Saturday, July 18, 2009

1100th Post

Yes, it's "hooray for me" day (again) here on Gorillas Don't Blog. Welcome to post one thousand one hundred, a number I never expected to get to (since I planned on quitting at 1000). But Major P loves his readers, and so he soldiers on (in the third person, no less). I have a few random beauties for you in honor of this historical occasion!

It's 2:31 in Tomorrowland (thanks, Clock o' the World!) on a bright sunny day. The park is busy (but not too busy), and it looks shiny and clean. Dig that dude's fedora, he looks like a member of the press. There's a stroller behind him with a little girl, leg in a cast, poor thing. I try to imagine being able to visit the 1956 Tomorrowland knowing what I know now, and armed with a good camera and plenty of Kodachrome film...


Let's completely change gears and go to Frontierland, August 1957. Here's one of the short-lived Conestoga Wagons in a very nice photo. Are those Clydesdale horses? They're certainly not miniature, at any rate. Passengers are unloading, they should head on over to the Pack Mules in the background and take another bumpy trip through Rainbow Desert! I know I would. Incidentally, I've always like the detail of that elevated set of tracks, as if carts full of ore (or tailings) would move back and forth when we weren't looking.


Now it's April of 1960. We're still in Frontierland though, aboard either the Columbia or the Mark Twain, and looking toward the familiar burning settler's cabin. But the interesting part is that we can also see Cascade Peak under construction to the right, it's just being framed in. Pretty cool! If only they had used more steel and less wood, this peak might still be standing. Nobody came to Disneyland because of Cascade Peak, but it sure was a fantastic addition to the shores of the river.


Many thanks to the readers of this blog, and a special thanks as always goes out to those who take the time to comment!!

16 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

Hooray for The Major! A big THANK YOU for continuing to "soldier on." You say you love your readers....well, the feeling is definitely mutual!

Chiana said...

Congrats on 1100! Why I'd give you a cigar, but the Tobacconist Shop is closed!

What a pretty pic of Tomorrowland with superb color, plus pipple-watching value too. That's a good question, what would I snap pics of? I remember taking few pics in those days, because film cost and changing it etc, the folks whose pics have filled most of this blog (and Dave's and others) were putting in more time and money into pics than I likely would've.

I'd take pics of Tahitian Terrace, a pic of Aunt Jemima's inside... and shoot the Big Game Shoot in Adventureland and... ;)

Shifting gears? More like changing gears for wooden cogs. What a fabulous pic of the wagon & boarding area. Nice '50s white jacket & pants for Gabrielle walking her (formerly) spotless white shoes over the dirt trail of Frontierland from the wagon. Those sandy blond horses look dandy, er in a suitably rugged way. They even have a barrel on the side for spare drinkin' water - you never know how long it might take rescue if those horses up and drop dead and you're lost out on them frontierland trails, but we do know there's tell of some baaad water holes out thar.

How about the lovely cast of the sun and colors on these? As for Cascade Peak, I'm really not bugged at the Disney folks for tearing it down if it was just too impractical to fix, what doesn't seem right is not replacing it with something new or even a recreation, anything... it was such a nice scenic piece. After all Disneyland isn't just a place to do rides, competition has that covered, much of its enduring value is in the larger experience things like that are part of.

Often wondered, since they weren't going to use Cascade Peak & area for a new Nature's Wonderland or something, why didn't they have Big Thunder tear around the bend under the falls where the old track was? Over the trestle above the trail... it would've been a big "plus" to Big Thunder and its crowd draw too when you'd see it from the river. Ah well.

Congrats again Maj! Still my favorite site to visit every day. :)

Anonymous said...

It's not every day you see a two-headed girl in a wheelchair (it doesn't look like a stroller to me). Does this mean that accident-prone mutants were predicted to inhabit the World of Tomorrow?

Daveland said...

That Cascade Peak construction shot sure is a beauty! Congrats on 1100—keep 'em coming!

Thufer said...

congrats and hopefully a whole lot more. thank you.

Hrundi V. Bakshi said...

What would I do without my morning cup o' gorillas?

Congrats on another milestone Major! Thanks for all the hard work.

Katella Gate said...

Today's shots are great "you are there" pix...especially the Tomorrowland shot.

The horses probably are Clydesdales, and notice all the carpentry work at the top of the mountain to contain the animatronic gizmos and water sluices.

Congratulations on your elevenhundreth posting... quite a sausage factory you have here.

Kevin Kidney said...

Congratulations, Major! Don't stop blogging now--how will I spend my days without you?

The Viewliner Limited said...

Congrats Major! And what a way to celebrate than with an awesome shot of the World Clock. Incredible. I swear someday i am going to built one just like it. Well maybe not that big, but close.

Nancy said...

congratulations and thanks as well for continuing to bring us the smiles :)

nice picture in Tomorrowland...a blue sky always adds so much

beautiful horses there (a personal favorite of mine, horses are). the nicest photo ive seen of the stagecoach itself, and first one of the loading area

outsidetheberm said...

Incredible work and amazing pictures. Thank you, Major.

mr wiggins said...

Congratulations major! Keep 'em posting!

Anonymous said...

Never commented before, but thank you for this site. There are always memories you bring back of Disneyland sites I remember, and longing for the things I was too young to see. Thank you and please keep up the wonderful work!

210Frwy said...

My favorite web site.

Anonymous said...

I don't comment often, but I enjoy reading your blog everyday.

Jim said...

Kudos and thanks for all your efforts. Stamp my hand cuz I'm coming back for the next 1,100.