Volcanoes and things

[Dave Grubb]

An amazing look inside an active volcano.

[CactusCurt]

Volcanos....tomatoes. Hmmm, never noticed it was spelled that way.

One of the coolest places I have been was the volcano on the big island. The whole smoke and fog drifting thru the rainforest thing and the aroma of sulpher dioxide. Of course it's completely different from what you posted and The Man won't let you get near the lava, but its still a magical place.

[wacojoe]

We’ve visited some of the Hawaii volcanos and Vesuvius, but our most memorable close-up was Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica. The tourist hotel there is located at the foot of the classic cone volcano and access to it is by a miles long sorry gravel road. When we were there the thing was continuously rumbling, smoking, belching lava explosions and huge lava-bomb boulders that rolled down the side of the cone. On top of that the tour guides were quick to tell that only a few years before a minor eruption had caught some ill-advised tourists with one of those bombs and killed them. Years earlier, a small village was exterminated by the thing.

The display at night was spectacular...too spectacular for my wife who could not sleep all night expecting the monster to erupt big time at any moment, and she kept awakening me with her fears, while she could not take her eyes off it. It calmed her just a bit when I pointed out there was a large gulch at the base of the volcano between the summit crater and the hotel, which would catch a lava flow. I did not point out that the gulch would be little to no protection from a pyroclastic flow, should that occur and that the bad road would severely hinder any speedy escape. She wants no part of volcano visits anymore. I’m still in...they are fascinating — nature extremitatus. Ask the Pompeiians.

[Truckman]

— nature extremitatus. Ask the Pompeiians.

I was at Pompeii shortly after the serious excavation began...I thought it was fascinating looking at the plaster casts they had made of the ash cavities...Seeing walking dogs crossing the street, and people still asleep or sitting down eating made me realize how quickly disaster can strike...Sometimes when Mama Nature gets her back up, there is no escape......Ben

[wacojoe]

Evidence & theory of the manner in which Vesuvius victims met their grisly fates —

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/s...rain-to-glass/

[UTAH]

Yes, volcanos are something to see.

I've done the Pompeii and Hawaii excursions - scary but wonderful. There're also some great hikes through the lava tubes in Hawaii.

Hunter

[FredK]

Lived 60 miles west of the St Helen's one. Used to have customers living along the river when I was doing water conditioning sales and service. One day great the next complete destruction. Think the second or third blast actually floated some ash our way. Years later lived in Yakima, Wa and the ash would show up in piles as no one knew what to do with it. Some jewelers started making St. Helen's stones which is a really bright green from it.

Guess like the elephant depends on where you were when you check out a volcano.

[TriGuy]

Me at 10,000' plus on Cassaval Ridge on the flank of Mt Shasta (14,174')

[Truckman]

Me at 10,000' plus on Cassaval Ridge on the flank of Mt Shasta (14,174')

Obviously a misidentification...That guy had hair......Ben

[UTAH]

That guy had hair...

Ahhh… tough room!

Hunter

[TriGuy]

I still have hair it's just a little further back on the head but I got into the habit of shaving my head in the fire department as it was much cooler that way under the helmets and it also worked under my bike helmets so I never have stopped shaving it. Plus I like the way I look bald and it makes me look very scary when I get pissed off which keeps **** from snowballing in shady areas of certain towns.