Thursday, May 8, 2014

What to do: Hiking with Sirens

What do you do when you have over 2 miles left to go of your 5 mile hike and the weather sirens go off?  Not sure?  Well not to worry, because I've already done the thinking for you.  Don't think you'll ever find yourself in this situation?  No worries.  This easy method works any time you hear weather sirens and you're not in close proximity to shelter. 

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Here's what to do, in 10 easy steps.

Step 1: Don't panic!  OK, you can panic a little bit if it makes you feel better, but then PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, man!

Step 2: Kick yourself for not taking your phone along on the hike so you can get up-to-the-minute weather forecasts.  No, don't really kick yourself.  That might hurt, and then it would be more difficult to carry out step 10.

Step 3: Recall the weather forecast for the day and realize that, yes, severe storms were forecast, but not until later in the day.

Step 4: Try to remember how much later in the day.

Step 5: Assess current weather conditions.  Does it look like there's severe weather in the area?

Step 6: Realize that it's Wednesday, and it could be 11 a.m., after all, you left around 10:15 and you've hiked about 3 miles, and that's when the weather sirens are tested, on the first Wednesday of the month.

Step 7: Berate yourself again for not taking your phone or a watch along so you'd know what time it is.

Step 8: Try to remember if it's the first Wednesday of the month, and decide that it could be.

Step 9: Once again regret the fateful decision to leave all communication and time-telling devices at home because then you would know for sure if it's a first Wednesday and/or be able to call in the cavalry, that is, if the cavalry is not in a plane on the way home from Mexico.

Step 10: Just keep walking, because, after all, that's all you can do.

(Optional) Step 11: Arrive home and confirm that it is, indeed, a first Wednesday, and that the siren was most likely a test.

So there you go.  Aren't you glad you know what to do?  You're welcome.

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1 comment:

  1. As I would never ever be out hiking without my watch, my list of steps would be considerably shorter. I might be without my phone if I were in an area away from service, but never without a watch.

    Step 1... Glance at watch
    Step 2 ... Keep hiking
    Step 3 ... (Optional) curse the people who made the decision to test the sirens during my hike time.

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