Of course the Twenty Mule Team Museum is enough for most people, but I'm not most people. I had to have more. My next veer off the road happened when I saw the "Wildlife Viewing Area" sign, pointing left. I did in fact veer left, across a lane or two of traffic, to get to the left-turn lane and head down an asphalt road with a lot of dips in it:
It's the kind of road that leaves your stomach behind. But at least it's asphalt. The sign at the entrance said the viewing area was eight miles, so I looked at my odometer. Up and down and up and down so much I was getting seasick. I saw a long glittery thing off in the distance and wondered if it were a lake. The name of the road was the name of a lake - Harris Lake? I can't remember. I thought maybe the wildlife would be near a lake. Eventually I passed this relic from the past:
Somehow it seems to have so much potential. Just as it is. That canopy at the entrance actually angles toward the left, a little unusual. There was no sign of life there. Not far from this building was another of the wildlife viewing signs, the picture of binoculars, pointing right, so I headed down what was now a dirt road. Gravel and dirt. I was getting a little nervous now, thinking what would I do if my car got stuck in the sand, but I plowed on. I passed this house, somehow perfect where it was:
The very desolation of the landscape both encouraged and discouraged me. When I saw this row of trees, extending well beyond the plane of this picture, I wondered if it might be home to birds:
The road got more difficult. I kept following the signs, landing on what seemed like a farm road. When I had reached about eight miles I looked around and decided that enough was enough. If I were to go further I might get seriously stuck and it was obvious I had no idea what I was seeing. I stopped the car and took a shot of what was there:
This is a job for a four-wheeler and a guide, I decided. Perhaps in the spring there might be tours? I had to count this one as a failure...almost. Because on the way out I got back on the asphalt road and headed for the glittery light, which was:
The solar farm! It stretches farther than I could see and my camera couldn't begin to take it in. I had indeed found it, and I would not have if I had not been off looking for wildlife.
It's the kind of road that leaves your stomach behind. But at least it's asphalt. The sign at the entrance said the viewing area was eight miles, so I looked at my odometer. Up and down and up and down so much I was getting seasick. I saw a long glittery thing off in the distance and wondered if it were a lake. The name of the road was the name of a lake - Harris Lake? I can't remember. I thought maybe the wildlife would be near a lake. Eventually I passed this relic from the past:
Somehow it seems to have so much potential. Just as it is. That canopy at the entrance actually angles toward the left, a little unusual. There was no sign of life there. Not far from this building was another of the wildlife viewing signs, the picture of binoculars, pointing right, so I headed down what was now a dirt road. Gravel and dirt. I was getting a little nervous now, thinking what would I do if my car got stuck in the sand, but I plowed on. I passed this house, somehow perfect where it was:
The very desolation of the landscape both encouraged and discouraged me. When I saw this row of trees, extending well beyond the plane of this picture, I wondered if it might be home to birds:
The road got more difficult. I kept following the signs, landing on what seemed like a farm road. When I had reached about eight miles I looked around and decided that enough was enough. If I were to go further I might get seriously stuck and it was obvious I had no idea what I was seeing. I stopped the car and took a shot of what was there:
This is a job for a four-wheeler and a guide, I decided. Perhaps in the spring there might be tours? I had to count this one as a failure...almost. Because on the way out I got back on the asphalt road and headed for the glittery light, which was:
The solar farm! It stretches farther than I could see and my camera couldn't begin to take it in. I had indeed found it, and I would not have if I had not been off looking for wildlife.
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judith- Judith Lautner
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This is a trip that I have taken so often and this time I have answered so many questions that pop up along the way. It has felt really good to do that.