I’m not sure if everyone uses the term “as the crow flies” when referring to how long it takes to get somewhere.  If you live where it’s FLAT, then you probably drive the same way the crow flies and don’t have to travel around canyons or mountains or lakes…. well….. I suppose you would still have to drive around lakes.     Anyway, in case you don’t use the term, I’ll go ahead and explain it to the best of my ability.  I’ll use an example… if you were able to drive “as the crow flies” from our house to my parents, it wouldn’t be very far… maybe 100 miles?  (Don’t quote me on that.)  BUT since you can’t go as the crow flies due to mountains and canyons and such, you have to go waaaaayy around (any cow dog people out there? “waaaaayyy ’round”) it takes about 5 hours and is 200+ miles.  OK.  Got that?  Clear as mud, right?  If you’re still confused go ahead and “google” the term “as the crow flies”, leaving out the cow dog part…then come back. Or don’t. That might be wise.  But I hope you do so you can fully appreciate what I’m about to show you.

Enough already!  This afternoon the girls and I headed out and literally drove as the crow flies.  Whoever decided to build “Rattlesnake Grade” decided to forego the whole “if I could drive as the crow flies” and just went right ahead and followed a crow and built a road  directly below the black, beasty, little bird.  I’m not complaining, per se; I’m just telling you, in case you are unaware of roads that exist where crows fly.  I’m here to inform the world that this Rattlesnake Grade is the shortest (nasty-est, windy-est, steep-est) road between our house and the nearest metropolis, which happens to be Lewiston, Idaho. 

I drove this road, much to my parents horror, when I was dating my now husband.  (That kind of sounds like there was a husband before now.  Actually no.  I didn’t mean it like that. I was simply trying to use a different word than Buck.  From now on I’ll just go ahead and use his name, it’s easier on everyone.) So… I drove the road at least once a week to visit Buck because I was going to college here in Lewiston.  Buck usually drove it twice a week to visit me- often in the middle of the night because we were twitterpated (sp?) and wanted to spend every waking minute together.  My parents had never driven Rattlesnake Grade.  So in the spring after Buck and I were engaged, they decided to come see where this cowboy lived.  After one trip down the nasty grade, my dad said I could marry the boy, but I was NEVER allowed to drive Rattlesnake Grade again.  Sorry Dad- drove it today, with your grandaughters seated securely in their respective carseats.  Kate, wise beyond her year, protested with unsettling shrieking nearly the entire way.  Dad, you should be proud.  Lucy was so confused from all of the switchbacks that, by the time we headed down the last set of curves into the booming metropolis in front of us, she asked, “why we going backwards, Mama?”  Again, you should be proud, Dad.  Your grandaughters were as impressed with Rattlesnake as you were. 

Truth be told, I drive the road every now and again.  I just don’t think the world is enlightened about such places and I feel like it’s my duty to inform the WWW.  Rattlesnake Grade truly is a “road less traveled”.  I think I passed 3 vehicles in 80 miles.  I’m not sure Robert Frost really knew what he was talking about, that whole “road less traveled” business. 

Anyway, I hope you’re impressed and amazed… especially when you look below.  Please imagine snow and ice.  You’ll understand my dad’s demands.

While we’re chatting… what am I doing in this metropolis anyway?  Well, I made a somewhat spur of the moment trip.  My sweet friend, Ella-Mae, who was one of my nursing professors back in those college days, is on Spring Break from teaching.  We came to say, “howdy” and to get some desperately needed Vitamin D from the sun, which seems to shine here more often than at home.  But Ella-Mae,  is actually working at the hospital right now so I’m hanging out with “you” while the girls sleep off their carsickness from the ol’ Rattlesnake.  Anyway, my friend is busy doing what we do best….”stamping out disease and saving lives”.   I like to help people make an entrance into the world and she likes to help people who are dangerously close to exiting the world.  She tries to keep them on this side of the balance.  

Here she is with Lucy a year and a half ago.  I just found that on her computer. Lucky me… and you.

Here’s another picture I found from that same day. 

I have a lot of freckles, in case this close up doesn’t clue you in.

Speaking of exiting the world… we stopped at KFC where we went through the drive thru after a few errands in the big city.  I feel compelled to clog my arteries with drive thru food when we go to the big city.  

We’re going running on the levy tomorrow in 70 degree weather, (making up for the fried chicken skin!) Goodnight friends!  I hope you feel informed about windy slippery switchbacks. From city lights to star studded country skies… goodnight.

P.S. Please don’t judge Cowgirl Clippings by this single post.  It’s probably not my most informative piece to date and it’s been, well, a long and nauseating day of driving. And ummm… my editor let it slip in just this one time.