I Tell Stories
I Tell Stories Podcast covers a wide range of topics discussed by Colt Draine and Owen "The Mic" McMichael. From the scourge on humanity of violent business hippies and Scott Baio to peculiar Serbian Mother's Day traditions,the boys offer their unique perspective. Revolutionary artists,legends of folklore and bizzare following of fast food items are just a few of the subjects touched on. I Tell Stories aims to bring attention to individuals and occerrences that are too interesting to be forgotten. Two long time friends who keep each other laughing give listeners their take on the world. Everyone has a story, these are ours and those of many others.
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I Tell Stories
Snowshoe Thompson: Going Postal
Oh hoi hoi. Well, hello, hello, hello there, good sir, on this lovely day, I don't know why I answered like hello what, I don't know what's. It must be because we're doing.
Speaker 2:Was that a bad Norwegian accent?
Speaker 1:I guess so, because it's like an old-timey episode. Maybe I'm just in mode today. I was thinking about this right before the call. I was like man, it's such a nice day out and here we are going to talk about skiing in winter what the fuck, man. But here we are. I tell stories. It's just how we roll. Where did you hear about Snowshoe Thompson?
Speaker 2:I can't. It was on TV so I can't take too much credit. But then we do our own research people, we don't just regurgitate. It was all in the idiot box. But it's something that it just really taught me A couple of these. I've just heard the topic kind of in passing. I'm like, okay, I'm going to research this name. But Snowshoe Thompson, who was born in the Telemark District in Norway as John Torstensenruh, I think it's, Torstisonru, I think it's Torstison, torstison, yeah, something like that.
Speaker 2:So Snow-Shoe Thompson's a lot easier to say for us uncultured Americans. Yes, but quite the story on this gentleman.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there is. He immigrated to the US at the age of 10. They settled in Illinois for a little while and then ended up in Missouri and Iowa, kind of in that area. He adopted John Thompson when they immigrated. But like a lot of people at the time, I mean I guarantee you know, if you have lineage that goes back generations here in the US or whatever, there's a pretty good chance that your family's last name was changed.
Speaker 2:you know, yeah, and I did see that he changed it to his. After his father died, his mother remarried, and so he changed it to his stepfather's last name. To, yeah, americanize it right. Yeah, make it easier for us to do an episode yeah, snowshoe thompson has a ring to it.
Speaker 1:You know what I'm saying? It's a, it's a thing, yeah, yeah, when we they talk about snowshoes here, people, uh, it's just was the term for skis back in the day. I guess they didn't have a word for skis yet. I don't know Something.
Speaker 2:And he carved. Yeah, essentially they were like they didn't look like what we think of as, yeah, as snowshoes. Now it was like 10-foot long skis, yeah. So I don't know what the average ski is now. I've only been skiing a couple times. It's not 10 feet.
Speaker 1:That's gigantic, I would it's not 10 feet.
Speaker 2:That's gigantic, I would. I would think like four feet or something. Yeah, I don't know yeah, that's a good point, anything about that good bro oh, and then he also just had a single pole that he used to both like steer and break, which breaking on 10 foot long wooden planks essentially doesn't sound like much fun.
Speaker 1:No, it doesn't. It kind of made me feel like it was like how he skied through these sierra nevadas, which I haven't even got touch on yet, but let's touch on this because we're already here. So he, it reminds me of like how you would paddle a canoe with one oar, you know, with one-sided oars, how I, I think he would do, like as a cross-country skiing style, like traditional norwegian skiing, which is why he you know this is where it comes from he learned to ski before he moved to the us and he remembered it and then so he ended up carving these 10 foot skis out of oak, which is insane, I thought. And then, you know, bringing skiing. He's known as like the person who brought modern skiing as we know it, basically to the US. So that's kind of another fun fact about it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all the people from Scandinavian countries would have experienced that really before. He was like I was really surprised and that's basically. Let's see, the demand for getting mail across the Sierra Nevada only came out of the gold rush. So, you know, so many people from all over went and I mean this is impassable territory Like this is not for the faint of heart and I guess he would ski 90 miles in three days carrying an 80 to, you know, 80 to 100 pound stack of mail right and brought no gun, no blanket, like no gear at all, just, uh, matches to start a fire and the bible and his bible damn, yeah, yeah, because he moved to California because of the gold rush in 1851, this Snowshoe Thompson character, and you know, like everybody else, he had the gold fever, you know he wanted to make it in America.
Speaker 1:You know he had the dream, you know. So he took off and he went to Placerville, california. That's where he was at, that's where he was at. His motivation for carrying the mail basically was the fact that during certain months of the year nobody could get their stuff through to their family, and this was like the lifeline for people. There wasn't even telegraph lines in these areas, from what I understood. So it was basically like this you would give your mail to the Pony Express or whatever it was at the time, and then it hit a stagecoach and then it would go on a train and then it would go on a steamboat, then back on another stagecoach just to get around the Sierra Nevadas, and it could take up to the whole winter basically to get a letter. So that's what motivated him to carve these skis.
Speaker 1:Get back to his Norwegian roots, man. Okay, over here we're talking serious snowshoe tossing business, my friend, you know. So he got back to his roots and, yeah, he did it. He was skiing over these mountains with no modern equipment, often just sleeping on like little beds of grass. Drinking creek water was common, I guess, and apparently he did not get dysentery. I didn't read any stories about that, but I suppose if you're up in the mountains, though, and you're drinking direct creek water from like snow runoff back, then you wouldn't? There's probably a pretty low chance of getting sick from it, wouldn't you think, sort of I don't know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, typically, like I think, you get giardia which is from cows or livestock in general. Yeah, polluting the water, and so I wouldn't think there are many chickens up at the top of the sea. And you know what he got paid for? His 20 years of service? No, clue?
Speaker 1:actually no, what is it? I'm interested.
Speaker 2:Nothing. What that's fucked up. Yeah, he was continually like. Local authorities promised to pay him, I guess, for years. Never happened, he never used, he never received a single dollar in 20 years, he'd never signed a contract. And then he attempted to charge, eventually a dollar for every letter, but people refused to pay him but still wanted their mail delivered, of course, and tried to get it, even through DC and all this. So, yeah, he did all this like risking his life. Oh yeah, pretty much every trip. You know what I mean, mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:Saving people too. Yeah, absolutely nothing. And he was saving people out there too he was. There were some stories about it. I mean he, oh right, yeah, he had. There's a couple stories. Let me break some of these down. Break it down Because there's some more to it than just that he delivered the mail. This guy was nuts.
Speaker 1:There's a story of his wolf encounter in 1857. In the winter of 1857, while traversing Hope Valley south of Lake Tahoe, thompson encountered six large timber wolves feasting on a carcass. As he approached, the wolves lined up and held him. Despite the tension, thompson continued skiing past them and they ultimately returned to their meal without pursuing him. He later described this as the only time he felt truly frightened during his mountain travels. Snowshoe Thompson Okay, you know. So there's something. He has another one where, in 1856, so I'm backtracking here, I guess a bit Thompson discovered the prospect of James Sisson Snowbound for 12 days with a severe frostbite.
Speaker 1:So he reckoned and then he understood that this guy was in serious trouble. So he stopped his mail route here. He ended up skiing back to Genoa, which is where he had just delivered some mail previously. So he's heading back to his home. He attempted to gather a rescue party and then went to Sacramento to procure chloroform. So he went to Sacramento as well after he had saved this man to get the chloroform for necessary amputations. Over 10 days he reportedly traveled approximately 500 miles. Holy shit.
Speaker 2:Just to save this guy's life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and he ended up saving this guy's life. That's amazing. Go snowshoe. He had a lot of rescues here. Man Thompson rescued three men trapped in a blizzard near Strawberry Station. He located them eight miles up the pass and made three separate trips, carrying each man on his back down the mountain. Damn, go snowshoe. I'm telling you guys, these cross-country skiers, they are some athletes. Snowshoe's proof of it. Big time. Yeah, a real Viking-style mountain man.
Speaker 1:Do you think Vikings skied? I never even thought about that, wait, until just right now she's not on the water. No, I know, right, because I guess a Viking is actually. Yeah, that's the thing. Not all people from the area were Vikings or Vikingers, you know, because a Viking, if you're going to go, a Viking who's actually performing that's where the misconception comes from. So it's actually a term. If you're going to go a Viking or whatnot, then that's like the action of going to go a Viking or whatnot, then that's like the action of going to raid other peoples or whatnot. And the people who were what we know as Vikings were actually Vikingers, right? So I guess that doesn't apply. So I wonder if the people of the Viking era skied. That's something I never thought about. I don't know. We should ask the Norns from our weird episode, you know, they might weave us that tale of Thor and such.
Speaker 1:I did read that he, you know he did kind of tell these people that. So I guess you know, in a way he told the government that, hey, I want to deliver these letters. This is bullshit. But then in return they did promise him pay and I did read a story somewhere, which I don't have in front of me right now, where he actually went to congress or some shit like that trying to get his payback, because you know it's back in the day. I guess he died in uh 1876, on may 15th, so just a couple weeks ago, basically on this uh day today, which I'm not gonna say because I don't know how quick I'm going to edit this episode. So, but nonetheless it'll drop before. That comment's irrelevant. He has a lot of statues and stuff around the country. I didn't actually count. He's got them even over in Norway. I feel too, this Snowshoe Thompson.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's like a a lot of statues and there's a few trails. There's a pretty important trail around Lake Tahoe. They really pumped this guy's legacy. If you were to go to these areas, from what I've seen it's kind of a part of their tourist package. Is this Snowshoe Thompson?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I saw the statue in Genoa, which it's in Italian, it's Genoa, but yeah, statue in Genoa, which it's in Italian, it's Genoa, but yeah, they say Genoa there, but anyway, it's a really cool statue. And then his skis are actually up. You can see like they look. I forget where exactly those are, somewhere on in that range that he was carrying the mail for, but they're. Yeah, they just just look like how could you even move those, let alone 90 miles or 510 days, right?
Speaker 1:but yeah, so there's a statue of a dedicated. Yeah, there's a statue. Yeah, very dedicated, my friend, there's a statue of him in genoa, nevada, uh, mormon station state historic park, so they call that place. There's a statue of Placerville, carson Pass. A lot of places in California. I do feel like I read one where there was.
Speaker 1:Yeah for sure. Indeed, he's no Amo Coivin. I guess who's more impressive, amo Coivin or Snowshoe Thompson? You guys might have to check out the mess skiing episode about the Finnish skier. Is it Amo or Armo? Fuck, I hope I didn't mess that up. Mr Koivin, we'll save for now. Is he Swedish too? Finnish, finnish, finnish I thought they had beef, I don't know. Anyway, I don't even know shit. The Nordic peoples I'm not trying to be that, I'm trying to be racist. I guess I don't know. I don't know. Man, I don't know. Nonetheless, guys, focus, focus, focus. Yeah, there's a Finnish skier who got all methed out and was fleeing Russian troops, I don't even know and was fleeing Russian troops, I don't even know. He fucking skied like 900 miles or some insane amount of shit on methamphetamine, nonstop, night and day, doing the D. So you been skiing before, owen.
Speaker 2:It's been, fuck, probably been 30 years, maybe a little more. But yeah, I kind of like the cross-country stuff because you can just get away from everybody and then go down a little more. But yeah, I kind of like the cross-country stuff because you just get away from everybody and then you know, go down a little hill and whatever. But yeah, people ask me. They're like you've lived in montana that long and you haven't been skiing and I was like, well, I couldn't afford it when I was in my 20s, most of my 30s. Now I'm in my 40s, I can barely afford it and I'd break a fucking hip and it's cold. So yeah, yeah, you'll catch me having a snack and maybe a cocktail in the lodge, yeah, but not freezing my ass off on the mountain.
Speaker 1:No, no, thank you, john. No, thank you at all. I'm the same. I went once for like some school free field trip when I was pretty little, and that was it. My friend, never been since.
Speaker 2:Don't care to either, just saying it just seems expensive and cold and hurdy, Right for sure.
Speaker 1:It's cold and hurdy, right? Oh, you know what else I hear? I forgot this. John Horton has a song about Snowshoe Thompson titled as such. Snowshoe Thompson by John Horton yeah, I listened to it right before the episode. Almost forgot, almost slipped my mind. That's how much of an American legend this guy is, like Johnny Appleseed of skis people. I'm free Out there in podcastlandia. Check us out at pitlocksupplycom. Maybe pick up a shirt. It'd be fantastic. Promise they're well-made and good shit. Absolutely. It's all quality stuff.
Speaker 2:I have many myself.
Speaker 1:I take pride in it. Actually, all of our shirts are actually made in the US or Canada. So there we are, which we do support Canada here on. I Tell Stories, as well as our friends in South Mexico.
Speaker 2:So nonetheless, I just got some what do they call them? Fancy fruit-flavored slices they're like gummies without hoof in them from Winnipeg Canada. They're quite delicious, so thank you, america's Hat.
Speaker 1:Yes, thank you. Winnipeg Salute or salute, I don't know. Is that French salute or is that just like?
Speaker 2:I don't know. Italian is like salute, salute, you say, but it has a D at the end of it. I think there is some very similar form in French, but I am not the foremost authority on such matters.
Speaker 1:Well, this is very appropriate for an episode about a Norwegian skiing immigrant postal worker. Do you think he ever went postal? I don't know. Who knows.
Speaker 2:I would if I didn't get paid. Fuck, someone would be catching one of those 10-foot skis to the dome, like fuck that shit. But it sounds like he was a level-headed chap. But that's bullshit. 20 years of essentially like hard labor. Of course I can't think of what else to call it Right and it doesn't appear of the Lord's. I can't think of what else to call it Right. Maybe we should start a GoFundMe for the descendants of Mr Thompson.
Speaker 1:Unless they're doing well. But yeah, I don't know. You know, at the same time I was just thinking like in all this, I never read one thing where he definitely didn't find any gold, because that'd probably be a pretty big part of the story. No kidding yeah, damn Snowshoe. I wonder if people call him that like Snowshoe, what up Snowshoe, you know? Or Mr Thompson?
Speaker 1:This is the shoe, the shoe, this is the shoe. Well, he has more than one, but yeah, if you're known as the shoe, that's what they call the hole in prison, this shoe In some prisons. Anyway, hey, pretty good day out there, guys. I hope everybody's enjoying themselves and I hope you enjoyed our little, you know, kind of a quick episode, but it was fun, mainly, I think, for us. What attracted Owen to this? I'm just going to Owen's like this. I'm just going to Owen's like this. I'm going to let you guys in on something, I think, just the name. He's like ha, no, issue, thompson, what the fuck. And so here we are, guys doing an episode on it. I don't care what else he says, I'm pretty sure he just thought the name was kind of dumb and catchy, or not dumb.
Speaker 2:No, I thought it pretty cool, and then it was a cool story. Oh, he also. This is not one that you would probably do these days, but did you know what he did to prevent snow blindness? Oh, no, I don't. Actually, he blackened his face with charcoal.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, sheesh. No, that makes sense, though it would be very similar, yeah, like under his eyes.
Speaker 2:You know to to yeah reflect, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Wow, I'll be damned.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I don't think that had any. That wouldn't go over well these days. No, I don't think he had any malintent.
Speaker 1:I don't think so, I don't think so either. You never know, I suppose.
Speaker 2:We're not calling Snowshoe Thompson racist.
Speaker 1:No, no, either, you never know, I suppose we're not calling Snow Shoot Tom to the races. No, he did ski in blackface. Apparently that's what you're saying, oh no, no. I tell stories.
Speaker 2:people Sounded like a hell of a guy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, heck of a hell of a for sure guy. Yeah, no, I think it's a pretty great thing and he's a pretty big deal around the region and it's a nice little story. I don't know For all them skiers out there, you should be getting Snowshoe Thompson tattoos or something, because he's the one that brought it to you.
Speaker 2:Now we're giving advice on body art. Yeah, of course.
Speaker 1:All right, why not you yeah?
Speaker 2:of course, why not?
Speaker 1:You know, diversify. Yeah for sure. If your last name's Thompson, why not give that boy a name like Snowshoe? Okay yeah, did we do an Omnastics episode? I can't even fucking remember. We've done stuff with names. Oh yeah, we did. Yeah, we did one on names that would fit into the.
Speaker 1:Optimus Prime category. I feel what's your name? Snowshoe, damn it. And you know they wouldn't want us to shorten it because then they'd call him SS. Oh boo, yeah, I know Exactly, nobody want, okay. Anyway, sorry guys, I went off on a tangent. We never do that here, no, not at itellstories. Make sure to hit us up though pitlocksplycom itellstoriespodcast on instagram. That's kind of the only things we got functioning right now, as we're in the process of transitioning to doing some more stuff, I guess. So, on that note, because I just explained that, Much love everybody you.
