Sunday, May 23, 2010

Bridges


As a child I crossed the Mississippi and its lesser tributaries many times on road trips and visits to relatives. I always hated the crossings, over the ridiculously high, fragile looking bridges that loomed over the dark moving waters that seemed so dizzyingly far below. Nothing has changed: I still feel a twinge of unease approaching these now-nearly-ancient steel skeletons. I had almost forgotten how narrow the roads across them were. They seem like something out of a distant era, which indeed they are. This one, like the old days, is over the Mississippi.

4 comments:

SHARON said...

When I was doing consulting work for my old company, I would drive to Baltimore on Monday mornings and come home on Thursday nights. One Monday I was considerably early so I took a different route. I always looked for alternate roads in case of accidents or road closures. This time I went across the Francis Scott Key Bridge. NEVER AGAIN. My sister told me there are people who are hired to drive others across that bridge while the terrified ones are huddled in the back under a blanket. Good thing I didn't know that when I went across.

Rio Arriba said...

Yes, the Car Strangled Spanner!

Kansas Scout said...

I know the feeling. I crossed the Mississippi at Cairo back in the late 70's and at the highest part of the span, the road had large holes that went completely through the road deck and you could see through them all the way down. Very un reassuring! Later, I crossed on an old now gone ferry near Newbern Tenn. and found it just as nerve wracking. The ferry was pretty small and the current pretty strong.

Unknown said...

try the mighty MAC on motorcycle. i was so glad to get off that bridge i was in tears
janey