Southwest Sublime

[voltaire]

Hi Folks

I'm planning a trip across the country this summer, eventually reaching Maine before I return to

California. While this is somewhat a vacation, my real purpose is to explore our notions of the

sublime, using GPS technology and your explorations to assist me.

 

My course across the country will be determined by the GPS coordinates for sublime sites that

fellow geocachers submit. If you have come across such sites yourselves and you have the coordinates for them, I would really appreciate your letting me see what you discovered. If you'll send me the coordinates, I'll attempt to incorporate the sites into my trip.

 

The sublime has a long history with regards to landscape and images of landscape. I am interested in our collective notions of it and how we explore it through using GIS systems. This may present interesting ideas in relationship to 18th and 19th century exploration and ideas about sublime written about by such philosophers as Kant and Burke.

 

I hope you'll find this somewhat interesting yourself and help me out by submitting coordnates of

sublime sites you've visited in your area or in other parts of the country. It'll make my trip that much more fun.

 

Thanks,

voltaire

[mikeh420]

What is a sublime site?

 

Ah. now I get it...

 

Immanuel Kant's essay, written seven years after Burke's Enquiry, elucidates the notions of delight into what is specifically Sublime versus Beautiful. The predominant difference lies in the degree of emotion which one experiences. Kant describes the Sublime as something which arouses enjoyment but with horror, while Beautiful is a pleasant sensation, making one joyous and smiling. Night, according to Kant, is Sublime while day is Beautiful; tall oaks and lonely shadows are Sublime while flower beds, low hedges, and shaped trees are Beautiful.2.6 Kant further distinguishes between three types of Sublime: the terrifying Sublime, accompanied by dread or melancholy; the noble Sublime, a feeling of quiet wonder; and the splendid, a beauty completely pervaded by a Sublime plan. In essence, the Sublime must always be great but simple, something which moves, like the sight of a mountain whose snow-covered peak rises above the clouds. The Beautiful, however, is small but can be adorned or ornamented, that which charms, a flower-strewn meadow with a winding brook, covered by grazing flocks. The Sublime, in other words, is that which is great, which moves a person with feelings of elation, terror and delight, that which inspires awe.

Edited March 18, 2004 by mikeh420

[voltaire]

Yes, thanks mikeh420 - nice to get that synopsis.

 

I think a difference between

Kant and Burke is that while Kant is concerned with the impact on the mind,

Burke wrote about a physical impact and one that verged on pain or threatened

physical harm.

 

Putting aside the philosophical background for now, I am basically looking to

visit sites that other geocachers have discovered and feel are sublime (the

site and experience evoked a sense of awe, as mikeh420 says). While we

typically think of this in isolated settings, it can be experienced in urban, or

even suburban locations as well. In fact the latter would be very interesting due

to our low expectations for suburbia.

 

Anyway, I'll restate my request because I haven't gotten anyone to submit

sublime site coordinates yet. Actually, I've gotten quite a few in the Northwest

and Midwest. What's up Southwest?

 

If I need to do a better job explaining my goal let me know and I will clarify.

 

Thanks,

voltaire

[voltaire]

Anyone in the wide Southwest have anything close to sublime?

Just one little thing?

I'm sounding desparate, right?

 

Really, though, I'm still very interested in your suggestions.

 

Thanks,

voltaire

[Parsa]

Well, if you're talking about the whole U.S. wouldn't you then end up going everywhere? Maybe you should narrow it down a bit. For instance, let's say you were taking a Route 66 trip from Santa Monica to Chicago... Then I'd say you were talking about places like the Grand Canyon. I can tell you I was pretty awed, and when my kids were getting their picture taken, and there was no railing anywhere around, I was pretty terrified too. Hehe. Other things along that route would be Meteor Crater (AZ), Acoma Pueblo (NM), my winding 4WD descent down La Bajada Hill southwest of Santa Fe, the extreme depth of the Blue Hole pool in Santa Rosa (MN) [Cold as a witch's you-know-what too.], the St. Louis Arch, Merrimec caverns and Onandaga Caverns (MO), the Mississippi River, and the Sears Tower (IL).

 

Parsa

[voltaire]

Thanks Parsa

Yes, I've been to some of those same sites.

What I'm looking for specifically is the coordinates to sites, and not

necessarily the high-profile sites like the Grand Canyon, that people

have discovered on their wanderings. I'm looking for the coordinates

because I want to make models of the sites' topographies before leaving

so that I can play a game of comparing the prior view of the landscape

with the view when there.

 

Cheers,

voltaire

[voltaire]

Hi, voltaire here, refreshing my request for

sublime sites, or as pjmorse said, places

that make you say "wow!"

 

I'm looking for the coordinates of sites, rural or uban, that

have left you in awe, due to the site's topography (?).

The reason I've used the term sublime is because I'm

interested in the history and conception of that term, but

you probably don't want to hear about that too much.

 

I'll be leaving for a cross-country motorcycle trip in late June

to check out the sites you recommend, document them, and consider

how our current thoughts about sublime may, or may not,

relate to ideas from the past.

 

Anyway, I appreciate your suggestions.

 

Thanks,

voltaire

[+dave w]

I don't have the coordinates,but always loved "Montazuma's Well" a water sorce for the cliff dwellings and a cool restfull place to cool your feet and relax under the trees and beat the desert heat.

[voltaire]

Thanks dave w, let me know if you happen upon

other sites - and the coordintates would be most

excellent.

 

Thanks,

voltaire

[voltaire]

Hi

For those of you who have been so generous to contribute your thoughts

and site suggestions (and for anyone who is interested), I thought you might

like to see the collection of "sublime sites" that I have received over the past

couple of months. As I've said previously, it's surprising how few sites (none in

many cases) came in from the South, the West and the Southwest. I

definitely have a lot to check out in any case.

 

Here's the list:

 

 

waterfall 3 Mississippi: Wilkinson Cnty

by katie, josh, and shane [profile]

 

N 31° 04.382 W 091° 31.466 (WGS84)

UTM: 15R E 640766 N 3438632

 

GQ's Headcase Texas: Fort Bend Cnty

by Geek-Qualizer [profile]

 

N 29° 38.450 W 095° 39.703 (WGS84)

UTM: 15R E 242317 N 3281949

 

Cat Tails Falls - Big Bend Texas: Brewster Cnty

by gowerd [profile]

 

N 29° 16.386 W 103° 20.154 (WGS84)

UTM: 13R E 661667 N 3239392

 

Buck Trail Kentucky: Menifee Cnty

by Weedhopper [profile]

 

N 37° 48.096 W 083° 37.998 (WGS84)

UTM: 17S E 268161 N 4187069

 

Our Favorite Li'l Bridge Kentucky: Menifee Cnty

by The Li'l Bears [profile]

User's Web Page

 

N 37° 49.130 W 083° 34.750 (WGS84)

UTM: 17S E 272981 N 4188849

 

Janus' Li'l Vacation Home Kentucky: Powell County

by The Li'l Bears [profile]

User's Web Page

 

N 37° 49.621 W 083° 50.455 (WGS84)

UTM: 17S E 249965 N 4190426

 

Pinch 'Em Tight Kentucky: Menifee/Powell Cnties

by Weedhopper [profile]

 

N 37° 48.630 W 083° 38.684 (WGS84)

UTM: 17S E 267183 N 4188085

 

St. Louis Arch Virtual Cache

by bjbest and Big Jimmy [profile]

 

N 38° 37.501 W 090° 11.085 (WGS84)

UTM: 15S E 745081 N 4278926

 

Horse-Shoe Hill Michigan: Manistee Cnty

by SomeThingAboutMary [profile]

 

N 44° 19.858 W 085° 50.847 (WGS84)

UTM: 16T E 591890 N 4909280

 

Natural George Missouri: near Kansas City ? Cnty?

by Recre8 [profile]

 

N 39° 05.254 W 094° 21.525 (WGS84)

UTM: 15S E 382486 N 4327373

 

Platte River Run Nebraska: Buffalo Cnty

by Rocknroll [profile]

 

N 40° 39.648 W 098° 59.333 (WGS84)

UTM: 14T E 500940 N 4501104

 

One Specific Place Nebraska: Douglas Cnty

by redd [profile]

User's Web Page

 

N 41° 14.717 W 096° 04.212 (WGS84)

UTM: 14T E 745499 N 4570127

 

The NWern most cache in the continental US! Washington: Clallam Cnty This is literally on the West Coast and may be difficult to find.

by fooshfoosh and family [profile]

 

N 48° 23.154 W 124° 43.603 (WGS84)

UTM: 10U E 372160 N 5360633

 

Strange Waters Oregon: Marion Cnty.

by 7Bicks [profile]

 

N 44° 45.935 W 121° 47.771 (WGS84)

UTM: 10T E 595265 N 4957615

 

Walker Hole California: Del Norte Cnty ? near the coast ? may be difficult

by Seesthewind & Redwoodmama [profile]

 

N 41° 49.995 W 124° 06.974 (WGS84)

UTM: 10T E 407315 N 4631865

 

Have Fun Storming the Castle! Oregon: Jefferson Cnty

by Zzzoey, illDRIVEuNav & DrNOitall [profile]

 

N 44° 38.710 W 121° 34.342 (WGS84)

UTM: 10T E 613212 N 4944525

 

Mosier Tunnels Re-Revisited Oregon: Hood River Cnty

by Two Geo Sisters [profile]

 

N 45° 41.284 W 121° 26.432 (WGS84)

UTM: 10T E 621430 N 5060573

 

Some Gave All Massachusetts: Berkshire Cnty ? close to the coast ? maybe

unmappable

by Planet/the Bryno [profile]

 

N 42° 38.405 W 073° 09.846 (WGS84)

UTM: 18T E 650514 N 4722482

 

Swamp Thing New York: Putnam Cnty.

by Tree Frogs [profile]

 

N 41° 30.457 W 073° 35.967 (WGS84)

UTM: 18T E 616882 N 4596057

 

Bull Hill Junction New York: Putnam Cnty.

by eagleflyby [profile]

 

N 41° 26.598 W 073° 57.104 (WGS84)

UTM: 18T E 587568 N 4588500

 

Top Of Vermont Vermont: Bennington Cnty

by DX Hunter [profile]

 

N 43° 09.950 W 073° 06.964 (WGS84)

UTM: 18T E 653145 N 4780953

 

Mt Monadnock New Hampshire: Chesire Cnty.

by StripedMoose [profile]

 

N 42° 51.703 W 072° 06.552 (WGS84)

UTM: 18T E 736160 N 4749513

 

Dune Massachusetts: Barnstable Cnty Hard to find due to

being on the tip of Cape Cod

by hbruner [profile]

 

N 42° 04.564 W 070° 09.765 (WGS84)

UTM: 19T E 403818 N 4658876

 

Howard Creek Cache Montana: Missoula Cnty

by Gregg & Soren Schonbachler (Macduff) [profile]

 

N 46° 46.329 W 114° 26.550 (WGS84)

UTM: 11T E 695257 N 5183021

 

Virtual Asgaard New York: Essex Cnty

by Sirius Black of the Adirondacks [profile]

User's Web Page

 

N 44° 25.528 W 073° 40.109 (WGS84)

UTM: 18T E 605988 N 4919992

 

Mr. Whiteface New York: Essex Cnty

by Justin of Team Slacker and Trillian [profile]

 

N 44° 22.324 W 073° 53.463 (WGS84)

UTM: 18T E 588352 N 4913797

 

 

One for the Loafers Maine: Franklin Cnty

by geomaineiacs [profile]

 

N 45° 02.084 W 070° 19.126 (WGS84)

UTM: 19T E 396124 N 4987655

 

 

Monhegan Magic This is an island off the coast of Maine ? maybe un-mapable. Looks like fun, though.

by Anderson [profile]

 

N 43° 45.910 W 069° 18.977 (WGS84)

UTM: 19T E 474542 N 4845840

 

 

Look! Up in the Sky! It's a Bird! Rhode Island: Washington Cnty Near the coast ? maybe unmappable

by Planet [profile]

User's Web Page

 

N 41° 22.329 W 071° 35.214 (WGS84)

UTM: 19T E 283657 N 4583300

 

Secondary Importance

 

Fitchburg Furnace Virtual Cache

by KYtrex [profile]

User's Web Page

 

N 37° 43.987 W 083° 51.158 (WGS84)

UTM: 17S E 248615 N 4180036

 

Thanks again,

voltaire

 

--

[voltaire]

Just a quick update:

 

I'm still here, in Maine, stuck cause I've been working on my bike. I've had to rebuild the top end(s) due to a bad part installation. I had intended to head out towards Michigan almost two weeks ago, but I ran into mechanical problems. Fortunately I was staying with my sister when the proverbial fan was splattered.

 

I'm hoping to get the bike running today, allowing me to leave tomorrow.

I've visited two sites up here in Maine. I highly recommend One For The

Loafers - strenuous summertime hike, but the view is a payoff.

 

I'm hoping the ride back to the west coast is a smooth, trouble-free one.

 

voltaire