Lost my wallet

[soilman]

I ran into two people who lost their wallets on my thru hike. One left his essential bag with money, id, meds, etc. at the Blueberry Patch Hostel. Luckily when we stopped for lunch the day we left the hostel he needed to take his meds and realized his mistake. He called Gary and after about 20 minutes of searching Gary found it and called back. He then had to hike back to the hostel. Another hiker lost her wallet off the trail when she stopped for a comfort stop. I ran into her at the trailhead at Wind Gap. She was in a panic. She was going to hitch to DWG and try to figure out what to do. Lucky for her, a hiker following her set up camp where she stopped and found her wallet. He took it to her at DWG and she thanked him by treating him to a raft trip.

[illabelle]

On most trips I carry an expired DL, a credit card I rarely use, and a little cash. Husband carries more. On a trip north, by air, I forgot to bring current ID to the airport security line. They let me through reluctantly, and only after "special handling." Won't make that mistake again!

We found a wallet over Thanksgiving on the trail in Georgia. Took a bit to locate a phone number for the owner, but they were grateful to have it back. If you carry your wallet on your person while hiking, I'd suggest keeping it in a pocket you're not using for other things. My guess is that this guy's wallet fell out while he was getting something else from that pocket.

[Bronk]

Dude you need to do your banking somewhere else if they're telling you it takes 1 to 2 weeks to replace a debit or credit card. I had a credit card fraud issue awhile back and needed to cancel a card and I called them at 3pm and Fed Ex was on my porch at 1030 the next morning with a new card...and my bank didn't charge me anything for it.

[Wolf - 23000]

On my first AT thru-hike many years ago, I lost my wallet too Story Spring Shelter, VT. I spent a full day looking everywhere for it. Sad to say, I believe a hiker going the opposite direction stole it from me. It had my ID, some pictures, and a little bit of money.

4 years later, while doing the PCT, out of the blue a package was sent to my home from VT. When my Mom opened the package, it turned out to be my wallet I had lost. It was all weather and the pictures were destroyed. A hiker had found my wallet in the woods and mailed it back to me. It was really nice of someone.

My point being, never give up hope. It still might pop-up when you don’t expect it.

Wolf

[Sly]

I've lost my wallet out of state with license and credit cards and have everything replaced online or on the phone (mailed to a friends address) within a couple days. I was lucky I had a bit of cash to tide me over though.

[Hoop]

500 mi from home lost wallet at interstate rest stop in VA, had enough gas to get to destination in Maryland. No other ID, no money. Saturday morning at bank, had to convince skeptical manager I'm me. Asked her to pull debit card (has image of my face) from computer, and there I was, so she issued me a temp card on the spot. She also could confirm the fuel and food I'd bought the day before (I had receipts). Anyhoo, in a few days I open the mailbox and there's the wallet - maintenance guy mowing found it in the grass on entrance ramp. All there except the cash. I'd taken steps to replace everything but it was heartwarming for a stranger to make the effort.

[Bronk]

Dealing with the lost and found where I work I can tell you that "found" wallets almost never have any cash in them. And judging from the description many people give of where/how they found them the person who turns the wallet in to lost and found is almost never the first person to have found it...my guess is the first finder takes the cash and tosses the wallet for someone else to find. Though one time someone did turn in a wallet with about $800 in it.

[swjohnsey]

It is always a good idea to have an ID that will get you on an airline, a credit card and a little cash squirreled away when you travel.