Sunday, October 7, 2012

Winner's of the 2012 Super Summer Snapshot Scavenger Hunt

Team:  Snap Happy.

Way to go.  You guys outdid yourselves.  Pretty good for this being your first year.  Thanks for playing.


The most original photo

This is a great spin on a "professional fisherman with his catch".


Again, congratulations to Team Spokane!!

Funniest Picture

I think you all will agree that this is the funniest.  We still laugh every time we see it.

Congratulations Team Spokane

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Dog on the Beach

Team: Unofficial
Members:  Dave and Cathy
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park


Erin took this quick picture as the guy and his dog came running towards us.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Team Mahaffie
September 2, 2012
Iringa, Tanzania
MaMa Week-End  Urembo (Pretty)Shop
We have no idea what this shop had in it because it was closed on Sunday but it did have mama in the name. We were on day 2 of our travel back to civilization to catch a plane the next day. 17 hours road trip from the place out in no mans land back to Dar Es Salam, Tanzania airport. We then had a 20+ hour plane journey home to SFO where U.S. customs agents welcomed us back!


August 1, 2012
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Dog on the beach
This was a service dog in training waiting for the concert to begin :)

Team Mahaffie
July 31, 2012
Watsonville, CA
Town Square Clock

Team Mahaffie-Lanell and Mark
July 28th, 2012
Camp Koinonia
15 Steps that lead up to the Chapel
Team Mahaffie
August 1, 2012
Mark and Lanell
Outside Bend, OR

We think this is a moose but he really needs some TLC!





 Team Mahaffie

August 3, 2012

South of Bend, OR

 

Collier Memorial State Park and Logging Museum Oregon


     



Lanell and Mark :)

Cobblestone Street

Team: Snap Happy
Team Member: Jen
Location: Front Street
Old Sacramento, CA
Saving the easiest for last. Many of the streets in Old Sacramento have not yet been paved over in order to maintain the Old West appeal. And a street level view to show the cobbles.
We have now posted our twentieth entry and will also sit back and wait for the rest of you. This has been a fun experience.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Assisting a Street Performer

Team: Snap Happy
Team Member: Jen
Location: SW Bay Blvd.
                  Historic Bayfront
                  Newport, Oregon


 Jennifer and hubby Roy (our photographer for this occasion) took a quick trip to Newport, Oregon, last week. While strolling the Historic Bayfront, we discovered an Ecuadorian "street performer" named Alex Lluminiquinga playing a quena. He kindly allowed Jennifer to perform with him for a few moments, much to the amusement of onlookers. Especially in view of the fact that Jennifer didn't know which way to position the rondador antara pan flute without instruction. The rondador is the national instrument of the Andes.



Here's a video if you'd care to hear his beautiful flute music. 

And a website for more information: Chayag.

This was definitely a challenge that made us step out of our comfort zone. And we are very glad we did it.

Monday, September 10, 2012

"The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home"

Here Lies Nancy McCarty
Born: 1796
Died: 1873



Team: Spokane
Member: Melissa
Location:  Briar Creek Cemetery, Williamsburg, KY

The story goes....Melissa & Friends were excited to go headstone hunting Friday night.  They had their flashlights at the ready....the trip was short-lived (ba-dump-bump) as it proved to be too creepy and terrifying.

A bright Sunday afternoon proved to be more successful.  Up the steps of the entrance, and ta-da - 1st headstone they saw.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Hung out to dry!

Team Manteca
August 29th, 2012
Lupingu, Tanzania

Mark, Dan and Lanell were in Tanzania on a mission trip when we arrived home to our guest house one day and found our laundry on the line to dry. Gift, one of our hosts, had washed the clothes in the lake which is used for fishing, bathing, washing dishes, drinking (not for us), and playing. We were grateful for the fresh clothes.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Update on Totals

Team Spokane          19
Team Snap Happy    18
Team Young             11
Team Manteca            7
Team Fresno               8
Team Unofficial          5

Street Musician and Helper

Team: Spokane
Roadie Member: Marcia
Location: Downtown Spokane, WA

Marcia is helping this young fellow set up for the lunch hour at a street corner where there is always lots of action (right down the block from Nordstrom).

Thursday, September 6, 2012

We're in the Jailhouse Now


Team: Spokane
Member: Marcia
Location: Fort Spokane, WA

You see the windows for three solitary cells high on the sunny wall in this view of the old guardhouse. And the lower picture shows Marcia in the lockup.

Fort Spokane was built in 1880 at the junction of the Spokane and Columbia rivers. It was there to suppress Indians while settlers stole their best land. After 10 years it was converted to an Indian school, which wasn't all bad.

Theme Song
Photo Album


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

NO NUKES!

 Barb and Ken were on their way down south to huntin' country on Monday to "schmooze" the Farmers with some homemade goodies and hopefully get permission to hunt on their land this season....  (Pickles, Huckleberry Jam & Pickled Asparagus). We also got some Dove hunting in.

On the way down to the area we took the long 1 mile detour to Lamont.  Population 100 AND a Nuclear Free Zone.  I wonder if any of the citizens traveled to the No Nukes concerts back in 1979...  At least we can be confident that we won't be eatin any radio active birds! :)
 

Team: Spokane
Member: Barb
Location: Lamont, WA

 
 

 
 

Gas Station Adapted for Different Use


Team: Snap Happy
Team Member: Jen
Location: Sutter Street, Folsom, CA
Photo credit: Roy Vogel
Giuseppe Murer was born in Crespano del Grappa, a small town about 40 miles outside of Venice, Italy, on November 15, 1885. At age 12, he was apprenticed to Signor Giuseppe Melchiore as an apprentice in his carpentry and cabinet-maker’s studio. In this studio, Murer mastered cabinet making and finish work.
At the age of 21, Murer immigrated to the United States, arriving at Ellis Island, New York on October 6, 1906 and traveling on to San Francisco to look for work helping to rebuild the city after the 1906 earthquake. Unable to find work, he moved on to Shasta County and eventually arrived in Folsom around 1910. He became a U.S. citizen on September 10, 1910.
Murer worked at various jobs, applying his carpentry and cabinet-making skills. He built the back-bar in the Folsom Hotel which survives to this day. “Joe,” as he became known, eventually bought the Folsom Hotel and went on to design, build and operate other buildings and businesses on Sutter Street including a gas station and garage built with an Italian influenced design flare, the Folsom firehouse (which survives on the north side of the 700 block), and the old Folsom post office at 627 Sutter Street.
This photo shows a detail of the area where the pumps originally stood. In the vintage photo above of the de-commissioned gas station as an Antique store, the pedestal was still in place. 



Saturday, September 1, 2012

September 1 Standings

So, here we are with 1 month left in The Hunt.  Sure seems fast.  These are the standings as I count them.  Let me know if it is otherwise.  Keep up with good work.

Team Spokane            17
Team Young               11
Team Snap Happy      15
Team Manteca              7
Team Fresno                 7
Team Unofficial            6


Happy Hunting!

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Loading dock with Graffiti

Team: Spokane
Member: Marcia
Location: Three blocks from downtown Coeur d'Alene

We stumbled across this old - do you see the clues? - warehouse because we had to park out in the dirt behind the local ballpark to go to Ft. Sherman. All the other parking places around the North Idaho Community College require a permit. Marcia was a bit leery of the steps, but she bravely got up there. 

Building with 15 or More Steps



Team: Spokane
Member: Melissa
Location: University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, KY
 
The Charles P. Smiddy learning resource center on campus.  17 Steps to get to the Library.  Melissa frequents this building during the school year.  Click here if you'd like to take a "Virtual Walking Tour"...It really is a beautiful Campus!  Melissa lives in "Harth Hall"
 

Relocated, but we went for Rustic

Team: Spokane
Member: Marcia
Location: Ft. Sherman, ID

Fort Sherman is a remnant of a historic fort established by General Sherman of Civil War fame in what is now the city of Coeur d'Alene. It was relocated from the banks of the river to this little spot in the middle of North Idaho Community College.

The outhouse was originally located down by the Spokane River, which flows out of Coeur d'Alene Lake. Posted in the hopes of earning a higher rating for a true pioneer structure. I think Marcia is checking the roof for leaks.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Workin' at the Car Wash... Yeah!

team: Young
member: Chris
location: San Jose, CA
item: gas station adapted for different use

Here's Chris waiting for his car to get steam cleaned and detailed... did you read about the stupid truck driver who didn't cap his load of recycled cooking oil/grease in Campbell?  Created quiet the mess on Campbell Avenue one morning - super smelly too!  So what's a guy to do when he's got a brand new ride but get it cleaned up, on that truckers dime!

This is our favorite place to take our cars for that special treatment! It's right on the corner of Coleman and West Taylor.  You gotta get there early on the weekend!  Lots of busy workers!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Double Dutch Bus - Uptown, Downtown, Everybody's gettin' Down

Never thought we'd get this one!  Enjoy the Funky Music
 
Double Decker Bus
Team: Spokane
Member: Melissa
Location: Knoxville, TN
 


Melissa and a few schoolmates traveled to Knoxville this weekend to deliver a Visiting College Grad Friend back to the bus station to catch his ride back to Memphis.  To her surprise, when they stopped at the Bus Station, There it was.  The Megabus! Click for a daytime view.    Excellent Find Melissa!
 


Friday, August 24, 2012

Camels in Kentucky????

Team: Snap Happy (Jen, Chrissie & Mallory)
Team Member: Chrissie
Location: Alexandria, Kentucky  - Campbell County High School

 #16 - A Camel:



photo credit: Self-timer portrait
Campbell County High School is located in Alexandria, Kentucky and their mascot is the "Fighting Camel". I knew that their old high school (this one is "newly" built) had a large fiberglass camel in the lobby, but i wasn't sure if the new one did, so I called the office and left what I'm sure was a very odd voice mail for the recipient. I had an equally awkward conversation with the nice lady who returned my call...and yet a third funny chat with the gentleman in the office who had me complete a visitor pass and escorted me to the camel in question. I walked into the office and told the guy I had a very unusual request and he responded "I doubt it, I just dealt with 400 freshman starting high school; shoot." Oddly enough, he didn't bat an eye and only asked if I had someone to take the photo :). They actually have 2 fiberglass camels in a study area of the library.

So, I guess this could also be an oversized animal sculpture too....although I'd say it's probably closer to life size or under rather than oversized. Since the list didn't call for a LIVE camel, I'm hopeful this will suffice since we don't see many herds of camel wandering around Kentucky & Ohio.

Fun Facts:
Campbell County High School is a public school and has about 1500 students in grades 9-12. Their mascot is the Fighting Camel and their colors are Purple (my favorite) & Gold. Their school motto is "We Believe" and their strongest sports are wrestling and Girls Track.

Professional fisherman with catch

Team: Snap Happy (Jen, Chrissie and Mallory)
Team Member: Mallory
Location: Noyo Harbor, Ft. Bragg, CA

On their way out of town, Mallory and Teresa stopped by Noyo Harbor in Ft. Bragg looking for a fisherman with his catch. They asked at the Fish Market and were directed across the way to the Tara Dawn vessel which had just come in with a catch. They talked to the owner Tom who was somewhat cautious at first about what they were up to. But as they walked outside of his office, Tom extracted his price. This also brought a smile to his face. Mallory would also have to hold one of these fish in a photo. Of course, she agreed. The first photo shows Tom holding a Skate (like a Sting Ray but more roundish or triangular, rather than kite-shaped).



















The second fish is a Short Spined Rockfish, commonly used for sashimi.
And here is the photo of Mallory holding one of those Rockfish. What a trooper!
Photo credits: Teresa Barker
Lastly, I snagged a photo of the fishing vessel itself from Flickr just to verify the facts. 
All of us on the team feel very good about this find as it was one we were not sure we could be able to get.







Thursday, August 23, 2012

Horsin' around downtown

Team: Spokane
Member: Marcia
Location: Spokane

We were strolling around downtown after doing a little business, and we stumbled on just the horse we needed. The flight of stairs I thought was across the street turned out to be an escalator.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Wetsuits Hung Out to Dry

Team: Snap Happy (Jen, Chrissie & Mallory)
Team Member: Mallory
Location: Ft. Bragg, CA
A major part of every visit to the Coast involves abalone diving expeditions by Bob. While he doesn't receive money for his efforts, he surely considers himself a professional. And will never hesitate to let you know the monetary value of a home-cooked meal of freshly harvested abalone. But I digress...This post is about things hung out to dry.

Unfortunately, Bob's old dive suit has eventually disintegrated so he has begun to rent a suit when necessary. The photo above was taken at Sub-Surface Progression Dive Shop in Ft. Bragg when the rental for this expedition was returned. The dive shop rinses the suits and then hangs them out to dry.
There was a late tide on this visit to Bob's secret cove. Photo below shows Mallory and her Dad with one of his abalone.

Photo credits: Teresa Barker

Dogs on the Beach

Team: Snap Happy (Jen, Chrissie & Mallory)
Team Member: Mallory
Location: Seaside Beach, Mendocino County, CA
Photo credit: Teresa Barker
On the first morning of their Coastal getaway, Mallory and Teresa went for their usual early walk on Seaside Beach. The first text communication indicated there were no dogs on the beach. This was unusual as this is a jewel of a beach that rates high in dog fun and beauty. The beach is defined by the Ten Mile River on one end and huge cliffs on the other. It is documented on many dog-friendly sites as a great place to take your furry children. Fortunately for the Scavenger Hunters, two cute little dogs eventually showed up during their visit.