This was captured on February 18, 2024 at the Pointed Rocks Pond in the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Photo by Mark Sedenquist
A bunch of rare fish live here.
This was captured on February 18, 2024 at the Pointed Rocks Pond in the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Photo by Mark Sedenquist
A bunch of rare fish live here.
This the famous Atomic Liquors in Las Vegas. The oldest, continuously operated bar in Sin City. The photo was take on December 12, 2012.
The Atomic Liquor is so named because during the Atomic Bomb testing in the 1960's, bar patrons could go on the roof and watch the mushroom clouds just north of the city.
Photo by Megan Edwards
Megan and I have spent a fair amount of time and money at this establishment over the last 24 years!
Mark
I remember that place! Good times, iirc.
Rick
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Pretty shot of the pond--I love the color!
Devil's Tower, Wyoming. Photo: June 2023.
(Photo by Mark Sedenquist)
This was one of the most epic dinosaur museums I have ever been to. Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada.
Really awesome place
You know you have arrived at the right place when you see the road sign for "Klingon Way." This is on the edge of Vulcan, Alberta.
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So, what is the explanation for this formation?
I think this was on UT-143 about 3 miles from Brianhead, Utah in June 2023.
Actually, any would-be geologists who know how this formed--I would love hear from!
Yes, the area has really changed since you were in town last. A brand new apartment property is next door. What is interesting about this place is that is a "colors neutral" bar. All bikers are required to remove their colors before entering the premises. As such, it functions like a DMZ for hard-core bikers and it is also the go-to place for high-end attorneys and bankers. Makes for an interesting mix of people on any given night.
Mark
The conical shape of the formation reminds me of Tent Rocks (Kasha Katuwe National Monument) north of Albuquerque. A harder stone forms a cap atop softer stone that weathers away.
Strictly a guess!
Rick
P.S.: Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument is featured on Scenic Side Trip #21: The Albuquerque Loop
Mark,
If you've ever seen the Giant's Causeway in Ireland, the same process is happening here. Rock that forms from thick enough volcanic flows contracts (in all directions) as the buried lava/rock slowly cools. In the horizontal plane the easiest way for the rock to accomplish this is for it to contract in three directions simultaneously. This results in a hexagonal pattern of fractures where the various parts of the rock can pull away from each other and form vertical columns. It's simply the geometry of the situation. Think of a honeycomb, which while being built out rather than contracting in, is subject to the same basic geometry.
Depending on the size of the original fracture joints, the remaining (now columns of) rock can be of various sizes. These are on the large size. Also, the Giant's Causeway is formed of basalt, a fairly weather resistant rock formed at depth. The columns shown here appear to be made of poorly consolidate tephra formed near the surface, and it will erode more easily. This ease of erosion makes it more likely that some of the columns will fall, exposing the sides of the remaining columns to greater erosion, causing them to erode more rapidly, etc.
AZBuck