danger in the pines?
- Thread starter tree huggin tracker
- Start date
There's nothing like a walk through the Barrens....I practically grew up in the woods and loved to poke through the cedar bogs and just generally explore. It can be a tiny bit disconcerting, especially in an area far away from a paved road without the sound of cars, for the uninitiated. I only find it a little disconcerting when there are no birds singing....always wondered what causes that and just find it odd. Anyway, I've always felt safe in the Pines....it's a great place to get away from traffic. 
he said he learned more at tracker school than he learned collectively in 12 and a half years in school. he's shared his notebook from his tracker school philosophy class with me; it's all very profound. he also took the standard class. apparently, you can read every single one of tbj's books, or you can attend his standard. hands on is always best. i'm taking the standard in may, and mike (let's give the boy a name!) will be volunteering. it's so nice to have someone who shares an interest of nature, tracking, and stalking. and has so much to teach me!
long island, he's far from a "city slicker". i have a lot of trouble relating to people who enjoy city life. he's been obsessed with the woods since he was a littly boy and quite frankly he not only loves nature but participates in nature more than anyone i've met. it's funny i told him about this thread and that someone called him a silly goose, his response was, "i'm a silly goose with the most precious thing on the planet". there's the reasoning folks :] he's worried
i'm so glad to be back at school and right smack in the barrens again! i love the magic they offer. and, yes, SAFETY. :]
i've heard from a few people that carrying a concealed sword is legal, i'll try to find the laws on that. i dont have much of an intention of carrying a sword with me on a regular basis; learning to use one would be interesting though.
Tracker,
I have researched this in the past.
Read the following synopsis of NJ knife laws from NJ's Criminal Code.
http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/nj.txt
The code gives law enforcement officers a lot of latitude, and rightfully so, to determine if you are carrying any kind of weapon for the wrong reasons or appropriate reasons.
I think you would have a tough argument on the appropriateness of carrying a sword.
Concealment is briefly mentioned at the end of the synopsis.
I have researched this in the past.
Read the following synopsis of NJ knife laws from NJ's Criminal Code.
http://pweb.netcom.com/~brlevine/nj.txt
The code gives law enforcement officers a lot of latitude, and rightfully so, to determine if you are carrying any kind of weapon for the wrong reasons or appropriate reasons.
I think you would have a tough argument on the appropriateness of carrying a sword.
Concealment is briefly mentioned at the end of the synopsis.
Getting caught carrying a sword around in public is going to result, I think, in at least an intensive questioning session, and at most you'll have your mug on The Smoking Gun the next day, in as much as carrying a sword is seen to be more or less synonymous with "nutbag".
I like to think I am pretty well inured to the wide variety of beliefs one encounters on the net, but still it's pretty amusing to read that some young lady's boyfriend thinks she would be safer walking around the woods with a sword.
You can tell him that swords are not great weapons, and in this case it's a downright silly choice. They're unwieldy, have a short range, only work effectively when either a) very heavy and swung with great force and velocity; or b) light and strong and stabbed forward with considerable strength. The average medieval combatant did not own one, and instead marched to battle with a hoe, woodaxe, shovel, hammer, or other implement. In terms of protecting you, it would certainly accomplish the opposite.
I like to think I am pretty well inured to the wide variety of beliefs one encounters on the net, but still it's pretty amusing to read that some young lady's boyfriend thinks she would be safer walking around the woods with a sword.
You can tell him that swords are not great weapons, and in this case it's a downright silly choice. They're unwieldy, have a short range, only work effectively when either a) very heavy and swung with great force and velocity; or b) light and strong and stabbed forward with considerable strength. The average medieval combatant did not own one, and instead marched to battle with a hoe, woodaxe, shovel, hammer, or other implement. In terms of protecting you, it would certainly accomplish the opposite.
Here in VA. we are allowed concealed carry. If I go out in the woods with the kids I bring a .357. I think I'll stick with that.
Actually I believe open carry is legal in VA [like it is in PA] but I wouldn't want to do so in metro areas...
I don't get how he can go to tracking school and not really know what the Pine Barrens are all about. All you need to do is go out there and see for yourself. It just seems like he has a very WeirdNJ style view of the Pine Barrens.
I guess the good thing is, if you know how to use a sword, you can hang with these folks:
I guess the good thing is, if you know how to use a sword, you can hang with these folks:
Remember that the tracking school is more about tracking and survivial and not really about the pine barrens in the cultural sense (I would assume). I know from growing up in Monmouth county that the pine barrens are viewed as a very wild area full of backwards inbred pineys similar to the hillbillys in Deliverence. you grew up in monmouth county also Ben, did you find this to be the general thought?
I imagine Tracker's boyfriend is just going by stories he has heard and perhaps erring on the side of caution for the saftey of his girlfriend. Who knows, Tom Brown has been known to stretch the truth (alot) so maybe he got the wrong impression from Brown. (remember, Brown claims to have saved a dog from a sacraficial alter during a satanic ritual in the pines).
Anyway, I have to agree that the sword idea is not the best. Sling shot...now, hey, there is a weapon!
Jeff
I grew up reading Beck's books, which always painted the people who lived in the Pine Barrens in a very positive light. Truth be told, the "pineys" (God how I hate that word) that I have met have always been more "civilized" (to me anyway) than the savages that I run into in New York or even Brick Township.
If you read WeirdNJ and take their crap as gospel then any time you go anywhere into the "dark unknown" you will run into: aliens, nazi's, crazed homeless people, Satan worshipers, or mad scientist types.
Even when I was young and impressionable I knew that WNJ was grossly exaggerated. I enjoy it for what it is - a 'zine for bored kids who want to scare themselves in some "ruins." Hey, back in the day my friends and I would explore some abandoned buildings in Eatontown and scare each other. I can appreciate the market that they're catering to.
I just figured that if he was in the woods for tracker school he'd probably get a sense of what the place was all about. Who knows, maybe I'm wrong.
On the other hand, a young (?) girl traveling alone anywhere is a risk because bad things can happen anywhere, and in some cases they can be an easy target. It's great that he's concerned about THT's wellbeing. Arming her with a sword? Unless you're going on a crusade it's a fairly useless weapon. You're better off knowing how to defend yourself by punching your attackers lights out, or macing them, or better yet, identifying situations that are risky and not putting yourself in them.
I'm not a "piney" but I find the stereotype offensive.
If you read WeirdNJ and take their crap as gospel then any time you go anywhere into the "dark unknown" you will run into: aliens, nazi's, crazed homeless people, Satan worshipers, or mad scientist types.
Even when I was young and impressionable I knew that WNJ was grossly exaggerated. I enjoy it for what it is - a 'zine for bored kids who want to scare themselves in some "ruins." Hey, back in the day my friends and I would explore some abandoned buildings in Eatontown and scare each other. I can appreciate the market that they're catering to.
I just figured that if he was in the woods for tracker school he'd probably get a sense of what the place was all about. Who knows, maybe I'm wrong.
On the other hand, a young (?) girl traveling alone anywhere is a risk because bad things can happen anywhere, and in some cases they can be an easy target. It's great that he's concerned about THT's wellbeing. Arming her with a sword? Unless you're going on a crusade it's a fairly useless weapon. You're better off knowing how to defend yourself by punching your attackers lights out, or macing them, or better yet, identifying situations that are risky and not putting yourself in them.
I'm not a "piney" but I find the stereotype offensive.
It is but not in the national forest areas, for some reason the constitution is not in affect on federal lands
Hmmmm...
Sword in the woods...
Oh, I remember now.
"There can be only one"
cue the Queen 8 track.
relayer
Sword in the woods...
Oh, I remember now.
"There can be only one"
cue the Queen 8 track.
relayer
i think it's kind of impossible to understand the essence of a place in two weeks. also, he was in a place set off just for tracker school, so he doesn't know what any other of the people who live in the pines are like. he just wants me to be safe; he wasn't making an attack on the barrens, he's quite fond of them.
that video.. how did you know about my lifes ambition?
woodjin, thank you for being reasonable. that is exactly what's going on. and yes, tbj is known to exaggerate.
and bruset, i hate weird nj, just for the record :] his intention wasnt to teach me to use a sword to carry around, just for fighting with friends. he's going to/has been teaching me some self defense, both with and without a knife/weapon.
that video.. how did you know about my lifes ambition?
woodjin, thank you for being reasonable. that is exactly what's going on. and yes, tbj is known to exaggerate.
and bruset, i hate weird nj, just for the record :] his intention wasnt to teach me to use a sword to carry around, just for fighting with friends. he's going to/has been teaching me some self defense, both with and without a knife/weapon.
Hmmmm...
Sword in the woods...
Oh, I remember now.
"There can be only one"
cue the Queen 8 track.
relayer
No mention of a sword in that song, but there is a decapitation. Close enough.
Guy
I'm sorry man, but I'm thinkin' woods & I'm thinkin' sword & what I can't get out of my head........ "None Shall Pass!"
Classic.
g.
Classic.
g.
Brave Sir Robin ran away.
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin!
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin!
Your Mother was a hamster, and your Father smelt of Elderberries!
No go, before I taunt you a second time!
No go, before I taunt you a second time!
Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate of the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
"Bring me, a shrubbery. It must be a good one, and not too expensive."
Then later...
"Bring another shrubbery, and arrange the two shrubberies to get a two level effect, with a little path running down the middle. Then, go and cut down the mightiest tree in the forest with... A HERRING!"
Then later...
"Bring another shrubbery, and arrange the two shrubberies to get a two level effect, with a little path running down the middle. Then, go and cut down the mightiest tree in the forest with... A HERRING!"