Knowledge is Power-a Trail Story

Nearing the end of 2010, I'm inspired by all the creativity shown on the Internet.
Youtube offers videos on just about anything you can think of, from Review of the 2100 Casio Piano Keyboard, How to Break Down and Reassemble a Shotgun, to music by Rianna, and How to Build a Snow Cave.
You can see gear in use before you buy it, learn techniques on survival hunting, and watch cute animal videos.

Knowledge is power. If you surf awhile, there's no telling what you'll come across. I love the http://walletpop.com website for the boring financial stuff made interesting.

Yes, knowledge is power but without experience, that power will burst like a bubble under stress.
I try nearly everything I can at least once. Not everything works for me, but even failures or less than ideal outcomes are valuable learning tools.

We met a Continental Divide Trail hiker up in East Glacier a couple years back. He'd come into the hostel and my partner and I were trading stories with him. He pulled out a water spotted map and pointed out an alternative route, skirting through a range just north of Enis. It looked interesting, viable. Some of his descriptions, however, seemed nebulous.
I finally asked, "Have you hiked through there?"
"Nope", he replied, "but it looks totally doable".
After he put away his maps and data and went for supper, I told Rainmaker, "I don't think we should be pissing around on someone else's bushwhack"

Rainmaker laughed and agreed. We'd been on enough bushwhacks and alternative routes of our own to know how disappointing they can be.
Water? Campsites? Lost trails? Impassable blowdowns.
Experience ruled out this route suggestion from our new friend, although we filed away its existence in our trail brains.

You just never know when this piece of information might come in handy.