[pct-l] Hiking alone and SPOT

[Janet Grossman]

I've stayed out of the whole SPOT discussion, not wanting to carry one, 
and I don't even carry a camera, sometimes a mostly-useless cell phone. 
I think my SO may not be aware of SPOTs and I'm trying to keep it that 
way so he doesn't try to persuade me to get one. I know he worries, and 
has said he'd rather I hike with another guy (since he isn't a hiker) 
than alone. But he at least isn't the anxiety-ridden type who tells me 
how worried he is all the time or would freak out if I don't call the 
minute I said I would. He was worried for a few minutes recently when 
our local sheriff's deputy came to the door and said they'd "found a 
very dusty car registered to Janet Grossman." Fortunately I'd left him a 
note that morning saying I was leaving at 6am to park it exactly where 
they "found" it in a trailhead parking lot for a day hike. Apparently 
one deputy insisted the car had been there at least 2 days, while the 
other thought it hadn't. And the one who came to the house said as soon 
as he saw where we live that he understood the dust, since we park next 
to a dirt alley and it'd been really windy for several days. Kind of 
nice to know they do pay attention, anyway.