Inchworms Journal during 26 days lost...newest report

[Rain Man]

Just finished a good book last night about an experienced hiker who was lost out west and the intensive search for a body. Not that it'll bring closure in this case, but it does explain a similar situation of a hiker simply vanishing.

"The Last Season" by Eric Blehm. I just toss it out for what it's worth to anyone who might like a good book on a missing hiker. Helps understand how Inchworm could simply go missing.

I believe the mystery will be solved some day.

Rain Man

.

[SawnieRobertson]

Oh SawnieRobertson you come to Roanoke weekly for service dog training? That's really neat. We love dogs too.

I would love to meet up with you sometime when you drive in for training! Do you do the training through St. Frances? We were at the dogtober fest. they have there every year.

Yes, ask about the Animal Planet channel but the program is called North Woods Law .... Vanished.

I am amused with how clearly this states how distant I have become from watching TV (except at motels, etc.).
I am working with Karen Hough at Field of Dreams. Fleur absolutely loves it, and I love her response to her transition from diva dog to service dog. Yes, sometime for coffee/lunch. It is a 211-mile trip for me, so I have to time things carefully and am, as always, looking forward to more hours in each day. Thanks for the info.

[Coffee]

Just finished a good book last night about an experienced hiker who was lost out west and the intensive search for a body. Not that it'll bring closure in this case, but it does explain a similar situation of a hiker simply vanishing.

"The Last Season" by Eric Blehm. I just toss it out for what it's worth to anyone who might like a good book on a missing hiker.
.

Excellent book. It really made me think carefully about solo off-trail hiking and the risks I'm willing to take personally and what I'm willing to potentially subject my family to if I'm lost.

Of course, Randy Morgenson's situation was very different from the case of disappearing along the AT. I am also hopeful that this mystery will be solved soon.

[HikerMom58]

I am amused with how clearly this states how distant I have become from watching TV (except at motels, etc.).
I am working with Karen Hough at Field of Dreams. Fleur absolutely loves it, and I love her response to her transition from diva dog to service dog. Yes, sometime for coffee/lunch. It is a 211-mile trip for me, so I have to time things carefully and am, as always, looking forward to more hours in each day. Thanks for the info.

Yeah, Me too! Yeah, we can do coffee/lunch sometime.

Small world... I know Karen Hough at Field of Dreams. We do agility every week with her with our 2 Cairn Terriers. She's a good trainer.

[Siarl]

I've seen the program. I've never been to that part of the AT so I wasn't familiar with just how dense the trees and the underbrush were as I saw it on the show. I hope they find out what happened and will be able to give her husband some closure. Bless his heart.

For what it is worth, I was able to watch the program on you tube but they charge a very small fee, I think it was $2 bucks and some cents. I thought it was worth it if you are really interested.

[vamelungeon]

I have Comcast cable and was able to watch it for free with On Demand. I was very impressed with the efforts of the Maine Game Wardens.

[SawnieRobertson]

Finally having found my way to watch the North Woods Law episode devoted to the search for Inchworm, I simply wish it had been available to us a couple of months ago. Actually though, there are only a couple of things that we were not aware of mentioned--the spot of blood, the gun shack. Maybe they were mentioned, but I don't recall them. It was nice to get to know the guys that did the search. What I ultimately heard is that she is being treated as a missing person and that, if her body/belongings should be found, the scene will be treated as a do-not-disturb crime scene. I am satisfied with their efforts but not the results. I got to watch it through Amazon Prime.

[Bluebearee]

Excellent book. It really made me think carefully about solo off-trail hiking and the risks I'm willing to take personally and what I'm willing to potentially subject my family to if I'm lost.

Of course, Randy Morgenson's situation was very different from the case of disappearing along the AT. I am also hopeful that this mystery will be solved soon.

The Last Season is a great book, I've read it 3x. Was very popular @ BSP in 07 when it came out, as it relates how seasonal rangers are treated in parks, poor radios and coverage, sketchy housing, etc.

[ChinMusic]

This happened about a month before I got to that section of Maine. Most of the discussion was over before I got off the trail.

What are the thoughts of the professionals as to what might have happened? I can't see reading 76 pages.

[HikerMom58]

They don't know, Chin. They have no clue and are so frustrated that they couldn't find her or even a trace of her...she just vanished.

btw... I FB messaged you a while ago. I hope you got it.

[rustmd]

chin, it's a real mystery. . .my hiking partner & I met inchworm at poplar ridge sunday evening july 21. on july 22, early Monday morning, we had breakfast in the lean-to. . .there was inchworm, all packed up and ready to hike NOBO. she was just so happy and excited. . .I asked if I could take her photo, add to my own story of section hiking Maine. I took the pic, wished her a good day and she headed NOBO while my hiking partner & I headed SOBO. . . and that's the last time she was seen. .com

[ChinMusic]

chin, it's a real mystery. . .my hiking partner & I met inchworm at poplar ridge sunday evening july 21. on july 22, early Monday morning, we had breakfast in the lean-to. . .there was inchworm, all packed up and ready to hike NOBO. she was just so happy and excited. . .I asked if I could take her photo, add to my own story of section hiking Maine. I took the pic, wished her a good day and she headed NOBO while my hiking partner & I headed SOBO. . . and that's the last time she was seen. .com

Dang. When I was hiking that area I wasn't sure what the last point she was seen.

I fell a ton of times between Rangley and Poplar Ridge. That is a rough section and she was already through that part. Orbeton stream was fairly tame when I got there. I heard from a local at that point that it was flowing pretty strong at the time she passed there.

[ElephantEater]

The Animal Planet show Northwoods Law segment about Gerry's disappearance will be re-shown this Thursday at 8pm EST, so no need to pay per view unless you want to.

[Cosmo]

I was quite moved by that episode of the show (saw it as a re-broadcast last night). Usually I take "reality" TV with a large grain of salt. However, knowing the eventual outcome, it was pretty hard to watch--especially the conversations with her husband. One thing that did come through was that the Game Wardens (and everyone else) were deeply committed to finding her--this wasn't just a television stunt. The fake drama these types of shows usually try and generate was minimal, thankfully. Unusually for this program, which (in the episodes I've seen) follow several story threads per episode, they devoted the entire episode to this one story. Good work on both sides of the camera.

Cosmo

Thank you to EE for alerting us to this show. I watched and came away very impressed with the professionalism and thoroughness of the Maine Game Wardens and SAR and everyone involved in the search. They definitely knew what they were doing. So a great big THANK YOU to all the Maine professionals who do and did such outstanding work in carrying out their duties, as well as in the search for Gerry.

My heart goes out to her family.

[HikerMom58]

Yeah, Me too! Yeah, we can do coffee/lunch sometime.

Small world... I know Karen Hough at Field of Dreams. We do agility every week with her with our 2 Cairn Terriers. She's a good trainer.

Sawnie..thanks for the PM... I tried to reply but your inbox is full.

[SawnieRobertson]

Hiker Mom, Thank you. I fixed it.--Sawnie

[ElephantEater]

I see that Animal Planet will be repeating the Northwoods Law episode on Gerry on January 2nd at 11am. [The title is "Lost and Found" Season 2 Episode 9].

Thoughts and prayers for the family this sure to be sad first Christmas without Gerry. Merry Christmas everyone!

[forrest!]

I watched it on Amazon - just a couple of bucks. I was impressed with the Maine Wardens - I had no idea they were so professional and well trained. They did everything by the book and to the best of their ability.

[rustmd]

i also watched it, for $2, well-worth paying for. . .i had taken that photo of inchworm wearing the red jacket, early monday morning 7/22 in front of poplar ridge lean-to. i will always wonder how far did inchworm hike NOBO that morning from the lean-to. . .such a mystery. all of the good people in maine poured out everything they had to search. . .the area is truly incredibly dense, steep, rocky, practically impenetrable. how frustrating for maine game wardens that they could not find anything about inchworm. . .sigh. i still think of her, pray for her & family.

.com

[SawnieRobertson]

I am curious about how Inchworm began most of her mornings, not just this one. I am curious about her conversations with hikers she shared the trail with from her first day out until the last. Was .com's the only photo taken by others? She was sharing trail stories the night before her disappearance. Did she do this all along the trail? Have people who met her out there been forthcoming? Was there any remark she made to anybody that might give a hint as to what was to come? Or any remark made to anyone about her that those who are trying to put this together might find of interest? She did not live in a strange, silent bubble, unnoticed, ignored, of no interest to anybody for 1/2 of the trail. I wish she had journaled. I wish she had signed registers.
Until her remains or her scattered belongings are found, I assume that she is alive somewhere and wishes she could be with her family tomorrow (Christmas) morning. Surely there is someone out there who met her who could help her get home. No one?