Last Saturday, however, I decided to DO something about it, so I showed up in the dark at the museum in order to hike Skyline for my first time, when I knew that there would be a good turnout. This was my big chance to actually meet some of the board members. Problem: It's DARK at four AM! I thought I recognized some people getting ready with their headlamps on, but they were gone before I could say anything. And I've seen most of the faces in photos online, but the names weren't attached to them. Meanwhile, I'm a bit shy, and walking up to people and introducing myself isn't easy. So the parking lot was a bust, people-wise. Plus, I wanted to get hiking. I was already late after driving from San Diego, and I knew (from all my lurking) that Skyline noobs needed to get started early.
Sometime after six, when the sky was barely getting light, a group came up the trail from behind, and I thought I recognized Tina, probably due to the pink colored clothing.
"Tina?" I croaked out over my nervousness. It was her. She looked at me funny, and why wouldn't she? I told her who I was, and she said "Ummm... OK" and then she and her group hiked on. Oh boy. Strange men introducing themselves to ladies in the dark? This wasn't going well. At all. I decided that I was truly an idiot, and to simply enjoy the hike, which was the main reason I was there.
But did I learn? No. A few minutes later a blond head came walking up behind me, and I also recognized her from pictures online. It was Ellen. "Ellen?" I asked, experimentally. "Yes" she replied. I told her who I was, by describing one of the silly posts I'd made (the one about the Florian Clippers). She remembered it, smiled, and shook my hand! Yes! Life was good again, for this lurker, anyway. She gave me some words of encouragement for my first-ever Skyline, and soon left me in the dust. And she keeps posting that she's slow! Anyway, meeting "that" Ellen really made my day. And she didn't even have a sign on her back!
Let it be stated for the record that MANY people passed me. I was hoping to catch a real-life glimpse of my heroes Steve and Fern, but I'm not sure when they started. A pair of very fast ninjas went by in the pre-dawn darkness, and I thought it might be them, but I wasn't able to make a positive identification.
Later on, not long after sunrise, I met up with a nice couple, who I hiked along with for a while. They turned out to be Dave and Doreen. She said it was her 256th (I think?) Skyline. She answered all the inane questions any newbie could have about the trail. Indeed, it was an honor to speak with her. And she's very nice. She also told me not to worry about going fast or slow, to just hike at my own pace, and to enjoy the trail, because it was beautiful. And she was right!
After that, I didn't meet anyone else from the board, that I know of. Mostly because they'd all either left before me, or passed me. Sorry, Ellen, but I'm the slow one around here. It took me a whopping ten hours to climb the trail! But I had a good time, and it was well worth every step.
Insanely long Trip Report and way too many Photos Here.
And now, it's time to go back to lurking. It was nice meeting you all on the trail! Even if you had no idea that it was me!
-- the first Skyline is special for you and all of us who love this trail. Congratulations and thanks for so much for sharing 
and pass me as well in the dark, but then again I think it's because they do KNOW ME 