Are you a human compass?

[krisk]

I do a lot at Girl Scout Camp *g* I know I know... but I always have the pup with me!

[ravenne]

Originally Posted by krisk

I do a lot at Girl Scout Camp *g* I know I know... but I always have the pup with me!

I'm relieved Just call the pup "Killer" or "terminator" when you feel someone's around in the woods at night...

[krisk]

*snort* actually I am extremely comfortable in the woods. moreso than in any city. I would actually probably never hesitate to go out on my own

[rebarnmom]

As my husband's navigator, when he'd ask me where to turn, I would say "There!"
As I got better I could tell him "Turn left or turn right or we already passed it."
Now, on a rare occasion I can actually tell him to "Turn north, south, east, or west."
I've gotten better, but I'd still say that I'm directionally-challenged!

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by krisk

*snort* actually I am extremely comfortable in the woods. moreso than in any city. I would actually probably never hesitate to go out on my own

I'm one of those weirdos who has no problem being out by themselves anywhere - city, open countryside, woodlands - at any time of day or night. The worst that's happened so far was a drunk verbally harrassing me, culminating with him threatening to push me off a train... just as it stopped at my station The annoying thing about that was the way all the other passengers busied themselves with their papers etc and ignored what was going on.

[Stitchawl]

My ex was a perfectly opposite GPS. With 100% accuracy she would always be 180 degrees off in her selection of direction. Always. To the point where when exploring new areas we would count on this miss-direction. She would pick the direction of travel and we would go the opposite way, ALWAYS with success.

Me? I wear one compass on my watch, keep another clipped to my shoulder bag, and carry back-ups in my suitcases when traveling. I still get lost.


Stitchawl

[krisk]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

I'm one of those weirdos who has no problem being out by themselves anywhere - city, open countryside, woodlands - at any time of day or night. The worst that's happened so far was a drunk verbally harrassing me, culminating with him threatening to push me off a train... just as it stopped at my station The annoying thing about that was the way all the other passengers busied themselves with their papers etc and ignored what was going on.

I'm not going to berate you as obviously I just stated that I am the same way, but as a long time Search and Rescue Volunteer, many generations of dogs and I have hunted for people that were "just fine". now granted, a (probably not terribly surprising) majority of them were drunk hunters...

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

My ex was a perfectly opposite GPS. With 100% accuracy she would always be 180 degrees off in her selection of direction. Always. To the point where when exploring new areas we would count on this miss-direction. She would pick the direction of travel and we would go the opposite way, ALWAYS with success.

Me? I wear one compass on my watch, keep another clipped to my shoulder bag, and carry back-ups in my suitcases when traveling. I still get lost.


Stitchawl

so her internal pole had flip flopped!? she was an Aussie at heart?

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by krisk

I'm not going to berate you as obviously I just stated that I am the same way, but as a long time Search and Rescue Volunteer, many generations of dogs and I have hunted for people that were "just fine". now granted, a (probably not terribly surprising) majority of them were drunk hunters...

I grew up in the 70s when people weren't as worried about their kids wandering off alone, and right opposite where I lived were fields and woods. Follow those far enough, and you got to the nearest town. (This is the UK, so the distances are somewhat shorter than they would likely be in a similar scenario in the US. Plus we don't have that many dangerous wild animals around...). So, it's how I grew up. I don't take risks, at least not to my mind - I know others who think the mere act of going for a walk by yourself somewhere that isn't densely populated is risky, it's just as much a part of who I am as reading is.

And derailing slightly, when you said drunk hunters, I thought for one moment you meant people who, for whatever reason, hunted drunks. Then I realised you meant hunters who were drunk...

[DixieGal]

Kris, AM, let's be honest and call the drunken hunters "rednecks."

I got all of the navigation genes in my family. I can practically navigate by smell! My sister, on the other hand, has to have notes to find the front door. She writes down parking space row numbers, which floor she parked in at the parking deck, and most infamously, she typed up the directions to my office and made is credit card sized, then laminated it to keep in her wallet. This was so that she wouldn't get lost on her frequent trips to pick me up for lunch, although she does occasionally have to call me and describe the landmarks so that I can talk her in.

It's our family joke: She can't find her way to the front door, and I'm the klutz.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by krisk

so her internal pole had flip flopped!?

Perfectly flip flopped! 100% of the time in flat terrain. However, she did believe that any up-hill direction was north. This had to be taken into consideration when backpacking in the Sierras, so she would just close her eyes and point to our intended destination. We would then turn 180 degrees and begin travel, always with success!

she was an Aussie at heart?

No... a leave-homing pigeon.

Stitchawl

[krisk]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

I grew up in the 70s when people weren't as worried about their kids wandering off alone, and right opposite where I lived were fields and woods. Follow those far enough, and you got to the nearest town. (This is the UK, so the distances are somewhat shorter than they would likely be in a similar scenario in the US. Plus we don't have that many dangerous wild animals around...). So, it's how I grew up. I don't take risks, at least not to my mind - I know others who think the mere act of going for a walk by yourself somewhere that isn't densely populated is risky, it's just as much a part of who I am as reading is.

And derailing slightly, when you said drunk hunters, I thought for one moment you meant people who, for whatever reason, hunted drunks. Then I realised you meant hunters who were drunk...

so did I, and my playground was the mountains. I would quite often take off for 3 or 4 days on horseback as a teen and my Dad wouldn't worry (my Mom would worry if I was overdue from the toilet)

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Kris, AM, let's be honest and call the drunken hunters "rednecks."

I got all of the navigation genes in my family. I can practically navigate by smell! My sister, on the other hand, has to have notes to find the front door. She writes down parking space row numbers, which floor she parked in at the parking deck, and most infamously, she typed up the directions to my office and made is credit card sized, then laminated it to keep in her wallet. This was so that she wouldn't get lost on her frequent trips to pick me up for lunch, although she does occasionally have to call me and describe the landmarks so that I can talk her in.

It's our family joke: She can't find her way to the front door, and I'm the klutz.

actually some rather well heeled people end of drunk and lost in the woods during hunting season... not just rednecks for once!

I went to college with this gal who had some sort of broken thing in her brain and she literally had to write down on a map that she had covered in plastic where she parked. she couldn't find her way from class to the student union, library or anywhere else ever. she just couldn't remember how to get places.

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Perfectly flip flopped! 100% of the time in flat terrain. However, she did believe that any up-hill direction was north. This had to be taken into consideration when backpacking in the Sierras, so she would just close her eyes and point to our intended destination. We would then turn 180 degrees and begin travel, always with success!



No... a leave-homing pigeon.

Stitchawl

you know, interestingly enough in Search and Rescue Science (yes, there is such a thing) they have proven that children will almost always go "up" when lost. the up direction is associated with safety in their young minds

[pshrynk]

My wife says that I'm always pointing in one direction, but I don't think she means north...

[krisk]

grrrrroan

[DixieGal]

Originally Posted by pshrynk

My wife says that I'm always pointing in one direction, but I don't think she means north...

Ours is like those paintings where the eyes seem to follow me.....

[mtravellerh]

I always know where I am, always aware of my north. I presume it's due to the fact that I did a lot of of walking through pathless woods alone as a child (if my parents had known, they'd grounded me for good)