Bob Peoples In Backpacker Mag March 2013

[rickb]

​HEROES

Bob Peoples, 68


This tireless trail angel is firing up a new generation of backcountry stewards.
Northbound hikers on the Appalachian Trail start to see them as soon as they leave the Smokies. Scrawled across shelter walls and in trail registers, “Most Interesting Man In The World”-style jokes tout the virtues of a hostel owner and trail maintainer living near Hampton, Tennessee. “Bears hang Bob Peoples’ food bag for him,” reads one. Another: “When Bob Peoples builds a switchback, an angel gets its wings.”


There’s good reason that the AT faithful see Peoples as a superhero. First, there’s his generosity as a host at Kincora Hikers’ Hostel, his rustic lodge 414 trail miles from Georgia’s Springer Mountain. A mere $5 donation buys a bed, shower, laundry, kitchen, and shuttles into town. Thank-you postcards plaster the walls.


Then there’s Peoples’ tireless work as a trail steward. He’s logged 7,000 hours of maintenance since 1988 (an average of 300 a year), and every May, he gathers 100 current and past thru-hikers for an intensive two-day trail-work bonanza he calls “Hardcore Kincora.” In 2006, he and his Hardcore trail crew erected the 14-person-capacity, two-story Mountaineer Falls Shelter in a day and a half. At the May 2013 event, Peoples will lead the crew in building new switchbacks on Roan High Knob, the third highest peak on the AT.


“It’s inspiring to see how devoted Bob is to the trail,” says John Carpenter, a 2011 thru-hiker who took part in Hardcore during his northbound trek. “Working with him convinced me to do trailwork in the Tetons.”


Peoples became engulfed in thru-hiking subculture after retiring from the Air Force in 1988. He helped maintain Vermont’s Long Trail for the Green Mountain Club while in transition to civilian life. “The trail offers the same fast friendships as the military, but also grants you solitude,” he says.


In 1994, he decided to open a hikers’ hostel, partly to stay close to trails himself. He spent weeks scouring backroads along the AT, looking for a plot of land within a mile of the path. Near Hampton, Tennessee, he purchased a country home and, in 1997, opened Kincora. Since then, he’s welcomed more than 19,000 guests and played an instrumental part in creating the AT’s culture of camaraderie and solidarity.


Peoples only admits he’s doing more than just enjoying his retirement when he talks about spreading his commitment to trail maintenance. As Hardcore Kincora ends every year, Peoples has each volunteer paint a blaze along the AT. The crew members, mostly thru-hikers who’ll pass more than 80,000 blazes between Georgia and Maine, sometimes get emotional about this symbol of their connection to the trail. “Do we overblaze in a few places? Sure,” Peoples says. “But we’re also creating the next-generation of AT stewards.”


Take it from me...


» Get involved. Trail work is the most direct way to support your favorite path. Plus, hiking a section that I’ve maintained is a great feeling. Agencies often organize projects (like for National Trails Day, June 1 this year), but don’t wait for a special occasion.


» Cash counts. If you can’t volunteer your time, consider donating money to a group that maintains the paths in your area. Visit americantrails.org/resources/statetrails for state-by-state listings.


» Time thru-hikes around life transitions. If you really want to find six months to thru-hike, you’ll make it happen. But also look toward graduations, job transitions, and retirement—natural times for a break.


» On long treks, cook simply. I see a lot of thru-hikers with a single cookpot and an alcohol stove built from a cat-food can. These stoves weigh almost nothing, are nearly indestructible, and can still easily boil enough water for a solo hiker.


» Ditch weight. In the first 30 to 50 miles, be merciless about cutting weight from your pack. If you haven’t used it after the first week or so, you probably won’t need it.


» Splurge on sturdy hiking poles. Long-trail trekking means tough, ever-changing conditions. Poles will save your knees from torture and prevent falls.


Nominate A Hero Let us know about your favorite inspirational tale of recovery, achievement, or service at [email protected].

[Blissful]

Great tribute to a truly great person and friend of the trail and hikers.

[Almost There]

Bob talked me into getting off the trail back in 2007 when I got a stress fracture in my shin. I appreciated his candor as he drove me and my hiking partner back up to Damascus for our car. He is one of the good ones!

[rickb]

Great tribute to a truly great person and friend of the trail and hikers.

Full page with some nice pics. Turn to last page.

Hikers with Bob not identified. Perhaps someone knows them?

[ChinMusic]

I was surprised when no one commented on my post 2 weeks ago about this in the "Bob Peoples and Hard Core" thread. I thought the piece was nice. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...es#post1393913

[Rasty]

Great guy. This September he went back to town for a SOBO hiker that left his wallet at the grocery store without even thinking about being paid for the 15 mile trip. The wallet was turned in at the customer service counter. That hiker was very lucky.

[Mountainsmike]

Nice to see when great people get some recognition. Never met him, but most of the books & journals I have read have nothing but the highest praise for him. A man so devoted to the trail & hikers deserves so much more.

[JAK]

Nice to read positive stuff like this when we start getting to cynical.

[TNjed]

Bob Peoples is an awesome guy. His wife Pat was really nice too. I've stayed in a lot of hostels in the South and never felt so much at home as I did at Kincora. The guy is amazing. I said Mr Peoples, you cut all this wood by hand, he said only the big piles, the small piles I did with a wood splitter. What?! Dude likes to work. He built that place with his hands. What an awesome guy. Stay there if you haven't, it's worth it

[rickb]

I was surprised when no one commented on my post 2 weeks ago about this in the "Bob Peoples and Hard Core" thread. I thought the piece was nice. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...es#post1393913

I recalled seeing that it was not sure where.

In any event,I just purchased some online magazine subscriptions at zineo.com including one for Backpaker? As such the copy was easy to post even though there is no link to the article on the web.

[rocketsocks]

I recalled seeing that it was not sure where.

In any event,I just purchased some online magazine subscriptions at zineo.com including one for Backpaker? As such the copy was easy to post even though there is no link to the article on the web.

Did ya check out the bear artticle in the same issue, pretty interesting a 2 parter, and in the next entry he'll dis cuss colors and why and how bears respond to them...i'd no idea. thanks for posting the Bob Peoples story, I didn't really know much about him other than he is always mentioned as a great ambassador for the trail

[Terry7]

Thank you Bob.

[mikec]

I stayed at Kincora in March, 1999 during a section hike. This was one of the best stays of any of my treks.

[dandandan]

"Bob Peoples gives his boots blisters"

[Tennessee Viking]

Ha'ad-Core!

[Carry-On]

"Bob Peoples gives his boots blisters"

I think that was my favorite one.

[Donde]

Animals born in the trail corridor are nursed by Bob for their first 6 weeks of life.

[Rayo]

I saw this in Backpacker and it gave me goosebumps. Excellent tribute to one of the true badasses.

Bob People's gives his boots blisters!

[rickb]

Not sure how this .png file will look, but here goes.

photo.jpg

[Del Q]

Here are some of my top picks 2. He once taught a German shepherd to bark in Spanish.

3. He never says something tastes like chicken – not even chicken.

5. He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it feels.

7. Even his enemies list him as their emergency contact number.

10. His shirts never wrinkle.

11. He is left-handed. And right-handed.

12. If he were to mail a letter without postage, it would still get there.

15. The police often question him, just because they find him interesting.

27. He once taught a horse to read email for him.

Sharks have a week dedicated to him

He ran his 1st marathon race at 3 years old, today he runs them backwards just to gain a different perspective

Bigfoot is searching for him to see if he really exists