View Full Version : Weird Good Luck Charms?
Rabbits feet? Bag of chicken bones around your neck? Daddy's old pocket watch?
What's yours?
Pedaling Fool
01-11-2012, 16:12
I think good-luck charms are just crazy superstitions. Having said that, long, long ago I was put in a position of authority at a tender age and was in charge of operations I was barely trained for and on one of those I was fretting over the safe completion of...to make a long story short, it went really bad...very badly. But during the preparations I remember asking myself, mostly out of hopeless despair, "Ah, what could go wrong".
Ever since then I never ask myself that question, just too afraid to, no matter how mundane a given situation may seem, I feel as though I'll jinx myself if I ask that question, even to this day I never ever say those words.
Ever since I unexpectedly set a record in grade 5 for the flexed arm hang, as part of the old Canada Fitness Awards, I have always associated getting my hair cut with good luck. I had just had it cut the day before. Nothing else comes to mind, other than positive thinking. I do like keep-sakes though. I tend to lose them though, so I never no just how long I might have things, and what might become a keep-sake. So far, for hiking, my compass is my oldest keep-sake, and I bought it second hand years ago. It is one of those aluminum silva ones that you slide open and a mirror pops down. I lost the leather case and had a new one made. I am rather fond of it.
On my way to start my AT thru-hike I'd found a Canadian coin so I'd decided to carry that and a pebble I'd picked up along the approach trail in Georgia all the way to Katahdin.
Funny, I'd soon met and hiked with a woman from Canada for quite a bit of the AT after I'd found that Canadian coin.
Datto
Wow, someone mentioned Canada in a post while I was typing that last post -- didn't see it until I'd posted my own comment.
We control the horizontal, we control the vertical. No need to adjust your set.
Datto
strollingalong
01-11-2012, 18:48
someone's currently mentioning Mexico.... and I'm in Mexico woaaaahhhhhhhhh
rocketsocks
01-11-2012, 18:54
Over the years I've carried a rabbits foot,copper nugget from the Keweenaw peninsula and a few non-mentionable unmentionables.Currently a little white and black yin and yang pin rides quietly along on my day pack.Reminding me of the ebb and flow of life.The clouds in my coffee is something I look forward to in the mourning,it amazes me each and every time I pour in the cream but mixes much to fast and is gone.
Wow, someone mentioned Canada in a post while I was typing that last post -- didn't see it until I'd posted my own comment.
We control the horizontal, we control the vertical. No need to adjust your set.
Datto
someone's currently mentioning Mexico.... and I'm in Mexico woaaaahhhhhhhhh
You guys are freakin' me out!
....The clouds in my coffee is something I look forward to in the mourning,it amazes me each and every time I pour in the cream but mixes much to fast and is gone.
Sounds like a variation of reading tea leaves. I wonder if it works with the little marshmallow bits in my morning hot chocolate? You could amaze your shelter mates by telling their futures! It'd be a great conversation starter.
CrumbSnatcher
01-11-2012, 19:16
external frame pack and water filter
ALLEGHENY
01-11-2012, 19:28
Ruger LCR :)
LCP 9.6 oz
Lone Wolf
01-11-2012, 19:30
huh?.............
Lone Wolf
01-11-2012, 19:33
Ruger LCR :)Glock 29 :)
http://us.glock.com/products/model/g29
rocketsocks
01-11-2012, 20:33
Sounds like a variation of reading tea leaves. I wonder if it works with the little marshmallow bits in my morning hot chocolate? You could amaze your shelter mates by telling their futures! It'd be a great conversation starter.Ah yes,And In his deepest weather man voice...Let me see now,we've got a low pressure marshmallow over Ohio and a deepening trough of coco stalling in Vermont,Spokes say....you ain't hike'in today,come back tomorrow.:-?
Wise Old Owl
01-11-2012, 21:58
Yea let me sharpen my pencil while I think about the above posts....
14861
Old Hiker
01-12-2012, 08:18
I saw a Harley rider in D.C. with a small bell on the handlebars of his bike. When I asked, he stated it kept demons away from him while he was riding. I thought that was fairly cool, as I was riding 30 miles one way up 95/395 to the Pentagon every day, so I bought one and hung it on my bike. 2 weeks later, a thunderstorm rolled through, knocked my bike over and totally busted my $500 windshield. I took the bell off, threw it as far into the woods as possible and never looked back.
Now, I don't have anything I HAVE to carry. I just try to touch every white blaze as I go by.
Alpha Wolf
01-12-2012, 13:21
On my way to start my AT thru-hike I'd found a Canadian coin so I'd decided to carry that and a pebble I'd picked up along the approach trail in Georgia all the way to Katahdin.
Funny, I'd soon met and hiked with a woman from Canada for quite a bit of the AT after I'd found that Canadian coin.
Datto
Maybe she dropped it.
Maybe she dropped it.
Fate's a funny thing huh?
I stopped at the Veteran's Cemetery in Johnson City, while I zeroed in Erwin to visit the grave of my great, great grandfather who served in the Civil War. While I was there I picked up a small flag that was near his grave that had blown off it's stick during a tornado that passed through two days earlier. I carried that flag the rest of the way and still have it.
GlassSunrise413
01-22-2012, 12:07
I have heard of people taking a pebble from Springer to throw off Katahdin....is this common?
CrumbSnatcher
01-22-2012, 13:29
I have heard of people taking a pebble from Springer to throw off Katahdin....is this common?i believe this to be true!, springer mtn. used to be higher elevation than katahdin. we need more SOBO'ers :-)
4eyedbuzzard
01-22-2012, 13:39
Ruger LCR :)
LCP 9.6 oz
Glock 29 :)
Kel-tec P3AT - and a set of miniature Tibetan prayer flags. It's a balance and karma thing . . .
Sarcasm the elf
01-22-2012, 15:16
A 1.5" tall plastic penquin has accompanied me on almost all of my section hikes.
A box of thirty or so of these things somehow ended up at my parents house right after I graduated college, no idea how they got there. Since then they've become an unlikely kind of good luck charm that my siblings and I keep hiding in each other's belongings. Each time one of us has moved or gone off to college, one or two of them as gotten snuck into our new apartments. When I bought my house they began to make an appearance above the kitchen cabinets and in other odd places. Bringing one along in my pack seemed like the appropriate thing to do.
teknologyguru
01-22-2012, 15:23
My good luck charm is a small rubber bracelet (of the Livestrong/breast cancer awareness type, but about half the thickness) that I picked up from a geocache a while back. I use it to remind myself that I should do things that make me happy, like being outdoors and experiencing nature. Other than that, I don't have anything that I'm too superstitious about.
I carry the severed head of a vietnamese soldiier i killed on the 34th parallel in my rucksack, oh wait that was the movie dead presidents. good movie!
GoldenBear
01-22-2012, 17:22
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=49881&c=535
"Shuttle" says that a teddy bear is useful for nights of separation, so I always carry one. I'm sure A.T. Bear will become like Wilson for Tom Hanks in Cast Away.
bigcranky
01-22-2012, 17:58
I have a photo of my late hiking partner. It's taped to the outside of my journal, so I can see it every day. No matter how bad things get on the Trail, at least I'm out there.
I have a pair of "lucky" earrings that I've had for 6 years and worn almost every day for that long. Any pair of earrings that stands up to that kind of abuse and hasn't been lost or damaged yet must be pretty darn lucky. :)
Wizard 2009
01-22-2012, 22:57
I carried a small rock that a women gave to me in a Dunkin' Donuts in Williamstown. She just said that she "needed to give it to me" then she bought me a dozen donuts. I kept waiting for the stone to give me good luck, but it rained everyday that i had that stone...until one day, on Mt. Washington I took it out of my pocket, held it high and screamed "F*****G DO SOMETHING"...then the rain stopped...so its my good weather rock, i just need to verbally abuse it to get it to work properly.
teknologyguru
01-22-2012, 22:59
Wizard, that's an awesome charm. Can I... err... 'borrow' your weather rock? :p
atmilkman
01-22-2012, 23:17
I saw a Harley rider in D.C. with a small bell on the handlebars of his bike. When I asked, he stated it kept demons away from him while he was riding. I thought that was fairly cool, as I was riding 30 miles one way up 95/395 to the Pentagon every day, so I bought one and hung it on my bike. 2 weeks later, a thunderstorm rolled through, knocked my bike over and totally busted my $500 windshield. I took the bell off, threw it as far into the woods as possible and never looked back.
Now, I don't have anything I HAVE to carry. I just try to touch every white blaze as I go by.
Someone else has to give you "the bell" you can't buy it for yourself. It's bad luck.
OnlyJohn
01-27-2012, 17:57
Desert Eagle 50 cal.
4 pounds, but who is going to tell you to stop?
tenn_hiker
01-27-2012, 18:38
Glocks are for women! :)
I'm seriously not superstitious! BUT, I never ever ever ever say "What could possibly go wrong?" And I have a Celtic Rune (a "Rad" shaped a lot like the letter R, "for the protection of travelers.") I wear around my neck with a bunch of Hematite beads. Never take it off.
I have never noticed it helping any, maybe that means it's working so well I don't see what it does. The hematite beads on the necklace are supposed to help with my arthritis, so I suppose that's my reason for always wearing it. Anyway, that's my story & I'm sticking to it. LOL.
tenn_hiker
01-27-2012, 18:47
Also, i carry a barbie with me when i hike. It was given to my dad while he was traveling around The country so i decided, this barbie has been pretty much everywhere in america except the A.T. The first couple days of my section hike they were throwing around some trail names and Ken was one of them.. but it never stuck. thank god! we recently took the barbie with us to Florida when we went down to visit, and unfortunately the barbies head came off! so still haven't decided if i'm going to carry the barbies head.. or the naked barbies body.. any suggestions? hahaha
rocketsocks
01-27-2012, 19:17
I think you should float the barbie head in a nalgene (bag or bottle)your choice.One way to make some elbow room at shelters.
1991-A1 in 45acp, 2 extra mags. and a small stone a small boy gave me right before my 1st powerboat race, i didnt win but lived, you should see the video, scares the poop out of me every time!
RUNT
nitewalker
01-27-2012, 19:38
I have a photo of my late hiking partner. It's taped to the outside of my journal, so I can see it every day. No matter how bad things get on the Trail, at least I'm out there.
amen bro. may the memories last forever...
tenn_hiker
01-27-2012, 20:04
I think you should float the barbie head in a nalgene (bag or bottle)your choice.One way to make some elbow room at shelters.
Very good idea, i might give that one a try! haha
Old Hiker
01-28-2012, 13:23
I think you should float the barbie head in a nalgene (bag or bottle)your choice.One way to make some elbow room at shelters.
Don't forget to start talking to it as you bring it out: "What do you think, Barb, everything look OK?" - "You warm enough, sweetie?" - "What do you mean, it's MY turn to cook?"
I saw a Harley rider in D.C. with a small bell on the handlebars of his bike. When I asked, he stated it kept demons away from him while he was riding. I thought that was fairly cool, as I was riding 30 miles one way up 95/395 to the Pentagon every day, so I bought one and hung it on my bike. 2 weeks later, a thunderstorm rolled through, knocked my bike over and totally busted my $500 windshield.
The tradition is that someone else has to give you the bell. You were just askin' fer trouble!
Someone else has to give you "the bell" you can't buy it for yourself. It's bad luck.
You see? I told you ...
quilteresq
01-28-2012, 14:36
On our 2003 bike ride (1300 miles for my 13 year old), some guy who stopped to talk to her just short of the continental divide and gave her his medal of "Blessed Martin" because he said it warded off trucks. They were the curse of the bike ride in terms of creating a lot of turbulence making it hard to control a loaded bike. Since she got off the ride a couple of days later in Great Falls, MT, I guess it worked. Not sure it would help on the trail, except at logging road crossings.