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Royal Gorge Bridge

Started by Max Rockatansky, April 10, 2020, 07:46:48 PM

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Max Rockatansky

Back in 2016 I visited the Royal Gorge Bridge on the tail end of a trip to the Mountain States.  The Royal Gorge Bridge is a 1,260 foot long suspension bridge over the namesake Royal Gorge and Arkansas River.  The Royal Gorge Bridge was completed in only a couple months in 1929 and was intended to be a tourist attraction from the start.  The main feature of the Royal Gorge Bridge is it's 955 clearance above the Arkansas River which was the highest clearance in the world until 2001.  While the Royal Gorge Bridge can be driven across at certain times (like now) it is best experienced on foot as the wooden deck and shaking 880 foot center span can be quite the unique vertigo inducing experience. 

https://www.gribblenation.org/2020/04/2016-summer-mountain-trip-part-25-royal.html


nexus73

Now it is time to build the Grand Canyon Bridge...LOL!  Amazing to think that Arkansas gets referenced in Colorado.  You are right about the walk being the real deal experience.  Oregon's highest bridge is several miles north of Brookings on 101.  It is a bit over 300 feet above the creek it crosses.  900+ feet would be a whole different deal!

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

Max Rockatansky

I ended up getting to the Royal Gorge Bridge right as it opened back in 2016.  I wasn't really paying attention when I was in the middle of the main span since I was taking photos.  There was a Jeep that started crossing and the whole bridge began to shake which surprised the hell out of me.  The planks shake big time when tires hit them, the most stable footing I could find was next to the rivets.

MikieTimT

Quote from: nexus73 on April 10, 2020, 08:11:46 PM
Now it is time to build the Grand Canyon Bridge...LOL!  Amazing to think that Arkansas gets referenced in Colorado.  You are right about the walk being the real deal experience.  Oregon's highest bridge is several miles north of Brookings on 101.  It is a bit over 300 feet above the creek it crosses.  900+ feet would be a whole different deal!

Rick

Arkansas is only referenced in Colorado since the headwaters of the Arkansas River are there near Leadville, around a 100 miles from the gorge.  The mouth is in Arkansas as it meets up with the Mississippi River, thus the name of the river.

jhuntin1

I rode over the bridge in 1994 in a 15-passenger van as a passenger. Even only doing 5 miles per hour, it was a harrowing experience.



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