AC/DC Fly on the Wall 1986

For those about to rock - FIRE - We salute you!

AD/DC's 1985 album Fly On The Wall, you remember all the hits from that masterpiece don't you? Nobody does. At the time it was just an excuse to be out on the road.  And on February 4, 1986 I was in the crowd. At one point I remember being just one or two sweaty rockers from the stage. During the one encore they played For Those About to Rock, We Salute You, and they fired the cannons in the middle of the chorus. The concert was at the Rhein-Neckar Halle in Eppelheim, Germany, which was about 40 miles east of base. Opening act was Fastway, you may remember the song "Say What You Will".

Kinzua Viaduct

The Kinzua Viaduct, located on the outskirts of Mt. Jewett, McKean County, Pa., was once the longest (2053') and tallest (301') railroad bridge in the world. Built in 1882 and rebuilt in 1900 for a branch of the Erie Railroad, it remained in active service until 1959. In the summer of 1993 my family and extended family were camping  in the area and drove over for the day. Most of us walked the bridge, some stayed on solid ground. At this time the Knox and Kane Railroad was still using the bridge for tourist excursion train rides. On July 21, 2003 an F1 tornado passed through toppling 11 of the 20 towers. I was working in the area in February of 2005 and stopped by to see the damages. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania decided to turn the site (a State Park since 1970) into a attraction to show visitors the forces of nature. In 2011 a new visitors center and the Kinzua Sky Walk (a pedestrian walkway to an observation deck with a glass floor) opened.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.