Nanuq Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Just back hypothermic from an epic mtn bike ride. More later. Who can tell me what this is? Hint it was -14F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vafarmer70 Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 You sneezed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Meanwhile across the stream.... Ken 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Ken ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Nanuq -14 , how about you throw another log on the fire and heat up some spice wine, yea I'm going bike riding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtguk Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Well I hope it wasn't too painful whatever it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted December 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 It's my bottom lip. :yuck: I smacked the bars with my mouth ducking under a tree, just as I rode over a root. It was so cold the skin instantly froze to the metal. It started out as a nice ride through the woods, but the further I went the colder it got. I dropped down off a ridge into low land and the temp dropped like a rock. I got into some woods with heavy overflow ice between the trees and lost my trail, it had a foot of ice over it for 100 yards in every direction. So I scouted around trying to find the trail, and headed for what looked like light tree cover. There were no tracks but animals and pretty soon I was in trouble. I wound up carrying my bike and throwing it over the alder thickets as I struggled through. I came to a clearing and it looked like snow over a frozen river, so I threw my bike out on it to see if it would creak or crack the ice. No cracks so I stepped out on it and broke through the ice. I foolishly had my backpack on and caught myself at my waist depth as I sank in. I was able to use the bike as ice picks and pulled myself out, thinking how incredibly stupid that was. I was soaked to the waist and it was well below -14F. I had to strip my socks and wring them, and my feet were already going numb. I stripped the water down off my fleece pants with my gloves, and trekked on. I pushed through another couple miles and got to a low flat land, with more overflow. From the terrain I knew where I was finally, and forgot to be smart again. By then I was getting hypothermic and I got in a hurry to get out of the woods and find warmth. So I hurried out onto the flats and fell through another river. It was right there clear as day, and in my addled state I didn't even think to check the ice. Boom, down I went to my elbows and caught myself. I hauled out again and laid on the ice shivering uncontrollably. I didn't even strip my pants or socks, I just laid there completely addled. I eventually rolled over away from the water and got back on my bike, again NOT THINKING, hypothermic. And I went through again. The bike nearly submerged and I had to haul myself and it out. It froze immediately in the cold air. I walked it out of the woods and found a trail, and headed back to my Rover. The brakes, chain and derailleurs were iced and I could barely go. By the time I got back to my truck I was completely hypothermic. I was mostly numb from the waist down, and had lost all feeling from the knees down. So this is an after action report. #1 was I prepared? No. I had no change of clothes in my backpack, no fire starter, no baggies for my feet, no dry socks. #2 did anyone know where I was? No. I was miles from the nearest road. #3 did I know where I was? Only vaguely. Approximately. My cell phone would not have helped. #4 did I have communications? No. I had not taken care to put my cell phone in my pack so my body heat would keep it warm. Stupid. So now my feet are thawed but blistered. I'm gonna lose some skin to frostbite. I am, honestly, lucky to have survived that idiocy falling through the ice. So people, learn from this. What could I have done better? The floor is open for discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Just glad your home OK so to speak, well not 100% but considering your lucky as h*ll my friend. Next time take my advice go with fire & booze, much safer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vafarmer70 Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Man o Man I am very happy you came out of that, and am surprised you did not have extra dry clothes with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 I gather the Tudor made it through unscathed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted December 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Yep you're both exactly right. Luck favors idiots, apparently.I can assure you the Tudor is freshly scratched but watertight and happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted December 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Next time take my advice go with fire & booze, much safer! Doing the fire and booze (Akkevit) as I type! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike on a bike Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Now your talking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbutlerman Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Jeesh! Glad you made it back! I usually read your "Life in Alaska" posts and think, man, that sounds like a hoot. This time, not so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted December 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Browning is famous for a saying: "Nature, red in tooth and claw." Guess this time she won, not me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imajedi Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 That's a scary story. Your adrenaline must have been pumping. Glad you're alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted December 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 That's a scary story. Your adrenaline must have been pumping. Glad you're alive. Thanks. Yes it was pumping, hard. I was breathing so hard I frosted my lungs. Stupid!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtguk Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Bloody hell mate that's mad ! Reckon your surname must be Bourne .......... NB ........has a ring to it no lol when I take my mountain bike out the closet I get to a peak is the peak of tiredness in my old legs Glad your safe and sound at home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chronoluvvv Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 its official you iz an idiot but considering that the highlight of my day was an evening of domestic bliss, i sure love living vicariously through you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornerstone Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Scary stuff. Glad you got back in one piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dluddy Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Wow B, that is some scary shit. Whatever happened to the "Buddy Rule".... Come on Man, you're a scout leader! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Man, you were incredibly lucky to get out of that alive. looking back, you broke pretty near every rule that a well trained outdoorsman lives by. What is so incredible is how fast things can go to "Hell in a handbasket". One minute you are tooling along enjoying the beautiful scenery, comisserating with nature, and then BAM!!! you are in deep doodoo. Getting lost in those conditions is pretty much universally fatal. Where was your GPS? Where was your cell phone (although it probably wouldn't do you much good, as no one was going to leave the fireside to go rescue your sorry butt!! I'm sure you learned from this, at least to have a dry change of clothes and shoes in your Rover. Even down here in the South , we have a couple of hunters die almost every year from hypothermia. ususally it's Duck hunters hunting down in the marsh in South Louisiana. They go in and the water is deep enough to float their flat bottom skiff or Pirogue, then the weather changes, a cold front blows through,it gets much colder and the North wind drives the water out of the marsh. They are stuck, and if they are smart enough to just stay put, they would probably be OK, but they panic and try to walk out, impossible because the mud is over knee deep, and soon they are just like you, wet to the bone and freezing cold. If someone doesn't come along pretty soon, they become another sad hunting statistic. I'm so glad that you made it out alive. The lip will heal and so will your ego, but the main thing is you are alive and resasonably close to being in one piece, although I'm sure Mrs nanug after she got over being glad that you were safe, took a lot more hide off your A** than you lost from the cold! Please ship me all your watches for safekeeping at least until spring though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtiis Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Next time you go for a little ride, I got dibs on the Tudor! seriously, glad u b o kee * cornerstone (above) your sig is a hoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted December 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Yep, you guys hit the nail on the thumb: when safety margins are narrow you have to be even more cautious. And having done rides like these hundreds of times, I got complacent. So this morning I went through my pack and upgraded all my stores, got ride of some old stuff and made some necessary additions. Buddy system: yes I should bring someone along. Any volunteers? Lately I've been compensating for that lack with gear and comms.... both of which I didn't check well enough before I left. Any other ideas? How about requiring the Scout Essentials before I go? A note in my Rover in a visible spot with my trip plan? Then STICKING WITH my trip plan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vafarmer70 Posted December 2, 2012 Report Share Posted December 2, 2012 Sure, count me in But we are going to have a lot of comm gear, and a map, and all the other stuff left in the truck, including the note on the steering wheel, and some dry clothes and blankets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.