Trail Birthdays

[Patco]

Please share your birthday events while hiking:

[Brushy Sage]

I reached Neels Gap on my 73rd birthday, March 8, 2002. The folks at Walasi-Yi Center had heard I was coming, and they prepared a birthday party for me. I believe it was "Weld" who manned the charcoal grills. The Center provided the burgers, the potato salad and other fixings. A string band appeared. Beer arrived. I was so tired that I went to bed early. The party continued into the night. This was a wonderful tribute that I shall always remember.

[Lobo]

I began my first full day of hiking my thru-hike on my 53rd birthday, February 27, 2000. It was a short hike, only about 5 miles from Stover Creek Shelter, through thick blankets of fog and occasional drizzle. I spent the evening at the double-decker Hawk Mountain Shelter with 6 other hikers and opened cards given to me before my hike by my wife & children. My stomach was growling from the anxiety of what the next five months might bring. On the other hand, I was happy to be retired after 30 years of teaching and was looking foward to becoming a grandfather in April. During the night mice raced across my sleeping bag and licked sweat off of the hair on my head. It was a birthday that I will never forget!

[DMA, 2000]

Mentioned the special day to one other shelter-mate. Of the small crowd at the shelter, I was the last to arrive at the store for the half-gallon challenge. At the sight of me, the whole group broke into "Happy Birthday", which put a smile on my face. As it was my birthday, I felt ok about wussing out of completing the half-gallon. Took a nice swim in the lake. Hiked on to a shelter, but developed a bad blister and had to take a 0 in that shelter the next day.

[sassy03]

We made it to Damascus for a wonderful birthday night! I had a bed (at the Lazy Fox), a beer (OK, maybe 5 or 6), and a massage (Bunny in town is fabulous!)- all the things I asked for! Then we hiked out the next day with plans to return in a week for Trail Days. When we got back to trail days and set up our tent at the Lazy Fox Inn, Mrs. Ginny surprised me with a wonderful "Better Than Sex" cake! Her generousity and warm spirit made our time in Damascus one of my best birthday memories EVER!!!

[mdionne]

for my 27th birthday I hiked the approach trail to start my AT thru hike. worst birthday i ever had! my pack was way heavy and i never realized what an ass kicker the approach trail was. i was so exhausted that night i passed out with my feet dangling out of my tent. i was too tired to zip it up. the days and months to follow are ones that i will never forget though.

[smokymtnsteve]

celebrated Little Chicken's BD on the trail this year.

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=60216