Monday, August 04, 2008

Bridges Between

For ODD SHOTS-- scroll down please -- it is just below this post.


RuneE is sponsoring this monthly challenge on the first Monday of every month. Bridges Between is subject to open interpretation.




This bridge gives me the opportunity to go many places in my town and across the river in Portland, Oregon too. It is my monthly bus pass. I use it when ever I choose not to walk because of distance or because what I am carrying is too heavy - like my groceries. With the price of fuel what it is, a bus pass is the way to go. Our newest fleet of buses use bio-fuel which is environment friendly, they say. Because I am a "senior," I get a special discount along with the young and the disabled. I get this BRIDGE each month. I use it often for longer trips or when I don't have my hiking shoes on.

Take Sunday, for example. . . I walked the two blocks to the stop and took a bus to church because it is on the other side of town. After church, I went to the grand opening of a park near where I used to live and walked a couple miles to get there. (I knew I would be doing this so wore flat shoes to church.) After the speeches and ribbon cutting at the park, there was a free picnic. Then, I walked over to my friend, Myrl's. Her house is near the park. She had a stroke a few years ago. . . she will be celebrating another birthday Thursday. She is always happy to see me and I, her. We visited for a couple hours and then I headed home, walking about two miles. That got me to the bus stop again where I used my BRIDGE and when it let me off, I had three blocks to walk.

Monday, this BRIDGE will take me to and from Vacation Bible School and then to run some errands in the afternoon. Last week, it took me to the head of a walking trail which I completed hiking before taking the bus home using THE BRIDGE again. It used to take me to work before I retired. It also took me to other walking trails, the Columbia River, Portland, to work and back, to the movies and shopping. I even used this bridge to explore new parts of our city that I am not that familiar with YET!

Most bridges, one crosses over BUT this one, takes me places from one point to another and most of the time, we don't cross any bodies of water (exception is when the bus crosses the I-5 Columbia River bridge between Vancouver and Portland.) I use it as many times as I want to each month. I never "burn" my bridges so somewhere I must have hundreds of bridges I used in the past 22 years to make my crossings around town.

13 comments:

Lew said...

Ah, a bridge you carry with you! Great take on the theme.

Anne-Berit said...

What a fine BB-post!

Rune Eide said...

A bridge with a difference - highly original and highly commendable. I wish more people thought like you and used the public transport or their feet when going somewhere.

I really liked that angle.

PS Looks like your health is coming along nicely!

imac said...

Great Bridge theme story.

My Bridge is also up

ArneA said...

Very good.
I use busses really seldom, and do not like it, but living at my cottage we just have to bus if going down town for an urban beer. Do not drive with alcohol !!

Gerald (SK14) said...

Here now us over-60s have a pass valid for free rides on all buses after 9.30am. I sure make use of it, but if the nearest bus stop was 2 miles away I'd have to think again.

Katney said...

A very useful bridge, indeed. Mine is now up, and thank you for the reminder.

Anonymous said...

A really excellent bridge! I have my own bridge - it just arrived today but mine is free. I can travel anywhere in England for no charge at all. Wonderful.

Pernille said...

Very nice "bridge". I like it:)

dot said...

What a great bridge and I love how you make city living sound like such fun.

Liv said...

I like your bridge, it's very useful!

Love Bears All Things said...

I think it is wonderful that you have this mode of transportation in your city and that it goes most of the places you need to get to with a little walking. I enjoyed reading about all the places you go.
Mama Bear

Daryl said...

Wonderful post, Paulie

I hope your hand is improved!

:-Daryl