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Borrego Springs, CA

Saturday, July 14, 2012

The Eighth Wonder of the World?

With almost two days of solid rain, it has cut into our touring plans while at Jenny Wiley Resort State Park.  Pam and I did manage to get out for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon to drive to Pikeville, KY to visit the Big Sandy Heritage Center Museum.

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This museum is a work in progress.  It’s located in the old train depot downtown, and has a conglomeration of artifacts that have yet to be displayed in the best way (in my opinion).  The gentleman that greets you as you enter is very enthusiastic and willing to talk about each and every little item that is located there.  Artifacts range from pioneer cabin furnishings, to portraits and info on the famous Hatfield and McCoy Feud family members, to a depiction of Daniel Boone entering the valley, to Civil War items, and lots of other stuff.  Pam found it very interesting.  Me, not so much.  I didn’t dislike it, but would like to see it again a few years down the road when everything isn’t in such a state of chaos.  (again, my opinion)

Stan opted to stay home for this little trip since skies were threatening, and their dog, George, goes berserk if there is any thunder or lightening.  Emma doesn’t like storms, but just hides and shakes.  George, on the other hand, gets very vocal and overly excited.  Pam and Stan didn’t want to take the chance of him disturbing the other campers or making a wreck of their rig; and yes, he has a thunder jacket.  It just doesn’t work for him.

The rain stopped by this morning, so the three of us headed back to Pikeville with two things on the agenda.  I wanted to see the Pikeville Cut Through Project, and we were all interested in the Hatfield McCoy Feud auto tour.

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The Pikeville Cut Through Project was called the “Eighth Wonder of the World” by the New York Times when it was completed in 1987.  Apparently this Cut Through is considered an engineering marvel and a unique example of cooperation among agencies on a federal, state, and local level.  We eventually found our way to the top of Peach Orchard Mountain, and to this overlook of the “Cut”.

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Before the Cut Through was engineered, Pikeville was subject to repeated flooding from the Sandy River.  A total of 18 million yards of earth were moved during the project.  The river was redirected, space was created for the four lane US 23 highway, a new railroad bed was laid, and Pikeville was protected from flooding.

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You can see the diverted Sandy River in the bottom and all the layers of the mountain that were removed to create the cut.  The cut itself is over 1300 feet wide, 3700 feet long, and 526 feet deep.  It’s impressive, but I don’t know enough about engineering to know if it qualifies as the eight wonder of the world.

Our vote was for something much more ordinary as a real wonder, and here it is:

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At the top of the mountain was what we think is the world’s best porta-potty!  This is definitely the Ritz Carlton of portable outhouses.  Let me tell you that this was the most deluxe and cleanest unit I have ever had the pleasure of visiting.  The inside was spacious with a sink with running water in a nicely appointed cabinet, mirror, commode, hand soap dispenser, paper towels to dry your hands, and absolutely no funky odors.  Did you notice the AC unit on top?   I’m talking about a really high class outhouse here.  Open-mouthed smile  About the only thing I could find wrong with it is that it is not wheelchair accessible.  (I can’t believe I’m giving an outhouse review, but it is what it is.)

As an aside, as I tried to make a collage of my pics of this marvelous rest spot, I chose to use the mosaic frame setting with this pic as the focal point.  I didn’t like the result so went to move one of the pics to a different location.  That’s when all the photos I’ve taken since I left Mississippi appeared surrounding the Loo.  I don’t know how that happened, but I decided to leave it since it kind of looked like bricks to me.  Every one of my memories since May 1 are depicted there in really small blocks.  Perhaps it highlights the eighth wonder of my travels in the last ten weeks?  (Well, with this internet reception, I couldn’t publish with all the little photos, so I had to change that.  Sad smile)

I guess I’ll save the Hatfield McCoy feud for another post.  I sure hope there’s no rain tomorrow so I can dry out the rug outside before I pack up and leave here on Monday.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

24 comments:

  1. Not only did you review the port-a-potty, you took pictures! What a good blogger you are! :)

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  2. Thanks for the loo review. In all the blogs I read daily I think that's the first review of that type. I just hope everyone doesn't think they need to follow suit.

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  3. Yep, have to say that is the finest looking outhouse I've ever seen and I've seen a lot over our travels.

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  4. Another great blog. Thank you. The Pikeville cut" as compared to the Panama Canal is nothing more than a line drawn with a stick in the sand. But that does not keep it from being a marvelous accomplishment.

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  5. First saw that same kind of spiffy Biffy at a Deer Park Lodge wedding a few weeks ago & it was on wheels. It was truly amazing compared to those yukky green port-a-potties one sees at so many of at construction sites & sporting events. A nice place to park one's buns:))

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  6. When I saw the title of your blog I wondered what the wonder was.... Being from SE Ohio... the foothills of the Appalachians... I used to see signs way out in the boonies advertising the "Natural Bridge", and I believe it was hyped as one of the wonders... I can't even remember where this wonder was located, but I think I stand a better chance of seeing your 8th wonder than that bridge. So... where DO the wheelchair folks "go"?

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  7. Is that cage walk-way an overlook? What is it over?
    I wonder how they judge "wonders?" I don't get this one.
    WOW, that porta-potty IS the best one I have ever seen. And with our girls playing travel soccer and softball, we have seen plenty. Nothing like that one.

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  8. sorry to hear you were disappointed in the museum. Maybe I'll put it in the back of my book to visit in a few years. Loved your outhouse comentary ;-)

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  9. We got Annie our lab a Thunder Shirt and it sure worked for her..

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  10. I'm with you in not being able to figure out how this is the 8th wonder of the world but then I don't know what the qualifications are for a "wonder". But that out house should be used everywhere other than construction sites. Really worthy of your review. I'll be on the look out for that out house how. :-))

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  11. If that outhouse was the 8th wonder, I might understand it. But that cut away - even though it looks impressive - not so sure. Justification for spending the money maybe? So sorry the thundershirt doesn't work. It sure helps our Scootz. And we always try to have one of us home with her during the storms also. Great post.

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  12. A woman must have designed that outhouse :)

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  13. Kentucky must have had a real good congressman to get that 8th Wonder of the World built just to avoid flooding one town.

    I vote for that port-a-potty as the 9th Wonder of the World.

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  14. I'm with Odd Essay...I didn't see a ramp anywhere...and people in wheelchairs probably couldn't get in the door and still shut it..If someone could come up with a loo like this that's accessible, THAT would be the 8th Wonder...They could call it a "loo just for you"...

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  15. We used a outhouse here in Grand Marais (named Clem's Closet and Pete's Potty) and it was clean with no smell and hand sanitizer and we thought it was great. Little did we know there were much better ones.

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  16. We stayed at this same park back in April on our road trip. It's an interesting area, those coal-mining towns.

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  17. You'd think it was the eighth wonder of the world if you were the poor guy digging it.

    Any trailer hitch on that fancy loo? You could do a double tow behind your motorhome! :c)

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  19. Date checked and noted. Ripley's has been called, and they confirm receipt of information: JUDY TALKS ABOUT A TOILET.

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  20. I really like the toilet review. Sometimes they are so dirty I would rather pee myself than use it.

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  21. ABSOLUTELY amazing!!! Thanks for the wonderful description and the pictures. Now I want to go to Pikeville even more (I’ve never been).

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  22. Thanks for the wonderful share :)

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