CHAPTER FOUR:
Backpacking
To ride on a horse is to fly
without wings.
– Anonymous
Horses
People who are unfamiliar with horses tend to think that they are all as clever
as those horses they see in the movies. These people don’t understand
that the film industry spends freely to find exceptionally gentle and
intelligent horses. Then, they train these horses to ignore everything
but their rider’s commands. From these films, many people get the wrong
idea about common riding or pack horses’ dispositions. These horses are
large, dumb, animals, whose eyesight is two hundred times poorer than human
vision. Tests have shown that even something as harmless as a lawn chair
can spook a horse. Thus, an out-of-control horse is dangerous to walkers
as well as their riders. According to the July 1988 issue of “Country
Journal,” “The muscles in a horse’s neck alone are stronger than all the
muscles in a powerful man’s body.” (2)
To avoid spooking the horses you may meet on some trails, do not make loud
noises, or any sudden movements. These animals can be easily frightened
and might bolt dangerously in reaction to any unexpected movement, object, or
noise. Even a falling leaf has been known to spook a horse. If you
want to greet the horseback riders that you may meet, do not wave your hand or
hat, a nod of the head will do. What is most important to remember is,
“never approach a horse from behind.” The horse may think you are a
threat and kick you.
Most people, most of the time should keep off designated horseback riding
trails. Horses’ iron shoes tear up these trails, creating muddy pits that
do no good for your clothing or boots. Horses also leave behind large and
smelly piles of manure. In any event, be aware that many of the riding
and pack horses that you may meet on trails are nervous, easy to spook hammer
heads that we should treat with respect.
Mature Wild Animals
A good reason to stay away from mature wild animals is that they are much
stronger than adult humans. A zoologist told this writer of a well
developed human body builder who tested his strength against a machine.
When he pulled a lever with all his might, the dial showed 150 pounds.
Later an average sized chimpanzee with far less apparent effort pulled the same
level and scored 300 pounds. This is because humans have underdeveloped
muscles when compared to other animals. In short, animal muscles are much
stronger, pound for pound, than human muscles.
Hollywood “nature” films show well-trained animals that always have one or more
trainers just off camera. These sugarcoated and surrealistic images
sometimes encourage uninformed adults and innocent children to attempt to make
close contact with their wild counterparts. This is a big mistake!
Wild animals, no matter how cute, are dangerous and cannot be trusted.
In some areas, because of close human contact, animals have lost their natural
fear of people. As illustrated in several cases with pet deer, they may
attack people instead of running away. Do not let children near large and
unpredictable animals, such as deer, bears, or bison; they could be injured or
even killed. Even smaller animals can be dangerous, as humans have been
killed by the blows from the wings of swans.
Be aware that in some regions rabies may be a real danger. Stay away from
nocturnal animals, such as skunks, that are out and about during daylight
hours, along with animals that do not show fear of humans and/or animals that
appear to be sick. They could be rabid. A hiking staff may be your
best protection against these small rabid animals.
Be especially cautious in the north woods during the fall mating season.
At this time of the year, large, nearsighted male animals, such as moose or
elk, are more prone to charge anything they perceive as rivals, including
humans.
Together, we can
save lives at railroad
crossings and on train
tracks.
- Operation Lifesaver ®
Railroad tracks
Never use an active railroad track as a recreational trail. Railroad
property is a dangerous place, even for experienced railroad employees.
Nevertheless, I have seen children and adults walking on rails. Do not
walk on rails! You can fall off, hit the rail or other hard objects, and
then break bones.
Unless you are a railroad employee, the only time you should be on any active
railroad tracks is when you are inside a passenger train. If you want to
travel in a railroad corridor, buy a ticket! Remember, “Anytime is train
time,” even on seldom used, rust covered tracks. The tonnage of a one hundred
car train, moving at sixty miles an hour, has a considerable amount of kinetic
energy. This is why trains, even while in emergency braking, can take
more than one mile to come to a complete stop. Even slow running short
trains with only one or two freight cars cannot stop on a dime and they can
only follow the tracks.
Because active railroad grades are private property, railroad police can arrest
you for trespassing. Never use railroad property as footpaths or
playgrounds. Do not walk, play, dive, or fish from active railroad
bridges. Most railroad bridges don’t have handrails, and a walker could
suffer a fatal fall. Also, stay out of all active railroad tunnels, as
engineers construct these for the passage of trains and not as shortcuts for
outdoor recreationists.
Do not risk your life photographing moving trains. Railway enthusiasts
sometimes take ludicrous risks to get a photo of a moving train from ahead on
angle. For example, railroad buffs have also been known to sprint across
the tracks ahead of a moving train with less than ten yards of space between
themselves and the train. With a
noticeable upsurge of the number and speed of both freight and passenger
trains, we all must be more aware of both the dangers and the criminal liability
of trespassing on railroad property.
Play it smart and keep off all railroad tracks even if there are no trains
within sight or hearing. In short, what the Association of American
Railroads said in 1988 holds true for any year: “It is irresponsible to suggest
that railroad property is a safe place for anything, except the operation of
trains.”
For more information contact:
Operation Lifesaver, Inc.
425 Third Street SW, Suite
915
Washington, D.C. 20024
703-739-0308
Fax: 703-519-8267
Email: general@oli.org
Swimming
Avoid diving into or swimming in unknown streams and lakes. The water
could be contaminated, strong currents, tree trucks floating just under the
surface, or there may be rocks close to the surface. Each year many
people dive into unknown waters, strike hard bottom, and suffer injuries that
kill them or leave them paralyzed for life. To be safe, swim only in
waters designated as safe swimming areas.
She walks - the lady of my delight. A shepherdess of sheep. Her
flocks are thoughts. She keeps them white; She guards them from the
steep.
(The Shepherdess) Alice Meynell 1847-1922
Weather
Weather is always a major factor to consider in planning for any outdoor event,
be it a day hike or an extended backpacking trip. In either case it is
prudent to attempt to anticipate all possible regional seasonal weather conditions
and to be prepared for the worst with the adequate weather protection in the
form of clothing and tents.
When heading outdoors for any length of time, take a weather radio, cell phone,
or wireless handheld computer to receive updated weather reports. During
the spring and fall seasons in northern states and in any season in mountainous
regions, the weather can change from pleasantly warm to dangerously cold in a
very short time span. On mountain trails, especially above the timberline,
it is possible for summer clad hikers to be engulfed by a sudden summer
blizzard. Children and adults have even died from hypothermia while
participating in summer mountain “fun run” events.
Outside of the higher elevations of mountain ranges, the summer time weather
range is usually from dry and hot to wet and cool. Even in this narrow
range of weather conditions, there is always a need for a flexible clothing
system. Again, layered clothing should form the basic system - with
supplementary layers available in a day pack. During summer months in
dry, hot weather, a person in the outdoors can usually get by with lightweight
underwear, a hat, long sleeved cotton shirt, cotton trousers, and footgear for
protection against harmful sunlight, insect bites, and injury from rocks and
poisonous vegetation. If weather conditions turn wet, cool and/or windy,
add a protective outer layer parka and wind pants made of water and windproof
material such as Gore‑Tex. When you feel temperatures drop and/or the wind
picks up speed, putting on a sweater underneath the protective outer layer that
along with underwear gives you three layers of protection. The underwear
shirt and sweater provide insulation, while the outer Gore‑Tex layer protects
the insulation from windy and wet weather.
Too many people learn the value of a layered clothing system the hard
way. Without enough flexible clothing, people caught in foul weather can
become uncomfortably cold or warm and have to cut short their outing. The
authors have found many documented cases where people have become stranded
overnight in the outdoors without the protection of adequate clothing.
During the changeable weather patterns of the spring and fall months, the
under-prepared walker may die of hypothermia.
Anyone going outdoors can hope for fair weather, but should also be prepared
for the worst possible seasonal conditions for the region and elevation.
Of course, if the weather deteriorates to a dangerous level, it is always a
wise move to cut short the outing, and return to shelter. No recreation
event is worth dying for. If you live, there is always another day to try
again.
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