I still run on roads 2-3 days a week, and this year I noticed something I hadn't really seen before. I've been seeing a lot of empty "nips" by the side of the road (also known as "airplane bottles," these are the mini plastic bottles that hold a single serving of liquor). I imagine that someone will knock back a tiny bottle as they're driving, then they just roll down the window and throw it out.
The first several nips that I noticed were all empty bottles of Fireball (which is cinnamon-flavored Canadian whisky). It struck me as an interesting phenomenon. I wondered: Is it one person in this area who loves to drink & drive and has a strong preference for Fireball? Or is it that Fireball's cinnamony punch is perfect for drinking straight out of the bottle, so anyone who enjoys drinking and driving might prefer Fireball for its palatibility? I started photographing the Fireball Nips that I came across. I soon found that people do drink and litter other types of liquor. (I have been seeing beer cans by the side of the road for years, but the liquor thing seems more prevalent lately).
Here is my photo essay on Roadside Nips. I may add to it later if I come across more.
June 12, 2021
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| Fireball |
June 17, 2021
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| Fireball |
June 20, 2021
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| Dr. McGillicuddy's Mentholmint (1 of a pair) |
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| Dr. McGillicuddy's (both) |
September 4, 2021 (right outside a liquor store)
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| Malibu coconut rum |
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| Jack Daniels whiskey |
September 25, 2021
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| Fireball |
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| Tito's vodka |
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| Kahlua |
Are you seeing more nips than usual these days, or if you see one after reading this, will you come back and leave a comment?
There is a subcategory of running chat called "seen on my run" and people will tell crazy stories of bears or unique human phenomena that happened while they were out running. Personally I like to look at litter or roadside jetsam on my runs. The most amazing #seenonmyrun story takes place in Las Vegas, though what I saw that day is not really family-friendly blog material so you'll have to ask me about it sometime. Sometimes I see clothes strewn along the side of the road for yards and yards, and wonder if somebody got into a passive aggressive fight with someone else and just fed that person's belongings out the car window bit by bit while cursing maniacally. I come up with all kind of theories while I'm running!
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