Trip 6 - MRF Ghost Town (1st Run)
Observations:
1.) The Bikeway between Metcalf Theater and the Vandalabene Center is a wreck. The pavement is buckled up, there’s mud washed all over it, and tree roots push up through the ground. I don’t know why SIUE doesn’t do anything about this mess.
2.) I had meant to follow the bikeway to it’s end (see Trip #10), but there was a non-descript dirt trail I saw that split off here.
3.) The dirt trail comes out at a wide grass and gravel path. You can see the utility road on the other side of the creek that goes to Cougar Village. It almost seems like there was a bridge here at one time.
4.) There is a sign here that says “Fleet Vehicles Only.” What is this area for?
5.) The strange combination of wide grass paths and narrow dirt and gravel paths led to a very suspicious area. See the pictures below to see what I mean. First of all, there was an abandoned Moyer Diebel glass washer sitting there. On the other side, there is a large broken gravel lot of some kind. Around the lot, I saw large poles that fork at the top. The poles had wires coming out at the top, so perhaps they were lights? Speakers? Alarms? (See Trip #8 for more info.)
6.) The dirt trail once again gave way to a strange broken gravel path. All along this path/lot, there were large, rusted cables and chains lying to the side. What is going on here?! (See Trip #8 for more info.)
7.) There are a lot of grass utility paths around this area that connect the lake, radio tower, and water tower. I mapped some of these paths using Google Maps.
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Fleet Vehicles Only |
Looking west over the grate at the old lot |
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What is that? |
It's a Moyer Diebel glass washer. Why's it here? Don't ask me. |
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The old lot |
Old stands - North side |
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Old stands - South side |
Old path with chains laying aside |
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Another look at the path with chains |
The chain path runs into a mound of dirt and leads to New Poag Road |
This page created by Todd Astroth @ SIUE.
Last updated: December 18, 2008 (for you MLA users out there!)