The morning started out like every morning of this past week. Alarm goes off at 4:00 and the coffee maker soon follows suit. By 4:30 the caffeine is flowing through me and I’m beginning to actually wake up. An early start is necessary to get a jump on the day’s warm temperatures above freezing that are sure to arrive. Once 32 degrees hits, the snow conditions change rapidly from a nice solid crust to unpredictable slush. With the snowmobile and all gear loaded up the trek north begins in the dark. This darkness soon gives way to near zero visibility with dense fog for the next 30 miles. At times the front of the truck is barely in eyesight. Once at the project site, the ride up the hill is in the dark with sky to the east barely starting to turn gray. As I finally get geared up with saw in hand I head into the woods to start cutting. Stopped by the edge of the sun just beginning to crest the eastern ridge of the Loess Hills I’m mesmerized. This is without a doubt one of the most beautiful sunrises ever created. It floods the valley with a warm orange glow and changes the clear gray sky into multiple shades of blue. Waking up early, driving through dark, and sifting through fog was all worth it.