A Day on the Road

Today was a busy day that involved an hour long drive South, and a return trip back North before heading and hour and a half out East and back. It was a day of at least 280 miles driven! I didn't mind though. The afternoon was pleasant enough and the ever-changing weather kept it interesting. With the music cranked I sang along like a fool and the minutes sped by. Train after train was backed up on the tracks that parallel the highway. Workers were busy at all sorts of junctions welding and what not. I am so curious what the problem was! At least three extremely long trains were either crawling or completely stopped all headed the same way on the same limited track. Bamboo flooring and coal were two of the loads they were carrying. I find trains so interesting. :) As I continued closer to my destination today, the mountains started to wander off and the valley opened up wide. I like that area. It reminds me of the highline but less scary with the mountains still in view. (I've gotta have at least a few on the horizon!) The foothills roll down covered in shrubs before descending to the wheat fields. The texture of the ranch land is beautiful, all so perfectly woven together. It's as if the mountains have sat down and spread smooth their straw-colored skirts. I was early to my last appointment so I amused myself and wasted time driving down one of the back roads. I cooed silently at the new calves in the fields and day dreamed of the day when the crops would be up and growing again. A stiff wind had followed me on my way and was disturbing the lightest layer of snow. It blew as fast as I drove, casting a cloud of white over scrubby sage bushes and around low orchard trees. It looked like swift fog hovering only a foot about the ground and gave the landscape an eerie, haunted feeling. This country is mesmerizing. I never get tired of the highway when I'm traveling around Montana. :)