The Old Man

[dancerjodi]

Dad strikes again, he wrote into the nh.com forum about the old man:

Although the notch is one of the most beautiful areas on earth it will be a bit sad not seeing the Old Man like he was. Since the age of 2 we traveled and vacationed there with my family, as a teenager with friends, my wife, and now many years later it is a tradition for my kids and their friends. As an artist I make dozens of trips through the notch for photo reference and hiking.In sun, fog, driving sideways rain and blizzards Mother Nature shows heaven on earth every day in the Notch. Every trip I stop for a few minutes up and back to walk the Basin and move on to gaze at the Old Man. For thousands it is a thing that feeds your soul when it runs low. I think my poor wife wonders "how many times does he have to look at the old man before it gets boring"....and the answer is never. We all need more of anything that lifts our spirit and takes us back to simple things and the wonder of nature is something we forget too easily. If Mt. Rushmore crumbled, the Statue of Liberty, or other man made monuments it would be an all out effort to rebuild no matter the cost. If there were an effort to raise private funds, contact some wealthy prominent NH folks and anyone who would throw a dollar into the pot It could well be put back together. If the original granite was used and some high tech methods employed it could be back again to infuse spirit into those who love a special gift from God and want it there for future generations. There was a church destroyed in the recent tornado's down south and all that remained was the entire front wall. They will rebuild. There is a spirit of freedom, independence, toughness, pride and love of nature that runs through NH folks through our history...we can handle a pile of rocks. Lets rebuild and show the country and ourselfs that we deserve the special gift we had for all to see forever.

Comments

[macropixi.livejournal.com]

While I appreciate your dad's sentiments and I guess I can understand. I just don't agree. I think that the very act of rebuilding something that nature created and nature destroyed takes its very specialness away. The old man was in my opinion more special than the statue or rushmore. But by rebuilding it we make it merely manmade.

[ggirl.livejournal.com]

I agree. Although I have never seen the Old Man in person and may not be able to appreciate its effect on people, I am a geologist at heart and appreciate that the earth works in ways appropriate for time and conditions. Erosion is a natural process and not one to be tampered with. In every case where man has tried to "rebuild" eroded areas (think coastal erosion and the building of groins and artificial walls) nature has fought back with a vengence. Why waste money that could be used to preserve already existing beautiful structures? Nature and fate chose to let the old man dissipate..it should stay that way. Money would surely go to waste because it will only be a matter of years before wind and other factors (all natural) take their toll once again. Sometimes memories are the best way (and photographs) to appreciate what we had on this huge planet as mere mortals.