"Where in North America is this?" Section VI

I think it might be Grandfather Mountain, located in western NC near Blowing Rock and Boone.

This was taken from the Grandfather Mountain website:

"The original Cherokee name for the mountain was "Tanawha," meaning "a fabulous hawk or eagle." It was named "Grandfather" by pioneers who recognized the face of an old man in one of the cliffs. Many vantage points reveal different faces, so there is no one official profile of the mountain, but the most popular can be seen from the community of Foscoe, seven miles north of Linville and 10 miles south of Boone on NC 105".

Jerry.

That's Grandfather Mountain, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwestern North Carolina. The English name arises from the "profile" suggestive of an older man in repose and can be envisioned in the picture with the forehead at the summit and the brow, nose, and chin descending to the right of the summit. Indeed, NC 105 ascends to Linville Gap just barely out of view on the right of the frame and the "profile" is rather more distinctive from that angle. The Native American name is in fact Tanawa and is recognized by a trail of that name roughly paralleling the Blue Ridge Parkway for several miles along its slopes.

At 5,947', Calloway Peak is the highest of several summits atop Grandfather. The Blue Ridge Parkway skirts the eastern slopes just out of view to the left of the frame here, with the famous Linn Cove Viaduct carrying the Parkway for +1,200 linear feet over some very rugged territory.

The snapshot here was taken at 0700 on a Sunday morning in late October 2008 so shows the pinkish early morning light illuminating the mountain from behind the photographer.

The shot was taken from the deck of our family's vacation home near Blowing Rock. That house happens to be where much of Charles Frazier's novel "Cold Mountain" was written as he sat just inside from the deck and took in the view exactly as depicted here. Although Frazier's Smokey Mountain hometown and Cold Mountain itself are well over 100 miles to the southwest of this spot, he drew much inspiration from the view here and said as much in the credits in the book.

I expect to arrive at this spot (the house) not long after sunset this evening. Weather permitting, by around 2pm Sunday afternoon, I'll be atop Calloway Peak, having hiked up from the Boone Fork Trailhead along the Parkway. It's only some 3.5 miles to the summit, but that route gains 2,000' of elevation so is a less-than-easy hike. Wish me luck!

Foy

When I popped on here, Grandfather Mountain was my first thought -- but I see the Jayree beat me by three hours or so....

Mark

This is not a rock, but a parking lot. There are two questions:

1) Where is the parking lot located?
2) From what location was the picture taken?

http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/44...600x600Q85.jpg
Photo by: Jerry Kendrick

I can provide some hints, if needed. The number of cars and the trees may be a clue. Also, a 10x zoom was used for the picture.
Jerry.

Curry Village parking lot taken from Glacier Point?

I like the concept -- nice shot. (and good job on figuring out the coding issue on the photo display!)

Curry Village? I gotta go look at my maps...Is that the correct angle?

Wow, good memory -- that does look right!

Wow! You guys are really good! I'm going to have to find something really hard next time!

Here is a picture of the parking lot without the zoom. It's good to have a neck strap for shots like this in case the camera slips.

http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/43...600x600Q85.jpg
Photo by: Jerry Kendrick

Jerry.

Did you hand-hold that 10x shot, or use a tripod?

If hand-held, you must have nerves of steel. Shot seems tack-sharp.

What is this?
Where is it?
Why is it like this now?

http://donandlindacasey.com/images/MysteryLocation.jpg
Photo: Don Casey

Yes, this IS a tourist attraction, of sorts.

No tripod used on either picture. But there was a very sturdy railing that you could lean on. Yosemite NP is a beautiful place!
Jerry.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CalOldBlue

What is this?
Where is it?
Why is it like this now?

http://donandlindacasey.com/images/MysteryLocation.jpg
Photo: Don Casey

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Hmmm, perhaps the boiler room at Alcatraz Prison state park?

Mark

Not Alcatraz.
Not in California.
Not a park property.

And to quote Paul Simon (the singer, not the politician): "One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor".

Except that's not exactly a floor on the other side of what I'm standing under. Nor a roof.

There seems to be a similarity of creative clue-writing skills at work here....

OKay..."...Except that's not exactly a floor on the other side of what I'm standing under. Nor a roof...." Yegads....

So what's above your head is a street?

Perhaps the underground of either Seattle, New York or Chicago?

Mrk

You are looking at what used to be the ground floor of a building in Seattle's Pioneer Square area.

When originally built, they failed to adquately take into account things like high tide and rain runoff (something Seattle has a lot of).

After a while of slogging through muddy, sloppy (dare I say stinky) streets, the City Fathers decided to raise the street level.

They built walls between the streets and the sidewalks, and filled the street in with sundry debris... turning the sidewalks into moats around the buildings. At that point in the process building owners had to put ladders up to allow people to climb down to the building entrances. If you wanted to cross a street, you had to climb up a ladder, cross the street, then climb down a ladder on the other side.

Eventually they all decided to roof over the sidewalks, turn some second-story windows into doors, and make the second story of the buildings the new ground floor.

Even later, a bright lad (Bill Speidel) decided there was money to be made giving tours of this underground "paradise".

I'm standing under a sidewalk, what you are looking at are the original windows and doors of a building.

Excellent -- work on this puzzle.

mark

Who built this?
Where is it?
What movie did it appear in, in what role?

http://donandlindacasey.com/images/MysteryBuilding6.jpg
Photo: Don Casey

It was a movie with John Wayne -- but I'd have to look that up...

"The Searchers" maybe?

Captain Nathan Brittle's (John Wayne) office.

Harry and 'Mike' (his wife) Goulding, are credited with bringing Monument Valley to John Ford's attention; resulting initially in "Stagecoach".

Possibly an apochryphal tale, but as Goulding's Trading Post (actually, this is the original house, later root cellar) was the closest thing to 'civilization' in Monument Valley at the time, it became Ford's de facto headquarters during the filming of several of his movies.

The trading post is a two story adobe building on the grounds of Goulding's Lodge (which has changed hands more than once since the Gouldings sold it a few decades ago). The building is now a museum, movie stuff on the second floor, pioneer stuff on the ground floor.

http://donandlindacasey.com/images/G...radingPost.jpg
Photo: Don Casey

Here is a new one for a challange.

1) What is this building?
2) Where is it located?
3) What is it's significance?

http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/45...600x600Q85.jpg
Picture by: Jerry Kendrick

Jerry

What? No takers yet on the small building? There are more clues in this photo!

http://inlinethumb60.webshots.com/44...600x600Q85.jpg
Photo by: Jerry Kendrick

Jerry.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist

There seems to be a similarity of creative clue-writing skills at work here....

OKay..."...Except that's not exactly a floor on the other side of what I'm standing under. Nor a roof...." Yegads....

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He's on to us, Don!

Foy

As to the puzzle....

Flag would hint to a public building.

Blue boxes = mail deposit boxes

More than one of these = post office

Small building = smallest post office

Google says: Ochopee, FL

You got it! The sign in the picture below explains it.

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/40...600x600Q85.jpg
Photo by: Jerry Kendrick

Jerry.

Damn, I knew that one!

Any takers for my photo from a couple of days ago?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by UKCraig

Yes, the one I posted earlier was from Stanley Park as Marks suggested.

Here's another whilst you ponder the latest photo:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2377/...508ef6b441.jpg

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This is still open for guesses.

Hint 1: It is located on an island

Hint 2: It has a connection to the number 27

Because that's about Pasadena and the Phoenix One -- both of which don't fit the parameters of on island....

Obviously a race car track someplace.... Hmmmm

Mark

And kudos to CalOldBlue for the management assist (moving it back to front of the line)

Not post #27, no. But you're right about it being a race circuit...

Hint 3: You will find something here which might otherwise be more at home in Las Vegas.

Hint 4: Look very closely at the photo and there is one real big clue there which will totally give the game away.

I can't read what's painted on the track -- and the license plates on the trucks are pretty small as well. I've thought this might be the raceway near Atlantic City, but I don't see any visual confirmation of this.

Sheesh, usually after four hints, it becomes very obvious.

Mark

Yes, it is located next to a casino.

Hint 5: Head north, baby...

Hint 6: It is a temporary circuit (see construction going on in photo) which caused some controversy recently when it banned cyclists from riding on it's tarmac

I usually don't like to answer via Google, but this one seems to need an answer:

the Gilles-Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal on the Île Notre-Dame. Can't verify from the sat. picture, but I'd bet the picture is taken from the pit area.

I'm guessing the big clue is that (unintelligible to me) writing is in French.

Here is another rock to ponder. This one doesn't have a name (as far as I know), but there are three questions to answer:

1) Where is this rock located?
2) Who are the people on the rock?
3) What are they doing?

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/43...600x600Q85.jpg
Photo by: Jerry Kendrick

There are clues to the questions in the photo.
Jerry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Twilight

I usually don't like to answer via Google, but this one seems to need an answer:

the Gilles-Villeneuve Circuit in Montreal on the Île Notre-Dame. Can't verify from the sat. picture, but I'd bet the picture is taken from the pit area.

I'm guessing the big clue is that (unintelligible to me) writing is in French.

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Photo is taken from my car on the start line. The text painted on track says 'Salut Gilles' and is a tribute to the man that the circuit is named after: French-Canadian Gilles Villeneuve who died at the wheel of the #27 Ferrari.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by UKCraig

Yes, it is located next to a casino.

Hint 5: Head north, baby...

Hint 6: It is a temporary circuit (see construction going on in photo) which caused some controversy recently when it banned cyclists from riding on it's tarmac

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Since when is it forbidden to ride a bike there?

I just did it no later than last month and I was far from the only one there...

(I dont mean to sound ironic, I'm really just curious...)

Oh and what do you mean by temporary?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by js_cooldude

Since when is it forbidden to ride a bike there?

I just did it no later than last month and I was far from the only one there...

(I dont mean to sound ironic, I'm really just curious...)

Oh and what do you mean by temporary?

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From Wiki:

Quote:

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During the few days of the Grand Prix, Île Notre-Dame is one of the noisiest places in Montreal. At just about any other time of the year, it is one of the quietest, being located in the middle of a river, on an island filled with greenery and animals, joggers and cyclists. However, on the 4th of June 2009, administration of Île Notre-Dame has forbidden the access of competitive cyclists to the circuit, justifying this as a security measure to avoid the increasing injuries that occurred between year 2008 and 2009. A total of 27 injuries have been reported. The ban on cyclists has since been lifted due to protests.

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BTW, banned cyclists was part of the Google search I used to find it. Now (adding Montreal Circuit), the #2 result is this thread.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jayree

Here is another rock to ponder. This one doesn't have a name (as far as I know), but there are three questions to answer:

1) Where is this rock located?
2) Who are the people on the rock?
3) What are they doing?

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/43...600x600Q85.jpg
Photo by: Jerry Kendrick
There are clues to the questions in the photo.
Jerry

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Thanks for the all of the detail on UKCraig's last query -- and good for Google

On Jerry's (above) One wonders why a couple of mermaids would need life preservers -- Yeah, this own seems tougher than Curry Village in Yosemite....

Mark

Question on the Mermaid picture - when was it taken? Specifically was it taken last summer - or perhaps more to the point, would you have been able to take that same picture last year?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by js_cooldude

Oh and what do you mean by temporary?

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I mean it's, erm, not permanent! ;)

The mermaid picture was taken July 4, 2008 at 11:42 AM.