Pulled up along Manor Lane off Rt 108 yesterday afternoon. Hadn’t been back that way in a long time. Unfortunately I disturbed this fellows nap in the sun. I believe the eyes were shut when I rolled up slowly and got out. But they weren’t for long. For all three horses seemed to be interested in the new company.
Along Manor Lane.
Photo by Mike Hartley
I love turning down roads in this county that I’ve never been on before (very, very few) or ones that I haven’t cruised for years or decades. Yeah I used the word cruised. Because that is what we used to do. I’ve left a lot of rubber on streets, routes, drives, interstates throughout this county. Every paved and sometimes unpaved surface. Most of it through very normal driving but I can’t say that I’ve never done a few burnouts also. I’ve also ridden a bike and motorcycle also over a gazillion miles of county roads in addition to those in the cage.
Yeah its a bad hair day, did you stand out in that wind the other day.
Photo by Mike Hartley
I still enjoy driving and seeing all the beauty this county provides. But its more of a challenge now. For the progress and density of growth has started to overwhelm me. I miss the openness. I miss roads that weren’t bumper to bumper cars. I miss long stretches of rolling hills and the occasional red barn in the distance. Yeah that red barn is still there but it has a new addition to it.
Red Barn along Manor Lane with technology of a different sort in the background. Photo by Mike Hartley
I remember the day when you could spot a lot of friends out on the road by their particular cars. That’s a lost art with the volume of traffic we have now and the divided highways. I realize that time changes everything. I was trying to relate the changes I’ve seen to words. That is very easy and difficult at the same time. For if I wander down to Rocky George as I once did in the late 60’s and early 70’s, things seem relatively unchanged. Swing sets might be made of different things. But the water, woods and roads remain the same to my untrained eyes. Days where every home seemed to have a tire swing and basketball hoop.
Rope swing and basketball hoop, what more could one need.
Photo by Mike Hartley
Then there is Columbia. That didn’t exist when we came to Howard County in 1961. The days were everything was single lane roads. Days were in a good winter you might wait for many days for a plow to come by. Time when you still went to school with 3-6 inches of snow falling or already on the ground.
If it weren’t Columbia it would have still been mass development of some sort so in retrospect that “Planned Community” is probably a great thing. I’m sure some might argue but for a city, it’s pretty well disguised. And while it has a beauty and many places that I like to shoot at, I still gravitate towards the old school Howard County. Guess that is what I grew up with and what I’m comfortable with.
I always thought I’d be happy to retire here. Some days I wonder about that.
So this little over 1 mile stretch of old county road provided me with a few things to share today and I hope to be taking many more views from around the area. And don’t worry, I’ll continue to share my thoughts about development.
