Thru-Hiker Spotlight Moondog by Jeff Glenn, North Trail Program Manager
GIVE A COUPLE SENTENCES ABOUT YOURSELF: WHERE YOU'RE FROM, WHAT YOU "DO" ETC. My name is David—trail name Moondog. Call me Moondog. I live around Lafayette, CO in my van and absolutely love everything Colorado. For hobbies I am a frequent backpacker, snowshoer, skateboarder, motorcyclist, kayaker and coffee connoisseur. In Colorado we have more hobbies than can fit into one lifetime.
WHAT GAVE YOU THE INSPIRATION TO THRU-SKATE THE FT? About 3 years ago I read about a guy, Alex Fogt, who thru-skated the FT. He was the first. At the time I didn’t know how to 14
Florida Trail Association
skateboard but I thought it was one of the coolest hikes I had ever heard about. Alex was definitely the inspiration and also a huge help when I reached out for advice. He’s a legend among legends.
WAS IT WORTH CARRYING THE EXTRA WEIGHT OF HAVING YOUR SKATEBOARD WITH YOU ON TRAIL? I found my perspective on this question to go like this: Am I carrying the skateboard for days on end while I am hiking? Not worth it. The second that board hits pavement: worth it. If someone asks if it is worth bringing a board on the trail I think it comes down to how much you like skating. If you love to skate, it is absolutely worth the weight. If it’s FloridaTrail.org
not in your bones, in your soul, you’re probably not going to enjoy carrying this five pound rolling paperweight.
YOU'RE CURRENTLY SKATING ACROSS NEW MEXICO. WAS THIS INSPIRED BY YOUR FT HIKE OR HAVE YOU HAD A PLAN TO MAKE SKATING YOUR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION ALL ALONG? During my FT thru-skate I learned of a guy, Justin Bright (@justindoeslife) who was doing a 1,100-mile skate through the state of Florida. We got introduced to each other and followed one another’s trips. Billy Goat Day was going on and I invited him out. The instant we met we hit it off. That night around a campfire
