Tales of Woe from the Woods

[pibbleb]

Well to give the image some focus I was feeling very ill and had managed to convince myself I was dieing, the three of us were each in our own mummy bags, and finally I'd been running around the woods for at least three days already so I suspect I didn't smell all that good. Finally, we are talking about fine ladies from the QA's who had also been roughing it for a few days so we're not talking super model. No offence to my step mum who's a QA.

Having said all of that, you can clearly appreciate the kicking I could have got!

Pib

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Not a bush craft story,
Turned up to a fire alarm falt at a med center 3 nurse came up as I was looking at the bleeping panel and informed me that it had been bleep for F'in long time and if I did not stop it they would tie my to a chair and would not let me leave. So I say "Tied to a chair by nurses...mmmm think I will let it bleep." Red faces or wot.

 

[pierre girard]

whilst out in the woods looking for some timber suitible for a carving project, i became overwhelmed by the fundamental urge that can only be brought about by the digestion of a lamb vindaloo at my local takeaway. Franticly checking the OS map it was obvious that no public amenities were in the area so it was a case of "oh well, another bushcraft skill to put to the test...Driving home with all the windows down, i laugh to myself, i should be mad, or at least frustrated by now, but somehow im not.

Great story! Great story telling!

 

[pierre girard]

In the Saganagoons, years ago, I came across a party led by a 15 year old guide.

It was immediately obvious they'd had an interesting time - probably due to the fact the guide, was clad only in his underwear. He was not alone. Several of the others in the party were likewise dressed (or undressed), including one young thing in the briefest of bikini underwear.

As we came ashore at the portage, the rest of the party, from Chicago, began begging for food. We supplied some, and even gave some to the guide, who'd removed himself some ways down the shore - to escape the jibes, epitaths, and even stones cast by the rest of his party.

As the story came out, it seemed they'd had damnable luck with bears. The first night, a bear walked off with a good portion of the food. The next night, some of their personal packs had disappeared. The third night, the remainder of their food had been taken.

Chaos reigned. No longer trusting anything the guide said, the party, none of whom could read a map, argued with every direction he gave, and had been wandering, half crazed, in circles for two or three days. An ill-advised trip down a rapids had turned their canoes into barely floating junk.

It would have been impolite, maybe dangerous, to laugh, but some in our party couldn't help but chuckle. The meeting went downhill from there.

Like most people caught up in such a situation, they were not thankful for the assistance. They just wanted more. They wanted us to give them more food, travel with us, trade off canoes, etc. It almost came to blows. We left the portage with a couple of them following us into the water crying piteously while one shook his fist and made threats.

Only in my teens myself, at the time, I felt my first responsibility was to the people I was guiding. The light of sanity was not shining too brightly in the eyes of some in the other group. There was a definite "Lord of The Flies" feeling about them, and I wanted to be as far from them as possible.

We contacted a Canadian ranger, a day later, and shared the story. What became of them, I never heard.

 

[Mantic]

AHAHAHAHAHA!

Pierre, that was one funny story

Mind you, thinking about what could be considered as bad luck with bears, I'd say that despite their woes, they had pretty good luck (they got off pretty lightly). I just have an image of the 3 bears, paddling down the river in the stolen canoes, wearing all the lost clothing.

I think a more likely encounter would go something like this:

Hiker - My word! Look at the size of that bear!
Bear - I like your butt, can I wear it as a hat?