Paulding Light

[lenny]

So Lenny do you think the whole viewing is north of Paulding and does not include Paulding itself? I would not be completely suprised... I just wanted to make the fact earlier that US45 DOES come into alignment with the old US45 in Paulding. And as you stated it's also in alignment north of the curve north of Sleepy Hollow Road (and past Bruce Crossings for about 6 miles for that matter). Like someone stated earlier with the different headlights nowadays it's not suprising to just see white but white'ish colors also. Thanks for the update!

Yes, I would bet some serious cash the lights are north of paulding. as I said before, while viewing the lights coming down the gradual grade, you can see flatter areas in the roads and than a slight dip, a 25 second duration of constant direct view and than a slow veer to the right. With that in mind, as i drove back I looked for that topography and was somewhat certain I found it. Nash is 100% correct, The Tunland Lake rd is the precise spot, at least for sure in the sweet spot. I should have taken notes as my memory is fading somewhat, because of time (age?)

 

[Cat Woman]

we had a great dinner...sorry we missed you guys.....well someday we'll meet...cause now that you have solved this...no one will come guess your gonna be riding in paulding .......just have one question...how can you explain the car that came down old 45 going south it drove right at us when we were at the guard rail...we knew this was a car it was less than a 1/4 mile away coming down the gravel road in the pictures and the paulding light was brighter and bigger than that cars headlights. I think this is the hardest one for me to understand with it being over 8 miles away where you say the car headlights are coming from...please explain your thought to me if you can

mrsrunningbear - found this on Wikipedia when I searched "refraction". Good call Stealthv...

"Also, since refraction can make objects appear closer than they are, it is responsible for allowing water to magnify objects."

Is it possible that over that stretch there's a low area with high moisture/fog that is magnifing the headlights?

 

[mrsrunningbear]

yes there is a creek in the low right below the guard rail....but wouldn't it do the same to the closer headlights...or do you mean something farther away like closer to the sweet spot

 

[Cat Woman]

I was thinking a little farther away.

 

[lenny]

we had a great dinner...sorry we missed you guys.....well someday we'll meet...cause now that you have solved this...no one will come guess your gonna be riding in paulding .......just have one question...how can you explain the car that came down old 45 going south it drove right at us when we were at the guard rail...we knew this was a car it was less than a 1/4 mile away coming down the gravel road in the pictures and the paulding light was brighter and bigger than that cars headlights. I think this is the hardest one for me to understand with it being over 8 miles away where you say the car headlights are coming from...please explain your thought to me if you can

Keep in mind were not measuring road distance but rather "as the crow flies" so to speak. We also have some worthwhile elevation variations to shorten the distance. From Runningbears lot to Robbins pond road is about 3.8 miles. you than run on about a 45 degree angle to the highway making up some of the distance, I would guess about a half mile maybe. So say as the crow flies you are about 3 miles away from the guardrail where we view the lights. If I am accurate in my estimate from where I believe the lights veer to the right and fad, roughly 1.5-2 miles north of you, that can put the viewing as close as 4.6 miles away, as the crow flies. When I approach Bruces from the north, I can see that flashing red light at the intersection of Bruces from at least 6 miles on that long straight stretch, can even see it flashing. I was observing cars on our ride over there and just a few miles away the headlights are appearing as one light. I do have a plan to draw a positive conclusion and I am going to do it. I am going to set up a telescope, have someone view through it, drive back to the area in question and signal with handheld lights for the beginning to the end. mark the locations with way points on the gps and determine the precise locations of the lights. No matter what, John Dee's site here will not affect the public opinion on the matter, not to much, just a bit, a tad, a wee tine bit only

 

[mrsrunningbear]

there is the roselawn creek but thats right in town....I think its way to low and to far from the sweet spot...otherwise there isn't anything else

 

[lenny]

we had a great dinner...sorry we missed you guys.....well someday we'll meet...cause now that you have solved this...no one will come guess your gonna be riding in paulding .......just have one question...how can you explain the car that came down old 45 going south it drove right at us when we were at the guard rail...we knew this was a car it was less than a 1/4 mile away coming down the gravel road in the pictures and the paulding light was brighter and bigger than that cars headlights. I think this is the hardest one for me to understand with it being over 8 miles away where you say the car headlights are coming from...please explain your thought to me if you can

no no no, were coming there and we'll have a blast. I honestly still loved sitting there watching the light because I was with my family, my kids are not sure what the believe. My youngest wanted back in da van when it got dark. I started making scary noises and we had a blast. I'd love to do it again and hope we are still on, we gotta do the light thing and I am gonna need help. Plus your cooking right? I'm bringing food and drinks and looking for a room. We'll bring the atv and make a day and night of it. Either the 9th or 30th now

 

[lenny]

I think it is very common to see fog settle in the low areas and certainly could have an effect on the contrast of the light. I saw one light tonight that did appear totally different from the others. May have been a semi with high beams on all the way because it was bright, so much more that the others. I can see how the inconsistencies of contrast would fool with your mind, I was wondering what it means and still cannot say exactly.

 

[mrsrunningbear]

oh good I thought the fun was all over ....either date is good with us...you pick you have kids and schedules...its just me and bear now...ours lives in chicago. Yup I'm cooking...and I'll make PIE too. Sorry we miss you guys we'd a had a great time...and scary noises...tic...tic...tic.....lol...lol

Alright proof it will be!

Just don't tell anybody cause I can't tell you how many people stay with us just to see the light

Oh yeah we have a cabin how many beds?

 

[mrsrunningbear]

All right Cat Woman you coming????? 20 bucks for a cabin can't beat that

 

[lenny]

oh good I thought the fun was all over ....either date is good with us...you pick you have kids and schedules...its just me and bear now...ours lives in chicago. Yup I'm cooking...and I'll make PIE too. Sorry we miss you guys we'd a had a great time...and scary noises...tic...tic...tic.....lol...lol

Alright proof it will be!

Just don't tell anybody cause I can't tell you how many people stay with us just to see the light

Oh yeah we have a cabin how many beds?

you got a deal Mrsbear!. I am on no mission to spoil the fun. If my family enjoys something, I'll set aside my ambitions to see them having a good time. My wife puts up with a load of stuff from me, God knows that. I did see a guy there pull in the area and get out and look for a few. I did chat with him and we had a pleasant time (after I beat him over the head with truth, oh wait, I didn't do that.) He said he has seen the light for nine years now and I made no mention of my observations. He went on to tell me he saw it green and blue, it was fun, my kids were lovin it.

 

[lenny]

we have 4 kids but we got sleeping bags, they love sleeping bags. If we can get a few commitments it would be great. I have a friend in Illinois who is planning to come up soon, he has children, very nice kids, they would love something like this.

 

[lenny]

catwomen, nic, peter, you guys gonna try an make it? You guys can pick the dates, I am flexible

 

[mrsrunningbear]

you should come in the heat of the summer sometime if you really want to have an interesting time. You could meet Janet from another planet ....thats what folks have named her....been comin for 12 years and man does she have stories...shell even tell you not to park on a certain side of the road cause is the bad side....wow she was funny.....really fun to sit down there with 30+ people and not say a thing and hear the stories one guy said he had guys he could pay to catch it in a jar ??? OK...lol..lol

 

[lenny]

you should come in the heat of the summer sometime if you really want to have an interesting time. You could meet Janet from another planet ....thats what folks have named her....been comin for 12 years and man does she have stories...shell even tell you not to park on a certain side of the road cause is the bad side....wow she was funny.....really fun to sit down there with 30+ people and not say a thing and hear the stories one guy said he had guys he could pay to catch it in a jar ??? OK...lol..lol

lol,good stuff, may be a better plan in the summer

I gotta go night night, till tomorrow!!!!

 

[peter]

you should come in the heat of the summer sometime if you really want to have an interesting time. You could meet Janet from another planet ....thats what folks have named her....been comin for 12 years and man does she have stories...shell even tell you not to park on a certain side of the road cause is the bad side....wow she was funny.....really fun to sit down there with 30+ people and not say a thing and hear the stories one guy said he had guys he could pay to catch it in a jar ??? OK...lol..lol

I have met her already. She does have stories.

I'm going to try to make it up. one of those dates posted earlier I know is no good for me because of work. Let me know final date picked.

 

[Cat Woman]

catwomen, nic, peter, you guys gonna try an make it? You guys can pick the dates, I am flexible

It's definitely a possibility. You guys just pick a date & I'll try to make it.

 

[frnash]

yes there is a creek in the low right below the guard rail....but wouldn't it do the same to the closer headlights...or do you mean something farther away like closer to the sweet spot

"… there is a creek in the low right below the guard rail …"
That would probably be Bluff Creek, which should be about 2470 ft. north of the viewpoint, and it should be all downhill to Bluff Creek from the viewpoint. Perhaps it looks a bit foreshortened in the photo.

I was thinking a little farther away.

There is another one, Mateson Creek, not visible in the photo, just beyond the hill (el. 1493 ft.), 1.15 mi north of the viewpoint, where old US-45 veers to the left (west) around the hill. This hill is beyond the point in the photo where US-45 climbs the first visible rise.

 

[mrsrunningbear]

Matheson creek is there and so is the Paulding creek both small and Matheson dries up in the summer…..You know there are 2 pond on the west side of old 45 closer to us…the picture where I said I was standing in the yard looking south down old 45 in that low there is one and as your going farther south down old 45 there’s a third turn out to US 45 and right around there is another. Oh wasn’t thinking… ponds are ruled out in the winter. Duh !

Anyway I’m not sure about the whole refraction thing??? Read the whole thing on Wikipedia I don’t think there is enough water in any of these creeks for a refraction to occur. Seems like there would have to be a pretty big amount of water for that to work and right by the headlights. And I don’t think I missed it but nothing was said about fog either. So not so sure just my .02 on refractions and creeks and headlights.

THE LIGHT LIVES ON!!!!!

 

[lenny]

long live the light!!!!!