Story of your Trail Name

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Snacktime and I selected our own trail names, based on what would be most important to us on our homeschool adventure hikes. He also liked the idea that everytime I'd call out to him on the trail "Hey, Snacktime" he could respond with "Ok" and take a break and get a treat.

My grandson "Toots" was a gassy youth and the name carried with him

"Gumball" always carried packets of gumballs on hikes....some to distribute and some for himself. Again, what was most important to him on the trail! It should be mentioned that WB member Rolls Kanardly donated 3000 gumballs to Snacktime and I to distribute with our trail bags and we have yet to work our way through them, though Gumball did make a valiant effort.

"Strife", my son, claimed the name of the hero of his first book.

I had always planned on changing my name to something less generic when the time came that Snacktime and I ended our quest, but it's too late for that now. I am who I am, and take a certain degree of pride in the idea that I am a teacher of sorts - I teach kids and others how to experience and love the trail. It doesn't take long for anyone to "outgrow" me and my efforts, but that's the prize isn't it?

[Tipi Walter]

The origin of my trail name is obvious as I lived in a NC ridge top Tipi for 21 years---from 1980 to 2001---

[FlyPaper]

Well, not a trail name, but handle on WhiteBlaze.net (FlyPaper)...

At the time I signed up in 2005, sites typically required you to pick your own handle (now days it's more common to just use an email address). Tired of having a different handle on every site, I picked a simple sounding handle that would be unlikely used on any other site. The plan was I could reuse this handle on any site I registered.

Never quite got around to reusing it. The handle "FlyPaper" has absolutely no meaning for me and has never been used as a nickname in any other context other than on this site.

Probably would have been a better choice to pick 8 random characters.

[coach lou]

I have not been a Ice Hockey 'Coach' for 18 years......and I've never skated with any of my hiking friends!

[Old Brain]

"Nemophilist is an obscure word that hasn't really been used for over 100 years – but it is a word that surely deserves a comeback! It means someone with a love or fondness for forests, woods, or woodland scenery, or someone who often visits them – a 'haunter' of woods."

When I saw this word and definition I knew it described me and took it as my trail name. I pronounce it the British way as a nod to the country of my birth. I was open to be given another name on my AT hike but somehow Nemophilist stuck. I have done some trail maintenance on the Foothills Trail and the trail boss gave me the name, Perpetual Motion, which I also like a lot but am sticking with Nemophilist since I got it tattooed on my leg.

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[GolfHiker]

For years I was the Golfhiker, for obvious reasons. On my Thru I shortened it to Golf, which was just fine. Again on the thru I stopped in NYC to visit my daughter, and while there did a short binge watch of the Vikings, a most favorite History Channel show. I had just cut off all my hair ( in NYC) to a buzz, and had the serious beard going. My daughter suggested I was beginning to look like RAGNAR, the Viking King. I returned to the Trail a new man, Ragnar, minus the forehead tattoos. It was a smooth and fun filled transition. The funny thing is, I’m not really a Viking or a King....

[BradMT]

My trail name is "Brad"... it is an abbreviation of "Bradley", the name my parents gave me in 1961. It works on and off trail. It means "broad meadow" or "broad wood" in Old English. I think I was named well and never felt the need for a different name.

[rustmd]

“.com” given to me by a former hike leader. My name is “Dottie” & I don’t own any .coms.
Cool thread, I’ve always wondered about Tipi Walter. Now I know!

.com

[martinb]

Couldn't use my trail name here, it was taken. I got called trip on a hike long ago because I'm so busy looking around at the scenery that I trip quite often on something.

[bigben]

Big Dipper. My friend gave it to me. Has nothing to do with stars. I'm 6'3 285lbs and have a little Copenhagen Long Cut habit.

[danil411]

I enjoyed my 2013 thru hike--smiled a lot so my dimples were ever-present. Coming out of Neel Gap on 3/31 a couple named Java Man and TeaCup(?) solidified the name. The trail is my happy place--it fits. ~Dimples

[Steppin'Wolf]

I'm a solo hiker, so I gave myself my trail name -- Steppin'Wolf. I love "Steppin'" in the woods and the wolf has always been kind of my spirit animal, so I combined them. Besides, I'm a child of the 60's and 70's, so I relate to bands like Steppenwolf ("Born to be Wild").

[JNI64]

Yeah me too love the band and that songs still relevant today after all these years. Great trail name!

[JNI64]

Saltysack care to respond?

[Christoph]

My toes gave me mine - Thumper. Self inflicted trail name before I tried my 1st thru in '15. I didn't want one of those actually given on the trail forever to known as hewhofartsalot or something along those lines.

[gpburdelljr]

Not a trail name, but a Marine friend of mine that flew F-8s was known as Fang, because of his extreme aggressiveness in a fighter jet.

[BayouWanderer]

I hike the Tuxachanie Trail almost every week, hence Tuxhiker.

When the world goes back to normal, we should do a meet up! I used to love to hike the Tux.

[RadioFreq]

31+ years building radio stations for a major public radio network and seeing some other hikers with trail names that ended with "Freak" gave me the idea....self named.
Check out my avatar and note what I'm hanging my hammock between.

[hopetofinish]

Acquired 'Duct Tape' after delaminating a boot in the Whites some years ago. Wrapped the tape around the boot for about 3 days. Of course, it would break by afternoon each day so I would come 'flapping' into camp every day. Seems like I should have been Flapper!
BTW, I did finish!

[Last Call]

First time on the A.T., got to the shelter on Springer and there was 4 guys from St. Louis, I had packed a six-pack of Tall-boy Budweisers and offered them each a cold beer, after they found out I didn't have a trail name they came up with "Bartender", then after much debate they decided on "Last Call"....