Dome Peak, Flat Tops Mountain and the North Fork of Derby Creek

Mid-October view of Dome Peak, Flat Tops Mountain and the North Fork of Derby Creek Valley. From the face of Sheep Mountain, 11,000 feet above sea level in the White River National Forest, Colorado.

Critters on the Trail Cam

Thought I'd post some of the other critters I caught trying to sneak around the old trail camera. As you can see some of these actually showed up Christmas morning. Opossums, raccoons and skunks, oh my.

Eldred Rock Lighthouse

Eldred Rock Lighthouse in the Lynn Channel 20 miles southwest of Haines, Alaska. I learned of this light from the local bus driver in Haines. So, I remained attentive on the deck of the Statendam after supper. Finally around 10:30 pm we started to see the light. We were passed it by 11. Following the 1898 wreck of the Clara Nevada on it's way from Skagway to Seattle it was decided a light was needed. The lighthouse was opened on June 1, 1906. The lighthouse is owned by the Forest Service and efforts are being made to restore it.

The Majestic, Gettysburg

The Majestic Theatre on Carlisle Street in Gettysburg, Pa., the Grandest Small-Town Theater in America. Opened in 1925, it was purchased by the Gettysburg College in 1992 and they started a $16 million renovation that lasted for years after that. The Majestic now offers a mixture of movies, live performances and private rental facilities. 

Florida State Fire College

Florida State Fire College, West State Route 40 (West Silver Springs Boulevard) and 16th Avenue NW (Martin Luther King Avenue) Ocala, Florida, Marion County. These pictures are from January 1983. The first FSFC training sessions were held in 1939 in Daytona Beach. These annual classes continued until settling here in Ocala in 1949. In 1989 the Fire College was moved seven miles north of Ocala in the town of Lowell (11655 NW Gainesville Road, Ocala, Florida). The fire station, I believe, is located on the campus and housed the school's apparatus. The training buildings seem to have disappeared between 1995 and 1999.

Pictures from the Ramp

To nearly end my week of scans let's visit the firehouse. I joined here in 1980 and actually was around a few years before that. These are some of the apparatus from back in the day. Our 1981 Seagrave, Engine 252. Loved this engine, it's the one I grew up on. Lots of memories. The brush truck and the rescue. 1973 International Tanker (newly refurbished) and 1976 International/Bruco Engine 152. Engine 352 (later to be E152) a 1969 Seagrave (new to us and newly refurbished). The '69 hold a lot of memories as well. And finally our 1963 Seagrave engine. Seen here in it's last year of service. It is an honor to say I've ridden that tail step. Truly a legend.

Promontory Point and the Golden Spike

On those final weeks in Utah we also drove out to explore the northwest. That's where we ran into the Golden Spike National Historic Site. This is the spot on Promontory Point that the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads met to complete the transcontinental railroad.  The info sign there says it was May 9th 1869, the GSNHS website says it was May 10th 1869. We were there May 11th 1985. There actually was a Golden Spike Ceremony, but it was soon followed by a Last Spike Ceremony when a regular iron spike was driven. Luckily for us and the Jeep there was a jeep trail around the park.