Wednesday, July 11, 2012

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Gorge-ous & Helpful Links

Today's [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday is of our field trip to the Royal Gorge Bridge. 

 The view up the gorge as we traveled down in an incline car.

 View of the bridge from the bottom of the gorge.
 The opposite wall over the Arkansas River.  Some kayaks and a catamaran went by while we were down there, but they said the water is very low this year (drought).  See that odd pipe-type thing?  That is a pipeline made of redwood, which was used to deliver water to Canon City for 70 years.  It was decommissioned in 1974.  I'm impressed that any of it still remains!

See that tiny dot up in the air?  That's the aerial tram!  The next photo was taken from inside said tram, dangling over the gorge, 955 feet above the Arkansas River.

 View of the bridge from the aerial tram.

The bridge after we walked back over it.  Look at all those cables!  The bridge planks are wooden; you should hear the noise when you drive over it (not my favorite part).

The Royal Gorge Bridge was the highest bridge in the world until 2003.  Darn it, China!

I've got some links for you:

The Tacoma 2012 Zombpocalypse is running a writing contest.  Like zombies?  Enjoy writing about them?  This is your contest!  There is no cash prize, but you do get publication in an anthology and free copies of the book if you win, as well as a poster of the cover art.

The Creative Writing Institute is having their Fourth Annual Beginner's Short Story Contest.  Fee is $6, you can only enter if you are unpublished, and first prize is $100.

Leap Local  is looking for travel stories of a specific nature for a contest.  Check out their guidelines for the specifics.

Storyworlds Magazine is looking for short stories written by published authors, in direct contrast to the above.  The story should be set in a world established by the published author.  It is for one of their first three issues.  They are also looking for art.  I did not see if this was a paying market.

Underground Book Reviews is hosting a Battle of the Book Review Blogs.  If you post at least two book reviews on your blog each month, you're qualified. 

The Belcastro Agency is accepting queries at this time for Women's Fiction, Children's/YA and Non-fiction.  They represent one of my favorite people: Julie Kazimer! 

Literary Orphans is looking for short fiction, including flash; poetry; artwork & photography and creative non-fiction.

Hopefully this made up for the shortage of links last week! 

Any links to pass along?  Are you afraid of heights?  Ever been to the Royal Gorge? 

May you find your Muse.

17 comments:

D.G. Hudson said...

Beautiful location and photos. Nature is amazing.

I like interesting bridges, but hate that sound of the wooden planks, too. Makes me think of those adventure films where the bridge collapses and the people have to cling to the ropes or cables. (where's Indiana when you need him?)

Randy said...

Awesome, more contests. Thanks for supplying these.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Cool images from below - it looks so small!

Unknown said...

I'd love to walk over that bridge - it kind of reminds me of the bridge in Temple of Doom :)

Rebecca said...

wow gorgeous pictures

Rebecca said...

wow gorgeous pictures

Shannon Lawrence said...

D.G., exactly! It definitely sounds like something I'd hear in an Indiana Jones movie. It's an interesting sound when I'm not the one making it...

Randy, there's even a zombie one in there for you!

Alex, from down there it looks like a rope bridge.

Jamie, I loved walking over it! Driving, not so much. I don't think I relaxed until we hit pavement.

Becca, thanks!

Andrew Leon said...

Man, I envy you and your pictures.

Arlee Bird said...

Heights can make me very nervous. I don't think I've been to the Royal Gorge, but I remember seeing the brochures about it when I used to go to Colorado Springs. That bridge would be pretty scary.


Lee
Tossing It Out

mshatch said...

oh yes, very much afraid of heights. I get that awful feeling in my tummy, like there's a little voice whispering: jump.

Sabrina A. Fish said...

Love these pics! I have never been there, but your pictures make me want to go.

Anonymous said...

Oh wow thanks for letting us gorge on those pics ;O) Awesome!
Great links too.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Andrew, I know there's got to be gorgeous stuff out there in California! I want to go to Yosemite, the Redwood Forest, etc.

Lee, that is definitely not the park for you then. My mom turned down going, but she is truly terrified of heights. A friend also is, but is hoping to convince herself to go eventually.

MsHatch, yikes!

Sabrina, thank you! It was really delightful there.

Madeleine, thanks! I hope the links are helpful.

Jemi Fraser said...

Yikes!!! As a kid, heights didn't bother me, but now? Yikes! No way could I cross that one :)

Nick Wilford said...

Gorge-ous indeed. Looks breathtaking! The bridge does look a lot more substantial in that last picture than in the first two, but I'm not sure my wife would enjoy it (or the cable car). Lol.

Tonja said...

Trams are terrifying. Ferris wheels are equally terrifying. Great pictures.

And thanks for the links.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Jemi, I think we all feel fairly immortal as kids. The older we get, the more afraid we get, in certain ways. IMO, anyway.

Nick, if she is afraid of heights, definitely not! My mom looked sick just at the mention, and I can guarantee you she won't be looking at my pictures.

Tonja, we have the highest ferris wheel in the world here! Not the tallest, just the highest. I'm surprised no one has conquered that yet.