But, we already have one!

Growing up in a Suburb, besides playing in the big ditch, there was a sand pit {a.k.a. open pit sand mine} just on the outskirts, that a few of us pre-teens liked to go skinny dipping in. Of course it was a matter of securing a ride from a teenager, usually a boy, and sneaking out in the middle of the night. A small group of us would go during the winter hours. This insured that there wouldn't be too many people there to disturb us, or catch anyone's attention that might have thought what we were doing was wrong and dangerous. The water was always warm, no matter when you went, it never froze over. So many dark hours spent swimming, and giggling in the buff, it was rebellion to the fullest for us young, will be doing worse later in life, suburban pre-teens. Then we could get into the body image problems that came from this, like the fact that I was the only girl that seemed to be, um. . . developing. Though my friends never gave me a hard time about it as I have seen with other groups of girls, instead I was the one that procured the rides from the teen boys. Good thing I still thought boys were yucky at that time, too much of a tomboy.

Moving out here, we took away the local temptation to go skinny dipping in a sandpit from my own boys. There was one, but it is so distant that one of the rivers that we sit between would be a bigger lure. Of course I have concern about that, but I also know that it will happen, and it isn't an experience I really don't want to deny them. {it's hard to rebellion against parents like us}. Teen parties at the bluff was a big part of my growing up.

By this time I am sure you are wondering why I am going on and on about childhood, sandpits, and rivers. Two years ago they put in a sandpit three miles away from us, less than a mile from a river. The proposal was announced, the community voiced our concerns, informed them we didn't want them here because of the trucks, noise and pollution. They put one in anyway. Sunday, while at the neighborhood meeting, I discovered that they were going to put in a sandpit less than a mile from my land. WHAT!?! It was announced, but not as publically as the first one was, and time had already expired to voice opposition. Now there seems to be nothing I can do about it.

I did some research about water pollution and sandpits, levels of arsenic and barium where found in well water, yet levels were too low to be considered dangerous to anyone but children under 22 lbs, makes me feel safe. I don't want all the noise from the trucks, the dust they will kick up, and their speeding. {They all seem to speed} Gravel/sand trucks scare me. I watched a motorcyclist get ran off the road by one. We were on the highway, my husband pulled over, while a very pregnant me ran across 4 lanes to help the biker. My husband raced after the truck driver and brought him back to the scene. I watched as a gravel truck swerved along a highway and side swipe a diesel, the diesel went onto the shoulder while the side mirror went to the other. The driver of that truck never stopped, nor slowed down. I have been close to getting hit by one, he ran a red light.

This area has children, horse back riders, and us {bikers}. We never thought we would face this kind of concern. My neighbors worry about what happens when the sandpit is no longer useful. Expensive homes get put in, and those new homeowners will throw a fit about all the old homes and trailers in the line of sight, forcing us out. We have seen it over and over, and my sister-in-law is going through it currently.

There goes my quiet country life.