Most backpackers you meet are honest, down-to-earth people. But they can’t resist spinning a yarn about their backcountry exploits when they gather around the campfire and it’s not uncommon to hear about feats of strength involving overweight backpacks, daring winter hikes in white-out conditions, or close encounters with van-sized grizzly bears!
Backerpackers never exaggerate!
What tall tales have you told about your journeys into the wilderness? Choose your favorites below, or add one of your own to the list!
What if we have said some of these and we still claim that they are 100% true?
That occurred to me, but we all embellish a little. It’s a mating ritual. Of course, it’s a double edged sword. If you brag that you carried a 75 pound pack for a 2 day overnight, potential mates will probably write you off as a hoarder or steroid junkie, and not good genetic material. Same goes with wind speed, -20 below temps, etc. Most people exaggerate a bit. Not everyone, but most.
Lightning did hit a tree near me while hiking, but I didn’t actually see it. I heard it (LOUD!) and then on my way down the trail saw the tree that had gotten knocked over. Needless to say, I’m now very wary of hiking during thunderstorms.
sure it did… :-)
I admit that I have embellished some details. It is best done when you have a reliable witness tha. t was also there. When I am challenged, they just nod their head and say “that was quite the trip”. The key being that there has to be some truth to it and “we” got through it with some luck and good survival skills and the newbie should trust us when we say we know what we are doing (sometimes). There is usually some character like this in a wild west movie. Study their technique. LOL. And if that was not the way it was, its the way it should have been!
all of the above and that was just the first day, you won’t believe what all happened after that!
It would have been a little easier for me to select the two tall tales I haven’t told.
I don’t think I’ve stated it explicitly, but I’ve certainly implied that I enjoyed every minute of a trip.
I checked the 70+ MPH winds even though my latest trip I estimated 50-60 MPH winds, but I gave the caveat that I’m bad at estimating things. :P We DID have horizontal hail and a thunder/lightning storm as we descended the ridge and visibility was very limited. It was the scariest hike I’ve been on. But I don’t tell those tales to brag, my wife and I were scared sh*tless, but now it’s a cool adventure memory.
Which, if anyone is bored, can read the wall of text here: http://benkristen.com/2012/granite-mountain-oh-my/
I picked the “It’s all true!” one because when I talk about the hike north out of Bly Gap on the AT in NC, that time back in 2010 (I think) when we got the freak blizzard in March, it /is/ all true. Glute buster combined with blizzard made for some weird happenings. And oddly, I didn’t blow out my knee until the next day.