Have I Mentioned the Buffalo?

There is this great road, well, highway, between Bakersfield and San Luis Obispo.

Very few people drive it because it is your basic two-lane mountain road.

Translation: It has lots of curves and very few straight stretches. Getting caught behind a slow moving vehicle means.....you are stuck.

There are no gas stations, restaurants, or other signs of civilization. (There is a large turn out with a sign saying "WeePee Park". But that's another story.)

There are lots of ranches, open pasture, oaks, pines, and rolling hills. There are some horses. Some cattle. You will see the occasional deer.

Oh, have I mentioned the BUFFALO?

About 25 miles East of Santa Margarita there is a ranch that has buffalo. Not just this big guy but a whole herd.

They are beautiful creatures. And I stop every time I take that road and they are out where I can see them.

I marvel at them. I think about their history and how they almost didn't make it this far.

It seems appropriate that they are on a lonely stretch of road where one has to seek them out to contemplate their existence.

It seems appropriate that I take that road just to contemplate my own existence.

The buffalo are special to me.