View Full Version : Trail Days news and some prayer
Blissful
05-12-2011, 20:46
Someone just reported a guy walking around with an assault rifle and full camo by his campsite while on his way to Trail Days; now being checked out by sheriffs.
Might be good to say a prayer for everyone's safety, esp in light of last year and the assaults.
4eyedbuzzard
05-12-2011, 20:49
There are a few people missing from WB tonight. :eek: :D
There are a Bunch of WBers here at Trail Days.
I'm in Abingdon now,but the Campground area was good when I left at 8:30, the LEO's were quiet,not involved with any incident.
Trail Days is great. A crowd of friends, family, and the occasional weird cousin.
aaronthebugbuffet
05-12-2011, 22:15
Someone just reported a guy walking around with an assault rifle and full camo by his campsite while on his way to Trail Days; now being checked out by sheriffs.
Might be good to say a prayer for everyone's safety, esp in light of last year and the assaults.
Isn't open carry legal in VA?
:eek: OH!
Matty's here too.....aaayeeeeee :rolleyes:
free4now
05-12-2011, 22:25
wow, someone knows about trail days? We hiked through Dumbasskiss and there was no info to be found about trail days... So, for all of you that are there.... have fun in a town that doesn't want you there!
Someone just reported a guy walking around with an assault rifle and full camo by his campsite while on his way to Trail Days
That's confusing. Was he at Trail Days or at a campsite somewhere? I was at the campground around 8 and there was no mention of this by the police. If he was at a campsite somewhere else how was it determined that he was on his way to Trail Days? People wearing camos and carrying rifles can be seen almost anytime you drive out of town around here, and sometimes you see them in the parking lot of Food City.
Sierra Echo
05-12-2011, 22:38
whats the parking like up there? Once you park are you able to get back out easily or are you trapped for the duration?
Hikerhead
05-12-2011, 23:29
whats the parking like up there? Once you park are you able to get back out easily or are you trapped for the duration?
Trapped till Monday morning.
Trapped till Monday morning.
No
You are not..at least at the campground..
OutdoorsMan
05-12-2011, 23:45
Someone just reported a guy walking around with an assault rifle and full camo by his campsite while on his way to Trail Days; now being checked out by sheriffs.
Might be good to say a prayer for everyone's safety, esp in light of last year and the assaults.
I am interested in knowing about "last year and the assaults". I have only attended TD once and loved it. Life has gotten in the way of me attending the past few years.
One of my views of TD was; I have never seen so much consuption of alcohol anywhere and everyone got along. I never saw any sign of a confrontation (I stayed in tent city) and it really made me believe that hikers are good and special people. Yes, there are some interesting personalities, but everyone would do anything for another - give them a ride, share their food, move over for a space around the fire, etc.
So, I am disappointed that there was trouble last year. I guess that it was caused by one, two or a few characters who made a scene?
Hikerhead
05-12-2011, 23:50
I am interested in knowing about "last year and the assaults". I have only attended TD once and loved it. Life has gotten in the way of me attending the past few years.
One of my views of TD was; I have never seen so much consuption of alcohol anywhere and everyone got along. I never saw any sign of a confrontation (I stayed in tent city) and it really made me believe that hikers are good and special people. Yes, there are some interesting personalities, but everyone would do anything for another - give them a ride, share their food, move over for a space around the fire, etc.
So, I am disappointed that there was trouble last year. I guess that it was caused by one, two or a few characters who made a scene?
It was caused by some local punks...NOT HIKERS. If we're talking about the hikers getting jumped.
Isn't open carry legal in VA?
VA is open carry, and since I don't know what an assualt rifle is, I will have to assume it means a small bore semi auto varmint rifle. In which case I would say rabid racoons should be more worried than hikers :)
Outdoorsman, as Hikerhead says, there was an incident last year involving two local people, one male, one female, both supposedly drunk. The male is awaiting trial. Historically most trouble is caused by locals, which is why this year the police are making sure everyone buys an entry wristband. Several people have been ejected from the campground already. Several others are being watched not only by the police but by the campers.
Tuckahoe64
05-13-2011, 12:16
I am always amused at the alarm some folks have with the thought that someone may openly be carrying a firearm. Its Virginia folks, its legal, and infact the courts in Virginia have generally come down against localities whose LEOs harrass those legally carrying a firearm.
The law--
§ 18.2-287.4. Carrying loaded firearms in public areas prohibited; penalty.
It shall be unlawful for any person to carry a loaded (a) semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol that expels single or multiple projectiles by action of an explosion of a combustible material and is equipped at the time of the offense with a magazine that will hold more than 20 rounds of ammunition or designed by the manufacturer to accommodate a silencer or equipped with a folding stock or (b) shotgun with a magazine that will hold more than seven rounds of the longest ammunition for which it is chambered on or about his person on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, public right-of-way, or in any public park or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public in the Cities of Alexandria, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Falls Church, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, or Virginia Beach or in the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Henrico, Loudoun, or Prince William.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to law-enforcement officers, licensed security guards, military personnel in the performance of their lawful duties, or any person having a valid concealed handgun permit or to any person actually engaged in lawful hunting or lawful recreational shooting activities at an established shooting range or shooting contest. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The exemptions set forth in § 18.2-308 shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the provisions of this section.
As for the sexual assault that took place in 2010, I thought that the suspect was from North Carolina and was not really a local but from Rutherfordton, NC. (http://www2.tricities.com/business/2010/oct/27/inmate-indicted-charges-aggravated-malicious-wound-ar-604509/)
Seems like the guy with the assault rifle and wearing camouflage was poaching turkeys. I believe this is the correct attire for turkey poaching but styles vary.
Tuckahoe64, you are correct: the guy charged with sexual assault was from North Carolina. We assumed he was from nearby because NC is only a few miles away. We are not sure why he was here, because no one thinks he is a hiker. But I have just been to the campground and many non-hikers are coming in. This is an increasing problem.
Lone Wolf
05-14-2011, 07:48
But I have just been to the campground and many non-hikers are coming in. This is an increasing problem.
and there is nothing that can be done about it.
attendance numbers are down this year for sure
Seems like the guy with the assault rifle and wearing camouflage was poaching turkeys. I believe this is the correct attire for turkey poaching but styles vary.
Tuckahoe64, you are correct: the guy charged with sexual assault was from North Carolina. We assumed he was from nearby because NC is only a few miles away. We are not sure why he was here, because no one thinks he is a hiker. But I have just been to the campground and many non-hikers are coming in. This is an increasing problem.
If he was in fact from Rutherfordton, that's not exactly just up the road. It'd be more like 1-2 hours away. Damn hillbillies! ;)
Blissful
05-14-2011, 20:38
Back from Trail Days - great time. Weather held up good - only a small t-storm yesterday afternoon. We didn't stay in tent city so can't report on those particulars, but gear guys were great with our issues and ran into lots of friends and WBers.
YohonPetro
05-16-2011, 12:37
I stayed in tent city, on the southern end by the river. I was aware of no issues and I had a great time watching the drunks... and being one of them!! ~Next year I'll be there during my thru~
WingedMonkey
05-16-2011, 13:39
So? the assault rifle was just a rumor being spread? Him on his way to Trail Days was just a rumor too?