The origin and explanation
of Trail Names
Oliver Twist
My trail name did not come about until I had hiked from Springer to just south of Bland, Va. There on a badly eroded dirt road, which was also the AT, I kept twisting my ankles and feet as I negotiated over the fist-sized rocks born of years of erosion. “Oliver Twist” is one of my favorite books and my middle name is Oliver. Twisting feet (almost like being knee-walking drunk) and my name and the tenuous connection with the book all came together in a momentary lapse in lucidity (I've had a few others since) to spawn the trailname that I would carry to Katahdin and beyond.
-- John O. Newman
Possum Poop Patty
Long ago, in a storybook setting (the AT near Standing Indian Mountain), a group of three were doing trail maintenance (can you say trail work?). There was Don O'Neal (Rainwalker — on whose section three were walking), John (that's me — Oliver Twist), and John's wife Patricia (called Patty in many circles).Don is a physician and is therefore interested in knowing about a lot of things, as that is generally doctors wont. He had received a new book for Christmas on Scatology. Scat or animal poop can generally be identified as that of a particular animal by certain characteristics as explained in the book. Some folks can identify the type of scat from years of observation. Others rely on books or a combination thereof. Still others neither care nor bother with scat identification.
Don had been pointing out all the various little piles of poop found as the group walked along the trail. I suppose we could have been called the 'Poop Group'. Speculation as to the identity of each depositor (or is it depositer) was discussed whith John and Patty mostly relying on the newly-acquired knowledge of their companion for the definitive word.
Lagging behind slightly, Patty called John back to look at a sample that Don and he had obviously overlooked in their bent to get on with the trail maintenance. John doesn't like to climb the same hill twice on the same hike, but he reluctantly backtracked DOWN the hill the 40-50 yards to this precious pile which Patty was emphatically proclaiming as being Bobcat scat. Now John has seen a bit of poop in his long years in the woods. Arriving at the puported Bobcat scat and with little regard or thought as to Patty's childlike glee in thinking she was indeed correct, John gives it a practiced, if cusory, glance. He then makes the following pronouncment, "Oh, that's just possum poop, Patty.". Now, no one remembers for sure who first thought of it as a trailname, but John is pretty sure it was Patty. She immediately and forever became known as Possum Poop Patty. That was many years ago — at least 11.
The P-cubed or P3 (P with a superscript 3) came from Noel DeCavalcante - The Singing Horseman, AT '89, who insisted on calling her P-cubed for she sometimes signed herself as PPP.
-- John O. Newman
The Old Ridge Runner
My Trail name is the Old Ridge Runner and I took it from a reference to the old mountain farmers of a few generations back. They took the name from the big white-tail bucks which they hunted that always stayed on the highest ridges. The old farms have either grown back to woodland or have been turned into expensive second home or ski-related development. In any event, 50 years ago, if anyone heard the term ridge runner they thought of a hill farmer not a trail worker.
-- Smith T. Edwards
The Happy Feet
Laurie & Bill Foot of Lynchburg, Virginia, are "The Happy Feet." They gave this trailname to themselves in 1987 prior to setting off to thru-hike the A.T. Since their last name is "Foot" and they wanted to be happy on the trail, they figured "Happy Feet" would be a self-fulfilling prophecy. So far, it has been!
-- Bill and Laurie Foot
The Armstrong Express
Robin Armstrong = "Nannock of the North", "Nann" for short. Given to me by my father, "Just George". During a March hike in PA in a snow storm, the only thing visible from a distance was my face (resembling an eskimo).
George Armstrong = "Just George". Given to himself. The original hiking group consisted of 3 adults, and 3 kids. Day 3 the kids left the trail, day 5 two adults left the trail. When asked, it was "Just George" still on the trail. "Just George" met up with his support group at Range View Cabin in SNP, and continued the second week of the trip. When he introducted myself to other hikers, it was "Just George", nothing more and nothing less.
Valerie Armstrong = "Miles to Go", "Miles" for short. Given by "Nann". My Mother has never hiked the trail intentionally. She has done alot of day hiking in SNP, though, when we were younger. "Miles" loves Robert Frost, especially the poem, "Miles to Go Before I Sleep." And since she always shuttles the family regardless of the distance, I thought it appropriate. I have an old photo of "Miles" on Mary's Rock in SNP. After climbing to the top, "Miles" laid down on the rock, looked out over the park, and surveyed the miles. I took that picture more than 10 years ago, years before we started hiking the AT. It's the only picture I have of my Mom on the trail.
Mike Levasseur = "Next Year". Given by "Nann". My nephew was not thrilled with our very first adventure on the AT. Poor preparation, inexperience, bad weather, etc. He was not going with us "next year". After the trip, in a conversation with friends: "I can't wait for next year", I'll know what to pack next year", "Hope we have as good as time next year". Two years after his first (and only) hike: "I'll go next year!"
-- Robin Armstrong
West & Relaxation
Dan West = "Calypso Dan". Given by "Nann" and "Just George". My brother-in-law had so much food in his pack (his wife, was worried he and his two sons would starve in 7 days), that he had tied his cooking gear on the outside of his pack. The sound made while he walked along the trail resembled a steel band.
Jill West = "Be There". Given by "Nann". My sister, like my mother, has only "done" Mary's Rock. But regardless of the distance, if you call for a ride home, her response is always the same: I'll be there. Just ask "Calypso Dan".
Jake, Josh West = "Doc, Dopey". Given by "Just George". My nephews kept singing "Hi, Ho it's off to work we go" as entertainment on the trial. Need I say any more? Besides, the sight of these two plus one more child following a woman in the woods reminded "Just George" of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
-- Robin Armstrong
Stinchcomb Stride
Ann Stinchcomb = "Turtle". Given by "Just George". During the SNP hike, my sister averaged about 2 miles a day after getting severe blisters. Although, this did not keep her from "getting ahead of the group". Remember the tortuoise and hare story? The turtle was slow, but beat the rabbit anyway! "Turtle" had alot of trail angels on her side.
Dave Stinchcomb = "Buzzsaw Dave", "Buzzsaw" for short. Given by "Just George". Now it could be because my brother-in-law liked to gather the firewood every night. He'd come out of the deep woods with dead trees, not limbs, but whole trees. Or, it could be that he snores louder than "Just George".
Spike Stinchcomb = "Spike" My nephew kept his family nickname on the trail. Now I wish there was a trail story behind this name, but sorry! Although, you should see the looks on hikers faces trying to come up this a scenario, etc. for "Spike". We just left them guessing.
-- Robin Armstrong
