Rip desperado....

[Lion King]

http://www.njherald.com/story/187904...llwater-murder

Sick sons of bitches, let us take care of them.



He was such a great guy...damnit.

[The Will]

Generous to a fault. A selfless individual. He provided me with some of the best trail magic of my '97 MEGA hike. Horrible news.

[Cookerhiker]

Sad and tragic - utterly senseless.

Never met Desperado in person. We were FB friends for a while and I was the recipient of his trail magic while hiking in NJ. Always wanted to talk to him some day about Northwestern NJ where both his and my family roots stretch way back.

My sympathies to his family.

Thanks for posting LK.

[Mags]

Awful. I remember him from my thru-hike as well.

He will be missed.

[MyName1sMud]

Terrible News.

Thoughts and prayers are with the family.

[Chaco Taco]

just found out and this sucks. Met the guy on our thru in 08, really amazing in person and on this site. We lost a good one. damn...........

[Dah Wah He]

From his friend and fellow NJite Archaeopterix: "Worst thing I’ve ever heard. He was a good friend. I had plans to meet up with him this Summer. (Jack lives in New Zealand and has been battling leukemia since 2004.) He’s been writing to me constantly since 2005 when I took him out to dinner in Vernon. He said I was the only hiker who ever “took him out!” I’m glad to have made his acquaintance.
He gets my vote for the all-time number-one trail angel. ~ Jack

[rockdancer]

I knew Dennis since my thru-hike in '97. When my hikes or travels brought me to NJ we'd get together, we are about the same age. But we seemed an odd pair; me an ex-hippy and him a NJ State Trooper (so I thought). He seemed protective of exactly where he lived and I never pushed the issue. We’d meet at a diner nearby when I was traveling in NJ near him. In the late 90’s and some 00’s he would do an annual trail magic trip following hikers up the trail as far as Gorham so I’d see him in NH those times where I do trail magic. I was in Gorham with him one year when a young hiker approached us because he just had a death in his family. I think the kid was from Ohio, perhaps Cleveland. After a few moments Desperado just said “well, get in the SUV and we’ll get going.” I’m pretty sure he drove the hiker right to his home.

I knew D was retired NJ police and I thought he was a state trooper, not a corrections officer. But near the end of his career I know he was teaching firearm safety to NJ park officials as part of his work. He retired early, qualified for disability because of health problems. In the last couple of years he had a few small surgeries. Lived alone. I’m sure I’m going to have more thoughts about him in the next few days.

I know he never hiked the AT, and didn’t seem to regret it. Part of his interest in the trail came from his youth but I forget who influenced him. He talked about how much a difference the trail could make in a young man’s life. In recent years he complained that the AT hikers weren’t remembering him at Christmas time as in the previous years. I guess that was when he would get a bunch of “finished at Katahdin” thank you cards.

His portion of the trail was from Brink Road Shelter to Wawayanda Shelter. One of his signature trail magic was to put TP and fresh cookies in the bear boxes. On one of my trips he delivered hot pizza to me & others at Gren Anderson Shelter. --RD

[SawnieRobertson]

Ditto to what Rockdancer said about him. Desparado was way beyond just being a casual trail angel. He kept the shelters that he adopted fully stocked. I recall first aid supplies, canned ham, swept floors. When I was at Gren Anderson someone else was doing his usual "duties" because he was ill and needed to "train" a helper. I was disappointed to have not met him, then came upon him at Waywayanda Shelter. What transpired then was unforgetable to me. He was the real thing. It makes me especially sad to think what he went through while being attacked. There is no excuse.

[snorz]

RIP Desperado, a friend of the trail.

[WIAPilot]

Desperado sounds like an amazing human being. What an utter waste of a magnificent life to have been killed in such a senseless manner.

[rockdancer]

Here's the website where you can leave memories for the family, and find out more about Desperado. The funeral is set for June 21. The full obituary should be posted by Tuesday June 19. See http://www.tributes.com/show/9396729...ab#condolences

[rambunny]

We have definatley lost a good friend.

[rocketsocks]

Wow,really sorry to hear this,very tragic indeed,condolences to the family,and those who knew him.

[Tinker]

Senseless and truly sad.

[speedbump]

I cannot open the newspaper attachment and the obit is not in there. What are the details ? Was he harmed while hiking ?

[speedbump]

Never mind, I found the article. So sad.

[Lauriep]

Desperado was one of those people many hikers have in mind when they say "hiking the Appalachian Trail restored my faith in humanity."

This is a photo I took of Desperado at the Trail's End Festival in Millinocket in September 2010. He also attended some of the "End of the Trail" festivals in Millinocket '98-'00 so he could provide support to nobos as they finished their hikes.

He was a kind, compassionate, and gentle soul.

Trail's End-Desperado 02.jpg

Laurie P.

[Lone Wolf]

http://www.njherald.com/story/187904...llwater-murder

Sick sons of bitches, let us take care of them.



He was such a great guy...damnit.

hmmmmm. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201..._years_of.html

[Jack Tarlin]

It is evident and clear that not all the facts are in on this crime or its motivations. But what IS clear is that the late Mr. Pegg's devotion to the Trail and those who hiked it over the years was proven time and time again. In the interest of simple decency, I respectfully suggest that people refrain from turning this thread into unpleasantness and speculation. We should wait until we know more about the specifics of this case, especially before we cast aspersions or accusations towards someone who is obviously unable for speak for himself anymore. There may come a time when we learn and discover things about this story that give us pause. But I suggest that this time isn't here yet, and out of respect for Mr. Pegg and his family and friends, I hope this thread does not degenerate into rampant speculation and ugliness. Thank you.