The Appalachian Trail is as eccentric as 2,198.4 miles can get, full of quirky characters, quirkier trail names, lingo, and traditions—like eating a half gallon of ice cream at the halfway point, hiking a day naked, and confessing to the trail “priest,” a log on Virginia’s Priest Mountain. But 2024 has a different kind of darling: the YEHB.
Here’s the origin of the still-unfolding story: Somebody named Rifle painted a brick yellow and scrawled EMERGENCY HIKING BRICK *FOR ALL YOUR EMERGENCY BRICK HIKING NEEDS* on it, plus NoBo (northbound) 2024. He told a group of other hikers to look out for it, and they came across it in Neel Gap, Georgia. Never mind that it was objectively useless and weighed something like four pounds, two completely unforgivable traits on a trail where every ounce counts. The hikers—called Gadget, Soap, Cheeseblock, Nutter Butter, and Rocky—gathered round a picnic table and added their own touches, including:
Bring me to Katahdin!
ePacks makes a version that’s 2.5 oz. lighter
You are crazy for carrying this
Then Cheeseblock put it inside his pack and hiked twenty miles to Blue Mountain Shelter, and the Brick was off.
That was back in the springtime. Since then, the YEHB has gained nicknames: Bricky, Brickeey, Yella Brick, lil bricky, Yellow Brick. It has allegedly been dropped, broken, and glued back together. It has taken selfies with countless hikers. It has eaten at classic AT establishments and overnighted at shelters; it attended the Appalachian Trail Days Festival in Damascus in May and received shout-outs in two speeches. At Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania, a hiker called Sunshine added the cozy touch of two large googly eyes. Sometimes Bricky wears a tiny backpack; more recently, someone gave it a set of twins by tying on two miniature yellow lego bricks. Its body has gained more signatures, and more pieces of wisdom, such as “quit or keep going, both hurt.”
Most importantly, the YEHB has traveled hundreds and hundreds of miles and has now reached Maine, the final state, and is advancing on the ultimate summit. There is a Facebook page called Follow the Yellow Brick Road dedicated to its progress, and those who carry it and encounter it alike post photos, map screenshots, and updates.
Here’s a sample:
I (Harmonica from Australia) carried the yellow brick from Boots Off to Double Spring on 4/21. I passed it to a German named Leo who’s carrying it into Damascus today (4/22) and suggested he leave it at the Broken Fiddle.
Yellow brick just witnessed a marriage proposal at McAfee Knob today. Congrats to Boorah and Buttercup.
Feeling pretty blessed to make it to 1,000 miles today with my great friend Brickey. It was very hot and humid but we pushed all day to make this milestone. Although my time with Brickey is nearing its end (I’ll get him safely to Harper’s Ferry), I won’t forget about the strength he has helped me find as I continue to push through to Maine.
To any sneaky SOBO looking to intercept Bricky, beware the courier who moves in the night, undetected! A night hike landed Bricky at Upper Goose Pond Cabin. He met NOBO’s and SOBO’s alike over pancakes and coffee. (He was even held by a SOBO under watchful eyes). Bricky has experienced the joys and excitement of a leisurely paddle on Upper Goose Pond and heard the call of a Loon. He has also parted ways with his past courier Sweet Relish into the hands of Sigma! Good luck to the next courier on her shared journey!
Perhaps Woodchuck said it best two days ago, when handing over the precious cargo before the Mahoosuc Notch in western Maine: It has been my greatest pleasure to be part of your journey Brickee, keep on laying down a strong foundation, you’ll glue us all together.
So here’s to all the seriously impressive hikers carrying the YEHB, here’s to finding the silliest joy and companionship on the trail, here’s to the YEHB itself—we are all waiting for that triumphant photo of you on Katahdin. And here’s to Rifle, the brilliant creator, who, it came out later (weeks after the intrepid Cheeseblock carried Bricky for the first twenty miles), DROVE with the brick to Neel Gap.
