The Bridge was HOPPING!!!

This is the Hawthorne Bridge in Portland Oregon.  It is 100 years old.  Last night, as part of a celebration of bridges in Portland, and in particular the Hawthorne, this bridge was closed to motor traffic, except for a bus that housed the Mobile Groove Bomb.  On TOP of the bus, which parked below the bridgekeepers house on the lift span, there were 3-5 people playing music and dancing.  There were interactive stations where the audience could direct the lights for the show, or create an animated screen to go with the music. http://groovebomb.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

There was quite a crowd developing.  We heard that a marching band was on the bridge and was slowly working it's way to the bus.  There was quite a crowd, and it was difficult to move about on the bridge.  When we arrived on the bridge, security directed us to stay on one side of the span, and bicycles on the other.  But when the marching band arrived, that guidance seemed to go out the window.  http://www.marchfourthmarchingband.com/

Now, I get kind of freaky at heights anyway, but when you add that it is a bridge, with a grate through which you can see water, AND the crowd  you are among is dancing so that the bus, and the whole span, are BOUNCING !!!!!---I got just a BIT more freaked!

I just wanted OFF that span!  

It took some doing, but we did work our way through to the nearest edge of the lift span.  Then the MC came on and said something like 'Hey, the people who know math are getting freaked out!  Let's not break the bridge--it's 100 years old, and it's tired.'  We heard comments like 'Don't dance rhythmically.'    

Yes, I didn't feel right until we got to land.

(8-3-10, here is a pointer to an OPB news story:  http://news.opb.org/article/festivities-shake-hawthorne-bridge-saturday-night/)