Okay, thank you, here goes...a little bit more of an introduction.
My three Cardinal Principles of walking/hiking in the foothills of the Rockies:
1. Always have a stout stick in hand...always.
2. Don't use the stick if you don't need it.
3. Any stick should be strong enough to dissuade a varmint without breaking.
For number one, even on a simple walk close to home, some thing could require the use of a stick. I've been 100 yards from home going down to pick up the morning paper and surprised a large black bear that did not run away from three large barking dogs. My cousin in New Mexico was out on a walk on the BLM land with her dog, and her dog was attacked by a pack of coyotes. You may twist an ankle and need a crutch to return home. It may be handy to knock the snow off of tree branches as you pass though a thicket of trees. Old knees may welcome an assist on a steeper downhill slope.
I'm really not into magic and witchcraft, but the painting of the The Magic Circle by John William Waterhouse, 1886, caught my fancy while goggling "sticks"...and as my avatar it reminds me that anything out there in the wild beyond your imagination may require the use of a trusty stick, like maybe even to cast a magic circle.
Number two comes from my recovery from a knee replacement...the post surgery therapist wouldn't let me touch the hand rails on the treadmill as I needed to rely on my body's proprioception senses to stay upright (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception). As we get older this becomes more important...so don't use a "crutch" if you don't need it. Just carry the stick at the balance point and enjoy the easy walk.
And number three...if you're going to whack a varmint with a powerful strike you want the stick to stay intact so as to transmit the force to him. And you may need more than one stroke to settle the disagreement.
Carry a stout stick, and tread lightly!
Rustic Dave
