June 26. Sunrise and Sunset, Rafter Jack a.k.a. “Goldilooks,” Church Lady and Sly the Biker.
(Church Lady)
(Sly the Biker)
Sunrise and Sunset are from Sunset, South Carolina, and began their thru-hike NOBO on March 11.
“Is this your first attempt at thru-hiking, Sunset?”
“Yes,” he says.
“Why are you thru-hiking?
Sunset jokingly, “I don’t know, but when I find the guy that talked me into it I’m going to choke him.”
Sunset’s mate, Sunrise, adds, “For an extended vacation. We went to Trail Days for two years before we hiked and learned a lot. We went this year, too.”
“We are semi-retired,” says Sunrise. “Sunset had a restaurant lodge in the mountains near Jocasse Gorges. It’s a wildlife management area and Sunset didn’t want the developers to get hold of it, so he donated it to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The Foothills Trail is at the base of the property and the Palmetto Trail is a few miles away. The Palmetto Trail goes from Myrtle Beach to the mountains. We operated the Laurel Valley Lodge and did a lot of community service,” explains Sunrise. Sunset was momentarily absent and she mentions, “Sunset is modest and he doesn't volunteer about his generosity.”
“What do you like best about the AT experience?”
“The towns and people are the best part of the adventure,” says Sunrise. “Trail Angel Mary, here,” she says gesturing to Mary seated next to us, “has made this so nice. We never go in town and stay less than two days.”
“Our friends are concerned and ask, ‘Are you carrying a gun?’ They are afraid for us. Nothing scares me out there,” says Sunrise, “I feel safer in the woods.”
Sunset has returned. “I expected the AT to be a little rougher, but the rocks and roots are rough enough.”
“Were there any lessons learned?”
“Tolerance,” says Sunset, “Getting along with other people. We’re guests on the trail.”
Rafter Jack is an amiable 64-year-old carpenter doing a thru-hike. He’s a builder and remodeler from Norwalk, Connecticut.
“When were you diagnosed as a masochist, Rafter Jack? Why are doing this?”
“I wanted to do this for 25 to 35 years. It’s a dream I had and it was wanting to be realized. In 1999, I did a section from Springer to Fontana Dam, North Carolina.”
Rafter Jack offers a little history, “My grandfather and grandmother in the teens and early twenties, used to hike out of Palmerton, Pennsylvania, before it was officially the AT. I was close to my grandparents; they were outdoor people. They also had a place on an island in the Canadian Thousand Islands.”
“Did you attend college, Rafter Jack?”
“Yes, I went to Dartmouth and graduated in 1960 with a BA in History. I went to grad school for business but didn’t finish.”
“What do you like best about the AT?”
“My friends kid me because I get frustrated and irritated with the AT - with the PUDS, the pointless ups and downs, and the verticalness. They take you into the woods and there’s nothing to see, no view. I put up with it and get irritated. They say, ‘Hike your on hike,’ and I took them at their word. I do the old forest service roads that often were the old AT. I bushwhacked through the woods and cliffs before Roanoke, the Tinker Cliffs. I set contours and use a compass,” declares Rafter Jack. He shows his high tech watch, which also has an altimeter setting so he can walk at a certain contour or elevation level. “I set a line at 2,900 feet to intercept the AT. It was a mess. It was getting dark and I was getting scared. I had a map and knew where the trail was coming down and finally hit it.”
Rafter Jack elaborates on his trail philosophy, “I don’t need to see every blaze. I blue blaze, yellow blaze and aqua blaze. My friends put someone in front of me and someone behind so I don’t go off. They bracket me,” he chuckles.
“There are beautiful drives in the Blue Ridge as opposed to the trail, and the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoahs has better views on the roads. It’s easier walking and many of the turnarounds have fountains.”
Rafter Jack mentions proudly. “I’m into wildflowers. I have a herbarium. It is a collection of wild plants flowering. I have 125 pressed at home.”
“Did you ever think about quitting, Rafter Jack?”
“At times it’s been hard and I wanted to quit, but I stick with that thing, ‘Hike your own hike.’ I cannot predict what’s gonna happen tomorrow. Every day is a surprise.”
Sly the Biker is 48 years young and on his first long distance hike. He’s been thru hiking NOBO since April 5.
“Where did you go to school, Sly?”
“In 1975, I got a BA in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Then In 1978, a JD from the University of Oregon Law School.”
“Then what?”
“I ultimately worked as the DA (district attorney) in one of Oregon’s smallest counties. It was isolated, timber fallers and cattleman country.”
Sly the Biker shines more light on that experience. “I was the only lawyer amongst 1,500 people living in 1,700 square miles. By special dispensation I was able to do deeds, wills, contracts and even income taxes because I was the only lawyer in the entire county. Since there were no doctors, by law, the DA was the coroner, too. I was also a volunteer fireman and owned a title insurance company.”
Forgot to ask Sly if he were also the judge or if there were some circuit-riding judge system to relieve him of that conflict.
“After ten magical years, I sold my house and business, and stored my car and belongings to travel the world. I traveled to four continents, 35 countries, and biked over 31,000 miles for 28 months. I’ve never been the same since.”
Sly has a cut-off yellow T-shirt. He wouldn’t look comfortable in a three- piece suit.
“Then I went back to school, the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, and about 1995, got school teacher certification for middle and secondary education. The BA was in Broadfield Social Studies, Geography, and Earth Science. Then I worked as a substitute teacher and continued to live in the world. By that time, I now had 45,000 bike miles.”
When Sly pauses, “Why are you hiking the AT?”
“I’m the kind of guy who likes challenges. In 1991, when I finished the 28 months and 31,000 miles, I predicted that I would hike the AT by 2000, but I did more bike miles – typically a six week trip away every summer.”
“Sly, what are you thinking about on the AT?”
“I think of the people I’m meeting and I pray for them in their struggles and for their success.
As I’m walking, I’m organizing principles for a book in my mind. I set a goal for 10 but I have 11. They are ‘Aphorisms of Sly the Biker’ and will probably be used for chapter headings. For instance, here’s one: ‘It’s not who gets where first, it’s how you make your way!’ Another is ‘Something good happens every day.’”
Church Lady grew up in the Detroit area, but her home is Marquette, Michigan. She’s doing her first thru-hike and departed Springer April 2nd. Church Lady is wearing a shirt bearing the inscription, ‘AT Women Sleep with Mice and Men.’
“Where did you go to college?”
“I graduated in 1995 from Alma College in Michigan with a BA in Business and Spanish.”
“What is the origin of your trailname?”
“I’m called Church Lady because I try to go to church each week. I made a deal with God. It’s my job to get to a town or a road crossing by Saturday, and it’s His job to find me a ride. He hasn’t failed.”
Church Lady continues, “I’m Catholic and there aren’t so many Catholic churches down south. I’m 12 for 12. One lady in week 9 drove me 45 minutes to church, and she wasn’t even Catholic.”
“Church Lady, what did you do for a living before you hit the trail?”
“I was a church secretary for 6 ½ years and got a leave of absence. There is another job I’d like to try and it wasn’t fair to the church to hold the job for me. So I gave notice to the church from Pearisburg, about 1 ½ months into the trail.”
Church Lady continues, “I’m rather different than most hikers.”
“In what regard, Church Lady?”
“I’ve dehydrated most of my own food and dinners.”
“What are some of your typical dinners?”
“Spaghetti, scalloped potatoes and ham, shepherd’s pie and turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy. I rotate 10 or 12 dinners. I also dry fruits, kiwis and fruit rollups. I’m doing good with the mail drops, but I carry six to eight days of food.”
“Church Lady, have you ever thought of quitting?”
“It’s not an option, but it is in the back of my mind. If something happens at home or an injury…”
“Has the AT been what you expected?”
“No. It’s a lot easier. I expected it to be a lot harder, but it hasn’t been easy.”
June 27. Biphph, Seaweed (Siesta), Zen Master, Trippin Ant, and Sprout.
(Biphph)
(Seaweed - Siesta)
(Zen Master)
(Trippin Ant)
(Sprout)
Biphph is from Cleveland, Ohio, and is doing a NOBO thru-hike. She departed April Fools Day.
Biphph’s slender and small, but not fragile. My old stereotypes are dying. How can these sweet little things lug backpacks for thousands of miles? They are tough and determined.
“How heavy is your pack?”
“My baseweight is 23 pounds, that is, without food and water. It’s about 30 pounds plus.”
“Why are you hiking the AT, Biphph?”
“It’s one of life’s great adventures.”
“What do your parents think?”
“They are excited. Mom’s coming July 10th to hike a week. Last summer, I took my parents to Colorado backpacking in The Lost Creek Wilderness. It’s probably burned in the recent fires. Last summer, I led backpacking trips for the Girl Scouts of America.”
“How did you learn about the AT?”
“I first heard about the AT at college when one of my friend’s brother started the AT.
I graduated in 2001, with a BS in Environmental Education from Slippery Rock University.”
“Biphph, what do you like best about the AT experience?”
“I like the people best.”
People are in a festive mood on the Doyle balcony. A thunderstorm swept by and cleared the atmosphere of the humidity and cooled the temperature.
Biphph declares, “I think there should be a ‘kegerator’ of Guinness Stout at all the shelters. I just want a beer at the end of the day.”
Seaweed (Siesta) in her straw-hat, started solo on the thru-hike in March. She is registered number 335 at Harpers Ferry. Seaweed is from Gaithersburg, Maryland, a suburb of Washington D.C.
“What’s the story with the seaweed?”
“I started as a Vegan and ate seaweed, thus the trailname,” she smiles.
“Where did you go to school?”
“I graduated in 2000, from a small liberal arts college in Maryland, St. Mary’s College, with a BA in Biology.”
“What did you do after graduating?”
“I’ve been traveling. I visited India and Nepal from December 2000 to June 2001. Then I worked three jobs for the next six months. From January 2002 till the end of February, I went to China. I started at Shanghai and went north to Harbin – it was very cold there in the winter – then southwest to Yunnan Province.”
Trail Yeti climbs up the steps and hugs Seaweed. He turns and says, “Did you know that Seaweed’s cousin was in my platoon?” Trail Yeti was just discharged from the US Marine Corps a few months earlier.
“Seaweed, why are you hiking the AT?”
“I’ve been wanting to hike the AT for a while.”
“Have you had any problems?”
“No, but I haven’t been alone. After India, my parents were supportive. But Dad gave me a pepper spray.”
“Do you still carry it?”
“Yes, but I never had to use it.”
Zen Master grew up hiking and backpacking. He is an Eagle Scout and first hiked the AT when he was 12-years-old.
“I hiked sections in North Carolina, Tennessee and Shenandoah before commencing this thru-hike on April 3rd.”
“Where did you go to school, Zen Master?”
“North Carolina State. In 1992, I got a BS in Zoology, and in 1996, an MS in Physiology. In December 2001, I earned a certificate which is something like a BS, in Computer Programming.”
“What were you doing before you hit the trail?”
“I was a bartender – a damn good one. I worked at the Angus Barn Restaurant in Raleigh. It’s upscale and it won awards for its winelist and service. The restaurant was even featured on ‘48 Hours’ last year.”
“You’ve heard me ask everybody what they liked best about the AT?”
“I was most surprised by the people. Initially, I just came out to spend time for myself and didn’t expect so many people, so many good people, and make so many friends. I enjoy meeting the people and making friendships. I like traveling by foot,” explains Zen Master, “and seeing the East Coast. There’s a lot of history, scenery and wildlife on the AT.”
“Did you ever have the urge to quit?”
“Yes, twice. The first 15 minutes on the approach trail, and coming out of N.O.C. That’s near the Nantahala River, North Carolina. I had eaten a $22 lunch, was with friends and then sat down in the heat to watch kayakers for a few hours. I got dehydrated.”
“Zen Master, what did you think of the Cumberland Valley stretch as the AT leaves the woods?”
“It’s a contrast in scenery, but it was miserable walking exposed to the sun through the corn and wheat fields and by the farmhouses. It was 90 degrees and humid.”
Zen Master relates, “In Virginia, it wasn’t as long a stretch with the fields. It was more pasture and dairy. In the Cumberland Valley, there were a lot of wildflowers, very pretty.”
“What advice would you offer the Boy Scouts about the AT?”
“There’s a difference between thru-hiking and backpacking. I’d say learn hiker ethics – it’s important for scouts as well as other hikers.”
Seaweed heckles him, “Tell the scouts not to hike on June 21st.”
That’s unofficially known as Hike Naked Day.
“Oh, I did the four state challenge,” mentions Zen Master. “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.”
“Did you read any books about the AT before you left?”
“No, I didn’t want to have any preconceived ideas and didn’t want to inherit my prejudices. I didn’t think it was necessary since I’ve been hiking all my life.”
Trippin Ant is thru-hiking NOBO since March 10, but had to take two weeks off in May due to a foot injury.
“It was really bad tendonitis – Tibia Fasciitis – and painful. Spent a week at the Kincora Hospital. New shoes were helpful.”
“Where did you study?”
“I graduated from Webb Institute with a BS in Naval Architecture in June 2001. It was tuition free and had a small class of 12. The total student population was about 75. I had been around maritime things most of my life growing up in St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. I was leaning toward engineering and this piqued my interest. I interned at Grumman-Norfolk working with fluid dynamics and modeling.”
“Why are you hiking the AT, Trippin Ant?”
“I wasn’t ready for an office, I did that interning. I didn’t know what I wanted to do and I had no time constraint, so I decided to do the trail.”
“What do you like best about the AT?”
“People. So many great, interesting people. All so different, but all in the same boat,” well put for a ship designer. “And being out in the woods.”
“What’s in your future?”
“It’s hazy,” Trippin Ant muses. “The degree I have is specialized, yet it’s broad in the sense the classes were varied. I have interests in the field of computational fluid dynamics, which has applications in civil engineering, too. You can test buildings – air is a fluid. It has the same principles and applications for ships, cars and planes. There are a lot of options.”
“Is there any more long distance hiking in your future?”
“I’d like to hike the PCT and the IAT. I had planned on continuing on to the IAT, but taking time off for the foot obviated that.”
Sprout is from Houston, Texas, and is doing a long sectional from Hot Springs to Katahdin. He started April 27th.
“In 1999, I hiked from Harpers Ferry to Maine, and did the PCT in 2000.”
“How did you learn about the AT, Sprout?”
“A friend of mine had hiked it and told me about the lifestyle and sense of freedom.
I was studying electrical engineering and never finished. I was at the University of Houston from 1994 to 1996. I think I will probably go back but study mechanical engineering.”
Sprout, laid back and lounging on the balcony playing with a pet ferret, continues, “I moved to Big Bend National Park on the Rio Grande in Texas. I alternately worked jobs there and took off hiking. I lived in the park and the first year there I worked at the hotel. I also worked on the Tamarisk crew one year chain-sawing an exotic, invasive tree.”
Sprout relates, “After I came back from hiking the PCT, I became a river guide at Big Bend on the Rio Grande. Then I moved to Utah in winter and worked at a hotel.
This April I was visiting friends in Asheville, North Carolina, and got on the AT for three days just for fun and decided to keep on going."
We go downstairs and join Zen Master, Biphph and Pigchicken. It’s Pigchicken’s third night at the Doyle and he’s playing his Martins backpacker guitar. Biphph’s freshened up and fluffed looking like a new woman, smiling with a lager in hand.
June 30. 2 Cylinders, Wakapak and Giggler, Gurney, R-Kid, Ranger, Magiver, Maybe Muscles, Juiceman, and Orion.
(Giggler)
(Gurney)
(R-Kid)
(Ranger)
(Magiver)
(Maybe Muscles)
(Juiceman)
(Orion)
“Are you going thru, 2 Cylinders?”
“No, 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”
“What’s the story on the 2 Cylinders?”
“I like old equipment, especially old John Deere’s. I have four old tractors at home including two John Deere’s. And I’m old equipment, too,” he laughs.
“I went to school in Florida and met a gal from Tennessee, and have lived in Tennessee ever since. I went to a small private liberal arts college, Florida College, from 1963 to 1965. In 1982, I got an Architectural License after taking national Architectural Board Exams, and I’m now licensed in seven states.”
“Spend any time in the service, 2 Cylinders?”
“It’s a little unusual. I joined the US Naval Reserves in 1977 and came in as an E-6 as an IS or Intelligence Specialist. I worked in photographic intelligence with the Navy’s air wing. I left the Reserves in 1988 as a Chief Petty Officer (E-7).”
“What’s the worst part of the AT?”
“It’s lonely leaving the shelter and having 6-8 hours to think about a bunch of stuff and no one to talk to. I miss the family most. It’s an emotional roller coaster getting through on the phone to the family. The human contact at the shelter helps bring you back to some reality. My family is concerned and wants to know if I’m OK and is glad to know that I miss them. The pain and bruises, they’re there; you live with them, but I miss the family.”
“If you were starting the AT now, what would you do differently, 2 Cylinders?”
“It’s amazing how much I didn’t know that I thought I did, but didn’t. Equipment selection – for one. There’s a difference between hiking boots and backpacking boots. A good Vibram sole with a steel shank keeps the boot from bending which is important on rocks.”
“Anything else?”
“I’ve also changed stoves, from gas to alcohol, and will change to a hammock from a tent. Everything is weight – it’s critical to make good decisions that help ensure a successful hike. Some of the minimalists,” 2 Cylinders continues, “push the envelope too far in the other direction and put themselves and others on the trail in some danger by carrying too little.”
“Please explain further.”
“By carrying only the barest of essentials and not carrying an adequate first aid kit, should they have an accident or come upon someone else who has had an accident, they are dependent on someone else’s supplies or help before assistance is possible. If anyone had an emergency requiring evacuation, it takes 12-18 people to get somebody out along the narrow trails on a litter. I took an Advanced Wilderness Emergency First Aid Medicine course by SOLO and also have a Heartsaver CPR card, not that they are requirements, but they make me more comfortable and aware of how others could be at risk if I’m not prepared.”
Wakapak and Giggler met on the trail in 1999. They are thru-hiking NOBO and left Springer on March 16.
“Wakapak, you met your fiancée on the trail and burned out at 1800 miles?”
“I met him out here in 1999, and we took a lot of zero days and big days and skipped sections. We just burned out and stopped. It’s more mental than physical.”
“What did you do differently this time, Wakapak?”
“We haven’t stuck to a schedule as much. I’ve learned to take in things. Today, I thought we’d be gone after breakfast, but here we are still at the Doyle and I’m not upset. We take fewer zero days and are hiking fewer miles per day.”
“What do you like about the AT, Wakapak?”
“The AT is the best experience. I’ve met so many wonderful, generous people on the AT and in the towns. It renews my faith in the good of people. If I ran out of food, other hikers would share, for instance.”
“Where did you go to school, Wakapak?”
“I went to the University of Rhode Island and graduated with a BS in Communication Disorders in 1997.
I worked as a Special Ed substitute, working one on one with kids during the summer of 1997. From fall 1997 till spring 1999, I worked in pre-school Special Ed. Then from November 1999, until this January, I was a teaching assistant at Crotch Mt. Rehab, New Hampshire. It’s a totally special ed, non-profit residential groups campus. I worked in a classroom with 14 to 18 year olds that were emotionally disturbed, had behavior disorders and learning disabilities. They came from all over the United States.”
“Giggler, how did you get your trailname?”
“I laugh a lot,” he laughs.
“What’s the origin of Wakapak’s trailname?”
“She hung her pack outside the shelter like you are supposed to with the zippers open so the mice don’t chew holes to get in. At night she saw her pack swaying and ran and whacked the pack with a broom to get the mice out.”
“Where’s your hometown, Giggler?”
“Elizabeth City, North Carolina – out in the country.”
“Were you active in scouts or did you play sports?”
“I played soccer and was captain of the swim team and rifle team in high school, but wasn’t active in the scouts. I was male athlete of the year. I didn’t do anything in college except Dean’s List. I did play club sports in college.”
“What did you study at school, Giggler?”
“I was a pre-med major and have a BS in Zoology from NC State at Raleigh in 1998. I’m planning on going back to be a Chiropractor, probably at the Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic in Spartanburg, South Carolina.”
“Have you been injury free on the trail?”
“I had carpal tunnel in both wrists because of the trekking poles. The new kind has a positive angle of 15 or 20 degrees to keep the wrists in a neutral position going downhill. The chiropractic helped the wrists.”
“What are your plans after Katahdin, Giggler?”
“We’re going to work at that special ed residential center and save money. We’re going to get married on June 21, 2003.”
“Isn’t that the Hike Naked Day?”
Laughter. “No, we’re not getting married naked. Then we both plan to go to school for degrees in South Carolina and get jobs that allow us a lot of free time.”
Gurney is doing his first thru-hike and left Springer on March 20th, his 40th birthday.
“I think my Harpers Ferry number was 374. The trailname is a misunderstanding with my real name.”
“Gurney, how did you get involved with the AT?”
“Ten years ago I learned about the AT doing a 10 mile walk. Then five years ago, I got the bug. Three years ago I knew I was going to do it. Things fell into place. I had to get some things paid off and sell my house. I was living in Cincinnati.”
Gurney explains, “I was a claims adjuster, but won’t be anymore. I need something more relaxed. I did it for 12 years.”
“What has the trail taught you?”
“I haven’t learned anything out here I didn’t already know. No life changing experiences.”
Gurney thinks a second and remarks, “I’ve done away with a few pieces of equipment. I had a crazy creek chair that I was using for a bed. It’s a great luxury to sit on, but it is not good to sleep on. I got a thermorest inflatable and had my first dream. I slept better.”
“What did you study in college, Gurney?”
“I have a BS in Business Management from Wright State (Fairborn, Ohio) back in 1987.”
Gurney insists on buying me a bottle of Yuengling Premium.
“Thanks, Gurney. What do you like best about the AT?”
“People. And I enjoy the hiking. I can do big or small.”
Continuing with the ‘best’ query, “The Doyle is the most beer I’ve drank on the trail. And the cheap pool table at 50 cents! And the 22 ounce drafts for only $1.90.”
“Anything else you want to mention, Gurney?”
“Follow the Wolf. I hiked with Lonewolf from Springer to Fontana Dam, North Carolina, and learned quite a bit.”
R-Kid, wearing a bright orange Long Trail tee-shirt, declares, “One of the worst parts of the trail is being 20 years old and sitting around a bar in the corner not drinking and just watching television.”
He’s watching his Boston Red Sox, pardon the term, ‘trail’ the Braves.
“Where are you from R-Kid?”
“White River Junction, Vermont.”
“Are you thru-hiking?”
“Yes, NOBO. I left March 24 and my Harpers Ferry number is 340.”
“Are you going to college, R-Kid?”
“I did two years at Lyndon State College (Vermont). It’s a liberal arts college and I’ll be going back to be an English major next year.”
“What do you think about on the trail?”
“Friends and family, and who I want to become.”
“What do you care about?”
“Four things: family, friends, music and the Red Sox.”
“R-Kid, do you have any luxury items?”
“A portable CD player and 25 CDs – mostly rock and Canadian rock. I have my headphones on 95 percent of the time.”
Ranger will retire from the US Army on 31 July 2002. He’s on terminal leave, but is subject to a callback if he’s needed anytime in the next 10 years.
“I was the First Sergeant at Ft. Carson, Colorado. I am an Airborne Ranger – I jumped out of planes with 100 pounds. Hiking the AT, I was carrying 45 pounds but now I’m down to 30 pounds.”
“When did you start the thru-hike, Ranger?”
“12 April. I was number 489 at Harpers Ferry.”
“Where’s your hometown and how did you land on the AT?”
“Toledo, Ohio. I’ve been backpacking since I was 16 and always wanted to do the AT.”
“I took 20 days off the AT because my son graduated from high school. He’s going to college in Pueblo, Colorado, to study accounting. He hiked with me for a while. My wife is going for her RN degree; she’s an LPN. One of my old commanders came back to hike the Shenandoahs with me, too. The Colonel dropped me off near Front Royal on Monday, the 24th. I went from Front Royal, Virginia, to Duncannon in seven days.”
“Ranger, what do you like best about the AT?”
“The challenge every day, just picking them up and putting them down. I got lighter due to the daily grind. Alone, I get bored. I average about 22 miles. That’s the One Percent Club – if you do 22 miles every days it’s one percent of the total distance of the AT.”
“That’s interesting. Anything else you care to add, Ranger?”
“The biggest surprise is the number of younger women on the AT. If memory is correct, Harpers Ferry said about 29 percent are women. And the AT is structured. Some of the hikers hike with the same people or pods. Some even hitchhike to catch up with their group such as Trish The Dish and Frodo. Frodo has a great voice. You have to get her to sing.”
“Magiver, how did you get the name?”
“I was hiking with the same group pretty much since the first week, Orion, Cous-Cous, R-Kid and also Weatherman. At the first shelter out of Springer, I had a collapsible water bag that hung from a bungee cord and made filtering the water easier. I had all the gadgets – a big knife, fire starter sticks, duct tape, etc.”
Magiver is a thru-hiking NOBO and left March 25. He’s number 375 at Harpers Ferry.
“What’s your profession, Magiver?”
“I got my CE in 1972 from the University of Cincinnati, and I’ve worked with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as the Assistant Chief Engineer. I did construction for all the parks and natural resource areas. I retired July 31, 2001.”
“As a civil engineer,” I cautiously begin broaching a delicate subject, “you must have had more than a passing interest in the privies along the trail. By any chance did you take any pictures?”
“I never took any pictures, but that is the last thing you’re thinking of when you got to go.”
“Magiver, can you describe the various types of privies you’ve seen along the AT?”
“I was impressed with Georgia. There was very little odor. They used the mouldering type privy. Sometimes they are called composting toilets. The privy has a dry mass bottom and a can of leaves or dry mulch is by the seat to drop a handful down the hole. You are not supposed to urinate because it has nitrates. Signs explain. About 90 percent of the mouldering privies were three-sided with no doors, no privacy, but they faced the woods and not the shelter.”
Magiver goes onto pit latrines, “This is just a trench in the ground, usually 4 feet by 4 feet with an outhouse on top. Some even had half-moons carved in them. Over half do not smell so swell. As they fill up, they cover the trench and move the privy over a new trench. They come in all kinds and sizes.”
It’s nice to have a civil engineer on hand to ask about minefields and feel like you’re discussing science and technology. “Magiver, have you come across shelters that lack privies?”
“In North Carolina and Tennessee there are many ‘Signs to the Hillsides’ that point down the hill. The Smokies did have privies, though. Sometimes in those ‘no privy areas’ they had a spade, like you were going digging for clams.”
I laugh. Magiver remembers, “Close to Mount Rogers in Virginia, I saw one solar-powered privy. It runs a fan to circulate air. It’s probably a composting toilet. There was no odor; it was vented with the fan. Four or five times I saw areas covered with toilet paper at shelters with no privies. There are signs at these privyless shelters to use the woods beyond. Thru-hikers will go off in the woods before you get to the shelter or else walk beyond the shelter. It is probably the day hikers and weekenders causing the problems.”
“Magiver, were you in the military?”
“I was in the USN, a LT(jg) in the CE Corps performing public works from 1973 to 1975. I was in Bangkok, Thailand, managing construction for all of Southeast Asia and Diego Garcia. We did projects with the Air Force – airfields, radio stations and barracks.” “What do you like best about the AT, Magiver?”
“Actually being on the trail – the hiking. I like being in the woods, getting up and going on the trail. The excitement really doesn’t wear off.”
“What do you think about while you’re hiking?’
“Everything and nothing. Family and friends. I think of where I am – Wow – on the AT! So very few people get to do this. It’s really hard going up those mountains in the Smokies. When you get to the top and see more mountains as far as you can see, I learn that’s why I climbed, and it happens every mountain. The whole trail is special.”
“Bryson, “ Magiver relates, “trashed Virginia saying all you see is trees everyday. That’s not right. If all you see is trees, then you are not really seeing the trail.”
Maybe Muscles says, “I talked to a couple who hiked in 1995-1996. I wanted something empowering, maybe muscles. I’m having a ball with the trailname.”
“Where’s your hometown, Maybe Muscles?”
“I live in Maine – North Vassalboro, and Day One was March 12. I planned the trip five years ago. I’m in nursing school and completed one semester and took one year off to do this thru-hike. I used to be a lab tech and made artificial limbs – prosthetics and orthotics. I quit my job and now I have a plan for my future. I’m not just totally winging it. I waited till my daughter got out of college,” proclaims Maybe Muscles. “I have no car payments, and no rent. A kind friend is letting me store my belongings. I saved money and did cleaning jobs and waited till the time was right.”
Maybe Muscles reflects, “The friend I started with got bored and wanted to be at the beach. When she left I was more isolated, but I’m reaching out to people. Maybe that’s why she got bored. Plus I like the pure physical hiking.”
Maybe Muscles, “What have you learned from the AT?”
“I’m getting lessons in patience and impermanence. The flow of hikers, in and out; I miss some and gain others for a little while. Go with the flow. I like being alone and being able to do what I want when I want and not having to take care or pay attention to another person’s needs. It’s self-centeredness and independence. Yet, I miss the companionship of sharing things and setting up camp. I have mixed emotions.”
“I keep a data book,” volunteers Maybe Muscles, “with factual information on where and when. I also have a journal I use infrequently to record conflicts, feelings or funny stories, sayings and jokes. I also write notes on the maps.”
Maybe Muscles maintains a ‘pleasure list’ and allows me to copy entries to share:
Good water.
Nice campfire.
Picking my favorites out of the gorp.
A raincoat that works.
No pain when working.
No pain when sleeping.
Looking down a mountain through a hardwood forest. (Georgia and North Carolina in the spring.)
The feel of sunshine.
Toe warmers in cold boots on an ice-cold morning.
Coffee.
Most any food.
A really fine lunch spot.
A nice stream.
Getting to camp early.
Juiceman is a SOBO doing a long 1300-mile section from Culver Gap Firetower, New Jersey, to Springer. Juiceman’s 39 years old and just started June 17.
“I’m a fireman from Jersey City, New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from New York City. I used to hunt in a state forest near the AT and I did day hikes. I’ve known the AT since my early 20’s. I’ve wanted to do the AT but I didn’t know how I could do it.”
“Can you explain?”
“I worked for 11 years as a fireman and accumulated a total of three months personal days and annual vacation. The other firemen call me a weirdo for using my valuable personal time to hike. They took bets and figured I’d be back in two weeks. I almost didn’t make two days!”
“What happened, Juiceman?”
“I hiked but never backpacked before. I started with 75 pounds and didn’t make it to the shelter. I pitched my tent in a state park at 11:00 PM. I was exhausted. My heart was pounding. At midnight a snorting bear comes to my tent, just 1/16 of a nylon inch is separating us. My life flashes in front of me. I screamed, ‘Go away,’ and the bear snorts itself away. I had pitched a tent in the middle of all the runs.”
“I got to Delaware Water Gap and my girlfriend met me. I gave her about 30 pounds of excess food and got down to about 40 to 45 pounds. At the Delaware Water Gap, I bought a bottle of nice wine, some Brie and crackers and did a six-mile hike to the Kirkridge Shelter. There I met a guy I called Uncle Festas – from the Addams Family. He was farting and had spread out over the whole shelter with wash strung out and was seated in a Zen position. He was counting about 20 pounds of coins in piles. He was crazy. I ran 10 miles to get away from Uncle Festas,” Juiceman swears. “I’ve run marathons all over the world and several marathons for Leukemia in Bermuda, Alaska, three times, Dublin, twice, and San Diego. I went to Wind Gap and stayed at a B and B. As a fireman, I run into burning buildings, a piece of cake, and this guy scares me. No way was I gonna sleep there.”
Juiceman continues the account of his odyssey, “I spent two days in Palmerton at the Parkside Inn. It’s the municipal building and they provide bunks and showers. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts do fundraisers to give you doggie bags with toothpaste, a phone card and snacks. You register at the police station and the police take you to the municipal building.”
Juiceman declares, “I haven’t met a SOBO yet. I see all the NOBOs. On the rocks everybody has his head down, scared about snakes and rocks. I startled a redheaded guy. He would have walked into me if I hadn’t stopped. He said, ‘I was in a zone’ apologizing.”
Turning serious, “I live on the West Side of the Hudson River across from New York City. I worked on 9/10. Next day I was driving to the park to run. I saw the North Tower was burning. Going into the park I saw flames and the second plane came over my head – it was surreal. The second tower absorbed it. From the Jersey side you couldn’t see the blowout that you saw on TV. The smoke obscured it. My goal is to finish by September and be in the air on September 11 flying home.”
Orion is 24 years old doing a long NOBO section hike.
“In 1997, I did the Amicalola to Catawba section. Then in 2001, I did from Hoyt Road, Connecticut, to Sherburne Pass, Vermont. This year I started April 26, from Catawba, Virginia, going to Hoyt Road, Connecticut. My hometown is Portsmouth, New Hampshire.”
“What’s the meaning of your trailname, Orion?”
“The constellation. I don’t hunt, but I hunt for good times, and Orion rhymes with my real name.”
“Orion, what did you study in school?”
“I studied forestry for one semester at the Thompson School in 1996. I was an undeclared major for another semester in 1997 at Keene State, New Hampshire. Then in 2000-2001, I received an Associates of Science degree in Culinary Arts from McIntosh College at the Atlantic Culinary College in partnership with Le Cordon Bleu.”
“Why are you hiking?”
“This is my vacation. I worked two jobs, a chauffeur for a politician and pizza delivery, to save money. I quit to get on the AT. I’ve hiked five weeks, 310 miles, and gained 12.8 pounds.”
“Has the trail taught any lessons?”
“I enjoy and appreciate the simple things. I’m in sync and in tune with the sun and the simple things about life and food. A good moment for me is a quart of Gatorade and ice cream.”
“Do you have any luxuries?”
“Yes, a water filter, a thermorest pad, a two man tent, a stove with a fuel bottle and cook pot, raingear and a fleece.”
“What do your parents think about you hiking the AT, Orion?”
“They’re supportive. Both think it’s a good idea.”
“What’s in your future?”
“I’ll go home, earn more money and take another vacation.”
(Dining with Trail Angel Mary)
Next - July 2002 - April Northbounders Arrive