View Full Version : SOBO Rock Plopper
Letting everyone know that SOBO Rock Plopper was doing a slack from Manchester to my house in Bennington and was struck by lightning last night on Glastenbury Mtn. She has been taken to a Boston hospital's burn unit. No other details right now but everyone should send positive healing energy her way.
Jester2000
08-22-2009, 12:38
Oh my God! This is horrible and crazy. I'll keep her in my thoughts -- let us know if you get any updates.
modiyooch
08-22-2009, 15:00
I met Rock Plopper last week in southern NH. "positive healing energy" ?? how about PRAYER. Was Nap Time with her? Please keep us posted.
She stayed with us at Green Mountain House Thursday night and I dropped her off near RT 7 to hitch to Bennington so she could get her maildrop before the weekend.
Please keep us posted Arla.
Zabigail
08-23-2009, 03:58
Thoughts and prayers sent!
chiefduffy
08-23-2009, 04:29
Prayers enroute.
I don't know if I will get any news. I do know that she changed her direction and was actually hiking north, after leaving her stuff here at my house. She was able to make it out of the woods and was picked up by a woman from Dorset, who took her to our hospital. They transferred her by ambulance to Boston. Positive healing energy is the same as prayer to me. And I know it works. I also don't know if anyone was with her but I don't think so.
modiyooch
08-23-2009, 09:22
I don't know if I will get any news. I do know that she changed her direction and was actually hiking north, after leaving her stuff here at my house. She was able to make it out of the woods and was picked up by a woman from Dorset, who took her to our hospital. They transferred her by ambulance to Boston. Positive healing energy is the same as prayer to me. And I know it works. I also don't know if anyone was with her but I don't think so.thanks Arla
modiyooch
08-23-2009, 09:23
thanks Arla
what is her real name? I know she was from FT Lauderdale
My biggest concern is that I met Rock Plopper on Smarts Mountain with a friend Nap Time. She and Nap Time were going to spend the night on top in the fire tower cabin. I just wonder since Glastenbury Mountain had a fire tower if she didn't start making this a practice as if she was sleeping and a storm came up, could she have got electrocuted due to the tower being a good lightning rod. However Arla said she was slackpacking but that is a 22 mile stretch without a road crossing. What is amazing is that she got out to a road after hiking quite a long distance if the incident occurred at Glastenbury Mt. and nobody came upon her to assist until she got to the road. Maybe the incident happened much closer to the Kelly Stand Road which will then take you out to the Stratton-Arlington Road. There seems to be alot more to this story. I am hoping that Rock Plopper did not do something stupid to bring on such a self-inflicted injury. Sleeping in firetowers is not a good practice. However hiking in lightning storms can sometimes not be helped and you hope and pray for the best. I was caught in a serious storm last year near the summit of Lafayette and hunkered down just below treeline in the midst of two foot high shrubbery and prayed. After the storm subsided I climbed over Lafayette and descended to Greenleaf Hut. Right now I pray for Rock Plopper's full recovery and hope in due time all is well.
RITBlake
08-24-2009, 10:43
Surprised this thread is not getting more attention as one of our own has been badly hurt.
modiyooch
08-24-2009, 10:58
Surprised this thread is not getting more attention as one of our own has been badly hurt.
There is absolutely no information to be found. I scanned the local news, trailjournals, and lightning strike agencies. It would help to know her real name. She may have been alone, because the girl she was hiking with stopped off in Hanover to spend time with family. Since her personal items are at the hostel, maybe we will know more later.
I have a little more info. Rock Plopper was actually struck twice by lightning. She was taken to Mass General Hospital and is being treated by their burn unit. She is receiving therapy as she is having trouble walking. A friend of mine saw someone dropping her off at the Arlington exit of Route 7 and she was having difficulty walking. I think it is a very good sign that she was able to hike out. She apparently had no damage to her internal organs but has burns on a hand and foot. So, really she is very lucky and may have to change her trail name to Lightning Rod. When she is discharged from Mass general, she is going to Springfield, MA, where she will be staying with family. I have let Rob Bird and Tom Levardi know so they are on the look out for Light Weight to get him the message. I will post again if I get additional info.
I don't know her real name, not unusual. And I don't think she was sleeping in the fire tower. A Long Trail hiker met her in the shelter and she sent him here because it was so stormy. I think she just got caught and there was nothing she could do to prevent this.
I have her name and contact info. PM me for details.
modiyooch
08-30-2009, 08:32
any updated info?
No news. I was able to reach Lite Weight finally. I heard Rock Plopper was going to recuperate in Springfield, MA. I did get her name and e-mail so hopefully I will hear from her eventually. I sent her a message.
As of the 28th of August, Rock Plopper was still hospitalized and is in a lot of pain. Her real name is Becky Garriss.
As of today, I learned that Rock Plopper was discharged and is recuperating briefly in MA and will be returning to FL. She is very lucky and will need ongoing therapy for her hand and foot, which were internally burned.
Jester2000
09-03-2009, 10:54
Sounds like the best that could be hoped for in the awful situation. I hope Becky eventually recuperates fully. At the very least, she has a great/awful story to tell.
my prayers are with her for a speedy recovery. Most definately, I'd change my trail name to Rod.