[pct-l] I'm hiking '08

Mon Jan 21 18:31:09 CST 2008

Debby,

Does the fact that someone can get through to you if they leave a clear
message and manage earn your trust?  Since you asked, absolutely not.  I
think many out there would agree that it is very unwise for a young woman
such as yourself to post where you are going to be and when for complete
strangers to view.  Of course, I’m not your Mom.  You’re 18 and a legal
adult and get to make your own choices.  But I’m going to give you my
unsolicited opinion anyway.  

If you want to seek a hiking partner, don’t advertise that you’re an 18 year
old girl leaving from X on X date.  That’s insanity.  Don’t even tell them
you’re a female.  Just solicit androgynously (I had to look that one up),
and screen any interested responders to fit your criteria.  Truthfully, I
personally would feel better for your safety if you hiked alone rather than
posting your whereabouts for anyone with a computer and access to the
internet – there are so many creeps out there.

The thing is, I was trusting at 18 too.  I saw only good in people.  I had
no idea, really, how truly awful people can be.  And I’ve come to understand
that its not just a few of them that are sick, depraved, or evil – there are
many of them.  There are criminals and predators of every description out
there; just read the news each day.  Add to these anyone who abuses or
neglects any animal, who are to me as evil and reprehensible as those who
target their abuse toward other people, and the numbers increase even more.
And that doesn’t even count those who abuse the environment.  

I don’t want to make this personal and confine it to you, but the phenomenon
of Face Book putting all kinds of personal information out there is so very
new in the scheme of things, and it’s already proving to have devastating
consequences for some.  Most of the people putting all of their info out
there are relatively young, and haven’t even begun to consider the possible
long-term consequences of sharing so much information with people they do
not know and should not trust.  

Trust me on this though:  you will have a much different view of people and
whom you should trust as time goes by.  That is, if you don’t make the
mistake of trusting the wrong person along the line with devastating
consequences.  Some of the brightest women I know have found themselves to
be victims at some point in their lives, myself included.  Don’t put
yourself in a position to be a statistic.

L-Rod 

   _____  

From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Debby Parker
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 3:27 PM
To: Patrick Beggan
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] I'm hiking '08

yeah it's kind of strange...with facebook and everything all my info (right
down to my favorite music and what i did last weekend!) is already out there
anyway so i'm not really sure where to draw the line. i only pick up calls
from numbers i recognize so if someone i don't know calls me they have to
leave a clear message or email me first to get a response. does that make
you feel a little better?

On Jan 21, 2008, at 6:05 PM, Patrick Beggan wrote:

Detecting a weirdo over the internet isn't that much harder than detecting
one in real life, in a venue like this. Besides, meeting in a public place
means that if either person is concerned about the other once they've met,
its easy enough to back out. If perhaps the agreement was, "Hey, let's meet
by that rock deep in the woods, bring several garbage bags," I'd be more
worried.

although admittedly giving out a phone number seems a bit much, but I guess
it doesn't really matter... I don't know, it's a complicated topic.

The point is to exercise caution in the event of any meeting, I think that's
the bottom line.

On Jan 21, 2008, at 5:51 PM, robo hiker wrote:

i won't trust any of ya till i seez ya wif me own eyez. ya don't hafta take
no test or exam ta read this. just jump on the link from the website and yer
there. too many creeps out there to have a first meeting with a stranger in
the woods.  ( words to parents) um... ya i'm going hiking for two months
with a stranger i met on the web, i won't have phone reception for at least
2 weeks when i start! yikes. there'll be people out there, meet 'em and size
'em up as you go.

   _____  

From: HYPERLINK "mailto:meta474 at gmail.com"meta474 at gmail.com
To: HYPERLINK "mailto:robohiker at hotmail.com"robohiker at hotmail.com; HYPERLINK
"mailto:pct-l at backcountry.net"pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] I'm hiking '08
Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:36:04 -0500

I could make many jokes here that wouldn't come across very well in e-mail.
It's a same so much is lost over this medium because I can think of some
great jokes. :'(

But in all seriousness, I'd say be careful but I suspect more danger is in
putting this out to the real world than the PCT-L. Although who knows how
many serial killers we have on this list... A few names come to mind... :P

On Jan 21, 2008, at 5:18 PM, robo hiker wrote:

you're a trusting soul. my gosh. watch out for creeps!

   _____  

To: HYPERLINK "mailto:pct-l at backcountry.net"pct-l at backcountry.net
From: HYPERLINK "mailto:debbymparker at rcn.com"debbymparker at rcn.com
Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:56:36 -0500
Subject: [pct-l] I'm hiking '08

hey guys!!

I am an 18-year-old student (i will be starting my freshman year at Colorado
College in the fall) and i am planning on thru-hiking a large chunk of the
PCT (from Kennedy Meadows, Cali to southern Washington) beginning at the
border around June 4, 2008. I hike at a pretty fast pace (I backpacked the
225-mile John Muir Trail section of the PCT last summer in 11.5 days) and I
travel pretty light. I am looking for a companion or two to start out with
at the border. If you are interested, please email me at HYPERLINK
"mailto:debbymparker at rcn.com"debbymparker at rcn.com, message me, or give me a
call at 617-777-3891.

Thanks, and happy trails!

Debby

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