Just to say hello to all

[Tim Nist]

Just signed up with this site. Very nice job. When going through the forums, old and new, I couldn't help but think back to the times I spent exploring the PB. It has been many years (10 or more) since I took to the trails, heck, twenty years ago I spent two or three days a week there. In the eighties, when I first was introduced by veterens to cruising the pines, I was hooked. You read the books of McPhee, Beck and others, and then you get GS maps, and in you go. Of course, I had to find every spot mentioned in the stories. As time passed, I had other stuff to do and moved on. The last time I was there I wanted to "test" a new 4x4 and I did get stuck in one of the holes between Mount and Jemimah Mt. The new winch saved us, and it tested well.

Anyway, last week I had family visiting from out of state, and my brother in law, New York City born, after finding McPhee's book in my library, told me he was taking a ride to see what it was like. I then volunteered to give him the quick tour of Wharton and beyond. I dug out my old maps with their notes on them and off we went. We spent several hours from Hampton to Martha driving. It was great to get back in there and find that not much has changed, although I will say that the trails seem thinner and my newest pick up does need a buffing from the surface scratches.

I am planning to get back there again soon, and I am picking up alot of great info off this site. Keep in mind that there was nothing like this twenty years ago outside of asking veterens or the county library.

 

[woodjin]

Welcome to the forum, glad you were able to get back to pines again, I guess you can go home again huh?

 

[Boyd]

I dug out my old maps with their notes on them and off we went.

Welcome to the site, and welcome back to the pines. You might find my map useful in your travels if you have a Garmin gps: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/294/

 

[Teegate]

Welcome to the site! Did you take any photo's back then?

Boyd....you need an Avatar...maybe a GPS or one of your maps

Guy

 

[Tim Nist]

Thanks for the map info. This is the kind of tech that we never had back "in the day". The topo maps that I still have are from copies I made from the Geo Sur maps at the Burlington Co Library in My Holly. They are just like the "classic" ones I see here and on line elsewhere. They were huge and I just made copies in sections and then taped them together and then by the time I was done the map was 8 x 8 feet, then I section that off into 4 quarters for use when I was driving.

As far as photos go, I should of shot tons, but very few. The one thing I do see as a difference between now and say 15 to 20 years ago, besides the trails getting tighter, is the undergrowth beginning to take over areas that were fairly low. When I got to Mount last week, it was far more over grown, and with some stupid idiot doing four wheel junk through the foundation holes. The ruins at Washington were much more hidden by under growth, same with Martha Furnace.

One other thing, and this could be judged as good or bad, the amount of partying in the pines declined quite a bit from the eighties through the nineties. The "pits" up above Chatsworth, on any Sunday was packed with hundreds of people. Up until the mid eighties, from what some tell me, the lake north of 72 was a huge gathering place for parties until they were tossed out. The "bad" back then is obvious because of the disregard for nature, the "good" would of been that it does let people know of entire region that can be explored and appreciated, without the liter.

I also began collecting original Burlington Co maps from the ninteenth century at antique shops. I see copies of the same on the website here.

 

[Boyd]

Boyd....you need an Avatar...maybe a GPS or one of your maps

I dunno Guy, I kind of like being the mystery man. Maybe I will come up with some kind of avatar though, I can't really decide what to use.

Tim - I was just like you. I made xerox copies of maps at the library myself "back in the day" and still have some dog-eared ones in my box of old maps. As discussed in another thread here, the USGS made a nice 100k map covering most of the pines and it was folded like a regular road map. It went many miles in my back pocket

 

[Teegate]

That is a very popular map because it was so good. I have the same one somewhere.

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

When I got to Mount last week, it was far more over grown, and with some stupid idiot doing four wheel junk through the foundation holes.

That will never change...and is pretty sad. I was out with a few friends a couple weeks ago and we came upon a convoy of 40 trucks, and they all stopped to take a pee.....one guy actually threw a beer can in the woods, and no one said a word to him. When you see "blue" beer cans in the woods, and they are still wet from the beer, you know they've come through.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...BKnu0gGQ_NWGAw&sqi=2&ved=0CDUQ9QEwAg&dur=3884

Just like the paws prints of coyote, you know they passed by.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

See that, Bob? You can tell much about a person by the beer (or rather, swill) they drink.

 

[Tim Nist]

I have no problem giving hell to someone who trashes anywhere. I got into a major throwdown years ago with a canoer who tossed an empty can near Hawkins Bridge. He probably still is wondering why I went nuts on him, or hopefully not.

By the same token, if someone wants to cruise the pines, no prob, just keep the place clean. I also did build my share of big wheel trucks, but my parents raised me better then to throw trash around.

 

[manumuskin]

find out where the canoer lives and back up with a truck and dump a couple hundred pounds of trash in his yard and then say remember me,maybe he'll get the picture as you tear ruts in his lawn peeling out.

 

[Tim Nist]

Trust me, that guy wants to be as far away as possible from me. I do like the idea though.

 

[LARGO]

Trust me, that guy wants to be as far away as possible from me. I do like the idea though.

Careful what you wish for. Some screwed up folks out there.
This ain't the old days when it comes to woods confrontations.
It could go very poorly for you.
That said... enjoy your travels and be well. Good to have friends to share it with.

g.

 

[manumuskin]

no fair fist fights anymore people just want to shoot each other,whatever happened to good old dueling,a fair shootout would at least be better then a drive by,my problem is I've never been good with a handgun,much better with an M16 or a 22.