Driving over to Hull earlier this month, I was accompanied by Stew - my daughter's fiancée. Being Sheffield born and bred, he supports Sheffield Wednesday - one of this city's Championship football teams
As we were motoring along, I found myself sharing a couple of stories with him about past adventures. Then he chipped in with a story of his own.
Three years ago he enjoyed a big road trip in the USA with a couple of his cousins. They found themselves in the Appalachian Mountains and though they didn't have time to tramp the 2200 mile Appalachian Trail, on one fine day they did have time to undertake a nice circular walk following a recommended national park route. Stew recalled that it should have been a relatively easy walk of some nine miles.
Unfortunately, they got lost. Perhaps the signage was poor. Perhaps the path was little trodden but whatever the reason they got lost and after a few miles they had to turn back and then they got lost again.
Stew spotted a big brown snake lying across the trail, blocking their way. He got a big branch and was able to manoeuvre the serpent into the adjacent undergrowth. He had learnt quite a bit about handling snakes while working in Australia.
It was a hot day and their water had run out but at least they were finally certain that they were closing in on the car park where their hire vehicle was parked. Then they spotted two black bears. Oh no!
It was at this point in Stew's narration that I interrupted, asking, "What state were you in?"
"Oh we were distressed, thirsty and tired," he said.
Slightly puzzled, I paused.
"No. What state were you in? Was it Tennessee? Perhaps Maryland? West Virginia?"
We had a good laugh about that misunderstanding. It turns out that they were probably in Virginia.
By the way, just in case you were planning to tackle it, here's a list of hazards walkers might encounter on The Appalachian Trail:-
Severe weather
 |
| Chigger |
American black bears
Tick-borne diseases
Mosquitoes
Yellowjackets
Biting flies
Chiggers
Steep gradients
Limited water
Forest fires
Dangerous water crossings
Diarrhoea from bad water
Falling rocks
Rednecks or hunters with guns
Moose
Drug crazed hippies
Trump supporters
Poison ivy
Venomous snakes
Ugh! I'll polite decline any future invitation to walk that trail coming may way, I think.
ReplyDeleteHow good for your daughter that Stew survived all those hazards!
"She's in a right state" can mean something entirely different then... right?
Yes. The "right state" might be Texas!
DeleteShouldn't Stew be Stu?
ReplyDeleteNo. There are two spellings of the name - Stewart and Stuart. His is the first one.
DeleteHaha! I love that he told you the state of his emotions and physical condition! Too funny.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather meet a bear on the trail than a Trump supporter.
At least you could have a sensible conversation with a bear.
DeleteSounds about right.
ReplyDeleteHa! That IS funny. Have you and/or Stew read Bill Bryson's book about hiking the Appalachian Trail ("A Walk in the Woods")? It's very good!
ReplyDeleteYes. I read it as soon as it came out. But thanks for the reminder. Stew might enjoy it too.
DeleteThat's funny! Not what Stewart and his cousins encountered, just your misunderstanding :)
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased it tickled you too Jenny.
DeleteHow funny! But that is an understandable misunderstanding for I would have been in quite a "state" as well. You did not tell us how Stew and his cousins escaped their situation. It is not unusual to encounter bears in many of our country's mountainous regions. My brother had a close encounter with one in the Blue Ridge Mountains once. He can personally tell you that bears have very bad breath!
ReplyDeleteWas it a woman bear? How close did your brother get?
DeleteBut did they manage to get back to the car park?
ReplyDeleteWell they must have done because he was riding in my car (Clint).
DeleteBut the bears might have eaten his cousins.
DeleteNext time I speak to him, I will ask.
DeleteIn one very short walk on the Appalachian Trail, we encountered bears, angry yellow jackets whose nests were ruined by the bears, hunters and their dogs, ticks and chiggers. We're done with that.
ReplyDeleteYou don't get that at Disnewworld!
DeleteI had a giggle at the "state" comment. :)
ReplyDeleteFor a while there I thought Stew and his mates might have come across a moonshiner...and had stuck around for a while!
I am glad I made you giggle Lee! I don'y know what a moonshiner is... unless it's someone who brews illegal spirits.
DeleteD'Oh! Of course it is someone who brews illegal spirits, Yorkie!
DeleteAre you sure you've not been hitting a bottle or two??? :)
Burp!...No!
DeleteFortunately none of that makes you get lost.
ReplyDeleteI guess that The Micro Manager sometimes says to you - "Get Lost!"
Delete