Swallowed by Utah

Nearing the end of our drive to Ogden UT, we descended into a deep canyon and were met with a series of industrial-strength wind gusts.

We already had been introduced to western winds that morning when, just west of Cheyenne on I-80, we passed two semis - one jack-knifed in a big ditch, the other on its side, both blown off the road. The wind kept at us all day as we crossed the high plains and the mountains.

One shouldn’t expect too much wind in a canyon, not anything like the mountains. These blasts, however, seemed driven by the devil. They carried sand and small rocks from the canyon walls, drove them into the newly repaired paint of our car and pitted the front window in a thousand places, as though with bird shot. For good measure we were slammed on the side with a mightily flung and good-sized piece of metal, branding the Accord with yet another reason to have stayed home.

Welcome to Utah, pilgrims.

We had come there to celebrate the promotion of my Air Force son to the rank of tech sergeant. It’s a big deal, rank-wise and pay-wise.

His squadron held an informal ceremony, which included the symbolic pasting-on of the stripes by the fists of airmen. Maybe because Mom was watching, Lance didn’t take much of a beating. However, Mom and Lance’s wife, Shannon, got the first chance to take a shot at him and here’s a an official Air Force photo of the unbridled cruelty of that moment.



We had planned to stay four days, that we might get reacquainted with our 17-month-old grandson, Preston. This is when I began teaching him how to write, as he snatched my pen, clicked it several times before surrendering it, only to grab it from my pocket again.



Though four days would have been plenty, storms from the northwest kept barreling across northern Utah and bringing snow and high winds to Wyoming. That was when Ohio was in the 70’s, flowers coming on strong and folks back here were frolicking in summer clothes. It was only after the eighth day that we found a clear trough in the weather to follow eastward back to Ohio.

Playing with one’s grandson for days on end is pretty neat, but better things might happen to a person than being stuck so far away and for so long.

Another plan to pick pockets of citizens

Along comes another special interest group to push a dumb idea on local people for the sake of private profit. This time it's the highway engineers who want to make Ohio 16 a toll road. Can you imagine a toll road through the heart of Newark and Licking County? Sheesh.

A representative of the Ohio Engineers Association told a gathering of officials from seven Ohio counties this was the only option for pushing westward on the Columbus-to-Pittsburgh connector; that no other funds are available.

He failed to mention who, exactly, needs such a connector. He failed to mention that, if and when motorists ever need such a connector, the road would be funded exactly as are other highway construction projects.

But the idea for this thing doesn't come from motorists' needs. It comes from profiteers like the engineers and other profiteers up and down the connector.

The engineers' mouthpiece said, according to the Advocate report, that it would be difficult to get support of local officials. He failed to mention that the reason is nobody wants or needs such a monstrosity - expensive to build and expensive and inconvenient to use.

Though he didn't commit himself in the Advocate report, likely the engineers could count on Doug Smith. He's the Licking County commissioner who so far has dodged voter retaliation for his part in placing a sales tax on citizens without their consent. For elected officials to back the idea of the toll road would require they "not think of it as impediment to the next election," he was quoted as saying. Right. They may not be as lucky as Commissioner Smith.

Spinning in a world of magic

Come experience the Mansfield carousel - a photo is at this link.

Inniswood Garden is a nice little trip

This is among the Big Bug displays at Inniswood Garden through October 14. If you haven't been to this neat 121-acre park in Westerville, these "art" objects are a good excuse.

There are eight displays constructed of wood like this spider - a grasshopper, ant, and ladybug for instance.

The sculpture is more of a curiosity than great art, but it's a wonderful learning experience for little kids, and the park isn't so large that everyone gets worn out trying to see everything.

Also, there are still flowers about, though not nearly as many as you'd see during the height of growing season. If you go, don't miss "Sisters' Garden," a special place for kids and those who are still kids at heart.

Here's the web site.