eXTReME mACHiNeS

[Laser180481]

The colors in number 4 are just amazing. And what a cool setting!

 

[abraxas]

Thanks again everyone for the kind comments.

The only one I have any idea of what it is, is #3. A Lafayette (Buick or it's own?), but I can't remember the year- maybe '29?

Looking through these are fun for me, some wierd memories. Check it out;

#2. I had been in Phoenix taking care of some stuff, and on the way home to California, planned a side trip through a new stretch of desert for me- Not that this was remarkable, but the way I come up with the itinerary was a bit offbeat.

Checking out my somewhat handy, somewhat ambigous road atlas, I penciled in the boundaries of the areas I have visited. I've been all around the vicinity so this left a nice open area to explore.

There were two paved roads through the 'globby-looking' shape drawn on the map. I called the shape =-nowhere-= because there was =-nothing-= in it other than these two skinny highways.

One of the highways ran just about up the middle of =-nowhere-=. I placed an 'X' on the spot--this was my destination! What was there? =-Nothing-=

I was heading to =-Nothing-= in the middle of =-nowhere-=. I wondered what it would look like?

From Phoenix I drove this way for a long time, and that way for a long time. I came to the Hassayampa River.

The Hassayampa is an underground river. The water runs below the sand but intermittantly the flow comes up in pools. Legend, dating back to the conquistadors, and later to the prospectors and miners, has it that if you drink from the waters of the river, "You will never tell the truth again."

There was a fountain in the shady little roadside area next to the river. It was July, it was hot, I took a long drink of the reasonably cool water.



So next I stopped at a visitor center. A little place bult in an old railroad caboose- But since I drank from the waters of the Hassayampa, I could be lying right now!

There were two nice ladies with smiles on their faces at the counter. They seemed busy and left me to wander and browse. I found bottles of water with the Hassayampa label. I had to buy one, and to be chatty, I asked if the legend were true?

"Oh yes!" they replied almost in unison.

I smiled and said, "I drank some of the river water. "

"From the fountain?" they asked.

"Yep."

"Well we believe you. Because the legend is really that if you drink water from below the river's water line, you'll lie forever. If you drink from the fountain, above the river line like that, well, you'll never be able to lie again."

"No kidding?" I asked. I thought about it for a moment. "Wait, have you drank the river water?"

"She has," replied the other.

"She's lying," was the response.

I bought the water and got out of there. I needed to clear my head. I figured that seeing =-Nothing-= in the middle of nowhere should do it. I forgot to ask if there was anything at my destination. Probably nothing there.

So I drive the 35-40 miles out into the middle of nowhere. I take my time and enjoy the scenery. Not a whole lot to it. Pretty much nothing there.

After awhile I see a sign, "Nothing - 5 Miles." A few minutes later I pulled over into the tiny town of Nothing Arizona. The hand-painted population sign was weathered and too faded to make out the one digit number.

There was a rock and mineral shop that looked abandoned, a small store with junk and odds and ends laying about and a couple broken gas pumps. In the middle of the compound was a water barrel on wheels with "Free Radiator Water", emblazoned crudely on the side.

"Wow. Nothing really here", I thought. Then I seen some movement inside the store. I could use something cold to drink. I went over and grabbed the door handle, it was stuck. I tugged a little harder, but maybe just a bit too hard. The metal building shook. I could see the lady inside jump as I starled her.

"We're closed!" she yelled.

Disheartened, I wandered around snapping shots of this and that. I found the car previously mentioned and took a few shots of it. I took my time because there was nothing else to do in the middle of nowhere.

Synopsis:
I found something in Nothing out in the middle of nowhere. Nothing is somewhere although there is nothing there except a store that offers nothing. I took a nice picture of something that I know nothing about. I checked and there was nothing in the water tank that was in the middle of nowhere. I've been to the middle of nowhere and there was Nothing there.

Furthermore;

Since I drank from the legendary liar's waters of the Hassayampa, I could be lying- Or Not.

--
That's the story of photo #2.

 

[kundalini]

Very engaging story dude.

Might I be so bold as to suggest an illustrated story (w/ your photos of course) of your adventures and/or non-adventures of nothingness that often lead to somethingness in the vain of Colin the Bear. A continuing saga of traversing the desert floor and vistas. Your talents for storytelling are well received on this end.

 

[abraxas]

Very engaging story dude.

Might I be so bold as to suggest an illustrated story (w/ your photos of course) of your adventures and/or non-adventures of nothingness that often lead to somethingness in the vain of Colin the Bear. A continuing saga of traversing the desert floor and vistas. Your talents for storytelling are well received on this end.

Thanks. I've been bugged to do something like that. The S.F. and fantasy is too boring to me and I don't really like where my head is when I'm thinking of that. I've written some 'true tales' of the desert from 1840-1940, but they're very violent. Mostly serial killers and slavers. Not a real big hit with my 'proper historian' friends (who happen to hold the reins of local/regional brick and mortar type sales). I got a list of funny desert stories, but if I can't do the violence, well, FTA.

I think about all I got left is 'true adventures' about the idiotic things that go on whenever I go out- sigh... 'fffffpppp-p-p-p-p.

 

[Battou]

The car in No 1......I wan't it


No. 3 and 4 - the composition on those is just absolutly stunning in my oppinion.

 

[abraxas]

Thanks Battou!

 

[Alex_B]

great! wish i had such a playground nearby!

#4 is special... for my eyes!

 

[theRossatron]

Two and Four are great! Others are missing something imo

Engines? Interiors?

just jokin' 3 and 4 and my favourites

 

[abraxas]

great! wish i had such a playground nearby!

#4 is special... for my eyes!

Engines? Interiors?

just jokin' 3 and 4 and my favourites

Thank you both.