Portrait 29: Trip

"I'm just tripping my way down the trail, but tripping less than before." - Trip, a hiker

The man in the photo is the first person I've seen hiking in a kilt on the Appalachian Trail. The kilt contrasted with bright red shoes is the reason I asked to take his photo. During our conversation, he told me that Trip was not his first trail name. The frequency with which he was stumbling demanded the change.

The northern sections of the AT are famously challenging. Southbound hikers not only have to deal with learning how to be a thru hiker, but they also have to deal with rugged wilderness and steep mountains right from the starting line. I regret failing to ask how many times he's fallen down, but he made it abundantly clear that his slips, trips, and falls are an extremely common occurrence. He's accepted a name that he feels is fitting for somebody consistently kicking roots and rocks.

Despite hiking through notoriously difficult terrain and tripping on everything he sees, he's embraced the experience for what it is. He was laughing and smiling more than anyone I've spoken with in quite some time.

His exuberance is truly inspiring.