The Crossroads

Looks like an ordinary urban intersection.

US 61 @ US 49, Clarksdale, Mississippi [34 11 42N, 90 33 51W]

Oldtimers from the country would call it a "crossroads". But this is not a crossroads, not by a long shot. This is "THE Crossroads". You know the one. The one Eric Clapton told you about. The intersection of Delta blues and rock & roll. Bob Dylan's ultimate destination as he headed south from his birthplace in Duluth, Minnesota down Highway 61. The magnet for Robert Plant and Jimmy Page as they went walking into Clarksdale, Mississippi. The  intersection of US highways 61 and 49 where Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil for the ability to play blues music. His song "Cross Road Blues" never mentions that bargain, but I suppose that's not something you would advertise. When he recorded that song over Thanksgiving week in 1936, he was a long ways from Clarksdale -- at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel in San Antonio! OK...it wasn't a Sheraton back then, but it was a very nice downtown hotel. They still remember.

There's a monument to blues guitar located at the crossroads. The people of Clarksdale want to make sure you know where you are. And every few years, Eric Clapton takes the time and effort to make sure you never forget.

Bron-Yr-Aur

Millions (?) of people will read the title of this post and instantly know the subject. A few others will read it and have no clue. Which group are you in?

Here's a satellite image of the subject:

Vicinity of Machynlleth, Wales [52 36 10N, 03 52 04W]

Actually, Bron-Yr-Aur is the cottage at upper left...here's a closer view:

So...it still exists, at least as recently as April 19, 2009 when these satellite images were captured. It had no running water and no electricity back in 1970 when it served as a quiet hideaway for a couple of guys exhausted from worldwide travel. Perhaps it still doesn't. And perhaps the lack of conveniences back then served as motivation to get out of the cottage and stomp around the countryside, which in turn LED to many other inspirations that could be found over the hills and far away from the cottage. I wonder whatever happened to Strider...