I've done that...

[altivo]

You've done what???

From shadow_stallion and chibiabos:

• Post 3 things you've done in your lifetime that you don't think anybody else on your friends list has done.
• See if anybody else responds with "I've done that." If they have, you need to add another! (2.b., 2.c., etc...)
• Have your friends cut & paste this into their journal to see what unique things they've done in their life.

OK, here goes. Probably no one will be surprised:

1. Last year I started with just thread and made myself an entire shirt, weaving the cloth, cutting and sewing it, finishing by hand.

2. I've stood in the elephant pen at a major zoo and been snuffled by two elephants. One of them had whatever passes for a cold if you're an elephant. It was a bit messy.

3. I've hiked from one end of Isle Royale National Park (an island in Lake Superior) to the other, covering a meandering ground distance of about 85 miles, in under seven days. En route we stood close enough to a moose to reach out and touch it and slept close enough to a fox to share his fleas.

3a. (was 4, but linnaeus matched me) I've spent the entire night in a frigid dairy barn, recording the number of times a cow pee'd, pooped, or drank water, and counting how many times it chewed, as well as taking its temperature and pulse every hour. It was COLD! Fortunately dozens of friendly barn cats all wanted to be in my lap at once.

Here are a couple of backup things, in case someone chimes in with "I've done that!"

5. I've read the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the original language.

6. I've traced my genealogical descent back as far as Charlemagne, and thus, by implication, to his recorded ancestry that goes back to the Roman Empire of the 2nd century. (Of course, this assumes that all the way back through 60 generations or so, no one ever lied about who the father was. If you think that likely, I suspect you are truly naive.) OK, tinbender matched this one. But since it's not one of the top three, I'm just leaving it at that.


Go ahead, tell us what you've done.

Comments

[tinbender.livejournal.com]

I've done #6, cuz! : )

[chibiabos.livejournal.com]

I didn't, but my great grandfather traced my mother's family history back to the early 1500s.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

The key for the majority of Americans is to have descent from one or more immigrants who came to America from England before 1700. Supposedly more than 70% of those early settlers had lineage back to the Plantagenet kings. From there you get to all sorts of famous figures easily: the kings of Scotland, the Anglo-Saxon kings of England, William the Conqueror (and through him, Charlemagne and the Roman nobility.) For what it's worth, anyway, which isn't much.

My favorite claim that comes from all that is descent from Wotan himself, the Saxon equivalent of the Teutonic god Odin. That was claimed by the Anglo-Saxon royal line, and since the Plantagenet line traces back to Edward the Confessor, there you are.

All this and probably four dollars these days will get you a paper cup full of lousy coffee at Starbucks.

[chibiabos.livejournal.com]

Actually, there's lineage on my dad's side traced to a family castle in Scotland.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Heh. You know the Scots refer to those places as "piles" and that's what they are like. ;p

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Find any reputed werewolves along the way? I'm pretty sure there were a few accused witches.

Glad to have you on the family tree, anyway. ;D

[songdogmi.livejournal.com]

Was #2 at the Detroit Zoo, by chance? (I'm sure Chicago has or had elephants too, but I don't know.)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Actually it was at the Brookfield Zoo just west of Chicago. I never had that close an encounter at Detroit. In 1977 I was interviewed for a job at Brookfield.

[captpackrat.livejournal.com]

I think I can match you on #6. I've traced my genealogy to at least Kenneth MacAlpin, the first King of Scots and possibly from there to Eochu the Enduring, High King of Ireland c. 1st century BC.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I got to Malcolm III but didn't chase the Scottish line back farther than that. I was more amused by Malcolm's wife, St. Margaret.

[goldenstallion.livejournal.com]

Whinnyhi, Rider.

Never did any of those things you did. But I did hike the entire Parthenon in Athens, Greece, one night with my good friend Mike when in the Navy. The rumors are true, you can hear a pin drop on stage from the last row in the ampitheater.

Attended Yamato High School in Japan for 10th grade.

Did two combat tours in Viet Nam and awarded the Combat Action Ribbon and Meritorius Unit Citation.

Want to visit Isle Royale one day soon. And the UP.

Imperator

[altivo.livejournal.com]

The Acropolis? I'd like to see that. I'll bet there's enough background noise from so-called "civilization" today to keep you from hearing that pin drop, though.

You will like the UP and Isle Royale if you go. Put Mackinac Island with its historic fort on your list as well.

[linnaeus.livejournal.com]

3. I've hiked from one end of Isle Royale National Park (an island in Lake Superior) to the other, covering a meandering ground distance of about 85 miles, in under seven days. En route we stood close enough to a moose to reach out and touch it and slept close enough to a fox to share his fleas.

I've done that. Hiked the Greenstone Ridge trail with some detours from Windigo on the western shore to Rock Harbor in the east in a little under five days. Our route involved less meandering than yours, we probably covered somewhere between 50-60 miles, but I'd have to dig out my map to be precise. We had a moose saunter unconcerned through our campsite and a fox try his best to steal food out of our hands, but fortunately no fleas were acquired.

I loved the island, and am determined to make it back there sometime. Maybe to hike the Minong Ridge trail or kayak along the shore, but it's hard enough to find the time to get up there that I'd be happy just to hike the same route as last time. I'd like to hear more about your trip and compare notes sometime.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Isle Royale map here, scroll down for detail.

We flew in to Windigo too, but took the longer trail along the shore past Feldtmann Lake and around to Siskiwit Bay the first day. Our boots were steaming, let me tell you. The next day we climbed up onto the Greenstone and went as far as Hatchet Lake. From there we went to McCargoe Cove the third day, then around Chickenbone Lake and down to Daisy Farm on the fourth. If I recall correctly (this was, gah, in 1981) we followed the southern shore past the abandoned Siskiwit Mine on the fifth day, ending at Three Mile. The last day was a lazy trip to Rock Harbor, where we got to spend a night in a real lodge with beds, and woke up on the seventh day to pea soup fog. We were supposed to fly out that morning, and were afraid it wouldn't clear up in time. Fortunately it did by around elevenish and we made a quick dash up to Tobin Harbor with all our gear because the lake was too rough for the little seaplane to land in Rock Harbor. Flew back to Houghton, loaded up the car fast because we were then three hours behind schedule and were supposed to get back down to Appleton WI to spend the evening at one of my companions' uncle's farm. I think we made it just in time for dinner.

That seems like too much driving, though, so I could be scrambling things. Possibly we flew out on the sixth day and stayed at some motel along the way to Appleton.

We never saw wolves, other than pawprints in the mud and scat. I don't remember hearing them howl either. We saw moose several times, including some that walked through our campsite after dark. The fox was at Siskiwit Bay, and did break into one of our packs while we weren't paying attention. After that we saw him as he spied on us preparing supper. Obviously he was accustomed to stealing or getting handouts from hikers. He wasn't clever enough to open a glass jar full of chipped beef, though. ;p We found it lying on the lakeshore and retrieved it. He did know just how to bite through the cord holding a backpack shut. No wasted effort there.

I'd love to go again, though I'm not sure I could tolerate that much climbing and hiking with a sixty pound pack any more. The scenery was spectacular, the wildlife was great, and we really enjoyed botanizing and looking at traces of mining and such from a century and more ago. Today I know more about birds and would enjoy that aspect. On the other hoof, in 27 years of mostly Republican administrations, I suspect the island isn't quite as pristine and wild feeling as it used to be...

[linnaeus.livejournal.com]

Flew in on a floatplane? Wow, that's got to have been an experience. We took the ferry to Windigo from Grand Portage MN. That got us in around midday, so all we did the first day was hike up the Greenstone straight to Island Mine, where we spent the night. I understand that the route you took around Feldtmann lake offers the best chance of seeing or hearing signs of wolves, and would be something to consider for a return trip to the island. The western side of the island didn't have the impressive views you get further east-- it was pretty heavily forested even up on the ridge, so all you could see were trees, but then we went in mid-September. It probably looks a lot different in early spring. Day two we continued along the Greenstone as far as Hatchet Lake. Day three ended at East Chickenbone, where we saw the first of our foxes doing their best to be raccoons. Day four we hit Mt. Ojibway and Franklin, and departed from the Greenstone to spend the night at Three Mile, and day five was a leisurely hike to Rock Harbor and a little dayhiking around that area. I spent that last night on the America dock under the stars and with the lake making lake noises under me. It was nice going so late in the season-- we generally had campsites to ourselves and ran into maybe one or two groups each day. Also the mosquitoes and black flies had given up for the year, which is no small benefit. This was in 1997, so I can't say what kind of effect the past eleven years have had, but when I was there it felt pretty wild to me. Granted the trails were (mostly) well marked, and there were relatively clean and well maintained outhouses at each of the official camping locations (and while I appreciate wilderness, I didn't mind that. I was prepared to dig "catholes", as the guidebooks call them, but was glad I didn't need to). There's a lodge with a restaurant and hotel rooms at Rock Harbor, but that's apparently been there for decades, and it was closed for the season by the time we hit RH anyway. There were a few miles of dirt road around RH for the handfull of park maintenance vehicles, but generally the only big things you'd run into on them were moose. Unless it's changed a lot since then, it's probably still pretty wild.

I'm sure doing all that with a sixty pound pack wouldn't be as easy for me now as it was eleven years ago, but I'd like to give it a try. First, I think I need to lose about sixty pounds. :)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I could do to lose some myself, but luckily for me not quite so much.

Yeah, we went in early spring, when the mosquitos were still fairly thin on the ground, and arrived at Windigo on the second or third day the park was open. Like you, we were hoping to avoid crowds, which succeeded until Three Mile. I think we passed one party on the trails before that, and the first campground with other occupants was McCargoe. Autumn would be good too, though, and I'd enjoy seeing a different season. Canoeing along the shore could be interesting too.

Most of the moose we saw were around the Feldtmann loop, as you suggest, so of course that seems the likely place for wolves as well. It was my one disappointment with the trip that we didn't at least hear them at night, though back then I think the population was in a trough on its cycle.

Windigo has a guest house too, which was not open at all when we were there though I've heard it is now reopened. We were met there by a woman ranger who was extremely nice and generous with advice. One of the two friends I was with had been there before, and the other was a Sierra Club camper with lots of experience, so they had mapped out our route well in advance, and planned all the food and such. I just had to be a packhorse and enjoy the view when I wasn't busy sweating and panting.

We flew in and out because Leon, the one who'd been there before, had been horribly sea-sick on the ferry during his previous trip. It was stormy then, of course, and as luck would have it, at least going in we had clear skies and calm seas so to speak. I don't like flying, and liked it even less in a plane that seats four at most, plus pilot and co-pilot. The captain was cute though, and once we were up and away the scenery was so spectacular I kinda forgot about it. I have photos from the trip, I think. I'll see if I can find them.

Trails were well marked and most campsites had outhouses in 1981 too. However, it's my understanding that several administrations have pressured the Park Service to open the island year round instead of closing it in the winter, which would necessitate a lot more development and produce more traffic load. Winter is the easiest time to spot the wolves and moose, especially from the air, and air tourism was proposed. Lots of commercial opportunities to be handed out, you see. Ice fishing on the interior lakes could be promoted too, probably.

Nevada Barr has written two mystery novels set on Isle Royale. I haven't read the earlier one, but the one that just came out is called Winter Study and is all about the wolves and moose and a team of university scientists who are on the island studying them in winter. It's pretty good.

[linnaeus.livejournal.com]

I seem to recall hearing about a mystery novel set in the waters around the island when I was there. Not sure if it's the same, but I'll check out the Nevada Barr books. Thanks!

We were fairly lucky with the weather on the ferry both ways. It was grey and a little choppy on the way to the island, but not enough to make anyone sick.

I hope that nothing comes of the pressure to expand tourism on the island-- it's a beautiful place, but then so is a lot of the U.P. The Porcupine Mountains are nearly identical in scope and terrain, and are gorgeous and worth visiting in their own right, but it's Isle Royale's remoteness that sets it apart from such places. Developing the place for winter tourism would take a fair amount of expensive development that would not improve the island at all as far as I am concerned. I'm optimistic that this won't happen though, as I have to imagine that cooler heads will remember that the island has a long history of being a place where grand ideas and investment capital come to die.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I've been in the "Porkies" too, and you're right, the scenery is nearly as good. Trade moose and wolves for bears, though. I remember camping on what amounted to an inch of sand over bedrock near a rushing stream that was quite noisy due to the rocks and incline. That was a rainy trip, actually and chilly because it was also early spring for that latitude. The other memorable event from that particular trip was a hummingbird who decided to follow us along the trail for quite a ways. Someone must have been wearing red or something, I don't remember. Driving up through Wisc. to get there was entertaining. We quoted the advertising signs at each other for years, especially the ones about "See the lovable live wildlife" and "Come shop inside our giant cheddar."

[duskwuff.livejournal.com]

"See the lovable live wildlife!"

Well, at least it beats the alternatives of seeing the unlovable live wildlife, or (even worse?) seeing the lovable dead wildlife.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

And in the context of a furry convention, imagine the possibilities. I think someone ought to steal one of those signs as a con theme. (What they actually seem to be advertising are some sort of petting zoo.)

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

*sighs* I know I'm gonna regret this...here's a short list:


I once had someone pay me two bucks to leave their home :P

I once walked from Palm Bay to Cocoa in one day, only to fall asleep on a park bench just a stone's throw from my house.

Spent a night with a very close friend on the back of someone's porch after the person we assumed would give us lodging locked us out. Our shared body heat was the only thing keeping us warm all night.

Once- in colder weather- stopped whilst in the middle of a late night walk from Melbourne to Cocoa and slept in front of a Winn-Dixie, only to wake up about 2AM, freezing. After forcing myself to stand, I walked chattering, until I finally found a place that was open, which was over four hours away.

After a certain individual kicked me out (but withheld my belongings), I snuck back into their home three times in a week and helped myself to food in the fridge and some belongings of mine they hadn't allowed me to collect. Truth of it is, they failed to lock a door they never used, and never realized I had been there.

I can think of a few more, but would rather keep them quiet :P Most of them are just embarrassing.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

The common elements here suggest that you need a nest of your own, even if it's a tiny one. ;p

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

*smirks* You missed your calling as a detective :P

[calydor.livejournal.com]

I've actually been in the elephant pen of a zoo once, though none of the elephants had a cold. They're VERY big up close.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Indeed, though I have to say the walrus felt (or at least seemed, I didn't touch her) just as big. She was over thirty years old and huge, but still very playful and mischievous. She could squirt water between her teeth about ten feet or so, which was far enough to hit onlookers if they leaned over the railing...

[saythename.livejournal.com]

Alright, the elephant thing and the Chronicles Of Anglo-Saxons are
both cool.

But...an ENTIRE SUIT out of thread?

Thats genius!!!

I LOVE IT!

^_^

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Not a whole suit, just a shirt. Old fashioned design from the 1840s, a working man's shirt not a fancy dress shirt. The neck ties shut with cords. The only buttons are on the cuffs. It's cotton and linen, pale green with alternate black and brown pin stripes that run vertically.

[saythename.livejournal.com]

But you made it yourself! Thats wonderful!