It was a three day weekend. They had been planning the camping weekend for a couple months. The first to arrive at the campground secured a good camp site and started setting up camp. Folding chairs under the awning and the barbeque ready to start the first night's dinner when the other two got there. Radio adjusted to relaxing music since this was what they all wanted this weekend. As the other two friends arrived in their cars, the dinner was cooking so they could eat before it was dark. After dinner, a stroll around the campground helped loosen the kinks from a hard week at their individual jobs. They all agreed they would like to get to sleep so they could get up with the sun and take a long hike before making breakfast.
The morning hike was invigorating and a good workout in the mountainous terrain. The coffee aroma and breakfast smells were the reward. Then they played cards and relaxed into the weekend. A couple hours before time for lunch, one of the friends said she felt like a little more hiking and was going to walk some. The other friends reminded her to stay on the trail since she was the only one who had not been at this campground before and she might get lost. She said she felt confident she could find her way easily but she did agree to stay on the trail. It was agreed that she would be back within two hours and no longer.
As the lunch preparations began the two friends asked each other if one of them should follow the path and walk back with their other friend. They decided to wait another hour.
At the end of that hour one person headed to the trail with water and the other person walked to the ranger station. Cell phones did not work anywhere on the campground property. The ranger organized a small search team of the workers in the kitchen and camp store and they began a search. The friend who notified the rangers returned to the camp site to wait.
A couple hours later they all came walking into the camp site. The friend had wandered off the trail and had gotten turned around and panicked which caused her to walk into a thicket. She had nicks and cuts all over her bare legs and arms from trying to move through the thorny brambles. After a shower and some first aid she was feeling calm and more like her self again.
This was the second time in my life that I tried to warn a friend to stay on the trail and my caution was not heeded. The first time was the story in this post. Fortunately, in this instance the friend's wounds were not as severe as the first one.
34 comments:
That's frightening!
we must all choose our own path...as we dont often heed others...
Sometimes people like to try to keep us on the right path but we are too stubborn to listen.
It is so STUPID to put yourself in danger like that, thank goodness she had sensible friends there to rescue her. Guess it could have been a lot worse, but honestly, I would have just felt like shaking her!
I'm glad this story didn't have a worse ending. It sounds like it was a hard lesson learned for her. Around here we hear often about skiers going out of bounds and ending up lost, or even worse causing an avalanche.
I read the link to the earlier story, and this one. I think many people who are not used to being in the woods think it is a park and don't take it seriously. I have a compass on my camera bag, and when I would camp alone, I never got out of sight of the trail, even when camping at night. I wonder how many people know what the 10 Essentials are?
This story reminded me of what was supposed to have been a short hike we once took years ago in Idaho. We were in Sun Valley for a family reunion. One of my brother in laws proclaimed to know the area quite well so we set off in a large group with him leading the way. Up and down hills, thru streams and fields we went. This was going on and on for far too long and we had a man with us who had a heart condition as well as a young child who was getting increasingly tired. The weather began to look stormy but thankfully we did not encounter rain. This was in the days before everyone was packing a cell phone. Well we finally made it back to our main group but I have never forgotten that hike.
And your other story was so sad....
Stay on the trail seems like good advice for all sorts of situations. I'm glad this friend turned up okay in the end. I will be haunted by the story of the other friend. Hugs.
Well, yeah, but the road less traveled and all. :) It's really hard to get lost in a campground around this area. Must have been some thickish woods. I guess over on the coast you could get turned around in the redwoods and fog. Three letters for your wandering friend: GPS - Works just about everywhere.
Cheers,
SLC
..some people have to learn the hard way.
.... can we get so easily lost there? Or the person sense of direction was faulty?
But some of the best stuff if off the path. I guess we need to stay on the path in some instances but when do we know when to veer off the path.
I am glad that the friend is safe, it could have been different. Now she has a memory that will last for the ages.
It's not easy to take advice, is it? So glad she was OK though.
We can try to keep others safe but, ultimately its up to them. Ego. But you keep trying, good for you.
Glad to know your friend was ok!
Good that she had good friends that came to her rescue!
Have a good day!
One of joy!
Margie :)x
Maybe you need to give people a talk before hand - a sort of horror story of what happens to those who get lost...
I went back to read the birthday post, which obviously ended badly. That is sad, both for the outcome and the tarnish it put on future celebrations.
There is, however, only so much responsibility that you can carry as "Warner". The "Warnee" makes her own choices in each story.
Good to know!, my my all that camping n' such makes a lil' ill
I went back and read the posts. How very sad. But a good friend will always try to warn another of danger...
I have never understood why people leave the trails in an area they don't know well.
It might be your destiny to caution people on journeys but not be heeded.
I've done some hiking and never, ever leave the trail. I remember as a boy when my brother hiking with me got lost when he took a wrong turn. Almost ended up spending the night in wooded northern Michigan. Had to climb a tree to flee a snorting buck. But he stayed on the trail and eventually emerged from the woods just as dusk arrived.
Very scary! I will stay on the trail.
Thanks and hugs!!
I'm glad your friend was OK. Your spidey senses are spot on.
Good story well told. To some extent we could see it - or something like it - coming, so the fact that you kept our interest speaks well of your writing skills.
I've wandered off life's trail a time or two myself. The results are getting battered and bruised. I'm glad that I have others to follow now who know the way.
Sometimes in life we all end up a modern day Cassandra, speaking the truth, but being disbelieved.
I'm glad the story ended with just a few scrapes that would soon heal, she was fortunate.
I realize she wandered off the trail in a very literal sense, but don't we all at some point in life in a less literal setting?
May we always have people who will set out to find us, no matter how lost we become.
Hello Dear
How are you? I wanted to give you a very gud news. I am an aunt.
Thank you for all of your support.
Love
Sabi
You've been tagged. check out my blog post tomorrow.
Trails are important, but there always those who wander... Me included :).
Staying on the trial -- good advice for life :-)
Scary. I'm glad the injuries were mild.
It's always smarter to listen to the trailblazer before you then the one behind you. Glad it turned out well.
I yiyi. I'm too chicken to hike alone. I wish everyone else was too.
I'm just back from vacation and starting where I left off on your blog posts.
Hope all is well with you Techno. I've missed reading your blog.
xo
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