gpiggie

By the way, I don't want to discourage anyone from geocaching. Geocaching has been one of the most fulfilling activities I've ever been involved in and I think it's the perfect activity for families!!! I just want to encourage everyone to BE SAFE. Don't be silly like me and cache alone;-) Follow the advice of the other wise cachers on the forums and you and your kids will have a fantastic time.

While the "10 Essentials" are important and we should never go into the woods w/out those things, I'm afraid these things could not have helped Meridith Emerson (the girl who disappeared in GA). Her story really hits home to me as I'm a woman and I've completed most of my cache hunts alone (much to the dismay of my friends and family). This has really opened my eyes as I've always felt safer in the woods than anywhere else. Meridith had martial arts training, a "good head on her shoulders" and had hiked this particular trail many, many times. It seems that her mistake was talking to strangers. Who among us wouldn't have done the same? I meet some of the greatest people while hiking!!! It's even scarier to see that they're now investigating a possible link to a couple who disappeared back in Oct 2007 in Pisgah National Forest. I have cached there a number of times alone. I guess the bottom line is you're not really safe anywhere. Don't cache alone!!! And always let people know where you're going with as many specifics as possible (as already stated). Another thing to note is that in the case of Meredith Emerson there were a number of hikers who came forward with information and a description of the man seen hiking with her. We should be alert for the safety of ourselves and our brethren. These alert hikers have cracked a case which might have well gone unsolved. Like I said, this has been a real wakeup call for me. I will probably not hike alone from this point forward and I'm not sure I would feel any safer hiking with just one of my girlfriends. This is very, very sad on so many levels:(

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