Adventure Log

The story of a young man who broke away from societal demands is detailed in the book “Into The Wild”. Chris, the main character, worked at the grain elevator in Carthage, South Dakota as he made his way to live in the Alaskan wilderness. A film crew visited Carthage last summer as “Into The Wild” was made into a motion picture. One of my favorite books, I wasted no time getting to the box office when the film opened in Huron.
The elevator in Carthage.

On my way to Minnesota I stopped in Carthage and took a few photos. I’m now on stand-by for the Great Lakes Fleet, waiting for a call to board the m/v E.B. Speer.

Over a thousand feet long….!
More info at boatnerd:
http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/speer.htm

A week of rain has kept the machines silent.  The harvest will resume on Tuesday or Wednesday as things dry out.

There’s an advantage to rural life. People here know each other and have a history. Today we stopped in Raymond, South Dakota, for a burger at the local hot spot. Raymond has a population of 78, so you could say it qualifies as a small town. The grocery store is also the bar and grill, general store, video and book lending library, and conversational center.

The grill is to the right, just behind the greeting cards.

I stated that I was taking pictures because I had been hired to keep an eye on my boss. His wife slips me a few extra dollars to provide photographic proof of what actually happens during the work day.

My boss on the left. Note the books and videos on the shelf in the corner. During the harvest conversation centers around crop yield and commodity prices. These photos are not able to capture the smell of the cheeseburgers on the grill and brewing coffee…