DH surprised me with this unique Anniversary Gift. He planned a 2 hr. plane excursion this morning over these lovely Sandhills. I live in a town of 8900, far out in the boonies, western Nebraska , and I wanted to show YOU how open and wide the spaces are, outside of town. Photos were quickly shot from the plane - you won't recognize anything but they DO show you the landscape. It was a lovely gift - something we'll both remember for many years. Our plane was a 1976 Cessna Sky Hawk, piloted by a talented and knowledgeable pilot.
Below - east of town, there is a LOT of space.
Below - see the dot? Our shadow. 8-))
OK, I'm a quilter - was inspired by the lines!
Despite being a dry climate, there are many small lakes in the Sandhills. Most are not good water.
I think this was Crescent Lake Recreational Center - a waterfowl sanctuary. We saw a lot of white pelicans.
Below - one pivot, this crop looks like corn. Some of the dark blotches in the back are lakes, others are cloud shadows.
Below - 6 pivots all together. There is a car or truck on the road, that little dark splotch before the "Y" on the road. A pivot is an irrigation system, with a well in the center and a huge spraying contraptions that move in circles, irrigating the various crops. These might be corn.
We had lightning and an unusual heavy rain last night, and saw 3-4 blackened areas that had been struck by lightning, burned, and apparently distinquished by the unexpected rain (no photo). Signs on highways are remind motorists to beware of range fires, a serious danger in dry seasons.
The "Sandhills" cover large areas east of my home. Fields appear pockparked with humps and hills, many sprinkled with cattle, deer, some antelope. From the air, we can see huge farms and ranches, waaaay off from main roads. Large amounts of land is necessary for cattle. Farms/ranches of 100,000 acres is not unusual.
Below is my town, Alliance.
75% of this town's economy, is related to railroads. I counted 25 parked trains as we flew over, currently parked due to EPA restrictions on coal emissions. The trains carry coal, from Wyoming. A fully loaded train will be 130 cars long. At times I've wondered if there is anything left of Wyoming, due to the many trains full of coal that pass thru this area.
Below - DH and I, two old fogies living in the fast lane - our 18th anniversary! A very good day!
