Monday, June 20, 2011

The Willamette River runs high right now.

I took these photos on June 9 when I lucked out and got to ride with a friend on his boat during the arrival of the fleet, which happens every year during the Rose Festival.

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We slowly passed beneath the Steel Bridge.

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As the antenna touched first one cross piece, then another, it serenaded us with a rhythmic tlang-a-lang-a-tlang. An eerie sound.

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Here's a better view of the cross pieces. Shining bright, the sun changed the color of much of what I photographed, depending upon which way I faced.

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We've crossed to the other side of the bridge.

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I like this perspective.

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We're south of the bridge now, heading downriver. Here you can see the Steel Bridge in the foreground with its upper level for vehicles, MAX, pedestrians and bicyclists. The lower level is for trains. The orange bridge you can just see is the Broadway Bridge, while the barely visible one beyond it is the arch of the Fremont Bridge.

6 comments:

Birdman said...

Wow! That is a lot of water. Never seen it so high in my 4 trips West.

Jim Klenke said...

that would scare me to go under a bridge so close to the boat. neat shots though.

Lowell said...

These photos give me a whole new perspective on the Willamette River...you do live in a gorgeous area. Some excellent photos, Lynette...very well composed.

Wasn't there a song called "Cross Over The Bridge"? Or maybe in was "Cross Under The Bridge"? :-)

Anonymous said...

Pedestrians and bicycles can also use a separated path on the lower level. It connects Watefront Park (west or to the left in this photo) with the Eastbank Esplanade.

Pretty awesome to be just a few feet away from the freight trains and Amtrak.

Lynette said...

Thanks for that info about the lower level, Anon. I walked over it on that level once in 2008 and had forgotten all about it!

Randy said...

Wow that is some bridge!