Trail Names
4/12/Thurs: Trail Names
So a big thing on the trail is trail names, and it adds its own nice piece of culture to the trail. It is so much easier to remember trail names, and I've actually already heard people say "Oh, I've read your posts in the registers," and "Oh, I've heard about you."
Some people like to pick their own trail names, but most don't look too favorably on this. One man picked "Judge" because he used to be a judge, and another picked "Forever Ambler" because he told his wife he wasn't going to hike very fast or far, just amble about, forever. This are cheap and lazy ways out, and gives no credit to the disorder and unpredictability of the trail. In an age where you can get any information you want from the internet (meta-narrative purely unintentional) it is all the more exciting to switch to a simpler state. The weather, people, and situations can all change day-to-day and it is harder to be in touch with all your possibilities: this is why picking your own name is such a slap in the face to the simple chaos of the trail.
That said, Gypsy (so-called by Backtrack because she is 50 and has never lived in one place for more than 5 years it seems - and if you're wondering, Backtrack forgot her liscence and other personal items and had to walk back 8 miles to retrieve them), she was trying to get my attention as I was sprawled out with my book of number puzzles, and so she called out, "Sudoku! Are you going to want any of this hot water?" Sure enough.
Another interesting thing about trail names is that they're almost always gender-neutral. I'm thinking that with mine, an ignorant folk will picture a small Japanese person coming up the trail.
Coming next time: Alma Studies
