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EatsTooMuchJam location: Minneapolis, MN Gender: Male Squirty "Stickybuns" von Cherrypants \| \| \| \| \|	Re: Eastern plain ghost towns <Reply # 20 on 3/24/2009 1:56 PM >

	I'd disagree - doing lots of research before going ghost town hunting on the plains takes a chunk of the fun out of it. Sure, it's disappointing when you have high hopes and the stuff you find isn't great... but when ghost town hunting, for the most part, it's far better to build in some expectation that most of the ghost towns will be... 1) Gone 2) Still partially populated or... 3) Tiny To me a lot of the fun is just getting out and driving around. Note - in the mountains, research is more important since the roads are usually insane and the towns are far more remote. Note 2 - An SUV which looks more like a minivan is not a substitute for a jeep. Orogeny can vouch. "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away." -Tom Waits

Luna

location:
Hollywood, CA
Gender: Female

I am the terror that faps in the night

Re: Eastern plain ghost towns
<Reply # 21 on 3/24/2009 2:38 PM >

Posted by EatsTooMuchJam

Note 2 - An SUV which looks more like a minivan is not a substitute for a jeep. Orogeny can vouch.

Bahahahaha... That reminds me of the time I accidentally took my '01 Ford Taurus down a horribly rocky, narrow, dirt road once. We almost flipped it! (It was the entrance to a quarry, I believe.)

I've seen people in "city" SUVs try to kid themselves that they can take on stuff meant for off roading vehicles. It sure does bring teh lulz. You just KNOW they're confused and thinking "Well, the people in the commercial with this car sure looked outdoorsy."

Posted by EatsTooMuchJam
I'd disagree - doing lots of research before going ghost town hunting on the plains takes a chunk of the fun out of it. Sure, it's disappointing when you have high hopes and the stuff you find isn't great...

To me a lot of the fun is just getting out and driving...

Well, in my situation, I went on a four hour drive for a specific building, without doing research, so when it wasn't there it was a bummer, but that trip wasn't really a failure, because I was with great friends for the drive. So, I agree with you about doing too much research/taking the fun out of it. I like having a loose itinerary, where you make note of a bunch of places around an area and see what all is there, just in case one doesn't work out. It makes for a nice, long trip.

I think I'll keep my planned days off next month, and pick a direction and go.
[last edit 3/24/2009 2:51 PM by Luna - edited 1 times]

Casual mysterious.

EatsTooMuchJam

location:
Minneapolis, MN
Gender: Male

Squirty "Stickybuns" von Cherrypants

Re: Eastern plain ghost towns
<Reply # 22 on 3/24/2009 4:25 PM >

Posted by Luna
Bahahahaha... That reminds me of the time I accidentally took my '01 Ford Taurus down a horribly rocky, narrow, dirt road once. We almost flipped it! (It was the entrance to a quarry, I believe.)

I've seen people in "city" SUVs try to kid themselves that they can take on stuff meant for off roading vehicles. It sure does bring teh lulz. You just KNOW they're confused and thinking "Well, the people in the commercial with this car sure looked outdoorsy."

In my case, picture a guy with a brightly-colored mohawk staring at what looks like a minivan in disbelief and going back in to tell the people at the counter.

"I requested an SUV."
"That is an SUV, sir."
"I plan to actually take this out into remote areas and go down no maintenance dirt roads. Do you have something with better ground clearance, at least?"
"Nope. That's what you get."

A follow-up -
Never, ever buy a former rental car. The ground clearance on that thing really was pathetic and the scraping sounds were sometimes painful.
Also, the people with tricked out Jeeps gave us the funniest looks...

Well, in my situation, I went on a four hour drive for a specific building, without doing research, so when it wasn't there it was a bummer, but that trip wasn't really a failure, because I was with great friends for the drive. So, I agree with you about doing too much research/taking the fun out of it. I like having a loose itinerary, where you make note of a bunch of places around an area and see what all is there, just in case one doesn't work out. It makes for a nice, long trip.
I think I'll keep my planned days off next month, and pick a direction and go.

If you go for one specific thing, certainly, it's worth checking that it's there before investing 4 hours.

And you just described a great road trip. That's pretty much how I roll (so to speak). I envy your roadtrip -- I have to wait for Memorial Day for mine.

"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away."
-Tom Waits

CanadianRhian

location:
Centennial, Colorado
Gender: Male

Cats don't make good UE partners!

Re: Eastern plain ghost towns
<Reply # 23 on 3/25/2009 1:36 AM >

Posted by Luna

I've had that happen a few times. A few years ago, I drove four hours for a place I saw online (didn't do enough research), only to find it had been demolished/repurposed two months before I made it out there.

I'd love to go driving around scouting for places one of these days. CanadianRhian, you should bring your cat along. I used to have a "touring" kitty that went with us on the road to gigs and such. He used to just hang out on instrument cases, amps, the seat, my lap. He was totally mellow about travelling in the car (no kennel).

My dog is a little better of a travel partner (well, he's not little he's a Newfoundland) but the cat - dubbed Mr. Joe does nothing but MEOW and then usually poops in the car - he thinks he's moving or going to the vet. The dog thinks he's going to the dog park to hump something.

RSE
Canadian Rhian
Centennial, CO

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