Hiking on the trail last Sunday up to Santa Ynez Waterfall, I passed by a couple of young (around my age) women working their way down the canyon. Having taken a wrong turn a moment before, they joked that they were off exploring the “scenic” route.
I joked in return that I’d often been on the “scenic” route when hiking, and then commented that I’d found some of the most interesting discoveries while off on the “scenic” route.
Then there was an odd moment where one of the girls (the cute strawberry blonde) seemed to be interested in talking for a bit, but her friend (the attractive-but-not-my-type brunette) started to press on down the trail.
The cute strawberry blonde gave me a little smile and headed off with her friend.
I wished, right at that moment, that some brilliant thing to say could have popped into my head. Not a pick-up line, mind you, just something that I could have said that would have given them a reason to want to stay and continue conversing. Ostensibly for the conversation, but really so I could flirt with the strawberry blonde, of course.
You know, something suave.
On the other hand, I wonder if there even is such a bit of dialog. Or if anything I would have said would have instantly pushed me into that “creepy guy hiking alone on the trail trying to pick up women” category.
Hmmmmmm.
The GeekHiker 
how about, “Why don’t you gals join me for one more climb to the top before you head back?” or “Are you taking any good photos today?” or “How’s the view at the top?” or “If you meet me at the end of the trail, I have some yummy sandwiches.” or “Wait for me at the bottom, I am gonna need someone to give me a foot rub after this hike.” OK maybe not those last two, or maybe only if you come across as funny and flirty… LOL.
By: charlotte harris on May 23, 2008
at 6:09 am
If you wear a dead raccoon on any part of your person it pretty much removes any suspicion that your intention is to pick up women.
Works for me.
By: Phil on May 23, 2008
at 7:43 am
Lol, what a dilemma isn’t it? Guess you should stick to busy hikes such as this one. You might see again, who knows.
By: Gany on May 23, 2008
at 10:05 am
hey geekhiker! i’m not sure there was much else you could have said 🙂 if i were those girls, i know we would have walked off giggling and saying something along the lines of “hehe, he was cute” and wishing that maybe we’d run into you some point later 🙂
By: seine on May 23, 2008
at 11:38 am
So you probably shouldn’t use this line…but it worked on me because it’s so funny and random. I had a guy (a 23-year old, actually) tell me I looked “just like” the girl he lost his virginity to. It made me laugh so hard that I ended up giving him my number (I was drinking, seemed like a good idea at the time).
I think funny always works better than suave.
By: Mel Heth on May 23, 2008
at 11:38 am
Like you said, I don’t think there even is such a bit of dialog. That’s a tough situation when you’re just passing one another on the trail.
But hey–you said something to her and got a favorable response. Good for you!
By: Hadley on May 23, 2008
at 2:09 pm
Hate to break it to you, but you already lost when you lost the brunette. You could have said any number of brilliant funny things, that left the strawberry blonde wishing to stay and flirt, but she’ll stick to her friends lead of heading down the trail… its just the way we girls are. And while being chased down the trail for additional conversation usually works for me… most girls would definitely put you in the creepy single hiker/ ax murderer as soon as we get remote enough category. 😉
By: Aly on May 23, 2008
at 6:38 pm
Charlotte – Ooh, I like the photography question idea! Especially as I had my camera bag on me at the time. You don’t think the footrub would work? 😉
Phil (aka Davy Crocket) – I’ll keep that idea in mind…
Gany – LOL, maybe I should just hike the same popular trail every weekend!
Seine – Me? Cute? Nahhhh
Mel Heth – That’s hilarious! But no, I don’t think it would work as these two were clearly sober.
Hadley – True. Maybe I should get “GeekHiker” business cards printed up and hand them out on the trail.
Aly – I kinda figured. *sigh*
By: geekhiker on May 25, 2008
at 9:16 am
hahaha, I love Phil’s suggestions. I gotta go with Charlotte. It’s a lot easier to be like, “so where are the best spots you’ve taken some pictures today?”
something like that, keep it on the nature, being outside, etc.
Next time, perhaps this time wasn’t meant to be.
By: cripkitty on May 27, 2008
at 5:37 am
ROFL @ Phil.
By: Aaron on May 28, 2008
at 6:48 am