Just a gathering of things I've seen and feel worthy of note. If you don't like my choices, don't read them ^__^
First up, I found Eden ( http://www.edentexas.com/ , apparently I can't type pipes properly :/ ). It's a dump. And I only saw animals outside of its boundaries, so I think something's up.
A couple hours later, I drove by the FORT JUSTICE RANCH. I thought this was just one person's folly until I passed through the town of Justiceburg a minute or two later.
A nap and a hundred or so more miles later, I gazed in awe at the signage of the City of Shallowater (motto: Where Pride runs Deep).
I've got a few more but someone is screaming at me to move my truck, which means I get to start driving again. Albuquerque here I come!
First up, I found Eden ( http://www.edentexas.com/ , apparently I can't type pipes properly :/ ). It's a dump. And I only saw animals outside of its boundaries, so I think something's up.
A couple hours later, I drove by the FORT JUSTICE RANCH. I thought this was just one person's folly until I passed through the town of Justiceburg a minute or two later.
A nap and a hundred or so more miles later, I gazed in awe at the signage of the City of Shallowater (motto: Where Pride runs Deep).
I've got a few more but someone is screaming at me to move my truck, which means I get to start driving again. Albuquerque here I come!
Who knows?
I'm writing this post from Cuba, which is about as sunny as I expected, but a lot drier...
Yesterday I almost found myself going to Earth, but it was 8-10 miles away from Sudan, too far off my route to go with the lumbering behemoth I'm driving.
Eleven or twelve baker's dozen worth of miles or so later, I found myself past Clovis, New Mexico (yes, that Clovis), and I heard a plane above me. Nothing odd about that, until I saw it was a fucking drone...they're a lot bigger than I thought, easily the size of a cropduster or other small-engined plane. I guess I've been badly misjudging their size.
50 or 60 miles later, I saw a roadsign: RUBBISH DISPOSAL BIN 1000 FT. And sure enough, a thousand feet later there was a completely normal-looking permanent garbage can (cement case with a pebbled exterior) with an orange rain cover on top, next to a dead tree. Nothing else but a barbed wire fence and the road for miles. I was going to stop and grab a picture the next time I saw one, but there was no notice sign and I couldn't stop (this rig I'm driving does not stop easily or fast).
Then last night as I was searching for a hotel, I ran into some construction, which isn't of itself notable but the workers had built a statue out of the orange traffic barrels (a lot like this one but with plungers arms and a mop head). I was too out of it to take a picture (moreso than normal, that is), and when I went back this morning it was gone
That's all I've got for now, I'm going to the Natural History Museum of Utah tonight because dinosaurs are freaking awesome (and they're open late on Wednesdays!)
Ciao peeps!
I'm writing this post from Cuba, which is about as sunny as I expected, but a lot drier...
Yesterday I almost found myself going to Earth, but it was 8-10 miles away from Sudan, too far off my route to go with the lumbering behemoth I'm driving.
Eleven or twelve baker's dozen worth of miles or so later, I found myself past Clovis, New Mexico (yes, that Clovis), and I heard a plane above me. Nothing odd about that, until I saw it was a fucking drone...they're a lot bigger than I thought, easily the size of a cropduster or other small-engined plane. I guess I've been badly misjudging their size.
50 or 60 miles later, I saw a roadsign: RUBBISH DISPOSAL BIN 1000 FT. And sure enough, a thousand feet later there was a completely normal-looking permanent garbage can (cement case with a pebbled exterior) with an orange rain cover on top, next to a dead tree. Nothing else but a barbed wire fence and the road for miles. I was going to stop and grab a picture the next time I saw one, but there was no notice sign and I couldn't stop (this rig I'm driving does not stop easily or fast).
Then last night as I was searching for a hotel, I ran into some construction, which isn't of itself notable but the workers had built a statue out of the orange traffic barrels (a lot like this one but with plungers arms and a mop head). I was too out of it to take a picture (moreso than normal, that is), and when I went back this morning it was gone
That's all I've got for now, I'm going to the Natural History Museum of Utah tonight because dinosaurs are freaking awesome (and they're open late on Wednesdays!)
Ciao peeps!
Wow...I'd just crossed from the Jicarilla Apache reservation onto Navajo land...I crested a small hill (note that I'm 7000 ft up still) and saw a mountain range...capped with snow. I started crying. I hadn't realized quite how much I've missed seeing mountains...I'm incredibly happy right now 
The above was written about 4 hours ago (2100 GMT, if I'm remembering MDT right), couldn't post it until just now.
Seriously, I saw a mounted ankylosaur skeleton whose proportions (minus tail) were almost perfect for an Okse: Peloroplites cedrimontanus. Haven't checked if there's anything on it online, though.
Then I didn't realize my gas was low and had to walk a mile back to the gas station >.> The uphill part was the easier, though...I'll never believe those uphill both ways people again!
Then I didn't realize my gas was low and had to walk a mile back to the gas station >.> The uphill part was the easier, though...I'll never believe those uphill both ways people again!
Texas isn't alone; the whole southwest has always seemed to have more than its fair share of strange or humorous placenames. Here's a few:
Globe, AZ
Show Low, AZ
Why, AZ
Surprise, AZ
Tombstone, AZ
Truth or Consequences, NM
Snowflake, AZ
Hurricane, UT
Pahrump, NV
Needles, CA
Weed, NM
Globe, AZ
Show Low, AZ
Why, AZ
Surprise, AZ
Tombstone, AZ
Truth or Consequences, NM
Snowflake, AZ
Hurricane, UT
Pahrump, NV
Needles, CA
Weed, NM
What a collection! (Of course, Tombstone, AZ is somewhat famous.)
P. cedrimontanus is indeed an impressively relevant specimen! (And apparently rather alarmingly pointy.) I shall keep it in mind as a reference in the event of building a 3D model or something.
P. cedrimontanus is indeed an impressively relevant specimen! (And apparently rather alarmingly pointy.) I shall keep it in mind as a reference in the event of building a 3D model or something.
Leaving hell. Not looking forward to the Blues, but not going over them is another 3 hours drive time. And goes through Portland.
Edit: also some of the gems from the Gem State:
The Museum of Clean in Pocatello, Idaho
Sign: OCCASIONAL BLINDING DUST STORMS
Idahome Road
Edit: also some of the gems from the Gem State:
The Museum of Clean in Pocatello, Idaho
Sign: OCCASIONAL BLINDING DUST STORMS
Idahome Road
Let's not forget places like Maggie's Nipples (Wyoming), Whorehouse Meadows (Oregon), Blue Balls (Arkansas), Imalone (Wisconsin), or Satans Kingdom (Vermont).
Of course the British are also very good at this; apart from certain obvious candidates *ehemllanfairpwllgwyngyllgwerndrobwllllantysiliogogogochehem* let us just note that, among others, places exist by the names of Lower Slaughter, Golden Balls, Lickey End, Happy Bottom, Crackpot (this is in Yorkshire; I suspect it is where Pthag's family is from), Cockintake, Titty Hill, and of course the immortal Thornton-Le-Beans.
Of course the British are also very good at this; apart from certain obvious candidates *ehemllanfairpwllgwyngyllgwerndrobwllllantysiliogogogochehem* let us just note that, among others, places exist by the names of Lower Slaughter, Golden Balls, Lickey End, Happy Bottom, Crackpot (this is in Yorkshire; I suspect it is where Pthag's family is from), Cockintake, Titty Hill, and of course the immortal Thornton-Le-Beans.
