Scroller......The Ruby Pipeline ..2011

J.B. Boykin

O.K. , I admit it. From time to time, I do work. However, my work is normally enjoyable so I seldom think of it as a normal job.


This is the picture story of a job on The Ruby Pipeline. We were in northern California in January of 2011.

Commuter vehicle, The Ruby Pipeline, Southern Oregon

Click the red letters below for the story of the ride from Reno to Bishop. Quite a trip !


                                Highway 395 story

Pipe yard,  Ruby Pipeline, Oregon

I was there as the video producer not in my normal role as a still shooter. 

Ruby Pipeline, Oregon

I couldn't help myself. I had to have my camera with me. I would have felt naked to be on a shoot without one. Producer or not, it's helpful for me to have my camera. By looking through the lens I understand the task before the videographers.  

Chinook delivering pipe, Ruby Pipeline, Oregon

These aerials were shot through the back window while my videographer used the front seat. I couldn't see diddley. 

Hilly terrain of the Ruby Pipeline, Southern Oregon.



In all fairness I should tell you riding in the back seat of a little bitty helicopter for a couple of days didn't excite me one bit. It seemed like I went from "whee" to "oh crap" once every five minutes or so. We were trying to maintain a constant elevation for the benefit of the video perspective. In order to do that we would fly up and down with the undulations of the mountainous terrain. It reminded me of a roller coaster. 

Cold hill top cut, Ruby Pipeline, Southern Oregon

Welders at work, Ruby Pipeline, Oregon

This is the Ruby Pipeline as it runs across the  Oregon border from California and Nevada. 

Welders, Ruby Pipeline, Oregon


I tried to get on the Alyeska once upon a time. I hitch hiked all the way to Fairbanks but the eco freaks blocked it. Four years later I was back in Alabama and got a call from one of my Alaskan buddies. He asked if I wanted to come up and work. I had to tell him no, I had just started another life and another wife and it didn't allow much room for traipsing through wanderlust country anymore.  I will always wonder about those days and life's twists and turns.

Some of the long views you're seeing here could be California, Oregon or Nevada. We were at that geographic corner. 

Yes, it was windy and yes it was cold.




I love this kind of shooting. The only thing I can compare it to is getting all geared up to go on a fishing or hunting trip. 

More Welders, Ruby Pipeline, Oregon

When I go on these type jobs I am reminded of how happy I am to no longer be tied to my Dallas studio.

Working on the Ruby Pipeline, Oregon

This year, 2013, four of these pictures were used in a PBS television story about government bureaucracy and how it slows down private enterprise without reason. Dang it ! If even liberal PBS gets it you would think Washington would as well. The scary part is I am afraid they get it and like it.

                          

Two of our pals, Ruby Pipeline, Oregon

As it turns out FERC regulations and bureaucrats ran this project over budget by many, many millions. Let me be very clear, this over run had nothing, nothing to do with the companies nor the men and women who built the project. It was all about government interference. Anybody surprised ?

Rock cut, Ruby Pipeline, Southern Oregon

  This article brought to you by the usual suspect @:

 John B. Boykin 

    "The Hard Hat Photographer"

        Photography and Media Relations

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Life's purpose is not to arrive at the grave with the body in good shape. Hell no, you want your body worn slap out, skidding in sideways, eyes bloodshot, hair smoking and all the while hollering "Yee Haw !! ...  What a ride !!"