Been a While

Yes it's been a while here, but that's because I was on my week (and a day) break, and I had much better things to do. But now I'm back, back in Dodge City, ready to get the last leg of this season over and done with so I can go back to a somewhat more normal life, at least I am hoping so!!

The strange thing is I've been in a particularly good mood since I've come back out. I have no idea why though. I don't think it's because I know I won't be out here much longer, I haven't been thinking about that, because thinking about it will make the time go by much slower. I'm not sure just what it is. I think I have hope for the future again. 

Oddly enough I've been thinking a lot about my past and the people in my past. When I've thought about that stuff earlier this year it made me depressed, but now it doesn't completely come across that way. It's actually been kind of good to think about some of my past life events and the people in them, perhaps because I'm reminded that the further back I go the fewer people I knew. How does this relate to my future of hope (and change, blech! no time for that political stuff just right now...)? 

The fun times and fun people I can think about in my past at one time were my future. In 2002 I had no idea the people I would know and the things I would do in 2005, and so on. So I realize that, as much as I miss a lot of people from my past, when 2012 rolls around I can imagine there will be a bunch of new people and new events that take place in my life, and even though I don't know what it is yet I can look forward to it. I've come to the realization my life didn't end this past May (even though it felt like it). I have a lot more in front of me and I have to get over the fact a lot of people from my past I will probably never see again, and certainly the events that took place can NEVER take place again, but there will be new people and new events to look forward to.

So despite having no plan after September I am feeling much better than I was just a few months ago. I feel like something is going to happen in my near future, something good. Also adding to my contentment right now is the feeling I've had a few burdens lifted off of me after this past week. Some are great to get rid of, others bittersweet, but all will keep me moving forward and not dwelling on the past (even if I have been thinking a lot about it recently). 

Tonight I spent some time going through some archived e-mails dating all the way back to 2002. It was a nice trip back, it brought up some things I forgot even happened, and also made me question some of the events that would transpire over the following years. But overall it was just a nice trip back, not really all that depressing or sad, just, um, interesting.

Now I say I feel content and hopeful for the future, let's just see what horrible event takes place at work tomorrow to wipe all that out!! 

Wheat Stubble and Poles

Wheat Stubble and Poles
Originally uploaded by kindoflew

About two or three times during the spray season everything comes together to bring a laid back day where I can do my favorite thing to do on the road: photography! Today was one of those days. I had intended to spray east from Dodge City, Kansas, on my way to our new location in Newton. However before I could even get started the wind picked up to the point of no spraying, so that left me with the whole day to make the drive to Newton and lots of time for photography!

The landscape of western Kansas, both natural and manmade, is fascinating to me. Vast open plains with nary a tree, hundreds of pole lines, and huge, white concrete elevators the can be seen for a good 10 miles over the landscape. I could probably spend month photographing here and not get bored. That's why it was so great to get to do a little on my way east today.

By far this was my favorite photo of the day. It's so simple, yet so interesting. The wheel tracks through the wheat stubble against darker field of milo in the background is a nice contrast as is the vertical stubble and grass with the man-made poles in the background. The smooth, light texture of the sky is also a nice contrast with the rougher texture of the field. I'm very glad I turned around to grab this photo!

One of the Better Mornings

As you know I've had a real distaste for my spraying job this year which has resulted in a lot of me whining here. But somedays things come together to make at least part of the day very nice. Today was one of those days. 

We had to meet our BNSF pilot at Coolidge, Kansas, the last town on Highway 50 before you enter Colorado. The landscape is a lonely-looking vastness filled with irrigated corn and rangeland and nary a house or tree to be found. It's actually quite fascinating.

Our meet time was 0730 so we arrived a little early, just in time for the sunrise. It was amazingly still out and the fog hovering over the ground was a bit eerie. I knew Amtrak's Southwest Chief had a station stop at Garden City, about 67 miles to the east, around 0645, so I figured we would see them blast by us. Sure enough just after 0730 I could hear the distinct sound of a 5-chime horn and the chug-chugging of a four-stroke General Electric diesel engine. The light was magnificent so I snapped a coming and going shot of the train.

The stillness of Coolidge was briefly broken as the train roared through town, though way below the 79 mph speed limit. This portion of the La Junta Subdivision still has jointed rail and it was nice to hear the clickty-clack of the railroad track as they used to say (compared to the continuous welded rail, which is more of a constant scream). You could follow the red marker lights at the end of the train for several miles before it disappeared into Colorado on its way to Los Angeles. Indeed it was one of the better mornings on this job!