Darwin Award

zman308

zman308

Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
831
We just returned from the Smokey Mountains. Did alot of short hikes to numerous waterfalls. Laurel Falls is the most visited falls in the park. It is about 2 mile round trip and a moderate climb. Well when we got up there there were two YoHos (late teens, early twenties) who had climbed half way up the vertical wall of the upper falls. One had shoes on and the other one was barefooted. Probably a 15 foot climb. They were stuck. Could not go up any farther or down. The vertical rocks were moss covered and very slippery. The one in the shoes finally made it up to the top, but the bare footed one decided to come down. He started down and slipped and fell (about 6 feet) and did a belly smacker on the rock shelf. He got up slowly and you could see he was hurting. He sat down and didn't move or say anything. You could see the bruising on his face arms and legs. I think he did not break any bones and I did not ask. His mother and father and other family members were there and watched the whole thing without saying anything. Sometimes I just have to be quiet. The bottom picture says it all. Visited SMKW and will post some pictures of our hikes later.

046.jpg
 
Some just have to learn the hard way I guess, instead of just reading warnings.
 
Some people think the rules don't apply to them. Some have learned this the hard way.
 
I've been on Laurel Falls and it is pretty slippery. When I was there, there were parents that had younger children playing on the falls all by themselves and the parents didn't seem to care at all.
 
Were these Laurel or Abrahams falls? Just trying to give everyone an idea of what the falls look like down there.

Falls_1.jpg
 
Well, at least one other person most likely tried before the sign went up:)
Some people are cliff monkeys and some,(like myself) are cliff sliders.
That's why we call them 'Teaching Pains':):)

Thanks for the nice pic of the waterfall,myright, we've been on a waterfall obsession this year.

Mark
 
One of the things I notice on campus now is that all the students are walking around in these darn flip flops. I mean, these things are okay to use in the public showers to avoid athletes foot, but not as general footwear.

I sit there and wonder about calamity and unexpected events. The first thing you want to have is some decent footwear. At the very least, a fully enclosed shoe - best would be steel toe workboots. I'm buisness casual and can't wear the latter - but I always like to wear a pretty stout leather shoe with vibrum soles!
 
greenwoods said:
Well, at least one other person most likely tried before the sign went up:)
Some people are cliff monkeys and some,(like myself) are cliff sliders.
That's why we call them 'Teaching Pains':):)

Thanks for the nice pic of the waterfall,myright, we've been on a waterfall obsession this year.

Mark
Click to expand...

The angle of the picture makes it look like I'm much higher then I actually am. There is a small trail that lead right out to that rock I'm standing on. I wouldn't have tried to climb up the front of the waterfall.

Oh, and I've got pictures of the signs also.. :D
 
Nice pics. Too bad you didn't get any of the "dummy" when he landed on his belly.
 
kgd said:
One of the things I notice on campus now is that all the students are walking around in these darn flip flops. I mean, these things are okay to use in the public showers to avoid athletes foot, but not as general footwear.

I sit there and wonder about calamity and unexpected events. The first thing you want to have is some decent footwear. At the very least, a fully enclosed shoe - best would be steel toe workboots. I'm buisness casual and can't wear the latter - but I always like to wear a pretty stout leather shoe with vibrum soles!
Click to expand...


See, I'm the opposite.... let me go barefoot and I'm good... mocassins are the next best thing. I wear sandles in the winter!! tho, the temp gets well belw zero around here, so I'll throw boots on when being active. I hate vibrum soles.... you can't feel anything in them... my feet get cramped up if I wear hardsoled footwear.......

.......That said.... I'm not much for rock climbing... stiff soles are a plus for that, definately!

Rick
 
Want to have Vibram soles + feel what you're on?

large.jpg


I've got a pair of the "classics", but these would be better for hiking, I think.
 
I went to smoky mountains over the summer. We hiked to laurel falls. I did climb it... as well but those guys were idiots because 10 ft to the left theres a faint trail that leads to the top that a 8 yr old could climb. nice post BtW
 
OK. Those are the oddest shoes I've seen in a long time. Don't think I could wear 'em. Can't stand to have anything inbetween me toes other than grass, mud, or the occasional dog turd....
 
Myright's picture is of Laurel Falls. There is a lot more water flowing over in his picture then when we were there.
 
I would have walked up to him and said, "No Darwin Award for you today, but you certainly get an honorable mention."
 
Shangchi108 thats so funny lmao. Just think if him looking up at you with sheeps eyes not knowing what so ever what you mean............. Then goes baaaaaa
 
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