Cars Land Christmas...for Tammy!

Vintage Christmas...Radiator Springs!

Tammy's Cars Vignette!

The cute decor from Tammy's In Love inspired me to post these pictures.

 

Cars Land...Disney California Adventure 

Welcome to Radiator Springs....

 

Frosty the Snowcar...random children...

Garlands of white wall tires and air filters...

 

Frosty monkey wrenches become snowflakes...

Old tire tree....

One can never have enough orange cones at Christmas...

 

...or can they?

Our I-15 Core construction project just finished after years of orange cones and delays!

 

Route 66 tree...

More tires and oil cans...

City Hall had a lovely hub cap tree...

 

Ginormous wreath on City Hall...

Stanley...the founder...looks so proud of his festive city!

Don't take the decorations down yet, Stanley...we'll be there on January 2!

 

Happy New Year!!!

 

 

Some New Year greetings for you!

 

 

 

 

 

How American Fork became Cavemen!

The Mighty, Mighty Cavemen!
"Dear old A.F. High,
We will love you 'til we die.
Your banners bright,
Of red and white,
Will be a beacon thru' the night..." 
American Fork High School Song

I've been thinking about my hometown lately...probably because of the Hometown Tag Swap sponsored by Tammy of Tammy's in Love.

Me shaking my Cavette Pep Club pompoms...

probably why the picture is so blurry!

As in many small towns across the country,  a lot of our civic identity can be tied up in the local high school mascot and logo. The logo above is the current one for American Fork High School.  We are the Cavemen!  We have always been very proud of being Cavemen...looking down our noses at the lowly Lehi Pioneers or the Pleasant Grove Vikings.  I have always been big on school spirit.  Like the Beach Boys sang, "Be True to Your School." That song used to make me cry.   You may be wondering...how did American Fork become Cavemen?  Well...I'll tell you. 

Timpanogos Cave...

Located just ten minutes from my current home in Highland, Timpanogos Cave is a major tourist attraction.  American Fork Canyon is one of my favorite places on earth...it is so beautiful and filled with history...stories of pioneers, miners and Indians.  The discovery of the cave has always been a story that fascinated me. 

Martin Hansen

The following information is from the Timpanogos Cave website:  Martin Hansen was born in Denmark.  He settled in American Fork in 1861 after coming to Utah with the Mormon pioneers.  He was a teamster and logger in American Fork Canyon, and as the demand for lumber and firewood increased, Hansen had to hike higher up the steep slopes to reach ideal timber.  According to family records, Hansen ended his working day in October 1887 high along the canyon wall, setting his ax down against a tree and heading home.  The next day, he returned to collect his ax and noticed mountain lion tracks in the freshly fallen snow.  Taking his ax, he followed the tracks to the entrance of a cave, exploring only as far as daylight allowed.

He returned to explore the cave, now known as Hansen Cave...there are three caves in the system...several times along with his children and others.  With assistance from family and friends, Hansen built a rudimentary trail nearly straight up the cliff with log "tree ladders" and placed a door over the cave entrance.   

Some visitors to Hanson Cave...

Tours no longer visit this cave...it was stripped of its decorations

by an unscrupulous mining company...destoying its beauty forever.

Hansen gave tours of the cave for a small fee from 1888 to 1891, ceasing when tours became unprofitable.  He and his wife Mary had nine children, and following in the family tradition, son George Heber Hansen and grandson Wayne Hansen discovered Middle Cave together in the Timpanogos Cave System.  To read more of the history go to this NPS site, Timpanogos Cave.

Old Postcards...

30 tiny postcards...about 2" by 3"

I found this packet of postcards in a box of Yellowstone souvenirs...I don't even remember when I bought it.  The postcards are from the 1920s, but the picture of American Fork looks older than that.

The mountain in the background is Timpanogos.

The caves aren't even in that mountain.

The valley in the distance is Highland.

The caves are high on the canyon wall.

The famous Heart of Timpanogos.

Many legends have been created around this 4000 lb. speleothem.

Some of the lovely lacy decorations.

The straw-like formations are called helictites...hollow stone tubes.

The caves are always 46 degrees with 100% humidity.

Civic Pride...

'We claim this cave in the name of all American Fork Citizens!'

(Highland is actually much closer to the caves than A.F.)

Timpanogos Caves Today...

The visitor's center is only a mile or two from the mouth of the canyon.

Vintage picture of visitor's center

The trail is 1.5 miles in length with a 1092 ft. gain in elevation.

The path is paved with lots of resting places along the way.

I love the little tunnels on the trail!

Almost to the top...

The restroom is a welcome sight! 

Your Ranger is waiting to guide you through the caves.

This is my junior high school principal, Arlo Shelley, leading a tour.

I found this pic by happy coincidence online...lol!

And that...boys and girls...was how American Forker's became Cavemen!

I'd remind you to tip your guide...but I'm pretty sure the Park Service frowns upon it.

Please add this to your Vintage Vacation Itinerary!



Vintage Vacations...Golden Spike National Historic Site!

May 10, 1869...
"What was it the Engines said,
Pilots touching, head to head
Facing on the single track,
Half a world behind each back?"
...Bret Harte, What the Engines Said

Being a member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, the date of May 10, 1869 has special significance.  It is the duty of each Daughter to research and submit the histories of her pioneer ancestors.  We define "pioneer" as one who traveled to Utah, died on the trail or were born in the Territory before May 10, 1869...the date the final spike was driven uniting the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads at Promontory Summit in Utah.  1,776 miles of desert, rivers and mountains had been crossed to bind together East and West.

"THE LAST RAIL IS LAID! THE LAST SPIKE IS DRIVEN! THE PACIFIC RAILROAD IS COMPLETED! THE POINT OF JUNCTION IS 1086 MILES WEST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER, AND 690 EAST OF SACRAMENTO CITY"   So read the the telegram to President Ulysses S. Grant.  The Jupiter and No. 119 touch pilots at Promontory Summit, Utah.  Photo by A.J. Russell.

The Big Trestle and the No. 119.

Photographer A.J. Russell left his wagon below to capture this moment.

I don't intend to do the whole story of the Golden Spike event.  Here are two places you can visit for more information:  Day 18 , a traveler's blog and the official NPS site,  Golden Spike National Historic Site.  I don't think there is any thing prettier than an old steam train!

Road Trip...

Amber and No. 119

A few years ago our sweet daughter worked as a Ranger and Interpreter at the Historic Site.

This No.119 is a working replica.

There is also a replica of Jupiter.

Volunteers re-enact the driving of the Golden Spike.

The original spike is at Stanford University.

George and I took a drive out to the Golden Spike NHS yesterday to take a look at a small water tank at the Vistor's Center.  Our company will be putting in a bid to paint and refurbish it.  I love taking mini-road trips in the middle of the week.  I took a few pictures, but I already had the ones I posted above.  On the drive home we stopped at...

Maddox Steak House

Located on old Highway 89 in Perry, a small town in northern Utah.  Maddox is one of those places that are a "must visit" and I was excited to go there and sample one of their famous bison burgers. 

Maddox parking lot was packed even back then!

The restaurant has been expanded over the years...it seems the owner would just sketch out the new addition himself.  So you will find odd levels and little stairways linking everything together.  It's pretty pricy...but the tourists don't seem to mind.  I know my lunch was delicious!

Thank you for coming along with me on this Vintage Vacation!