Miles of Kindness: Tales from the Trail

As Ralph and I continued backpacking more often, including traveling to Europe, South America, and Africa, I was heartened to experience trail magic or help from trail angels in one way or another on every major hike we took. It has been a wonderful surprise to meet so many people who would help me reach my goals-and not be expecting anything in return. It has been wonderful to find that being outdoors doing what I like to do-hiking-would often lead to experiences reminding me of the basic goodness of people. I love being part of this community. I like being reminded of how we can help and support each other. Isn't this the way life should be?As you read the stories of the thirty-two hikers who share their stories, you're going to find how they have found inspiration and comfort from trail angels and trail magic. In Inga Aksamit's Angels at Hell Hole you'll learn how she was rescued by eight-year-old Natalie. In Brandon Wilson's Not All Angels Have Wings, you'll find that he and his wife, Cheryl, found lodging in remote parts of Tibet by knocking on strangers' doors and by using sign language and a ridiculous, "kuchi, kuchi" or "please" when begging for a place to sleep.You'll also discover numerous instances of trail magic-perhaps even life-saving encounters-such as what Bill Collins and his backpacking buddy experienced one night while backpacking in the high Sierra, or how Sym Blanchard and his companions, while hiking in Madagascar, were protected from a threatening group of teenage boys. Perhaps you can identify with some of these stories because you have encountered some of these valuable gifts.Further, you will notice another common theme in the collection of stories in this book-being helped by a trail angel can be both helpful and inspirational. It can make you want to join a community where sharing, or paying forward, is prevalent.Hikers one meets on the trail are a varied lot. They may be from foreign countries or on their own homeland, they may be students, working or not working, retirees; single or in a relationship; of various sexual orientations; of a variety of religious groups; think of themselves as spiritual, or not; have differing political beliefs; be of different races. This is one of the great benefits of hiking and backpacking-there is often opportunity to meet people you'd otherwise never meet anywhere else.