Diomita Maurer’s Blog

I came across “Wind River” and visited it, Friday, June 10th. The landmark description describes well, what you can expect to see “Travel back in time to the era of gunslingers and saloon girls, of massive migration and settlement. The Old West comes to life at Wind River, a photogenic backwater town at the end of the 19th century.“

After I saw “High Noon” a couple of days before, when I zapped through my tv channels, “Wind River” was a place I wanted to see!

Wind River: bird-eye view and orientation map

The landing point is in a canyon and I received a nice welcome:
“Hello, Diomita Maurer!
Welcome to Wind River, a small jerkwater town in Texas at the end of the 19th century. Don’t behave badly and observe the rules or the sheriff will drag you to jail!
Photographers: open rez for group members. Recommended graphic setting for the best experience is “ultra”. Best light: “shared environment”.
Yeehaw!!“

Exploring “Wind River” was great fun. The shared environment fits perfectly to the scenery, the skies are blue and red, dust is blown thorugh the streets and you can literally feel the heat. If you turn sound on, you hear saloon music…. “Do not forsake me, darling”..

Impressions of Wind River (1) – at the landing point / Main street

The small town is just great for taking pictures. There’s a saloon, a hotel, a carpenter, a doctor, a barn an an horse-drawn carriage and much more to discover.

Impressions of Wind River (2) – The Town

A bit outside of the twon is the chapel and the graveyard. On the other side of the sim you find a corral campsite with several covered wagons and horses as well as a herd of buffalos.

Impressions of Wind River (3) – The chapel, the graveyard, the campsite

Also in some distance to the town you can visit a ranch. If you climb up the surrounding rocks you get a great view on Wind River.

Impressions of Wind River (4) – The ranch / another view on the town

Wind River is a moderate homestead owned by Camila (Camila Runo) and Jocelyn (zamitio), Kieran Sayo (gabrielbarrot) and catharhina are admins of the sim. Upon landing you also receive a notecard from Camila with a few general rules and some background information:
“As some of you know, I’m a cowgirl at heart. The Wild West sim AZ Arizona was the first sim I visited after registering on SL more than 15 years ago. And the first sim I co-owned was the Mexican Wild West sim Sonora West, followed by Copper Canyon and Iron Mountain. Since then I built a lot of different places that had got nothing to do with the Wild West and I loved each one of them. But I always knew that sometime I will do something Wild West again. The time has come. Here comes Wind River, a project of love.“

Well done, Camila! You created a great place, an opportunity for a travel in time, for a short trip into the Wild West: For me it also brought back memories to many old classic films. Thank you for building Wind River and for sharing it with the public!

I ended my visit at the saloon, there I sat down and watched the main streat and let time pass by…

Diomita at Wind River Saloon

Landmark to Wind River
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Esprit/180/228/26
Wind River flickr
https://www.flickr.com/groups/eightydays/