Three Rivers Region

[Darmok]

And don't you drink that yellow water....

[Livin in Sim]

Liv's creek--be still my heart.     It looks to be a rippling, bubbly, refreshing little stream, fed by that beautiful snow pack--unlike tired ol' me.  I guess we do have "meandering" in common...   I know I would l have a new lease on life if I were to drink some spring water from the source.  We should heed John's warning of the "yellow (fire?) water" if there is a brewery or distillery at the bottom!  I can't wait to see how the new rapids look in it!

Thanks, David,
--Liv

[dedgren]

600 comments...

...be still my heart...

Yeah, Liv (Livin in Sim), you have that one right.

* * *

I'll mention, before I go on to do the customary honors, that we all know comments #599 and 601, or for that matter #179 and 383, are in every respect no different than the couple of comments over time that happen to end in double zeros. I appreciate every new comment just as much as the one that came before.  So why all the fuss?

Well, it comes back to me.  As you have probably noticed, I don't do a very good job responding to everyone who posts here in this MD.  Oh, I try, but I don't even come close.  I so much admire the MDers who have these detailed responses to 20 or 30 comments neatly set out in an update.  Sure, I try to do a "We've got Mail" every so often and catch up... but I never do.  You fine folks are just going to have to take on faith that I read every post made here and, in thanks, raise my glass (or mug, or whatever) of the beverage du jour and tip it your way, murmuring a quiet, "cheers" as I do.

But every 100th post- oh yeah.  Man, I can do that standing on my head.  Plus, that approach has the virtue of randomness.  Just like the Spanish Inquisition [linkie], nobody expects to hit a particular number when he or she posts.  You just come online whenever you do, load up SC4D, then stop by 3RR whenever you get around to it.  Unless you make a point of looking (I don't- but maybe that's just me), you probably don't know unless it's called to your attention that you are making comment #33 or #333.  So, I figure over the time that I plan to be doing this...

...3RR, when you include 3RR-ST, will be a year old a week from Monday, the 12th...

...most everyone will get a chance to "get the treatment."  It's my way of saying thanks, and I love doing it.

* * *

So, on to Liv's comment, #600, made on March 01, 2007, at about 9:00 in the evening Alaska time (AST).  Liv has been a 3RR Regular^* since way back in the 3RR-ST days, and her chatty and witty comment style always dresses up whatever page her nic appears on.  Liv, ma'am, hat's off to you, and here's a look at



In the southwest quad of Granite Township there's a roaring, rambunctious stream that comes pouring out of the Northern Range into North Taylor Lake.



It's a premier kayaking stream (Class IV-V [linkie]) from south of the Burdock Escarpment and Thunderbird Falls to the lake.  Above Thunderbird Falls a few short sections of the stream could theoretically be kayaked, but the numerous waterfalls, difficult terrain and the fact that this wilderness area has virtually no access leaves it not worth the effort and risk to life and limb.  Coors Creek, which drains the valley to the east, joins Liv's Creek just above Thunderbird Falls.

Here's a late spring pic of the length of the stream to the southern boundary of Granite Township.  The lake lies a quarter-mile/four-tenths of a kilometer beyond.



Here's the same pic, this time taken in the fall.



Using a smaller version of the spring pic as a guide, here are several pics of points of interest along the creek.



#01 - Little Falls (top) and Nightingale Falls (bottom)


#02 - Burdock Escarpment and Thunderbird Falls


#03 - Burdock Escarpment and Thunderbird Falls


#04 - R-8 Highway Bridge


#05 - Upper and Lower Bing's Rapids


#06 - Lower Bing's Rapids


#07 - 'Tight Corner' Rocks


#08 - 'Tight Corner' Rocks


#09 - Great Rocky Falls


We'll be seeing more about this area in future updates.  Thanks again, Liv!

Later.


David

^*A 3RR Regular, as I've noted many times, is anyone who has ever commented in this MD, or over at 3RR-ST at least once.  Hey, we've got standards here.

[meinhosen]

If there's one thing that always impresses me about 3RR, it's the fact that you can post an entire update and have only one glimpse of anything man-made among the screenshots.

That is a really great series of mosiacs showing the run of that stream.   

[Darmok]

I'm simply blown away by the sheer beauty of it!

[Thornton]

Very Nice!! 

[Gaston]

David,
   Really wonderful stuff as usual.   Makes me wanna grab a canoe and some camping gear and head off up R-8 and then look for an old fire/logging road to get up to the head-waters.    I'd like to spend a week or so paddling, camping, & fly fishing.     Like I used to do on The Ocoee [ linkie ] & The Nantahala [ linkie ]before the were ruined (IMO).   In the case of The Ocoee that happened in 1996 with the Olympics.          As far as the Nantahala just too many tourists.   But without tourist...   Catch 22 I suppose.     Oooops, sorry for the of topic tyrate but I loved that area when I was in college and spent alot of time as a river rat and guide for YMCA Camp Ocoee [ linkie ].


---Gaston

[thundercrack83]

Well, Liv's Creek is absolutely beautiful, and I love the accompanying kayak map, too! If I haven't already said it (and I think I have), congratulations on 600 posts!

[emilin]

Another benchmark in terraforming. The way you blend things is amazing, David! Plopwater to gamewater, terrain trees to lotted trees, terrain mod to added flora - it all flows so naturally.

[Low Light]

 : 'c'est magnifique!'



David, This is truly brilliant and I am bowled over *strike*.
I can just imagine the 'radical-est' of dudes pulling up around bridge R-8 in their 4 by 4's and VW campers; kayaks strapped on their roof racks, in droves. All ready to make the trek up to the source so they can be one of the few who has taken on Liv's Creek and lived to tell the tale. I think it would be wise to simulate a load of garbage around the bridge, the make up of which, I think, should mainly consist of Redbull can's and other 'power' drinks 
The back story is coming along nicely and is really putting some meat on the bone, this animal you are creating will no doubt rival any of the other phantasmagorical MD's. 
 
As always a complete and utter pleasure to read your work. 

Ruben (Low Light)

[NikNik]

You make a rapid like that look so easy. 
Great work. Congrats Liv with such a great spectacle.

Thanks for the pics, David. Spring is in the air in the Netherlands:



We hardly got any winter this season.

Nik-Nik

EDIT:  Hey, NikNik- I resized your wonderful mural so that it wouldn't "break" the right side of the page on many computers.  Folks could (and should) click here [linkie] to see the mural in its original size.  The NL was one place I didn't get to visit during my late 70s-early 80 European sojourns.  Maybe next summer (2008).  I've always wanted to bicycle there.


David

[asturianu]

I'm back, David, and all I can say is that I'm amazed, sir!  I saw that Grizzly and all those rivers, forests, and snow pictures are fantastic! And I really like the region. The huge 3RR!!

Cristian

[bat]

Fantastic river! Great mosaics! Wonderful pictures!

[dedgren]

I've wrapped up work on the updated "Transportation" portion of the backstory here [linkie].  Lots of interesting new stuff there.

     

If you haven't read the completed piece, it would be my pleasure for you to go and have a look.

Next- we'll completely forest our 12x12 lot with seasonal trees in the ongoing tutorial [linkie].

See you around 3RR.


David

[pvarcoe]

It's difficult to properly do you justice when commenting on Liv's Creek.
It's for sure the best combination of real game water and plopped water transition ever.
Plainly put, it's a fantastic creek..it just looks great.

One aspect that struck me was the effect your rapids have on the lower part of the creek (the real game water stretch).
The rapids leave the viewer with the illusion of the creek descending in elevation. I find the effect quite convincing.

I like the smaller spring view best. It's a great guide. I must do more maps like that.

Oh ya, nice Manitoba road sign too!

[exodus101]

Hey David,

The brilliance continues!  I'm truly enjoying the 3RRDOT development - it pays to have a degree in urban planning I suppose!  Liv's Creek looks incredible and - what is that? - a mosaic picture??  Say it ain't so!!  It looks beautiful, I really like the rocky approach you took to this one.  Keep it coming!

-Stephen

[thundercrack83]

David,

I just read the rest of the Transportation overview, and it's absolutely remarkable. I love all the road sign shields, especially the Manitoba one. I've never seen that one before! I can't wait to see where these roads are on the 3RR map! Great job!

Take care,

Dustin

[Travis]

Hi David,

I am liking the Transportation overview so far, and can't wait to see the first 3RR road maps.
About Liv's Creek, what you do with ploppable is amazing. I still don't know how
you manage to make it look so perfect. I'm bewildered. 

Oh, and on another note, did you ever re-upload the waterfall and rapids lots?

See you around.

[Pat]

Hey David,

Wow what wonderful visit to my favorite region of 3R man im totaly ummm shocked in how the area has devolped soooo well
those pics are just breath taking great work my Alasken Friend - Pat your Northwoods friend

[kwakelaar]

Liv's creek is another fantastic natural beauty which seems to dominate 3RR so far, your attention to details with the rocks and flora is as always impressive.