[at-l] What Trail Angeling is all about

["Coosa" <coosa@fox21.net>]

Just got an email from someone who is transcribing a journal for an Eagle
Scout who is hiking on the AT -- I'd left a Somerset Maugham book (actually
two) at Blue Mountain Shelter a couple weeks ago.  The Scout found one of
the books at Deep Gap Shelter (which means someone moved the book there).
The transcriber was asked to thank me for helping save some of his sanity.
Don't know if it was the cold, wind or rain we've had here in No Ga that
caused the near loss of sanity -- or just the magnamity of the AT.

The url for the journal is
http://www.lakesidechurch.org/troop820_hike_updates.htm  if anyone else is
interested.

Trail Angeling is kind of guessing what might be something good to leave at
a shelter.  Last year, I left the BagBalm in film cannisters at Tray
Mountain -- and the late hikers must have taken them, because when I went to
check about a month later, they were all gone.   I leave books early in the
season because I think maybe the cold weather or a rainy few days may slow a
hiker down and have them sitting at a shelter for many daylight hours.  And
I do pick the smaller books -- usually no more than 5.5 to 6.5 ounces.  And
I try for something interesting.   (I'm going to look for some poetry books
for 2001 hikers.)

And I have cleaned out the shelters I've been to (Springer, Low Gap, Blue
Mountain and Tray Mountain) carrying out trash and items left by
backpackers.   Last year I found a puffball vest at Tray Shelter which no
one has claimed (there is something that will distinguish it).

It's great to get word that what I've done meant something to someone --
like the cookies a couple weekends ago -- and now tomorrow it's mini-carrots
and doggie biscuits for the hikers who come thru Neels Gap!

Trail Angeling,
Coosa


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