Embarrassing Backpacking Moments
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When I was in Williamsburg, VA I went to the pharmacy desk in the Treasure drug store. After explaining the problem to the woman behind the counter she got all red in the face and went and got the pharmacist. I told my story again and he chuckled before showing me options. I settled on the liquid bandage New Skin as he told me it was good for use when repeated chaffing was likely. After leaving the pharmacy I went to my campsite, climbed in my tent, dropped my shorts, put my legs up and painted New Skin on my butt. At that point I discovered New Skin has alcohol in it. Wow, just Wow. my butt was on fire! I quickly put the top on the bottle and pulled my shorts up. My next discovery was that I had glued my underwear to my butt with the New Skin! After pealing my underwear off my butt with another Wow, I reapplied the New Skin with yet another Wow and let it dry before dressing. The upside is the New Skin worked! As my butt healed, the Wows diminished, and I managed the last 5-600 miles of the trip by starting the day with New Skin.
About 3 months later I was back in Williamsburg, VA to work for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation as a costumed craft interpreter. I took it upon myself to stop in the Treasure drug store and ask to speak to the pharmacist. I said to him, I wanted to thank you for saving my ass. He looked at me puzzled. Once I started telling him about our earlier encounter he remembered me and we both had a good laugh. He told me it was the fist time in 30 years ) that anyone had ever come back to thank him. As they say, the worst days make for the best stories. ;)
Date: 2020-08-18
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Comments and reviews: 9
Bill
Aloha. My most silly moment involved a bear, thirst, a roley-poley rock and a false sense of. I know what I'm doing.
One thirsty moment in '73 just South of Clingmans Dome, I went downhill to get water at An old AT Shelter. Maybe 100-200yds down an old moderately steep trail. We had bear and Russian boar meetings in day and night times. I was alert, or so I thought. I walked up to a totally spread eagled bear lying on the maybe 20' x 20' square of grass just outside of the old shelter. Some times the Green Tunnel hides things. That one rock located in the perfect spot caused me to butt bounce firmly in front of that bruiser, not 10 feet away. Amazing how 4 years of surviving the MARINES had me going for my M-14' s bayonet. Oddly To go slowly got up, effectively yawned and said. oh looky here, another hiker that thinks he's in control. He turned and slowly walked off into the thick woods.
My goal was needless. I gathered my wits, tightened my grip and walked 20' to the disinclined secure old shelter. 5 minutes later sure enough, that bear was back. He and I had a full hour by ourselves. He ate my offered raisins. I took a roll of Kodachrome. Fair trade. No harm down. Silly me. I clearly had a different attitude in my having my stuff together.
Mahalo Mr Bear for not chewing on me. You taught me it's ok to be humble.
reply
Aloha. My most silly moment involved a bear, thirst, a roley-poley rock and a false sense of. I know what I'm doing.
One thirsty moment in '73 just South of Clingmans Dome, I went downhill to get water at An old AT Shelter. Maybe 100-200yds down an old moderately steep trail. We had bear and Russian boar meetings in day and night times. I was alert, or so I thought. I walked up to a totally spread eagled bear lying on the maybe 20' x 20' square of grass just outside of the old shelter. Some times the Green Tunnel hides things. That one rock located in the perfect spot caused me to butt bounce firmly in front of that bruiser, not 10 feet away. Amazing how 4 years of surviving the MARINES had me going for my M-14' s bayonet. Oddly To go slowly got up, effectively yawned and said. oh looky here, another hiker that thinks he's in control. He turned and slowly walked off into the thick woods.
My goal was needless. I gathered my wits, tightened my grip and walked 20' to the disinclined secure old shelter. 5 minutes later sure enough, that bear was back. He and I had a full hour by ourselves. He ate my offered raisins. I took a roll of Kodachrome. Fair trade. No harm down. Silly me. I clearly had a different attitude in my having my stuff together.
Mahalo Mr Bear for not chewing on me. You taught me it's ok to be humble.
reply
Carol
Haven't thought about this one in years!
My boyfriend and I were college kids in Columbus, Georgia. We decided to venture into the world of backpacking and purchased some gear. I must remind you that I was an 18-year-old kid.
We decided to test out our equipment in FDR State Park on Pine Mountain. This was long before the Pine Mountain Trail had been developed, so there were only a few trails. The rules were unfamiliar to us, not that we were responsible enough to care that much. We went to an established area that had cabins and figured this was the beginning of a trail. My boyfriend parked his Volkswagon Beetle in a grassy area and off we went!
We basically came to a spot when it was getting dark and camped right beside the trail. Next morning, being the young and frisky kids that we were, got naked and friendly with one another. Then we heard voices. Uh-oh! People walking right by us, as we scrambled to cover ourse! ves. What else can you do in such a vulnerable predicament!
We packed up and made our way back to where the car was parked. Found out that the park security had been looking for us since the day before. We had parked on their really expensive drainage system and they were not happy! That was circa 1974. They let us go with a stern warning!
reply
Haven't thought about this one in years!
My boyfriend and I were college kids in Columbus, Georgia. We decided to venture into the world of backpacking and purchased some gear. I must remind you that I was an 18-year-old kid.
We decided to test out our equipment in FDR State Park on Pine Mountain. This was long before the Pine Mountain Trail had been developed, so there were only a few trails. The rules were unfamiliar to us, not that we were responsible enough to care that much. We went to an established area that had cabins and figured this was the beginning of a trail. My boyfriend parked his Volkswagon Beetle in a grassy area and off we went!
We basically came to a spot when it was getting dark and camped right beside the trail. Next morning, being the young and frisky kids that we were, got naked and friendly with one another. Then we heard voices. Uh-oh! People walking right by us, as we scrambled to cover ourse! ves. What else can you do in such a vulnerable predicament!
We packed up and made our way back to where the car was parked. Found out that the park security had been looking for us since the day before. We had parked on their really expensive drainage system and they were not happy! That was circa 1974. They let us go with a stern warning!
reply
Sarah
Camped out on a beach in my hammock, I heard scampering footsteps all around me, and was way too sleepy/scared to go outside and see what they were, I stayed up half the night terrified that it was Pookas coming to get me (I don't actually believe in Pookas, but you know how it is at 3 AM in the dark. After a terrible night's sleep, I woke to find that I had left some little bundles of cord loose on my tarp. The constant wind would lift them up and drop them on the ground rhythmically. In my defense, even in the daylight, it was uncanny how much it sounded like the footsteps of tiny evil people.
reply
Camped out on a beach in my hammock, I heard scampering footsteps all around me, and was way too sleepy/scared to go outside and see what they were, I stayed up half the night terrified that it was Pookas coming to get me (I don't actually believe in Pookas, but you know how it is at 3 AM in the dark. After a terrible night's sleep, I woke to find that I had left some little bundles of cord loose on my tarp. The constant wind would lift them up and drop them on the ground rhythmically. In my defense, even in the daylight, it was uncanny how much it sounded like the footsteps of tiny evil people.
reply
Allgood
I was sitting in a tree stand once and a woman who appeared to be hunting comes walking along. I did not say anything and she clearly did not see me. Right in front of me like 30 yards out she drops her pants in one fluid motion and starts peeing. She finished, hiked up her pants and was gone. Never saw me and I figured the damage was done, no reason to alert her. I just went home after she left, figured that might ruin Deer hunting for the day.
reply
I was sitting in a tree stand once and a woman who appeared to be hunting comes walking along. I did not say anything and she clearly did not see me. Right in front of me like 30 yards out she drops her pants in one fluid motion and starts peeing. She finished, hiked up her pants and was gone. Never saw me and I figured the damage was done, no reason to alert her. I just went home after she left, figured that might ruin Deer hunting for the day.
reply
Steve
I bought a pair Solomon triple crown trail shoes. I was trying them out in the Georgia mountains. We had four inches of unexpected snow and the shoes had no traction on the snow that had been packed by other hikers. I slipping all over the place, thought it was me and that I was losing my balance. I felt so embarrassed. Later, I had some sandals on at camp and did not slip once. It was the shoe soles. never those again in the winter.
reply
I bought a pair Solomon triple crown trail shoes. I was trying them out in the Georgia mountains. We had four inches of unexpected snow and the shoes had no traction on the snow that had been packed by other hikers. I slipping all over the place, thought it was me and that I was losing my balance. I felt so embarrassed. Later, I had some sandals on at camp and did not slip once. It was the shoe soles. never those again in the winter.
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Mike
Last year I took my son to Colorado to start a section hike on the CT. We were stopped on the side of the trail eating lunch. I leaned over to fart and it ended up being a shart. I climbed up the hill a bit and popped a squat. After I got my shorts around my ankles, it turns out I was atop a small thorn bush. I told my son he should have learned a valuable lesson that day. NEVER trust a fart!
reply
Last year I took my son to Colorado to start a section hike on the CT. We were stopped on the side of the trail eating lunch. I leaned over to fart and it ended up being a shart. I climbed up the hill a bit and popped a squat. After I got my shorts around my ankles, it turns out I was atop a small thorn bush. I told my son he should have learned a valuable lesson that day. NEVER trust a fart!
reply
Eline-Jessica
That day when I took a wrong turn and ended up on a dead end but with a beautiful swimmingspot. I jumped in nude and as I was swimming some kayakers came up. I decided to just carry on swimming and wave. That night in the next hut I realized that the girl who spread her sleepingbag next to mine was the girl from the kayak. of course she remembered.
we had a good laugh about it.
reply
That day when I took a wrong turn and ended up on a dead end but with a beautiful swimmingspot. I jumped in nude and as I was swimming some kayakers came up. I decided to just carry on swimming and wave. That night in the next hut I realized that the girl who spread her sleepingbag next to mine was the girl from the kayak. of course she remembered.
we had a good laugh about it.
reply
Felipe
I have several but the bear bag reminded me. Mile 112. 5 PCT. Bear bagging (as if I really needed to, to begin with. I through the rock over a branch. It got stuck so I pulled to free it up and the whole branch, which was rotten, came down and if I didn't run, the widow makers offspring would have crushed me. That was embarrassing.
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I have several but the bear bag reminded me. Mile 112. 5 PCT. Bear bagging (as if I really needed to, to begin with. I through the rock over a branch. It got stuck so I pulled to free it up and the whole branch, which was rotten, came down and if I didn't run, the widow makers offspring would have crushed me. That was embarrassing.
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Robert
My buddy did like you and went ahead of the rest of our large group (10) to go #2. He cut the corner of the trail and found an open spot, but didn't realize he was still on the trail
The whole group rounded the corner while he was still doing his business. I won't be too specific, but this act have him his trail name.
reply
My buddy did like you and went ahead of the rest of our large group (10) to go #2. He cut the corner of the trail and found an open spot, but didn't realize he was still on the trail
The whole group rounded the corner while he was still doing his business. I won't be too specific, but this act have him his trail name.
reply
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