Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Adventure Is Calling II


A three minute video assembled from nearly 20,000 still images taken during a four month trip around Canada and the United States that covered about 14,000 miles.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

1937 Brauks 8





This cute little five window coupe began life as a custom built vehicle in 1937.  George S. Brauks was a foundry pattern maker and carriage builder.  The front of the car is a 1937 Terraplane.  It is believed that from the cowl back it is a sectioned 1936 Desoto four door sedan.  The rear doors were sectioned out and the front doors were shortened.  Then the entire body was narrowed along the centerline.  For power Brauk made patterns and cast a one off straight 8 L head engine of  115 CID and 65 HP. The cylinder head is only 22 inches long.  Intake and exhaust manifolds were fabricated out of welded tubing.  The car is currently for sale in Butte, Montana, for $70,000.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Palais Ideal



Ferdinand Cheval  was a French postman that came upon an odd shaped rock while working his mailroute.  He was inspired by his find and carried it home.  So inspired, in fact, that he began walking his 18 mile mail route with a wheelbarrow- picking up rocks and pebbles along the way.

He spent 33 years delivering the mail, picking up rocks and building his dream.  He worked from 1879 until its completion in 1912.  The palace is located in Hauterives in south eastern France.

Additional images of Palais Ideal are here.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Friday, March 20, 2015

1938 Reo tractor pulling a Curtiss Aerocar trailer


This custom Reo tractor was built specifically to tow the Curtiss Aerocar fifth wheel trailer.  It was built for Dr. Huber Eaton of the Forest Lawn Memorial Parks.  It was outfitted for hunting excursions and to transport visitors.  It was also used for trips to inspect real estate holdings.  It had a self contained restroom and kitchen.  Normally set up for day travel it could be modified to sleep up to six people.

By 1953 the original White truck engine wore out and at 250,000 miles was replaced with a Cummins diesel. It remained in regular use until 1991 when it was retired by Forest Lawn Memorial Parks.

Creating the suburbs


Thursday, March 19, 2015

Motorcycle loading


No showboating, no bravado; just getting the job done

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Shaman


If you had lived in Mongolia in the early 1900's he might have been your doctor.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

National Elephant Day




The people of Thailand celebrate National Elephant Day on March 13 each year.  These guests are enjoying various fruits and vegetables at a buffet in Ayutthaya.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Inventory control


Volkswagens are moved about and stored in a vertical warehouse at an assembly plant in Wolfsburg, Germany.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Beware the Ides of March


Octopodes



So you're thinking that when an octopus is hanging with his pals you would refer to the group as octopii.  That is what I thought, too.  Common usage is not always correct.  Here is an explanation.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Surfs up

One of the 21 finalists in the Smithsonian's 2014 photo contest.  Chosen from over 26,500 photos from photographers in 93 countries the remaining finalists' photos can be seen here.

Happy Pi Day

                                          vectorimage


Probably the craziest day of the year in Pie Town, New Mexico, 87827

Reboot your Pi memory here.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Triskaidekaphopia


[tris-kahy-dek-uh-foh-bee-uh]

noun

1. fear or a phobia concerning the number 13

In the dog house


Dogs await the start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which began on March 9.  A new route was necessary for this years race because of poor trail conditions due to the lack of snow.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Sunday, March 8, 2015

No friend of the old car hobby!


As it takes on what appears to be at least eight complete engines it pauses momentarily and then reverses to clear the mechanism before once again proceeding to grind the engines to pieces.

Big dog


Additional information on the Tibetan Mastiff

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Flea market cowgirl

                                vectorimage  

Monday, March 2, 2015

Pantonio mural


The Portuguese artist Pantonio completed a new mural featuring whales in Rome.  Other examples of his work can be seen here.