The thought that a bridge could just fall down has been a fear of mine since I was a wee little one. I grew up in the great "twin cities" of North Dakota, aka Bismarck-Mandan. The river that runs through the cities is the Missouri, which is also littered in bridges.
As a youngster I played various games with my two younger brothers, like holding your breath over bridges, but could never get over the constant fear of drowning. To this day it (an being too average) are my biggest fears.
At any given time I know how to get my seat belt off and open the door. I am and was always prepared to jump out of the car in case it plunged into the river or the bridge collapsed.
But, I never ACTUALLY thought I would see something like I saw yesterday.
My heart aches for the lives that have been changed by this event.
And all the more, gives me one more valid reason to be car free. (I am not saying I do not ride in cars, rent them, or use public transit). But, the fact of the matter, if I did have a car to just hop into, "it could have been me".
Yesterday after work, I rode the west river parkway, which is closed to vehicles. It looks to me that the Stone Arch Bridge is closed to pedestrian traffic. The closest I could get was Gold Medal Park, where it was littered in people pointing, and a somber silence and whispers of people trying to come to grips with what they were seeing above the tree lines.
Traffic was another hug issue. I rode over to the Washington Ave overpass that crosses 35W. There wasn't much to see other than lines of cars, and emergency vehicles.
As a youngster I played various games with my two younger brothers, like holding your breath over bridges, but could never get over the constant fear of drowning. To this day it (an being too average) are my biggest fears.
At any given time I know how to get my seat belt off and open the door. I am and was always prepared to jump out of the car in case it plunged into the river or the bridge collapsed.
But, I never ACTUALLY thought I would see something like I saw yesterday.
My heart aches for the lives that have been changed by this event.
And all the more, gives me one more valid reason to be car free. (I am not saying I do not ride in cars, rent them, or use public transit). But, the fact of the matter, if I did have a car to just hop into, "it could have been me".
Yesterday after work, I rode the west river parkway, which is closed to vehicles. It looks to me that the Stone Arch Bridge is closed to pedestrian traffic. The closest I could get was Gold Medal Park, where it was littered in people pointing, and a somber silence and whispers of people trying to come to grips with what they were seeing above the tree lines.
Traffic was another hug issue. I rode over to the Washington Ave overpass that crosses 35W. There wasn't much to see other than lines of cars, and emergency vehicles.
Here are some pictures of my view.
Gold Medal Park was crazy with people getting a view. Really the only highest point other than Endless Bridge of the Guthrie is the hill.
West River Parkway was closed to vehicles, but I got by on my bike, until the baracade right after Gold Metal Park.
I watched as people went up and down the hill, somber and quiet.
Everyone just looking to see what they could over the tree lines.
This was the view from the top of the hill.
Washington Ave. overpass bridge
Cars backed up from Cedar Ave.
.+Peace+LOVE+.
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