The Rural Voice, 2003-06, Page 6PRICE, SERVICE
& SATISFACTION
2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER
Low kms., lease return, PW.,
tilt, cruise, air, keyless, like new,
lots of warranty. 517,900
2000 DODGE DAKOTA SPORT
CLUB CAB
4x4, V8, auto, loaded, sharp
truck, intense blue, local owner.
9 9,900
2001 DODGE RAM
2500 QUAD CAB
Diesel, 4x4, SLT model, local
owner.
531,900
1997 CHEV. EXT CAB
Diesel, 4x4, 3/4 ton, loaded
and in immaculate condition,
low kms., local owner.
523,900
HANOVER CHRYSLER
DODGE JEEP
664 -10th St.,
Hanover
1-866-788-8886
Phone: (519) 364-3570
rnnni.LK
Dodge
Jeep
2 THE RURAL VOICE
Carol Riemer
Living between the lines
Carol Riemer
is a freelance
writer who
lives with her
husband and
two
children near
Grand
Valley,
Ontario.
There are no Streets out here. No
Crescents, no Courts and no Circles.
No Parkways, Places or Boulevards
to speak of. Just kilometres of
highways, side roads, concession
lines and county roads that frame the
rolling countryside.
That's what I tell our city friends
when they come to visit. They
wonder what ever possessed us to
move to the country. Sure, they say,
it's nice on the weekend, but it must
be awfully quiet during the week. It's
so far from what's happening. We
must get bored. Much to the contrary,
living on a county road, we see a lot
of people coming and going.
Sometimes, they stop for directions.
Sometimes, their engines overheat, or
a hitch has come loose from their
trailer. Sometimes, they just run out
of gas.
A major artery of country life,
county roads literally pulse with
activity. Every day, the saw dust
truck passes by, leaving a fine cloud
of wood chips in its wake. Large rigs,
some filled with old tires, and others
with shiny new cars, make their way
into town. Occasionally, gravel trucks
rumble past, followed by transports,
loaded with telephone poles and giant
bales of wire.
Cattle carriers, filled to capacity,
slowly roll down the line, as horse
trailers, pulled by pick-up trucks,
head into town. Another tour bus zips
by. Passengers gaze out of their
windows with interest, as our son
cuts the lawn, or watch in
amazement, as I cling to a ladder,
while trying to trim some dead
branches from our old birch tree.
On long summer weekends,
vacationers suddenly appear. Some
have canoes strapped to the roof of
their cars, while others tow boats and
trailers behind them, while waving
their maps and arguing over which
route to take to the cottage. Antique
cars, taken out for a leisurely
afternoon drive, seem to almost stand
still, as sports cars and motorcycles
whiz by. Only cyclists, horseback
riders and runners are left to maintain
a slower, more conservative country
pace.
In the fall, school buses return,
dotting the road with splashes of
yellow and flashes of red that can be
seen a mile or more away. Early
morning finds local electricians,
plumbers, landscapers and building
contractors all heading off for another
busy day. Soon, they're joined by
farmers, navigating their tractors and
hay wagons along the narrow dirt
shoulder. Five -ton farm trucks head
into town to deliver their produce to
retailers.
In the late afternoon and early
evening, we watch, as anxious
commuters make their long trek back
home.
When inclement weather settles in,
hydro crews take to the road to repair
lines and restore service. Road
graders carefully groom the
shoulders, making it easier for postal
carriers to deliver the mail. Propane
and oil trucks make their scheduled
deliveries, while gleaming stainless
steel milk trucks find their way from
farm to farm.
The onset of winter is sure to bring
out the county plough. Tow trucks
seem to proliferate in bad weather,
rescuing motorists stranded by
accident or engine failure. Once in a
while, fire engines, ambulances and
police will streak by on their way to
answer emergency calls.
From the battle -scarred old maples
that defy both weather and time, to
wildlife determined to make that
heroic dash to the other side, country
roads are lined with life. Like
wrinkles in the landscape, they thread
their way through rural lives,
revealing a strength and character
that are unique to the busy side of
country living. If only our city friends
could understand. Country roads
forge a well-worn path that, once
travelled, really isn't that hard to
follow.0