After reading a
news article about the British guy who's hiking with a refrigerator strapped to his back it got me to thinking...
What are some of the oddest sights we have seen while hiking and backpacking or outdoors in a park setting?
It's been awhile since we've really gotten out on a trip together (to and from work don't count), but I can still think of some weird things we have seen:
- The camping family who brought along a blow torch to light their campfire. You never know when you'll need a blowtorch, I guess.
- The 8+ foot tall metal buoy that beached itself down island at Padre Island National Seashore and which someone, subsequently, painted to look just like a giant "8 ball". (Need to post the photo sometime -- for beach 'junk', it was at least cool!)
- The guy in Tennessee so intent on getting a photo of a bear and his family that he left his car doors open (wife & kids inside) and kept inching ever-closer to the bear to get it into frame with the car. Thankfully, NPS Rangers advised the would-be bear snack to just buy a postcard, instead... or a telephoto lens.
- The 30-something man & his family we met at "The Window" in Big Bend National Park who was intent on getting right up to the edge and looking over... nevermind the 220 foot drop to the desert below. {Secret to getting a photo -- use a telephoto lens (notice a trend, here?) and stay a sane distance (20+ feet) away from the sloping slickrock and wind gusts rushing up the cliff face!}
- The sight of Justin, his brother and I on top of Pinnacle Mountain in Arkansas on a humid summer day. We each had plenty of water with us for the hike... except we had frozen it (so it would be nice 'n cold, naturally
), and it was STILL FROZEN when we reached the summit. Water, water everywhere but not a drop to DRINK! A humbling experience, and not altogether funny when you're dying for a gulp of water and just getting 1-2 icy droplets instead!
How about you? What are the weirdest things you've seen (or, in hindsight, done yourself) while hiking, backpacking or camping? Keep it clean, please -- this is a family-friendly site!
{Edited to correct wrong URL to Big Bend National Park -- oops!}
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