i am pissed!

[rainmaker]

I got a ideal why don't we cover this guy with honey and tie him to
a tree in bear county that that

As a beekeeper it would break my heart to see good local honey used that way but if we must may I suggest that the a****** be staked out over a fire ant mound instead.

Seriously though, I have been trying to fathom the complete lunancy and senselessness of not only Ms. Emerson's murder but also the holiday murders of six people in either Oregon or Washington. There a family member and her boyfriend killed an extended family of six. Included in the carnage was a six year old and a three year old child as they tried to use a cell phone to call for help for their critically wounded mother. The boyfriend was quoted as saying little Nathan ( three) looked up at me and knew what was going to happen.

Makes you want to resign from the human specie.

[KirkMcquest]

No doubt there will be some changes in hikers demeanor this year. This tragedy can't help but send shock waves through the hiking community. It's a shame.

[cupcake]

i have felt unsafe on trails only twice ever ... once on the AT, once locally. locally ... because i was 3 miles from the trailhead and smelled a cigarette, with no one around (that i could see) (in the winter) (all brown). i walked faster ....
on the AT, i had a long (18 mile) day ... and got to a very depressing shelter. i so didn't want to spend the night alone, and was gleefully overjoyed when (eventually) two other hikers i knew showed up .... such relief!

i had spent most of the day alone. sometimes, i love that, other times, it scares me.

regardless, i won't stop hiking. i will listen, smell, look over my shoulder, look ahead. funny thing, i think most clearly when on (a) trail.

the best way to honor, remember, is to keep on walking.

[Jaybird62]

That is great cupcake. You should never let some idiot(s) change your way of thinking- it is good that you are cautious and observant, but none of us should have to live our lives in fear of some waste of life.