Re: [Paddlewise] Billed for a Rescue

On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 3:15 PM, John H <seajohnkayak_at_yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> I also believe there are many who venture into the outdoors or into the wildness expecting a "Disneyland" experience.
>
> That ain't gona happen other than in Disneyland.
>
> Safe paddlin' to you all in 2009.
>
> john
>
>
>
>
> Oddly enough, that is exactly my theory for so many problems with people
and the outdoors. I've called it the "adventure park" syndrome but I've also
alluded to Disneyland. Basically many people seem to have simply lost the
ability to recognize danger. Perhaps it's a result of being a member of a
culture that has so little first-hand experience with the outdoors and
lacking any basis for making good judgments.

People who live in Seattle will routinely drive across the Cascade Mountains
in winter dressed in pyjamas and slippers and never give it a second
thought. My wife and I tried to help a pair of these who had become locked
out of their (running) pickup truck at Traveler's Rest (a historic rest stop
at the summit of Snoqualmie Pass) during a snowstorm last winter. It was
about 1am. There they were in their jammies and slippes. They were in no
real danger (they could hide out in the heated bathrooms 'til someone showed
up to help) where they were but had they slid off the road there would be
every chance of freezing to death before anyone even knew they were in
trouble.

Dunno how to fix it.

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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