The James River bends past the west edge of Oakes, and the cottonwoods along its bank hold snow in their bare branches long after the open fields nearby have blown clear, which is the stretch of ground this Four Star AG crew knows best. A hard freeze shows up along that low riverbank before it does anywhere else in Dickey County, so driveways down near the water get cleared and checked for ice before the properties up on higher ground. The river bottom holds snow differently than the open prairie above it, deeper and softer instead of packed hard by wind, and the plow work slows down to match it. Where the river cuts close to a yard, clearing a lane means working carefully around cottonwood roots and low ground that won't fully drain until spring. Under a gray midday sky, the river bottom stays quieter and dimmer than the fields above it, work going on in a kind of hush the open country never gets. By the time the crew turns back toward the highway, the river-bottom lanes sit open and safe to drive.