Category Archives: featured

The Hatcher Family recently trekked out to the Kinzua Viaduct to see the new “Skywalk”.

It brought back many memories of late summer/ early autumn as my folks would load us up in the car and drive out to see the fall colors start to peak through in the valley – reds, oranges, purples, yellows, all poking through the greens as if to summon the cider and the frost and the cool autumn mornings when you could see your breath.

I remember walking out across the bridge – in the middle of the tracks – and I could always feel them rumble as though a train were headed across the bridge – though I was never on the bridge at the same time as a train.

I remember eating sandwiches in the shade – and seeing deer and turkey cross the road as we would drive out to Mount Jewett to top off the day with a giant ice-cream cone from “Bob and Mary’s”

So – it’s 2011 – and half the Kinzua Bridge is gone – felled by an F1 tornado in 2003. It’s haunting wreckage lies rusting in the valley – and you can still see the path of the swirling winds through the valley- the gouged gorge bleeding red leaves and rusty beams… and with the wooden railings of the repaired skywalk like crime scene tape across the sky.

The new section of skywalk has reinforced glass – that lets you peer down the 300 some feet to the ravine floor. It was a mess of kids rolling around and stomping – imagining that they were invincible – yet still clinging to mother – just in case.

On the way out – we caught a really swift electric blue T-Bucket Hot Rod – the back of it had a welding rig- and read “Sunshine Welding” – I don’t have a clue any more details – but check out the pics to see that pretty beast!

As we drove out to the “Tastee Freeze” in Mount Jewett (which still serves great big ice cream cones – at pretty good prices)- I told my kids about the good ol’ days.

20 years ago – I went here with my mom and dad.
Gasoline was less than half of what it was today.
The ice cream was in even bigger portions – about twice as much – for about half the cost.
and there was TWICE as much bridge as there is now.

But I guess the ravages of time changes a lot of things…

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If you want to read more about the history of the bridge – check out this video:

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