Back on Route 66 in Second Life

Some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost.

Erol Ozan

           A number of years ago, while traveling across Second Life (SL), I came across Route 66.  My longtime friend, Perryn Peterson, had recreated the roadway as part of the summer festivities back then.  

          Well, he’s back on the road again!

          Perryn and his merry band in Mieville have brought back a bigger and better version of Route 66 just in time to celebrate the ninetieth anniversary of the famed

highway in Real Life (RL)!  (I’m always amazed at how Perryn turns into a major community event what most ordinary mortals don’t even know exists!)  

          Allow me to give you a little tour!

          First, a bit of history!  (Significant Other wonders aloud if anyone has ever warned Perryn that it’s a major mistake to let me talk about history.)  

          The original highway opened on November 11, 1926.  

          Route 66 was one of the first major cross country highways in America ultimately running from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California.  Its course was across the American Southwest probably to avoid the harsh winter weather in the northern part of the country.  (Hadn’t anyone invented snow plows yet back then?)  

          The roadway became part of the country’s culture.  It was there at the end of the Roaring Twenties as the Age of the Automobile began.  It was there for the Great

Depression, the Dust Bowl, and World War II.  The great post-war expansion led to the development of the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System which ultimately contributed to the decline of Route 66.    

          Route 66 became part of America’s culture.  There were songs (Get Your Kicks on Route 66), TV shows (Route 66, what else would you call it?), and novels (The migrants in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath traveled across it to get to California.) 

          Perryn’s celebration of Route 66’s anniversary will run from July 23, 2016 to August 14, 2106 and can be found here.  

          This rendition of Route 66 inworld is much larger and more detailed than its predecessor.  The latter was essentially a small town somewhere on Route 66 in the American Southwest.  This version seems to roll on across the sun blasted countryside seemingly forever.  (I should know, I walked its entire length!)

          More scenery is included this time from large rock formations to exquisite natural floral arrangements.  The attention to detail is there in the papers blowing around in the street by the wind.  The drive-in has to be seen!

          Perryn’s team has captured the architecture of the region both in the traditional Southwestern style so easily recognizable to anyone familiar with the area to the classic American highway style of the diners and gas stations along the way.  

          Walking into one diner with its counter service, booths, black and white Formica tiled floor, and juke box was like going back in time.  (Significant Other points out that I’m

not that old.  I rejoin by saying that I did watch TV growing up.)  

          Don’t forget to visit Georgia O’Keeffe’s residence too! 

          The festivities will include a dance, costume and titler contests, a mini-hunt, rides, classic cars that can be rented, a petting zoo, gatchas, freebies, Cheesehenge (Just go look at it for yourself.), and much more! 

          Over one hundred vendors will have their wares on display, many in a marvelous flea market.  The works of Acadia Asylum will also be available onsite for free!  

          Our Grand Sponsor is Emedea Morgenstern of Rag Dollz.  Other merchants include Unalunaqat Resident and Stangbo Resident, who live in Mieville and are selling kittens.  SunQueen Ginsberg of Where Worlds Collide, her whole shop will be dedicated to Southwestern wares. Plato Novo of "%" Per Cent who started three years ago at the last

Route 66 event has returned. Liam Metaluna, of Panda, Panda who specializes in creating music boxes, furnishings with an Asian feel, and all with detailed textures.

          I encourage all to come and have a great time!  There’s something for everyone!  

          This is also a great chance to see a part of America that unfortunately is slowly disappearing.  

          Maybe you’ll even run into me there!  (I don’t care what Significant Other says about me scaring off visitors! I’m telling everyone that I’m coming!)

Additional pictures from my visit can be found on this flickr page.   

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.  

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here. 

          Open roads and kind fires!

Thoughts about the New Renaissance Faire and Hunt in Second Life

 

There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.

Machiavelli

 

          As I blogged a short time ago, it’s the season for Renaissance Hunt and Faire in Second Life (SL) which is new and improved this year! 

          (Significant Other leaves the room, having hoped for a new adventure.  Wait until next time!)

          The Mayor of Mieville, Perryn Peterson, with his team has done his usual superb job in laying out the new location and organizing all the merchants and events.

          This year, the Faire is at a new location in Mieville, Mieville Shelley, (accessible at a seafront town) which allowed Perryn to change things around a bit as he prepares for his fifth Faire.

           Unlike prior years, I’ve returned for a second story about this month long event running from September 1^st to 30^th to talk about the changes with some of the participants.

          What’s different?

          Well, for starters the location. 

          Then the layout has changed to accommodate the new location.

          And, as with any seismic change, new features are added while others are lost. 

          Get the picture?

          Liam Metaluna, a Tiny artisan is happy to be among other Tiny artisans in their own neighborhood.  Liam was responsible for organizing this community into the aptly named Tiny

Corner. 

          Liam loves the little things about the Faire like the frogs that follow you around. Being from the drought ridden western United States in Real Life (RL), he appreciates the harbor with all its water!

          Liam also loves the sounds from the Renaissance period. He creates music boxes with Renaissance-flair music. 

          Check him out when you visit!  (You are visiting right?)

          Mike Olbracht, Mieville’s landscaper par excellance and Perryn’s partner has done his usual superb work with the grounds for the Faire. 

          (Even if it was done under threats of virtual beatings to get the work done on time!  Perryn is a demanding taskmaster.) 

          Mike’s biggest challenge with the new location was that the original sim was devoted

to the Faire only and hence there were no restrictions.

The new location has neighboring sims so it was important that it fitted in with its surroundings properly. 

(It’s never easy inworld is it?)

          Miss Cyneswith Luik who made a new dance in addition to the three prior favorites.  In RL, she is a professional animator from the United Kingdom. 

          Cyneswith does miss the prior location. 

She had the same stall for about three years running always by the food and drink, with the music playing nearby.

However, Cyneswith finds the new location to be equally fantastic.

She loves how everything is laid out and she can still have the patch for the dances and can hear the music playing!

          Miss Moonsugah Monday has a brand new tavern!

          She is a refugee from Gor and this is her fifth Faire. 

          Moonsugah researches RL books on cooking then hunts for pictures to make textures.  She tries to make my foods realistic and sized proportionaIly to the avatar bodies, as well as historically accurate. So, she says, she wouldn’t make a smoothie to go with the medieval or Rennaissance table. Lately, she has been working more with mesh to get the desired effects. 

          Then there are things that remain the same!

          Wyvern Dryke has helped organize almost all of the events and says he only tweaked a few things. 

          His little den, a Faire tradition, can still be found on the Faire grounds if one goes looking for it. 

          My personal favorite the gypsy encampment, is still here with its vardos and hopefully a fortune teller. 

(If somewhat smaller.)

          Our old friend, Mr. Donkey, can be found grazing around the Faire with some new “critters” as friends.

          So, maybe the physical location and attributes of the Faire have changed but the people who make it all possible are still there.

          Their spirit and hard work are evident as one strolls through its streets and lanes!

          Please come by and support all these wonderful folks!

          The Renaissance Hunt and Faire runs from September 1^st to 30^th and can be located here.    

          The ongoing events during the Faire can be found on this blog. 

          The Faire is still underway so go and enjoy yourself!

          Maybe you’ll run into me!

          I’d like to thank Perryn, Mike, Wyvern, Liam, Cyneswith, and  Moonsugah for taking the time to answer my questionnaire.

          I know everyone is busy inworld! 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and kind fires!