Deer Run Campground is alive again! Bullet jams and conflict avoidance
By Chuck Wiser I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
Nothing could have pleased me more than what I discovered when checking my Facebook feeds the other morning. Upon seeing the familiar logo, once predominantly featured on the “Frisbees” of the “Family of Three” (Geyer-Muscato-Wiser) and dozens of Rochester area friends, my eyes got as big as a frisbee, and my heart rate accelerated with expectation. I was not disappointed and was quite excited at the prospect of what that could mean. Yep! Reading and researching a little further, the old Deer Run Campground is “born again,” much to the pleasure of dozens if not more, people. I reached out to the new owner and expressed my intention of giving them a brief mention in my weekly Wrambling’s column for this week with more to come in an “in depth follow up” next week.
Living in Allegany County can be challenging at times, given our remoteness from certain shopping opportunities and proximity to advanced medical services. Despite the challenges of traveling the near hour and a half drive to get “anywhere from here,” especially during the seemingly perennial road construction between here and there, I look forward to the occasional trip North to Rochester.
A couple of years ago my .22 Caliber rifle had seemed to have a bullet jam. I knew the barrel was obstructed as the cleaning rod would not pass through to the “breech”. Scary thought moment, but my suspicions arose as I had fired a couple of rounds but with no evidence that the rounds had made it out of the barrel. This is where I raise my hand and plead guilty to being negligent in my rifle cleaning practices. Anyway, I was recommended to a “gun smith” in a neighboring town. I took my gun to the “smithy” and several days later checked up on the progress but seemingly none had been made. I was told that they had a guy that specializes in similar repair jobs, and he was expected soon. Days went by and upon further checking I learned that, apparently, they were not going to be able to do the repair. I retrieved the gun and took it to Pete’s Shot Works in Bloomfield, Near Rochester. I received a call a couple of days later and upon my return trip to Pete’s I was handed my rifle and the gift of three “Bullet” remnants. Some had been removed from the “rifling” (grooves) and the rest was a plug mass. According to the technician at Pete’s, the rounds had really been “jammed in” apparently in an earlier process of trying to remove them. Needless to say, despite the fact that the initial problem was self-inflicted, I will not be returning to the “local” gun smith again. I made another trip to Pete’s earlier this week taking him return business as I needed a rifle “bore sighted” and I take my business where I am well served.
As a side story to that visit, I have been in the market for a small but capable camera to keep in my vehicle, or in my pocket when I am traveling. Smart phones just don’t cut it with me and I have missed several unique photo opportunities over the years given the lack of a small, but capable camera. I found just the camera I wanted at the “Buy Less” Store (my intentional misnomer) on Hylan Drive, across from where there used to exist a great Sam’s Club.
Finally finding a store clerk to assist me, whose search for the product in stock, and subsequent check for order ability, was fruitless. Oh well, the Target Store was just a couple stores away in the same area, so I stopped there. I found two similar model “Canon” camera’s there, and despite my curiosity as to why the obviously better model was less expensive, I told the store clerk I would take either one. After much sliding of doors, and shuffling of boxes, looking under and behind, I was told that they didn’t appear to have any in stock. Strike 2 and 3, I returned home. The trip was not for naught as I stopped at my favorite Wendy’s as I headed South and ordered my usual “Large Chili, scooped off the top to avoid getting all beans so it is drinkable whilst I drive.”
Huge “shout out” to Dan and his helper at Dry Brook Garage in Scio. I had stopped there a couple of weeks ago to have them install a circuit relay to make my “new to me” Nissan Frontier “Tow Package” friendly. It does not come equipped but rather must be updated with an aftermarket part. As it turns out, the components that I had ordered per the YouTube I watched and received were missing a wiring harness. I re-ordered the harness and upon receipt I took the vehicle over to Dan. Despite my having messed up my appointment date relying on an old “post it note” instead of the current one, Dan squeezed me in, his mechanic made the new installation and, everything checks out. I can now use my trailer and “haul ash” or anything else that will fit into it.
I “drafted” what follows over the past weekend, not having fully decided whether to complete it or abandon it. Last night our daughter dropped by to make a Father’s Day delivery before meeting up with her son for an evening out. Our conversation, and as we sat there listening to the scanner, prompted my decision to go ahead and complete this and submit it for this week’s Wramblings.
If you have a scanner and have been listening to Emergency Dispatch “traffic” over the past few weeks, what I’m going to mention herein will not be surprising or seem so bizarre. There seems to be a heightened frequency of strange things happening to people that are not easily explained but could easily be chalked up to some kind of “substance” exposure or abuse, or some other unknown upsetting circumstance. Having a scanner comes with mixed blessings, probably more negative than positive as good news events like birthdays, celebrations or wedding announcements are not what emergency service “call outs” are for. Oh sure, every now and then a sports team parade gets some notification, or the bitter-sweet acknowledgement “honoring” the passing of an emergency services responder gets “toned out,” but otherwise nothing good comes from an overheard scanner call. Lately I have wondered what is going on with people, as evidenced by what seems to be the increased scanner activity including: emergency responder callouts, or dispatching of the related police and ambulance agencies for domestic problems or welfare checks etc.
We seem to be at a time of increased civil unrest, mistrust, domestic violence, or just downright odd, or unexplainable behavior. Drug use seems to be at the center of, or at least a leading candidate or focal point of much of this concerning behavior. I guess regardless of why this recent surge of strange activity is occurring, the primary objective of my adding my thoughts as I wrap up this version of my Wrambling’s, is to encourage people to be extremely cautious, vigilant, and aware of their surroundings and all activity around you.
These are some suggestions of things to help avoid conflicts.
• Don’t make aggravating gestures in, or to surrounding traffic that may be traveling a little too close, fast or slowly for your tastes.
• Be extraordinarily patient when confronted with any event or circumstance.
• Especially, don’t “flip someone the bird” (as a driver did to me yesterday). I did not respond. We were driving nearly parallel in adjacent lanes and we both wanted to get in the opposite lane. I was slightly ahead so sped up a little and after a safe enough distance lead, crossed over into his lane, signaling well ahead of time. He switched over to the other lane, sped up and gave me the finger as he raced past.
• Don’t make comments to others that may do something that irritates or upsets you in a shopping environment or anywhere.
• Be kind, considerate, cooperative and caring but not pushy, over-bearing or intrusive into someone else’s life or events.
• Make eye contact, or a subtle attempt with at least a glance and a nod or a smile in passing. I am not known for “toothy smiles” and so have been accused of being glum. I try to offset this by smiling with my eyes, thus my suggestions regarding eye contact.
• Be alert and cautious and not overly naive about approaching strangers such as those coming onto your property, to your house or approaching your vehicle in a parking lot.
• Don’t stop and invite incoming traffic while you are in a roundabout. The person behind you, not expecting you to stop, forcing them to stop, may not have read my suggestions for civil behavior.
I will end this on a more positive note by acknowledging my joy at the wonder of “renewed life” as our aviary friends are in the midst of a flurry of activity bringing their fledglings to the feeders. There isn’t any greater joy, aside from the birth and nurturing of your own offspring, than watching a newborn Cardinal, Grosbeak or Oriole learn to fend for itself and find its way to the food fest of aviary dining at Wiser’s Wrambling’s Wrestaurant.
