0

Your Cart is Empty

Gear
  • Why Zenbivy?
  • Why Zenbivy Is Better

  • Join Friends Program

  • Read Media & Press Reviews

  • Frequently Asked Questions

  • Meet the Zenbivy Team

  • Blog
  • Support
  • Trail Angel Stories: Split

    June 13, 2023

    Trail Angel Stories: Split

    I all but limped into Tehachapi. Following the LA Aqueduct stretch, I experienced pain on the outer part of my left foot. I thought it was my ankle at first, then the bottom of my foot, until I really honed in on the source of the pain coming from a tendon. I worried that the flat aqueduct section might’ve been the culprit, until I realized my foot was sliding inwards with every step due to a huge rip on the instep. There were no stores in town that were really geared towards thru hikers; the closest running store was forty-five minutes away. I called to make sure they had my size in my preferred model and posted on the local trail angel Facebook group. I held my breath and crossed my fingers until I heard aping on my phone. 

    Split picked me up within 10 minutes of responding to my Facebook post. On the drive, he peppered me with questions about my hike and told me that he attempted a PCT thru hike the previous year. He has been involved in trail-angeling upwards of a decade. Split became a trail angel by offering rides to hikers, and now even hosts hikers in his home for free. He’s retired now, but cooked dinner for his guests even while he worked full time! 

    I asked him why he has remained so involved in the PCT community for so many years. He responded simply with the same reason many hikers pursue long distance trails, “the people.” He hosts people from all over the world, people who hold varying political perspectives, and people who each seek something different from their hike. Split gives so much to hikers, but he made it clear that he receives just as much.

    - Mantis


    Also in Thru-Hiker Mantis

    But, Do I Enjoy Hiking?
    But, Do I Enjoy Hiking?

    September 27, 2023

    My muscles are sore even at the beginning of the day. My feet need to be massaged at lunch. Some days I have an insatiable hunger from the amount of calories I burn. I look forward to reaching the top of a climb. I’m always more than ready to sit down for a long lunch break when I can soak my feet in a cold stream. The moment I can...
    Read More
    Trail Angel Stories: Talia and Mohamed
    Trail Angel Stories: Talia and Mohamed

    September 25, 2023

    When they returned, they revealed goodies that they carried for us. Fresh cherries, huckleberry ciders, and cookies! What treats! We dined together and swapped stories, staying up well past hiker midnight. In the morning, Talia and Mohamed hiked with us for an hour before turning back to...
    Read More
    PCT Trail Days
    PCT Trail Days

    September 22, 2023

    We immediately started seeing familiar faces once we arrived. It was a big, beautiful reunion of wonderful people. By day, we wandered around with various friends and visited all the vendors. I even got to see...
    Read More