Date: 2009-06-04
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Wild camp north of HelveyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Mill Shelter
Miles today: 15.7

Trail Magic or Trail Trash?One of the things that is undoubtedly appealing about the AT is the community, myth and folklore that surrounds it: the hikers themselves, the towns, hostels, trail angels and maintainers. All of this adds to the experience: an experience that I personally know to be overwhelmingly positive. However, as with everything, things are seldom all good or all bad. Unfortunately, for me, Trail Magic is often a negative experience, or more specifically I find that ¢premeditated¢ or ¢institutionalised¢ Trail Magic (well intentioned as it is) is generally a bad experience. (Apologies to all those good folks who are simply trying to give something back to the Trail if I seem ungrateful)Let me try to explain.So far this year I have come across unattended coolers on four occasions, each time as I approach a road or trailhead. The very fact that this is not an infrequent occurrence can then lead to a certain level of hope and expectation (particularly when you are dragging), something I know is unreasonable, but human nature is what it is, a Pavlovian reaction, if you like, triggered by the imminent arrival at a road crossing. Salivating freely you arrive to find your hopes dashed. However, sometimes your hopes take form ¢ a cooler by the side of the Trail. Your mind starts to guess at the treasures within, you arrive, you tentatively lift the lid and peer inside and ¢¦..empty, or worse sill not just empty but actually full of trash.I arrived with nothing, I left with nothing, I am no worse off, I am supposed to be self sufficient but my day has just been spoiled: sometimes only slightly but a downer none the less.For the dozen or so people who enjoyed a refreshing soda how many were rewarded with nothing but trash? 30? 40? How long before the disposable polystyrene cooler is removed? By whom? How many animals are attracted by the smells? How often will trash end up strewn across the Trail? Sorry to be grumpy but my heart sinks.However, today when I approached a road I found two coolers and discovered not garbage but unused food. Unfortunately, none of it was very practical for the hiker: Large heavy tins of potatoes, that sort of thing. If anything useful had ever been there it was long gone. I wondered how many days this junk would lie here. I wondered if anyone would ever remove it. I wondered what the people who left it would think if they could see the true impact of their actions. I wondered if they understood that their actions were just lazy and not kind. I wondered why so many people seem unable tot comprehend one of the first principles of backpacking ¢ Pack it in, pack it out (all of it!).During my travels I have been the recipient of a great deal of kindness. It has come from many people, in many forms and in many places. However, without exception those O remember most, and most fondly, were spontaneously unique and appropriate to the circumstances. A cake on a bus to Glasgow, a floor to sleep on in Winnipeg, a night on the town in Leon, keeping me safe in Manitoba and many, many more.To those folks wherever you are, I¢m thinking of you. It¢s helping me forget about when Trail Magic becomes Trail Trash.