A trail name is a name that most hikers go by out on the trail. It allows a person to be what they want to be while hiking. It is much easier to recognize someone called Blitzen out there, than to try to keep track of John 1, John 2, John 3, ect. There is usually only 1 or 2 people with the same trail name at any one time.
There are specific rules for trail names. They should be bestowed on you by another hiker, it should have some meaning to a characteristic you have shown, or by something memorable you have done on the trail. The memorable thing could be good, bad or funny. And last, but by no means least, the person getting the trail name has to choose to accept it.
Pocahontas got her trail name in 1999, in Anza, by a fellow hiker named Ron. The name refers to the long braids she hikes in. She did not like the name at first, but chose to accept it, for lack of a better name. It has grown on her, and now it is definately a part of her persona on the trail.
Legasorus was dubbed The Joker by the same Ron, due to his penchant for telling jokes. He accepted it for the duration of the hike, but he thought there could be a better name for him. So we tried a few different names on the many hikes since, and we finally started calling him Legasorus, which seems to have stuck. After a full day of hiking, he comes away with very sore legs, and the infamous hiker hobble.
So next time you meet a hiker on the trail, ask them what their trail name is. You may be surprised by the answer.
Legasorus is great at thinking of names for hikers and has already named a few for this years PCT hike.
ReplyDelete