On hiking with the BK2 and its implications

[Lawrence Helm]

Nice pictures......before I saw them, i thought your ridgebacks were dragons and you would take them for walks

With your photography skills,I'd love to see some Becker photos of yours.

After I get the BK9 I was planning on assembling all the knives I have in the past or might on occasion take hiking. There are several I haven't mentioned.

Lawrence

 

[Lawrence Helm]

Another duplicate post

 

[Chameleonbear]

I don't want to argue. I took my "house-bound" wife to dinner. She thought she was up to it but she slowed way down after she got the menu. My mind typically goes a million miles an hour. I read fast & type fast and only think of what I want to say, but my wife won't read to the end of some of my stuff either. Of course one of the symptoms of her disease is "confusion" so I'm obligated to be tolerant. It aint always easy.

An earthquake just jolted my house -- really got things moving -- irrationally enough the first thing I did before getting ready to go downstairs was strap on my BK2.

Lawrence

Arguing was no where near my intention! I understand completely where you're coming from (to an extent) my father has TBI, massive recurring depression, and is home-bound. Usually when I do get him out of the house I have to be a buffer for him. Ordering his food, driving for him, and he gets confused very easily. That is when he sleeps. When he doesn't sleep it's even worse.

I usually try to remember that my mind is a lot more random than most people's. That coupled with the fact I figure people here have an attention span of a squirrel, I don't try to post huge posts anymore.

 

[OutdoorsFamilyMan4]

NJBillK,

You are in effect saying you were basing your conclusions on some faulty assumptions, faulty because of my not having described the river in enough detail for you to have more accurate assumptions in regard to what I was faced with. That's fair. I'm fully capable of going into a great deal of detail about the river, but notice the little hornets nest I've stirred up by the little detail I have gone into.

I'm presently trying to get my mind around how unrelated photos are going to make my notes easier to read. More than likely they'll make them easier to ignore.

Lawrence

Either people are gonna read what you write,or they won't....Photos wont change that. I will say this,though. I found the original post to be a good read and extremely well written. However, I was a bit let down by the lack of photos. I was expecting to maybe see some shots of the gear you chose to take, follwed by some glamour shots of some Beckers on the trail and maybe a little Becker-in-action shots showing some food prep of your trail-side snack.....Again, I find nothing wrong with a lengthy, detailed post, but I love the threads with lots of description and photos. I dont get out on hikes nearly as much as i would like to, so i live vicariously through the threads detailing one's hike that has photos to go along with the mental picture i have created by reading the thread....just my two pennies

 

[NJBillK]

I figure people here have an attention span of a squirrel

It is Not fair to say that the fine folks on here have a short attention span, though I would believe you would be hard pressed to find someone who wouldn't agree that the Internet and the immediacy that is in its nature has shortened our collective attention spans and willingness to read, think, and dare I say cooperate (?) in a lengthy conversation on a message board.

I don't think you have stirred a hornets nest, I think if anything you have caused some of us to give consideration to those outside of our "bubble" with both your scenario and others that have arisen due to this thread.
Keep up with the hiking, photography and definitely with the writing. If nothing else, it serves as a refreshing break from the monotonous, *What should I by next?* threads.

In an exercise in full discloser, I am guilty of posting a *what should I buy next* thread, lol.

 

[DunkEm]

I'm presently trying to get my mind around how unrelated photos are going to make my notes easier to read. More than likely they'll make them easier to ignore.

Lawrence

The unrelated photos I can't speak to, but I do know we live in a very visually oriented culture with ever shorter attention spans. As such, pictures are the medium we are increasingly used to processing information through and help refocus the mind - if they are at least tangentially related.

I say keep it up. But I like pictures as well. Now I'm off to scroll through your albums.

 

[Lawrence Helm]

The unrelated photos I can't speak to, but I do know we live in a very visually oriented culture with ever shorter attention spans. As such, pictures are the medium we are increasingly used to processing information through and help refocus the mind - if they are at least tangentially related.

I say keep it up. But I like pictures as well. Now I'm off to scroll through your albums.

I know this was kindly meant, but I still hear echos of "we are the Borg. You will be assimilated." I've posted a lot of photos in a lot of different formats, but I became unhappy with formats that permit only the most bland of photos. My photosite is something I pay for so I can post photos of decent detail and color. I did post some photos on Blade Forums and I had to keep reducing them in quality until the forum would accept them. I went through a long process to be able to record better quality. The idea of reversing this process so people will be able to read my notes doesn't make a lot of sense to me. What I did on a couple of Rhodesian Ridgeback forums was to reference my photosite when I posted photos of Ridgebacks I thought they might be interested in. It doesn't sound like that approach would work here. Also, I don't upload photos to my site the day I take them. First I download them to my desktop then I access them with Lightroom. Then I edit them. Then I go to my Smugmug site and upload the best photos there. I might manage this in a couple of days if I don't have too much else to do, but I checked Smugmug this morning and the last hike I had uploaded was 8-11-14; so I'm way behind.

Lawrence

 

[DocT]

Thank you for the story. I read all of it. I have a doctorate in English Literature so I relate to that, as well as to the hiking. I do not blame you for not going near that truck. People are not like they were when I was growing up in the '60s and '70s. It is better to stay safe.
I really love your photos. You have a gift.

 

[Lawrence Helm]

Arguing was no where near my intention! I understand completely where you're coming from (to an extent) my father has TBI, massive recurring depression, and is home-bound. Usually when I do get him out of the house I have to be a buffer for him. Ordering his food, driving for him, and he gets confused very easily. That is when he sleeps. When he doesn't sleep it's even worse.

I usually try to remember that my mind is a lot more random than most people's. That coupled with the fact I figure people here have an attention span of a squirrel, I don't try to post huge posts anymore.

I have this need to make sense of things if I can; so a lot of what I do is "think out loud" or more accurately "think in print." On the occasion of the original post, I "thought out loud" about why I had chosen to take a BK2 hiking yesterday when that went against all my earlier ideas of what to take. For someone to suggest that I should shorten this note meant that I should think shorter; which made no sense to me. You don't think shorter. At least I don't. And that was what the "write shorter notes" injunction conveyed to me: have shorter thoughts or leave some of them out because we don't like long notes.

I am on a literature and ideas forum that literally can't accept notes that are more than a certain length. The software can't handle them. But if one switches from HTML to at least Rich Text the Software program will post them. I haven't seen that as a problem here. To handle even the inferior-quality photos posted speaks of more capability than that possessed by the Lit/Ideas forum. Since there is no physical impediment to the length of the notes I've been posting it seems irrational for a person to choose to ask me to shorten my notes rather than simply not reading them. Is there some obligatory command here that demands that people must read every note? If so, I've been in violation because I've skipped quite a few.

Lawrence

 

[The Warrior]

I feel like I started this whole debate. It's an ongoing joke with me about long posts. Really has nothing to do with long posts, I just get lazy reading them, but eventually do. Perhaps Murph is right. Perhaps I just get used to the shorter posts in the snark thread. I meant no disrespect, I know you're new around here.

 

[Lawrence Helm]

I feel like I started this whole debate. It's an ongoing joke with me about long posts. Really has nothing to do with long posts, I just get lazy reading them, but eventually do. Perhaps Murph is right. Perhaps I just get used to the shorter posts in the snark thread. I meant no disrespect, I know you're new around here.

I'm not so sure I didn't start it. Some days I just wake up with a chip on my shoulder -- don't know why. Wasn't even sure it was one of those days until it was. My image of the guy in the pickup should have been a clue. Sorry.

Lawrence

 

[daizee]

Who can forget the third novel of Isaac Asimov's FOUNDATION trilogy?

Anyone who hopes for millennia of future history with more than 2 female characters?
What did I win?

Yep, a BK2 will probably make it to the second Foundation.

 

[jinmo]

There was an "answer that satisfied" and later on in the novel an "answer that was true."

I enjoyed your post on this subject.

As a community, we are often told what we should be doing or how it should be done. This isn't always what we want and being an individual (even if it's not technically correct) will often bring more enjoyment to our day.

 

[tradewater]

Beckerheads are well known for their philosophical theorization. This forum should be appreciated as a gathering spot for intelligentsia and as such, we welcome Lawrence and his ilk with open arms.



Furthermore,

I'm in. Thanks for the chance.

Beckerhead #65

 

[gmoneyluv]

Hey Lawrence,

It seems like my comments may have fueled some misunderstandings on this post. If that's the case, I am sorry. My off-the-cuff remark was not intended to be hurtful or dissuade you from continuing to post. As you can see from some of the responses on this thread, there are many forum members who are very interested in your ideas and what you have to say.

I hope you continue to post.

 

[rkmoore]

I appreciate the time and thought that you put into your posts. I may not always be able to grasp the nuance (neither well educated nor well read) but I can and do appreciate the intent.

 

[Lawrence Helm]

I appreciate the time and thought that you put into your posts. I may not always be able to grasp the nuance (neither well educated nor well read) but I can and do appreciate the intent.

Some nice comments here. I'm not sure I can live up to all of them.

I remember visiting my Border-Patrol brother-in-law, Tom, when he was stationed in Tucson. His best friend there was a gunsmith and we were in his shop talking redneck politics. At one point I went on rather long about some theory of mine and got blank looks from both Tom and his friend. Finally Tom said, "okay then. Here's the plan, "you [can't recall the gunsmith's name] will be our armorer. I will teach our troops how to shoot and lead them, and Lawrence here can bullshit the enemy until we're ready."

Lawrence

 

[axesbold]

I hope you stay with us Lawrence. I enjoy your posts and can always skip and skim when I wish. Please keep in mind that one of our very own moderators, Moose, referred to us denizens here as a "bunch of apes." Your posts add a little class to the place and certainly don't hurt anything. But we'll always be hollering for pitchurs

 

[22-rimfire]

I have enjoyed your posts. I too used nature photography as a catalyst to get me out tramping around the woods and off the beaten path. My quarry were landscape photographs, finding patterns within what seems a random ourdoor scene, taking wild flower photographs, and of course all the usual shots of waterfalls, rock formations, creeks, and so forth.

Trout fishing in the mountains is another hobby that gets me out to enjoy my surroundings. I don't tend to take a large knife with me trout fishing. I usually take a folder and my camera in a waterproof bag or container.

I have not ridden my bicycles in years. They are essentially in near new condition. Picked up some things today to help me clean them up and hopefully in the coming weeks I will learn just how out of shape I really am. Like the camera or fishing rod, the bicycle may become of catalyst for more outdoor time and exercise. I will be by myself and I won't be holding anyone up if I choose to spend a bunch of time taking pictures or exploring off the bike and taking a rest at the same time. Looking forward to this. If I like it (again), I may well invest in another bicycle as things have changed.

You seem to want to carry a larger knife for protection. That seldom enters into my woods/outdoor gear planning in terms of a knife. But if I am at all concerned, I will have a firearm with me, usually concealed, but often in a belt holster.

You have chosen the Becker line as your system. I think that is a reasonable choice and cost effective. I feel sure you'll sort it out and develop your favorites and it may in fact remain the BK-2. I use a knife often for a little trimming around a plant photograph to take out some of the distracting clutter.

(Edit: Changed the presentation order of thoughts as it is/was a bit disjointed.)