Day -9: Trail Name

Now would be a good time to explain trail names. There is a thing in the Trail community where no one goes by their real names...instead, they have a trail name. Now, most people find this unusual and weird, but I can honestly say that I don't know a single person's real name that I met and hiked with in 2000.

Some people come up with their own trail name and others get pegged one whether they like it or not. I fell into the latter of the two. I think it was Day 10 of my 2000 hike when I got my official trail name. In the days prior, several people were considering calling me Pipe Legs because by legs looked so skinny. Then one night, I was getting made fun of from some weekend hikers about being from Indiana...and they called me Hoosier Mama. Much to my chagrin, it stuck.

While trail names are fun, it gets a little weird when you try to contact someone that you hiked with after the hike. Pick up the phone and call the number you have for her...only to have some man answer..."uhhh, is uhhh, is Gypsy there?" Only to get a response of..."WHO?!"