Appendix B – Trailspeak Glossary.
AYCE: All You Can Eat. “The most popular acronym on the AT is AYCE.”
El Mindless Mariachi June 12
Bad Weather Trail: “It is a blue blaze to by-pass the peak if it is snowy, icy or if lightning is striking the top of the mountain.”
Mica September 15
Blaze, Aqua: “When non-purist folks rent canoes and float down the Shenandoah River for a few days toward Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. They put in at Shenandoah River State Park and exercise their arms for a change.”
Gummy Bear May 25
“I aqua blazed in the Shenandoahs from south of Luray to Front Royal. Aqua blazers are not non-purists. You’re still hanging out in the woods and moving by your own power.”
Huck May30
Blazes, Blue: For the non-hikers, the Appalachian Trail Guide for Pennsylvania indicates that a blue blaze marks a side trail that leads to a spring, scenic view, shelter or an access trail. Several hikers’ answers to questions about blue blaze trails led me to believe there was more than the definition stated. A blue blaze has other connotations.
“Moses, why do some hikers seem to take offense when asked if they take a lot of blue blazes? Don’t they just denote a side trail, for instance to a spring or nice view?”
“Some blue blazes result in skipping of white blazes. Some are short cuts.”
“Can you give me an example or two?”
“The Virginia Creeper Trail is a bicycle route that criss-crosses the AT north of Damascus and is easier hiking than the AT. Another blue blaze trail is the Crabtree Falls Trail in Central Virginia that allows one to saves miles instead of going over three ridges. North of the Georgia line is Standing Indian and Albert Mountain where hikers can go on some creek trail and through the Standing Indian Camp.”
Moses made it clear that he doesn’t do that second sort of blue blazing to avoid any of the more difficult white blazes.
Moses July22
Blazes, Brown: “I take the old side trails that used to be the AT. A lot of the old AT before it was rerouted went along roads. You can still see the old blazes if you look closely even though most of the poles have been painted over.”
Lonewolf June 17
(Alternate Meaning)
“How about ‘brown blazing?” she laughs. “That’s when you have to go off the trail to take a dump.”
Slow + Steady July 30
Blazes, White: According to the Appalachian Trail Guide in Pennsylvania, Tenth Edition (1998), “The Trail itself through woods and along roads is marked by white rectangular paint blazes on trees, power or telephone poles, and occasionally on rocks. The standard size for paint blazes is two inches wide by six inches long. Blazes are applied in a vertical position.
A double blaze (two blazes, one above the other with a space between) is placed as a warning sign. It may indicate an obscure turn or change in direction which might not otherwise be noticed; or it may indicate a change in trail conditions, such as difficult footing.”
Cairns or piles of rocks are used to mark the trail above the tree line. Sometimes the rock cairns are marked with blazes.
“In the south the blazes are hand painted which makes them easier to see at night and it is more environmentally safe because you are not using aerosol spray. Crossing the Mason-Dixon Line into Pennsylvania, the blazes weren’t clear and you ended up going south. In the south from Georgia to Pennsylvania, whenever you came upon a double blaze, they are offset to indicate which way the trail goes.”
“Two white vertical blazes, one above the other, a double blaze, indicates an obscure turn or change of direction which might not otherwise be noticed. In Pennsylvania, the double blazes are straight up, i.e. not offset, and sometimes have a small white arrow pointing left or right. In the south, the top vertical blaze is offset to the left or right to indicate the direction to hike.”
Christopher Robin May 30
Blazes, Yellow: Hitchhiking, i.e. following the yellow blazes on the highway.
“Hitchhiking ahead about 20 miles.”
Huck May 30
Blazing, Pink: Changing direction, smitten by Cupid, to hike with a special female.
Blazing, Rainbow: “Yes, I hike my own hike. I do Rainbow Blazing. That’s blue, red, yellow blazes – the total opposite of the purist. But I still go back to the main AT after exploring other sections.”
Sanman July 14
Blazing, Red: “That’s when you fall down the mountain.”
Jitterbug June 03
BOB: “BOB is a boots off break.”
Restless June 19
Day One: The day the hike started, as in Day One from Katahdin was May 15.
Flipflop and/or Leapfrog: Hiking portions or sections of the trail out of sequence.
Goback started March 22, 2002, from Springer to Erwin, Tennessee. “The trail became so crowded I leapfrogged up to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and am hiking on to Katahdin. Then I’m going back to Erwin, and northward to finish at Harpers Ferry.”
Goback May 25
“I’m flip-flopping. I started at Rockfish Gap (Waynesboro, Virginia) in the Shenandoah’s and I’m going to Maine, then flipping back to Rockfish Gap to Georgia. VA-ME, VA-GA”
2 Cylinders June 30
“I started NOBO from Springer on March 5th with Willie. My grandmother passed away and I got off the trail at Harpers Ferry. Actually, I leapfrogged into a flipflop. In early July, I leaped to Hanover, New Hampshire, and met Willie. From there we hiked to Katahdin and climbed it on August 7th. On this flip, I’m hiking from Hanover south to Harpers Ferry.”
Slips September 13
“I’m thru-hiking with a flip. I started at Springer on April 7th and got off at Wind Rock, Virginia, on June 13. Then I flipped up to Katahdin, which I climbed on June 25. I’ll finish back at Wind Gap.”
Tunaberry September 23
Four Basic Food Groups: “Ice cream, pizza, beer and chocolate, and it changes daily.”
Northern Strider June 01
Four State Challenge: “Oh, I did the four state challenge. You have to hike over 40 miles on the AT in 24 hours through parts of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and a portion of Pennsylvania. I did it in 21 hours, 44 minutes and 13 seconds.”
Zen Master June 27
Freedom Hiking: “It is the same as slack packing; you are free from your pack.”
Moonchild May 30
GA>ME: Georgia to Maine thru-hike.
Georgia M & M's: “Advil.”
Balance May 29
Ghost Blazes: Old blazes or reroutes that were not removed resulting in lost steps.
Gummy Bear May 25
Gorp: “Good Old Raisins and Peanuts.”
Yossarian May 14
I carried bags and bags of trailmix.”
“That’s the same as Gorp, Dan?”
“Yes. I can’t stand the sight of Gorp. I’m forever scarred by it and Gorp is heavy.”
Dan (2nd) formerly Central Maine Hurricane September 09
Green Blazes: “Green blazes are across people’s yards – when they invite you over or to set up your tent.”
Heavy D June 18
Half-Gallon Challenge: Northbounders have an opportunity to join the “half-gallon club” at the Pine Grove General Store in the Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Pennsylvania. Since the halfway point of the AT thru-hike is nearby, hikers are challenged to eat a half-gallon of ice cream. In years past, if the ice cream was consumed in less than a half-hour it was free.
“I won a pool at the ice cream challenge at the halfway point. I ate the half-gallon of rocky road in 14 minutes and 45 seconds. I beat Rockytop by two scoops.”
2 Timer July 05
Hikers’ Candy: “That’s Ibuprofen, considered a food group by some.”
Northern Strider June 01
Hiker Hobble: Limping badly.
Hiker Trash: A non-offensive, actually an almost endearing term used to describe the bedraggled or disheveled appearance of thru-hikers.
“I coined the term ‘Hiker Trash’ in ’89.”
Lonewolf June 17
HUTS: “Huts are better than shelters – they are resorts. They are maintained by the AMC, the Appalachian Mountain Club. The employees there in the Whites have to hike in supplies. It is a beautiful area, but it is a lot of rocks above the treeline. Instead of being in a green tunnel you have spectacular views above the treeline.”
Katiebird August 06
Leapfrog: See Flipflop.
ME >GA: Maine to Georgia thru-hike.
Nero Days: “Nero means Near Zero or a short day. Nero is hiking two to five miles arriving at a shelter early and staying all day.”
Fire Fly September 01
NOBO: Northbound.
No-See-Ems: “When the heat first started and the ‘no-see-ems,’ small bugs that bite and draw blood, were out, I didn’t get to sleep for a week. It was over tough terrain in Virginia between Pearisburg and Waynesboro.”
Skid July 04
“Going SOBO in Maine this time of year there are ‘no-see-ums’ also called midges. They are the size of a pin dot and you can’t see them but something just bit you.”
Bagel Chaser August 30
One Percent Club: “I average about 22 miles. That’s the One Percent Club – if you do 22 miles every day it’s one percent of the total distance of the AT.”
Ranger June 30
PCT: Pacific Crest Trail.
POB: “POB means a pack off break.”
Restless June 19
PUDS: “It stands for pointless ups and downs. This means a hill or mountain that you must climb that has no scenic view, no water source, no shelter and no attraction. There’s a slogan to help you get uphill; Lord, you pick them up and I’ll put them down.”
Gummy Bear May 25
“I get frustrated and irritated with the AT - with the PUDS and verticalness. They take you into the woods and there’s nothing to see, no view.”
Rafter Jack June 26
Purist: One who hikes by every white blaze. There can be degrees of Puritanism; a real purist doesn’t slack pack.
“I am a purist, and I hit every blaze, but I don’t have anything against the people that don’t do it as long as they admit it.”
Huck May 30
Ring of Fire: “Chafing. A lot of people wear spandex shorts to help with the chafing.”
Willie May 27
“I have chafing problems – even with the skirt,” he laughs. “You’ve heard of the Ring of Fire? I use Body Glide, it’s amazing.”
Valley Girl June 19
Slackpack: “Well, it’s when you don’t carry a full pack, just your day’s provisions, and usually a trail angel transports the rest of your gear ahead.”
Klymer May 28
Snickers’ Pellets: “I guess that means you don’t even taste them anymore. It’s an indication how often they are consumed.”
Dan June 13
SOBO: Southbound.
Soft Days: “Soft Days is an old Irish phrase that describes the fog and mist as looking soft. It helps you accept the rain better.”
Gummy Bear May 25
Split Gear: Droopy and Digga left Springer on the thru-hike on March 2nd and 3rd, respectively. They kept running into each other since the first week. By the time Droopy and Digga reached Damascus, they made the momentous decision – yes, they ‘split gear’. They had become an item.
Droopy & Digga June 21
Trail Angel: A stranger who performs unexpected acts of kindness.
Trail Community: “I didn’t realize what the trail community was like. It’s amazing. There are so many talented people on the AT. People are just as much of the experience out there as nature itself. I only spent one night alone in a shelter.”
Badger June 21
“How would you define trail community?”
“On the trail you are among friends even amongst strangers.”
Pan (2nd) August 04
Trail Days: An annual festival of activities held each spring in Damascus, Virginia. Trail Days features a hiker reunion, vendor exhibits, live music and a hiker parade. See:
http://www.traildays.com/
“We went to Trail Days for two years before we hiked and learned a lot. We went this year, too.”
Sunset June 26
Trail Family: An amorphous, clan-like group of hikers who gather each evening at the shelter and move northward (or southward, as the case may be) more or less together. Sometimes Trail Families are called pods.
“Some of the hikers hike with the same people or pods. Some even hitchhike to catch up with their group.”
Ranger June 30
Trail Fest: Hot Springs, North Carolina, is the host each spring for a hiker festival. See:
http://trailfest.net/
Trailheads: Trailheads are the points of access to the AT such as public roads or even logging trails.
“Anybody can break the solitude because there are so many trailheads for the weekenders, day hikers, et cetera.”
Goback May 25
Trail Magic: “A serendipitous surprise. Like that hot day I came to a road crossing and a couple returning from an outing served me homemade ice cream with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Or the caretaker whose house is close to the shelter who offers a cooler of sodas.”
Gummy Bear May 25
“Finally, I met a lady who had them [an emergency splint] in stock at an ambulance company in the Lehigh Valley area and she gave us one for free. Trail magic.”
Sealion July 22
“Two nights ago back at the 501 Shelter I said I think I hear my father’s voice. My parents brought us homemade blueberry pie and Krispy Kreme donuts, and then they took us to a pizza place! Just before they arrived, I was saying I was too tired to cook. That’s trail magic and trail angels.”
Willow Aug 13
Triple Crown: “It means doing the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Appalachian Trail.”
Presto June 03
Vitamin I: “That’s Ibuprofen.”
Balance May 29
Vitamin R: “That’s Ramen noodles.”
Huck May 30
Water Roulette: “If you are thirsty you don’t want to wait. Water roulette it’s called – just drink from the source.”
Fish August 21
Yogiing: A subtle, clever art form employed by a thru-hiker to obtain food or drink. In its crudest application, the disguised attempt to obtain charity borders on panhandling. The term is derived from the famous denizen of Jellystone National Park.
“It’s used like ‘yogiing for food,’ getting it without asking. It differs from trail magic which is unexpected.”
Silver Bahr May 16
YOYO: A round trip; as in thru-hiking up to Maine and back down.
Ram Bunny is on her third consecutive thru-hike and hopes to YOYO this year. Ram Bunny mentions, “Dorothy Laker was the first woman to do a YOYO on the AT back in the 1960s.”
Ram Bunny May 24
“I’m doing a section YOYO from Harpers Ferry to Delaware Water Gap and back.”
Sealion July 22
Zero Day: A non-hiking day; a day off the trail.
Zone, in the: Hiking without being conscious of walking.
“Once when I was in the zone thinking, I missed a cut-off for the shelter. ‘In the zone,’ that’s when you’re hiking but it doesn’t feel like it.” Sounds a little analogous to cruise control.
The Dude May 29
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