Do you let Weather dictate????

[SkiDog]

YOUR PLANS..

Ok so heres the story. I buddy and I had an overnight hike of a section of the AT in Jersey planned for this past weekend. Obviously as all in the area know the weather wasn't all that great. We had been talking about the trip for about a month and had the dates scheduled well in advance (as we both have semi hectic schedules), I had spent about 1.5 hours on planning and mapping, etc. ...Spoke MANY times during the week...all seemed well. Spoke Friday night the night before the trip..discussed the weather and spoke about the requisite rain gear that would likely be necessary. Everything SEEMED FINE....he seemed prepared and we were going to "do this"...

Fast forward to Saturday morning..bags packed...foods ready...raincovers already on...packs in the car...waiting for buddies 8:00am PRE PLANNED arrival...waiting...waiting...8:10.....8:15....FIN ALLY 8:20..and he pulls up...nonchalantly gets out of his car with a cup of coffee and says "do you really think we should do this with the strong possibility of rain?" I was like "WHAT?"...I thought he was kidding, but much to my shagrin......he wasn't..he did't want to go??? What did I get up for? What did I pack for? You couldn't have explained your skepticism to me the night before??? The DAYS before?? I mean really the weather report didn't fluctuate for DAYS prior...we direclty discussed the impending rain...whats the deal...

Needless to say I was angry as I was fully prepared to complete the hike wet or not....I have wet weather gear and the shelter I brought would've been 100% fine for the weather...all he had to do was show up with his food, water, and sleeping bag..thats it...I did EVERYTHING else...I had the maps, I had the trail description...all he had to do was show and walk....Well WE DIDN'T GO...I'm STILL angry....don't know when i'll get a chance to slate days for this trip again....big mess and waste of my time...

I think I need to find some more friends that have "like mind" for the outdoors...I think I am going to do this hike without him in the next couple weeks..I think SOLO as I know I'll show and be ready to go .

What would any of you done???

Thanks..

M

[andyzee]

Dog, Sorry your weekend got screwed up, could understand your frustration. In your place, I would probably have gone alone. Oh, in answer to your question, if I let forcasts dictate my plans, I wouldn't have done half the things I have done in my life. Also, some of the best times I've had were in the rain. Bruno, if you see this, I still don't like to ride a bike in the rain!

[SkiDog]

Originally Posted by andyzee

Dog, Sorry your weekend got screwed up, could understand your frustration. In your place, I would probably have gone alone. Oh, in answer to your question, if I let forcasts dictate my plans, I wouldn't have done half the things I have done in my life. Also, some of the best times I've had were in the rain. Bruno, if you see this, I still don't like to ride a bike in the rain!

Thanks man..I was just totally bummed out...I thought about going alone, but the little lady wasn't super keen on it..I have never overnight soloed and am looking forward to it soon..likely on this very hike.....i bet it'll be "exciting"...

I can't let weather make my decisions either....when you slate the time and have a limited amount of it...you just have to suck it up and go...he had a rain gear set and a rain cover....told him to plastic garbage bag everything, tried to impart any and all knowledge of wet weather hiking I could...he agreed to everything, but when he arrived it was like a different person showed up for the hike....

I ended up just heading up on Sunday and doing the sunrise pond loop myself in the on and off rain...it was great...noone around...hardly got wet....trails weren't too muddy...would've probably been a great overnight...

Oh well...im not planning any more with him in mind...he's done this before, and don't doubt he'll do it again..

Man I need new hiking minded friends...

M

[Grassi21]

Either find like minded friends or one's that you can influence. Back in college about 7 of us drove out to a trail about 30 minutes from Ithaca (can't remember the name). We sat in the shelter for 15 minutes and everyone was complaining about the heavy rain that was falling. It was only a day hike but we had adequate rain gear for the day. As we were walking back to the car I made one more push to head back to the trail head. That hike turned out to be one of the most memorable days of our college lives. After hiking for about 45 minutes the sun came out. Due to the rain all of the little waterfalls along the side of the trail were gushing. We snapped a ton of amazing photos, but the best one was the group shot we got with a double rainbow as the back drop.

[SkiDog]

Originally Posted by Grassi21

Either find like minded friends or one's that you can influence. Back in college about 7 of us drove out to a trail about 30 minutes from Ithaca (can't remember the name). We sat in the shelter for 15 minutes and everyone was complaining about the heavy rain that was falling. It was only a day hike but we had adequate rain gear for the day. As we were walking back to the car I made one more push to head back to the trail head. That hike turned out to be one of the most memorable days of our college lives. After hiking for about 45 minutes the sun came out. Due to the rain all of the little waterfalls along the side of the trail were gushing. We snapped a ton of amazing photos, but the best one was the group shot we got with a double rainbow as the back drop.

Gee thanks for cheering me up... HA....

No seriously..I did try to convince...but he had made up his mind..next time its SOLO for me..

M

[YardSaleDad]

Originally Posted by SkiDog

Man I need new hiking minded friends...

M

At least you are on the right board. I bet you could get an AZ AT trip setup in short order.

[SkiDog]

Originally Posted by YardSaleDad

At least you are on the right board. I bet you could get an AZ AT trip setup in short order.

Wish I had right from the start...probably would've found more relaible hikers....instead I picked someone i've known since we were 15....what an idiot I am...

M

[Greg]

Originally Posted by SkiDog

Oh well...im not planning any more with him in mind...he's done this before, and don't doubt he'll do it again..

I cannot stand people like that. I look for honesty in friends. If he didn't want to go, he should have told you the night before, at the latest. I would've went alone; you would have not been as pissed about the whole situation then. I had a "friend" that blew me off going skiing once. Never called, never showed. Granted - he's no longer a friend. Dependability is an important trait to have in a backpacking companion. Doesn't sound like this is the type of guy I'd want to lean on in a critical situation. New friends indeed.

[SkiDog]

Originally Posted by Greg

I cannot stand people like that. I look for honesty in friends. If he didn't want to go, he should have told you the night before, at the latest. I would've went alone; you would have not been as pissed about the whole situation then. I had a "friend" that blew me off going skiing once. Never called, never showed. Granted - he's no longer a friend. Dependability is an important trait to have in a backpacking companion. Doesn't sound like this is the type of guy I'd want to lean on in a critical situation. New friends indeed.

Geez skiing wouldnt even have been and issues I USUALLY ski alone..others slow me

however I agree with you that honesty and relability are very important traits I expect from a "friend"..I had a fleeting thought of not keeping the friendship going, but since I know hes "flighty" like that I shouldve known better....I still woulve been angry if he had told me the night before, but nowhere near as angry as I was when he showed up LATE and still didn't want to go..he actually had the audacity to suggest we just do a "day hike"? I was like man...if im walking in the rain its for a purpose..not just to walk in the rain...then I sent him on his way...basically I just walked into my house and shut the door...don't know when he actually left..

ANYONE WANNA BE MY FRIEND??? Waaaaaaaaa



M

[Greg]

Originally Posted by SkiDog

I had a fleeting thought of not keeping the friendship going, but since I know hes "flighty" like that I shouldve known better....

I'm like you though. I always give people the benefit of the doubt, and based on his apparent enthusiasm during the planning, I don't blame you. Doesn't mean you have to can this guy as a friend though. Perhaps you connect on other levels? The former buddy I had is not a buddy anymore for several reasons, including an instance where I got him a job that he blew off, which made me look like an ass. He was undependable on several occasions. Be honest with your bud (that's what you were expecting of him after all). Tell him that you wished he was comfortable enough to tell you sooner he wasn't into it, and then move on with life.