High Trestle Bridge

I finally went to that little out of way local site called the High Trestle Bridge in Madrid Iowa about 18 miles from my campsite at Saylorville Lake.  Well worth the effort to say the least.

The bridge is an old railroad bridge that dates back further then I can recall.  Yet I remember that it is 2500 + feet long, 13 stories over the Des Moines river and was turned over to private interests just within the last 10 years.  It's part of a 20+ mile long bike path that runs between several of the small towns in the area.

Upon arrival I was the only car in the parking lot, about 3/4 mile from where the map said the bridge was located.  Yet you can't see it from the lot.  Great 8 foot wide concrete path, smooth seams, and golf course trimmed grass along the margins for a space of about 12 feet on each side.  In other words, the perfect place for a Segway.

The bridge is located alongside the original bridge build at the turn of the century and the original bridge abutment is still in place on the riverbank.  When the railroad decided to build a new bridge several miles upstream from the original, they pulled off the cross members and supports and re-cycled them on the new bridge.  Only the original pilings remained behind due to their weight and the fact that they were built 60 feet into the ground on bedrock.  Almost impossible to remove without tons of dynamite.  As a result, the RR decided to abandon the property and eventually sold it to a private interest.  They, in turn, raised funds to build the new decking and made it part of the bike path.

To make it interesting they invited artists to develop a theme.  What they came up with is unique as you can see in the pictures.  If the video comes out, you'll see what I mean.

Before any of you think I studied up on this bridge just so I could bore you to tears let me explain how this came about.  While standing on the old (original) bridge abutment, I started chatting with an older gentleman who arrived by bike.  He spoke, pretty much, for over an hour non-stop about the history of the bridge, the history of the area, the river, the bridge builders, the coal mining operations (13 mines at one point in time), and his grandfathers part in moving coal along the Des Moines riverbank by wooden wagon pulled by mules.   Imagine that.

The man, whose named was Ron Johnson, turned out to be one of the volunteer guides along the path with a special interest in the bridge.  He comes out every night to educate the public about it's history and special meaning and impact on the community.  How lucky was I to spark up a conversation with just the right guy?

The pictures below will give you just a small idea of the size and scope of this project; what a great place to visit on a full-moon night, during a holiday evening...

Brief overview of the Bridge.

Much more impressive in person.

The only way to travel on a 20 + mile bike path!

At Dusk, this solar powed light show starts.  The lights span the river and signify the transition a person going from the surface below ground in a coal mine.  It's pretty cool as it's the only lights around for miles in any direction.