Let's see where this little ravine takes me
- Thread starter Alec Turner
- Start date
Back on track I was heading south towards the Celestial Signpost when my interest was piqued by the dark peak to my left; Black Rock called.
Aren't the colours getting a bit NMS?
So, a bad day at Black Rock.
How shall I climb thee?
Let me count the ways.
Not the right summit, but, eventually . . .
Later, back to the discipline and a barrier right across the path. It's man and machine v. mountain.
Again.
Aren't the colours getting a bit NMS?
So, a bad day at Black Rock.
How shall I climb thee?
Let me count the ways.
Not the right summit, but, eventually . . .
Later, back to the discipline and a barrier right across the path. It's man and machine v. mountain.
Again.
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Meanwhile, back down on the equator (0.3°,-132.2°) it's dark again. but despite that a fairly screenshot heavy update from me.
The parent gas giant is now high in the sky above me.
I'm heading towards a mountain range I spotted yesterday. Initially little more than a gap in the night vision's horizon line, after a while my target becomes clear.
I manage to bound up at least 3/4 of the peak using all the forward momentum I've picked up but the last stage turns into something of a climb.
Well worth it for the view tho' and as you can see in the next two images (one looking back West and the other looking East) the rings of the gas giant now stretch from one side of the sky to the other.
The sky above is actually full of wonders. We have the ever present milky way ..
.. and also a nearby nebula.
I manage to scale a number of peaks in this mountain range but it's only as I'm base jumping back down off the back that I realise there's a crater mound nestled at its base. Interesting ... I wonder where the crater is then?
I'm going to wait for some daylight to properly illuminate what must be a fairly spectacular landscape but for now I finish by gathering materials and then ascending to the peak of the crater mound.
Number of escape capsules currently retrieved: 11
The parent gas giant is now high in the sky above me.
I'm heading towards a mountain range I spotted yesterday. Initially little more than a gap in the night vision's horizon line, after a while my target becomes clear.
I manage to bound up at least 3/4 of the peak using all the forward momentum I've picked up but the last stage turns into something of a climb.
Well worth it for the view tho' and as you can see in the next two images (one looking back West and the other looking East) the rings of the gas giant now stretch from one side of the sky to the other.
The sky above is actually full of wonders. We have the ever present milky way ..
.. and also a nearby nebula.
I manage to scale a number of peaks in this mountain range but it's only as I'm base jumping back down off the back that I realise there's a crater mound nestled at its base. Interesting ... I wonder where the crater is then?
I'm going to wait for some daylight to properly illuminate what must be a fairly spectacular landscape but for now I finish by gathering materials and then ascending to the peak of the crater mound.
Number of escape capsules currently retrieved: 11
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Two more objectives going my way en route to the southern pole. The SM suggests that this valley bears to the right before turning left towards the mountains, opening out into a row of three craters.
Alec and I have completely different approaches to planetary journeys; he's a base jumper and a high flier, while I prefer to hear the crunch of boots on the surface and really enjoy navigating the slalom down mountains and canyon sides (but trying to break the habit - at least sometimes). It takes longer, but I'm not in a hurry.
In the past I would have approached this valley circuitously, travelling to the left until reaching that slope and taking the gentle invitation to the valley floor. Today, I pushed straight ahead and a 70° slope - the traction limit on this planet - and gravity made the decision for me.
I've lost only one SRV due to a basic error: I forgot to set up the right-hand panel for quick rebuilds and got taken short when I found myself in a tricky situation with 40% hull. It wasn't enough.
Alec and I have completely different approaches to planetary journeys; he's a base jumper and a high flier, while I prefer to hear the crunch of boots on the surface and really enjoy navigating the slalom down mountains and canyon sides (but trying to break the habit - at least sometimes). It takes longer, but I'm not in a hurry.
In the past I would have approached this valley circuitously, travelling to the left until reaching that slope and taking the gentle invitation to the valley floor. Today, I pushed straight ahead and a 70° slope - the traction limit on this planet - and gravity made the decision for me.
I've lost only one SRV due to a basic error: I forgot to set up the right-hand panel for quick rebuilds and got taken short when I found myself in a tricky situation with 40% hull. It wasn't enough.
Meanwhile, back down on the equator (0.3°,-132.2°) it's dark again. but despite that a fairly screenshot heavy update from me.
"... Beam me up ..."
Amazing shot
It's a planet that just keeps giving."... Beam me up ..."
Amazing shot
I too remember Journey Into Space - Monday evenings at 7.30.
Perhaps that's why I find it difficult to share Alec's RP fantasy(?) of rescuing athletic girls in short skirts.
I don't know, though . . .
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You're not - but you're always welcome join in. It's just Alec and me on completely different routes, but there are so many superb photo ops that we're both rather prolific.Why do I feel like I'm missing another group circumnavigation?
A lovely pair . . .
Normal colour scheme has been restored.
It's not a challenge - it's an opportunity. Another great lump crowned with enough pinnacles to supply a medieval cathedral, but the view from another side suggests there's no dispute as to which is the tallest.
What's a chap to do?
Quick addendum to my travel diary today as I checked back around 12hrs later and I have some glorious daylight to photograph this area by now.
So here's the view back to the peaks I scaled this morning taken from the top of the crater mound.
Before leaving the mound I figured I should leave some sort of sign of which way I went in case anyone wants to follow me!
Another view back the way I came taken from the far lip of the crater.
And then just a couple of close up shots of the ground around here which really is quite beautiful and shows enormous variation in colour within just a few metres.
Sure hope this daylight lasts until the morning, but for now ... cheerio!
So here's the view back to the peaks I scaled this morning taken from the top of the crater mound.
Before leaving the mound I figured I should leave some sort of sign of which way I went in case anyone wants to follow me!
Another view back the way I came taken from the far lip of the crater.
And then just a couple of close up shots of the ground around here which really is quite beautiful and shows enormous variation in colour within just a few metres.
Sure hope this daylight lasts until the morning, but for now ... cheerio!
I recognise that crater - I landed on the opposite lip and drove up those mountains - The Needles - 1.3429, 79.9368. See my first post.Quick addendum to my travel diary today as I checked back around 12hrs later and I have some glorious daylight to photograph this area by now.
So here's the view back to the peaks I scaled this morning taken from the top of the crater mound.
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Interesting ... similar but different. My one was at something like 0,-125°.
Fairly big post coming later plus some exciting news about the women's lacrosse team!
I am with Alec on this ...
Here is a link to episode one of JIS 'Operation Luna'
Enjoy
Curses! Dark again. Oh well, luckily the terrain for the start of my journey today looks pretty dull (although I dare say it was colourful) so I decide to just switch night vision on a cover some distance. At an average cruising speed of 100m/s it's quite tricky to spot interesting signals and/or athletic girls in short skirts but I do manage to screach to a halt in time to investigate what turns out to be the remains of someone else's SRV. Hope this wasn't you @Walter2!
I've been pretty cavalier about not bothering to turn off unnecessary modules like shields and things thus far but at one point I stop and switch off pretty much everything. Then I remember why I don't often do this.
Very pretty but it's a bit nippy in here and the visibility is less than ideal! And then, glory be, I spot the beginnings of some sunlight on the edges of some contours off to my right. I decide to record driving into the dawn but no sooner have I started than I'm distracted by another signal. Further investigation leads to me to finding this!
Now ... this leaves me with something of a quandry. I've only got room for one more survivor in my ship! What to do, what to do? I make a difficult decision, drop the two "stolen" (volleyball away team?) life pods back on the ground ..
.. and load up three more home players for a full team rescue. Yay, success!
Making a note of my exact coordinates it's off to Columbi's Haven we go. Stay right where you are ladies, I'll be back!
No sooner have I left the planet than I'm hailed by another ship.
"Big Haul" ?!?! That's no way to talk about Wormwood's national lacrosse heroes! I give the dude the slip and arrive at the haven, looking splendid as ever!
Mission #1 accomplished!
I take the opportunity while flying back down to do some reconnaissance of the surrounding area which I now see is full of promise.
'X' marks the location where I left the other survivors, 'O' is where I'll be taking some other screenshots in a minute and the line leading away from the small square (on top of a second crater mound just over the hill from where I was) is the route I plan to take next towards what looks like a significant ash black mountain maybe 70km from my current position? Rather than land back where I was I decide to land on top of the first crater mound for a quick selfie.
To the surprise of no one reading this (but let's not spoil the immersion and just say they've been kidnapped by lacrosse poachers) the remaining escape pods are now nowehere to be seen. I decide to drive back West a short distance so I can climb up to the 'O' in the previous image, a raised shoulder between the two craters where I'm able to take in a really wonderful vista (image doesn't do it justice) of both mounds.
In fact it's so wonderful that I decide to compose a panoramic image of the landscape ahead (an area I shall christen "B cup vale").
As Walter has said previously this planet really does continue to amaze and delight. By my calculations I've now covered 1/4 of the circumference (some 92°) - don't see any particular reason to stop just yet!
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... but, generally worth the spotting.
Thanks for that - brought back some memories. It was on after bedtime although I was allowed to sneak back down without my sister knowing. The programme used to scare me, but I've been a science fiction reader ever since.I am with Alec on this ...
Here is a link to episode one of JIS 'Operation Luna'
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i1OSzZp16k
Enjoy
Alec, I'm worrying that you may have been out in the black rather too long.In fact it's so wonderful that I decide to compose a panoramic image of the landscape ahead (an area I shall christen "B cup vale").
After spending an hour or so attempting this peak - with many slides and falls - I finally made it, the most difficult climb so far. The curvature indicates how high this range reaches. It's a wonder I could breathe. There are hints of what is to come in the background: 50 degrees of plain to the south pole, with a hint of a valley close to the destination.
Pinnacles. My new swear word.
Texture.
Pinnacles. My new swear word.
Texture.
Speaking of peaks and pinnacles, oh my ... what an absolutely wonderful morning I had today! This post is basically just going to be a series of screenshots (following the plan I sketched out yesterday) 'cos it was all just soooo beautiful.
View back to the 2nd "B cup" crater mound where I started ..
.. and the view ahead, down into the canyon complex I spotted from the air yesterday.
View back after running the first section of that (see video later).
View forwards into the next section (note the "beacon" of the mountain that's now visible in the distance and will be my ultimate target today).
Spot the SRV.
Rather than following the whole of this second section I do a quick right turn here up onto a shoudler which leads through another part of the complex back East towards the mountains.
View ahead to section #3 (including narrow ramp in the distance which will lead up and out of these canyons).
View back down from the top of that "exit ramp".
View ahead to the mountain which is now the focus of my attention.
A bit closer to the mountain I track down a signal to this crashed beacon. It's the mountain that holds my attention tho, that is one hell of a peak!
Onwards!
Getting much closer now and a noticeable change in terrain colouration. The dark forboding bruise of danger!
Starting the uphill push (damn, I left the camera HUD on - in my defense getting these shots is tricky as I need to be quick to line up the shot so I can be back in cockpit ready for the next bounce).
First part of the climb complete, still a fair way to go tho'. This mountain is HUGE!
Looking back the way I came. Far in the distance below you can see the canyons where today's journey began and somewhere just over the horizon the "B cup craters". Also, is it me or am I beginning to see the curvature of the planet now?
Given the gas giant is practically above me you can get some idea of how steep this slope is.
Clinging to the edge (actually, sliding down it in this instance).
Thankfully I have no escape pods on board otherwise I fear their weight might have tipped me over here!
On the "crown" now - almost there.
Halellujah! I claim this mountain in the name of the Planetary Circumnavigation Club.
What a view! And yes, you can definitely see the curvature of the planet from up here.
Time to light the beacons of Gondor I think?
The beacon has been lit!
What an absolutely stunning journey. For anyone else who wants to visit this particular mountain the coordinates of the peak are: 0.7152, -103.5382
And finally a video of those initial canyon running stages.
View back to the 2nd "B cup" crater mound where I started ..
.. and the view ahead, down into the canyon complex I spotted from the air yesterday.
View back after running the first section of that (see video later).
View forwards into the next section (note the "beacon" of the mountain that's now visible in the distance and will be my ultimate target today).
Spot the SRV.
Rather than following the whole of this second section I do a quick right turn here up onto a shoudler which leads through another part of the complex back East towards the mountains.
View ahead to section #3 (including narrow ramp in the distance which will lead up and out of these canyons).
View back down from the top of that "exit ramp".
View ahead to the mountain which is now the focus of my attention.
A bit closer to the mountain I track down a signal to this crashed beacon. It's the mountain that holds my attention tho, that is one hell of a peak!
Onwards!
Getting much closer now and a noticeable change in terrain colouration. The dark forboding bruise of danger!
Starting the uphill push (damn, I left the camera HUD on - in my defense getting these shots is tricky as I need to be quick to line up the shot so I can be back in cockpit ready for the next bounce).
First part of the climb complete, still a fair way to go tho'. This mountain is HUGE!
Looking back the way I came. Far in the distance below you can see the canyons where today's journey began and somewhere just over the horizon the "B cup craters". Also, is it me or am I beginning to see the curvature of the planet now?
Given the gas giant is practically above me you can get some idea of how steep this slope is.
Clinging to the edge (actually, sliding down it in this instance).
Thankfully I have no escape pods on board otherwise I fear their weight might have tipped me over here!
On the "crown" now - almost there.
Halellujah! I claim this mountain in the name of the Planetary Circumnavigation Club.
What a view! And yes, you can definitely see the curvature of the planet from up here.
Time to light the beacons of Gondor I think?
The beacon has been lit!
What an absolutely stunning journey. For anyone else who wants to visit this particular mountain the coordinates of the peak are: 0.7152, -103.5382
And finally a video of those initial canyon running stages.