Snoopy, or maybe even the Red Baron...

We've lived out here in the corn-and-soybean fields for a while now, and have never had a problem with aerial application of chemicals to the fields.  You can immediately identify radial-engined crop-dusting bi-planes by the authoritative bark of their engines, even before you see them.  (It's nothing like the sound of "pancake" engines that are in newer small aircraft.)  And the sound effect is like that of a World War 1 movie, when they swoop down to release their spray.  (The only thing missing is the rattle of machine guns!) While we don't go out of the house when they're active, I've never so much as smelled any of the chemicals.

Until this week.

We were driving through a wooded area of the countryside on our way home, with fields beyond the trees on either side.  Our car windows were closed, and the AC was running.   As we were talking, I faintly heard one of the bi-planes make a nearby pass, but thought nothing of it.   We kept talking as we drove, and I heard another pass, but still never saw the plane, probably due to a combination of the trees and the fact that I was driving.  About 20 seconds later we both smelled a very strong chemical odor, and within a minute my eyes started to water, then sting.  Yes, I was wearing my contact lenses, which didn't help.

Fortunately, my wife wasn't affected quite as much, so she offered to drive.  But with airborne chemicals in the area, I wouldn't stop or have either of us get out of the car, since we were only about 10 minutes from home.  I kept going (fortunately, little traffic to speak of). The watering stopped, though stinging continued.  When we got home.  I immediately removed my lenses and cleaned them thoroughly, then treated my eyes and put on my glasses for the rest of the day...which cured the symptoms.

While I really didn't think about it as I heard the plane the second time, I recall the noise being much louder.  I wonder if the pilot overshot the field and accidentally left the sprayer on as he flew up and over the trees and road?  Or, perhaps he neglected to factor the wind into his spraying pattern.  IMHO he should have let Snoopy (or as a last resort, the Red Baron) make his runs that day, or else he was a scarf-wearing, hotshot throttle-jockey, with no regard for his drift cloud and its effect on the innocent civilian population.   We really don't like the idea of being exposed to Round-Up (or whatever it was.) 

If I could have known what was going to happen in advance, and had seen (or better yet, gotten a picture of) the plane's registration number (they fly that low - just a few yards off the ground),  I would have happily reported the incident to the Federal Aviation Administration.   Next time (if there is one), I'll have my camera within easy reach.