A Beautiful Place to Break a Camera

So I am standing at the top of the High Falls of the Cheat in Shavers Fork area of the Mon Forest. I turn to walk away from the edge and lose my footing on some mossy, wet rock. As I am falling on top of my Canon 30D, the following thoughts flash through my head...

My 17-40 L lens doesn't have a UV filter to protect it from this fall. I don't really have any time to protect the camera with my hands, arms or face, so I guess this lens is toast. I have always been in the camp of people that figures if you spend money to get a good lens, you shouldn't put a cheap piece of glass in front of it just in the name of protection. I always say that if you don't take your camera into risky places, then you will never get a great shot. It is only a matter of time before any piece of well loved camera equipment gets damaged or broken.....OUCH...skin on my elbow is scrapping off....OUCH, the lens is shattered. I guess I am gonna have to get that 24-105 that I have been considering. Let's have a look...Damn!!

The lens wasn't shattered, even though I came down hard on the bottom of the lens. It still seems to take sharp photos. No damage was done to the best of my knowledge.

...and to add insult to injury, I fell directly in front of an observation deck with a bunch of horrified people looking on. One man offered me a paper towl he was carrying. I used it to dry off the camera. I think he meant it for my bleeding elbow.