In October 1996, a couple, Gary and the narrator, embarked on a hiking trip to Sykes Hot Springs near Big Sur, California. Despite previous reports of a small fire in the region, they felt secure about their hike. The couple experienced the beauty of the redwoods during their ascent until they encountered a group of firefighters unexpectedly marching along the trail. This moment not only disrupted their peaceful journey but highlighted the unpredictable nature of outdoor adventures and the importance of safety in wilderness settings, especially amid potential fire hazards.
We keep hiking. Eventually, we see these guys coming around the corner behind us on the trail with this chant. They're in yellow hard hats and yellow jackets.
It was supposed to be just a beautiful, natural hot springs in the middle of nothing. The perfect hippie weekend. Doesn't that sound romantic?
We'd heard in the news that there was fire somewhere in the vicinity, as was normal in California that time of year. But it was small and far away, so we weren't concerned.
When they did come by us, we still didn't understand what they were. It was like, 'Is this a fraternity? Who does this?'
It was October of 1996, and my boyfriend Gary and I were on a backpacking weekend date. We planned to hike the Pine Ridge Trail up to the Sykes Hot Springs.
Collection
[
|
...
]