Thursday, January 22, 2009

Tunnel Vision

Today's Wonder of the World is...the Tunnel!

Flickr photo by tanzer-art
I know it's dorky, but I still get excited to drive through a tunnel.
Maybe I need more entertainment in my life.

Do you love tunnels too?

Flickr photo by Kroka
What about tunnels of love?
Here's my favorite one of those.

Whoa, I feel some eighties big hair coming on.
Quick, help me think of other tunnels before I ditch this blog to watch reruns of Dallas.

I know! How about this one?

Flickr photo by JCook236
Do you recognize this tunnel? You might if you've ever ridden on Interstate 77 through Virginia and West Virginia. That tunnel and one other were the highlights of my many car trips to visit family in Kentucky, and every time we passed through, my brother Steve and I would have to stop what we were doing (irritating each other and whining about being hungry) and lift up our feet in the air until we came out the other side.
Does anyone out there know why we did that?
I really don't know. Does bad tunnel mojo attach itself to the soles of one's shoes if they're not airborne? If so, what about the driver? And the stewardess--I mean mother, in the front seat?

On to another tunnel I love...
The Free Expression Tunnel at NCSU!

Flickr photo by brian.s
Ah the graffiti memories! The poetry! The profanity! The little door there on the right, leading to the steam tunnels, which I certainly didn't explore with a group of upperclassmen who kept yelling Rat! Rat! just to watch me scream.
Those were the days.
That tunnel was always interesting.

Flickr photo by Perception Crisis Photography
Sometimes more than others.

Flickr photo by madrigals
I've always been interested in how tunnels are made.
Like the Metro tunnels in Paris!


Today there are plenty of methods for boring tunnels.
I asked my engineer husband about them and his eyes got big and he made me get out of my chair at the computer so he could show me a picture of one of these.

Flickr photo by ethica.tw
"How does it work?" I asked.
I knew I was in trouble when he said, "Have a seat and I'll explain it."
Zzzzz.
Oh, sorry. Did I doze off?
I frustrate him that way.

(If you're really curious you could hop over here.)

I don't really have to know how tunnels are made. I can appreciate them just fine as they are.
I know I'm not the only one.

Flickr photo by iolanthe
Watch out, hamster! Lift those hamster legs or face uncertain mojo!

Before you go, I'd love to put on my therapist hat and hear all about the tunnel traumas of your childhood.
Or maybe you'd rather enjoy watching these kids flying in a wind tunnel!

Have a wonder-full Thursday, y'all!
Love, Becky

13 comments:

LW said...

Is it T Week?…together, turtles and tunnels ..
I really don’t like tunnels, the Lincoln Tunnel
makes me hyperventilate. I feel the same about caves..

Louise

David Ebright said...

Try the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, connecting Virginia & Maryland. Long sections go underneath the bay. Last time we went through it we noticed water was dripping down the walls. Probably not good.

Unknown said...

That tunnel boring machine video was actually quite fascinating! The BORING video was not boring at all!!! BWAH ha HA ha HA ha HA!!! Oh, I crack myself up.

;)

lotusgirl said...

I get that same giddy feeling when I go through a tunnel too.

Suzie said...

Great tunnels. I love the college graffiti

Adrienne said...

The wind tunnel video is amazing! I have to show that to my family.

Anonymous said...

I do like tunnels, but long ones make me nervous. I enjoy the ones on the elroy-sparta bike trail--old railroad tunnels. They're cool, damp and smell wonderfully mossy inside.

Anonymous said...

The tunnels we went through were on our way to visit our grandparents who lived in Asheville, NC. Whenever we would go through a tunnel we were told to hold our breath until we came out the other side. I have brought my kids up with doing that too! I wonder if it was really Mom's way of keeping us 4 kids quiet so she could have a few moments of peace on those long car trips!

Unknown said...

I love tunnels also. And I recognize the one you've pictured from I-77. My favorite named tunnel is Beaucatcher's Tunnel in Asheville.
We never held up our feet going through tunnels but we also did that when crossing a railroad track.

CC said...

I don't actually love tunnels. They kinda scare me!

Susan said...

Like, wow man! I have been through those tunnels on I-77 several times. Hubby has friends and family in that area. I used to sorta freak out in tunnels and had to make sure all the car window were down. I'm better now. When they were teens, hubby and his friends had to jump up into the safety alcoves in a train tunnel when a train surprised them. Ahhh, tunnels. You just gotta love them.

Renee said...

Becky I almost bust a gut. har har

When you asked your husband the question.

I try never to ask mine in fear that he will tell me. It is so funny. When I ask him he gets so excited and then starts to tell me in all the kinds of ways I don't want to hear. In other words technically.

Thanks for the laugh.

Love Renee

Cindy said...

tunnels....ehhhhhhh...can you say claustraphobia? LOL. I can! :D

c