This tree is a descendant of Newton's apple of gravity.
Photo taken by Dexter_mixwith.
You may have heard the story. Or maybe you haven’t. According to Strange USA, in the 1950s, a school bus full of kids were coming home from a field trip when it skidded into a wash. Unfortunately, you know how this story ends. What you may not know is how the story continues.
All right, all right. So maybe that story is a complete hoax meant to keep new driver’s from playing around, but the real mystery here is what’s going on at a place
like this? I have two words for you: gravity hill.
Now, according to Wikipedia, a gravity hill is nothing more than an optical illusion where the surrounding layout makes a slight downhill slope look like an uphill. I don’t know about you, but from the stories I’ve heard, I can’t imagine that a lot of these hills are nothing bit our eyes playing tricks on us.
Now, according to Wikipedia, a gravity hill is nothing more than an optical illusion where the surrounding layout makes a slight downhill slope look like an uphill. I don’t know about you, but from the stories I’ve heard, I can’t imagine that a lot of these hills are nothing bit our eyes playing tricks on us.
For your enjoyment, here is a list of local Gravity Hills in the Bay Area. I haven’t been to these, so I can’t personally vouch for any feelings of motion sickness or weightlessness. If anyone checks them out, comment and let me know what happens:
Antioch, California (site of the fabled bus crash)
The hill is on Empire Mine Road. This road has since been closed to the public. From East/West exit Highway 4 at Lone Tree Way, turn right on Deer Valley Road, turn right on Empire Mine Road. From South, take Ygnacio Valley Road, right on Clayton Road which becomes Marsh Creek Road, left on Deer Valley, left on Empire Mine Road.
The hill is on Empire Mine Road. This road has since been closed to the public. From East/West exit Highway 4 at Lone Tree Way, turn right on Deer Valley Road, turn right on Empire Mine Road. From South, take Ygnacio Valley Road, right on Clayton Road which becomes Marsh Creek Road, left on Deer Valley, left on Empire Mine Road.
Rohnert Park, California
From US 101 Freeway, take Rohnert Park Expressway east to Petaluma Hill Road. Petaluma Hill Road south to Roberts Road. Roberts road east to Lichau Road. At an iron gate with the words, "Gracias Santiago," is the start of the gravity hill section (located on the western slope of Sonoma Mountain.
Rohnert Park Gravity Hill.
Livermore, California
On Patterson Pass road, between Livermore and Tracy. On road marker 752 headed towards Tracy.
Vallejo, California
Lake Herman Road off Columbus Parkway. Spot is at the bottom of the first hill where the road merges into single lanes.
Keep on the lookout for a post about one spot that’s a mystery that I have experienced and plan to do so again in the near future. Hint: It’s in Santa Cruz. In the meantime, I don't think I'll be playing around with the physics of Newton's apple tree.
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Map taken from Google Maps
Posts
Even though the story about the school bus incident is a hoax, it is fascinating to hear about urban legends and where they originated. That is why these types of stories always attract individuals to the location of where the fictitious accident took place. I have never heard of a gravity hill before and I was surprised to see that there are several locations in California. I liked the video of the family driving on the Rohnert Park gravity hill. It was amazing how they seem to be going down the hill even with their car in reverse. You are right about the fact that our eyes play tricks on us.
ReplyDeleteWow! This post is very interesting. I've never heard anything about these type of gravity hills. I would never mess with them though. It sounds kind of scary.
ReplyDeleteWow. I also never heard about these gravity hills. It's interesting how I've lived in the bay area all my life and I have yet to sight-see and explore other places SF has to offer. I enjoy reading about the urban legend of the school bus and the kids. I don't follow those type of stories much, but when I do hear or read about them it makes me think whether stuff like that really happens.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I went to the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz over the summer and thought the whole time that it was complete and utter bullsh*t. I never knew there was a name for this phenomenon or about the gravity hill concept though. It was pretty clear to me that once you walk past that fence into the cabin area, the fence blocks the view of the horizon, thereby tricking the eye. At the same time, it was pretty cool how they had a ball roll up the piece of wood that appears to be pointing downhill and the fact that people can literally walk on the walls.
ReplyDelete