Gridley

Gridley was another nice town with lots of friendly people. We saw a community center, a library, a co-op, several businesses, and some paved roads (which was quite a change from some of the other places we had visited).

We didn't do too much here, as the boys had hit their afternoon napping sweet spot.

In the fields, we saw oil pumps, some slowly running, but most idle. It reminded me of the recent earthquakes throughout the Midwest, which scientists have tentatively linked to hydraulic fracturing.

The energy is nice and can provide real benefits, both to landowners and society as a whole, but nothing is free. Sometimes, I fear that the costs of energy are higher than we realize... and the aftereffects can linger long after the wells have run dry.