Environmental Portrait: Grant

More Moody Landscapes

Snowshoeing

Note to self: Snowshoeing is a lot of work. Bad effort to fun ratio.

Mountain Views Around Ashland

Karen's Property

This is a panorama behind the barn/workshop area. Karen's friend, Grant, who also lives on the property, is a contractor, and collects all types of stuff for construction projects. Oregonians are quite often very resourceful types, who can do practically anything. They're also really into the outdoors around here.

This view is from the front side of the barn. Grant is restoring an old Airstream trailer for a friend, and he has managed to gut the interior. Soon he will be building all new cabinetry, plumbing and electrical, as well as installing new appliances. Shelly and I have a soft spot for Airstreams.

California State Railroad Museum

For those who are truly obsessed.

This is not a mannikin. He's a flesh and blood real guy who had hours of railroad mail trivia to impart, including the story of a dog who rode the rails, adopted by the railroading community as their mascot, and was eventually stuffed and displayed in the Smithsonian in Washington DC.

Railroad mail cars like this delivered the mail prior to the modern trucking industry. This car traveled from Chicago to Seattle, and made stops along the route, picking up mail, sorting it, and dropping it off at designated post offices. The employees on the train had 4 seconds to sort each letter or else they risked losing their job.

California State Railroad Museum

Shelly got freaked out by all the lifelike mannikins. They were all over the place. We entered the "Uncanny Valley".

This was the dining car kitchen - a pretty elaborate setup for the 1930's. They employed around 18 people - chefs, wait staff, and cleanup crew to serve meals in the dining car.

California State Railroad Museum

This was by far the fanciest locomotive I've ever seen in person. This impressive engine was completely surrounded by mirrors, to see all angles at the same time.

As you see here, Shelly was completely entranced by this amazing museum.

Hand painted gold leaf lettering was everywhere.

This was the entrance to the museum. The wooden tunnel was part real construction, part 2-D mural on the wall. It was a pretty convincing illusion until you walked a few feet into the exhibit, when it became obvious where the transition appeared.