Re: [at-l] Re: Sometimes you can

[Rick Bombaci <rpb@eoni.com>]

LOL--good story, Saunterer.

At 05:08 PM 12/31/99 -0500, you wrote:
>I have a habit of offering unasked for advice on occasion if I think
>someone I've met on the trail is heading for trouble. It is frequently
>ignored but you never know. I once met 3 young women and a guy headed up
>the back side of Algonquin Mountain. If they had made a loop to the back
>and were going to descend by the other side they barely had time to get
>back to their car before dark and they obviously weren't equipped to be out
>overnight.
>
>I asked if that was their plan only to learn that they had come by the
>longest possible route starting at 10 AM. It was now 4:30 PM and they were
>only half way to the summit. At that time of year it would be getting dark
>about 7:30-8:00 and they wouldn't reach the top before 6 at best.
>
>I 'suggested' that they should consider turning around right there as they
>had no overnight gear, no warm clothes, no food, 2 half empty water bottles
>and ONE flashlight between them. The guy wanted to go on to the top anyway.
>The women looked doubtful but agreed to go with him. I shrugged and
>observed that it was their choice. I would be out by dark whattever they
>decided to do. About 20 minutes farther down the trail I stopped to take
>some photographs and a break. As I was about to set out again the group
>came down with the 3 women leading & grinning and the guy frowning. Nothing
>was said as they passed and went on ahead of me. 
>
>Sometimes people may reject your advice at the moment it's given but later
>(when you're out of sight and they aren't losing face) decide to follow it.
>It doesn't hurt to try.
>
>Saunterer
>
>At 03:37 PM 12/31/99 EST, Jim Mayer wrote:
>>Many, many years ago my parents hiked down Mount Washington (they took the
>cog
>>railway to the top).....clip....talked to a ranger who was near by.  
>>They asked if he had seen that
>>group heading up the mountain... he said "yup."  They asked "aren't you
going
>>to do anything about it?"... he said "nope."  They asked why, and he
answered
>>"if there's one thing I've learned, it's that you can't tell nobody
nothing."
>
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>
>
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