Your best Trail Magic story

[Slo-go'en]

Trail magic comes in many forms, the most common being food. Scoring this type of magic often depends on being in the right place at the right time. A day early or a day late and you miss it.

True trail magic comes out of the blue when you least expect it and need it the most. Like coming to a road crossing when the weather is turning from sleet to wet snow and there is someone already at the turn out willing to take you into town.

Who has a good story of finding trail magic when you needed it the most?

[Ox97GaMe]

I had several memorable trail magic feeds, but I would say the one that came as most unexpected, at a time when I really need it most was....

I had hiked from TriCorner Shelter down to Mountain Momma's, craving one of their trail famous cheeseburgers. It was freezing rain and sleet almost the whole way. I get to MM to find that they only took cash. No credit cards, no travelers cards. Of course.. I didnt have any cash. I was abruptly told to leave the establishment if I wasnt going to buy anything, because booth were for 'paying' customers only. So, cold, wet, and tired, I walked back to the trail and headed north. Just about dusk, I arrive at Painters Branch. There is a lone tent set up near the spring. As I walk up to the area to scope out a tent site, the hiker pokes out his head and asks....... 'Could I interest you in a cup of hot chocolate? I already have the water hot and it will take just a minute to get it ready.' Thank you again RockDancer for turning what was undoubtly one of my worst trail experiences into one of my most cherished memories. :) Sometimes, it is the smallest act of kindest that can change everything.

[Bronk]

I started walking down the road on Big Bald just outside of Erwin because the data book said there was a restaurant down there...I got about halfway down and from the road I could see a young couple outside of a small cabin...I asked them how far it was to the restaurant...they said it was a seasonal place and was closed. Disappointed, I started walking back up...just as I got back to the trail they pulled up in an SUV and handed me a roast beef sandwich and a granola bar.

It was one of those days when my spirits were low already and I had really needed a town meal, and that sandwich gave me the boost I needed.

[Bronk]

And about Mountain Mama's...the woman there actually refused to put bacon on my cheeseburger. She said they didn't sell bacon cheeseburgers, and that the bacon was for BLT's. So I told her I wanted a BLT too if that's what it would take. No dice. She wouldn't let me have any bacon at any price...she was adamant that I couldn't have bacon on my cheeseburger.

[Rick500]

Wow... let me just scratch that place off my list... Geez, I've been in the restaurant business and that just make no sense at all. Crazy.

[Hikes in Rain]

Sort of self correcting....Mountain Mamma's is closed now, I believe.

[sbhikes]

My hike memories are full of the usual stuff. Rides, food, things found just when I needed them. Things like that. I think for me the best trail magic as I look back is how the trail itself is sort of a magical place. Somehow you get this sense that you know what is going to happen next, or you get a sense that you need something and you know you're going to get it soon, or how you start to trust that everything is always going to work out for you.

[Lucy Lulu]

In Wyoming, south of the A&M Reservoir I believe. I had not seen any people for a couple of days. I was being followed and watched by a wild stallion (picture here on White Blaze), but he had been following for about 20 mins., so I was kind of ignoring him at this point. Suddenly he charged pass me paralleling the old dirt road I was following, and I looked up to see him glance back. I turned to see a silver pick-up behind me. I never heard it approaching, and as it slowly approached, I was slightly nervous.

It stopped, two cattle dogs jumped out to check me out, and a man rolled down his window to ask what I was doing. He was headed up into the Green Mountains I believe, in search of a fishing hole while his wife was out of town. We briefly discussed the hike, he asked if I was hungry, and we spent the next hour seated on the tailgate of the truck consuming smoked turkey and pepper jack sandwiches, drinking micro-brews, and talking about his kids, and hiking in the Winds. We finally headed in opposite directions, me weaving along with a beer in one hand, and another tucked in the pack.

Probably one of the more recent trail magic experiences, and one of those unexpected ones. For me, these are usually the ones I remember the most, and one of several like this on the CDT.

[Lone Wolf]

best trail magic? meeting Gypsy

[Ox97GaMe]

Mountain Mommas went out of business about 4 or 5 years ago. Cant say that I was too upset when I heard the news. To this day, it is the only place on the trail that I have been kicked out of and told never to return. (but that is a different story) Standing Bear Farms is in that area now. Sometimes change is a very good thing.

[Pacific Tortuga]

best trail magic? meeting Gypsy


I'd say it would be hard to top that, she's a good hearted keeper.

[Johnny Appleseed]

Easy answer, despite the tons of trail magic I encountered. Last day-Mt. K.-A lady was there and took three hikers out to eat and let me go home to her house overnight before she dropped me off at the bus station in Bangor I think. I even got a t-shirt-Houston Rockets.

She was married-so don't go there.

[Johnny Appleseed]

2nd best? I was walking w/ low gear in Pinkham Notch and some old guy came up and just felt alive around us. He liked our stories. Then he gave us two free tickets to all you can eat dinner w/ a film presentation. Turns out he hiked the AT very early in life and no one alive thru hiked before him. The film presentation was of his hikes in Switzerland, and was really awesome to watch. Yep we were lucky that day, as other hikers were close by.