AT through-hikers: 'Eating is what gets you there'

Anyone shopping at LaBonne’s Epicure Market in Salisbury at this time of year is likely to see a handful of Appalachian Trail (AT) through-hikers having a snack at the tables outside the store. What do these warriors of walking choose for their fuel? The healthiest foods they can get their hands on?

Um, no, not really.

Generally they’ll have a table full of candy bars (not Raisinets and peanut butter cups either, but Twizzlers and Sour Patch Kids, the really hard-core pure-sugar confections).

“King-sized Snickers bars,†said hiker Double Vision on a recent afternoon. “King-sized Kit Kat bars. Baby Ruths. Twix.â€

He and his trail mate, Juke Box Hero (yes, they decided to hike the trail while attending a concert by the rock band Foreigner), had just polished off two pints of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. They had eaten them so fast that the containers were still absolutely pristine, without a single drop or dent on the lids or sides.

“I thought I would eat a lot of trail mix,†Double Vision said, a scowl of displeasure crossing his face at the very thought of it. “I really hate it — SO much.â€

Like most hikers, Double Vision (that’s his “trail nameâ€; AT through-hikers generally don’t use their real names while they’re walking) sent boxes of food ahead to different pick-up spots along the way. Much of the food that he thought he’d want has ended up in trash bins and other hikers’ backpacks. The trail mix, for example.

“I give it away,†he said.

He and Jukebox Hero are both 22. They come from Knoxville, Tenn., and started hiking at the trailhead in Georgia on March 12. This week they were walking with a 30-year-old with the code name Oblivious, who hails from the Silicon Valley in California. He started walking last December, and did trails in Florida and Alabama before hitting the AT trailhead on March 20.

“I lost my job and just started walking,†he said. For anyone who keeps track of these tidbits of hiker lore, he has gone through five pairs of shoes already. He and his two temporary companions all agreed that hiking boots were less desirable than sneakers.

“Sneakers are the way to go,†Double Vision said, holding up a dirt-encrusted shoe for closer observation. His ankles and calves were sheathed in black nylon gaiters for protection against low-lying brambles and poisonous plants. “We have trail runners and Teva sandals, for when we’re at a camp site.â€

“I order my shoes from Zappos.com,†Oblivious said, sparking interest in his two hiking companions. The company offers free overnight shipping for hikers, he informed them. (Shoppers have to join the company’s VIP club for free express shipping; call 800-927-7671 for information).

The kind of intense walking that burns through five pairs of shoes in seven months is also the kind of exercise that burns off calories, of course. Juke Box Hero said he weighed 176 pounds when he left and he is now about 150; Double Vision sarted at 152 and is down to 142; Oblivious was 192 and is now at 155.

Although they do eat fruits, vegetables and other healthful foods when they can, these hikers also need to load up on as many calories as they can.

“This whole health-food craze has made it kind of hard to do that,†Oblivious said.

“A hundred-calorie granola bar?†Double Vision said disdainfully. “I can smile three times and burn that up.â€

“A breakfast bar with 90 calories?†Juke Box Hero said. “Pffft.â€

Oblivious did, however, proudly pull a bag of lettuce out of his backpack.

“We can’t always carry fruits and vegetables on the trail,†he said, and the others agreed. “But we definitely crave them.â€

“And when you eat them, your body thanks you,†Juke Box Hero said.

“People eat to attain a particular mental state,†Double Vision said. “Eating healthy foods can be like a high. There is an optimum energy that you like to have, and eating is what gets you there.â€