Are We Safe?
At sometime in my distant, murky past I attended the Basic Mountaineering Course presented by the Sierra Club. In it they showed a film entitled, “The Mountains Don’t Care”. It explains that the mountains do what mountains do, and what we humans do doesn’t change the mountain’s behavior in the slightest. The mountains do not care if we are rich or poor, young or old, handsome or ugly, or any other thing about us. If we understand this principle, we can experience great pleasure and adventure while hiking and exploring, and even living in the mountains. We can ignore the principles at our own peril.
I learned part of this lesson while boogie board surfing in San Diego. The ocean was always more powerful that me. I could never control the wave. I could only take advantage of what the wave offered. If I understood and respected that power and behaved accordingly, surfing was fun. If I didn’t, I risked injury, or even death. The ocean doesn’t care.
A similar lesson was from soaring. If I understood and respected the weather conditions and the limitations of the aircraft, soaring was great fun. If not, I again risked injury or even death. I am reminded of a cliché that aviation is very unforgiving of ignorance, carelessness and stupidity.
News about recent natural disasters has reminded us that Mother Nature is always in charge. Recent events include the tsumani, the mudslide(s) in Southern California, floods in the Midwest, and the avalanches in Utah. An earthen dam near Corona, CA was filled to capacity and was in danger of breaking. More distant events that come to mind include the hurricanes in Florida and various earthquakes around the world. We live here at her will no matter where (or when) we live. Mother Nature doesn’t care.
While travelling around the country we have noticed various risks that people live with every day. In places like Seattle or Tacoma, where they live in the shadow of Mt Ranier, highway signs indicate the appropriate Volcano Evacuation Route. Near the ocean in Washington, Oregon and Northern California the signs indicate the Tsunami Evacuation Route.
Here in Florida we find signs showing the Hurricane Evacuation Route.
And then we have -
.
It is interesting to note the relative attitudes of residents in various regions. Californians, living with earthquakes think that hurricanes and tornadoes are too dangerous. Floridians, after four hurricanes this year still fear the California earthquakes. Texans have tornado shelters in their homes, yet fear earthquakes and hurricanes.
I learned part of this lesson while boogie board surfing in San Diego. The ocean was always more powerful that me. I could never control the wave. I could only take advantage of what the wave offered. If I understood and respected that power and behaved accordingly, surfing was fun. If I didn’t, I risked injury, or even death. The ocean doesn’t care.
A similar lesson was from soaring. If I understood and respected the weather conditions and the limitations of the aircraft, soaring was great fun. If not, I again risked injury or even death. I am reminded of a cliché that aviation is very unforgiving of ignorance, carelessness and stupidity.
News about recent natural disasters has reminded us that Mother Nature is always in charge. Recent events include the tsumani, the mudslide(s) in Southern California, floods in the Midwest, and the avalanches in Utah. An earthen dam near Corona, CA was filled to capacity and was in danger of breaking. More distant events that come to mind include the hurricanes in Florida and various earthquakes around the world. We live here at her will no matter where (or when) we live. Mother Nature doesn’t care.
While travelling around the country we have noticed various risks that people live with every day. In places like Seattle or Tacoma, where they live in the shadow of Mt Ranier, highway signs indicate the appropriate Volcano Evacuation Route. Near the ocean in Washington, Oregon and Northern California the signs indicate the Tsunami Evacuation Route.
Here in Florida we find signs showing the Hurricane Evacuation Route.
And then we have -
.
It is interesting to note the relative attitudes of residents in various regions. Californians, living with earthquakes think that hurricanes and tornadoes are too dangerous. Floridians, after four hurricanes this year still fear the California earthquakes. Texans have tornado shelters in their homes, yet fear earthquakes and hurricanes.
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