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Kim Brown
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PostMon Aug 05, 2019 1:50 pm 
I like Bernardo’s fine list. up.gif I used to worry about what kind of weirdness or meltdown a hiking partner might have that will ruin a trip. But I’d had enough of that mess years ago - no second chances, either; so now I either go solo, or am very discriminating about who I go with (usually I chose solo, or for-sure-no-drama Jim). I worry about being carried away by a tsunami while on the coast. Scares the bejeezus out of me, because I’m claustrophobic, and drowning can’t be any fun; no fun at all. Last time I was on the coast, I lay awake all flippin’ night, worried about it. I’ve learned fear of coming upon an impassable portion of a forest service road, or meeting on-coming cars on a bad section on a cliffy spot (road to Coal/North Lakes, Goat Wall, Salmo Lookout, Bear Springs/Crowell Ridge, all of which I’ve come upon on-coming cars in the worst places of those roads). So my solo trips are from trail heads on roads I know for sure are good roads. I fear forgetting a book to read. I did it once, and since then I have a copy of The Wayward Bus stashed in a pocket of my backpack. I haven’t been worried about Big Ugly Bugs since I left Texas 22 years ago, but damned if a Big Ugly Bug didn’t crawl onto my tent screen a couple summers ago at Surprise Lake. I have no idea what it was; haven’t seen one before or since. But the other shoe is sure to drop. I just don’t know when, or where. The first Big Ugly Bug took 20 years to show up. I may be in for a long haul. I also worry about starting each paragraph in a multi-paragraph write-up with the word, "I."

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Roly Poly
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PostMon Aug 05, 2019 2:04 pm 
My worry is a forest fire or a distant second is dead trees falling in the wind.

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kiliki
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PostMon Aug 05, 2019 2:28 pm 
Interesting topic. I worry some about crowds and the annoyances that come with crowds, or yahoos shooting and ruining my peace. But mostly I worry about my dog. When I was younger and wasn't as vigilant about keeping a dog on leash, I had different dogs: Fall through a snowbridge and disappear into a creek Slide down a snowy scree slope Step off trail and had the scree slope under him give way Bolt when fighter jets screamed overhead in the Cascades Take off after a smell and completely, utterly disappear Be menaced by trios of off leash dogs (this has happened twice when I had dogs ON leash) Plus, I look at the Washington State Animal Response Team Facebook page, and see all the ways animals get hurt in the wilderness. All scenarios ended fine, and my current dog is 100% on leash now, which is a little sad because he has fantastic recall, and in some lonely places it would be nice for him to run. But I have turned into a helicopter dog parent. If I could shrink him and carry him like an infant I would.

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Chief Joseph
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PostMon Aug 05, 2019 3:38 pm 
Bernardo mentioned getting stung by a nettle, but I worry more about being stung by a yellow jacket, I was stung last fall in north Idaho and again last week. My leg, then my hand swelled up a lot but luckily no anaphylactic shock....yet.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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CarriesNineFires
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PostMon Aug 05, 2019 7:03 pm 
I could make a list of the objective dangers (injury, bee swarm, thigh chafing, etc.) but none of that actually worries me except as something to deal with once it happens. The possibility of a car break-in enters my consciousness leaving and approaching the trailhead but otherwise it's not an issue. The only times I have really been anxious were when I was lost. Not terribly lost, as it has always been resolved pretty quickly, but the sudden loss of control is jarring. When the situation was accompanied by an edible THC high, I think I briefly understood what it means to be REALLY lost. I don't do that anymore. That being said, the fun and challenge of going cross country, being pretty sure it will go but not certain of it, is worth the worry.

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Pahoehoe
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PostMon Aug 05, 2019 8:40 pm 
I just got back from a hike with a newbie that has a pretty irrational fear of bears. She was hiking with 4 porkchop strapped to the top of her pack and I couldn't stop giggling about it...

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CarriesNineFires
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PostMon Aug 05, 2019 9:03 pm 
Pahoehoe wrote:
I just got back from a hike with a newbie that has a pretty irrational fear of bears. She was hiking with 4 porkchop strapped to the top of her pack and I couldn't stop giggling about it...
Well, if you put the pork chops at the bottom of the pack the delicate meat may be bruised. She made the correct choice.

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snowmonkey
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PostTue Aug 06, 2019 12:22 pm 
Others

Ocian in view! O! The joy! William Clark
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neek
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PostTue Aug 06, 2019 12:29 pm 
CarriesNineFires wrote:
Well, if you put the pork chops at the bottom of the pack the delicate meat may be bruised. She made the correct choice.
No no, that tenderizes it. You want that. Pork chops are fairly tough.
snowmonkey wrote:
Others
Myself

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BigBrunyon
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PostTue Aug 06, 2019 12:34 pm 
yeah like how the katsu places hammer it down before they fry it

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Kim Brown
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PostTue Aug 06, 2019 12:42 pm 
I typically have a bbq’d porkchop in my pack to gnaw on. Might have 2 for an overnighter, one for a dayhike. I shove ‘em in my pocket for later. Good to chaw on when contemplating upon yon view. And most exciting if I forget about it and find it a few days later when I’m on the bus, and hungry.

"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area." Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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coldrain108
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PostTue Aug 06, 2019 2:30 pm 
CarriesNineFires wrote:
accompanied by an edible THC high
This contributed to the one instance when I was lost, for about 15 minutes. About 25 years ago we were told where a great fishing spot was near Yellowstone. We parked the car and headed into the brush and intersected the river. The theme of the fishing trip was "take a hit to get a hit". well no one made a mental note of where we intersected the river, so after an hour or so of amazing fishing...on the way back out we got stumped as to where to turn away from the river to head back to the car. Time to sit down, take another hit, and calm down. I eventually found the path back out and we all survived. I did not enjoy the feeling of being disoriented, so I have made it a major priority to never make that mistake again...not looking back to remember the exit route that is. Bear-a-noia will destroya We had our dog do the jump up, look into the dark, whimper and dive into the tent...this in Big Sky region of Montana. We were awake and alert all night. The next day we ran into a ranger who told us a big male grizz had been harassing campers that night, we didn't see it but all my senses were quite aware of its presence. I had a similar experience in the NCNP. I stumbled across this just west of 39 mile camp (where the snow became continuous in May) :
That night the hair on the back of my neck was on edge all night. I've camped with black bears all around me and no fight/flight reaction, but that night I was totally bear-a-noid.

Since I have no expectations of forgiveness, I don't do it in the first place. That loop hole needs to be closed to everyone.
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wolffie
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PostTue Aug 06, 2019 3:14 pm 
What ruins it for me is the first fool who will subject me to his music-noise machine or loud toy-car upon my return to our alleged civilization. I know there is no escape, but at least I such people have a special room in Hell, and I get to conduct the eternal banjo-and-accordion orchestra which will play the Barney theme song for the first half of eternity (that is what I sold my soul for).

Some people have better things to do with their lives than walking the dog. Some don't.
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kiliki
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PostTue Aug 06, 2019 3:51 pm 
Pahoehoe wrote:
I just got back from a hike with a newbie that has a pretty irrational fear of bears. She was hiking with 4 porkchop strapped to the top of her pack and I couldn't stop giggling about it...
There's a podcast called 10 Things that Scare Me, where different people go through their top 10. It's amazing how often bears comes up, particularly since the narrators aren't, say, living in the bush in AK.

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BigBrunyon
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PostTue Aug 06, 2019 4:35 pm 
You gotta save the stories about guys being dragged out of their tents and eaten by bears for right before bed. That way everyone else in your group gets poor sleep and you can smoke 'em on the trail the next day! It's a strategy that some use.

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