Trail Names

[Rad]

On long distance trails in the US you are almost required to accept or adopt a trail name. Is this a practice on the Camino?

 

[Bradypus]

On long distance trails in the US you are almost required to accept or adopt a trail name. Is this a practice on the Camino?

Not a normal practice on the Caminos. Most people introduce themselves with their given name. Though if you prefer to be known as something else that is entirely up to you.

 

[SabsP]

Not a normal practice on the Caminos. Most people introduce themselves with their given name. Though if you prefer to be known as something else that is entirely up to you.

Now you could introduce yourself as : The Early 4 am Riser/ the Plastic Bag Rustler / the Snorer or The One That Had One Vino Too Much / The Quiet One / The One That Does Yogaexcercises In The Bathroom..etc..

 

[Curtis]

I don't think I met anyone with a trail name. The American term "hiker-trash" doesn't really apply on the camino either. A real shame in my opinion.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

On long distance trails in the US you are almost required to accept or adopt a trail name. Is this a practice on the Camino?

Having thru-hiked the PCT and the Colorado Trail, and thousands of miles of lesser length backpacking trips, I have never adopted or been given a 'trail name', nor would I want one. I never heard of anyone using a 'trail name' during my Camino, not that such doesn't exist.

 

[yaying]

Now you could introduce yourself as : The Early 4 am Riser/ the Plastic Bag Rustler / the Snorer or The One That Had One Vino Too Much / The Quiet One / The One That Does Yogaexcercises In The Bathroom..etc.

it reminds me i usually remember most of part of the story but i forget the title.

 

[scott the farmer]

my wife was named the rainbow princess but that seems to be the exception

 

[nidarosa]

I was called Pebbles because I kept getting stones in my shoes ... until I got my first pair of Dirty Girl Gaiters that is. A lot of people will also be called by their country or city, at least until you get to know them better (the lovely ladies London and Canada come to mind), because pilgrims don't seem to ask for actual names, but rather where you started from or where you are from. And I guess most of us have trail names we don't know about ... like The girl with the pink backpack with a sunflower or The guy with the floppy hat or That couple that always hold hands.

 

[naplesdon]

Your Forum name will follow you around forever, after seven years that's my handle. I can reel off a long list of others pilgrims I have met who are best known by their Forum names.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I don't think I met anyone with a trail name. The American term "hiker-trash" doesn't really apply on the camino either. A real shame in my opinion.

I wanted to get the definition of hiker-trash:
35 Warning Signs That You Might Be Hiker Trash…
I laughed out loud at #28

 

[shefollowsshells]

Two days out of Le Puy I had a bar (cafe) owner come running out of his restaurant and urging everyone else to come running out to see me as he literally screamed " Mary Poppins", "Mary Poppins". I walk in a Macabi skirt AND was carrying my trekking umbrella.
I found "..."your the American mom hiking with five kids (I have 6 but hiked with 5)" to be what I was mostly called...
and TWO forum members greeted me in the streets of SJPP calling me "She follows shells!", which was one of the many highlights of my trip. One was talking to me and another came up...
I would LOVE to know who these gals were here, their forum name etc... I know one was in a Macabi and wore my same shoes Hokas which was an amazing coincidence.

 

[shefollowsshells]

I wanted to get the definition of hiker-trash:
35 Warning Signs That You Might Be Hiker Trash…
I laughed out loud at #28

LOVED that list!!!! ...and could relate to almost all of them except my garage experience was an actual barn with cows mooing, farting and stomping...my daughter insists that I add and pooping splatter sounds...
our night in the barn
http://shefollowsshells.blogspot.com/2016/10/day-46-ainhoa-to-olhette-slept-in-stable.html

 

[naplesdon]

I loved the list, can't even imagine how pilgrims would react to a Walmart on the Camino.
Homeless, who me? Several months of hiking with 2 changes of clothes that get hand washed every week or so.

 

[jmcarp]

Your Forum name will follow you around forever, after seven years that's my handle. I can reel off a long list of others pilgrims I have met who are best known by their Forum names.

Forum names are great alter-IDs, especially as one gets older and memory starts to fade. I use the same forum name on all my internet forums--makes life a lot easier. I wish passwords were so simple.

 

[AML]

In 2015 on the Camino Frances I met 3 gentlemen from US and they had trail names.....Iron Man, Del Boy & Turtle
These guy were great fun and were enjoying their first Camino immensely!

 

[Lurch]

I am 'Lurch'. that pretty much says it all!

 

[Lurch]

I am Lurch...pretty much says it all.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Can I get Coco, like George Costanza??

 

[CaminoDebrita]

I was called "Oregon" and "Hey Oregon!" a few times!

 

[Robo]

On long distance trails in the US you are almost required to accept or adopt a trail name. Is this a practice on the Camino?

The Camino is not like a long distance US trail. In any way, shape or form.

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Last year, I did half Appalachian Trail, my trail name: "Yellow Arrow" Could not be another.
Buen Camino. Have a good trail.

 

[shefollowsshells]

Last year, I did half Appalachian Trail, my trail name: "Yellow Arrow" Could not be another.
Buen Camino. Have a good trail.

What a wonderful trail name! What half did you do? We live near it, and in Virginia it actually runs through my brothers yard...

 

[Mikel Olivares]

I started AT in Amicalola Falls, Georgia and finished it three months later at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
In Virginia I visited a pilgrim friend I met on the Camino, she lives in Reston.

 

[Rad]

The Lady that hiked with four of her children, I would love to hear your story.

 

[domigee]

Two days out of Le Puy I had a bar (cafe) owner come running out of his restaurant and urging everyone else to come running out to see me as he literally screamed " Mary Poppins", "Mary Poppins". I walk in a Macabi skirt AND was carrying my trekking umbrella.
.

Tehehe, I have also been called Mary Poppins (the Macabi AND the large umbrella!). Better though (I think ) than 'the Hobbit' when I used to wear my poncho....

 

[Mikel Olivares]

First and last day in AT.

 

[domigee]

First and last day in AT.

Congratulations! Quite an achievement!!!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

First and last day in AT.

Congratulations Mikel. Peg and I had long wanted to hike the full Appalachian Trail. Although we still do some short stretches the full trail is too much for us now. The Camino Francés was picked to give us a long hike and Peg was happy not having to sleep on the ground (except for the night in St. Jean.)

The U.S. has a number of long distance trails that take longer than three months to complete. It is possible to get a six month tourist visa to the U.S. but I think you have to appear before a consular officer. Here is a tip that may help you get an extended visa. Go into the interview with a library of guides, maps, printed materials and pictures and show so much excitement about the trip that the consular officer wants to quit his job to hike with you. It worked for a Mexican, given the trail name Montecristo, that we met on the Appalachian Trail last year. We were doing a five day out and back around miles 60 to 70. He was doing the whole 2,200/3,500 miles/kilometers or so. By the way, he had previously walked the Camino Francés.

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Thank you very much for your advice to get the Visa.
I want to return next year to finish it, this year I have not been able to go for family matters. I can not wait to continue. It was a wonderful experience. Very hard but unforgettable and best of all the people I met: Hikers, Trail's Angels and people from the small towns that I had the pleasure to spend the night and wash clothes, EAT and DRINK BEER and do the laundry and a thousand photos of American style life.
Best vacations of my life.

Buen Camino. Have a good trail.

 

[shefollowsshells]

First and last day in AT.

Mike, those are AWESOME pictures! Thank you so much for sharing...
There is a very high chance we will be on it in March of 2019, I am atleast pretty certain my oldest two sons will be, I might be just cheering from the side line!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

This post is off topic from the camino but it does involve some American long distance trails, trail names and some other topics of interest to caminantes.

We had an interesting hiking night on TV last night and it involved the trail name Stringbean.

Stringbean, aka Joe McConaughy, was interviewed on a local news program because (1) he was a former Boston College track and cross-country runner and (2) he broke the always unofficial time record for completing the 2,190 mile (3,524 km) Appalachian Trail. It took him just 45 and a half days. He broke the previous time for an unsupported hiker by nine days and also beat the best time for a supported hiker by 10 hours. (Supported hikes permit outside help, such as food and water deliveries to avoid sidetrips to pick up provisions and to lighten pack weight.) He broke the record on August 31 when he reached the peak of Mount Katahdin in hail, rain and winds of 70 miles per hour (112 kph.) The last 110 miles (176 km) were done in 37 hours (3 mph/4.75 kph) despite pack, weather, 43 days of fatigue and a cumlative 22,500 ft (6858 meters) in elevation gains. He averaged 48 miles (77 km) per day. Oh yeah, in 2014
he set the record on the Pacific Crest Trail too, 2,660 miles (4,281 km) in just 53 days, 6 hours (50 miles or 80 km per day.)

Following that was another local show, Windows to the Wild where the 80-some year old host went hiking up a mountain with the 81 year old author of a hiking book. I heard on one of these shows that the host, Willem Lange, once held the fastest time for hiking the Appalachian Trail. Trail name unknown though I think he had several.

Then to finish up, we watched a DVD that we had for a few days Redwood Highway.

• IMDB: Marie decides to journey 80 miles on foot to the coast of Oregon to revisit the ocean of her past for the first time in 45 years. 6.4/10 stars
• Rotten Tomatoes: Living in a comfortable retirement community in Southern Oregon, estranged from her family, unsatisfied with her surroundings, and generally not happy about life, Marie (Shirley Knight) decides to journey 80 miles on foot to the coast of Oregon to see the ocean for the first time in 45 years and attend her granddaughter's wedding as an unexpected guest. Along the way, she meets an extraordinary cast of characters and discovers that you're never too old to learn something about life and about yourself. critics: 82% audience: 54%
• Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=https://www.youtube.com/watch

And then today, while unsuccessfully attempting to get Lange's trail name and hiking record, I came upon this new record set just a few days ago. Dale Sanders, trail name Greybeard, set the age record for completing the Appalachian Trail in one year. He is 82. He did it using the flip-flop method to get the best weather, starting out in at Springer Mt., Georgia and going to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia and then taking transport to Mt. Katahdin, Maine to head south to Harper's Ferry again. Sanders has other records, see this article.

By the way, a new thread added today, Oldest person to complete the Camino Frances ????, has Dorothea Adaskin, age 93, as the likely record holder.

 

[jeffnd]

Can I get Coco, like George Costanza??

T-BONE!

 

[clearskiescamino]

Not really, but back in 2013 I was called "Irish" constantly as I was the only Irish person in our gang. I guess David is too tricky a name

 

[Bradypus]

Not really, but back in 2013 I was called "Irish" constantly as I was the only Irish person in our gang. I guess David is too tricky a name

My father-in-law's name is David. An Englishman who spent part of his childhood and early adult years in Scotland. Known to all except his parents as Taffy. Too many Davids in his year at school!

 

[VikingWarrior]

I didn't really have one on the Camino, but apparently lots of people referred to me as the guy from Nebraska so often that my Camino family referred to me as the Legend while we were in Santiago. LOL