I drove through a vast windfarm on my way to Spokane.

[Aristus]

It seemed a little surreal. It was like journeying through a strange forest. If one has Don Quixote in mind, one could imagine the windmills as giants with huge, long, flailing arms. I thought of them as benign giants, though, because of their purpose.

Sure beats the hell out of oil derricks griming up the landscape...

[politicat]

1. I love them.

I had to drive to Indiana twice last winter. (Long story, not fun) and both Nebraska and Kansas have miles of them. I may not be a fan of bloody Kansas, but at least they're using their wind.

[KamaAina]

2. There's a huge one at Altamont Pass along I-580.

Between Livermore and Stockton at the edge of the Bay Area. Yes, that is the Altamont where the infamous concert happened in 1970.

I don't know why we don't have more of them. There is a stretch of I-80 outside Vallejo that is marked with yellow signs warning drivers of vehicles with trailers of high wind conditions. But nary a windmill is in sight.

[caraher]

9. Could be a wildlife issue

Altamont is one of the oldest wind farms, and historically has been one of the more prolific bird killers (though our pet cats still dwarf wind generation when it comes to slaying birds).

[KamaAina]

10. You must have some really mean cats

[SeattleVet]

3. We've been through there and the Columbia River Gorge near Vantage...

on motorcycles several times.

We figured that it might be *way* less windy if they'd turn off those big damn fans!

[Aristus]

4. HA!

[annabanana]

7. hee hee

good one!

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

5. I know this place!

On the way back west there is a rest stop with several of these close by and it the weather cooperates you can see Mt. Ranier.........

[geardaddy]

6. We drove through several in Western Illinois

Awesome sight!

[logosoco]

8. They have some in Illinois.

The route from St. Louis to Madison. Been making the drive many, many times since the 80s. This was a great way to add something interesting in an otherwise pretty boring drive. Glad to see the farmers getting more use of the land.

The first couple of times I drove by them, it was rather mesmerizing. I am used to them now. There seem to be more and more of them each time i go up there.

[malthaussen]

11. I feel much the same about the northern NJ turnpike.

There are about 10 different cloverleafs and three or four levels of roads all knotted together. Very intimidating. Since I have a fondness for massive pieces of architecture/engineering (steel mills come to mind), I've always thought it was a cool place. Probably there are parts of the freeways in Cal that are similar, but I've only seen the parts they show on TV. Very different when you're there personally.

-- Mal