Wow! I had no idea. I'd been told by a friend who, who's a cop that Bear spray was lethal to people. I guess you learn something new everyday.Originally Posted by perdidochas
That said, I read different things on different websites. I'm starting to come to the conclusion that there really is no difference, except for range and volume. I'd have no problem using bearspray on a human, but then again, if I ever need to spray anything with pepper spray it will be because I'm afraid for my life.
Time is but the stream I go afishin' in.
Thoreau
"Send in the Trolls"
I'm so confused, I'm not sure if I lost my horse or found a rope.
The main difference, as best as I can tell without personal experience, is that civilian pepper spray fires in a straight stream that is harder to aim, but is less likely to contaminate/incapacitate the person who is using it to defend themselves. Bear spray on the other hand fires a fairly wide pattern almost like a dry chem fire extinguisher that makes it extremely easy to hit your target, but also makes it quite likely that you will get hit with some amount of the irritant yourself when you use it.
There is an awesome NOLS grizzley bear safety lecture on youtube which is over an hour long, the last 10-15 minutes of it is a group of NOLS employees being taught to use bear spray with practice container that contain an inert spray. If you get a chance to watch it, it will give you an idea of the sort of collateral damage that the wide stream a bear spray can could cause.
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
Easy to find a thruhiker who wants to be found or doesn't make any effort to cover their tracks. A bit harder if you make an effort to remain anonymous. If word gets around on social media what your trail name is and he finds out then it won't be too hard to track you. People on the trail are all too helpful. If he contacts hostels, motels and other service providers somebody will tell him where you are. I stayed at a bed and breakfast and later found out that the owners had given my real name to a later customer who saw my trail name in their register. So don't count on people keeping your secret...people are too helpful.
If you want to remain truly anonymous pay for everything in cash and don't give anybody your real name. And it would help if every once in awhile you changed your trail name and took a couple of zero days so that everybody who knows you gets a couple days ahead and don't blow your cover when you change your name.
Even doing that people may recognize or identify you based on your clothing or equipment. "Has anybody seen so and so? She has a blue backpack and a yellow tent." "Yeah, she was in Erwin yesterday."
Skye15, you'll fall in with a group and probably stick with them most of the trail. Trail mates are very protective, especially when women are involved. They'll look out for you even without knowing the story.
Evidently he knows your trail name. Get a new one and sign both in the log books: the one your trail buddies know (and he doesn't know) for "today" and the one he knows for two (or three) weeks ago. Just scribble in a simple, short note in between other postings.
Don't let this stalker guy ruin your hike. Try to find out exactly what he's up to through your trusted friends so you can stay one step ahead of him
Flatfoot
AT 2013, GA->ME
PCT 2017, Mexico->Canada
Talk for
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One always has to wonder if the OP is a stalker trying to figure out how to find a certain hiker by making a post like this. If "her" threat really is familiar with the AT wouldn't she worry that he is reading Whiteblaze too ? Just seems like an odd post to make public if I was really in fear of some one.
I think the stalker has already ruined your hike. I doubt there is any way you can remain anonymous or hide your identity and whereabouts on the AT. Even if you decide to hike another trail, which I would recommend, I'd stay off social media except for maybe posting false info about preparing to hike the AT as if you are following the original plans. Even hiking with groups won't work because in my experience, people don't hike side by side for very long, or even within sight of one another. With technology being what it is today, no one can stay anonymous or unfound if someone is tech-savvy enough to search for them.
Do what several folks have recommended and report this person, get a restraining order, etc., but I hope you change your mind about hiking the AT. The danger and worry just isn't worth it, and there are plenty of alternatives. Stay safe, and good luck.
I think the stalker has already ruined your hike. I doubt there is any way you can remain anonymous or hide your identity and whereabouts on the AT. Even if you decide to hike another trail, which I would recommend, I'd stay off social media except for maybe posting false info about preparing to hike the AT as if you are following the original plans. Even hiking with groups won't work because in my experience, people don't hike side by side for very long, or even within sight of one another. With technology being what it is today, no one can stay anonymous or unfound if someone is tech-savvy enough to search for them.
Do what several folks have recommended and report this person, get a restraining order, etc., but I hope you change your mind about hiking the AT. The danger and worry just isn't worth it, and there are plenty of alternatives. Stay safe, and good luck.
I haven't seen this mentioned yet, but on the trail, everyone uses trail names. If you already have a trail name, just get another one that your potential stalker does not know. So that if anyone mentions you, it won't help him find you. You can write in trail journals using a new trail name just fine. And you can even post a blog (without pictures of yourself) under that name if you are careful to leave out details.
For facebook, you can lock down your privacy very tight, although if he is friends of a friend that is willing to give him your information, that could be a problem. You could potentially post trail updates to a select group of well trusted friends.
And consider how likely this guy is travel as far as he'd need to to stalk you. It takes a lot of effort to drive hundreds of miles and potentially wait several days at a trail crossing in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps he will, but actually following through is much harder to do than to say.
I'm not sure if you're leaving this year or next or whatever, so this may not be useful information. I left on February 19, which is fairly early so I beat the big crowds.. I did this to get away from people and have some time to myself. I stuck around with small groups of people for short amounts of time, but most of the time I was a faster hiker so I leapfrogged ahead of them. Finally, since this hike was an outlet for my introverted side I (in retrospect) was always pretty withdrawn and quiet in the shelters and stuff, usually just reading an ebook or something. I don't think I was unpleasant to be around, just not very outgoing.
This all added up to not a lot of people knowing about me in the famously effective trail news network. Other hikers who had large personalities, everyone knew about them and talked about them. But very few people knew who Zoso was. This was fine with me, and it seems like maybe this is a strategy you could try. But the biggest aspect of it was the early leave date, and unfortunately you've missed the boat for this year. All the other stuff probably wouldn't work if you were a a female hiker surrounded by 20 other guys every day.
There's no reward at the end for the most miserable thru-hiker.
After gear you can do a thru for $2,000.
No training is a substitute for just going and hiking the AT. You'll get in shape.
Amen to Lone Wolf's suggestions. With this post, you can see for yourself that I am 70. Another generation. Yes, my birth certificate is written on papyrus.... It amazes me that some want to broadcast everything about themselves via social media, the net, whatever. Stop. Don't. Just enjoy privacy. Restore boundaries. Write your journal with a pen, not a keyboard. When you become someone who is well-known for good deeds/accomplishments/service to others, then we can circle back and look at your journal--if you want to share it with the public.
OPs previous posts are typical new hiker posts. I think she's light.
My thoughts,
Other people will mention you in their journals. It's easy to Google your trail name and year and find all the people who mention you.
You can use a name that he wouldn't know you by but if the person finds a picture someone else took of you with your trail name then you're easy to track again.
"Chainsaw" GA-ME 2011
Just a thought, many thru-hikers team up with someone while hiking, If you could do that, the likelihood of a stalker attempting to bother you might be less. like you said, safety in numbers.
Avoid Social Media
I know it's hard for some - but avoiding social media seems the way I'd go as well - ALONG - with an alternative itinerary as mentioned earlier in the thread. Be CAUTIOUS. If you know this person as you say - it's "experiential fear" - not paranoia - in this particular case. Good Luck.
Of course it could also be the very common...I poked and teased the tiger, why ever would it be trying to bite poor ole me scenario. I have found that people who post stuff like this on public forums are usually poking the tiger and looking for sympathy. True victims of such activity don't go on a hiking forum, they handle it through law enforcement and the courts before setting out on such a journey.
Wrong, True victims do just this and many other things. You can't predict what victims do, they come in all shapes and backgrounds.
I have my opinion about the OP, but I'd be guessing as to the true intent. Either way it probably wasn't a wise post. IMHO you hike your hike and don't worry about what someone else possibly might do. Otherwise you're allowing them to control your life. Yes, there's an extremely rare possibility that they may actually do something, but that's equally true off the trail, so hiking or not hiking isn't really a factor. My experience (based on 25+ years of dealing with victims & perpetrators) is that once you move on they move on. Posting or not posting your hike won't matter as the stalker will do what they do either way, second guessing what a person will do (or won't) is pointless. If actual action is taken or threats are made then there's appropriate remedies available.
I knew someone whose daughter was stalked after making a public singing performance.She had had no prior contact with this person.It was so bad she had to take her final exams off campus at a remote location.Her parents kept a picture of the tormentor on their car visors so they could recognize him in an instant.I do not know how it turned out as we were not friends and merely acquainted.That said,keep a diary and lots of pictures and post it all when you are done.Call home but don't tell anyone,not even your parents where you are unless you want them to come get you.And if you have not yet taken a warrant out on him,do not delay.Also,carry a means of self defense whether it is lethal or non lethal,carry something.They make some pretty awesome stun guns that look like cell phones or the one I have which is also a functioning flashlight.And lastly,you can use an alias and take the advice one of the other posters submitted which was to hike in different non sequential sections.Does he really have time to sit at a road crossing for months waiting for you to show up?If so,you need to seek professional legal advice and be proactive against him.
carry a glock and a non lethal means of protection as well. zip ties too so you can detain him if need be
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