The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[ksen]

Variety Talks ROTK
Xoanon @ 11:45 am EST

Variety has a mid-year Oscar column... you need a subscription to read it, but www.oscarwatch.com has the article on the front page in full. It includes this little tidbit:

"Most of these films are not finished, so at this point it's really a guessing game. There is one film, however, that always figures in the guessing, even though no one's seen it: New Line's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King."

"It's their year. It's the film we're all waiting to see," said an awards strategist from a rival studio. Director Peter Jackson hit home runs with the first two "Rings" pics, and the third offers the most personal and emotional story. But, the Oscar campaigner noted with a word of warning, the film's years-in-the-making momentum and Hollywood's anticipation means "it's also the one that everyone's going to try to knock down."

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I saw your post over on the thread about the man being attacked by a grizzly. I have competed in an area where a black bear was frequently seen. They warned us all the time.

I have been told by numerous people, family and a local cop who is a friend that I should carry a gun when I ride by myself out here. I have run into several car theives stripping cars out here.

The flight instinct in the horse is the reason I don't so far, and because I don't know how to shoot. My learning would be the first step, then getting the horse use to it second. Have you ever gun trained a horse? How would you go about doing that?

Becky

[Alkhin]

GRRRRRR!!!! Stupid me...I fed the troll!!!

Brazos de Dios Cantina

But hopefully it will mean people will actually comment and have a real discussion. I didnt handle it half as well as I had wanted to, but writing on the fly has never been my strong suit...and he was demanding information that would take me days to compile....

Think any of y'all can go in there and put his aright?

[Corin Stormhands]

What troll? All I saw was this bleeding mass on the floor. You done good.

But for some reason the formatting is all elfed up here for me. I'll try again from home and re-read what you wrote.

Overall, how's that new server/format workin' for ya? I'm anxious to leave WebCrimson, but not sure where to go.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

?

Becky

[Sam Cree]

I agree that Tim writes like a girl.

[HairOfTheDog]

Thanks Deb.....

[JenB]

Hey, guys.... I could really use some prayer and stuff here. I just got laid off. I have some things that may work out already, and I've got tuition money, but needless to say I'm concerned. Also I'm mad, but I won't go into that.

[HairOfTheDog]

The flight instinct in the horse is the reason I don't so far, and because I don't know how to shoot. My learning would be the first step, then getting the horse use to it second. Have you ever gun trained a horse? How would you go about doing that?

I don't foresee a circumstance where you would be shooting a bear or anything for that matter while mounted. Your best defense is the horse's legs. If you can stay with them, the horse will escape. I have had a small fear of seeing a bear, the horse spooks and dumps me and leaves me with the bear. Heh.... Bummer.

I do carry up there when I go, and I carry the gun usually in a shoulder holster on my person rather than on the saddle. If nothing else, it would be a signal device if I were separated from the horse and alone.

I carry on the pretext of being prepared for anything, but I can't imagine a self-defense situation that could develop where your better idea wouldn't be to just leave quickly. Mounted, you have the element of speed that you would not have on foot. There are shady characters in the woods, we have meth labs and my isolationist mitilia dudes up there, but they can't outrun me.

I don't think any horse would be ready for a gunshot from his back... No person would be able to not flinch or jump from un unexpected loud shot that close, and I wouldn't expect a horse to not jump unless desensitizing, and *warning* him was a major training excercise. Bay is good about reasonably close gunfire because I have ridden alot out of the gun club where we ride right by them, and camped there overnight. He would probably stand tied and not bolt if I had to shoot near him, but he would jump when he suddenly heard it I am sure.

[HairOfTheDog]

I have seen one bear close (50 yards off to the side of trail) and she froze and did not move until we were out of sight. I didn't fear that she would attack us, but I was really nervous that she would bolt suddenly and scare the horses, which would have been bad because she was standing in a bog and would have made a really scary splashing scene running. But she didn't, the horses stayed cool with Bay leading, but I had a fist full of mane to ensure that I stayed with him if he decided to fly.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I had car thiefs follow me on a 4 wheeler once when I came on them stripping a car. As soon as I realized what was going on I turned and left, but they followed me. A horse can't outrun a bullet, and car thiefs won't serve anymore time for thieving then for murder probably:) now a days, so why not get rid of a witness.

Becky

[Sam Cree]

"I carry on the pretext of being prepared for anything, but I can't imagine a self-defense situation that could develop where your better idea wouldn't be to just leave quickly.

We are always armed when we take small boats into the islands, as the USCG has advised mariners they should be. Even though things are better now.

However, if I really thought I was going to use the gun, I'd just stay at home. But the unexpected and the non rational does happen, so it's best, as you say, to think ahead and be ready for anything.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh Jen, I am sorry.... I know it has been a little rough around there lately. I am sorry you are mad.... tough to be working for Dad, and tough I am sure, for him to have to do that to you.

I hope and pray you find something real soon.

[Sam Cree]

To tell you the truth, if the area you ride in is a known habitat of criminals, can you find some different trails?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Horses are funny, my experience is they spook at things I don't expect them too and don't spook at the things I get ready for them to spook at:) There are things I have ridden past 100's of times out here, then on the 101 time they will spook. Who knows what they see. That is one reason I really like the horse I am riding now, Rusty. He really looks at things, some times will stop and try backing up, and blowing at stuff, but so far he has never REALLY spooked, or bolted from something.
I think he has a sensible brain. (Of course now that I have bragged about him, I had better look out:)

Becky

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Well I have lived here for 22 yrs, and ridden out here for 18 and these problems have just been happening in the last 2-3 yrs. I have cut down on the territory I ride on when I am by myself. Yeah there are other places to go, but I would have to trailer there. These trails are right out my front door, and I am very very spoiled:) Everyone I ride with is very envious that I do not have to trailer anywhere to ride 20 miles of trials.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Really good questions, Becky.... Not an easy scenario. Horses can't outrun a bullet, but to stop and shoot gives them an easier target than a running one. Moving targets are hard to hit. I am not sure I could take the time to stop and shoot.... I may shoot backwards, but from a running horse.

I dunno.... I have thought through scenarios, and whether I could get a useful self-defense shot off on a 1,200 pound scared animal that is gonna jump three feet when I fire it, and that is just the first shot. Accuracy under stress is hard enough without an unknown variable of the horse. It'd be hard. The guy on the four wheeler would scare the daylights out of me.... I would be glad I was armed perhaps, but I would think the best chance would still be to hope to find a non-path where he can't go, and pray to God.

[HairOfTheDog]

It's just National Forest land Sam.... They go there to not be seen because it is wilderness... They aren't everywhere, but you spot them once if you are in the woods very much.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

That is exactly what I did. I was laying pretty low in saddle and going as fast as I could thru trees and low branches.

Honestly, I would never carry. and honestly, I will not stop rideing by myself around here, I enjoy it too much. So alot of praying, and a cell phone are my defense.

Luck would have it when the cops arrested the kids that followed me, it just so happen they live in the neighbor hood, and I once again came riding up on the secne:), We were good friends with the chief of police at the time and he was there. He came over, and I asked him if I needed to worry about retailiation. He said no the boy was harmless, had been in trouble for this sort of thing before, he was just a thief not a hard core criminal.

Just a few months ago, I found a big truck parked again just a little ways from this same guys house. the tracks out of the woods led right to his house:), He must really be stupid. I called the police. That is when the policeman told me I should be carrying.

Becky

[HairOfTheDog]

Bay is good too.... He may stop and look, and refuse a bit to move forward, but he isn't the cut and run guy like my Mustang would do without warning.