Wednesday, October 31, 2012

The "35 million dollar harp"

     I travel all over this great country of ours.  Being away from home is difficult, but sometimes destinations with friends can make it easier.  Last week I was in San Francisco, and was able to coordinate schedules with Justin Kern ( thegoldensieve.com ).  We headed out to the Golden Gate bridge to make some photos.  It was unusually warm for this time of year, which helped to produce a marine layer/fog combination at sunset that was amazing.  I was captivated with the whole scene.
     The Golden Gate bridge took just over 4 years to construct.  The chief engineer Joseph Strauss insisted on use of the most rigorous safety precautions in the history of bridge building at the time (Jan. 1933), safety nets & hard hats.  Unfortunately, 11 men died during construction.  Safety nets saved the lives of 19 men, who were dubbed "the halfway-to-hell" club.  Why its' unique color of "International Orange?" "Consulting Architect Irving Morrow selected the distinctive orange color because it blends well with the span's natural setting as it is a warm color consistent with the warm colors of the land masses in the setting as distinct from the cool colors of the sky and sea." On opening day in 1937 the San Francisco Chronicle referred to the bridge, "a thirty five million dollar steel harp." (all bridge info found via goldengatebridge.org )
     Justin and I had a good time hiking around trying to capture photos from many different vantage points, and at twilight we found the best overall view of the bridge, bay, and city.  We were surprised to be the only ones at this great location. Hiking back to the car via the light of our iPhones, we reflected on the variety of natural beauty found in California. What a great experience,...thanks Justin.

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