Identified! FL - Big Cypress Natl Preserve, Male Hiker, Denim & “Mostly Harmless” July 2018 - Vance Rodriguez #3

[Narkj]

There have been other Denims on the trail.

 

[carbuff]

Mr. Carbuff reminded me that hikers typically lose weight on long hikes, so I went looking for information about how much loss. I found this article posted at REI.com. REI is a hiking/outdoor outfitter so their information is usually pretty good.
21 Appalachian Trail Statistics That Will Surprise, Entertain and Inform You - REI Co-op Journal

Here's one data point:

30
The average number of pounds lost by thru-hikers during their journey. Despite the halfway-mark ice cream, the vast majority of hikers face severe calorie deficiencies during the span of their thru-hike due to a strenuous workload. Although most hikers practice a “see food diet”—see food, eat it—it’s not uncommon for thru-hikers to lose upwards of 50, 70, or even over 100 lbs. during the course of their half-year trek. This is not a hard and fast rule, as some hikers lose no weight or even gain a few pounds.

And another:

5,500
The number of calories required for a hiker* to maintain his or her body weight during a typical day of backpacking. In other words, a hiker could eat 11 Big Macs throughout the day and still be at an energy deficiency. Typically, after a few weeks on trail, many thru-hikers achieve the celebrated “hiker hunger,” a near-inability to be sated by any amount of food. Oftentimes, it’s a hiker’s budget, not appetite, that constrains their in-town binging.

*Assuming 8 hours of backpacking for a 25-year-old male hiker weighing 155 lbs.

So it seems if Denim had even a minor eating problem or difficulty absorbing nutrients, it could have quickly become a major problem.

 

[Claireishere]

I’m really small. My weight runs between 102 to 113 when I’m healthy. I eat well but crave sweets especially when my weight is lower. My body is seeking the calories out not necessarily the nutrition.

 

[Claireishere]

I actually didn’t talk to them. I tried very hard to reach two people who May have met him very early on.

I’m not sure about the privates but it’s one of the few things the ME mentioned: the abrasion and small testicles.

Do testes ever go back to normal size after steroid use?

 

[Bit of hope]

I found this. They found traces of it in the tox tests.

Is diphenhydramine banned in the Netherlands? and so ...

ASK
Is diphenhydramine banned in the Netherlands? and if not where can you buy it (smart shops?) Thanx!
REPLY FROM DRUGS INFO TEAM
Dear questioner, Diphenhydramine or dimenhydrinate is sold in the Netherlands as Dramamine. It is a doctor's prescription medicine for motion sickness. It is an old-fashioned type of antihistamine that several pharmacists told me probably won't sell much anymore. 1 pharmacist thought it was already off the market in the Netherlands. You should be careful with Dramamine (or Benadil; it is sold on the internet under this name). At high doses, you experience visual and auditory hallucinations. That is, you see and hear things that are not there. Due to this side effect, Dramamine is especially popular in America as a trip agent. However, there are risks: Thrips up to 30 hours have been reported with 10 50mg pills. That is much, much longer than most people can handle. Such a trip is physically and mentally grueling and really no longer fun. Moreover, during such long trips people often find themselves in dangerous situations. Furthermore, overdoses with Dramamine have resulted in heart failure, seizures and severe psychoses. According to the National Poisons Bank, deadly complications have also been reported in the literature. And then again, if you are experimenting with Dramamine, keep this medicine away from small children. Toddlers died after taking fairly small doses. All in all, I think that for tripping there are safer and more pleasant means than Dramamine. I'd stick with shrooms or if you like heavy tripping I'd take Salvium. You can buy both magic mushrooms and Salvium in the smart shop. Conclusion: I personally think the drug Dramamine is too risky to experiment with as a drug. To trip you need high doses and those high doses are risky. Greetings, Martin Sijes
December 01, 2012

 

[mlw987m]

Is that Benadryl?

 

[waterfalllady]

I found this. They found traces of it in the tox tests.

Is diphenhydramine banned in the Netherlands? and so ...

Is that Benadryl?

It is Benadryl.

 

[carbuff]

Is that Benadryl?

Yeah, a common antihistamine in the US. People also take it as a sleep aid because it makes you drowsy, which is why it has fallen out of style as an allergy medication.

I didn't realize it was so closely related to Dramamine though.

 

[TheGeorgiaPeach]

Look at this part of Denim's beard compared to William's!!!! See the line?

Hi my name is Chris. I'm a long distance hiker from the Appalachian Trail. I've been trying to i.d. Mostly Harmless since I learned of his disappearance.
I just read William Paul Faries namus profile when I came across this forum.

 

[TheGeorgiaPeach]

Was it actual candy or protein bars?

Hi. I'm a long distance hiker on the Appalachian Trail. HoneyBuns, Ramen Noodles, Knorr Pasta Sides, tuna fish, peanut butter, instant mashed potatoes and candy are all staples on the Appalachian Trail.
I've personally hiked just on candy bars though it isn't recommended. Dehydrated Meals are also popular but are expensive and people get tired of eating them.

 

[Laughing]

@TheGeorgiaPeach , so glad you found us, welcome to Websleuths!

 

[dotr]

Hi. I'm a long distance hiker on the Appalachian Trail. HoneyBuns, Ramen Noodles, Knorr Pasta Sides, tuna fish, peanut butter, instant mashed potatoes and candy are all staples on the Appalachian Trail.
I've personally hiked just on candy bars though it isn't recommended. Dehydrated Meals are also popular but are expensive and people get tired of eating them.

Welcome to Ws TheGeorgiaPeach, thanks for joining in and sharing those tidbits!

 

[Mind your biscuits]

Hi my name is Chris. I'm a long distance hiker from the Appalachian Trail. I've been trying to i.d. Mostly Harmless since I learned of his disappearance.
I just read William Paul Faries namus profile when I came across this forum.

Welcome to WS, we won't judge you on your hiking cuisine.

 

[Coffee56]

I’m really small. My weight runs between 102 to 113 when I’m healthy. I eat well but crave sweets especially when my weight is lower. My body is seeking the calories out not necessarily the nutrition.

Tiny here too. Struggle to keep weight on. I crave what my body needs. Fruit, cheese, veggies. And candy for those calories. I’m a grazer. More snacks than full meals. If Denim was a grazer it might have been difficult to consume those needed calories.

 

[neesaki]

Maybe ... (after possible weight loss)?
View attachment 247412 View attachment 247410 View attachment 247411
[I am not completely certain if the gentleman in the CLC Summer Hiker Meals photo is Denim (I do see that their Facebook page admin. commented “I’m sorry, but he did not sign in,” and “[The picture was taken in] 2017,” answering questions from commenters)] CLC Summer Hiker Meals

The missing person was added to NamUs on March 13, 2020:
Missing Person / NamUs #MP66386
William Paul Faries, Male, White / Caucasian
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Date of Last Contact: April 1, 2016
[Denim: “April 2017 – He told people he started hiking in New York in April 2017. Possibly was wearing jeans when he started hiking which is where he said his trail name ‘Denim’ came from.”]

Missing From: Cedarhurst, New York
[Denim: “June or July 2017 – Hiker (CD) met him in New York at the visitor center in Unionville, NY (Date is [Gardener1850’s] estimate based on map)”]
Google Maps
*Union County Sheriff’s Office in Monroe, NC is listed as the agency in charge of the missing person case. I also did some sleuthing online, and it appears Mr. Faries is originally from that area and has family there.]*

Demographics
Missing Age: 36 Years [in 2016]
[Denim: 35-60 (estimated) in 2018]
Height: 6' 0" - 6' 1" (72 - 73 Inches)
[Denim: 5' 8"(68 inches), Measured]

Weight: 180 - 200 lbs
[Denim: 83 lbs, Measured]

Circumstances
Date of Last Contact: April 1, 2016
NamUs Case Created: March 13, 2020
Last Known Location Map
Location: Cedarhurst, New York 11516
County: Nassau County

Circumstances of Disappearance: William is known to be nomadic and has gone missing in the past but has never been gone this long. William does not carry a cell phone but usually carries his possessions in a back pack and travels by bicycle. William is known to have a very high IQ and is extremely computer savvy.

Physical Description
Hair Color: Brown
[Denim: “Head Hair Description: Dark Brown with Gray Hair“]
Left Eye Color: Blue
[Denim: Blue]
Right Eye Color: Blue
[Denim: Blue]
Eye Description--
[Denim only: Blue/Gray]

Distinctive Physical Features
Scar/mark: Scar over left eyebrow
[Denim: Possible indistinct fine linear scar across abdomen. Very faint.]
Link to Denim’s NamUs profile: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Didn’t realize I’d missed this post. I have to say, considering substantial weight loss, this is the closest match I’ve seen. It’s actually the only close match I’ve seen, IMO.

 

[neesaki]

Hi. I'm a long distance hiker on the Appalachian Trail. HoneyBuns, Ramen Noodles, Knorr Pasta Sides, tuna fish, peanut butter, instant mashed potatoes and candy are all staples on the Appalachian Trail.
I've personally hiked just on candy bars though it isn't recommended. Dehydrated Meals are also popular but are expensive and people get tired of eating them.

Thank you for joining in here, TGP. I truly admire you long distance hikers. And envy you, which I say because I wanted to do that once upon a time. Due to family obligations I felt privileged to only achieve, on average, a few three-four day back country hikes.

But I can say this... even by then, after a few of those freeze dried meals, we were ravenous for a Whataburger or Big Mac by the time we got down the mountain. Bravo to you, I am way too spoiled, lol.

 

[K9Enzo]

@neesaki Ha! Coming off a mountain and craving that burger & fries at the local joint. Nothing like it! That last mile is always the longest. lol

 

[carbuff]

I know somebody who came home from a winter hike and was so hungry he ate two sticks of butter straight from the refrigerator. Calories, baby. (No, not Mr. Carbuff.)

 

[neesaki]

@neesaki Ha! Coming off a mountain and craving that burger & fries at the local joint. Nothing like it! That last mile is always the longest. lol

It is, isn’t it?! You’re all ravenous for “real “ food.
Once we went on a 15 mile trek in the spring, Ozark Highlands Trail. Back in the day when we didn’t google the weather beforehand. Rained all night, heard strange wild animal sounds outside our tent, prayed and held our breathe.

Woke up to snow! Snowed the whole way, had to keep going without stopping or we would have froze. Didn't even know exactly where we were going, because we were trying to find a shorter way out. What an adventure, lol. But I wouldn’t take anything for it in a million years. Oh for the good ole days.

 

[Claireishere]

I know somebody who came home from a winter hike and was so hungry he ate two sticks of butter straight from the refrigerator. Calories, baby. (No, not Mr. Carbuff.)

Followed phish around when I was 15. Dropped 20 lbs in 3 weeks in the Blue Mountain in PA. I ended up coming out of my “haze” and ate whatever food we had. Kinda wet funnel cake on the tent floor with ketchup and nice dusting of dog hair...when your body is starved it will consume anything and tell you it’s delicious.