I remember riding around ILL a couple of years ago, during the most widespread drought the old state had seen in 15+ years & the wide variations in crop potential that were so obvious.

One ride that particularly sticks in my mind was one up through the middle of the state to Utica where we indulged in some fine cajun cuisine that lies just E on Rt6 & rode through Starved Rock SP just to the S. For the most part, things all up through N ILL were in less than good shape & a LOT of corn was in just plain old distress, but then there'd be areas that caught an odd shower or two & the crops looked pretty decent & the grass would even be green. The one that got me most was coming back on '39. Corn in one little area was looking just pretty darn good & I was beginning to think that area on the whole was in for a crop. About then we went over an overpass & the sudden view of the 'other side' was almost breathtaking! Things were totally burnt & brown! Just going over that overpass & things changed that much. I'll never forget it.

Of course that's the real stress part of a drought - even the 'widespread' ones aren't like a blanket of dry that extends across whole regions, there's always the pockets & spots that seem to catch every little shower that goes by & those same little pockets are ALWAYS about 1/4 from where you farm...