I saw this sign a month ago when driving to the Farm. I was floored, so much so that I whipped the old SheepleJeeple into that drive, turned around, and had better 1/2 take a pic. I am still a bit freaked out by this sign.
We were cruising along M-33 and had to take a left onto County Road 451 to head into Hillman and then on north toward the homestead. This is nothing new, been doing this since I was a wee lad asleep in the back seat of ye olde Comet. It was not there and I am not sure when it did pop up. I am sure it has been there for a couple of years and I just noticed it, but it is fairly new. Weird, I know.
The left turn still drives me crazy, been like that for years, but it used to be a straight shot into Hillman and the old steel rail bridge. You knew you were in Hillman when you went down the hill to the little 1 1/2 lane bridge. It creaked, that old steel bridge. Now its a left hand turn and has signage.
Royston on a highway marker, 8 miles away? I mean Royston really is a wide spot in the road and if you dont know you are there, you.. dont know you went through it. I almost missed it myself this time around, it has changed. Yes..it has changed. I knew we were there when I was a kid because when we came around the bend I could see the big pine tree and the school bus. The lady that lived there drove bus and parked it in her drive on the weekends. Crazy eh?
Rogers City on a sign, 27 miles away? Sure, I can see that, Rogers is a pretty big burg and the biggest metroplitan area in Presque Isle county. So yeah.. I can see that. Makes sense to have a sign pointing the way North for all the down staters.
After all, most of the old farmsteads in that area have become almost ghost town like. The old folks are passing on and all the kids, my parents generation, moved down state for jobs 40 years ago. Their kids(myself included) stayed and work and live down state and only visit north once in a great while. It makes sense to have that on a sign, most have forgotten the way.
But Hawks? Really? You thought I forgot, didn't you. I have not. Seeing that on a sign blew my mind. I don't need a sign to point me the way. Apparently, someone somewhere, thought people might. I know the way, I will not forget.
The old signs are gone. The new signs are too new for me, but they do mark the way for the techno-tot. That right there is both good and bad. I don't need the signs, the path is etched in my mind, I could travel there without so much as a glance. Year after year, spent a long time on roads in all weather and even during holiday weekends crawling along the Great North Road.
The t-k does not have that as a concious memeory. Yet. Oh I have no doubt it is there, buried deep. I just have to coax it out and he can see that road through my eyes, and I can see it through him. It is something I need to pass along to all the boyos and I have not done that enough. Yet.
Some people only want the destination, some only want the trip. Me? I want all of it, because it is all worthy of a wanderer. Time travel is groovy dontchya think?
They're doing this nostalgia "Do you remember when" thing on FB that's driving me crazy but I do remember when and it's all changed only I don't have any little guys to pass it along to.
Posted by: Chikuba | 08/13/2011 at 06:28 AM
Sure you do, pass it along to all of us. We would love to read all about it.
Posted by: Patrick | 08/14/2011 at 06:21 PM