It's amazing how safe you are in the BWCA, or in the woods in general, as a matter of fact. Before you imagine a raven struttin' up and down your spine wonderin' which end to start on, think about the facts!

If you're worried about being alone if you have a problem, you have to realize how infrequent problems occur. You know the old saying that most accidents occur at home? Well, you're not at home. Most people have car crashes within 25 miles of home? Well, chances are you are more than 25 miles from home and you won't have a car so your chances are looking great! We're talking solitude here so you're not going to meet near the number of crazies you'll find in the city. How 'bout poisonous snakes or even a rash from poison ivy? Don't have either one in the B-Dub. (Yea, yea, there's some ivy, but only if you know where it is!) The only thing you have to fear is yourself.

Pay attention to what you are doing. Wear you PFD. They be stylin', ya know! Keep your mind busy on what you are doing and what surrounds you. Relax fer cryin' out loud! I can understand being apprehensive in the woods by yourself. It takes longer for some to get comfortable than others, maybe years more.

If ya get scared, look at it like watchin' a teenage horror movie. It's scary, but it's only a movie! You'll survive! The last person I heard of gettin' killed was from lightening. Besides, if you end up gettin' killed, you'll be in regional news!

"Today, a camper was killed just as they entered the BWCA. A car with a canoe on a trailer backed over them on the entry point by a crazy driver in a hurry to go camping with their pet rattle snakes. As the EMTs removed the body, they noticed a small red rash developing on the corpse that could have been caused by the poison ivy that was hung up on the offending trailer as it was pulled out of the summer weeds in Iowa just this morning. No further details were available since a lightening storm was threating the accident site and people had to seek shelter."

See? Nothing to worry about!

Posted by smokey on February 21, 2000 at 02:03