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The Western Desolation

ThunderAeroI

ThunderAeroI

Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
I flew from MSP to San Deigo today. I really found it intesting how barrin and desolte everthing yes on the way in the Western part of the United States. No homes, no trees, no grass, nothing but deser, dirt, bush, and nothing.

Someone could start their own counry out there and no one would give a damn because there isn't anything there to have taken away from you.

The topography is really nice, the visual impact of the colorao river and the the restless mountains are very awesome.

in any case, I'm in SAN for the week, anyone here to give me a grand tour?
 
I once drove from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon; very stark, unforgiving, yet beautiful country.
 
AGreed, I've flown to Cali more than a few times, each time I am reminded how empty this country really is. There is a LOT of land out there, a lot we can expand into. We choose to bunch ourselves up into big cities for some reason. There is a lot of room out there to build more big cities, if someone would start one up. They say we are overpopulated, but then I look at how much space there really is out there we could fill.
 
The only place I have been out west is the National Training Center in CA. It is where the Army trains for war out in the desert. That place is desolate also.
 
Much of the desolation is military training complexs. I notices more than one missle silo complex on the way and lots of weapon ordinace platforms. I would never want to drive out to here. The roads are not welcoming at all, you miss one gas station and that is the last one forever. I'm not sure the route the pilot took us on, because it wasn't great circle route, and its not based on any VOR pattern I can decern from a quick look. It was very odd.

We flew past a few airports, but I dont know what they were either. I noticed Pierre, Rapid City, and thats all i knew. I noticed about four others, one totaly dirt strip place with two runways i wouldnt call a parking lot let alone an airport.

Here is the link to what I know based on RAP that we flew:
http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=...S=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=&MAP-STYLE=

Its not correct because I swear he told us we would fly over Calorado and we did fly over the Colorado river at least once.

Back to the topography though. I noticed a fossilized volcano, that was awesome to see wish I had my camera. Lots of terrian types I'd never seen before.
 
I have driven cross-country twice. Went through Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, the Dakotas. Yes parts of it are very beautiful and all of it is very desolate. It is kind of mind-numbing after awhile to drive through he same Nevada desert or the same Wyoming flat land for hours and hours. I can see why they call Wyoming Big Sky country. I actually got to drive somewhat near a tornado cloud formation, it was an awesome site. Luckily I was driving in the opposite direction as the tornado. Speaking as a Californian once you've seen much of the middle of the U.S you know your not really going back that way ever again.
 
I love that grand desolation. When I retire in a few years I'm planning on moving a few hundred miles east, maybe Idaho or Nevada.
 
ThunderAeroI said:
I flew from MSP to San Deigo today. I really found it intesting how barrin and desolte everthing yes on the way in the Western part of the United States. No homes, no trees, no grass, nothing but deser, dirt, bush, and nothing.

Someone could start their own counry out there and no one would give a damn because there isn't anything there to have taken away from you.

The topography is really nice, the visual impact of the colorao river and the the restless mountains are very awesome.

in any case, I'm in SAN for the week, anyone here to give me a grand tour?
Click to expand...

Yep, I agree. And things happen faster on the east coast too. Old Town San Diego is pretty nice. Check it out for some good Mexican food. Just don't go over to Tijuana, you'll be taking your life in your hands.
 
There's two big reasons that area is not occupied and that people are "bunched" into cities. One, much of that land is owned by the government. Two, water is always a problem. Study any part of Western U.S. history and the first thing you'll learn is that water plays a huge role in how this area is developed. To create cities out there in the desert land you would have to find a way to direct water to them, and so many of the rivers and lakes have already been "taken" by L.A. or for irrigation in the central valley of California.
 
shrantastic said:
ThunderAeroI said:
in any case, I'm in SAN for the week, anyone here to give me a grand tour?
Click to expand...

- Coronado Island (at least drive the bridge)
- Balboa Park
- Extraordinary Desserts at 1430 Union St San Diego, CA 92101. Trust me.
- Tijuana is a no-go
Click to expand...

I walked to Market Square (i think) and I watched Star Trek again. It sure makes my home town theatre look like a slum. I have been in Stadium seating before for other movies, but the entire movie was brought up a level because the theatre was packed, everyone cheered, and i could actually hear the sound. but thats another story.

I dont have a car or a rental so driving isn't going to be an option, fortunitly I dont mind walking too far, I may try Fashion Valley tomorrow... and oh...my....god..if...i..like...hear...another...valley...girl.... like...my...hair...is....gonna....split....i....shxt....you....not.

I'm not going to mexico unless i boundup in the back of a van.

: i did notice the bridge on the drive over form the airport. I've seen what i think to be bigger. Any bridge in Duluth, I-94 in Chicago, That lake in LA (the state), etc.
 
Spot's Meow said:
There's two big reasons that area is not occupied and that people are "bunched" into cities. One, much of that land is owned by the government. Two, water is always a problem. Study any part of Western U.S. history and the first thing you'll learn is that water plays a huge role in how this area is developed. To create cities out there in the desert land you would have to find a way to direct water to them, and so many of the rivers and lakes have already been "taken" by L.A. or for irrigation in the central valley of California.
Click to expand...


As i flew over california i noticed a few aquafers which must be supplying the region with water. For as many riviers there are in the desolation, it dosn't carry into the soil at all. No life in the rivers either probably.
 
having lived on the East Coast, the West Coast, and the upper , lower Midwest ,the Southwest and Europe..I do realize the desolation of the Desert Southwest (I lived in West Texas for 3 years) it has it's beauty..and that very desert still has wonders for me..but I do like the Gold Country of Nor-Cal..and yes, it's not that populated compared to the costal areas
 
Spot's Meow said:
There's two big reasons that area is not occupied and that people are "bunched" into cities. One, much of that land is owned by the government. Two, water is always a problem. Study any part of Western U.S. history and the first thing you'll learn is that water plays a huge role in how this area is developed. To create cities out there in the desert land you would have to find a way to direct water to them, and so many of the rivers and lakes have already been "taken" by L.A. or for irrigation in the central valley of California.
Click to expand...

Aye. On top of the water issue, there's also the fuel/energy issue. Suburban sprawl alone has already put us on the very edge of "sustainable" living in that respect. We don't need yet more places where we have to truck all our food and goods by hundreds, if not thousands of miles.
 
I thought this was going to be a philosophical thread about how the West has lost its spiritual and moral compass. :alienblush:
 
I've never been to the American Southwest, but having flown (and driven) across northwestern Ontario, I know how you feel. It's similar up there, except instead of a desert, it's one vast forest with the odd road or town scattered about. It's an incredible contrast to the south, which is full of people.
 
Brent said:
AGreed, I've flown to Cali more than a few times, each time I am reminded how empty this country really is. There is a LOT of land out there, a lot we can expand into. We choose to bunch ourselves up into big cities for some reason. There is a lot of room out there to build more big cities, if someone would start one up. They say we are overpopulated, but then I look at how much space there really is out there we could fill.
Click to expand...

Water. We can barely make one City of Las Vegas work.
 
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