Trail Names

[One-8T]

One-8T - My son and I were on a section from Damascus to Marion last year. After the 3 days of great conversations and bonding, he says "Dad, you're 180 degrees different out here. Completely relaxed, never worrying about things from the office, and you seem really really happy." I was taken aback, honored and ashamed all at the same time and vowed to change my life and the way I live. We now hike almost every weekend and have completed three more sections last year and GA this year. Been a happy 180 degrees different ever since. Thus the One-8T on my AT license plate.

Trippy Einstein - First training hike last year with a pack for my then 12 year old son. He throws his full pack (16lbs) on his back for the first time on a trail...takes 5 steps and trips on a root landing face first on a wooden water diverter/step, opening a deep gash on the bridge of his nose. After a minute on the ground, I help him up and he begins a conversation about how the speed at which he was walking (slowly) combined with the distance (short) and rate at which he fell should not have resulted in such a forceful impact. The next hour of conversation centered on velocity, distance, and inertia and migrated into quantum physics and I was again reminded at the astounding intelligence of my son. A few weeks later on a section hike he was expounding on the theory of sub atomic particles and the Hadron Super Collider and tripped badly again. He continued this pattern for the next 8 days - theory -trip - theory - trip. Trippy Einstein was coined forevermore.

Heading back out for a section from Bly Gap to Fontana for more trippy adventures in 2 weeks. Can't wait!

[WILLIAM HAYES]

the first time i hiked on the AT several years ago I hiked with my episcopal priest -my pack weight was a ridicious 54 lbs -now its 28-30 lbs with everything including one week supplies -i was slow up the mountains back then and out of shape - i did 14 the first day -nearly killed me-his comment was you are slow up the hills and with a first name of bill i am going to call you Hillbilly I never liked the name but it has stuck with me all these years


Hillbilly
AKA
Bill Hayes

[squirrel1]

I have the attention span of a squirrel on crack. But that's just according to friends, family and co-workers. What do they know. I think ...oooooo shiney thing.....

[Jay_NJ]

My trail name is "Garter". I found out rather unfortunately that I am mildly allergic to cliff bars and again unfortunately I often have the fastest pace out of most of my hiking partners. Much like the lovely garter snake, I musked the trail (farted constantly) and nearly killed the people behind me. I actually like the name and I now never eat cliff bars.

[Silverstone]

I thought Silverstone would be a good trail name, just because it's part of my 'porn' name--you know, pet's name/middle name, street you grew up on--but I think that when I hit the trail at Springer, I'll go by 'Double Wide'.

Fat guy from the South, it just works.

[Papa D]

we named a kid "Pig Pen" - just like the Charlie Brown Character, his stuff was always everywhere - he was always the dirtiest of the bunch, couldn't keep mud from caking on his legs, it dried and got in his sleeping bag - there literally seemed to be a dust cloud following him - just like the cartoon - the guy could knock out big miles though.

[Chatter98]

Looks like this thread is still active, so Ill share mine. It back from 98 when I first started hiking. I was very out of shape and hiking from Springer Mtn to Hawk Mountain shelter at the time was a severe work out for me. My first hike on the A.T.(actually my first solo overnight back packing trip) found me at Hawk Mountain shelter just as it started to get dark. I was exhausted and very hungry. There were two others at the shelter that night, Packer Backer and Tonto, a lovely mother and son pair. As it got dark, I prepared my dinner and they retired to the top level of the shelter to go to sleep. I began to eat my meal in the pitch black of night. Shortly, I heard rustling and twigs breaking over my left shoulder. I slowly twisted around with headlamp in one hand and food in the other. I was greeted by a giant set of eyes and a maw about 5 feet or so away, it was a giant black bear! We stared at each other for a minute and eventually he ambled away, back into the woods.
I was freaked out, this was my first time backpacking and I had just gone face to face with a giant black bear.
I immediately tossed my pot on the table and jumped up and started to shout to the sleeping pair in the shelter about my encounter, Packer Backer slowley woke up and looked at me and said what are you chattering about. I explained what happened. The next morning she told me I should go by Chatter, as I was chattering about bears in the middle of the night. It has stuck ever since. The crazy thing is, the bear looked farther in the dark, when I found his paw print, he was close enough I could have reached out and touched him.
Chatter

[usmcpayne]

got mine while in Iraq. Apparently being there for a long time makes you say dumb things and well they still call me that 5 years later

[swash]

Highline - for the love of my low cut REI socks and my extra long REI sock liners. When pulled all the way up my liners go a good 3" past the top of my socks. It's my favorite everyday hiker fashion statement.

[Ironbelly]

Ironbelly: Got my trail name doing a 3 month trek, and a seperate 1.5 month trek in the heart of the winter. Given to me by my brother. I used to also play everquest on occassion, it's the name of a big ass polar bear in the game. Seeing as how I love winter backpacking, it was just kinda fitting.

[Rick Hancock]

Actually, I have 2 but only use 1 in mixed company. First is "Rambunctious Boy" from a John Fogerty song, my daughter was "Midnight Special". Several years ago I canceled a couple of hikes due to severe weather. I don't mind hiking in the rain or snow but it seemed foolish to leave town and head into the eye of the storm. One of the guys I hiked with remembered a scene from the movie "My dog Skip". the main character is getting picked on by 3-4 other kids and he run's home, they follow him yelling "TittyBoy"! After canceling the hikes I started being called Titty Boy, truth be told, I kinda like it. The guy that gave me the name is "Coonass" I definitely like "Titty Boy" better!

[creekfreek]

I'm a kayaker and spend a lot of time exploring creeks. "Creekfreek" seemed obvious when I started joining various forums and has been my handle for about 12 years.

Not long ago, while on a float, we stopped for lunch on some rocks mid river. After eating I decided to take a nap. One of the other kayakers said later, that I looked like a turtle and sounded like a bear, so they started calling me Turtlebear.

I'm not partial one way or the other, but Creekfreek feels right, like an old pair of shoes.

[Serial 07]

i got accused of assaulting someone with their own hiking poles....a serial killer was born...

[I'm gimpy]

I sprain my ankles very easliy. First 15 mins in the morning I limp around til my ankles loosen up. It's not the most colorful name, but I like it.

[MedicineWoman2012]

I am no stranger to helping a fello hiker out during medical crisis or injuries...granted trail Angels have done the same for me. After giving first aid to a doc in SNP that was limping and hoisting his bp to skyline drive...AngelsWings stuck with me among his buddies. TURBO was the first name I received as a long distance sea kayaker and white water kayaker.

[Wombat Farm]

At birth....

[runt13]

runt, my brothers gave me the name. everyone was 200+ pounds and solid muscle, i was 170 and not.

[RossSFCA]

DirtyGirl, because I wore Dirty Girl Gaiters (dirtygirlgaiters.com) during my 218-mile John Muir Trail hike... I did not even get out of Tuolumne Meadows without other hikers or Park Rangers pointing at me (well, my gaiters) and saying "DirtyGirl!". This happened over and over again, which was fun, because it felt like total strangers knew my trail name!

For the record, they were pink gaiters with bright red cherries all over them (her current pattern is black with red cherries). I have gotten five other pair to wear on my 2,184-mile AT NoBo thru-hike... look for the guy with the funny gaiters and say "HI!"... or just shout "DirtyGirl!!"

[SCRUB HIKER]

SCRUBHIKER is an anagram of my real first and last name. Two people on the AT last year discovered my true identity without hints. Everyone else who tried at least needed me to spot them some initials, or my first name. It's an easier game to play when the letters are written down in front of you instead of having to visualize it in your head.

[TOMP]

scrubhiker is an anagram of my real first and last name. Two people on the at last year discovered my true identity without hints. Everyone else who tried at least needed me to spot them some initials, or my first name. It's an easier game to play when the letters are written down in front of you instead of having to visualize it in your head.

chris burke?