"Wild" West

Some time ago, I had the chance to wonder at the wide landscapes of grass-covered hilltops that seem to stretch out past the town and into the great beyond. The sight instilled me with the wonder and excitement of discovery that must have captured the heart and soul of every settler that ever moved West - the great feeling of discovering something new, making a new start - the great feeling of boundless possibilities. Then suddenly, the prairies I beheld were filled with a Native American hunting party, chasing down bisons with bows, arrows and spears, expertly catapulted from the backs of their dust-obscured, galloping mustangs...

Snapping back to reality, I felt de concrete beneath my feet and became aware of the vast tarmac of parking lots bordered by the most humungous stores one ever comes across. The Indians have long gone, as have the buffalos. The thrill of discovery has made room for the ease of a car-driven, laid-back society of concrete. In fact, upon closer inspection of Wikipedia, West Virginia isn't the far West, nor has it ever been. The bison-chasing Americans were never even part of West Virginia - before the Europeans came over, this land was covered in thick native forest, inhabited by turkeys and rattle snakes. The fact that Pocahontas county (where the Green Bank Telescope is) is so nearby, should have given me a hint on what to expect. Anyway. The forest has long gone, farming and coal mining have taken over. That doesn't mean the landscape isn't beautiful anymore - there still are forests and even when they're gone, the hills still roll through the country, towards the horizon. Western civilisation has made its impact - it has tar-covered some of the hills, but it hasn't defeated the beauty of the country. If only I could see more of it without requiring a car.