The Grand Tour Week Three
By The Misfit | October 22, 2009
I don’t know what it is with time flying by this week. Guess it really does that when you’re having fun.
This week found Mike Rowe and I once again hitting the extremes in terms of geography. We started out in Arkansas playing with Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii). Two things of note: Mike finds it cute that I use to think “Arkansas” (pronounced Ar-Kansas) and “Arkansaw” were two different states when I was little, and he’s not above risking life and limb to prove his bravery.
“Nature, tooth and claw, baby.” ~ Mike Rowe
We spent some time tooling around Dada Creek where traps were set to capture the turtles so they could be measured, weighed, and tagged if need be. All of this was done with Dr. Roth (I believe) from the University of Arkansas who has been monitoring the turtles’ numbers for the past 15 years. The turtles are on Arkansas’ endangered species list due to a decline in their numbers brought about by a loss of habitat and over harvesting.
(Not sure why the over harvesting – turtle soup, anyone?)
Studying these turtles may seem like a fairly safe endeavor, but not only do the researchers have to contend with the turtles themselves (who don’t seem to take too kindly to being captured, on the whole), but according to TPtB (the powers that be) on Dirty Jobs (probably the research department), the turtles aren’t the only thing researchers have to worry about:
“Setting the traps to catch Alligator Snapping Turtles can be as dangerous as the turtles themselves. Sudden summer thunderstorms can roll in over the river and dump torrential rain, forcing the researchers to dodge dangerous lightning strikes while bailing out their boats to avoid sinking.”
Thankfully, the weather for our research excursion was nice.
“Look at you. Aren’t you handsome?” ~ Mike Rowe
Some points of note:
1. Alligator Snapping Turtles are the largest off all the freshwater turtles in North America
2. They’re generally slower than fish and use a “thing” on the end of their tongues to lure fish closer (Mike’s awesome with technical terms).
3. They can weigh in the hundreds of pounds when fully mature.
4. They have the second strongest bite strength of any existing animal (according to wikipedia)
5. They can be quite aggressive.
“Breaking up with a bunch of not-so-dear Johns.” ~ Mike Rowe
After leaving Arkansas, we ventured our way to a small town just outside of San Francisco for a bout of toilet crushing with Sustainable Crushing Ventures.
The first step is to remove the toilet from its current home. In a downtrodden bathroom, this is far more hazardous that one would think. Or maybe not. There are things left in toilets that are, in a word, disgusting. I sat back while Mike handled this one.
Once the toilets are removed, they are broken apart to scavenge the different parts: plastic / rubber, metal, and porcelain. After they’ve been broken down into their separate parts, the porcelain is sent to the Crusher to be ground. This Crusher can grind up to 850 tons per hour. How awesome is that?!
According to GreenYour, the porcelain from recycled toilets can be used for a number of different things:
1. a planter (I’m not sure I’d want to do this one, but it’d make a good conversation piece. I’ve already told Mike no.)
2. new porcelain items
3. porous drainage material
4. substitute for gravel
5. artificial oyster reefs
“Men are always easier. We’re always less complicated.” ~ Mike Rowe
This is the part where I extol Mike Rowe’s virtues and tell why he’s the best pseudo fiancee ever. He loves puppies animals and he’ll clean the bathroom. What more could I ask for?
“I’ve been yelled at all my life for leaving the seat up.” ~ Mike Rowe
Except that he stop leaving the toilet seat up. A girl’s got to have her standards. ;-)
(As an aside, this is where I’m compelled to point out a number of things. I’m sure it’s obvious, but I am NOT Mike Rowe’s fiancee. I don’t really know Mike Rowe. I have nothing to do with the Discovery Channel or Dirty Jobs. I am a fan of the show and Mike Rowe who has too much time and too much creative energy. An influx of visitors arriving on the site from searching for “Mike Rowe fiancee” precipitates the need to add this disclaimer. Also, all quotes are taken directly from episodes of Dirty Jobs. Any mistakes in information are my own and not those of Discovery Channel, Dirty Jobs or Mike Rowe.)
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