Cool surprise while backroading

Urban exploration in Arkansas
User avatar
slow_walker
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Posts: 4326
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:17 am
Location: Seattle, Washington

Cool surprise while backroading

Post by slow_walker »

So, I was driving towards Missouri from Rogers on Hwy 62 like I have donedozens of times a week my entire life, when I decided I wanted to do a little backroading. I was babysitting an 8 year old who was totally absorbed in his GameBoy Advance and since he didn't object, I turned to the east on a road I had passed millions of times but had never been down. About a mile or so down the road I came across this. It was totally awesome. It sneaks up on you because you come around a corner and suddenly there it looms hidden by the hills and trees. As soon as you cross under it you immediately go around another corner and it disappears again. There is a tiny gravel embankment leading down to the creek which I pulled over on to take these pictures. But because the thing was such a surprise to me I went past it, turned around and went past it again so that I could park facing it from my original direction.
Attachments
what you see when you come around the corner - my jeep is parked up against the column for height reference
what you see when you come around the corner - my jeep is parked up against the column for height reference
8 year old standing at column that's just 2 feet off of the road (no shoulder on road)
8 year old standing at column that's just 2 feet off of the road (no shoulder on road)
where the tracks comes off of the top of the hill on the left side of the road
where the tracks comes off of the top of the hill on the left side of the road
column across the creek that ran parallel to the road
column across the creek that ran parallel to the road
close-up of side of bridge and top of column
close-up of side of bridge and top of column
underneath while standing in the middle of the road
underneath while standing in the middle of the road
Last edited by slow_walker on Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
slow_walker
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Posts: 4326
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:17 am
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by slow_walker »

okay, this is supposed to have pictures with it and they showed up perfectly fine while I was previewing my post, but when I submitted it they all disappeared. So, I edited it and re-attached the pics and still they are not here. What gives WR?
User avatar
HMndnproud
Big Chief Little Shit
Big Chief Little Shit
Posts: 1558
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:15 pm
Location: The Highlands of Scotland

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by HMndnproud »

Ahhhh, no pictures and it sounds really interesting.
The early bird may get the worm, but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.
GatsbyfromMC
0-99 Poster
0-99 Poster
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:59 pm

RE: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by GatsbyfromMC »

Agreed :)
User avatar
slow_walker
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Posts: 4326
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:17 am
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by slow_walker »

Okay now that I got those pictures posted, let me continue my story. After I spotted this thing I desperately wanted to see if I could take pictures of it from the tracks. So I went down the closest dirt road I could find that ran the same basic direction as the railroad. I never did get close to being at the top of the bridge, but while on that road I did find this out in the middle of an empty field. So, since I rarely find anything I had an awesome day (at least it made me happy even if no one else is impressed :) )
Attachments
tower1-800.jpg
tower2-800.jpg
tower3-800.jpg
User avatar
BROUSER
Chief Adviser
Chief Adviser
Posts: 6455
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2005 3:23 pm

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by BROUSER »

Awesome! Those blocks in that column are enormous. Can you imagine what a single block must weigh? Don't guess there was any date on when that might have been built? And the WTF that you found in the field? Ummm...water tower? Just hazarding a guess.
“An all-out attack on evolutionist thinking is possibly the only real hope our nations have of rescuing themselves from an inevitable social and moral catastrophe.”
― Ken Ham
User avatar
slow_walker
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Posts: 4326
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:17 am
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by slow_walker »

I am blazing a trail all over the internet as we speak trying to find out more info about that bridge, but so far I am coming up empty
User avatar
slow_walker
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Posts: 4326
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:17 am
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by slow_walker »

Well, I haven't found anything about the bridge I photographed, but I did find this Old Wire Road Tunnel.

That interests me because I was just outside of Avoca when I turned and found this place. So I just looked up a map and I think the railroad tunnel on the website is like right next to the bridge I found. The bridge I found is in the location of the red dot and you can see that the same railroad tracks cross Old Wire Road where the two blue spots are. I bet one of them's the tunnel. Maybe if I go there I can get up to the tracks and walk down to the bridge to get some pictures. Also, there is a County road 80 which goes under the tracks it looks like, so I will have to check that out too.
The road I outlined in Green is the one I went north on and found the tower thing.
Attachments
railroad map.gif
User avatar
White Rabbit
Illuminati Expert
Illuminati Expert
Posts: 5246
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 5:57 pm
Location: Missouri

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by White Rabbit »

Nice :)

There's a water tower like that right near where I live that I've been dying to climb.
Hiccup
500+ Poster
500+ Poster
Posts: 2952
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 8:25 pm

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by Hiccup »

White Rabbit wrote:...I've been dying to climb.
not too crazy about your choice of wording there, honey
User avatar
HMndnproud
Big Chief Little Shit
Big Chief Little Shit
Posts: 1558
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:15 pm
Location: The Highlands of Scotland

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by HMndnproud »

That's a really cool bridge. Nice find. :D
The early bird may get the worm, but it's the second mouse that gets the cheese.
User avatar
Chris
King of the Man Bugs!
King of the Man Bugs!
Posts: 2679
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2005 6:39 am
Location: St. Louis Area

RE: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by Chris »

I love RR stuff. Cool bridge.
not too crazy about your choice of wording there, honey
Nicely put!
User avatar
slow_walker
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Posts: 4326
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:17 am
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by slow_walker »

Okay, I finally got some time a couple of weeks ago to head back down this direction and look up that tunnel I read about. Just like I thought, it was really close to the railroad bridge I stumbled across previously.
Attachments
DSCN1012-800.jpg
DSCN1011-800.jpg
DSCN1010-800.jpg
DSCN1009-800.jpg
DSCN1007-800.jpg
User avatar
slow_walker
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Posts: 4326
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:17 am
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by slow_walker »

That made me want to stop and photograph this small little railroad underpass tunnel which is in Seligman, MO. This tiny little tunnel is still used, but only by brave people with really skinny cars. :shock:

I actually didn't take a good picture that would show you the size of the tunnel. It really doesn't look that small in these pics. But trust me, I would be afraid both mirrors would scrape if I drove through there. It's both skinny and short. Next time I'm by there I'll try to get a picture that points out its tinyness.
Attachments
DSCN1017-800.jpg
DSCN1016-800.jpg
DSCN1014-800.jpg
User avatar
slow_walker
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Shyest Street Sofa Champion Ever!
Posts: 4326
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:17 am
Location: Seattle, Washington

Re: Cool surprise while backroading

Post by slow_walker »

And while I was taking those pictures of the tunnels, I turned around and decided to take a pic of my new car which was sitting there in the sunlight so beautifully. So, you have to look at it too, ha ha.
Attachments
DSCN1019-800.jpg
Post Reply