Wednesday, August 03, 2011

The Golden Gate Bridge


The Golden Gate Bridge isn't my favorite bridge in the world.
That would be the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan, because my
Grandpa built the steel for it when he worked at the American
Bridge
works steel company in Gary, Indiana. However, the Golden
Gate is definitely the most beautiful. I must have been a civil engineer
in a past life, because I find bridges like the Golden Gate fascinating.
Next year, the Golden Gate Bridge turns 75 years old and celebrations
and improvements are being made for the occasion.


The Golden Gate is currently going through seismic retrofitting,
and as a result, there is lots of construction going on to make it
happen. I really wanted to get some good photos of the bridge,
but due to the construction, foggy weather and the fact that the
road going up into the Marin Highlands was closed for some reason,
meant it wasn't meant to be. I guess I will have to find my photos
I took on our last visit in the pre-digital camera days and make some
scans to get the pictures I want.


The National Park Service via the Golden Gate National Recreation
Area
has done a good job of posting signs, and letting people know
what is going on with the bridge. I'm very impressed with the
GGNRA. They're a collection of 38 different locations, tied together
by a single organization to promote and protect the valuable natural
and historical resources. We've visited quite a few of the locations
and I'm sure over the years, we'll see the rest.


Things started to clear a bit as we were ready to depart,
leaving a great view of the city. I think that all Americans
should see this bridge sometime in their lifetime. It's a
monument of American know how, ingenuity and hard
work. All wrapped up in a beautiful setting.

No comments: