Driving across Kansas

I was recently in a wedding in Kansas, and I drove from Dallas across Eastern Kansas and most of the flint hills. I was reminded why I like the prairie. It feels like home.

I think I have figured out a way to describe the difference between the Rockies and the prairie. See where I live is surrounded by harsh mountains of rock and trees that are pointed with pointy leaves. The environment is strong like a man and designed for self defense.
But the prairie is like a woman, her soft grass invites you to run, and her trees invite you to climb. She doesn't restrict your view of the sky or feel the need to surround you. Though she has a temper that appears during tornado season.
She invites you to play and wander. There are few thorns or sharp plants.
And you feel that if you could run fast enough at sunset you might reach the sun. It's not blocked by a mountain.

Exop II

You didn't think I was done with all my expo education did you? I learned a lot more. I learned that logging sports is a collegiate sport. Funny, I don't remember my college having that sport. Long distance track, yes. Logging sports, no.

Anyway, there is the two man saw. Go boys, go!

The one man saw. Go Boy, go!

The ax throw.

This guy isn't bad. I want him on my side next time I have to throw axes at bad guys.

OK, this is interesting, you start below where they are standing, run around the log, run up the log, balance on the log while starting your chain saw and saw the log you are standing on. Safety glasses anyone?

Next is a demonstration, because this is too dangerous to do at the college level. First, you chop a small hole. Oh, and this guy is on ESPN for his excellence in logging sports. (I am NOT kidding).

You stick a stick in it, get up on it,
chop another one, repeat twice.
Oh, and don't forget the just saw through a log with a chain saw competition.
Last, but not least, is the chop through a log with an ax. They gave this guy a special ax head because he is graduating
Don't you feel more educated now that you too are a part of the family forestry expo?

Expo, Expo

Last month I went the the Family Forestry Expo. What?!?!?! You haven't heard of the Family Forestry EXPO?!?!?! Just to prove that I am not making this up, I took a picture of the sign:

See, it does to exist. One of the things to watch at the Family Forestry Expo is how modern day logging is done. I had no idea. First, this red machine just cuts the log and then picks it up,

and lays it gently on the ground. Really, you couldn't even hear it drop.

Then, this yellow machine comes and hauls away a group of logs.

And takes them to this machine that picks up a log at one end and strips the log of branches as it goes through to the other end.

The logs are organized by size so that all the logs in one pile will go to one place to be cut the same size .

And that is what I learned at the Family Forestry Expo.