Evil Oil Empire

I've returned from my trek to Montana and back, tired and refreshed. And I've decided to record my discoveries on this trip in the blog. Not only to help me remember the trip but to give me something interesting to write about. The discoveries will not be in chronological order, but as I feel like relating an aspect of the trip.

COALINGA, CA -- After driving through fields and fields of oil pumps and pipelines, I realize what a blight on the environment the harvesting of oil is. I find a renewed sense of the need to find alternative fuel sources and in general to drive less. Oil dependancy is a horrible disease. Then to make the oil barons seem especially evil, we drove through a field of oil pumps that had been painted to look like zoo animals. Their heads bob up and down and in my head I can hear circus music. It is as if the pumps are saying: "Look kids, oil is fun!" We stop the car at a turn out to take a couple of photos and we find a sign that tells the truth. The field of zoo animals is a hazardous gas area and anyone working out there must wear a breathing apparatus. Wow, is oil dependancy fun!