Friend and Neighbor

Here is a view we'll miss out on this spring unless we trespass. The pedestrian bridge at the end of our street is being rebuilt and is closed for the next four to five months. Since the bridge gets us away from cars and puts us almost 100' above Six Mile Creek while granting a direct route to East Hill, Cornell and much of the north side of Ithaca, we consider it a true friend and great neighbor. One can't help but look upstream as you pass over, either to turn away from the bitter wind, for the breathtaking view or both.

Friend and Neighbor

They started work last fall with some preparations. Trees were cleared away, some thought too many but for once I wasn't too alarmed, none of those trees were there when it was built and what's there will fill in much of the space. A road was built for access and everything removed. Fortunately not all at once, I was able to obtain several locust posts before they finished.

Friend and Neighbor

Of course it wasn't always a pedestrian bridge. Up until the late 1950's it accommodated automobiles. I can't imagine the traffic on our street if it were open to cars today. The picture with the flags shows our house at the top of the hill on the right.

Friend and Neighbor

Here is a cairn I made in 2005 below the bridge. I liked its shape but it didn't stay up long as it was pretty unbalanced.

Friend and Neighbor

Spring or fall, it's a great spot to be a leaf-peeper.

Friend and Neighbor

Stunning from both ends. Gail and I got a rare treat during a spring storm a few years ago and were able to ski across. I have to credit the city crews, they clear the snow off the deck pretty early, most of the time they're at it when I go to work. On days like this one, however, when school is closed I'll go over once with a shovel for the early birds.

Friend and Neighbor

It provides the perfect vantage for viewing high water events too. In extreme cases the islands get covered, and once or twice this big concrete block from a previous bridge is fully submerged. In this picture it is creating the ripple just above the trees in the center of the creek.

Friend and Neighbor

Sometimes during autumn there can be a crowd enjoying the view from above or the canopy that covers one end.

GrapeNut Ski

Nutty skiing from Joe McMahon on Vimeo.

GrapeNut Skiing

This is a birdseye view of the grove with some grape vineyards surrounding it. The video was taken starting near the field in the center down to where the word "Plank" is on the old Plank Road.

GrapeNut Skiing

Here's a sweet specimen. The tracks in the snow indicate this is THE place to be if you're a deer or turkey. Or skier.

GrapeNut Skiing

Along the edge of the grove was this ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana). I don't think I've seen one this big but I'll have to check with the resident big tree expert, Ed Cope.

GrapeNut Skiing

On top of each trunk vine there were nice little tufts of snow. Didn't get a great picture but this captures it somewhat, and get a load of that sky.

GrapeNut Skiing

All up and down Bliss St. are the Grapes of Ross with their familiar red patch on the end post with the row number written in white. Most blocks, or sections of rows, don't go beyond 100 rows, but I guess some things changed when Howard took over.