Challenge 1

[dedgren]

The region view:



The single pic, which is "E" Quad.



These pics are "PhotoShopped" (actually "PaintShop Pro'd") to the extent that I have lightened and sharpened them to bring the details out.  If this is not okay (I reread the rules, like, 50 times and am still not sure), just let me know- I've kept the originals.

The explanation:

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The border between Nova Columbia and Lankota just west of Great Voyageur Sea is demarcated by the middle of the mighty Harrison River, which has flowed over 400 miles/640 kilometers from its sources in the lofty peaks of the Western Mountains.  Nova Columbia, to the south of the river, may be one of the world's great economic powers, but this far north its landscape is one of fields and small towns.  Lankota, by contrast, is thinly settled here, with much of the land in the area outside of the major town of Belle Plaines and the industrial area along the seashore being still covered with forest.  Along the northern edge of the region the low mountains and hills of the mineral-rich Obsidian Range dominate the skyline.  The region on both sides of the Harrison is historically called by residents "The Borderlands."

This area is crossed by two transportation routes, one road and one rail, of significance to both countries.  The road is International Route (IR) 10, which connects Fairbairn, the capital of Lankota, to Oswego Harbor, Nova Columbia's sixth largest urban area.  IR 10 runs from the southeast to the northwest, and generally, from the point where it reaches the Blaine River across from the base of Monolith Hill, follows the old track of the corduroy road used by early settlers traveling north into Lankota in territorial days.  East of Monolith Hill, IR 10 cuts a straight line across wheat and milo fields until taking a sharp turn to the south on reaching the tracks of the Oswego & Northwestern railroad line, which it then parallels in leaving the area.  In Nova Columbia, IR 10 is an asphalt paved "Class II" road, with 14 foot/4.2 meter-wide lanes.  There are two major bridges south of the border, the first being a 500 foot/155 meter span over the Blaine River, and the second the new  high steel arch bridge, 560 feet/172 meters in length, over the Harrison River's south channel onto Little Camas Island.  This bridge replaced the South Channel Ferry in 1997 and is high enough, with its deck 90 feet/27 meters above the river, to allow large barges to travel upstream to the docks at Belle Plaines.  A third bridge, a Howe Truss dating back to the 1930s, crosses the middle channel of the Harrison and the international border between Little Camas and Great Camas Islands.

Once in Lankota, IR 10, which degrades to a narrow (10 foot/3 meter lanes with unimproved shoulders) chip-seal paved road, runs to the west on Great Camas Island, crossing the Harrison's shallow north channel on culverts just before reaching Belle Plaines.  Here, it also crosses the O&N.  The road heads north out of Belle Plaines, then turns to the northwest on reaching Aspen Ridge.  IR 10 crosses the East Fork of the Bonne Chase River at the northern end of the ridge, then skirts the base of Wood Buffalo Mountain until it reaches the flats on the north side of the West Fork, where it exits the Borderlands to the 200 miles/320 kilometers remaining before reaching Fairbairn.

The other transportation route is the aforementioned O&N, which was created when the Nova Columbia Rail Authority (ColRail) constructed a line north from Oswego Harbor in 1962 to connect with the existing Great Voyageur Mines Railroad.  This latter line connected the smelters on the seashore to the silver and lead mines that dot the Obsidian Range.  The two countries cooperated (with, of course, Nova Terra bearing the lion's share of the cost) in making the entire line dual track and in constructing the Harrison Outlet Rail Tunnel, a half-mile/900 meter long rail tunnel under the river just west of its mouth.  The Lankota portion of the O&N follows, with some improvements, the former line of the GVMRR west along the Harrison River's north shore to Belle Plaines, and then north-northwest after crossing the Bonne Chase River along the west bank of that river and its west fork into the heart of the mining district and on to Fairbairn.
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David

0

[mrbisonm]

No problems with the photoshopping......everything in order.



Now that you posted your pictures, you are not allowed to change anything anymore. We made copies and judge the originals only.

We also will not make any comments in this thread besides the judging once it is finished by Wednesday next week, but we will make useful and friendly comments in your regular thread of GRV. Points will be given 3 to 4 days after the challenge is finished and will be posted in the Pointage Sheet.
Also your points only together with an explanation and comments why we gave you these points, will be posted here at the end of this challenge.

mrb/lynncanox

[Pat]

David simply breathtaken!!!

[quackmofro]

Man, David, you're a real storyteller. The details are so interesting to read!

[mrbisonm]

First of all let us congratulate You. You have made it through the first Mayor's test.
On the picture below, circles with letters will indicate what was important in your region for this challenge. If we say we don't like or we like, it doesn't mean that it's the same for others. We are judging to our lknowledge and what would be the most logical thing to do in our opinion, remember this.

A.  Building a road over a mountain range is more likely to be avoided when other choices present themselves. The cost of building them plu the maintenace cost is higher.
B.  Although well thought for the construction and the beauty, building two bridges where only one would have done the same job for less, wasn't a good idea.
C.  This is not so good....lol. Three bridges for the price of one? No, not a good idea, although it looks very nice especially the way you rode along a good distance on the big island.(I luv it), but looking for the expenses and maintenance it is not a good idea.
D, G and F. were all good choices.
E.  Because the way you followed the river we liked a lot, we gave you 6 points for a generally Good job. Congratulations and good luck with your next update.


Lynn and Fred