It’s the season for Appalachian Trail hikers heading north to Maine. On their way, many visit America’s first Appalachian Trail Community – Franklin, NC.
At 110 miles from the beginning of the AT’s southern launch point in Georgia, Franklin gets its fair share of AT hikers looking to rest, recuperate, resupply or simply to avoid bad weather…while enjoying restaurants, real beds and the open arms of an entire community.
Special treatment for hikers includes rides to and from the trail; affordable lodging for hikers; free meals at local churches and businesses; special services from the outdoor outfitters; and special events at the breweries and local hotel/motels. All of these welcoming gestures have a way of making AT hikers (and visitors in general) feel right at home in Franklin.
This is our second installment of a short series on why hikers tackle 2,200 miles of the AT.
Today, we interview Katie Caperton, also known as “bugs” on the trail. We caught up with her at the daily free hiker breakfast sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Franklin. She joins us from West Virginia.
Experience Franklin: How did you get the trail name of “Bugs”?
Katie Caperton: I was really excited looking at bugs in a creek a couple days ago and was trying to show one of my new friends. And she was like, that’s easy enough. I’m gonna call you “bugs”.
Experience Franklin: Being from West Virginia, you are used to seeing some cool bugs in the mountains there.
Caperton: Yep, a lot of good bugs there.
Experience Franklin: Why are you hiking the trail?
Caperton: I grew up in West Virginia and then I lived in Maine for a long time, so I feel like I’ve been vaguely around it for a lot of my life. It’s always something I’ve wanted to do. And in the past couple months, I sort of ended up in a place of transition. Wasn’t sure what was next. And things just sort of lined up. I felt like it was the time to just go do it. I was looking to go for a long walk, you know? Now I have a new adventure. Having lived on the east coast most of my life, I really love it out here, but I’ve I’m getting to see so much more of it, just walking on foot. That’s really cool.
Experience Franklin: Are you getting any sort of spiritual or emotional revelations?
Caperton: You know it’s early on. I started March 11, so this is day 11, but it feels very freeing to be out there. I’ve spent a lot of time in the outdoors. I used to work in the outdoors. I was a guide that worked with kids a lot. I taught kids outside and I loved doing that, but being out fully on my own…it is kind of a whole new thing, where I get to just take care of myself and focus on what I wanna do.
I really like that every day I just wake up and the goal is to move a little farther north, you know?
Experience Franklin: What do your friends and family think?
Caperton: They think it’s cool. I think they were a little surprised by it. I’m not necessarily surprised that I wanted to do it, but I think, you know, they’re excited to hear about it, because I think the more I tell them, the more they get a better glimpse at what it really is.
Experience Franklin: How many zero days have you done?
Caperton: Just one. Yesterday was my first year zero day.
Experience Franklin: What do you think of out town?
Caperton: Franklin’s great! It’s a really nice place to take a zero. I came off trail two nights ago before that big storm, and I wasn’t sure whether I was gonna take a zero or not. I ended up having a really nice day. I’ve been staying at The Grove. So, I’ve been in town and I was doing some work for stay there yesterday. It was nice. I felt like I was really like a part of the community and even just the one day I was passing through. It was really nice.
Editor’s Note: This series is completely inspired by The Mountain Gazette. A fun magazine on mountain life, and then some.
