No Wonder We're So Confused

This photo of the highway signs was taken between Wytheville, Va and Max Meadows, Va.

The photo in a strange sort of way illustrates life.

We seem to be going both directions at once. We're going north while going south. What's even more strange is in reality this stretch of highway really goes more east and west at this point. So what you see isn't always what you get. Check this stretch of highway out on the map sometime.

But life is often like the posted signs. No matter whether it be religion, politics, marriage, family, career or any other important matter, we often are pulled in many directions all at once. What is the real truth? What is the best choice? Should you or shouldn't you?

Sometimes the signs all come together and the direction to be taken is clear. Other times, like these signs indicate, the direction to be taken can be deceiving. While we seem to be going north or south we in reality were going east or west. Which direction are we really going?

Some people say you must have faith to understand the best direction to take. Yet it seems all of my faith trip tiks always contain the same conflicting information seen in the above highway signs.

How about yours?

The Big Bucket

The Big Bucket belonged once to one of the largest earth moving machines in the world.

The Big Muskie was dedicated in 1969. She roamed the Southeastern Ohio strip mining fields for the next 21 years until the Ohio coal boom turned to bust. During her productive life, she moved more than 608 million tons of overburden. Built for American Electic Power by Bucyrus Erie at a cost of 25 million, it took three years to complete the fabrication, assembly and delivery of the machine.




After no longer being needed, efforts to find a permanent place for the machine failed to come to fruition and the machine was dismantled by AEP.

The remaining piece of The Big Muskie, her bucket, came to a final resting place, just east of McConnelsville and just to the west of Caldwell.

Standing in the bucket is Diana and our daughter in law Abby.

The bucket itself weighs 230 tons and could hold 220 cubic yards of earth.

A park was built to commerate the giant machine and the people who worked the coal fields of the region.

Capital City Niagara

One of the prettier scenes in Columbus is Hayden Falls.

Located where Hayden Run empties into the Scioto River, this waterfall was running at full force after the rains and storms of Mothers Day.

It's one of Central Ohio's little known secrets. During my visit there Sunday, I was the only person looking over the beauty until I was just getting ready to leave.

Although the drop is not huge, about 25 feet is what I've read in other places, it still makes for a beautiful shot of Central Ohio scenery.
The falls is also pretty during the winter when the water freezes. The normal water flow is not as ambitious as these photos represent. Although the area is much more dangerous due to other surfaces being icy from splashing or other typical freezing and thawing.

Diggin Deep at the Gas Pump

Nothing deep or from the ol' memory bag.

Gasoline prices continue their unprecidented rise to prices never seen before. And just in time for the summer vacation/activity season.

Has the cost of gasoline caused you to change your summer travel plans?

What is the breaking point before you start using mass transportation?

Do you foresee the United States becoming a cities with mopeds, scooters and bicycles as the major forms of transportation like you so often see in Asian cities?

Let The Galivanting Begin

This weekend marks the first road trip of the year. With gasoline at record price levels and my level of radio work as well as other obligations, Diana and I simply haven't had the time to go out and explore like we like to do.

We're off to the big bucket. More on our return.