that girl who rides the horses that dance

The Appalachian Trail was completed on August 14, 1937, with adjustments being made since then. The first 2000 mile hiker was the ATC Chair, Myron Avery, in 1936, in an effort to flag and measure the original Appalachian Trail.

The first person to hike the Trail from end to end was Earl Shaffer in 1948, from Georgia to Maine. He did the hike again in 1965, from Maine to Georgia. In 1998, he hiked the trail again to become the oldest thru-hiker until 2004.

In 1952, flip-flopper (a hiker who starts at one point on the Trail, hikes to one terminus, travels back to the starting point, and hikes to the other terminus) Mildred Norman became the earliest known female thru-hiker.

Over the years, the number of hikers have increased on the Trail, and with that, the number of traditions have increased. With my thru-hike in the plans for the future, I thought it would be neat to go through some of the traditions and whether I have any plans to do them.

My goal is to hike the trail from Georgia to Maine, so I'm tracing the traditions northbound here.

• Carry a stone from one terminus to another. 
• As mentioned, I don't have any plans to do this. I believe that it violates Leave No Trace principles. And honestly, when you're carrying your life in a pack on your back why would you sacrifice a few ounces toward an useless rock?
• Trail names.
• On a thru-hike, hikers will sign trail registers at shelters. Trail names are an efficient way to differentiate between John from Ohio and John from Maine. Additionally, it provides the hiker with some anonymity. The Trail is also a departure from "real life" so trail names serve as a way to help maintain this separation. I will take any trail name, and consider it a badge of honor. 
• Gear shakedown.
• Hikers starting out on their journey may overestimate the amount of equipment that they need to carry. After the first thirty miles (approximately two to three days of hiking from the southern terminus) there is a town in northern Georgia called Walasi-Yi that sits almost directly on top of the Trail. There is an outfitter there called Mountain Crossings where they do shakedowns. Basically, a seasoned (and probably former thru-hiker) individual will sit with you and go through every item in your pack and recommend that you either keep it or send it home. I plan on packing smart, but if I feel that I'm struggling or my pack weight is a bit too much, I may do this.  
• Speed hike.
• It's approximately 41 miles from Watauga Lake, NC to Damascus, VA. Some hikers like to hike these 41 miles as fast as possible. Depending on how my legs feel, I may do it. 
• Hiker parade at Trail Days.
• Trail Days is a celebration at hiker-friendly Damascus, Virginia in mid-May. Current and previous hikers will congregate to parade down the road. Since I plan on leaving in early March, I will be hiking through Virginia and hopefully hitting Harper's Ferry by Trail Days, so I will be missing this tradition. 
• Hanging off McAfee Knob.
• McAfee Knob is the most photographed site on the Appalachian Trail. It is a rock overhang that gives hikers a 270 degree panorama of the Catawba Valley, including the Tinker Cliffs. It has a precarious overhang. I plan on plopping down my pack and scooting to the very edge to swing my legs over empty space. 
• Bridge jumping into the James River.
• The James River Footbridge is the longest footbridge on the Appalachian Trail. It allows hikers to cross over 700 feet of the James River to Route 501, where hikers can hitch to Glasgow, VA. If I can, I will definitely be climbing to the top and doing a swan dive (or maybe not a swan dive) off the bridge. 
• Confessions
• There is a 4,000 foot mountain in Virginia, approximately thirty miles before Rockfish Gap, called the Priest. This mountain is about a third of the way through Virginia (which, by the way, contains the most Appalachian Trail miles of any of the fourteen states on the route). Once hikers get to the summit, they sign the register, with a fun twist. They have to write a confession to the Priest. For sure - I will be confessing my trail sins. 
• 4 State Challenge
• First of all: yes yes yes yes. This is an awesome challenge that I truly want to do! Hikers camp at the northernmost shelter in Virginia, then hike into West Virginia (making a pit stop in Harper's Ferry), crossing the state line into Maryland before blazing to the southernmost shelter in Pennsylvania. All. In. One. Day. Grand total: A whopping 42.9 miles.
• Awkward prom pictures
• Harper's Ferry, WV is the unofficial halfway point of the Appalachian Trail. It is also the headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Hikers will meet a member of the ATC staff, who will take a picture of the hiker in front of the headquarters. This Polaroid goes in an album with the hiker's trail name, actual name, start date, hiking direction, and the hiker's position in the "bubble" (for example, the hiker could be the first hiker passing through Harper's Ferry for that year, or the 500th). This is a given - I will be doing this! 
• Half-Gallon Challenge
• Just past the official halfway point on the Trail, hikers will find themselves in Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Gardners, PA. This is the home to one of the most famous challenges on the Trail. To commemorate walking more than a thousand miles, hikers can purchase (or be given) a half gallon of ice cream. The intent is to eat the entire tub in one sitting. My verdict: maybe. 
• Hike Naked Day
• On June 21, the longest day of the year, hikers celebrate the insane amount of daylight by - you guessed it - hiking naked. I am doing the world a service and NOT participating. 
• Mt. Moosilauke in a dress
• Mt. Moosilauke is the most southwesterly mountain in the Whites in New Hampshire. Some hikers like to summit this mountain in a dress. If I have space in my bag, or have bought a $3 dress from Goodwill, I will be participating. 
• Moon the Cog
• The Cog is a train that carries tourists to the top of Mt. Washington, the tallest mountain in New Hampshire. There are three ways to reach the summit - the Cog, taking your car up the Auto road, or doing the cool thing and walking to the top. Again, I will not be participating in this activity. 
• Vermonster Challenge
• Go to any Ben & Jerry's with a group of four people, raising at least $100. Give the money to the store and receive a monster of a sundae. Eat it. Again, depending on how I feel about this: maybe. 
• Blueberry Pancake Challenge
• In Andover, ME, there is a restaurant where you can order three 14" pancakes with toppings. You have ninety (?) minutes to complete the challenge without leaving your seat. Again, depending on how I feel about this: maybe.
• Pictures with the sign atop Mount Katahdin
• Once northbound hikers have walked every linear foot (or aqua blazed or yellow blazed) of the Appalachian Trail, ascending and descending mountains, for a total elevation gain equivalent to climbing Mt. Everest sixteen times, they will climb the final mountain in their adventure. Mt. Katahdin is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, at the end of the desolate 100-Mile Wilderness. At the very summit, there rests a large sign. Traditionally, hikers who have succeeded will then climb on the sign for a picture (or two, or several). Some throw their arms in the air. Some wave a flag. Some plank on the sign. Some have dressed up in suits and formal dresses and posed around the sign. My verdict: is this even a question? Absolutely.