Identified! FL - Big Cypress Natl Preserve, Male Hiker, Denim & “Mostly Harmless” July 2018 - Vance Rodriguez

[Gardener1850]

I think I found the church where he stayed in Duncannon, PA:
Duncannon churches reach out to AT hikers
Trail Angels

He would have been there in either June or July based on the timeline.

I was hoping maybe someone took a photo of him there but I have not found one of him yet online. Would anyone like to post the Sheriff Office post on the church's social media pages?
Maybe he told someone at the church his real name?

 

[SugarQueen]

Some hikers mentioned they camped with him towards the beginning of his hike at the "vistors center" in Unionville, NY. I have searched and searched and cannot figure out where exactly this visitor center is located or what kind of place it is (Hostel? Drop box pick up location? shelter? ranger station?) Does it have a website or facebook page that might have photos? TIA to anyone who can figure this out.

Unionville doesn’t have an actual “ visitors center” that I know of. I believe they are probably talking about town hall where you would get the camping permit. Town hall is right next to the post office. Behind town hall is a very small park. There is also a well maintained grass lot that runs behind the post office. I’ve seen people campin the park and the grass lot.
Unionville is a tiny, tiny town. There is a store called Horlers General Store that is popular with hikers. Horlers is where you would get your camping permit when town hall is closed. They have a decent sized front porch with chairs. They serve deli sandwiches, salads, and sometimes meatloaf or such.
I own 2 rentals in Unionville. I’ll try to print a few posters Tuesday. I’m sure I can hang one on Horlers bulletin board. I’ll see if the tiny town hall and the pizzeria will post them also.
If there is anything else I can help with feel free to ask.

 

[dorothyland]

I think I found the church where he stayed in Duncannon, PA:
Duncannon churches reach out to AT hikers
Trail Angels

He would have been there in either June or July based on the timeline.

I was hoping maybe someone took a photo of him there but I have not found one of him yet online. Would anyone like to post the Sheriff Office post on the church's social media pages?
Maybe he told someone at the church his real name?

I'll post it if it hasn't been done by the time I get over there.

24-25 Feb 2018 – A camper (BV) met him at Sand Pond Campground is in Pine Log State Forest, in Ebro, FL. He left from there headed for the FL trail. He told BV he had been staying with his sister in Sarasota or Ft. Myers, FL and started in that area. He also talked to BV about some health problems and needed/wanted to do this trip while he still could.

I wonder about the Sarasota/Ft. Myers, FL lead. I'm going to check the local Facebook pages for those communities to see if anyone has post about this John Doe and the possibility of him having family in those areas.

 

[Classito]

I noticed the thick Irish accent but as it was said that Harmless was quiet and a few months had gone between the time he disappeared and the time someone first remembers him..

The newest rule out doesn't look anything like Harmless in my opinion...Again I have to wonder if there is another feature they are looking for

 

[dorothyland]

I think I found the church where he stayed in Duncannon, PA:
Duncannon churches reach out to AT hikers
Trail Angels

He would have been there in either June or July based on the timeline.

I was hoping maybe someone took a photo of him there but I have not found one of him yet online. Would anyone like to post the Sheriff Office post on the church's social media pages?
Maybe he told someone at the church his real name?

I sent Duncannon Assembly of God church page a message. I didn't want to post directly to their page without permission out of respect for their community. I sent them all the information and asked if they would kindly post the Sheriff's update and share this information with their congregation.

 

[Classito]

From a FL Trail Blog
Feb 22
We walked two more miles down 98 until we entered Aucilla WMA again. Not far in we found flooded trail and ended up having to splash through. It was in this section that we encountered a southbound hiker named Mostly Harmless. He was doing the trail without the GPS app or detailed maps. I don't know how he has gotten as far as he has. Both Sugar Rush and I have had issues with the route, even with our GPS position in hand. We exchanged trail information for various sections, going into greater detail than usual to help Mostly Harmless out as best we could.

 

[dorothyland]

From a FL Trail Blog
Feb 22
We walked two more miles down 98 until we entered Aucilla WMA again. Not far in we found flooded trail and ended up having to splash through. It was in this section that we encountered a southbound hiker named Mostly Harmless. He was doing the trail without the GPS app or detailed maps. I don't know how he has gotten as far as he has. Both Sugar Rush and I have had issues with the route, even with our GPS position in hand. We exchanged trail information for various sections, going into greater detail than usual to help Mostly Harmless out as best we could.

This does come across as a very "Into the Wild" situation. I wonder if his goal was to disconnect from all society indefinitely.

 

[eucalyptuz]

I found an earlier INSTAGRAM reference to a hiker called "Denim" who helped out a fellow hiker by giving them a replacement piece for a backpack buckle.

Same brand backpack as our Doe's. If it is him, that would place him in Massachusetts as a NOBO AT hiker in Dec of 2016...
Do you think it's worth reaching out to this person?

The hip belt buckle was still holding up and locking into another piece (although not all the way in) after it broke but I knew that not for long. Was going to be in town in three days to call Deuter for replacement. Same day, I met a NoBo named Denim who just happened to have a spare Gregory buckle on him to save my day The trail is so magical. Thank you Denim!

Edited to add: location on trail
Google Maps

 

[Gardener1850]

I noticed the thick Irish accent but as it was said that Harmless was quiet and a few months had gone between the time he disappeared and the time someone first remembers him..

The newest rule out doesn't look anything like Harmless in my opinion...Again I have to wonder if there is another feature they are looking for

I agree he doesn't look like the photos but I could see someone suggesting Paul based on the sketch only. He may be on the official NAMUS rule out list because someone from the LE agency handling his missing person's case might have submitted it. Or one of Paul's family members might have asked if it was him, just to make sure. Again, at the beginning they only had a sketch. Very often the rule outs list have people who are no where near the description. It doesn't indicate anything about the actual features of the UID, IMO.

 

[Gardener1850]

Bringing forward the Rule Out List:

Sheriff fb has directly responded on several suggestions on their page saying -- " That is not the decedent".
Most of these responses are found here: Collier County Sheriff's Office

Ruled out:
Glen Oldfield (ruled out on UID's NAMUS page)
Paul Glova (Ruled out on UID's NAMUS page)
Kyle Leigh Art
Robert Wayne Roush
Jeffrey Alan Boughton
Michael Robinson
Joel Matthew Thompson
Kris Fowler
Trevor Nichols

Other MP's suggested on fb page (but Sheriff has not replied yet):
David William Blake
Joshua Wellman (a family member did reply that this is not him)
Joshua Scott
Eric Daniel Prueitt
Christopher King
Bradley Allen (a family member replied it is not him)
Shane Michael Fell
Patrick Lee Ghering
Derek Lueking (his mother replied it is not him)

 

[Gardener1850]

I sent Duncannon Assembly of God church page a message. I didn't want to post directly to their page without permission out of respect for their community. I sent them all the information and asked if they would kindly post the Sheriff's update and share this information with their congregation.

Thank You, Dorothyland!

 

[Gardener1850]

I found an earlier INSTAGRAM reference to a hiker called "Denim" who helped out a fellow hiker by giving them a replacement piece for a backpack buckle.

Same brand backpack as our Doe's. If it is him, that would place him in Massachusetts as a NOBO AT hiker in Dec of 2016...
Do you think it's worth reaching out to this person?



Edited to add: location on trail
Google Maps

I saw posts about a Denim from 2015 and earlier as well. I think Denim might just be a commonly chosen trail name. I was just talking to a friend who tried to hike the AT with his brother once years ago and it just so happened that his brother insisted on starting out hiking wearing jeans.... So I think it must be pretty common that new hikers don't realize how impractical jeans are for long distance hikes and there is probably a "Denim" or two every year. JMO.

 

[eucalyptuz]

I saw posts about a Denim from 2015 and earlier as well. I think Denim might just be a commonly chosen trail name. I was just talking to a friend who tried to hike the AT with his brother once years ago and it just so happened that his brother insisted on starting out hiking wearing jeans.... So I think it must be pretty common that new hikers don't realize how impractical jeans are for long distance hikes and there is probably a "Denim" or two every year. JMO.

Yes, but to also have an identically-branded backpack buckle...
I will try to send a msg to the poster...

 

[dorothyland]

Yes, but to also have an identically-branded backpack buckle...
I will try to send a msg to the poster...

I think it might be worth checking out, if to do nothing but rule it out.

 

[Classito]

Makes sense as Harmless completed the AT and would have had to head North first if starting in NY

 

[coffeeandacig]

I'll post it if it hasn't been done by the time I get over there.



I wonder about the Sarasota/Ft. Myers, FL lead. I'm going to check the local Facebook pages for those communities to see if anyone has post about this John Doe and the possibility of him having family in those areas.

Live in the Sarasota/Ft. Myers corridor, and we've got no missing people matching his description.

Earlier, I made a post that Mostly Harmless looked very familiar to me, before reading about the possible Sarasota/Ft. Myers connection.
I really wonder now, if I met him somewhere in the area???

 

[dorothyland]

Live in the Sarasota/Ft. Myers corridor, and we've got no missing people matching his description.

Earlier, I made a post that Mostly Harmless looked very familiar to me, before reading about the possible Sarasota/Ft. Myers connection.
I really wonder now, if I met him somewhere in the area???

Yes, this is why I wonder if there are any active Facebook pages in your area to post his story to. Not to look for active missing persons cases, but to see if his sister is in the area and if anyone met him.

 

[fred&edna]

Surely, Collier Co contacted state groups listed here?

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy - Regional Partnerships

Also, did anyone see communication with a hiker (Obsidian aka Jennifer) on the Collier Co FB page? She possibly traveled quite a few miles with our UID. (It was mentioned on Reddit... but I am easily lost on FB )

 

[Gardener1850]

Surely, Collier Co contacted state groups listed here?

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy - Regional Partnerships

Also, did anyone see communication with a hiker (Obsidian aka *redacting her name*) on the Collier Co FB page? She possibly traveled quite a few miles with our UID. (It was mentioned on Reddit... but I am easily lost on FB )

Yes, I believe she is the one who took the photos of him in Virginia and is pictured with the UID in the hostel photo I linked several pages back (I didn't copy and paste the photo here or use her real name in order to protect her privacy/try to follow the rules). If my estimations are correct on the timeline she hiked with him for close to two months (Early Aug to Late Sept 2017).

 

[fred&edna]

Yes, I believe she is the one who took the photos of him in Virginia and is pictured with the UID in the hostel photo I linked several pages back (I didn't copy and paste the photo here or use her real name in order to protect her privacy/try to follow the rules). If my estimations are correct on the timeline she hiked with him for close to two months (Early Aug to Late Sept 2017).

I so often miss important details in posts

Thank you G!