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Walking sticks and hiking sticks. Advantages.

Pay for your holiday

My next-door neighbour Alan loves to bush camp. He collected straight sticks, cut them to length, purchased walking stick stops for the toe and then sold these at the Tod Mall market in Alice Springs Central Australia for $25. each and helped pay for his holiday.

 I have seen painted and varnished hiking poles or walking sticks being sold for $150, and above at markets and I paid about $35. for a beautiful piece of natural timber hiking stick, in an art gallery.

Harassment deterrent.

Once, following a knee injury, I used a walking stick for three years and during that time I never once was pinched on the behind in a chain store, nor had imaginary lint brushed from the front of my blouse by an over familiar acquaintance and amazingly even strangers did not jostle me accidentally in crowded places.  Yes, a walking stick is a wonderful way of avoiding physical contact except where it is appropriate, where it has been invited. J. Love a good walking stick.

Exercise .

Exercising with a stick, great for travellersJ, try someJ, they are even doing some of these exercises at my Aquamoves gym.

Self defence.

I found this on the internet.

The walking stick method of self-defence, here is an introduction  by an officer of the Indian Police:- A walking stick is probably the only weapon the ordinary person is likely to have- in his possession when attacked. How many know how to use it to its best advantage? How many even know that a method exists whereby a harmless and cherished ornament can become a sure and powerful stand-by in time of stress and peril? Read more

Now that article is more vicious than I want for myself.  I prefer defensive, then escape moves, rather than attack moves when I think self-defence.  Why I even thought about writing about a walking stick as a useful item or thought of self-defence and stick in the same sentence was because of an incident yesterday when another larger dog charged at our small poodle. I was hurt, not my dog. Maybe if I had the walking stick in my hand pure instinct would have brought out my fierce mother, protecting her young, instinct and that dog would be resting from its headache today instead of me resting injured legs. 

My husband, is currently using my bush stick for its conventional roll as a walking aid.

The incident with the dog attack yesterday gave me the idea for my first,  “Useful Stuff” post and I will hold a walking stick as a more valuable item from now on and be far more likely to grab my lovely rustic bush stick before heading out the door for a walk with my dog.