The Devil's Lake Hike
it looked so easy9 total reviews
Comment from Esther Brown
Been there and wished I hadn't. At least you were not forever lost. How long was the hike? Minds me of a story (like everything does on this site). Pity there was a limit on the number of words. Bet there was more to the story. Well done and good luck. Esther
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
  |
Been there and wished I hadn't. At least you were not forever lost. How long was the hike? Minds me of a story (like everything does on this site). Pity there was a limit on the number of words. Bet there was more to the story. Well done and good luck. Esther
Comment Written 07-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
-
Thanks so much! This was a distilled version of a longer piece I wrote many years ago for Reader's Digest. The cliff bluffs are 500 feet of steep climbing (it's a lot easier if you stay on the trail, but we got off it somehow so it was more like rock climbing), then the long walk down through the forest firebreak on the backside which put us on the opposite side of the cliff so we had to follow the train track at the bottom which we knew ran right past our campsite. Once we spotted our place we had to scale the embankment through weeds and thornbushes to get up into our campsite. When we came bursting through the brush crying and shouting our relief and looking like zombies, our camping neighbors were startled and thought we were crazy. It ended up being only about 3-4 miles, but it was rough going all the way and. instead of the little 1-hour pre-dinner hike to work up an appetite, we'd been gone for nearly 4 hours and were too tired to cook dinner. But it's a fun memory now.
-
Lots of crazy things are more fun to look back on...
Comment from Wendy G
Interesting and different. Your well-written story kept my interest, as did the notes. I have been in the same position so I can relate. best wishes for your entry in the contest.
Wendy
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
|
Interesting and different. Your well-written story kept my interest, as did the notes. I have been in the same position so I can relate. best wishes for your entry in the contest.
Wendy
Comment Written 07-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
-
Thanks so much!
Comment from F. William Lester
"Never again?" Those too are famous last words. It crazy how danger, in most cases, and bad decisions fade with time. You may not try this again, but there will be other opportunities to repeat those words. Trust me. Glad you made back and were able to tell us your story. Stay well and good luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
|
"Never again?" Those too are famous last words. It crazy how danger, in most cases, and bad decisions fade with time. You may not try this again, but there will be other opportunities to repeat those words. Trust me. Glad you made back and were able to tell us your story. Stay well and good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 07-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
-
Thanks so much! And you're so right--I never went cliff climbing again, but found myself in many more situations where I said never again through my life. I can look back and laugh now, but not at the time!
-
You're welcome.
Comment from tempeste
Ciao mystery poet, you have three votes.
We don't lack The enthusiasm but some ideas turn out to be more demanding on us than predicted.
I remember how happy I was to go for my first horse ride. I love horses.
It's a miracle I managed to stay on the saddle.
I got slapped in my face by vegetation several times and when I got off my legs gave way.
I couldn't walk for a week , I was in pain , my backside really hurt from the unusual motion.
So I can image why your fun hiked turned into an ordeal.
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
|
Ciao mystery poet, you have three votes.
We don't lack The enthusiasm but some ideas turn out to be more demanding on us than predicted.
I remember how happy I was to go for my first horse ride. I love horses.
It's a miracle I managed to stay on the saddle.
I got slapped in my face by vegetation several times and when I got off my legs gave way.
I couldn't walk for a week , I was in pain , my backside really hurt from the unusual motion.
So I can image why your fun hiked turned into an ordeal.
Comment Written 07-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
-
Thanks so much! I have a horseback ordeal story, too-LOL! Some things look like so much fun, but don't turn out that way. Live and learn!
Comment from Sugarray77
Hi. You did a great job with developing this story for the Good Idea contest. I whole heartedly can relate to a hike gone bad. Then, when we were stranded, you think "how did I get here", didn't I know better? LOL. Great story.
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
|
Hi. You did a great job with developing this story for the Good Idea contest. I whole heartedly can relate to a hike gone bad. Then, when we were stranded, you think "how did I get here", didn't I know better? LOL. Great story.
Comment Written 07-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
-
Thanks so much!
Comment from Y. M. Roger
Aaaah... the adventurous spirit getting us in 'a pickle' it seems! :) :) A great recounting in 100 words and a great offering for the contest! ;) Thanx for sharing and best of luck! ;)
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
|
Aaaah... the adventurous spirit getting us in 'a pickle' it seems! :) :) A great recounting in 100 words and a great offering for the contest! ;) Thanx for sharing and best of luck! ;)
Comment Written 06-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
-
Thank you so much!
Comment from royowen
Yes there are some things we tackle that perhaps when we are actually on that journey we wish perhaps we had never made that journey, but we may never make it twice, beautifully written, blessings Roy
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
|
Yes there are some things we tackle that perhaps when we are actually on that journey we wish perhaps we had never made that journey, but we may never make it twice, beautifully written, blessings Roy
Comment Written 06-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 08-Oct-2024
-
Thank you so much!
-
Welcome
Comment from Nicki.B
Oh what a story, that was one unexpected trek! It all started out like a normal day but the adventurers within go the better of you guys and off you both went. Isn't great to now have the story to tell, barrells of laughs through the years remembering the events of the day! Although it was not funny at the time. Lol! A great story for the prompt, good luck with the contest.
Best Wishes
Nicki
reply by the author on 06-Oct-2024
|
Oh what a story, that was one unexpected trek! It all started out like a normal day but the adventurers within go the better of you guys and off you both went. Isn't great to now have the story to tell, barrells of laughs through the years remembering the events of the day! Although it was not funny at the time. Lol! A great story for the prompt, good luck with the contest.
Best Wishes
Nicki
Comment Written 06-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 06-Oct-2024
-
Thank you so much! It certainly was memorable!
Comment from Jacob1395
This setting sounds really mysterious and I love the name which gives it a creepy vibe as well, you could potentially write a longer story set here. Things certainly seem like good ideas in our head when we first think about them, but often don't turn out to be. An excellent, well written piece.
reply by the author on 06-Oct-2024
|
This setting sounds really mysterious and I love the name which gives it a creepy vibe as well, you could potentially write a longer story set here. Things certainly seem like good ideas in our head when we first think about them, but often don't turn out to be. An excellent, well written piece.
Comment Written 06-Oct-2024
reply by the author on 06-Oct-2024
-
Thanks so much! I originally did have a longer piece when I wrote it for a Reader's Digest competition years ago. This was the distilled flash fiction version.