Channing H. Philbrick Park (formerly Linear Park)

[Matt]

Discuss Philbrick Park and the surrounding area here. This site includes Sgoh-sa-is-thah falls and Honey Creek Falls.

[Matt]

I had a bad experience at this park. When photographing the creek from alongside the trail, a friendly, but clumsy unleashed Golden Retriever ran up to me, jumped on me and then started crawling under my tripod, (which was several feet away). I rushed to grab it before he/she knocked it over. Only damage done: my camera case was covered in dog slobber.

So down the trail comes the owner. “C’mon [insert dog’s name here], leave that man alone”
So casual to have a dog off the leash, running up on people with expensive equipment, 2 feet away from a tumble into the gorge. I confronted him.
“You should have your dog on a leash”
This set him off and he turned a shade of red.
“Your dog could have knocked me off the cliff or broken my camera”
“He wouldn’t have, He’s very friendly. Never hurt a fly. He doesn’t like to be on a leash, and I’ve never had a problem.”

Reasonably I say: “That’s not the point. There are leash laws. Your dog may be friendly, you know him, I don’t. I know nothing about your dog. And with his friendliness he could have caused some damage to my gear, or knock me or any of these kids on the trail off this cliff. He did jump up on me.”
“He wouldn’t do that and he didn’t”
Now, I’m convinced the guy is ignorant I get pissed and I state the obvious “He slobbered all over my bag, that’s damage… you want to pay for that?”
He wipes it up with his hand. “See it’s fine” It isn’t -- it’s stained with a grey patch of dried saliva and my brand new SlingPro bag now smells like dog.

Done with him I start putting my stuff away and look him in the eye and say “just follow the ****ing leash law”
He turns red and points a finger in my face.. I know he wants to start something now. I’m waiting for profanity. I’m expecting him to hit me or something. But I’m confident with people in the park, he won’t do anything. He looks like the kind of guy who’s wife would leave him if she has to bail him out of jail one more time. Then he says: “I OWN this park buddy”

I laugh. He realizes that was probably the stupidest thing he could have said. He goes from red to purple. And I’m grinning. “So you’re Channing H Philbrick?” I say as I walk down towards the trail to my car.
At the trailhead there is a sign. “Pest must be on leash” in big bright yellow. So I stay there and wait for him to come back. When he does, with dog on leash, I make sure he sees me standing in front of the sign.

I have nothing against dogs, I just can’t stand careless owners. The leash laws are to protect both the people and the animals. Other dogs have been attacked by larger dogs sans leash and pets have been put down on court’s order for unintentional injuries because owners neglect leash laws. Regardless, I don’t want to be knocked off a 80 foot cliff because some friendly dog gets excited and wants to lick my face. If the guy wasn’t such as ass, I probably would have left him alone.

[Matt]

A rescue effort today:
http://rochesterhomepage.net/content/fu ... ?cid=15414

[Paul B]