A few years ago Tricia gave me an Appalachian Trail Conservancy membership for my birthday. As part of this membership I receive a monthly magazine, AT Journeys . Last month's magazine listed all the hikers who managed to finish the trail last year. 500 of them were thru-hikers (finishing in one year) and 120 were section hikers (taking a number of years to bit and piece the trail together). Either way, they each walked more than 2,100 miles which is awfully impressive.
Hikers on the trail do not go by their given names. Rather, each receives (or gives themselves) a trail name. At first this seems a little strange but with time they grow used to being called Lego or Chuckwagon. Many times the majority of the hikers they encounter never know their real names - just these bizarre aliases.
Last year when the boys and I were on the trail over spring break I heard someone receive their trail name. It was just past sun-up and I was lying in my sleeping bag and listening to the sounds of the early risers break down their tents and pack up their gear. There was an older hiker named Roger who had been going by the name of "Mr. Rogers" but had confessed the night before that he really didn't like it all that much because it was too obvious. A young girl came over to him as he packed up his stuff and told him she had been thinking about his name when she went to bed the night before and came up with something she thought he'd like.
"How about Trolley Stop?" she asked. "You know, like on Mr. Rogers. He would sit on that little bench and the trolley would come and take everyone to the fantasy land. That was always my favorite part of the show."
Roger thought it over and decided he liked it. For the next five months everyone he met came to know him as "Trolly Stop." He packed up and left before the boys and I even made it out of our tents so we never did see him again. However, it was exciting to find his name in the magazine and see that he had completed his hike. Turns out people off the trail know him as Roger Gorrey. Go figure.
Here is a list of other interesting trail names I found on the list. I've tried to group them by category.
Jobs/Schooling - Not so surprising, most people shy away from names that reconnect them to the workforce. However, I'm glad to see that one of the few who do are in education!
Professor (Does this sound snotty to you? Maybe it's a reference to Gilligan's Island, though.)
Grad School
Engineer
Interests - Right or wrong, each of these kind of gives a mental image of what they might look like.
Bookhawk
Guinness
Six String
P.C.
Kayak
Right-Click
Portrait
Whiskey
Cliche - Some of these names get used over and again. Others are just too obvious.
Caveman
Spartan
Tarzan
Frodo (Historically, this is among the most popular trail names. That may tell you a bit about the folks you see out there.)
Animals - Do you suppose these are given because the hiker's appearance shares a likeness? Are there any animals you'd care to look like?
Grasshopper
Chickadee
Loon
Squirrel
Moose
Shark
Chimp
Billygoat (The boys and I met Billygoat about 70 miles into his hike. We stopped and chatted for about five minutes or so. He was a really nice guy and hiked incredibly fast.)
Movies/Books - I'm certain these names are self-selected before hitting the trail. Except maybe "Buscemi". Surely no one would do that to themselves.
O.B.1
Odyssa (She set the AT record for fastest hike - averaging more than 50 miles per day. We missed crossing paths with her by two days just south of the entrance into Smokey Mountain National Park.)
Muggle
Ewok
Buscemi
Griswald
Firefly
True Grit
Hobbit
Superheroes - These seem pretty lame. If I came across any of these hikers I'd either speed up or slow down.
Boy Wonder
Cape Crusader
Captain America
Pace/Perseverance on the Trail - Names related the act of walking are super-common.
Little Engine
Pacemaker
WalkAbout
Shuffle
Steps
Inchworm
Meander
Wanderer
Slo Jo
Truckin'
Stride
Hardships/Tribulations on the Trail- You have to love someone who can find humor in bad situations.
Black Foot
Rain Gear
Turn Around
Bum Knee
Hospital Guy (I really like this name. It's original and makes you want to ask the inevitable question...)
Oops
Whoop!
Forewarning to Other Hikers - These are hikers who should be avoided at all costs.
Chainsaw (Snores at night)
Ass Trumpet (Passes deadly gas at night)
Stinkbug (Stinks even worse than the typical hiker - which is saying a lot)
Dogbreath (Thru-hikers DO bring toothbrushes)
Whistler (Everyone's least favorite morning hiker)
Food/Hunger Related - To provide a constant reminder of the limited food choices on the trail.
Sweet Tea
Oatmeal
AYCE (All-You-Can-Eat. These are the favorite restaurants among hikers hitching into town.)
Chowhound
Vegan
Mountain Dew
Self-Deprecating - The underdogs!
Low Expectations
Old Fat Dad
Foureyes
Putz
Tells a Bit About One's Personality/Self- Wouldn't parties be easier if everyone had one of these? Remember Close Talker?
Maniac
Witticism (This name would seem to put a lot of pressure on its owner.)
Checklist (This sadly sounds like it could be me.)
Optimist
No Worries
Happy Jack
Jerryatric
Tattoo
Probably Has an Accompanying Story - The best category.
Snake Farm
Lady Pants
Kerosene Charlie
Hand Me Down
Mothership
Spork
Barnacle
Hiking Duos Whose Names Play Off One Another- This is essentially the equivalent of those couples who dress alike. They disgust me!
Hansel and Gretel
Oompa and Loompa
PB and J
HA! This is a great post. I love the categories you put them in. So, are these lifetime names? I suppose just like Mr. Rogers they could change, but it seems like a pretty important event to receive your name. Like a baptism or a christening or something.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember your trail name of those of of your family. Remind your constant readers. I would suggest some, but I don't want to offend. One could take some of these names as offensive depending on how they were given. Asstrumpet for example.
In my neighborhood when I was a kid many of my friends had nicknames. Some were shortcuts to their real names (NJ for Nick John, Bart for Thomas Bartolomeo). There were some that were just funny and didn't serve to shorten the name at all (Ravioli for Bob Fransioli, Bubblinki for Mike Milenki). My brother Pat got Shadrack for a nickname. How cool is that? I wanted one so bad, but nothing ever stuck. Any suggestions?
Okay, Muluken's trail name is Jolly Roger because he has a black bandana with a skull and crossbones that he carries on each trip. Ty's trail name is Flash. We gave him this name in hopes it'd help him feel confident in his ability to pick up the pace. I originally wanted him to take the name Tripp because he fell about ten times a day but he failed to find the humor in this. I do not have a trail name. I'm sure I'll receive one by the end of the trail though.
ReplyDeleteThe stories I read of thru-hikers always talk about how weird it is for them to re-enter the real world and go back to being called Frank or Sheryl. I guess they get used to those strange names.
I'd love to think of a few possible nicknames for you. However, I doubt Heidi would approve of any of them!
Yes! Trail names are wonderful. I had a friend in high school whose trail name was Falco. I don't remember why. I just remember the name. I wonder how many people use the name off the trail...or is that not allowed? OR...if they go back in to OffTrail life and start living the life of their nickname...For instance, Shuffle (and like, everyday she's shufflin') or Lady Pants, of course...who had to buy a completely new wardrobe when he returned home.
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