Trouble on AT

“I can't get to a lot of my files right now, but I received an email from someone this morning.. Apparently there is a hiker (I think a thru hiker) going by the name spike.. there have been several incidents including the one referred to below..

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=269724
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'Before I left, I read the markered message on the shelter boards that were written by 'Spike', and wondered if this was the same guy that I had heard many stories about (and told to stay away from). He had hit another thru-hiker from New Zealand and knocked him to the ground at one of the shelters, and now this man had to have surgery on his shoulder and had to go home, unable to finish most of the hike. The message written on the boards talked about this person's military service and how we should all be thankful for those that have served, etc, and how he wanted to meet and shake the hands of other service members. I got a creepy feeling from this act of attention, and did not want to linger there any longer. I met Bound and Hellbender on their way in and told them I'd see them tomorrow. They still weren't sure where they were going to stop.
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From what I gather, the hiker form New Zealand mentioned above is the Mr Kiwi that I met at Fontana Dam.. He was with his Daughter Kiwi, and either a son or her husband or boyfriend... Any way, there are other Trail Journals mentioning Spike, I just can't get to them right now..

The authorities have been called and are involved..


'32oz”

“OH wow.. I just read that section again... There was talk about this guy the night I wa in Brown Gap Shelter... I missed the military conection until I re-read it... Th eMr Kiwi event must have happen a few days after that..

'32oz”

“Not good.”

“Great TrailJournals entry read 32oz, thanx! Is Wendy one of ours?

Spike is causing all this ruckus, and he's coming in with his WIFE!??? Don't make sense whatsoever. Prolly ain't his wife. I'll look for him at Trail Days. (Oh, more importantly tho I'll be looking for you 32!)”

“Lotsa bruhaha on whiteblaze about this

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=49669

go to page 7 about halfway down CurtisVowen posted an email from the fellow who was assaulted and there is a photo of the "spike" in question.

Poor guy has to fly back home to New Zealand to have his shoulder fixed thanks to this character.”

“Ugh :(”

“It's hilarious reading all those whiteblaze posts.”

“ALso for the record.. I met Twopack, one of the people mentioned in that thread.. He has a backpack and he is carry a dufflebag, hence the name..

He caused no problems whatsoever, and in fact was one of the gentlemen who moved over allowing us to fit 11 in a shelter built for 6...

HPM - I think she was in fontana when I was there, but not a tt'er.. Also, unfortunately I can't make Trail Days.. My sons have concerts that weekend...

It is a shame about Mr Kiwi, as I stated before, it was a family trip.. I'm assuming the rest of the gang continued on, but I'm not sure...

blurry picture of mr kiwi:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2518828380103391530ODhorX

two pack second from right, black hat beige jacket:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2904955080103391530aYNcKO

'32oz
last edited: 5/01/09 10:16:47 AM”

“Here is the body of the note i redieved.. I didn't want to include email addees, but from what I can tell the ATC is involved and they are forwarding it to all of the other AT hiking clubs...



See below for a report from "The Lippys" -- a northbound thruhiking couple -- on a problem hiker in the TN/NC area. Here are several TrailJournals entries that mention the incident of "Spike" assaulting another hiker at Groundhog Creek Shelter:



http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=267178

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=269724

http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=268913



A photo of the shelter graffiti attributed to "Spike" is attached to this email.



The Lippys do mention something about charges being filed against "Spike" in Hot Springs (what charges and with which agency I don't know).








Greetings. I am sure the ATC is aware of this man. The most recent development is this. Please alert shelter maintainers so that they can do away with this false info and graffiti. We are long time members of ATC & currently hiking the Trail. We also have experienced this man's rage first hand. Check out our TrailJournal.com/TheLippys/


Photo attached of this man's writing on the floors and walls of the shelters:


This is written in 4' x 5' size on every shelter north of and including Overlook null shelter by the man who allegedly struck a 70 yr old hiker in the back. The older gentleman sustained injuries serious enough to force he and his wife off the Trail. Very nice couple. Incident happened on 4/8/09 at Ground Hog Creek Shelter in front of about 6 people. Charges were filed against this guy "Spike" in Hot Springs, NC. Authorities up and down the Trail seem to know about this guy, but he continues on his Thru Hike, obviously defacing public properties, etc. Supposedly the person (Kim?) in charge of law enforcement in the Erwin, TN AT area has "warned" this guy and spoken w/him personally, but Spike continues. Please, get this information to the proper authorities and get him off the Trail before somebody is seriously injured or killed.

It says, "Hi. I am Spike. I am a US Military Combat Veteran. I served with L Co. 3rd BN 9th Mar. Reg. 1st Div out of Camp Pendelton, CA. My MOS was 0331. I am trying to meet my fellow Veterans as I hike the AT. If you are a Veteran of any branch of the US Military I would like to meet you, shake your hand, and buy you a beer at the next town. If you are not a veteran but a loyal American, please come shake my hand and I will tell you how I risked my life in service to this country. If you are an American and you value the rights and freedoms you enjoy today please don't forget the men and women who died, served, fought for you. God Bless America."”

“I find it odd that folks are pissed about the graffiti seeing that every single shelter I've ever seen is covered floor to ceiling in -trailname- GA2ME -year-.”

“go to page 7 about halfway down CurtisVowen posted an email from the fellow who was assaulted.
”
humanpackmule
12:29:27 PM
5/01/09

I did. And I took action! (I PM'd the author of the post and suggested he delete the phone numbers - especially the cell phone number.)”

“I think I may be wrong.. as I look at this further, the Mr Kiwi involved may not be the Mr Kiwi that I met in Fontana... The dates and some of the info isn't adding up correctly...

'32oz”

“If he's at Trail Days I'll kick his ass in the name of the Military...for giving us a bad name!!!”

“all i can say is i'm glad spam's never been mad enough at me to kick my ass.”

“im glad spams on my side”

““go to page 7 about halfway down CurtisVowen posted an email from the fellow who was assaulted."
humanpackmule
12:29:27 PM
5/01/09

So, as I said I would, I PM'd him about deleting other people's phone numbers from the email he posted, saying "On post 125 on the thread about Spike, I suggest you take the phone numbers off the post - especially the cell phone number. That kind of info on the web can't help and could cause people some problems."

His reply "go away troll"

Anyone know hwo this guy is. I tried to avoid criticizing a post "publicly." I figure I'll drop it. Maybe he didn;t realize he could edit the post by either asking the moderators to do so, or by making a donation to WhiteBlaze (donating members can edit posts for 15 days).

Was I out of line?”

“no, that guys a douchebag if thats how he responds to a reasonable requests”

“Thanks Crash.

He sounds a little quick to flash the middle finger. Anybody know him?”

“Is pedx going to lead the pitchfork and hanging mob? ;-)
There's almost as many drama queens over on Whiteblaze as here on TT.”

“I'll be damned, that's how you spell "douchebag"!”

“ped, presently your reasonable question is wasted here on TT. I suggest you come back and try again Monday or Tuesday. The crowd on TT seems to be more reasonable on those days. Thursday through Friday the mob is running wild and likely to flame the crap out of anybody and anything.”

“Ped...It is not ethical to post someone's phone numbers or addresses...that is invading their privacy...the site it was posted on may have rules regarding it...”

“MAN that sucks, one because of the phone numbers, two because someone is using the well worn defense of "I was in the military give me a free pass on life" and finally that there were no witnesses who can really give good neutral testimony.

Sadly as more and more people take to the trail JERKS will show up. Ped I agree with you.”

“...we could all call the phone #s...oh no wait...that would be harassment...”

“Spike may well meet a more Silent Professional, and the problems will stop...”

“Sadly most people who hide behind the "I am a combat veteran" are usually either not, or so poorly distinguished themselves that they desperately look to that as their reason to be a victim.

Had a guy who used to go around demanding free money and pretty much a break from society because of wounds sustained in Viet Nam. Turned out he was on the ground a total of 3 weeks in Nam and then was hit (granted severely in the chest).

After one threatening diatribe about how he could "Kill you and get away with it." I stopped him and asked him if he felt his "new found PTSD" (um I should mention the guy returned from Nam and worked for 20 years without a problem) meant he was incapable of distinguishing right from wrong.

He asked why and I explained that if he was unable to make that differentiation I would talk to his Psychiatrist at the VA and get him permentantly assigned to a mental ward.

THere was another guy who had lost his entire company (killed or wounded) in the three days of combat over there and he had the Distinguished Service Cross for dragging them one by one to helicopters. He had been gainfully employed since his return. He explained that our friend had been totally normal until he had begun heavy alcohol and drug use then they made the determination he was suffering from PTSD and the government gave him lifetime free money. The guy had to keep playing the game to keep the money coming in.
last edited: 5/15/09 6:45:52 AM”

“Divinity - turns out there isn't any specific rule that I could find for WhiteBlaze - but yeah I thought it was wrong and thought a friendly private note, instead of criticizing him on the board would be the decent thing. Now, I'll leave it alone. Thanks.

XL: I believe you. People do lie and people do look for excuses to be screw-ups, or stay on the dole (or both). And some people experience more than they can handle and take some time to get it together again. It's tough to figure out how who's who.”

“Knowing now what you do I totally agree. Dealing with mental illness is as tough as anything. You just cannot quantify, "Wanting to get well."

I am dealing with a friend who was diagnosed as Bi-Polar but my complaint is her behavior only became so after a 10 year drug and alcohol tear.

With my patient's I can usually establish a baseline, with yours...Christ!!! what is the baseline?

I was raised by an uncle who crawled up beaches in the Pacific in World War II pushing the remains of his friend's bodies to stop bullets until they could get under cover. Yeah he had some night sweats, and nightmares for the rest of his life. But you know he NEVER claimed any disability. Hell the guy had a limp from a mortar shell from Iwo Jima and never went for VA assistance.

I wonder what the difference is?”

“Ethics?

Morals?

'32oz”

“I wonder what the difference is?”
theXL400
4:26:18 PM
5/15/09

I wonder, too. What 32oz guesses is probably tight some of the time.

The border between "can't" and "won't" seems pretty fuzzy sometimes. I've met people whose lives were supposedly ruined by things which don't match what I've been through, let alone guys like your Uncle or my cousin who was a POW in Vietnam for years and came home to betrayals by those he trusted - but who always seemed solid as a rock.

Another amazing guy I'm honored to know - going out as a volunteer fireman while on a visit home during leave from the Navy. Horribly injured, lost all his fingers, lost his brother, lost a lot more - and is loving life and helping others:

http://www.lsu.edu/faculty/nesmith/johnson.htm

http://feeltheburn2007.blogspot.com/2007/04/burn-survivor-story-volunteer-fireman.html

Edit note: Oh man! I never saw that first link on Brad before (found it while I was searching for the second one). I know the guy and his story and it still brought tears to my eyes!
last edited: 5/17/09 7:11:55 PM”

“#&%!$s on the Internet?   You're kidding.

I wonder if they ever took the real-live jerk into custody.   Was there any news on that?”

“Ped I agree, I guess when you get down to it I know lots of people who have been through all sorts of trauma that eclipses what I hear from the "Professional Victims" of life.

One of my coworkers is retired Navy. He was a SEAL, he did some incredible stuff and he began drinking himself into oblivion 10 years ago. A few months ago he was sitting in the bosses office berating the boss about his credientials. I was sitting there listening to him list the REASONS he was "owed" this and that. For some reason I looked up at him and said,"Wow after all those accomplishments, what are you going to do when you grow up?"

He exploded and stormed out of the office.

Friday as I was leaving he stopped me in the parking lot to tell me he has made it 6 months without a drink. And it shows in his work.”

“There is wise and ancient saying I made up a few years back: "Once you know where you are going, the reasons are sure to follow."

Depression and PTSD can be biological and crippling things that people have no control over, but part part of cognitive therapy for the disorders is changing the way you think and expecting them to get over it is not going to help. Expecting tehm to deal with it might be a step up.

Sometimes people - as in the example you give - keep them selves messed up because they think they are somehow entitled to it (as if that were a good thing).”

“some people avoid dealing with their PTSD at all, thinking that stuffing it is the better action because life just has to go on, not realizing that it becomes a festering abcess that keeps coming to the surface throughout the ensuing years. then they find themselves having to deal with it 30 years later. and damn, beginning the cure is just as freaking bad as the original wound. but you carry on anyways because somethings gotta give...”

“ped, thanks for those links. THere is a guy in town our church is helping that has been burned badly in a house fire. He and his wife were laid off, then the house fire, so they have no insurance. He was discharged from the hospital because of it and is home. People are trying to help with the dressings, staying with him to give his wife a break from time to time, and financial concerns. I'll pass these on to the main point of contact.”

“What dizzybtch said.

I hope this guy gets help before someone gets hurt - sounds bad.

That being said, I think at least a part of the reason some suffer from PTSD and others don't is that the sufferers might have other, preceding issues that were unresolved.

Just a thought, not a generalisation.”

“Day Hiker: There are also some good resources for survivors and those connected to them at http://www.phoenix-society.org/

When I was first out of the hospital, I found the survivors' stories engaging and helpful. Mine is there (as pedxing).”

“Gremlin, that is EXACTLY what my psych said.”

“Funny, mine too.”

“Gremlin, that actually is what a freind of mine who is a Vietnam Vet said. He spent three tours there with the 7th Cav. When someone asked why he wasn't all screwed up he explained that he felt Vietnam just "enhanced" exisiting problems.”

“Maybe y'all are over analyzing this and "Spike" is (allegedly) just an asshat.”

“It's hard to generalize, but knowing a lot of people who have been through trauma, professionally and through support groups - it seems to me that trauma doesn't make us an entirely different person - who we are and the coping skills we have prior to trauma have a big influence on how we come out of it. That said, I think I see many different reactions to trauma.

Some, like dizzy mentioned - try to stuff it and hide it and never heal. Some are almost comforted by it, because now they have a reason for feeling like they do.

Oddly enough, I can think of people who were pretty messed up before trauma and what they went through was a wake up call - they actually became stronger and more organized people for it. And, there are others who seem to have been OK and then are psychically broken by it.”

“Can you generalize it a bit more, ped? It was kind of hard for me to follow. Thanks.”

“Euro. I see what I said was a little garbled. I guess I was making two points. One is that trauma usually has a powerful effect on a person, but who they were before the trauma shines through. The bigger point was that trauma can change us in very different ways.

Here are some very brief examples of people I know or have known.

A trauma can be a wake up call: Jim was an incredibly energetic and impulsive guy who looked like he had awesome potential, but he never had a sense of purpose, and he seemed aimless and irresponsible. He got into a massive accident, almost died, had to fight incredibly hard for his survival and recovery. He became a focused, purposive person - he was still himself, but he stopped pissing away his life. He says he realized he wasn't goin to live forever and that life was fragile and precious. He saw how much the love support and concern of others meant to him and he wanted to give that back.

Some hide it and stuff it deep down and then it blows up on them. A woman I interviewed for a research study was the victim of an attempted rape when she was in high school - someone had grabbed her and pulled her into the bushes and held a knife to her as he started cutting and tearing off her clothes. He got distracted when some kids came into the bushes chasing after a soft ball and she got away. She figured she was OK and was lucky to escape any harm. Then, more than ten years later, she had an argument with her fiance... she was about to storm out of his apartment when he grabbed her hand and tried to keep her from leaving. She went totally bezerk on him - and then started having nightmares about the attempted rape something she thought she had put behind her long ago.

Some people are broken by it: A person I know works with torture victims. One of them was a confident, outgoing, courageous and principled man who after torture was a broken man, suspicious, paranoid, reserved, bitter and evasive.

Some seemed tempered by it: My cousin who was a POW seemed to have a confidence cam from knowing he had survived something on a par with hs worst nightmares. Life couldn't hand him anything worse that what he'd already made it through.”