The one where I’m REALLY lost: Runfessions September 2021

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

When people tell me I can’t get lost going somewhere, my usual response is don’t challenge me. It’s amazing how lost you can get in a short amount of time! You’ll see in a bit.

I runfess . . .
Lately the universe seems to be fighting me. When I took my mom to the orthopedist, I noticed where some of the parking for the rail trail not too far from her was. I made a mental note and thought maybe next time I was there I would drive over there to run. The very hilly, narrow country road she lives on is not great to run on — people really zoom through there.

Then the car trouble started

I runfess . . .
Speaking of the car trouble, I also had plans on that trip to stop at Olana on the way back to stretch my legs. I’d stopped on the way there, but couldn’t spend much time because I had food with me. I’d finished anything that needed to be kept cold.

Except I couldn’t stop at all because we weren’t even sure the car was going to make the trip. Was the transmission just going to stop? I had that happen to me once in a parking lot — but this would’ve been on a highway. Would the brakes fail? Yeah, it was a fun trip. Not.

Not the worst drive I’ve had — that belongs to the time I had to stop every 2 hours on the way home from my parents to my apartment in MD to let the radiator cool down. Or maybe it was that white knuckle drive through a snowstorm in VT, until Mr. Judy started to drive & then decided we should really stop somewhere to stay overnight. We are grateful none of this happened on our trip to ME, anyway!

I runfess . . .
It seems as though every time I fix something, something else breaks. My Achilles is pretty good, and so is that high hamstring tendinosis (if that’s what it was). Why I thought it was a good idea to run a 6 mile long run when I’d only run about 5 miles the previous week (hello, vacation!) — despite plenty of walking and hiking — I don’t know.

I should have known better

The foot feels relatively normal again, although there’s still a slight twinge occasionally.

Were the views worth getting THAT lost? Maybe?

I hikefess . . .
Speaking of hiking, I have a whopper to confess. I told my sister and a couple of friends about it so far. It’s no secret that I am directionally challenged, and often lose my way, although I always find my way home eventually. Except . . .

I decided to go back by myself after sitting a while on the rocks with one of the friends that had invited us to ME. As I started back, though, it just didn’t look like the right way. So I thought maybe I’d head the other way, where the other friend and Mr. Judy were.

Somehow I got off the trail and completely lost in the very narrow woods. It was very frustrating (and embarrassing) because I had a fairly good idea of where I was, I just couldn’t backtrack and find my way out of there! 

I knew I was very close to the road, actually, even located it on a map at one point (thank goodness I had signal back there), but it was just a bit too steep and rocky for me to scramble up there (remember, I was completely in the woods!). 

Just as I was finally realizing I was going to need some help, Mr. Judy called. I tried to explain approximately where I was. They got close, and asked me to yell. Even more embarrassing but I did! The host husband finally found me, and helped me out. He led me out the way I knew led to the road, but even then I needed a hand from him at one point. The ground back there was very springy (and all sorts of weird fungus and no, I didn’t take any photos!) and there was some big rocks/ledges to climb over.

I imagine if I hadn’t been able to get signal and talk with them, eventually I would have crawled my way out, but they would have been a lot more worried because it would have taken more time! I got lucky. I also got lost there really fast! It was just bizarre.

For those who wondered why I didn’t just share my location — I couldn’t. At least not as far as I know. My phone no longer can update the OS and that’s one of the apps that no longer works.

Yes, I’m in the market for a new phone

My Garmin does have a feature to get you back to the start — except you have to start it before you’re lost, which I didn’t.

Not a difficult walk but not completely easy either

I hikefess . . .
Our hosts also suggested a short walk/hike on the way home. It was a walk along a breakwater to a small lighthouse. Mr. Judy wasn’t feeling it, but I joked, as I did after my spectacular hikefail above, that I couldn’t get lost on that walk. I could fall in the water, of course (but I didn’t).

It took a long time because you had to pick your way over all the cracks!

So I walked out the mile or so on the uneven rocks, as Mr. Judy stayed behind (and got some really great photos!). I don’t think he was happy with me because due to that little side trip, he had to drive through some pouring rain. Oh well, I enjoyed it — and I didn’t get lost.

Fresh off the boat. Photo by Lloyd Litt.

There were plenty of birds hanging out on the breakwater. Photo courtesy Lloyd Litt.

Any great getting lost stories to share? 

I am considering the iphone 12 mini. Anyone have one?

What do you have to runfess from September? Come join us

Runfessions

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31 thoughts on “The one where I’m REALLY lost: Runfessions September 2021”

  1. I got us lost in the Lake District with not enough food or water once – we had a little photocopied map and a proper map and I can READ a map but we didn’t start where I thought we started. Fortunately we wandered in a circle and got back OK but I was furious with myself!

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  2. I do get lost. Too many times to mention. The AllTrails app does help if you have a signal and the trail is on AllTrails.

    I have an older iPhone. But now our washing machine is broken and my car needs a headlight. Always something.

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    1. It wasn’t really a matter of not knowing where I was, that’s the odd part. The problem was actually making my way out of there. It was weird.

      I can’t update the OS on mine anymore, so unfortunately it is time for a new phone. My husband is freaking out a bit about the new security problems but also doesn’t want to pay for a new phone. Neither do I, really.

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  5. You might have to start dropping breadcrumbs! LOL Years ago my hubs and I got turned around on a hike before and had to call the inn we were staying at for some directions back. I actually just ordered the larger Iphone 13 mostly for better photos. I have not seen the mini but I do rely on all the apps quite a bit. That bird photo is great!

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    1. Like I said to Marcia, thank God for phones! And that we weren’t in a remote place, although I was still surprised to get a signal! And grateful.

      I like a small phone so it can easily go in pockets. I know the camera in the 12 mini will be a big jump for me, and I even the 6 camera is pretty awesome!

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  6. I have no sense of direction. At all. If it’s a cloudy day, and I’m in a strange place, it doesn’t usually end well. I am good at remembering landmarks, though. I found my way back to our hotel in Chicago, a few years ago, from Union Station. I was determined to walk, and find The Bean. I couldn’t get a signal (on my phone), and it was a hazy day (no sun to indicate which direction was going)…so I just kept walking “towards the lakefront” and knew to turn left when I got there LOL. Mission accomplished:-)

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    1. I have a horrible memory for landmarks, too, LOL!

      On that same trip to ME, however, I was driving & we were at a circle. My husband thought I made the wrong turn. In the end I had to go around the circle 3 times because turns out I’d made the right turn the first time! Sometimes I am right, but he generally has a better sense of direction than me.

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  7. Well, there was a trail run last spring where I got lost and ended up adding several extra miles- but I’ve never been so lost that someone had to rescue me! That’s a good one.
    I know the feeling of fixing one problem, only to have something else break- that’s been the story of my life this year. Get it together, body!
    Glad you survived all your mishaps 🙂

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    1. I actually did get a little lost last fall, I think, when exploring a new path (you walk from a preserve, go up a road, cross the road to get to the path). I did have to phone my husband but I didn’t have trouble there again. Although it’s been a while since I’ve been there . . .

      I have been lucky, my aches knock on wood have been relatively minor. I know that you’ve had a very tough year, Jenny, but you still stay optimistic!

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  11. I hate spending the money on phones, but do love having one that takes good pictures. I have the 11-pro and my husband has a 12. Like you, I prefer holding on to them for a while (I jumped from a 6 to my current one).

    The only getting lost stories I can think of involve driving, not hiking or running. Thank goodness for Waze or I’d probably have some current getting lost stories. Glad you were able to be rescued quickly!

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  13. Well, I got lost in Austin last week. I missed where to pick up the trail after it went through a park, ended up in a neighborhood, and for some reason thought if I kept going I would cross the trail again. When I finally figured out I had just run 2 miles away from the trail, I ordered an Uber. 😉

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  14. I rarely get lost. Even before using Maps on our phone, I would either print the directions from Mapquest or write them down. I have the iPhone X and want to get the 13. Do I really need it? No. I want a new phone. Plus it will be an early birthday gift. 🙂

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