Trail Name!

On the Appalachian Trail everyone acquires a trail name, usually a quirky nickname based on your behaviors, interests, looks, or other defining characteristics. Trail names make it easier for hikers to remember and identify one another because they are usually much more unique and memorable than traditional names. Although some people choose their own trail names, the more common practice is to acquire a trail name through your interactions with other hikers.

Since I am not exactly a social individual, I didn't really get to know many of my fellow hikers and ended up going over a month with no trail name. I usually wake up at 5:30am, get on the trail by 6:30, hike quickly all day, and then get to bed by 8pm at the latest, so that doesn't leave much time to waste on socializing.

But the time has come and here in Damascus, Virginia, after a month and 3 days of not having a name, I have finally been dubbed she-who-must-not-be-named: Voldemort! Although Voldemort was the notorious, evil wizard from the Harry Potter saga, I enjoy the nickname and was thoroughly amused by how my naming finally came about. After a month of being asked "what's your trail name?" and having to respond "I don't have one," I am now fittingly named after the Dark Lord whose name was not to be spoken in the magical world of Harry Potter.

I am Voldemort.