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Road Trip – Day 1 Seneca Rocks National Radio Astronomy Observatory D & S New Hope Lodge Wednesday, August 18
A bit farther down the road we came to Seneca Rocks…
…a beautiful place to photograph, walk, or climb.
It was still drizzling, and since we just walked two-thirds of a mile in the cavern, I chose to photograph while Cerwin checked out the area with his binoculars.
We looked for climbers, but I expect a rainy day is not good for that activity.
Near Lake Buffalo, Cerwin turned in at an unpaved mountain road. He, our sons, and the other men who hunt with them have hunted here on occasion.
On our way out I spotted this fawn not too far off the road. It didn’t seem to be bothered when Cerwin stopped the car…
…but its ears perked up when it heard the click of my camera. Within seconds it was up and running to its mother who was mostly hidden behind nearby trees and brush.
This is the closest restaurant to the lodge where they stay during hunting season. Remember, Cerwin is wanting me to experience some of his hunting activities, so we enjoyed a delicious spaghetti supper at Ryders Restaurant.
We were back on the road only a short time when Cerwin pointed out the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in the distance.
I knew we would soon be seeing it, because we had lost cell phone service. There is no cell phone service for a wide area surrounding this large telescope.
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The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, the GBT, or as it is sometimes called the Great Big Telescope. Its dish is the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope. The dish is larger than two side-by-side football fields–and seems to dwarf even the surrounding mountains. It is composed of 2004 panels, each corner-mounted on actuators that allow the panel positions to be adjusted, changing the dish configuration. A wheel and track design allows the 16,000,000 pound telescope the mobility to take in the entire sky above five degrees elevation. The receiver arm of the GBT stands higher than the Statue of Liberty.
We soon became acquainted with the more laid-back lifestyle of the south. This couple was asking for directions, and we were the fourth car in line behind the person giving directions. We waited a few minutes before anyone moved. Horns would have been blowing in the northeast, but everyone just patiently waited.
Our final destination for the day – D & S New Hope Lodge.
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I’ll tell you about this refurbished church in tomorrow’s entry.
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