Travels in the Midwest with Tammy Horn

Being around with Tammy has been a super experience these last few days... Jet lag slowly left me and I was keen enough to see the country.

And what a country this has been. Forests abound and are so nicely protected. I went to the Natural Bridge State Forest park close to Lexington and had a great scenic walk. SO nicely managed, especially the fact that visitors are discouraged to go inside the forest from the paths as these areas are designated fragile. Their were signages all around and no one could get lost. Visitor behaviour was impeccable. No loudness, no littering, we can do with a lot of learning.

We also went to the coal mines in Perry county, the site of contentious debates on surface mining. And yes, mountain top removal looks absolutely shocking.... one site just blew me away.... But also to be acknowledged is the fact that the reclamation work is being conducted rather efficiently. Even the process of active mining is rather well managed. From an american perspective, the issue of mining may be explosive, but they need to come to Asansol to see the unsustainable mining that we do.....

And yes, I am rather enjoying the stay in rural mid-west America as opposed to jet-setting in some city. The fact that I could eat at Wendy's at a small town called Jackson, coffee at a town called Hazard, meeting local people, fellow trekkers who are distant relatives of John Muir and Daniel Boone, seeing so much forest.... Ah what an experience this is turning out to be....

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