Making Tracks Across The Country

When recently looking for some other photos, I came across this shot I took of a train board. At the time, it reminded me of my grandfather, since he had trains set up all over his house since the day I was born, until the day he died. He had big and small scale trains, N Scale, OO and HO Gauge if I remember correctly. He had a large, extremely detailed train board that my brother and I loved to watch him work on. When he got older and my grandparents moved from their house to an apartment, he had a smaller board set up in the kitchen. It was great.

Today this picture made me think of everything we pass by on a daily basis when on the road. I look at everything - trees, farms, broken down cars in people's yards, swingsets and kids toys strewn about, cows and horses grazing in fields. I feel like my work day is alive, with something always going on. Always different, always somewhere new.

I've mentioned before how I have favorite parts of the country, and mostly it's because of what I get to see while there. I generally hate anywhere that's hot, but if I can't escape the heat, I prefer to be in an area I enjoy. I really don't like the western part of the country at all - especially the Southwest where everything is flat, dusty, dead looking and barren. I like seeing trees, rivers, mountains, fall foliage, spring buds, barns, snow, traffic and urban areas.

I love when I come across something unexpected. Like a week ago this guy in a pickup truck cut in front of me, from the far left lane to the far right lane, speeding of course, to pull into a rest area. I was watching him thinking, "What an idiot. Why is he going so fast into a rest area?? That's so unsafe." when BAM! - his front left wheel completely FELL OFF THE TRUCK and he slid about a hundred feet in a shower of sparks. The entire wheel, tire and rim, just came right off and went rolling behind him down the ramp he just pulled into. I got it on video. I don't know what happened because I couldn't stop, I was already past him, but I watched it happen out the passenger window.

Or today, when I saw a guy in an orange helmet, on a zipline that ran parallel to the interstate - he was crossing the river at the same time I was - him on the zipline, me over the bridge. Very cool.

I see animals all the time playing in the fields with each other - horses running side by side, cows butting heads, calves nuzzling their mothers. I love seeing alpacas, because no matter how many times I've seen them, there's always that moment where I say to myself, what the hell is that?? and then I remember. Oh yeah, an alpaca.

The only time I like to drive at night is when I'm going across an area that I don't like or that's visually unappealing to me. Have you ever driven through West Texas? I happen to think it's beautiful at night. It seems I won't be around for the smattering of snow the Northeast is going to be getting, but maybe I'll be a little luckier on the next trip.

Life, for sure, is passing me by; but in the good way. And I'm not missing a minute of it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: Eddie Is The King Of The Dome
2 YEARS AGO: Do It For Half An Hour A Day
3 YEARS AGO: Sipping In Nyack
4 YEARS AGO: The Tink Tink Tinkle Of Recycling
5 YEARS AGO: Ralph’s Service Station
6 YEARS AGO: The Isle Of Capri