
Hi, I'm Arnold "Bloodhound" Guzman, an avid trail angel. I became connected to the A.T. through my sister, Maria, who owns Standing Bear Farms Hiker Hostel. I like taking my Bloodhounds, Caroline and Beau Diddley, adventuring deep into the backcountry shelters all up and down the A.T, where I surprise hikers with fresh food and drink while looking for stories. When I'm not doing this, I sometimes join my local Smoky Mountains Hiking Club and do trail maintenance.
Posts
Man Hiking the AT with a Leafblower: Mascot Hikers and Why They Do It
Some hikers carry the oddest things on the Appalachian Trail. Here’s a little peek into the lives of two of them.
Painting the AT: How One Artist is Transforming the Trail, One Hostel at a Time
For the last several years, an artist/hiker, Bobbie Drelick, trail name, “Paint Splash”, has been making a splash—a paint splash—on large sections of the Appalachian Trail, transforming drab, ordinary walls at hostels along the way into vibrant works of trail art.
Miss Janet’s 8th Annual Hiker Thanksgiving, 2021
After taking last year off because of the coronavirus, Miss Janet has resumed her annual Hiker Thanksgiving celebration
From Tragedy To Triumph: How the Appalachian Trail Transformed One Woman’s Life
In 2020, many people quit their hikes because of the pandemic. This is a story of one of them who not only handled the challenges hiking during this unique time, but had to do it while dealing with a personal tragedy
Trail Angel Spotlight: Jim “The Spoon Man” Tabor
All along the rock-strewn trails of Pennsylvania, there have been rumors of a man leaving spoons out on the trail for hikers to find. Well, the rumors are true. And what’s most special is that he painstakingly hand-carves each one. Take a few minutes now to learn about Jim “The Spoon Man” Tabor.
Trail Angel Spotlight: The Trekking Twins
While the average age of trail maintainers on the Appalachian Trail keeps getting older, there are two octogenarians who don't let age get in the way
Far, Not Fast: A Hostel Love Story
Of the thousands of former soldiers suffering from PTSD, this is a story about how the Appalachian Trail has helped bring one of them and his family back from the brink
The Story Behind the Hiker Yearbook
If you don’t know who Matthew Odie Norman is, you should, for in the last 5 years, with the creation of his Hiker Yearbook series, he has gone from regular thru hiker, to near legendary status, right up there with the likes of Baltimore Jack, Warren Doyle, and Miss Janet, to name just a few.
Trail Angel Spotlight: Fresh Ground and his Leapfrog Cafe
For years this humble servant has been going up and down the trail, serving hot meals and good hospitality to ever hiker he meets. It's time you get to know Fresh Ground
How the Eight-Member Crawford Family Completed the Appalachian Trail
In case you're wondering whatever happened to the Crawfords, family of 8, that was hiking the Appalachian Trail, here's the rest of the story.