Had a phone call from a friend the other day asking if I’d like to come along while she ran an errand–delivering a newly machined part to her husband at his logging site. She knows I’m always eager for a chance to see all the wilderness lakes hereabouts. There all ‘out there’ for me, way down logging roads on which I never venture for want of a hardy vehicle and a two-way radio for navigating…For her, they are a work-a-day drive. So off we went!
I quickly learned the necessity of having a two-way radio. This is logging truck territory. They have the right-of-way. There’s no arguing to be done on a narrow muddy road around a blind curve. You had better know who’s coming and pull out ahead of time… It is a bit terrifying to look ahead and see an industrial size dump truck barreling down on you unannounced. He’s got places to go, and fast. You are welcome to take to the ditch… We hugged the shoulder and lived to proceed…
As we reached the site this lumbering monster had to take to the hillside to make room for us to pass and deliver our part to the sleeping giant at the top of the hill…
Funny how much bigger these machines are close-up. Am I big or small? Depends on your perspective?
Hmm…could be an analogy there somewhere. Things aren’t always as they seem.
Speaking of which, let me introduce the man-in-charge of this operation. He’s a logger, a biker and a terrific Bible teacher. I’ve never met anyone quite like him. He’s passionate about knowing and conveying Truth. And under that rough and tough exterior is a compelling love for Jesus.
Rain or shine, trees must come down as surely as phone poles go up. The tagged poles in the foreground are prospective phone poles. (And my camera is getting wet.)
And here’s the fellow that does the felling–hugs ’em and hews ’em down in one fell swoop. TIMBER!!!
Tour’s over, gotta get out of the way. First a quick shot of Nanton Lake from above…
As we head back down to take a closer look at this beauty I begin to learn the two-way radio protocol. It’s more than a cool pastime out here: “Pick-up heading down Stillwater at Mile 12″…
—“Logging truck heading down Stillwater at Mile 13” (He’s following us!)
—“Gravel truck heading UP Stillwater at Mile 10” (Yikes, he’s headed our way!)
and heres’ our part::
—“Pick-up CLEAR on the Stillwater at Mile 12 1/2 (We pulled out to let the trucks ‘duke it out’. ) The logging truck did likewise. And moments later the gravel truck appeared and roared on by heading up the Stillwater…
And then there was the turn-off for Nanton Lake. We hopped out in the rain to soak up some raindrops, some silence and some beauty– our mission accomplished.
“And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight…” (Gen.2:9)