Uploads from Telstar Logistics, tagged california, with geodata

"Biggest Screen in Berkeley"

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 19:24:45 -0700

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

Barbie v. Bananas

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Sun, 07 May 2006 21:28:33 -0700

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

The 2006 Power Tool Drag Races, Ace Motor Speedway, San Francisco

Sparce at the Summit

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 14:23:42 -0800

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

This time last year, this sign was all but buried in a giant snowbank. Patience...

Wookie with tire chains

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 23:21:00 -0800

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

Target en neige

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 23:21:04 -0800

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

Interstate 80 east, Nyack, California

Chain control at Kingvale

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 23:20:43 -0800

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

I-80 East in California at 6500 feet, in the Sierra-Nevada mountains.

The rules: Beyond this point, all vehicles must have tire chains installed, except for vehicles with 4 wheel drive and snow tires. Inspection takes place here.

Always a good sign

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 14:13:10 -0800

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

Gaining altitude along Interstate 80 east, near Colfax, California

Where there's chain control, there's also fresh snow.

Happy Motoring

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 14:12:14 -0800

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

Interstate 80 east in California at roughly 5500 feet, near the junction with Route 20 in the Sierras.

Elevation 3000 feet

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 14:14:03 -0800

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

Interstate 80 east, near Gold Run, California

Roadside Gold Mine

nobody@flickr.com (Telstar Logistics) — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:04:13 -0800

Telstar Logistics posted a photo:

Interstate 80 eastbound, at Gold Run, California. Elevation 3800'

This isn't a particularly pretty picture, but it's got some nerdly geological/historical virtues...

The town of Gold Run, in the Sierra Nevada foothills, is so named because the town was once a popular location for hydraulic gold mining -- a mid-nineteenth century technology that basically involved aiming giant water cannons at local mountains to turn the hills into liquid. By filtering the water/mud mixture created in the process, miners were able to gather gold. These photos show how it was done, back in the day. (Scroll down for a photo that was actually taken in Gold Run).

As you can imagine, hydraulic mining was a big mess. As entire mountains were reduced to liquid goo, the muddy runoff flowed through Sacramento and all the way into San Francisco Bay, fouling everything in its path and reducing the draft on navigable waterways. For these reasons, hydraulic mining was banned in 1884.

All of which is today... the sandy escarpment visible on the left is a remnant of the hydraulic mining days. The exposed cross-section hints at why the technology was ideal for excavating the local terrain (the hills here are composed of compacted sand and gravel). It also shows also how destructive the process must have been.