The Science Forum

The London Bridge.

Yes, built of the same granite as Hay Tor and quarried nearby. Sold to an American for a couple of million dollars and shipped to Arizona to become a tourist attraction.

still puzzling though : why would you ship a complete structure halfway across the world ?

marnixR wrote:still puzzling though : why would you ship a complete structure halfway across the world ?

As was indicated, money.

According to Wikipedia:

London Bridge has become Arizona's second-biggest tourist attraction, after the Grand Canyon.

bunbury wrote:According to Wikipedia:

London Bridge has become Arizona's second-biggest tourist attraction, after the Grand Canyon.

really, not Meteor Crater ?

marnixR wrote:

bunbury wrote:According to Wikipedia:

London Bridge has become Arizona's second-biggest tourist attraction, after the Grand Canyon.

really, not Meteor Crater ?

Last time I was there it was almost like a private viewing.

wow ! any particular reason why ? is it far off the beaten track ?

marnixR wrote:wow ! any particular reason why ? is it far off the beaten track ?

Yes, basically from Phoenix, its drive north to Flagstaff and turn right. But, the geology along the way is awesome, Sedona, volcanoes, etc.

I was able to do a minor field trip this weekend. Below is an image of the south facing valley wall of the Grand River in Lake county Ohio, south of where I live. Generally speaking the Grand River valley cuts through the Devonian Chagrin Shale overlain by the Sharon Conglomerate. The formation of this valley is thought to have formed after the last Wisconsinan ice sheet had withdrawn sometime after +- 14krcybp. The second photo is of the shingle on the south bank of the river. Note that there are no igneous rocks among the shingle other than some resistant chert pebbles of ancient unknown age. I have had several personal conversations with researchers in this area and the cutting of the valley is considered to be an open question. The Pleistocene ice sheets overran this area every time, yet erratics are either rare or nonexistent and the few that can be found are supposed to have rolled down from the surrounding cliffs, which are covered with erratics of all sizes. The valley is sometimes several hundred feet below the surrounding area. The origin and evolution of the Grand River Valley is my geologic project, probably, for the rest of my life.





Link to the Flickr set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jlhredshift/sets/72157629211909314/with/6979215655/