The Venting Thread

[Parasaurolophus]

Someone's read 'Little Women' and wants to be Laurie rescuing...who is it, Amy? or Jo?

Only explanation for not listening to people telling you the ice isn't 'ready' yet...

M.

Hehe, could be.

Some people apparently fell through today. Someone did some measuring, and found two inches of ice on the lake. Three in one spot.

Totally. Not. Safe. OMFG.

[apl68]

Where I live ice thick enough to walk on is barely even a living memory now.  I've only ever encountered it on large puddles, and then only as a kid 40 years or more ago.  I've seen a very thin crust of ice form over most of the big pond at the city park two or three times in the past 17 years.  Once I saw a heron standing on the ice, probably trying to figure out how it was going to do any fishing in all that.

[mamselle]

Just saw two herons (in the water, not on ice) on my walk just now.

This film took the "the ice is thick enough to travel on" meme to the max, within my recent memory....

   https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_River

The final scene had me on the edge of my seat...

M.

[Langue_doc]

Robot from the doctor's office (affiliated with a major hospital chain) decided to call today, Sunday, to remind me of Wednesday's appointment. "Name Unavailable" according to Caller ID; did they think I would press 1 to keep the appointment or 2 to cancel? It's Sunday! Aaargh!!!

[clean]

I got one of those calls today too!!  At 9:02 AM!!!  ON Sunday!! 

I got another reminder on Friday that I "stay(ed) on the line" for and then "Press(ed) one to confirm!"  So WHY am I getting called!!

I have regular allergy shots.  I switched that phone number to my office phone so that I dont have to hear their reminders!

[Langue_doc]

I know from experience that I'm going to get another call tomorrow and probably one the day after in addition to an email and/or a message on the patient portal. The call was from a state other than NY or NJ. I like my doctors, so I guess I have to put up with the overeager scheduling robots.

ETA: They sent me an email about the appointment! On a Sunday!!!

[apl68]

On Friday I went for a hike in a state park an hour and a half from here that has a great trail that loops all the way around the park.  It's five or six hours' worth of hiking that includes miles of hiking along the levee of the lake (where you can view flocks of wintering waterfowl) and passing through rugged woods full of steep, but not very high, hills.  I try to do it once a year in the winter.  Unfortunately they appear to have done absolutely no trail maintenance over the past couple of years.  There were no longer any visible blazes between the half-mile markers, and in many sections the trail is so covered with leaf litter, fallen trees, etc. that it's hard to find.  I had to concentrate hard to find the route.  Finally, about two-thirds of the way along, I reached a place where I lost it entirely.  If I'd kept moving forward, blundering around trying to find it again, I'd likely have gotten well and truly lost.

I was able to backtrack to an access road, which led to a dirt road, where I was able to hitch a ride back to the park.  The guy who gave me the ride was part of the team that built the trail some years ago.  He indicated that I wasn't the first to lose the trail like that.  When I got back to the park I lodged a complaint.  I plan to follow it up with higher-ups in the state park system, and with state legislators.  They should not be handing out maps and brochures publicizing that trail if parts of it can no longer safely be found.  It needs to be cleared and re-blazed.  That will take some work, but not nearly as much as they'd be abandoning if they gave up on the trail and let all the still perfectly good footbridges and other infrastructure on it go to waste.

[Parasaurolophus]

On Friday I went for a hike in a state park an hour and a half from here that has a great trail that loops all the way around the park.  It's five or six hours' worth of hiking that includes miles of hiking along the levee of the lake (where you can view flocks of wintering waterfowl) and passing through rugged woods full of steep, but not very high, hills.  I try to do it once a year in the winter.  Unfortunately they appear to have done absolutely no trail maintenance over the past couple of years.  There were no longer any visible blazes between the half-mile markers, and in many sections the trail is so covered with leaf litter, fallen trees, etc. that it's hard to find.  I had to concentrate hard to find the route.  Finally, about two-thirds of the way along, I reached a place where I lost it entirely.  If I'd kept moving forward, blundering around trying to find it again, I'd likely have gotten well and truly lost.

I was able to backtrack to an access road, which led to a dirt road, where I was able to hitch a ride back to the park.  The guy who gave me the ride was part of the team that built the trail some years ago.  He indicated that I wasn't the first to lose the trail like that.  When I got back to the park I lodged a complaint.  I plan to follow it up with higher-ups in the state park system, and with state legislators.  They should not be handing out maps and brochures publicizing that trail if parts of it can no longer safely be found.  It needs to be cleared and re-blazed.  That will take some work, but not nearly as much as they'd be abandoning if they gave up on the trail and let all the still perfectly good footbridges and other infrastructure on it go to waste.

Glad you made it out without too much difficulty.

Here, there are a million billion trails, but few are maintained (it's an entirely volunteer effort). One of the main ones, which goes up the local mountain, is just as you describe. Tourists take it all the time, but...

There's another one up the back side of the mountain that's really nice, but then it appears to just... end. I've done some serious bushwhacking all around, but can't find where it goes. There is a deer trail nearby that you might think is it for a kilometre or so, until you're stuck in a pretty dangerous area.

[mamselle]

Not only would useful trails be lost, but if someone actually did get lost there, it might be dangerous for searchers trying to find them as well.

Might be a useful point to raise in your letter, which I agree should be written.

M.

[Puget]

On Friday I went for a hike in a state park an hour and a half from here that has a great trail that loops all the way around the park.  It's five or six hours' worth of hiking that includes miles of hiking along the levee of the lake (where you can view flocks of wintering waterfowl) and passing through rugged woods full of steep, but not very high, hills.  I try to do it once a year in the winter.  Unfortunately they appear to have done absolutely no trail maintenance over the past couple of years.  There were no longer any visible blazes between the half-mile markers, and in many sections the trail is so covered with leaf litter, fallen trees, etc. that it's hard to find.  I had to concentrate hard to find the route.  Finally, about two-thirds of the way along, I reached a place where I lost it entirely.  If I'd kept moving forward, blundering around trying to find it again, I'd likely have gotten well and truly lost.

I was able to backtrack to an access road, which led to a dirt road, where I was able to hitch a ride back to the park.  The guy who gave me the ride was part of the team that built the trail some years ago.  He indicated that I wasn't the first to lose the trail like that.  When I got back to the park I lodged a complaint.  I plan to follow it up with higher-ups in the state park system, and with state legislators.  They should not be handing out maps and brochures publicizing that trail if parts of it can no longer safely be found.  It needs to be cleared and re-blazed.  That will take some work, but not nearly as much as they'd be abandoning if they gave up on the trail and let all the still perfectly good footbridges and other infrastructure on it go to waste.

Glad you made it out without too much difficulty.

Here, there are a million billion trails, but few are maintained (it's an entirely volunteer effort). One of the main ones, which goes up the local mountain, is just as you describe. Tourists take it all the time, but...

There's another one up the back side of the mountain that's really nice, but then it appears to just... end. I've done some serious bushwhacking all around, but can't find where it goes. There is a deer trail nearby that you might think is it for a kilometre or so, until you're stuck in a pretty dangerous area.

Glad you're safe too! I do think, as an experienced hiker all my life, that it is critical to realize that hiking inherently requires you to take responsibility for your own way-finding. I say this not to criticize, but as important safety information. Never assume that there will be signs or that trails will be well-maintained-- this is how people get lost and in trouble. Consider using a GPS (which could be your phone for less-remote and shorter hikes). Carry the 10-essentials, including map and compass, and know how to use them (i.e., don't be reliant on your phone/GPS). Pay attention to landmarks and turns so you can re-trace your steps if necessary. Tell someone where you are going and when you are expected back. If there is a hiking group or REI in your area, that would be a good source of hiker safety and navigation training.

[Langue_doc]

apl68, glad to hear that you made it out safely.

+1 to Puget's comments. Trails in many of the state parks are maintained by volunteers. Some of my outdoors/hiking groups organize outings in early spring where the participants are asked to bring the appropriate tools and gloves for bushwhacking, repainting blazes, and otherwise maintaining the trails which tend to get overrun by vegetation and fallen rocks/stones. You might also see if any of the local parks or similar organizations offer half-day workshops on orienteering. While solo hiking is fun, hikers are expected to know what to do if they run into problems. Many of the trails have fallen into disrepair these past couple of years because of the park closings and furloughs. Even experienced hikers scout familiar trails before leading hikes, usually with a companion.

Stay safe!

[Parasaurolophus]

You turn INTO a skid on ice, not out of it. The person telling you all otherwise is wrong.

Also, don't go out on the ice.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Minor vent.

Is it possible to be burned out before the semester even starts? I'm not sure I'm ready for this... Can I just hide in my cave?

[mamselle]

I'll open the quiet room thread first thing tomorrow AM....

M.

[AmLitHist]

Minor vent.

Is it possible to be burned out before the semester even starts? I'm not sure I'm ready for this... Can I just hide in my cave?

Move over, EPW.  I'm comin' in.