I've often said that I grew up in northern New Hampshire, in a very rural corner of the state. And I moved away from there as soon as I could. I HATED the small-town life, and have very few fond memories of it. I haven't been back in about a decade, and don't miss it in the least.
That is, until I came across this page.
One of these bridges is half a mile or so from my childhood home. It claims to be the oldest still-standing covered bridge in the US, built in 1827, and as far as I know nobody's found an older one. I rode my bike across it, drove across it (before they built a modern bridge a couple of hundred yards away and closed it to cars), walked across it. It was my sanctuary, and it's still my favorite "quiet place" to go to in the back of my mind.
Another one in the area is this bridge. The photos don't show it, but just downstream of the bridge is "Big Eddy," a very popular swimming area, complete with a natural rock waterslide and a big pool. But further down stream is "Little Eddy" -- an even better swimming area. It's amaller, naturally, but shaded and less popular -- hence less crowded.
Damn, I just might have to fire up the Shaggin' Wagon and take that three-hour drive some weekend soon...
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Comments (12)
Hey! Speaking of long drive... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Jewels | October 12, 2005 11:30 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hey! Speaking of long drives- you never wrote to tell me whether or not you got my last two emails, ya big dope! (don't know what that has to do with long drives, but had to contact you some how.)
Would you like me to forward them to Kevin until you get this whole "email" thing figured out?
:oD
1. Posted by Jewels | October 12, 2005 11:30 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 11:30
2. Posted by jonnyz | October 12, 2005 11:31 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Is it me or is Jay Tea indeed the king of insipid writing? After reading the agonizingly trite Bridges of Grafton County, I want to crawl into a dark cave and die an equally boring death.
2. Posted by jonnyz | October 12, 2005 11:31 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 11:31
3. Posted by mark m | October 12, 2005 11:44 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Covered bridges are cool. I wish we had more of them left....but i'm fascinated with old stuff.
3. Posted by mark m | October 12, 2005 11:44 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 11:44
4. Posted by Asher Abrams | October 12, 2005 12:44 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Covered bridges are wonderful. But I was not exactly overcome with nostalgia when a picturesque tavern adjoining a covered bridge in my old hometown made headlines a couple of years ago.
4. Posted by Asher Abrams | October 12, 2005 12:44 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 12:44
5. Posted by Dwayne from Kansas | October 12, 2005 1:02 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I grew up in a small town in the southeast corner of Kansas. Hated it. Absense doesn't really make the heart grow fonder, at least not when you hated the place. But after enough years go by, (and I'm a lot older than you) there is some sort of strange attraction to the old place. The time will come when you want to take a trip or two back; you will discover memories which were not all bad, which you have forgotten.
5. Posted by Dwayne from Kansas | October 12, 2005 1:02 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 13:02
6. Posted by McGehee | October 12, 2005 1:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
There's a pretty old (1840s) covered bridge within about an hour of where I live in western Georgia. It hasn't been closed to vehicle traffic, and I drove across it once in the Jeep station wagon I had at the time -- wouldn't try it in a three-ton Bronco, even though it would fit, dimensions-wise.
It's fully enclosed, and as narrow as you'd expect from having been built when the main traffic would have been horse-drawn farm wagons. And the road it's on is unpaved and little-used.
Still, it's remarkable how sturdy the thing must be, if people can still drive cars and trucks on it. Hell, the BRonco might even make it. Most of the way...
6. Posted by McGehee | October 12, 2005 1:35 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 13:35
7. Posted by Jay Tea | October 12, 2005 1:52 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Jonnyz, if you don't like what you read, I'll be glad to refund what you pay for it...
Oh, yeah, asswipe, it's free. So if you don't care for my writing about whatever I feel like, feel free to go elsewhere.
J.
7. Posted by Jay Tea | October 12, 2005 1:52 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 13:52
8. Posted by PDS | October 12, 2005 2:07 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It is a fundamental fact of life that growing up in the sticks is highly overrated, notwithstanding the occasional, accidental charm.
8. Posted by PDS | October 12, 2005 2:07 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 14:07
9. Posted by spurwing plover | October 12, 2005 2:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Old covered bridges are neat to see and dont knock life in a small town it beats life in the big city where its beehive and a mess of crime and waste
9. Posted by spurwing plover | October 12, 2005 2:43 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 14:43
10. Posted by Parker | October 12, 2005 2:50 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Jay Tea -
I think Johnnyz suggested his own plan - perhaps he will follow it.
Also, 'when you wrestle with a pig...'
10. Posted by Parker | October 12, 2005 2:50 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 14:50
11. Posted by Jewels | October 12, 2005 5:03 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I hate bridges. I just know they're stalking me.
Actually, wooden covered bridges are pretty cool. There's an awesome one in Valley Forge, PA that's pretty old. You can still drive on it, although it's one way and only one car at a time. Don't know if my bridge beats your bridge though.
By the way, J, if you'll notice my post above- I believe it has sprouted tiny little hands and is now jumping up and down and waving it's arms shouting ::look at me! look at me!:: Wow! huh. Now I wonder why a comment would do such a thing? Oh well.
11. Posted by Jewels | October 12, 2005 5:03 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 12, 2005 17:03
12. Posted by McGehee | October 13, 2005 12:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I want to crawl into a dark cave and die an equally boring death.
Promises, promises.
12. Posted by McGehee | October 13, 2005 12:17 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 13, 2005 12:17