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jettjames
02-22-2007, 20:41
so do you pick your own trail name or is one given to you by fellow hikers? when I was in the army all the nick names were found ones, ones other people gave you

yes, i know it is newbie question.

pt

Lone Wolf
02-22-2007, 20:44
so do you pick your own trail name or is one given to you by fellow hikers? when I was in the army all the nick names were found ones, ones other people gave you

yes, i know it is newbie question.

pt

pick your own. that's how it was in the old days. lots of people don't have or want a trail name.

rasudduth
02-22-2007, 20:49
In many books about AT trail adventures they discuss that you obtain your trail name once you are on the trail, someone gives it to you.

PJ 2005
02-22-2007, 22:12
in other words, it doesn't matter... personally, i thought it was fun to be named.

Desert Lobster
02-22-2007, 22:25
Better to name yourself than be called Stinky Feet or something else.

Almost There
02-22-2007, 22:26
Let the name find you

Wolf, quit being such a crotchety grouch!:D

Skidsteer
02-22-2007, 22:32
Let the name find you

Wolf, quit being such a crotchety grouch!:D

You know Wolf is gonna ask how you got your trailname. :D

RAT
02-22-2007, 22:36
Luckily I found my own before others could stick one to me ;) Either way, it works !

RAT>PATROL

PS ( I see nothing grouchy about Wolfy`s reply, it's the truth ;) When I met my first long distance hiker on the trail back in the mid 80`s his name was Pete Poncher in between military tours. He had no trail name nor did he want one. But since it was cold and he had these huge downlike booties (some high tech stuff at that time that we had never seen) he was wearing in camp, we called him "Moon Boots" hence his trail name was given )

TJ aka Teej
02-22-2007, 23:12
Earl Shaffer, the first thru-hiker, had the first trail name.
It was given him by people along the Trail who were hearing about 'the crazy one' who was trying to go from Georgia to Maine all in one go.
"Are you the crazy one?"
"Yep, I suppose so..."

Blissful
02-22-2007, 23:44
Mine was kind of given to me, literally - my hubby signed it on a note tacked to my doorpost shortly before we were engaged. He signed the note Blissful, but I liked it so much I decided to take it as a trail name. Like others have said, I don't want a weird name given to me anyway. Like "Crabby", which I am these days. :)

Almost There
02-23-2007, 10:13
Have fun with it, btw, I got mine on the trail...Rat, you contradicted yourself, you said the guy didn't want a trailname, yet was given one on the trail anyways...if you don't want it, don't use it. Regardless, some will still use it...Life's too short to get all bent out of shape about such things.

TurkeyBacon
02-23-2007, 11:12
I firmly beleive it is a myth that you can be given a name you do not want. I was given my name, by my own choice and got some critisism for it as being a name that I got stuck with. I'm very proud to be TurkeyBacon. There were a few people who chose not to have a trail name regarless of nicknames they were given. They never signed their nicknames in the trail registers and were never called their nicknames in conversations... esentially they kept their birthnames as their trail names. People are not out to get you (exept for one person and they know it), so if someone wants to call you skunk foot and you don't like it, politely tell that person that you do not like that name and it will end there. It is a complete myth that you will get STUCK with a bad trail name.
TB
I got the name from a subway sub I carried for two days before I started the hike. While everyone was fumbling with thier stoves on top of springer, I pulled out my sandwich and ate my turkey with bacon sandwich. Trail Yeti came up with the idea and I liked the uniqueness of it. I am the ONLY TurkeyBacon to hike the trail so far (althogh there is a Pig Chicken).

gold bond
02-23-2007, 11:15
Mine was given to me as well....Never had chaffed before...did...someone said try this...after all the "commotion" eased down...everyone statrted calling me "goldbond" The experiance however painfull at the time was funny as all get out! Everytime I think of that moment I have a liitle chuckle but when I have had a bad day and my thoughts drift toward the trail it's nice. I guess what I'm saying is let it come to you, good, bad or otherwise it'll be something to look back at and laugh!

leeki pole
02-23-2007, 11:22
Mine was given to me by a good friend who was a thru in 2003. Makes it really special, but I'm sentimental about that kind of stuff.:D

TurkeyBacon
02-23-2007, 11:24
Gold bond... So you descovered why not to use the stuff with menthol, huh?
TB

gold bond
02-23-2007, 14:55
Turkeybacon..WHY YES I HAVE!! I think I actually lost conciousness for a second or two. I have run into a couple of other hikers witht the same TN and have wanted to ask howd they get it. On the other hand...may not want to know!

Gray Blazer
02-23-2007, 15:07
Better to name yourself than be called Stinky Feet or something else.Amen to that.......remember the old joke....A Native American lad was asking his father how the Indians got their names and the father replied that the child was named after the 1st thing the father saw after the child was born. The father then asked, "Why do you ask, Two Dogs F*#*ing?" :D
(I guess I just insulted someone. Sue me!):banana

RadioFreq
02-23-2007, 15:47
Amen to that.......remember the old joke....A Native American lad was asking his father how the Indians got their names and the father replied that the child was named after the 1st thing the father saw after the child was born. The father then asked, "Why do you ask, Two Dogs F*#*ing?" :D
(I guess I just insulted someone. Sue me!):banana

The way I heard it was back when the movie "Dances With Wolves" came out.....that was the Kevin Costner character's Indian name because that was the first thing they saw him doing. The joke was that if they had shown up 5 minutes earlier they would have named him "Wipes With Leaves". :D

No Belay
02-23-2007, 17:19
Better to name yourself than be called Stinky Feet or something else.

How true, my 70's name, Dragonass, was given and it wasn't because I was slow.:o

RAT
02-23-2007, 20:25
Rat, you contradicted yourself, you said the guy didn't want a trailname, yet was given one on the trail anyways...if you don't want it, don't use it.

He didnt use it ;) We did !! We called him that from then on whenever referring to him, I am sure he never used it, but in later years trail names became very popular. Hmm guess I didnt calrify that did I ? lol

RAT

Jim Adams
02-23-2007, 20:31
I get mail addressed to GEEK!

Socrates
02-23-2007, 21:08
Something I'd like to know is when you're on the AT, do you introduce yourself by your trail name or your real name?

Jim Adams
02-23-2007, 21:10
usually your trail name. i know people all over the world who have no idea who jim adams is.

geek

RAT
02-23-2007, 22:28
Definitely your trail name. I have boxes upon boxes of cards and letters, packages etc address to RAT>PATROL ;) I doubt many know my real name or know that RAT are my initials :)

RAT