A Tramily Affair
“Thank, God” he exclaimed. “I was freaking out. I haven’t seen another soul in two days!” When I encountered this gentleman it was toward the end of the season for hikers to start from Georgia on a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. Later, he would likely encounter southbound hikers from Maine, but at that time, there would be few hikers on this section of the trail. Depending on the time of year the trail can be a scary, lonely place indeed. Many hikers will seek out companionship for many reasons, including security, socializing, support, general friendship and, sometimes, love.
Within the lexicon of the hiking world the word “tramily” has become well established. That is the name for the groups that coalesce during thru hikes. They come in many shapes and sizes and most will alter through the course of the journey. In some cases members will both hike and camp together. Other times they might make a plan to meet at a certain location to camp but will hike the trail at their own pace. They can be quite fluid. Some increase in size. Others dwindle due to injuries, illness, family problems back home, etc. In some cases when only one hiker remains, that final person will abandon the trail rather than proceed alone.
The dynamics of a tramily can be complex and challenging. Who makes decisions on where to camp, when to get off trail for resupply, when to spend a day in town, how many miles to travel each day or who can be part of the group? In Maine we met a hiker from Northern Europe who asked to camp with us. We welcomed her with open arms and somehow she shoehorned her tent in between trees. She had tears in her eyes as she spoke of the matriarch of her tramily and how mean this woman was to her. She would have been welcome to join us, but we were headed in opposite directions. Certain members of a group might struggle to keep up. Others feel held back. What you gain from companionship and security you lose in independence. To hike over 2000+ miles alone requires a degree of emotional and social autonomy that few possess.
It is counterintuitive, but if your goal is to meet a lot of hikers, it might be best not to find yourself part of a large tramily. Tramilies can become a closed circle, which I know from first hand experience after encountering groups and feeling completely invisible. Don’t get me wrong – the trail is a very congenial atmosphere. But friends can get lost in conversation in any setting and subconsciously shun other people.
