Common Courtesy?

Last Friday, we headed out to Big Flat for a ride prior to attending nuptial festivities later in the day. When we pulled in past the front parking lot, we saw a green Volvo wagon with the hood up and two guys peering under it. So, of course, we did what we thought anyone would do, we pulled back around and asked if everything was okay.

Turns out it wasn't. They were on their way to hunt turkey that fine morning when the car started misfiring on the climb up Ship Road from 233. By the time they got to the top, all the "Oh, crap!" lights were on and it had virtually no power. And the cat was glowing red--a bad color for that particular vehicular bit.

The driver wanted to check the cylinders for the misfire and asked if we had a spark plug socket, oh, about 5/8 or so. We were in the Pig, so I figured we did. Pulled open the draw o' junk in the back and pulled out the requested socket. Needless to say, the guy looked surprised! We pulled in to park beside them and began to get ready for our ride and continued to talk to them a bit--hunters and mtn bikers conversing in the forest. He said he had tried to make a call to his son but reception up there was pretty bad, as most of us know. We wished them the best and said hopefully we wouldn't see them when we got back from our ride, and took off.

Two hours and a really nice ride later, we pull back into the lot and they are still there, sitting in the car. Definitely a bummer. Talked a bit more about the car--two cylinders were dead, and he hadn't been able to get a call out, even after walking to top of the hill. Donna tried her phone but it was a no-go as well. We were definitely in the Big Flat Triangle. You'd think that for such a highpoint, there would be great coverage, but not so. We had to scoot, but asked them for phone numbers for us to try when we got back to the house. He gave us several to try and offered to pay us for the phone calls. We turned it down, of course, and I just asked him to help the next person he saw out there that might need it, since that's the way it should work anyway. He totally agreed with me on that point. With that, we were off, since time was closing in on when we had to get to the wedding.

Back at the house, Donna tried his son first and left a message, and then tried to call his father. Success! She explained what was going on and where his son was and we left it at that. Prepared ourselves to party-hearty and took off.

The next morning we checked the VM and found a message left by the gent with the Volvo. He thanked us profusely for our help and was very grateful for what we did.

But here's the kicker.

He said that NO ONE else stopped to ask them if they needed help. Even seeing a car sitting in the lot, hood up.

No.
One.

Even though several people drove by and even through the parking lot.

One guy even pulled into the parking lot and stopped because he was talking on his cell phone (obviously he had signal). When one of the Volvo guys started to walk over to ask Cell Phone Dude for help, Cell Phone Dude pulled out of the parking lot and left. He effing left. WTH?

If we hadn't stopped to ask these guys if they were okay, how long would they have been sitting there?

Yeah, people are all freaked out about crap they see on TV and stalkers and murderers and crap. But the truth is, 99.99999% of the time, it's just another person that might need your help. Especially in Michaux. Or any State Forest. There's a lot of nooks and crannies out there where the technological trappings of civilization just don't work. People still need to watch out for each other.

If you spend time in the Forest, please remember that. Try to be courteous to the other people you see. Ask people if they need help, if everything's okay. It might be you some day that needs a hand.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

All Play

At it again, our neighbors decided to “let Sven be Sven” which they interpreted to mean: the lazy SOB should get back to work like the rest of us schmucks. Hence the work I.D. badge that showed up on him last week. (We were still trying to figure out the meaning, when he abruptly changed before we snapped a picture!)



"With the approach of Cinco de Mayo, Sven couldn’t stand it any more. He is a Party Animal at heart... at heart wood, that is..."



A much more festive Sven...


"The mariachi hat and necklaces in the colors of Mexico’s flag are obvious. The gun is because in Mexico, the 5th of May is actually a minor local holiday to celebrate an 1862 military victory. In the U.S., however, the day has morphed into a celebration of Hispanic/Mexican heritage -- and much like St. Patrick’s Day, which is not a big holiday in its country of origin, this has become for some people (and Sven) an excuse to drink. Hence the beer (watch out for the chilis). Finally, the placards on the railing reflect Mexico’s Mayan heritage."



"What holidays are coming up? The world waits and wonders."

Thank you, D & A!

Earth Day at Pine Grove Furnace

The Friends of Pine Grove Furnace SP was helping out the park for Earth Day activities on Saturday so I did my part and showed up to pitch in. Projects included planting trees, removing invasive species, cleaning up the ampitheatre for the upcoming camping season, and rehabbing some of Creek Trail. Of course, I had to pitch in and help with the trail rehab. The main project was building a new causeway at the trail entrance to get across a very wet area. I understand there's more wet spots further down the trail which will have to be addressed as well, but this has been an extremely wet spring--problem areas exist where there have historically not been problem areas.

Park maintenance had placed two logs to serve as the sides of the causeway and we grunts had to fill in the space with ballast rock, topped with landscape fabric, and then a fat layer of mulch. Many dumptruck loads of rock and mulch later, a new causeway was ready for foot traffic. Luckily the rain held off so we didn't have to get wetter than absolutely necessary!

Jason, the Park HMFWIC, said between Friday and Saturday, they logged almost 195 volunteer hours. That's awesome. The State Parks (and public lands in general) are relying more and more on volunteerism to complete projects and maintenance in this time of squeezing budgets and general political jackassery in Harrisburg. If you get the chance, lend a hand and help the state park system, one of the better (if not the best) Commonwealth public resources and legacies, to continue to be world class.

Pics courtesy of Sheena.

Raystown

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Pro

Tractor said she was pro, so I had to give her a pro crank. Shiny new drive train to muck up at Raystown this weekend! Even the derailleur jockeys are new.

Actually, a little peeved at FSA at the moment. Removed the small ring from her K-Force Light carbon crank the other night (first time since the crank was installed) and two of the bolts were cross threaded from the factory. WTH? Bolts screwed, threads screwed. Trying to find the right size tap right now to see if the threads in the crank can be saved.

Hoppy Spring!!