Sunday, Day Three

My leisurely start (thanks to a downpour) made for a late night. I had planned an ambitious day on purpose: I'm hoping to arrive at the ranch in the afternoon on Monday with time to scout the next phase of our commercial shoot to take place in November. So far, the trip has been remarkably uneventful. If I have the opportunity to drive out west again, I think I'd prefer to take longer, avoid the Interstates, and really see the places I'm passing by.

Heading into Nebraska around sunset, I drove through a large area which appeared to have been inundated with flood waters. in fact, part of the Interstate was closed, necessitating a detour.

(This is my complaint with NAV systems. Sometimes I miss the dependable, oversized Rand McNally. There's a lot to be said for pulling out the dog-eared tome and seeing with a cursory glance just where you are and what is the obvious route to take in the event of said detour).

That being said, the scenery was hauntingly beautiful: the sun dipping below the horizon, reflecting sentinel trees wading in the watery landscape. Quite an appropriate backdrop to the book I'm listening to (When the Rivers Run Dry). A particular section dealt with the fact that dams rarely perform as promised, often unleashing greater destruction on the communities below than engineers ever imagine.

And without a Rand McNally, I was left to wonder if I were looking at the remnants of an overflowing river, excess rainfall, or the havoc wreaked by yet another dam.