[at-l] gun questions

[revmrf@kingcon.com (Martin Fors)]

Here's a little true story written by me in 1999:

I HOPE YOU BROUGHT A GUN!

"I hope you brought a gun!" she said.  That was Marilyn at my local gas=20
pump. . . .

"I see you=92re going backpacking" she commented Friday at noon as she=
 filled=20
my tank.

"Yep, going deep . . ." I replied [but not very deep, just to my favorite=20
spot between some beaver ponds in the wilderness at the base of Mt.=20
Moosilauke about a three mile hike in.]  It was primarily an equipment=20
check, as most of my gear was brand new and hadn't tasted of the real=20
outdoors yet.  Besides, the best way to learn the ins and outs of a new=20
tent is to . . . well put it up and sleep in it, of course!

It was a gorgeous day, and three more were supposed to follow.  "Yep, going=
=20
deep, and staying over night," I said.

"You are!!!?  I hope you brought a gun!" she said.

"A gun? . . . Why?"

"Coy dogs" she said.

"I've never heard of anyone getting hurt by a coy dog" I remarked [she was=
=20
talking about coyotes... they don't cause us much trouble around=20
here.]  And, then off I went to the trail head and to a favorite spot . . .

Hiking in Spring with the absence of bugs and leaves on a clear warm day in=
=20
the White Mountains is a blessing, and I wanted to take advantage of this=20
gift given to us by God.  One can see far off to places on the trail=20
normally shielded in the summer months when the leaves are fully out.

The climb was fairly easy and I adjusted quite well to my 25 lb. load and=20
paced myself accordingly, listening to what my body was telling me.  My=20
past experience as a marathon runner helped a great deal - especially when=
=20
one is not in the greatest physical shape =85

I found my spot between two beaver ponds about ten feet beside a connecting=
=20
brook among hemlock trees - likely the first person to camp there this=20
year.  My tent went up quickly=85 but first=85 I changed into a polar fleece=
=20
shirt.  My ThermaRest mattress awaited its final puffs to toss into my tent=
=20
home. Then followed my sleeping bag=85  And, then, me for a short moment or=
=20
two to relax to let my back rest a bit.

I ate my Ramen noodles meal sitting on the roots of a stump that evening at=
=20
the edge of the beaver pond and watched small brookies jump at flies=85 and=
=20
the darting of water spiders=85 and flies of some sort in the air dancing in=
=20
the evening sun=85 and the beauty of silk threads sailing in the wind - only=
=20
visible because of the blue sky above [the threads are really from the webs=
=20
of caterpillar moths long deceased in winter.]  I watched until the sun set=
=20
over the mountain.

At about 8 PM, I settled in, knowing that it would get cool (actually it=20
turned out to drop to 27 degrees.)  I was warm and comfy in my =91Wild Bill=
=92=20
sleeping bag - tossing and turning a bit - the initial getting=20
used-to-the-feeling and the sounds of the wilderness as darkness set in.

I was awakened by the loud high pitched "Arooo! Yip. Yip.  Yap. Yap=20
Arooo!"  Then a very different sound, a loud deep warning bawl=20
"Haarumph!"  COY DOGS...  And the moaning warning bawl of a moose across=20
the pond only about thirty yards away from me!

I remember thinking as I laid there the words of Marilyn =85 and then as I=
=20
rolled over I said out loud, "Now, that's a primal sound, if there ever was=
=20
one."  Here I am in the safety of my tent and sleeping bag - hah, hah.

There were no more noises and I dozed off.  For some reason I awakened and,=
=20
to my surprise my tent seemed to be 'lit up' around me.  As it was deep=20
darkness earlier, I thought it was dawn and unzipped only to find the full=
=20
moon shining on us between the mountains on either side.  It was so bright=
=20
I could see the fish splash in the beaver pond.  I didn't stay out very=20
long [it's cold in your underwear at about 27 degrees.]

Snug in my bag once more, I fell asleep only to be awaked by a loud 'CLUMP,=
=20
CLOMP, SPLASH, SLOSH, SPLASH, CLOMP!'   It was a moose walking up the=20
stream only ten feet from me!  I didn't unzip to see for sure, but what=20
else could it have been?  Ah yes, the safety of your sleeping bag . . . I=20
remember thinking, "I hope he doesn't step on me."

The rest of my time by the beaver pond is uneventful, except that my MSR=20
stove wouldn't light up the next morning for breakfast.  A granola bar=20
sufficed and, after getting the kinks out, down came my tent, and onto my=20
back with my pack, and then 'home sweet home.'

What greeted me on my way to 'home sweet home' was an experience in my=20
local Post Office.  As I went in, the local chiropractor from across the=20
street looked at me with darts of fire in his eyes.  "NO MORE PARKING IN MY=
=20
PARKING LOT! NO MORE! NO MORE!" he was shouting at me.

It was kind of embarrassing for the local pastor of the Methodist Church=20
[me] to be addressed this way with such anger among those folks in the Post=
=20
Office.  "Mark," I said meekly, "=85can we talk outside?"  And out the door=
=20
we went.

He'd been allowing us to park in his parking lot on Sundays.  And now,=20
someone had run over his flower bed.  It could've been a patient...  it=20
could've been one of our worshippers.  I explained to Mark that I'd=20
instruct my trustees and announce on Sunday that there was to be NO MORE=20
PARKING for us in his parking lot.

Later, that afternoon, I saw Mark across the street mowing his lawn and I=20
said to Sheila, my wife, "I'm going over to speak with Mark.  He seemed=20
more than a little overboard in his anger."

"Hi Mark," I said, and he shut his mower down.  "You seemed a bit overly=20
angry at me regarding what happened here.  Is there something else, maybe=20
something between us that I'm not aware of?"

Mark got a sheepish look on his face.  Apologetically, he said, "Marty=85=
 um=85=20
well, I guess you're right.  What happened was... um=85 just a few minutes=
=20
before you came into the post office... um well... I got caught by the Post=
=20
Master ungluing and reusing some 33 cent stamps!..."

And as he muttered some more, we shook hands and had a laugh together.

Do you know what?  It's safer in the woods than in my own local Post Office!



"...the music of the songs I love is found in the open air."
         From a Danish children's song.

Martin R. Fors [marty aka rusty]=20

--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
multipart/alternative
  text/plain (text body -- kept)
  text/html
---