Author Topic: Just the ramblings of a semi-old man (Read 4508 times)

stimpylu32 · « **on:** January 10, 2009, 03:46:22 PM »

Reading over some of these posts has got me to thinking , is it just me or has like taken a drastic turn for the worst . when I was younger , my friends and myself would take our trusty rifle or shotguns , skip off to the woods , build a lean-too and not be seen for days , no one would send a search party out as we were just being kids .

These days the mear thought of any of these things would bring the whole county to a stand still , first the idea that any kid of 12 would have a gun is just out of this world , second the idea that a kid of 12 would be away from the TV , internet , PS-2 for more than a millisecond is just too much to comprehend , the whole concept that one could imagine a great adventure while not seeing it unfold on a screen - WOW .

I guess my point is that when I think of camping , its the way it was when I was a kid . just the great outdoors , no Wi-Fi , TV , Radio , MP-3 . and the sadest part of all is that there are so many that will never have a chance to experience that was so common to me .

stimpy

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2009, 06:03:47 PM »

This country has been headed to hell in a handbasket for quite some while now. With the results of the last election in I think we just got there.

weasel · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2009, 06:21:18 PM »

It all started when kids quit building forts

Siskiyou · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2009, 06:26:10 PM »

TV is the root of all evil. People use to walk, and take hike for entertainment. Now they watch TV next to the refrigerator.

pastorp · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2009, 06:34:54 PM »

Speaking of forts. Me, skippy, & alvin built a beauty in the swamp behind our houses. Three stories tall.

We mounted my repleplica 30cal, water cooled machine gun on top. Before everyone gets all excited it was a play machinegun, but it spit out wooden bullets as fast as you could turn the handcrank.

When the enemy would attack, we sure held them off. The enemy being the kids from the next neighborhood. Between the bb guns, sling shots, and my machinegun we could hold our own.

Then there were the raiding parties over a couple of streets where the bad-dogs lived. We sure had fun.

wonder we all lived through those years.

Byron

Foggy · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2009, 12:01:02 AM »

Had a Schwinn Bomber bike (single speed big tires) it Had baskets in the front and back. Did not have a 22 but a Sheridan blue streak. Most days in the summer I would load up my fishing stuff. and head out. I read learn to tie flys list to my home made crystal set or a SWR I got at the dump and the guy at the TV shop helped me fix used to use half a army pup tent for camping . Life was good my sisters kids can get out from in front of the TV

BBF · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:11:54 AM »

I've had a fair bit of camping and just wandering tnru the woods as a kid. Coming from a European country, there was little possibility to fish, at least legally and absolutely no chance to shoot a firearm. I was in my early teens before I got a chance to shoot a 22 rimfire.

deltecs · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2009, 07:20:29 AM »

Quote from: stimpylu32 on January 10, 2009, 03:46:22 PM

Reading over some of these posts has got me to thinking , is it just me or has like taken a drastic turn for the worst . when I was younger , my friends and myself would take our trusty rifle or shotguns , skip off to the woods , build a lean-too and not be seen for days , no one would send a search party out as we were just being kids .

These days the mear thought of any of these things would bring the whole county to a stand still , first the idea that any kid of 12 would have a gun is just out of this world , second the idea that a kid of 12 would be away from the TV , internet , PS-2 for more than a millisecond is just too much to comprehend , the whole concept that one could imagine a great adventure while not seeing it unfold on a screen - WOW .

I guess my point is that when I think of camping , its the way it was when I was a kid . just the great outdoors , no Wi-Fi , TV , Radio , MP-3 . and the sadest part of all is that there are so many that will never have a chance to experience that was so common to me .

stimpy

I'm lying on a bed in a motel in Houston, TX thinking along the same lines. It is a far piece from my home in Prince William Sound, AK where I reside in bush living. I miss the water and wild animals not seen by the normal American on a daily basis. Killer whales, sea otters diving for mussels, bald eagles soaring through the sky on the wind currents, the occasional deer and black bear seen on the beach from my living room windows and air so clear that one can see mountains over 100 miles away with the clarity of a magnifying glass. With modern communications, we have all the amenities of urban living without the social interaction and problems associated with it. Since being here for medical reasons, many times have I contemplated just what enjoyable times I've lived through. From the elation of survival through a severe marine storm in a small boat, camping and canoeing with a firearms as a young man, the solace and contentment sitting in the living room with a loving wife and Laborador lying at your recliners side, to the pride as a parent of children economically and mentally independent with ethical lives of their own and having seen natures beauty that blinds.
I'm of Graybeards opinion that for the majority of young people today, our nation and social morees have decayed to the point of no return. This impacts our national pride, ethics, morals, and social interaction. It is not only the TV and electronic games that have influenced this decay, but the greed of this generation and lack of fortitude which was not taught to our children in the search for the golden fleece. It is the lack of personal responsibility of individuals who blame society, government, or manufacturer for our faults and errors. It is our dependence on local, state, and federal government to ensure we live the lifestyle we feel deserved without accounting for erroneous, emotional and greedy decisions that determined this outcome.
Whatever happened to the young people who enjoyed the adventure and nature just for the pleasure? Whatever happened to the pride of accomplishment and success of independent movers and shakers without having these handed to them on a golden platter. For every scar on my arms, head, and body, there is a tale to tell, most because of poor decisions. Unlike those scars that are a result of my personal decisions, our children do not want the repercussions from their poor decisions and expect to be made whole without the scarring. Just ain't a gonna happen. But that is the desire and resultant teachings from us to them; whether or not by the public education system, poor parenting, bad family financials, or some other excuse. The blame lies with us as parents, who did not take the time or opportunity to teach our kids the American core values. Offer any young person an opportunity to do something unique with their lives and the first question will be "how much does it pay". I agree with stimpylu32 that some things have value that cannot be paid with money.

walks with gun · « **Reply #8 on:** January 14, 2009, 06:47:02 AM »

Just think what would happen today if some yuppie type was out for a nature hike and came across a couple kids with firearms. SWAT would be called, social services would be at the parents door, child endangerment laws would have to be enforced and everyone involved would have to see a shrink. Anyway I still tell my daughter to take her .410 with her if she go's outback. I respect the opinions of those who don't carry a gun, I wish they would respect mine.

hillbill · « **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2009, 04:15:45 PM »

to tell you the truth the present state of things regarding kids scares the crap out of me. i have a very responsible 13 yr old boy who has been trained with firearms by me since he was 5 yrs old. i cannot with good conscience allow him to do the same things i did at that age. regardless of how much i trust him.if there was any kind of a accident including a firearm i would be the fat in the fire, at the very least i would prob lose my rights to him or my other kids.he recently had a very minor accident with a 4 wheeler where i took him to the emergency room just to make sure he was OK and i stood there listening in disbelief to the nurses arguing on wether they were go in to call the police on me.its a different time than when we were kids.

tn_junk · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2009, 05:11:57 PM »

As another semi-old man, I understand your fears and share them. I have a 23 year old son, and I truly doubt that he will ever have the freedoms that I enjoy. Maybe I am paranoid, but I think this country is headed for a long stretch of time where we all see our rights, especially 2nd amendment rights, go by the wayside. The time that I spent in the field with my son are the most cherished moments of my life. I doubt that he will have the same opportunities to spend time with his son, if he has one.

alan

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #11 on:** February 07, 2009, 03:08:06 PM »

To many of us semi-old men. I grew up on a farm in Iowa with a river running thru the middle of it. Spent all my free time fishin', camping or hunting with a single shot JC Higgins 22 for rabbit and squirrels. Most of the time when I go camping, I use my 12x16' wall tent and leave the camper at home. Between the wife and I we have 7 kids and all but the 4 year old loves to shoot. And he has his own guns at home and will be joining us in a few years. Those are the times that I remember the best and the kids always want to go camping, fishing or shooting. DP

burntmuch · « **Reply #12 on:** February 07, 2009, 05:13:32 PM »

Good post stimp. It is our fault. I have 7 y/o twin girls. Ive taken them camping, real camping in the woods in a dome tent & campfire. They,re not ready for guns yet, but they,re learning with the BB gun. They,ve tracked & field dressed a deer with me this year & did fine. I tuaght them how to use a compass. The other night they asked to go for a quick walk in the wood behind the house & look for deer tracks. Well I was beat from working all night Then tinkering around the house all day. They begged so we went, Snow was about a foot deep so walking was tuff for them, But they did fine. Its up to us to get off the couch. Cause if I dont get off the couch they sit there & watch spongebob. Weather is gonna be mild this week 45 degrees or so snows melting fast, maybe I ll take them for a walk in the bib woods. I gotta pull a stand anyways. They love going for little walks in the woods & stopping & pulling out the cookstove & making hot cocoa. Seems so simple when you think about it, Dont know why its so hard for us adults to enjoy the simple things. You guys are right though When I was 12 it was nothing for me & a couple buddies would walk out in the woods with a tarp & .22s & just hang out shooting little critters & cooking them over the fire.

bilmac · « **Reply #13 on:** February 07, 2009, 06:16:24 PM »

I bought a S&W model 15 when I was in high school. No signatures, daddy didn't have to buy it for me.

When the winter progressed enough that jackrabbit pelts were prime, buyers would pay up to $.50 to .60 for whitetails. I think that at least half the males in school were hunting them . We used have our guns in our cars most of the winter, and sometimes at breaks in the school day would wander out to the parking lot to look over each other's shooters.

No one would have even thought about using our guns to murder. If someone would have started walking down the halls shooting people in our school, he would have been as dead as a rabbit soon after he pulled the trigger the first time.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #14 on:** February 07, 2009, 06:19:28 PM »

You're telling me! It is such a different world.

I remember buying paper hulled shotshells by the round from an old store in the country. Shooting an old single shot 12 gauge and it popping open and a spent case hitting me in the eye, and thinking i was the "great white hunter"

BBgun wars, digging a bb outa my eye brow cause the kid said he would only pump it 1 time if we let him use his Benjamin

first time I saw a tent with a floor in it i thought, what would you need that for?

Walking 1 1/2 miles into the marsh carrying decoys to duck hunt and looking forward to it!

Thought a 243 was a damned cannon. thought a trophy buck was anyone i shot!

I have lived my life in fear the last several years that my 22 year old youngest son would find out about some of the things i did when i was his age and had my head in my .......

Kids are too protected now! What you dont wanna see is your son or daughter(never thought i would have to say that) facing a 16 yr old Iraqi kid that has been shooting an ak for years now and is not scared getting shot at!

Hell if I had thought i would live this long i would have taken better care of myself!

bilmac · « **Reply #15 on:** February 07, 2009, 06:47:59 PM »

Ah BB gun wars, it's a wonder I still have both eyes.

Sweetwater · « **Reply #16 on:** February 07, 2009, 07:49:09 PM »

Sounds like we all grew up in the same neighborhood!! I was not on a farm, just on the edge of a small town (pop.3,000) in Eastern Maine.

Camping was a 'must' and guns were tools that were well taken care of. "Get Outside!!" was my mom's after breakfast and chores order. We weren't allowed back in the house unless it was mealtime or stormy beyond prudence to be out in. Absolutely no daytime TV (which we got when I was 7) unless we were too sick to go to school.

I lost a front tooth to a baseball at 10 - no we didn't sue the parents of my pal who threw the ball. It just happened - no intended fault - and didn't need a lawyer to prove or believe it. Seems like there was always some kind of war going on. Cops and robbers, cowboys and indians...we threw apples at each other and even rocks, hoping no one would actually get hit and of course we did and, you know, "trouble always starts as fun".....we licked our wounds and consoled each other, hoping no ones mom would get into it and scold us for being kids!

I was never allowed to take the guns, even my BB gun, unless Dad was there, and then only on supervised hunts or target shoots. I was a Senior in High School before I ever hunted with anyone else, outside the family. We survived that, too.

I told my 4 kids that I'd made enough mistakes for all of them, so they needn't make any for my benefit. They are all products of the computer generation aged 19-24, can't move without a cell phone to text on or an ipod, BUT they all know how to camp and shoot, and dress game, and take care of a firearm, even when they are out of cell coverage! LOL

I, too, hope they never find out all that I did, at any age.....they don't need to know..

Regards,
Sweetwater

Swampman · « **Reply #17 on:** February 08, 2009, 01:48:49 AM »

Reminds me of a story.......

The Stranger

A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Tennessee town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger... he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.

Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home... Not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush.

My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished.

He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.

I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name?......... We just call him, "TV."

no guns here · « **Reply #18 on:** February 08, 2009, 09:40:22 AM »

Mud balls, rock fights, bb gun fights, and marathon baseball and football all summer. Playing football in the snow until our blue jeans bled through and turned our legs blue. Riding our bikes 2 miles to the Sonic for cheese fries and a malt. Riding 2 miles to the fireworks stand and buying a couple gross of pop bottle rockets which then led to the bottle rocket fights...

Just today I was on google earth and was showing my kids some of where we used to be able to grab our .22's and shotguns and then a whole pack of us (at least the four on my street) would head off into the woods behind my house and then end up out in the country 3 miles away. My kids couldn't believe that we'd walk that far and then back...

Ohhh the good ones are still there. You just gotta know where to look. Boy Scouts still does a pretty good job with young men in most cases. In most cases though, our freedom has been legislated away. I am starting to agree that TV and video games ARE a big part of the decay in our society. Heck back in the day, we had what three channels? Video games didn't exist. Playing outside in the summer and winter was just accepted. Now mom's (including my wife) say "it's too hot to be outside" or "it's too cold to be outside". Shoot, my kids have better coats and stuff than I ever did. It's all water and wind proof too. Where we had three-a-day football practices in high school now they can't practice because it's too hot.

I tell you what, I LOVE pulling guard force on post here. Folks don't even look at you funny when you walk in the food court with a loaded M16. I remember going to Oklahoma birthday at school with a .30-30 model 94 since it looked "cowboy" and we were supposed to dress up.

Try walking around with an M16 anywhere else... hehhehehehheeeeeee... SWAT coming to get you...

Where can I live that people wouldn't look funny at me if I walked in the street with a rifle over my shoulder or a gun on my hip?

Wow... I really rambled huh?

ngh

kitchawan kid · « **Reply #19 on:** February 08, 2009, 10:00:54 AM »

A lot of fun reading,at 66 I to remember a differant time,coming home from school and grabbing a .22.or 410 and staying out till dark.I live in the country and meet kids now that are afraid of the woods,unbelievable!

Sweetwater · « **Reply #20 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:27:07 AM »

When I moved to Sweetwater County, Wyoming, I was told it was perfectly legal to wear a handgun or carry a rifle as long as it was in a "non-threatening manner". I often wondered just what that meant. Leg thong tied down or not? Rifle over shoulder or across the arm? I never pushed it, but it was certainly different, and I never did see anything 'written' about "not carrying" or "legal carry". They were always in the truck or Jeep, and always ready. I liked that.
When we moved to San Diego, we had to get locked boxes to lock our handguns in the trunk of our cars. Very different situations for trucks and Jeeps with no trunk!!
Here in N. Idaho, it's kind of like being back in Maine, again. I do miss Wyoming, but momma loves it here.

Regards,
Sweetwater

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #21 on:** February 15, 2009, 10:03:27 AM »

Pretty much the same here in Montana as in Wyoming. Far as I can tell, if it's not pointed at ya, it's not threatening. DP

Empty Quiver · « **Reply #22 on:** February 15, 2009, 02:25:53 PM »

Kids out camping still happens. It is not news though, the 24hr chicken little news services have most people believing the worst possible things happen as a norm. Most people do indeed believe it is unsafe out there, unjustly.

The fact you are seeing the stories means plenty of people go out everyday. What percentage of people are going to have a CNN outcome to there camping trip?

Yes, I am sure the numbers are down. How many kids live near open places anymore? You can't throw a cat without hitting somebody or some thing anymore. Like it or not Rural America is starving out as fast as they can build the highways to suburbia.

I hate it and feel sorry for those who aren't able to just walk far enough from the house to camp out in the "wilderness". My wilderness was an overgrown farmstead, really not much more than a fence row. I suppose my folks new the owner and discussed it with him. In my mind there was no owner, it was unsettled territory.

outdoorlover · « **Reply #23 on:** April 09, 2009, 06:09:34 AM »

Sadly, some technological advancements led to the spoilage of the good old camping days. Yet it is up to the children of today if they would allow those advancements to spoil their camping experience or not. I do hope that they won't, and experience how entertaining and fulfilling the traditional camping experiences could be. =)

Sweetwater · « **Reply #24 on:** April 09, 2009, 08:40:31 PM »

Quote from: outdoorlover on April 09, 2009, 06:09:34 AM

Sadly, some technological advancements led to the spoilage of the good old camping days. Yet it is up to the children of today if they would allow those advancements to spoil their camping experience or not. I do hope that they won't, and experience how entertaining and fulfilling the traditional camping experiences could be. =)

How true. But also, If we, the older generation, do not introduce them to traditional camping experiences , how do the children know what they are? My kids were raised by their mother, and would come to visit me and be totally clueless about "the great outdoors". So, on "dad's weekend", we would take hikes along the river just to see what could be found. For nearly 2 years, I was living in a 16ft camper along the river and they would come out for our weekend. Space was limited, and they basically spent the daylight hours outside. They made snow forts and igloos in the winter and built huts in the willows in the summer. They shot the center out of playing cards with a BB rifle and fished for hours on end. Today, one is a country girl and raising my grandson "outdoors"! One has become a society lady in Denver, and another a social butterfly in San Diego. My son, I guess, is your typical 19 year old in college. He looks like all the college kids in today's movies. BUT, when he comes to visit, he asks my wife, his step-mom, to cut his hair, and asks me when we can go shooting. Oh, and when can he have my convertible! LOL!

I've strayed a bit here, but my point being; it is up to us to show them the way..or it won't be found except by the few, the fortunate. We really shouldn't let this happen.

Regards,
Sweetwater

Oldshooter · « **Reply #25 on:** April 10, 2009, 04:56:03 AM »

Quote

I was living in a 16ft camper along the river and they would come out for our weekend.

Not sure if that was by choice or necessity, but I went through that in the 90's, I did not have a camper but when divorced one 's life is cut to the bare necessities for obvious reasons.

You are absolutely correct about showing the young the way to go! they look to us for guidance until a certain age and if we guide correctly we see the fruit of that later!

Sweetwater · « **Reply #26 on:** April 10, 2009, 05:10:23 PM »

Quote from: Oldshooter on April 10, 2009, 04:56:03 AM

Quote
I was living in a 16ft camper along the river and they would come out for our weekend.

Not sure if that was by choice or necessity, but I went through that in the 90's, I did not have a camper but when divorced one 's life is cut to the bare necessities for obvious reasons.

You are absolutely correct about showing the young the way to go! they look to us for guidance until a certain age and if we guide correctly we see the fruit of that later!

I was fortunate to have the camper. It was "awarded" to me by the court and was all I could afford to live in for a couple years while I tried to get re-employed and my feet back under me. A couple months after the divorce was final, I got laid off. Perfect timing!! LOL! Seven months later, I landed a job. The child support ($2000/mo) stacked up on the computer during lay offs and I finally got it all paid off.

That's all ancient history now. The youngest is over 19, all support is paid off. The ex is a bad memory. The kids are fantastic! We move on and ahead! I'm putting toegether a handloading package for my son as a "rite of passage" gift. When he gets his own place, there are a bunch of "family guns" that have been passed on to him. He knows this, and has spent some time with me handloading, though his girlfriends keep him distracted. There is much he still needs to learn, but the foundation is poured. I have pieces of 3 different outfits and will put together the best of it and put it all in an Oak Trunk that my Grandfather built a long time ago - I'm not sure what it was designed for - it is about 2ftx3ftx1.5fthigh with an arched cover and a sliding tray. All the basic handloading gear fits if I hold my mouth right, LOL! I'll save the casting outfit for later when I'm more done with it, unless he moves close to me. In which case, I'll take it to him and do it at his place. More valuable time together....

Ramble on............

Regards,
Sweetwater

BBF · « **Reply #27 on:** April 12, 2009, 08:20:16 AM »

Holy !!

2 K's for child support per month

Dunno how many you have but I barely made that much money per month, period.

zacharoo · « **Reply #28 on:** April 12, 2009, 11:55:27 AM »

Those were the days ! A 410 a fishing pole and an onion sack to put the frogs in. A pocket knife and a palmeto bush for a lean to we were good for the weekend. Oh also a box opf kitchen matches to light out cooking and night fires. A five minute walk to the levee at the bayou. Man what a life. That was 45 years ago. Louisiana was GODS COUNTRY. It still is but not like back then. There is no more freedom than able to kill a rabbit in your back yard without the neighbors raising fifty kinds of hell!!!
Zacharoo

Sweetwater · « **Reply #29 on:** April 12, 2009, 03:56:19 PM »

Quote from: BBF on April 12, 2009, 08:20:16 AM

Holy !!

2 K's for child support per month Dunno how many you have but I barely made that much money per month, period.

5 kids and a couple extra good income years with lots of overtime, close to $90,000 annual. The courts jumped on it and up went the support. When the ride ended, my income came down to $48,000 annual for two years and then I was laid off, but the judge wouldn't listen and said it would all come back - it didn't and I went bankrupt. Two years of reduced wages and seven months without a job and they brought it way down, accordingly, but the arrearages were over $25,000.00. Why couldn't they have just done the right thing in the first place!? Totally beyond me, but we are over it and it is done and all paid for.

I hold my head up and square my shoulders.

My kids know my financial condition and what I have been through for them, and I know they would do whatever was necessary if I became unable to work. They have collectively told me.

Gotta love 'em!! and we continue to guide and teach...

Regards,
Sweetwater