Friday Walk & Wabash Bridge Replacement!

 This weather is so glorious - it's to continue on well through next week!  What's left of the snow is melting more by the minute.  The Explorer came home last evening, steering gear box replaced.  I decided to drive it to Silver City today for our walk with Mari Jo.  Nika prefers the smooth ride to the Bronco :-)

Almost to Silver City~

Mari Jo & Gracie met us in front of the shop. I wanted to check on the progress of the bridge replacement! 

You can see the bridge supports~

Things are moving right along!  The crew is working Monday through Fri.  The weather is supposed to hold for the next ten-days, with the exception of a rain chance mid-week.  

Big Crane!

You can see the arm of the crane to the left.  The new bridge will be pre-fab, so we're hoping it will be ready by the time the trail dries out.

Mari Jo's photo from this morning~

You can see the broken timbers on the right side.  A comment was made on the Happy Trails Cycle Facebook page - this was the first bridge decked & rails installed when the development of the Wabash Trace began in 1989.

Far from rideable~

We walked along the road that runs parallel to the trail for a way.  Where there was access, we stopped to see how the trail surface looked.  This particular spot had drifts over three-feet deep.  Mari Jo had snowshoed through, just over a week ago.

Not even walkable~

Someone had tried to walk on the trail & left deep imprints...  Nika could stand on top of the surface, but we couldn't.  The day was so grand, just being out felt wonderful.  It's so quiet too, we could hear the birds singing.

Damage from a golf cart~

A golf cart with two passengers had started off down the trail as we left town.  Luckily, they only progressed a short distance before turning back.  We were pretty excited to see a pair of Robins flying through the trees!

Nika & Gracie~

If we'd turned these two loose, I doubt we've have found them for weeks!  You could tell they were discussing what fun they would have without us!

Two-miles seems longer when you're walking a road, I wore my broke-in old riding boots, but my ankle really gave me fits.  It's still very stiff & now more swollen.  I don't care!  It's so worth it to be back out & going someplace!