US 50

US Highway 50 has been dubbed "The Loneliest Highway in America", because in its journey across the country, it goes through very few large cities. Its eastern terminus is in Ocean City, Maryland, and its western end is in West Sacramento, California. One of the towns it passes through is Grafton, West Virginia, where it crosses US 119. Just to the west of Grafton, US 50 has a short duplex with US 250.

Today, I went out and about a bit around the Grafton area, and took way too many pictures. I have processed just a few for the web, so here they are. As always, click on the small photos to view full size.


Old house on US 50

Perfect for Halloween, this looks like it would make a perfect haunted house. This structure was probably a very nice home back in its time, but with neglect and vacancy, its time has come and gone. Still, I think it makes a nice picture.


A once-common sight . . . roadside cabin motel

Back in the middle of the last century, America took to the highways. As motorists traveled across the country, they needed accommodations for those nights on the road. This little cabin-style motel could probably tell quite a few tales if it could talk. This is located on US 50 just a stone's throw from where US 250 branches off to the north toward the town of Fairmont.


US 50/US 250 split near Grafton

The next picture is looking toward the west from a vantage point near the motel. This is US 50 West toward the towns of Bridgeport and Clarksburg, some 12 miles or so ahead. At the curve, the road you see branching off to the right is US 250 North.


An old fruit stand on US 50

This old fruit stand is on the north side of US 50, just to the east of the old house in the first picture. I believe this one is still in use during part of the year, but it would be hard to tell from the way it looks neglected and abandoned. I would imagine this location would be quite a good spot to sell fruit to motorists on the old highway.

Roadgeekin' in the Alleghenies

Alrighty, we are cooking on high-speed Internet in rural West Virginia. I got my mother-in-law's cable modem set up, hooked up a wireless router, and now we are on a faster connection than I have back in Colorado. So let's take a look at the first batch of roadgeekin' photos. Bear in mind, these are not the quality I would be proud of for any photo contest. They are taken with my little "point and shoot" digital, through a dark windshield, and with a sun low in the sky; all while driving down the highway. But all that aside, I think I did pretty good with these. As always, click on the photos for the large versions.



Let's get started as we leave Pittsburgh International Airport. These signs are a dark gray color with arrows on green stick-on panels. A bit unusual. Also, you see on the sign to the right, a reference to "Moon Beaver". No, it's not talking about any kind of moon beaver...it refers to two little towns, Moon, PA and Beaver, PA.



Once we get off the airport property and onto PA 60, we see the signs look more traditional. Pennsylvania is installing some road signs in Clearview font, but these are not them. But you will notice that the exit tabs have rounded cornered borders. Looks a little strange to my eye.




PA 60 Business route goes into Moon Township at Exit 3.




PA 60 is a fairly short highway between the Airport and two Interstates, I-279 and I-79. These unusual orange directional signs are in a construction zone along PA 60 eastbound. We will be taking the right lane to get onto I-79 South toward West Virginia.




Once on I-79, the first city indicated as a destination is Washington. If you are not a local, you might think this means Washington, DC, which is about 230 miles away, but you'd be wrong. It is Washington, PA, a town where I-79 duplexes with I-70 for a few miles.




Here is a reassurance shield mounted on two wooden posts. I almost missed this one, since the shutter lag on the little camera is significant, unlike my DSLR. However, the live view on the small camera's screen makes it more suitable for shots while driving.




Apparently, Pennsylvania used to number exits consecutively, rather than based upon the mile marker number. This was changed, and the state has little signs indicating the old exit number below the main sign. Here we see that current Exit 45 used to be numbered as Exit 10.




Here is a sign anticipating the merge with I-70, which will duplex with I-79 as we go through the town of Washington. If I was so inclined, I could take 70 West from here and go back to Denver. I think I'll pass on that for now, although that road is very familiar to me. I have made that drive many times in the past.




Here we are approaching the merge with I-70 one mile ahead. I-70 West to Wheeling, Columbus, St. Louis, Kansas City and Denver. East will take you down the Pennsylvania Turnpike though New Stanton, PA and the Maryland cities of Hancock, Hagerstown, and Baltimore. I-79 South will split back off in a few miles and head south toward Morgantown, Clarksburg, and Charleston.




And speaking of how I-79 splits off, here is where it happens, just east of Washington. We'll be exiting to the right.




As noted in my previous posts, we see here that West Virginia is "Open for Business" as we leave the Keystone State and enter the soon again to be Wild, Wonderful West Virginia.




Morgantown is home to the University of West Virginia. Here is the main exit off I-79 to WV 7 that takes you to the campus. The funny thing is, the two interstates in this town run along the edges, and you wouldn't know there was a town nearby if you were just driving by. It appears to be far out in the country as you drive down either I-79 or I-68.




On the southwest side of Morgantown, we come to one end of one of America's shortest Interstate routes...I-68. It runs from its western terminus here at I-79, east through Cumberland, Maryland, over Sideling Hill and joins I-70 at Hancock, Maryland. It is promoted as a free alternative to the Pennsylvania Turnpike.




And just a few hundred feet down the road from the last picture is the actual split. I-68 begins at this exit, while I-79 continues south with the next major towns being Fairmont and Clarksburg.

More photos to come as I take them.

Trip to Pittsburgh

Yesterday, flying out of Denver, we had a good trip. It started out with an odd occurence. We had seats in Row 22, but when we got to the back of the plane, the rows ended at row 21! It turns out there was a change of aircraft, so they moved us to Row 8.

Now our good financial luck for this trip was on a roll. Our round trip tickets to Pittsburgh were the result of our giving up seats on a plane to Houston back in May, so they were free. Now we were in the section of the plane with more legroom that they had offered us for $78 extra, but we had declined. So now, we got them anyway at no extra cost.

The air was turbulent about half an hour out of Denver, and lasted for about another half hour or so, as we went through the cold front that had gone through the night before. But once we got past that, the view was nice. I saw the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers near St. Louis, MO. I also saw in rapid succession, the cities of Indianapolis, Columbus, Wheeling, and Pittsburgh as we went by. We actually passed the Pittsburgh airport to approach from the east, and I wish I had my camera in hand. Out my window was the most spectacular view of downtown Pittsburgh with the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers forming the head of the Ohio River.

Now we come to the Pittsburgh Airport rental car saga. We had reserved a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but all they had left at Thrifty was minivans. The lovely spouse doesn't like minivans, so after some checking around, we got Dollar Rent A Car to transfer a Murano to Thrifty for us (both are the same company). So, we get the Murano and head out down PA 60 and get about 5 miles, when we both started getting a headache and hurting lungs from a funky smell in the car. I think someone had smoked in it, and tried to cover it up with some kind of scent, but it was horrible. SO...back to the airport. They got a new Pacifica back in, so we took that. We had rented one in Los Angeles last year, and they are very nice. By the time it was said and done, the young man at the rental counter gave us about half off our weekly rental rate, so for our trouble, we ended up with a nice car for the week at a great price.

I do have some road pictures to share from the trip from Pittsburgh to Morgantown, so those will be up soon. Stay tuned!

Geese, Hawks, and Owls

The onset of cooler weather brings another visitor to Colorado every year...the Canadian Geese. These beautiful birds cross the sky in their familiar "V" formation, and congregate wherever a pond can be found. As I was leaving work today, I had to stop and let a gaggle walk across the street. While in flight they swiftly cross the sky, making their familiar honking sound. On the ground, they take their time walking along. If they start crossing, it is good not to be in a hurry, as they will continue single file until the entire group gets across.


Gaggle of geese crossing the street. Click for large version.

They are such nice looking animals, but they do tend to poop all over the place. Last year, the sidewalks at my office were hit pretty good with goose poo. I guess this gives rise to the expression "like sh*t through a goose"!


One of many geese

Another type of bird that makes its home where I work is the hawk. They circle around, lazily enjoying the air currents, sometimes with two of them, each tracing the opposite side of the circle.

Also, a while back I posted pictures of the owls that live on the building's exterior. Today, I got a photo through the window close to an owl's nest. I think they may have moved on, as I haven't seen them for a few days. The nest is quite impressive, as it is made not of straw and grass like small birds' nests; instead it is made up of some substantially-sized tree branches.

The picture below shows the owl's nest built between some of the ornamental girders that enclose the top of our buildings. This shot was taken through the window and between the spacing of the girders. Still, it gives a nice view of the nest up close.


Owl's nest. Click for the large version.

A Few Thoughts to Start Off November

November 1. The start of another new month, and the day after Halloween. Speaking of Halloween, I bought a bunch of candy and gum for the little goblins, who never came by. In the three years I have lived here, we haven't had a single trick-or-treater come to the door. I think it may be because our street has a large number of older folks who live here. So consequently, the coworkers of myself and those of the lovely spouse are the beneficiaries of the treats I purchased.

Fall Back

This Sunday morning is the return to standard time here in the United States, so the mornings will be a bit brighter, while the sun will set earlier. But this year, the change will be a bit odd for me. On Saturday, I lose two hours on a flight to Pittsburgh, then the very next day, get one of them back as the time shift hits at 2 AM local time.

Time changes aside, I am looking forward to this trip for a number of reasons. One is to see my wife's parents. Her dad has extremely limited mobility, which means he can't leave the house anymore, so I hope that our visit will be an encouragement to him. Also, I am glad to be going because of the scenery. While we are flying to Pittsburgh, we will have a nice drive through the Pennsylvania and West Virginia scenery. I also plan to get over to Western Maryland again during this trip to visit my friends there.

One of the simple things I enjoy in West Virginia are pepperoni rolls. These are a simple food, often taken to work by coal miners and railroad workers. They are simply pepperoni stuffed inside a yeast roll, but boy are they yummy. Cold or warmed in the microwave, they are a regional treat. In concept, they are very similar to sausage kolaches, a Czech creation popular around Houston; but instead of sausage, you have the pepperoni. I have not ever seen these anywhere but parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

I also plan to see if I can get over to Valley Falls State Park and to the Tygart Lake area for some pictures. If I do, I'll share those photos here.

Speaking of West Virginia, my last post about the state bringing back its old slogan deserves one more statement. ANY of the three candidates beats the current one; "West Virginia. Open for Business." What? Open for business, Closed on Sunday? That slogan belongs on the door of a retail store, not on welcome signs to a state.

Work Gone Wild

Another reason I am happy about this trip is just being off work for a few days. These are the first days off since I was in Houston last May, so getting away will be nice. The coming months are sure to be stressful, since out of my group of three plus my boss, two of my coworkers have resigned. Their positions are not being backfilled, so guess who gets all their projects? That's right! It's going to be nuts, but at least I have a job. That's better than the alternative!

What About Politics

I haven't been writing much about politics lately, as it is just so infuriating. I am trying to keep my blood pressure down, so I am ignoring political rants lately. Just don't feel up to beating my head into the wall. One thing I will say is that I hope that enough members of Congress have the cojones to keep Bush in check with all his sabre rattling directed toward Iran. Someone please impeach this crazy man before he destroys us all. Ok Randy, peaceful thoughts!!

Road Geekery

Even though I am flying on my trip, i also have some mileage to traverse in a rental car. So I am going to keep my eyes open for some interesting sights along the roadways. You can take a road geek and put him in a plane, but you know he can't wait to get that rental car at the airport and get on the road.

Wild, Wonderful

What part of the United States was part of one of the original 13 states, yet wasn't admitted to the United States until the middle of the Civil War? Of course, the answer is the state of West Virginia. These northwestern counties formerly part of the Old Dominion, themselves seceded from Virginia after Virginia seceded from the United States. They were then admitted as the new state of West Virginia in 1863.

This beautiful and historic state recently had a contest poll to select what slogan to place on its welcome signs. The contenders were:

• The Mountain State (used for many years)
• Almost Heaven (from a line in the song, Take Me Home, Country Roads, by John Denver)
• Wild, Wonderful West Virginia (used from the early 1970s through 1991)

The winner? Wild, Wonderful West Virginia. Governor Joe Manchin is going to the legislature to get the slogan enacted into law, as well as get the state to spring for $50,000 to replace the signs at the state's borders. While I like the new/old slogan, I think I would have had to vote for Almost Heaven. But hey, I live in Colorado, so it sure isn't my choice to make. Still, West Virginia is one of my favorite states for its natural beauty. I look forward to my upcoming visit there, and plan to take some pictures to post here, so check back!

Zax

One of my favorite children's books is the Dr. Seuss classic, The Sneetches and Other Stories. This 1961 volume contains such terrific little morality tales as The Sneetches, Too Many Daves, Pale Green Pants, and one of my favorites, the Zax.

The Zax is about two Zaxes, one who always goes north and another who always goes south. Now, that is fine, until one day in the Prairie of Prax, the two Zaxes come face to face. Since one always goes north and the other always south, there is an impass. And since the other quality of the Zaxes is their stubborness, neither will budge an inch to the east or west to let the other pass by. Ultimately, they stood there on the Prairie of Prax while the world moved on around them. There was even a Zax bypass built to allow traffic to get around the obstinate pair.


North Going and South Going Zax on the Prairie of Prax

The point of all this is that there must be other Zaxes, or one of them finally budged or died, since as I was driving around town, I came upon their office. Yes, it is the Zax office. It is too bad it was Sunday morning, as I would have liked to go inside and find a live Zax sitting at his desk, and be able to talk to him in person!


Front door to the Zax office!

These Things I Believe – A Personal Manifesto

Everyone has their own worldview, or weltanschauung, that defines for them their understanding of the world, and humanity's role therein. There are many issues that comprise one's views; issues that morph over time. In addition, the relative importance of those issues also evolve as forces, both internal and external, move them up or down in priority.

This is a brief summary of some of the core issues and beliefs that constitute my perspective on the world, and life here in the first decade of the twenty-first century.

• I believe in the equality of worth of all people, irrespective of gender, race, beliefs, culture, or any of the other things that categorize and separate the members of the human race.

• I believe in the supremacy of democratic forms of government, provided they have checks and balances in place to protect minority rights from the whims of, and oppression by, the majority.

• I believe that while free markets drive innovation and competition, capitalism that is unfettered by regulation ultimately is as harmful as a communist system; in that the ultimate determinant of value becomes the welfare of the corporation rather than the welfare of the people.

• I believe that some things are more efficiently and more equitably provided collectively than individually. To that end, there are certain functions that are better provided as universally available and publicly supported services. Examples include national defense, education, infrastructure for transportation and utilities, and health care. These need not be totally run by a government, but should be regulated to insure fair and universal access.

• I believe that human problems have human solutions. People must work together to solve those issues that plague our species, and threaten its continued existence. Politics should be left out of such issues to the extent possible, so that issues are neither overblown or ignored for political gain.

• I believe that the human mind is always free unless it cedes such liberty. No dictatorship can deny the freedom of thought and conscience that is within each of us. Therefore, it is incumbent upon each person to question authority, to demand evidence to support assertions, and to retain a healthy skepticism in regard to all issues. This is particularly true regarding issues that have no empirical evidential support.

• I believe the greatest divisive issue now, and throughout history, is that of religion. While I fully support the freedom of conscience vis-à-vis religious beliefs of the individual, those rights end where they impact the rights of others. It is my conviction that the sooner humanity frees itself from the enslavement of religion, the sooner we will have a real opportunity for lasting peace and cooperation among all of the world's people. You don't see rationalists flying planes into buildings to get 72 virgins; nor shooting physicians at women's clinics because they oppose abortion. Any god that demands blood and killing is not one worth any consideration.

• I believe that on the volatile issue of abortion, this is not a black or white issue. Religious fundamentalists hold that a human life exists at the moment of conception, a view not supported by either their own scriptures, or science; yet they attempt to legislate that belief on society as a whole. I also believe that abortion is all too commonly used, and far too late term, as a means of family planning. My view is that the procedure should be readily available during the time the fetus has no developed nervous system, and after that, when required for the woman's health and welfare.

• I believe that any two people who have committed their lives to one another should be afforded the legal protections and benefits commonly attributed to marriage. Whether it is called marriage, civil union, or anything else, it infringes on the rights of no one, nor endangers their own marriage, if such recognition is extended to non-traditional or same gender couples.

• I believe that personal behavior is just that, and not the business of government or society at large. Victimless crimes should be decriminalized, including personal use of drugs and, prostitution & other consensual sexual behavior. Of course, statutes against the impaired operation of vehicles on public rights-of-way should be enforced; as drunk or stoned drivers, pilots, and other operators can reasonably be expected to endanger the lives of others. The actual negative outcome should be against the law, not a private behavior and personal choice.

• I believe the only sin is causing unnecessary pain, suffering, or trouble for another person. There is enough of these that occur as a consequence of living. It is unconscionable to cause more needlessly. There is no sin in offending the vanity of some possible deity. Sins are committed against other people. Blasphemy is a victimless crime.

I am sure that I will think of things to add to this list, but it is a good place to start.

Great Commercial, Terrific Special Effects

My new favorite commercial, featuring the 1974 hit single by Andy Kim, Rock Me Gently. Everytime I see this, I have to laugh. Just proof that this is one of the great sing along songs of all time. The wolf is the absolute best.

By the way, Andy Kim's other claim to fame was a co-writer with Jeff Barry of the bubble gum pop hit single Sugar, Sugar, by The Archies. Another bit of pop trivia, the voice of The Archies had another simultaneous hit record in 1969. Ron Dante, the lead singer, was the anonymous voice of The Cufflinks and the hit record Tracy, along with numerous other pop records under various names during the period. He went on to produce records for Barry Manilow.

Old Man Winter Stops By

Thursday afternoon

Autumn is a season of change in Colorado. Sometimes it changes fast. Yesterday was 70 degrees for a high temperature. Even early evening last night was very pleasant. Then the wind started gusting, and this morning we wake up with snow coming down hard and accumulation expected to be in the 4-to-8 inches range. Tomorrow, the sun will return, and by Tuesday, we are expecting a high in the upper 60s. Sometimes the weather here changes drastically in the same day. That is why, particularly this time of year, it is important to dress in layers and take a jacket with you, even when you don't think you will need one.

The mountains have already been getting snow, and the Arapahoe Basin ski area is already open for the winter season. I don't ski or snowboard, as I like my bones just the way they are, thank you very much; but the resorts have got to love this. As for me, I hope we have a bit more autumnal weather for a while, even though this snowfall will likely take a lot of the remaining colorful leaves off the trees.

There may be a little good news for me in this. At work, we have a pool for predicting when we would get the first snow for the season. I think I picked October 21. I'll find out tomorrow, but I could be getting a few bucks. Not much, since it was only $1 per entry, but hey, even if it's ten or twenty bucks, I'll take it.


This morning

Fascination With Aircraft

Cessna 560 corporate jet on landing approach to Centennial Airport (KAPA/APA).
This plane is owned by US Bancorp Equipment Finance of Portland, OR.
CLICK HERE for registration information.

I find airplanes fascinating. The mere fact that a vehicle weighing many tons can actually fly is quite amazing, even though I understand the science behind it. My office is near Centennial Airport, giving me the opportunity to watch at fairly close range, as private jets and small propeller-driven planes come and go.

I took the photo above on my way home from work today. I like the fact that you can clearly see the wings configured for landing, along with the landing gears locked down. Because airplanes are moving at a relatively slow speed when taking off and landing, the pilot alters the shape of the wings to provide more lift at these lower velocities.

On the leading edge of the wings are slats that move forward and down to create a greater curvature on the front of the wing. Flaps are on the rear of the wings, and extend backwards and down. Both flaps and slats are extended during takeoff and landing. Next time you fly in a jetliner, notice this during takeoff, and notice that once the plane is climbing, the flaps and slats are retracted. Of course, the landing gears are pulled up almost as soon as the aircraft leaves the runway in order to reduce the drag of air friction.

On the top of the wings are spoilers. These are panels that extend up from the top surface of the wing. The pilot can use spoilers to slow the plane down after landing, as well as using one or the other to roll the plane toward one direction or the other during flight.

Another control surface on the back of the wings are ailerons, used to help turn the plane during flight. The tail has elevators that move to orient the direction of the nose of the craft, as well as the rudder which helps to steer the plane.

In my younger, less informed days, I actually caused a plane I was on to get out of takeoff queue because of ailerons. This was shortly after Northwest Airlines Flight 255 bound for Phoenix crashed into a freeway overpass in Detroit a short distance from the runway. The crash was caused by the flight crew's failure to extend the slats and flaps, causing the plane to not have enough lift for takeoff. All on board were killed, except for a four-year-old little girl. The crash occurred the evening of August 16, 1987.

Anyway, I was on a Southwest Airlines plane in queue for takeoff from Houston's William P. Hobby Airport, and noticed what I thought was a flap sticking up off the wing. With the Detroit crash in my mind, I thought better to be a living fool than a dead person who kept his dignity. I rang the flight attendant bell, and asked was that "flap" supposed to be sticking up. She didn't know, but called to the flight deck. The captain pulled the plane to the side of the taxiway and came back to ask me if there was a problem. I told him, "I don't know, but I bet you can tell me. Is that a flap that is not down, like the one that caused the crash in Detroit?" He looked out the window and said, "Oh, that. No sir, those are called ailerons, and they are fine. But thanks for letting us know."

When he returned to the flight deck, he came on the PA and announced, "We just pulled over for a visual equipment check, and we will be taking off in just a few minutes." Nice job, Randy!

One new feature you see on many planes nowadays are winglets. These are the vertical extensions you see on the tips of the wings. Aircraft engineers have found that these wing extensions reduce the whirling vortices of air that spin off the wing tips during flight, thus reducing drag and increasing fuel economy. Many airlines use the winglets as billboards to advertise their web sites or airline name to the passengers inside the plane.

If you look at the large version of my picture above, you can also see a wire extending from the top of the tail to the fuselage. This is a communications aerial or antenna. Although the terms are commonly used interchangeably, aerials are usually flexible wire, while an antenna is a rigid device.

My airplane piloting experience is limited to balsa wood gliders as a kid, but that doesn't stop my enjoyment and admiration of airplanes.

Random Thoughts on a Tuesday

A few miscellaneous and totally random thoughts...

First item: Rocktober continues, with the amazing run by the Colorado Rockies baseball club. A month ago, this team was in fourth place in the National League. Since then, they have won 21 out of 22 games. They beat the Padres in a Wildcard Playoff, swept the Phillies in the NLDS, swept the Diamondbacks in the NLCS to win the league championship, and are now headed to the World Series. This has to be the most incredible run I have ever seen in sports. The national media talks about it being a team of no-names that nobody knows. Well, they are about to hear more from Helton, Torrealba, Holliday, Tulowitski, and the rest!

Second item: Once again, the cultural literacy between people of different generations struck home to me. At work, someone told one of the new twenty-something employees that someone called him "Eddie Haskell". His reply? "Who is Eddie Haskell?" Leave it to Beaver is such a part of the collective memory that it amazed me that here is a coworker who was totally clueless about this bit of information. Granted, he was born a couple of decades after the show left the air, but it IS on Nick at Nite, for goodness sakes. Even though I was not born until 1953, I know who the Andrews Sisters were, and that it was FDR who said, "The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself". I know of, and appreciate, the music of Benny Goodman. I know the story of John Dillinger and Al Capone. I know about how President Herbert Hoover was blamed for the Great Depression in the wake of the 1929 stock market collapse. I know how Neville Chamberlain tried to appease Adolph Hitler to achieve "peace in our time", and how Winston Churchhill rallied the Brits over the radio during the bombardment of London by Nazi bombs.

This isn't the first time this has happened either. I had coworkers ten years ago who had no idea who said, "Ich bin eine Berliner". By the way, you look lovely today, Mrs. Cleaver! Is that a new dress?

Third item: The weekend storm has put the white snowcaps on the peaks of the Colorado Front Range. From Mount Evans to Long's Peak, the original Colorado Rockies are looking good with their snowy tops looking down on the prairie. Maybe I'll get a chance to take a picture of them soon!