important read for ppl in the outdoors

this is from a phish message, board, someone quoted it from another message board. if your into outdoors activity a good read - especially for females.

Quote:Subject: We, as women, are known for being too nice even when our gut tells us otherwise!

Hey everybody- I am sure you have all heard about the hiker who went missing on New Year's Day and the guy who is in custody for kidnapping her. Her body was found today and I am sure they will be charging him with her murder. He is also suspected in several other murders in Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia.

I wanted to tell you all about what happened to me so that you will all be aware of who you talk to and to pay attention to your "something is weird here" radar. The day before the girl, Meredith Emerson, went missing, I was hiking on the same trail on Blood Mountain. I saw the man who is suspected of killing her and I talked to him for about 10 minutes. He asked me if I was alone and if I had a cell phone. It wasn't particularly odd that he asked me those questions, because he worked them into the conversation. My radar did go off because he is very strange. I didn't feel like I was in danger because I was with a group that I was hiking ahead of when I encountered him on the trail.

I'd like to think I wouldn't have talked to him if I was alone, but I probably would have- just to be polite. He was most likely 'shopping' me as a victim. He was walking very quickly ahead of me as we talked and I walked more quickly to be able to hear him and continue the conversation. I kept looking back to make sure I could see or hear my group. When the trail split, he went the other way than we did. My husband noticed that when we got to the bottom of the trail, the suspect, Hilton, was behind us. I don't know if he doubled back to see if I was alone or not.

That encounter was a little too close to home. I always try to be friendly and polite, but I've found that is not such a good idea. Who cares if a stranger thinks you snubbed them?

Just keep in mind that the world is full of bad people and that they are very good at manipulating situations to get you involved with them. Be safe and listen to your gut! "Stranger Danger" applies to grown-ups, too.

 

That is scary, that woman had family by where I live they buried her in Longmont Colorado about 15 miles from where I live.
In the summer time in the mountains here we get all sorts of people wandering through there has been kidnappings and murders before. You just never know who you are dealing with.
I sucks to be rude to people but some people just take advantage of kindness. It sucks because it makes the world a less friendly place. But what can you do?

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pack a 9

 

Consider participating in a group hike or backpacking trip.

 

99.9% Of the people you meet on a trail will be cool, weird, quite possibley but rarely dangerous. That being said I think it is certainly good advice to hike with at least one other person, as plenty of things can go wrong in the backwoods. If you are by yourself, a cellphone is always something good to have, just in case, though in many areas reception might not be happening. Also I would volunteer little information to strangers on the trail, and maybe even lie and say you are with more people, meeting up whatever.

Let others you trust know where you will be going and aprx how long etc, check in with rangers and so on.

A nice can of bear spray and a very large knife strapped to your side (visible) always show you mean business as well.

If you do a lot of solo trips this might not be a bad idea:

SPOT Satellite Personal Messenger

http://www.rei.com/product/766529

 

In the case of Meredith Emerson as these posts apply:

Guns are prohibited in state parks, and the Appalachian Trail passes through several. You don't want to know the fine. I doubt anyone who posts here could afford it.

Bear spray is useless and bulky. Some experienced backcountry hikers say it actually attracts bears. Pepper spray would be more appropriate.

Meredith was stalked for several days and had met Gary Hilton (her killer) on the trail a few days before he kidnapped her. She was with other hikers when they met so he took his time waiting for her to be isolated. Everyone hikes at their own pace so it's nearly impossible to always be with a group.

Meredith was a martial artist and expert at self-defense and hiked with a dog for additional protection.

Moral of the story: You can be an expert at self-defense, carry a weapon and pepper spray, hike with a dog, even carry a firearm if you think you won't get caught, and if a 61 year old feeb stalks you and really, really wants to kidnap and kill you...
you're fucked.

But nice Monday morning quarterbacking, folks.

PS: A young female hiker set out in early March with a SPOT locater. Her family initiated a search and rescue (SAR) for her about two weeks ago when it stopped transmitting. It stopped because she took the batteries out of it. She said the blinking light kept her awake at night. Stupidity aside, it won't save you from a serial killer unless you know how to use it to crush a man's skull.

 

Of course anybody who really wants to kill you and is conniving and twisted enough to hunt you down however long it takes can certainly pull it off, specially in the woods.

My advice was mostly general back country advice, not anti serial killer. And regardless nothing is going to be 100% effective all the time in any situation, but better to be prepared and have some chance (however small) then to take it like a bitch.