[at-l] My Ward Leonard Encounter

[RoksnRoots@aol.com (RoksnRoots@aol.com)]

In a message dated 3/18/2002 11:24:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
Slyatpct@aol.com writes:


> Official ordered off the trail for several years for harassing people, he 
> was 
> spotted a couple years ago and went by the name of Chip.
> 

   
     ***  Whenever I see Ward's reputation related I always chime in with my 
encounter with him in September 2000. I was driving from NY to Florida during 
a move, stopping at several new shelters to see what they were like, when I 
chanced upon a slightly trail-worn and bedraggled-looking hiker set up at 
Partnership who called himself "Chip". He had fairly decent looking gear and 
was spread out solo in the shelter as if he was set up for a zero day. He had 
stained teeth and long curly strawberry blonde hair in a pony tail. I assume 
it was Ward.

     When I arrived he was focusing on the register like he was reading it in 
its entirety and wanted to get it read. After telling him who I was and what 
I was doing we had a general Trail conversation about the AT and 
volunteerism, traditionalism etc with me doing most of the talking. I asked 
him what he was doing going northbound WAY out of season and he deflected the 
question just mumbling something about maybe going back south soon after a 
Trail injury healed. I assumed he was a wanderer at that point. 

    I guess it's because I introduced myself as club-affiliated that he was 
slightly subdued and maybe reticent, but I had to say, after reading some 
popular accounts of him, that he was polite and conversational and didn't 
strike me as being at all dangerous or anything. He even realized that he was 
occupying the register and offered it to me and invited me to stay over at 
the shelter if I wanted. I gave him a soda and a spare (I get them for 
pennies) and told him I needed to make Grayson Highlands Campground and left. 
Only later did I find out it was the infamous WL.

     Maybe I just wasn't around him long enough. I will add that if anybody 
started through my pack with the intention of drill-sergeant inspecting my 
gear he'd soon meet a pissed-off hiker. Overall, if this person acted all the 
time like he did when I met him I would say his reputation was undeserved...


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