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I kinda like solitude but not complete solitude. I figure my bones will have plenty of that when my days here are done.
 
The west was placed by God to let men know they'd found the best he could make and didn't have to go no further in that direction. My breath has been stolen in as many western states as Appalachian states. It's not the kind of country "where a man can really think" but rather the kind of country where if you can't think you won't enjoy it much.
 
I have found that 2 things will always put a man into reflective ( almost hypnotic) thought.
Embers of a dying camp fire and flowing water. Wide country will do it for me as well but I am often reminded of a line from a Gregory Peck movie (The Big Country) in which Peck played the character of a retired sea captain, James Mckay who has moved out to the American West and the following conversation takes place:

Party guest: "Well, Mr. McKay, how do you like this country?"
McKay: "I like it very much."
Party guest: "Did you ever see anything so big?"
McKay: "Well, yes."
Party guest: "You have? What?"
McKay: "A couple of oceans."
Party guest: "I declare."
 
Dave said
"Actually a long ways to nothing and when you get there it is still more nothing. Just some very well scattered cows and a few cowboys on horses which can travel. And you don't see them from the road."

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I envy those cowboys.

"Sweet Baby James"

There is a young cowboy, he lives on the range. His horse and his cattle are his only companions.
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons, waiting for summer, his pastures to change.
And as the moon rises he sits by his fire, thinking about women and glasses of beer
And closing his eyes as the dogies retire, he sings out a song which is soft but it's clear
as if maybe someone could hear..
 
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Wish I could go back in time and ride a horse like Teddy Roosevelt did. Grab a rifle and live on the range a few weeks on end. He would travel back to his ranch out west from the settled eastern cities as many times as 3-4 times a year to get away from "those that knew a better life" or so they thought.....
 
The west was placed by God to let men know they'd found the best he could make and didn't have to go no further in that direction. My breath has been stolen in as many western states as Appalachian states. It's not the kind of country "where a man can really think" but rather the kind of country where if you can't think you won't enjoy it much.
Agree with your thoughts, I would add that the best places are where you don't have to think
 
Agree with your thoughts, I would add that the best places are where you don't have to think
Oh, here you best be thinking and paying attention. Note my original post we drove 48 miles on a Saturday afternoon in June and only passed one car. Every winter some people follow a map or GPS and get stuck out in the middle of no where. They don't all survive. Lots of that there is no cell service. You are stuck or broke down and have to wait until someone comes along. The wait might be a very long time. If you don't want to think it is best to stick to the freeway or town.
 
Back country is only scary if you have to be somewhere. People made it for the last few thousand years in the "wilderness". We (humans) are programmed to be dependent on everything like time, money, comfort, debt etc. Give those up, it gets easier. If you have nothing, you have nothing to loose.
 
Oh, here you best be thinking and paying attention. Note my original post we drove 48 miles on a Saturday afternoon in June and only passed one car. Every winter some people follow a map or GPS and get stuck out in the middle of no where. They don't all survive. Lots of that there is no cell service. You are stuck or broke down and have to wait until someone comes along. The wait might be a very long time. If you don't want to think it is best to stick to the freeway or town.
Well you missed my point but yours is well taken. I work in an office with 140 engineers reporting in some fashion to me. You have to be paying attention to something or someone every minute of the day. My farm is off the beaten path and I enjoy nothing more than getting out there where it's beautiful and quiet where I can shut down, look at the cows and land and listen to the deer, turkeys and coyotes.
 
Well you missed my point but yours is well taken. I work in an office with 140 engineers reporting in some fashion to me. You have to be paying attention to something or someone every minute of the day. My farm is off the beaten path and I enjoy nothing more than getting out there where it's beautiful and quiet where I can shut down, look at the cows and land and listen to the deer, turkeys and coyotes.
I see your point. There is thinking and then there is thinking. Working in an office with 140 engineers would very often be insane. The big out there is certainly peaceful but it can and will kill you if you don't pay attention.
 

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