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#294395 - 27/02/2007 19:06 Bridge Over the River Google
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
I am cross-posting this from my LiveJournal, because the general internet brain trust isn't working for me, and the empeg brain trust is often quite helpful:

Hereoes episode 17, "Company Man", aired Monday Feb 26, 2007. Several scenes prominently feature a bridge. A single arch concrete span with two lanes.

When viewing the episode, I was certain it was the Foresthill bridge near Auburn, CA, which was used at the beginning of the Vin Diesel movie "XXX". It seems my personal memory of the Foresthill bridge was wrong, because the Foresthill bridge is actually all steel with split lanes.

A bunch of obsessive and unhealthy googling followed.

I see that the bridge looks architecturally the most like the Bixby Creek Bridge on CA highway 1. However, the countryside doesn't exactly match what's seen in the episode (although it's close).

If you freezeframe the episode in highdef, you can read a roadsign near the bridge which reads "Odessa 40 Midland 55 Big Spring 225". I assumed they faked the sign because they wanted you to think the bridge was really in Texas. Also, if you look at a map of Odessa, you see that Big Spring is quite close to Odessa, and there's no way it could be that far off on any highway sign.

No resolution yet. Anyone got an idea of which bridge was used in the episode? This is a completely odd and unhealthy obsession that I've got going here, and I need closure.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#294396 - 27/02/2007 19:38 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
I'm seeing what I can do, Tony. I just wanted to reply and mention that it was a great episode. Normally, in this show, I'm not at all engrossed in these characters on a personal level, but that episode was an exception.
_________________________
Matt

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#294397 - 27/02/2007 20:59 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
Mach
old hand

Registered: 15/07/2002
Posts: 828
Loc: Texas, USA
No answer but more pics

http://heroeswiki.com/The_bridge

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#294398 - 28/02/2007 04:55 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
matthew_k
pooh-bah

Registered: 12/02/2002
Posts: 2298
Loc: Berkeley, California
Definitely not bixby creek. The railing is wrong, the arch isn't tall enough, and it doesn't have the larger support towers on either side. After growing up in the area, I can't help but notice every time it turns up in a car commercial, which tends to happen every other year or so.

Support towers

railing

It's closer to the Rocky Creek Bridge, but that's still not it...

Matthew

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#294399 - 28/02/2007 05:06 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Mach]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Thanks for joining in my obession, guys.

I'm tempted to add a deliberately incorrect entry about its real location to the Wiki just to spur others to make a correction and thus find out which bridge it really was.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#294400 - 28/02/2007 12:13 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
Tony, I believe this is your bridge. I believe it's called the Big Tujunga Narrows Bridge, and it apparently spans part of the "Big Tujunga Canyon" on the Angeles Forest Highway.

The only problem I have is that the Google Maps shot doesn't seem to match the images I was able to find here and here. The images seem to show the road curving much more sharply at either end of the bridge.

But that's all I was able to find.
_________________________
Matt

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#294401 - 28/02/2007 12:38 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Dignan]
Mach
old hand

Registered: 15/07/2002
Posts: 828
Loc: Texas, USA
Yup, great find!

...Original



Attachments
295068-Bridge.jpg (288 downloads)


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#294402 - 28/02/2007 12:41 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Dignan]
Mach
old hand

Registered: 15/07/2002
Posts: 828
Loc: Texas, USA


Attachments
295069-big_tujunga_arch.jpg (660 downloads)


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#294403 - 28/02/2007 13:54 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Dignan]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Dignan, you nailed it. You are amazing. Someone go add it to the Heroes Wiki (I've got too much work to do today).

How'd you find it?
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#294404 - 28/02/2007 13:58 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Mach]
Mach
old hand

Registered: 15/07/2002
Posts: 828
Loc: Texas, USA
Here's the one that you linked to on the google map.


http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&a...p;scene=6689983

but I was wondering if this isn't it.


http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&a...p;scene=6704044

The road curves the right way and you can see where they would have setup the crane shot.

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#294405 - 28/02/2007 14:07 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
Quote:
Dignan, you nailed it. You are amazing. Someone go add it to the Heroes Wiki (I've got too much work to do today).

How'd you find it?

I really can't claim credit. I figured that if anyone knew, it would be the TV geeks at the Television Without Pity forums. I posted your question in there, and one person replied saying that in the commentary track (you can find commentaries on the NBC website), the creators mentioned that the bridge was in the Big Tujunga Canyon. But that's where their contribution ended. Then I spent a little bit of time searching to find the bridge's name and scanning the roads in that area on Google Earth (and Maps)
_________________________
Matt

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#294406 - 28/02/2007 16:22 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
Quote:
Someone go add it to the Heroes Wiki

Done.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk

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#294407 - 28/02/2007 17:44 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Dignan]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Dignan: Awesome. During my search, I noticed that NBC has commentary for some of the shows on their web site, and I thought possibly that it would be in there, but didn't have time to check.

Bitt: Thanks.

You folks are awesome.

Back to work with me.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#294408 - 28/02/2007 17:55 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
blitz
addict

Registered: 20/11/2001
Posts: 455
Loc: Texas
I assume you can't post a screen cap of the road sign showing the mileages to Odessa, Midland and Big Spring... or can you?

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#294409 - 28/02/2007 18:24 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: blitz]
Mach
old hand

Registered: 15/07/2002
Posts: 828
Loc: Texas, USA
http://heroeswiki.com/Image:Bridge_sign.jpg

After all this, I'm actually going to have to watch the show.

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#294410 - 28/02/2007 18:45 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Mach]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
Some interesting things about that mileage sign:

- It's probably only readable in the high definition broadcast of the show. Standard def would have been too low-rez I think. The framegrab at the wiki is from the high def version.

- It's readable for exactly one frame. All other frames were too blurred when I was going frame-by-frame on my Tivo.

- It's definitely faked because that road really isn't in Texas (as we now know for sure).

- It's obviously faked because there's no way that those mileages could work. Look at a map of those three towns and see how far apart they are. The distance between Odessa and Midland is plausible, but Big Spring is way too close to both Odess and Midland for it to come out to 225. Unless the road takes a significant detour.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#294411 - 28/02/2007 19:14 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
tanstaafl.
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5539
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
Quote:
- It's probably only readable in the high definition broadcast of the show.


Correct. Well, maybe... I have my TiVo defaulted to record everything at the lowest resolution (it's only a 30-hour hard drive) and it definitely was not readable on that. I doubt that a higher-res setting on the TiVo would have done it either.

Also, I am recording to TiVo from local TV stations through an antenna on my roof, not the recipe for greatest clarity. My premise is that there isn't anything on network TV worthy of being recorded at higher resolution, and since I don't have time to watch everything TiVo records anyway, there isn't much point in subscribing to cable.

tanstaafl.
_________________________
"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

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#294412 - 28/02/2007 19:38 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tanstaafl.]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
Wow. That's strange. I find the all the TiVo resolutions other than best quality unwatchable.

My premise is that storage is cheap. There's no reason not to drop a 500 gig drive in there and watch everything with as good quality as possible (unless your TiVo is still under warranty.)

Also, both of my last two cable providers offer a lineup that they do not advertise, nor do they list it in any of their lineup lists. Last I had it, they called it "Broadcast Basic." It's basically just the first 20 channels of their lineup, analog only. It's $13 with TimeWarner in our area and I think it was only $11 with Adelphia before the switch. You might want to check to see if your cable provider offers something similar.

To limit your channels, they simply screw a little adapter on the cable up at the pole that limits the frequency range on your drop.
_________________________
~ John

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#294413 - 28/02/2007 20:34 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: JBjorgen]
tanstaafl.
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5539
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
Quote:
Wow. That's strange. I find the all the TiVo resolutions other than best quality unwatchable.


Odd. The few times I've recorded at higher quality, I didn't see an appreciable difference. To give an idea of what quality I am watching... on Tony's sign, I could see the words (long words vs short words) but not make out the letters. That's good enough for me.

Quote:
My premise is that storage is cheap. There's no reason not to drop a 500 gig drive in there and watch everything with as good quality as possible.


Well, maybe... but having only 30 hours available forces me to watch the good stuff first, and delete programs (to make room for more good stuff) that I would otherwise waste time watching if they were available. I don't have anything like a home theater setup -- just an old Akai 27" CRT in the bedroom.

Quote:
It's $13 with TimeWarner in our area and I think it was only $11 with Adelphia before the switch.


I had to chuckle at that. Where I live, the cable/satellite companies won't even talk to you for less than $40 or $50 a month. Captive market. Last time I checked, the subdivision where I live was served only by a small independent company with probably fewer than 1,000 subscribers.

I would like to subscribe to cable to get Discovery, History, and Speed channels. Nothing else interests me all that much, and those three combined don't interest me $50 a month worth.

tanstaafl.
_________________________
"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

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#294414 - 28/02/2007 23:23 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tanstaafl.]
JBjorgen
carpal tunnel

Registered: 19/01/2002
Posts: 3582
Loc: Columbus, OH
Quote:
Where I live, the cable/satellite companies won't even talk to you for less than $40 or $50 a month

Like I said, they don't want people to know about it here either. You have to call and specifically ask about it. It's worth a call...you might be surprised.
_________________________
~ John

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#294415 - 02/03/2007 05:15 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
IM comments by GF when shown this thread:

lord above.
It's like a magic trick!
'Is this your bridge?'


My response:
The Empeg BBS is like that.
Insert question, out comes correct answer.


You guys are awesome.
_________________________
Tony Fabris

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#294416 - 02/03/2007 17:54 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
Dignan
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12318
Loc: Sterling, VA
For me it's gotten to the point where, if my fiancee or parents have a question that they've given up trying to find the answer to, they'll tell me to post it here That's why I started those question threads. I feel bad about posting so many questions, so at the very least I try to keep the simpler ones all in one thread
_________________________
Matt

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#294417 - 02/03/2007 18:48 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Dignan]
Mach
old hand

Registered: 15/07/2002
Posts: 828
Loc: Texas, USA
SWMBO comes home with a new vacuum. I take one look at it and say "No, no, not that brand you want a Dyson."

Her: "How would you know?"

Me: "Guys on the Empeg BBS said so."

Vacuum went back.

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#294418 - 02/03/2007 21:40 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Mach]
hybrid8
carpal tunnel

Registered: 12/11/2001
Posts: 7738
Loc: Toronto, CANADA
Damn these threads tread into all sorts of subjects...

As an aside, Dyson released two new vacuums recently. So far one of them is only available in Canada and the other in Canada and the UK. Both will be available in the US soon.

The DC21 is a new cylinder (canister) very similar to the DC8 but with a new motorized brush bar.

The DC18 is a new slim upright with similar technology to the DC15 Ball.

The US got their own upright model, the DC17, a few months ago that isn't available anywhere else - not really sure why it's needed in the current range.

Canada has also now (finally) been upgraded to the 5 year warranty plan. Doesn't help me with my US-bought DC11 though. Its two year warranty has already lapsed.

Bruno
_________________________
Bruno
Twisted Melon : Fine Mac OS Software

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#372840 - 05/06/2020 00:33 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: Mach]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Originally Posted By: Mach
SWMBO comes home with a new vacuum.


Same SWMBO as in France? Erin?

(Hi Alvin! Long time since last contact)

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#372841 - 05/06/2020 22:19 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: mlord]
jmwking
old hand

Registered: 27/02/2003
Posts: 768
Loc: Washington, DC metro
Originally Posted By: mlord
Originally Posted By: Mach
SWMBO comes home with a new vacuum.


Same SWMBO as in France? Erin?

(Hi Alvin! Long time since last contact)


That post was from ages ago...

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#372842 - 05/06/2020 23:19 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: tfabris]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Right. Should have noticed. I wonder why the thread showed up as "recently posted to?"

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#372843 - 05/06/2020 23:31 Re: Bridge Over the River Google [Re: mlord]
elperepat
enthusiast

Registered: 11/01/2002
Posts: 211
Loc: Qc, Canada
Maybe you followed the link in this post Tony made yesterday.
_________________________
Patrick

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