By Kristina Beers, a HomeWorks Tri-County Cooperative member
We spent the entirety of July 2 on an extended motorcycle trip thanks to Tri-County’s Road Trip summer adventure. When I saw the invitation on the last page of our Country Lines in June, I knew right away what we were conquering over the summer! We love to take little day trips but don’t always know where to go, and the game gave us just the places and reasons while feeding my competitive spirit.
For that particular day-long trip, I mapped out a route according to the destinations yet to be crossed off our list, getting excited wondering which one will be our new favorite. Since beginning this game, we found a terrific little hole-in-the-wall, ate a very juicy burger, had a fine specialty drink, and chatted with a verbose and entertaining local, all in one spot! We finally stopped at some places we’ve driven past so often (such as the bridge in Portland or a pub in Stanton), opening a new insight into the gems we zoom past or allow to get lost in the background.
This day, we finally saw the Ledges of Grand Ledge, a feature I honestly didn’t know existed (silly me, what did
I think the name of the town meant?), ate some delicious ice cream straight from the theoretical udder at Mooville, sat and cooled down on a park bench, and had a piece of darn good pie to close out our day. But best of all was what we discovered in the in-between: a new insight into Tri-County’s purpose and what it means for all of us living in rural America.
It might have been the sunny day, the green trees, the wind blowing across the fields, or just being out on the open road on the back of a motorcycle, but as the blacktop passed underneath us, an understanding began to dawn about what it means to be a Tri-County member. The miles and miles of fields meant miles and miles of electric lines—something the big companies passed on and what the original cooperative members put their efforts toward bringing to us. Farmhouse after farmhouse, decorated in reds, whites, and blues, and stars and stripes, cheerily welcoming us past their porches. Barn after barn stood tall, in various states of order, some with shrubbery taking over and the wood barely peeking out in the sun to bright red icons of family farms. And family farms aplenty! Sign after sign in the familiar green and gold, notating a Centennial Farm, spotlighting the longevity and loyalty of rural life. Historical markers peppering the route, testifying the importance of tiny beginnings, and lovingly restored homes showcasing the architecture of Italianate, Queen Anne, and Gothic dwellings from humble artisans of old.
I spent most of the trip gazing at the beauty of our rural area, in wonder and awe at the vast undertaking it was (and is) to bring and keep affordable electricity to these tiny towns and kitchens, as well as a good portion of it holding my phone looking for cell service. While my music streaming was hit and miss with zero to one bar, we passed multiple signs for Homeworks Fiber internet, something that cannot be taken for granted in these outlying regions. How lucky we are to have the option for high-speed, reliable internet where poor cell service would force a much more expensive option.
As we whizzed by on our bike during one of the hottest days of the year, farmers were out in the fields cutting hay, mowing their lawns, and generally doing the daily chores that wait for no one, especially weather. We heard the laughter of children playing in little pools and sprinklers and passed by monuments to ancestors in the ancient cemeteries. All in all, it was a spectacular testament to the enormity of the work done by a cooperative to honor the enormity of the work each family does to make our small towns the place of love and laughter for all of us.
I arrived home weary, hot, and tired but swelled with pride that I get to count myself among the members of this great cooperative. It might not have been the goal when putting together a fun little road trip game, but the fruit of it is there nonetheless: This truly is a rural cooperative with a mission to care for and honor the most beautiful people and places of our state. Thank you for the best little road trip to appreciate the history and hospitality of our country life in all senses of the term.
