| Author | Message | ||
     Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 414 Registered: 5-2009 |
Thought you might enjoy this snap of the Mississippi River bridges at Vicksburg. The view is toward Louisiana.  | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Frequent User Username: bob_uk Post Number: 52 Registered: 5-2015 |
A nice vista. The weather in Dorset is a bit hit and miss. The forecast says we are about to get 28c temps which will be nice. Is that a civil war cannon. | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 416 Registered: 5-2009 |
Yes it is. One can see how effectively the river traffic could be blocked with cannon on the bluffs on the east side of the river. The Federals would try to slip by at night. The Confederates had lookouts hidden on the west side of the river. They sounded the alarm and set fire to huge brush piles already prepared. This silhouetted the Federal boats and blammo! Johnny Reb let 'em have it. Gen.Grant tried during the winter to dig a canal to the west, in an attempt to bypass the bluffs. It wasn't finished but there is a remnant remaining which one can visit today: levee construction has got the rest. This is a very historic area. Just northeast about 30 miles is the city of Yazoo City where the Confederate Navy Yard was, on the Yazoo river. The siege of Vicksburg ended July 4 1863. There is a very nice Mississippi Visitors' Center on the bluff just off the left side of the photo. I stop there most times when I pass through, for the facilities; and I enjoy sitting for a few minutes and watching the highway and river traffic. | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1344 Registered: 6-2009 |
Randy, I love the crossing of the mighty Mississippi at Vicksburg. I've been there a number of times on our Staunton, VA to Austin, TX, and back road trips. Brian | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 418 Registered: 5-2009 |
Great. Mississippi is a beautiful rural and farmland state. I was driving back from Franklinton, Louisiana this morning and I always enjoy driving in MS. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1628 Registered: 4-2003 |
Is there any particular reason why one bridge is painted white and the other black? Also one carries a flag and the other does not. One area of US I have not visited but is on my bucket list for my next visit as my US friends have relocated to North Carolina since my last visit. | ||
| richard george yeaman Prolific User Username: richyrich Post Number: 299 Registered: 4-2012 |
My wife and I were on an Elvis remembered tour about nine years ago we travelled through the Southern states and we did have a trip on a pleasure paddle boat it was just long enough for us to get something to eat and buy some souviners but we really enjoyed the experience. Richard. | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 419 Registered: 5-2009 |
The dark bridge is the old one: it is only used now for emergency auto traffic and for the railroad: this is an important rr bridge as it is one of the three major east-west railways in the southern USA The lighter bridge is the Interstate 20 bridge: automobiles and trucks only. Three lanes each way. | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1346 Registered: 6-2009 |
The RR bridge in action from one of my visits there in 2011:  | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 421 Registered: 5-2009 |
Great photo: the Meridian Speedway is the name of this track. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 740 Registered: 5-2012 |
The US certainly is a beautiful Country. Driving the interstate through Virginia all I could see was thick forest and rolling hills. This luscious greenery extends right down through the Carolinas', Georgia and across through Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. I've driven the I10 a few times and like how the flora gradually changes across Texas, into the desert states of Arizona and Nevada. They are equally appealing with their rugged rock formations. One thing I look out for when crossing Arizona is the freight trains. They must be over a mile long. 4 locos hooked up to pull the weight. Really quite an impressive sight Geoff | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 406 Registered: 4-2012 |
Hi what about some nice photos of nice places from where you live it would certainly brighten the outlook for those of us having a bad Winter. Richard. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1035 Registered: 5-2012 |
Richard Just to make you feel a bit better, I spent the winter of 2013/14 in Cleveland Ohio. Temperatures in January were regularly -15C. Most days the temperature rarely rose above 0C. We moved back to Florida and after about 18 months have just about recovered from the horror of such a brutal winter. I imagine it is much milder where you live, so you can feel lucky that although Ireland gets cold in winter, there are so many places that are much much worse off. Temperatures here in Florida are still in the 25 to 30C region, so a very pleasant time of year.  Geoff | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 407 Registered: 4-2012 |
thanks Geoff feel better already. Richard. | ||
| Jan Forrest Grand Master Username: got_one Post Number: 891 Registered: 1-2008 |
I've known for some time that a canon originally commissioned by Henry VIII had been dug up in a local steel works' scrap yard, and even knew where it was displayed. However it was only recently that I took the time to examine it more closely. Having been 'restored' with wire brushes and several coats of back paint it was essentially 'good as new', but why was it scrapped? It wasn't long before I found severe longtitudinal cracks in it; 2 each in the breach and the barrel. I can only assume that these were engendered by the proofing test of the barrel, which it failed miserably. Although records are sparse for Tudor period, The consensus of opinion is that it was destined to join a few dozen others along the beams of the Mary Rose, his flagship. Obviously the gun is spiked and plugged. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1848 Registered: 4-2003 |
Jan, I understand the sinking of the "Mary Rose" was due to the weight of the cannons on the gun deck[s] causing the ship to heel in the prevailing wind and the sea rushed in through the open gun ports flooding the ship. Exploding cannons would certainly have been an occupational hazard in the muzzle-loading era due to the very basic foundry skills of the cannon makers and the variability of the cast metal from one batch to the next. I do not know if the cast-iron castings were given any form of stress-relief heat treatment after casting which is essential for minimising the later incidence of failure when the cannon is fired. Bursting of cast-iron cannon was a problem for several centuries until cast iron was made by better foundry practice and then replaced by forged steel and more precise quality control during manufacture, processing and testing. The fact that it was found in a steel scrap yard suggests it was made from cast-iron - a quick test with a magnet would confirm this. | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 597 Registered: 5-2009 |
It's 81F here in north Louisiana; partly cloudy; rain expected this weekend. I had to turn the air conditioning on mostly to kick the indoor humidity down. | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 412 Registered: 4-2012 |
Hi its 9pm in Northern Ireland and its 5 degrees c not too bad. Richard. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 800 Registered: 5-2015 |
Its 11c in Bournemouth Dorset and quite pleasant a bit overcast and sometimes drizzle. But its December and winter. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1852 Registered: 4-2003 |
2pm weather report for Taree NSW. Shade temperature 29.2deg Centigrade, Dew Point 20.6deg Centigrade, Relative Humidity 59%, Wind from East North East straight off the sea 28km/hr gusting to 35km/hr. MSL barometric pressure 1012.4hpa. Clear sky & full sun however weather radar shows incipient storms building up on Barrington Tops approx 120km to the west at the head of the Manning River Valley. These should arrive on the coast some time after 5pm if they are large enough and follow their usual route from the mountains out to sea. | ||
| Jan Forrest Grand Master Username: got_one Post Number: 896 Registered: 1-2008 |
Cold, wet and windy in South Yorkshire as it has been for over 2 weeks. Flooding in a lot of areas with the expected property damage and electricity black outs. I trust our Antipodean cousins realise just how much I hate them and their Christmas BBQs on the beach. | ||
| Mark Herbstreit Prolific User Username: mark_herbstreit Post Number: 136 Registered: 5-2005 |
I am a bit worried about the salt on my local roads too! 33c (91F) for lunch tomorrow. Merry Christmas everyone.  | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 426 Registered: 4-2012 |
Hi Mark beautiful setting beautiful car have a lovely Christmas. Richard. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 812 Registered: 5-2015 |
Happy days. | ||
| Jan Forrest Grand Master Username: got_one Post Number: 903 Registered: 1-2008 |
After 2 days of no rain I've manged to 'clear up' behind my dogs. I need not less then 2 more (preferably 3) to vacuum up all the leaves and drop their mulched remains on my rhubarb. | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 538 Registered: 4-2012 |
Hi all I am sitting here in Northern Ireland at the end of June outside it is cold and wet not much happening. Is there anything nice going on anywhere that would get a bit of a smile going what about some nice photos of some of your gardens or some more of the local scenery what about a competition for the best entrant (sorry no prizes) Richard. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1299 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi Richard I'm in Tampa Florida at the moment, waiting to move to Tulsa Oklahoma tomorrow. It's a 2 day drive. We have a rental home sorted but the movers don't come to empty our Fl house until next Tuesday. It will then take them up to a week to deliver the stuff, so we will be "camping" in our new home for that time. The Rolls is already on it's way. I can't understand why I am finding this stressful. It bugs me. We are only moving down the road for Christ's sake. Oh well - I'm hoping once we are on the road tomorrow things will look brighter. So I'm a bit jealous of you sitting in a nice warm house looking out at the inclement weather. Geoff | ||
| Bob Reynolds Grand Master Username: bobreynolds Post Number: 407 Registered: 8-2012 |
"I'm in Tampa Florida at the moment, waiting to move to Tulsa Oklahoma tomorrow." 24 hours from Tulsa then? | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 539 Registered: 4-2012 |
Hi Geoff sorry to hear that you are at a bit of a loose end I am sure it wont take long for you to settle back into normality I don't know how you can just up and go as you do I am just the opposite I have been living at my current address since 1978 and am thinking about downsizing dread the thoughts about it, is it your job that takes you on your journeys or have you just got to keep moving like a rolling stone, Anyway it wont be long till you settle in and you could post some photos of your new abode. Richard. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1300 Registered: 5-2012 |
Bob - I've absolutely been banned from saying "we're only 24 hours from Tulsa" on threat of divorce. It was wearing a bit thin after incorporating the phrase into our every conversation. Richard - When you do downsize it won't be so bad. After a few weeks your new house will feel like home again. We had intended to stay in Tampa for a couple of years until my wife finished work, downsize and live happily ever after. However, events got in the way so we are now off to Tulsa. Geoff | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1989 Registered: 6-2009 |
Geoff, While I can understand the ban on endlessly repeating the phrase "24 hours from Tulsa" I certainly hope that Dusty Springfield's immortal rendition of that song is included somewhere in your journey. I can listen to that song, and most of Ms. Springfield's songbook, repeatedly. Brian | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 545 Registered: 2-2013 |
In 1980 on 4 July I landed in Charleston South Carolina and upon walking out of the airport I grabbed some leaves off a tree to inspect them as they were that green I suspected they were fake. SC is an unbelievably beautiful state. I ended up having a drink with some young Americans who asked me if I would come with them "to fight the Russians" and I wondered just what the might come up with if I moved them from the Buds onto Russian beer ranging from 8 to 11 to 18 percent. I gathered that they would have been a tad to crazy on straight vodka let alone Siberian samogon at 60 percent proof. Perhaps my first laugh came when I was approaching LA an was handed a US Immigration form that asked "Are you or have you ever been a member of the National Socialist Party 1933 Germany" I used to giggle after walking out of small shops in the South where the women used to say "you all come back now you hear honey child!" The mind just boggles. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Prolific User Username: patrick_r Post Number: 295 Registered: 4-2016 |
Some magnificent images & great replies gents. Love the boat ramp. Maybe we should now start a thread regarding our cars in special or holiday locations? | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 572 Registered: 4-2012 |
Well Guys its a beautiful day in Northern Ireland my Wife and I have just received word that our daughter has just had a brand new baby girl about 1300 hrs Singapore time Cheers Everybody!!!!! Richard. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2131 Registered: 4-2003 |
Congratulations on your grand-daughter and trust mother and child are progressing well - I also trust grandfather has "wet the baby's head" in the traditional way. Take it from me - the best years of your life have now begun so enjoy the journey and the happy memories you will create for both you and your wife. | ||
| richard george yeaman Grand Master Username: richyrich Post Number: 574 Registered: 4-2012 |
Hi David thank you I am going to see them on the 28th of August, baby and mother are well, tucked up in a Singapore Hospital, | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 733 Registered: 4-2009 |
Dear Richard, Hearty congratulations from Stockholm. It took me a while to reply because i am travelling. I am very happy for you mate. See if you can stop off in Dubai on your way to see your new grand daughter. take care mate. Omar | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 374 Registered: 4-2016 |
Congratulations Richard. One happy poppy I bet! | ||
| Geoff Wootton Grand Master Username: dounraey Post Number: 1326 Registered: 5-2012 |
Richard I also missed this. Congratulations. Geoff |
