The Conglomerate Lode

following you will find pictures accumulated over many late evening walks this summer of a bridge linking washington state to oregon, a bridge that dominates the vancouver, washington skyline and is hard to miss.

the interstate bridge was constructed early on in the 20th century and once carried house and buggy then interurbans across one lane.  well, as the interurban and natural horse power gave way to man made jalopies the bridge was widen to its present day four lanes of terrifying motorize mayhem.

you will notice the roadway not straight and level this is to accommodate the many ships, barges, and sailrigs still plying the mighty columbia river the very same one lewis and clark canoed so many years ago.  for those ships too big the middle lifts high above the fast moving waters; a loud horn sounds, the first warning, then a second and third in quick succession, cars are held back by railroad-like gates, nets are lowered just in case,

then the excitement of the span hoisted up, the ship or sailboat passes, then all is reversed.  once the railroad-like gates and nets raise cars, literally, take off as if powered by a Saturn Vf-1 rocket engine and the race resumes.

take a look and i hope you enjoy

cheers