You don’t choose the name of your trail; the trail does

What is the name of a trail? According to Google:

A trail name is a unique long-distance backpacking nickname adopted or given during a hike. They act as trail alter egos and are usually obtained through a funny incident or based on a hiker’s personality, gear, physical trait, or hometown. Anyone can give a hiker the name of a trail. A hiker can name themselves if they want! There are no rules on how to get your route name. As long as YOU like it.

The Virginia Blues

My first experience on the Appalachian Trail was marred by opiate withdrawal (just at first). Those first 5 days were absolutely horrible. I managed to move though. Up and down. I will never forget that rash on my butt from all the loose stools. Yuck. The only way out was through. HA HA HA. Thank God we recovered! Those first mornings were the hardest. My dad, the FAUSA hiker, was packed and ready to go at dawn and was outside my tent, hot coffee in hand for me, banging on the side of my tent yelling, «I’m not getting up, I’m not getting up, come on, 30 minutes and I’ll leave you here.» I wasn’t eating much, I wasn’t sleeping much, and I was in a lot of pain from all the walking and retreating. When we got to Pearisburg, VA, things were going like this. Well, my dad started calling me «Genesis.» Cute as hell. whatever the name of the trail is, it was «too churchy» for me at the time and I didn’t want that kind of pressure 🦋 🌈.

Virginia Appalachian Trail 2004

Laughing at the mountains

Fun Story: A fun hiking game my dad taught me was how to play “Fart Baseball.” It’s a lot of fun as long as you’re not in full opiate withdrawal. The positive side for me was that I won EVERY game those first few weeks. A Grand Slam is 4 races. The only type of fart that constitutes a grand slam is a wet fart. Do the math, he was no match for me that first week. Hiker trash is born.

Virginia Appalachian Trail 2004

you will rise

In 2019, Boot hugged me in Katahdin and said, «You are WILL now! You will rise!»

Just like that I told myself “I won’t get up-WILL”. Tramily is for life. 💜

Team Katahdin, Summit Day, Bota Appalachian Trail 2019, Mikie D, Me, Lady Dundee, Papa John

Genesis

Genesis literally means the origin, creation or beginning of something. That name has always stuck in my heart because I know why my dad called me that. I know how much he loved me and wanted the best for me in life. That name is a part of him, that I will always carry with me.

Goldilocks

In the spring of 2026 I set out to complete a 500-600 mile “training” hike to further prepare myself for this upcoming hike. I’ve just left Duncannon and started walking across the ridge when a madman with an ax runs screaming past me. Cutting down trees and shouting something I couldn’t understand. Shaking my head, I accelerated and got away from THAT as fast as I could. There will be more on “Hatchet Man 2026” later, but that’s for another post. As I stopped to adjust my backpack, I saw a hiker approaching me with a long white beard. My husband also has a long white beard, so I was taken aback for a moment! This fast-moving hiker walks up to me and says, «stop right there, let me take a photo of your hair, the sun is shining on it.» It was a cool photo, he dropped it on me and then I asked if I could take a photo of it and that’s how I met Gray Beard Sanders. He asked me the name of my trail and I said, «I won’t get up, WILL» and he said, «I won’t remember, plus you have the most beautiful golden hair in the sunlight, I’ll call you Goldilocks.» Right there, I accepted! This was my “Genesis”. 💛

Gray Beard Sanders is 91 years old and is attempting to become the oldest human being to hike the Appalachian Trail in one year. He is walking the trail as I write this blog. In 2017, he set the Appalachian Trail record for being the oldest person to hike the entire AT in one year. Nimblewill Nomad holds the current record, so Gray Beard has set out to regain his thru-hiker title. He’s a pretty amazing individual. He has set several records during his lifetime. He set a record in spearfishing and received the World Athlete of the Year award for it. He set a record for holding his breath for 6 minutes and 4 seconds. He is the oldest person to row the entire length of the Mississippi River.

Appalachian Trail Goldilocks and Graybeard Sander 2026

I just became Goldilocks 🙂 Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail 2026

The trail offers 🙂 Gray Beard Sanders Appalachian Trail 2026

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