The Morning Commute, Chapter Two.

When we last saw our heroine, she was trapped in the travel lane on the outskirts of town. The sun had risen an hour ago, leaving the evildoers behind in the night. Now, staring out through a streaky, dusty windshield, she sallies forth through the perilous farmland...

...I SAID - perilous FARMLAND.

OK, FINE. "Now, staring out through the streaky, dusty windshield, she sallies forth amongst the perilous high voltage lines, past the Bowling Alley of Evil...

and up the onramp of death into the PERILOUS FARMLAND." There we go.

Now we pause for a station break.

The perilous farmland isn't quite so perilous, except for the fact that you might get shot if you step a foot beyond the fence. This beautiful span of wilderness I drive through every day is actually acreage owned by the State Penitentiary at Rockview. They own...I don't know, a couple thousand acres??? A large portion of Spring Creek runs through here, which is good because in that way it is protected. Occasionally there are talks of them selling parts of the land to the university, but I hope that won't be the case. I regularly see large herds of white-tailed deer, and two or three redtailed hawks along this stretch of road. I believe they produce a large portion of the produce they consume, as well as raising cattle and horses. I assume it provides work for the inmates as well.

And now we must leave our heroine at the Merging Moment of Mayhem! Will the thrill of the highway be too much for her Compact Car to take? Will the vast wilderness swallow her whole? Will she make it to work safely while trying to take photographs through the windshield at speeds in excess of 60 mph? Stay tuned! There is much more excitement and scenery to come in the next thrilling episode of "The Morning Commute."

(As a side note, I urge you to click on the pictures for a larger version. They're MUCH better that way.)