My Rocket has died, gravity has won
it used to fly straight, straight towards the sun
It dips now a bit, towards the ground and the rocks
I keep it tucked in, Tucked in my One Sock.

Originally Posted by rocketsocks

All right, which one off you shot my painting....buck shot, and don't lie, I know ballistics




(hover over)

Bastards!

Originally Posted by rocketsocks

I thought we needed some art in the joint.......

I hope they don't shoot it with the proverbial 5 bullets.

Originally Posted by rocketsocks

Probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen was at the Delaware Water Gap,NJ. I was hiking with some fellas I had met there the day before, we had a little party, and were all a little fuzzy. Were hiking along and all of a sudden there was this whistle that filled the Woods, it got louder and louder, then someone asked "What the heck is that" I had heard this sound before, but was drawing a momentary auditory blank, then it hit me, quick, and I practically pulled a muscle in my neck as all in one motion I looked up, pointed, and said "there, right there" it was a sail plane (glider) about 50 feet above the trees, it was early spring, and the leaves weren't out yet, the plane was so close I could see the pilots sun glassed face as he looked right at us, again, one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

When the westerlies blow just right, Sail planes fly the ridge of the Kittatinnies in NJ and can cross into PA and follow the Blue mountains all the way down to about MD turn around and come back, this is called or classified as a cross country flight because of the distance involved, there is an airport near the AT in Blairstown NJ, thats where I took my first sail plane ride, and later logged about 6 hrs in a Schweizer 233 trainer.

Next time you here this whistle while hiking, don't forget to keep looking up, very cool indeed.

This is the type of post that can occur when not thinking things completely through...and with sleep deprivation!

Coach~Socks,what are ya doin!couldn't you sleep last night!

RS~just taking out the trash.........



I laughed all day on this Coach.:)

I had an old friend
but don't any more
we saw things different
and left our crap on the floor
I miss my old friend
and haven't seen him since
I wonder how he's he's doin'
my old friend I do miss.

If you find yourself in a fare fight, your tactics suck!~to be confermed later

I'm not really a hiker, I just play one on White Blaze~Gary Blazer

I've ate so many clif bars...now I have vertigo~rocketsocks

The wealth of the world came out of the ground~Will Rodgers

One must always be drunk ,that's all that matters, with wine,poetry, or virtue as use choose~Baudelaire

Make new friends, keep the old, one is silver the other gold~told to me by and old friend

"It's just walkin"~Lone Wolf

"It's just talkin"~Hiker Mom KD

Roses are red
violets are blue
you treated me like s***
so guess what, F*** you~Gary Blazer

If you provide the morning koo, we'll provide the evening poo~Trainwreck

What should you do if you you become Lost?you could spend hours just wandering around trying to get un-lost,and possible making your situation worse.Next time your surroundings become unfamiliar,try this rule of thumb,it is called the STOP rule.

Stop
Think
Observe
Plan

Stop...Crap,where am I,better stop!
Think....Crap,yep yep,now I'm sure of it,I'm lost
Observe....S**T!,none of this looks familiar.
Plan.....What the hell am I gonna do now?

In all seriousness this STOP rule is always your best bet to becoming un-lost,give it a shot next time you find that you ef'd up.
:)

Originally Posted by rocketsocks

On a hiking/mineral collecting trip to Virginia one year,My partner in crime and I came across the Bull Run Quarry in Leesburg If memory serves.We ran into some other boys there doing the same.One was an old man that carried a large branch with a flare where the roots were,and inside the little jagged wooden bowl was a large Quartz crystal that he said he got from Arkansas.He kinda reminded me of a Sorcerer,as he not only had the staff he had the look,and the gift for gab.After we talked for a while,he directed his son to show us where to look to find some of the famed little Prenite crystals we had come to find,the young man said look all in here,we will be on that other Terrace back up around the bend and above you.We started looking and it didn't take long for us to find the little green crystals,and when I found a keeper I let out a huge "Tarzan" yell.A moment late a voice from above said "Hey you OK down there" yeah,I replied,I just found a beautiful little crystal,thanks,the voice came again "OK,but if you yell like that again,your gonna have to "Whoop" and old man" :eek: From then on,I've tried to be mindful of that lesson learned.I never saw that old man again.

Originally Posted by rocketsocks

I wrote this last year,it's a song,so please don't throw tomatoes at me,I prefer cabbage.

"In the shelter where I lay"

Not goin to get somewhere,not goin to get away.
Not a callin thats been callin me,or a roll I had to play.
It's just a trail that's deep in the woods and happens to be on my way
I'll dream of you each night my love,in the shelter where I lay

chorus

In the shelter where I lay
In the shelter where I stay
I'll dream of you each night my love
In the shelter where I lay

At times I find it lonely,but always am content
can't think of a better way,of how my time is spent
it's rainin now and the sun don't shine
my thought's are all for you
and how one day I'll stray this way on the trail that leeds to you

chorus

In the shelter where I lay
In the shelter where I stay
I'll dream of you each night my love
In the shelter where I lay

Some come for riches and some come to play
Some come to find themselves while others come to stay
I'm all alone and my thoughts are long,each step I take for you
and it won't be long till im rollin on,that trail that leeds to you

chorus

In the shelter where I lay
In the shelter where I stay
I'll dream of you each night my love
In the shelter where I lay

Originally Posted by rocketsocks

I long for the cold rain and snow
it marks then erases which way I go
if you look for me in the fresh fallen snow
your sure to see which way I go
you'll find me at the end of the trail
longing for my icy hell

Originally Posted by rocketsocks

The land is so dry
the drought needs a drink
I'd get it for him but there's none in the sink
none in the ponds the creeks are all dry
I hope it rains soon
cause I can't afford to cry

This came after a discussion about the impending drought that has stricken the South East...I've since done a rain dance,and I think they'll be ok...this year,but lets pray for rain anyway.

Originally Posted by rocketsocks

Alright I wasn't gonna tell this story,and instead take it to my grave,but......it's time to get it off my conscience.

On a trip to North Jersey,in an attempt to find a long lost iron mine,the day was a bust,and I had had enough and was ready to call it a day,but I figured I had time enough for one last quick search down this old unkept secondary road that was on my map,and more importantly on my way home.The road I was looking for had a sharp switch back in the opposite direction of travel,so going slow was a must if I wanted to find it ,as day light was fading fast."There it is",with a car right behind me on my tail,I pull a quickie,and shoot on in as the car,horn blaring, sped by,I slowed came to a stop,engulfed in a cloud of dirt and dust,and quickly rolled up my window and waited for the cloud to be gone.One more check of the map,told me this is it,I'm in the right place.The cloud of dirt dissipated,but left an opaque film on the windshield,I turned on the wipers,and there in front of me about 60 yards up this hill is Three Bears,A mama,and two little ones trailing behind,and THERE STARING RIGHT AT ME..where's my camera! I thought,oh no S**t it's in the back of the truck in my nap sack,S**t.I slowly open the door so as not to scare them away,and then slither out in one fell swoop,staying close to the truck.I make it to the back,open the tailgate door and am able to see straight through the trucks windshield,"There still there"I say under my breath.I creep to the side of the truck,and for what ever reason decide that crouching low is the way to go,so Now I'm trying to take a picture,while kneeling down and putting the camera almost on the bumper poking out around the corner of the truck,and still be able to see the LCD screen.Click!,check picture,Cool! I know now I've got at least one good one,and then proceed to take more,all the while being so careful not to spook the bear.Again,click,click,click.Wow I thought,these bears are really not bothered by my presence at all.Screw it! I stand up,and step out away from the truck to make my presence known(Like they didn't already know I was there;)and bring the camera up to crop and compose the next few shots,"Like this...no,zoom-in...no,There right there,that's a good one" click!,but now something seems strange to me,it's kinda an off feeling in my gut,the Bears have not moved.....they haven't moved at all??,my eyes now focus on them but not threw the camera.Well I can't believe it,"these freaking bears are made out of plywood and painted black "I was so pissed,I just got in my truck and left.As I'm driving down the road ,I start laughing out loud and then say "I just got totally Punked....Big time"!.
When I returned home,I told my wife that I had seen a bear today,and here's the pictures to prove it.She took one look and new right away there was something off.I could no longer hold in my lie,I had to come clean.

Well, It sure has been fun here the last 6 months. I became a registered user about 6 months ago, and just today sent in a small donation to become a donating member, now I don't have to keep deleting all the hate mail I get. Kidding! I have found this site to be welcoming to the new comer, and I sure do appreciate that. I have met some finefine people here, and enjoy all the postings. I'd like to thank the site operators for doing such a good job at keeping things running smoothly, baby sitting is not my favorite things to do either. Again kidding, but not really. But most of all, I'd like to thank all of you who post.....tirelessly, with out you this site would not be what it is today, Thank you!

I'll not post here often,but just may if I have something to say. I am not a big time hiker, more of a poser, wanna-be, and looking to get back into hiking, as I've done some over the years, and mis doing it. My goal unlike many is to not to thru-hike, but rather to become a section hiker,as my body just requires to much repair or down time. I have learned so much from this site, and am so glad I got here before I'd made any major purchases, that is to say, all my gear is older things that I've collected over the years, and will eventually replace with other pieces to build a good outfit that'll keep me going for some time. Without the help of each and everyone of you this task would most certainly had me buying all the wrong types of gear, so again Thank you, thank you very much. Later "Rocketsocks":sun

Hello everyone, have been following along for awhile now,great reading.Don't know that I would ever Thru-hike,but I sure like hiking,packing light ,figuring out gear list,trying new trail meals and well ,just conversing with like minded folks.I've wanted to respond to several posts,but didn't take time to register,so now......"all In".Thanks In advance.Rocketsocks