The Rainbow Desert, July 1960
I'm not sure if the Rainbow Desert in Nature's Wonderland truly resembles anyplace on Planet Urf, but somehow the Imagineers managed to create a convincing Southwest desert in this former Anaheim orange grove. A simulacrum, if you will!
Notice the bobcat perched atop the butte to our left - presumably this is one of the rocks that teetered and wobbled as the mine train passed. I've always wondered if each saguaro was individually sculpted, or if the Imagineers made a few basic shapes that could be mixed and matched in a modular fashion. Obviously some of them were totally unique.
Look out! The geysers are a-geyserin'! Just think of the strange geological forces that caused these natural fountains to form and erupt. The scientific term is "squirtellation", coined by Sir Albert Geyser, who discovered the process when he accidentally put his sleeping cot on top of one. It erupted during the night, and he spent 12 minutes in the air before he was gently lowered back to the ground (clean as a whistle, I might add). TRUE STORY.
14 comments:
Oh, Major-
I 'loves me' a good true story-! Tell us another one, fer instance, the one about Alfred Bulltop Stormalong. I'm all ears...
Thanks, Major.
Major, You're comment about the saguaro reminds me that the three hitchhiking ghosts of the Haunted Mansion weren't the first hitchhikers at Disneyland. There were the hitchhiking cacti in "The Living Desert" well before that. Thanks, Major.
That's a bobcat for you - just sitting around on his butte all day. Thank you, ladies and gents, I'll be here all week, don't forget to tip your pack mule.
Nanook, I’m afraid I don’t know the one about Albert whats-his-name. You should tell it!
K. Martinez, hmmm, now I am embarrassed, because I didn’t know (or had forgotten) that there were “hitchhiker cacti” in the Living Desert. Say, are there any hitchhikers in “Mr. Toad”?
Melissa, I always tip my pack mule (one carrot, or one sugar cube; if I’m felling generous, both. Speaking of bobcats, I saw one while hiking last week! It’s only the second time I’ve ever seen one in the wild, it was very exciting.
That rock definitely teetered when the train passed under it. As for the insight about Sir Geyser, well, I believe you, Major, would have been an excellent, and welcome, skipper on the JC during my era. KS
Major, There's a hitchhiker saguaro cactus visible in the first pic toward the left near the railroad tracks and ol' Mr. Bobcat.
I'm not sure about Mr. Toad's Wild Ride having hitchhikers. I'll have to check out a video of the ride on YouTube to find out.
I watched three complete ride-thru videos of Mr. Toad's wild Ride and detected no hitchhikers.
Doesn't surprise me; who's gonna hitchhike to Hell?
KS, I still remember my surprise when I was a kid and saw those rocks teetering and tumbling. Ah, if only I could have been a skipper, thanks!
K. Martinez, I see it! I thought it was standing like an Egyptian statue. As for the hitchhikers (or lack thereof) on “Toad”, I certainly didn’t mean for you to sit through three videos on YouTube! I was just sort of thinking out loud. But thanks for looking!
Melissa, I would hitchhike to hell, but I'm headed there without any help from others.
Here's a little known fact, the Mine Train was designed by two individuals. Bob Cat and Guy Surs. Maybe I should leave the jokes to Major P. I guess I miss the Mine Train more than any other attraction. So many memories. A tour of the U. S. in a few minutes, in an orange grove. Every time I visit Yellowstone Geyser Basin I think of the MT. This old man would gladly contribute to a re-do. Thanks Major.
Bobcat Rock was definitely one of the moving ones.
Sir Albert sold his concept to Jacuzzi and retired in plenty to a warm climate.
There's no need to hitchhike to hell, we are creating it around us everyday. Just read the news.
JG
Major-
According to our 'good friends' @ Wikipedia... "... Stormalong was said to be a sailor and a giant, some 30 feet tall. He was the master of a huge clipper ship known in various sources as either the Courser or the Tuscarora; a ship purportedly so tall that it had hinged masts to avoid catching on the moon." (Sounds more like a subject in a Georges Méliès film).
Jonathan, joke away, mon frere! “Guy Surs”, I like it. When I really think about what my most-missed attractions are, it’s not easy, but I waver between the Mine Train and Adventure Thru Inner Space, with the edge possibly going to the Mine Train because it was so big and spectacular.
JG, “Bobcat Rock” was one of Elton John’s greatest hits. Why, I’m dancing around just thinking about it. Ha ha, I think I need a break from the news at this moment!
Nanook, I have never ever heard of Alfred Bulltop Stormalong before! Wow. I wonder how many other American folk tales have completely escaped me? And why didn’t Disney make an animated film about Alfred (like “Paul Bunyan”)? Thanks for filling me in.
My Grandfather, always one to mess with a child's brain, told us they were Geezers, not Geysers. So when you went on the ride, you went to visit the Old Unfaithful Geezers.
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