[pct-l] Trail names

[Bob Sartini]

A purist would say a trail name must be bestowed by another thruhiker.
That's how I got mine.  Thus I approve. IMHO many people think up way too 
cool names of their own.  If your not careful though you end up being named 
Campmor or something else gear based. I really don't like people naming 
themselves after popular TV shows and movie characters but that's just me. 
If your kids name you Papa Smurf (I know of at least three) you must just 
say thank you and live with it. You can tell what year people hiked based on 
the movies that year. There's an awful lot of Gandalfs and Skywalkers out 
there. We're destined for a few Obama's this year. Also many names based on 
flatulence and other bodily functions I think we can do without. Perhaps 
Rangers or Ridge Runners can issue tickets for the truly awful names.

One bad name I recall "Snotrocket" , who needs that for 2000 miles?


"EVERYTHING is in walking distance,"
    ......Bamboo Bob
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "George Wysup" <georwy at charter.net>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 11:26 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] BEAR AVOIDANCE


> JMT Reinhold,
>    You make some excellent points [and why wouldn't you].
>    I believe that's common PCT practice, the hiking a couple more hours 
> after dinner. Certainly would make bear avoidance easier. Leave the smell 
> (aside from a little BO) a few miles from your camp, and camp far from the 
> madding, bear-attracting crowd.
>    Q. What does Billy Goat do? Relative to bear avoidance, that is.
>    To try to make myself a little more clear, black bears are little or no 
> danger in day time when you are wearing your pack. All bets are off after 
> bedtime. I am getting a message that many thru hikers actually sleep with 
> their food. Then we consider the poor Boy Scout who should not have taken 
> candy bars to bed with him. Go figure. Seems to me the bears get bolder 
> when the hiker is sleeping. Me, I won't even sleep with my toothpaste. 
> Hair tonic I leave at home.
>    Speaking of all this, I don't recall anyone mentioning my least 
> favorite rat as a trail nemesis. I'm referring to the Marmot (possibly 
> named after the Marmot Driclime windshirt I just bought for $48? - on the 
> recommendation of folks on this list). Those marmots don't just eat your 
> food if they get half a chance. They will even eat your non-food! Like 
> sleeping bags and pads - anything that smacks of a little salt. They'd do 
> anything for a taste of Switchback's hat. Luckily you're not likely to 
> encounter these marauders under 9500', at least south of the state of 
> Jefferson.
>    So, I ask meself, why am I making all these comments? I just wanted to 
> jump in and hit-&-run once. Here I am, involved. But one last shot: What's 
> the deal with the trail moniker? Can one make up his (or her) own, or must 
> one get christened by another hiker? I'm thinking about becoming AKA "Old 
> Fahrt", which is derived from the German verb "fahren" (to travel). Ya 
> think?
> George
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