I got to go on a charming hike this morning. It was meant to be an hour or so in order to give me time to get some other things done. It ended up being two and a half hours, none of which I regret, but some of which were spent in the discomfort of knowing I was, once again, completely lost and that time was, indeed, passing.
Now I have several theories of being lost in the woods on trails, one of which I have held true since getting lost driving in the Boston area: so long as you are on Earth, you are never really lost. My husband says this is rather a broad theory to live by, and in some ways, especially on days like today, I have to agree with him. When I called him from the trail and reminded him of my other theory, "Well it has to come out SOMEWHERE," he reminded me that "somewhere" might be a very long way off and did I really have time for that? Today he also said I would have to face a lengthy lecture from him when he got home. I really didn't mean to worry him. But when you are alone and thinking you are lost and you have a cell phone, it does help to talk to one you love....and of course, one who can look up locations on the Internet.
I wandered around quite a bit more, recalling that "not all those who wander are lost," and it turns out I wasn't so VERY lost, as is usually the case (it's not like I am hiking in the Shenandoah Valley or the Rockies by myself...I was in a county park), and along with his other good advice (like "would you PLEASE get a compass???") my husband advised me after looking up a map, "Well, you are not in Quantico, which is good. You will either end up in the middle of county woods or in a housing development." A few more miles of hiking, I finally did hear vehicles on a road--it had been deliciously but then rather disturbingly silent from traffic until then. Traffic and construction are a given in this area unless you REALLY wander out, and I was back to the familiar sounds of dump trucks. Eager to end my trot at this point, I followed the echoes, and of course, lo and behold.....a subdivision in the distance.
They were still building, and I had to jump some partitions and waddle through high grass before I realized suddenly I was in the back yards of gazillion dollar homes with 10+ acres of land per lot. I breathed relief that no residents came out to question why a sweaty thirty-something carrying a camera was meandering across their property, as I would have been quite embarrassed to admit that once again, I was indeed turned around, and this time in a park I had visited only twice before.
I used to get lost in a park that no matter where you got went, you ended up by a road sooner than later, and you could always hear the traffic. Today's park was a little different, and there were absolutely no signs to indicate the trails or directions. My mother called, mid-adventure, and when I told her where I was (or wasn't), she treated me to her usual hysteria complete with reminders that "they are all crazy out there." Apparently, in her mind, everyone is crazy except those who reside in Orlando, which seems rather odd to me considering the number of people there dressed like cartoon characters and princesses.
So in the end, my theory that I would come out SOMEWHERE indeed proved true, and I headed back down the main road towards the park and the parking lot. On the way, I was treated to a goose with her little ones heading towards a small pond housed on some rich person's front lawn, and so I took a picture. I wondered after if the owner would run out and question me, but no...nothing. I think if someone were walking around taking pictures of the front of MY house, I would want to know why, but maybe no one saw me. I would have just told them the truth--that I wanted to take pictures of their Canadian Geese. If they asked why again, I would have to delve into my wish to come back as a Canadian Goose in my next life, but that I would not want to spend that lifetime in their front yard. This might have taken several hours of explaining, so I am glad no one came out.
No harm done, then, except I annoyed and worried my husband, elicited some typical panic from my mother, and got ample blisters on my unprepared feet. It struck me that perhaps, even if I do buy a compass, I should write to the county and ask them why there are no markers on their trails, and maybe I will at some point. But after I relax a little and search for ticks.
Yuck. I hope I don't find any.
Now I have several theories of being lost in the woods on trails, one of which I have held true since getting lost driving in the Boston area: so long as you are on Earth, you are never really lost. My husband says this is rather a broad theory to live by, and in some ways, especially on days like today, I have to agree with him. When I called him from the trail and reminded him of my other theory, "Well it has to come out SOMEWHERE," he reminded me that "somewhere" might be a very long way off and did I really have time for that? Today he also said I would have to face a lengthy lecture from him when he got home. I really didn't mean to worry him. But when you are alone and thinking you are lost and you have a cell phone, it does help to talk to one you love....and of course, one who can look up locations on the Internet.
I wandered around quite a bit more, recalling that "not all those who wander are lost," and it turns out I wasn't so VERY lost, as is usually the case (it's not like I am hiking in the Shenandoah Valley or the Rockies by myself...I was in a county park), and along with his other good advice (like "would you PLEASE get a compass???") my husband advised me after looking up a map, "Well, you are not in Quantico, which is good. You will either end up in the middle of county woods or in a housing development." A few more miles of hiking, I finally did hear vehicles on a road--it had been deliciously but then rather disturbingly silent from traffic until then. Traffic and construction are a given in this area unless you REALLY wander out, and I was back to the familiar sounds of dump trucks. Eager to end my trot at this point, I followed the echoes, and of course, lo and behold.....a subdivision in the distance.
They were still building, and I had to jump some partitions and waddle through high grass before I realized suddenly I was in the back yards of gazillion dollar homes with 10+ acres of land per lot. I breathed relief that no residents came out to question why a sweaty thirty-something carrying a camera was meandering across their property, as I would have been quite embarrassed to admit that once again, I was indeed turned around, and this time in a park I had visited only twice before.
I used to get lost in a park that no matter where you got went, you ended up by a road sooner than later, and you could always hear the traffic. Today's park was a little different, and there were absolutely no signs to indicate the trails or directions. My mother called, mid-adventure, and when I told her where I was (or wasn't), she treated me to her usual hysteria complete with reminders that "they are all crazy out there." Apparently, in her mind, everyone is crazy except those who reside in Orlando, which seems rather odd to me considering the number of people there dressed like cartoon characters and princesses.
So in the end, my theory that I would come out SOMEWHERE indeed proved true, and I headed back down the main road towards the park and the parking lot. On the way, I was treated to a goose with her little ones heading towards a small pond housed on some rich person's front lawn, and so I took a picture. I wondered after if the owner would run out and question me, but no...nothing. I think if someone were walking around taking pictures of the front of MY house, I would want to know why, but maybe no one saw me. I would have just told them the truth--that I wanted to take pictures of their Canadian Geese. If they asked why again, I would have to delve into my wish to come back as a Canadian Goose in my next life, but that I would not want to spend that lifetime in their front yard. This might have taken several hours of explaining, so I am glad no one came out.
No harm done, then, except I annoyed and worried my husband, elicited some typical panic from my mother, and got ample blisters on my unprepared feet. It struck me that perhaps, even if I do buy a compass, I should write to the county and ask them why there are no markers on their trails, and maybe I will at some point. But after I relax a little and search for ticks.
Yuck. I hope I don't find any.
5 comments:
Ooooh, Katherine -
I absolutley hate coming out of someplace and finding myself in someone's back yard. What's a gal to do? Tell the folks that you're with Country Living magazine, doing a shoot? Tell them it's not a camera, just a cute purse that looks like one? Whew! Good thing no one came out! LOL!
LOL Yeah. That might work until they want to see my ID....and since I had NO ID on me....
I know. I know. STUPID. I will try to learn from this recent reminder that wandering unprepared is not all fun and games.
Thanks for visiting my blog Katherine. That was very sweet of you.
I LOVE hiking! My wife and I do it nearly every weekend. Sounds like you had more fun than you bargained for. Glad you made it out OK and I wasn't hearing about you on the evening news! :)
Yes, the only way I want to be on the evening news is if I made a huge contribution to society somehow.....getting lost in someone's back yard doesn't count.
Thanks for visiting and reminding me that this "lull" won't last!! :)
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