Day 131
Location, Location, Location
August 4th, 2010
I'm walking across America.
That's the idea, at least. I'm walking westward from New York City for nine months or so. If everything goes according to plan, I'll be in Oregon when the clock runs out. If nothing goes according to plan, maybe I'll end up in Peru or Mongolia or Pennsylvania. You can read all about the details of my trip if you're so inclined.
Email me at matt@imjustwalkin.com
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Here's my progress so far:
This Bridge go’s over Lake Coeur D’Alene Matt’s almost in Washington.
Big Scoot
Thank you for the update of where Matt is. Glad you are now a part of the MATT GREEN HOBO UNIVERSE! You are litter ly an incredible person.
Sorry – Big Scott
when did we hit universal status?
thanks for all the great info Big Scott and Lori you live in a beautiful part of the country!! glad you are part of the hobo nation to give Matt tips for his journey.
Thank you Big Scott – for the local 411!
Judging from the overhead view on Google Maps, this section of the bridge pivots out of the way to permit large boat traffic to pass. I’d guess this is the control room.
or Awesomist Apartment #1
Of which…..are there no mailboxes in the north west? No new entries there in a while.
Is it a bridge house; you know like a tree house? It looks like a tower for a swing out or lift bridge. When I was a kid, I had an erector set and I made a lift bridge. It had an electric motor with it and I could actually make the center bridge section lift up on both sides. I wish i still had that erector set. Not sure what happened to it.
The things you see by foot that you would not see by car- it is amazing!
Matt- Again, thanks for sharing.
This bridge is about 100 years old and sits over the St. Joe River as it flows by the intersections of Round Lake, Lake Chatcolet and Hidden Lake just before the river dumps into Coeur d’ Alene Lake…and yes that is the bridge house. The railroad was there to transport materials mined from Northern Idaho but they used to float logs down the St. Joe River (assisted by tugs). The bridge was a rotating bridge that would open to allow tugs and other watercraft through the river channel and then rotate close to allow for train traffic. They no longer send logs down the St. Joe and a few years ago the railroad was turned into a biker path. When the biker trail was constructed then the bridge was raised in order that it won’t interfere with water traffic. On the North End of this bridge is Hidden Lake where there is a unique bay of float houses that have been there for 100 years…accessible only by foot or boat.
We have a similar set up on our I-5 Bridge that crosses the Columbia River from Vancouver to Portland. I believe Don’s correct…they man the bridge lift. Our bridge is the last remaining place there is a stoplight (due to the aforementioned bridge lifts that happen) from Canada to Mexico.
@@@@ Dizzy @@@@ You’re right though Matt, location is everything. That’s got to be one nice view of the whole lake.
Not quite the whole late, Dorinda. Lake CdA is very big, about 25 miles long. But to the north from this bridge, he could see the southern arm of the lake, and to the south, Lake Chatcolet & Beneway Lake & the “Shadowy St. Joe River”. It’s gorgeous! Very interesting story about the term “Shadowy”…see this flickr page w/ 2 photos & an explanation (not mine): http://www.flickr.com/photos/17366766@N00/1131899330/
Farther upstream, the St. Joe gets narrower & more rapid. Used to take my sons up there fly fishing a lot — great catch & release trout fishing up there and spectacular scenery with the steep mountain walls on both sides.
My first thought, too, about the view. Must be great.
Another perfectly centered shot. Love these kinds of bridges, too.
How in the world do you get up into that control room? I can’t see the safe route!
I love bridges! :)
I do see a kind of a handrail along the right hand top of the bridge. Do you just walk up from one end of the bridge?
A lovely domicile (work or play) but definitely not for the habitual sleepwalker…
no, no that would be real bad….that would be a MUST on the job application.
At least you don’t have to worry about annoying traveling salesmen knocking on your door.
That SHOULD be an apartment! Like a lighthouse keeper, this should be the bridge keeper’s quarters.
It is the old bridge keeper’s quarters…it sits on top of the intersection of a river and several lakes and used to rotate open to allow for boat traffic and logs that were floated down the river after logging…I explained the geography and bridge in a bit more detail above.