OK-zles
Today I have some OK-zles for you (not Blurzles, not Snoozles - it's important to know the difference). Both of these are perfectly OK! We'll start with this totally fine look at the Mark Twain (from October 1971). If it feels familiar, it's only because we've seen 10,000 photos that are just like it. And yet... it still sort of surprises me at the "forest" behind the steamboat. Where is everything??
Next is a decent picture (from August 1961) looking up at the Matterhorn, while two climbers ascend up the icy slopes. Watch out for abdominal snowmen!
10 comments:
"we've seen 10,000 photos that are just like it." Hmm, I counted only 9,993. I guess I missed a couple.
I really like this photo! Not sure what sets it apart from the other 9,999 photos of the Mark Twain. Maybe it's the angle of the light. Plus, even the shadows are not so dark; you can see what's there. And then there's the clear blue sky; always a plus.
Is that the roof of the Matterhorn loading station we're seeing at the bottom of the pic? We can almost tell whose climbing the Mountain: Fritz? Otto? Hans? Sleepy? Dopey? I wonder if the climbers follow the same routes every time? Or if they deliberately map out a new path each time? I like the camera angle here; looking up, up, up!
If this is a standard representation of what OK-zles are like, then bring on some more! Thanks, Major.
”Watch out for abdominal snowmen!”
….and frostbit knees.
The MH looks small from this angle.
Thanks, Major.
Major, I REALLY like the angle on that second photo. I see that you gave it a file name of, "Boring Matt." I don't think it's boring! And which one of those mountain climbers is "Matt"? ;-)
Sunday's are getting confusing, with Blurzles, Snoozles, Kaboozles, and now OKzles? (all TM). With some forensics you could probably knock down a date of the Frontierland forest...it does look marvelously lush...there are a few buildings there...clearly the forest was cleared for Big Thunder: but I actually like this scene better. Big Thunder was an employee favorite: I think the queue has something to do with it: much more interesting than playing "ring around the Matterhorn". Also: no chiropract-y is needed after riding. An abdominal snowman sounds like something from the Jersey Shore during Summer, and I am sure someone has picked up that nickname and made it their own: perhaps I will. Hans and Fritz are not a "production center" any more: so bye bye....however: if they made little plush dollies...or a whole playset...or something....(be creative) it would offset the labor cost. For their death defying acts, I am sure there wasn't much cost in the labor....and death defying might be the wait time for Pirates in August which I can attest was certainly as tenuous as a mountain climb up the Matterhorn. In fact: if given the choice, I think I'd take the Matterhorn climb over the 1000th performance of Pirates of the Caribbean. No offense to Pirates: it's a masterpiece...also at times chiropract-y worthy: and that is another story. Thanks Major and Boring Matt for the OKzles...or Okayzles...or Okay-zllllls.
When I read the comments and saw that all the good “abdominal snowman” puns were taken, I felt ice in the pit of my stomach. I really need to get my pagophagia under control.
The first photo’s framing puts the Twain in juuust the right place to obscure the Mule Pack half of Rainbow Ridge to the west of the tunnel portal, and the trees over El Zocalo obscure the rest. Just to the right of the right edge of the photo would have been Mineral Hall and the Casa de Fritos. Based on the lighting, the stern wheeler may be about to embark on her first circumnavigation of Tom Sawyer Island of the day. Note the out-of-service raft tied up at Catfish Cove.
The lighting and color make it look like there is a light dusting of snow on the roof of the Matterhorn cattle shed. The trees are still small enough to look in scale, even if the climbers aren’t.
These OK-zles are OK by me!
Early morning on the River, before the water gets choppy, and a chilly view of the Matterhorn. What’s not to like here?
I wonder if there were trash cans up on the Matterhorn for all those abdominal candy wrappers?
Thanks Major, any view of the old Park makes me happy.
JG
Major-
The roofline of the Matterhorn loading area makes for an interesting view. Definitely unique - and in a good way.
@ Chuck-
"Just to the right of the right edge of the photo would have been Mineral Hall..."
Make that the Mineral Hall building. [Regrettably], Mineral Hall closed in December, 1962 - operating for a mere 6-½ years.
Thanks, Major.
JB, please go back and count again, I’m sure you missed a few Mark Twain photos! The dark forest reminds me of those Magritte “Empire of Light” paintings. You might have seen in the news that I just bought one for $121 million. It was pricey, but sometimes you have to say “What the heck”. I’m assuming that there was one route up to the top of the Matterhorn, but I’d love to hear from anybody who knows for sure. I doubt anybody is hammering spikes into the side of the mountain to establish a new route.
Lou and Sue, ha ha, I had to stop for a second. “What is the MH?”. OH, MatterHorn! At first I thought maybe you meant to type “MT” for Mark Twain.
TokyoMagic!, the sihouetted climber is Matt, he’s a real snooze, and he owes me $100!
Bu, hey, nobody said that science is easy! And classifying slides is an expertise that requires rigorous study, and swearing-off alcohol and cartoons. I hate to diss Big Thunder, I think it’s a fun ride, and well done. Of course I still don’t like that we lost the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland for it, but I’m guessing that that huge ride’s days were numbered anyway. Sadly. I am sure I’m not the first person to say “abdominal snowman”! I actually wasn’t sure if there were mountain climbers anymore - and thought that perhaps they still had them at the peak of summer. They didn’t have them the last few times I’ve been to the park, but those were around “the holidays”. I’m sure there is risk in climbing the mountain, but I’m also sure that it has been made as safe as possible. Or I hope so anyway. “Pirates of the Caribbean” causes back problems?? That’s a pretty gentle ride!
Chuck, I am generally against reading about any “phagias”. Just saying. It’s true, we might have been able to see some pack mules, I always get a kick (no pun intended) out of seeing the folks on muleback from a great distance. Based on the angle of the sun, don’t you think the Twain photo is from the afternoon? Maybe I’m all turned around (it happens too often). It seems that we are facing east(ish)?
JG, ha ha, after reading your comment, I can’t help looking at today’s pictures and thinking that it was cold at the park. Maybe because it is cold today!
Nanook, sadly, you are correct. I mean, I’m not sad because you are correct (indeed, I rejoice at your accuracy), but rather I’m sad at the reality that your comment reminds us of, namely, that Mineral Hall was no longer in operation by 1971, with only the name painted on the facade to cruelly remind us of what had been but was no more and would never again been seen by mortal eyes this side of the Veil. Wait - maybe I am sad that you are correct after all…
Major, we are looking just a few degrees east of north in that first photo, so that lighting coming from the right would be morning sunlight. Compare with this 1960 aerial photo, which shows the Twain in the same position as today’s OK-zle.
Chuck, huh, it really IS more north than I thought. You'd think that after all these years I would have known!!
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