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So usually when you go wandering around the countryside here, you're spotlighting for deer. A and I went rig-spotting instead. We drove from Covington over to Troy, down to Canton, over 414 to Gleason, then towards Fall Brook through County Bridge. We were travelling on little snow covered back roads in my two-wheel drive Dakota.



We passed Fallbrook Road, where we had taken pix last April @heidi #51874 and I wanted A to turn around so we could head out towards the cemetery and the compressor station we saw last year.

As soon as he headed toward the berm, I knew we were stuck.



A nice couple comes up in their chevy truck, asked if we had chains. Nope, I don't keep chains in my truck. They say they're headed to the Legion just over the top of the hill and they'd ask if anyone had chains and could pull us out. Another truck stopped, "Got chains?" "Nope."

Next, a frack waste water truck stops. He's got chains and a thick Southern accent. Our local fire chief, who also owns a tow truck (and I have his # in my phone), pulled up behind us. I'm sure Shawn got a chuckle out of it.



A hooked up the chain.



And he towed us out. I should have tried video.




He wanted to tow us to the top of the hill but we said just out of the snow would be fine.

So yeah, irony abounds. Uncle Dudley thinks the out-of-state gas workers have been instructed to be nice to the locals whenever they have a chance.

[A says I should have gotten out and taken pix, the snow was really deep where we got stuck.]

This is a picture of the gas well drilling rig in the backyard of the Zimmer Century Tree Farm on Cherry Flats Road in Covington, Pa.



Close up of the well



Baby trees



I have lots to say/write about this weekend, but I'm just doing a quick draft edit of photos (over 225) at the moment. I drove by this house five times in different lighting to get this shot.

Here's a map of permitted (green dots) and drilled (red stars) wells in PA. Don't let this happen in NYS.

A's new band playing at the wellsboro house, wellsboro, pa. I have been listening to his bands for 8 years now... This is the best one yet. Damn.

@tinypliny suggests bodhi wasn't so happy... here is a happy baby photo...altho I look like a weirdo.

He's big!

... of issues with natural gas drilling. It was shot mostly in Bradford County, Pa., the county east of Tioga and does a nice job of capturing how beautiful it is there. 14 minutes.



Oh, and the guy who sold his natural gas drilling company, East Resources to Shell for $4.7B wants to buy the Sabres, after he gave Penn State $88M to build an arena for their to-be-developed Div.I hockey team. East/Shell owns most of the gas rights in Tioga County.

The 2010 Blossburg Fall Festival sponsored by Blossburg V.I.B.E. was very successful this year. I didn't get any good shots of Keith's hayride.

Jill's husband Shane, my brother Josh, his girlfriend Wendy, and my/Jill's/Shane's office manager Kelly staffed the V.I.B.E. hot dog contest registration table.


Dave & his blond son Tyson


Kelly's triplets - Emily is the one facing the camera, the boys are avoiding me.


Mikki & Kelli painted pumpkins


Hannah painted pumpkins


Dave (one of Shane's workers) & Gordy (one of Shane's relatives) waiting for the hot dog eating contest to start.


Winner's brother


Timothy Jackson (one of Shane's numerous cousins) - note Tommy Mac's face in the background!


Gordy


Skynner


Skynner stopped to take a call.


Jill tallied number of hot dogs each contestant ate.


Winner!! He's actually not related to any of us, he's from out of town! He and his brothers and his mom came to the contest from several counties away.


Brothers & Gordy


First place guy, second place Bryan "Big Sushi" Kinat (another of Shane's relatives), and third place Gordy


Blossburg's Top Dog. He got a trophy, a shirt, a medal, and $50.


Parents of one of my high school classmates eating leftover hot dogs.


I used to co-coach the Battle of the Books club with my friend Robin, an English teacher at the high school.


Sue makes filipino food and people are very intrigued.

We had a country/rock band.

Shane's cousin Michael is the drummer.


My high school classmate Annie's son Jarrod cooked baked potatoes for the Boy Scout troup.


Jarrod & his Boy Scout pals.


My dad trying out pies. Jackie coordinated the pie-baking contest...

That my mom & aunt took second & first prizes (respectively).


Yet another cute kid.


More pix at

More info at

Next V.I.B.E. project that I'll be photographing: Light Up the Holidays contest.

9 minute video about the Pittsburgh protest against the Marcellus shale producers conference Wednesday. The conference featured Karl Rove as the keynote speaker, telling the gas companies that now we'll see an era of "sensible regulation". That's what Rove called the banking regulations before the banks took down the global economy.

The video includes several minutes of Gasland filmmaker Josh Fox. He's saying civil disobedience is going to be necessary to protect our homes, water, cities and forests. One person on a email list I manage called this "inspirational"... I'm sitting at my kitchen table crying because we're so fucked. The PA governorship is now held by Tom Corbett, who raised nearly $1M from oil & gas companies during his campaign. Thanks, Supreme Court, for Citizens United. Fuck you very much. The PA House, which passed severance tax legislation in the last session, is now held by Republicans, who are virulently anti-tax and pro-gas drilling, mostly unconcerned about the environmental and community impacts. The PA Senate was already held by anti-tax Republicans. PA Dept. of Environmental Protection already doesn't have sufficient staff to monitor gas wells and other gas infrastructure. With the US House turning Republican, it's really unlikely the FRAC Act will pass. The FRAC Act would make hydraulic fracturing subject to the Safe Drinking Water Act and give the US EPA authority to regulate fracing, eliminating the "Halliburton Loophole". Oh yeah, and Obama just came out for expansion of natural gas drilling as a concession to the new House majority.

The gas companies evidently think/hope we'll all move so they'll have unfettered access to our lands. Us pesky water-drinkers.

the unending gallery of hurricane lamps... Jill, Kelly & I went out to dinner at the hamilton club saturday night. i got new tires and I need a new muffler. Hot dog contest photos soon!

Order one now! $10