Then again, by producing multiple videos about various locations throughout the honeymoon, most of the trip becomes deductable as a business expense. ;)
This so could have easily been a regurgitated infographic vid (I know it’s not your style). As ever I appreciate the research you’ve undertaken, including speaking to the folks behind that website that documents the arrows. It was cool to see the landscapes the arrows occupy from your perspective.
@@CalumRaasay it absolutely did and i ended up finding and buying an old email envelope showing a tower and an airmail field in California. This sort of research deserves to be on mainstream television.
Over 45 minutes of documentary gold! heck yes! The amount of work to get that arrow animation....zooming to the same size and pointing each arrow to the left...my gosh
I grew up near St. George and have driven this same route a number of times. I’d never known these arrows existed and now I want to go find some of my own. I am so happy you got a chance to visit the beautiful American desert and pay tribute to its history and geography.
This is amazing I've read a lot about how aircraft navigation works now, but never thoutgh about how it worked before radio was the way, encompasing probably 30 years of time. I wonder if reference that map with the current ifr routing map and see how much overlap there is. There is a famous Midair collision that occurred over the Grand Canyon that changed completely how.long distance flying was done.
This is a wildly interesting topic, I have been working in aviation for 20 years and didn’t know about this. I will now look into it more and see what I can find in Canada about the subject. Thanks a bunch! As always, your videos are the pinnacle of interesting and quality!
@@SeaWasp I grew up in the interior of BC, and as a teenager we would sometimes see a “lighthouse” rotating somewhere in the next valley over (where there was no town). I always wondered what it was but now I have a serious lead!!
Imagine being the pilot, taking off at 11PM … maybe in bad weather and you’ve got a 600 mile trip to do… amazing people. Hope that this brings to life some stories from relatives of these brave pilots. Thanks Calum !!
So, for your first wedding anniversary are you planning to visit the concrete calibration markers at the Photogrammetric Test Range near Casa Grande, Arizona? :-)
Thank you, Calum! Your intriguing projects are always informative and interesting. You have rekindled my interest in another road trip (my first since COVID), this time from San Diego, CA USA to Vancouver, BC Canada.
I live in Williams, Arizona where that museum tower originally stood, and now I want nothing more than to find where it stood even if the arrow is gone. Just like with the TC-497, I really appreciate getting to learn such incredibly interesting things around in my home state. Thank you!
I completely agree, as you said at 44:57 having a "hook" or a mission in mind when exploring a place makes the experience so much richer. My wife and I flew to Chicago, hired a car and drove route 66 for our honeymoon. I normally detest Holidays, but having that purpose behind it made it one of the best things we've ever done!
I love these arrows! After the world has ended, future archeologists will be like: WTF, with these arrows? Because they will have eight feelers and absolute direction with their magnetic sensing cores, they'll be like: were they idiots? Arrow fanatics?
This is exactly my thought- in hundreds of years will someone stubble across one of these arrows and wonder what they were? Reminds me of the great Ozymandias (but not the one we all know): In Egypt's sandy silence, all alone, Stands a gigantic Leg, which far off throws The only shadow that the Desert knows:- "I am great OZYMANDIAS," saith the stone, "The King of Kings; this mighty City shows The wonders of my hand."- The City's gone,- Naught but the Leg remaining to disclose The site of this forgotten Babylon. We wonder - and some Hunter may express Wonder like ours, when thro' the wilderness Where London stood, holding the Wolf in chace, He meets some fragment huge, and stops to guess What powerful but unrecorded race Once dwelt in that annihilated place.
Great video, I have been aware of the existence of these arrows (being a pilot and aviation nerd) but never really looked into them. I never knew they had actual beacons and were manned! Oh and yes - lovely wedding photos.
The legacy of these stations is alive and well with NDB and VOR radio stations, basically swaps the visual light beacon with a radio beacon and receivers inside the plane. Incidentally, the Lionel train company made a working model beacon based on beacons such as these.
I hope you and your wife enjoyed the southwest desert. I may be biased from growing up in the four corners, but, once you get past everything being shades of brown/tan/red, I find the desert to be magically beautiful.
I have never even considered doing Patreon. Your videos are so well researched and so well done, I felt I had to support you. Fantastic job on a fascinating topic!
I first learned of these beacons as a kid decades ago, from Superman comics. One of the arrows (painted gold, in fact) served as the key to Superman's "Fortress of Solitude."
How amazing would it be to have a flight simulator with this? Would be so much more fun to me than flying airliners over oceans with autopilot. Flying a route with visual clues in vintage airplanes sounds amazing to me!
I was so excited when you reached the St. George's arrow at the 30:00 mark. In 2015 I did my first big road trip through the entire western US, and I stopped at this arrow (thanks Atlas Obscura). I didn't have a smartphone at the time, just a list of GPS coordinates for a few arrows that I had prepared before my trip and a basic GPS that could only give me direction and distance. It was great fun driving around until I figured I was "close enough" to get out and look for it. I was happy to find that I had "stumbled" across one of the better arrows to visit, with the informational plaque.
Thanks! I've been interested in these for quite some time, and ran into obsticals as well . like private lands, and Indian land, etc. Finally got to see one just west of Albuquerque earlier this year!
It's a good thing you didn't go down the AT&T Long-Line/"AUTOVON" transmission tower rabbit hole while in the USA 😉 (AUTOVON is also in other countries as it was basically for emergency cold war nuclear war/ emergency military communications, conplete with a system for launch commands from bases or certain aircraft) basically a huge network of large transmission towers with big horn looking transmitters and recievers for television, wireless phone services, and civil defense placed roughly every 40 miles in multiple directions. A dedicated fan base has also mapped out pretty much all of the remaining towers, with some built to be nuclear blast resistant critical switching stations... (I just know about the very basics of the system and its quite impressive, although now obsolete) Possibly another interesting video topic someday 😉 Great video and content as always 👍
The Dahlonega / Dahlonega 2 GA sites are not far from where I live now, and the Buford, GA site was about 4 minutes from my previous house. I'd have like to have toured one when it was active. A large number of these sites have been bought by American Radio, and either sit idle, or have some commercial equipment on them.
I knew about these, I knew what they were, but I still dove right in here because it's you and I'm going to actually learn about it, and not get the bar trivia style of video. Keep up the good work
Just completed a trip along Route 66 from LA to Oklahoma City, drove right by this and wondered what it was. Should've watched the video a month ago before I went and stopped on the way. Damn!
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 1st Lieutenant Victor Carlström (April 13, 1890 - May 9, 1917) in 1916 1st Lieutenant Victor Carlström (April 13, 1890 - May 9, 1917) was a record-holding Swedish-American pioneer aviator. He set a cross-America flight air speed record until the record was beaten by Ruth Bancroft Law.[1] Biography He was born in Gustafs parish in Kopparberg, Sweden on April 13, 1890, to Axel Carlström.[2][3] He migrated to the United States through Ellis Island in 1904, when he was 14. He moved to North Park, Colorado to work for his uncles Andrew Carlstrom and William Norell Carlstrom who had cattle ranches.[3] He became an instructor one week after leaving his job at the cattle ranch.[1] In 1916 he was 2,000 feet (610 m) short of a flight altitude record when he ascended 16,000 feet (4,900 m) in a triplane. He also planned to make a non-stop flight from Chicago to New York.[4] He went to work for the Atlantic Coast Aeronautical Station where he and a student pilot, Cary B. Epes, were killed on May 9, 1917, when their biplane collapsed in flight.[1]
@21:55 I caught "Green Mountain Power" when the newspaper passed thru. As a Vermonter - The Green Mountain State - I was surprised to see that, so I backed up and paused... Not only is that in fact from my local paper all those years ago, but 2 of the towers mentioned are in my town and neighboring town respectively. I knew that the FAA currently has radio equipment on Robbins Mtn, but never knew it dated back this far. The 2nd location on Stimson I didn't know about. I knew of the mountain, but not that there was a tower on it once... As you said, Google Earth is an amazing resource, so after about 10min of "flying" over that area on the map I was actually able to locate the metal tower poking thru the trees. All these years later it's still standing there, ensconced in a sea of green... Foliage season is coming and this sounds like a great excuse for a hike :) I might have to go for the trifecta and find out what the status of the Moretown one is and if it is still around...(edit: I think i found this one too! Unable to determine from the satellite if it's still standing or just the pad, guess I'll just have to go investigate ; ) Thanks for cluing me into to some cool local history from all the way across the pond!
I don't know whether my little hometown in northern Maine was ever on one of the federal airways (seems doubtful), but we have an airport that was built as a New Deal project in the 1930s, and even today it has a beacon tower that very much resembles the one in your drawing. Unlike the airway beacons, its light alternates between white and _green,_ which, if you're curious about the niceties of American aerodrome signaling, indicates that it marks the location of a non-military land airfield that's equipped with runway lighting. :) Until not that long ago ago, we had another relic of the pioneer days of aviation in town that had a sort of charm similar to the airway arrows. Like quite a few towns in this part of Maine, this was a paper mill company town. The mill complex stood on a hill overlooking the rest of town, and the roof of the building at the highest point on the hill sported the name of the town in huge yellow letters along with an arrow pointing north, for the information of any intrepid fliers who might happen to be passing by. Sadly, the mill shut down for good in 2008, and sometime during the next few years, one of the various owners who picked over the bankruptcy estate had that building torn down. :(
High quality content as usual and yes: you do have a patient wife ;) Not sure why it took TH-cam 3 weeks to bring this documentary under my attention (I'm a subscriber) but I guess its a good thing your video's are about historic items rather than current events.
I'm old enough that I remember as a child these beacons, as my folks drove through the Southern California deserts. I remember my father pointing out the rotating lights in the distance, and as we got closer we could see the towers. What is funny is that I don't remember where we were going or why, but the beacons and the concept of "airways" fascinated me. I'd always been "aviation-crazy", which culminated in me joining the Air Force when I became a young adult. I still love aviation to this day... And incidentally, I live just off Route 66, in Arizona. 😋
As a stupid American, I learned about these arrows some years ago, and they are one of the neat solutions that make me long for a simpler time. Sure GPS on your phone is amazing, but some giant painted arrows across the country is rad.
Alot of Europeans like to shit on American history saying how (relatively) short we have been around for as a country, but there is so much interesting stuff thats happened here if you know where to look in the short time we have been around
Thank you for the informative fantastic video. These arrows are something I’ve been aware of for years, however, I’ve always assumed they were in the western part of the United States, and nowhere near where I currently live. After visiting a few of the websites you mentioned, I found that there was an arrow about 3 miles from my home, and another less than 4 miles away. I’m heading there now to see what I can find.
I'd love to know what kind of concrete they used All three parts of the arrow have different necessities and demands, one needs to reinforce and carry the tower, one needs to reinforce and carry the generator, but also needs to not carry it's vibrations, and one is more exposed to the elements Did they use different kinds of concrete for each part of the arrow or did the have to find a concrete that can do all three things well enough? That would have been more expensive, though
Excellent video. I have vague childhood memories of my father (an engineer for the US Army) explaining the flashing lights we regularly saw in the evening during a long road trip in the 1960s as being part of the airways system. Fascinating to learn more about this part of aviation history. Side note: If there’s patches of snow on the ground your chances of running into a snake is probably nil.
Someone needs to show this video to Blancolirio A pedantic note at 28:21, the arrow was constructed flat and level, but the hillside has eroded away and shifted it into that position. you can see it's at most 6" thick, while the slab for the generator building looks thicker, which is why it stayed in place better. That little piece of geogophy it's located in is known as a "wash" for obvious reasons, so repeated rains have taken a toll.
Great video. I've been to a few of these sites. They're fascinating. Also, for future reference, you don't have to worry about snakes in that kind of weather.
Phenomenal video Calum, thank you for sharing this. I’m working my way through your content at the moment and really enjoying it. These parts of history are very interesting and it’s great seeing the dedication of people to preserve this for people to see. Keep up the great work and best wishes
My father was a glider pilot, and for much of my childhood, numerous weekends during summer were spent at the airport in Ephrata, WA. It used to have a beacon light, that always drew my fascination. I hadn't known about the airway markers and beacons, or at least registered their existence until relatively recently. Looking up the recorded sites of where such beacons had bee, I found that there indeed did seem to have been an airway beacon at that site. I don't know if it had had an airport associated from the very beginning, because the first mention of an airport is as a training base for B-17s in WWII. I don't recall any concrete arrows, either, I suppose it's possible some things were moved, or dismantled when the airport was established...
You were in Albuquerque and didn’t tell me?! Had no idea about the arrow being so close to me, thanks for letting me know! Next time you’re in the country hopefully a meet and greet can be planned!
I greatly appreciate your presentations. Your ability to find significance in topics that may seem unimportant to most is truly inspiring. Your enthusiasm and creative approach bring these subjects to life and make for a captivating story. As a geographer, I also recognise the immense value of integrating other areas of expertise, such as history, science, and technology, to effectively communicate and explain the intricate nature of our world. Geography, as a discipline, holds immense fascination for me as it intersects with numerous fields. By exploring the spatial patterns and relationships of natural and human phenomena, we gain invaluable insights into how people and the environment interact. Incorporating history allows us to trace the evolutionary path of landscapes and regions, shedding light on the cultural, economic, and political forces that have shaped them over time. Science and technology play pivotal roles in our understanding of the world and its transformation. Technological advancements hold the power to reshape landscapes, revolutionise communication and transportation systems, and address global challenges. By weaving together these diverse strands of knowledge, we can cultivate a holistic perspective that reveals fascinating stories and uncovers the complex interplay between societies and their environments. This interdisciplinary approach empowers us to envision new possibilities for the future. Whether we are investigating the impact of climate change on coastal communities, delving into the historical foundations of urban development, or exploring the potential of renewable energy sources, this multidisciplinary approach helps us unravel the intricate tapestry of our planet. It enables us to grasp the intricate connections and inter-dependencies that define our world, and equips us with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions and address the challenges we face. Thank you for your exceptional presentations, which not only ignite curiosity but also foster a deeper understanding of our interconnected world. Power to you!
Fantastic video! Wholeheartedly happy to support Calum on his rise on the social media and YT algorithms! Idk if I can't find the right stuff from Holzkern; but their rings are all stainless steel and those are an issue for me; react with my skin. Silver, Titanium, Gold, Platinum, Tungsten...all good...but SS...no go...hopefully they update their materials; I'd love to buy a ring!
Weird, idk what kind of person would import a fancy ring made of stainless steel. Any local fair will be full of shit rings like that. Im pretty sure steel rings do that to everyone lol
I lived in Southern Nevada for about 3 decades. I would go out of my way to to just drive into the desert. There is so much cool stuff that will be there for a long time.
@@CalumRaasay there are 2 stone beehive kilns on the west side of the Spring Mountain range that was used to make charcoal for smelting metals in Death Valley in the 1800s. One was more or less a pile of rocks but the other was in good condition. It's been more than a decade so they might be both piles by now. The craftsmanship was incredible that they could build 40 foot diameter 40 foot tall stone cone shaped structures with no mortar! Close to them was a concrete tank that held spring water built originally for range cattle but now the wildlife uses it as their water source. I would drive up there, park my 4x4 and sit, enjoying all the visitors coming for a drink.
Great video. Now let's see one regarding calibration sites. The southwest is strewn with them, many from as far back as the early 60's. Not as cool as the arrows, but fun to find just the same. They were for calibrating photo recon systems on spy planes.
Thank you for the great video!! Very timely for me as I just finished reading "The Great Air Race" by John Lancaster. All these markers and systems were put in place after the events in the book so that pilots could navigate across the country.
While we do love guns most Americans love to talk if you were to approach most of us we would love to share our stories don’t be afraid to ask to see peoples property we really love to share in most cases
Oh no I was only joking, I would have but the house was pretty abandoned with a lot of wire fences and warning signs, I'm guessing because of people coming by to visit. I found that Americans while I was out there were always immediately excited by the project and wanting to help instantly!
Calum, my daughter knew I love maps, and Google Maps and Satellite Maps are tremendous to a guy like me in my late 60s. I was aware of the arrows from a documentary on television, but you gave so much more information than they did. Many thanks to you, the Smiths, and especially your bride who agreed to make your American West part of your honeymoon! I subscribed to see what else you have been up to.
Your videos are fantastic, so often about things I had known nothing about! Thank you very much, I really appreciate the effort that goes into each of them.
On top of a 100 year old building in downtown Pittsburgh there was once a pylon with vertical red neon lights up it that flashed PITTSBURGH in morse code/CW and I was always told it was an aerial beacon, an aid to navigation at night in the days before Air Traffic Control and reliable radios. Perhaps it was part of this system.
Such an amazing concept for a nation so... empty! In Europe you'll have lots of cities and towns to guide you for the most part, or other landmarks to navigate by, so having literal air ways guided by arrows is ingenious!
I now have an overwhelming desire to create a flight plan along one of these routes. It would be so much fun to fly with old school pilotage techniques from arrow to arrow. I had actually read about these arrows in textbooks, but I never gave much thought to them. You brought so much enthusiasm and intrigue to this topic! This video was captivating, and I'm envisioning what this system would have looked like from the air. I bet it was absolutelly beautiful at night!
I thought I knew quite a bit about this topic. (I didn't) Thank you, Calum. The depth of your research is so much better than most other on-line content creators, it is always a real treat.
Oddly enough, this was really interesting. Makes me wonder what the UK did. I know that Croydon Aerodrome had a big rotating search light that spun around slowly and pilots used compas bearings to get down to dover or birmingham. other than that I am not sure what the UK did use.
I think the main issue that the USA was trying to solve there, was that a lot of its inland was absolutely massive and sparsely/recently populated, and thus lacking enough reasonably spaced, easily recognisable (and mutually distinguishable) natural and man-made landmarks. Considering the UK is _a lot_ smaller than the USA, and had been developed for _much_ longer and more thoroughly (as in: hundreds of years old villages/towns/cities, churches and other recognisable man-made developments were already spread everywhere throughout, and there are even nearly two thousand year old Roman roads etc), as well as lots of well charted rivers, roads, etc... I would guess that they probably _mostly_ navigated by using all of those as guides? I know roads, rivers and pre-existing landmarks (both natural and man-made) were definitely used to aide in navigation during WW1 and WW2. And planes literally following a road, or basically flying from church tower to church tower was absolutely a thing. A compass definitely helps though :P
Keep in mind that the driving force behind all this was the US postal service and flying by night. England had no need for "overnight air mail" because it already had a polished, extensive and well established railway system that delivered mail all across the british isles overnight. Mind you the distances were much shorter. Also, consider that the USA could place arrow markers pointing to strategic waypoints knowing that no enemy could take advantage of them. While the british (or the germans or french) were certain that enemy airplanes had the range to overfly and benefit from such visual beacons. Guiding them to population centers, not a great idea. Another factor was that the british were far ahead in use of radio for navigation. The Type 72 homing beacon was in development as early as 1932 and already operational in 1936. While highly guarded secrets, they would inform the decision to avoid expenditures in other kinds of signals. The USNavy already knew radio navigation was possible, as early as 1920 WIRED "To test the viability of using radio navigation in an airplane, the Navy installed a radio laboratory of sorts on board the U.S.S. Ohio which was cruising off the mid-Atlantic coast July 6, 1920. A Curtiss-built Felixstowe F-5-L twin-engine flying boat (of the type pictured above) took off from the Naval Air Station in Hampton Roads, Virginia, with no knowledge of the location of the Ohio other than the fact it was within a 100-mile radius of Norfolk." So between the shorter distances, the overnight railways, the development of radios and the threat of helping the enemy... arrows would not be the best idea in the british isles. Respectfully.
Now I need to locate the Michigan arrows! I'll be in Muskegon next weekend. We have/had 7 in Michigan. Maybe now you can cover a few of the planes... There is a Ford Tri-Motor, and a DC-3 in the Henry Ford Museum, here. You could potentially get permission to climb aboard both, if you were doing a documentary which includes Ford's contribution to the airmail system.. I'm sure they would assign you someone who knows all the history in that area.
33:11 growing up in Albuquerque New Mexico. That predistribution he's talking about ain't no joke. It definitely is lawful to shoot trespassers on your property down there. It's amazing of all places you go you go to the hell hole that that is New Mexico. Glad you were just passing through.
Is this your first time in the states? I always find it interesting to hear what were Europeans thoughts are about the size and vast stretches of empty land in the states. I live in Kingman AZ and was a Deputy Sheriff for the county (Mohave), which is approximately 34,000 km² (Taiwan is 33,000 km² of land), in a state (AZ) 295,250 km² (the island of Great Britain is 209,331 km². Mohave County has a section geographically cut off from the main portion and to get there you have to travel through Saint George Utah and this is because of the Grand Canyon (which is about 90 km from my backyard). When I was Deputy, there were times, I was on of 2 Deputies patroling and responding/driving to crimes 350 km away. What did you think of our little slice of heaven, the high desert area of Northern Arizona and Southern Utah and Nevada? 35:53 also when there is snow on the ground, you don't have to worry about snakes. Thanks for the video. Have a wonderful day. BTW isnt the drive from Vegas to St George, through the gorge, amazing? I really do love the area I live in.
Awesome doc. I've seen another on youtube on this subject but this is much more detailed and interesting. I live near Seattle maybe I'll try findng one from the Seattle-Salt Lake route.
Vindication for all the hours I've personally spent "exploring" on Google Maps. It's so addictive, especially when you follow trails and find new rabbit holes!
You're right, lots of time can just disappear when google maps gets opened. Being able to see things from above is so interesting. I particularly like the occasional bad interpretation of things that can also occur. A grid pattern of seismic survey lines in the Australian desert was interpreted by someone as signals to, or by aliens, and some other Australian oil-field infrastructure was denoted as "missile silos".
according to records our family has been able to dig up, my great-grandfather, Roy Hust, was the first person in the state of Nebraska to have a PRIVATE pilot's license. no military, no commercial, a private license. i remember that he had an old Pup aircraft before i was born in 1980. because of his flying, my grandfather Byron, who had very poor eyes, was big into RC aircraft, up until just a few years ago, well after his 80th birthday. i myself got into RC in a big way, but not in the air. by the way, the quality of this video is absolutely incredible! keep up the good work mate, this is every bit as good as a high end studio's production!
A Calum level indepth look at the airplane arrows Ive heard about? Hell yes! I very well may have missed it in some other video, but the beacons are news to me Edit: Aaaah yeah, its all coming together. Edit 2: ".developed by all things, the postal service..." I mean "Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds." Or how I like it said "...Like if the sun burns out and civilization stopped My doorstep still catches more cardboard boxes..."
"Mew-NISS-uh-pull." Congratulations and best of future times, to both of you newlyweds, by the way! While I can't imagine a Calum jaunt across the westward waters could ever lack for anything shy of a veritable glut of just the sort of historical sustenance to feed a growing _Calum_ Joint, and to simultaneously satisfy its author on a personal level, as well... Though I'm not remotely surprised at another solid video, I _am_ still right chuffed to see it!
Man, you just threw me back into "Vol de Núit" the novel by french pilot Antoine de Saint Exupery, where he tells of his experiences pioneering the airways all across South America in the late 20's and 30's. Awesome.
Having driven from Chicago to Hartford Ct. (which is a little farther than Chicago to NYC, but not much) Even in this day I can appreciate just how fast that 10 hour Chicago to NYC flight was. I have also flown from Hartford to Chicago via Philadelphia. The layover in Philadelphia was longer than the total flying time (a 4 hour and 20 min layover :D). tbh I think most people stick around in their own region and when they do, it has a good chance of being air travel (railways range from "eh, its there" to "whats a railroad" and trend towards the latter). So a lot of people don't have experience with going long distances on land and really don't appreciate just how fast even century old planes were, let alone more recent stuff. caveat: To be fair a "region" in the US can easily be the size of a European country (or three). So its no wonder why so many people don't move a whole lot outside of their own regions. Also given how cheap it can be to fly somewhere, it makes sense that this would lead to people using it for transportation if/when they do go a fair distance away.
yet another subject defining coup de grâce Calum ! You are a master of the format! Thank You!! BTW, did you stay in Gallup? I found a $30. motel room in east Gallup in 2013 on a trip.. I was so stoked but a roach scurried across the sheet 4 minutes after opening the unit's door so .. well we landed at the Best Western. Anyway, I wonder if that army base was abandoned because of a nuclear waste spill that occurred north east of gallup and continued south in a culvert until it hit I-40.. I pieced this together but there is very little info about it. Anyway, that's why east gallup is super cheap, looking like the 1960s and west gallup looks like the rest of corporate strip mall america today.. because of the vast difference in property values due to the accident.
On honeymoon, leaves wife behind for giant arrows... classic!
The Calum classic
Then again, by producing multiple videos about various locations throughout the honeymoon, most of the trip becomes deductable as a business expense. ;)
@@CalumRaasay Hopefully it's a sign things are _pointed in the right direction_ with the marriage that she's so tolerant 😂
Callus calum
That’s rank calumny. Take it back
This so could have easily been a regurgitated infographic vid (I know it’s not your style). As ever I appreciate the research you’ve undertaken, including speaking to the folks behind that website that documents the arrows. It was cool to see the landscapes the arrows occupy from your perspective.
Thank you! At first I thought this would be a perfect short video but as it went on I thought it deserved more!
@@CalumRaasay it absolutely did and i ended up finding and buying an old email envelope showing a tower and an airmail field in California. This sort of research deserves to be on mainstream television.
Over 45 minutes of documentary gold! heck yes!
The amount of work to get that arrow animation....zooming to the same size and pointing each arrow to the left...my gosh
Next video I want no animations, I’m animated out 😂
@@CalumRaasay So worth it though!
yeh its very inspiring but omg its making his hair turn grey
@@echelonrank3927 Hell yeah, I want that silver fox look
Excellent video, well worth the effort. Thanks
I grew up near St. George and have driven this same route a number of times. I’d never known these arrows existed and now I want to go find some of my own.
I am so happy you got a chance to visit the beautiful American desert and pay tribute to its history and geography.
I'm impressed that while traversing a quarter of the United States you were able to stick to your plan and timetable. Another excellent video!
Same here - and not to mention in January when roads and whole areas where closing left and right due to the weather!
This is amazing I've read a lot about how aircraft navigation works now, but never thoutgh about how it worked before radio was the way, encompasing probably 30 years of time. I wonder if reference that map with the current ifr routing map and see how much overlap there is. There is a famous Midair collision that occurred over the Grand Canyon that changed completely how.long distance flying was done.
Hope you liked my wedding photos 😉
Calum15 to get 15% off your Holzkern order! 👉 www.world.holzkern.com/en_world/calum
You both had nice wedding dresses.😈
Marriage is fantastic. I hope your marriage is happy and long.
Congratulations on your marriage and thank you for this wonderful video.
This is a wildly interesting topic, I have been working in aviation for 20 years and didn’t know about this. I will now look into it more and see what I can find in Canada about the subject.
Thanks a bunch! As always, your videos are the pinnacle of interesting and quality!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Nothing I love more than being able to share something new with people. Thanks again for watching
I was happy to see that Vancouver and Victoria were included in the maps shown, and was hoping I could feasibly find one of these in my back yard
@@SeaWasp I grew up in the interior of BC, and as a teenager we would sometimes see a “lighthouse” rotating somewhere in the next valley over (where there was no town). I always wondered what it was but now I have a serious lead!!
@@SeaWasp:D:D🇧🇫
Imagine being the pilot, taking off at 11PM … maybe in bad weather and you’ve got a 600 mile trip to do… amazing people.
Hope that this brings to life some stories from relatives of these brave pilots.
Thanks Calum !!
So, for your first wedding anniversary are you planning to visit the concrete calibration markers at the Photogrammetric Test Range near Casa Grande, Arizona? :-)
Haha now there’s a suggestion - or maybe another land train? Just don’t tell my wife!
Corona
@@CalumRaasay or perhaps the WW1 concrete structures and trains on a "tiny remote island" that you may be familiar with
@@CalumRaasayThis was quite prophetic😂
Thank you, Calum! Your intriguing projects are always informative and interesting. You have rekindled my interest in another road trip (my first since COVID), this time from San Diego, CA USA to Vancouver, BC Canada.
This is really impressive work. Keep it up! Congratulations on your marriage!
Thank you so much!
Seeing Calum, walking on the arrows, I was amazed just how small they actually are. Another Interesting video as always.
I live in Williams, Arizona where that museum tower originally stood, and now I want nothing more than to find where it stood even if the arrow is gone. Just like with the TC-497, I really appreciate getting to learn such incredibly interesting things around in my home state. Thank you!
I completely agree, as you said at 44:57 having a "hook" or a mission in mind when exploring a place makes the experience so much richer. My wife and I flew to Chicago, hired a car and drove route 66 for our honeymoon. I normally detest Holidays, but having that purpose behind it made it one of the best things we've ever done!
Thanks for sharing this piece of history with us! My grandfather loved flying and finding these from the air!
I love these arrows!
After the world has ended, future archeologists will be like: WTF, with these arrows?
Because they will have eight feelers and absolute direction with their magnetic sensing cores, they'll be like: were they idiots?
Arrow fanatics?
This is exactly my thought- in hundreds of years will someone stubble across one of these arrows and wonder what they were? Reminds me of the great Ozymandias (but not the one we all know):
In Egypt's sandy silence, all alone,
Stands a gigantic Leg, which far off throws
The only shadow that the Desert knows:-
"I am great OZYMANDIAS," saith the stone,
"The King of Kings; this mighty City shows
The wonders of my hand."- The City's gone,-
Naught but the Leg remaining to disclose
The site of this forgotten Babylon.
We wonder - and some Hunter may express
Wonder like ours, when thro' the wilderness
Where London stood, holding the Wolf in chace,
He meets some fragment huge, and stops to guess
What powerful but unrecorded race
Once dwelt in that annihilated place.
@@CalumRaasay Nice. Thank you.
Great video, I have been aware of the existence of these arrows (being a pilot and aviation nerd) but never really looked into them. I never knew they had actual beacons and were manned!
Oh and yes - lovely wedding photos.
Calum is the master of wonderful, kinda obscure topics. Grazing us lurkers with another wonderful documentary. And wedding photos! 😀
The legacy of these stations is alive and well with NDB and VOR radio stations, basically swaps the visual light beacon with a radio beacon and receivers inside the plane.
Incidentally, the Lionel train company made a working model beacon based on beacons such as these.
A pleasure as always! Thanks for making my evening Calum. Looking forward to watch the video :)
Thank you niko, always appreciate comments like this!
I hope you and your wife enjoyed the southwest desert. I may be biased from growing up in the four corners, but, once you get past everything being shades of brown/tan/red, I find the desert to be magically beautiful.
Fascinating stuff. I work in the aviation industry and all these old facets of the flying past just tick a lit of boxes 😊
Truly a high quality video as always, well done!
Calum, you belong in the Guinness World Records at the top of the Most Romantic Honeymoon category.
I have never even considered doing Patreon. Your videos are so well researched and so well done, I felt I had to support you. Fantastic job on a fascinating topic!
Appreciated!
I first learned of these beacons as a kid decades ago, from Superman comics. One of the arrows (painted gold, in fact) served as the key to Superman's "Fortress of Solitude."
How amazing would it be to have a flight simulator with this?
Would be so much more fun to me than flying airliners over oceans with autopilot.
Flying a route with visual clues in vintage airplanes sounds amazing to me!
That giant Kronk scared me. Lol
It’s all coming together
I was so excited when you reached the St. George's arrow at the 30:00 mark. In 2015 I did my first big road trip through the entire western US, and I stopped at this arrow (thanks Atlas Obscura). I didn't have a smartphone at the time, just a list of GPS coordinates for a few arrows that I had prepared before my trip and a basic GPS that could only give me direction and distance. It was great fun driving around until I figured I was "close enough" to get out and look for it. I was happy to find that I had "stumbled" across one of the better arrows to visit, with the informational plaque.
Thanks! I've been interested in these for quite some time, and ran into obsticals as well . like private lands, and Indian land, etc. Finally got to see one just west of Albuquerque earlier this year!
66 year old American man here, I also had no idea they existed. Great video and thank you!
It's a good thing you didn't go down the AT&T Long-Line/"AUTOVON" transmission tower rabbit hole while in the USA 😉 (AUTOVON is also in other countries as it was basically for emergency cold war nuclear war/ emergency military communications, conplete with a system for launch commands from bases or certain aircraft) basically a huge network of large transmission towers with big horn looking transmitters and recievers for television, wireless phone services, and civil defense placed roughly every 40 miles in multiple directions. A dedicated fan base has also mapped out pretty much all of the remaining towers, with some built to be nuclear blast resistant critical switching stations... (I just know about the very basics of the system and its quite impressive, although now obsolete) Possibly another interesting video topic someday 😉 Great video and content as always 👍
The Dahlonega / Dahlonega 2 GA sites are not far from where I live now, and the Buford, GA site was about 4 minutes from my previous house. I'd have like to have toured one when it was active. A large number of these sites have been bought by American Radio, and either sit idle, or have some commercial equipment on them.
This is very cool. I was not aware of these concrete arrows and their associated beacon towers. Truly fascinating!
I knew about these, I knew what they were, but I still dove right in here because it's you and I'm going to actually learn about it, and not get the bar trivia style of video.
Keep up the good work
Your wife must be the most patient woman on the planet to let you do all this on your honey moon
Just completed a trip along Route 66 from LA to Oklahoma City, drove right by this and wondered what it was. Should've watched the video a month ago before I went and stopped on the way. Damn!
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1st Lieutenant Victor Carlström (April 13, 1890 - May 9, 1917) in 1916
1st Lieutenant Victor Carlström (April 13, 1890 - May 9, 1917) was a record-holding Swedish-American pioneer aviator. He set a cross-America flight air speed record until the record was beaten by Ruth Bancroft Law.[1]
Biography
He was born in Gustafs parish in Kopparberg, Sweden on April 13, 1890, to Axel Carlström.[2][3]
He migrated to the United States through Ellis Island in 1904, when he was 14. He moved to North Park, Colorado to work for his uncles Andrew Carlstrom and William Norell Carlstrom who had cattle ranches.[3] He became an instructor one week after leaving his job at the cattle ranch.[1]
In 1916 he was 2,000 feet (610 m) short of a flight altitude record when he ascended 16,000 feet (4,900 m) in a triplane. He also planned to make a non-stop flight from Chicago to New York.[4]
He went to work for the Atlantic Coast Aeronautical Station where he and a student pilot, Cary B. Epes, were killed on May 9, 1917, when their biplane collapsed in flight.[1]
24:51 HE PRONOUCED NEVADA RIGHT LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO
What a wonderful documentary! Your videos are a class on it's own! Really outstanding work again!
@21:55 I caught "Green Mountain Power" when the newspaper passed thru. As a Vermonter - The Green Mountain State - I was surprised to see that, so I backed up and paused... Not only is that in fact from my local paper all those years ago, but 2 of the towers mentioned are in my town and neighboring town respectively.
I knew that the FAA currently has radio equipment on Robbins Mtn, but never knew it dated back this far. The 2nd location on Stimson I didn't know about. I knew of the mountain, but not that there was a tower on it once...
As you said, Google Earth is an amazing resource, so after about 10min of "flying" over that area on the map I was actually able to locate the metal tower poking thru the trees. All these years later it's still standing there, ensconced in a sea of green... Foliage season is coming and this sounds like a great excuse for a hike :)
I might have to go for the trifecta and find out what the status of the Moretown one is and if it is still around...(edit: I think i found this one too! Unable to determine from the satellite if it's still standing or just the pad, guess I'll just have to go investigate ; )
Thanks for cluing me into to some cool local history from all the way across the pond!
7:52 Thought I was looking at a "canonball" record for a second. "Continent Spanned By Airplane Mail In 33 HRS. 20 MIN."
I don't know whether my little hometown in northern Maine was ever on one of the federal airways (seems doubtful), but we have an airport that was built as a New Deal project in the 1930s, and even today it has a beacon tower that very much resembles the one in your drawing. Unlike the airway beacons, its light alternates between white and _green,_ which, if you're curious about the niceties of American aerodrome signaling, indicates that it marks the location of a non-military land airfield that's equipped with runway lighting. :)
Until not that long ago ago, we had another relic of the pioneer days of aviation in town that had a sort of charm similar to the airway arrows. Like quite a few towns in this part of Maine, this was a paper mill company town. The mill complex stood on a hill overlooking the rest of town, and the roof of the building at the highest point on the hill sported the name of the town in huge yellow letters along with an arrow pointing north, for the information of any intrepid fliers who might happen to be passing by.
Sadly, the mill shut down for good in 2008, and sometime during the next few years, one of the various owners who picked over the bankruptcy estate had that building torn down. :(
High quality content as usual and yes: you do have a patient wife ;)
Not sure why it took TH-cam 3 weeks to bring this documentary under my attention (I'm a subscriber) but I guess its a good thing your video's are about historic items rather than current events.
I'm old enough that I remember as a child these beacons, as my folks drove through the Southern California deserts. I remember my father pointing out the rotating lights in the distance, and as we got closer we could see the towers. What is funny is that I don't remember where we were going or why, but the beacons and the concept of "airways" fascinated me. I'd always been "aviation-crazy", which culminated in me joining the Air Force when I became a young adult. I still love aviation to this day... And incidentally, I live just off Route 66, in Arizona. 😋
Once again a very interesting well researched documentary that tickles the imagination.
Thank you for your fascination about obscure and odd things!
Noah's a bit too much of a hippie, and kinda low-energy for my tastes but his roadtrip stuff is quite nice. Your stuff has a bit more pep.
As a stupid American, I learned about these arrows some years ago, and they are one of the neat solutions that make me long for a simpler time. Sure GPS on your phone is amazing, but some giant painted arrows across the country is rad.
Dolittle...he was a bit hit over Tokyo a bit later^^ did you visit any of the Breaking Bad sites in Abq???
Alot of Europeans like to shit on American history saying how (relatively) short we have been around for as a country, but there is so much interesting stuff thats happened here if you know where to look in the short time we have been around
Thank you for the informative fantastic video. These arrows are something I’ve been aware of for years, however, I’ve always assumed they were in the western part of the United States, and nowhere near where I currently live. After visiting a few of the websites you mentioned, I found that there was an arrow about 3 miles from my home, and another less than 4 miles away. I’m heading there now to see what I can find.
I’m so happy you got to find a complete one. I love adventures like this and when you find exactly what you wanted to see it’s very satisfying.
I'd love to know what kind of concrete they used
All three parts of the arrow have different necessities and demands, one needs to reinforce and carry the tower, one needs to reinforce and carry the generator, but also needs to not carry it's vibrations, and one is more exposed to the elements
Did they use different kinds of concrete for each part of the arrow or did the have to find a concrete that can do all three things well enough?
That would have been more expensive, though
You should do one on ATT Long Lines!
Excellent video. I have vague childhood memories of my father (an engineer for the US Army) explaining the flashing lights we regularly saw in the evening during a long road trip in the 1960s as being part of the airways system. Fascinating to learn more about this part of aviation history.
Side note: If there’s patches of snow on the ground your chances of running into a snake is probably nil.
Someone needs to show this video to Blancolirio
A pedantic note
at 28:21, the arrow was constructed flat and level, but the hillside has eroded away and shifted it into that position. you can see it's at most 6" thick, while the slab for the generator building looks thicker, which is why it stayed in place better.
That little piece of geogophy it's located in is known as a "wash" for obvious reasons, so repeated rains have taken a toll.
Great video. I've been to a few of these sites. They're fascinating. Also, for future reference, you don't have to worry about snakes in that kind of weather.
This was fascinating. I already knew of these arrows, but you told me so much about them that I didn't already know. Thanks!
Phenomenal video Calum, thank you for sharing this. I’m working my way through your content at the moment and really enjoying it. These parts of history are very interesting and it’s great seeing the dedication of people to preserve this for people to see. Keep up the great work and best wishes
My father was a glider pilot, and for much of my childhood, numerous weekends during summer were spent at the airport in Ephrata, WA. It used to have a beacon light, that always drew my fascination. I hadn't known about the airway markers and beacons, or at least registered their existence until relatively recently.
Looking up the recorded sites of where such beacons had bee, I found that there indeed did seem to have been an airway beacon at that site. I don't know if it had had an airport associated from the very beginning, because the first mention of an airport is as a training base for B-17s in WWII.
I don't recall any concrete arrows, either, I suppose it's possible some things were moved, or dismantled when the airport was established...
I was not expecting the car jacuzzi took me completely off guard
45 minutes on the Joy of Finding.
…yet another masterclass Show-and-Tell video…THANK YOU!
You were in Albuquerque and didn’t tell me?! Had no idea about the arrow being so close to me, thanks for letting me know! Next time you’re in the country hopefully a meet and greet can be planned!
Haha next time! We absolutely LOVED Albuquerque so I'll definitely be back
Mom and dad did bridges in Maui one honeymoon (annual event). He's an engineer.
45:08 Did you just describe the gamification of vacations? 🤣
I greatly appreciate your presentations. Your ability to find significance in topics that may seem unimportant to most is truly inspiring. Your enthusiasm and creative approach bring these subjects to life and make for a captivating story. As a geographer, I also recognise the immense value of integrating other areas of expertise, such as history, science, and technology, to effectively communicate and explain the intricate nature of our world.
Geography, as a discipline, holds immense fascination for me as it intersects with numerous fields. By exploring the spatial patterns and relationships of natural and human phenomena, we gain invaluable insights into how people and the environment interact. Incorporating history allows us to trace the evolutionary path of landscapes and regions, shedding light on the cultural, economic, and political forces that have shaped them over time.
Science and technology play pivotal roles in our understanding of the world and its transformation. Technological advancements hold the power to reshape landscapes, revolutionise communication and transportation systems, and address global challenges. By weaving together these diverse strands of knowledge, we can cultivate a holistic perspective that reveals fascinating stories and uncovers the complex interplay between societies and their environments. This interdisciplinary approach empowers us to envision new possibilities for the future.
Whether we are investigating the impact of climate change on coastal communities, delving into the historical foundations of urban development, or exploring the potential of renewable energy sources, this multidisciplinary approach helps us unravel the intricate tapestry of our planet. It enables us to grasp the intricate connections and inter-dependencies that define our world, and equips us with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions and address the challenges we face.
Thank you for your exceptional presentations, which not only ignite curiosity but also foster a deeper understanding of our interconnected world. Power to you!
Fantastic video! Wholeheartedly happy to support Calum on his rise on the social media and YT algorithms! Idk if I can't find the right stuff from Holzkern; but their rings are all stainless steel and those are an issue for me; react with my skin. Silver, Titanium, Gold, Platinum, Tungsten...all good...but SS...no go...hopefully they update their materials; I'd love to buy a ring!
Weird, idk what kind of person would import a fancy ring made of stainless steel. Any local fair will be full of shit rings like that. Im pretty sure steel rings do that to everyone lol
I lived in Southern Nevada for about 3 decades. I would go out of my way to to just drive into the desert. There is so much cool stuff that will be there for a long time.
Yeah that level of dry weather is ideal from preservation. So much cool stuff sitting out there!
@@CalumRaasay there are 2 stone beehive kilns on the west side of the Spring Mountain range that was used to make charcoal for smelting metals in Death Valley in the 1800s. One was more or less a pile of rocks but the other was in good condition. It's been more than a decade so they might be both piles by now. The craftsmanship was incredible that they could build 40 foot diameter 40 foot tall stone cone shaped structures with no mortar!
Close to them was a concrete tank that held spring water built originally for range cattle but now the wildlife uses it as their water source. I would drive up there, park my 4x4 and sit, enjoying all the visitors coming for a drink.
New 45 minute Calum video? I know what I’m watching tonight.
Haha hope you enjoy Dan!
Great video. Now let's see one regarding calibration sites. The southwest is strewn with them, many from as far back as the early 60's. Not as cool as the arrows, but fun to find just the same. They were for calibrating photo recon systems on spy planes.
I'd forgotten about those - and even used them extensively early in my career (lo, many years ago)!
Well done! And you do, indeed, have a very patient and understanding wife.
Thank you for the great video!! Very timely for me as I just finished reading "The Great Air Race" by John Lancaster. All these markers and systems were put in place after the events in the book so that pilots could navigate across the country.
While we do love guns most Americans love to talk if you were to approach most of us we would love to share our stories don’t be afraid to ask to see peoples property we really love to share in most cases
Oh no I was only joking, I would have but the house was pretty abandoned with a lot of wire fences and warning signs, I'm guessing because of people coming by to visit.
I found that Americans while I was out there were always immediately excited by the project and wanting to help instantly!
Calum, my daughter knew I love maps, and Google Maps and Satellite Maps are tremendous to a guy like me in my late 60s. I was aware of the arrows from a documentary on television, but you gave so much more information than they did. Many thanks to you, the Smiths, and especially your bride who agreed to make your American West part of your honeymoon! I subscribed to see what else you have been up to.
Your videos are fantastic, so often about things I had known nothing about! Thank you very much, I really appreciate the effort that goes into each of them.
On top of a 100 year old building in downtown Pittsburgh there was once a pylon with vertical red neon lights up it that flashed PITTSBURGH in morse code/CW and I was always told it was an aerial beacon, an aid to navigation at night in the days before Air Traffic Control and reliable radios. Perhaps it was part of this system.
i have never heard of this route and its markers before! Thanks for your work and the post.
I live in Milan. It's pretty cool to see some history astound here that hasn't been abandoned.
Such an amazing concept for a nation so... empty! In Europe you'll have lots of cities and towns to guide you for the most part, or other landmarks to navigate by, so having literal air ways guided by arrows is ingenious!
I now have an overwhelming desire to create a flight plan along one of these routes. It would be so much fun to fly with old school pilotage techniques from arrow to arrow.
I had actually read about these arrows in textbooks, but I never gave much thought to them. You brought so much enthusiasm and intrigue to this topic! This video was captivating, and I'm envisioning what this system would have looked like from the air. I bet it was absolutelly beautiful at night!
7:30 ah yes, it's all coming together.
I thought I knew quite a bit about this topic. (I didn't)
Thank you, Calum.
The depth of your research is so much better than most other on-line content creators, it is always a real treat.
Production keeps improving! And all the content is still totally watchable
7:32 don’t think I didn’t see what you did there!
Oddly enough, this was really interesting.
Makes me wonder what the UK did.
I know that Croydon Aerodrome had a big rotating search light that spun around slowly and pilots used compas bearings to get down to dover or birmingham.
other than that I am not sure what the UK did use.
I think the main issue that the USA was trying to solve there, was that a lot of its inland was absolutely massive and sparsely/recently populated, and thus lacking enough reasonably spaced, easily recognisable (and mutually distinguishable) natural and man-made landmarks.
Considering the UK is _a lot_ smaller than the USA, and had been developed for _much_ longer and more thoroughly (as in: hundreds of years old villages/towns/cities, churches and other recognisable man-made developments were already spread everywhere throughout, and there are even nearly two thousand year old Roman roads etc), as well as lots of well charted rivers, roads, etc... I would guess that they probably _mostly_ navigated by using all of those as guides?
I know roads, rivers and pre-existing landmarks (both natural and man-made) were definitely used to aide in navigation during WW1 and WW2.
And planes literally following a road, or basically flying from church tower to church tower was absolutely a thing.
A compass definitely helps though :P
Keep in mind that the driving force behind all this was the US postal service and flying by night.
England had no need for "overnight air mail" because it already had a polished, extensive and well established railway system that delivered mail all across the british isles overnight. Mind you the distances were much shorter.
Also, consider that the USA could place arrow markers pointing to strategic waypoints knowing that no enemy could take advantage of them. While the british (or the germans or french) were certain that enemy airplanes had the range to overfly and benefit from such visual beacons. Guiding them to population centers, not a great idea.
Another factor was that the british were far ahead in use of radio for navigation. The Type 72 homing beacon was in development as early as 1932 and already operational in 1936. While highly guarded secrets, they would inform the decision to avoid expenditures in other kinds of signals. The USNavy already knew radio navigation was possible, as early as 1920
WIRED "To test the viability of using radio navigation in an airplane, the Navy installed a radio laboratory of sorts on board the U.S.S. Ohio which was cruising off the mid-Atlantic coast July 6, 1920. A Curtiss-built Felixstowe F-5-L twin-engine flying boat (of the type pictured above) took off from the Naval Air Station in Hampton Roads, Virginia, with no knowledge of the location of the Ohio other than the fact it was within a 100-mile radius of Norfolk."
So between the shorter distances, the overnight railways, the development of radios and the threat of helping the enemy... arrows would not be the best idea in the british isles.
Respectfully.
@@ricardokowalski1579 Excellent points!
What a fascinating little pieces of history, thanks for the this video it was delightful.
Thank you Josuel!
Now I need to locate the Michigan arrows! I'll be in Muskegon next weekend. We have/had 7 in Michigan.
Maybe now you can cover a few of the planes... There is a Ford Tri-Motor, and a DC-3 in the Henry Ford Museum, here. You could potentially get permission to climb aboard both, if you were doing a documentary which includes Ford's contribution to the airmail system.. I'm sure they would assign you someone who knows all the history in that area.
Stunning work.
I love that you said "muniNcipal" twice.
correction: three times.
33:11 growing up in Albuquerque New Mexico. That predistribution he's talking about ain't no joke. It definitely is lawful to shoot trespassers on your property down there. It's amazing of all places you go you go to the hell hole that that is New Mexico. Glad you were just passing through.
Is this your first time in the states? I always find it interesting to hear what were Europeans thoughts are about the size and vast stretches of empty land in the states.
I live in Kingman AZ and was a Deputy Sheriff for the county (Mohave), which is approximately 34,000 km² (Taiwan is 33,000 km² of land), in a state (AZ) 295,250 km² (the island of Great Britain is 209,331 km². Mohave County has a section geographically cut off from the main portion and to get there you have to travel through Saint George Utah and this is because of the Grand Canyon (which is about 90 km from my backyard). When I was Deputy, there were times, I was on of 2 Deputies patroling and responding/driving to crimes 350 km away.
What did you think of our little slice of heaven, the high desert area of Northern Arizona and Southern Utah and Nevada?
35:53 also when there is snow on the ground, you don't have to worry about snakes.
Thanks for the video. Have a wonderful day.
BTW isnt the drive from Vegas to St George, through the gorge, amazing? I really do love the area I live in.
thank you for pointing this out to me
Awesome doc. I've seen another on youtube on this subject but this is much more detailed and interesting. I live near Seattle maybe I'll try findng one from the Seattle-Salt Lake route.
Vindication for all the hours I've personally spent "exploring" on Google Maps. It's so addictive, especially when you follow trails and find new rabbit holes!
You're right, lots of time can just disappear when google maps gets opened. Being able to see things from above is so interesting.
I particularly like the occasional bad interpretation of things that can also occur. A grid pattern of seismic survey lines in the Australian desert was interpreted by someone as signals to, or by aliens, and some other Australian oil-field infrastructure was denoted as "missile silos".
according to records our family has been able to dig up, my great-grandfather, Roy Hust, was the first person in the state of Nebraska to have a PRIVATE pilot's license. no military, no commercial, a private license. i remember that he had an old Pup aircraft before i was born in 1980. because of his flying, my grandfather Byron, who had very poor eyes, was big into RC aircraft, up until just a few years ago, well after his 80th birthday. i myself got into RC in a big way, but not in the air.
by the way, the quality of this video is absolutely incredible! keep up the good work mate, this is every bit as good as a high end studio's production!
A Calum level indepth look at the airplane arrows Ive heard about? Hell yes! I very well may have missed it in some other video, but the beacons are news to me
Edit: Aaaah yeah, its all coming together.
Edit 2: ".developed by all things, the postal service..." I mean "Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds."
Or how I like it said "...Like if the sun burns out and civilization stopped
My doorstep still catches more cardboard boxes..."
"Mew-NISS-uh-pull." Congratulations and best of future times, to both of you newlyweds, by the way!
While I can't imagine a Calum jaunt across the westward waters could ever lack for anything shy of a veritable glut of just the sort of historical sustenance to feed a growing _Calum_ Joint, and to simultaneously satisfy its author on a personal level, as well... Though I'm not remotely surprised at another solid video, I _am_ still right chuffed to see it!
Man, you just threw me back into "Vol de Núit" the novel by french pilot Antoine de Saint Exupery, where he tells of his experiences pioneering the airways all across South America in the late 20's and 30's. Awesome.
Having driven from Chicago to Hartford Ct. (which is a little farther than Chicago to NYC, but not much) Even in this day I can appreciate just how fast that 10 hour Chicago to NYC flight was. I have also flown from Hartford to Chicago via Philadelphia. The layover in Philadelphia was longer than the total flying time (a 4 hour and 20 min layover :D).
tbh I think most people stick around in their own region and when they do, it has a good chance of being air travel (railways range from "eh, its there" to "whats a railroad" and trend towards the latter). So a lot of people don't have experience with going long distances on land and really don't appreciate just how fast even century old planes were, let alone more recent stuff.
caveat: To be fair a "region" in the US can easily be the size of a European country (or three). So its no wonder why so many people don't move a whole lot outside of their own regions. Also given how cheap it can be to fly somewhere, it makes sense that this would lead to people using it for transportation if/when they do go a fair distance away.
Tale off your hat indoors, young man! But, otherwise, really good production. Outstanding quality. And a really interesting subject. 👍👍👍
yet another subject defining coup de grâce Calum ! You are a master of the format! Thank You!! BTW, did you stay in Gallup? I found a $30. motel room in east Gallup in 2013 on a trip.. I was so stoked but a roach scurried across the sheet 4 minutes after opening the unit's door so .. well we landed at the Best Western. Anyway, I wonder if that army base was abandoned because of a nuclear waste spill that occurred north east of gallup and continued south in a culvert until it hit I-40.. I pieced this together but there is very little info about it. Anyway, that's why east gallup is super cheap, looking like the 1960s and west gallup looks like the rest of corporate strip mall america today.. because of the vast difference in property values due to the accident.