I end up off my intended trail A LOT when I’m hiking. I’m really not sure how it happens. One minute I’m following some trail markers. The next minute, they’ve suddenly changed color and I’m half a mile in the wrong direction. Or worse, there’s no markers at all.
So I took a compass class this week through the Adirondack Mountain Club. It was excellent. I learned how to read a map, take bearings, do triangulation, and it all made sense. I felt confident I understood. The real question is… will it help me not get lost?
As me and the dog found out in the SUNY Broome Natural Area two days later, it did not. But to be fair, I forgot a compass so I’m not how much a compass class will help if you’re too dumb to remember your compass. We got through regardless (thank you, AllTrails app and quality cell phone service).
The hike was surprisingly difficult for being rated “easy” and at the end Chief collapsed on the car floor, gasping for air so I figured we should not continue with my plan of hitting up another park and doing another mile.
On the drive home I was pettin Chief’s shoulder and telling him he was a good boy and that I would remember to bring water next time when I spotted a tick crawling up his neck.
I then proceeded to almost crash the car while picking the tick off of him and trying to crush the life out of it. I swerved into a parking lot and tried to shake it off my finger with no luck. I was eventually able to flick if off but have since been haunted by the thought that maybe it was still in my car.
Who knew Chief’s tongue is that long??