Sunset Lady

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-03-07/disney-bets-1-billion-on-technology-to-track-theme-park-visitors#p1

Jason McInerney and his wife, Melissa, recently tapped their lunch orders onto a touchscreen at the entrance to the Be Our Guest restaurant at Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort and were told to take any open seat. Moments later a food server appeared at their table with their croque-monsieur and carved turkey sandwiches. Asks McInerney, a once-a-year visitor to Disney theme parks: “How did they know where we were sitting?”

The answer was on the electronic bands the couple wore on their wrists. That’s the magic of the MyMagic+, Walt Disney’s (DIS) $1 billion experiment in crowd control, data collection, and wearable technology that could change the way people play—and spend—at the Most Magical Place on Earth. If the system works, it could be copied not only by other theme parks but also by museums, zoos, airports, and malls. “It’s a complete game changer,” says Douglas Quinby, vice president for research at PhoCusWright, a travel consulting firm.

Click on link above for more:

The Cats tried to come back, but failed. Go Cats!!

Great picture! I have not been to GF but hope to one day. Really enjoying your report, looking forward to more!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

More Fog.

 

Very cool pictures!

 

Oh boy.

 

You don't know about the Lawnmower Tree?

 

And you call yourself a Fiend?

 

It was a cool old relic that goes back to the earliest days of Fort Wilderness.

 

You can read about it here, on this page from a 1973 check-in packet:

 

 

Make sure not to miss the second paragraph, where it mentions how Walt and Roy Disney drove down a dirt road to an old fishing lodge on the shores of Bay Lake.  At the end of the first column, we are told that the Settlement Trading Post sits on the spot where that old fishing lodge once stood.  Then, we are told about how an unusual tree was discovered in the area.  That is the Lawnmower Tree.

 

Think about this for a moment- it is likely that Walt Disney himself saw that Lawnmower Tree, and approved of it being preserved and displayed at the campground.

 

The Fort was built around that old tree, and there it stood.  Unfortunately, about 8 or so years ago, the tree died, and they cut it down to a stump.  But the stump remained.  As did a little sign identifying the Lawnmower Tree.  But about a year ago, they removed the sign.  The last photos I have of the old tree are from this past September, when it looked like this:

 

 

That last bit of the tree was removed not long after this photo was taken -some time right around Halloween.

 

Now, it's nothing but a memory.

 

 

 

I just now got back to reading the TR, Thanks for the information on the lawnmower tree, that indeed was a very cool thing to have in the campground. Too bad that it has been removed, always sad to see things like that go away.

Thanks so much for sharing your great photos. They were excellent! I especially liked the one with the snow. I really enjoyed reading all about your trip.

What is a lawnmower tree? 

Glad to see you back! I really enjoy your trip reports.

:partythree:

Good job!!

It's all my parents' fault. When we were little they took us somewhere that had a mile high bridge that was one that shook and they pushed me across both ways and I was having a cow. I'm still traumatized. Now I have to google and see where it was.

Yep, I can understand not liking bridges if they are not very sturdy.

Saundra-

 

Thanks for sharing your photos.  I love trip reports-even short ones-from places I've never been that show things I've never heard of.

 

What a cool way of preserving a piece of history.  Imagine what it took to build a bridge like this in 1895.  I would love to see it.

 

I hope you go back and give us an update when it's done!

 

TCD

TCD

I am glad you enjoyed the photos.  I agree it is rather cool that the bridge was first built in 1895, I find it very interesting. It must have took them a long time to build it with the tools that were available to them in that time period.

I will update with more photos next year.

They did the same to an old railroad bridge over the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie a few years ago. It has been a huge success. New business's have opened nearby, parks have opened and been expanded, and now they are building an elevator to make it easier for handicapped users to get to the walkway. They have a lot of events on and around it. Some you have to enter drawings to get access to the bridge because it's so popular. Omaha built a new walkway across the Missouri River to Council Bluffs Iowa. people use it year round even in the snow.

Yes it is the same here with special events,it is mostly events that are for charity. I think they had the Komen Relay for life there as well. They lined the whole bridge with the memorial luminaries. I would not be surprised if they also install an elevator at some point.

Thanks everybody, I am glad you enjoyed the pictures.  I had been looking forward to walking across the bridge ever since they started renovations a couple of years ago. I enjoy being around boats and water, (we also own a boat) so it was a real treat to be there to enjoy the view and a few boats and barges going under it. We saw several people sitting on the benches reading the daily news paper and enjoying the day.

Beckers, It felt pretty sturdy with the concrete sections, although there was about a 3 inch gap on the sides that you could look down and see the water underneath.  I will admit that was a little scary, but overall it was a great view.

But for those that don't like bridges I can understand it, and you probably wouldn't enjoy this one : )

Well actually it was only a few hours trip,

Hi everyone, I debated on weather or not to post this, since it may not be all that interesting, but here goes anyway.  In Louisville, Ky  they have recently renovated and opened an old railroad bridge that was actually built in 1895, they have been working on converting it into a pedestrian bridge for the last several years.

The renovation on the Ky side was completed and opened in February of this year.  Eventually walkers will be able to walk all the way across the Ohio River and exit on the Indiana side. They will be able to shop and eat at several new restaurants.  Right now Indiana is still completing the ramp to exit on their side.

Here is the link to the information:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Four_Bridge

Well  hubby and I finally were able to make the trip down to walk the bridge across the river. We did this a few months ago.I really enjoyed the whole experience, the scenery was great and it was a very peaceful walk. And it was very neat to walk on the bridge.

Lets start by showing you the city of Louisville

Next is Louisville and the auto bridge named after Pres. JFK

The Kennedy Bridge

Now to the Big Four Bridge for a nice long walk. The ramp is wrapped around to accommadate wheelchair use and also bicyclists. It is quite a distance to actually get to the bridge itself.

We have finally made it to the top and onto the bridge.

The view from the bridge.

This picture shows a Tumbleweed Mexican restaurant with dock moorings for boats,for those who want to stop in for dinner. There is also a marina further back that stretch of river. Those are barges that are tied up on the shore, not sure why they are there. If you look closely in the bottom of this next picture there is one barge that appears to be sinking.

More views.

In this picture you can see cranes and a working barge. They are just beginning to build a new bridge across the Ohio River. Louisville has wanted to build  a new bridge for many many years, but there wasn't any funding for it. Somehow there is now funding for two new bridges. Another new one is also starting further east down the river. Here is a webcam of that project.

http://eastendcrossing.com/project-over ... os-videos/

And the last picture that I have.

What a view, huh!!  Well I enjoyed the few hours that we were there, I think hubby was glad that I now would leave him alone, since he finally took me to see it.   Next trip there. we will have to go back when we can actually go over into Indiana and shop, lol !! That should be sometime next year.

That's all folks 

Saundra

Very nice pictures!  I am enjoying reading your TR.

Welcome aboard!!

I really enjoyed your TR, thanks for sharing! A few days after viewing your pictures of the arch, the

book I am reading described a visit there and it was great to already have the pictures in mind.

Thanks, looking forward to trying this.

For those who have made this, have you reheated them. I would like to make ahead to eat later and was wondering how they would taste.

I am very impressed ladies with your 24 hour accomplishment! Very entertaining travel report, looks like you all had blast.