What did I do wrong yesterday?

silenthunterstudios

silenthunterstudios

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Went for a small hike after leaving a gun show yesterday, at Muddy Run park in Holtwood PA. Did almost a 3 mile roundtrip. Looking back on what I did, it was pretty stupid on my part.

Was in the woods, but it was such a nice day, I wasn't overdressed with a ballcap, polo shirt, khakis and Nike hiking boots. I should have, however, for my size, had a t-shirt and sweatshorts on.

I brought along a bottle of flavored water, but should have brought a bottle of ice water with me. I had my walking stick. Forgot to bring my cell phone! The area is small and fenced off, and I would have been found if something happened, but if something fatal happened, I would have been a goner.

I carried my Benchmade mini Ritter Grip with me, along with my Queen small stockman, and my Spyderco mini Dyad. Could have gotten along fine with just the Grip. Didn't need all of them in my pocket.

Half the hike was uphill, rocky terrain. By the time I got to the top, I was huffing and puffing. I'm a big guy, 350lbs. I've got bad knees. By the time I got back to my truck, my left knee wouldn't stop spasming. I did take 800mg Motrin before I left that morning, but that had worn off by then. I didn't have an inhaler with me either. My knee was screaming in pain by the time I got to the top of the hill.


To top it all off, my breakfast consisted of two peanut butter cookies, and some water. I'm a type 2 diabetic, and that was not a good breakfast. All of that sugar coming into my system all at once, no good nutrients. Nothing like good peanut butter from the jar. I also didn't get anything when I stopped at the park snack bar for an ice water. Another mistake then.

Just thinking, in such a small park, I made many decisions that could have cost me. Simple decisions. Simple mistakes. Not respecting the limits of my body. Not respecting my body to begin with :mad: . Not respecting the wilderness, even in such a small park.

Respect the outdoors, and respect yourself. Always plan ahead. Taking my cellphone with me is a pain in the ass, but always go prepared!
 
You point out an often overlooked facet of disasters...

It's not the "one thing" that usually gets you.

It's a small series of little decisions--little decisions that individually seem acceptable--that leads to one bad decision.

The good news is that you recognize the risk. I think most people would shrug off the success and attribute it not to luck but to themselves.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Respect the outdoors, and respect yourself. Always plan ahead. Taking my cellphone with me is a pain in the ass, but always go prepared!
Click to expand...

Excellent advice!! Something we should all remember... things we overlook are never a problem - until they're a problem!

Given the muscle spasms and poor quality fuel (peanut butter cookies), it sounds like you may have been suffering from dehydration as well. Hydration is about much more than just drinking enough water - its about maintaining the proper balance of electrolytes in the bloodstream. You might want to consider carrying this product with you - http://eletewater.com/

It offers the advantages of sports drinks (proper electolytic hydration) without the sugar (which can be a benefit to diabetics). :)
 
silenthunterstudios said:
I brought along a bottle of flavored water, but should have brought a bottle of ice water with me.

Respect the outdoors, and respect yourself. Always plan ahead. Taking my cellphone with me is a pain in the ass, but always go prepared!
Click to expand...

Very good point. ANYONE can be caught in a spot if they fail to prepare. I'm 33 Y/O, 5'-11" and 165 LB. I run between 5-9 miles per week, and am very soon to be a Naval reservist. My physical condition didn't help!

I found myself a year ago on my A$$ because I didn't plan well. It was a 25 mile Mountain bike ride in the middle of Aug. I didn't bring enough water (I had one small bottel of gatoraid) with me for the ride, I ate poorly that morning (coffee and a doughnut), and it was a hot day. About 12 miles into the ride, I got the butterflies really bad and a sever headache. I had to stop and rest. I was able to finish the ride due to my friends having a powerbar and some extra water, but paid for it. My head was hurting most of the way, and I ruined what was supposed to be a great day.

As mentioned above "Respect the outdoors, and respect yourself. Always plan ahead."
 
wear these type of pants http://www.cryeprecision.com/product1.asp?P=FP1

I dont have much to say about the cellphone because I dont even have one:eek:

Get some redwing boots and drink plain water! I dont have much to say about the walking stick eather I use Leki walking sticks when backpacking sometimes. I usualy use them on sand is all though.

A camelbak is a very handy item and some can carry alot of gear :thumbup:
 
Honestly I would read into what happened too much. Everyone makes mistakes....

In the end I don't think people give the human body enough credit. I have put my through a lot over the years including the last 8 as a wildland firefighter. Put some faith in what you might really be capable of in an emergency.
 
Never venture into the weeds without at the very least telling someone where your goin'.
 
What did I do wrong yesterday?

You exceeded the design parameters of your PTU (Personal Transportation Unit....your body). You did not file a flight plan, do required preflight maintenance and fueling, and performed maneuvers the frame was not up to coping with.

We all do similar things from time to time as we get older. For instance: Two years ago, I decided to race my teens around the yard...call it a 100 yard dash... I had them beat by quite a bit untill... I tangled my feet and crashed in the grass. I could easily have broken bones, luckily I just got lawn rash. I'm still fast in sprints, but lack the coordination of yesteryears. Then this summer: Fun at the lake includes tubing, riding an O'brian ski-tube behind a fast boat. Yup. Wiped out. Sore, but unhurt and lucky. I'm just too old for that now.

Leave a note to be found in your vehicle or home giving your plans, carry that cell phone, pack a "fagbag" with a bit of water or pedeolyte, some nutrition, and work up to any long, strenuous exercise.

As I keep reminding myself, I'm not as young and agile as I once was. Don't get me wrong, I can still stand in a doorway and flatfooted kick the top of the doorframe, it just makes me walk funny from the pulled groin muscle.:o

Codgerrrrrr!:D
 
Planning is one thing but thinking one the spot is the next. Even in the smallest park I always carry some ‘’survival’’ kit. Your complete dayhiking and survival gear/kit can always be handy but only having the essentials like a knife, small lighter, bottle of water, some food and navigation tools are just enough……especially in a small park.

Brining a some knowledge about your body is also very useful.
 
Said it before, accidents happen so fast we can't see them coming, stupid accidents come faster. I've been involved in too many of them too many times, it's a wonder I'm still alive.
Sports drinks fans, here's a curiousity you might want to check out. In early American Colonial days, 1700's, they made a drink called "switchel". Wives would make this for their husbands while they were out in the fields on a hot summer day cutting hay with hand scythes.
What's in switchel, you may ask: molasses, cider vinegar and water. They didn't realize it at the time, but they were making an early form of Gatorade for their sweaty husbands.
In 1958, Dr. D.C. Jarvis published Folk Medicine (more than 3 million copies sold!) a guide to folk medicine practices of Vermont. He extolled the virtues of honey, apples and APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. Apparently when sweet cider goes bad, the apple vinegar creates more good stuff and nutrients than....wine vinegar is not as good, and white vinegar is battery acid, don't use them.
I've been drinking it for years and still have most of my limbs and teeth. Seriously folks, for the past ten years I've been making up batches of cider vinegar and molasses, with further embellishments of honey, sea salt and ginger root.
This stuff is electrolyte heaven, and when you've got the yips after a midnight meeting with Jim Beam...this is the answer.
I keep a bottle of it on the kitchen counter, to my wife's admiration, and every morning pour out a teaspoon into a cup of hot water. Throw in a teabag on top of it. Nothing is more capital to start the day. Accept no substitutes.
Seriously, guys, this shit works. It tastes like shit at first, but after a couple of weeks you'll see your hair start to grow back, and other amazing developments! This was the original Gatorade and it still works today!
Ask any of your girlfriends who are into natural holistic healing, and they will tell you the same!
 
Our cider has grown mold in it, and we had to throw it out. Do you buy this, or have a special recipe. I'm interested...
 
sodak, when I was a kid my friend's father told me the mold in apple cider vinegar was called the "mother". He didn't throw it out, but that's just a little too old-timey for me. Just looked too nasty. I've made it by buying a few gallons of fresh unpasteurized cider from the local orchard in September. I crack the caps open slightly and let them sit in the basement to ferment. Natural sugars, no work involved. If I don't drink the fermented cider by Christmas (and you can get whacked off that stuff) I just let it sit around until it goes to vinegar. That's what I used this year. When that was gone, I just went down to PriceChopper and bought some of their cider vinegar. You can probably find it in any major supermarket. Again, I emphasize that it is apple cider vinegar you want, not grape wine vinegar and definitely not white vinegar.
 
Thanks for the info, Coldwood, I'll give it a try. I seem to recall this book, IIRC, he mentioned that gargling with apple cider vinegar was good for strep throat. Good stuff!

PS - don't worry, I won't try the others. Just the smell of white vinegar acts as an emetic on me... yuk!
 
My GF is yugoslavian and when feeling under the weather the apple vinegar is the first thing she goes for. I guess I should pay attention.
 
Wine vinegar and olive oil make a great salad dressing. White vinegar is great for cleaning the tar off the deck of a ship. Now that I think of it, that's probably what the British Navy gave sailors for salad dressing ;)
 
Thanks for the tip Coldwood. Larry, all that got hurt, thankfully, was my pride. Just wanted to share, it's corny, but be prepared.
 
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