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- Erica? - Oh, thank God, George.
- What's going on? - George, it's Michael.
- What about Michael? - He shot himself.
Why would he do this?
I'm with him right now.
Erica, Erica, go next door and give John the phone.
Go next door and give John the phone.
I can't lose him.
The police are at the door. - The police are there?
Oh, okay, just do what they say, okay?
Just do what they say. - Oh, George,
he loved you so much. - Erica! Erica!
Why did he do this?
I'm gonna be there soon.
Just hold on, hold on.
Fuck! Damn it!
Head upstairs, set your packs on the porch,
and come to the store to check in.
I posted something to myself at the post office.
Do you know how far it is from here?
Four blocks down that way on your right.
Okay, thank you.
Check in first before you go down there,
so I don't have to cover the rules twice.
Yes, sir.
Fill out these forms.
Who's paying cash?
Oh, I'm doing the doing the Katahdin summit only,
two days cash.
Cash, one day, plus the shuttle.
Credit card, and one day shuttle, thanks.
Now I can show you the bunkhouse and kitchen
and give you a rundown if you want.
Oh, that'd be great, thank you.
Thanks.
Now remember packs and shoes stay on the porch.
Got it? - Yes, sir.
- Yeah, got it. - Yep.
I'll meet you outside when you're done.
Sure.
And I can walk with you to the post office.
- Oh. - Package there too.
That'd be great, yeah.
Thank you, I appreciate that.
Okay, thanks.
I'll take that.
Thanks.
We should've done the Knife Edge.
We can always do it tomorrow.
Yeah, you Army folk wouldn't be able to keep up with me.
- Shut up! - We had to carry you.
You had to carry me?
- Yeah. - Yeah.
Well, I'm here for the grand tour.
Packs some shoes stay on the porch.
If you use the kitchen, clean it up.
Through there, the beds, and more upstairs.
And if you see a towel on the pillow, it's available.
In the morning, take your sheets,
put 'em in the pillowcase, leave 'em at the foot of the bed.
All right.
And hiker midnight's around 2100,
so keep it down for your fellow hikers, hmm?
Okay, sounds good.
That's about it.
- Did you already summit? - Well-
Are you summiting or heading to Abol?
Yeah, I was thinking of summiting tomorrow.
Do you know what time the shuttle comes?
0700, but you have to sign up in the store.
And you gotta be on time
or the old man will leave your ass to hump your pack
to the campground on your own.
That he will, he will.
Grumpy old man.
Well, I'm ready to go to the post office
as soon as you are. - Sounds good, I'm ready.
Do you know if they sell any guidebooks there?
- Affirmative. - Affirmative?
Humping your pack, military time?
So y'all current military or are you vets?
- Army. - All right.
Army all the way.
- All right, - Trail name's Bacon.
You must be popular in the sandbox.
- Yeah.
- I'm Army. - All right.
- Trail name's Peanut. - Hey.
I'm a Marine, trail name's Mini Me.
How about you?
Well, I'm Army, but I don't have a trail name yet.
- Ah, new trail name. - Well.
Don't worry, your trail name will find you.
Yeah.
Hey, thank you for your service.
Oh, my pleasure.
Well, we're all part of the same hiker universe now, huh?
- Mhmm. - I guess we're here
because it connects us all in similar ways.
I like the sound of that.
Okay, you ready to step off?
Lead the way.
Oh, we're gonna get a few things at the store,
so we'll see you later.
Okay, nice meeting you both.
- You too. - All right.
Dude, do you see all those name tapes?
I saw them when he pulled up.
That's gotta weigh what?
Like five pounds? - Yeah.
That's a lot of extra weight
to be carrying up and down the mountain.
If you can't eat it or drink it,
then it's just continuous weight.
Yeah, and that's a lot of mental weight
to carry around too.
True.
Are you thru-hiking for a specific reason?
Well, each one of these represent a veteran suicide.
Okay, that explains the what.
What's the why?
Well, I guess honoring them, inspiration, motivation.
I don't know.
All that to do a six-month hike?
Yeah, I guess.
Lugging those all the way to Springer.
What do they weigh? Like five pounds?
I mean, not to mention the mental weight.
How are you supposed to do that whole journey
thinking about that stuff? - Hey,
these are my name tapes.
What I do with them is my business, all right?
You don't need to bother yourself with 'em.
Fair enough.
Just remember,
the hiker universe is a unique family too.
The trail will provide.
Help is always there.
That's great to know.
Ew.
Did you just get your socks in my face, Bacon?
Touched my mouth.
I just wanna say, sorry about before.
I was being a bit of an ass.
I was really focused on this hike
and said some stupid things. - Hey.
No harm, friend.
It's not like you're a Marine, so it's all good, right?
Oh, well, Marines can be useful too.
I mean, who's gonna make the Army their coffee?
Ah, yeah, right, guys.
You guys drink decaf, right?
Or is it the chai lattes that you're drinking now?
Ha, ha, we know Army coffee isn't great,
but at least we don't eat crayons.
- Quality crayons.
Gotta love a good family squabble, huh?
I miss all this military family rivalry.
It's nice to see again.
It's still alive and well.
But if you knock on that door,
you better expect a knock back.
Unless it's the Air Force.
Then don't knock before 9:00 AM.
You like that?
Yeah, that's a good one, that's a good one.
I gotta hand it to the Marine and the Navy,
they get to see the sunset off the bow of a ship.
But for those who scored higher on the ASVAB,
well that's another story.
Settle down, we don't wanna upset the children.
Nope.
I guess Marines don't wear deodorant either.
Yeah, well, that's what real men smell like.
Right.
Oh, I'm sorry, did my combat stretch
scare some of you Army folk?
No?
Well, we'll see who the children are about,
I'll give you halfway.
Halfway to the summit.
Yeah, take a shower, eat some glue.
I know they feed you that in basic.
Yeah, I'm gonna take you up on that.
I'm gonna take a shower.
I'm gonna eat some glue.
I'm gonna get some markers.
I'm gonna have a feast tonight.
Yeah, I'm gonna call it too.
Goodnight, y'all. - Goodnight.
Pack 'em in tight, got a big load this morning.
It's gonna be a good day to summit.
The forecast is clear to the horizon.
Well, how does it usually take to summit?
Usually two to five hours,
depending on if you just wanna summit
or if you actually wanna enjoy the hike.
Oh, okay, any chance we can hire a Sherpa?
I'd be okay with that.
Hey, hey, Mr. No Trail Name Yet.
- That's me. - Enjoy that climb up.
All right? - Yeah.
Mm, you should do the Knife Edge.
Right? - Oh my gosh, sure.
Let us know what that's like,
and take some pictures for me. - Will do.
- Yeah. - All right?
- Make sure you have some fun. - Thank you.
I can hold onto those name tapes if you'd like.
I promise you they'll be here when you get back.
No, I appreciate that.
But I made a promise to some very special people
that these name tapes don't leave my side.
So they go where I go,
but thank you. - I understand, yeah.
Everyone who's going up, hop in, I'm headed out.
- Enjoy that climb. - All right.
You're the guy with the name tapes.
Yeah, that's me.
You're thru-hiking, right?
Yeah, well, that's the plan.
I'm gonna give it a shot.
You've become kind of a celebrity up here.
I mean, what you're doing is pretty incredible.
Appreciate that.
Well, the further I get along,
the more harebrained this whole idea seems to be.
I don't recognize this uniform.
- Yeah. - What is it you do?
It's probably good you don't recognize it.
I'm part of a search and rescue or recovery crew,
but we prefer rescue.
That's cool, no, I appreciate what you do.
It's good to know you're out there.
I'm headed to the 100-mile entrance, need a ride?
Well, I wouldn't say no to a free ride.
That'd be great.
I'm just gonna head in here and get some toothpaste,
but I'll be out in a minute.
All right, no hurry,
the trail will always be there for you.
All those represent a veteran suicide?
Unfortunately, yes.
Every one of these is a veteran.
Each name is a real, unfortunately, a real suicide.
- Wow, I had no idea. - That's, yeah, 22 a day.
Thanks again for the 300-yard ride.
Yeah, happy to help the strong start.
Have fun and be careful. - Yeah, you too.
Hope to see you around.
Maybe, maybe not.
Hey, it's Mr. No Trail Name again.
It's good to see you made it off the mountain, brother.
Well, I hiked all the way up,
and then I rolled all the way down.
Well, that fight up,
that's what makes the descent so much more enjoyable.
I don't know what it is about you Marines
always wanting to fight up a hill.
But us Army, we like to get a chopper
to insert us at the top of the hill,
and then we fight all the way down.
Hey, but you know why, right?
Well, it's because you don't send a puppy
to do a devil dog's work, oorah.
- Yeah, all right. - You're exhausting.
Hey, man, can I bum a smoke?
Yeah, sure, I'll get-
That's fine, I'll just take this, thanks.
You just saved me about six minutes of long life.
I appreciate that.
Get.
So are y'all bedding down now?
We're heading to the next shelter.
We hike at a more unusual pace than most.
You know, sometimes slow, but sometimes fast.
We'll meet up with you again, I'm sure.
All right, sounds good.
- Get. - Well, you stay safe,
and I'll see y'all down the trail.
All right.
11 miles secure.
One step at a time.
First day out,
and I'm already ready for an extraction.
This trail ain't for everyone.
Definitely not for the weak.
Okay, I wouldn't say I'm weak.
I mean, I'm a little out of shape, but.
Well, many try and many fail.
People shouldn't start what they can't finish
or have no intention of finishing.
May be tough to hear.
But out here, the truth is tough to avoid.
If you face it head on, you should be good to go.
Well, I appreciate the unsolicited advice.
Sorry, I didn't get the memo.
That's pretty clear.
I take it you're a veteran.
What's with the name tapes?
Yeah, I'm Army.
These are all veteran suicides.
You're carrying them to Georgia, if you make it?
Yeah, that's the plan.
Hm.
So what are you hiding,
if I may ask?
I ain't hiding anything.
Well, we're all guilty of hiding something,
not from others but ourselves.
You know, those things that keep us up at night.
Look, don't take this the wrong way,
but you're the last person
I feel like sharing anything with.
I just met you on the trail.
I mean, man, look at you.
You look more like an anti-war protesting hippie
from the '60s than a shrink.
Well, you got that right.
I hate war, everything about it.
Then again, only someone who has seen it
has the experience to hate it.
Oh yeah?
So what does a hippie from the '60s
have in regards to experience with this sort of thing?
Combat Marine.
I believe three tours in Vietnam '72 to '75
more than qualifies me. - Oh.
I'm sorry.
I mean, you have a pretty good disguise there.
Look, I'm sorry, brother, I mean-
Don't give me that brother stuff.
That word is used too often
without embracing its true meaning.
All right.
If you can face the truth about what you're hiding,
this hiking experience may not be a waste.
Thanks, Doc, how much do I owe you?
Well, just put your tender feet up
and get a good night's rest, Army.
I'm headed out to Abol.
Maybe before you get to the end or quit,
you might understand the question
and be able to answer it.
But remember, brother is earned.
And don't fail those you carry!
You chose to take on that responsibility,
it's up to you to follow through!
I'm gonna follow through all right.
I ain't gonna fail 'em.
Don't you worry about 'em.
We'll see about that.
Here we go.
- What the hell are you doing? - Stand down, Army!
Are you fucking serious, Army?
Okay, change of guard.
Hands off!
These are mine. - You didn't seem to be
that devoted to them a minute ago.
Just don't touch 'em, they're mine.
Those aren't yours.
They're on loan from their families.
They trusted you, we trusted you, to carry these memories.
Y'all don't what you're talking about.
I wouldn't be so sure about that.
But now that we have your full attention,
you're going to collect yourself and carry on.
But before you do, you need to have a solid reason.
You had one yesterday, what was it?
They're all gone.
I just wanted a chance to talk him out of it, you know?
Remind him of the camaraderie we had.
That's a hell of a way to show it!
Don't mind her, she's impulsive, just like you.
There is one thing you haven't found out
about this life yet.
Yeah, what's that, genius?
The trail provides.
Brother, it's the trail.
Remember, all about the trail.
We're a strong family too.
Yeah, and thank God for that.
Otherwise, we have your lame Army jokes
to listen to all the time.
I knew y'all were gonna be a pain in my ass.
Pain is just weakness leaving the body, let's go.
Where's my weapon?
It's gone, brother.
That's what we're gonna do, get gone.
That was a brand new Glock.
I just paid 400 bucks for that.
Small price to pay to ensure you still have a pulse.
Well, that's just fucked up!
Yeah?
Well, so is what we just witnessed.
You don't have a trail name yet, do you?
No, no I don't.
Keeper, as in keeper of the names.
Yeah, I like that.
That's it, George will forever be known,
from this moment forward on the trail,
as Keeper. - Keeper.
Well, I've certainly been called worse than that.
I just wanna say thank you for what y'all did for me before.
I really appreciate it.
You're never alone on this trail, brother.
As a veteran, you're never alone anywhere.
You gotta remember that and live it,
even off trail. - Thanks.
I'm just gonna get some water,
I'll see y'all down the trail soon.
Yes, you will, Keeper.
- Hey there. - Hey there.
You thru-hiking?
Well, yeah, that's the plan now.
Now? What did you just decide thru-hike?
Well, you know, kind of taking it day by day.
Well, in that case,
Shaw's Hostel will meet you at Jo-Mary Road
with whatever food you pre-order if you need a resupply.
Well, that sounds pretty cool.
How much does something like that cost?
50 bucks, plus the cost of food.
Oh dang, would've been good to know that earlier.
I've already passed Jo-Mary Road.
Do you know if they air-drop?
Do you need a little extra?
We just got a resupply.
We have plenty if you need some to help get you through.
What is it to Shaw's, like three days or something?
Two or three, depending how fast you hike.
No, I think I should be okay, thank you.
Well, this is Snooze and Tenderfoot, and I'm Honey Badger.
Do you have a trail name?
Those are some pretty cold trail names.
My trail name is the Keeper,
as in keeper of the memories.
- Their memories? - Yeah.
These are all veteran suicides,
a little over two week's worth.
Wow, that's sad.
That's a lot. - Yeah.
Not to sound insensitive,
but couldn't you put their names on paper or something?
It seems like a lot to carry on the trail.
Well, that would've been a lot easier,
but then we wouldn't be having this conversation right now.
No, this is my physical burden to carry these names,
to raise awareness, educate,
and hopefully try to find some kind of solution.
Why is there one on your pack
and not on the ring with the others?
Is that a living family member
or someone still serving?
Yeah, that's a fellow veteran,
brother in arms.
He shot himself,
and he's fighting for his life right now.
Just really hope and pray
I don't have to add his name to the list soon.
It's super cool what you're doing, man.
Bravo. - Thank you.
I'd be happy to carry those names for a stretch,
you know, give you a bit of a break.
My grandpa was a World War II veteran.
It'd be an honor.
I appreciate the offer,
but these names don't leave my side.
This is my way of standing by and honoring their memories.
Just the way these four veterans stood by me
not too long ago.
If it wasn't for them doing that,
I wouldn't be here right now.
But, you know, I appreciate it.
It's very nice of you.
But, well,
I best be rolling on out of here.
It was a really nice meeting, y'all.
Stay safe and see y'all down the trail.
- Good to meet you. - Yeah, nice to meet you.
Thanks for what you're doing.
See you down the trail.
Wow, you're up early, sun's not even up.
I had a bad dream.
Are you okay? - Yeah, yeah, fine.
Don't lie to me, I need to know for real.
Are you okay out there?
Yeah, yeah, just about to get up and hit the trail.
But you're coming home, right?
Yeah, after 2,100 miles, I'll be home.
So this bad dream that I had,
babe, you shot yourself.
Wow, why would you have such a crazy dream like that, huh?
I don't know, when I dropped you off,
I asked if you were coming back
and you just smiled and you walked away.
I'm sorry about that.
You know how I am, I hate to get sentimental.
Oh, I thought I knew you.
But then I had this dream and things just started lining up.
Lining up?
I had the dream that you shot yourself on the trail,
I woke up and things just started lining up.
And after all that we have been through,
I don't deserve to be lied to.
Babe, the last 19 years, you've kept me vertical.
You're my world.
Do you promise?
That you are my world?
No, you are such an ass.
No, promise me that you are coming home.
I promise.
Erica, it's George.
What's going on?
Michael passed away last night.
What?
Damn it!
Fuck!
Oh shit.
Well, I guess you're too busy healing sick babies,
and lepers, and all that shit.
Just couldn't hear my prayer for that Marine.
Guess you got your reasons.
Or maybe you felt you needed him more up there
than we needed him down here,
and I'll never understand that.
I guess we just gotta trust you then, huh?
Shit.
Hey, man, breakfast is almost ready.
Is he all right?
I got his back.
Rest easy, brother.
I got you.
I ain't got you.
I let you die.
Well done, soldier.
Despite your best efforts,
these damn bodies just keep piling up,
and up, and up.
Keeper, are you okay, man?
Grabbed that bag like you committed a felony.
Just another day as a grim reaper.
What do you mean by that?
Well, every time I add a name to this ring here,
I feel like the grim reaper.
That Marine I was telling you about yesterday
was on life support system.
His cousin just called.
He passed away.
Shit.
Man.
It's just shit, man.
I don't know what to say.
You know what gets me?
Is we volunteer to go fight a war
to defend our country and defend our comrades,
we come back as heroes,
and the very thing that they admire us for,
that same fucking shit,
is what gets us in the end.
Every fucking time!
Look, man, I didn't know you yesterday
when you came in with these tapes.
But I gotta give you a ton of credit
for what you're doing for us veterans
and family and friends left in the wake of all these acts.
What we do ain't easy.
But, you know, if you and I could reach just one person
to convince them to stick around,
or educate a family member or friend to lend a hand,
you're not the grim reaper, man, you're the Keeper.
- The days go on and on. - Hell yeah.
Grim reaper fears the Marines.
Oo-fucking-rah!
Now come on, let's get some breakfast.
Well, I could slap a nun for some bacon that's for sure.
That's just wrong, man.
- I gotta feed the addiction. - See you inside.
Well, you stay safe, Troll.
And you keep doing what you're doing, man.
That's a noble pursuit.
- I appreciate that, brother. - Absolutely.
Hike on.
Hooah!
Roadrunner one-seven,
Reaper six-four, just fire.
Target six, Bravo, one, eight, three, six, six.
Target six, one, four.
- Six-four.
Bravo battery one round,
adjust target Bravo, Romeo, one, two, one, one, over.
- 50 infantry in the open.
Six T-72 tanks, over.
- Six-four,
50 infantry in the open.
Six T-72s, over.
One round adjust target.
Bravo, Romeo, one, two, one, one, over.
Six-four, Bravo battery,
one round, adjust target.
Bravo, Romeo, one, two, one, one, over.
Six-four, shot, over.
Shot out.
- Six-four, splash, over. - Splash out.
Good impact, Roadrunner one-seven.
Enemy position is in the wind.
Oh, you're welcome, by the way.
Oh yeah, what for?
Not waking me earlier?
Nah, for not letting Peanut mess with you last night.
Whose crazy-ass monkey is that?
Who do you think?
- Lucifer? - Worse.
Oh crap, it's yours?
No, I don't own him.
He just likes to hang out with me
'cause we see the world in the same way.
Oh yeah, how so?
I like to think of it like the Incredible Hulk.
Don't make him angry.
You wouldn't like him when he's angry.
Yeah, I don't think I'd like him when he's nice.
Could we please act like the Chair Force
and keep it down until at least
eight o'clock in the morning?
A Marine needs his beauty sleep.
Yeah, well, it's not working, Mini.
Ah-ha.
How's the trail treating you so far?
Stangelo got a call.
Yeah, he passed away.
I'm sorry, brother.
But that's why you're here, right?
And listen, it may get worse before it gets better,
but you can't quit.
You gotta keep going.
Hey, Keeper?
Monkey and I need some coffee, chop-chop.
Sure, sure, just let me clean out this cup here
with my dirty old trail sock and-
You know what? Nevermind.
- You sure? - Bacon, would you be so kind?
You two have some serious issues to work through.
- Oh my god, I'm up! - What's your problem?
You're a Marine, not the Air Force.
Suck it up, cupcake. - Sh, shh!
Ah, you're so loud.
Why couldn't I have gone hiking with civilians?
You know that's not an option for you.
You know I'm gonna drop-kick that monkey
if it doesn't stop staring at me.
That would be a death sentence there, Rambo.
Maybe we should be hiking with civilians after all, huh?
Mm, that's what I'm saying.
- Oh yes, the turtle. - Yep.
There's a name for every embarrassing situation out there.
Oh, yeah, you know it.
- Skillet. - Keeper.
Thanks for your help.
Oh man.
Crap, the name tapes are all muddy.
Dammit, shit.
You know, everything gets dirty out here.
Oh, no, these are my security blanket.
Clean or dirty, they're just name tapes, right?
These are not just name tapes.
These are all the names of veteran suicides.
Every single one of them.
Damn. - I see.
Man, their families entrusted me
to take these all the way to Georgia.
That's why I'm doing the thru-hike.
- Here you go. - Thank you, appreciate it.
- You said Keeper? - That's right.
Keeper, yeah, I heard about you
from four hikers just south of here yesterday.
Was it three guys and a girl?
Yeah, that's them.
One of 'em's trail name is Mini Me.
Said I might find you slacking on the trail.
Yeah, yeah, he's just jealous and envious
of the Army's superhuman strength.
Plus, I did tell him if I felt like going on a vacation,
I'd go and do Marine bootcamp.
He didn't like that.
Sounds like you guys know each other.
Yeah, yeah we do.
Well, appreciate you helping me out, Skillet.
Yeah, no, anytime, Keeper.
But to be fair, I had to help.
You're in the path of progress.
Just another example of the Marines saving the Army.
Yeah, okay.
But, I mean, I did find you're on your back,
so Mini Me might be right about you slacking off.
I'm definitely being stalked by Marines.
Oorah!
You stay safe, Skillet.
All right, okay.
2.1 to water and shelter.
All right, let's just keep on going.
Try not to fall on your ass again, Keeper.
Ah, that's some good quality H2O.
Hey there, I'm Bug.
Well, that's my trail name.
What's yours? - Hey, Bug.
My trail name is Keeper.
How'd you get that name?
Well, some hikers saw me carrying these name tapes around,
and they decided to call me Keeper,
as in keeper of the names.
That's cool, my mom was a veteran.
She was a Marine. - Wow, that's awesome.
Is she around with you?
No, she got sick and died.
Oh gee, I'm sorry to hear that, Bug.
I'm sure she was a really strong Marine.
Is there any other kind? Oorah!
All right, well, I got my water now,
I best be getting on. - Okay, see you, Keeper.
I assume Bug's yours?
Saw him down by the stream there.
I'm Keeper, that's my trail name.
Nice to meet you, Keeper.
I'm Long Step, got the name from my wife
on account of my long strides on the trail.
Well, you'll be able to do this trail
in half the time it takes me.
Just think how many steps it takes me to keep up.
Nice work, buddy.
I'ma go and get some firewood.
- Be careful. - Okay.
So y'all thru-hiking?
No, just a section to Harper's Ferry.
My sister-in-law lives there, she's gonna pick us up.
That's cool.
I don't mean to be too personal,
but Bug was saying that his mom passed away.
I'm really sorry for your loss there.
Yeah, thanks, it's five years ago now.
We were both Marines stationed together
and one thing led to another,
a year later, Taylor was born.
Well, he's a Marine in the making.
He ain't got no choice.
Hey, what's with the name tapes?
These are all veteran suicides, 363 names there.
- Yeah, Taylor found her. - Sorry, what did you say?
His mom, he found her.
Oh, I thought he said she she was sick.
No, she picked him up from school
and set him up with some cartoons,
told him she was going for a nap.
Later, he tried to wake her up 'cause he got hungry,
and when he couldn't wake her up, he called 911.
Wow, I'm sorry, I didn't know.
Yeah, well, none of us did,
not Taylor, her family, myself.
My little guy stayed by her side until I got there.
But by the time I got to the hospital
she was gone, overdose.
You know, my little guy has not shed a tear once.
Never, not that night.
That scares me. - Yeah.
I'm sorry, I don't even know what to say.
Yeah, well, I wouldn't expect you to know what to say.
Who needs some wood?
Let there be fire!
Okay, buddy, come have some dinner.
Oh, soup, yes!
Hey, don't mean to bother you.
Oh, man, you ain't no bother.
I'm just sitting here soaking up the good vibes.
I just wanted to say,
I think it's really honorable what you're doing.
And, sorry, if I got a bit short with you before.
Sorry, for getting too personal with you.
It's all good.
I hate her, man.
I should say I hate what she did to us,
what she did to Taylor.
What I hate most is I didn't get a chance to help save her.
It's not like there was a neon sign
above her head flashing help, you know?
Never is and that's the problem.
And as far as not knowing what to say goes, all good, man.
Words don't help heal anyway.
Yeah, you got that right.
I just wish there was a better word than I'm sorry.
Man, I hate that word.
I carry these name tapes, that's my family.
But every step I take, the angrier I get.
Yeah, well, anger has its place.
And what I've learned is anger
eventually becomes grief,
and that grief becomes acceptance,
and eventually you move on.
A part of you is still lost.
Yeah, this place was gonna be my exit plan.
I couldn't think of a more beautiful place in the world
to finally step right off it.
If it wasn't for these four hikers in Millinocket,
man, I wouldn't be here right now.
When they say the trail provides,
you know they mean it.
The trail provides.
You were gonna commit suicide on this trail?
Well, I bet these families you're paying lip service
to would've been at your funeral and said,
"We're real sorry.
Real sorry you let 'em down."
Step down there, Marine.
I haven't been spoken to like a private like that
in a long time.
Now I used to feel like that, but I don't anymore, okay?
I moved on, I'm just saying.
When they say the trail provides, it provides.
I just don't feel the way I feel here anywhere else.
That's the feeling of comfort,
knowing someone's got your back.
You see Taylor and I have been coming here
for four years now,
and this trail has a way of healing.
Really has done wonders for us.
Yeah, it's comfortable.
Yeah, how else do you explain
two veterans like us spilling their guts over stuff
I've never spoken to my family about?
Hell, two hours ago, we didn't even know each other.
- Yeah. - That's comfort.
Well, you see,
they don't have any frame of reference, you know?
They don't know what it's like.
But you and I, we know what it's like.
You know you're not alone.
You know someone's always got your six,
on and off the trail.
All right?
That's right.
No, I appreciate you opening up to me like that
and sharing with me, it means a lot.
And, you know, I think you're gonna be all right.
You and Bug.
He's got a good Marine for a dad.
He's gonna grow up to be a fine young man, and yeah.
Thanks, brother.
Sleep well, Keeper. - Yeah, all right.
Amazing, isn't it?
- What is? - All this.
It never stops changing.
All four seasons, it just keeps cycling,
surviving and becoming something different,
next day, next season.
Yeah, Mother Nature is a curious creature.
I don't think that tree got the memo.
Curiosity and survival are one in the same, my friend.
You have to keep surviving to see what's next.
That's true.
Reminds me, gotta take my sanity pills.
Gotta have 'em with food,
keep me on the, you know, straight and narrow.
Definitely don't neglect those.
I did one time and it didn't end well.
I never really believed in medication.
I learned quickly that whatever keeps you happy
in the moment is always worth a try.
Yeah, that's good.
Well, I'll leave you to it.
What do you think?
About what?
That he'll make it.
The trail?
And those name tapes.
They've stuck with me since we started all this.
Seeing one I guess ain't much of a shock,
but seeing them all together
reminds me how much
of a horrible world it can really be.
I know we're supposed to be in that species,
but we can do a lot of damage too, huh?
Yeah, we can.
The kids.
That's what eats at me the most.
The kids, man.
Don't get me wrong,
I love my uniform,
I'd step back in it in a heartbeat,
but when it's all over,
they just expect us to come back,
pick up the pieces, dust 'em off,
put 'em back together again.
And sometimes those pieces
don't fit anymore, huh?
No, they don't.
I think he'll make it.
We'll find out soon enough.
Come on, let's get back to the trail.
Hey, just dropping the kids off at the pool here.
Occupied! Damn.
- Go away, bear!
Get outta here!
Get outta here, bear, go, go!
- Go on, bear, get!
Whoa, whoa!
You should be okay!
Bears don't eat crap!
But they do eat hikers taking a crap.
I said get outta here, bear!
Hey, that was crazy, huh?
Did you even go?
Yeah, yeah, as soon as that bear
started hitting the door there, I froze up.
I don't think I'm gonna go for another year.
Hey, my trail name-
Whoa, who's the one that was giving
all that bad advice there?
- That would be me. - Ah, okay, right.
Just a public service message.
Okay, okay, so I don't care
what your trail name was before.
Your trail name is Unhelpful Hiker
and you're Helpful Hiker.
And I'm Keeper.
I think you should join us in the shelter tonight.
Yeah.
Could be a good idea.
You okay way back there?
Oh yeah, you got a full shelter tonight.
Just me, had to brush my teeth before I hit the sack.
Besides, I don't think bears watch "Kung Fu Theatre."
Well, I don't wanna end up in a big pile
of steaming lump of bear shit.
I wouldn't worry about that.
They usually don't eat you.
They just maul you and you die slow.
Shh.
I'ma get my Skittles out here and pour 'em all over you,
'cause I know bears like Skittles.
- Hey, goodnight, Boo-Boo. - Yeah, shut up.
Okay.
Is this gonna be all for you?
- Cigarettes there, please. - Mhmm.
That's it, thanks.
Isn't it tough to smoke and hike?
Well, these aren't actually for me.
They're for this little evil monkey and its handler.
Yeah, right.
You're a thru-hiker, aren't you?
Yeah, that's right, I'm heading south.
How's it been?
Well, this part of the trail must've been blazed out
by some pretty sadistic folk.
But, according to the map,
I should be hitting the summit real soon.
So it's pretty good.
Well, you brought it on yourself, you know?
Take a couple months, mark 2,000 miles,
but you coulda let the airport do it
and get you there in two hours.
Save the knees, avoid the blisters.
Yeah.
When you're done, no one can take that experience
away from you.
That's true.
Thank you.
All right, well, again, y'all stay safe,
and I'll see you around.
- Good luck. - Thank you.
- Hey. - Hey.
- How much is that? - All right, let me see.
Keeper.
Hey, Bug.
Ah, you're almost at Harper's Ferry.
You are a hiking machine. - You too.
Hey, Keeper, good to see you still on the trail.
- Yeah. - Almost halfway there, huh?
Yeah, just gets easier each day.
I just wish there wasn't so many summits
between here and there, but other than that, pretty good.
Goes with the territory, right?
Hover any of your food bags,
some bear terror reported in this area recently.
Save the food, the bears are coming!
Come on, man, get to the choppa!
Bug, come back here with dinner.
I was just messing around, Dad.
There's no bears.
There's no choppa.
Hey, don't mess with a man's dinner, all right?
You are not helping.
Called for support, gotta support the troops.
Facts.
Hey, I will tie you to the bear pole
if you make one more move on my Skittles, boy.
What are you gonna do with all the name tapes
when you finish the hike?
Well, that's a good question, Bug,
and I've been thinking about that long and hard.
What I think I'm gonna do is put the name tapes
in a nice little frame with an inscription that says,
"Hiked in spirit, the Appalachian Trail,"
with a start and finish date,
then I'm gonna send 'em back to their families.
Cool.
Yeah. - Hey,
we're moving out in three minutes.
Tomorrow night his aunt's gonna have a talk to him
about his mom, so.
Yeah, I think he already knows.
Well, we're about to do the last leg to Harper's Ferry.
So wanted to say it's been great to get to know you,
and thank you for doing quite the justice to an injustice.
Well, I appreciate it,
and nice getting to know you and Bug as well.
I think y'all are gonna be okay.
As will you, Keeper.
All right, Bug, let's go.
- Hey, Bug. - Hmm.
If I don't see you again,
I just wanna say it's being an honor
and an inspiration getting to know you.
You take care of your old man, okay?
He's not as strong as you, he's just a Marine.
Oh, thanks.
All right, Bug, let's roll out.
Okay.
Take care, Keeper.
Bye, Keeper!
Thanks.
That was a beautiful song.
Thanks.
That's a beautiful dog. - Thanks, he's a sweetie.
He eats better than I do.
He earns it.
He keeps me pushing forward.
How far you both come?
We're just doing two weeks.
We've been sectioning for about two years now
whenever we get time.
Are you all thru-hikers?
Section with wife and kids.
Yeah, I'm thru-hiking, heading south.
You should hit the NOBO bubble in a couple of weeks.
Yeah, I hear shelter space is at a premium.
Yeah, that's why Mister and I tent.
Shelters fill up quick and the mice love that,
but Mister never sleeps with mice around.
I hear you.
I got one more song before hiker's midnight
if y'all are interested.
- Sure. - Yeah, sounds good.
Hey, I saw those names on your pack when I was walking by.
What are those about?
These are all veteran suicides.
363 names there.
Makes up for about 16 1/2 days worth.
It's like 22 a day.
Yeah, your math is good.
Counts for about half the suicides in America,
but the military is only about 1% of the population.
- That's horrible. - Yeah.
If you don't mind me asking, why are you carrying them?
Well, it's changed since I started, I've changed.
I just don't know anymore.
Does that mean you don't wanna carry them anymore?
No, no, no, I mean, that's my family there.
I'm carrying these names all the way to the end.
I just don't know if what I'm doing is making a difference.
I just can't seem to stop this pandemic.
My cousin committed suicide, and we were both 19.
To this day, I still wonder why.
I'm really sorry about that.
Yeah, it affects us all.
I just don't know if what I'm doing makes a difference.
Or, maybe I'm just numb to it.
I think awareness is worth something.
Letting people know how important
it is to be there for each other.
Mister here is always there for me, on or off trail,
good days or bad, I'm never alone.
Maybe we could learn something from that.
Maybe I should fire my shrink and buy a dog.
It'll be a lot cheaper.
I know you're already carrying a lot
and my cousin wasn't a veteran,
but could I ask you to carry her name with you too?
Oh, absolutely, it would be my honor.
Well, more than that, it would be my duty.
I took an oath to protect and defend.
But where were we when they needed help?
Just remember, you're never alone, never.
Gonna take care of Memory all the way to Georgia.
Thanks, Keeper.
Have a great day. - Yeah, you too.
Come on.
All right, hold on to that story.
Hey, how you doing? All right.
Yeah, I just wanted to get a room for the night,
and maybe need to go to the hospital.
I'm not feeling too good.
Okay, not a problem.
Let's have you sign in and we'll get a shuttle
to take you into town, okay?
I appreciate it.
And here,
call this number. - Cool.
And we'll send a shuttle back out and pick you up.
Oh great. - No charge.
Oh, thank you very much.
You're welcome.
All right, where were we?
What the hell?
What are y'all doing here?
We saw your pack at the hostel.
They told us you'd be here,
so we wanted to see if you really were sick.
Or just slacking off.
No, I feel like crap.
What's that, Mr. Monkey?
Yeah, you're right, I think he looks like crap too.
- Very funny. - George?
Thank you.
Geez.
So, George, what seems to be the problem?
Well, I think it might be a bit of a cold or something,
but I just wanna get it checked out
before I head back to the trail.
I can only assume you're a thru-hiker from the smell.
Well, I'm a thru-hiker all right.
But the smell you're smelling there,
that's definitely from the Marines I keep hanging out with.
Careful there, I'm a retired Marine myself.
Annapolis, Class of '98.
I retired in 2018 and went to med school.
So behave unless you want me to use an alternate method
of checking your temperature.
Yes, ma'am.
Okay, yeah, so you're gonna need two antibiotic shots
and that'll get you back on the trail.
All right, well, let's get this thing over and done with.
No, no, I'm gonna need to see some skin.
Show me your cheek.
Not without dinner and a movie first.
Very funny.
Is this gonna be the hard way or the easy way?
All right, it was worth a try.
Okay.
Oh, that wasn't too bad.
And now for the second shot.
On three.
Oh!
Oh, I'm sorry, did that hurt?
I think you got my pelvis.
Mm, well, I guess you should've joined the Marines,
and then you'd be able to handle the pain.
Yeah, Semper Fi, oorah, and all that stuff.
George, if you can still walk, you're free to go.
Thank you, I think.
- Good luck on the trail. - Mhmm.
Man, I wish y'all had warned me of that knitting needle
I was gonna get stabbed with.
Yeah, well, we know when to talk and when to shut up.
Sometimes jokes are not the best approach,
and you joke around a little too much sometimes.
Well, I like to make a few jokes every now and then.
I mean, it helps me to forget how shitty my life is.
I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly?
You think your life is shitty?
Please, enlighten us.
No, wait, let me paint the picture.
You're hiking in one of the most beautiful parts
of this country.
You have thousands of people following along your journey
with words of encouragement, with motivation, with thanks,
and somehow you think your life is shitty?
You know there are some
who never escape their darkness, Keeper.
You were able to get through yours on the trail
behind that tree, remember? - Yeah.
All the others,
that's why you carry the name tapes, isn't it?
Yeah.
Don't downplay what you're doing.
Otherwise, this is just a big waste of time.
- Okay. - I'm gonna head back
to the hostel now.
Yeah.
What is her problem? What did I do?
It's not about what you did, it's about what you said.
I mean, you do joke around a little too much,
and some people may see that as disrespecting the honor
that you carry with those name tapes.
Well, these name tapes mean more to me than anything.
Hey, we know, we know.
Come on, let's go back.
Hey, look, you're close with these guys.
I mean, they're like your family.
I mean, I've just wanted to joke around with you guys,
you know, just be part of this thing.
These name tapes,
they mean more to me than anything.
That's why I'm here.
That's why I'm on this trail.
Why are you here?
Why am I here?
I just got nowhere else to go.
- Are you homeless? - Oh no, no.
I've got a great family in Long Island that loves me.
Do you know why my trail name is Mini Me?
No.
It's because I'm my father's Mini Me.
Him and I are really close.
I guess I just mean I got nowhere else to go in my head.
You know, some of the best times that I had
were riding my BMX bike, my father alongside me,
and no thoughts in my head, no thinking, just riding.
Yeah.
And even though it's not quiet out here,
it's quiet in here, you know?
And I need that.
The trail gives me that.
Yeah, well, my family's pretty messed up, that's for sure.
Hey, well, don't get me wrong, Keeper.
Every family has got a member
or two with a couple screws loose.
You're right, it's not perfect.
- Yeah. - But listen,
if you're doing it right,
then you're too focused on taking that next step
that's right in front of you,
that you don't have time to think about some stupid shit,
like that same stupid shit
you tried to pull behind the tree earlier.
Yeah, I mean, that was a moment of weakness.
Listen to me,
there will always be somebody ready to help.
Trust me, I grew up helping people.
I was the one in high school giving away my lunch money
to the other kids.
I was the one standing up for people.
I was the one scaring away kidnappers.
And I'm not asking for any sort
of recognition or rewards.
All I'm asking is that when you have a moment
of weakness like that,
you think of Michael Blanco, the Marine.
All right.
- All right? - Okay.
- All right, Keeper. - See you around.
Do you know where Peanut is?
- She's out back. - Okay.
Coffee and cigarettes?
Breakfast of champions.
Sure.
I'll take this.
Yeah.
Yeah, I just, I wanna say sorry
about what happened the other day.
Yeah, sometimes my mouth, you know, makes me-
Sound like an ass.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
Yeah, it does.
I just wanna say thank you.
I really appreciate what y'all have done for me.
There's no need to say thanks.
Just be sure you know why you're doing this,
and be sure to finish it.
I don't have many friends,
but, you know, that's by choice.
But I see y'all as my friends,
and just don't wanna get you angry or being mad at me.
Keeper, I'm not mad at you.
I just don't trust you.
It's not meant to be an insult.
I don't trust a lot of people.
I trusted
the guys in my own unit,
the ones who were supposed to protect me,
look out for me,
respect me,
and you can guess where that got me.
It got me raped. - Shit.
The brothers who were meant to be my family,
who I was supposed to trust.
So you can see why trust
is just a little slow coming for me.
Yeah, I can see that.
I mean, military's meant to look after their own, right?
I mean, did they all end up in prison?
No.
No, not exactly.
The military is really good
at losing and misplacing
files and reports.
It's scary how
just one moment,
one word can dictate your entire life.
And I let it consume me.
I can't go back and fix that now, so it doesn't matter.
But you?
Keeper, you speak for everyone
that you carry.
Do you understand that?
And when you downplay it
and act like it's not important,
that it's not special,
you insult every single name on that ring.
And so I can guarantee you one thing.
If you screw up again,
if you insult their memories one more time,
I will personally relieve you of your duties.
Quick, fast, and in a hurry.
Are we clear? - Yes, ma'am.
That's what I thought.
Stop smoking.
- Hello.
Hi, I'm just looking for a night to stay.
You're the only one here so far.
Come right on in.
Right this way.
Cool, yeah, well, I was just on the trail in Kincora
and spoke to Bob Peoples.
And so I needed to come to town to get a resupply
and was hoping I'd stay here
and give Bob a call in the morning.
Oh yeah, Bob's a legend up and down the trail.
And this building's kind of unique.
What did this used to be?
This building was originally built
to house the commissary for the Pittsburgh Lumber Company.
And since then, it's been a plethora of things,
from a post office to a school,
you name it. - Cool.
Let me know if you need anything.
We're usually around until about 11, so feel free to ask.
- All right, appreciate it. - Yes, sir.
Hello?
Hello.
Hello, is there any hikers up there?
- Oh, hell no!
No, hell no!
It's okay, George.
Nothing to worry about.
It's all in your head.
It's just an old house.
Makes noises, it's creaky.
All right, you just need to go to sleep.
Grow a pair and just relax.
There's no ghosts.
You just need to go to sleep and grow a pair.
It's okay.
- Nope, no, nope, nope, nope.
Nope, nope, nope.
Nope, nope, no, no, no.
No, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.
Shit.
Okay, all right.
All right.
Okay, George, all right.
No ghosts.
You gotta stop being a wuss.
Just gotta suck it up, go back inside.
Nothing there.
Nope, no, no, no, no, no, nope.
Rhonda, are you up?
I am now.
What's going on? - Not much.
Not much?
Babe, it's two o'clock in the morning.
Well, I was staying in this old schoolhouse,
and I was in an old hostel and I heard something.
Well, did somebody come in in the middle of the night
and, I don't know, make a noise or something?
Oh, someone made some noise, but there was no one there.
Honey, did you scare yourself?
Look, this ain't funny.
So what did you do?
Got the hell out of there!
I'm hiking back to the trail now.
I'm gonna keep hiking all the way to Georgia.
I don't care, I ain't going back there.
Babe, it's the middle of the night,
and that's where the boogeyman lives.
If I were you, I would take my chances with the ghosts.
You are so unhelpful.
You know I don't do ghosts.
Oh, you are truly ridiculous.
Right, this conversation's getting us nowhere.
I'm gonna go now.
Okay? All right?
I love you, bye.
I love you too.
Oh, and don't look behind you.
Crap.
I wasn't gonna look behind me.
I'm not gonna look behind me.
- I'm outta here!
I didn't think I'd see y'all again.
Hey, good to see you.
Yeah, well, it's been a while and-
I know who all of you are.
I'm not going crazy, am I?
No, brother, you're not crazy.
Not any more than the rest of us at least.
Why have you been with me all this time?
This was too important of a journey and message
for you to fail.
You carried us.
We carried you.
No one walks the trail alone.
I didn't even think I'd make it this far.
I don't even know what to do now.
Just don't quit.
This message isn't just for you.
It's meant to be shared, Keeper.
Why'd you all leave me?
We can't answer that now.
It can't, I won't-
It doesn't matter.
The past will only cloud your solution for the future.
The most important question you can ask right now
is, "How can I fix this?"
How can I fix this?
I didn't ask for this.
Oh, but you did.
That moment behind the tree when you fought it and won.
You may not have asked for it, but it's yours now.
You own it.
Don't run away from it
like you ran out of that hostel in Tennessee.
You guys are smooth.
Run, Army, run.
Where you going?
It's all you, Keeper.
You're gonna be just fine.
Take the challenge and kick its ass.
We're counting on you, Army.
Stay strong, Keeper.
Never quit fighting.
Wait, wait.
Sophie.
Remember, you're never alone.
Monkey and I,
we're always watching.
Thanks for everything, Keeper.
Thanks, Doc.
You guys as well?
Keep going, Keeper.
You've almost made it to the beginning of your next journey.
Drive on, soldier.
You made it, brother.
You came home and you stayed the course.
Don't make the same mistakes we did.
And I'll check in on you from time to time.
Love you, brother. - You too.
Rest in peace, Reaper 64.
♪ The wind blew in straight from a ghost town ♪
♪ Called your name, told you lies ♪
♪ But you looked up to find
♪ A North Star in the sky
♪ Held on to the light and you survived ♪
♪ Your fire's glowing in the evening ♪
♪ So keep it burning through the dark ♪
♪ And if the night gets cold
♪ You can still stay warm
♪ Carrying the hope within your heart ♪
♪ Stay strong
♪ Remember that you're never alone ♪
♪ The road is long
♪ But you never need to walk it on your own ♪
♪ Left, right, left, right
♪ One foot in front of the other ♪
♪ Left, right, left, right
♪ One foot in front of the other ♪
♪ Keep on keeping on
♪ You can always find your footing ♪
♪ If a part of you gets lost
♪ You can't escape this life
♪ Without scars and stripes
♪ But it's worth it if you stop and count the cost ♪
♪ Stay strong
♪ Remember that you're never alone ♪
♪ The road is long
♪ But you never need to walk it on your own ♪
♪ Left, right, left, right
♪ One foot in front of the other ♪
♪ Left, right, left, right
♪ One foot in front of the other ♪
♪ Keep on keeping on
♪ Ooh
♪ The road is long
♪ But you never need to walk it on your own ♪
♪ Left, right, left, right
♪ One foot in front of the other ♪
♪ Left, right, left, right
♪ Keep on keeping on