Rainbow Express

To travel on the Appalachian Trail (AT) for the year 2003-2008 and return back to New York on either the AT or in the Mid Hudson Valley anytime during 2008.

The purpose of this Travel Bug Rainbow Express is to get on the Appalachian Trail as soon as possible and find some Thru-Hiker(s). Let the Thru-Hiker(s) carry this bug as a good luck charm and have them leave it in some Caches near the AT to be found by other Thru-Hikers of the AT. Take a few pictures of yourselves with the TB along the way and put them on the Rainbow Express TB web page when you get done with your long journey. Make sure the Rainbow Express TB stays on the AT and have it make it's way back to New York (either on the AT or somewhere in the Hudson Valley). I'll go retrieve it late in 2008 so I can place the Clevis Pin back to where it belongs which is on my backpack. I'll print off all of your stories from the Rainbow Express TB Web Page and cherish them for the rest of my life as well as pass them onto my children with my other memorabilia from my thru-hike of the AT in 1980.

This travel bug began it's journey over 25 years ago on April 1st 1980 when I first stepped foot onto the Appalachian Trail. It traveled 2,101 miles on the AT that year and more after it as well. As you look at this light weight Travel Bug you'll notice it is a Clevis Pin from the shoulder strap from my Kelty backpack. Attached to it is the cloth my Mom sewed on to soften the wear to this pin which now is very worn indeed. The name Rainbow Express comes from the trail handle I used in 1980 when I hiked the AT in it's entirety. The name was given to me on the trail by some Thru-Hikers who saw my colorful patches sewn onto my backpack. Back in 1980 on the AT we had our own type of travel bug called the Pink Slipper. The Pink Slipper started as a joke when someone hid an old furry pink slipper into someone's pack. It ended up being moved around from pack to pack without the bearer knowing it till they found it. I first heard of the story from other Thru-Hikers at a hostel in Gorham, NH. The next day while digging deep into my pack I found the slipper. Of course I hid it a few days later in someone else's backpack. It was written up extensively in the leanto log books that year in the Northeast where it spent much of it's time.

Happy Hiking and Happy Caching!!!
Harald Fraude AT'80 Rainbow Express
Email fraude@us.ibm.com