I guess it was around 2002 and I was on a long weekend visiting a friend and enjoying the scenery of north Georgia. We came to this bridge and it was the site of Tallulah Gorge. Don't know when I have ever been so amazed as I was that day. I walked onto the bridge which was an automobile bridge and part of the local highway not a pedestrian bridge. I walked over to the right side and noticed a spillway for this dam that was beautiful as I looked across the water.
So far nothing out of the ordinary for this small town guy from up north. I then walked over to the left side of the bridge and to my amazement it looked like somewhere between 100 to 200 feet straight down to the rocks and water below.
My friend told me that this was also a place that some people chose to commit suicide by jumping off the bridge. The area is very rough and to get to the person on foot would take days so the local emergency department would repel off the bridge to the bottom of the gorge to retrieve the unlucky jumpers.
This is a view across the dam area
Looking down from the bridge.
Looking straight down where jumpers would land.
It is a beautiful area but you have to respect the wilderness or it will ruin your day.
I said all of the above to lead you into "the rest of the story". For years now I have been driving north and south on NC Highway 301 which parallels Interstate 95. 301 goes through a number of towns including Halifax. On the south side of town there is a bridge that you cross that has always made me wonder what was under that bridge because all can see from the car is trees and the thought of depth.
Being retired and having the time to explore I stopped near the bridge today and walked to the center to take a look over the side.
This is what I saw looking down and out and it is quite a long way down. This picture was taken with no magnification. If you look near the center in the water there is a rectangular object towards the left side of the stream.
Now with full magnification at 5X this is the object I mentioned. Get the picture? The next picture was also at full magnification just a little ways further down the stream. So my friends that is why Tallulah Gorge popped back into my mind today seeing a smaller version a couple of miles down the road.
Great pictures, Odie. I think I'd be in the grip of vertigo if I was taking pictures from those heights. Those scenes remind me of my hiking and rock climbing days in areas of Northern and Northeastern Pennsylvania including the Poconos. There were many steep cliffs and cascading waterfalls along those mountain trails. Thanks, Odie!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I agree with Shady, though. I think the heights would get to me, sadly...
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for people who take their lives like that, Odie. So sad. I get dizzy when I look down from high places, but this looks very pretty.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos for us to look at today my friend. It is so sad that people feel the need to take their own lives like that. Like the others, I'm afraid I don't like heights very much, but this is certainly a very pretty place. Isn't it wonderful, being retired, that you can do this sort of thing, and just stop to admire the view and take some lovely photos for us. Hope you're looking forward to the big day tomorrow! You're just a couple of weeks older than me my friend. Eeek!!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Thisisme! Beautiful but tragic. I know people like that. So sad.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a fantastic Friday my friend@
Beautiful place Odie, too bad there is also such sadness. I like what you wrote about respecting the wilderness.
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