Update on Peggy

[HikerMomKD]

I know several peeps, on here, was wondering about what happened to Peggy. She had set up a campsite not far from Fullhardt Knob Shelter so many people met her while hiking thru. the area.

I personally never met her but I have a friend on FB that knows her pretty well. I know this thread won't be an interest to a lot people, but for those who met her, I thought you might like to know how she is doing. Here's the convo between my friend and I about how Peggy is doing these days.

My friend- "Yes I see Peggy on a semi-regular basis. She hasn't lived up where I walk for a few years now - in fact, she hardly ever lives outdoors anymore; getting too old, I guess."

Me- "Some people on White blaze were asking about how she was doing these days...I guess they met her when hiking thru."

My friend- "You could tell them she is doing as well as she ever has. She feels the need to move frequently and mostly stays at various cheap extended stay motels. She's on Social Security now which is how she's been able to get out of the woods, but other than that she hasn't changed."


My friend is really a good friend to her & takes her places that she needs to go..he's AWESOME and she's doing well.

[Hikerhead]

That's good to hear. I'm glad to know she's doing well. She should write a book and attend Trail Days . Thanks for posting.

[Lugnut]

She could set up in the shelter at the park.

[HikerMomKD]

That's good to hear. I'm glad to know she's doing well. She should write a book and attend Trail Days . Thanks for posting.

Your welcome!
Hey, I wonder if we've met before since you live in Roanoke. My neighbor, Kristen Kelly, invited me to a get together at Corned Beef Co., downtown, a few years ago. She set up the "meeting" on WB and I know I recognize some names, on here, that may have been there. Were you there? We watched someone's hike (not the AT) on a slideshow. I was stuck at the end of the long table so I didn't meet everyone. I pretty sure Cookerhiker (sp?) was there , I remember meeting him. Anyway, nice to meet you here.

Lugnut... she COULD set up in the shelter, at the park, and she'd be really good at it I wonder if she'd want to go to Trail Days...prolly not... but you never know. We should ask her next year..... I bet, if we got her talking, she could tell us some stories....no doubt!

[Train Wreck]

Your welcome!

Lugnut... she COULD set up in the shelter, at the park, and she'd be really good at it I wonder if she'd want to go to Trail Days...prolly not... but you never know. We should ask her next year..... I bet, if we got her talking, she could tell us some stories....no doubt!

Nah, why do that when she can stay at The Place? I hear it's evolving into an extended-stay destination. Really cheap too **stirring the pot**

[HikerMomKD]

Stirring, Stirring.... Where's Red Dog? Why is he MIA?

[Train Wreck]

Stirring, Stirring.... Where's Red Dog? Why is he MIA?

still running down them pesky younguns, I reckon

[Rocket Jones]

Your welcome!
Hey, I wonder if we've met before since you live in Roanoke. My neighbor, Kristen Kelly, invited me to a get together at Corned Beef Co., downtown, a few years ago. She set up the "meeting" on WB and I know I recognize some names, on here, that may have been there. Were you there? We watched someone's hike (not the AT) on a slideshow. I was stuck at the end of the long table so I didn't meet everyone. I pretty sure Cookerhiker (sp?) was there , I remember meeting him. Anyway, nice to meet you here.

I was one of the folks at that meetup and it was a great evening. I did meet you, just to say hello, as I was leaving.

[Hikerhead]

Yes, Jeff aka J5MAN, and myself put that on. I had a great time and was very happy to have met you and Rocket Jones and all of the other folks that attended. We'll have to do that again sometime. Maybe we'll do a 20 miler before dinner.

[Hikerhead]

She could set up in the shelter at the park.

It wouldn't surprise me if she had already tried that.

[Hikerhead]

I wonder if she was a past AT Thru Hiker? She has the gear and knowledge of the trail.

[Lugnut]

She could never carry all those plastic tarps she had hanging all over Fulhardt when I met her. She would need two Sherpas to really hike.

[Hikerhead]

She could never carry all those plastic tarps she had hanging all over Fulhardt when I met her. She would need two Sherpas to really hike.

You actually met her, cool. Did you camp there? What kind of conversation did you have with her? What I meant was in her younger days of course, 30 or 40 years ago. She did have a lot of crap in the shelter, I heard other hikers helped her carry all that up there.

[Lugnut]

You actually met her, cool. Did you camp there? What kind of conversation did you have with her? What I meant was in her younger days of course, 30 or 40 years ago. She did have a lot of crap in the shelter, I heard other hikers helped her carry all that up there.

I just stopped for lunch and water. While I was eating she filled me in on how she was cheated out of being Queen of England and how the CIA was trying to keep track of her, hence her being in the woods. Told me how she walked down the mountain on a secret trail to go to the grocery. I gave her $20 and went on my way. She seemed harmless and I felt sad for her.

[Hikerhead]

I just stopped for lunch and water. While I was eating she filled me in on how she was cheated out of being Queen of England and how the CIA was trying to keep track of her, hence her being in the woods. Told me how she walked down the mountain on a secret trail to go to the grocery. I gave her $20 and went on my way. She seemed harmless and I felt sad for her.

She was the Queen. The secret trail Was the old AT many years ago. It goes past the privy and down the mtn. She had another camp down at the bottom of that trail. Last time I hiked up that old trail I found some gallon jugs of water off the trail, maybe they were meant for her.

[HikerMomKD]

Wow, I did meet you Hikerhead .... cool!! AWESOME!!! We should plan another meeting, it was a lot of fun!!

Interesting story, Lugnut. The friend that I just had the FB convo with, is more my daughters friend, so I didn't want to get real "chatty" but I knew that he met Peggy from walking the trail, near the shelter everyday, on his lunch break.
I just happened to see him on FB (he's rarely on) so I was able to ask him if he still was in contact with her.... I copied the convo, here, so anyone interested could see it. I was really happy to know that she is doing well.
I don't know how she lived outside, like that, for so long. She's one tough cookie.
I had heard things about her, mostly negative, but I didn't ever hear her entire story. I would love to know it from start to finish... so interesting & yes, I can imagine sad, as well.

[Train Wreck]

I had no idea she was still around! I remember meeting her when my husband and I hiked this section about 15 years ago. If my memory is correct, it was the shelter at the top of the first mountain you climb after leaving the highway. The shuttle guy had given us a heads up to expect that we'd probably run into her. She was there when we arrived, but just gathered her things and left. She did come back by when we were getting water and started talking to us. The conversation started out normal and then went into the thing with the queen of England stuff. I believe she had a grown son, according to our shuttle person, but he couldn't persuade her to move off the mountain. She also had a P.O. box in town and was thus technically a "resident". That's all I know of her story.

[HikerMomKD]

That is really really interesting ,Train Wreck. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad the shuttle driver gave you a "heads up" that she was up there. That's what I was trying to do with the post that made me look like a fool or something else... You remembered correctly about it being the first shelter after leaving the highway... it's about 5 miles, up, from the road.

[Train Wreck]

That is really really interesting ,Train Wreck. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad the shuttle driver gave you a "heads up" that she was up there. That's what I was trying to do with the post that made me look like a fool or something else... You remembered correctly about it being the first shelter after leaving the highway... it's about 5 miles, up, from the road.

Oh yeah, I kind of remember seeing that somewhere on WB now that you mention it...Well, like yourself, the shuttle guy just wanted us to be prepared and not startled by her presence. He was very quick to inform us that she was harmless. I'll have to go through my photos and see if she incidentally appears in any of my shelter pics for that trip. The most negative thing I remember about the whole situation was the unusual amount of trash that seemed to be in the area. I don't know if she was responsible for that, or other careless hikers made the mess. I do remember proceeding on the next day and coming across a pretty gross-looking campsite. There was a totally soggy, full-size pillow, grocery bags, and some blanket-looking things in the middle of the trashed out area.

[Skyline]

Sounds like she's doing as well as can be expected. She's got a safety net, which she needs.