Londonderry, Vermont

First timer?  In this formerly once-a-day blog (and now pretty much a once-every-time-I-get-around-to-it blog), I have my computer select a random latitude and longitude that puts me somewhere in the continental United States (the lower 48).  I call this “landing.”  I keep track of the watersheds I land in, as well as the town I land near.  I do some internet research to hopefully find something of interest about my landing location.  To find out more about A Landing A Day (like who “Dan” is and what the various numbers and abbreviations mean in the first paragraph), please see “About Landing,” (and “Abbreviations” and “Cryptic Numbers”) above.

Dan –  After 8 USers in a row, the LG is seeking balance, with this, my 4th OSer in row . . . VT; 9/6; 6/10; 11; 155.6.

Here’s my landing map, showing my proximity to Londonderry:

Here’s a broader view:

Not one, but two new rivers:  the Middle Branch of the Williams River, to yet another new river, the Williams River.  The Williams ends up in the Connecticut River (12th hit).

Here’s my GE shot, showing that I landed way out in the woods:

A broader GE view shows two ski areas:  Magic Mountain and Timber Ridge.

My landing map shows that I landed near Glebe Mountain, which tops off at 2940’ above sea level.  Here’s an oblique GE view, showing that I landed on the flank of Glebe (with Timber Ridge behind and Magic Mountain off to the right).

From Wiki, here’s a little about the ski areas:

Magic Mountain is a ski resort located on Glebe Mountain in Londonderry, Vermont.  It features a 1,700-foot vertical drop. The summit is at 2,850 feet and the base at 1,150 feet. Magic and its base area have a long history, dating from the 1960s. Having experienced a multi-year closure in the 1990s, multiple owners, and existing in the shadows of Bromley Mountain and Stratton Mountain.  Magic has struggled in recent years to remain in operation.

In 1985, Magic Mountain dramatically increased its skiable terrain, by purchasing and connecting the former Timber Ridge ski area. Located on the eastern slope of Glebe Mountain, the area became known as Timberside at Magic.

Magic Mountain and Timberside ceased operations due to bankruptcy in 1991. With the exception of the summit Heron-Poma double chairlift and the Pohlig-Yan triple chairlift, all lifts were removed during liquidation. While Magic Mountain would later reopen for the 1997/1998 ski season, the Timberside area was sold separately and to this day is not lift serviced. There are plans to gradually reopen Timber Ridge as a private ski area.

In March 2009, it was announced that Magic Mountain’s management was looking into a cooperative ownership structure to ensure the future operation, maintenance, and development of the ski area.

Well, good luck to Magic Mountain.  I’m a bit of a skier, and would be entirely happy to be cruising down the slopes at Magic Mountain.  And if there are no lift lines, all the better. . .

So, checking out Londonderry VT, I couldn’t find much of interest, except this:

 Bowdoin College student breaks Guinness record by tossing grape 39 feet, catching it in his mouth

Darren Fishell | Times Record

Trevor McDonald, a Bowdoin College freshman from Londonderry, Vt., tosses a grape into the air Friday at Farley Field House on the campus of the college in Brunswick. McDonald caught the grape in his mouth 39 feet away in hopes of setting a Guinness World Record.

Son of a gun, if Trevor (from Londonderry) didn’t go ahead and break the record!  Darren has written a great article (which also features Ashrita Furman, the past grape-catching record holder and the current holder of more than100 world records, making him the world record holder of world records), and I recommend you read it, by clicking here.

There’s no where to go after a grape-tossing-and-catching world’s record, so . . .

That’ll do it.

KS

Greg

© 2012 A Landing A Day

Gerlach, Nevada

First timer?  In this formerly once-a-day blog (and now pretty much a once-every-time-I-get-around-to-it blog), I have my computer select a random latitude and longitude that puts me somewhere in the continental United States (the lower 48).  I call this “landing.”  I keep track of the watersheds I land in, as well as the town I land near.  I do some internet research to hopefully find something of interest about my landing location.  To find out more about A Landing A Day (like who “Dan” is and what the various numbers and abbreviations mean in the first paragraph), please see “About Landing,” (and “Abbreviations” and “Cryptic Numbers”) above.

Dan –  I guess I need to say a word or two about how long it has been since my last post.  Let me see . . . it was back on February 8^th.  Ouch.  My new job is tough – I thought at this point in my career, I’d be coasting.  Oh well.  Anyway, back to my landing . . .

 I’m slipping back as per usual, with this, my third-straight OSer . . .NV; 78/71; 7/10; 10; 155.1.  Here’s my landing map:

 

This broader view shows I landed out in Western NV:

 

My GE shot shows (what else) that I landed out in the middle of nowhere:

 

To give you an even better idea of nowhere, here’s an oblique GE view:

 

I couldn’t find out much about Gerlach; it’s a former (what else?) mining town.  Here’s a little summary from Wiki about Gerlach, and its neighboring town, Empire:

Gerlach-Empire is in Washoe County, Nevada. The combined population was 499 at the 2000 census. A former company town for United States Gypsum Corporation, the two towns were once home to more than 750 people. Most of the population (of fewer than 200 people) now live in the two tiny settlements; the rest live on outlying rural ranching properties. The nearest town, Nixon, is 60 miles to the south on a reservation owned by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe.

Since 1991, Burning Man, a week long countercultural festival with 51,454 participants (as of 2010), has been held nearby. Due to the appearance and actions of many of the participants, local enthusiasm is mixed, but the event is responsible for around 20% of the sales at the few commercial establishments in the area, which include the closest permanent fuel and grocery stops to the event site. The Black Rock Desert is also the site of many other recreational activities, organized and otherwise, throughout the year.

I’ve heard of Burning Man, but I don’t really know much about it.  The daughter and son-in-law of some friends of ours have been going for years.  It sounds . . . uh . . . different.

 Here’s a GE shot, with markers showing my landing, Gerlach, and Burning Man (the white areas are bleached-out valley floors):

 

From the Burning Man website (Black Rock City is what they call the encampment):

 

What Is Burning Man?

 

Once a year, tens of thousands of participants gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, having left no trace whatsoever. Burning Man is also an ever-expanding year-round culture based on the Ten Principles.

Black Rock City is a kind of Petri dish. Theme camps cling in fertile clusters to its latticework of streets, artworks tumble out of it, like pollen on the air. These nodes of interaction mutate, grow and reproduce their kind, only to effloresce and spread across five continents. This year’s art theme contemplates the tendency of any being or living system to create abundant life.

 

What Isn’t Burning Man?

Burning Man isn’t your usual festival, with big acts booked to play on massive stages. In fact, it’s more of a city than a festival, wherein almost everything that happens is created entirely by its citizens, who are active participants in the event.

If you want to learn more, I suggest you Google “Burning Man” and check it out.

 I’ll close with this shot of a Gerlach railroad crossing:

 

 That’ll do it.

 KS

 Greg

© 2012 A Landing A Day