live music on the trail

having someone play some music for you on the trail must be a really pleasant surprise. What were the best moments for you on the trail?
Do many people take instruments with them?

I remember staying at the highest point on the Camino de Santiago in the coolest of the hostels. I forget the name of the place, but it's in Galicia.

The guy that runs the place is a Templar knight, and lunatic as well. In the best of ways. He gave us a ceremony in his house and we shared a cheap and very cheerful multiple red wine carton dinner overlooking the valleys below while a guy from Newcastle plucked out hours of tunes on his Ukelele he had along for the whole trail to learn en route.

I will never forget when I ran into Coach, Salty, and Bonanza Jellybean on the PCT just south of Walker Pass. Coach carried 4 harmonicas of differing keys as well as a guitar!
We camped together in a dry saddle and everyone was laying out on their bags cowboy style. The sky began to fill with these crazy little rolling clouds lit up by a big moon. After the chit chat of the day faded Coach began to play his guitar softly. It was an amazing lullaby.
The next morning was Sunday and Coach played several songs as we packed up. My favorite was Jonny Cash's Sunday Morning song.
We drifted apart on the trail, in the way many hikers do. But I never forgot what an awesome experience it was to have live music on the trail.

One of the best evenings I ever spent on the trail was at the Thunder Hill Shelter when I met a flip-flopper named Grizzley. He carried a small backpack guitar and started belting out some fantastic music after dinner.

He did an especially good job covering "When I Win the Lottery" by Camper Van Beethoven!

Ahhh, the memories.

I was at Dicks Dome shelter one night. I was tented and was just falling asleep. I heard what I thought were bag pipes. I blew it off thinking it was my imagination. But they kept sounding like they were getting closer. In fact they were. The fellow playing the pipes hiked into the shelter to meet up with some friends that were there that night. We were all treated to many hours of Bag Pipe music making it one of my best memories on the trail.

As I hiked the Vermont Long Trail last spring, I ran into this girl named Kate (didn't have a trail name at that point). She packed a small guitar and played all sorts of folk and old rock. She was quite amazing. I pulled away from her the next day to go on to another shelter. We all drift away on the trail.

On my thru I heard bands at the Franklin Hiker Bash, a bluegrass band at Standing Bear Farm, Trailfest in Hot Springs, Citizen Kane played at Trail Days, a Mexican band played reggae in Pearisburg, heard a band play at one of the lodges in Shennendoah NP, went to Philadelphia for July 4th and heard the Roots, there was a band playing "God Bless the USA" at PenMar State park right when I arrived, listened to a guy play guitar at one of the PATC cabins in PA while I was cooking dinner, I went to several bars along the trail and listened to live music, and there's no telling what else I've forgotten about. You'll hear lots of music for sure. A thru-hike is the best time you could ever have for many reasons, music is just one of them.

Some folks bring along instruments, more should, but there's plenty of campfire and hostel jammin to be had over a thru-hike, so bring yer banjo! Also, there's usually a hippie-fest or three within a reasonable distance of the trail for a weekend away from hiking when you need some music. If you do play and you don't bring your instrument you'll definitely miss it. Nice to have something fun to do other than playing poker for snickers bars at the shelter... This I know.

Here is a clip from the Monson General store.

If you like what you hear, search this site for more info.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18o88FaRPQQ

This next spring I will be hosting music on my front porch once again. I have had countless hikers and cross country bicyclists who carry their instruments perform with musicians of the the local area and by themselves. We have really had some good times.........

Hiked into Bennington, VT one time and they had a free concert in the town square.

I sing when hiking in grizzley country. Not sure I'd call it music.