Or so the saying goes.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/10/01/state/n110902D76.DTL

My favorite quote from the article- "Evidently, he always goes hiking with a sword," Barker said Monday.

It's funny, I've never heard of a sword being one of the 10 essentials. Maybe it's a little further down on the list, like #14 or so, right after the battle axe.

I don't know about most people, but my #1 rule is never go hiking with someone who always carries a sword. Followed closely by rule #2, never go hiking with someone who always carries a baseball bat. I always make it a point to tell my friends to leave their battlefield implements in the car when we go hiking.

Yikes, those must be some scary hiking trails...

Actually, I do bring a sword where firearms are forbidden. I HATE snakes!!!!!

this link tells a very different story.

http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_7067800

oh, and let's add pepper spray to the mix, too...

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-sword2oct02,1,1921227.story?track=rss

And of course it happened in L.A. County. Why do I suspect that drugs were involved???

Yeah, don't go hiking with people wearing tinfoil beanies...

"Yeah, don't go hiking with people wearing tinfoil beanies... "

Of course not. And just in case I run into one on the trail, I always pack my trusty light saber.

Frank2135

Hi Nighthiker.

Oh, Had enough aye.
Look you stupid bastard you've got no arms left
Yes I have.
Look
Just a flesh wound.

As it happens I have a folding shovel/entrenching tool. First thing I did was sharpen the blade. Makes it easier to dig with.

It also throws quite well. Over distances of one to ten body lenths, which is the maximum distance that I can be sure of throwing it and hitting what I am aiming at, it always arrives buisness end first.

OBG, Mt. Baldy isn't in LA Co, you ditz! It's a good mile into San Bernardino Co. That makes all the difference in the world. In SB Co, they use swords, baseball bats and pepper spray (even though the police can't seem to find them...). In LA Co, they would be using AK-47s, flamethrowers and howitzers.

Sue

Silly me, I got confused by "...Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department..."

I was on an archaeologic survey in Northern California. I was carrying a postwar BRNO commercial Mauser in 8x 60 with double set triggers. None of the Sonoma State earth mothers would have anything to do with me and kept their distance.fine with me, Patchouli makes me ill. We walked right onto a illegal pot farm ( are there any legal pot farms?) I told everybody to freeze as our indian monitor uncovered a trip wired booby trap. He was a 'Nam vet and watched a lot of cowboy movies where the indian observes stuff white guys can't. I don't think he attended any Tom Brown classes. The two of us whispered for everyone to be real quiet and backout slowly. Naturally this one earth mother started yelling we were all real friendly, pot loving fans of the Greatfull Dead as we made the abandoned lumber road. And then we saw it, a black Bronco tearing down on us with this guy on the passenger side wildly spraying a Uzi well short of useable trajectory. I took my BRNO, set the trigger,lined up the third leaf site and took out the front tire. The fool indian grabbed my rifle, racked another Brenneke TUG bullet into the chamber and fired, not understanding double set triggers and pulling single stage at 16 lbs release pressure. His shot pulled badly and missed the second tire, hit something important in the engine followed by flames shooting out of the wheel wells. I retrieved my rifle and took off at a slow dog trot, the patchouli drenched earth mothers running to stay close, commenting they loved OUT OF AFRICA and my Karen Blixen rifle.That made me run faster till I reached our two carryalls and drove off in one. I never saw our indian again after that day. I heard a rumour he was working security at a reservation gaming casino. It can get confusing out there sometimes.

If that had been my shot I would have claimed it. "Yeah, that's what I was aiming at all right."

I'll say. Just watch out for those Asian gangs - I hear they like to hang out near the Moral Combat arcade game.

Just razzing you, OBG. I don't know why the LACSD always seems to be the ones handling things at Baldy. Maybe it's because of the access, most of which is through LA Co. Or maybe San Bern thinks they have enough problems.

I lived in that area for 30 years. Was whacko then, is still whacko now, but even meaner.

Sue

"...Just razzing you, OBG..."

I kinda figured that. I suspect that LA gets stuck most of the time 'cuz they have a jillion more deputies, and any victims probably go west for help instead of into the desert.

Ya gotta watch out for desert rats and mountain mutants...

I've always found the city mutants to be worse than the mountain mutants. Plus, you always have to be aware of where your bullets go. It's easier in the mountains, where the biggest problem seems to be ricochets.

Sue

"...city mutants to be worse than the mountain mutants..."

You obviously have never been in eastern Fresno (CA) County

"You obviously have never been in eastern Fresno (CA) County"

I HAVE, but I was moving pretty fast. The dog and I stopped in a place called Pine something (Pine Ridge?), but the dog acted spooked for what appeared to be no reason at all, so we left. When she laid her ears back, tucked her tail, just barely showed her front teeth and looked around nervously, I paid attention.

Sue

Probably smelled one of the mountain mutants...

"The motive could be described as something to do with the personal relationship," Busch said. (From link)

I wonder if any alcohol was involved?

Or some other mind altering substance.