Mainland Route 12 – Some Interesting Finds - Seersha Heart Reporting…

Linden Labs Department of Public Works and Roads is responsible for adding content to the Mainland SIMs including roads, railways, monorails, bridges, ferryboats, sailing routes and so on for residents to use.  Along the roads are “rez” areas where any resident may “rez” a vehicle to drive and use the roads.  If you need creative inspiration or are curious, take a drive on one of these mainland routes.  I promise you will find things that interest you.  I will warn you in advance, be prepared to be periodically kicked out of that very large castle you love.  Sometimes navigating the Mainland is a challenge due to odd shaped land parcels.  As an owner of an extremely odd shaped parcel along Route 12 [Nautilus continent], I have trouble at times navigating at the edges.  I hopped in my Porsche and backed out on to route 12.

[IM me for a free

I took a drive alone Route 12 on the Potter SIM recently.  My adventure began by cruising by a Diner.  Many residents will build or place RP buildings along the roads.  Looking inside this one I found some good detail.  I have visited these highway Diners and other places to eat with friends.  It is a nice place to chat, and many offer a wide selection.  I wanted something more unusual so I drove on down the road.

Shortly I found my first “unusual” location.  Nestled in a small wooded parch of land was a wooden building that looked like a home.  Upon closer inspection, I learned the “Odie Cinema” is dedicated to silent films.  Set up and beautifully detailed by Abinoam Nørgaard, there is a small screening room, a refreshment area and a small upstairs lounge.  It is completely adorable.  I was not surprised to learn that Abinoam is a fan of the 1920 Berlin SIM.  The Odie Cinema may be found along route 12.  Regular movie showings are at 1 pm SLT on Fridays.  It is a lot of fun to watch these movies.

            I drove next to the Pod Tours kiosk.  I see these pods traveling down route 12 all the time.  For those who don’t know, until 2015 there existed a Second Life Transit Authority.  The person who managed this process had all kinds of different cars that you could regularly find and use along the roads [along with other vehicles].  The thought was why have roads without travel?  Now we have pods.  When you see a pod traveling down the road, click on it and you will be whisked away to the next pod station.  This is another good way to navigate the roads.  If you want to stop, simply “stand” and when you are ready to travel again wait for a pod.

            Moving along the route, I became fascinated by a fortress of a home on the mountainside.  Flying high above it were the Pride and the BDSM flags.  You may find areas along your drive that you feel you simply *must* see.  This was one of them for me.  The house was chic and modern in the black and the white décor that is not uncommon.  The owner had built a large Photo studio on the property.  It is one of the nicest I have seen in world.  The owner was not available for comment. 

            In our population we have many artists that work in 2D, 3D and some both.  The first gallery I came to

Michael Wright Fine Art MuseumOwned by Oldaged.  Spacious and well laid out, it was easy to cam around and see the featured artist’s work.  Currently featured is Mrags Writer.

            “Call me Ishmael” crossed my mind as a huge 822 prim Blue Whale was not breaching but completely out of the water, hovering just above it.  Checking the details and what agouties do I find is the builder?  Our own Bryn Oh who creates fascinating interpretations of animals as only a small part of her contributions to the SL around the world.The whale and a little girl make up a piece titled ‘Imogen and the Whale’.  I run down the hill to a glass structure of geometric trapezoids and rhombus.  This is the Peace Gallery.  There are samplings from all the biggest names in art in SL; Bryn Oh, Cica Ghost, Igor Ballyhoo, and more pieces.  It is owned by long time patron of the arts Thedove.rhode.  If you want to see the best of 3D art in SL do not miss this gallery.  One side note, it is a little difficult to navigate around and you are sent back to the landing point quickly. 

Along Route 12 I came upon a group that owns large parcels on both sides of the road.  The group is the Moon Disciples.  They have filled their parcels with gothic and modern architecture.  The Moon Disciples Horde is described in Monarch Seren Mcgillivary’s profile at a close-knit family of souls ready to embrace the dark as their solace.  A Bloodlines horde, their motto is “Under the shadow of the moon, our enemy meets their doom.

            My final stop along Route 12 for the day was at Cartage& Storage a factory and a service building that moves items around the continents of SL.  I was initially draw to the outside attention to detail.  This location processes and serves the GTFO community.  I walked inside and found a trove of information.  The parcel owner, Cosmo Kawabata, arrived while I was there and offered to answer some questions as well as give me a tour.  I noticed right away that the reception area and factory are fully staffed with realistic bots.  Cosmo advised me to click on the large map of the SL continents on the wall.  When I did the map, I could see GTFO areas by continent.

I asked Cosmo what GTFO stood for and he laughed.  I suspect many readers already know what it means…Get The Freight Out [comes from Get The Fu$$ Out].  GTFO represents a large group of people who are playing a game within SL.  Cosmo chose the continent of Nautilus for his terminal location noticing there are fewer players in this area.  The game is very detailed and involves using SL transportation and your own terminal [as small as a store front to play].  They have game money players earn along with an entire website full of game information.  SL Enquirer will be running a more complete article on GTFO soon [I will be in contact with Cinn Bourchard]. 

Cosmo is an active player of GTFO, a DJ and happily with a wonderful lady.  He takes me to his office within the former courthouse [turned GTFO factory].  Amid the factory is this oasis and tastefully decorated office.  He takes a seat at his desk and I join him in a chair.  He patiently answers all my questions about GTFO, his factory and his clubs where he DJs.  He has a club on the second floor of the factory called appropriately “The Factory’.  His busier club is called The Civilization Lounge.  He plays what he feels telling me he doesn’t play to the audience.  I asked him about the genre of music he plays.  He told me music by black artists alone with some rap and jazz.

            When we left his office to tour the facility, he pointed out a couple of the people working as we walked across the rooms.  One woman had been making copies for a long time, he wondered what she was copying.  We walked up the stairs of the main building into a comfortable space much like a large living room.  The employee lockers were on one wall and sofas lined the other walls.  This is the area called “The Factory” club.  At the back there is a bar and the bar tender waits patiently as we walk over to her.  Cosmo reminds me ‘safety first’ and no drinking until employees are off duty.

            Next, we walk back downstairs through the reception area to the terminal.  This is a bustling busy place.  Tall stacks of GTFO boxes are sitting and waiting for shipping.  In the back there is an employee who seems to have been working forever to set up a machine.  Cosmo confides that this man has been at the task a long time.  I see people in all stages of the packing and the transport process.  On one side Cosmo has built a break area for the employees.  Vending machines, table, sink and even small Dixie cups are available for the employees.  Cosmo does not miss a detail.  The textures he has used are beautiful.  I asked him how many days since their last accident.  He said quietly ‘ummm er 6’.  Cosmo told me he was going to watch his hometown [Cavaliers/NBA].  I told him I liked watching sports as much as I like getting a leg wax.  We laughed.  I looked for the results today from the playoffs of the game from the previous night.  Sorry Cosmo!    

       

            I have heard residents complain about boredom in SL.  I hope I have provided an idea of interest.  Try driving or walking down one of the many routes in SL.  Look, click and listen everything you see.  You may be amazed at what you find as you explore this virtual world.

Links to information and/or SURLs for stops along route 12:

Odie Cinema  : http://maps.secondlife://ODIE/69/240/52

Pod Station [Nautilus Route 12] http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cecil/3/117/59

Michael Wright Gallery: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Scamp/21/235/57

Moon Disciples:  http://maps.secondlife://QUIRICOSTA/191/166/45

Cartage & Storage: http://maps.secondlife://GAVELLO/74/192/79

Peace Gallery                                   http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Jaxipun/79/241/22

Seersha Heart [saoirseheart resident]

Photos by KarmaghnaUlrik