The perils of being a photographer on the road

Everyone I meet says that I have the coolest job in the world. I get to travel around and snap pictures while meeting interesting people and checking out cool places. This is true, I do have the best job in the world but there are always bumps in the road. In this case, I bumped into a rather large tractor. This harbinger of utter destruction was driven by a boy not more than ten years old. I was following along behind he and his buddy when they slowed and pulled over to the side of the road in a little town called Locke in Wherethehellami County in New York. Thinking, as most people would, that this was an indication for me to pass them, I looked down the road and seeing nobody coming moved on by. At this point, the tractor swerved across at the rental car prompting me to inwardly scream like a little girl. I stomped on the brakes and tried to swerve out of the way to avoid the rural version of a monster truck rally. Managing to hit only the tractor's tire the front end was smashed up pretty badly. (Shit!) 

I did my best to keep the kids calm while the driver's father showed up (I'd hate to have gotten that call from my son.) It should be mentioned that the rental car was not mine either but my father-in-law's and no I was not on the rental agreement. (Shit, shit!) John, the kid's father, showed up a few minutes later and considering the situation we had a nice little chat about how beautiful upstate New York is. 

John: You from around here?

Me: Nope, from Oklahoma.

John: First time in upstate?

Me: Yes, it's really beautiful actually.

John: We think so....

Me: Sorry to meet you under these circumstances.

John: Me too. Your car?

Me: No, it's a rental.

John: (Shit) Is that a Toyota?

Me: Yep, I think.

John: (Shit) Aren't they expensive?

Me: Expensive enough, I've never owned one. It's my father-in-law's rental car. (Shit)

John: (patting me on the back) Ouch, sorry man. 

It's all part of the adventure of traveling and as nobody got hurt, makes for an interesting story. Unfortunately, it gives my father-in-law endless opportunity to bring the incident up in front of complete strangers and will be his favorite tale about me for quite some time I'm sure. I'm now christened "Crash" for all time. Ah well.

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Today's word is SWAG

I came across this while checking out John Paul Caponigro's blog today, and it should be added to every photographer's bag of verbal jargon in dealing with those pesky explanations everyone seems to want for how did you do that. Therefore ......

SWAG - Scientific Wild Ass Guess

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Parents these days

For those of you who aren't aware of where Commerce City is, throw a stone outside Denver and you've got the location.  For those not knowing what it is, picture the most run down stretch of industrial landscape you can imagine that stretches on for miles constantly gasping for a minute breath of clean anything. Last time I was in the area, I was given an escort out. We took a little trip up from Colorado Springs to take a few pictures of the oil refineries trying to capture some cool industrial shots. It would seem post 9/11 they don't like that and security vehicles promptly lead us away. Two white guys with telephoto lenses in a Ford Ranger clearly were a threat to national security.

I got this interesting link from a buddy today about a couple in Commerce City, click here. It seems that an argument broke out between the two as to which gang their four year old should join. Yes, being a relatively new parent myself I can't say I've ever pondered that particular question for my child's future. Seriously, some people just shouldn't breed. I had to chuckle and inwardly cry. 

Thanks Dave!

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Dam Beavers

This is an actual letter sent to a man named Ryan DeVries regarding a pond on his property. It was sent by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Quality, State of Pennsylvania. 

SUBJECT: DEQ File No.97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; LycomingCounty 

Dear Mr. DeVries: 

It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of property.  You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized activity:   

Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond.   

A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity. A review of the Department's files shows that no permits have been issued.  Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Pennsylvania Compiled Laws, annotated.  

The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and flooding at downstream locations.  We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore orders you to cease and desist all activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the stream channel.  All restoration work shall be completed  no later than January 31, 2006.  
Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff.  Failure to comply with this request or any further unauthorized activity on the site may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement action..  

We anticipate and would appreciate your full cooperation in this matter.  Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions.  

Sincerely, 

David L. Price 
District Representative and Water Management Division. 

Here is the actual response sent back by Mr. DeVries: 

Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County  

Dear Mr. Price, 

Your certified letter dated 12/17/02 has been handed to me to respond to.  I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget Lane, Trout Run, Pennsylvania.  

A couple of beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of constructingand maintaining two wood "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond.  While I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of natures building materials "debris."  

I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose.  I believe I can safely state there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic.

These are the beavers/contractors you are seeking. As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam activity. 

My first dam question to you is: 

(1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers, or 

(2) do you require all beavers throughout this State to conform to said dam request?   

If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, through the Freedom of Information Act, I request completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued.  

(Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Pennsylvania Compiled Laws, annotated.) 

I have several concerns.  My first concern is, aren't the beavers entitled to legal representation?  The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said representation -- so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer.  The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event, causing flooding, is proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect.  In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling them dam names.  

If you want the stream "restored" to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers -- but if you are going to arrest them, they obviously did not pay any attention to your dam letter, they being unable to read English.  

In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water flows downstream.  They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond.  If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources (Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams).  

So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2006? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them. 

In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention to a real environmental quality, health, problem in the area.  It is the bears!  Bears are actually defecating in our woods.  I definitely believe you should be persecuting the defecating bears and leave the beavers alone. If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your step!  The bears are not careful where they dump!  

Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam office. 

THANK YOU,  

RYAN DEVRIES 
& THE DAM BEAVERS

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