Harlaxton Day 15: Carlson Software and York

Off to York, we were! Transportation on buses here serve as an excellent time to catch up on readings, write essays, and catch up on sleep. Two hours and a great nap later, the bus arrived at Carlson Software. The company, founded in Maysville, Kentucky, now has branches in the Netherlands, Australia, and even in York, Great Britain. We were given a demo of their latest products which use laser readings to scan in mineshafts and quarries for underground cavities to aid in the safety and planning of the operation. Watching the machine in action as it precisely plotted out details of the warehouse it was scanning, and seeing how many different engineers and software developers had a piece in creating it was very impressive. Being a Kentucky company, there were even two Gatton alumni working there (one who wrote the software for their latest machine), and it was great to discuss their Gatton experience and how it helped them enter into the workforce. The two alumni are Kyle Kelly (’11, Christian County High School) and Derek Fox (’11, Campbell County High School).

After a quick snack break, we were off to downtown York. There, we ate our lunches on the banks of the Ouse River, before seeing the various historical sites the town had to offer. We visited Clifford’s Tower (no Big Red Dog included), saw Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre, and climbed along the York Walls, whose construction began back in 71 AD with the Romans. However, we also walked through various street and antique markets and even got to see some of Bob Dylan’s paintings at an art gallery.  One of my favorite parts of sightseeing in Britain is the ability to see historic landmarks that even predate most of American history altogether while also having modern elements immediately nearby.

Following our returning bus ride and my second nap of the day, we ate dinner in the manor and my friends were ready for more smashing rounds of croquet. The unofficial official sport of The Gatton Academy, my friends and I indulge in the opportunity to play a “gentleman’s game” during our time here. As the sun began to set on the horizon and cast a golden glow on the manor, we were busy lining up shots through gates and trying to send one another’s balls careening off the green with our mallets. With one week left here in Britain, I still see many more rounds of croquet and incredible memories in our future.

Lorenzo