There seems to be a magic line that separates the country from the cities. There is a point where you get far enough from the city, where farms arenβt surrounded by suburbia or concerned with the suburban way of life. There might still be long distance exburbian commuters out in these parts, but they are essentially rural and free of the control of the big city.
There are several things that come to mind when you are truly in a rural place:
Speed Limit as 55 MPH. The state speed limit starts in almost all non-hamlet parts of rural towns. If the vast majority of roads in the town can be driven essentially as fast as you dare, then your in a rural place.
No Local Police Enforcing Local Laws. Rural communities may still have their own code inspectors and assistance from state police, but there is not the police presence that exists in the big cities. There simply is not the crime in the country, and lots of people leave their keys in their ignition.
Agriculture Not a Quaint Part of the Past. In most truly rural towns agriculture is not just a quaint hobby of people, but is a professional occupation of a number of citizens. In many rural towns there are far more hobby farmers then professionals, but the agriculture preformed on both farms is different then closer to suburbia, and often involves big animals.
People Burn Their Trash. While fewer and fewer people still have burn barrels, particularly in exurbian areas, in truly rural areas the vast majority of people still take their trash out back and burn it. Trash pickup simply is incompatible with the way of life of Rural America.
Big Pickups and Quads. People out in the country are more likely to own pickup trucks and quads. There is a need for vehicles that can haul things, and there is a culture that supports the pickup truck way of life. And people like playing our in nature with their snowmobiles and quads. Not to mention itβs fun to chase cows around on the quad.
Large Segments of Population Donβt Go to the City. The exburban and suburban commuter regularly drives to the city, rural people do not. There may be some exceptions, and most people do come together in a community regardless of where they live, but more often then not itβs a small city of less then 30,000 people.
In other words, a large segment of the rural population is wild and free, and not controlled like people in the big city. They arenβt limited in their possibilies or their land, or how they must live their life.
The Town of Greenville is 39 sq miles, the Bourgh of Manhattan is 33 sq miles. A few more cows in Greenville though then Manhattan.
Staten Island about the size of Altona in Clinton County at 101 square miles. A few less wind turbines in Staten Island, and far less hot air.
All of New York City would fit into the area of Town of Long Lake, Webb, or Brookhaven.
The Town of Westerlo is approximately the same size as the Borough of Bronx at 58 square miles. Yes, but do they have Dick Rapp as their town supervisor?
The biggest town area-wise in New York State is Brookhaven on Long Island at 532 sq miles. Town of Webb (Old Forge) has 483 sq miles.
The difference between the year-round population of the Town of Webb and Town of Brookhaven is about the population of Albany County at 295,000 persons.
Yonkers is about the same size as Albany, NY at 21 square miles.
The typical town in Western NY is 36 square miles and is a nice square shape. Not all though as geography sometimes over rides that nice square shape.
The largest town in Western NY is Bath, NY at 101 square miles, or about the size of Staten Island.
Owego, near Binghamton is the largest Central New York town at 101 square miles. It should not be confused with Oswego which is near Syracuse.
Yesterday, I gave you some of my thoughts about the urban life β what I like about it β and the key elements that I think I find enjoyable about it from connectivity and accessibility of products and services nearby by walking or taking public transit.
Yet, Iβm in my heart a country boy, and I love spending time in the woods.
Live in a small community, with a small city (of around 20,000 persons) within 15-30 miles.
Own inexpensive land in hilly, rocky area, maybe 25-50 acres of woodland/pasture that I could run a couple head of cattle on, ride ATVs around.
Hobby farm a little bit, grow some of my own food, kill and eat my own animals.
Have no neighbors right nearby to bother me, be able to have fires, and burn my garbage (love fire!).
Be able to shoot targets and play with guns in my backyard.
Relatively low property taxes and fees so I could afford the land.
Have ATVs and snowmobiles, handguns and more long-guns, that I could ride around own land.
A big 3/4 ton or 1 ton 4Γ4 off-road pickup truck with cap.
State or federal public forest land nearby to hunt and fish on, along with ride ATVs and snowmobiles on.
Places in the boondocks nearby where I can truck camp or tent camp for free.
Hilltops and ridges to climb up on, look at wilderness and valleys below.
Lakes and ponds to swim and paddle around on, and fish.
Low taxes, friendly and helpful government agencies.
There is a lot to celebrate about living in a quality urban community and living the urban life, I sure do love the wild nature of Rural America and the folks who spend every day of their lives in the wood.
More and more companies are offering so-called green products, that are biodegradable, organically farmed, or are natural. They all promise that they not only will make your life better, but are also easy on the planet. But the truth is most of them are pretty bad for our environment.
The truth itβs always better to buy nothing at all and minimize consumption then buy green products. Any time you purchase something it is a product that has been produced and made out of products from our environment. Most products contain a variety of non-renewable resources, that will never be replaced once you consume them.
Do you really need that new television or computer? How about that sofa bed or other piece of furniture?
Our biggest source of solid waste is from the consumption and disposal of the big objects in our lives: our furniture, our housing. Indeed, if you could learn to live with older furniture and older equipment you could do much to reduce your impact on the earth. While we can often buy new at low prices, we should think twice and consider our impact on the planet.
Instead, we should focus on investing more and buying less. If you save money, and buy only things you need that will have a lasting benefit on your life, but a relatively minor environmental impact. Reduce expenditures on things that depreciate quickly in value, and invest in things that either depreciate slowly or gain value.
Why smile? There is so much hate in our society, and so much evil. Why be happy? The reasons are summed up in one word: hope. We must love each other and hope for a better tomorrow, and our smile is one way to reflect that hope for a better tomorrow.
There is so much good in our world today that we should all celebrate as individuals. There are beautiful green forests and farm fields all around, cities that offer exciting opportunities to individuals, and a world that is already amazingly technologically advanced. This is only a picture of what is to come in our beautiful world that surrounds us.
A smile is a celebration of life in what it is and what it is becoming. It is a reaction to a feeling of ecstasy that dominates us from world around us. How can you not react positively to a world of happy faces and so much color? Smile a little bit more.
It was almost two years ago when they blew up the old Lake Champlain Bridgeβ¦
β Andy
Yesterday, I drove up to Chimney Point, in Vermont outside of Addison to witness the sad but historic passing of the Champlain Bridge. The massive 80-year old span was imploded into the frozen lake, after two piers where discovered badly damaged, and was determined to be likely to fail catastrophically without a controlled demolition.
It is sad to see such a historic landmark go. Nobody really wanted to see such a landmark go up into a pile of rubble. As I stood there on Chimney Point, I stood next to many farmers and other local residents who had been alongside of and over the Champlain Bridge thousands of times. Itβs such a big landmark, that stands out over the landscape, with itβs arches reaching 130 feet above the flat landscape around. Pictures simply donβt do justice. Many had grown up seeing itβs majestic spans and beautiful archways, and just assumed it would always be there. Some of the oldest residents might even remember back 80-years ago to 1929, when the bridge was under construction.
It was truly a community event. I swear every person from the very rural Addison County, VT and surrounding areas had to have been there. I donβt think Iβve ever seen so many pickup trucks with dairy-farming related bumper stickers, men and children with muck boots on, Carharts and seed-hats. It was such an amazing group of people, with such a complicated mix of emotions about the demolition of the bridge. People where sad to see it go, but also hopeful for the new bridge. Some where cynical that something ever as great could be built again.
The wintry weather made the span almost invisible from the site about 3,000 feet away from the bridge where I was looking at. Chimney Point had probably the best viewpoint of the Champlain Bridge on a sunny day, your back would be to the sun, and with a back drop of the Adirondack Mountains. You could see the bridge fade in and out like a ghost as the snow squalls blew out and blew in. What you could see was so massive, so beautiful. Yet eerie, because all that was left was the lightest silhouette of the old bridge. The silhouette was so light, that it was hidden from the camera.
Then there was the loud bang, right at ten in the morning β a thunderous roar lasting less then a second or two, that shook the ground and sent ice soaring a foot into the air on Lake Champlain, even as far away as we where. The energy wave forced upon the lake and the surrounding landscape shook the parked cars so hard that it set off car alarms. It was not like listening to a firecracker going off, but more like a wave of energy coming at you. In the wintry blizzard-like weather, you barely saw the bridge fall, but it was still the most remarkable feeling at you felt the thousands of tons of steel and concrete hit the waters of Lake Champlain.
Vermont 127 and Vermont 17 where one way during the day to allow for parking, so leaving everyone had to drive by the fallen bridge. The once majestic bridge was little more then just a pile of rubble sticking up from the frozen lake in a wintry fury of the snow. I looked like something out of a war photograph, although it was much bigger and much more realistic. It was a bit scary that we as a society could convert such a massive and beautiful structure to just a pile of rubble.
On the 400th Anniversary of Samuel de Champlainβs discovery of Lake Champlain and the fertile plains that surround it, itβs sad to see such a man-made landmark go. Yet, itβs also a reminder of how man made landmarks come and go, and only natural wonders like the mountains and the lake remain. While people since 1929 have looked out across the lake at Chimney Point at the engineering marvel of Champlain Bridge, much of the rest of the landscape remains unchanged since the day Samuel de Champlain first made his voyage in 1609.
A new bridge will replace the first Lake Champlain bridge, and service the automobile, truck, pedestrian, and bicycle needs of the 21st century, but it will be little more then an impermanent landmark that must someday fall and be destroyed like the first Lake Champlain Bridge. Nobody can foresee the demolition of the new bridge, in some future century, but it will ultimately be gone just like the first bridge is now gone.
(this picture taken just north of the bridge was taken in March 2006).
Blue β Bridge
Yellow β My View
Green β Where I Parked