| GLOSSARY |
| AT - (n) Appalachian Trail, a continuous footpath from Georgia to Maine |
| bear bag - (n) a bag in which food is suspended from a branch, pole, or cable to keep it out of the reach of bears and other critters; (v) to hang food or other items |
| bounce box - (n) a box containing supplies that some hikers mail to themselves at a post office a week or two up the trail; a good way to have personal items available in towns without having to carry them in between |
| AYCE - (n) All-You-Can-Eat restaurant meal, a favorite of thru-hikers |
| blue-blaze - (n) a side trail leading to a shelter, spring, or connecting trail; (v) to hike on a side trail instead of the AT, sometimes to avoid a rugged or unsafe section of trail |
| blaze - (n) a trail marker; the AT is marked with 2 x 6" white paint blazes on trees, posts, or rocks; side trails are usually marked with blue |
| day-hiker - (n) a hiker who is out for a short hike and will be sleeping in a warm, comfy bed at the end of the day |
| flip-flop - (v) to hike the AT from one end to a mid-point, then jump ahead and hike from the opposite end to the mid-point, thus completing the entire trail in one year; a method often used when hikers find they can't reach the northern terminus before bad weather |
| giardia - (n) that nasty little organism in the water which causes great intestinal discomfort |
| PUDS - (n) pointless ups and downs; the AT has lots of these |
| purist - (n) a hiker who insists on hiking every inch of the AT and on seeing or touching every white blaze; sometimes identified by a holier-than-thou attitude toward those less rigid |
| maildrop - (n) a box of food and supplies that is mailed by a support person to a post office or other location along the trail to be picked up by a hiker |
| section-hiker - (n) a hiker who is hiking more than a weekend, but less than the entire trail; some piece together sections over the years to complete the entire AT |
| Nobo - (n) a northbound hiker |
| shelter - (n) structures, usually three-sided, constructed of wood, stone, or block and located about a day's hike apart; also referred to as a lean-to or hut in some locations |
| slack-pack - (v) to hike without one's backpack, having made arrangements to get the pack at the end of the day; also slack - (v) to take responsibility for someone's pack so they can hike a day without it (I'll slack you to the next road crossing.) |
| Sobo - (n) a southbound hiker |
| Springer Fever - (n) a condition afflicting those who aspire to thru-hike the AT, especially those who will start in Georgia, characterized by compulsive gear-buying and the desire to experience extreme discomfort for long periods of time; symptoms increase during the winter, reaching acute levels by March or April; the condition may be cured by backpacking on the AT; amount of trail-time required varies from a few days up to about six months, depending on the severity of the affliction; sadly, some are never cured - those with chronic affliction may be found on the Pacific Crest Trail the following year |
| trail angel - (n) one who goes out of his or her way to help hikers, expecting nothing in return; often known to carry fresh fruit, drinks, and other snacks in to a remote shelter or trail junction for the enjoyment of thru-hikers; also willing to provide transportation into town or back to the trail, as well as many other random acts of kindness |
| thru-hiker - (n) one who hikes the entire AT in one year |
| Trail Days - (n) an event held each May in Damascus, Virginia; a celebration of backpacking including parades, contests, gear demonstrations, and good times |
| trail magic - (n) the random acts of kindness bestowed upon hikers by trail angels |
| trail name - (n) the name by which hikers are known among other hikers; it is traditional to earn one's name on the trail by virtue of some characteristic, mishap, or habit; I broke with tradition and chose my own trail name - Shepherd of the Hills |
| trail register - (n) a notebook left in shelters or other stops along the way where hikers can write their thoughts, leave messages for other hikers, or simply sign in; part of the communication system of the trail; signing in is not required, but it can be helpful if a hiker must be located in an emergency |
| weekender - (n) one who is backpacking for one to three days |
| yo-yo - (v) to thru-hike the AT and immediately turn around and thru-hike back |
| yogi - (v) to obtain food from non-hikers without asking, usually by enthralling them with tales of the hike and looking pitifully hungry; said to work especially well with the tourists in Shenandoah National Park |
| yellow-blaze - (v) to skip sections of the trail by traveling ahead by road |
| ATC - (n) Appalachian Trail Conference, the organization that oversees the AT, headquartered in Harpers Ferry, WV |
| blow-down - (n) trees that have fallen across the trail |
| NOC - (n) Nantahala Outdoor Center, recreational center on the trail near Bryson City, NC |
| relo - (n) a trail relocation, often not reflected in the guidebooks |
 |
 |