Turbines would mar Saddle Mountain view

If you recall, last week I shared some of my thoughts as I traveled recently to several locations in our fair county while on a mission to get some photos for our Mineral County Day special section.
My tale ended at the Nancy Hanks cabin and memorial – a site which I had never before visited and which has been in our news quite a lot lately.
My trip did not end there, however. Since it was such a nice, unusually warm February day, and since I was not in the mood to be cooped up inside anywhere, I left the historic site and headed up the mountain to get a photo of the Hanks farm from another perspective – the Saddle.
I can remember as a child taking a Sunday drive up Route 50 with my parents and stopping at the Saddle Mountain Overlook where, truthfully, my youthful interest was more into visiting the gift shop than appreciating the panoramic view of the mountains.
It was nevertheless a breathtaking view, and I did enjoy feeding quarters into the telescopes in those days in order to get a close up view of the mountains.
The gift shop is now a private residence, and only one telescope stands where, previously, there had been three or four. I did not try to see if the lone survivor still accepts quarters, however, as I noticed that the view of the Saddle from that particular vantage point is now partially hidden by the growth of trees.
Still seeking a clear photo of the Saddle, I got back into the car and went up to the upper overlook, where the view is unimpeded and picture-perfect. There, I walked around, camera in hand and dog on leash, taking some photos and wishing that I had not left my jacket in the vehicle.
Anyway, as I loaded my bff (best furry friend) back into the car, a pick up truck carrying a well-used ATV pulled into the overlook and circled around the lot, stopping beside my vehicle. As I prepared to start my engine, I looked up and nodded at the stranger, and he made a motion with his hand signifying that he wanted me to roll down the window.
Being the small town dweller that I have been all my life, I rolled down the window to talk to the guy, never once considering the implications of how isolated it was in that otherwise empty parking lot.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” the man said, pointing to the panoramic view before us. “I’ve lived in this area all my life and I never get tired of looking at it.”
I readily agreed, noting that I, too, have lived here all my life and am still in awe of the sight.
Although that short conversation was the extent of our visit, his words went with me as I left the overlook and headed further up the mountain, toward Mt. Storm.
Here was a guy who had lived here all of his life, and yet always made sure he took the time to appreciate the beauty around him. How many of us can say that?
Although I had originally set out to take photos of Mineral County, I still was not in the mood to end my journey, and so I thought I’d venture into Grant County to check out the area’s first operating wind farm.
I had not been in that particular part of Grant County since the wind turbines had been constructed, and I was curious to see what all the fuss has been about.
I headed up Route 50, then over Route 42 toward Scherr, where I began to see the gleaming white titans looming over the horizon. As I drove farther, I was surprised to see how close some of them actually are to the highway.
Finding a place to pull off the highway which was relatively close to one of the structures, I turned off the engine and listened: Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
It was a sound not unlike the wind flowing through the trees. Were I to live close to one of the turbines, I don’t think I’d find the noise annoying at all. Nor did I find the turbines’ presence on the horizon an intrusion on the landscape.
However, my thoughts returned to the gentleman at the Saddle overlook. He loves the beauty of these mountains and enjoys them whenever he can.
Will he still be able to enjoy the view of the Saddle with the addition of wind turbines on the ridge line?
There is definitely a time and a place for everything. And while this may be the time to investigate wind energy as a green alternative to coal and oil, I sincerely believe the Saddle is not the place.

Liz Beavers

Mineral Daily News-Tribune

18 February 2009

Tags: Wind power, Wind energy

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