Yesterday's Weapons Forums

A friend wanted to see pics of where I work... here are two that pretty much sum the place up. SW

Folks say there aren't any trees out here... Not true! Here we have - in all its arboreal splendor - ***long drum roll*** Ta-daaaaaaaaaa!!! The Bill National Forest! MP 95.7 on the BN/UP Coal Line.

It's considered a state treasure, and even birds are in awe of it. Heck, on weekends, dad bird will put together a bindle of birdseed, and mom will get the squabs presentable so they can fly over and gape in wonder.

The avian fambly will then spend the entire day contemplating the sight. The squablings might be allowed a brief excursion into the shadow, but their toes may not defile the limbs lest too many leaves become loosened thereby jeopardizing the forest's health!

Take a good, long gaze yourself, friends! There ain't many of these out there!




This sign is near Bill. You want to talk about a desolate road! From this point on Hwy 59, it's close to 85 miles east to the next paved road which connects Lusk & Newcastle. Along these 85 miles, there are exactly FIVE ranches! I have been over it all except for the first 20 east of the sign shown.

All open range, of course. And so seldom-traveled, you might not see tracks for many miles.

Having been out there, I am here to tell you there's not much difference between a Rochelle Hill and a Cow Creek Butte! Lots o' goats, though... and deer that have never seen a human before. Prairie dogs? Beyond counting! I took a 22 rifle along one time and shot up two boxes from one spot & not twice at the same pasture poodle!

In some of the ravines, you will see small coal seams. I once saw a badger emerge from one, & boy howdy, was he ever BLACK! And well on the way to qualifying for federal black lung benefits!

Yes, this country is desolate, but I am from this part of the world and would just not be happy anywhere else. There is much raw beauty and solitude.... seems the older I get, the more I appreciate the latter.

Not as cool as Holland, but it's home. I will never live anywhere else. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

....I share your opinion of living out there...as long as I had water and food and power for the basics(and a place to poop) I'd be content.....especially since I'd have a range all around... ....I'd previously used Google Earth and "flown" your route to the place of employment.....as you say-stark beauty

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....Naj puška govori!....
.............deplorable typical "bitter clinger"....

thats an eye opener , even though ive been thru there once a long while ago , it is totaly overwhelming to see that great expanse of this country and realise its not even close to all of it , its like looking out over the grand canyon , one just plain cant grasp it all

Where's the graffiti?

It's usually bullet holes instead of graffiti here. But there are so many prairie dogs, the signs don't get shot up that much. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

'Tagging' must be a universal art form. You see some actual art on rail cars, but given the price of spray paint, it has to be expensive.

The railroad here has an inexpensive solvent, and a lot of the spray paint signs disappear quickly these days. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

so are all of your trains electric ? hooked to the overhead lines ?

interesting , thanks martin , learned something new today