Back to the Future

I don’t know if this adventure is going to be strictly a vlog, or a mix, or what! I guess it depends on whether I have a lot to say that isn’t covered in my video footage, or whether I’m feeling camera-ready and/or wordy on any given day. But we’ll call it a vlog for now since this is all I have to say presently:

One more thing. (Clearly this will have to be a vlog+blog.) Comments and questions are welcome here or on YouTube. I guess I’d prefer them here because then they’re not owned by Google, but that’s a pretty weak preference. Whatever suits you! I’m guessing Migratory Pebbles will be populated more heavily by you few (but cherished!) long-time followers, whereas YouTube might have more random folks who love the Appalachian Trail? It’s all good.

The Birth of Luscious

I was given a trail name last night as mentioned in the quick video below. I’ve paraphrased the scene for you below as best as I can recall how it played out. Apologies to my new friends if I didn’t get it quite right.

[A dozen prospective AT thru-hikers plus handful of veterans sit around a campfire at Woods Hole Hostel, Virginia, NOBO mile 625.]

RTK: “So, does anyone have any final questions or topics they want to cover tonight?”

Benj: “Well, I still need a trail name…”

RTK: “Okay. Look, everyone, it’s not often you get a chance to give someone their trail name! Let’s take a shot at it…”

Benj: “Maybe something to do with technology? Who was the guy who developed new tech for James Bond? Wasn’t it Q?”

Ramdino: “No, Q was from Star Trek.”

Pony: “How about Batman’s tech guy?”

Benj: “Alfred?”

Pony: “No, his name was Lucius. He was in the comic books.”

Benj: “Never heard of him, so that doesn’t bode well for a trail name. And people will think it means Lucius Malfoy.”

Pony: “It’s Lucius Fox. But more likely people will confuse it with the word ‘luscious.'”

Benj: “Hmmm. I don’t know about this… Any other ideas?”

Pony: “Well, you can call yourself whatever you want, but you can’t really control what other people call you. Sometimes a name just sticks…”

RTK: “And there’ll be such a great story leading to this one. Around a campfire at Woods Hole Hostel [of Platinum-Blazing Hall of Fame] no less!”

[Benj tries to control the narrative by submitting an edit to Ramdino’s 2025 Appalachian Trail Thru Hiker Support List spreadsheet with trail name Lucius. Ramdino checks a notification on his phone and grins menacingly.]

Benj: “OK, I guess this is happening. I used the spelling Lucius, but you can pronounce it luscious, if you really want.”

Pony: “Luscious, Luscious!”

Everyone: “Luscious, Luscious, Luscious, …”

Ramdino: “I fixed the spelling on the support list to Luscious, and made it bold, all caps, and blinking. Oh, and I locked that trail name cell of the spreadsheet.”

Luscious: “I guess that settles it.”

[End Scene.]

I don’t know if this is already an Appalachian Trail aphorism, but it should be: “The Trail Giveth (my name), and the Trail Taketh Away (my dignity).”

Having escorted pebbles from the Irish Sea to the North Sea on the Wainwright Walk, now Benj is eyeing the Appalachian Trail…