[at-l] Re: Murder on the A.T.

["Skyline" <skyline@shentel.net>]

Tom Fort <tjfort@netdoor.com> wrote:

>Question for the group. :
>
>If you and/or you and another came upon a shelter where the other
>occupant was only carrying a small bag.  Would you stay or move on?
>

In early May '98 I was hiking south from Montebello, VA to the US 60 A.T.
crossing where I had a vehicle waiting.  Had planned to overnight at Cow
Camp Gap Shelter.

Upon arrival at the shelter, there was a solo male early 30s present.
Wearing blue jeans, hi-top sneakers, cotton t-shirt, no backpacking gear to
speak of.  Had a beat-up old suitcase and an Army-type blanket with him in
the shelter, plus a large hunting knife.  Really strange guy with a monotone
voice (a la comedian Steven Wright), a blank stare most of the time.  Talked
almost exclusively about getting laid.  Probably because he seldom did?  And
he had a viscious dog with him that was not tied up.

Stay the night, or hike the 0.5 back up the blue-blaze and several more
miles on the A.T. to the truck?  If I'd been alone (or if there had been the
usual crowd of northbounders present), I might have done differently, but I
was afraid mostly for my dog's safety in the presence of his dog.  So I
night-hiked to get back to my truck about 10pm.

This guy may not have caused us any harm, but it was too creepy.  BTW, this
is only one of two really negative incidents I can recall on the A.T. and
other trails that were serious enough that I altered my camping plans.  The
other 300+ nights were just fine.  A pretty good average.

Skyline

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