverage between now and the end of the trail. If there¢s a signal at the top of Mt. Katahdin, he will call. We can only hope we¢re in a position to take that call. At the very least, he promises to get someone to take his picture. Even though he has only 16.1 miles to go, he thinks he won¢t summit Katahdin till Friday. All is well, it's just a matter of logistics. This morning, it rained hard, and the roots and rocks were slippery. We suspect Sharkchow is ready to finish this thing. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-03-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

We are so excited for El Puma to start the Appalachian Trail on Sunday March 2!! His bag is packed and he is ready to leave bright and early tomorrow morning! His family and friends are so proud of him for starting this adventure! Wish him luck! This message was brought to you by La Pumita, his journal writing sidekick. Starting today I will give updates on where he is, how he is, and overall updates on his journey while not being there with him. El Puma himself will also be writing entries alongside me. Sincerely, La Pumita
Date: 2019-03-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: light snow

La Pumita here, Yesterday, March 3, El Puma started the trail (sorry for the typo in my last entry). I would like to update you on his progress during his first and second day on the trail. 1st Day- Sunday, March 3- Hiked 3.8 miles, Up to Springer Mountain with family and to the first shelter to sleep- Slept in his tent next to the shelter- During the night the temperature was in the high 20s (which as you know is cold enough to freeze). Since it had been raining all day and his shoes were wet El Puma decided to put his shoes outside of his tent. He also put the rest of his wet clothes outside. Since it was below freezing his wet clothing and shoes froze! 2nd Day- Monday, March 4- Hiked 5.8 miles- Since his hiking boots were frozen El Puma made a smart decision and hiked 5.8 miles in his Crocs (which he is carrying as camp shoes)! Luckily no blisters have been formed so far. - He is sleeping in his tent next to the shelter- The low temperature is 15 degrees! Stay warm El Puma!I will publish more updates in the next couple days.
Date: 2019-03-05
To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: clear sky

La Pumita here,  El Puma as of today (3/5/19) has a total of 15.7 trail miles. Today he hiked approximately 7.5 miles and had some adventures along the way. At one point he was crossing a stream and fell in! Luckily nothing past his knees got wet. He just had some cold feet for the rest of the day. Also, at point he ran out of water and was getting dehydrated. At the point where the affects of his dehydration were starting to kick in he got to a nearby road where there was a water stand set up by the Army. This water station was specifically for hikers. He has now settled down for the night in his tent at the Gooch Mountain Shelter. He will make it to Suches by tomorrow and hopefully Neels Gap by Friday. Stay strong El Puma!
Date: 2019-03-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: light snow

La Pumita here, Today (3/6/19) El Puma hiked 4.8 miles. He has a total of 20.5 trail miles. Tonight he is sleeping in a hostel in Suches. El Puma started out late this morning because of his frozen clothes! He had to let them thaw so he had something to wear! Also, at the end of todays hike kind strangers were offering him free soup, water, and a ride to the hostel. He took these things very graciously of course! His goal is to make it to Neels Gap by Friday. You got this El Puma!!
Date: 2019-03-07
To: Lance Creek Campsite
Miles today: 3.4
Weather: clear sky

La Pumita here,El Puma went 3.4 miles today (3/7/19). He now has a total of 23.9 trail miles. Tonight he is sleeping at the Lance Creek Campsite in his tent. El Puma had a pretty good day today. Nice weather and today was the first day he felt okay. Not all of the muscles in his body were hurting for once! Neels Gap get ready for El Puma! He is so excited to make it to his first personal milestone. Every step is a good step El Puma!
Date: 2019-03-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 7.4

La Pumita here,Today El Puma made it to Neels Gap! He climbed up approximately 2000 feet to the top of Blood Mountain. Then he hitch hiked to Blairsville, GA. In all El Puma did over 7 miles today! Tonight he is sleeping in a hotel. He is so excited to be warm, dry, and full! He got a care package today from his family full of snacks, extra gear, and plenty of other goodies. Awesome job El Puma! We are all so proud of you!
Date: 2019-03-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

La Pumita here,Yesterday El Puma did 0 miles so I didn't update. Today El Puma did 11.5 miles. He also did 1 mile without his backpack! Some kind person on the trail that was handing out food and water offered to carry his backpack in a truck to the campsite El Puma is staying tonight. I will fill you in on more of El Puma's goals and achievements as he goes. Great job El Puma!
Date: 2019-03-11
To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: overcast clouds

La Pumita here,On March 11 El Puma made it to 50.1 trail miles. He did 7.3 miles. He was not eating very much because he was too cold and tired to make dinner. His knees also began hurting. He did another day in the cold rain. Way to go El Puma!
Date: 2019-03-12
To: Helen Georgia
Miles today: 2.4
Weather: clear sky

La Pumita here, El Puma did 2.4 miles today. He is planning not to do any hiking tomorrow because of his knee pain. He has taken Advil for them but they are still hurting. He thinks it will just be better to rest. El Puma believes that the next 18 miles are the hardest that there are in Georgia. El Puma will be sure to get back on the trail as soon as possible and get to North Carolina! This is not the last of El Puma! He will be back!
Date: 2019-03-15
To: View Entry
Miles today: 5.7

La Pumita here,Today El Puma hit the trail once again after his 2 day break. While on his break, El Puma did some shopping. He got more fuel for his portable gas stove and gel inserts to keep his feet as comfy as possible. Now back on the trail, he did a total of 5.7 miles today up two huge climbs. He then found a shelter to spend the night in at 3900 feet. It is supposed to be a bit chilly tonight because he is so high up.      Love you El Puma!!
Date: 2019-03-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

La Pumita here, Today El Puma did a whopping 11 miles! He had some crazy adventures tonight trying to find some place to sleep. He was ready to settle in for the night at the Budget Inn in Hiawassee GA but that did not happen. Since all the rooms in that hotel were booked El Puma found a lone Uber driver in the town and hitched a ride 15 miles back Blairsville. There he finally found a hotel. He was very frustrated about how he had to back track. El Puma also helped other people on the trail today. One hiker was doing an overnight with his grandkids and asked El Puma to lock his car for him. The hiker gave El Puma the keys to his car and said "Help your self to the cooler in the back". El Puma helped a guy out and got an ice cold lemonade. There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going - Beverly Sills
Date: 2019-03-18
To: View Entry
Miles today: 9.0

La Pumita here,El Puma did 9 miles today and made it to North Carolina! When he first got to his campsite there was no one else there. He thought "Is there no one else on the trail anymore?". Later other hikers did come and El Puma was not alone. Making it to North Carolina is such a big milestone! Everyone is so proud of El Puma!! And a message straight from El Puma himsel- Georgia is overrated.Mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence- Hermann Buhl
Date: 2019-03-19
To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

La Pumita here,El Puma did 7.7 more miles today. Tonight will be rough with temperatures in the 20s! Camp life is getting rough for El Puma. He made what he calls campsadillas for dinner tonight. His recipe: Chunks of cheese bitten off the block, put on a tortilla, and barely cooked. "Yum."- El PumaYou got this El Puma!!! A journey of 1000 miles must begin with one single step.- Lao Tzu
Date: 2019-03-20
To: Betty Creek Campsite
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: scattered clouds

La Pumita here,El Puma was worried about snow in the forecast so he needed to get to Franklin, NC by Thursday. He pushed hard to complete 11.3 miles to make Thursday's hike reasonable. Chafing was an issue but Vaseline saves the day again. El Puma finally passed a hiker; he must finally be getting his trail legs.