As a piano and voice teacher, I have to keep my piano in excellent condition. I can confidently say that if you have a piano that needs tuning, repair, or restoration, or if you are in the market to buy a new piano, Noteworthy Pianos is the place to go! They have a large, clean workspace and they will do as much work as it takes to restore your investment in your piano. Alan Goehring has been restoring pianos for decades, and he can even restore your harpsichord.

Noteworthy Pianos also carries the Hardman Peck line of new pianos, which, although little-known, is a piano of very high quality, and sells for an extremely reasonable price.

Whether your piano needs moving, storing, voicing, regulation, repair, restoration, or complete rebuilding, or whether your home is ready for a new or used piano, Noteworthy Pianos is a store where you can completely trust the expertise of the technicians and teachers.

The Famous Newport Bridge

The Oregon coast is dotted with many small coastal cities that rightfully boast rich histories, scenic beauty and year-round adventure for all ages. It’s quickly becoming a surfer’s getaway and a family vacation destination for travel in all econonic groups. With a population of 10,000, Newport Oregon is set up and ready for tourists.

The Famous Newport Bridge

The Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center

]]> http://www.mygeoinfo.com/2010/02/25/550/feed/ 0 http://www.mygeoinfo.com/2010/02/22/the-wilderness-trail-through-historic-cumberland-gap/ http://www.mygeoinfo.com/2010/02/22/the-wilderness-trail-through-historic-cumberland-gap/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:25:14 +0000 k_hackendy http://www.mygeoinfo.com/?p=536

Wilderness Trail Through Cumberland Gap

Old Highway 25E

Anyone who has ever driven through Cumberland Gap on Highway 25E prior to 1996 knows intimately just how treacherous this stretch of road was. The yearly traffic fatality rate was so high, it earned the nickname “Massacre Mountain.” The opening of the Cumberland Gap tunnel in ‘96 eliminated the dangerous pass from from 25E, by routing traffic through Cumberland Mountain on the south side of the gap. And it paved the way for the return of the historic pass to the state in which it existed in the late 1700s into the nineteeth century.

Restoration of the Gap

For a number of years following the opening of the tunnel, old 25E through Cumberland Gap remained — closed to traffic, but in a rapid state of decay. In the winter of 2002, the restoration of the gap began with the bulldozing of the highway road bed. 13,000 tons of asphalt from the old highway were removed and the mountainsides were re-sculpted using much of the earth that was excavated during construction of the tunnel, along with extensive replanting of trees. Old photographs from the Civil War era were utilized in the process to ensure the the mountainside appeared as it had before the construction of the highway. The result was 1.2 miles of trail that allows hikers to the park to experience the gap as the pioneers who made the long and dangerous trek through this natural mountain pass into Kentucky must have experienced it — or as close as we can get in the 21st century, anyway.

The old 25E road bed, now re-sculped and returned to its original state

Gap Cave

Dr. Thomas Walker discovered a small cavern at Cumberland Gap during his 1750 exploration of the region, naming it “Gap Cave.” A small spring flowed from the cave, down the mountainside. This spring would later power the old Cumberland Iron Furnace, the remains of which can be viewed in the old town of Cumberland Gap.

During the Civil War, both Union and Confederate troops used the cave as a military hospital and for storage. Saltpeter was also mined. The lower part of the cavern became known as “King Solomon’s Cave;” an adjacent section “Soldiers Cave”.

In he 1890s, the beginning of tours through the cavern began, and continued until 1992. The cave was renamed “Cudjo’s Caverns” later in the 20th century. Tickets could be purchased at a small log shack along 25E just adjacent to the cave entrance. Visitors had to cross the busy highway, where they waited for a guide to take them inside.

As much graffiti and vandalism had taken place inside over the years, the cavern was cleaned up in conjunction with the Cumberland Gap restoration project. It it now know as “Gap Cave,” once again, and lantern tours are conducted through the age old attraction.

Entrance to Gap Cave

Cumberland Gap National Historic Park

Opened in 1955, Cumberland Gap National Historic Park commemorate the historic Cumberland Gap and the important role it played in he westward expansion of America. The park covers 20,508 acres of land in the beautiful Cumberland Mountains, and affords the visitor many miles of moderate to rugged hiking trails. There are access points to the Wilderness Trail on both sides of the gap.

A trip to Pinnacle Peak in a must see for anyone who ventures into the park. The four mile road to the to the parking area consists of multiple hairpin curves. Once you’ve reached the top, it’s a short walk to Pinnacle overlook, elevation 2,440 feet, where a view of three states (Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia) can be enjoyed.
From the Wilderness Trail, one can access the trail which leads to Tri-State Peak, where the states of Kentucky, Tennessee,and Virginia converge.

More information about the park can be obtained at nps.gov/cuga/index.htm

All-Tex Exteriors in Houston, TX  is a general contractor in the residential renovation business. Founded in Kingwood, TX in 1991 by the Travis Jenkins family, they now serve Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Their services include:

• Hardie Siding, Hardiplank sales and installation
• Energy Efficient Replacement Window services
• Exterior Home Painting
• Residential (home, apartment and condominium complex) Roofing
• Complete Storm / Hurricane / Tornado / Hail restoration services
• Complete Patio Design, Sales and Installation- Pergolas, Decks, Patio Covers
• Enclosed Patios – Sun Rooms and Screen Rooms

All-Tex is a company you can just to do the job right and with their longevity and experience, you can count on them to be around should anything ever need additional attention. Quality and Safety are foremost with the trades teams. All-Tex Exteriors has hundreds of referrals across each of their product specialties.

Address:
1525 Lakeville Drive Suite 132
Kingwood, TX 77339

Phones:
866-921-5715
281-348-0802

Email:
sales@alltexexteriors.com

Website:

http://www.alltexexteriors.com

http://www.alltexexteriors.com/blog/

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The Eagle Ford shale, sometimes spelled Eagleford is a giant new oil and gas discovery that is transforming a wide swath of South Texas.

The Eagle Ford shale fairway, as it is called by some in the business, is an area that is roughly thirty to one hundred miles wide that stretches from Maverick County near the Mexican border, through central South Texas and curves upward toward Brazos County.

Shale gas is considered unconventional gas because it comes from non-traditional wells. Wells in the Eagle Ford shale use a method called horizontal drilling. This relatively new technology has revolutionized how we get our natural gas.  Thanks to this innovation we now have over one hundred years worth of that resource in the U.S.

The dark, dense Eagle Ford shale rock layer lies at a depth of between 2500 and 15,000 feet in South Texas.

The Eagle Ford shale is just now being developed. Less than 100 wells have been drilled so far but many are permitted and scheduled for 2010.  Near the town of Three Rivers on new well owned by Pioneer Resources, the Crawley Unit #1H, is producing over 17MMcfd. That means it is producing over seventeen million cubic feet of natural gas per day. That’s enough to provide all the gas that a medium sized city can use.

Wells like this are causing investors and others to wake up to the potential of the Eagle Ford shale. This incredible discovery has the potential to boost the economy of this region and provide new jobs in an area with little industry.  Towns like Three Rivers, Tilden, George West, Cotulla and many others will see increased tax revenues, new business and more jobs. Land owners who own the mineral rights will see some nice checks coming in over the next few years.

The Eagleford shale area will become the fastest growing area of Texas in terms of new business and job creation in the next decade.

Why The Eagle Ford Shale and Other Shale Gas Reserves Are A Big Deal

Similar shale beds are located all over the world. Suddenly we are no longer in an energy crisis, it is only that we have to switch to this more abundant form to use as a bridge to an eventual alternative energy economy.

With more than a century’s worth of natural gas in shale formations like the Eagle Ford it is a resource we cannot ignore. Natural gas can even be cleanly used in fuel cells. Thousands of home fuel cells are already in use, producing cheap electricity, heat and hot water for homeowners with very little maintenance.

For more information and maps of the Eagle Ford shale see The Eagle Ford Shale Blog

Sumas, Washington is a sleepy little border town nestled close to Abbotsford, British Columbia.  Home to just a few hundred people, many properties in Sumas are Canadian owned.   Travelers heading North into the Fraser Valley and East into the interior of BC find Sumas to be a handy crossing point.

Gambling, drinking, smokes and gas used to fuel the Sumas economy.  The casinos are closed now due to increased gambling opportunities in British Columbia.  Most of the bars closed along with the casinos.  Smokes still sell, but the changes in gas tax rates and increased lines at the borders have made gas runs not as good a deal, eliminating a lot of the convenience store sales.

Cherry Street in Sumas has a half closed look to it.   Driving down the street you see a string of closed gas stations, other empty commercial buildings, closed bars and eating establishments, and vacant lots.

There are a few businesses that do well in Sumas, WA.

1.  The hub of activity (after customs) is the Sumas, Washington post office.  Postal station 98295 has about 3 PO Boxes for every man, woman and child in Sumas.  Maybe enough for all the dogs too!  Most of the boxes actually serve Canadian clients looking for a small presence in the USA.

2.  There are 3 private shipping services serving the cross border trade.   UPS, FEDEX and other private freight carriers service these store front locations.

3.  El Nopal Mexican Restaurant serves many Canadians hungry for Mexican food not found North of the Border.  El Nopal is really just South of the Border for Canadians.

4.  Bob’s Burgers and a Chinese Cafe provide alternate eating opportunities.

5.  There is also a small IGA Market and a small town drug store.

6.  Various Gas Stations serve the constant flow of North/South traffic.

Sumas has a library, small park, tiny police force (they love to catch speeders so be careful), City Hall, and industrial park.  Sumas residents look to larger Bellingham for larger shopping trips.

For more articles by JadeDragon visit Innovative Passive Income Blog today.

I’ve had the extreme pleasure to experience the city of Basel Switzerland in a way that few tourists ever will. Fasnacht is a traditional festival that occurs in late February or early March. Actually, the date depends on the date of Easter. Fasnacht is the Swiss-German word for carnival. My girlfriend is a native Baseler, who belongs to a clique that participates every year. I joined them in 2006 and 2007.

The carnival kicks off with Morgestraich at 4:00 AM on Monday. Thousands of people are packed into the narrow streets and squares of the town center. Participants are dressed in colorful costumes and masks. Church bells chime, and on the last stroke, all the streetlights go dark. It’s quite a spectacular moment — and somewhat eerie to the uninitiated. There is utter silence for just a brief moment; then the sounds of piccolos and drums as the cliques begin their march. Huge painted lanterns now weave through the streets, as well as smaller ones on poles. You will also see thousand of head lanterns that the musicians — and the vanguards who lead them out — affix to the top of their masks. I have to admit, it was somewhat of an intimidating experience marching down these narrow streets; weaving through the thousands of spectators. Vision is quite hampered as you peer through the eye holes of paper mache masks. I don’t know any other way to describe it other than a sort of “organized chaos”. As a person who is not usually too relaxed in huge crowds, it was a bit of a strain on me. But I slowly got caught up in the whole energy and camaraderie of the experience, and the anxiety I initially felt lessened.

Morgestraich ends around 7:30 AM, at which time people pack into the many fine dining establishments you will find in Basel, and enjoy a little breakfast. During this opening session of Fasnacht, you hear only fifes and drums. When the festivities kick off again that afternoon, the brass bands begin to play. I was amazed at how well mannered the crowds were, despite the steady flow of alcohol. There were numerous occasions, however, when it was necessary to firmly push back those that attempted to cross the street directly in the middle of our procession. As a part of our clique’s vanguard, it was my job to keep these people back to the best of my ability. The musicians in the rear have an even tougher time finding their way, what with having to play and deal with the tunnel vision the Fasnacht masks create. Unfortunately, there were a couple of times when people got downright testy when I pushed them back. But overall, the people were generally easy going.

For four days, we marched, took extended breaks to enjoy a drink or two, then marched again. We would break for dinner in the early evening, then march into the early hours of the morning. The evening meals were a splendid opportunity for me to enjoy some unique Swiss cuisine, and sample the local Basel brew. The festival comes to an end at 4:00 AM on Thursday morning, after which the cleaning crews go to work scouring the streets clean of all the trash, and most notably, the tons of confetti that get distributed throughout the four days. It’s amazing that this task gets accomplished in just three hours. But by 7:00 AM, you’d never know a celebration had taken place.

I can’t say enough about the warmth & goodwill I received from the people of Basel, as I wandered down the narrow cobble streets and took in the charm and beauty of centuries old buildings. I highly recommend a visit to this city if you’re planning a trip to Switzerland.

For cyclists, inline skaters, walkers, and runner, the Rhine Trail in Switzerland affords some quite magnificent scenery of the Alps, the Rhine Valley, and many small villages of the region. Beginning in the headwaters of the River Rhine in the Swiss Alps, the trail winds its way along the borders of Austria and Liechtenstein, the shores of Lake Constance, and down to Basel. The entire length of the trail, in fact, is over 1,300 km and includes four countries before ending in the Netherlands.

The photograph above was taken on a mild day in June near Sennwald; a smattering of snow still in evidence on the Alpine peaks.

Augusta Raurica was once a Roman Rhineside provincial capital. The ruins of this once thriving community of around 20,000 constitute the largest collection of Roman ruins in Switzerland. Founded in 44 BC, Augusta prospered until around 260 AD, when an invasion by the Alemanni tribes pretty much wiped out the city.

The ruins of Augusta Raurica are well worth the trip to this region of Switzerland. Located near the modern day village of Kaiseraugst about 20km east of Basel, you’ll find the signpost as you travel along the Autobahn. A full map of the entire site can be obtained at the ticket office, where you can also purchase a pass to walk through the Römermuseum. You definitely won’t want to miss the reconstruction of a Roman house

Perhaps the most impressive attraction of the Augusta Raurica ruins is the 10,000 seat Roman theater which is directly across the road from the museum. This structure was reopened to the public in 2007 after 16 years of restoration. The picture above was taken in early 2006 before the completion of this process.

Futher information on Augusta Raurica can be found at AugustaRaurica.ch.