here's an update on my recent activity/misadventure...short and sweet..took my sons SXS for a ride, parked it, decided to take a short hike, rocky alternating with swampy terrain here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...got turned around, made "a few" mistakes right off the bat...#1..didnt take the cell phone, or anything else a person should carry up here in the north woods, like matches..I have all this stuff at home, survival blanket, compass, fire starters, etc. in a pack that I take when I go hiking...this time I wasn't planning on hiking, but hike I did, for 13+ hours...I walked in circles a couple of times "theres that same big stump", then I just headed in a straight line keeping the sinking sun on my right shoulder...as it was apparent I would spend the night in the woods, I slowed down so as to stop sweating so much as the temps were going into the low 30's..freezing actually...as it got dark I stuffed dried ferns in my clothes and broke off pine boughs to make a place to sit and covered my self in boughs also...it was a clear cold night, as soon as the sun went down the coyotes started up with their yapping...I live up here so it was not super scary, just un-nerving...I could faintly hear people hollering and I heard a siren once in the distance so I knew they were looking for me but I could not head out in the dark with only a tiny keychain light, I sat tight like you are supposed to...but I was getting real cold and my body was aching from many hours or walking through brush and very wet swamp...3 am...whats that...a copter..is it just going to the local airport? Nope, huge spotlight going back and forth about a mile or so away...it got closer and I used the little light to try and signal...they saw it and was me with the fancy infrared technology...a huge spotlight lit me up off and on as I sat tight...40 mins or so two Mich State Police with dogs found their way through the woods and off we went to safety...wasnt a good walk as water was deeper than our boots but I could have cared less...the worst part about it was what my family was going through...like the police said, "we usually don't have a good outcome with 70 year olds in this area"...usually hypothermia or heart attack or broken leg and lay there unfound...things turned out good and now I can joke about it but it put family through hell thinking I was dead out there....lessons learned for sure..my son even bought me a new GPS...now I have to actually carry it and all the other stuff that doesn't really take up much room in a backpack....only harm done, very sore body even still now, lost the toenails on four toes from wearing boots that weren't really made for such a long hike...I went up to 5mg pred the first day and am now back to my 3 1/2. Very shocked I didn't have a flair, at least so far..
long unwanted hike overnight...carry your phones!! - PMRGCAuk
long unwanted hike overnight...carry your phones!!
just shows how easy it can happen, I've been hiking and hunting since I was a kid...one small mistake leads to another...but not taking a simple cell phone is ridiculous...I know I don't like being bothered by nonsense texts and call while in the woods but I've learned my lesson...lucky guy actually...
Thank gawd you haven't flared... Fingers crossed it isn't one of those stress then flare later glad you are OK and lesson learned I hope.... Always take your emergency gear.
I know..actually expected a flair..so far so good..
I take my iPhone to the bathroom In case I fall. (Not for phoning or texting, just for an emergency)😀
You were one lucky dude. Our phones are our lifeline...👍
YuliK
🌹
Me too if I am alone at home!
Goodness daworm
I’m so glad you’re safe & apparently well after what happened.
May l also suggest you keep an Emergency Supply of Pred in your rucksack also.
I’m a Townie, l never go anywhere without my Handbag & in there is an Emergency Supply of Pred.
Take it easy for a few days
Best Wishes
MrsN
I would love too take it easy but one day after we got the sons pup to watch for a week...yikes...too much going on...
What a story!!! So glad the ending was a happy one, even at the expense of the toenails. So hard to be prepared for everything that may happen, and I certainly often learn in retrospect...you did brilliantly when faced with this extraordinary situation.👍🌺
Scary.
Your moment of fame - or notoriety! We've had a few similar examples around here recently, mostly tourists but a couple of locals too, of all ages going for a walk in the mountains on their own. The trouble is - there isn't always phone coverage any if you fall off an edge in the dark your phone may not be much use! But you can carry it - switched of to avoid the rubbish.
You are a very lucky lad - don't risk it again!
BTW - do you get the bill? In the UK an hour emergency copter use is IRO £2500 just for fuel apparently - don't know how air fuel prices compare ...
Not so far...maybe my tax dollars at work, it was the STATE police copter...about 2-4 hundred dollars an hour to operate...and it was stationed two hours away...fingers crossed!! Haven’t heard anything about a bill yet!
The medic ones in the UK are all charity ones with volunteers - like mountain rescue. And no-one gets a bill. I think it is the same here - but some of the things they have to turn out to makes me feel a charge or compulsory insurance should be considered. Tourists arrive from sea level in early June and head up to 2000+m on the chairlift for a walk. Slip on snow/wet grass or get too tired to continue or have a heart attack. And wonder why - at late 70s and early 80s!!
In days gone by when I was able to climb Munros, I did not need the rescue service thank God, but I did make sure to give them a donation when I left Scotland. It's tough for them to operate solely on donations!!
Wow. Total respect. I think I' m tough if I take the dog out in the rain.
Gosh daworm! So glad you are safe. The angels were looking out for you that night.
It’s possible to send moving locations on an iPhone. At a certain age I think it’s a good thing. ( young and old )
My daughter knows exactly where the teenage kids are and the elderly grandma. 😀
Mrs nails it’s an excellent idea to keep spare prednisone in the handbag/manbag..
Not sure I want my children monitoring my every move - might work out how I'm spending their inheritance 😂🤣😂.
Plus daughter in NZ - me in UK!
But it does have it's uses.
Yes - I have no desire for mine to know that much. Bit less but it can take almost as long to get here as yours would to get to you!
Cant think of anything worse then having my every move watched
But I am nagged to have a mobile in case of emergency which is never switched on so no one can call me
I have my phone most of the time. None of my family or friends ring, we text, email and whatsapp. I do carry it most places but the ringer is off. It doesn't feel like being watched. When my sister and hubby have gone to Peru and USA I got photos everyday and they seem to all like sending pictures of meals. It's lovely because I don't travel much now but feel I was AlmOst with them. Then we may go a week or two with nothing then a spate. It's nice knowing what's going on in their lives.
I think with me it goes back to when I was working mobile phone on so many phone calls and e mails from Professionals, clients and co workers .
Even being on call 24 /7 .its nice not to have to bother anymore I apricate the peace and quite of not having to have a phone.
Its only since HA my Son has insisted I take it out with me ,
I can understand that. I hated work calls too. I can understand your sons worries but they will calm the lo ger it is past the HA.
Just make sure your GPS is off then you are invisible. If minE rang all the time I would be bonkers, but it's only hospital appts etc now. More to the point I don't have a landline anymore. 🤔🤣🤣🤣
Well you don’t do things by halves!! Amazing that you survived all that PMR or not. As you say we learn from these things .Glad everything back on an even keel Pred wise.
Crikey! Will it stop you hiking on a whim do you think?
Your a regular Bear Grills by the sound of it
So glad you are safe and well
Thank God you were found safely ❤️
Only smart thing I did..finally told myself to just stop wandering and working up a sweat, risking a fall or broken leg, sit tight, try to stay warm, and wait it out...can’t see more than a foot in the Bush anyway at night..
They make movies out of misadventures like the one you just had. I think you'd need to throw in a friendly bear and something more dramatic than just the loss of 4 toenails but hey - a 70 year old that's unusual - thinking perhaps Donald Sutherland to play the lead? Unless you would prefer someone else!
Your story reminded me of that very scary movie 'The Blair Witch Project', especially the bit where she's saying 'That isn't the same bridge again, it isn't the same bridge, it isn't the same bridge ... oh God it IS the same bridge...'
I do admire your spirit even if the venture was a mistake. I'm a thorough city girl - Battersea Park is exotic countryside to me (south of the river, a different country as we say in London)!
Yes, to realize you just scrambled around for 45 mins and it was in a big circle was disheartening to say the least...that’s when I figured I had better use the sun as a guide..keep it on my right shoulder and try to keep a line to the south..
I did get a new fancy gps unit out of the ordeal from my son..now to figure it out...all kinds of stuff it does...sends short pre set messages, sends sos, a year or so I’ll have it down pat!
Thanks goodness you're home safe and relatively well - lucky chap! ....and what your family were going through doesn't bear thinking about!
