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

[RickshawFan]

People who knew him say he was an experienced hiker but I could not find anyone named Ben Bilemey, Mostly Harmless, or Denim that has completed the Appalachia or Pacific trails with those names. It would appear Ben Bilemey is not his real name and he most likely changed his name for a reason..Thinking along these lines I looked for photos of other hikers that matched Ben's prior to him possibly changing his name. I did find an experienced hiker that matches with the statements of being experienced, in the tech industry, facial and Grey/blue eyes. However, the Collier sheriff is only looking to talk with people who actually knew him and his real name..So...helping to solve at all is probably wasting time ....

He was not an experienced hiker in that he got his name—Denim—because he wore jeans to hike the AT. A sign of an extremely inexperienced hiker. By the time he got to Florida, he would have ranked in the "experienced" category. However, keep in mind that the AT (where he seems to have acquired his savvy) is hardly a wilderness (except maybe in Maine). It doesn't require any backcountry skills, and the majority of AT thru hikers don't have any. It can be quite scary at times. Lack of skill is made possible by the shelters every 7 miles or so, many Walmarts and motels, road crossings, trails through busy parks and forests. It's not any kind of remote. After decades of hiking out west, the AT experience is positively suburban.

The trail in Florida evidently didn't have AT creature comforts, and may have been extremely challenging to an AT thru-hiker for just that reason.

 

[Al Ka]

Silly question. What actually means term thru hiker? Is it crossing state lines or being hiking for over a year or?

 

[Classito]

RickshawFan-Thank you. Watched a few walkthrus the past few days. I was going on what some hikers have said. Some also said he was not experienced. So who knows for sure. As there is the possibility of him not using his real name (more than likely for a reason) and if he was experienced he would also have to lose that past along with any trail names and accomplishments when talking with other hikers. So its a juggle..

 

[Classito]

Al Ka--A thru hiker is one that hikes the entire trail. AT is Appalachian Trail-runs from Maine to Georgia. PCT is Pacific Crest Trail that runs from Mexico to Canada.

 

[booghawk]

He was apart of ECT (Eastern Continental Trail) class of 2018, even listed on the site. Everyone else has their actual name listed except him.

 

[Satchie]

He was apart of ECT (Eastern Continental Trail) class of 2018, even listed on the site. Everyone else has their actual name listed except him.

How does one access that list? Please provide a link or description of where you got that info, thanks.

 

[Classito]

Lots of new photos and information from hikers that met him- facebook page on unidentified and unclaimed.
Molly Randall

 

[DakotaMayi]

This is honestly the strangest of cases... so many people know him... but not the right people.

 

[Classito]

Did he just drop out and go off grid..or was he hiding..? With all the technology it is good to know we still have the ability to become anonymous

 

[booghawk]

Sadly it would seem his name was removed from ECT spreadsheet. He is listed on the Florida Trail site for 2018 as ECT as well though.

 

[Coffee56]

Lots of new photos and information from hikers that met him- facebook page on unidentified and unclaimed.
Molly Randall

Thanks for the additional photos and info. Everyone knows him but no one knows who he is. This one has had me since he was found. Someone must be missing him.

 

[Cinnalauda]

I don't know if I'm doing this right, but there are some some new photos posted on Facebook by a lady who hiked with him. Found on the thread linked by Classito further up.

Edit: link to photos didn't work but they are on the thread. He's mostly reading a book.

 

[Coffee56]

Photos from link

 

[Bit of hope]

Items found: Beige Shirt/neon green (w/gray accents) Shorts/Gray Russell Performance Underwear size M Columbia baseball hat, very dirty possibly gray and white Yellow two man tent – Manufacturer: Brooks-Range Mountaineering, Model: Foray Yellow sleeping bag Two walking poles, black and copper color. Brand Outdoor products One yellow and gray Isobutane 110 G fuel cartridge Bluegreen Nalgene water bottle


I don't see his blue coat and his red backpack listed (or is that just me) I suppose they were in the tent. If not that is strange. I noticed that he is wearing a black watch with a greenish (neo? Kelly green?) number plate.

 

[Coffee56]

Items found: Beige Shirt/neon green (w/gray accents) Shorts/Gray Russell Performance Underwear size M Columbia baseball hat, very dirty possibly gray and white Yellow two man tent – Manufacturer: Brooks-Range Mountaineering, Model: Foray Yellow sleeping bag Two walking poles, black and copper color. Brand Outdoor products One yellow and gray Isobutane 110 G fuel cartridge Bluegreen Nalgene water bottle


I don't see his blue coat and his red backpack listed (or is that just me) I suppose they were in the tent. If not that is strange. I noticed that he is wearing a black watch with a greenish (neo? Kelly green?) number plate.

I believe the red from his back is a covering for it. I’m sure it has a name. I believe his pack was gray? It’s showing in one of the photos of him sitting. It’s beside him. I’m unable to look right now (work) but I believe you could see a few other things on his pack too.

 

[Bit of hope]

I believe the red from his back is a covering for it. I’m sure it has a name. I believe his pack was gray? It’s showing in one of the photos of him sitting. It’s beside him. I’m unable to look right now (work) but I believe you could see a few other things on his pack too.

Yes, you are probably right but they don't list a gray backpack either.

 

[Satchie]

Photos from link

Too bad he's not looking directly at the camera in those first photos, he's shaven and might be more recognizable to people who knew him.

 

[Satchie]

Yes, you are probably right but they don't list a gray backpack either.

Hmm. They also don't list his boots, but those were in the initial call for ID.

So maybe that's just an inventory of the tent.

 

[coffeeandacig]

Why am I still thinking this guy looks familiar? Am I the only one?

 

[FlossyMay]

Why am I still thinking this guy looks familiar? Am I the only one?

I have been thinking this all along.