Lost Pack!

[hikersmom]

My son arrived in Gainesville minus one pack...he arrived on Saturday...and so far still no pack. Last known location was Greyhound Bus Station, Nashville, Tn.

He was told it should have arrived in Gainesville at 5PM today...of course it didn't.

any ideas anyone?

[Blissful]

Wow, I am sorry to hear that. I hope someone has an idea. I only know that airlines hunt down lost luggage, but not sure about busses, what the route for a claim is? Might give them a call.

[Lost My Mind]

I'm in Nashville. If there is anything I can do from this end let me know. If you find out it is still at the bus station, I could pick it up and ship it to you if you don't want to take a chance of them sending it on!

[hikersmom]

I'm in Nashville. If there is anything I can do from this end let me know. If you find out it is still at the bus station, I could pick it up and ship it to you if you don't want to take a chance of them sending it on!

Thank you, I am hoping to hear from him tomorrow, he is still in Gainesville GA. Staying at a hotel there. His plan is to contact the lost baggage dept. tomorrow morning. He was told by the driver that it would be sent on to Gainesville. But we are now wondering...Gainesville Florida, or Gainsville, GA?

I will be in contact when I hear from him. Thank you.

[Bulldawg]

Thank you, I am hoping to hear from him tomorrow, he is still in Gainesville GA. Staying at a hotel there. His plan is to contact the lost baggage dept. tomorrow morning. He was told by the driver that it would be sent on to Gainesville. But we are now wondering...Gainesville Florida, or Gainsville, GA?

I will be in contact when I hear from him. Thank you.

I work in Gainesville everyday. If he needs anything, contact me, I'd be glad to help if I can.

[Tennessee Viking]

My son arrived in Gainesville minus one pack...he arrived on Saturday...and so far still no pack. Last known location was Greyhound Bus Station, Nashville, Tn.

He was told it should have arrived in Gainesville at 5PM today...of course it didn't.

any ideas anyone?

Knowing the Nashville terminal. It was probably stashed on the wrong bus.

[Lyle]

Once had a pack travel from Chicago to Detroit via Atlanta and New York City. I went direct, pack went touring. Once it made it to Detroit, it was sent via currier to my hometown bus station. Took about three days, but eventually I got it.

Here's hoping it works out ok for him.

[Appalachian Tater]

But we are now wondering...Gainesville Florida, or Gainsville, GA?

That may very well be the root of the problem. Lots of college-aged kids going to Gainesville, Florida, not so much Gainesville, Georgia. My money would be on finding it in or it having gone through Gainesville, Florida, if it is found. Hope he gets it back.

[digger51]

The same thing happened to a young guy at the Hiker Hostel a couple of weeks ago. He constantly called the terminals between the last one he saw the pack at and Gainesville. It finally showed up at Gainesville with only his camp shoes and a couple of nalgene bottles missing. Moral of the story...keep calling all the bus stations till you find it.

[Mother Nature]

Just in case he is relying on the bus station to call him and not checking personally the arrival luggage, he should scout the station.

We shuttled a fellow a few years back that had the same problem. He kept calling bus station and he was told they hadn't seen it yet.

We were shuttling another lady to Springer from the airport so the other hiker with the missing pack went for the ride for something to do. We stopped by the bus station on the way out of Atlanta. He saw his pack leaning against a wall near the front counter.

He just picked up the unattended pack, everything was inside, and left. No one ever called and reported it had arrived or that it disappeared.

Hope all goes well with finding the missing pack!

[spittinpigeon]

The same thing happened to a young guy at the Hiker Hostel a couple of weeks ago. He constantly called the terminals between the last one he saw the pack at and Gainesville. It finally showed up at Gainesville with only his camp shoes and a couple of nalgene bottles missing. Moral of the story...keep calling all the bus stations till you find it.

I met that guy, he's from my city. VERY lucky he was to only have the nalgene and shoes missing. There were expensive things in his pack.

[Captain]

what bus service did he use cuase im going to be using greyhound and they say on thier website the traveler is responsible for making sure it gets transfered to each bus correctly, as long as he picked it up from the old bus and waited till he saw it was loaded onto the next one it shouldnt have been a problem

[spittinpigeon]

Just keep it with you all the time. That's what I do. If your pack isn't huge, should fit right between your legs.

[Mother Nature]

what bus service did he use cuase im going to be using greyhound and they say on thier website the traveler is responsible for making sure it gets transfered to each bus correctly, as long as he picked it up from the old bus and waited till he saw it was loaded onto the next one it shouldnt have been a problem

That's a true statement however...

The hiker I referred to in the previous post kept his pack with him at all times. He watched it carefully. It was stacked up with stuff being loaded on the bus. He stayed with it until he was told he had to board. From the window he watched them load the bus and at some point things no longer fit and the luggage cart with his pack was taken away. He ran off the bus and was told his bag was being put on another bus heading to Atlanta and would arrive about the same time as his. When he got off the bus he immediately asked when the next bus was scheduled to arrive and he stayed and watched every bus coming to Atlanta all the day and evening.

Personally, after all the grief I have read and seen, if I were in the position to hike the AT and traveling public transportation I would mail the bag and gear to myself to be picked up at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega or elsewhere. I realize that's no guarantee but it seems better odds.

[Lilred]

This is very disturbing since I will be taking a bus to Roanoke on May 25th. My husband and I have come up with a solution, although I am not happy with it. He suggests I put my pack in a big box and travel with it that way. Theft is his concern. Me, I'd rather just try to get on the bus with it.

Has anybody travelled on a greyhound and was able to take their pack on the bus with them?

[Alligator]

what bus service did he use cuase im going to be using greyhound and they say on thier website the traveler is responsible for making sure it gets transfered to each bus correctly, as long as he picked it up from the old bus and waited till he saw it was loaded onto the next one it shouldnt have been a problem

I've been to one big terminal (Greyhound in TX) where the loading/unloading was done out of site, so watching the bag at all times was not possible. They also lost my bag there too. I think it took 2 days to get back to me.

[Bare Bear]

Hvaing worked for Delta Airlines and a large tour bus company:
Always make sure old baggage tags are removed before you leave your bag so that only a new one is on it. Many bags go missing or get wrong routed due to an old bar code being read by a machine and it is getting more probably than not that a machine is reading the info not a person.
Second make sure you have a permanent lable with home address and if possible your Cell phone number inside the bag clearly visible. It is easy to make that cell call to you if someone finds it.

[hikersmom]

Thanks to all who have replied to this post. As of 9:00 this morning (Monday), when I heard from my son...still no pack...though they thought it was in Atlanta, and would arrive in Gainesville today.

He did not change buses in Nashville, where his pack was left...he did make the mistake of not watching it at each stop. He saw it sitting on the side of the bus parking area as they were pulling out, but the driver refused to stop, said it would be sent along.

Yeah right.

He has turned his cell phone off due to worry about the battery going dead, since the charger is in his pack!

I gave him the phone number of Hiker Hostel...my hope is he goes there...but dunno...its his choice...not mine.

He has been hanging out at the bus station off and on since Saturday...

If he calls me back I will pass along all advice from ya'll....thanks so much!

[hikersmom]

Hvaing worked for Delta Airlines and a large tour bus company:
Always make sure old baggage tags are removed before you leave your bag so that only a new one is on it. Many bags go missing or get wrong routed due to an old bar code being read by a machine and it is getting more probably than not that a machine is reading the info not a person.
Second make sure you have a permanent lable with home address and if possible your Cell phone number inside the bag clearly visible. It is easy to make that cell call to you if someone finds it.

His name, address, and cell phone number are clearly marked on the bag....dunno....

[George]

If you would like to post a list I could start working on a set of gear if he does not need it there is nothing lost