Fall on the Atsion Burn --- A PBX Trip

[Teegate]

All,

On October 6 all members of PBX received this edited email from Bobpbx concerning this Fall Colors trip:

Have you ever seen the Okavango delta? Have you ever struggled through the big swamp over to Bob’s RK Ranch via Leon’s Route?
No? Then come along, let’s meander down that way and get our dose of fall colors, crisp air, challenging terrain, and damn good company.
This trip will be about 4 miles, and if this area had not been burned this year, we’d have a rough go of it.

The trip is still being tweaked, so make sure you stay tuned.

Happy trails! Bob


We met this morning at 9AM on Dave's road. On this trip was:

Bob ... bobpbx
Me ... Teegate
Jessica
Scott ... RedneckF350
Dotty ... Scott's wife
Chris ... Hewey
Dan ... Menantico
Ron ... Rooftree
Mark
Paul
Mike
Mickey

And a beginning visit by John (smokejumper) and an end visit by John and his daughter. Nice to see them both today.

Our intended route for the day.

The beginning.

Much of the area above Dave's road and closer to 206 did not burn fully so the beginning had some fairly dense woods.

In the last week or so the water has returned and we found many area's over our boots.

The burned upland is always interesting to me. Here is the PBX crew in serious discussion.

As you can see Jessica on the left does not partake in this

Dan on the left surveying the situation.

If you are a Gentian fan you would have found hundred's of them throughout the area we were in today. Everyone enjoyed the finds. Mark was mentioning the fire opened up the woods allowing them to grow so well.

Jessica's first attempt with her new iPhone.

Bob in his element. He is the ultimate pine barren fan.

Lunchtime on an upland dune.

Burlington County monument #63 placed by Winfield Eldridge in 1935.

And then it was over. Jessica took this of me with my charcoal face and clothes. In the end it was 5.1 tough miles.

A short video.

https://youtu.be/2mkqRNs43Hk

 

[bobpbx]

I slept a solid 8 hours with no wake up. I'm still groggy. Very intense day.

 

[Teegate]

Jessica's average heart rate was 137 BPM. It appears at one point it was 172 if I am reading it correctly.

 

[bobpbx]

That's like almost 5 hours of intense workout. Hide any protein you have in the fridge, she'll devour it.

 

[Beach&Barrens]

Great shots! Beautiful day for a hike yesterday.

 

[Teegate]

All,

I have added the most recent trip to the full list at the below link. This list only includes the trips starting in 2004. There were many more before 2004 but not posted here.



Full PBX Trip List Posted In This Thread

 

[smoke_jumper]

I wish I could have gone but it it was still good to see everyone. A before and after video would have been great. Everyone went charging into the woods together and slowly came out lol. I could tell it was a rough one.

 

[Rooftree]

Great day in the Pines, with great company, and great tailgate. Everything was great. even Bob.

Fire is Good.

Looks like some serious talk going on. 'When are we going to get to the tailgate'.

4 guys in the Pines

I have to show my photo of the of Pine Barren Gentian. The fire was good to them.

At the end of a long day.

 

[bobpbx]

Recall that I was leading everyone in too far to the south? Here's the tracks, which show the importance of calibration each outing. At Bob's folly I calibrated and was fine the rest of the day.

 

[Teegate]

I never had to do that with my other GPS but this one I agree with you. It needs to be calibrated when you turn it on.

 

[Teegate]

Did Scott show you the knife or knife type thing he found? Way out there is a small dune area.

 

[Teegate]

Bob,

We walked right by the Jimsonweed (90 feet) so if you were there that day you lost your stick it may be there. I will try and get there sometime soon.

 

[bobpbx]

Did Scott show you the knife or knife type thing he found? Way out there is a small dune area.

No, I didn't see that. Did you photograph it?

 

[Teegate]

No. He still has it.

 

[bobpbx]

Exploring is in Chris's blood.

 

[bobpbx]

It was a real feast for the eyes yesterday.

 

[RednekF350]

No, I didn't see that. Did you photograph it?

Here it is. A hunting knife minus its grip materials and minus most of its blade. It was probably used to pry something and then it snapped.
It was just sitting there in the dirt near our lunch spot.

 

[bobpbx]

That's interesting Scott. What do you think about it's history?

 

[RednekF350]

That's interesting Scott. What do you think about it's history?

I would say that it was there for a very long time. The scales, which are what you grip on a knife, are long gone and only the pins that held them in place are in the handle. My guess is that it had wooden scales that long ago rotted and then burned away. If it had synthetic scales, I think there would be some melted residue on the shank and there is not.

I am a knife collector of sorts and I believe this was a Marbles Bowie-style knife because of the bumpout in the bottom of the blade and the shape of the guard. Marble's started making knives in Gladstone, MI in the late 1800's and I have two stacked leather gripped Marble's Ideals that belonged to my grandfather. I was also lucky enough to buy a new stacked leather Marble's Woodcraft before they started going Chinese.

Take a look at the center Bowie-style knife in the second photo down showing (3) Marble's Bowie knives in this link. The blade that I found is a close match for a Marble's Bowie with the bump beneath the blade and the three small scale pins.

The Story Behind America’s First Hunting Knife

How Webster Marble turned the hunting knife into a must-have piece of outdoor gear.

www.fieldandstream.com

 

[bobpbx]

I would say that it was there for a very long time. The scales, which are what you grip on a knife, are long gone and only the pins that held them in place are in the handle. My guess is that it had wooden scales that long ago rotted and then burned away. If it had synthetic scales, I think there would be some melted residue on the shank and there is not.

I am a knife collector of sorts and I believe this was a Marbles Bowie-style knife because of the bumpout in the bottom of the blade and the shape of the guard. Marble's started making knives in Gladstone, MI in the late 1800's and I have two stacked leather gripped Marble's Ideals that belonged to my grandfather. I was also lucky enough to buy a new stacked leather Marble's Woodcraft before they started going Chinese.

Take a look at the center Bowie-style knife in the second photo down showing (3) Marble's Bowie knives in this link. The blade that I found is a close match for a Marble's Bowie with the bump beneath the blade and the three small scale pins.

The Story Behind America’s First Hunting Knife

How Webster Marble turned the hunting knife into a must-have piece of outdoor gear.

www.fieldandstream.com

By jove, I do think you tracked it down. Very interesting.

By the way, China's quality has spiraled down to the same level Japan's was in the early 60's. Remember when 'made in Japan' was derogatory? I sent lacrosse boots back three times in a row in the last 2 months. And I ordered some coffee and sugar containers that were supposedly quality stainless steel, and they were China junk. Thin material, and when they spot welded the bottom, the rust and corrosion started. See below photos...the heel of the boot is cocked and the sugar container.