…it doesn’t smell so sweet these days…
This is the story of how I got my trail name:
(drum roll please…) Shakespeare!!
On my first night on the AT, many moons and miles ago, I met two women at the shelter doing a test trip. We camped next to each other and we got to talking and I told them about my blog and my poetry.
For reference: I’ve been writing poetry since high school and intended to major in creative writing in college (I ended up with a degree in sociology). Over the past two decades I’ve written a lot, but some strange verse always came to mind. After my stepfather passed away in January 2024, I started writing again and always had my notebook with me for when inspiration struck. That notebook had between 2 and 4 pages left when I went to the AT.
I told the ladies about this special notebook I had custom made with my elephant tattoo as the cover and how I planned to write during my hike.
Then the topic of “trail names” came up and I told them that every time I get one I know what title I want for a blog post to announce it (hint, it’s the title of this post). Along with that title idea and the titles of my last two posts, and my love of poetry, one of them said it should be «The Poet.» I wasn’t really feeling it, but I took the idea and ran with it. Thus Shakespeare was born!
For months I had thought about what the name of my trail might end up being. Nothing ever felt right to me (probably because I wasn’t following the trail yet), but Shakespeare felt natural.
The historic Globe Theater in London
For reference: I have always loved Shakespeare. I have seen many of his plays (personally, his comedies are the ones I like the most) and read many sonnets. When I visited England years ago, I made sure to get tickets to The Globe and saw “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” It was amazing! But, not only was I a fan of his work, I also wrote Elizabethan sonnets for a time in high school. My claim to fame is writing one about biology class while I’m in biology class! Unfortunately, that one is nowhere to be found and only one has survived (it’s been over 20 years).
Having a beer at the cafe before the show with my pinky out because it’s The Globe
I have to say, I love the tradition of trail names. It’s like we’re in this not-so-secret society and we only know each other from our time on the AT. I really hope that one day I randomly run into a friend from the trail, shout their name, and confuse everyone around us.
AT sign at Fontana Dam Marina in North Carolina
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