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ShowMe
03-16-2007, 22:41
When in town, do you ever just have to have faith that your pack won't get stolen and leave it somewhere out of sight? (like a busy restaraunt, supermarket...liquor store) This is assuming you don't have a hotel room, hostel or gaurd dog...or friend:(

Thanks

Footslogger
03-16-2007, 22:44
Use common sense. Never let your pack out of your sight. If they are not allowed inside a restaurant place it where you can see it while inside.

'Slogger

Sly
03-16-2007, 22:56
Yeah, I hate to leave my pack or where I can't see it. Although it's rare, they do get stolen on occasion. Use your best judgment and pray.

ShowMe
03-16-2007, 23:36
Use common sense. Never let your pack out of your sight. If they are not allowed inside a restaurant place it where you can see it while inside.

'Slogger

I gotcha. Do many places mind if you take your pack in with you? If Im at Shoney's AYCE and I can't get a table within eyeshot of a place for my pack I'm just gonna stuff my pockets with biscuits and hash browns and fill my Camelbak with gravy. I think I'd be too concerned about my pack walking off to leave it unseen.

:) Thanks,
Geoff

grysmn
03-17-2007, 00:16
What I keep in mind is what time, effort, and money, that it would take to replace my pack. There are many varibles to watching a pack. Sometimes there are Hikers that I know in the area of the pack, in a shopping center I place my pack in The shopping cart's bottom rack while in the market. Sometimes I place the pack close to a customer service rep. I also note if there are cameras present. I sometimes attach my poles to the pack so that the poles can be seen through a window. In Hostels if there are people whom I know that are doing thier laundry or hanging, I ask if I can pick something up for them while shopping. One of the worst things that you can do is leave your pack visible at a trail head, this appears where most packs are stolen. Place your pack fifty feet of the trail, bury it in leaves and branches, paying attention to the possibility of people hanging or drinking in the area. If yuou leave your pack visible keep in mind that people stop to urinate at trailheads or people drimk at trail heads and will take your pack place it in thier car and scoot. This response:sun is long enough

The Weasel
03-17-2007, 00:29
I disagree with Grysmn only about one thing: NEVER leave your pack near the trail, whether at a trail head or anywhere along it. Packs that have been covered and "hidden" perfectly have been found and stolen. DON'T do it.

The Weasel

grysmn
03-17-2007, 01:00
Weasel's Right, Most people will screw up stashing a pack. Sorry Gent's if I could I would edit my previous advice.

mweinstone
03-17-2007, 07:42
trust everyone and dont worry. trails safest place in the world. enjoy the last strip of reletive safty the trail towns exhibit. use the time to measure the fear inside we all share back home. trails safe man. real real safe. love it.

Marta
03-17-2007, 07:46
I gotcha. Do many places mind if you take your pack in with you?

I didn't leave my pack outside more than three or four times on my whole hike. It helped that my pack was relatively small, fairly clean, and didn't smell. I was also hiking by myself most of the time, so I wasn't part of a big crowd suddenly invading a small store. Inside the store, if it was small and had narrow aisles, I'd carry the pack by the haul loop, so I wasn't knocking into things when I moved around. And set it between my feet when I stopped to look at stuff. In restaurants, I'd put the pack against the wall or in its own chair. I also carried my hiking sticks into stores and restaurants, making sure not to bash into things.

Or you can ask the folks at the cash register if you can leave your pack near them.

It helps a whole lot if you're cleanish. No one wants big clods of mud or clouds of dirt tracked into their store or restaurant.

The places I remember off the top of my head where I had to leave my pack outside were The Inn at the Long Trail, a small country store in CT or NY, and Gelinas B&B in Boiling Springs. (Having to leave it outside at the B&B pissed me off. I would not stay there again. I shouldn't have stayed there the first time, but I was tired and lacked the energy to go someplace else.)

When I did leave my pack outside, I removed the camera, wallet, cell phone, etc. and carried them with me.

I think it helped a lot that I am--by hiker standards--an old lady, and not normally perceived as threatening to merchants.

Marta/Five-Leaf

hopefulhiker
03-17-2007, 07:57
One time when I went into to town just to eat and pick up a couple of things I hid my pack very well in the woods and then came back and picked it up later that day..

Lone Wolf
03-17-2007, 09:15
trust everyone and dont worry. trails safest place in the world. enjoy the last strip of reletive safty the trail towns exhibit. use the time to measure the fear inside we all share back home. trails safe man. real real safe. love it.

bull****. people die trusting. always assume

rafe
03-17-2007, 09:32
I've done about eight or ten "bike-hikes" over the years, which involve my leaving the pack in the woods near a trailhead for a few hours. Knock wood, no problems so far. I generally walk a few dozen yards into the woods in some unlikely direction. Maybe leave the pack behind some boulder or hillock, out of view. I worry more about critters getting into my food bag (in the pack) but that hasn't happened either. I suppose there's always a first time. The trailheads I'm talking about aren't particularly busy or popular, and in any case, I usually walk a minute or two up the trail (away from the road) before looking for a place to park the pack.

Lyle
03-17-2007, 10:09
Just a word of caution if you decide to "stash your pack". Always make darn sure you can find it again!

Several years ago, I was hiking in Colorado. A well-known, very experienced hiker (shall remain nameless to protect the guilty:)) decided to stash their pack while climbing a near-by 14,000 footer. On their return, they spent the better part of three hours hunting for their pack. Not something you want to loose in the Colorado wilderness or on an AT thru.

Sounds like common sense, but do make sure you have a fool-proof way to recognize your stash.

Lyle :sun

weary
03-17-2007, 10:51
Weasel's Right, Most people will screw up stashing a pack. Sorry Gent's if I could I would edit my previous advice.
If all other strategies fail, I try to leave my pack where a lot of people are nearby on the theory that sneak thieves worry that someone nearby may own the pack, so they practice their thievery where no one is watching.

BTW it costs just $10 a year for the right to edit, and you get other goodies. Besides AT Troll can use the money.

Weary

Earl Grey
03-19-2007, 16:28
I was thinking about this the other day.

If youre staying at a hostel is it ok to leave your pack while you go out around town? In the hostel where should you leave the pack?

frieden
03-19-2007, 17:10
Many hostels will have some sort of storage set up (free or fee). Never leave it in your room, if other people are staying in the same room too. I made that mistake on a UK trip. In a large enough town, you can use train/bus station lockers.



If youre staying at a hostel is it ok to leave your pack while you go out around town? In the hostel where should you leave the pack?

Heater
03-19-2007, 18:04
I was thinking about this the other day.

If youre staying at a hostel is it ok to leave your pack while you go out around town? In the hostel where should you leave the pack?

Might consider a fanny pack to carry cash, C-Cards, ID, Camera and other valuables. Most of these things you want to have with you at all times anyway.

saimyoji
03-19-2007, 20:27
I wasn't part of a big crowd suddenly invading a small store....



Not a thru-hiker....Does this happen alot? Invasions that is....seems that this would be something to include as part of "town ettiquette."

I've never even thought about this. Perhaps taking turns if you're in a big group....or is this what people do anyway and I'm just demonstrating what an ignoramus slowpoke I am.....:-?

OHBob
03-19-2007, 22:46
Hi, quick question prompted by this discussion. I'm planning to take Amtrak to Harper's Ferry and hike south this summer. I've taken Amtrak, but not with my camping gear. Do those of you with experience in this check your pack with the other luggage, or carry it on. The last Amtrak I took had a place to store large suitcases and such right inside the door. We couldn't take anything substantial to our seats. So, what's the advice from those who have traveled to camping destinations via Amtrak? Check on luggage, or carry on?

jambalaya
03-19-2007, 23:14
We took our whole packs onto the train when we took Amtrak last year, but we had a sleeper cabin. It was still pretty tight.

The grocery store in Kent, CT (an A&P, I think?) won't let you bring in your pack. that was the only time I left it alone outside in a town, and it didn't get stolen. Stashed it on the trail a few times for sidetrips, and it didn't get stolen.

Is there anyone out there who never leaves their stuff in a hostel to go eat dinner or something? I would always just put my stuff on a bed, and enjoy the freedom of walking around pack-free for a few hours.

Heard of only two guys getting their packs stolen, and this was from the trailside while they were in town.

freefall
03-20-2007, 00:36
Heard of only two guys getting their packs stolen, and this was from the trailside while they were in town.

Sexy Monk had his pack stolen while in a produce market (?) in Palmerton last year. It was w/ a couple of other packs and was the only one taken. Just not a good idea to leave your pack unattented in a public place.

The Smokey Mountain Diner in Hot Springs doesn't allow packs inside. They have an area outside designated for packs but unsecured and not easily seen from inside.

"The Barn" restaurant in Groseclose, VA made us leave our packs outside, but they could be seen, or, at least the area by the packs could be seen through the window.

fonsie
03-20-2007, 05:41
Well I am a loner and I would never stash my pack. I have walked in bars, stores, resterants....ect... whith my pack on. If I was told I hade to leave my pack outside I would not shop at that store and hike on. I have over 1,500 sank into my pack and gear. Pluss I would have to take my walet, phone, camera, and all my little stuff out. Nah I rather hike on and head to the next store or I would'nt eat at the resterant. I amit people on the trail are pretty honist. It just takes that one ******* to grab a pack and roll out with it. I rather not be a statistic that gets his pack jacked b thatoneperson. I beleive if someone steals a pack they should get stabbed in the stomach with a 12inch knife.....