Verna and Bob's Weblog

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Cantilever Bridge in 3D

Verna takes a lot of photos when we’re on vacation. Every once in a while she takes a pair of frames that can be combined into a 3D image. The motion of the truck provides the horizontal offset between frames that is required for the 3D effect.

During our last vacation in Arizona we drove a scenic route along U.S. Hwy 60 east out of Apache Junction heading toward Globe, an old (still active) mining town. Along the way, we crossed over several cantilever bridges. This one, just east of Superior, AZ, spans a creek bed below the highway. Verna snapped several frames of this bridge, two of which were combined into the 3D image shown.

Of course, if you haven’t sent away for your free 3D glasses yet, you can click to see the 2D image here.

October 30, 2009 by Bob's 3D Stuff Photography Vacation

A Good Experience

rv-camping.jpgI recently posted about our travel strategy of first driving to Phoenix before renting the travel trailer for our vacation in Arizona. The strategy worked out great and we enjoyed the vacation a lot.

Image: The cruise America Travel Trailer at Apache Junction KOA. Click image for full-size. We were in one of several Cruise America RVs there.

When we returned the rental trailer to Cruise America in Mesa, AZ, we inadvertently forgot Verna’s Canon Camera battery charger which was still plugged in to one of the AC outlets in the kitchenette. As soon as we discovered it was missing, I called the Rental Supervisor, Joe Morales, and asked him if he would look for it. He agreed, and was to call me back later. He did call back later that day, but I missed the call. By the time I got his voice mail, Joe would not have been at work. I sent him an email asking him if he would send the charger to us, with an offer to pay for shipping and handling. The next day, Joe emailed us back saying he would send the charger and advise us of the cost.

Two days later, the big brown truck of goodness (UPS) delivered the charger. It was bubble-wrapped in a small parcel – a real professional-looking package. Verna was glad to have the charger since the battery was low and you know how she loves to take pictures.

After the package showed up, I sent Joe a follow-up email thanking him for the effort and asked how I could pay them back. Joe sent this response today:

No problem, just let your friends and family know how great we are, nice doing business with you.

Joe said it – they were great! We’ll be back to the Mesa Cruise America for sure. Soon, we hope.

October 29, 2009 by Leisure Vacation

Classic Fifties Car Show – Sorta

We dropped into the Botanic Garden today to check out the advertised “Fabulous Fifties” car show held on the upper meadow. We thought we could get a photo op for our blogs. There were a few classic American built cars there, but it was overwhelmingly dominated by European cars. We were both sort of disappointed, since we expected more in the way of the cars we grew up with and learned to drive.

I took this panoramic image of the setup on the upper meadow. Click for the full-sized image.

fab-50-pan.jpg

October 25, 2009 by Classics Panoramas

Travel Strategies

apache-camp.jpgOur last vacation to Arizona was the second time this year we rented a trailer. This time, however, we did not rent the trailer until we were over in the Phoenix area. I figured that we could save some time and expense by heading out early to the rental facility in Mesa, Arizona, and camp a few miles from there on our first night at Apache Junction, so that’s what we did.

This image is from the morning after as we were getting ready to break camp and hitch up to head out to a part of Arizona neither of us had ever visited. Click the image to enlarge to full size.

We can report a lesson learned on this trip; driving the six or seven hour trip straight through to Mesa takes a lot out of us. On the way back, Verna had the idea that we should stop at a pet-friendly motel somewhere near the halfway point. I found one just a few hundred yards from the Colorado River along I-10 in Ehrenberg, Arizona. We were able to relax there, “Bear” was welcome (with a modest pet cleaning charge) and we watched Monday Night Football as opposed to going another almost four more hours to get home.

Good choice – next time, we’ll stay there on the way out to Mesa as well.

October 23, 2009 by Vacation

The Patton Tank in 3D

patton-tank.pngThe following text may be seen at the WikiPedia article on the Patton Museum:

The General George S. Patton Memorial Museum of Chiriaco Summit, California is a museum erected in tribute to General George S. Patton on the site of the entrance of Camp Young, part of the Desert Training Center of World War II.

Exhibits include a large collection of tanks used in World War II and the Korean War, as well as memorabilia from Patton’s life and career, especially in regards to his service at the Desert Training Center and that of ordinary soldiers who trained there. Development of the Colorado River Aqueduct and natural science exhibits are displayed as well. In addition, a 26-minute video is shown, detailing Patton’s military service and the creation of the Desert Training Center.

Though Patton only spent less than four months at the Desert Training Center, his establishment of the training grounds directly impacted more than one million troops.

The museum is at the Chiriaco Summit exit off Interstate 10, 30 miles/48km east of Indio.

Image: Patton Tank in 3D – click to enlarge. If you don’t have your 3D glasses handy, you can see the 2D version here.

October 21, 2009 by Bob's 3D Stuff Culture Military

Casa Grande Ruins in 3D

Casa Grande RuinsCasa Grande Ruins National Monument, in Coolidge, Arizona, just northeast of the city of Casa Grande, preserves a group of Hohokam structures.

The national monument consists of the ruins of multiple structures surrounded by a compound wall constructed by the Hohokam, who farmed the Gila Valley in the early 1200s.

“Casa Grande” is Spanish for “big house” (Siwan Wa’a Ki: in O’odham); these names refer to the largest structure on the site, which is what remains of a four story structure that may have been abandoned by the mid-1400s. The structure is made of caliche, and has managed to survive the extreme weather conditions for about seven centuries. Graffiti from 19th-century passers-by is scratched into its walls; though this is now illegal. Casa Grande now has a distinctive modern roof covering built in 1932.

Click on the image to enlarge. Just in case you do not have a pair of 3D glasses, you can see the 2D version by clicking here.

October 18, 2009 by Bob's 3D Stuff Vacation

Avalon 1998

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