This might be my own trauma reading to far into things but i was thinking the medusa tattoo was related to that trend of sa survivors getting them since alex says he had a friend who was in a bad situation (could also just be a reference fto mythological snakes though)

Im glad you and penelope are safe now! Good riddance to stan tbh

Maybe wear bright colors (especially if it’s hunting season) and learn some basics on navigation or buy a sat phone in case you do get lost, letting someone trusted know where you’re going is always a good idea too. But overall it’s pretty safe compared to places like wyoming (absolutely do not wander around the woods by yourself in grizzly country), I think the biggest concern would be getting injured or lost and caught in bad weather (like all winter here) and unable to call for help. If you’re only going a few miles outside of a town anyways you might want to check out hiking trails, you can avoid some of the risks (like difficulty figuring out how to get help to your location) and it’s better for the ecosystem. Idk where you are exactly but I might know of some usually pretty empty trails if you’re ever looking for some!

Something like this happened to me in Wyoming once…no creepy not cop but my phone died and the clock froze and the road started “looping”…glad you made it home safely