From Chasing Trains to Chasing Cranes

Growing up, I loved just a block away from Underwood Creek in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. This waterway, manicured into a concrete path that eventually fed into the Menomonee River on its way to Lake Michigan, consumed hour after hour of my childhood. From catching frogs to holding stick races, this creek holds a special place in my childhood heart.

One special memory involved the train tracks that paralleled the creek. Regardless of what was happening at our house, the second a train whistle was heard, everything stopped as my father and I hoofed it down the block to chase the train.

From the time I could walk, railroading and trains were an integral part of growing up. Riding the train at the Milwaukee County Zoo, visiting the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, and attending Trainfest at State Fair Park were commonplace. I even played with a very novice miniature train setup I hastily created on my basement's uneven pool table. My father has always loved transportation and is a history buff when it comes to information in Milwaukee's street cars, railroad schedules, and bus routes. As I grew up, trains became part of my identity.

I went scouring railyards with my cousins to take photographs of graffiti. I placed countless pennies on the tracks and collected the flattened copper and discarded railroad spikes on the tracks near my home. I even ended up working on the same trains I enjoyed riding as a kid at the zoo.

Years later, I still enjoy trains. My kids have a train table in our playroom. We enjoy regular trips on the zoo's train. My oldest daughter even gleefully giggles when we get stopped by a passing train on our drive to school.

But now, a new pastime has taken over.

Instead of chasing trains, I now chase cranes.

Admittedly, up until a handful of years ago, I really didn't know or care to know too much about cranes. However, as time progressed and my experiences in nature increased, so too did my enjoyment and appreciation of these beautiful birds.

My wife is a huge bird nerd (her words, not mine). We both love nature and in our outdoor adventures, she helped me learn about and dig deeper into the world of birds. It certainly didn't hurt to have some of the best places I've ever known for birdwatching to be just a few hours away. Before children, my wife and I enjoyed trips to Horicon March and the International Crane Foundation. Now, with three kids in tow, these trips are even more enjoyable.

These days, whether we're driving to Grandma's house, or roadtripping around the Badger State, you better believe that all of us are scanning the open fields to ad to our crane count. For example, in the last 36 hours, we have found a field with dozen of sandhills, had an unexpected run in three whooping crane we tried to coax into calling to us while we played crane class through our car's speakers, and pulled over on a country drive to ley the cranes cross the road.

Seeing the joy my children have when they see trains or cranes is heartwarming. They are soaking knowledge, asking questions, and making predictions about what they are seeing and experiencing.

Literally, as I write this, my wife is showing three very excited kids crane videos. I'm not even making this up.

I can't guarantee what my next pastime might be, but rest assured, if I hear a train or see a crane, I'll be chasing.