Happy June 1st! Yes, there is still a goodly amount of snow out in the high country. My planned trip to the fabled lost kingdom of Atlanta was thwarted by “Road Closed” signs just outside of Rocky Bar. I’ve learned to trust those signs. Here, road closed signs are rarely put up unless there is a pretty definite reason. In this case the reason was snow. Had i taken the lower route around Arrowrock i’d probably have made it, but i wanted to revisit Rocky Bar (yes, the for sale sign really is gone). There is some evident of human habitation amidst the falling down buildings. Usually this means fresh paint, or the like… in this case it means fresh tarps have been set up. But i’m being harsh, there is evidence of repair to one of the smaller buildings and a pleasant small patio has been set up. Bummer that it’s right on the road, but at the moment traffic is, well, light.

But enough about failed trips. I’m more excited about the fresh crop of wind turbines that have appeared just east of Mountain Home. 20 of them! They’re not online yet, but they’re fully constructed and standing ready. I suspect ongoing construction of a nearby substation (and probably running the big extension cords required to tie into the grid) is holding things up.

I want to go on record as being 100% in support of large-scale wind generation. Frankly i LOVE these things. If anybody out there was willing to support me i’d devote the rest of my life to photographing wind generators all over the world in much the way Bernd and Hilla Becher spent their lives photographing various towers, grain elevators and tanks. Seriously… i’d do it.

ASIDE: Yo, power companies: need a photographer? Get in touch!

One of the best parts of current wind generator design is that a fairly standard model has emerged as the benchmark suggesting that going forward maintenance of these monsters will be simplified. If they all use the same parts it won’t be such a fiasco when something breaks. This is how the French dealt with nuclear power and was the subject of a Frontline story about how in France “nuclear works.” Our nuclear reactors are mostly different with unique parts and special needs; a recipe for disaster. This evidence of forethought is very encouraging. Wind power alone will not solve all our energy issues, but it will play an increasing role in the post fossil fuel future which is all part of “what’s next.”