Bonk

There's nothing quite like the dull thud of bone on bone as two players collide in the outfield at a softball game.  Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.

At the scene

I was checking the comments on the Tracy Press website (never a fun chore) when I came across this odd comment from someone calling themselves “Goodgriefman” about a photo I took at a fatal crash scene on Thursday.  Here’s the comment:

goodgriefman

May 05, 2012

The Tracy Press has to always delete cathlab's comments? No real surprise there.
But they will not lift a finger to delete a picture of a little girl's shoe in the underbrush?
Hope the new owner brings a new editor from Texas who aint so liberal.

I looked up the user name at is a typical Tracy commentor-fake name, fame email, typical coward on the web.  What I find odd is that he got upset about a photo of a shoe.

Don’t mind the picture of the guy covered in mud dying, be upset about a picture of a shoe.

Before the man died he said he had children.  Debris strewn around the crash site hinted toward small children.  There was a baseball bat, a stroller and assorted clothing items including the shoe.

Fire crews began searching for any other victims probing the thick brush and ditch bank with thermal cameras.  None were found.  As part of the normal news reporting I took pictures of everything including a small child’s shoe lying beneath some weeds at the canal banks edge.

So this is disturbing?  Really? Goodgriefman must be the sensitive type, watches chick flicks and cries when he sees a sunset.  Lucky think you weren’t standing in the rain watching the driver die, you might have gotten all shook up. 

It’s a hard thing to do, go to a tragedy, watch suffering and record the aftermath.  I wrestled with the photos of the driver, I really didn’t want to show his face and most of clothes were off.  There was a fine line between news reporting, sensationalism and poor taste and I think I choose a series of images that conveyed the crash scene’s devastation, confusion and rescue efforts.

For being upset about a picture of a child’s shoe in the weeds my advice is grow up.  If that is the worst thing you have seen thank the man upstairs and consider yourself blessed.  I get to add those images to the growing list of tragedies I can’t see to forget sometimes.  I’m not whining about that, I chose this job and it comes with its baggage sometimes.

Those of us standing on the canal bank Thursday remember the scene and a glimpse of a child’s shoe is just a tiny part of the story.  Nothing obscene, nothing sensation, just a shoe under a pile of weeds on a very sad day.

A walk in the sun

Today's hike was a solo stroll through meadows and sunshine as I made a return trip to Round Valley Regional Preserve.  With only my iPhone to take pictures I wanted to travel light and concentrate on just having a nice hike.

The trail is mostly fire road, overgrown in spots with grass and wildflowers.  The loop started at Miwok Trail and then headed to Murphy Meadows.  My only companion on the trail were the army of squirrels that darted back and forth in the sunshine and scampered ahead of me on the trail.  A collection of rusting farm equipment dating back tot he nineteenth century tenant on land is strewn about the trail lending some interesting photo opportunities.

It was a great hike, covering just over six miles in just over 2 hours.  The wind and the sea of grasses swaying before me were murder on my sinuses but it was a great morning.  I am lining up a tough hike toi tackle for the coming weeks but I think I am ready for it.

Follow the leader

Last week I had my first opportunity to lead a hike.  Usually I have been hiking solo these days but a coworker asked if she could along and bring a friend so it was off to Morgan Territory we went.

Copy Editor Melanie Smith and her friend Ryan braved my navigation skills and hiking humor as I led them on one of my favorite hiking loops, down through Coyote Trail and back along Volvon Trail.  It is just over five miles and the change of scenery makes for an investing hike.

Except for a close encounter with a slumbering rattlesnake it was a pretty calm morning.  it is always fun to share the trail and the sights with a friend.

Maybe I take some more guests along on the trail, always room for more on the road.

Snake, rattle and roll

I get my first chance to lead a small group on a hike and what do I lead them into?  A rattlesnake.  I have all the fun on the trail.

I headed out to Morgan Territory to take Tracy Press copy editor Melanie Smith and her friend Ryan on a hike ans show them the wide open spaces.  Making our way up Stone Corral Trail toward Volvon Trail a fellow hiker warned us of small rattlesnake ahead on the right hand side of the trail near a small set of rocks.

Cautiously approaching the area I scanned the trail for the snake and there he was curled up enjoying the morning sunshine.  I got my group past safely and stopped for a few pictures.  He was a cute little gut about a foot-and-a-half, maybe two feet long.  Looks like a youngster with only 4 or 6 rattles.

A short time later I saw a lone rock sitting in the trail and made a careful loof around the backside  of the rock.  Resting partly in the shade was another snake, much smaller, maybe 10 or so inches long.  He looked like a baby rattler out on the trail but looking at his photo I'm not sure now.  it might be a common gopher snake.  Then again it could have been a rattlesnake.  best just to leave him alone.

Two snakes in one hike a few minutes apart, does it get any better than that on the trail?