View Full Version : More SPOT abuse, this time in Hanover . . .
Jester2000
11-19-2009, 11:47
A relatively recent event:
From the AP Newswire: November 10 -- A local SAR unit, 50 search volunteers, and a New Hampshire National Guard Helicopter crew were involved in responding to an emergency beacon, known as a SPOT device, in downtown Hanover, New Hampshire.
The hikers were on a section of the Appalachian Trail, which passes through Hanover. The hikers were initially confused as to where the trail went through town. "We were on Wheelock Street coming into town, but then the trail seemed to disappear," said one of the hikers, who wished to remain anonymous, "and then we were on this big grassy area. We hit the SPOT device immediately and decided to set up camp and await rescue. A few minutes later Steve looked across the street and saw the blazes, so we hit the 'OK' button and kept hiking."
The hikers made it part of the way down Main Street before getting in trouble again. "Neil needed some smokes, and we got completely off trail after a local gave us directions to Stinson's," said one of the hikers, who wished to remain anonymous. "And then we bought some beer and drank it in the parking lot behind the Nugget and by that time it was clear we were completely lost, and possibly idiots." With daylight fading and the hikers exhausted, disoriented, and pleasantly buzzed, they again activated the SPOT device.
By this time local authorities had already formed search teams based on the first activation of the device, which had never really been cleared, but the searchers were looking for the lost hikers on the College Green. "We had fifty or so searchers wandering around up there, because, honestly, doing a grid search on the Green looks kind of silly," said one of the searchers, who wished to remain anonymous. "It was pretty clear from the outset that we weren't going to find them, but I did get two girls' phone numbers," said another searcher.
The hikers were eventually spotted by a National Guard helicopter in the parking lot behind the Dartmouth Bookstore. One of the hikers had suffered a slight ankle injury on the Bagel Basement steps, but they were otherwise unharmed. "We got really turned around and confused there for a while," said the third hiker in the group, who wished to remain anonymous. "Ed thought that if we could just figure out where 5 Olde was, then we could have another beer and calm down and try to find Main Street. But in the state we were in and with no trail to follow, that was pretty much wishful thinking."
The three hikers were air lifted out of the parking lot and were taken to the Dartmouth Green, where they were beaten senseless by the search volunteers.
white_russian
11-19-2009, 11:53
Good show.
Lone Wolf
11-19-2009, 11:56
poor satire
I can't believe I had to read most of this to go back and check the forum.
All praise Jester.
Poor opinion of people when I got sucked in by it.
Jester2000
11-19-2009, 12:14
poor satire
You're just upset the hikers weren't lost in Damascus.
Lone Wolf
11-19-2009, 12:16
You're just upset the hikers weren't lost in Damascus.
i really don't have much to do with hikers in town
ShelterLeopard
11-19-2009, 14:09
The three hikers were air lifted out of the parking lot and were taken to the Dartmouth Green, where they were beaten senseless by the search volunteers.
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-violent024.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)
Jester2000
11-19-2009, 14:41
i really don't have much to do with hikers in town
I meant so you could beat them senseless.
john gault
11-19-2009, 15:04
I need to start checking the forum before opening these damn threads.
Jester2000
11-19-2009, 15:16
I need to start checking the forum before opening these damn threads.
Hahahahahahaha! I was going to put this in the General AT forum, but the mods have a pesky habit of moving my threads to humor. So I figured I'd just start it out here. I'm happy to see it doesn't matter where I put it.
"We got really turned around and confused there for a while," said the third hiker in the group, who wished to remain anonymous. "Ed thought that if we could just figure out where 5 Olde was, then we could have another beer and calm down and try to find Main Street.
was his name larry? oh wait. nevermind, i answered my own question. it says "hikers" plain as day.
max patch
11-19-2009, 15:30
Jester, your next short story should be about how the town of Hanover is going to balance the town budget by "pinching" the thru hikers.
Bulldawg
11-19-2009, 15:36
Jester, I heard that some hikers hit their SPOT device last week at Neel Gap. They had been reading Whiteblaze posts by some folks and thought the place was called Neels Gap. When they got to Neel Gap and all the signs said Neel Gap they were certain they were lost. Luckily I was there to save them or the rescue could have been costly. I let them know the added "S" was just a bastardization of the original NEEL GAP.
:banana:banana:banana
Gray Blazer
11-19-2009, 15:46
Used to be Kneel Gap. The building used to be a Catholic Church.:rolleyes:
max patch
11-19-2009, 16:22
J I let them know the added "S" was just a bastardization of the original NEEL GAP.
"Original" Neel Gap? Not even close.
1. Walasi-Yi (named by the Cherokees; means "great frog").
2. Frogtown Gap and/or Frogtown Pass (named by the settlers).
3. Neel Gap.
4. Neels Gap (name officially changed in 1950 to reflect current useage and pronunciation by locals).
I didn't sleep thru my Georgia history class in middle school.
You guys. Everyone knows it's "Neil's."
Bulldawg
11-19-2009, 16:28
"Original" Neel Gap? Not even close.
1. Walasi-Yi (named by the Cherokees; means "great frog").
2. Frogtown Gap and/or Frogtown Pass (named by the settlers).
3. Neel Gap.
4. Neels Gap (name officially changed in 1950 to reflect current useage and pronunciation by locals).
I didn't sleep thru my Georgia history class in middle school.
I've asked you this numerous times.....
Provide the "DOCUMENTATION" that this was "OFFICIALLY" Changed in 1950. Otherwise, go take a hike!!:banana:banana:D:D
Bulldawg
11-19-2009, 16:28
You guys. Everyone knows it's "Neil's."
I don't really like Neil Young.
Northern man don't need him around anyhow.:eek:
Jester2000
11-19-2009, 17:30
"Original" Neel Gap? Not even close.
1. Walasi-Yi (named by the Cherokees; means "great frog").
2. Frogtown Gap and/or Frogtown Pass (named by the settlers).
3. Neel Gap.
4. Neels Gap (name officially changed in 1950 to reflect current useage and pronunciation by locals).
I didn't sleep thru my Georgia history class in middle school.
I've asked you this numerous times.....
Provide the "DOCUMENTATION" that this was "OFFICIALLY" Changed in 1950. Otherwise, go take a hike!!:banana:banana:D:D
I think it's a relatively new way of thinking that when challenging someone else's assertions, one insists that the other person prove you wrong.
I didn't really expect this thread to go in this direction, and while it's pretty entertaining to read two Georgians arguing over an obscure place name, I'd like us to get back to the evils of SPOT abuse.
So I called up Lou Yost at the USGS Geographic Names Office to get the lowdown. And before you decide that I'm making this up, I actually did call Lou Yost at the USGS Geographic Names Office, which, surprisingly, really does exist.
According to Lou (who must have some serious free time going on to be willing to research this for me), the name was changed in 1950 from Frogtown Gap to Neels Gap (with the "s"). This was done when the state highway was put through the gap, and it was named after Georgia Highway Department Board Member Warren Neel (without the "s"). Lou theorizes that our confusion lies in that Warren Neel's name doesn't have an "s" in it, but the gap's name is not possessive ("Neels" rather than "Neel's").
But anyway, to open up a whole new can of worms, Lou Yost says it was never officially called "Neel Gap," as the change took place when the new highway went through, and the highway signs put up at that time said "Neels."
Curse you both for making me take something seriously.
DrRichardCranium
11-19-2009, 17:55
I like "Great Frog" better.
How can a frog achieve greatness?
I like "Great Frog" better.
How can a frog achieve greatness?
It drinks lots of "Bud" - "Weis" - "Er!" Every thing seems bigger and better with enough beer. :)
Tipi Walter
11-19-2009, 18:24
On my last trip I took out and read SoloGirl's PCT SPOT mishap and during some spare time wrote out this report:
CLIMBING UP THE SOUTH FORK CITICO TRAIL
Gird thy loins young bucks and put away your SPOTs and your letters home, disconnect your cellphones and you iPods, take one last gulp of fresh urine and adjust your dyneema codpiece over your BPA-free lexan protective cup and then hoist your 4lb pack onto your linebacker shoulders even though it looks weird up there like a tiny winnie-the-pooh fourth-graders pack, and then have at it.
THE DR. COLON FLACCID SPOT SYSTEM
Don't be discouraged if you have to add an extra 2lbs of water to your pack, thereby shooting it up to over 6lbs, grit your teeth and dig deep and somehow get it up on your back and hope you don't weep with such weight.
If you find the trail to be too hard and the weight too much, and you feel "lost" and can't turn back, pull out your SPOT and hit HELP and then hit 911 and sit tight. Unfortunately, either I or Doug Peacock or Edward Abbey or Reinhold Messner will be manning the SPOT phones and we'll send out help to you in the form of a napalm drop to your last recorded coordinates.
TESTIMONIALS
"Wow, this SPOT system works pretty good," old Ed Abbey will say, and we'll all lean back in our chairs and slap our knees. We'll rename the SPOT system the Handheld PONDs Terminal Rescue System with the Burnt Ash option and the IMMOLATE NOW button, and backpackers who carry it will always remember what that button means and the Pinpoint Onboard Napalm Delivery System(PONDs)that will come if they push it. Keeps newbs on their toes and experts humbled.
PONDs
Question is, do the next of kin have to pay for the napalm drop?
"Are you carrying any kind of GPS rescue device?"
"Yeah, I've got the PONDs Burnt Ash locator pod."
"Wow, that's pretty cool. Is it expensive?"
"Yeah, but they reduce the monthly fee if you help to mix the jellied gasoline into the aircraft canisters."
"Do you think you'll ever use it?"
"Are you kidding? Not on your life. I only carry it to remind me to never screw up.
ShelterLeopard
11-19-2009, 18:28
I like "Great Frog" better.
How can a frog achieve greatness?
Are you kidding? A frog's path of life leads to greatness. That's just how it is, you're born, you're a frog, you're great!
max patch
11-19-2009, 18:31
I like "Great Frog" better.
How can a frog achieve greatness?
The Cherokee saw a frog at the gap that was "as big as a house".
Thats one big azz frog.
Jester2000
11-19-2009, 18:41
The Cherokee saw a frog at the gap that was "as big as a house".
Thats one big azz frog.
And one pretty high group of Cherokee.
Maybe they were licking toads.
Skidsteer
11-19-2009, 19:13
And one pretty high group of Cherokee.
Maybe they were licking frogs.
Spotted frogs, just to stay on topic.
Skidsteer
11-19-2009, 19:14
Dammit Mudhead!
Joke timing is such a fragile endeavour....
Dammit Mudhead!
Joke timing is such a fragile endeavour....
Maybe. But you still hoover all the fun bahhgins.:)
Lone Wolf
11-19-2009, 21:05
And one pretty high group of Cherokee.
more like piss drunk
The Weasel
11-19-2009, 21:21
All of these problems can be avoided by simply having trails blazed on both sides of the trail (including streets, rail tracks, canals and some interstate highways) and providing free showers.
TW
max patch
11-20-2009, 06:00
I've asked you this numerous times.....
Provide the "DOCUMENTATION" that this was "OFFICIALLY" Changed in 1950. Otherwise, go take a hike!!:banana:banana:D:D
FatMan - who lives about 10 miles from Neels - has posted a link to this information in the past. If you really wanted to see it - which I know you don't as it doesn't support your agenda - a rudimentary search should get to the documentation.
Thanks to Jester for taking the time to research this matter.
StarLyte
11-20-2009, 07:19
FRIGGIN AWARD-WINNING JESTER !!!
Let's celebrate with some of your mom's bakery....
DrRichardCranium
11-20-2009, 18:05
The Cherokee saw a frog at the gap that was "as big as a house".
Thats one big azz frog.
The Cherokee also had a legend that whenever there was an eclipse of the sun or the moon, it was because it was being swallowed by a giant frog.
Hmmm...I never knew that Monty Python's Flying Circus was produced by the Cherokee!
Tipi Walter
11-20-2009, 18:27
The Cherokee also had a legend that whenever there was an eclipse of the sun or the moon, it was because it was being swallowed by a giant frog.
Hmmm...I never knew that Monty Python's Flying Circus was produced by the Cherokee!
I like your name, it reminds me of famous backpacker Dr. Colon Flaccid. Or the military term, "every swinging richard in this outfit . . .!
if this SPOT abuse continues, pretty soon SAR will be using the reported position to call in an air strike. save everyone a lot of trouble. :cool:
in this case, would hanover be spared? :-?
Oh, good grief! I can't believe I read the whole thing! May be just a little close to the truth which hurts too much to laugh about.