I am a motorcoach…
. . . here in Covington, Kentucky on the Ohio River, between the bridges. Bridges are conquerors of water and connectors of cities, communities and economies. They are first order of societal infrastructure and first strike of logistical progress. “Remove the boundaries, solve the hindrance.” Initiated by necessity, bridges are triumphs of ingenuity, monuments to ambition. It’s the ambition that confounds me. Bridges are big ideas that become bigger undertakings. I am just a motorcoach; I don’t do ambition. Yes, I am a sophisticated computer system on wheels. But my computer is programmed to do only what a motorcoach needs to do. Ambition? To me it’s a marvel and bridges are some of its most impressive testaments.
Selfies
(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)
Hangin’ out here on the Covington riverfront checking out some art. Rivers are story tellers. These works of art convey the stories of the Ohio River where Covington and Cincinnati send reflections to each other across its surface. Most of these works of art tell stories about bridges of various kinds, about river crossings.
Here I am with One Zero Nine Seven Eight Three-Nine (a whopper of a name; I almost felt foolish introducing myself by my simple Two Seven Zero). We met as I was checking out the artwork along the wall. Art is good for that. Three-Nine (he said I could call him that for short) is a Prevost, I am MCI. Three-Nine is short on windows and seats because of an interior design less on passengers and more on “home.” Otherwise we have a lot in common. He is every bit the traveler I am, maybe more so. His plates say Tennessee, but he’s on a pretty epic tour: forty-two cities from coast to coast. My tours are referenced by destination. His actually has an official name: Five Seconds of Summer – 2016 Tour. His passengers are big-time travelers. They came from Japan. When they first started traveling several years ago, they focused on points throughout Asia. But in recent years they have been to South America – Chile, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Mexico – and all over Europe – Russia, France, Italy, Germany, the UK . . . Three-Nine says that’s because they’ve become really popular. They are member of a rock band and go by the name One OK Rock. (The name came from the time at which they originally practiced every day: One O’clock in the afternoon.) They’re here to do a concert across the river at Cincinnati’s River Bend Music Center. Wait . . . what I really wanted to tell you about is that blue bridge on the right. Here, let me show you a better view of it . . .
That is the Roebling Suspension Bridge, the first bridge to span the Ohio River and the prototype for the more famous Brooklyn Bridge. Engineer, John Augustus Roebling, was its designer, and it was built in the 1860s. Yes, EIGHTEEN SIXTIES! Are you shaking your head? Good, because it amazes me too. (Thanks to my other new friend, Ilir, for photography assistance on this selfie.)
MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .
I’ve been itching to share the river-wall art with someone, so here goes. (Actually, motorcoaches don’t have itches, but I hear these kinds of things from my passengers and they stick.)
NEWS FROM THE AGE OF THE BUFFALO: For many centuries into the past, long before John A. Roebling’s ancestors heard of North America, and when this place in the river was shallower, it was a buffalo crossing along the Great Buffalo Road.
NEWS OF TIMES PRIOR TO BRIDGES: Before engineers and builders wielding bridge technology took on the Ohio, travelers crossed by ferry.
NEWS OF FREEDOM SEEKING: In the nineteenth century the Ohio River was more than the defining border of southern Ohio and northern Kentucky, it was the boundary separating Kentucky, the southern (slave) state, from Ohio, the northern (free) state. In mid-century The Ohio River valley was an important part of the passage to freedom served by conductors of the Underground Railroad. And on occasion, winter freeze created an opportune but dangerous ice bridge for fleeing slaves to cross over into Ohio. Today, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center stands adjacent to the Cincinnati end of the Roebling Bridge.
NEWS OF IMPROVISATION: In 1862, with the construction of the Covington Cincinnati Bridge underway, Confederate General Lew Wallace was in need of a bridge to get volunteers and supplies across the river to Cincinnati. He hired a local engineer who created a pontoon bridge by fastening together empty coal barges. Nearly overnight General Wallace had the bridge he needed for crossing the Ohio.
NEWS OF HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT: At the time of its opening in December of 1866, the 1,057 ft. long Covington Cincinnati Suspension Bridge (later renamed in honor of its designer, John A. Roebling) was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Materially, it was a tribute to the industrial age that was changing the world.
(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about places you’ll want to visit.)
On the Covington side: The Gruff. Not only have they concocted great flavors of food and drink, the owners of the Gruff have managed to capture the flavor of the local vibe. If you are in Covington near lunch hour, this is your spot. (Located at the end of Rivercenter Blvd.).
On the Cincinnati Side: Revolution Rotisserie and Bar. Only free range, Amish raised chickens, sl-o- o- owly cooked to perfection via rotisserie, and lots of mouthwatering variations on the theme. (1106 Race St.)
The Roebling Bridge – it will get you from one side to the other.
Covington: meeting place of history, of Kentucky and Ohio, of quaint and quiet and busy and progressive, of past present and future.
Quote Of The Day samples
“Far and away, the best prize life has to offer is to work hard at work worth doing.” ―Theodore Roosevelt
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ―Harriet Tubman
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