Trail Angels

A number of you have already offered to "Trail Angel" me during my trek.  I am incredibly appreciative and know I will be even more so when I see your shining face!  I thought I'd put some information in here to make this as easy as possible.


Background:  What's a Trail Angel?
For those who are wondering, a Trail Angel is anyone who helps out in any way on the trail!  Some Trail Angels stash water for PCT hikers in the desert.  Some Trail Angels set up their RV's along the trail and feed and socialize hikers.  Some well-known Trail Angels open up their homes to hikers every year -- providing food, laundry, rides, Internet, and a place to stay.  People who have offered to help me will be Trail Angels for an hour to a day -- bringing resupplies, sharing gossip, and gracing me with their presence on the trail.  Trail Angels may help out for a month, a week, a day, or just a few minutes.  A familiar face and a hug is just as magical as an Internet connection.  (Unexpectedly good things that happen on the trail when you need it most are considered "Trail Magic."  Trail Angels do Trail Magic!)

Me, my sister, Jessie, and my cousin and trail companion, Melissa.

My Travel Companion
First off, as many of you know, I am NOT TRAVELING ALONE!  Hooray!  My cousin, Melissa, is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with me.  Melissa and I grew up in Michigan together, playing My Little Ponies, dreaming of Olympic gymnastics, and trying to get a better tan than Grandpa Kwaiser.  I am just as thrilled to have her as my hiking partner as all of you are that I'm not hiking alone.  So, you'll actually be playing Trail Angel to two of us!

How Can I Help?

You are helping by just showing up on the trail.  Seeing familiar faces is going to be the biggest bonus of you Trail Angeling!

Other ways:

• Talk to my package person or Melissa's and see what we're in need of.  (Below.)
• Save us a hitch and hike by bringing us our resupply packages.  Talk to the package folks below.
• Fresh food is ALWAYS welcome.  A Subway sub or a mean salad will probably be just the thing!
• I know that I fantasize about icy cold Cokes on the trail.
• For other foods I love (and a few I hate) check my "Care Packages" page!
• We could always use a trail bath.  A couple of gallons of water, a tote to sit in, and some shampoo is going to be like a day at the spa for us!

Where IS DBK?
It's hard to predict exactly where we'll be and when.  I'm including the schedule I put together pre-trip below.  But, for more up-to-date information, contact my package person or my back-up package person.

Guy Rodrigue
816-519-8635 (preferred), 503-873-8681, ext. 35 (work)

rodrigue_guyc@yahoo.com

Mike Niemeyer

503-910-9726

mwniemeyer@frontier.com

Melissa's Package Person:  Gail Brown  (Yes, my Mom!)

319-573-0951 (cell), 319-535-5945 (work) 

brown.gail@gmail.com

Here's *generally* where we'll be and when:
DBK's PCT Resupply Schedule

What Can I Expect?

• Two dirty, stinky hikers for one.  We will not smell pleasant, and we may have lost some of our social skills. We'll put on our best faces for you.
• Two happy hikers.  We're going to be THRILLED to see you.  We may hug you -- stinky, hairy pits and all.
• Two maybe anxious hikers.  We may not be able to hang out for long.  We're trying to get through Oregon before the wildfires hit and to Canada before the snows hit.  I'm a Planner, Driver, Perfectionist . . . I could potentially be a wreck!  Make me sit down.  
• Two bad-ass hiking machines.  We might be able to hike with you for awhile.  How long depends on how the past few weeks and months have gone.  Oregon is the "easiest" portion of the PCT.  This is where, if we're good, we'll put in our 30-plus mile days!
• Two extremely grateful hikers.  That any of you would even consider trekking out to the trail to meet us is wildly generous.  Due to our poor social skills, we may not express this well.  Just know that the grunts mean, "Thank you!"

Trail Angels are amazing people.  They go out of their way and make the trail possible.  And, as I said before in "Trail Love," the gifts from these Angels begin way before we even touch foot on the trail.  Thank you, thank you, and thank you.  We'll be thinking of you all the way to Canada.