Who we are...

As a concrete mixer driver, you spend a lot of time alone and in your thoughts. Some jobs can take you an hour away from your plant and most of the time the radio cuts in and out, leaving you to let your mind wander. As i was driving down those backroads, city streets, and highways I always wondered why our roads were concrete aside from cost.

I theorized a direct correlation between the temperature of cities, especially major ones, and the composition of our road system. I can recall some ridiculous things I was taught very early in school. I thought being on fire was an almost constant thing, hence why Stop, Drop, and Roll, were imbedded in our young brains. Quicksand was going to be a huge issue, and you should remain calm and very still to slow your progress of being sucked in until help arrives. I was taught how to properly zig-zag while being chased by an alligator (later found out that that was the wrong answer). One thing that stuck with me and actually made sense was the fact that if you live in hot environments, such as the desert, you should wear light clothing, to stay cooler and reduce the amount of heat being absorbed.

That’s what got me started on wondering about the roads. Places such as cities, contain a higher concentration of roads and buildings. All those blacktop roads absorb the heat from the sun, and at night releases that heat as it gets cooler, the problem with that is the heat has nowhere to go and it keeps cities warmer during the nights than the surrounding areas. Warmer night leads to even hotter days to follow, allowing for the setting of record temperatures.