The Winding River Project

[rooker1]

Happy New Year Fred and friends, I wish you all the best.
Robin

[Pat]

Fred amazing simply amazing here, ive caught up here and I love it!!! I do hope you and Lynn have had a wonderful Holiday time and all went well!!!

~Patrick

[Tomas Neto]

Your updates are always very nice!!!! Great work!!!

[ricardomiranda]

Very nice updates, wonderful job !

[mrbisonm]

Thanks everyone for your comments, I will be back in a few days, probably this weekend. Got still some things to do irl... Hang in there, the story continues!

Fred

[KoV Liberty]

Can't wait!

[Will12]

"the bison awakens" you could say
Oh and can't wait!

[mrbisonm]

Sorry, can't make the upload for this weekend, too many things to do irl and update quite complicated.....(but very interesting)

It'll be later this week....

Fred

[Gringamuyloca]

one thing about a Winding River update - it's totally worth waiting for! 

Stay well mrbisonm!

[mrbisonm]

The story is finished, now I've got to get (take) the pics.....it will all be ready by next sunday, unless.....we have a terrible earthquake, or more likely a snowstorm (blizzard) with a couple of meters of snow.

Fred

[mrbisonm]

Finally.....sorry to have you waiting. I should be ok for the next months now, bringing more regular updates to my MD, nothing else is planned, except maybe a little "southern vacation" in March, maybe Cuba or a place nearby. We haven't decided yet.



Update 81

The Return from Ganoga             


Saturday, June 17th, 1967
                           Today on this date ... then:

- 1579 – Sir Francis Drake claims a land he calls Nova Albion (modern California) for England.
- 1885 – The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor.
- 1944 – Iceland declares independence from Denmark and becomes a republic.

- Born: 1239 – King Edward I of England (Edward Longshanks) (d. 1307)

- Died: 1463 – Princess Catherine of Portugal (b. 1436)

[/size]



More than 1200 people gathered at the Gabber Park Arena to see the Premier Minister's first public appearance in the Winding River Valley. The Meeting was held in the Gabber Park Arena, which was prior to his visit severly monitored. Prime Minister Harry K. Liebherr came to Access for a certain reason, to advice the population of their future in the Valley. As soon as he arrived on stage, the doors of the arena's entrance were closed and he started his speech by presenting himself and talking about how he admires the region's visit. He was accomponied on stage by General M. Placid and Lakestead's Governor, Mrs Davida Jonets. The crowd was silent, admiring their idols in front of them in this small region for the first time.

<< "As most of you know," the Minister started,"we have found massive crude oil, coal and copper deposits in the Ganoga wilderness and its surroundings. Oil is needed more and more in the world's consommation and therefore soon to be worth a fortune and an economical boost to the region. The Government will exploit these drillings for the crude oil and sell them to different Oil cOmpanies from all over world, which in their part will be obliged to install themselves here in the region and employ their workers and researchers from our population. The same for the mining Companies. This will give the region new jobs with better pays and a certified future for many years to come.
I am happy to be the first to inform you that we, the federal government, will invest more than 10 Billion §§'s into the region in the next 10 years to make this one very important part of Simland. If any poor folks will be left at that time, then it will be by their own will."
The crowed applaused heavily after hearing his short statement. As the population quite well knows, Prime Minister has in the past kept his words everytime he said so.
As he continued, "Researchers and scientist along with Geologists and other specialists have been in the area for several years now and they just finished their complete report this spring. The results are astonishing concerning the qaulity and quantity of different ressources. We would like to start as soon as possible, which will not be later than by the end of this year. The accessing roadbuilding contract is already signed with a local Company, the same that is actually still working on Highway 15 at the moment, Gabber Inc. You will hear from them soon, needing to hire 500 more workers for the project to access the wilderness and its surroundings.">>

81.00


The Premier continued with his speech for almost an hour, thanked the public for their interest and wished them a healthy and profitable future for the next decade. Then the General explained the presence of the army and its future also (what we already heard from the Colonel), while the Governor underlined and confirmed everything said and that she will be in charge to see that these promisses are kept and come into action.


After the event, John and Mike, who were present at the Premier's speech, are on their way to meet the "Ganoga Boys".
<<" So we got the contract with the government to build the roads for the oil drilling and other mineral exploitations?" Mike asked John on the way to meet the "Ganoga Boys. "Did you get the plans yet?" he smilingly asked, glad that the Company is going to expand a little again.
"Yeah, I got the plans this morning from the Premier's secretary. Shanon will make some duplicates and you should have them on your desk by Monday morning." John answered, " Have a look at them and tell me what you think at the latest......ehem, let's see......ok, next monday? Does that sound reasonable." >>
" No problem, Mike, you'll have it before the weekend," Mike winked at John, knowing quite well that he will be happier with a prior date that he asked for.>>[/color]


When John and Mike arrived at the meeting point of the Ganoga Boys near the last bridge of Highway 15, a parking place for the car was hard to find in between all the machinery and people around.
<< "Geeez, I didn't think there were that many folks coming to meet the boys. This is great!" said Mike on the arrival!>>

The kids already arrived about 15 minutes ago and talking to most everyone that  came and was present. People from Access, Phlox, Grasslake and even some from Sandom and friends from Bluebay were curious and here to meet the heroes that just came out of the most unfriendly wilderness in Simland.
Questions were asked by everyone, but not every questions was answered. Mike Allheimer, who was the one that had the Home Radio all the time during the trip and was their only direct contact with the civilization, went searching to meet them again. John came over to his son and congratulated him on becoming a yound man that he was so proud of.
<<" Here Dad," Charlie said to his father John after shaking his hand in all honour and reaching out a wooden cigarbox to him, " give that box to Michael Truex as quickly as possible, it is containing dozens of filmrolls from the trip, some important ones that we want to see again as soon as possible.".
"Who is Michael Truex?," Father John Gabber asked all surprized, not knowing or having heart of this fellow yet.
"What do you mean??? He is the owner of the small Hamburgerstand in Access on Acces Rd, he is always there when the place is open." Charlie answered.
Still all surprized and confused about the wooden box John looked at his son, "Why him for? What is he going to do with that?"
Taking his Dad by the arm and pulling him a little away from the mass of people that came to see them, " Didn't Oncle Mike tell you? We have an agreement with him through Steve Gibson and he will be developping all our pictures in private without a public eye having access to them. He's got all the stuff needed for this because he is an amateur train photographer. Gibson told us that the pictures of the lost city should be kept confidential until we know exactly what we're going to do with it and how to announce it, and Truex is about the most confident fellow around, he says."
"How come I wasn't informed?" again John asked all surprized.
"Oncle Mike didn't tell you for real?" Charlie asked, this time it was him with a surprized look on his face.
"Mike?"
"Yeah, he said that he'll tell you"
"Mike?"again John repeated and added, "Mike can't even tell anyone anything that he heard five seconds ago....you know that, don't you?"
"Ah, it doesn't matter Dad, now you know. Please bring these rolls to Mr Truex today, he will be waiting for them, unless Uncle Mike didn't tell him neither. I have to go to see Meaden first. Can you?" Charlie added while he was looking all around the area for his buddies, who have seemed to be disappeared in the mass of people and then handed over the box to John again, who took it freely this time.>>

There were about 120 people that came to meet the kids and that had followed their daily story through the Access Tribune and the local Radio station. Some of the visitors were Nethaniel Wellington, who was very interested in these boys and the soldier, Gregory Badger, who was also quite curious about them. Then Jordan Meaden was there with Steve Gibson, the pilot. Jorden was part of the expedition until he broke his ankel three quarters through and now he was there with his "walking sticks" as he calls them.
Since the newspaper and the radio were constantly on the story during the last two weeks, the subject became quite interesting for some folks. Those folks were all here, ready to meet the Wilderness Gang in person.
Even George Westwood, Pat's brother who is now the regional Director of the museum in Valmore, Diarmuid's father and Charles M.Johnson, the Access Tribune Writer were present.

They all met at the last Highway bridge column, still under construction. Although it was saturday, some of the bridge workers were still present, so were the logging transporters, who really had it easier on weekends to pick up the logs that are cut for the highway. But today the site was swarmed with all kinds of folks and making it somewhat more difficult for the workers to not only concentrate but also actually get something done.
The Local Police and an ambulance were also present by orders from the town council of Phlox.

81.01


After Charlie left his father to find his partners, John told Mike about him having forgotten to mention the film delivery to Truex in Access Center, and that he was going to look around the place a little and talk to some of his foremen to see the last bridge on the highway project being finished. Alex Puto, the bridge engineer, wasn't around today, probably busy with the boating service of his girlfriend in Phlox. It is saturday anyways, thought Gabber and he had a good look around the buildingsite all by himself.

81.02


The bridge will be longer here and cover a good part over ground, as planned. But this is because of the unstable grounds around this area, just like the ones over the first Ganoga outlet, where Puto had a lot of problems to create a solid and longlasting bridge. Many rocks of all sizes made the base where lots and lots of concrete blocks were poured to support the heavy structures of the bridge. Once the highway over these is build, one more canal will lead the water out from the Ganoga marshes, there where the logs are being picked up today. Such a canal will assure the Highway engineer that the water from the melting snow in the spring or from heavy downpoors in the wilderness will not overflow the highway and damage it. Well thought, Mr Puto.

81.03


Here is a closer look of the bridge part that is already done. The lower street will be torn down, once the bridge is ready to be used.

81.04


And a final look of the area from far above. Here is where the highway 35 ends for the moment being. The blue lines indicate the two possibilities to build the overflow canal.

81.05


...and a birdseye view of the location of the last bridge on Highway 15 in the region.

81.06


Now let's go to West River and see what is happening there lately. The army has started to fill the riverbed after it was locked off the mainriver with permanent dams. It was announced that it is a matter of needing more terrain, although much more , and way less expensive terrains are available all around the area. But the army insists that this is the better way for them. Again an unillogical decision to some Access's citizens.
Instead of getting the gravel and earth from the hills or simply make a hole somewhere else, they extrude the filling material from the nearby underground area. Why this is done, again no one seems to know, nor a good reason was stated what this diffing is all about.
Now more than ever, Mike Allheimer, who has been doubtful with the army's decisions ever since they arrived in the region almost 8 years ago, is now turning on himself constantly, getting more and more anxious about wanting to know the truth.

<< "I'm going back there John, the temptation is too much. I just H A V E to know what these sons of guns are up to and what is all the fuzz about that Porolium, the digging and the damn secrets and all those lies they are constantly putting under our noses. I've had it! Enough!" Mike told John on the next day at John's weekend home.
John knew that there was no sense at all trying to change his mind. He also knew that Mike is more serious that he has ever seen him and he only could say: "Don't forget that you're almost 50 years old and you haven't done this sort of expedition in a long time."
"I am still training every day and feel that I am in good enough shape to do it. This time I'll go underground, it'll take me a whole day or two. I've got everything planned since years. Now you don't forget that I was the best in the special forces when we were young, and we've been places where not even a Ladybug would go, remember? I still got that in my bloodvessels." Mike said."But I need help, I don't want to leave my pick-up parked at the gates for two days, I need transportation to and back, is that ok with you."
"No problem, Buddy, that's the least I can do, so when will it be?"
"Not very soon, I've still got some plans and materials to figure out and besides I will wait until they are really busy with the filling up of that riverbed. It'll be on a weekday, when they are all working, a lot easier for me to wander around as a worker during the working hours."
John couldn't help and looked quite seriously at Mike, "Did I ever tell you, that you're totally nuts!?"
"Many times John." Mike answered winking his left eye as usual and put a term to their conversation, leaving for his home to have a good look at the plans of the new roads he got.>>

81.07


The material they dug up earlier from underneath the base is now being transported as the basic foundation of the riverbed's filling. Millions of
§ are being invested in this mysterious projects without the population knowing half of it's use or logical explanation. While the old river is slowly being pumped out, dozens and dozens of trucks and bulldozers fillup what once was covered with water.

81.08


The center of the base is now almost ready it seems, not much construction seen lately. What had to be build was built it seems. Another one that is asking a lot of question by himself about this matter is Slye, the sawmill owner and Alex, who was part of the first "raid" on the army base many years ago. Both of them are helping Mike with his plans and organisation of the trespassing event to solve this mystery once and for all.

81.09


While we are here in West River, let's have a small look around the base. The village has grown a little bit, but is still under the Access's administration and taxroll. Folks here call it West River, but uptown they gave it the name of Valmore North. We will stick with West River until this is totally settled.

81.10


Just a few yards from there, new homes are invading the countryside and what once used to be on a "cul-de-sac" in the middle of nowhere, is today slowly being surrounded with residentials. The Roy Regional Slaughterhouse used to be alone in this location only a year ago. Now the road continues to the airport's northern industrial park. In Access' Townhall, a few complaints about the slaughterhouse have already been filed. Citizens complain that they hear the farmanimals all day long and some complain that it has "that smell of death". The owner of the slaughterhouse, Dennis Roy, says that he was here way before they even finished the darn highway and that he should have the privilege to stay. He didn't ask for any neighbors to build there, he mentioned in a short briefing with the council.
Mayor Bartlett finds that this is a delicate matter and says that he and his council need more time to think about it and find a rightful solution to the problem and for everyone.

81.11


It is quite understandable that their neighbors, which are less than 100 yards from the installation, feel kinda awkward to have a slaughterhouse in their neighborhood, but then again, why did they build here, when they knew about it before and had the choice of many other locations in the area?
If he needs to move, they better pay all the expenses, Roy says, including new installations and buildings.

81.12


Just outside the fences of the army and on the other side of the river, is the horsefarm of the Moarsen Family. Here horses of all trades are being bred and sold worldwide. Some say that they own more than 600 horses. We of course remember them from Access, where Mrs Moarsen still owns a lot of terrain in the town itself. With her boys , they run a farming buissness of more than 7 individual farms and with almost 5,000 acres of land in the valley since access to the public was granted. Sometime soon we will have a closer look at all of them at the same time with more details of the family's history and expansions. Today the Moarsen Family is well known and respected and they have powerful local and political infuences with authorities.

81.13


Another one who is quite active into farming is our soldier, Gregory Badger. Having his farm on the Sterling island, he cultivates veggies and small fruits there. We remember that he lately had opened a Vegetable and fruit stand on the island, which seems to be very profitable, because he just bought a chicken farm in West River with a small terrain in the back, filled with appletrees. By renting the house on this terrain to other people, Greg's payments for the whole farm does not become a heavy load on his shoulders. Now he has to hire another worker to take care of his chickens. Badger just formed a company with this, making sure that everything is covered by the company, just in case if he needs some professional financing. His Company name is "Badger Farms reg'd". His new girlfriend, the waitress from Barby's Biergarten, Jennifer Howitz, has quite agreed with the idea of the chicken farm. She likes farming also and can already be seen on saturday mornings on the island with her black rubber boots wandering through the fields in search of veggies that are ready to being harvested and to put on the market.

81.14


Not far from the West River's armybase is the original village of West River, now called Valmore Station since a decade and again fully under the Access's administration. Here is the old place of the lost pilot, Robert Sweathers, which seems now being totally abandonned. Mr Sweathers is in a old people's home by now, getting fed and taken care of. Since his failing liver and other health problems, his physical weakness did not allow him to continue the vegetable gardening he used to do on his land beside his ownmade home. His children, which come regularily visiting him in Access, do not really take care of his property neither, therefore leaving it to an uncertain fate.

81.15


Finally, I would like to mention that it seems like Guy Racsan has intentions to compete with T.S. Slye for rails. Having bought out a lot of land in between West River and Grasslake, he announced. The rails will be going through the airport area with a freight station in the industrial sector and end somewhere in Grasslake with another freight station, being able to deliver and ship goods to and from Grasslake. But why in the world did he choose Grasslake for, since Grasslake is a 98 % weekend home community with no industry and manufactures at all. Does he see something that we don't?. The connection is already done here in West River. As Racsan is not very open to the public with all his doings, nothing concrete has been found out yet. Mayor Bartlett said when asked about this matter, that Racsan can build a rail ten times around the town if he wants to, as long as he owns the land, and the rest of the municipality is not aware of his intentions neither.

81.16


That's it for today, there is another update already in the making. We will visit the newly discovered waterfalls in Holland, talk about some of our characters and go back to the Access's new commercial Center, which is just about to be finished. See you all soon and thanks for the encouraging comments. If you like the storyline and the pics, say so, it will make me eager to bring you better and more.

Remember, if you like any Nexis lots or BATs shown in any update and that are not available nowhere, just mentioned it and I will upload it to a host for you or send it by e-mail. I'll be back, and it won't be long.

Fred

[lak47]

Great, long update!    Was needed after a long break though!

The military base holds further secrets. Secret intentions, the plot thickens 

Regarding your LOTS and BATS, would love to have that slaughterhouse, and some of them log piles (all varieties) !! 

[threestooges]

Expansive update Fred, and rich with plenty of developments. All I can say is about Guy Rascan is that he'd better look forward to some fun competition in the railroading industry. Slye may never have worked in the field before, but if he can get a sawmill running, a railroad should operate on (somewhat) similar principles.

As for the rest, good to see the Ganoga Boys are back, and to a very surprising welcome. It'll also be interesting to see the highway continue to develop. Most of all though, I'll be interested to hear what comes of the next investigation into the military base (now that the lumber deliveries are slowing it's harder to come by second hand information.
-Matt

[nbvc]

Great work. I like the bridge construction.

[Will12]

Love it!

[Framly]

Great Story! I really like the construction site! The Slaughterhouse looks very realistic

Weiter so!

[carlfatal]

Sometimes it´s good to have to wait. This was a really huge update and aside from this army stuff very informative. When i saw the picture with the big farms (81.14) i thought about the past when all here was wilderness - now it´s mans land and only a few trees remained.
And good for the Ganoga Boys to have a friend they can trust. No wonder he´s a trainspotter... 
Sad to hear the news about the old Bob Sweathers. I thought he would become a hundred years old Methuselah when i read the first things about him. And i appreciate the new plans Mike has: sounds good as i still don´t believe the story about Porolium and everything else they say. I´ll keep my fingers crossed! 
And at least: if i would have the money like Mr. Rascan i would build railways everywhere. He must be a good guy! I for one will trust him.

Aside from that: cool pictures of the construction site, but also i like the first pic with the premier´s limo. And the overview is wonderful! 
Greetz, Carl
P.S.: i´ve used the function for spelling: Porolium don´t exist!   

[mrbisonm]

P.S.: i´ve used the function for spelling: Porolium don´t exist!   

Of course it exists, Carl.
Here is what I found in the Dictionary of the Access Library in the Townhall.

** POROLIUM** , also known as "Messivial Gas", quite poisonous and deadly when inhaled for a period of time.
Porolium gas or PM-23 (Scientific Molecular Formula: C6P11n4O2Y)  is a toxic chemical substance. It is an almost clear, greenish, and tasteless liquid with a faint onion like odor. It is classified as a nerve agent because it fatally interferes with normal functioning of the mammalian nervous system.
Fires involving this chemical may result in the formation of hydrogen cyanide, which is clearly deadly to any lifeform as known.
Porolium was first discovered by Jacob Masserhand (Dutch Immigrant) in 1724 in the mountainous area between Halo and Roy in Simland.
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/2665/largesimlandmap.png
Only very small harmless quantities were found at the time. After a certain amount of deaths, it became illegal to exploit these gases in 1887 by Federal Law.
It is not used for anything yet.
Porolium can only be found in Simland.

You see? I got some proof here that it exists!


Hey thanks folks for all the comments. I am glad that still after a long wait like this, the journal has not been forgotten.
I am quite busy sometimes irl and it seems to come in waves. I never know when it hits.

lak47, I attached a link at the end of this post with the lotfile for the slaughterhouse. Anyone may use it, if they can . Since I play with a lot of props and textures (believe me.....many!), it might contain a few props that you do not have (for you to find out). I have no idea how to know the dependencies of this lot.
Please do not redistribute and mention "Nexis" and/or my name when asked for. You may post a link to this page and post. Thanks for the respect.

threestooges, I think that Slye will make it again, but what exactly Racsan is up to, I have no idea yet, no one actually seems to know, maybe just a short lane to move his products around?
The continuing of the highway construction will surely be shown again here, as soon as it hits the area of the Brokentree, only a few miles north.
Thanks for the comment.

nbvc, glad that you like the construction site and I am also glad you commented.

Will12, glad you dropped in again.

Framly, glad to see you here.... ja, ich mach's weiter!

carlfatal, nice comment, proves that you follow the story quite intensively. Yeah, the forests are slowly disappearing, but that is the sixties, every one needs to take what is available and get rich with it. Resources are taken as they are available. The famrs did not reach the mountainous lands yet, it seems.
Sweathers is not feeling too well, ever when they found him, his health went downhill, maybe they should have driven the highway on the other side of the river and never found him, maybe it would have been better for him, who knows? Thanks for dropping in again.

Thanks again folks. I should be back in a few days, at latest the coming weekend. Update 82 is already written , but again I have to take the pictures now.

Fred


Oupsss, forgot to include the link for the slaughterhouse. I will see if I can find the logpiles also, somehow forgot how I named them.....

slaughterhouse......at your own risk. Not exactly sure, but it should be in the Park or LM menu.

http://www66.zippyshare.com/v/62626428/file.html

[lak47]

Oupsss, forgot to include the link for the slaughterhouse. I will see if I can find the logpiles also, somehow forgot how I named them.....

slaughterhouse......at your own risk. Not exactly sure, but it should be in the Park or LM menu.

http://www66.zippyshare.com/v/62626428/file.html

Thanks Fred, much appreciated! I love your work, useful, and good looking at the same time. I now, am going to gather most of your work from STEX. Time for some serious downloading 

[dedgren]

Fred, a fine update.  The WRP is only the latest production in your long history of being one of the most all-around talented members of the community.  A well-deserved K-point, if for no other  reason, than on general principles.

Looking forward to you being here more often.


David