Bridges: Open or Closed?

Bridge Opening For Navy Ship

One of the facts of life living on the north half of the Olympic Peninsula is that access to and from major population centers (think shopping and medical appointments) relies on crossing the Hood Canal bridge. In the case of Navy vessels (both submarines and support ships going to/from the Bangor Naval Base (think Trident Nuclear Submarines). Depending on the time of day, the delay can be easily close to an hour. And longer delays are possible during stormy weather, when the bridge is opened to minimize the strain of water being pushed against the span. Then the roadway is closed until the weather moderates.

But my question is: when do you call the bridge “open” and when do you call it “closed”? To me, when the bridge is open, the roadway is closed. But I’ve had conversations with people who say the bridge is closed … meaning that it is open for highway traffic … and other conversations where “the bridge is open”, meaning that it is open for highway traffic. Having grown up in Seattle, with its numerous draw bridges, I’m used to the perspective that when a bridge is open, it is open for boat traffic.

Are you mixed up yet?

Unexpected Delay

My Favorite Lunch Spot Views

Lunch Spot View 1

There is a nice rocky knoll about 1.5 miles in from the trailhead of the North Fork Skokomish river trail (Olympic National Park). I have hiked the trail around a hundred times, I suppose, in all kinds of weather, in all times of the year. My favorite spot for lunch is this knoll … although the quality of the view is now being reduced due to the growth of trees in the previous slide area. This was part of the area of the Beaver Fire in the late 1980’s (you can still see some of the resulting snags) … and the slides the following winter/spring wiped out additional areas that didn’t burn. The slides did create some views that are now going away … it’s worth it, but the views will be missed.

Lunch Spot View 2

Spigot Patina

Spigot Patina

Another in my collection of antique plumbing fixtures. This was at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend. I am sure the water is disconnected … well, sorta sure. But I like the patina, anyway.

Unsettled Weather

Unsettled Weather

This is the waterfront at Port Townsend. The weather had been changing all day … one of those times when if you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes. I was walking around the waterfront and thought these clouds were interesting.

Headwaters of Bowron River

Headwaters of the Bowron River

Bowron River is in Bowron Lake Provincial Park in British Colombia. The park in primarily used by canoeists … the only road access is by road to Bowron Lake … the rest of the park consists of a chain of lakes that runs 75 miles in a loop with no motors allowed (except on Bowron itself). This image was taken early in the morning as we were paddling out on the final day of a 10 day trip. The river is slow moving and easy to paddle up … we chose not to explore up the river, since it is winds all over the low country and the brushy banks offer no view ahead. And it is grizzly bear country. Didn’t want to come around a bear feeding on fish and need to paddle fast backwards. No thanks. Not my idea of a calm relaxing paddle.

It’s beautiful country though. Just spectacular. And we caught a 24 inch rainbow on one of the lakes.

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

Up ↑

%d