The Hills Are Alive...

…with the whoosh of thousands of wind turbines.  Five thousand power generators have been installed on 50 square miles in beautifully scenic Tehachapi, CA. Each turbine stands higher than the Statue of Liberty and has a blade span of 125 ft. Put 5000 of them together and they become a forest of steel on the desert mountains.  Quite a sight to see.

Our two weeks of flight testing in the Mojave Desert was mostly “hurry up and wait.” Mechanical difficulties grounded the Air Force test plane and gave us plenty of time for sight-seeing.  While we waited for parts to be delivered and installed, we drove to Yosemite National Park. On the way we saw the amazing display of wind farm technology pictured above. This relatively new green energy is not without controversy especially from those who are opposed to the steel monstrosities defacing the view.

The glorious view of Yosemite is protected against any kind of development and economic intrusion. The granite cliffs that we observed from above at Glacier Point and below in Yosemite Valley filled me with awe and wonder at the tremendous forces that created our planet.  The giant Sequoia trees, some of the oldest trees in the world, stood as towering monuments to the beauty of God’s handiwork. Observing the grandeur of Yosemite reminded us of the first verse of “How Great Thou Art”- “O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds, thy hands have made.”

As we drove back from Yosemite, we saw another man made wonder-the Tehachapi Loop.  The spiral tracks allow trains to navigate the steep grade of the Tehachapi Pass.  Opened in 1876 by the Union Pacific Railroad to deliver the abundant produce of the San Joaquin Valley to Los Angeles, this was considered one of the engineering feats of its day.  We were very excited to actually see a freight train navigating the tunnels and passing over itself as it went around the loop. It reminded me of a snake trying to catch its tail.  

Whether it is old technology (trains) or new technology (wind turbines) or God’s creative hand at work, we live in a fascinating world with lots of new things to explore.  I learn something new each day that makes me want to sing,  “How Great Thou Art.”