On Route

28 September 2008
11:15
The train to Portland, somewhere on route, OR
Today I am taking the train to Portland for my friend’s birthday. As the train zips along I see a variety of different landscapes, for a while I almost feel as though I am back home in the Midwest as we pass by a flat field of farms. At other times it is quite clear I am nowhere near home as I see the outlines of mountains jutting up along the edges of my view. The land alongside the train drops down into a small lush ravine of green plants and a fence gates off the land beyond. One sight in particular on route catches my eye, a manmade forest. This forest is so unnatural; the trees are planted in straight rows, perfectly vertical, horizontal, and diagonal. It seems as though man always tries to tame the beauty of nature, to me, it is far more beautiful to see a forest over grown with every kind of organism available. This strict, straight cut forest restricts nature from is full potential, and though I only saw this image for a moment it stuck out in my mind as a fraud. The sun shines down on these captive trees and the train keeps moving and I follow them out of sight watching their leaves glisten and wave in the wind.