Just across the county line
Remember that story about Dickinson't killing a state-of-the-art, professionally-run Logistics Target man-camp.
Logistics built it just north of Dickinson't across the county line. Looks pretty impressive. In the big scheme of things, not a big deal except for scores of unnecessary miles driven every day.
Yup... impressive all right.. no liquor is permitted on site, so now they drive the country roads..they go a little south, get on 28th street go east three miles.. then north 3 miles and back to the highway.. We now call it beer can drive.. have been picking the road up about every two weeks weather permitting.. average about 200 cans every time just on a mile and a half stretch... Yup... nice addition to the neighborhood alright
ReplyDeleteExactly what I thought would happen. "Beer can drive" is probably aggravated by the irritation these guys have -- having to make the drive when they could have been nearer to town.
DeleteBy the way, for those who ask, "Dickinson't" is a reference to the Johnny Depp movie in which he asks his ambivalent friend, "Are you a Mexi-can or a Mexi-can't?"
I live in the same area, and the broken beer bottles are the worst. I attended the open house last evening and brought up the issue to one of the officals from Target.
ReplyDeleteHis response was, why do you think it was the people from here doing it, and was promptly asked to leave for being a trouble maker and stiring up the pot.
Good question: I had not thought of that. Why would you think it was the men living at the man-camp doing this? I might have thought it, but I would not have brought it up under those circumstances. My parents taught me to be gracious to the host.
DeleteI grew up in a small farming community in western ND, which enables me to say that "beer can drives" or "broken bottle drives" are VERY OLD NEWS - predating any oil industry activity. Of course the oil industry brings in more, largely younger and unattached men, so what else can you expect?
ReplyDeleteBut in my youth, our local small town strictly enforced the law on selling liquor/beer to minors. But that only diverted a segment of determined youth to drive 1/2 hour in another direction to a remote / isolated bar, where liquor sales were only minimally enforced. But the gravel road from that bar back to our local small town was also littered with beer cans broken bottles, and unfortunately was the road where several of our local youth lost their lives when they lost control of their vehicles due to drunken driving.
So I say we can't be so sanctimonious that we criticize what is happening near these man camps. Our long time North Dakota youth have been doing it for generations, prior to any oil boom.
Thank you, well said.
DeleteOne could also argue that this is the phenomenon of noticing things that weren't noticed before (for a number of reasons). Which is the point you made. Thank you.
I guess I wouldn't call it "Dickinson's" mancamp. Dickinson and Stark county did everything they could to prevent it from building it in Stark county. I would call it Dunn counties mancamp, since they permitted them to build it there. I hope the people in the man camp spend lots of money in Dunn county in Manning and Killdeer, since Dickinson didn't want them. As far as beer bottles and cans along the roads, I've noticed this for years before the oil boom. I always figured it was the campers and fisherman that drive from Dickinson to McKenzie bay area for fishing and camping. In all seriousness, this garbage is nothing new to the area.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking time to comment. This supports my theory that noticing this litter is an example of a phenomenon of noticing things that weren't noticed before (for a number of reasons).
DeleteMy hunch is that many Dickinsonians who had not paid attn to this litter before will now be driving out north of town to see for themselves how much litter there is. And they will see more than they recall seeing before.
Yes, I remember the stories of some Dickinson folks doing what they could to stop this project -- and succeeded.
I agree with the comments stating that this problem has been around for years, 25 years ago I took part on beer can drive as well, just after the first major "oil bust". I no longer live in the area, but tend to make it back every few months, I agree that there are many new people in the area, but many of them are just trying to make a better life for their families and are thankful for the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteThat is so true. I find it incredible (and wonderful) how much dads and moms want a better life for their children. You said it very, very well.
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