Now that you’ve purchased your chains it’s time to put them on. The first thing to do is lay them out on a long flat surface and get the kinks out of them. Compare photos 1 and 2. Look at the difference where the cross links attach to the outer chains. In photo 1 the bottom cross link is twisted. To correct this, lift up the chain at the outer ends of the lower cross link then roll the attaching ends under the cross link and bring them around inside and back over the top. Then the chain will look like the one pictured in photo 2. That’s how it should be the entire length of the chain.

Now that you have the chain straightened out it’s time to put it on the tire. Begin by draping it over the tire as shown in photo 3. Important: be sure that the outer “latch” is to the outside of the tire as shown in the photo. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in front of the tire or behind it. (Usually it will be to the front on one side and to the rear on the other side.)

With the chains draped over the tire, start the vehicle and drive forward. When you’ve gone about half of one revolution on the wheel stop (see photo 4). Now, take the end of the chain towards the center of the car and bring it up to the hook at the top inside of the wheel. You may have to crawl under the vehicle to see what you’re doing. (I always stash a small sheet of plastic in the bag I keep the chains in. I photo 5 I used an old dog food bag.) Once you’ve had some experience you’ll be able to do it by “feel.”

Chains come in lengths to fit several different sized tires. When you get yours install them on your tires and make a note which link you hook the connectors through. On our Cherokee I put the hook through the third link on the inside chain. When you finish you should have the same number of links “dangling” on both inner and outer chains to keep the chains centered on the tread.  Photo 6 shows how the inside "hook" should appear once installed.

Once you’ve hooked up the inside chain it’s now time to hook up the outside connector. The outside connectors usually provide some leverage to help tighten the chain. Photo 7  shows where to place the link before closing the connector. The way the connector is designed, as you pull the end over to the closed position it tightens the chain and also uses the chain’s tension to hold the connector closed. The more pressure applied the tighter the connector becomes.

When the connector is closed install a chain tightener to help center the chain. As in photo 8. I use a bungee cord instead of the commercially sold chain tighteners. Note how the cross links sag in photo 9. What will happen now is when I drive the vehicle centrifugal force will straighten out the sagging links. When that happens the chain will loosen slightly. If I’m going far (over a half mile), I’ll stop after a hundred yards, take off the bungee cord and move the outer connector one more link tighter (I’d have three “dangling” links instead of two as shown in photo 7.) I’d then re-install the bungee cord and go my merry way. Some of the newer chains have cam tighteners built into them. Those are great and eliminate the need for bungee cords or elastic chain tighteners.

When it’s time to remove the chains take the chain tightener off, unhook the outer connector then unhook the inner connector. Pull the ends of the chain to the outside and drive the vehicle forward until the chain is free. (See photo 10).

Now pick the chains up by lifting them in the center or either end and drop them in a bag or box for storage. Now they're ready to use the next time you need them.

My major concession to higher gas prices has been to set the cruise control to 70. Yes, I know, but it’s slower for me – just ask anyone.

Anyway, I’ve managed to squeeze out a few extra mpg for my Geo Prizm – nothing major, but every little bit helps, right? The slowdown, however, has had another positive effect – I’m paying more attention to the scenery. It seems a bit easier to glance to the left or the right, to really see the countryside I’m traveling through, when my car is moving a bit slower than the rest of the traffic.

This was very noticeable on my last two trips west. The homeplace is about 3 1/2 hours from where I currently live, and it’s a relatively easy drive on the interstate. So I head west in the late afternoon, and before the sun becomes too much of a problem, I keep one eye on the road and the other on the view.

The Kansas terrain changes significantly around Salina along I-70. The trees, shrubs and rolling Flint Hills give way to my Kansas. I prefer wide open spaces and the ability to see to a horizon where the landscape tinges blue. I can finally breathe.

For other views of the Great Plains, visit the other GRIT blogs, include K.C.’s Waking Up in Kansas and Kate’s Osage County Almanac.

About 25 miles west of Salina, a new sight has appeared in recent months. Rising from the prairie is a forest of wind turbines, gleaming white and silver above the green and gold land. Fifty-six of the turbines have gone on-line, producing enough power for 37,000 Kansas homes each year. From what I read, there will be 120 to 170 on-line when the project – the Smoky Hills Wind Farm – is completed. The project spans 26,000 acres and involves 120 landowners.

The turbines spread along several miles, spanning the Ellsworth and Lincoln county line – it’s difficult to count as you drive past, so I’m not sure if all of them are finished. A few are close enough that I think I can reach out to touch them.

It’s an awesome sight.

And it’s even better when the blades gently swoosh through the Kansas wind, allowing the bright sunshine to cast graceful shadows on pasture and wheat fields. The farmers and ranchers are still utilizing the land, right up to the base of the giants, and one can see wheat stalks and cattle grazing even from the highway.

For me, the only sad part of the sight is the number of blades that are still – though I understand that will change by the end of the year, when the entire project is scheduled to be in operation.

When that happens, I will happily drive slowly past these behemoths, the new monarchs of the plains, watching the huge blades whipping in the prairie breeze. It’s guaranteed to bring a smile to my face – the gorgeous, awe-inspiring giants adding to the delight of my favorite Kansas scenery and offering a wonderful, renewable energy source for our struggling Earth.

If you’d like to learn more about wind energy, visit the American Wind Energy Association, the U.S. Department of Energy’s site on renewable energy, or the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s site.