Inspiration comes in many forms. We may be inspired by an act of heroism or derring-do. We may find encouragement within the depths of trial. And sometimes, we may see an act of heroism in the depths of trial and tell ourselves, “Is that dude crazy?! Never in a gazillion years would I do that!”
Using that criteria, last year’s 127 Hours is pretty inspirational. You’ve gotta be impressed by the real-life story of Aron Ralston (played in the film by James Franco), who got trapped in a remote canyon near Canyonlands National Park and had to cut off his own arm to get out. I was floored by the guy’s courage and gumption. But the movie also impressed another important truth upon me: Never go hiking alone in a practically deserted wilderness without leaving behind a note or Facebook post or something: “I’m hiking in the Utah wasteland,” the post might say. “If you don’t hear from me in three days, come find me. And bring morphine.”
Amos Wayne Richards of North Carolina, also was inspired by 127 Hours—so inspired that he zipped out to Utah Sept. 6, determined to hike through the same canyon that Ralston did. But while the film obviously impacted Richards deeply, he failed to internalize 127 Hours’ most obvious moral: Let someone know where you’re going.
Richards—who’s 64 years old and really should know better—didn’t tell anyone.
(A sidenote: I’ve been hiking in Canyonlands. I spent a long weekend there a few years back and in that time, my friends and I saw two other people. Two. Outside that, we didn’t see another living, moving thing. Not a rabbit. Not a lizard. Not a fly. And we were in the busy part of the park. The maze district, where Ralston’s canyon is located, is about as heavily trafficked as the surface of the moon.)
You know where this is going, don’t you?
On Sept. 8, Richards took a tumble off a cliff, dislocating his shoulder and breaking his ankle. He was forced to literally start crawling back to his car, covering five miles of rocky, unforgiving terrain.
“I was actually following my GPS, crawling right on top of my feet print that I had hiked in on,” Richards told the Los Angeles Times.
He was rescued the next day, thankfully. Like Ralston, he now probably has a greater appreciation of the virtues of leaving telltale notes behind. Unlike Ralston, he’ll keep possession of all of his extremities. All in all, Richards’ saga was a curious case of life imitating art imitating life.
It’d be great to go back to Canyonlands one day. It’s a beautiful place. Breathtaking, really.
But if and when I go, I’ll be taking a couple of people along. And maybe I’ll bring a sherpa or two, to carry any medical equipment I might need along the way. Oh, and should I go and you don’t read a blog post from me for a week or so, let my editor know.
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