Adventure 294: Chadron State Park, NE

Lotsa Sand Out There.

I'd like to reflect a moment on the notion of toughness, that "sand" so to speak. We're all tough in our own way. Vince Lombardi said, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". Some people take solace that when things get tough, "The Lord gives us nothing we can't handle." My favorite tough thought though, is Hunter S. Thompson's line, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." It's arguably weird out there in the "real" world right now, and while I haven't figured out a way to make money off the circumstance, I think it is a true, blue American sentiment. Last night at dinner, cousin Dale, responding to a question I asked him about corporate farming, explained that there are corporations and LLCs, but most are family held and done to manage taxes and to ease the transfer of business, land, and futures to the next generation. He said at least in Nebraska, there aren't many large outside corporations in the farming business. He gave an example of a farmer in Iowa who profits all across the production stream. The farmer grows grain, which feeds live stock, which is butchered and sold, as are the chickens who lay eggs, who are then butchered and sold, and the cycle repeats in a way that is sustainable. I think this lifestyle is the very essence of "sand". If anybody travels across the bread basket of America as we have lately, they're bound to see people "scratching a living from the earth" as Dale put it. These people astound me. They have extreme faith, more courage, and the ability to rely on themselves. Now that's sandy. I dare anyone not to wiggle their toes in the sand without realizing that life in America is good, especially today.

 As Asleep at the Wheel says, "It's miles and miles of....."

 Coal trains in the distance.

 Coal trains up close.

Twin engines pulling, two middle engines straining, one engine pushing.