Two More Postcards...With A Twist

The main goal of our recent postcard expedition was to bolster the TSG Vintage Hotel/Motel Collection. The basic criteria is "cards in good condition featuring street views, signage and/or interesting design elements". The back of the cards aren't really a consideration...at most there will be a quick look for a postmark date. So it came as a bit of a surprise when scanning the latest acquisitions to discover a pair from the same 1971 road trip. 

 Checking on street view it's nice to see the Highlander in Williams AZ is still in business. The Balboa in Denver (Aurora) is now the Carriage Motor Inn and doesn't seem to have fared so well. The latest imagery from November of '24 looks a little grim.

Might As Well Jump

Recent additions to our postcard collection. Acquired at the San Francisco Vintage Paper Fair.

What a sight. Sitting in breathless suspense a half mile out over the Atlantic Ocean while a beautiful bay and white gelding, without urge of any kind, leaps from a small platform through forty feet of space, landing safely with his fair rider in a shallow tank of water-And what a thrill.

The hammiest performer of all is Ralph doing his beautiful swine dive.

 

 

 

 

It goes without saying that horse diving falls under the category of animal abuse as entertainment. Originating in the 1880s, the Atlantic City "attraction" ran from 1924 until being finally being shut down in the 1970s.  

On the other hand, Ralph "The Swimming Pig" seems more benign (and maybe even kind of fun). Ralph became the star of the Texas tourist destination Aquarena Springs in the 1950s and his descendants carried on the tradition until the 1990s.

Where Doud Creek Meets The Sea

At Garrapata State Beach on the northern edge of Big Sur. This location is more famous as the site of Calla Lily Valley, which lies just upstream...but you can see photos of that anywhere. 

 

Another Faux Fab Four Find

The boys are shorter (and cheaper) than our last example, but for whatever reason there's still an issue with John's hair. Maybe he just needs a better stylist.

As Close To Being A Professional Photographer As We're Likely To Get*

A while back the Tomales Bay Resort had a photo contest with the promise of a 2 night stay for the winners. Our submissions didn't make the cut for free lodging, but it's nice to see one of the pics used in the latest "newsletter". 

*on second thought, one of our pics was included in the "The Who Hits 50!" tour book, so that probably counts as well.

Slightly, Oddly Correlated To Yesterday's Post

And not just thematically, either...this photo was taken about 200 yards as the crow flies from where the "Beattles" are hanging out. 

Oaxacan wood, Isn't It Good?

Folk art from southern Mexico

Not sure about John's hair, but at least the artist made Paul left-handed.

Future Glamping Resort? Needs Work

TSG came across this collection of shiny new-looking Airstreams in an otherwise vacant lot outside of Creston CA. Our guess is someone is planning a "Auto Camp"-type high-end glamping property in the vicinity. The total lack of infrastructure in this location is telling though. Perhaps this is just a staging area and the rigs are bound for more upscale digs.

That Sinking Feeling

Stone West Inc / Paso Robles CA

Bunker Mentality

A visit to the formerly top-secret West Virginia congressional hidey-hole, now a subterranean roadside attraction. Photography is not allowed on the tour, so here are some unclassified documents available to the general public.

Mexican President Cortines, President Eisenhower, and Canadian Prime Minister St. Laurent pictured at The Greenbrier for the North American Summit Conference Meeting, March 26, 1956. Under the cover of this meeting, U.S. government officials reached an agreement to proceed with the emergency relocation facility for Congress.

A 25-ton blast door protected the west tunnel entrance of the emergency relocation facility for Congress located at The Greenbrier.

The only written documentation connecting Congress to the bunker project at The Greenbrier. Although the letter seems quite vague, for all practical purposes, this was the Congressional leadership's formal authorization.

Original bunk beds in one of eighteen dormitories in the former emergency relocation facility for Congress located at The Greenbrier.

Formerly classified construction photograph of the bunker (1960). This section of the bunker was utilized as the Exhibit Hall of The Greenbrier.

Mission: Mars

For the last couple of months TSG has been following the saga of the Philippine Mars, the last airworthy WWII era Martin JRM Mars. After a distinguished military and firefighting career the giant flying boat was sold to be put on display in Arizona at the Pima Air & Space Museum. The final flight included a stopover in Alameda so we made a beeline up there to catch a glimpse of the old bird and witness her last takeoff.

Valley Of [Skeleton] Heart's Delight

Our old boney buddy and his pup are back in seasonal style, offering up hearts and balloon bouquets to neighborhood passers-by of all ages.

Atarians Poster: One Of A Kind?

On display at casa de TSG, this ca.1977 promotional poster was acquired during our stint with Coast Mailing Corporation. 

While it's surely not the only one of its kind --there must be a few gracing a man cave or pinball arcade wall somewhere --we cannot find a single example of it online. So perhaps "extremely rare" would be a more accurate characterization.

Not The Royal We Nor A Royal Pain...

...today TSG is talking The Royal Mail. They recently issued a series of limited edition postal products celebrating The Who's 60th Anniversary. Our order of postcards arrived from across the pond today and here they are, with a couple of extras from the TSG archive thrown in for good measure.

Audio backing track created using an AI song generator

Breaking News From Hermitage Arms

Apparently someone left a hot plate on resulting in a kitchen fire. No one was injured. Kudos to SJFD for a quick reponse. Stay tuned for further developments.

(Not So-) Young Yawn Dave Walking In The Woods

 

Artistic impression by Elaine Linton/"Cinematic effect" & audio added by TSG

Your Moon Phases For 2025

Depression-era Seawall Remnants / Seacliff State Beach

Recent storms and King Tides have revealed artifacts from the roaring twenty heydays of the Aptos/Rio Del Mar beaches. Lingering in the background offshore is what's left of the SS Palo Alto, a WWI concrete tanker towed into place and repurposed as an "amusement ship" in 1930.

Rollin' On Down The Enchanted Highway

A few years ago we posted some pics from the E. Hwy's southern terminus. Here' the rest of the visual story.

Table With A View