Minnesota was a little bit trickier. I rode up through the neighborhoods to Hamline and Como, riding along the edge of Como Park. There were branches along the boulevard along the way but nothing like what I saw when I turned back to the west on Como. Lots of branches, lots of evidence of trees damaged and destroyed. This house is about a mile and a half from my house, at the top of the hill between Snelling and Hamline on Como.
It appears to formerly have been an oak tree. Now it is fire wood.I rode on down Como, through the Park and caught the University busway over to the main campus. The Stone Arch Bridge is now open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic and I rode across. This is about as close as you can get to the bridge collapse, the best view is the one on TV. But I got a couple of photos anyway.
The structure in the foreground is the dam, lock on the right. The stuff in the river on the other side of the dam but still on the near side of the arched bridge is debris from the collapse.
I rode back along University Avenue. This is the view from the bridge carrying University over the bridge approach on 35W. The foreground is the north end of the bridge, partly collapsed before the first main support and then completely gone after the support.
Visible in the background is the south end of the bridge and the now downward turning northbound lanes.I rode on towards home and this time detoured through a bit of Como Park. The damage around the West Picnic Area is quite extensive. However, I spoke to TOPWLH later in the day and she had walked around Lake Como and said that she found the damage there to be very disheartening. I may try to get over there tomorrow to get a look for myself.
I spent the rest of the days getting some errands done and then this evening installed new tires on the Look. Both of the bikes I rode this week now have new tires.
Note to T. Tousan about trash sports: Yesterday after arriving home I watched the Fox Soccer Channel and saw Reading 1, Chelsea 2. This afternoon I saw last Saturday's game from Old Trafford, Manchester United 0, Reading 0. This is a bad start for ManU. The defending champions have played 2 games and have only 2 points. Probable main rival Chelsea has the full 6 in its 2 games leaving ManU already 4 adrift after only 2 rounds. Chelsea does face a game away at Liverpool this Sunday while ManU journeys cross town to play at Manchester City. Man City is even with Chelsea in the table with 6 points. So anyway, I didn't have to watch a single minute of X Games.
3 comments:
Interesting that you saw a different perspective on Como Park. Both are disheartening. I spoke to a woman who lived in one of the houses south of the lake and heard some sad stories. And as I was walking around the lake, there were several giant fallen trees blocking the path.
This evening on my way home from a family gathering, I had to use the 35W detour to a changed 280. It seemed a little surreal (and crowded with seemingly disoriented drivers).
Things change.
BB
Those are some sad photos. The reality of the bridge collapse sets in, I imagine. SS
Sad photos indeed. Eventually the city fathers will allow a better view of the bridge so that the citizens will be able to digest what has come to be reality. And maybe we'll find out why it fell.
Sounds like you had a good run of soccer games. I don't get the Fox Soccer Channel, but it seems to have real competition on view. TT
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