Seafever
Well-Known Member
Yesterday my wife and I were out picking Chanterelles.....
Every other time I go to a location, I'm loaded to the hilt with survival gear, GPs, cellphone, compass..the list goes on.
At this one particular location we went to I have been there dozens of times.....and the actual picking area isn't all that big but it's good.
So it was number one on our list for starters yesterday.
We got there.........and I said to her......."we don't need all the equipment, we've been here so many times before we know it like the back of our hands."
So we went in and started picking.........I ventured into a 'side' area a little later on, she was within my vision.
We finished picking and said "let's head back to the truck"
We backtracked over the trail we came on
and moments later....just like that.....we were lost.
Dead lost.........had no idea which way to go, tall trees on all sides, couldn't see the sun because of heavy overcast cloud, and nothing in there that was recognizable to us...
We both discussed what route to take out...actually we were bickering and shouting at each other , each trying to impose our opinion on the other..
We tried several directions based on each other's advice.......and found that we had no idea where we were.
Then it occurred to me........if we shut up and listen we'll hear the logging trucks going down the road where our truck is parked...
Fortunately for us because it was a weekday there was active logging......so there were logging trucks around.......
After a couple of minutes we heard one go by....and we struck off in the direction of that sound, finally making it out although we had to walk through a semi-swamp to do it.
I'm posting this to remind anybody that is going picking....if you think it can't happen to you, you are dead wrong...it can happen in an instant.
ALWAYS take a compass with you....and everything else you need to ensure you get out of there alive....
Don't get too brazen or lackadaisical like I did.......
If it wasn't for the logging trucks we'd probably still be out there somewhere....Lord knows where though....
Every other time I go to a location, I'm loaded to the hilt with survival gear, GPs, cellphone, compass..the list goes on.
At this one particular location we went to I have been there dozens of times.....and the actual picking area isn't all that big but it's good.
So it was number one on our list for starters yesterday.
We got there.........and I said to her......."we don't need all the equipment, we've been here so many times before we know it like the back of our hands."
So we went in and started picking.........I ventured into a 'side' area a little later on, she was within my vision.
We finished picking and said "let's head back to the truck"
We backtracked over the trail we came on
and moments later....just like that.....we were lost.
Dead lost.........had no idea which way to go, tall trees on all sides, couldn't see the sun because of heavy overcast cloud, and nothing in there that was recognizable to us...
We both discussed what route to take out...actually we were bickering and shouting at each other , each trying to impose our opinion on the other..
We tried several directions based on each other's advice.......and found that we had no idea where we were.
Then it occurred to me........if we shut up and listen we'll hear the logging trucks going down the road where our truck is parked...
Fortunately for us because it was a weekday there was active logging......so there were logging trucks around.......
After a couple of minutes we heard one go by....and we struck off in the direction of that sound, finally making it out although we had to walk through a semi-swamp to do it.
I'm posting this to remind anybody that is going picking....if you think it can't happen to you, you are dead wrong...it can happen in an instant.
ALWAYS take a compass with you....and everything else you need to ensure you get out of there alive....
Don't get too brazen or lackadaisical like I did.......
If it wasn't for the logging trucks we'd probably still be out there somewhere....Lord knows where though....