Since We’re on the Subject
I just can’t leave this subject about backpacking without recounting this humorous story from one of my Colorado adventures.
Gary Wilson is a art professor at Monroe County Community College, a great fisherman, and a good friend. Colorado was his “stomping grounds,” so he was the man with the expertise on backpacking the Colorado high country. When it comes to the culinary art of outdoor cooking; Gary is pure genius. He loves to cook almost as much as he loves to fish! Anyway, what this has to do with the story is that Gary took a huge iron skillet along with him, strapped to his overfilled backpack.
When the 5 of us arrived at our “jumping off” point in the Colorado Rocky National Park, Gary divided up the various gear we would be packing in. Big Bob (Gary’s NFL size brother-in-law) strapped on a pack the size of Detroit and hit the trail. Dick Robinson was next in line to go, followed by Gary, Jim Smith, and Myself. Gary’s pack looked like it weighed over 100 pounds with that huge iron skillet and all those other cooking essentials jammed into every conceivable nook and cranny of his pack. Since Jimmy and I were the rookies on this trip we were given a little less to carry, and brought up the rear on our marked trail.
We had about a 3-4 mile hike, and soon were spread out along the trail. It did’nt take long to loose contact with the person in front of you, so Jimmy and I stayed together. Well, there was a pretty good “gap” between the person in front of Gary, and the people behind Gary. Of course Gary had no way of knowing that we were taking our dear sweet time bringing up the rear.
At one point along the trail Gary stopped to adjust his pack, as the frying pan was slipping out of position. Also his straps between his legs were way too tight, so he was going to adjust them also. He sat on a huge boulder not too far from the edge of a 150 foot drop off (cliff.) As he reached for his shoulder straps to remove his pack, all the weight shifted and pulled him off the rock onto the ground. If you can imagine this picture I’ll try to draw it for you. Gary is laying on his back tettering on top of a 100 pound pack inches from the edge of a cliff. The tight straps have his legs and arms pulled up in a “turtle on his back” position! He can’t move for fear of rolling off the cliff, and the circulation to his arms and legs is being cut off. So Gary’s idea is to just sit there and wait for us to come along and rescue him from this embarrassing position. “NOT” As fate would have it here comes two young college age hikers from the other direction. Gary can do nothing as he lays there like a wounded “Ninja Turtle,” as he manages a weak “Hi how you doing?” The amused couple ask Gary if he needs any help, and Gary sheepishly tells them “Yes, I’ve fallen and can’t get up.” Well it takes both of the young rescuers to get this 250 pound turtle back on his feet.
The rest of us probably never would have found out about this story except for the fact that Jim and I passed two hikers laughing their heads off as they hiked by us. Gary was just around the bend, still quite wore out from his”turtle next to the cliff act.” He had to come clean under the circumstances, and to this day I have to chuckle when I picture this whole scenario in my mind. Thanks Gary “your the turtle” or I mean “your the man.”
Mike