[pct-l] Stealth camping

[Trekker4 at aol.com]

I remember two hikers last summer, Park Bench &  Laces, who must have stealth 
camped dozens times. In OR Laces was saying  she'd only spent $12.50 on 
lodging all the way from Mexico. They'd show up in  the morning, obviously not 
having stayed where others of us did. As frequently  happens to this slower, 
section hiker, these two thru hikers goofed around a  lot; I saw them over a two 
week period - coming up behind me  again  (over half a dozen times), still in 
town when I got there, etc. One day,  just S of Ashland I believe, they were 
going to zoom into town  by doing another ten miles. Two hours later, Park Bench 
was on his 3rd beer  at a Trail Angel stop. They passed me later that day, but 
only  beat me into town by a couple hours the next day; as they slept in a 
lot also.  This isn't a criticism; I enjoyed seeing them, and talking to them.  
I don't remember the town in 2007, but one guy,  with some implausible 
stories about his gullibility,  stealthed(flagged by  Spell Check, so copyright 2009 
by Trekker) on the edge of that town for  three nights. It can obviously be 
done; just look around on the way in,   and use your imagination. Where motels 
are $90, a stealthy night buys a lot  of Ben & Jerry's.
    Funny, slightly related story: Once on the AT  myself and a female were 
in a no-camping section, possibly; there was  no marker at the N end of the 
section it turned out, so we were never  sure. We went down a side footpath until 
the top of the tent couldn't  be seen from the trail and camped; of course no 
one was going to be  patrolling anyhow. About halfway through dusk, she went 
off a ways for her final  squat for the night. Just as she pulled her pants 
down and squatted, a very,  very, very close Barred Owl opened his/her mouth. 
I've never seen  someone jump up so fast! I laughed and laughed, but she was not 
a happy camper,  both from the owl and my laughter. She was sure it was some 
guy in the  woods behind her, she admitted two days later.  
 
Bob  "Trekker"
Big Bend Desert Denizen
Naturalized Citizen - Republic of  Texas






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