trail name..still don't have one

[DavidNH]

Well folks..

My AT hike is very fast approaching..less than a week to go now.

I still haven't come up with a trail name yet. I was thinking over the weekend that Seeker might be a good name..afterall who isn't seeking some thing? But it turns out there is already a white Blazer with the name seeker!

I thought of something on the lines of easy or easy does it..but those are already used also. Everything good seems to be taken already.

I could of course just get on the trail and get named by someone.. but that leads to a question..

If I take on a trail name..and then wish to change it.. Is everyone else gonna be stuck on the first one?

Has it happened that two hikers with the same trail name actually met up somewhere along the trail? wonder what they did about it:-?


David

David

[Whistler]

It will come... or you will invent it.

Don't panic.
-Mark

[Almost There]

Let it be original. Don't pick something that many have used before you. My advice let your name find you on the trail. Chances are you'll have one within the first week.

[bfitz]

My advice let your name find you on the trail.
Good advice....it will anyway...

[Sly]

How about Colombo.... "Just one more question..."

[Seeker]

But it turns out there is already a white Blazer with the name seeker!

thanks... it's my name on other forums too... it will save me and others a lot of confusion.

just relax... it will find you. if you want a real puzzler, go to http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/hiking/sections/philosophy/broken.html and read the short philosophy section, on names, and how we all had one but forgot it... then try to figure out what you used to call yourself when you were little... (it's shane steinkamp's website... he does a lot with backpackgeartest.com.) good stuff if you like to think. good luck. but you won't need it... your name will come to you.

[KirkMcquest]

I'd give you KirkMcquest, but there's only one. And you'll probably get jumped down south.

[digger51]

Let it find you. If someone gives you one you dont like drop it. No law says you have to keep a name someone gives you. Your hike and your name. Do what makes you feel comfortable. I will be AU because I am a prospector and its easier for others to get my attention.

[maxNcathy]

How about going by your last name?

Crocket!

[maxNcathy]

Or Camp David

[maxNcathy]

Or... Goliath

[maxNcathy]

Or...Hamster (New Hampshire)

Or ...Grapes (Concord grapes)

You should choose one because you could get tagged, "LadyLou62"

LOL

[Dances with Mice]

Let it be original. Don't pick something that many have used before you. My advice let your name find you on the trail. Chances are you'll have one within the first week.http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=126486

[Almost There]

Yes, Yes...and although I would be proud to take the name Tulip...my good friend NoWorries dubbed me Almost There...and I feel it would be wrong to so callously throw away such a treasured gift. Was almost tempted to let WBers vote...but I know which way ya'll would go...I may not be smart...but I ain't stupid either.

BTW Dances, I thought you had posted a picture of me in said outfit that was on my journal...so here it is....

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=126417

[Almost There]

Tybee hurt my heart...doesn't he know Patagonia is expensive...and when it goes on sale I buy regardless of color...I can't help if the only R5 they had was bright yellow...it was only $35 vs. $79. Wait until they see me in my tie dye bandanas this summer!!!:jump

[Sparkplug]

I'd definitely say let the name find you...

Neither Snowman nor I had trailnames when we started. I got mine at Neels Gap...a few options were suggested to me, but I decided that Sparkplug was the best of the ones people were throwing out as ideas and because I liked it and started to introduce myself as such, that's what stuck.

Snowman didn't find his until we got snowed on near Hiawassee. It turned out that there was another Snowman last year on the trail too, but it never mattered. We were on a different schedule/pace than him, and didn't even end up meeting him. And when people were talking about "Snowman" they always diffferentiated to not confuse things. We did however, meet a guy who wanted to be called Snowman, but when he found out that there were two others on the trail, decided to call himself Snowyman :-)

Whatever you decide, have fun with it!
-Sparkplug

[Gray Blazer]

I'd give you KirkMcquest, but there's only one. And you'll probably get jumped down south.

You wish!!?!:p

[mingo]

how about "green fly"?

[Dances with Mice]

Georgia - The Trail Name State

[Miss Janet]

I love the trail names that have a great story behind them. "The Abominably Slow Man", "Dirty Little Barn Monkey", " Breakfast Enema"...

Let it happen but remember this... It isn't your name until you answer to it!

[Doctari]

Let it be original. Don't pick something that many have used before you. My advice let your name find you on the trail. Chances are you'll have one within the first week.

I second "let it be original"

Every time I do a section, there are at least "Frodo"s doing thru hikes. I would think at least one of them would have been Samwise Gamgee.

Bear in mind that for the most part trail names started because there were too many Dave's (for example) on, so it became: Dave who? You know Dave with the red hair. That dave became "Red" The others may have been: Ohio, too thin, too tall, big load, etc.

Let your name fit you. Mine was given me not on the trail, but at work (2 seperate jobs, same nic-name, neither knew of the other having given me that name) & all seemed to think it fit. I do after all currently have 9 rescued animals as pets :p

BTW: a good sense of humor goes a long way toward accepting a trail given name.

[Doctari]

Was supposed to read 6 Frodo's.

[Almost There]

BTW: a good sense of humor goes a long way toward accepting a trail given name.

This seems to be many people's problem. Part of it is they take themselves way too serious as they approach the trail, especially if it is as a first time thru hiker who has spent very little time on or near the AT. Personally I think funny names are great. Someone(DWM and TybeePete) tried to out me with a possible new name of Tulip, and part of me is tempted because it would be funny to go around introducing myself and seeing people's reactions. My advice...lighten up and enjoy it, the strange names are the ones people remember not the 12 different Striders or Gandalfs, or Frodos, etc.

[Blue Jay]

I'm only saying this because we've met and this is not really serious, but how about "Overplanner":banana .

[wilderness bob]

Peace be the journey, it will come when you least expect it.

[Gray Blazer]

I admit I shamelessly stole my Trail name from an entry in the Tray MT Shelter log. It was perfect to me because my wife thinks I'm going to be eaten by a bear. I tried to be a little original though as I go by Bear Bait the Second. I like some of the word plays or song titles like a Hiker With No Name or the Last Hiker in Mecca (If I get killed by a terrorists it's my own fault). Don't worry about a trail name. It will come to you. You could even have two like Shanks/Incest. By the way....speaking of Tray MT ...did I ever tell you about the time I met the Swedish Bikini Backpacking Team......


:rolleyes:

[saimyoji]

Based on the title of this thread and your anticipation of a trail name, how about "nameless"? Or maybe just:

[Programbo]

How about just a number?....As far as CB radio "handles" and hobo nicknames many of these individulas simply go by a number....."571" was my CB handle for example

[bfitz]

Certain odious personal habits are good sources of trail names. Of course, you can only stand so many "Snotrockets" and "Skidmarks" out there every year....

[KirkMcquest]

You wish!!?!:p

oh, I get it! Sometimes I forget what you boys are into down there. It means something alittle different up here.:D

[Gray Blazer]

oh, I get it! Sometimes I forget what you boys are into down there. It means something alittle different up here.:D

Gotcha! Truce?

[KirkMcquest]

Gotcha! Truce?

.....Truce:D