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| | Car Camping | | 2 Days | | |
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| partners | | A weekend out west with plans to hit three different hikes turned into a scary mess when on our second night up in the Hualapai Mountains, some drunk jackholes decided to shoot at us. 
After a big hike earlier Saturday, and a long drive across the valley to set up for Sunday, we found a nice spot about 300 feet off the main road. It's still winter up here (around 6400 feet), the campground is closed, none of the trees have budded yet, and we only saw 2-3 other vehicles on our way up. We had the mountain pretty much to ourselves.
After a delicious steak dinner, we were relaxing and staying warm by the fire when we could see the lights and hear the noise of a quad approaching on the main road. By listening to them yell and carry on, it was plainly obvious they were at least a 30-pack under. They drove past the spur road to our campsite and continued on up the hill and disappeared.
About a minute later, another quad approached, quite apparently following the first. Seemingly lost, or unable to determine which way the first quad had gone, this one stopped at the entrance to our spur road and shone their lights in our direction. At this point, Lee asked me if I had my gun. Nope. It was in the tent. His was in the Xterra. I wasn't really fearing for my safety--I've seen plenty of drunks out for a late night ride on dirt roads in Arizona-- but I learned that Lee is a pretty good observer of things.
At this point, I don't really remember the sequence of things, but the drunks on the quad saw some of our lights. Somehow not the fire? Maybe the party lights? Maybe a reflection off the Xterra? I don't know, but through their confusion over what they were seeing, apparently they decided that shooting at their mystery would be the best plan. That was us.
At this point, Lee and I were both armed and fearing the worst. What the pumpkin is wrong with people!?
I took cover behind our huge firepit, while Lee grabbed Blanco and headed back behind the Xterra. John took a position above our campsite. I started to yell back and notify them that we were there -- people! camping!. I turned my headlamp on a flashing setting and popped it above fire ring rocks that I was crouched behind, hoping that the obvious pattern of light would make it clear we were not an animal, or whatever else they thought they should be shooting at.
Despite all this, the quad now decided to continue up our spur road, driving right into our camp... continuing to yell, and generally be obliterated drunk assholes. I've never pointed my gun at another person before, but I was right then. I don't know if they saw me and Lee or not, but they were yelling "Don't shoot, don't shoot!" at us, and I was yelling back from behind the fire ring "you shot at us!" pumpkining idiots.
Somehow we yelled enough back and forth to get them to realize that we were no threat to them if only they left, which after a drunken 22-point turn they managed to do.
I think they turned the wrong way on the main road trying to follow the first quad. I sort of forget. A few minutes later, after John and Lee and I had settled in around the fire again, very much on edge, a quad headed down the main road, perhaps the first quad returning to look for the second one? Or maybe it was the second one that came back. Again, a little blurry here. Anyway, this became the second visit up our camp road, and the three of us immediately took defensive positions.
This time I was standing behind a huge pine, watching and listening as the group drove right up into camp. I can't explain how astonishingly drunk these people were. They drove right up the road, not stopping until nearly driving over John's tent. We were only 20 feet from them at this point. Not knowing what to expect.
Had it not been for the shooting a few minutes earlier, my instinct would be to exchange pleasantries and offer them a beer. People who are drinking generally like you if you offer them a beer. Scientific fact. 
But there had been a shooting, so the three of us were all out of sight. We yelled at each other a little bit and told them which direction their friends had driven in hopes they would find each other. They turned and left without further altercation.
This was now after 11pm and we were ready for bed. But none of us felt particularly comfortable with these yahoos out there, and knowing they would have to return and pass our campsite again to get back to where they originally came from. I walked down our short camp road with my chainsaw and felled a big pine tree across it. At least nobody would be driving up to our camp at night. It also served to block the appearance of there being a road at all, which in their drunken state, they would likely drive by without noticing.
After almost an hour of peace and silence, we decided to go to bed, still anxious about when they would return. Or maybe they had drunkenly driven off the mountain and died? Who knows.
I stayed up, knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. I consulted my maps and realized there was a possible loop for them to drive that would keep them from returning past our site. Hopefully that's what happened? At 12:40, a quad returned down the road, passing our site uneventfully. Despite being only one, I decided to get in my tent and try to sleep. Amazingly I did. I think John said he heard a second quad drive by later in the night, but I didn't wake up for it!
While I can't even accurately piece together the story of exactly what happened, Lee can tell you everything were talking about, how many rounds of ammo they had left, where they lost their gps, and give you physical descriptions of people I never actually saw. Maybe that's just a natural instinct, or maybe it comes from necessity and a different life experience. In any case, I felt a little better having him there. And I have a feeling he's a pretty good shot if it ever came down to that!
In the morning, we got up, grilled some brats for breakfast, and went hiking. But that was an interesting camping night. |
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| I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies. |
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