“Trail Angels?” I hear you ask, “What’s that?”
Well, wonder no more – and read on, if you dare.
In an archived issue of “Trail Life” at outsideonline.com, I came across an article titled In Defense of Trail Angels. Turns out – believe it or not – this is an actual thing. From the article by Pete Brook:
Outsiders plying thru-hikers with sodas and chicken wings might appall purists, but trail magic is here to stay — and that’s a very good thing. While logging 1,800 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) this summer, I thought a lot about how trail angels shaped my hike. They were everywhere — stationed at highway crossings and waiting with open arms in small towns along the way. They offered everything from chocolate cake and hamburgers to showers and shelter. My trip wouldn’t have been the same without them…
Read the full article if you like. It really is heartwarming and well worth a read. But for those of you (& that’s most of you) who won’t click, here’s how it ends:
I’m prone to cynicism and have looked suspiciously on unadulterated kindness in the past. But the PCT has softened that edge. From the trail, I see things differently. Angels believe in the goodness of people. They see strangers as friends whom they have yet to meet. And they trust that what goes around comes around. “You get back what you put out,” says trail angel Dalton Steele Reed, of Tehachapi, CA. “At some point, I’ll get it back. I don’t know when or how, but I will.”
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Or, forget about angels and just get out and take a hike. Either way? A little pixie dust never hurt anyone, that’s what _I_ always say. Well, maybe pixie dust plus a couple of chicken wings?
Then again, some folks you meet on the trail (see above) have only themselves to offer. And that’s just fine by me. Hike on, friends!