Waymarking in Mexico

I was in Mexico for business and hoped to have a chance to visit and post Waymarks while there. I achieved a visit on this trip at a gazebo in the hotel courtyard. With 80 degree days and mild evenings, it was a pleasant, quiet place to spend some time. I have four other chances for future visits on future trips and have spotted one potential Waymark that is yet to be posted. Stay tuned...

The Berlin Wall... in Los Angeles

There's an interesting Waymarking category for graffiti. I'm cautious about what I post because I don't want to encourage destructive behavior. The Wende Museum has ten panels of the Berlin Wall on display. Four of the ten panels have the original graffiti painted on the wall before it fell in 1989. It is an amazing piece of history.

USS Recruit

I was in San Diego for business and made a Waymarking visit to the USS Recruit while walking around the area. The Recruit is a 2/3 scale destroyer escort which was one of three structures built by the Navy for training new recruits. The Recruit is the only one that remains. It is an amazing sight sitting alongside a small shopping center and would only be topped if open for tours.

Coyote Reading A Candy Wrapper

This Waymark is located outside a retired post office building in Wenatchee. The building is now the home of the Wenatchee Valley Museum. The coyote looked more like the big bad wolf, but it was a really fun statue.

Pure Harmless and Satisfying

This ghost sign is from Corry, Pennsylvania. I like ghost signs for the bit of history they show us. This ghost sign is an advertisement for sister tobacco products Mail Pouch Chewing Tobacco and Kentucky Club Pipe Tobacco. The slogan Pure Harmless and Satisfying shows how far we have come in our understanding of tobacco products.

Little White Church

A friend Waymarked this while visiting from Canada during the ASP Geobash. We were out searching for EMGT caches and stopped by for a visit. The church is very nicely done. While we were there, the lady who lives at the house was out mowing and gave us a very enthusiastic wave. Make certain to sign the guest book while visiting.

Memorial Day Waymark

We had cached Cattaraugus County through the day and just begun our journey home when Ali spotted this Phantom in the American Legion parking lot. My Dad was a big plane and train buff and a little of that has stayed with me. Who could resist a stop for a new Waymark? Usually there is little information to find for planes in the static aircraft display. I was lucky this evening that a member of the Legion stopped by to tell me a bit of the history of this fighter. During Vietnam this fighter flew off the USS Coral Sea. It was hit by ground fire on its last mission. Its pilot Lt. Winston Copeland brought the burning plane back to the ship and kept it in the air long enough for the fire to die off before bringing it back onto the deck of the Coral Sea. I thought it an amazing find for a Memorial Day weekend. The plane and at the photo angle just seems to move.

Garfield Monument - Lakeview Cemetery

The Garfield Monument is a location which is been Waymarked in multiple categories. It is a grave of a famous person and has a statue of Garfield in the main room of the monument, but it is also contains special works of art. It speaks of a different time in Cleveland.





The statue is surrounded by a series of stained glass windows. There is a window for each of the thirteen original states, plus one for Garfield's home state of Ohio.


Virginia



The three sides of the entrance are decorated with a frieze depicting scenes from President Garfield's life.


President Garfield as a statesman



The Monument and all of Garfield Cemetery is filled with history. The monument is open daily from April until mid-November. There are at least two more categories of Waymarks that haven't been posted (yet). The President's and his wife's caskets can be visited at a crypt below the monument. A walk to the upper levels will give a super view of the artwork of the upper levels and a view of downtown Cleveland.

Lake Shore & Michigan Southern RR Tunnel

This tunnel is by the side of the road in Oil City, Pennsylvania. There has been a complete collapse of the tunnel about 50 yards in, and the floor of the remaining tunnel is flooded. The other end of the tunnel has been removed by road construction. Still, the remaining structure is a pretty impressive work for 1870. If you want to see where the tunnel ended continue along the river until you reach Route 428 by the Petroleum Street Bridge. There's a nice, old postcard shot of the tunnel at the bottom of this post.

Ong-Gwe-Ohn-Weh - Dunkirk, NY

This statue was one of 70 created as tributes to Native Americans by Akron, Ohio artist Peter Toth. At one time there was one in each state and each providence. Six appear to be gone and three more are in storage. This one was created in 1973 and appears to be out year-round, but is heavily wrapped to protect it from the harsh Western New York winters.

Barcelona Lighthouse and Keeper's Cottage

This lighthouse is the oldest remaining lighthouse on Lake Erie. It has been closed for over 150 years. At the time of its construction, it was the first public building in the US to be lighted with gas. I've been here on glorious, sunny days. Today this beauty looked like a great setting for a suspense movie.

First United Methodist - Youngsville

I was visiting this church which is listed for a number of Waymark categories. As I was taking photos, the local historian (and a member of the church) stepped out and asked if I would like to see the windows from the inside. She explained to me that church members were preparing for the 100-year anniversary of the church and were having the windows restored. They were fabulous and the highlight of my stop in town.

Kinzua Viaduct

Kinzua Viaduct Today






Kinzua Viaduct Fall 1990









Waymarks at this state park are for an item of the past. The Kinzua Viaduct was built in 1882. At the time it was the tallest railroad bridge in the world. Ali and I had the thrill of walking across the bridge years ago when it still carried train traffic. From the other side, there was a trail along the gorge to bring you back to the parking area. It was an amazing and thrilling walk from the heady elevation of crossing the viaduct to the wonder of viewing the work of art from below.

Today, you can visit the remains of the bridge and get a true sense of the power of nature. A tornado ripped through the gorge years ago and destroyed the viaduct in a matter of minutes. As you look south from the bridge, you can see the path of destruction left by the tornado.

I wish I knew years ago as much about photography as I do now. Still, these are photos that give a picture of the past in a waymark that can be visited today. The loss of this marvel still makes me sad when I visit. I am so glad I overcame my fear of heights to shoot some of the scarier shots.

CVSR-Cuyahoga Valley Scenic RR

There are a number of Waymarks associated with this scenic train in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This is a fun place to board the train and ride through the country-side. Visit the depot, take a train ride or just do a little trainspotting.

Wade Park Sundial - University Circle - Cleveland

Any older town with a museum area is a great place for posting new waymarks. I've lived in the Cleveland area for my entire life and never observed as many things as I did in a few short hours. This sundial graces one end of Wade Lagoon with the Cleveland Museum of Art at the other.

Jacob Russell - Shaker Heights, Ohio

Jacob Russell fought in the Revolutionary War. He moved to Northeastern Ohio (the Western Reserve) after the war. Today this grave stands as a quiet monument on the side of a road in suburban Cleveland. It's easy to miss as you drive by.

French Aid Memorial - Newport, RI



We had been caching all day and finally finished our goal at a nearby state park. One the way back to the hotel, we pulled the car in at this little park along the water and just relaxed and watched the lights. The sculpture was interesting, but the visit was special.

Albion Carousel

The Albion Fair is an annual ritual for us. It marks the end of summer and provides a fun memory each year. The Albion Carousel is located on the fairgrounds. It is open only a few days each year during the five-day fair. This carousel is the third-oldest, remaining wooden carousel in the world. It started life as a horse-drawn ride, but was converted to electricity many years ago.

Mt. Jewitt Mural - McKean County Pennsylvania





This mural is painted on the side wall of a building in the once tourist town of Mt.Jewitt. Just outside the town is the remains of the Kinzua Viaduct. The bridge was an engineering marvel and a work of art until it was hit by a tornado. Now, it and the town suffer together. The mural celebrates the beauty of a region that is tied to the past.

White Bridge - Greene County Pennsylvania