There's no such thing as hiking alone. Trekkers enjoy the people they walk with, whether they're real or in their fantasies. There's only one AT, and its personality-pain, loneliness, victories, fear, over stimulation-are not as indelible as the characters that hike it. With trail names, which are mandatory, such as Pokey Man, Mall Monster, Tail Swagger, Poker Chip, Wild Flower, Kilroy, Lexis Lexicon, Nash Rambler, Moon Pie, Weak Knees, Daisy May, Pin Cushion, Cutie Pie, Pokey Man, Buena Vista, Tar Heel, Ingenuous, Drop Out, Boilermaker, Gotta Hike and others, those who plan to brave the Appalachian Trail will get a suspicion of what lies ahead on the path.