morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-08-07
From: Governor Clement Shelter

To: Stony Brook Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Sharkchow crossed the 1,700-mile mark Wednesday, near Rutland, per a photo he texted at 10:30 am. Cell connection has been spotty in Vermont. Last conversation was around 9:00 am Wednesday. (Update below)¢I¢m just below the peak of Killington Mountain,¢ he said. ¢It¢s really cool here - very alpine.¢ It was also really hot - "I'm soaked in sweat" - as he had spent the morning climbing. Killington is the second tallest mountain in Vermont, at 4,235 feet. Sharkchow was planning to go to a little nearby general store for food resupply, and not further off-trail into Rutland. He¢s aiming to reach Hanover, NH, on Friday. Will update on the rest of Wednesday when next we speak. Update: He stayed in his hammock Wednesday night at Stony Brook Shelter. Earlier in the day, he resupplied at a deli and market in the town of Killington. At the deli counter, he asked, "What should I get?" Came the answer: "The Gobler Sandwich." Turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce on toasted bread. The review: "It was fantastic, so delicious." Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-08
From: Stony Brook Shelter

To: Thistle Hill Shelter
Miles today: 22.2
Weather: light rain

Sharkchow put in 22.2 miles Thursday, and landed at Thistle Hill Shelter. As best we can tell from the guidebook, it¢s in Middle of Nowhere, VT. In the morning, it rained and he walked through it. The day was ¢up and down, up and down, over hills and ridges,¢ he said. Tomorrow, Hanover, NH, just 14.7 miles away. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-09
From: Thistle Hill Shelter

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 14.7

Sharkchow hiked 14.7 miles Friday, and crossed the bridge from Norwich, VT, into Hanover, NH. Twelve states down, two to go. ¢Vermont is my favorite state so far,¢ he says, ¢but we¢ve got New Hampshire and Maine coming up.¢On Vermont: ¢It¢s low when you first get in - mud, beaver dams, very overgrown and jungle-like. The higher you get, the more the forest just becomes more forest-y. Eventually, when you get to Killington, it¢s almost alpine. You almost reach treeline, and the trees get very small. It¢s nice, because it¢s cooler up high.¢At higher elevations, the forest is more developed and there¢s nothing under the trees. ¢It¢s just a big canopy, so it¢s shaded,¢ he says.  Vermont was also great because there are campgrounds with ponds (swimming!) and a caretaker. It costs $5 to camp at these places, but ¢it¢s totally worth it.¢ The water is pristine, and good for the feet. Sharkchow loves New Hampshire, and has done a lot of hiking in the White Mountains - including parts of the AT. He hasn¢t hiked in Maine before, other than climbing Mt. Katahdin about 20 years ago. News flash: He has finally figured out how to tie his boots. The big debate among hikers is ¢tight or loose.¢ Sharkchow has wide feet, and if he left the laces loose, his heels would slip and he¢d get blisters. If the laces were tight, it would be uncomfortable. So he figured out that half-way up the tongue of the boot, there¢s a loop to run the laces thru. Tie an overhand knot there, and that keeps the lower part loose, then tighten the top part. ¢It¢s a small thing but it actually was very useful,¢ he says. He¢s been doing this the last week or two. ¢I can¢t believe it took this long to figure out.¢Mrs. Sharkchow drove up from DC on Friday and delivered new hiking boots and warmer gear, plus food resupply. We¢ll take a zero Saturday, and he¢ll hit the trail again Sunday.Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-10
From: Hanover, NH

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 0.0

Saturday was a day for eating, getting organized, walking around Dartmouth, and seeing family. Mrs. Sharkchow¢s mom (who lives near Boston) and sister (who lives near Concord, NH) came to town, and we all got to visit Mrs. Sharkchow¢s niece at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, where she works.We had two good meals at Molly¢s, a classic college-town eatery on Main St., which doubles as the AT. Mrs. Sharkchow had been to Hanover before, but had never focused on the fact that the AT goes right thru downtown. But there they are - the white blazes on light posts and telephone polls, one blaze for ¢go straight¢ and two for ¢turn here.¢ Sunday morning, Sharkchow will return to the trail. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-11
From: Hanover, NH

To: Trapper John Shelter
Miles today: 16.6

Sharkchow returned to the trail Sunday morning in Hanover, NH, and hiked 16.6 miles to Trapper John Shelter, where he is in his hammock. ¢It was a nice hike out of town,¢ he said. ¢Lots of up and down, the trail was clear.¢ He¢ll be climbing Mt. Moosilauke (4,802 feet) in the next couple of days. Obviously, he¢s not trying to duplicate the Dartmouth tradition of hiking the 56 miles from Hanover to Moosilauke in one 24-hour stretch, as described by a friend who did that while a student there. ¢I¢m not sure where I¢m staying tomorrow,¢ Sharkchow said. ¢The shelter situation is strange. They¢re not spaced easily¢¦ some don¢t have enough water.¢ He reports the new boots (see pic) are good. The pack is heavier, as he now has his cold-weather gear plus four days¢ worth of food. But he needs that gear; it can get quite cold on this final stretch of the trail even in summer. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-12
From: Trapper John Shelter

To: Ore Hill Campsite
Miles today: 19.5

¢I¢m the only one here. It¢s OK - it¢s quiet¢ - Sharkchow, reporting Monday evening from Ore Hill Campsite. No one else had stopped there for the night because of inadequate water. But Sharkchow didn¢t want to put in a 28-mile day. Instead, knowing Ore Hill didn¢t have good water, he loaded up his bottles at a brook and schlepped 4 liters of H2O for 4 miles. That¢s heavy. He went up and down at least two mountains Monday. Maybe more. ¢As I¢m climbing and huffing and puffing, it¢s ¢welcome to New Hampshire, Sharkchow,¢¢ he said. ¢New Hampshire is a kick in the butt, I tell ya.¢There are times when the trail just goes straight up. No switchbacks here, like those wimpy trails out West. At least the weather was nice, high in the low 80s, but he was sweating hard - from the climbing, not the heat. On the northeastern side of these mountains, the trail is gentler. On top of Mt. Cube (2,911 feet), he stopped and enjoyed the view and snapped some pix. Tuesday is Mt. Moosilauke - at 4,800 feet, the first of several 4,000-footers he¢ll summit in NH. Then it's on to Franconia Notch.Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-13
From: Ore Hill Campsite

To: Stealth camping in the woods
Miles today: 18.3

After climbing Mt. Moosilauke and passing the 1,800-mile mark, Sharkchow is stealth camping in the woods. Usually he hangs his hammock near a shelter with a source of water and a privy, but the shelter he might have stopped at (Beaver Brook) wasn¢t good. Earlier, he ran into a guy from Maine he had hiked with into Hanover, and that guy is stealth camping a bit behind him. The hike up Moosilauke - at 4,802 feet, the western-most 4,000-footer in NH - was challenging. Everyone had warned about the tricky descent, but going up was no picnic. Sharkchow took it very slow. ¢It was pretty steep and rocky,¢ he said.On the way up, he passed a south-bound hiker who warned of the descent: ¢Don¢t do it if it¢s raining.¢ (So you just stay up there all night?) Near the top, it started to rain. Sharkchow put on his poncho, and reached the summit. The rain stopped. ¢Down the north side, it was sunny,¢ he said. ¢It seemed like it hadn¢t rained at all.¢ As he went down, it didn¢t seem too bad. But the tricky part of the descent was lower down. ¢It was very slippery,¢ he said. ¢It was hiker hell. It took forever, but I did it without a problem.¢ At the very bottom, just walking along - boom, he tripped on a rock. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-14
From: Stealth camping in the woods

To: Lonesome Lake Hut
Miles today: 11.6

Sharkchow called a bit before 6 pm to say that he was doing ¢work for stay¢ at Lonesome Lake Hut in Franconia Notch State Park - one of the great AMC huts in the White Mountains. In exchange for ¢doing what needs to be done¢ (the dishes?) he gets to stay for free, including dinner and breakfast. Paying customers are charged $129 per night for a bunk and two meals. ¢Work for stay¢ is a perk for thru-hikers.Sharkchow plans to do this once, just to see what it¢s like. But we can imagine he¢ll get a kick out of working with the ¢kids¢ who run the place, typically college students on summer break.When he arrived around 4 pm, the head guy offered him some mac & cheese, which he devoured. He had just hiked two mountains. In fact, today¢s hike was ¢only¢ 11.6 miles, but ¢it was exhausting,¢ he said. ¢It was a very, very rugged trail, with steep descents.¢ Still, it was fantastic. ¢I love these mountains.¢ And the weather was gorgeous, as is the scenery. At the hut, there¢s an amazing view of Franconia Ridge across the lake. Tomorrow, he may stick around for breakfast, then start hiking around 9 or 10 (late for him) and arrive in Lincoln, NH, in time for lunch ¢¦ at McDonald¢s. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-15
From: Lonesome Lake Hut

To: Notch Hostel
Miles today: 2.8

Sharkchow called this morning from beautiful downtown Lincoln, NH, to enthuse about his ¢work for stay¢ experience at Lonesome Lake Hut. First, the food: a ¢gigantic, heaping thing of pulled pork,¢ mashed potatoes, chili, salad, and cake. All you can eat. He thinks he ate an entire pound of pulled pork.He and the other thru-hiker there, a young British guy going south-bound, stayed outside while the 45 paying guests ate, then Sharkchow and the Brit came in to gorge on leftovers. After that, they did cleanup, their ¢payment¢ for free room and board. The ¢room¢ was pretty great too. The hut manager dragged a couple of unused mattresses from a bunkroom and set them up on the dining room floor. Quite comfy. In the morning, Sharkchow skipped the hut breakfast, so he could hit the road early. Once off the trail, he hitch-hiked. An older couple (thru-hikers of many years ago) pulled over and took him into Lincoln. Lunch at McDonald¢s: fish fillet, quarter pounder w/cheese, fries, diet Coke, chocolate shake. A couple hours later, he and some other hikers went to an ice cream place; Sharkchow got an extra-thick chocolate shake. Dinner from the Price Chopper: an entire roast chicken, macaroni salad, broccoli and cauliflower. Sharkchow shared the chicken with 2 other hikers, including a guy from India whose trail name is ¢Kaka,¢ which means ¢uncle¢ in Hindi. They¢re in the same bunkroom tonight at Notch Hostel. The last 24 hours were essentially a food-a-palooza, and a little bit of hiking - just 2.8 miles on the trail. Basically, a ¢nero¢ (nearly a ¢zero¢). Tomorrow, big important hiking begins. ¢It¢s a little intimidating,¢ he says. ¢That¢s a long way up to Franconia Ridge.¢  Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-16
From: Notch Hostel

To: Garfield Ridge Campsite
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: clear sky

The climb up to Franconia Ridge was ¢not too bad,¢ Sharkchow reports. In a mid-afternoon call from the top of Mt. Garfield, he reminded that we had hiked this section of the Whites together in 2011. Not long before, he had summited Mt. Lafayette, elevation 5,254 feet. Lots of spectacular views. From our second, evening call: He was camping at the Garfield Ridge Campsite (elevation 3,923 feet) with a whole bunch of other folks - including many he¢s met earlier on the trail. ¢It¢s jammed up here,¢ he said from his hammock. People have pitched their tents on platforms built there to lessen the environmental impact. It¢s also chilly up there, but he¢s fine in his lightweight down jacket and sleeping quilt. Among the crowd there¢s a bachelor party, but Sharkchow has no idea what they¢re up to. Certainly not preparing a multi-course meal, like the guys from Alabama many miles ago. Perhaps baying at the moon? Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-17
From: Garfield Ridge Campsite

To: Ethan Pond Campsite
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: clear sky

Sharkchow hiked 14.5 miles Saturday to Ethan Pond Campsite. It¢s a pristine little pond with wild trout, he says. The hike there was nice - cloudy, but it didn¢t rain. He hiked past Zeeland Falls Hut, which we remember well from our hut-to-hut hike together a few years ago. Sharkchow sounds happy. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-18
From: Ethan Pond Campsite

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: few clouds

¢I¢m thrilled to be where I am!¢ Sharkchow is about to sleep on the floor of a mess hall, and he couldn¢t be happier. He¢s at Lakes of the Clouds, the most famous of the AMC huts. In the morning, he¢ll get up super early and climb Mt. Washington - the highest peak in the northeastern United States at 6,288 feet. But more on today. In the morning, he hiked to Rt 302 - boom, trail magic: ¢eggs, bacon, all kinds of stuff.¢ Then he got a ride up to the AMC Highland Center to pick up a resupply package from DC. The driver waited while he ran in, then drove him back to the trail - all for a smile. This act of kindness ¢made it possible to get to Lakes of the Clouds today,¢ Sharkchow said.The hike up Webster Cliff trail sounded kind of treacherous. Something about ¢if you slip¢¦¢ and a sleep incline. But apparently he made it. Banged his knee at some point¢¦ that¢s life on the trail. You get dinged up. Still, he said, ¢this is amazing hiking.¢ There was no ¢work for stay¢ at Lakes of the Clouds, so he¢s paying $10 to sleep on the floor with 18 other thru-hikers, ¢a good group.¢ Technically, there¢s no food involved. But of course there¢s food. ¢They brought out a big pot of cold scrambled eggs, plus cold sausage and cold macaroni,¢ he said. ¢We devoured it.¢ Then he ate one of his own backpacker meals, just to lighten his pack. As we spoke, he and the other thru-hikers were outside taking pictures of the sunset. As soon as the 47 paying customers turn in for the night, the thru-hikers will be allowed back inside and the mess hall will become a big slumber party. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-19
From: Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: Osgood Tent Site
Miles today: 10.3

By 7:30 Monday morning, before Mrs. Sharkchow had even had her coffee, Sharkchow had reached the summit of Mt. Washington and emailed some pix. One might think he had started hiking at midnight, but in fact, the summit is only a mile and a half from Lakes of the Clouds Hut. He hit the trail around 6:30 a.m. - because he wanted to and he had to. Thru-hikers are supposed to leave the hut early, so the crew can get set up for breakfast for the paying customers. Lakes of the Clouds is at 5,097 feet and Washington is at 6,288. So he gained 1,191 feet of elevation in an hour.There was a thick fog, and the winds were blowing 40-50 mph up there. Thus, no hat. ¢It was a furious wind,¢ Sharkchow said. He also summited Mt. Madison (5,366 feet) but once you¢re up in the presidentials, you¢re pretty much staying at high elevations. Tonight he¢s in his hammock at Osgood Tent Site with three other thru-hikers, including a woman named ¢Jazz Hands.¢ She¢s a jazz guitarist, and Sharkchow remembers hearing her play at the hostel in Woodstock, NH. She must have borrowed a guitar, as she¢s not hiking with one. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-20
From: Osgood Tent Site

To: Joe Dodge Lodge, Pinkham Notch, NH
Miles today: 4.7

Sharkchow took a ¢nero¢ Tuesday, hiking just 4.7 miles from Osgood tent site to Pinkham Notch. He¢s staying at Joe Dodge Lodge, right on the trail, and got to relax with a good book from the lodge library, ¢Light in August¢ by William Faulkner. Another highlight was the all-you-can-eat buffet. ¢I went back like three times,¢ he said. ¢It was very good. I¢m stuffed.¢ He dined with a few other hikers, including ¢Lost Keys,¢ an 18-year-old from Pennsylvania who just graduated from high school. She started her thru-hike in early July in Port Clinton, PA, and will hike to Katahdin, then get a ride back to Port Clinton and hike south to Georgia. (That¢s a ¢flip-flop¢ thru-hike.) Also at the table, a guy from Chicago who¢s doing a day hike up Mt. Washington. Sharkchow also ran into "Shepherd," the young guy he had hiked with in southern Vermont. Sharkchow has a big climb on Wednesday, ¢the last big climb in the Whites.¢ Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-21
From: Joe Dodge Lodge, Pinkham Notch, NH

To: Carter Notch Hut
Miles today: 5.9

Another ¢nero¢ for Sharkchow today, 5.9 miles. He had intended to hike farther, but when he arrived at Carter Notch Hut, it was about to rain - all afternoon and into the night, the forecast said - so he decided to stay put. Earlier in the day, he went up the multiple peaks of Wildcat Mountain, which was ¢quite a climb.¢ ¢Significant climbing of rocks with a full pack - including water,¢ Sharkchow said. Before Wildcat, he partook of the big beautiful breakfast buffet at Joe Dodge Lodge in Pinkham Notch. Delicious French toast, pancakes, sausage, potatoes, oatmeal. He had all of it, plus ¢tons of OJ to get hydrated.¢ At Carter Notch, dinner was vegetarian. ¢It was good, I need vegetables,¢ he said. What about protein? ¢I don¢t know, I can¢t figure any of that out.¢Joining him were thru-hikers Big Heart and Space Jam. Shepherd, his earlier hiking buddy, made it to Imp Campsite about seven miles up the trail. That¢s where Sharkchow had intended to go today, but, well, he gave himself a break. 313.5 miles to go. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-22
From: Carter Notch Hut

To: Rattle River Shelter
Miles today: 13.3

Sharkchow hiked 13.3 miles Thursday and landed at Rattle River Shelter in Shelburne, NH, where he¢s in his hammock. ¢It was a good challenging hike,¢ he said. He went over Carter Dome and Mt. Moriah - both 4,000-footers - and ¢some other mountains.¢Sharkchow stopped for lunch at a place close to treeline, and noticed a line of black clouds over the Presidentials. Uh oh¢¦ He packed up fast, and started racing across the top of the mountains. The further down in elevation he could get, the safer he¢d be. He could feel the air getting colder; the front was coming through. And he could see that it was raining heavily under those dark clouds. If he had to hike in a downpour, the rocks would be slippery. Suddenly, as if by divine intervention, the storm turned and went into the valley. ¢I just got the edge of it, a little sprinkling,¢ he said. ¢I didn¢t even put on my rain gear.¢Later, Sharkchow ran into a guy who got the brunt of it - two hours of heavy rain. Thank goodness there wasn¢t lightning. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-23
From: Rattle River Shelter

To: Rattle River Lodge & Hostel
Miles today: 1.9

Sharkchow walked an easy 1.9 miles first thing Friday morning and arrived at the Rattle River Lodge & Hostel in time for pancakes. He also ran into someone he knew: Jay, the young hiker he had met in Hamburg, PA, back in June, when Sharkchow was laid up with an ankle injury.He was surprised to see Jay, who hikes ¢really fast.¢ How could he have not reached Katahdin yet? Turns out he did, on Aug. 15. When Jay had come thru Rattle River on his way to Maine, he hit it off with the owners, who offered him a job after he finished the trail. It was Jay who cooked the pancakes. ¢They were terrific,¢ Sharkchow said. Sharkchow also got a kick out of the ¢decontamination chamber¢ (ie, the mud room) every hiker must enter first. Boots and hiking poles stay outside, and hikers must shower before entering the house. In addition to accommodations for thru-hikers, it has fancier rooms for normal people - for a lot more money. The decontamination chamber has two showers, and a sign on the wall: ¢Seven places to check for ticks.¢ We can only imagine. Sharkchow is closing in on the NH-Maine border. Now, instead of counting up, we¢re counting down. Less than 300 miles to the end of the trail. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-24
From: Rattle River Lodge & Hostel

To: Carlo Col Shelter and Campsite
Miles today: 17.0

Welcome to Maine. At the end of a 17-mile hike Saturday, Sharkchow crossed into the 14th and final state of the AT. He also passed the 1,900-mile mark. It was a good hike, he said, over several mountains - including Mt. Success, near Berlin, NH - and the weather was nice. But later he mentioned, almost off-handedly, that it wasn¢t all easy.¢Some sections were unbelievably difficult today,¢ he said. ¢You had to be an acrobat to get through the rocks.¢ To us following from the cheap seats, it¢s hard to imagine. We don't have pictures. Sharkchow also mentioned that he hiked much of the day with Big Heart, a retired guy he had met while walking into Hanover. If you¢re going to do acrobatic hiking, it¢s probably a good idea to have a spotter. Sharkchow in his hammock at Carlo Col Campsite, just inside the Maine border, and it¢s downright cold. He's glad he has his fleece hat. He also notes that he¢s about four miles from notorious/famous Mahoosuc Notch. The AWOL guidebook calls it ¢the most difficult or fun mile of the AT. Make way through jumbled pit of boulders.¢ Sunday could be interesting. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-25
From: Carlo Col Shelter and Campsite

To: Unnamed campsite near Mahoosuc Notch, Maine
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: overcast clouds

As advertised, the one-mile stretch just north of Mahoosuc Notch was kind of crazy. There were a few places where Sharkchow had to take off his pack to go under boulders. In another spot, he had to jump over a deep ravine. ¢It was kind of treacherous, but also interesting,¢ he said. ¢It was a big puzzle.¢ Sometimes the puzzle involved figuring out where to put his feet. Bottom line, he said, the guidebook was right: That section of the AT was "both difficult and fun." Also, ¢nerve-wracking.¢All told, Sharkchow hiked 7.1 miles today, and he¢s at an unnamed campsite near Mahoosuc Notch with Big Heart and Space Jam. Mrs. Sharkchow
Date: 2019-08-26
From: Unnamed campsite near Mahoosuc Notch, Maine

To: Frye Notch Lean-to
Miles today: 12.8

Mid-morning, Sharkchow had a good cell signal, and called in with more detail about yesterday¢s crazy acrobatic hike. So here¢s the deal with Mahoosuc Notch: Above one side there¢s a rocky cliff, and a lot of rocks have tumbled into the ravine below. For about a mile, the trail runs right through those boulders. Two or three times, he had to take his pack off and slide through the rocks, pulling his pack behind him. In other places, up top, he could hop from rock to rock, and across crevasses. ¢If you slip or miss, buh-bye!¢ he said. Meaning ¢¦ you¢d die?! ¢I don¢t know if you¢d die, but you could get hurt badly. I was very careful.¢ When he was near the end of that stretch, he approached a woman who was crying. ¢My focus shifted, and I slipped and fell over, but not into anything,¢ he said. He wound up with a few scratches on his leg, and a skinned pinky finger. All in all, NBD. At one point, to keep going he had to put his butt against a nearly vertical wall and his back against an upper wall, and inch across a chasm. ¢That was probably the most daring part,¢ he said. At the campsite Sunday night, he had a campfire (rare for thru-hikers, so a big treat) with Big Heart and Space Jam. Monday he hiked 12.8 miles and is in his hammock at Frye Notch Lean-to. Closing in on Andover, Maine, and the resupply package that awaits him at the hiker hostel. Mrs. Sharkchow