Dried grass and slips

The story of a memorable slip

March 25, 2019

See my shoes with the emergency crampons on ?
Well, I was crossing the slopes that you see, on the high Lunigiana sides of mount Matto, and had an unfavourable feeling. The ground was covered by old grass, extremely dry, after two month drought; it was also slippery beyond imagination.
Just while I was thinking, a foot started slipping, and I followed it. I was also feeling the speed increasing. After a while, I do not know how, maybe because of a less steep stretch, or because I turned myself face down and was pushing on my walking poles handles and on my feet, I slowed down and stopped.
After that, however, I would say that nothing was like before and my legs were somewhat, let’s say, upset. At this moment, I remember to still have the little emergency crampons inside my backpack: I mounted them and the world changed and my fear faded.

Back to a safer spot, since I was heading to a place that I did not communicate, I intended to take my phone to inform, but my phone was not with me, since I forgot it into my car. For sure, if I realised of being without my phone  when I was still stuck along the slippery slope, I think I could have entered into panic.
As a consequence of all that, I changed my plans, and descended back to my car.

Lessons

 1) sometimes it is better to have more than less than it is necessary; 2) comfortable shoes, that are adequate in certain conditions, may not be suitable everywhere; 3) better to keep concentration and do not forget anything essential; 4) being present with our brain also serves to remember what we already know: se also another post speaking of slippery dried grass, among other things
Overall, it has been a very instructive, although emotionally demanding day.

The story of a memorable slip. Filippo D’Antuono. piudimille.com. Tutti i diritti riservati.

My shoes, with blessed emergency crampons on

Mount’s  Matto high sides; the red circle, on the right side, above the woods,  indicates the slippery slope

And here it is, coated with dried grass