Crossing Over the Mighty Fraser River

This morning my beloved enticed me with the promise of a trip to "Dagwoods" in Maple Ridge. A nice offer of a bacon and egger beckoned, but first we'd have to walk there, which is for us, is about a 55 minutes, one way, over the lovely new Golden Ears Bridge.

Before the bridge opened the only way to Maple Ridge from our place was either by HWY 1 over the Port Mann Bridge and then drive all the way around, or, we could drive to Fort Langley and take the little Albion Ferry over. Both routes took a long time out of your day. You were either driving forever in a ton of traffic, or, you were waiting for sailing after sailing, waiting for your turn to ride the ferry.

Here are some pictures of our last trip over the Albion Ferry. They were taken May 4/09.

All crammed in and ready to sail.

There's Maple Ridge in the background!

Today though we walked over in perfect "walking" weather.

On the long ramp leading up to the bridge you get to look down and see all of the industry going on. So this is what people do when they're not retired! The neat thing is, from so high up it reminds us of when we were little kids and you had little toy towns, little models, all neat and orderly. Everything in its' place. That's what it looks like when you look down from the bridge.

First off, the metal scrap yard.

The bridge awaits!

Note puddle in foreground, called that one in today. Last time we walked here on the 6th, it was about 40' long and about an inch deep and no other way around it but to go through it!

Next up, the gravel pit! It's fun to watch the goings on down there.

Did you know? It takes one load from a Caterpiller's bucket to fill the front truck bed, and one and a half loads to fill the larger truck bed behind it. The caterpiller operators are so skilled when they place the loads into the truck beds, tamping the last load down very gently, which is something we hadn't expected.

The sand and gravel are barged in on the Fraser River and travel by conveyor belts into the yard.

One of the trucks being loaded.

Off the barge, into the hopper, and over to the yard on a conveyor belt for this load.

The foreshore lined with old auto wrecks.

My beloved . You can see one of the barges over his left shoulder.

One of four "piers" that supports the bridge.

Looking East right smack, dab, in the middle of the bridge.

Two crazy old birds enjoying life!

Destination Dagwood is in sight just over the bridge!

We made it to the other side of the river!

This end is equally fascinating, lots of docks and working boats and boat houses. I'm sending my beloved down there with his water colours!

Well folks, that's the walk in one thousand words or less!! And let me tell you, that bacon and egger was delisch!