Lady Hammockers thread

[grannypat]

And GrannyPat, congrats on the Gatorade bottle achievement! Ha ha!

I wouldn't try it if I'd been drinking!

[Silvertip47203]

Maybe I missed it but did you report this incident to the authorities? Give decription of creepy guy? They would probably be willing to step up patrol in the area I would guess. Do you carry mace and have you thought about a self defense class through local law enforcement? I hate to hear this. Dont let it stop you from going where you want to go. Be prepared. I have a young daughter and I fear for her too now that she is growing older and wanting to do more without dad. Im trying to teach her about these situations. I wish you the best and be safe.

[CountryRoads]

Maybe I missed it but did you report this incident to the authorities? Give decription of creepy guy? They would probably be willing to step up patrol in the area I would guess. Do you carry mace and have you thought about a self defense class through local law enforcement? I hate to hear this. Dont let it stop you from going where you want to go. Be prepared. I have a young daughter and I fear for her too now that she is growing older and wanting to do more without dad. Im trying to teach her about these situations. I wish you the best and be safe.

I didn't report it, but maybe I will now that you mention that. I have mace and will carry that from now on, along with other forms of self protection. And after that experience I have been thinking about a self defense class. Teach your daughter well, she'll listen.

[erinkae]

Anyone (hey, from men too!) have any other safety ideas? Had a bad experience and now I want to be way more prepared.

I was hiking solo the other day, going to find a nice spot by the river and chill in my hammock for a bit, but ended up having the scariest experience I've ever had on the trail! I intentionally stalled starting on the trail because there was a guy heading in close to me and I wanted to hike alone. He seemed friendly, acknowledged me, was walking his dog and had a wooden hiking staff, I didn't have any concerns about him, just wanted to hike alone.

So, I was still prob a quarter mile from the trail head, with a clear line of site, watched the guy with the dog go in and as he did another guy walked out. I didn't think anything of it, but 5 or so min later when I got to the trail head and started in, the guy who had just come off the trail was still hovering there. He gave me a weird expressionless look, looked right at me but didn't really acknowledge me. Then he followed me onto the trail, was like 5 steps behind me, and this is a dark trail, with 60 foot drop offs on one side. I stopped, turned around and gave him a "you're freakin me out look" but that didn't seem to register with him so I did it again and he kept coming. So I stopped and acted like I was just looking at the river for a bit and he passed me.

I seriously went against my gut feeling to not hike that trail then. But I let him get a ways ahead and headed in. I could still see him. Then he veered off onto a side trail that doesn't go anywhere other than back onto the main trail. I got more afraid at this point, went another 30 steps or so, then decided I needed to get out of there, now! I hadn't gotten to the point where that side trail meets up again with the main trail, and as I'm heading out I see him coming towards me again. It was a deer in the headlights moment. He looked right at me and gave me that same almost blank look and as I was about 10 feet from him he started digging around in his pocket. Seemed like he was trying to rattle me. I passed him without incident and seriously double timed it back out, sure enough he popped out 5 min after me.

At this point I was within ears shot of people, near some athletic fields and a track, so I was relieved but didn't want him to follow me home, so I sat by the track. And now that guy started walking the track. He made two full laps before leaving. I watched him walk a few hundred feet, cross the bridge over the river, then I couldn't see anymore.

So, I figured it was safe and headed home, but sure enough, as soon as I crossed the bridge, he popped out 10 feet from me on a trail along the other side of the river! Could this all be a coincidence?! There were other people around at this point. I was prob 75 feet from a road, so I wasn't fearing for my life like before, but I don't think I've ever been that scared! I wish I would have hiked in with the guy with the dog!

Sorry that was so long winded. Here's one good tip that I've learned (well, ONE, LISTEN TO YOUR GUT!) and also carry your knife backwards with the dull end pressed right against your wrist, and the sharp side out. If someone tries to grab you, they'll probably grab your wrists. If you do that you can slice their hand and then go for the neck or groin! That's a good tip for dark streets and parking lots too.

I learned when I was little to always have my head on a swivel. It has saved me from danger many times and I pray that it continues to do so. I am happy to hear that you are safe and you trusted your gut. Majority of the time I did encounter dangerous situations I trusted my gut. When your body senses danger it has all sorts of alarms that kick in. But you have to remain calm and rational to try to get yourself out of what you might be in. I always carry some form of protection with me in an easy to access place on my body. My pack also has a built in whistle...its pretty loud. Be safe and observant It's a scary world out there. As for the changing part....I just change in my hammock. Usually its under a tarp. But if I know I am going to be out longer than a day I will have pant/shorts--where pants zip off into shorts. Makes it easier then trying to dance in to pants after waking up or before going to sleep.

[erinkae]

Oh I forgot to mention...My company had a seminar we went to for an app called MyForce. I am not sure if you were in an area with cell reception...but this is an awesome app to have if you are often out on your own or even if you are not. http://myforce.com/ --Granted it is $14.99/mth-- Just another safety thought to consider...

[Insaniac99]

Please be aware that not all "self-defense" classes are created equal, many will give you terrible advice that if you employ will likely wind you up in jail. I'm not saying don't go to one, I'm saying be careful about which one you go to and do your research. This is the website of Marc MacYoung, a noted author, instructor, professional witness, and generally considered one of the top experts on self-defense. He is also helpful and will suggest other quality places to go that won't teach you stuff that will end with you dead or in jail.

He talks a lot about the realities and practicalities of self-defense, including avoiding a physical confrontation in the first place and dealing with the aftermath in the courts because claiming self-defense is saying you are guilty but you were justified to do it and most self-defense pleas fall through.

So do take self-defense classes, but take them from someplace respectable that won't give you terrible advice.

[CountryRoads]

That looks like a really good site Insaniac99. I'll spend some more time on there later. Thanks. I did file a police report. I'm kickin myself for not taking a picture when he was walking the track. The local police department said look into the RAD program.

[Buckeye Bill]

Country Road

I have been following this thread from the beginning. As a former law enforcement officer I am very familiar with MACE and its effect on people. Mace comes out in a stream and you have to be within 5-8 feet of the subject for good accuracy. If you carry a small container, I suggest spraying the entire contents on the subject then running like hell. Let them worry about flushing their eyes out.

Bear spray on the other hand is basically the same chemical substance as Mace, but is packaged in larger containers. Some states you would pass thru on a thru hike have laws against carrying Mace, but bear spray is okay. Bear spray comes out as a fog and is effective out to 15 feet. Again spray the subject then run like hell. Personally I would carry bear spray over Mace while hiking. YMMV. I am sorry you had to go through something like that and do hope you contact the authorities where it occurred.

[CountryRoads]

I'll get some bear spray. Thanks. I hope I didn't cause this thread to get too far off the topic of hammocks. We can resume the Gatorade bottle discussion any time... Thanks for all the input and I hope we're all a little more vigilant about safety.

[MightyMouse]

MightyMouse, can you say more about your 'sport kilt'? Or point me to a website? Never thought about such a thing but I can see a lot of advantages. Thanks!

nc_robin, mine is Mountain Hardware brand. Duffy got it for me in about 2005, I think? Checking their website, I don't find one like it at all...but it's a combination of the men's kilt and the women's Trekkin Skirt. I can't seem to hike in pants or shorts anymore at all, and have given up trying. I am in the process of shortening it, as the length has become more of a hindrance than a help. I thought long and hard about switching to a little golf skirt or something similar, but I use the pockets on the kilt for my camera and my pocket knife -- and the material is tough as nails while still being drip dry.