Bridge

 I've always been fascinated with bridges and have many pictures of famous and spectacular ones that we crossed in our travels. So when BRIDGE came up as the Generations challenge word my mind's eye immediately went to a few bridges associated with memorable times in my life. 

Mackinac Bridge, MI
In 1963 we had two babies and I needed a break. We left the kiddos with my Grandma Quist in Wisconsin for a couple of days while we went to Mackinac Island in Michigan and, along the way, cross the Mackinac Bridge. I was pretty much a country girl in 1963. I'd only been in 3 Midwest states, never on a plane. So I didn't know that I would panic at the thought of crossing this 5 mile bridge over the Straits of Mackinac. It was foggy and the bridge looked like it disappeared in midair. I simply could not do it. 

Fortunately, my Jim respected my feelings and we went on to explore the island ( on a bicycle built for two that didn't go well either! ) This is as close as I got to the bridge. For many years I would panic at crossing major bridges and driving beside water. I'm not a swimmer so maybe that was part of my fear. 

Over the years, as we traveled with our growing family, my fear of bridges over water decreased and I could talk my self out of the panicky feelings as we visited places like Royal Gorge in Colorado..the bridge to nowhere!

One of my favorite bridges for it's beauty and for the memories is the Bixby Bridge on California PCH 1. It is at the north end of Big Sur 260 feet above the canyon created by Bixby Creek. 

Bixby Bridge was completed in 1932 and is one of the tallest arch bridges. This view of the bridge is taken from the parking lot of the Rocky Point Restaurant, one of our favorite all time travel destinations. The view from our table was always spectacular. We would order white wine and crab salad. Out of this world. Whenever we arrived here it was lunch time! I can almost hear our glasses clink as we would toast another special time together. 


Lilac Bridge, Escondido, CA
In 2012 Jim was battling cancer. He was getting treatments at a clinic near San Diego. We were living in Hemet in the motorhome at the time so the trip to the clinic was an hour each way on Interstate 15. Twice a day we had this view of the Lilac Bridge. It was completed in 1978 and is one of two wide span arch bridges in San Diego county. Every time we made this drive I would look forward to seeing this bridge. It is an art form to me. It evokes emotion. Why?  It soars, it is awesome, it frames the sky, it is powerful and graceful. The Lilac Bridge gave me good feelings on days I'd rather forget. An engineering marvel and a thing of beauty ....like most bridges.







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