Pompano
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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The End of Civilization?
A bit of Americana folklore.
I recently came across yet another one of the many 'shoe tree' events so common around America. This one was in the Arizona desert, but over the
years, we've come across similar sights on wires in New York to trees on Nevada's Hwy 50, nicknamed, 'The Loneliest Highway in the World.'
There are tons of ideas on why these are so popular and when this custom got started.
Is it folk art, a harmless prank, a rite of passage, a way to air out smelly sneakers, or a sign of the end of our civilization? You
figure it out.
All these shoes trees remind me of the movie, 'Wag the Dog', with Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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nbacc
Senior Nomad
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Location: Northern California
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I love it!
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Howard
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I wonder if there are any size 11s in there?
I hope the Shoepecker bird doesn't spot that tree.
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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24baja
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"Wag the Dog" was a good movie....."Shoe", what a concept!
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neilm81301
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There's one on Amboy Road,
East of Amboy, on the south side.
Across the road is the 'Lingerie Bush'.
Sorry, no pics.
Neil
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
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is it folk art? well, it was done by folks, but not conclusively determined to be art
is it folk art? well, it was done by folks, not yet determined if it is art
some people throw shoes into trees because some people before them did the same thing. some people get tatoos because all their friends got them too.
herd mentality as art?.
p.s. i like the "gum wall" in central CA (forget which town) where everybody sticks their gum to wall
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KurtG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 1-27-2004
Location: California Central Coast
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Mood: Press On Regardless!!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
is it folk art? well, it was done by folks, not yet determined if it is art
some people throw shoes into trees because some people before them did the same thing. some people get tatoos because all their friends got them too.
herd mentality as art?.
p.s. i like the "gum wall" in central CA (forget which town) where everybody sticks their gum to wall |
That would be Bubblegum Alley in San Luis Obispo, one of the more, if not the most, repulsive "tourist attractions" in our otherwise quite lovely
area.
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
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If that tree was anywhere in Baja every pair of shoes would be gone in a millisecond and on some deserving feet 
Bob Durrell
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acadist
Super Nomad
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It reminds of the big cactus with the tires on them, how did they throw those tires that high to get them over those branches
Dave
I moved to CO and they made me buy a little rod to make it feel like a real fish
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Skipjack Joe
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| Quote: | Originally posted by acadist
It reminds of the big cactus with the tires on them, how did they throw those tires that high to get them over those branches |
And then there's that semi truck on hwy 80, sitting on a pole 40 feet above ground in the middle of nowhere. It's somewhere between Nevada and Utah,
as I recollect.
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RnR
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
And then there's that semi truck on hwy 80, sitting on a pole 40 feet above ground in the middle of nowhere. It's somewhere between Nevada and Utah,
as I recollect. |
The Truck Inn truck stop in Fernley, Nv.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
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Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
And then there's that semi truck on hwy 80, sitting on a pole 40 feet above ground in the middle of nowhere. It's somewhere between Nevada and Utah,
as I recollect. |
I didn't think there was room to squeeze anything in between Nevada and Utah
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