"Cedar Bridge 7"
Cedar Bridge, which is 76 feet long, was the last of the six remaining covered bridges in Madison County that we visited, a year ago this week. It was built in 1883 by Benton Jones over Cedar Creek, north of Winterset on what is now U.S. Route 169. In 1921, it was moved by steam-powered tractor to its present location on Cedar Creek, about 1.3 miles to the east. It is the last bridge still open to vehicular traffic.
"Cedar Bridge 4"
As this is the only bridge where vehicles are still allowed, I had Sally drive her minivan over it a couple of times - once from each direction - so I could get a few pictures. Fortunately for us, there was literally no one else around. In all our visits to the 6 bridges, over the two days we were there, we saw two other people - that was at Imes Bridge, the very first bridge we visited on our first day there. The rest of the time we had the bridges all to ourselves.
In the novel The Bridges of Madison County, by Robert James Waller, Cedar Bridge is where Francesca Johnson meets with Robert Kincaid, to help him take photographs. It is also pictured on the novel's cover. As a photographer watching the movie version, I was a little off-put by how Clint Eastwood casually walked around, only occasionally clicking a few snaphots; he wasn't taking any time to compose shots, try different settings or frame the bridge artistically. But I realize movies are not "real life," and such omissions of technical accuracy aren't really important to the storyline.
In the novel The Bridges of Madison County, by Robert James Waller, Cedar Bridge is where Francesca Johnson meets with Robert Kincaid, to help him take photographs. It is also pictured on the novel's cover. As a photographer watching the movie version, I was a little off-put by how Clint Eastwood casually walked around, only occasionally clicking a few snaphots; he wasn't taking any time to compose shots, try different settings or frame the bridge artistically. But I realize movies are not "real life," and such omissions of technical accuracy aren't really important to the storyline.
"Imes Bridge"
Imes Covered Bridge, which was built in 1870, is the oldest of the six remaining bridges. It is 81 feet long, and was originally over the Middle River, west of Patterson. It has been relocated twice, and is currently over a natural ravine, east of St. Charles. This was the first bridge we visited, and it was the only time we saw anybody else - a younger couple, who didn't stay too long. Fortunately, the weather was relatively mild - for Iowa, in mid-January - with daytime temperatures around 30 degrees.
"Hogback Bridge Panorama"
Built in 1884 by Benton Jones, the Hogback Covered Bridge measures 97 feet, and is in its original location in a valley north of Winterset. Hogback gets its name from the limestone ridge which forms the west end of the valley. More hoarfrost is evident on the plants in the foreground of this image.
Links:
Links:
For "Cedar Bridge 7"
Camera Data
Camera Data
Canon
Canon PowerShot SD1000
1/318 second
F/3.5
10 mm
80
Jan 19, 2010, 3:42:03 PM
Adobe Photoshop CS Windows
13mm
For "Cedar Bridge 4"
Canon PowerShot SD1000
1/318 second
F/3.5
10 mm
80
Jan 19, 2010, 3:42:03 PM
Adobe Photoshop CS Windows
13mm
For "Cedar Bridge 4"
Camera Data
Canon
Canon PowerShot SD1000
1/636 second
F/3.5
10 mm
80
Jan 19, 2010, 3:47:09 PM
Adobe Photoshop CS Windows
13mm
Canon PowerShot SD1000
1/636 second
F/3.5
10 mm
80
Jan 19, 2010, 3:47:09 PM
Adobe Photoshop CS Windows
13mm
For "Imes Bridge"
Camera Data
Canon
Canon PowerShot SD1000
1/636 second
F/3.5
10 mm
80
Jan 19, 2010, 3:47:09 PM
Adobe Photoshop CS Windows
13mm
Canon PowerShot SD1000
1/636 second
F/3.5
10 mm
80
Jan 19, 2010, 3:47:09 PM
Adobe Photoshop CS Windows
13mm
For "Hogback Bridge Panorama"
Camera Data
Canon
Canon PowerShot SD1000
1/159 second
F/10.0
8 mm
80
Jan 19, 2010, 2:05:41 PM
Adobe Photoshop CS Windows
16mm
