Date:         Wed, 31 Dec 2014 20:07:11 -0500
Reply-To:     KIM BRENNAN <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         KIM BRENNAN <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      A Thursday Drive
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I posted this a few years ago on the Syncro list:

A drive, past places of the past. The camp I stayed at for 2 wonderful weeks when I was 16 and 17. A meadow, green with new grass, feathery at the top. A forest dark in shadow, heavy with the scent of pine. Out again, the road twists left and right and up and down. The wind rushes in through the windows and the sliders. Across a bridge, two deer standing in mid-stream look up as my Syncro zips on by. Up and around. Farmers's fields into the distance, bordered with cedars. Cows heads up cheerfully chewing on the lush grass. Down again, around the bend. Four crows, or perhaps ravens fly up on to the fence. Onward to the crossroad. I turn left. the road twists and turns agains. A brief wonderous view of a mountain ridge to the east, Beige and brown cliffs in stark contrast to the range of greens in the trees. A twist to the right. Sweet smell of honeysuckle, a little more lemony than the crown vetch aroma that fills the air as I come across abandoned fields. Forest, garden, river and field. A draft of cool air flows out from the under the trees, then a warm caress from the air in the next field. 

Cows with heads down getting the damp grass close to the ground. A field so deep that only the head of a lone deer appears above it. A picturesque barn, slowly collapsing with neglect. A different one well kept, with fresh red paint, and wonderful field stone foundation. A woodmill, and the aroma of sawn oak and pine momentarily fill the van. We turn left and the road, barely paved encourages the wildlife to enter. A ruffed grouse flutters up on to a branch on my right. A turkey scrambles up the slope to my left. The deer scatter both ways. A twist and a turn, a turn and a twist, and now we are on top of a ridge. The fields fall to the left and right and we drive on top of it all. 

But now the ridge falls, and so do we. A shallow depression on the left, fills with water and now is a rippling stream that follows us down. The forest closes in, and trees are bigger here. The stream too. Then with a burst of light, we come to a new field, my stream joins a river, The sun westering on my right dazzles us, and we slow. A one lane bridge and a Tee. We turn right. A historical marker about a murder and we enter a town. Slow, slow there are people about, and lovely old houses, beautifully kept.. A fisherman in the river, and we leave the town, now we are heading up the river valley, twisting left and right hugging the mountain on the western side of the river. 

An Ice Cream Soda Shoppe, with a hot rod shop next door. One more twist, and our turn approaches. Across a one lane bridge we plunge again into the mountain side, a trout stream to our left. A vulture (or was that an eagle) flies high above us. Here there are sheep, mostly white but one that is mottled stands out from the herd. The stream now forms a series of stair steps and we go up marveling at the minor cascade that is formed. A long row of a poultry barn, a duck pond. And now we leave the paved road for good. The gravel here is near washed away from recent storms but we cross the ruts with no incidence. We squish into some mud pits, and then scramble up the final slope. We have arrived. The sun sets, the Milkyway appears. The breezes turn cool. It is time to sleep.