A) 
B) 
C) 
D) 
E) 
F) 
G) 
H) 
And your choices are:
1) Arizona
2) Colorado
3) Idaho
4) Montana
5) Nevada
6) New Mexico
7) Utah
8) Wyoming
Some states may occur more than once. Some may not occur at all.
Match the (Bullet-Riddled) Rusty Wreck to Its Home State
And your choices are:
A =
And your choices are:
A = Montana
B = Idaho, and awesome
C = Nevada
D = Arizona
E = Arizona, or the Massai Mara
F = Nevada
G = New Mexico
H = Montana again
Are the chances of me getting this 100% wrong the same as me getting it 100% right? I was never any good at probability, but I think they are.
I think that may be so
kevin and jon
are neck and neck. Anyone else? Anyone?
I am waiting for R. John to come in and answer OHIO for all 8. Actually, I would like for every participant to compose a brief essay explaining the reasoning behind each of their choices, but that might be expecting too much.
I think I've been to all
I think I've been to all these states. So here is my expert reasoning.
A. Everything is orderly. There's a wall, a handrail, the car wrecks are standing upright and there's an orange art deco gas pump. This is obviously the work of mormons. Mormons can be anywhere but I put my money on Utah to be safe.
B. Flat plains, the car's on blocks. Has to be Wyoming. It is a square and everything in the state is square.
C. The mountain in the background looks like some of the steep hills they have around Provo, so I went with Utah. Although my second guess would be Wyoming.
D. The dirt looks like Arizona dirt. And abandoned cars get that twisted red look in Arizona. Plus the pile of sticks looks to be the doings of a meth addict.
E. Buffalo, Wyoming. They have those buffalo plains or something right.
F. Another beat up red car, has to be arizona. That bit of water trickling through is considered a raging river in Arizona. Looks like a VW bug. Probably some mexicans trying to get a close look at some water and got stuck and nobody would help them.
G. This one had me guessing. I went to Idaho because of the sharp tree line and nothing more.
H. I think those are ponderosa pines in the background. Maybe not. I'm no botanist. But New Mexico is pretty coniferous. And that kind of vehicle is the kind and condition one would likely find in New Mexico. It looks like a nice place.
it's completely unfair to you
But now I kind of want to keep this thing going. Rules clarification: any participant is welcome to change any of their answers until voting closes. I guess I need to pick a firm deadline for any of this to mean anything. I just don't want to exclude anybody. I mean, there are people who only check this board once every couple of weeks.
commentary on jon's post
A. Everything is orderly. There's a wall, a handrail, the car wrecks are standing upright and there's an orange art deco gas pump. This is obviously the work of mormons. Mormons can be anywhere but I put my money on Utah to be safe.
Impeccable reasoning. I can only note that the safe choice is not always the correct choice.
B. Flat plains, the car's on blocks. Has to be Wyoming. It is a square and everything in the state is square.
I will all but give this away, but note that this thing has been prepared as if it were some sort of museum installation. Where do you find this kind of commodity fetishism?
C. The mountain in the background looks like some of the steep hills they have around Provo, so I went with Utah. Although my second guess would be Wyoming.
I'm amazed at all the guesswork going on. To me it seems that this one should be brutally obvious.
D. The dirt looks like Arizona dirt. And abandoned cars get that twisted red look in Arizona. Plus the pile of sticks looks to be the doings of a meth addict.
Again, can't fault the logic -- but what's more Arizona than Arizona?
E. Buffalo, Wyoming. They have those buffalo plains or something right.
Or did.
F. Another beat up red car, has to be arizona. That bit of water trickling through is considered a raging river in Arizona. Looks like a VW bug. Probably some mexicans trying to get a close look at some water and got stuck and nobody would help them.
This is why I wanted essays.
G. This one had me guessing. I went to Idaho because of the sharp tree line and nothing more.
It's a very good guess. Also I am guilty of fudging this one because to all appearances it is in good running order and not a wreck at all. But I wanted it in here.
H. I think those are ponderosa pines in the background. Maybe not. I'm no botanist. But New Mexico is pretty coniferous. And that kind of vehicle is the kind and condition one would likely find in New Mexico. It looks like a nice place.
I'm amazed about two things: 1) finding a vehicle of this kind and condition where I did. 2) that you think New Mexico is a nice place.
I've never even been to most of these states
Oh well.
A - Montana. I think this one can only be either Montana or Idaho because of the vegetation shown. The lush, weedy plants seem more like those that would spring up (away from an obvious water source) in places that are slightly less arid and almost humid, even. I'm thinking that vegetation looks of the humid, continental climate zone, and Montana is closer to that zone than Idaho, so Montana is my answer.
B - Colorado. I'm assuming, then, this museum-like picturesque cutesiness is found in Colorado.
C - New Mexico. I'm sticking with this one as it's monsoon season and, having both driven through and stayed in New Mexico during monsoon season, I can say with certainty that this is how it looks. Plus, I think that is orangish/redish soil but its vividness is dulled by the cloud cover.
D - Arizona. I mean, I'm sure that the only thing more Arizona than Arizona is Arizona. I'm assuming.
E - Utah. Wyoming seems obvious, but Arizona seemed obvious for the last one. Maybe these are all tricks? I'm assuming here once again, but mostly based on your logic. Since D is quite clearly Arizona-like, and this one is quite clearly Wyoming-like, I'm going to ASSUME that this is the one that is then meant to totally throw us off. And I'm sure Utah also has a bison population. Actually, most of these states probably do. This one was a complete guess.
F - Arizona. This actually does look like it was taken in maybe central Arizona in the higher elevations. Not like Flagstaff, but further south.
G - Idaho. Come to think of it, I can't say I've ever seen a landscape quite like this ... my mental picture of Idaho is the vaguest, so I will go with Idaho.
H - Colorado. I like the ponderosa pine observation, but I associate those more with Colorado.
A)
Jon said:
Everything is orderly. There's a wall, a handrail, the car wrecks are standing upright and there's an orange art deco gas pump. This is obviously the work of mormons. Mormons can be anywhere but I put my money on Utah to be safe.
and later: Colorado
Greg said:
Montana. I think this one can only be either Montana or Idaho because of the vegetation shown. The lush, weedy plants seem more like those that would spring up (away from an obvious water source) in places that are slightly less arid and almost humid, even. I'm thinking that vegetation looks of the humid, continental climate zone, and Montana is closer to that zone than Idaho, so Montana is my answer.
while Steve also guessed Montana and Kevin went for Wyoming.
Sadly, you were all wrong. The correct answer is NEW MEXICO, to be specific in the semi-ghost town of Mogollon up in the Gila National Forest. New Mexico has montane vegetation, and possibly Mormons? Who knew?!
B)
Jon said:
B. Flat plains, the car's on blocks. Has to be Wyoming. It is a square and everything in the state is square, but later revised to Arizona.
Greg initially went with Nevada, then followed up with Colorado. I'm assuming, then, this museum-like picturesque cutesiness is found in Colorado.
Steve called it for Idaho, while Kevin went with Utah.
This round goes to Stoopid Jonny's second guess; it's ARIZONA.
This is actually a curatorial installation, part of the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert National Park, commemorating Old U.S. 66, just north of present-day I-40.C)
You guys were inexplicably stymied by this one. Jon said The mountain in the background looks like some of the steep hills they have around Provo, so I went with Utah. Although my second guess would be Wyoming, while Greg insisted that having both driven through and stayed in New Mexico during monsoon season, I can say with certainty that this is how it looks. Plus, I think that is orangish/redish soil but its vividness is dulled by the cloud cover. Steve said it was Nevada, while Kevin went with Arizona.
Kevin wins. It is, again, ARIZONA, in the backwoods Rez wilderness north of Joseph City and just east of 87, near Rotten Bananas Butte. I have a dozen more wrecked cars where this came from.
Once you gave the hint about
B. Once you gave the hint about the car being displayed, I knew it had to be something along Route 66.
C. I agree with Kevin about New Mexico looking like that, particularly off the interstate west of Albuquerque. They have that low green scrub and perpetually haunted look. But Provo does have some nipple-esque topography. I would have never guessed Arizona.
d)
Fun times here. Arizona remained everyone's top choice, even given the opportunity to change answers. Jon states categorically that The dirt looks like Arizona dirt. And abandoned cars get that twisted red look in Arizona. Plus the pile of sticks looks to be the doings of a meth addict, while Greg said I'm sure that the only thing more Arizona than Arizona is Arizona. I'm assuming.
Given this stunning display of unanimity, surely you all got it right? No. It's UTAH,
on a back trail west of Goblin Valley State Park that ultimately feeds out to I-70. I was struck by the fact that -- much as in Arizona -- you can still find bullet-riddled car wrecks over forty miles from anything like a paved or generally navigable road. After investigating the corpse I guess it to have been a Chevy truck of early-to-mid '50s vintage, but it disclosed no further secrets. Some hapless uranium prospector ambushed by Red agents? You all get an honorable mention, though -- it's a very Arizonan tableau, and anyway Arizona should annex all the South Utah Canyonlands when the war comes; Utah doesn't deserve them.how
I would have never guessed Arizona.
Well, I guess technically it is the autonomous Navajo Nation, which even runs on Daylight Savings Time to prove its independence from Arizona. But we all know white man wears the pants in this relationship.
E)
This was the ringer, and, I thought, the gimme. This magnificent beast was lounging by a boiling mud hole in no other place than Yellowstone National Park, WYOMING. Some margins of Yellowstone are in Montana. But this was Wyoming. Jon for the win.
F)
Jon said Another beat up red car, has to be arizona. That bit of water trickling through is considered a raging river in Arizona. Looks like a VW bug. Probably some mexicans trying to get a close look at some water and got stuck and nobody would help them. Greg commented that This actually does look like it was taken in maybe central Arizona in the higher elevations. Not like Flagstaff, but further south, after initially guessing Montana. Kevin went with Colorado; Steve guessed Nevada.
...and everybody loses. Tickled as I am that bullet holes and extreme decrepitude signify Arizona to many, this objet d'art is actually located in Owhyee (I like saying this) County of southwest IDAHO, not far from Silver City and War Eagle Mountain, unhallowed site of the Prospector Wars. That montane vegetation is a sure stumper!
---
This was the ringer, and, I thought, the gimme. This magnificent beast was lounging by a boiling mud hole in no other place than Yellowstone National Park, WYOMING.
So typical. I knew what you were doing here, but I took the Arizona-like Utah shot as being the gimme, and this one as the trick gimme, not vice versa. DID I EVEN GET ONE CORRECT?!
G)
I think this is a mine hauling-equipment-and-substances thingy, but it might as easily be some misplaced amphibious vehicle. Jon located it in Idaho because of the sharp tree line and nothing more, while Greg also shifted to Idaho from Colorado: my mental picture of Idaho is the vaguest, so I will go with Idaho. Kevin went with Montana, Steve with New Mexico.
This mystery machine is actually parked in midtown Manhattan, NEVADA. I took a bunch of other pix of the Manhattan Bar and Manhattan Fire Dept. and so forth but they would have been sure giveaways.
H)
While Jon and Steve called it for New Mexico, Greg for Colorado and Kevin for Montana, this remarkably intact International Harvester tanker truck is tucked away in the piney highlands of southwest UTAH,
above Zion NP and south of Cedar Breaks. I don't know how and why it got up there via a treacherous and winding dirt road, nor did I check the tank for fifty-year-old gas.Bonus photos!
The winner, the losers
Stu-Jo FTW with 2 of 8 correct. KPunk in 2nd with 1. Steep, as he himself predicted, had an even chance of getting the test 100% wrong, and took it. Paranoid Rat takes the booby prize for not only getting them all wrong initially, but also getting them all wrong again on his subsequent revision.
Acute observers will have noticed that the missing states were Montana and Colorado. I'm sure there are wrecked cars in Montana but I did not see any noteworthy enough to stop and take pictures of, although I now regret not stopping to document the wrecked trains of Nevada City. And I didn't even go through Colorado on this trip. Joke's on you!
Thanks to everybody who played and no thanks to everybody who didn't.
-
I didn't get a chance to update my list because I was traveling down to Florida to see my parents. But well played, Johnny. Congratulations. And I have never been to any of those states (except Montana), so I was totally guessing out of my ass.
And Greg, you think you are the persecuted loser? I am currently visiting my PARENTS. In FLORIDA.
?
Steep, as he himself predicted, had an even chance of getting the test 100% wrong, and took it.
Yeah, but I've been mulling this over. Initially we agreed that my odds to get it %100 correct were also 1 in 2.
But see, if I'd gotten it %100 correct, that would have been entirely remarkable. But seeing as I got it %100 wrong, that seemed quite normal.
I dunno if that is probability or just life.
Joined: 2007-09-14
Location: