View Full Version : AT closed in Virginia near Va 606
The Appalachian Trail is now blocked near Virginia 60 due to a shooting
http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/161026
le loupe
05-07-2008, 12:54
I hope they are ok-
on the lighter side...
DISMAL in BLAND county- maybe they were just trying to make things more exciting
The A.T. is currently closed from VA 606 (near Trent's Store) about 24 miles north to Pearisburg at VA 100. Hikers and others who have been in this area during the last six weeks and encountered suspicious persons are urged to contact the Giles County sheriff’s office (540-921-3842) or
[email protected]. The suspect in custody is a white man in his mid-50s with dark-brown hair and a salt-and-pepper beard.
For more information, please see our website at http://www.appalachiantrail.org/pburgtrailclosure. This page includes a photo of the suspect.
Laurie Potteiger
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
wilconow
05-07-2008, 13:53
This was posted in as a news item
http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/local/new_river_valley/article/appalachian_trail_killer_may_be_suspect_in_double_ shooting/10572/
The article neglects to indicate when he was released from prison, but another google result says it was 1996
Blissful
05-07-2008, 14:31
Man, what is this about VA right now? Rape, murder, mayhem. I don't like it at all!!!
For those that pray, might be good to do that with the hikers out there right now. And for our state. Thanks.
Lone Wolf
05-07-2008, 14:33
Man, what is this about VA right now? Rape, murder, mayhem. I don't like it at all!!!
sign of the times
minnesotasmith
05-07-2008, 14:36
The A.T. is currently closed from VA 606 (near Trent's Store) about 24 miles north to Pearisburg at VA 100. Hikers and others who have been in this area during the last six weeks and encountered suspicious persons are urged to contact the Giles County sheriff’s office (540-921-3842) or
[email protected]. The suspect in custody is a white man in his mid-50s with dark-brown hair and a salt-and-pepper beard.
For more information, please see our website at http://www.appalachiantrail.org/pburgtrailclosure. This page includes a photo of the suspect.
Laurie Potteiger
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Spilling the entire contents of a tanker truck full of cyanide gas wouldn't have justified that. What could the LEO motivation have been?
warren doyle
05-07-2008, 14:47
Should we too be lost in a fearful thicket caused by violence? Question authority - walk freely.
HikerRanky
05-07-2008, 14:53
Spilling the entire contents of a tanker truck full of cyanide gas wouldn't have justified that. What could the LEO motivation have been?
Actually since Cyanide gas is ranked as a level 3 on the HMIS and NFPA scale, with 4 being the worst rating, a tanker truck of cyanide gas spilled would cause an evacuation of several miles... It is lighter than air, so it will dissipate fairly quickly. Read the MSDS on Cyanide Gas sometime. Not as bad as MEBS, but certainly not something you want to be around with some sort of protection gear.
As to why LEO would close off that area, perhaps the victims told them something about the alleged assailant that would cause them to consider searching the area.... But that is an assumption on my part...
Randy
Creek Dancer
05-07-2008, 15:00
The guy already killed two AT hikers, and now is the suspect in these shootings near the AT. Closing this section until the authorities consider the area safe again could save someone's life. To suggest that hikers defy this and hike through "freely" is simply reckless and unsafe advice considering this guy's history.
doggiebag
05-07-2008, 15:07
Let me get this straight ... it'll only cost you 14 years to kill 2 in Virginia?
I'll have to keep an eye out for this guys coming trial to see when they're planning on releasing him after this debacle. After all he just winged his victims.
Shame indeed on releasing this freak.
warren doyle
05-07-2008, 15:08
Randall Lee Smith is in custody.
Once again, its a reading comprehension thing.
Creek Dancer
05-07-2008, 15:12
Once again, it's a condescending post thing.
sofaking
05-07-2008, 15:14
Once again, it's a condescending post thing.
it's only considered to be condescending if it makes you feel foolish
Creek Dancer
05-07-2008, 15:16
No one can make me feel foolish without my permission. I don't feel foolish.
http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/161026
Everyone locally knew the guy was a lunatic so it was just a matter of time.
Dances with Mice
05-07-2008, 15:49
Randall Lee Smith is in custody.
Once again, its a reading comprehension thing.RLS has a history of leaving victims in shallow, leaf covered graves. It is worthwhile to check if the two reported victims are the only recent victims. Closing the trail for a day or two is not a major inconvenience for anyone. Much to the surprise of many thru-hikers, the world does not revolve around them.
warren doyle
05-07-2008, 15:58
In my opinion, freedom of movement through the wild, or public property that is not fenced or locked up, is a basic natural animal, human or otherwise, right.
A warning sign prominently posted on either end of this trail section would have been a sufficient response to this incident, not trail closure.
Agree. I don't think he buried them on the trail.
NICKTHEGREEK
05-07-2008, 16:07
Spilling the entire contents of a tanker truck full of cyanide gas wouldn't have justified that. What could the LEO motivation have been?
I'm sure they couldn't get your opinion about how to start the investigation so they decided to wing it. Call them and let them know what to do
Warren and MS, I don't know the finer points about what's transpired and the general public doesn't either. Hikers should respect the request. Why risk compromising an investigation?
I dont think you want groups of people trapsing through a crime scene. Not the best way to preserve possible evidence.
warren doyle
05-07-2008, 16:20
It would take just a dozen of so LEO's to walk/search the trail itself in a matter of hours if it was coordinated properly (six teams of two people). It is only 25 miles with several road access points.
Closing the trail down is an easy solution and reminds me too much of unnecessary lockdowns in this Age of Fear, which I highly question and resist.
You can have the freedom to stop at the trailhead and I will exercise my freedom to walk on.
Also, the crime scene was NOT on the trail. Reading comprehension again.
Red Wolf
05-07-2008, 16:23
INFO : Per ATC, the AT is closed until further notice from Pearisburg, VA north to VA 606 ( 100 miles ) because of a shooting of two fishermwn. The suspect was caught after he wrecked his vehicle trying to elude the police. There is a request that if anyone meet a strange 50-ish man that did not appear to belong on the AT in that section to let ATC know, since the police are requesting this information. ---RW .
Lone Wolf
05-07-2008, 16:26
INFO : Per ATC, the AT is closed until further notice from Pearisburg, VA north to VA 606 ( 100 miles ) because of a shooting of two fishermwn. The suspect was caught after he wrecked his vehicle trying to elude the police. There is a request that if anyone meet a strange 50-ish man that did not appear to belong on the AT in that section to let ATC know, since the police are requesting this information. ---RW .
VA 606 is SOUTH of Pearisburg and is only 25 miles
Pokey2006
05-07-2008, 16:31
Now, LEOs might very well have a good reason to close down the trail, but I, too, am questioning this. Simply because the guy is in custody, and the shooting took place 1/2 mile off the trail. Perhaps if they released more information about the WHY, it wouldn't seem so pointless.
No, the world doesn't revolve around thru-hikers, yet think about the reaction of people in your town if the main street was closed down indefinitely because of a crime that happened 1/2 mile away. It would not be a happy sight.
warren doyle
05-07-2008, 16:35
The problem with so many non thru-hikers posting on this website is the amount of bad information being put out there as if it were fact (i.e., 100-mile trail. closure; Rt. 606 being north of Pearisburg; Wapiti II being in a remote location)
sofaking
05-07-2008, 16:40
The problem with so many non thru-hikers posting on this website is the amount of bad information being put out there as if it were fact (i.e., 100-mile trail. closure; Rt. 606 being north of Pearisburg; Wapiti II being in a remote location)
don't you have your own site to run?
SGT Rock
05-07-2008, 16:40
The problem with so many non thru-hikers posting on this website is the amount of bad information being put out there as if it were fact (i.e., 100-mile trail. closure; Rt. 606 being north of Pearisburg; Wapiti II being in a remote location)
It happens. That is the internet.
High Life
05-07-2008, 16:55
bummer.....
Spilling the entire contents of a tanker truck full of cyanide gas wouldn't have justified that. What could the LEO motivation have been?
In my opinion, freedom of movement through the wild, or public property that is not fenced or locked up, is a basic natural animal, human or otherwise, right.
A warning sign prominently posted on either end of this trail section would have been a sufficient response to this incident, not trail closure.With all due respect to both you gentlemen, I see the point of trail closure for the purposes of the investigation. Smith may have used the Trail for travel, and therefore could have left behind evidence that could tie him to the shooting scene. I'm curious if either of you would have the same point of view if one of the individuals shot were your friend and/or loved one. Let the authorities do their jobs, you do yours.
warren doyle
05-07-2008, 17:08
With all due respect to both you gentlemen, I see the point of trail closure for the purposes of the investigation. Smith may have used the Trail for travel, and therefore could have left behind evidence that could tie him to the shooting scene. I'm curious if either of you would have the same point of view if one of the individuals shot were your friend and/or loved one. Let the authorities do their jobs, you do yours.
In response to your curiosity, if I had a friend shot while fishing in Dismal Creek about a half-mile from the trail and Randall Lee Smith was caught shortly thereafter, I would not close down the Appalachian Trail.
The authorities regulate; I educate (question authority) and walk on.
In response to your curiosity, if I had a friend shot while fishing in Dismal Creek about a half-mile from the trail and Randall Lee Smith was caught shortly thereafter, I would not close down the Appalachian Trail.
The authorities regulate; I educate (question authority) and walk on.I oftentimes question authority as well, but I have enough sense to know when to respect it. Personally, I'm not a fan of going to jail or losing my professional licenses for conviction of a crime. I don't follow every law to the letter, but again, I have enough sense to know that making a point of "questioning authority" isn't worth the consequnces I may face. Since you're so interested in just walking on, let's see you go up to VA and try to cross into a crime scene closed by police. Send us a post card from the county jail, please.
A lot of Monday morning quarterbacking going on here. I wish I was as smart as some of you.
CrumbSnatcher
05-07-2008, 17:19
I oftentimes question authority as well, but I have enough sense to know when to respect it. Personally, I'm not a fan of going to jail or losing my professional licenses for conviction of a crime. I don't follow every law to the letter, but again, I have enough sense to know that making a point of "questioning authority" isn't worth the consequnces I may face.
amen to that.
Dances with Mice
05-07-2008, 19:32
The prosecutor in his first trial said that he cut a deal with the defense because of lack of evidence. The plea bargain deal was unpopular.
Some professor even carried a protest sign outside the courthouse! If the authorities appear over-zealous attempting to secure evidence this time, blame that guy.
NICKTHEGREEK
05-07-2008, 19:55
The problem with so many non thru-hikers posting on this website is the amount of bad information being put out there as if it were fact (i.e., 100-mile trail. closure; Rt. 606 being north of Pearisburg; Wapiti II being in a remote location)
Where do you perform font of all knowledge services so those of us who aren't thruhikers can come bask in the rays of your truth? :D
warren doyle
05-07-2008, 19:58
The prosecutor in his first trial said that he cut a deal with the defense because of lack of evidence. The plea bargain deal was unpopular.
Some professor even carried a protest sign outside the courthouse! If the authorities appear over-zealous attempting to secure evidence this time, blame that guy.
That was only one dynamic. Another valid reason to plea bargain was because the parents of the victims did not want to revisit the pain of going through a trial. This was not a unaminous family decision by the way.
I am totally confident, having spent much time following this incident from May 1981 to the plea bargain in 1982, that had the victims' parents agreed to go to trial that Randall Lee Smith would still be in prison today and those two fishermen would not have been recently shot by him.
By the way, I wasn't a professor then. Although I had my PhD, I was only an adjunct faculty member teaching 2-3 courses per semester in Appalachian Studies at Concord College since I was the unsalaried Associate Director of Don West's Appalachian South Folklife Center in Pipestem. I was living about forty miles away from both the crime scene and Giles County courthouse. Both Concord College and the Folklife Center were the site for the 1st ALDHA Gathering in 1982 (the same year as the plea bargain). The same two places will be the site of the 27th ALDHA Gathering this October.
As to the protest, I wasn't the only one who was upset about the plea bargain deal. Many residents of Giles County and long distance hikers felt the same way.
KnowledgeEngine
05-07-2008, 20:19
The only way I can see this affecting us is if
A) Someone was on the trail when they did the closure. Would suck to be working on a hike, and escorted off the trail
B) If it is still closed when thru hikers get there, forcing them to abandon completion of their thru hike.
Other than those reasons I cannot see why in light of someone losing their life this would inconvience anyone. I agree with their decision.
Trillium
05-07-2008, 20:44
The problem with so many non thru-hikers posting on this website is the amount of bad information being put out there as if it were fact (i.e., 100-mile trail. closure; Rt. 606 being north of Pearisburg; Wapiti II being in a remote location)
feel free to exercise your freedom . . . . to leave this site if you don't like it.
kolokolo
05-07-2008, 20:45
Wow. A lot of short tempers here. I think everyone would want to see the perp caught and convicted, and hiking through the area where evidence might exist could compromise its collection and use in trial.
Go around.
If a thru-hiker encounters this stretch while it is closed and has to go around it, he/she is not required to go back and complete it to be recognized by ATC as a 2,000-miler.
Laurie Potteiger
ATC
14 years in the Big House for murdering two people? Justice isn't always justice.
As WD said those fisherman should be home frying fish, not fighting for their lives.
The police need to protect us. I'm glad they felt they needed to secure the trail. Could you imagine if something else had happen to other hikers or fishermen? We would be calling for their jobs!
It's sad that we have had so much violence along the AT this year. It just makes it a little harder to trust people.
Lone Wolf
05-07-2008, 21:22
If a thru-hiker encounters this stretch while it is closed and has to go around it, he/she is not required to go back and complete it to be recognized by ATC as a 2,000-miler.
Laurie Potteiger
ATC
.............
Lone Wolf
05-07-2008, 21:24
14 years in the Big House for murdering two people? Justice isn't always justice.
As WD said those fisherman should be home frying fish, not fighting for their lives.
The police need to protect us. I'm glad they felt they needed to secure the trail. Could you imagine if something else had happen to other hikers or fishermen? We would be calling for their jobs!
It's sad that we have had so much violence along the AT this year. It just makes it a little harder to trust people.
start packin'. take some classes on firearm safety, get your permit
le loupe
05-07-2008, 21:37
14 years in the Big House for murdering two people? Justice isn't always justice.
The police need to protect us. I'm glad they felt they needed to secure the trail.
And here we are back full circle to guns on the trail conversation-
It is not the job of the police to protect you!!! much to your (and my) chagrin.
What he said - start carrying a gun. and write your congressman for easier CC laws
Has it occurred to anyone that the trail may be closed because that was his travelling path. He's murdered and left bodies in shallow graves before, maybe they wanted to retrace his steps, just to make sure..... I'd say it would take quite some time to cover the area thoroughly.
Lone Wolf
05-07-2008, 22:56
Has it occurred to anyone that the trail may be closed because that was his travelling path. He's murdered and left bodies in shallow graves before, maybe they wanted to retrace his steps, just to make sure..... I'd say it would take quite some time to cover the area thoroughly.
they caught him with a victim's crashed car
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-08-2008, 04:57
LEO have now said that the man that attempted to murder two people near Dismal Falls had been missing for over a month according to neighbors. They have closed the 25 mile section of the AT to search for other possible other victims. Please quit yelping about the inconvenience and honor the LEOs request to stay off that 25 miles of the AT. Also, if any hikers saw this guy along the trail, LEOs would like to know when and where. Link to news article (http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/161156)
dessertrat
05-08-2008, 05:07
The problem with so many non thru-hikers posting on this website is the amount of bad information being put out there as if it were fact (i.e., 100-mile trail. closure; Rt. 606 being north of Pearisburg; Wapiti II being in a remote location)
Yes, because we all know that thru-hikers know more about the trail than anyone else who hikes it, and that even when a guy is summiting Katahdin, he remembers that Rt. 606 is south of Pearisburg.:rolleyes:
*Edit: Post removed. Please do not feed the trolls.*
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-08-2008, 06:44
Since I'm no longer a moderator on the site, I'll say something I couldn't before: When somebody is being a screaming royal jerk on the site, ignore them. Most will sulk off if ignored because it is the attention they crave and they won't have any attention without an audience. Letting WD's pompous nonsense get you all worked up is playing directly into his hands.
This thread is about something important - LEO closing the AT to investigate potential murders - not about a guy who has slackpacked the AT dozens of times - mostly as a for-hire guide. I say again - honor the LEOs request to stay off this 25 mile section of the AT because the guy that shot the men at Dismal Falls has been missing from his home since about March 5th. Given his past behavior, there is ample reason to suspect he may have killed others in the area and buried them in shallow graves. Also, if you saw this man since March 5th, LEOs want to know when and where. Giles County VA Sheriff's Department (931) 363-3505
http://wdbj.images.worldnow.com/images/8281285_BG2.jpg
Thanks, FD. Excellent advice all around. :D
Given his past behavior, there is ample reason to suspect he may have killed others in the area and buried them in shallow graves.
Perhaps they are looking for a camp in the woods. Without hiker's tents and activity around, it could be easier to find. Might also be easier to tack his path with dogs without having people around.
My initial reaction was that closing this stretch of trail down was going overboard, but there are all sorts of reasons (and certainly many I haven't even thought of) why this could make sense.
Lets hope that FD's fears are unfounded, but even the worse needs to be considered when you have the responsibility on your shoulders to deal with a situation like this. Does anyone know what kind of searches are going on? Given the area of land that has been closed off, I imagine it would be a rather large operation.
Hence my carrying a firearm AND having my dog along when I hike alone. Nessmuk is going away for a week for work and a primitive skills rendezvous, and I will be out with my warm and cold companions.
I really would prefer pepper spray, though. I think I'll have to find some.
RE: 14 years for a double murder: in a drug dog drug and weapons sweep at our highschool 2 years ago, 2 loaded rifles and tobacco products were found in a student's vehicle. We have a law that says students will be suspended for 365 days for such offenses. The kid's dad was a former star football player from the HS and the kid's uncle is a teacher at the HS. Punishment--2 days of 30 minute detention.
14 years sounds about right according to this standard. Any wonder the morale is so low among our teachers? NOW the REALLY IMPORTANT security issue is cell phones!! HAHAHAHAHA--it's laugh or cry.
Frau (off to protect the school from cell phones)
buff_jeff
05-08-2008, 07:38
Good to know that this dick got a minimal amount of time in jail and some 19 year old just got 196 years, of which he has to serve 85%, for two robberies and some sort of firearms possession.
I am not going to sink into all this dont close or close the trail and the right to do so.
However, switching a gear in this realm....I wonder if there is another reason. Are they looking for something else? Are there any other people who have recently went missing from the area lately?
The way he has returned to basically the same place to do a similar act is kind of telling. Is this something he has thought about for the years he was away and under probation?
By the way, does anyone know if it was a stipulation of his probation he not go into these woodsy areas and stay away from the trails? (if I remember correctly, I read that it was)
Last night, my wife informed me that the suspect was "one a her kin people" which is not surprising considering Giles County.
They are NOT closing the trail because of thru or section hikers. They are closing it to the people who want to crawl around that area and "look for stuff" which is exactly what would happen.
dessertrat
05-08-2008, 09:48
in a drug dog drug and weapons sweep at our highschool 2 years ago, 2 loaded rifles and tobacco products were found in a student's vehicle.
Frau (off to protect the school from cell phones)
Back when I was in high school, many of us had rifles openly displayed in rifle racks in our vehicles, or in the trunks of our vehicles, for hunting or target shooting after school. Many of us had tobacco products in our pockets, and smoked in a designated smoking area between classes. No biggie.
sofaking
05-08-2008, 09:59
[quote=Frau;617611]Hence my carrying a firearm AND having my dog along when I hike alone. Nessmuk is going away for a week for work and a primitive skills rendezvous, and I will be out with my warm and cold companions.
I really would prefer pepper spray, though. I think I'll have to find some.
you already carry a gun and bring your dog when hiking alone, but you're thinking about getting pepper spray? strange that the non-lethal alternative is the one so difficult to consider.
leeki pole
05-08-2008, 10:02
So you've got a rifle and/or shotgun in plain view in your truck, and a Skoal can in your pocket. Agreed, no biggie. We did it all the time as well. My, have times have changed, and not for the better.
sofaking
05-08-2008, 10:06
and kids ride bikes wearing helmets now too...
....What he said - start carrying a gun. and write your congressman for easier CC laws
Except that "he" (Lone Wolf) tells us he doesn't carry a gun because he doesn't think one is needed on the AT. Nor do I think one is needed, or would even be useful in all the situations I can imagine that might occur.
Weary
Sofaking,
I would prefer pepper spray TO carrying the weapon, not in addition to it.
Dessertrat,
We all know schools aren't like they were in the good ole' days. We have stricts rules against these things now. BUT, what I want to know is why make the rules if they are not enforced? Why have strict laws and punishment against murder and attempted murder when plea agreements are made between lawyers for little time?
Rhetorical questions, I know, but communities need to decide what IS a biggie and what is not, and then act accordingly.
ASUgrad,
You are right on the the crawlin' around lookin' for "stuff". I was amazed the first time I saw this happen, and further amazed when I learned that it happens all the time.
enforced. Wish I could edit my typos/speeling mistakes.
Fr.You can if you're a donating member. Hint, hint. :rolleyes::D
earlyriser26
05-08-2008, 10:23
Wow, I just saw the news. I sprained my foot earlier in the week or I would have been doing that section of VA today. Maybe this time they will put this guy away for life, but I doubt it.
Whoa Bear
05-08-2008, 10:25
So you've got a rifle and/or shotgun in plain view in your truck, and a Skoal can in your pocket. Agreed, no biggie. We did it all the time as well. My, have times have changed, and not for the better.
There is a federal law that now makes schools, and usually a 250 foot zone around the school, an alcohol, tobacco, drug, and gun free zone. For better or worse wanton violation of this law by the school causes the school to lose all federal monies. This does mean that most schools have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to the banned items and it also means that most principals or superintendents will bend that rule if the child's parents are well connected enough. It's just one of the many reason why 70% of new teachers have left the profession after 5 years.
Someone posted that "everyone knew he was crazy", or something similar to that. IF he is crazy then the state mental health facility in Petersburg (where they send the criminally insane) may be in his near future.
There was a shooting here alst summer on the blue blaze Belfast Trail. A random shooting, followed by the theft of a truck for escape. It was several months before the vehicle was found and the young man they are looking for is still on the lam.
At least they have this Giles Co. man in custody.
It will be interesting to hear what thecaptain has to say. He is on a 50 miles section hike in NC right now.
Fr. (who has been contemplating donation seriously, of late)
Amen Whoa Bear--and why experienced teachers end up discouraged and burnt out (and collecting these dangerous cell phones ;)).
Fr.
I still don't understand why this lunatic was free. Now we've got two more victims and the possibility of more out there buried in the woods.
If he was missing for a month it's conceivable he could have been preying upon hikers in that time. Think about it...if a thru hiker doesn't phone home for a few days he/she might not be missed...it would be hard to pinpoint exactly where a hiker has gone missing and LEOs might wait a substantial amount of time before sounding the alarm. Some hikers appear to "disappear" only to be found working in a town to make money or they dropped out and are doing something else.
I hope they pull the plug on this vermin at Roanoke hospital.
NICKTHEGREEK
05-08-2008, 16:27
Anyone know where I can buy a titanium trebuchet I can carry concealed and how much does it weigh?
I'm broke, can I make one out of discarded beer cans and leki poles?
How hard is it to drill holes in rocks to make them lighter?
Would you hang it at night or sleep with it in your tent/hammock/tarp/bivy?
Ford the Kennebec or load it on the canoe?
Should you wash it in a stream where people get water?
Should they build trebuchet ramps on the AT to facilitate non-discrimination?:D
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-08-2008, 16:38
::: Dino peeks over trifocals at Nick and tries really hard not to laugh :::
WSLS-10 says the AT was reopened today.
Fr.
( I only know where there is a wooden trebuchet, put together by wood framers and engineering students at VMI.)
Pokey2006
05-08-2008, 17:08
Hey, now that it's reopened, it becomes not an inconvenience, but an excuse to go back and slackpack a 24-mile section...
NICKTHEGREEK
05-08-2008, 17:42
::: Dino peeks over trifocals at Nick and tries really hard not to laugh :::
I tried hard to cover all the usual WB bases, but I forgot all about asking if my St Bernard can serve brandy to rescued hikers hit by the trebuchet in the Damascus town limits.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-08-2008, 17:44
And should they recover in a tent or a hammock?
NICKTHEGREEK
05-08-2008, 18:41
And should they recover in a tent or a hammock?
Either, but shelters really do suck and delay healing.
Two Speed
05-08-2008, 19:08
Either, but shelters really do suck and delay healing.Not the ADA accessible shelters. They cure everything, and they already have the ramps for your trebuchet.
The ramps will also make it easy to roll in the replenishment kegs for the Saint.
Fr.
Mrs Baggins
05-08-2008, 19:25
I tried hard to cover all the usual WB bases, but I forgot all about asking if my St Bernard can serve brandy to rescued hikers hit by the trebuchet in the Damascus town limits.
Lived in Europe for a couple of years and visited the monasteries that have the St. Bernards - no alcohol in the St. Bernard's "kegs" - only hot non-alcohol hot drinks. Alcohol makes you feel warmer while your body is actually rapidly losing heat. Brandy in the kegs is an urban legend. Heard it from the monks themselves.
Being retired from LE and reading about this I can't help but reflect back on how it's always public bemoaning the police for not doing this or doing that. Efforts and energy would be better served if we started taking a closer look at the other element of the justice system, namely prosecution and defense, and especailly the judiciary itself. Some amazing things go on behind the pillars and doors of the courts. Anyway, it's a shame what happened here and the prior assualt also in Va of the hiker and what is even more a shame is that for the general public these incidents will fade from collective memory only be replaced by other similar headlines. Yup, those damn cops.:rolleyes:
minnesotasmith
05-09-2008, 03:30
Anyone know where I can buy a titanium trebuchet I can carry concealed and how much does it weigh?
Here is a trebuchet: http://www.naturelich.com/archives/images/trebuchet.jpg
They aren't normally made of titanium due to the horrific expense for hundreds or thousands of pounds of titanium. This site shows a cheap alloy of Ti that's only 70% Ti running about 2 bucks a pound: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/68330http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/68330
So, you'd have to make it yourself, and it wouldn't really fit in a backpack.
Dang! I thought that was a siege machine.
NICKTHEGREEK
05-09-2008, 10:50
Here is a trebuchet: http://www.naturelich.com/archives/images/trebuchet.jpg
They aren't normally made of titanium due to the horrific expense for hundreds or thousands of pounds of titanium. This site shows a cheap alloy of Ti that's only 70% Ti running about 2 bucks a pound: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/68330http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/68330
So, you'd have to make it yourself, and it wouldn't really fit in a backpack.
My desktop trebuchet does
NICKTHEGREEK
05-09-2008, 10:52
forgot link http://www.trebuchet.com/
RITBlake
05-09-2008, 11:06
Did the cops shoot this guy or did he sustain all his injuries from the car crash?
Sometimes I wonder about our justice system....Last summer in my home town of Cheshire, CT a family was held hostage overnight, the girls were raped, and then the house was set on fire and they burned alive. The mother and her two daughters died, the father escaped through the basement. The truly tragic part of the story......one of two criminals involved had 27 prior arrests. Think about that for a second, 27 prior arrests and he was out on the street.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2007/07/24/2007-07-24_suspects_caught_in_fiery_home_invasion.html
Red Wolf
05-09-2008, 12:00
INFO : the closed section was re-opened at 8 AM today, Fri., May 9.
Red Wolf o'da Smoky's
Lived in Europe for a couple of years and visited the monasteries that have the St. Bernards - no alcohol in the St. Bernard's "kegs" - only hot non-alcohol hot drinks. Alcohol makes you feel warmer while your body is actually rapidly losing heat. Brandy in the kegs is an urban legend. Heard it from the monks themselves.
The hell with it then. I'm not going to bother to get lost in the Alps.
For an accurate perspective on Randall Lee Smith the murderer in 1981, and the alleged assailant in the recent shootings, buy or borrow and read, "Murder on the Appalachian Trail" by Jess Carr.
Weary
Lived in Europe for a couple of years and visited the monasteries that have the St. Bernards - no alcohol in the St. Bernard's "kegs" - only hot non-alcohol hot drinks. Alcohol makes you feel warmer while your body is actually rapidly losing heat. Brandy in the kegs is an urban legend. Heard it from the monks themselves.
The hell with it then. I'm not going to bother to get lost in the Alps.
warren doyle
05-09-2008, 15:18
Since I'm no longer a moderator on the site, I'll say something I couldn't before: When somebody is being a screaming royal jerk on the site, ignore them. Most will sulk off if ignored because it is the attention they crave and they won't have any attention without an audience. Letting WD's pompous nonsense get you all worked up is playing directly into his hands.
This thread is about something important - LEO closing the AT to investigate potential murders - not about a guy who has slackpacked the AT dozens of times - mostly as a for-hire guide. I say again - honor the LEOs request to stay off this 25 mile section of the AT because the guy that shot the men at Dismal Falls has been missing from his home since about March 5th. Given his past behavior, there is ample reason to suspect he may have killed others in the area and buried them in shallow graves. Also, if you saw this man since March 5th, LEOs want to know when and where. Giles County VA Sheriff's Department (931) 363-3505
http://wdbj.images.worldnow.com/images/8281285_BG2.jpg
Some clarification to a nascent internegator:
1) I am not prone to screaming.
2) I don't think I have any royal blood in me.
3) I have never sulked off after being ignored.
4) I don't crave attention.
5) I don't share your interpretation that my previous posts on this particular thread are 'pompous nonsense'.
6) As previously mentioned on WB, I have backpacked about half of my 30,000 AT miles and I have day hiked the other half.
7) Half of 30,000 miles is 15,000 miles, so a more accurate figure is that I have dayhiked the trail 7 times as opposed to your "dozens".
8) I am not a for-hire guide of either thru-hikes or section hikes.
So much for your oft-mentioned loving tail. I guess your love is conditional.
The Cheat
05-09-2008, 15:34
I tried hard to cover all the usual WB bases, but I forgot all about asking if my St Bernard can serve brandy to rescued hikers hit by the trebuchet in the Damascus town limits.
You forgot swords!
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-09-2008, 18:02
So much for your oft-mentioned loving tail. I guess your love is conditional.:::: Dino curls a loving tail around Warren so he won't feel left out, but I'll bite both of you if you Jack fight while curled in my tail ::::
f8lranger4x4
05-09-2008, 22:12
Spilling the entire contents of a tanker truck full of cyanide gas wouldn't have justified that. What could the LEO motivation have been?
Total containment and to keep the crime scene preserved. This is very common. They also were probably closing to do search for evedence the perp would have taken or left behind.
sofaking
05-10-2008, 00:49
I tried hard to cover all the usual WB bases, but I forgot all about asking if my St Bernard can serve brandy to rescued hikers hit by the trebuchet in the Damascus town limits.
there is a st. bernard roaming the trail north of bearfence hut. he is skittish and will run away without giving up the brandy. bastard.
I just got into Troutdale today and I what to know if anybody knows when the trail will open?
I just got into Troutdale today and I what to know if anybody knows when the trail will open?
per Red Wolf above the trail reopened Friday - see link: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showpost.php?p=618679&postcount=87
warren doyle
05-11-2008, 08:51
The trail is always 'open' in my opinion as the air is free to breathe.
egclimb3
05-11-2008, 11:30
I would rather the Police find a dead body or evidence than myself. The suspect had been missing since March and made it t the Dismal area somehow? I doub't he took the trail all the way from P'burg. His out of shape Psycho ass couldn't make the first part up Angels Rest! And to have Warren suggest you go ahead on the trail just shows how much of a Pompous Windbag he is. I bet if he was standing at Trents store he would be crying for a ride to Pearisburg the loudest.
warren doyle
05-11-2008, 20:29
I would rather the Police find a dead body or evidence than myself. The suspect had been missing since March and made it t the Dismal area somehow? I doub't he took the trail all the way from P'burg. His out of shape Psycho ass couldn't make the first part up Angels Rest! And to have Warren suggest you go ahead on the trail just shows how much of a Pompous Windbag he is. I bet if he was standing at Trents store he would be crying for a ride to Pearisburg the loudest.
Unfortunately, you would lose that bet.
"Pompous Windbag"? - already into name-calling after just a few posts.
Perhaps another nascent internegator?
I would rather the Police find a dead body or evidence than myself. The suspect had been missing since March and made it t the Dismal area somehow? I doub't he took the trail all the way from P'burg. His out of shape Psycho ass couldn't make the first part up Angels Rest! And to have Warren suggest you go ahead on the trail just shows how much of a Pompous Windbag he is. I bet if he was standing at Trents store he would be crying for a ride to Pearisburg the loudest.
No one is perfect. But any one who has hiked as many miles as Warren Doyle has hiked, and worked as hard on behalf of hikers as has Warren Doyle, is far more than a pompous windbag.
Personally, I'm glad the killer and attempted killer is dead and gone. I wished society had learned far more than it has about such individuals and thus had been able to have worked harder to prevent these tragedies.
I still wish, however, that Randall Lee Smith had appeared in court, confessed, and been enticed to tell a bit more about the why of his crimes than the skimpy record we will now have to live with.
Weary