We go into the wilderness to be refreshed, to leave our cares and worries at the trailhead and strike out into the beauty of nature. We look around us at the sun-dappled clearings and the cool shadows of the woods and think, “Yes.” But every now and then—if you’re just a little bit unlucky—you’ll also get a “NOPE!” So for this Fun Friday, we’ll review a few outdoor “nopes” in hopes that this will fulfill our quota of chillers for the next few…oh, forever. Forever would be good.
1. Why Did It Have to Be Snakes? Picture it: It’s springtime, and you’re hiking the backcountry. As you approach a gully, you notice a bit of movement. What is it? You look closer, and you realize you’re standing a few feet away from what is known as a garter snake “mating ball.” (And no, there’s no waltz music playing.) Here’s what it would look like. So that’s our first NOPE!
2. And Your Little Dogs, Too You don’t have to live in “Tornado Alley” to experience a twister. Although they’re more rare in other parts of the country, they can still happen whenever the conditions are right…and those conditions can eventuate far more quickly than most people realize. For this hiker, it was only a matter of minutes. Watch his mad dash for safety here. How about no? Does no work for you? Because no.
5. Some Say In Ice Robert Frost once wrote, “Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice.” The people arrayed in this picturesque cove to observe an advancing glacier’s progress would most likely plump for the latter, I’d imagine. As it turns out, it’s probably best to enjoy this particular wonder of nature from a considerable distance. Here’s why. Nope, nope, nope.