NOIBN
Observer
Ok, here we go. I was the "other" Suburban pilot on this journey (mine was the one that was not magnetically attracted to gas stations).
Our first dirt was run to find a scenic spot to have lunch.
While cruising low through small towns, stores can be found that make you wonder why stores like this aren't available in the metropolis where you live. Seriously, Ace hardware meets Macy's. Get your hardware and fashion in one easy stop.
Once we were close to Swansea, I was absolutely amazed at the scenery in the surrounding area. I have run Highway 72 from Vicksburg through Utting and Bouse into Parker many times. Always at high speed as there is really nothing to look at. That was the scenery I was expecting to see just a few miles north in Swansea, but I was very pleasantly surprised at the unbelievable variations in colors. Every hill, mountain, valley, escarpment was a different color than the one in front of it and the one behind it. Absolutely amazing. I took many pictures of it, but it is evidently difficult to capture on electronic film. This pic give an idea of what I am trying to describe:
The natural arch. Yep, Lance traversed the chasm. I did not feel the need to prove that I could do with two legs what he can do with one, so instead of hiking down one cliff, across the floor of the canyon and up the cliff on the other side, I simply walked over to my truck that was right here, got a long lens out and took a picture of him and his wonderful family from where I stood (didn't even break a sweat):
So we got into Swansea and did some wandering around. There aren't any complete buildings, but there are some pretty good remnants and physical evidence of buildings that were there. This was a neat pile of machine filings:
Random studs:
This is an example of the signs that were at some of the more "important" locations:
This is what the building looks like today:
On our way back we found the pit that held a train scale:
Back at camp we had a very tasty steak dinner complete with shrimp for my boy all courtesy of Lance & Co. After dinner, we sacrificed Frosty The Snowman Peep to the Fire Gods to bless us with safe trail passage tomorrow.
So ends our first day of travel. I have more if you would like to see them, but I will have to post them another day as my day is needing to end about now.
Our first dirt was run to find a scenic spot to have lunch.
While cruising low through small towns, stores can be found that make you wonder why stores like this aren't available in the metropolis where you live. Seriously, Ace hardware meets Macy's. Get your hardware and fashion in one easy stop.
Once we were close to Swansea, I was absolutely amazed at the scenery in the surrounding area. I have run Highway 72 from Vicksburg through Utting and Bouse into Parker many times. Always at high speed as there is really nothing to look at. That was the scenery I was expecting to see just a few miles north in Swansea, but I was very pleasantly surprised at the unbelievable variations in colors. Every hill, mountain, valley, escarpment was a different color than the one in front of it and the one behind it. Absolutely amazing. I took many pictures of it, but it is evidently difficult to capture on electronic film. This pic give an idea of what I am trying to describe:
The natural arch. Yep, Lance traversed the chasm. I did not feel the need to prove that I could do with two legs what he can do with one, so instead of hiking down one cliff, across the floor of the canyon and up the cliff on the other side, I simply walked over to my truck that was right here, got a long lens out and took a picture of him and his wonderful family from where I stood (didn't even break a sweat):
So we got into Swansea and did some wandering around. There aren't any complete buildings, but there are some pretty good remnants and physical evidence of buildings that were there. This was a neat pile of machine filings:
Random studs:
This is an example of the signs that were at some of the more "important" locations:
This is what the building looks like today:
On our way back we found the pit that held a train scale:
Back at camp we had a very tasty steak dinner complete with shrimp for my boy all courtesy of Lance & Co. After dinner, we sacrificed Frosty The Snowman Peep to the Fire Gods to bless us with safe trail passage tomorrow.
So ends our first day of travel. I have more if you would like to see them, but I will have to post them another day as my day is needing to end about now.
