The Pulverizer

This is a piece of heavy equipment. It churned up the asphaltic concrete paving like a rototiller does garden soil.
This is a piece of heavy equipment. It churned up the asphaltic concrete paving like a rototiller does garden soil.

Tuesday evening the Girl and I went out for an evening walk. I mostly just wanted to be outdoors for a while, but also wanted to give her a chance to play, pee and poo, and to walk my regular circuit of Pokéstops.

As we rounded the north end of the Capitol Quadrangle, I noticed that Carson Street was closed and that there was heavy equipment working on the street. That was cool.

We walked a bit south, enjoying the evening air. The Girl was on the hunt for bushytails, although there aren’t many of them at the Capitol. As we exited the Capitol grounds proper, I noticed the machine. It was being pulled by a water truck (with a supply line to the machine) and was chewing up the asphaltic concrete like it was nothing. There was no bouncing, no change in the pitch of the engine to indicate an increased load — just the rumble of the cutters breaking up the pavement and chewing into the base material of the street.

The Girl rolled in the cool grass as I stood there watching the machine work. I made a short video (wished for a tripod) and shot some stills. The backlight was very strong, but I managed to pick up some of the bounce from the front of the Legislature Building. I was struck by the power of this machine.

After a few minutes, we moved on. We were both ready for supper and to settle in for the evening.

I returned in the morning to make the circuit again. Both of us needed walks. As I came around the corner, a worker greeted me. “Do you need to cross?” she asked.

“Nope… I was just admiring the grinder.”

“You mean the pulverizer?” she smiled, “that’s pretty impressive, isn’t it? After 18-years on this job I don’t notice it anymore, but it’s something how it chews up the pavement, isn’t it?”

I nodded as she petted the Girl. Then it was time to move along again, so we said “Good day!” and off we went, back to the room so I could get her vest and go find some breakfast.

What a wonderful encounter to begin the day. I’m truly thankful for such serendipities.