[Toichus Maximus]

Hello, everyone, and welcome to The Big Country. This Diary is based on various songs--I've done my best to tailor the journal to the lyrics of the songs. I'll be posting links to online versions of the songs for you to listen to. I'll try to keep them from youtube whenever possible (though my very first song wasn't there, which can't be a good sign). I encourage you to listen to the songs while you enjoy the pictures and the thread in general, but obviously, I can't make you. With that said, here's the first post! I'll be showing you pictures from all around the region. Next update will have the region map so you can better place them.


The Big Country--by Talking Heads (sorry, not a youtube site)

I see the shapes,
I remember from maps.
I see the shoreline.

a1
I see the whitecaps.

a2
A baseball diamond, nice weather down there.
I see the school and the houses where the kids are.
Places to park by the factories and buildings.
Restaurants and bars for later in the evening.

a3
Then we come to the farmlands, and the undeveloped areas.

a4
And I have learned how these things work together.

a5
I see the parkway that passes through them all.

a6
And I have learned how to look at these things and I say,

I wouldn't live there if you paid me.
I couldn't live like that, no siree!
I couldn't do the things the way those people do.
I couldn't live there if you paid me to.

I guess its healthy, I guess the air is clean.

a7
I guess those people have fun with their neighbors and friends.

a8
Look at that kitchen and all of that food.
Look at them eat it guess it tastes real good.

They grow it in the farmlands
And they take it to the stores

a9
They put it in the car trunk
And they bring it back home
And I say ...

I say, I wouldn't live there if you paid me.
I couldn't live like that, no siree!
I couldn't do the things the way those people do.
I wouldn't live there if you paid me to.

I'm tired of looking out the windows of the airplane

a10
I'm tired of traveling, I want to be somewhere.

a11
Its not even worth talking
About those people down there!


Picture a1
Mid-Coveyville light. Established circa 1853, decommissioned in 1965. However, the Coveyville Heritage Society has maintained the lighthouse, keeping the beacon lit since they acquired it in 1966.

a2
Cupertino cycleway around the Cupertino Pond. The city of Cupertino made the cycleway along the railroad through the downtown until they circled back around the Cupertino Pond. It is closed during mid-day because of the high numbers of people suffering from heatstroke.

a3
The Hostetler waterfront. Hostetler is a large, decentralized city, famous for the waterfront and salt marshes just across the water. The salt marshes are home to many different organisms, and so have been preserved in most areas in The Big Country.

a4
Ahrensfeld river, which winds down from the Decca mountains until swinging back into Hostetler. most of its journey is through the farmlands of Ahrensfeld and the other northern farm towns. It is famous for Canoe Camping, in which people start at the small town of Decca and canoe down river, sleeping at campgrounds overnight and carrying their boats around waterfalls.

a5
Feudal Farms of Morte De Vundo Lake. Morte de Vundo Lake is a small mountain lake that has some of the smallest and oldest farms in all the region on the lower slopes of the mountain.

a6
Ahrensfeld. The city itself is rather small, and is surrounded to the north by large, semi-modernized farms, and borders Hostetler to the south. The Trans-Decca highway here swings to the east till it hits the Morte De Vundo Ridgeline.

a7
The Coveyville Beach. This beach is a big hit because of the boardwalk. It is semi-sheltered by several islands, so waves never get to a dangerous height, but can still reach 4 feet on some days.

a8
Canoe Camping. Here is the landing for the mid-Ahrensfeld Campground. A group of kayakers appear to be getting ready to continue downriver.

a9
More farms from Morte de Vundo. The road, however, is a new feature. It was not long ago where there was no route out of Morte de Vundo that was paved. Now, most of the main roads are paved, as the town has been getting alot of revenue from eco-tourists and hikers coming to the lake.

a10
The small, unnamed island on Morte de Vundo lake has a cabin that often needs to be reserved months in advance. Here, a small plane from Hostetler flies over the island.

a11
Rail crossing on the Ahrensfeld river. The classic red, white, and yellow of the Decca rail line are often seen on this route between the mountains and the sea. Recently, a third electric track was added so these new trains could run, and the expensive overhead system plan was scrapped.

I hope you enjoyed the first update! I'll be back with the big picture, some new places, and a new song soon! Comments always welcome!

[Shadow Assassin]

The pictures look great. This is a very unique way of presenting a MD... using song lyrics to explain the picture. I can imagine the words being said...


It's like a poem, except not as terrible. 

[Yoman]

I agree with SA, a very intersting approach to an MD. What are you going to do for Stairway to Heaven?

[TheTeaCat]

Now this is an unusual way of MD'ing.

Great choice for the first tune too. Some amazing pics you shown (I'm sure I recognise one of them A4 seem very familiar  )
Ahrensfeld (A6) town looks wonderful, it would be great to see some close ups of it.

I look forward to the next update

 
TTC

[Pat]

Very good MD you got going here Toichus Maximus but one thing I would suggest is that you use Jpg for your img's it will allow someone on DialUp to see the pics faster... Other then that I am really like the start here and I cant wait for more!!!

[FrankU]

Toichus 40 views already.
Nice pictures and interesting concept.

I'll keep an eye on this MD.

[bat]

Yes, Great start on this MD!
And beautiful places there on your wonderful pictures!

Looking forward to more of The Big Country.

[warconstruct]

quite simply splendid!! I like your use of water plopable 

hasten to see the continuation 

[sebes]

    Refreshing new MD - very unique!   

I love the band, it was one of the first LP's that I bought myself, and am eager to find out what other songs and bands you will use in this Big Country!  You'll have my attention, that is sure.... 

[Toichus Maximus]

Shadow Assassin:
Well, you must be reading some bad poetry then Thanks for the comment!

Yoman :
Hmmm... wasn't on my list of potential song candidates... but I COULD conceivably do a really steep mountain trail and show pictures of the country looking to the west from the mountain top... "theres a feeling I get, when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving..." It could work, sorta, lol 

TTC:
Yes, one or two of those I did show in the "show us your..." area. I know you were fond of the river  Next update will indeed have pics of Ahrensfeld

Pat:
Alright, I'll do that in my future updates!

FrankU:
Thanks! I appreciate your support!

Bat:
Well, I'll keep the Big Country coming as best I can! Thanks for stopping by!

Warconstruct:
Thanks! I got the basic style of the river from Ennedi's Shosaloza diary. I thought his river style was really good for mountainous regions like this.

Sebes:
Yes, Talking Heads are one of my favorite bands. Stop Making Sense and The Name of the Band is Talking heads are incredible albums, too. They cover such a wide range of their work, which is really hard considering how varied all their sounds are.

No full update this week (I'll be working on a bi-weekly schedule) but here's a teaser pic for next week's update focus: the Ahrensfeld River!

[dragonshardz]

Is that bridge a DL or a Maxis bridge?

[Yoman]

I don't think I've ever seen that rail bridge look so good. Just one problem, the tree inside it.

[Mulefisk]

Fantastic opening. I'll be following this.

[Simpson]

It's good but with more  terraforming, it's can be better

[Toichus Maximus]

b1

Hello everyone! Here's an update focused on the Ahrensfeld River! This update's song will be Shenandoah, a wonderful old folk tune. Here's Bruce Springsteen's version on youtube. Please listen if you can!


http://youtube.com/watch?v=gmzAGoKHs44&feature=related


Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Way-aye, you rolling river
I'll take her 'cross yon rolling water
A way - we're bound away
'Cross the wide Missouri!


b2

The Chief disdained the trader's dollars,
Way-aye, you rolling river
My daughter you shall never follow
A way - we're bound away
'Cross the wide Missouri!



b3

For seven years I courted Sally,
Way-aye, you rolling river
For seven more I longed to have her
A way - we're bound away
'Cross the wide Missouri!


b4

She said she would not be my lover
Way-aye, you rolling river
Because I was a tarry sailor
A way - we're bound away
'Cross the wide Missouri!


b5

At last there came a Yankee skipper
Way-aye, you rolling river
He winked his eye, and he tipped his flipper
A way - we're bound away
'Cross the wide Missouri!


b6

He sold the Chief that fire-water
Way-aye, you rolling river
And 'cross the river he stole his daughter
A way - we're bound away
'Cross the wide Missouri!


b7

Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Way-aye, you rolling river
I'll take her 'cross yon rolling water
A way - we're bound away


b8

b1. Here we see the southern end of the Hibbertsville Falls. This is the boat launch for those rowing downriver.
b2. The Ahrensfeld river flows past the cliffs of La Coste. Off to the right, unseen, is the La Coste Cataract.
b3. The market in Ahrensfeld. It's the most famous open air shopping center on this side of The Big Country.
b4. The Ahrensfeld river flows past a grape field and dirt road.
b5. The town of Ahrensfeld differs from the more northern times because of the different architecture due to the high English ethnic population density.
b6. Church of St. John in the Decca Mountains, near the source of the Ahrensfeld river. It was built here because of the river's unity with God in the mind of many Costeian, brought over from pre-christian times.
b7. The La Coste Cataract. Every year, at least 2 people go over the edge because they failed to stop at the turn off during paddling.
b8. The largest paddling campground in the area, large enough to support non-paddlers as well.

With that done, here's the region overview I've promised:

You can see the Ahrensfeld River primarily in the lower left corner. The big city you see will be featured in next update

You may have noticed in the overview that some of the southern towns have a different achitectural style. This is actually because of the larger concentration of different ethnicity in the southern reaches. Here's a map so you can see the English concentration in the south and the Costeian concentration higher north.



Stay tuned! I'll be doing updates in the next few days, but I have to run now!. Hope you enjoyed it!

[bat]

That's a great new update there!
And the region overviews are looking fantastic, too!
Great work on the region so far!

[sebes]

I did not know that Shenandoah song - but listened to it while reading the update. Good match with the pictures (again!) 

The Ahrensfeldriver and fields are breathtaking beautifull - and the region view is very promissing. Looking forword to your next update featuring the big city...

[Pat]

Toichus wonderful update and I loved the fall pic!!!

[stocktons_pimp]

i like this...

are those vineyards i see?

::

[Toichus Maximus]

Well, it's Easter this weekend, so I figured I'd do replies now and mid next week before the update, 'cause i'll be very busy this weekend.

Is that bridge a DL or a Maxis bridge?

It's a maxis. I've been having trouble with most of my dl bridges, and since i've never had a different bridge controller than the newest one on this comp, I'm not sure why. But worry not--i'll eventually just completely uninstall the NAM and reinstall it or something. It'll get dealt with.

I don't think I've ever seen that rail bridge look so good. Just one problem, the tree inside it.

Hah, I didn't even the notice the tree! Well, I'll hammer that out. Thanks 

Fantastic opening. I'll be following this.

Thanks! Glad to have you on board!

It's good but with more  terraforming, it's can be better

Think a bit more around the banks? It's difficult to get the cliffs with this terrain mod because the slope has to be steeper than you expect. Perhaps if I used ploppable red rocks on the side, it'd look a bit better.

That's a great new update there!
And the region overviews are looking fantastic, too!
Great work on the region so far!

Thanks! I hope you'll like the next update with the big city, Ammerse!

I did not know that Shenandoah song - but listened to it while reading the update. Good match with the pictures (again!) 

The Ahrensfeldriver and fields are breathtaking beautifull - and the region view is very promissing. Looking forword to your next update featuring the big city...

Thanks! I've got a few great songs for Ammerse to choose from... not sure which to pick yet. I'll see how the pictures turn out, and then decide 

Toichus wonderful update and I loved the fall pic!!!

I was very pleased with how the water drop lot turned out there. I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for commenting!

i like this...

are those vineyards i see?

::

Yes indeed. I'm trying to combine a Mediterranean feel with the red rock, so grapes seemed a fitting crop. I wish I could offer you some, but pixels are so unappetizing... Thanks for your support!

And now, lets take this opportunity to say g'bye to the Ahrensfeld river for a good while with my first mosaic (ever).



Thanks for stopping by, and happy Easter to those who it applies!