Bill Ackerly - Ice Cream Man

twistwrist · Jun 7th 2016, 8:28am

Hey all. I'm looking for stories/memories/facts about the A.T.'s beloved and recently deceased Ice Cream Man, Bill Ackerly. He has a story to tell and I want to write it. Help me by providing me with your memories of this kindhearted man. Share this with anyone you know who met him. Thanks all. ~Clarity

CoachLou · Jun 7th 2016, 9:00am

LIhikers · Jun 7th 2016, 9:29am

Is that the guy in New England?
I don't remember if it was Vermont or New Hampshire we came across a handmade, paper sign, inviting hikers for ice cream.
It was still early in the day when we got there and weren't much craving ice cream, but we knew we'd meet someone interesting.
We stopped in and while we declined the ice cream, he wouldn't have any part of that and got us some anyway.
We sat on his porch talking for a bit while we ate the ice cream and then we went on our way.

twistwrist · Jun 7th 2016, 9:45am

He was quite a sport...took me on a "date" to dinner at his neighbors' house...a found a SOBO thru-hiker there who went with too. It was such a fun evening!
And yes, he was in Lyme Center, NH, just after crossing into NH. He had a doctorate degree in psychoanalysis and taught at Harvard but was so down to Earth with hikers.

LIhikers · Jun 7th 2016, 11:57am

Yep, that's the guy I was thinking of.

max.patch · Jun 7th 2016, 12:32pm

don't know the ice cream man.

years ago we had the ice cream lady, bonnie shipe, who gave out ice cream and kool aid on the 20 mile cumberland valley roadwalk. that was some hot walkin in the middle of summer.

Astro · Jun 7th 2016, 2:38pm

I wish I had walked faster and maybe I would have met him last year.

But then again maybe I would not have met some of the other neat people that I did.

LIhikers · Jun 7th 2016, 4:33pm

Astro wrote:

I wish I had walked faster and maybe I would have met him last year.

But then again maybe I would not have met some of the other neat people that I did.

Don't play the "what if" game

twistwrist · Jun 7th 2016, 9:22pm

Astro wrote:

I wish I had walked faster and maybe I would have met him last year.

But then again maybe I would not have met some of the other neat people that I did.

I absolutely love that last part. Things happen the way they're supposed to. On my hike I learned how to look on my painful divorce as a reason I have certain new people in my life...and new experiences I never would have known.

StalkingTortoise · Sep 12th 2016, 7:34am

[IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-27/i-H7bLbJ3/0/L/IMG_0048-L.jpg]

[IMG:https://photos.smugmug.com/Hiking/AT-Section-Hike-27/i-2TjPcX2/0/L/IMG_0047-L.jpg]

As I walked up to the house, Bill came out and said "You must be Stalking Tortoise." He explained that Smoking Sox had just left before inviting me inside and handing me an ice cream treat. Unfortunately, I was totally wiped out that afternoon and didn't ask Bill more about his life. From Sox, I learned that Bill enjoyed overseas travel and that we probably had tread on some common ground outside the U.S.

That ice cream and water were the only things that got me up Smarts Mountain that evening.

R.I.P. Bill

LIhikers · Sep 12th 2016, 9:05am

Whatever year it was that Kathy and I met Bill, I think it might of been the first year he was offering ice cream to hikers. There was a simple hand written, paper sign next to the trail inviting hikers. It was still early in the day and we almost didn't go to his house. I'm glad we did. This hiking thing has shown me that not all the world is like they show it in the news. There are still lots of people not only willing, but wanting to do a good deed for others. RIP Bill.

twistwrist · Sep 19th 2016, 7:56pm

He was incredibly down to earth but smart as a whip.

I'll never forget our "date" that ended with a kiss on my cheek.

RIP Ice Cream Man. THe A.T. will never be quite the same.