All that was missing were the planes and hangers.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Evening All,

 

I am up in the northeast corner of North Dakota for work, (again), and saw a sight about two hours ago that was truly an OFF moment. The land up here looks very much like northern France and Belgium, and as I was driving along a small two-lane road I came upon a spot that could have been a WWI aerodrome: A wide flat field a little less than a mile long, bordered on both edges by tall, wispy poplars, (just like those you see in old photos of the French and Belgian countryside). At the far end were three or four old oak trees, directly in the way if you were taking too long to get up in the air. At the near end, tucked in next to the north row of trees, were two old wooden sheds, unpainted and weathered, just like you see in BHaH. The entire field had a golden tan stubble about two inches tall, left behind from last season's wheat crop. The clouds were towering grey-white cumulus, hanging in the darkening blue sky of early evening. The sun squated on the far horizion, a giant reddish-orange orb. I pulled over and shut down my truck, stepped outside, and just soaked it all in. A gentle wind pushed lightly against me as I breathed in the early spring air; a single bird gave a short, clear call. Several miles to the west was the main highway, and as the big rigs zooming along hit the frost heaves, (that had been pushed up by the departed winter's cold), they gave out a muffled 'boom boom boom". It was no stretch at all to imagine them the big guns firing at the Front. I felt like I was standing "somewhere in France" in the Great War, waiting for the last patrol of the day to return. I lingered there until it was nearly dark. It was marvelous and eerie and etheral, all at the same time, and there was honesty a brief moment where I wasn't sure which century I stood in.

 

Just thought I'd share this with you folks, as there are few others who could appreciate such a moment for what it was.

 

Lou

 

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[TaillyHo 2]

A moving accout, Lou. Shame you couldn't have captured it (to some extent) in a pic.

I expect when you finally climbed back into your truck, your left hand was subconsciously groping for a throttle lever to ease back so you could 'take off'.

[cptroyce 0]

Thanks for sharing that lou...no camera necessary for me.

 

Royce

[foreigndevil 0]

Nice tale!

[Olham 164]

Lou, this sounds so familiar - to come across an area, a view, in a special lighting or weather,

that seems like a parallel time and space, and could in fact be somewhere else.

You described it all so very well, that I can see it - and feel it.

Thanks for sharing.

[themightysrc 5]

"they gave out a muffled 'boom boom boom". It was no stretch at all to imagine them the big guns firing at the Front. I felt like I was standing "somewhere in France" in the Great War, waiting for the last patrol of the day to return. I lingered there until it was nearly dark. It was marvelous and eerie and ethereal, all at the same time, and there was honesty a brief moment where I wasn't sure which century I stood in."

 

I think you might just pass muster as a journalist, in the most positive way, that is.

 

Dakota as North West France? You are, of course, bonkers. But it works, and that's what counts, so I'll keep rereading that post until I completely understand what's going on there. I suspect that if you haven't already done so, Lou, you need a trip to Europe to look at some of that damaged ground and see the monuments to the damaged and destroyed lives.

 

On a happier note, it's my birthday this weekend, so I thought I'd whore myself out to the CA community in the most brazen way possible, on the basis that it might be possible nowadays to email pints of beer/cocktails to people. Ah well; worth a try!

[Dej 17]

Thanks for sharing that lou...no camera necessary for me.

 

Royce

 

Me neither. A very immersive description, Lou.

 

I'd rather you revisit the moment, not with a camera but with a microphone. It's the sounds you evoke that make it work for me.

Edited April 22, 2011 by Dej

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Many thanks for your kind comments TaillyHo, Royce, Foreigndevil, Olham, Si, and Dej. I am glad you all could appreciate the moment, and I hope I was able to paint it for you with my words.

 

Si, I lived in England for three years and travelled quite a bit around France, Belgium, Germany, Holland, and numerous other European locales. And bonkers about northeastern North Dakota having some very Northern France and Belgium features? I think not. Here are just a few photos to illustrate my point:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and Happy Birthday Si!

 

Lou

 

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