The Outskirts of Suburbia

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Driving Through the Great Salt Lake

That is the I-80 median on my left

Saltair Resort under water.
You can barely see the right-of-way fence posts.

Heading east towards Salt Lake City and the Oquirrh Mountains

Dirt mounds holding the lake back from the highway

Starting in the fall of 1982 record rains and snowfall (snowfall nearly twice normal) and spring melting caused the Great Salt Lake to begin it's historic rise. This abnormal rain and snow continued through the mid 1980's. I got to Utah in the late fall of 1983, a week later the snows started and I didn't see ground until April. We had 36" of snow on the ground Christmas day. Part of my work took me out to the west side of the Lake. In the Spring of 1984 the water levels in the Lake started to rise. It was all that the Highway Department could do to keep up with it. As you can see there was times the water still covered Interstate 80.

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Orioles Sweep the Yankees

I was never really a baseball fan. Never really played it as a kid. I did play some softball, but that doesn't count. I played football and watched some, just some, football. My son and I were invited to an Orioles game on October 1st, 2000, it was the final game of the season. Looking back over the many O's games I've been to, the 14 Major League stadiums and 14 other Minor and Independent stadiums I've been to I guess I enjoy it now. This game completed the sweep of the Yankees and looking back at these pictures I see Hall of Famers Eddie Murray (33) and Cal Ripken, Jr. (8). And there's long time Oriole Brady Anderson (9). Through the eyes of Google I see Albert Belle and Chris Richard both homered for the home team. This was the last of Belle's 381 career home runs. Winning pitcher was Jose Mercedes (BAL), Losing Pitcher was Orlando Hernandez (NYY) and the attendance was 47,831.

Monday, February 13, 2017

Rappelling on the Square

And there was that one time we rappelled off the Chambersburg Trust building on the square in Chambersburg for Fire Prevention Week. The SAVES (Shippensburg Area Vertical Extrication and Search) Team tied off to the mechanicals on the roof and went over the edge. I remember my one time going over the edge my foot slipped a little on the tin fascia moulding around the roof line. Well, I kicked off a chunk of paint the size of a dollar bill. For years I'd drive by, look up and see the dark scuff. They've since painted the fascia. I still look up sometimes.

Chambersburg Trust Company is the 5 story building on the left.

We were rappelling from right at the left edge of the picture.

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Gettysburg National Tower

Gettysburg National Tower, 1974-2000

Gettysburg Cemetery from the Gettysburg National Tower

Big and Little Round Top from the Gettysburg National Tower

and that's the Pennsylvania Monument center/half right

The Wheatfield in the distance. Sight of Pickett's Charge

and the, now gone, Cyclorama

from the Gettysburg National Tower

This may have been the only time I climbed the Gettysburg National Tower. June 1, 1985 and I was home on leave at the time. The Tower opened July 29, 1974 on private property just outside the Gettysburg National Battlefield. The government fought it as an eyesore and finally took it through eminent domain and the 307 foot tall tower was demolished July 3, 2000.

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Mifflintown Hose Company No. 1

Mifflintown Hose Company No. 1, 510 Washington Avenue, Mifflintown, Pa. Juniata County Company 2. Chartered February 5, 1894 they ran a hand drawn hose carriage until 1924. First station was at Manbeck Lane and Jefferson Street Extended (now a parking lot). In July of 1929 they purchased the Stouffer Theatre building (built in 1919-1920) and converted it into their new station. In 1961 they built an additional truck garage at Ellis Lane and Washington Avenue. In August 1976 they moved into their present location at Washington Avenue and Cross Street. MHC averages 300 call per year.