My First Trail Tale! by Ladybug's daughter, Brittany

I arrived in Albuquerque yesterday evening, picked up by my mom and her hiking companions Troll and Wilderness Bob to begin my second experience of the hiking world. Although I have been to a hikers gathering once before, this time I knew was going to be different because each hiker has their own unique story to tell and many entertaining trail stories that kept us laughing around the table until late into the night. I love coming on these trips because I get to share a part of what my mom is so inspired by, a hobby that I personally have no interest in participating in, however, I get to hear stories that I have never heard from her and her friends, adventures that could only have been generated during thru-hikes. These experiences make me feel like I get to know a side of her that only the trails bring out, and one that I am glad that I have been lucky enough to be able to see where her passion for hiking has taken her.

We arrived at Troll's niece, Julie's house, where I met Troll's son Oblivious, another hiker, Rest Stop, and Julie's sons, Ronnie and K.J. Julie has been a wonderful host, making all of us feel perfectly at home and relaxed.

We sat around the table, eating dinner, while my mom filled me in on some wild stories of the trail. I learned new vocab, such as a chilly willy, which you'll have to ask about unless you're part of the group here who was informed of the activity that would only take place on the trail This experience so far has already been amazing and I couldn't have had a better time hanging out with my mom before she embarks on her next adventure. I got to play Power Rangers and play with Play-Doh this morning, help my mom pack her pack, play Wii bowling, and just spend time with the hikers, learning about each of them as the day has progressed. And I also got to write my first trail tale!

I wish all of the hikers on the CDT a safe and unforgettable experience on their hikes, and of course especially to my mom to keep herself safe! I hope that I continue to encounter people with such interesting stories and a hobby that brings people from every walk of life together. These times spent meeting and getting to know hikers is something I will always remember and am glad that I got to share part of her experiences with her!

Best of luck!!
Brittany