Electric Kid: The Place to be this July 4th

[Parker]

> Parker,
> I removed my post, plese remove your post.

> You're post has my number in it.

> I was hoping you would just pass it on to
> the kid since he has an e.mail difficulty.

> My mistake.

I assumed that since you submitted a post for posting on the website, that you actually wanted it posted on the website.

Silly me.

If you wanted me to forward something, why didn't you simply e-mail me and ask me to forward it?

Of course, if the e-mail difficulty is at EK's end, why would he be able to receive my e-mail any more successfully than yours?

This really is beginning to resemble a bad comedy skit.

[Ouchez]

> I assumed that since you submitted a post
> for posting on the website, that you
> actually wanted it posted on the website.

> Silly me.

> If you wanted me to forward something, why
> didn't you simply e-mail me and ask me to
> forward it?

> Of course, if the e-mail difficulty is at
> EK's end, why would he be able to receive my
> e-mail any more successfully than yours?

> This really is beginning to resemble a bad
> comedy skit.

Correct on all counts.

Thanks again.

[Bettie]

Can't do it. Just looking at the pictures of that bridge are enough to send shudders up my back and make want to crawl into bed to hide.

BTW, Is Mackinac pronounced Mackinaw? I've heard it that way quite a bit, and my hometown has a Mackinaw River, so I was just wondering.

Bettie

[Ouchez]

> Can't do it. Just looking at the pictures of
> that bridge are enough to send shudders up
> my back and make want to crawl into bed to
> hide.

> BTW, Is Mackinac pronounced Mackinaw? I've
> heard it that way quite a bit, and my
> hometown has a Mackinaw River, so I was just
> wondering.

> Bettie

Well Bettie, it is Mackinac or if you want Mackinaw.

Many people get scared driving over the bridge so there are state workers that drive people across.

A few trips ago there were giant pieces of ice falling from the top and it was necessary to stop traffic for 2 hours.

The view from the bridge is most memorable.

And lots of BJ in the Northern Regions.

[Parker]

> Can't do it. Just looking at the pictures of
> that bridge are enough to send shudders up
> my back and make want to crawl into bed to
> hide.

> BTW, Is Mackinac pronounced Mackinaw? I've
> heard it that way quite a bit, and my
> hometown has a Mackinaw River, so I was just
> wondering.

As an expatriate Michigander who has been over the bridge countless times, I can assure you that it is pronounced "Mackinaw." It is actually a Canadian French corruption of an Indian word. Pronouncing it "Mackinack" immediately lables one as a tourist.

The roadway is 200 feet above the waterline at center span. On windy days the bridge moves in the wind. This does not make driving difficult, but it sure feels weird.

Five men died during construction of the bridge. Urban Legend has it that one of the bodies is entombed in one of the concrete pilings. The bridge authority denies this, but admits that one of the bodies was never recovered.

The Mackinac Bridge is the largest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere, and the third largest in the world.

[scobee 1]

Parker, you are too high again. Unless you wanted to disguise the true height of the bridge. It is 155' to the undercarriage for boats to pass under, and a mere 199' to the roadway.

There have been over 100 million crossings. You can walk the entire five mile span on Labor Day with another 50,000 pedestrians if you want. I recommend it.

HEIGHTS AND DEPTHS

Height of Main Towers above Water: 552 Ft.
Maximum Depth of Water at Midspan: 295 Ft.
Maximum Depth of Tower Piers below Water: 210 Ft.
Height of Roadway above Water at Midspan: 199 Ft.
Underclearance at Midspan for Ships: 155 Ft.
Maximum Depth of Water at Piers: 142 Ft.


scobee

[Norm Wattenberger]

> The Mackinac Bridge is the largest
> suspension bridge in the western hemisphere,
> and the third largest in the world.

Third longest in the US and ninth longest in the World for the suspension portion. For an unnerving experience, try a swaying bridge on a motorcycle. The Verrazano is sixth and I've not noticed any swaying. But it's double-decker 12 lane bridge which probably stabilizes it. The new Hong Kong airport bridge is fifth and was changed to a double-decker design when wind-tunnel tests showed extreme movement.

[Parker]

> Third longest in the US and ninth longest in
> the World for the suspension portion. For an
> unnerving experience, try a swaying bridge
> on a motorcycle. The Verrazano is sixth and
> I've not noticed any swaying. But it's
> double-decker 12 lane bridge which probably
> stabilizes it. The new Hong Kong airport
> bridge is fifth and was changed to a
> double-decker design when wind-tunnel tests
> showed extreme movement.

A quote from the official Mackinac Bridge website (link below):

"The Mackinac Bridge is currently the third longest suspension bridge in the world. In 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan became the longest with a total suspension of 12,826 feet. The Great Belt Bridge in Halsskov-Sprogoe, Denmark, which also opened in 1998, is the second longest suspension bridge in the world with a total suspension of 8,921 feet. The Mackinac Bridge is still the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere. The total length of the Mackinac Bridge is 26,372 feet. The length of the suspension bridge (including anchorages) is 8,614 feet. The length from cable bent pier to cable bent pier is 7,400 feet. Length of main span (between towers) is 3,800 feet."

Mackinac Bridge Website

[Norm Wattenberger]

They cheat. Anchorages are very long on the Mackinac. But, that isn't a part of the center suspension. The point of a suspension bridge is to create a large area for ships between the two towers. BTW, suspension bridges are proposed from Italy to Sicily and over the Gibraltar Straight linking Europe and Africa. The latter would require two spans of 4.5 miles each.

[scobee 1]

> They cheat. Anchorages are very long on the
> Mackinac. But, that isn't a part of the
> center suspension. The point of a suspension
> bridge is to create a large area for ships
> between the two towers. BTW, suspension
> bridges are proposed from Italy to Sicily
> and over the Gibraltar Straight linking
> Europe and Africa. The latter would require
> two spans of 4.5 miles each.

Norm, you continue to amaze me! I think that when it comes to connecting two disparate points so as to allow safe passage between, I will without question defer to your expertise and research.

By the way, if there was an trophy for 'poster of the month' on internet forums, I would vote for 'Norm' to be inscribed for June....although beating out DD' as a valued contributor is always a close call.

Keep the music playing. These masterful comments from Norm are always welcome on my screen. Just pick a topic...any one will do.

Sorry, Butch, you have just been trumped.

Regards,
scobee

[Parker]

Hey, I was just quoting their website.

Besides, we've got a nice bridge right here in San Diego. It doesn't claim to be the biggest or tallest anything - it isn't even a suspension bridge.

But it sure is pretty. And it is in San Diego, a definite plus, IMHO.

It links San Diego to Coronado Island (which is actually a peninsula). Coronado's main claim to fame is the Hotel Del Coronado, where much of Some Like It Hot with Marlyn Monroe and Tony Curtis, was filmed.

And to tie this all together, there will be a fireworks show over the bay Friday night.

Link below

San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge

[scobee 1]

All we have in Chicago are a lot of trunnion bascule drawbridges. But there are plenty of them over the river....each guarded by a series of gatehouses as unique as snowflakes. Today the crowds of hundreds of thousands got to me a little, and I wanted to be crossing the Mackinac straits alone at sunset instead. That bridge is an imposing testament to engineering, nonetheless.

There will be a million and a half citizens watching the fireworks over Navy Pier on Thursday. On the Fourth, the suburbs get their chance to dazzle and I like to go to the roof of my Lakeshore Drive building and watch scores of simultaneous explosions blanket the western horizon. I would really like to take that bridge to Coronado island one of these days before the new year.

Parker, you never told me your story! The contest ended last night.

Email me after you've read summer Forum. Thanks for revitalizing the the heartland with your attention to detail.

Why are those San Diegans always bragging???

scobee

Washington Street

[Sun Runner]

> Why are those San Diegans always bragging???

.. it is no kidding, the absolute best place to live in the USA.

The Coronado Bridge spanning and curving over San Diego Bay is not to be believed.

I was priveleged to watch, from Seaport Village, when the America's Cup Yachts were pulled from their moorings and then guided slowly out through the early morning mist of the Bay to the open ocean for the America's Cup race several years ago. One word. Spectacular.

Watching the fireworks, cooking burgers, from the Coronado Island beach. Incomparable.

Man oh man; it's nice.
Don't get me started.