Leftovers
Like the title of today's post says, I am using up some leftovers today. Do they also qualify as "leftuggies"? The difference is subtle, and only the scientists at Cal Tech can truly know.
This first one is strangely pretty - a view of Storybook Land as seen from the Skyway Chalet, from a gondola that has either just launched or is about to return to Earth. The patchwork landscape is lovely, and there is enough landscaping to block the outside world pretty effectively, even from this elevated vantage point. We can see two Casey trains, one Canal Boat, and even the adorable Fantasyland train station. Just to the right of that station I can see the rectangular sign for the Market Basket store that used to be in Anaheim.
I admit it, this next one is pretty dull. It's nice, but it's dull. Like a Buick from the 1980s.
25 comments:
Wow, good eye spotting that Market Basket sign, Major! I remember in the seventies, they carried something called a "Texas-Size Coffee Cake." It was the size of a large pizza! And it was good!
I've noticed this before, but I don't know if it's ever been brought up here. Just above the Matterhorn's stone bridge, we can see a long "slot" with water pouring out of it. I guess that was a good way to have it appear that more water was actually coming down the side of the mountain. And it looks like Fudgie might be hiding behind the waterfall, which seems a little fuller/wider than what we have seen in earlier pics. But I think we can see part of his tail.
Had it been just slightly crisper, photo 1 would have been one of my favorite pics ever! I love how you can see a ba-zillion rides all at once (and even a place to get a Texas-Size Coffee Cake! How magical is THAT?)
In the second shot, the crowd walks by unaware that they were once again saved from a torpedo attack by Fudgie. Good boy, Fudgie. Good boy...
Any one know why there are two sets of tracks for Casey jr? One inside the other. Where the cars on a different gauge? Power? I think it looks good, but there must be another reason for it.
Love the Storybook Land pic. Even the Monorail track is visible in the background. Both pics are nice today. Thanks, Major.
The "two sets of tracks" are in fact one set of tracks that the wheels run on, and an inner set of steel angles that a set of horizontal wheels run on to ensure that the train stays on the tracks (similar to the upstops on the bobsleds.
Also, I'm inclined to believe that the first photo was taken from the front of the pirate ship. It seems too low to be taken from a skyway cabin.
The slots do in fact add to the volume of water as the cascades go from top to bottom. Like so many other things at Disneyland, what you're seeing is forced perspective applied to waterfalls.
I like how with the mountains in the background, it looks like Storybook Land is in the middle of nowhere. I watched a video of it now, and seeing how much the plants have grown was pretty cool.
Budblade, this previously posted image shows the inner wheels.
(Semi) interesting note regarding the position of the two Casey trains in the photo: The train on the left is on the last straight section before it enters the tunnel that leads to the station, while the train on the right has just cleared the station. There was a limit switch at the entrance to the tunnel that would set off a siren if the other train had not cleared the station, a kind of anti-collision warning. Ride operators feared it because the siren was plenty loud enough to alert the area supervisors, so you never got away with it.
#2 - no Bobsled, no mermaids = dull, I agree but I would look at it again. And someone's finger (lower left) is preserved for all time, so extra 'points' (har!).
So much in #1. I love it.
Thanks, Major
I love photo 1 because Story Book Land, and I love photo 2 because of the overflow drain for the sub lagoon at far left.
Thanks for the details everyone. Major and Tokyo, I think I remember that grocery store. Now we just go to Vons, south of the Park about a mile.
JG
I'm a bit obsessive about this stuff but I compared aerial photos of the area. The first photo had to have been taken from a Skyway car leaving the chalet. If it was a car arriving at the chalet the departing cable would be visible. The Pirate ship would just off the frame to the right.
Not knowing enough about how Casey Jr works, could the inner track be for traction of the gas engine in the tender, or for braking? It is flat.
Major-
You gotta love the first image for its wonderfully-unique angle. (And I agree with MRaymond as to the camera placement). Plus... a sighting of the Market Basket Grocery store. And assuming the photo predates 1963, from its pre Kroger-owned days.
Thanks, Major.
Major-
And just because we have to... a salute to a 'less informed' time-
when grocery shopping consisted of more than merely dairy, produce and meats. From Pleasant Family Shopping LOOK HERE
I would file these both under “Hyperreal landscapes.”
Just as there are no blogging gorillas, and no chance of winning powerball, there are no dull pics of the Subs. The lagoon, the sleek profile of a nuclear vessel on patrol. I love it, I tell ya. The Casey Train and the Canal Boats are nothing short of genius. Two of my favorites. When I was a kid, I hated going to the market...until Vons started selling petit fours. They were delish! Thanks for the leftover/uggies.
TokyoMagic!, I always assumed that the Market Basket was torn down long ago, like in the ‘60s. But you clearly went there, so it was there for much longer than I thought! I would love a Texas-size coffee cake. Interesting about the waterfall, I just assumed that the water from the upper falls fell into a pool, where it would then cascade over a large edge, but it really does look like there might be water coming out lower down. Weird! And yes, I think I see Fudgie, not very distinct in this light.
Stu29573, I agree, the motion blur kind of lowers the point value of the first photo, but… what can you do. Fudgie watches over all of us, protects us and guides us. We don’t deserve him. Or is it a her?
Budblade, I didn’t even notice the two tracks! I’m going to have to leave it to more knowledgeable people to answer your question - and look forward to knowing what the deal is.
K. Martinez, these are better than some Sunday Snoozers, for sure. Others are so boring that I feel guilty posting them!
Anonymous, thank you for the information about the Casey Jr. track and wheels! I think I read that in the early days there were times when they were afraid that Casey could overturn, maybe this was the solution. The motion blur in photo #1 is my clue that the picture was taken from the Skyway; when the gondolas are right at the Chalet, they really are pretty low.
Anonymous, INTERESTING! Thanks for the info; and good for TokyoMagic! for noticing; that’s something I’ve never heard of before.
Andrew, yes, before there was so much development, it really did look like Storybook Land went on forever. Thanks for the link to that photo, it wasn’t even from that long ago, but I wouldn’t have remembered.
Anonymous, I believe that there are (or were) 3 Casey Jr. locomotives, though I’m sure they didn’t run them all most of the time. That siren probably woke up passengers who were ready for a relaxing trip through the miniature scenes!
zach, the mermaids were there for only a short time (or rather TWO short times), so most photos do not feature them, sadly. And believe me, I looked for a bobsled, only to wind up crying. I didn’t even notice the finger, somehow!
JG, is that an overflow drain? I didn’t know if maybe that connected to some other part of the “clear water” system. I miss some of our old grocery stores, like Alpha Beta - not sure I ever went to a Market Basket.
MRaymond, yes, if you see my comment to Anon, I agree with you; I’m reasonably sure that the first photo was taken from a gondola. I’m unclear what kind of engine the Casey Jr. trains use, maybe they burn natural gas? I’ll never forget riding right up front and being blasted with hot exhaust fumes - everyone else must have known, which is why that seat was available!
Nanook, so Kroger bought out Market Basket? That would explain where they went. I’m kind of surprised that there aren’t more photos like the first one, but I guess most people were waiting for the gondola to achieve a greater height. Meanwhile, I was waiting for Chuck to chime in about the two servicemen visible to the extreme right of photo #2!
Nanook, oh HELLO! I’d shop there every day if those babes were waiting for me. I actually wrote to Mr. Pleasant Family Shopping to ask if he knew anything about the Anaheim Market Basket store, but I guess he has retired.
Jonathan, I should have a more positive attitude, but I admit to getting a little burned out on some views! There’s just so darn many of certain scenes. But there’s something to appreciate in every example if you’re not a sourpuss like me, ha ha. I don’t even know what a petit four is, even though I have heard people talk about them. I assumed they were small rodents ;-) .
Melissa, “Hyperreal landscapes; next stop: The Twilight Zone”.
Major-
The research I've done on the 'clear water' & 'dark water' systems of Disneyland all indicate the clear water systems were each self-contained. That 'overflow drain' may be just that, as enough rain water could cause all sorts of havoc if the water level rose above the design limits of the lagoon.
Major, but there is a bobsled showing in that second photo! It's a blue and yellow one and it can be seen above those people on the far right, who are looking down into the Sub lagoon.
And I never went into that particular Market Basket in Anaheim. I just meant that the "chain" sold those extra large coffee cakes. There was a Market Basket with the old "woven" looking sign not too far from our house (but I don't remember those ladies standing underneath it, Nanook), but my mom preferred going to Lucky's or Alpha Beta, which were both even closer. The old Market Basket store in my hometown was torn down in the seventies, and a new one replaced it. Then some time later, it became a Ralph's. That must have been when Kroger bought them out.
Nanook, interesting, I guess because I’d read that the “dark water” system was continuous throughout the park, that the clear water system would be too. However, now that I think about it, there were no major bodies of clear water outside of Tomorrowland. Or were there?
TokyoMagic!, aha! You’re right! I didn’t know much about Market Basket until doing a little research (mostly looking at the “Pleasant Family Shopping” blog). My mom liked Alpha Beta, but my grandma was snooty and liked Gelson’s, which was always too expensive (though nice). I don’t know why, but I miss the options of more kinds of grocery stores. Now they all seem to have the same stuff.
Sorry, Major - I was totally distracted by that orange tree. I see them now.
I think there's a third sailor tucked in behind the guy in the lead. At least it looks like another white hat back there at the same level and a head underneath it, although I'm not entirely sure there's a corresponding body to go with it. Maybe the guy had two heads. Poor fella might have spent too much time in the engineering spaces of an SSN.
Part of Fudgie is better than no Fudgie!
Hey Ladies, did you notice the lack of shopping bags in those shopping carts?!
Fun pictures and comments - thank you, Major and all!
My "Hey Ladies" is directed to the Lady Jr. Gorillas - not the lady shoppers, btw.
Chuck, it’s OK, I suppose your family and real life comes first! I thought that there might be a 3rd serviceman (and considered that they could be Navy men), but just wasn’t entirely sure. The guy spent too much time in a Social Security Number?
Lou and Sue, you speak wisdom in regards to Fudgie. It IS a little odd that the ladies don’t have bags full of food, instead of having it all out for display, but how else are we supposed to know that they both bought onions?
Lou and Sue, I knew what you meant!
Thank you for understanding, Major. I'll try to do better with prioritizing my schedule next weekend. :-)
SSN = nuclear attack submarine
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