August 20 - 30

August 20. Rowdy and Hollywood (2nd).

(Rowdy & Hollywood)

Rowdy and Hollywood, the second Hollywood to be interviewed, are brothers from Atlanta who are thru-hiking from Katahdin to Springer.
Rowdy begins, “We climbed Katahdin on June 16.”
“Why are you thru-hiking?”
“Just to do something different – for the accomplishment.”
“How old are you, Rowdy? Where are you studying?”
“I’m 19, and I’m taking this semester off from the University of Georgia to do the AT.”
“Rowdy, what do you think about as you move your poles?”
“We don’t use poles.”
“OK, as you hike?”
“I think about back home. What it is gonna be like when I get home – and things that I’ve long forgotten about.”
“Hollywood, what preparation have you done to hike the AT?”
“No training. I had no hiking experience. I’m not worried about the physical part. I run some at home to be in physical shape.”
“Why are you thru-hiking?”
“I wanted to see if I could do it. It’s a challenge – a test.”“What was the worst part of the trail for you so far?”
“The toughest terrain was New Hampshire. The Whites were hard on my knee. It used to bother me there. The worst part is it is so hot and humid, and there is no water.”
“What do the NOBOs tell you, Hollywood?”
“You got so much ahead of you, condescendingly, since they’ve done two-thirds, and they try to give you advice. The shelters are not crowded going south,” concedes Hollywood, “but there’s no camaraderie.”
“Why are there so many thru-hikers on the AT?”
“They’re trying themselves,” answers Rowdy. “I don’t like hiking that much. I walk so I can stop walking.”
“How has the trail impacted you?”
Hollywood confides, “The trail makes you realize you don’t need the material things. The trail teaches you what you are made of, and that if you set your mind to it you can do it.”
“We’re not purists,” comments Rowdy. “If there is a shorter way, we take it.”
“Why did you decide to do the AT from north to south?”
“It’s more of a challenge because there are not as many in a party. Weatherwise, I’d go chase Spring.”
“Speaking of springs, have you run into any dry springs in Pennsylvania?”
Rowdy explains, “Right now all the upper springs are dry in Pennsylvania.”
“Can you remember any shelter names with dry springs north of Duncannon?”
“Yes, the Bake Oven Knob Shelter and another is the Allentown Hiking Club Shelter.”

August 21. Porch, Fish out of Water, Freeze and Shaggy.

(Fish and Porch)

Porch, 22 years old with a prominent red beard, and his buddy, Fish, drop their packs inside the door of the Pub. Each pulls up a stool. They are thru-hiking south. Porch climbed Katahdin on May 22.
“How did you come by that trailname, Porch?”
“I was named by Fish out of Water. I had hiked solo into Goreham, New Hampshire, trying to catch Fish - trying to find another southbounder. So we went to an AYCE diner, a few bars and back to the hostel and sat on the porch.”
Fish interjects, “He was such a porch monkey back in college, too.”
“Where did you go to college, Porch?”
“I just got my BS in Business from the University of Colorado in May 2002.” Fish says, “I went to the University of Southern Maine for 1 ½ years. I’m 29 and I wait on tables in Denver making about $45,000 to $50,000 per year. I dropped out to hike the AT.”

Fish signs the tablet using a graphic symbol featuring a cross-eyed smiley fish jumping out of water. “I left Katahdin on May 13. My girlfriend and I hiked it two days before the park opened, but we signed a register and talked to a ranger first. They get worried if your car is still in the lot at night.”
“How did you get your trailname, Fish?”
“I was alone about a mile or two in from the Abol Bridge and it was raining hard. I slipped and went down hard on my back and side into the mud. Try as I could, I could not get up, repeatedly falling down in the pouring rain. Finally I reached up, grabbed a branch to pull myself up stripping off all the leaves. If anyone saw me they would have said I looked like a fish out of water.”

“Porch, why are you thru-hiking to Springer?”
“I have no idea. My parents hiked parts. It was a challenge and something I thought I needed to do. It is a personal challenge – nobody has to wake-up and hike the 20 miles but me.”
“What do you think about as you hike?”
“If it’s a good hiking day – nothing. I aspire to think of nothing and then I realize I hiked 20 miles. I started with my Dad for three weeks and then I hiked solo a few days. Since Goreham, New Hampshire, I’ve been with Fish.” Porch continues, “I enjoy experiencing people - and the people in towns. The trail is another experience and you know each other even if it’s second-hand via the registers.”
“I heard there is a friary up north somewhere?”
Fish perks up, “I’m Catholic and the friary is outside Bear Mountain in New York. You can sit and eat a free dinner with the friars. They sit at a different table in their robes and ropes. Then you crash at the baseball field and take a refreshing cold shower after a hot day with a place to sleep.”
“How hot and dry is it up the trail?”
“In New York, people put out water jugs at the road crossings and in New Jersey, it is close to towns to get water,” reports Porch. “In Pennsylvania, all the springs are dry and you have to hike into town to get water.”
“I have a filter,” Porch relates, “and it is a pain in the ass and takes a lot of muscle to pump through a liter.”
“I use iodine,” Fish adds, “and it takes a half hour. If you are thirsty you don’t want to wait. Water roulette it’s called – just drink from the source.”
“Fish, why are you thru-hiking?”
“My Dad was trying to do all the 4000 foot peaks in New England, and when I was in Boy Scouts, we did some hikes in Maine and New Hampshire. My Dad’s dream was to do the AT, but he banged up his knee. I’m doing it for both of us – he lives vicariously through me.”
“What are your future plans?”
“I left society because I didn’t know what I wanted to do and now I’m further away from an answer,” Fish remarks. “I know I can’t be inside.”
“How about you, Porch?”
“I don’t know – I’ll tell you in three months.”

Freeze is an amiable 23-year-old NOBO thru-hiker who left Springer on May 1.
“Every NOBO that I saw the last few weeks says they are the last.”
“Yes, but I believe I really am - me and Shaggy, who is right behind me,” Freeze says with a smile. “I spent thirty zero days, but I’m picking up the pace now. I started in the worst shape of my life.”
“Why are you thru-hiking?”
“I just graduated from Georgetown University in December 2001, with a BA in Math and Biology, and I wanted an adventure. It’s not my last hurrah, but just in case I wanted to do it. The real reason is to avoid the world – I’m not ready for a job, yet.”
“Where’s your hometown, Freeze?”
“Nashville.”
“Have you met any trail angels?”
“It was a rainy, miserable day in North Carolina, and I was out of water and came to a road crossing. A pickup truck with three guys in it stops. My immediate reaction is they are gonna rob me and kill me, but they were out to fly fish. They get out and we get to talking. They gave me the water out of their cooler and their last beer.”
“What’s the origin of the trailname, Freeze?”
“I froze my ass off the first month. I got my name just before NOC. I was wearing all cotton clothes in the beginning and it was really cold in May, which I wasn’t expecting. I’d hike in the morning with all my layers of clothing on for five hours and still never warmed up. I told this story to Patch and he named me.”

Shaggy, wearing a bandanna on his head hiker style, pops in the door to the Doyle and plops his pack down to greet Freeze. He’s 21 years old and has been thru-hiking NOBO since May 19.
“Why are you hiking, Shaggy?”
“It’s been a lifelong dream. I heard of the AT when I was 11 years old. I’ve been hiking since I was a kid and been hanging out in hikercircles.”
“Is the AT what you expected?”
“There’s more to it than I expected. It’s more than walking on a path – there are towns and people to meet and fun to be had. I enjoyed not having any money. If you don’t have it, you have to fly by the seat of your pants.”
“What’s the origin of your trailname, Shaggy?”
“My first trailname was a self-proclaimed Wanderer. When I got to Erwin, I met Miss Janet, and at one point she took me to see the new Scooby Doo movie. She said I looked and behaved like Shaggy and convinced me to shave my beard and go with the name.”
“Shaggy, what was your worst day on the trail?”
“When I came over the Dragons Tooth in Virginia, I was trying to catch Freeze and was doing 20 plus mile days. It rained for a week solid. I had two shin splints and five blisters, two the size of half-dollars. Everything I had was soaked. I came over Dragons Tooth, which is incredibly difficult to do, and descended on the north side. I got off and hobbled three-tenths of a mile to the Four Pines Hostel. That was the only time I really considered getting off the trail. I took a zero day and soaked my feet. I never considered getting off since.”
“What impact has the trail had on you?”
“I’ve matured – very much so –and I’m more clear-minded,”Shaggy replies.
“Is there anything you would do differently?”
“I would have taken fewer zero days. I still would have taken the eight zero days that I hitched 750 miles from Damascus to Michigan to surprise my girlfriend."
“What’s in your future after the AT, Shaggy?”
“A management position in a cabinet company in Nashville, and I’ll probably get married next year.”
“Are you worried about getting to Katahdin too late?”
“Not in the least,” says Shaggy.
Freeze adds, “No, everything seems to work out in the end.”
Freeze and Shaggy proudly expose their right arms for a photograph. They had used a bent coat hanger to form the AT logo to brand themselves.

August 22. Rubbadubbtubb.

(Rubbadubbtubb)

“How do you spell your trailname, Rubbadubbtubb?”
“Any way you want. I’m self-named.
“Are you retired, Rubba?”
“Yes, I’m 61 and retired from the Department of Defense.”
“Which direction are you headed?”
“I’m section hiking from Harpers Ferry to Hoyt Road by the New York-Connecticut line. I started August 9th and am only going 900 miles this year. I’m a mountaineer and already climbed Mt. McKinley in Alaska in June. I’ve done the highest points in all 50 states and I was the first one to do the highest point in all the counties in Utah.”
Rubba continues, “Last year in 2001, I hiked north from Hoyt Road to Franconia Notch, New Hampshire, and also section hiked south from Cheoah Bald, North Carolina to Springer.”
“Rubba, why are you hiking the AT?”
“In 2001, I hiked the Long Trail to do Mt. Mansfield. I met some girls doing the Long Trail who suggested I try the AT.” Rubba explains that the AT and the Long Trail share the same path from the Vermont-Massachusetts line for 104 miles to the Sherburne Pass in Vermont. “I did other trails than the AT in 2001, a total of 1500 miles and 500 miles on the AT. I’m not doing a thru-hike because I can only be gone a month or two at a time because of business things and grandkids.”
“What do you like best about the AT, Rubba?”
“I like hiking. Last year I was with thru-hikers and this year I’m by myself. I like it both ways. I take the blue trails.”
“How do you get along with the kids?”
“I like the younger hikers.”
“Do you carry any luxuries?”
He laughs, “I have a heavy pack and a small brain. Mountaineers carry heavy packs with all the ropes and irons. I can’t get away from the heavy stuff. I have too much clothing,” he points to his Levi’s, “and I have Levi’s to wear in town. I have a camera and take slides - I’m old fashioned - of scenery and animals.”
“Rubba, what animals have you seen? Any bear?”
“Last year south of the Smokies near Deep Gap, North Carolina, two black bear came up to the shelter at 8:00 PM. We shined our flashlights at them walking toward them and they ran away. But they repeatedly returned for three hours.”
“Were there any bear fences at that shelter?”
“No, just in the Smokies.”
“Rubba, you look to be in excellent shape.”
“I crushed my right foot in 1973; it got caught in a hydraulic lift. The arch and five bones are now one bone and my toes don’t bend or spread apart. It hurts all the time.”
“Do you have any pet peeves or gripes about the AT experience, Rubba?”
“I like everything except the AMC – the Appalachian Money Club. I can’t understand why you have to pay $65 to stay overnight. Another thing irritated me at Mt. Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts. I was at the monument and the guy wouldn’t let me in to see the views because he had just cleaned it.”

August 25. Banzo, Play-Doh, Southpaw and The Hungry Caterpillar.

(Banzo)

(Play-Doh)

(Southpaw)

(The Hungry Caterpillar)

Why do the white blazes depart Market Street, the main north-south street in Duncannon? The AT turns west for NOBOs at the utility pole on the square immortalized by Blaze who labeled it the 31,160th white blaze from Springer. Instead of proceeding logically, the trail parallels Market Street one block west on High Street. All the hiker-oriented businesses except the hardware store are situated along Market Street. High Street is a residential area with sidewalks framing its east and west bounds. Towards the northern end of Market Street, the sidewalk disappears on the western side, hardly a major drawback. High Street graces hikers with splendid views of red-brick church edifices rather than the bars on Market Street. Yet, ravenous hikers merely view the pubs and taverns as heaven-sent eating and drinking places. The hikers speak of pointless ups and downs. Why does this detour exist? A bit of research into Duncannon history solves the mystery.
High Street used to traverse the entire borough. So did US 11 one block to the east on Market Street. In 1964, US 11 was upgraded to expressway status. Highway construction terminated High Street with a concrete embankment supporting the new northbound entrance ramp. The white blazes veered east toward the river by necessity. But why didn't the white blazes continue directly north through town? The trail took the path of least resistance. It was easier to blaze just the short distance from the square one block west and utilize the existing white blazes north on High Street. There were very few thru-hikers in the early 1960s and probably even fewer maintenance crews. The path of least resistance avoided painting over the High Street blazes and the burden of signing new blazes the length of Market Street north.

Today is Sunday. Just for variety, the old car reconnoiters slowly northward on High Street. It honks a friendly hello to a young, bearded SOBO wearing a red sleeveless shirt with a tan visor. The sweating backpacker smiles and waves back. Meanwhile, at a long table next to the window at the Doyle, two older hikers, Play-Doh and Southpaw, begin their tales of the trail. A few minutes later, the red-shirted Banzo arrives and is greeted by his SOBO friends. Less than an hour later, the fourth SOBO thru-hiker, The Hungry Caterpillar, arrives.

Southpaw is a high school math teacher from West Hartford, Connecticut, who seems more at ease with his spectacles removed.The first day of school and his sabbatical begin tomorrow. “When did you climb Katahdin?”
“June 4th.”
“Why are you thru-hiking?”
“The physical and mental challenge?”
“What was the worst part of the journey so far?”
“Coming down from Carter Notch Hut (New Hampshire) was my worst day. I had an infected toe that required minor surgery and antibiotics. I took two zero days and bought a new pair of boots.”
“Southpaw, what’s the water situation up north?”
“The best information is from NOBOs and Ridgerunners. The jugs left at trail crossings are often empty, so you have to go into town. Information is written in the registries and some hikers attach a sheet of paper to a spring sign to indicate it was dry on a given date,” Southpaw explains.
Banzo adds, “They ought to indicate with signs near road crossings if water is available ahead.”
“It’s tough when you have to carry extra water. In order to go 15 to 20 miles you need a minimum of three quarts,” stresses Southpaw.
The SOBOs recognize and remark about many of the NOBO hikers’ photographs smiling at them from the three-ring binder. “I guess you’ve met quite a few of the NOBOs. What do they usually ask you? What’s the most frequently asked question?” “How are the Whites?” answers Play-Doh.
Play-Doh, sporting a red beard with a splotch of gray, is a CPA and CFO on a six-month sabbatical from a credit union. “The first half of the NOBOs asked how are the Whites, but the second half didn’t care about the Whites.”
“Maybe some hikers are just happy to be out?” I half ask.
“Some are out there to be happy,” smiles Play-Doh.
“Why are you thru-hiking?”
“When I turned 40 two years ago, I took up backpacking and fell in love with the AT. My girlfriend and I had both had tough days at work and decided to thru-hike. However, she later changed her mind, but encouraged me to do it now.”
“Play-Doh, why did you decide to hike south and when was Day One?”
“Day One was June 6. I had done 700 miles section-hiking before Fontana Dam to Springer, and wanted to do something different,” Play-Doh says.
“Did you enjoy hiking south from Katahdin?”
“Everything south of Glencliff (New Hampshire) is easy I thought, but then Cube Mountain (New Hampshire) bit me in the ass. The Whites ain’t over till its over. It shocked me.”

“Did you see any critters, Play-Doh?”
“I’m walking south about two miles out of Wind Gap (Pennsylvania) toward Palmerton (Pennsylvania) and its dry as a popcorn fart. I hear rustling in the trees --- crash! A black bear hits the ground going about 30 mph away from me. Two more crashes and cubs follow. She was decoying me.”
Play-Doh continues, “The other day, August 23rd, I was on the rocks – you have to pay attention to the rocks so you don’t trip. I luckily glanced up and saw a two-foot rattler about six feet in front of me. It wouldn’t move and I veered around it a good ten feet away.”
Banzo chips in, “When I came upon the rattler, it was still coiled up.”
Play-Doh goes on, “The day I met Southpaw - it was at the ‘Secret Shelter’ in New York, we were sitting there and a big, old, black bear wanders across the trail in front of us.”
“Where’s your hometown, Play-Doh?”
“Washington, D.C., but I’m originally from Montana.”
“Where did you go to school?”
“I graduated in 1981 from the University of Montana with a BS in Accounting.”
“How did you get your trailname?”
“I met my girlfriend on the AT in 2000. When she moved to D.C. and we were section hiking south of Harpers Ferry, one of us said, ‘I feel like Silly Putty and Play-Doh.’ We still had our winter legs and were lethargic. I’ve hiked those areas, but now I’m in shape so it is much easier.”

Banzo is a 28-year-old chemical engineer from Newtown, Connecticut. “Banzo, what’s the secret to your trailname?”
“I used to eat a lot of chickpeas. You soak them in water and carry them all day. Another term for chickpeas is garbanzos and it was shortened to Banzo.”
“When did you start the thru-hike, Banzo?”
“I climbed Katahdin on June 2nd.”
“What were the insects like?”
Play-Doh can’t resist. “A cloud of blackflies hit me at the bottom, at the treeline, of Katahdin and followed me for two months. After you get enough venom in you the bites stop itching.”
“Some say,” interjects Southpaw skeptically.
“For me it was different,” says Banzo. “The 100 Mile Wilderness was the worst. The mosquitoes were worse than the blackflies. One swat on my shoulder killed six mosquitoes – they were swarming. After the 100 Mile Wilderness, it was just normal summertime bugs.”
Play-Doh stresses, “Make sure you kill them blackflies or they come back to get you.”

“Southpaw, excluding family and friends, what do you miss most?”
“I have a craving for carbonated beverages, sodas and beer,” and gives the question a few more seconds of thought. “I miss current events – knowing what’s going on and the sports pages.”
“Play-Doh, you are a Certified Public Accountant and a Chief Financial Officer. What does it cost to thru-hike?”
“It cost me about $5K including gear.”
“Banzo, is there anything you would like to mention about the trail experience?”
“There is no such thing as an easy day,” Banzo begins. “You have to hike whatever you can every day. Nothing’s harder than getting up every morning and hiking those miles. It’s all about momentum.”

The first three SOBOs exit to handle laundry and other chores leaving me alone with The Hungry Caterpillar. “Where’s your hometown?”
“Alberta, Canada. North of Calgary.”
“When did you start and why?”
“I left Katahdin on May 22. I needed a little break from school,” responds Caterpillar.
“What are you studying?”
“Philosophy, at the University of Alberta.”
“How did you learn of the AT, Caterpillar?”
“A friend of mine thru-hiked in 1997.”
“Are you hiking solo?”
“I started solo, but met Banzo early.”
“How did you prepare to thru-hike the AT, Caterpillar?”
“I did Internet research and read trailjournals. It’s better to be flexible with respect to resuppling. I don’t do mail drops and I’ve been lucky that it has worked.”

The Hungry Caterpillar is dark-skinned, possibly of Indian descent, and is soft-spoken. He has not a trace of any accent. More American than Canadian – didn’t hear a single ‘Eh.’
“I’ve heard many hikers refer to the AT as the All-white Trail.”
Caterpillar nods, “I’ve only seen two blacks and one other hiker with dark skin. Rockytop was one.”
“Yes, I took his picture and we talked briefly at a full, noisy table when the herd was moving north. I wish I had gotten an interview with him.”
“Has the trail been what you expected, Caterpillar?”
“Yes. You learn a lot about your body – how far you can push.”
“What’s in you future post-AT?”
“Finish school and then I’ll go on from there.
I have a bear story. I was sitting down to lunch just north of Rattlesnake Mountain (New Jersey) and I heard a rustling of the bushes. I thought it was a hiker friend, but when I looked over my shoulder I saw this black thing. It was around this bush 15 feet away and is sure to see me. As soon as he got around the bush he saw me. I stood up and grabbed for my pole and the bear ran away,” reports Caterpillar, adding, “I saw four bear through New Jersey.”
The AT Thru-Hikers’ Companion for 2002, reports that it is estimated there is one bear per square mile in those New Jersey counties where bears range.

“Do you carry any luxuries, Caterpillar?”
“Oh, I have a couple books; I read before it gets dark.”
“What are the titles?”
“Homer’s Odyssey and Uncle Tom’s Cabin. I also have a journal.”
“Do you have any advice for new SOBO thru-hikers?”
“Make sure they know it is a lonely road. It’s not the social NOBO hike.”
“What about insect advice?”
“There are days when it’s bad. Vicks Vapor Rub keeps away blackflies. Apply it to the back of your neck and arms.”
“Any other advice?”
“Go light! Pack as light as possible. Bring as little as you can.”
“What was your starting packweight?”
“It was 45 pounds and now it’s 30 pounds. The main things I dropped was a tarp and a tent and I substituted an alcohol stove for a white gas stove.”

August 28. Lightyear.

(Lightyear)

Lightyear has stopped briefly in Duncannon to shower at the Doyle and to use the Laundromat. He is heading south late in the afternoon to the Cove Mountain Shelter. Lightyear is 33 years old and thru-hiking Me>Ga. He is a rangy 6’1” and is wearing a windbreaker with University of Florida orange and blue colors. A welcome and gentle soaking rain is breaking the long draught and has dropped the temperature to the 69 or 70-degree range.
“When did you climb Katahdin?”
“May 28.”
“Where is your hometown?”
“I grew up in Danville, Illinois, but have been living in Gainesville, Florida, for ten years.”
“Lightyear, tell me about your educational background.”
“I’ve finished all my course work and research for a Masters Degree in Zoology at the University of Florida, and am an Associate Professor at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville. I’m teaching how to take care of zoo animals. Santa Fe has a zoo on campus and is the only accredited school that teaches zoo keeping. My undergraduate BS is in Zoo Science from Friends University inWichita, Kansas.”

“What possessed you to do a thru-hike?”
“It’s not that I grew up near the trail. I was introduced to the trail by my now ex-wife when we hiked the trail in Tennessee. After one month on the trail my wife filed for divorce.”
Dropping the pen I ask, “Shall I omit this information?”
“No, it’s OK. The trail was just the last straw that broke the camel’s back, not the ultimate cause. She didn’t want to go on the trail. I gave up the trail when she called. I got off the trail for three weeks and tried to get her to go to counseling. It was irreconcilable differences. I thought a nice place to heal was on the trail. Now it is even more important for me to finish.”
Lightyear discloses, “I had met Weatherwalks and Katiebird early on and got way behind during those three weeks off. You interviewed them on August 6th and I’m surprised that Weatherwalks did not mention that he was Albert the Alligator, the mascot for the Florida Gators.”
“I don’t think Weatherwalks mentioned that item, Lightyear, but he did play his flute.”

“Has the AT been all you expected?”
“I’ve had a great hike. I had to plan a year in advance to arrange tobe off. What the AT meant to me – is the unknown and to test myself to see what’s in me. It’s the Super Bowl of hiking. A lot of people want to do the AT, but don’t have the time or don’t want to find the time. The trail keeps calling me and has more to teach me. It teaches to look for the positive – even the weather. And it tests how to deal with new challenges.”
“Lightyear, since you have a unique specialty teaching zoo keeping, I have to ask if you have any critter stories?”
“I saw six moose, three bear, one porcupine and I stepped on a rock in a boulder field with a rattlesnake underneath it. I just heard it; didn’t see it. I saw a variety of birds in the northeast that I never saw before. I use one roll of film about every 200 miles.”
“Lightyear, what do you think about when you are hiking?”
“Sometimes you don’t. Hiking is almost a meditation state, like meditating. You’re in the zone. Other times, I think of the situation with my wife – what I should have or could have done to learn from the experience.”
Lightyear continues, “I’ve had trail luck or magic, too. Water may appear when it’s needed, for instance. I took an uncontrolled fall in the Mahoosuc Notch in Maine. My hands and feet were in the air and I fell eight feet and landed on my back. The pack softened the impact on the rocks and I came out without a scratch. In Massachusetts, I tripped on a footbridge and ducked my head and shoulder. The weight of the pack flipflopped my legs over my head and I landed right in the mud. It was late in the day and I was tired. I did 31 miles that day. I’ve done three thirty mile days.”
“What’s the origin of the trailname?”
“Back home my nickname is Buz. Katiebird and Weatherwalks named me after an animated video character, Buzz Lightyear, that is popular with kids.”
“What do you miss most on the AT, Lightyear?”
“Maybe some conveniences, for example, weather forecasts.”
“Any luxuries?”
“I have flipflops for the shelters and a full-length sleeping pad since I’m 6’1”. I carry a cellphone; it was a concession with my wife originally, but I kind of like it. It gives me flexibility.”
“Do you get good information from NOBOs?”
“Yes, water sources, what the trail is like, and information about shelters and towns. I don't have the town book."
“Do you do mail drops?”
“Yes, I have had good luck with them and I get a lot of letters from friends and students.”

“Lightyear, why did you decide to go southbound?”
“To be quiet and be with my own thoughts. I have been talking and teaching eight or more hours per day. It is a contrast and I relish the solitude. In addition, my schedule plays a role. My semester ends mid May.”
“You look to be in great shape.”
“I lost 30 pounds and only had 10 pounds to lose. I weighed myself at Delaware Water Gap. Maybe the scales were off, but I am eating more in town.”
“Do you have any advice for new thru-hikers, Lightyear?”
“Have a good attitude and find the positive out of the day.”
“Is there a question I should have asked but didn’t?”
“Even if I had quit the trail, I had gained enough confidence to believe I could have made it. Barring injury, I’m sure that I can do it. I don’t like the cold weather and am not looking forward to the Smokies in November.”
“Did you have any cold weather in New England?”
“Yes, I remember hiking Mt. Washington where the winds were blowing 70 to 90 mph.”

August 30. The Switchback Posse – Papa Husker, Sandia, Smokin’ Jacket, Strider (The Chimpy Scotsman), Bagel Chaser and River.

(Papa Husker)

(Sandia)

(Strider)

(Smokin' Jacket)

(Bagel Chaser)

(River)

Papa Husker is a SOBO thru-hiker who climbed Katahdin May 23, a Class IV day. “It wasn’t officially opened and if I had gotten into trouble I’d have gotten a bill.” The Companion states that “anyone hiking toward the summit of Katahdin is subject to a court summons and fine, seizure of equipment, and revocation of park privileges. If you must be rescued, assistance will be delayed until the rescuers can proceed safely, and you could be found negligent and liable for all costs of the search-and-rescue effort.”
“Why are you thru-hiking, Papa Husker, how did you get so crazy?”
“The seed was planted 17 years ago when my youngest son and I drove the Skyline Drive. I knew I was going to retire on my 56th birthday, but unforeseen events delayed the departure by four years. This year I couldn't leave in time for Georgia, but I am happy going to Maine, and happy to meet so many NOBOs. If you make a statement, you have to back it up. One of the NOBOs, a dietician told me that if you don’t eat well it would affect your mind.”
“I was only kidding about being crazy, Papa Husker. How do all those NOBOs treat you?”
Papa Husker is leafing through the photos and sees Baltimore Jack. “He was real helpful and exceptionally friendly. I met Baltimore Jack when water was tight and he gave good advice.”
“Describe a typical encounter with a NOBO and how you greet them, Papa Husker.”
“I stop and wait for them to approach and say ‘You look like a NOBO.’ I ask their trailname and when did you start. People are good and they think about what they need to tell me and what I need to know. I don’t like snakes and ask about snakes. The ‘reliable springs’ listed by the Companion are often dry or a mere trickle. Up at the Rausch Gap Shelter, 30 miles north of Duncannon, there was no water that evening, but there was a trickle in the morning after it had rained all night.”

“Did you have any bad days, Papa Husker?”
“Going out of Goreham (New Hampshire) the bank sign said 105 degrees on, I believe, July 5th. I walked out in the afternoon and going down into Carter Notch in the Whites, there was not a breeze. At the edge of the timber up ahead I spied a red fox coming down parallel to the trail and he doesn’t see me. The fox gets to within five feet of me with his tongue hanging out and stops.”
I’m afraid Papa Husker is going to tell me that a rabid fox bit him.
“The fox looks at me seemingly saying it’s too hot for either of us to get excited. Then the fox decides instead of blazing a trail, he will just walk down the center of the trail where I had come.”
Without hesitating, Papa describes the next day.
“It was hot again in the Wildcats and I had to go up to Pinkham Notch on only two liters of water.”
“How did you come by your trailname, Papa Husker?”
“I grew up on a farm 12 miles north of Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. My granddaughter calls me Papa. I’m self-named.”
“Tell me about your educational background.”
“I graduated with a BS in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska in 1965, and worked for IBM for 13 ½ years. I flew F-16 fighters for the USAF National Guard for 33 years and retired as a full Colonel. I attended the National War College in 1985-1986 in D.C. That’s when I drove the Skyline Drive from Front Royal to Charlottesville.”

“Have you experienced any trail magic, Papa Husker?”
“At Galehead Hut in the Whites, a bunch of us were stealth camping because the hut was full. I was trying to find a place to set up the tent and walked by some weekenders. They told me not to cook that they had so much food. I took my pot, I cook and eat out of the pot, and had a great meal. They each had a fifth of sippin’ whiskey and it was a cold, damp night. We had fun conversations and the stories warmed me up.”
Papa Husker remembers another magic moment.
“Same thing happened going into Upper Goose Pond Cabin (Massachusetts). I was doing my first 20 mile day going by the tent platforms about 8:30 PM and it was getting dark. A couple invited me back for dinner. They were two teachers – weekenders. They had beer and we had a nice rice meal topped with homemade chocolate cookies.”

Sandia, 23 years old, is typical of the many young females thru-hiking, very attractive. The only disappointment was she did not carry a flute.
“I studied flute at Lawrence University and graduated in September 2001, with a BS in Music.”
“What is in your future, Sandia?”
“I enjoy teaching, I think about that a lot.”
“When did you climb Katahdin, and why are you thru-hiking?”
“I climbed Katahdin June 4th. I heard about the AT through a PBS program. My Mom home-schooled me and my three brothers through our freshman years. We would be done by noon and Mom would take us hiking. So I always liked hiking.”
“You are seeing all the NOBOs, Sandia. What percentage do you think are women?”
“Probably one-third are women – alone or coupled.”
“How did you get your trailname?”
“Play-Doh named me. I’m from Sandia Mountains, New Mexico.”
“Have you had a bad day?”
“I had heat sickness in New York that lasted 2 ½ days. It was so hot and I felt like I was going to throw up; I was queasy and had no balance.”
“Did you see any moose in Maine?”
“Yes, I saw four moose in the 100 Mile Wilderness. I saw two moose when I was almost passed out due to an allergic reaction to a sting. I had anaphylactic shock. That’s when you swell up and can’t breathe and get hives. I was lying on the trail by myself on the third day -– a blow to my self-confidence. That’s when a moose walked about 10 feet in front and probably didn’t see me. After I saw the two moose, two northbounders saw me. They helped me back a mile to the shelter carrying my pack. They gave me Benadryl. I carry it now.”
“You were solo hiking?”
“I hike solo, but now I’m in the pack or posse – The Switchback Posse.”
“So you six are the Switchback Posse?”
“Yes, but there are two more a few days behind right now – Doctor Feelgood and Firefly.”
Strider interjects, “Doctor Feelgood and Firefly are graphic artists and came up with the Switchback Posse logo or symbol.” He illustrates it on the notebook.
“Sandia, what do you miss most, excluding family and friends?”
“Showers and steaks and my cats in New Mexico.”
“Do you have advice for future thru-hikers and thoughts abouthiking SOBO?”
“Of course, SOBO’s the way. I liked doing Southern Maine and New Hampshire and the Whites first. Go South.”

Strider declares, “I climbed Katahdin the first day it was open and that was May 25th.”
“Where’s your hometown?”
“Sautee, Georgia, close to Tray Mountain. Sautee is just 55.9 miles from Springer. I hiked a fair amount of the AT in Georgia.”
“Why are you thru-hiking, Strider?”
“The time was right. One of the main reasons I came out here was to figure out what comes next.”
“Have you decided, Strider?”
“Europe comes next. I still have a few months to think about Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Italy and wherever. I’ll probably backpack. I did a backpack last year in France and Spain on foot – a pilgrimage – to Santiago de Compostela. It’s a spiritual experience with a very rich history. Catholics have been doing it for thousands of years. It is one of three Holy Cities – Rome, Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostela.”
“How far did you hike last year on the Pilgrimage?”
“About 500 miles from the border of France to the northwest coast of Spain.”

“What did you study in college, Strider?”
“I graduated in 2000 with a double major in Theater and English Literature from the University of Georgia. I concentrated on Shakespeare.”
“Do you compose verse in your mind while hiking?”
“Sometimes when I hike I try to work out meter and verse. Usually when I’m through hiking, I forget what verse I came up with.”
“I’ve run into some weird poetry that doesn’t rhyme or make any sense to me,” I complain to Strider.”
Strider nods understandingly, “Free verse is similar to abstract art. It’s bad if it’s used as a shortcut to art.”
“Strider, do you stumble a lot while you are thinking?”
“No, I put my brain on auto-pilot and the feet don’t stumble.”
“What’s the origin of the trailname?”
“Play-Doh gave it to me because I look like the movie character Strider from the Lord of the Rings. That was about two months ago, 233 miles from Katahdin. Play-Doh didn’t like my first trailname, The Chimpy Scotsman. I hike with a kilt.”
“I’ve met several guys who hike with a kilt, Strider. Do you get asked the question quite a bit?”
Strider sings some lines from a Scottish song:“Ring ding Diddle diddle diddle eye dee oh, nothing more than god had graced him upon his birth.
In the interim a lassie took a ribbon from her hair and adorned it as thanks for the view.
I don’t know where you been little lad, but I see you won first prize.”

“Strider, did you have any anxieties about the AT”
“No. I heard all sorts of stories and told myself not to expect anything. I came with a clean slate. But I found Maine to be extremely difficult – all the mud, bugs, rocks, roots, rain and vertical rock faces. It definitely kicked my ass three times over. It tempered me hard. I had a good time, but it was grueling. Now it is easy.”
“Did you have any rapturous moments, Strider?”
“In the 100 Mile Wilderness I was having a really hard time with an overweight pack, the bugs and weather and was feeling really punished. I climbed to the top of White Cap Mountain and looked around from the summit. The view just said to me –‘This is why you are hiking!’ I have had wonderful views from major summits.”

Smokin’ Jacket climbed Katahdin June 16. “I had hiked pretty much all the AT in New Hampshire and wanted to do something unique and adventurous. I wanted to learn about myself.”
“What are you studying in school?”
“I’m studying Math at the University of New Hampshire.”
“Are you active in sports, Smokin’ Jacket?”
“I love skiing and track and cross-country.”
“What do you think about when you hike?”
“My long and short term goals in life.”
“What do you miss most excluding family and friends?”
“Women I don’t know yet,” he jokes. “Music and movies.”
“If you had the power to change anything on the AT, what would it be?”
“Definitely some pointless loops where the trail goes out of the way. I’d vary the scenery more. The AT ignores some natural wonders but it goes over all the mountains.”
I notice Smokin’ Jacket examining a huge red circular area on his thigh.
“I think it’s a spider bite,” he says.
Sandia and I convince him to see the Doc up on High Street who has tended to hikers’ ailments for decades. A phone call is placed. Dr. Pfautz is closing, but will see him if comes right up. We drive a few short blocks.
“The doc gave me penicillin and Benadryl tablets,” he announces very satisfied a few minutes later.“ Bagel Chaser and I,” notes Smokin’ Jacket, “are doing the AT together and there were two others. I was hiking in front and Bagel Chaser said I’m going to call you Smokin’ Jacket. I didn’t understand, but he said it was synonymous with ‘fast blazer.’”
“What do you like best about the trail experience?”
“The camaraderie with these guys. You get comfortable being a wanderer and not knowing what’s going to happen next. Like meeting people on the trail and in the towns.”
“Any advice to offer new hikers?”
“Don’t be afraid to go SOBO; it’s just as good. Don’t listen to other hikers, NOBOs, telling you that it is really hard ahead.”
Sandia interjects, “Or, that there is water ahead!”
Smokin’ Jacket continues, “It is neat to meet other people who have done all kinds of different adventures that I’ve never heard of and it inspires me.”
“What are you going to do after you finish the trail?”
“Get my degree so I don’t have to worry about it. Maybe go to Europe or hike the PCT.”
“What do your parents think about you hiking the AT, Smokin’ Jacket?”
“They’re supportive. They think it is awesome and are excited.”

Bagel Chaser is 22 and climbed Katahdin on June 16. “Why are you thru-hiking?”
“Smokin’ Jacket and I went to high school together – Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire. It’s a big regional public school.” Going on, “I always liked hiking. We hiked Katahdin several times in the summer and saw the finish sign. That was the impetus.”
“What was the most challenging part of the AT?”
“Up in Maine, I was going up this small 2,500 foot mountain. It was a long, gradual climb and a thunderstorm rolled in while we were on top. We huddled under the rain fly for the tent. It was later in the afternoon and getting dark on the top of that big bald area with lightning. Whenever there has been a thunderstorm I’ve been on top – at least five times.”
Bagel Chaser isn’t finished with the lighting. “In the Presidentials the year before, I got struck by an off-shoot of a lightning bolt on Mt. Jefferson in the Whites. My arm shot out and was shaking. My hands were hard to grip and tingling. The Gore-Tex jacket was melted to my elbow – it felt like somebody kicked my elbow.”

“Do you like bagels?”
“I like to eat a lot and gained 10 pounds on the AT.”
“What’s the story on your trailname, Bagel Chaser?”
“The first day out of Katahdin, I sat on a rock jutting out over a river and set my bag of bagels down. They started to roll down the rock and I chased after or else I would have lost my lunch for the whole 100 Mile Wilderness.”
“I hear there are all sorts of bugs up north?”
“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. In Maine in 80-degree heat it’s hard to wear a Gore-Tex jacket, a bug net over your head, long pants and gloves just so they wouldn’t get you. Deet eats synthetic material and might even cause cancer so you just suffer.”
“What did you study in college, Bagel Chaser?”
“I just got my BS in Chemical Engineering in May from Clarkson University in New York.”
“What are your post-AT plans?”
“I have a job lined up with a fuel cell company,” responds Bagel Chaser quickly.
I compliment him on his beard and laughter erupts. “My girlfriend concluded that it would have to come off.”

“River, where are you from?”
“Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
“I don’t detect any drawl.”
“I’ve done a lot of traveling.”
“When did you travel up to Katahdin, River?”
“June 7.”
“Why are you thru-hiking?”
“I’ve wanted the hike the AT since I was 11 years old in the Boy Scouts.”
“Where you an Eagle Scout?”
“Yes. Hiking the AT has been a dream and I decided in college to just do it.”
“Tell me about college?”
“I’m studying Biological Sciences at Mississippi State University and pursuing nursing school. I’ll start nursing school next fall.”

“How did you prepare to hike the trail, River?”
“I did running and weight training to build muscle mass. Training started in October. I was in good shape and I ran marathons. But I also dropped my packweight from 40 to 30 pounds when I got to Monson.”
“River, do you have musical talents or carry an instrument?”
“I play guitar and used to play the alto sax. I like the music of guitarist John Mair and Dave Mathews.”
“What’s the origin of the trail name, River?”
“I’m self-named. It’s simple and the way I wanted to hike the trail, and nobody has the name. I’m from Mississippi, and it is a steady flowing river. I don’t want to think; just get up and hike.”
“River, what do you miss most, excluding family and friends, on the AT?”
“News from the outside world, the awareness and excitement of wanting to know what’s going on in the world. I could care less about politics before I came out here, especially the U.S. and its involvement with foreign affairs.”
“Any advice for new hikers?”
“Figure out why you want to hike the trail and then do not listen to anyone else. Pursue that reason you are hiking the trail.”

Next - September 2002 - Southbounders Winding Down