lizard_brain
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Posts posted by lizard_brain
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The main reason I don't go to exit 38. Never will.
addendum: -Unless you drive.
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You know, I did go through my car after work, not just the glove compartment, but the cubby holes and the visors, etc., and I found at least 10 pieces of paper with my name and home address on them - mostly receipts. Jiffy Lube, the dealership, Les Schwab, and so on. They don't need your registration to get your address, but I am going to make a blacked-out version of that tomorrow. I may take the light bulb out of my glove compartment, and start leaving it open at trailheads, just to show there's nothing there.
The only problem for me is that even after denuding the truck of anything that would make it easy for them to gain access to my house or credit - there's still a bunch of stuff that I keep in my truck that I'd rather not have anyone steal.
I've got a basic set of tools, a big flashlight, a headlamp, a shovel, come-along, tow-strap, one of those portable jump-start deals, light-sleeping bag, therma-rests, etc - basically the stuff I need to fix the more common stuff that can hose you if you are 20 miles from the last fork on the logging road, or if I need to crash overnight someplace - and while none of it is particularly valuable - I have a hard time with the "unlocked door" idea for some reason, even though I know that the kind of person who is jacking cars at trailheads wouldn't be the least bit reluctant to smash every single window if it stood between them and something they wanted, and/or provided some momentary amusement.
What's everyone else do? Locked or unlocked?
Anyone ever have a vehicle stolen from a trailhead, or know someone who this has happened to?
I've got my fairly new Outback, with some of the stuff you mention under the back floor - jumper cables, headlamp, basic tools, work gloves, shovel - but this is all stuff that nobody could sell for meth. It's worth about $20 altogether. I keep a ratty old blanket in the back instead of a sleeping bag for the occasional crash, just because it looks unattractive to thieves. I keep nothing else in there except my change clothes and a lawn chair when I park it at the TH. I leave it locked, and as I said, I may start leaving the glove compartment open, just so prying eyes will see it's empty and hopefully move on.
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You know, I did go through my car after work, not just the glove compartment, but the cubby holes and the visors, etc., and I found at least 10 pieces of paper with my name and home address on them - mostly receipts. Jiffy Lube, the dealership, Les Schwab, and so on. They don't need your registration to get your address, but I am going to make a blacked-out version of that tomorrow. I may take the light bulb out of my glove compartment, and start leaving it open at trailheads, just to show there's nothing there.
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This is really sad. I'm sorry for your loss.
Something a pal suggested to me a few years back was to take only a "climb wallet" on a hike or climb. That's a ziplock bag, containing about $50 cash, a drivers license, and a single debit/credit card. The rest of the wallet stays safe at home. The baggie goes with you on the climb.
I might now also start leaving all keys at home, and only bring a car key . . .
I've been doing that for years, but it contains cash, drivers
license, credit card, Geico card and health insurance card.
I just take my car key and home key - why carry the rest?
The rest stay at home.
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I thought it was gonna be something to eat....
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Sorry this happened, but thanks for sharing your experience so that other folks can learn from it. At the moment if anyone were to break into my car, they'd get their hands on at least as much personal information as these guys stole. Definitely need to do a bit of cleaning, and re-think what I leave in the car and where I leave it.
No kidding. I like the idea of
keeping a copy of the registration
with blacked-out info in the car. I'm gonna
get rid of all the other stuff like receipts
and crap with addresses on them right after work.
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I remember this was even mentioned somewhere in The Complete Walker. Colin Fletcher talked about traihead theft, and how someone could just sit there with a pack "waiting for a freind", and clean out your car while you're gone. This was 40 years ago...
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I never thought about the address on the registration! Do you carry your registration with you? I am going to do this from now on. Thanks for the advice!
I tend to think that without keys they wouldn't go after your home- why bother when there is easier prey right there? But I may still be a little naive...
They have your address from your registration, and your car sitting at the trailhead is like a big sign that says "I WILL BE AWAY FROM HOME FOR HOURS OR PERHAPS DAYS." They only have to get back to your house before you do to clean it out. No keys needed. They have your address, and hopefully noone else is home. Knock on the door - no answer - break in - help yourself. With a few cars at a trailhead, there's bound to be at least a couple that will produce a nice score.
How much do you have at home worth stealing? TV? Computer? Laptop? Climbing gear? Jewelry? Furniture? Electronics? Applicances? What else? How much time do they have while you're off climbing? For all you know, they could have even watched you park your car and head up the trail. If you had a sleeping bag and a tent and a thermarest pad on the back of your pack - even better! Plenty of time!
At exit 38 some people used to break into cars for credit card receipts. That was in the days before electronic scanners, when they always used those big plasic jobs to print mutiple copies of your credit card. People would break in, steal receipts, and steal the credit card numbers off of the receipts. Very resourceful, these tweakers.
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I've only gotten broken into once at a trailhead, and that was years ago. Must have been kids, since they took everything, including my socks and underwear. Not much in that car but cassettes and clothes to change into when I got back. Anyway...
The I-90 corridor is really convenient for tweakers. (Obvious statement of the year?) I'm just surprised there not a lot more going on at the Mout Si TH. There's a 197-car lot there! Cash in, tweakers!
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Someone has been stealing trailheads?
(Sorry - I've been dying to say it...)
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Dra til helvete, drittsekk!
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And leaving your car at a trailhead is saying "Take your time - I'm going to be gone for hours, maybe a couple of days."
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I never even think about this stuff. I did my first ice climb with a guy that was 62, and the first time I summited Adams was with a guy that was 82. Like Trent said - look at Fred. I think it's attitude as much as physical ability. I ran my first marathon at age 47. There were about 350 participants, and 5 of them were in the 'over 70' age catergory. 4 of those 5 'over 70' guys beat me, one of them by over an hour. Those are my role models.
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Wow. If I was in Sweden, the LAST thing I would be thinkin' about would be this site. What a pathetic life.
And the Ice Bar - it's a tourist place. Okay, who am I to judge.
Ha det bra, mens du er i Sverige. Haaper at du har opportunitet til aa gaa paa fjelltur mens du er der.
SKAAL!
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Lets have a good September...
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I have had great weekends for the last few weeks. It just happened that I took this one off to rest. Damn good luck.
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There's ALWAYS rocks on that glissade.
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THANKS for the info. Like I said, I've done the route from Pinnacle to Eagle many times (Reflection Lakes to Leavenworth), and done all but Castle a few times besides, and I've been wanting to do this for some time. Sounds like a great trip - I'll be doing this next summer!
too.
fool
in Spray
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What's a dictionary?