Introduce Yourself ... Please

[Nyte]

*steps up, holds lit candle, takes a deep breath* Hi, I'm Nyte, and I am an outdoor addict. First time I set foot on the AT was the summer I was 8 or 9, in Washington Monument State Park, on a camping and canoeing trip with the day camp I attended that year. I loved it, being in the woods, as always, and we hiked down to the shelter, and I was fascinated. Group leader told us about the AT, and how people hiked it from Georgia to Maine.

I was captivated, and it always surfaced in my thoughts and dreams. I've hiked, camped, backpacked, hunted, fished, canoed, mountain biked, and more since before then, and still, out in the elements, away from the hypocrisy of society, that is where my heart has always been. It's were I have always longed to be.

Right now the plan is to find work opportunities through 2014, and save every possible penny for a 2015 GA ME hike. I love it here for the wealth of knowledge, the friendly atmosphere, the support, camaraderie, and tolerance.

[Devin Harvey]

I guess since im asking questions i should introduce my self. My names Devin obviously lol. I dont have a trail name and figured id just take whatever is given to me. I live in the flattest part of Texas you could find, Wichita Falls. im 26 and looking to thru hike the AT sometime in 2014 hopefully starting in early March. As dumb as it might sound I got the AT bug from a documentary on Netflix and started doing research from there.

[xokie]

Hey, Hiker Mom and the rest of you. I guess I'm a lurker for the most part but prefer to think of myself as a learner. Whatever the topic is, someone usually comes along pretty quickly who knows more than I do.

[Deer Hunter]

Nice idea for a thread, HM.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Well I'm Sarcasm the elf, or The Elf, or Razorback, or occasionally my real name to those that know me. I'm an Eagle Scout that first stepped foot on the trail when I was twelve. I had the childhood dream of hiking the entire trail that I forgot about for a decade or so and then remembered again in 2008. By then life got in the way and a thru hike was out of the question, so I've been hiking local trails and section hiking the A.T. ever since.

So far it's been great, I've section hiked the A.T. from DWG to Mt Everett MA and have rehiked the sections closer to me a number of times. One of the things that people don't mention enough is that the advantage of section hiking is that you can go out anytime with little planning (once you get used to it.) I'm looking forward to the winter and will hopefully get out a good number of nights in the next couple of months.

[Drybones]

Drybones here. Started hiking a couple of years ago, been coming to WB about a year or so, did the first 415 miles of the AT last spring, 217 this spring, 387 this fall, puts me about half way. Have two regrets from the last outing; a pretty young lady from Washinton state flagged me down and had me take a photo of her at McAfee point, she asked if I wanted her to take one of me but I didn't take the time to do so, 2) got tied up helping another hiker at Daleville and didn't get to call Mom while I was there...thought about her though as I hiked out of town before sunrise.

[Buzzy84]

Hey everyone! I'm Aaron but everybody calls me Buzzy (its not why you would think lol) I'm from Maine setting off on my journey on the AT Home Bound late march 2014! I am pretty excited to say the least and can't wait. I'm hiking as cheaply as possible and staying on the trail mostly except resupply in town, so i'll probly start a thread or if you have suggestions just message me. Got a pair of Danner mountain light II for the hike, Made in the USA. Breaking them in now and feel great so far.
Also i will be hiking in honor of "Ferryman" Steve Longley RIP I had the honor of meeting the legend himself, ended up grillin up some steaks for him and my buddy and I at his place. We dropped in while he was getting his cabins ready for some early thru hikers. He was a great guy and it didn't take me long to figure that out. As many of you may know he was a crucial addition to the trail, as a canoe guide across the Kennebec river for 20 years. Transporting over 19,000 hikers across the mighty river without any accidents. I read somewhere he lifted a guys pack into the canoe and tipped himself over but the guy said at that point, seeing his pack in the water was more comical than anything haha ya I bet.
I also read somewhere that after meeting all the great people of the trail, he got an itch for it and wanted to hike it himself but he took his job very seriously and would not take the time off to hike it.
So since he sadly passed unexpectedly and didn't get his chance at the thru hike. My hike will be in his memory I will "observe" as much as i can on my way thru for you buddy.
I'll leave you with a quote of his "I'm not going to be The Ferryman forever. When I move on, all that matters is I left this place in a little better shape than I found it."
He sure did too and helped a lot of people over the years achieve their dreams and inspired some

[HikerMom58]

Hey, Hiker Mom and the rest of you. I guess I'm a lurker for the most part but prefer to think of myself as a learner. Whatever the topic is, someone usually comes along pretty quickly who knows more than I do.

Hey xokie... I like what you said about not being a lurker but a learner!! I LOVE that! See, we need people like you around here to say awesome things like that!! You know more than you realize... thanks xokie!

[HikerMom58]

And the awesomeness just continues as more people introduce themselves.... thanks everyone. Thanks DH!

Drybones... I wondered what happened when you rolled through Daleville. lol! That's fine cuz you were helping out another hiker... way to go!! You have to come back to get that pic on McAfee!

Hiking people are the BEST!! Feel the love and the here from everyone!

[jfarrell04]

Good morning and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidaze to all WB'ers! I'm Tim Farrell, aka Big Walker, from Beavercreek, Ohio. Started hiking the AT in 1987 and have completed at least one section each year since, finishing last year in Dalton, MA. Approximately 1565miles down and 620 to go! Don't post much, but read/lurk/learn from you folks (most of you folks) daily.

[kayak karl]

I'm Father Christmas

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BE GOOD! or at least a GOOD try!

[Jagger]

Hey HikerMom, I'm Mick aka Jagger. Thanks for starting this thread! I'm a long time day hiker and took up backpacking when I retired three and a half years ago. I've done two sections of the AT: Spring Mt. to Fontana in May 2013 and Fontana Dam to I40 ( GSMNP ) in late September 2013. I plan on trying to do about 200 miles a year of the AT continuing north. In addition, I am section hiking the Arizona Trail and I'm hiking the JMT in August 2014 as well as various short trips in Arizona and Indiana. I'm a frequent read of WB and a sometimes poster...great info and sometimes a little humor.

[whisper walking]

Hello, my name is Kit, from just outside Williamsburg, VA. I joined WB a couple of months ago, and I do more lurking and learning than posting. I am just getting back into hiking and camping after quite a long time away from the woods (Ex-husband thought "getting back to nature" was a barbeque sandwich and an hour of the Discovery Channel). The only time I have been on the AT was in 1998 when I stepped about 10 feet down the path at Newfound Gap in the Smokies. I am very excited about thru-hiking in 2014.

[Valley Girl]

Hi and Happy Holidays! My name is Linda and I am from the San Fernando Valley area in California and temporarily living in the Houston area. I have hiked the Sierras but that was more than a few years ago. I plan to begin my hike thru mid to late February after a parent's long illness. There is nothing better than trail therapy.

[Meriadoc]

I'm Merry the Hobbit and I post occasionally (seemingly always about footwear). Thru hiked in 2012. Moved to Maine and loving it. For christmas I am starting construction on a pair of mukluks.

Whiteblaze was the jumping off point for my thru. I learned a lot.

[Angle]

Hi, my name is Dave and my trailname is Iceman. I've done around 600 miles of the trail and hope to get to Roanoke sometime this summer. I enjoy meeting hikers as they past through PA. and try to make their journey through our rocky state less miserable by offering trail magic in the form of slack packing, sodas, transportation, etc. Merry Christmas to the class of 2014 and hope to see you this summer.

[hikerboy57]

Hi, my name is Dave and my trailname is Iceman. I've done around 600 miles of the trail and hope to get to Roanoke sometime this summer. I enjoy meeting hikers as they past through PA. and try to make their journey through our rocky state less miserable by offering trail magic in the form of slack packing, sodas, transportation, etc. Merry Christmas to the class of 2014 and hope to see you this summer.

you the same iceman i met at piazza rock lean to in september?

[Angle]

Yes, I packed up and hiked back to my car first thing in the morning then headed north for two days in the 100 mile wilderness. I need to learn how to set up a Solong 6 on a tent platform, because everything was pretty soaked by morning. Nice to have met you and PM me when you come through PA if you need anything.

[hikerboy57]

Yes, I packed up and hiked back to my car first thing in the morning then headed north for two days in the 100 mile wilderness. I need to learn how to set up a Solong 6 on a tent platform, because everything was pretty soaked by morning. Nice to have met you and PM me when you come through PA if you need anything.

thought you might have gotten washed away that night, you were already gone in the a.m when i got going, i headed into rangely the following day.
same offer, if you're in the ny/ct area let me know.
p.s. i set up the solong6 on platforms twice during my trip and set it on the diagonal from the wooden slats and had no problem getting it pretty tight with some extra cord.

[Kolo]

Hi, I'm Kolo and have been lurking for a while now. I appreciate all I've gained by reading the posts and hope I can contribute and pass on a little bit of knowledge along the way.