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

[cherrymeg]

If he really was living/working in NYC prior to embarking on the AT, I can see him not having a driver's license. But with all that cash, I was wondering if he had brought an ATM card with him.

Even if you don't drive most states want you to have an ID. I believe in some states they fine you if you don't have ID. It's possible he hid his or maybe it was stolen or lost. Maybe he would look completely different, he mentioned losing weight and with facial hair that can change a person's appearance. He could have mixed fact with fiction which makes figuring out where he started or could be missing from more difficult.

 

[cherrymeg]

I was just thinking about that. He could be claimed and then we still might never know more than that.

He's already a legend in my book.

This is going to sound mean but I don't think dying on a trail makes you a legend. I feel sorry if he has family looking for him. Dying alone in a tent seems like a waste.

 

[Gardener1850]

So I have been wondering about being the Other gaming business as well. And NC casinos are there in Cherokee.

Asheville is a mecca for holistic practices.

Stone Mountain Georgia has Big Nerd Ranch where they host conventions for gamers and gaming companies.

I'm sending out paper flyers with those people I know who can post them. Definitely sending them to Franklin and other areas on your notebook map.

I did check crime reports here too but nothing unsolved that came even close as far as what is listed online.

And the permit requirement makes me believe he skipped those parts too.

Interesting ideas Ellie, I didn't even think about the casinos there in Cherokee. If he won big at the casino then they might remember him. Casinos also have expensive camera systems, although I don't know that they would still have him on video from 2017.

Thanks for sending those flyers out!

 

[Wow]

https://www.winknews.com/2019/02/26...ffice-launches-crime-podcast-sworn-statement/

 

[Gardener1850]

I’m thinking’s the post that said he worked for food may not really be him. I’ve only seen it mentioned by one person. With all the cash he had it just doesn’t make sense, unless he did rob someplace but I’m not really feeling that either.
@Gardener1850 skipping part of the AT is an interesting idea.

I have some doubts that was him working for food as well. I also don't find the one comment about his father abusing him to be credible. There was someone in the comments a couple days ago that swore they saw him last summer with a begging sign in NY, when asked to clarify if they meant last year or two years ago (2017) the commenter insisted it was last year (2018). Well he was deceased in Florida in July 2018 and we have people who saw him and took photos of him hiking the Florida Trail from January 2018 on. So that one person is clearly mistaken about who he saw begging for money in NY. There probably are others who thought they met him but can't tell one bearded man from another.

I try to give info from those who have photos with him the most weight when I think about him and his story. I'm torn on whether he would have wanted to skip part of the trail. If he was a fugitive or in hiding for some reason it would make sense for him to skip parts of it. But he seemed to want to hike the AT. He stuck with several different hikers for weeks in Virginia. And had his photo taken with them as if he was just another hiker, not as if he was worried about anything. He even let a hiker in Damascus try on his pack and weigh it on scales at the hostel to see how heavy it was. I thought that showed he wasn't concerned about anyone finding out what was in his pack. And when he reached the end he seemed to celebrate his success. I've been wanting to try to figure out which trail shelters he would have stayed at in NC/TN with a pace of about 10 miles per day. That might be my next project-- to figure out where he would be each day if he didn't skip any of the trail.

 

[MaryFromFla]

Some of these hikers "Flip Flop". They get so far down trail via one way. Then get off trail, get transport of some kind to opposite end and start Northbound. Say he started Southbound, do we know for sure he stayed SB. Has anyone sent info to The end of the Florida Trail to see if anyone might know of him going NB.?

 

[Catmommy]

This is going to sound mean but I don't think dying on a trail makes you a legend. I feel sorry if he has family looking for him. Dying alone in a tent seems like a waste.

And if he doesn't have a family looking for him? If he was all alone in the world and chose to live his life on the trail? Your statement doesn't sound mean just ... judgmental. His life and his death was his own. The way he left was not a "waste." Unless, of course, you mean a waste of good resources for the forest's natural inhabitants.

 

[carbuff]

And do we know whether he did the part of the trail north of Bear Mountain?

 

[MaryFromFla]

And do we know whether he did the part of the trail north of Bear Mountain?

A.T. Norther terminus is in Baxter State Park Maine. Specifically Katahdin Mountain. Hikers have made statements about him saying he started at Bear Mountain NY, living and staying in that area for 2 weeks prior..

 

[cherrymeg]

And if he doesn't have a family looking for him? If he was all alone in the world and chose to live his life on the trail? Your statement doesn't sound mean just ... judgmental. His life and his death was his own. The way he left was not a "waste." Unless, of course, you mean a waste of good resources for the forest's natural inhabitants.

If he planned his death that's his choice. If he had a family or friends they might want to know what happened to him. People on this thread are trying to give him a name. I don't think he should become some folk hero. His death has attracted attention but this shouldn't be a goal for others. As you pointed out if you wish to remain nameless let your body give back to the earth.

 

[cherrymeg]

Some of these hikers "Flip Flop". They get so far down trail via one way. Then get off trail, get transport of some kind to opposite end and start Northbound. Say he started Southbound, do we know for sure he stayed SB. Has anyone sent info to The end of the Florida Trail to see if anyone might know of him going NB.?

Is it normal to give a false name or lie to people you meet on trails?

 

[SugarQueen]

A.T. Norther terminus is in Baxter State Park Maine. Specifically Katahdin Mountain. Hikers have made statements about him saying he started at Bear Mountain NY, living and staying in that area for 2 weeks prior..

Disclaimer: I’m a bit under the weather so if I post something redundant, or stupid please ignore.
When I spoke to the detective she didn’t remember hearing anything about Bear Mtn. I was pretty surprised. She did say she would check with the lead detective and make sure it was checked out.

 

[SugarQueen]

Is it normal to give a false name or lie to people you meet on trails?

It’s normal to use a trail name. I don’t think we know that he lied about anything except the name he used at the hostels. He was out on the trail, doing his own thing. I don’t think of it as any different that using a screen name on an Internet forum.

 

[cherrymeg]

It’s normal to use a trail name. I don’t think we know that he lied about anything except the name he used at the hostels. He was out on the trail, doing his own thing. I don’t think of it as any different that using a screen name on an Internet forum.

I was wondering if it was like a screen name. People mentioned he mentioned places he was from or a marriage gone wrong. Lie sounds negative but would it be normal to guard your private life? It seems like he was with people and shared details something should help identify him.

 

[Catmommy]

Yep, from what I understand, most "hard core" trail hikers have a trail name they'll go by. After all, ain't nobody's business who or what you are. You aren't presumably on the trail for that.

 

[cherrymeg]

Yep, from what I understand, most "hard core" trail hikers have a trail name they'll go by. After all, ain't nobody's business who or what you are. You aren't presumably on the trail for that.

Like a stripper name.

 

[Catmommy]

There's a reason it's called getting away from it all.

 

[Catmommy]

Like a stripper name.

Bingo! In fact, my own trail name is Desiree Glitterpuss.





not - I'm just kidding (jokey lying, ok)

 

[cherrymeg]

Bingo! In fact, my own trail name is Desiree Glitterpuss.





not - I'm just kidding (jokey lying, ok)

I believed that for a second. My stripper name is Eve or Evelyn.

 

[SugarQueen]

I was wondering if it was like a screen name. People mentioned he mentioned places he was from or a marriage gone wrong. Lie sounds negative but would it be normal to guard your private life? It seems like he was with people and shared details something should help identify him.

From what we know he was new to hiking. He wouldn’t have met these people before. We don’t know that he lied about his life. We don’t know that all the things attributed to him are really about him. You have to remember hikers are trying to remember something said, by someone they may have spent a small amount of time with a year before.
Some of the hikers could just have him mixed up with someone else. I would guess a hiker would guard his private life when meeting someone new just like anyone else would. Think of it like the internet but with fresh air.