How Can I Help?

Thru-hikers need all kinds of support. They need supplies: food, fuel, equipment. They need logistical help. Reservations. Information. Rides into town.

It's kind of odd to think that someone who is down for hiking (LITERALLY!) 3,000 miles from one end of the country to the other might need something as simple as an encouraging word while crossing the range. But we are humans. And humans need each other.

So sometimes, I think of my role as that of cheerleader. Life coach. Sounding board. They all come into play. I can't physically be there to help, but I will do what I can.

Jamie has been so humbled and gratified (as have I) by the amazing generosity and welcoming spirit of so many people whose paths he has crossed. These amazing people, these TRAIL ANGELS, have been an incredible source of relief, energy, inspiration, and JOY. It's hard to describe how grateful I am.

When Jamie and Bob were headed into Rawlins, Wyoming, I knew they had a long road walk from the trailhead to town. Now, as a non-hiker, I don't have direct knowledge of how undesirable this is, but I've certainly heard from Jamie that (1) unnecessary mileage walked, and (2) road walks are THE WORST!

Earlier in the week, he'd asked about finding a ride from the trail head to town. I was busy, I admit, but I looked in all the places I thought made sense and come up empty. I confess that I sometimes wonder why he's asking me to do all this tracking and whatnot when he can describe in such detail what he needs to me! Can't you just cut out the middleman (me)?!? Anyway, going back and forth with Jamie, we came to realize that I was not looking in the same place he was!

I'm just going to spell it out... ONE CANNOT UNDERSTATE THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE HIKER AND THE HIKER'S HOME OFFICE! If he tells me he saw something in Guthook, (apparently) I have to know that this means he saw a single, tiny, little crowd-sourced note attached to a random little dot on the entire 3,000-mile length of the CDT.

So... once we had that cleared up, and I found the information he was referencing, it was an incredibly amazing experience.

On the FarOut/Guthook app, some hiker had expressed their appreciation for "Patty" as an awesome "trail angel" who gave them a ride. Luckily, they included Patty's phone number so I was able to call her to see if she was able to help Jamie and Hiker Bob. It goes a little something like this...

I don't know how clear it is from those screen shots, but you have to know that I called Patty and she said she could be there in 15 minutes. And I texted Jamie, and he said they were 15 minutes away from the road.

It's just incredible.

And I have to say, these people who just decide that they are going to be the helpers, the light, the GOOD of the trail, truly ARE trail angels. It's inspiring.

I might just go back to Wyoming so I can buy Patty a cup of coffee. She's the best! Besides, who wouldn't want to go back to Wyoming?