Locks, Rocks, Flocks

Exploring my cache of old photos is not quite an adventure worthy of Lewis and Clark, but it’s a lot more comfortable. Herewith (which is one of those words you sometimes see but never ever hear), some fun photos from yesteryear.

Love locks on a pedestrian overpass

On a pedestrian bridge in Niagara Falls, ON

 

Rocky hillside at rest stop along I-10 east of Benson AZ

On the I-10 between Benson and Willcox

 

Flocks of sandhill cranes in the air

Near Willcox AZ

 

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12 Responses to Locks, Rocks, Flocks

  1. Tom Watson says:

    Beautiful pctures!
    Tom

  2. John Whitman says:

    Isabel – FYI. There is a bridge in Paris over the Seine where they had to go out and cut off all the locks. That’s because of the dead weight all the locks added to the bridge.

    I wonder how long it will be before Ottawa will have to cut off all the locks on the Corkstown pedestrian bridge. I also note that locks have started to appear on the new Flora (???) pedestrian bridge at 5th Ave.

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      John – Interesting. As Ottawa’s new (latest?) footbridge opened, I heard that locks would not be allowed because of the weight. City staff will cut off any that are put there. I was amazed to realize that locks could weigh enough to be a danger to the structure.

      • John Whitman says:

        Isabel – you asked (actually you were amazed) and Goggle provided the answer. “Paris city officials have started to remove padlocks symbolically fastened to one of the French capital’s main bridges by loved-up couples. Tying a “love lock” on to the Pont des Arts before throwing the key into the River Seine beneath has become a tourist tradition in recent years. But part of the bridge’s railings collapsed under the weight last year. Close to one million locks – weighing 45 tonnes – are due to be cut off over the next few days.”

        That was in 2015. Plus I wonder if they will have to dredge the Seine to get rid of all the keys

        • Isabel Gibson says:

          John – A million locks? Weighing 45 tonnes? Yikes. This just goes to show that there is nothing we can’t overdo. Dredging the Seine sounds like a business opportunity to me . . . Maybe you should submit a proposal. 🙂

  3. Barbara Carlson says:

    A million ? OK, “almost” …

    I wonder if there are signs forbidding the love-locks now.
    If not, what’s to stop lovers from doing it again?

    • Isabel Gibson says:

      Barbara – Of course, a sign just makes it more of a game I expect. But now that it’s an identified problem, I also expect the maintainers will cut off any locks as they are installed.

      • Barbara Carlson says:

        How about attaching locks to the sign?

        • Isabel Gibson says:

          Barbara – I think you’re not helping . . . But when you consider that a million locks weigh 45 tonnes, how are they supported when they’re not on a bridge somewhere?

  4. Barbara Carlson says:

    Heart-shaped and red? Looks like some entrepreneurs saw the niche and locked into it.

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