Love them or leave them?
I love them. I always enjoy looking at the construction and thinking about the community of local residents and craftsmen who came together to provide a simple solution to crossing a body of water. No battery packs or air compressors, just men with skills and simple tools.
When we are heading out on a road trip, I check to see if there is a covered bridge in the area so I won’t miss one. Recently, when visiting the western part of the state, we lucked out – there are four covered bridges in the town of Swanzey crossing the Ashuelot River.
Standing there, I think about the people who travelled these bridges, and I applaud the various organizations that still keep them maintained and in use today.
New Hampshire and covered bridges seem to go together. If you’re visiting don’t forget to check them out, but heed the warning – $5 fine for riding or driving over this bridge faster than a walk.
Happy last week of August – stay safe and cool. We’re looking at two days out of five this week hitting 95 degrees. 😎
I love covered bridges, too, and for the same reasons you do. There are things to be said for the quieter, slower pace of rural America when structures like these sufficed to get people from farm to town in one easy horse drawn ride. Easy, though, to overlook the things they lacked that make our own lives today one of more leisure than they had. It would be fun to time travel backwards and see for sure if the peace and calm beauty of a social media free life is worth the absence of “breaking news,” medical advances, and widespread social safety net programs!
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Tricky exchange. I think I could do it, but then again it’s going to 95 tomorrow and I sure like my A/C. 🙂
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I do love them! I wish we had more that were within an easy drive,, but I would go out of my way to see one. Like you, I always check out the construction, and I marvel what people could do with the tools of the day. Thanks for the beautiful pictures. That is so New England!
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Love covered bridges! Like barns, there can’t be enough of them. The bridges in your slideshow are just beautiful and well maintained. They really make you wonder about life ‘way back then’. I agree with Joyce, it would be fun to travel back in time, but only for a visit for me! I wouldn’t want to give up some of the advances we’ve made since then.
🔹 Ginger 🔹
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What – no beating of rugs on clothes lines, no wearing layers of wool clothing? Surprises me. 🙂 I would love to do it and I think I’d find satisfaction in the hard work, but I’m taking my jeans and tennis shoes with me. 🙂
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Stay cool my friend! It’s going to be warm here in Pennsylvania as well!
Your slideshow was a real treat to my eyes! You have quite a few and they are spectacular!
I too love covered bridges and there are quite a few about one hour away from the LakeHouse. Right across the border into Ohio!
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Love them!
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Oh, yes, count me among the love-’em’s! These are beautiful specimens and easily prod the imagination into time travel. Although I always enjoy the comments on your posts, I was louder than usual in my enjoyment just now — LOL, you know. (I think my neighbors know when I’m reading blog comments!) We too are in hideous weather, so it’s good I got my laughing in this morning because in a little while it will be too hot to laugh.
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We don’t have the AC set that low to start with, but we got the highest electric bill ever last month so I turned it up 1° to see if that helps. It may help the bill, but I’d sure like to turn it down several degrees in these ‘feels like’ >100 degree days. But, on the positive note, no humidity and at least 25-30 degrees cooler inside than outside. 😎
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So glad to hear that you are getting a break! It’s about time! I don’t doubt that electric bill — my ac has been set at 79 and it’s been working hard to keep my place at that number. And it’s been worse there, so I can well imagine how hard your ac has been working. Let’s hope you’ve seen the last of that wretched sticky heat.
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We don’t have any nearby (that I know of), but I like them too, Judy. Nice post — thank you.
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Love them. There is no better place to take shade on a hot summer day.
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Great photo series of these iconic bridges. There is one 1/4 mi. from my house that we drive over every day, built in 1869 and restored about 5 years ago (it was closed for so long it took a while to start using it!). There are often tourists taking photos, reminding me of just how special it is.
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That’s so great that you have one that close. I think you need to stop and take a photo to share. 🙂
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You’re right! Maybe when the foliage turns for a bit of New England charm. 🙂
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I have never been as far North as you. I must plan a fall trip next year!
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There’s always room for a couple more tourists, and I think you’d like the countryside. 🙂
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There are not many covered bridged in the West, and if I remember correctly, most are in Western Oregon. The tallest covered bridge in America happens to be right here in Santa Cruz County. https://tonytomeo.com/2017/12/02/felton-covered-bridge/
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That’s a mighty handsome bridge. Cute pup too. 🙂
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‘Cute’?!?! He is EXCELLENT! (That is Rhody.)
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We found a covered bridge on a day trip from Toronto – our first ever! Like these, it was quaint and so picturesque.
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I don’t think I’ve seen any around here. They are suggestive of a quieter time.
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The one with the two pedestrian walks on either side is my favorite, but the red one is gorgeous.
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Those covered bridges would take on a whole new attitude with your photography skills and equipment. 🙂
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You’re too kind! We have a couple of covered bridges here, and I don’t think I did them justice with my photography skills. 😭
Somewhere on my hard drive I have a list of all the covered bridges in the USA. It’s probably outdated now. I should update it, and look to see if FL has any since I’m heading there soon to visit my Mom.
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I love them! They are a rarity in these parts – only one that I know of in Ontario. Swanzey is lucky to have 4 of them!!
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Splendid bridges! How lovely to reflect on the work involved in building them. Hotter than heck in Maine, too. In what universe is it so hot the end of August? In the new order of things.
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It is hot. Hot like fry an egg on the asphalt hot. I wish it wasn’t the new order of things, but…
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I know. Sigh
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I say, love them!
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I like the ones that have the walking lanes alongside! There’s only one around here, in Jay, NY, and it’s over a wide, shallow spot where people sit on the rocks and wade and swim–very picturesque!
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Now, that really sounds like a great one where people get to really enjoy the area. 🙂
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I love covered bridges & have only seen them in movies and books…. So I’d love to see one in real life …. If I win the lottery! Thanks for showing me another part of your lovely place in the world.
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Lovely.
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Love them! They’re fewer here, I believe. I enjoy them, and never seem to photograph them well. You did that 😀
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I love them. As we drive around in New Hampshire and Vermont and pass one, I’m always yelling, “Stop the car, pull over!” We end up stopping for every third or fourth one. But they fascinate me. Each one a little different from the last one. Wonderful photos.
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we have a few local to our area and they are as precious to us as yours are 🙂
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