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Blogs by Russell A Vassallo
Bridges 5/17/2016 3:07:50 AM
I should give lessons on how to build a bridge in the country. Why? Because for ten years I was very proud of that fact. A worker and I built a sixteen foot span across our creek so I could drive right over into our back fields. For ten years I drove large and small tractors over that bridge, always looking at the creek on both of sides of me because the clear water trickled down with God-given beauty and made me feel at peace with the world.
On one particular occasion I was driving my largest tractor across the bridge with my bush hog cutter on the back. As usual I got to the center and looked to my right. The water was beautiful, and it occurred to me that it seemed much closer than usual. That was not an illusion! It WAS much closer. The entire right side of the bridge was bent down to the very water. It's a wonder or a miracle the tractor did not tip to the right but it did not. I tried to back up but without four wheel drive that was impossible.
So I walked home and telephoned a few friends to come help. One of them told me he had to see what I had done now, so please do not do anything until he got there. That was Thurmond. He lived his entire life in Kentucky and was not used to an amateur creating new and wonderful excitements for the neighbors.
It was decided to chain saw the bridge until the tractor fell flat and could then be pulled up a four foot embankment. This was accomplished with two four wheel drive tractors. When we examined the bridge, it was eaten through by termites. Lesson learned was to use treated lumber or steel. I used steel but the termites haven't spoken to me since.
Somehow it seemed I never had much in the way of good fortune but, whenever I needed some kind of miracle, well, it was just always there. Perhaps when the good Lord modeled me, He realized I would be more of a challenge than most.
