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

[RickshawFan]

I also see that several news articles says he had "clean" clothes. He had been somewhere to have them washed.

Do you mean clean at the time he died, or clean in many of his photos?
AT thru-hikers regularly wash their clothes. You can do them at the laundromats in many AT towns. I washed mine every 4 days....The stink never seems to leave for more than about 15 minutes, though (thru-hikers don't generally take a change of clothes).

 

[RickshawFan]

I wonder if perhaps he had at least two pairs of the same shorts and two identical grey shirts and rotated them out. I have yet to find a photo of him wearing anything else

No two pairs of anything necessary. Then you have 2 sets of stinky clothes instead of one and you have to lug the extra for millions of steps, and you sure won't smell better anyway. Everyday, same clothes. For safety except maybe in midsummer, people take long-johns. They are great for sleeping in. Otherwise, heck, just sleep in the "outfit" you wore all day.....

 

[Anthony96]

Investigators want help identifying man found dead at preserve campsite



http://naplesherald.com/2018/08/03/...-identify-body-found-in-big-cypress-preserve/

The camp area looks pretty dead in the middle of nowhere

 

[Gardener1850]

This image is the closest match I have seen yet. Hair color can change but look at this face.

He has been ruled out by LE. See this post: FL - FL - Male, 35-50, BlueGrey Eyes, S&P Beard, Hiking Poles, Boots, Tent, Big Cypress Preserve, Jul2018

 

[Gardener1850]

No two pairs of anything necessary. Then you have 2 sets of stinky clothes instead of one and you have to lug the extra for millions of steps, and you sure won't smell better anyway. Everyday, same clothes. For safety except maybe in midsummer, people take long-johns. They are great for sleeping in. Otherwise, heck, just sleep in the "outfit" you wore all day.....

What do you wear while washing your one set of clothes? Do you just go naked in the laundry room? Hopefully you at least have another pair of undies, lol. Maybe men don't care if they have to sit naked (or in their long johns?) while waiting for dry clothes but as a woman (speaking only for myself here) it would not work for me to not have at least one change of clothes to wear while waiting for the other set to get clean/dry. JMO. Different strokes though, whatever works for you.

(I guess I won't be embarking on the AT any time soon, lol)

 

[Suglo]

What do you wear while washing your one set of clothes? Do you just go naked in the laundry room? Hopefully you at least have another pair of undies, lol. Maybe men don't care if they have to sit naked (or in their long johns?) while waiting for dry clothes but as a woman (speaking only for myself here) it would not work for me to not have at least one change of clothes to wear while waiting for the other set to get clean/dry. JMO. Different strokes though, whatever works for you.

(I guess I won't be embarking on the AT any time soon, lol)

After reading various blogs by both AT and PCT through hikers, it seems they either are given loaner clothes to wear or they wrap themselves in their sleeping bags or other items they happen to carry. I find the blogs (journals) absolutely fascinating.

Journals : Trail Journals, Backpacking and Hiking Journals

 

[Gardener1850]

After reading various blogs by both AT and PCT through hikers, it seems they either are given loaner clothes to wear or they wrap themselves in their sleeping bags or other items they happen to carry. I find the blogs (journals) absolutely fascinating.

Journals : Trail Journals, Backpacking and Hiking Journals

Oh, thank you for that, Suglo! I just realized something. I have been reading a little bit but looking for pictures more and mostly only scanning through the blog's words. There was one Hostel where they had a few pictures of groups of people wearing medical scrubs. I thought maybe they were hosting some medical students or something in the off season (LOL, I don't know why I thought that ). Scrubs as loaner clothes makes perfect sense!

 

[Suglo]

Oh, thank you for that, Suglo! I just realized something. I have been reading a little bit but looking for pictures more and mostly only scanning through the blog's words. There was one Hostel where they had a few pictures of groups of people wearing medical scrubs. I thought maybe they were hosting some medical students or something in the off season (LOL, I don't know why I thought that ). Scrubs as loaner clothes makes perfect sense!

Heh heh If I hadn’t read the blogs, I would have assumed the same exact thing! Have you been able to do a search of the blogs for mentions of his trail names or is there even a search function like that on that page?

 

[Gardener1850]

Heh heh If I hadn’t read the blogs, I would have assumed the same exact thing! Have you been able to do a search of the blogs for mentions of his trail names or is there even a search function like that on that page?

I can search any website with google. (To do this for the link you posted type "site:http: // www. trailjournals. com Denim" into google without quotes and without spaces in the URL, only leave a space between the end of the URL and the search word)
Unfortunately I found his trail names are too common. There were other hikers who used Denim in 2015 and 2016 and it also brings up people mentioning actual denim jeans. A search for Mostly Harmless brings up people talking about snakes or spiders and mention of the book by Doug Adams. I have not find anything that could relate to our mystery hiker from searching those terms.

 

[Suglo]

I can search any website with google. (To do this for the link you posted type "site:http: // www. trailjournals. com Denim" into google without quotes and without spaces in the URL, only leave a space between the end of the URL and the search word)
Unfortunately I found his trail names are too common. There were other hikers who used Denim in 2015 and 2016 and it also brings up people mentioning actual denim jeans. A search for Mostly Harmless brings up people talking about snakes or spiders and mention of the book by Doug Adams. I have not find anything that could relate to our mystery hiker from searching those terms.

That’s too bad. I hope his family and/or friends start wondering why they haven’t heard from him soon. He seemed like such a great guy.

 

[eucalyptuz]

Do we have any more facts gleaned about this guy?
I have been digging on the side in forums, SM and databases etc and I can't get hopeful about any lead/coincidence/direction that I've come across.
I found a "Mostly" who was also known as "Ben from Ohio" that hiked parts of the AT in 2016. But this doesn't gel with him getting his trail name of Denim in 2017.
I often wonder if Collier County has turned up more info on him than we have discovered here.... I personally think that LE might be using Gardener's fine timeline as reference material in their own investigations

 

[moonriverfarm]

Who are you Denim????

 

[carbuff]

Do we have any more facts gleaned about this guy?
I have been digging on the side in forums, SM and databases etc and I can't get hopeful about any lead/coincidence/direction that I've come across.
I found a "Mostly" who was also known as "Ben from Ohio" that hiked parts of the AT in 2016. But this doesn't gel with him getting his trail name of Denim in 2017.
I often wonder if Collier County has turned up more info on him than we have discovered here.... I personally think that LE might be using Gardener's fine timeline as reference material in their own investigations

The Mostly name connected to someone named Ben is intriguing though, considering the alias name our guy used.

 

[eucalyptuz]

The Mostly name connected to someone named Ben is intriguing though, considering the alias name our guy used.

Yes!
Unfortunately, I do think it's just a pesky coincidence...given that we seem to know he was fresh to AT hiking (wearing denim and attempting thru-hiking with ~60lbs in 2017)...

 

[RickshawFan]

What do you wear while washing your one set of clothes? Do you just go naked in the laundry room? Hopefully you at least have another pair of undies, lol. Maybe men don't care if they have to sit naked (or in their long johns?) while waiting for dry clothes but as a woman (speaking only for myself here) it would not work for me to not have at least one change of clothes to wear while waiting for the other set to get clean/dry. JMO. Different strokes though, whatever works for you.

(I guess I won't be embarking on the AT any time soon, lol)

Wear one, wash one on the lower undies. If it's too wet to dry them properly, you wear them damp and they dry right up.

If you took a spare set of clothes, you'd ditch it in no time: too much weight and often not enough space in the pack.

You wear your rain gear while your clothes are in the wash.

I once saw a sign in an AT town laundromat that said you must be clothed, and a towel tied at the waist did not constitute clothing. LOL.

No one packs a towel, either, so that little gem of instrux had some other dimensions of funny.

 

[Gardener1850]

Wear one, wash one on the lower undies. If it's too wet to dry them properly, you wear them damp and they dry right up.

If you took a spare set of clothes, you'd ditch it in no time: too much weight and often not enough space in the pack.

You wear your rain gear while your clothes are in the wash.

I once saw a sign in an AT town laundromat that said you must be clothed, and a towel tied at the waist did not constitute clothing. LOL.

No one packs a towel, either, so that little gem of instrux had some other dimensions of funny.

So what you are saying is, make sure my rain gear is not one of those clear plastic ponchos that fits in my pocket.

 

[RickshawFan]

Potential sources:
trailjournals.com
hostel owners
Miss Janet (hostel owner in Erwin TN; she knows everyone)
local clubs that maintain the shelters; they have the visitors' log books
Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Harpers Ferry


Other:
what happened to his pack? It's not listed with his things? He had to have had it, otherwise there would have been no way to schlepp his tent and sleeping bag there. Was there a food bag? Nothing was said about animals getting into food, so maybe there was no food bag? Stove? Was there water nearby (you try to camp right near a water source). I tell you, this is all very odd.
I think he drank bad water somewhere, and got chronic runs.

 

[Classito]

Kevin Mitchell - Alaska
Missing date: Sept 22, 2015
5'8
Brown/black hair
170 lbs
Blue eyes
<modsnipped non MSM linked information>

"At about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Kevin Mitchell drove to his South Anchorage home, where a cleaning lady was working. He said hello, then traded his Municipal Light and Power vehicle for his personal 2012 gray Toyota Tundra pickup," his wife Nicole Mitchell said.

Kevin Mitchell left his lunch -- an untouched turkey sandwich -- and his wallet, complete with his credit cards and ID, in his work vehicle.

"He hadn't been feeling well lately; he had been having some medical issues," Nicole Mitchell said. "He was having some anxiety about his health issues. I think maybe he was not in a clear state of mind."

Nicole Mitchell wouldn't go into the specifics of her husband's health issues, but said he was not taking any medication at the time of his disappearance.
On the eve of their anniversary, Anchorage woman searches for missing husband

"He might have walked along the railroad tracks or highway to a different hiking location. He might have been picked up hitchhiking or found alternate means to leave the general search area. We are unsure."
Troopers suspend search for missing Anchorage man

Missing posters
https://dps.alaska.gov/getmedia/d131a681-67e9-4104-a61c-bf47980bbfd7/Mitchell
Peninsula Crime Stoppers0

 

[Gardener1850]

Kevin Mitchell - Alaska
Missing date: Sept 22, 2015
5'8
Brown/black hair
170 lbs
Blue eyes
<modsnipped non MSM linked information>

"At about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Kevin Mitchell drove to his South Anchorage home, where a cleaning lady was working. He said hello, then traded his Municipal Light and Power vehicle for his personal 2012 gray Toyota Tundra pickup," his wife Nicole Mitchell said.

Kevin Mitchell left his lunch -- an untouched turkey sandwich -- and his wallet, complete with his credit cards and ID, in his work vehicle.

"He hadn't been feeling well lately; he had been having some medical issues," Nicole Mitchell said. "He was having some anxiety about his health issues. I think maybe he was not in a clear state of mind."

Nicole Mitchell wouldn't go into the specifics of her husband's health issues, but said he was not taking any medication at the time of his disappearance.
On the eve of their anniversary, Anchorage woman searches for missing husband

"He might have walked along the railroad tracks or highway to a different hiking location. He might have been picked up hitchhiking or found alternate means to leave the general search area. We are unsure."
Troopers suspend search for missing Anchorage man

View attachment 147902

Missing posters
https://dps.alaska.gov/getmedia/d131a681-67e9-4104-a61c-bf47980bbfd7/Mitchell
Peninsula Crime Stoppers0

It looks like he was found deceased in Alaska. This tribute page says he died from hypothermia and gives the mile marker where he was found: Kevin Mitchell | Beautiful Tribute

 

[eucalyptuz]

It looks like he was found deceased in Alaska. This tribute page says he died from hypothermia and gives the mile marker where he was found: Kevin Mitchell | Beautiful Tribute

I don’t think they found a body. They probably have good reason to believe that Kevin may be deceased, but everything I found said “presumed dead” and I think the mile maker may indicate where they located his car and/or last known location.
Either way, I don’t think he’s our guy.
ETA: Kevin’s websleuths thread:
AK - AK - Kevin Mitchell, 38, Anchorage, 22 Sept 2015