Pictures of your locale

[Gnomad]

Was out riding today for most of the afternoon. Took some pictures especially and exclusively for you people
The pics are from around eastern Helsinki area (the capital), Finland.

Feeling pretty beat and Im sure Ill have a few aches tomorrow. Been riding every day this week, since winter is fast approaching and then the trails will be a whole another story...

Had it all, wet roots and rocks galore, topped with autumn leaves icing guaranteed to give you a few sudden moments of dread when both wheels slide sideways from under ya..Mud and puddles so deep to sink my wheels up to the hubs. Storm strength winds for a while, and even an ice cold shower of rain to go with the gusts of wind. Its supposed to be stormy today night, saw lots of felled trees I had to carry over too. Rode up a few steep hills, biggest of I have a shot from on top. Its an old landfill now being landscaped and converted to recreational use - it is a favorite spot to practice your hill climbing. And down you come too, of course.

[Elvis]

Gnomad, thanks for those. My first close look at Finland, it's gorgeous!



and Jack, this is such a great photograph, thanks---

[JackRiddler]

Gnomad, thanks for those. My first close look at Finland, it's gorgeous!



and Jack, this is such a great photograph, thanks---

Ha, thanks Elvis. I didn't take that, but I've probably spent a thousand hours looking at it, waiting for a train to come. It's the Queensboro Plaza elevated station in Long Island City, lined up parallel to the approach to the Queensboro Bridge. You get some spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline from the elevated trains. In more recent years, you can watch new towers sprouting around LIC and Greater Astoria. This station is where my home train, the generally dubious N (formerly the R, formerly the RR, originally known as the "Astoria Line of the BMT") meets the 7 train (the ultimate MTA workhorse, which transports 70 nations worth of denizens from Times Square to Flushing with improbable efficiency). This shot is taken on the lower level, meaning both sides are Manhattan bound. The switches and the wood are both probably 100 years old. Very chilly spot, in the winter, and the upper level is worse.

.

[chump]

Southpark - pikes peak from top of Wilkerson Pass



Looking the other way toward Southpark; Spinney Reservoir off in the distance.

[IanEye]

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[82_28]

Southpark - pikes peak from top of Wilkerson Pass



Looking the other way toward Southpark; Spinney Reservoir off in the distance.

My fellow Broncos fan, chump, I am most certainly not arguing with you or anything of that nature. I grew up in Colorado, it's my home, but man, Pike's Peak is wimpy as fuck compared to Rainier. People who have done Alaska, say Denali is weak compared to Rainier. I've done the map plotting and Seattle is essentially the same distance from Rainier as Denver is to Pike's Peak.

It's all in the sea level and other interesting geological factors for all spots on the map, no matter where you are.



But you can be 80 miles from Rainier and it still feels like it's towering over you. As a Colorado kid, I can't recommend a visit to a truly giant mountain enough. Rainier is perhaps the most amazing specimen of nature I have ever laid eyes on.

We were talking the other day, us Colorado people who are up here about how Pike's is cool. I've been to the top on the cog railway and stuff. Viewing Pike's from Denver and stuff and Rainier from Seattle though, it's like another world of mountains. A dude told me that even Mt. Fuji is less impressive when the light, the sky the clarity of the air is right.

It's a mountain that makes you cry when you get close to it. It always feels like you can touch it. Astonishing mountain.

But I am not competing. I know Colorado well. But for all of her fourteeners, Rainier beats them all in the absolutely wtf, is this even possible category.

[chump]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pikes_Peak

Discovery (by non-Native Americans)
The first sighting by non-natives is often credited to members of the Pike expedition, led by Zebulon Pike. After a failed attempt to climb to the top in November 1806, Pike wrote in his journal:

"...here we found the snow middle deep; no sign of beast or bird inhabiting this region. The thermometer which stood at 9° above 0 at the foot of the mountain, here fell to 4° below 0. The summit of the Grand Peak, which was entirely bare of vegetation and covered with snow, now appeared at the distance of 15 or 16 miles (26 km) [24–26 km] from us, and as high again as what we had ascended, and would have taken a whole day's march to have arrived at its base, when I believed no human being could have ascended to its pinical [sic]. This with the condition of my soldiers who had only light overalls on, and no stockings, and every way ill provided to endure the inclemency of the region; the bad prospect of killing any thing to subsist on, with the further detention of two or three days, which it must occasion, determined us to return."[3]

Whoa! By Golly I think you're right! While Mount Ranier has a topgraphical prominance of over 13K', Pikes Peak rises only 8k' above it's surroundings. It is hardly distinguishable from the from the rest of the front range from Denver! Was that picture taken from Seattle? Dang!

Of course, Denver - being the "queen city of the plains" is as flat as B: I don't even have to change gears on my bicycle.

I used to live in Manitou Springs, and I've hiked up Pikes Peak and back in less than a day a number of times - in flip-flops! It ain't shit! Anybody can simply drive to the top of that teeny little fucker. I might have to bring my hiking boots (and a pair of socks) to achieve the summit of Mt. Ranier.



Kissing Camels in front of Pikes Peak.

[Gnomad]

Shut up you guys.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halti
"Halti (or Finnish: Haltiatunturi, Northern Sami: Háldi, Swedish: Haldefjäll) is the highest fell in Finland, at 1,324 m (4,344 ft) above sea level, and thus the highest point in the country."

And that is in the north, 1000 km from here....

I envy you for your hills. Downhills.

[82_28]

Chump, you should check it out sometime. Give me a jingle if you're ever up here.

Yeah though, Mt. Rainier is totally fucking amazing. I would never climb it. Way, way too dangerous. People do, but you need all kinds of permits insofar as how healthy and experienced you are. I "blow people" away up here who are unaware that you can take a car to the top of a mountain just outside Denver (Mt. Evans) that is just as high.

It's surrounded by old growth and most of the year -- snow like you wouldn't believe. But in the summer months, man, it is seriously paradise at the base of Rainier. Set up camp at a brilliant blue river coming off the glaciers totally surrounded by trees that are larger in diameter than your car. It truly is heaven.

Coming from Colorado and now in Washington, I don't know how people deal with living in say, Indiana.

That photo was probably taken from Tacoma or something btw.

This is more like it from where I reside:

[Nordic]

Window of the best video store in town, Vidiots:



Famous bit of LA architecture by Frank Gehry:



I think this place is Frank Gehry, too. What's cool about this is that the Christmas tree is made out of shopping carts!



Here's the guy's residence. Happen to know where this is because it's a block from where my stepdaughter went to grade school in Santa Monica.

[chump]

Sorry Nordic, don't mean to make you homesick.

Bridal Veil Falls last June:






http://www.sangres.com/colorado/sanmiguel/telluride.htm

Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse were hired by LL Nunn to come to Telluride and build the Ames Hydroelectric Generating Plant to supply AC power to the Gold King Mine. This was the 1st time commercial-grade AC power was transmitted for any distance (3.5 miles). With General Electric (headed by JP Morgan and Thomas Edison) promoting DC power transmission, this successful Westinghouse Electric demonstration sparked the "War of the Currents." The 1893 Chicago World's Fair had exhibits to promote both AC and DC current but, following the fair, Westinghouse was awarded the contract to build an AC generation plant at Niagara Falls. Before long, Westinghouse Electric was building power plants in Idaho, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Mexico and on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.

82-28, I'll be there tomorrow.

[chump]

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19138303

... The interaction between the cats went on for about 5 minutes.
Zeus typically stands tall, hisses and acts fairly aggressive when he sees other animals - mostly squirrels, other house cats or even dogs - through the glass door. But Zeus remained calm as he appraised the big cat.
"I think he thought 'Hmmm! This is different,' " Loveman said.
When the lion left the porch, Loveman went to an upstairs balcony and spotted a second lion, which Loveman thought was likely the mother of the first lion.
She watched and took photos as the cats wandered off, jumped a fence and disappeared...

Zeus, an 11-year-old Maine coon cat, had a curious encounter with a young mountain lion about 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Pine Brook Hills area of Boulder. (Specal to The Denver Post | Gail J. Loveman) (Photos courtesy of Gail Loveman)

[chump]

Since my dog died my backyard has turned into a wildlife refuge:

[Luposapien]

My view at this very moment, and, regrettably, for a large percentage of my waking hours during the work week. Was enjoying this thread, and thought I'd contribute, then realized that pretty much all of the pics I have on hand (being the ones on my phone) have my kids in them, and as much as I love this place, I don't know if I'm comfortable posting images of them here. At least I've got a nice big screen to see all the gorgeous images others have posted. I've really got to get back out into nature sometime very soon.

[chump]

Happy Halloween!