Farewell Camera

I will post no photographs for Aspen, Colorado. Not for this trip anyway.

Kevin’s from Colorado and he had never been to Aspen before. He was excited to go. on assignment for Travel & Leisure (look for it in August, I believe). Me, I am always excited to just go.

In Aspen, the time was off-season and the stores were closed, streets were empty, the trees still barren and the sky was muddy. My stomach was a mess. I felt horrible. I must have swallowed too many dinoflagellates while swimming around the Bio Bay for 2+ hours to make those photographs.

We woke up early and Kevin began shooting. I would scramble around on the ground where all of the gear was. Every time I stood up, I thought I would faint. He put down his Canon 5d about two feet to my right and I kept feeding him 4x5 film holders. He was shooting a fly fisherman while we were on a bridge for a jogging trail just east of town. Not that many joggers went by, about half of them were pushing strollers.

A few minutes passed and we turned around, reaching for the digital camera. But it was not there.

We searched the area, the river, the river bank, called the police, and posted a sign. I called the National Forest ranger station and endured a tongue-lashing about permits. Despite taking all possible measures, the camera is gone. Perhaps overwhelmed by the fantasy land of designer ski-wear, Prada and silver Cadillac Escalades, some opportunistic jogger just had to steal the nice digital camera.

The police report part of our life is not so glamorous.