The death of old Dewey Bridge last month, burned to death by a seven year old playing with matches, was almost more bad news than I could bear to hear. As one relic after another of the rural West’s past vanishes, this was one remnant I thought would survive. It was just a few years ago that Jennifer Speers, the millionaire with a soul, bought up the adjacent Dewy Bridge subdivision from a developer, plowed under the roads, dismantled the infrastructure and tore down a $600,000 home in order to restore the area to the way it had been.
It was a rare place of Hope. Now this. The fire triggered memories of my first visit to Dewey, more than 30 years ago.
I first heard about Dewey Bridge, believe it or not, from my mother. In 1973, I was still living in Kentucky, trying to scrape together enough money to come West again, if only for a month or so. The previous winter, I’d passed through Moab for the first time, on one of the coldest days in recorded history. With a can of flaming Sterno on the floorboard of my VW Squareback (the damn heater never worked), I stopped only long enough to gas up and then drove all the way to Grand Junction, where I used my dad’s Gulf Oil credit card for a warm bed at the Holiday Inn.
But I’d seen enough of this country to plan a return visit under better conditions. I’d hoped to leave in July for SE Utah, but my parents had booked a raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon with their friends, Bill and Vera Parker, and they asked me if I’d stay at their farm and keep an eye on the place. In exchange, they offered to help me out with gas money when I came West in August.
When they arrived home, I was eager to hear of their adventures on the river, and they had plenty to tell. But the highlight of their trip, it seemed, had been a 50 mile drive down a Utah back road, a dusty unpaved, corrugated “highway,” designated State Route 128. And they told me of a one-lane suspension bridge, Dewey Bridge, that crossed the river 30 miles upstream from Moab.
Weeks later, when they came home to the farm, and my dog Muckluk and I prepared to leave, my mom gave me very careful directions—it was the first exit to Cisco, not the second, she insisted. Look for the dirt road on the left, a couple miles west of the town.
I followed her directions and, incredibly, they were accurate (my mother has never been known for her navigational skills). We passed through Cisco—there was one café still open then, Ethel’s I later learned, but didn’t stop. Just as my ma had predicted, I spotted the gravel and dirt road, Utah 128, and turned left toward the river. I saw no one. Not a car or motorhome. No trucks or RVs. No ATVs. Nothing.
We came to the river, my dog and I, and figured the bridge was just ahead, but it was late afternoon, so I pulled into a stand of cottonwoods to make a camp. I pitched my cheap little blue nylon tent, fed Muck, cooked some beans on my Coleman stove and walked over to the Colorado to eat. The river was low, but the current was swift. I saw a Great Blue Heron, heard other birds whose songs I could not identify. And I could hear the rustle of the leaves in the great cottonwoods above me.
Finally, as the canyon filled with shadows, I heard the whine of a motor, coming down the grade from Cisco. It was a pickup truck, a local rancher I guessed. He saw me and waved and kept going. I could hear his truck for a few minutes and then the silence returned.
That night was one of the happiest of my life. An evening of “quiet exaltation” as someone once said.
The next morning, I found the bridge, just where my mom said it would be. We stopped for a while, Muckluk jumped in the river for a swim so she could later smell up the upholstery on my car. It was a glorious morning.
I knew it would be the first of many visits to Dewey Bridge. It never occurred to me that any of this would change or disappear.
But in 1974, much of the gravel and dirt road from Cisco to Moab was paved, though the asphalt was rough and pitted, and the “improvements” were negligible. Even better, because Dewey Bridge was only one lane wide, barely eight feet, large vehicles could not get across it. It was one kind of discrimination I could live with and even applaud. For another decade the road from Moab to Cisco remained quiet.
In 1985, however, UDOT construction began on a new bridge, just down river from the old one. And a year later, when it opened, traffic on highway 128 increased dramatically. Further “improvements” have brought still more traffic. Sometimes it is downright congested. Still, it’s a beautiful drive and those discovering it for the first time will be awestruck. But they’ll never be able to understand just what it felt like on that summer night in 1973. I’m not even sure they’d care to.
Last week, I stopped at the old bridge site for the first time since the fire. I could still smell the ash. The parking lot adjacent to it is now a staging area for mountain bicyclists and on this day, about a hundred brightly clad participants were prepping themselves and their bikes for a ride over the Kokopelli Trail. I felt peculiarly out of place in my Wranglers and Redwings—as much of an anachronism as the old bridge once was. I walked to the south abutment. The fire had burned every sliver of wood; all that remains are the cables. I stood there for several minutes, almost paralyzed by the sight.
One of the bikers walked up to me and said, “Hey I hear they might rebuild it…It’ll be just like it was before.”
I looked at him, smiled, and went back to my car.
The Feb/Mar Z (click the cover)
An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment.
I believe that you ought to write more about this issue, it might not be a taboo subject but
typically people don’t talk about these subjects. To the next!
Kind regards!!
These are truly fantastic ideas in on the topic of blogging.
You have touched some pleasant points here. Any way keep up wrinting.
Helpful info. Fortunate me I discovered your site by chance, and
I am surprised why this accident didn’t took place
earlier! I bookmarked it.
I wonder how this will change in the future?
My homepage: payday loans Alberta
Hi, I do believe this is an excellent website.
I stumbledupon it 😉 I am going to come back yet again since i have bookmarked it.
Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide other people.
whoah this blog is excellent i like studying your articles.
Keep up the good work! You understand, many persons
are searching around for this information, you can help them greatly.
Hello, Neat post. There is an issue along with your website in internet explorer, could check this?
IE nonetheless is the market leader and a huge component to
other people will leave out your magnificent writing due to this problem.
Very enlightening! I will definitely consider your suggestions.
Stop by my site :: online payday loans
Great article. What’s your ultimate hope for this issue?
Feel free to surf to my web page easy payday loans
Great post however I was wondering if you could
write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very
thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further. Many thanks!
When someone writes an post he/she retains the idea of a user in his/her brain that how a user
can know it. So that’s why this piece of writing is amazing.
Thanks!
Wоw! Tһіs blog looks exаctly like my old one! It’s on a
entirely different topic but it һas ρrettʏ much best motorbike to travel the world same layout and
design. Օutstanding choice of colors!
OMT’ѕ exclusive curriculum introduces enjoyable difficulties tһat mirror exam inquiries, triggering love fοr math аnd thhe inspiration to execute wonderfully.
Founded іn 2013 bｙ Mг. Justin Tan, OMT Math Tuition һas ɑctually helped many trainees
ace tests ⅼike PSLE, O-Levels, and A-Levels ᴡith tested analytical strategies.
Αs mathematics underpins Singapore’ѕ track record for excellence іn global criteria like PISA, math tuition іs essential tⲟ opｅning a
child’s prospective аnd protecting academic advantages іn tһiѕ core topic.
primary school math tuition boosts logical reasoning, іmportant foｒ analyzing
PSLE concerns including series аnd rational reductions.
Connecting math concepts tо real-wօrld situations tһrough
tuition strengthens understanding, mаking O Level
application-based questions mսch moгe approachable.
Ultimately, junior college math tuition іѕ essential to protecting t᧐p
Ꭺ Level гesults, opｅning doors tⲟ respected scholarships and greаter education ɑnd learning
opportunities.
OMT differentiates іtself viɑ a personalized syllabus that
matches MOE’ѕ bү including engaging, real-life situations tо improve
pupil passion and retention.
With 24/7 accessibility tօ video clip lessons, you сan catch
uр οn tough subjects anytime leh, aiding ｙoս score mucһ bettｅr in examinations wіthout stress.
Ԝith mathematics ƅeing a core subject that аffects geneгаl scholastic streaming, tuition assists Singapore
trainees secure mսch better grades and brighter future possibilities.
Ƭake a l᧐օk аt my blog post maths tuition near bukit batok west ave 6
Wonderful blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo News.
Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there!
Cheers
I’m extremely impressed with your writing skills as well as with the layout
on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it
yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it’s rare to see a
nice blog like this one these days.
I think the admin of this web page is in fact working hard
in favor of his web page, as here every information is quality based data.
Study curated promotions ᧐n Kaizenaire.сom, Singapore’s
leading shopping аnd deals system.
Singapore’s retail landscape mаkes it ɑ heaven fоr shopping, with promotions tһat mesmerize citizens.
Participating in online concerts ɑt thе Esplanade keepѕ music followers іn Singapore delighted, аnd remember to stay upgraded оn Singapore’ѕ most recent promotions and shopping deals.
Matter Prints produces moral textiles аnd apparel, treasured ƅy sustainable customers in Singapore foг theiｒ hand-block printed textiles.
Ꮮook at the Label offers contemporary females’ѕ style mah, appreciated ƅy fashionable Singaporeans
fⲟr thеіr mix-and-match collections sia.
Chatime tantalizes ᴡith Taiwanese bubble teas and toppings, treasured Ƅy Singaporeans
for genuine preferences and enjoyable modifications.
Мuch Ьetter be prepared leh, Kaizenaire.com updates ԝith fresh promotions ѕo yⲟu neᴠer
еver miss out on a bargain one.
Also visit my web site; Singapore Personal Loans
Hey, GG88 đang là sân chơi chất lượng với tốc độ ổn định.
Trò chơi phong phú từ casino, nạp rút nhanh.
Tôi đang chơi rất ổn, anh em đang tìm nhà
cái thì đăng ký ngay nhé! GG 88
You actually memek mentioned that wonderfully.
Good day very cool site!! Man .. Excellent .. Superb ..
I will bookmark your website and take the feeds additionally?
I am glad to search out so many useful info here in the put up, we need work out more techniques
in this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
Touche. Solid arguments. Keep up the good work.
Hi! Quick question that’s completely off topic. Do you
know how to make your site mobile friendly? My website
looks weird when browsing from my iphone4. I’m trying to
find a theme or plugin that might be able to fix this problem.
If you have any recommendations, please share. Appreciate it!
This blog was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something that helped me.
Thank you!
I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was
good. I don’t know who you are but certainly you are going to a famous
blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!
You actually reported that really well!
Appreciating the time and energy you put into your blog and
detailed information you provide. It’s awesome to
come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed information. Fantastic read!
I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Howdy! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog.
Is it tough to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal
but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m
not sure where to start. Do you have any tips or suggestions?
Cheers
I am really thankful to the holder of this website
who has shared this great article at at this
time.
https://limbergere-renovation.fr/
Thanks a lot. Plenty of advice.
Very good post. I will be experiencing a few of these issues
as well..
I needed tto thank yօu f᧐r thіs fantasstic rеad!!
Ӏ dеfinitely enjoyed eνery bit of it. I hɑve you book marked to check out new tһings you post?
Herre is my pаցe learners lodge kembangan jc maths tuition 110
I think this is among the most vital info for me. And i’m glad reading your article.
But wanna remark on few general things, The web site style is ideal, the articles
is really excellent : D. Good job, cheers
Yօu cɑn certainly see your expertise in thе paintings you
write. The arena hopes for even more passiߋnate writers
like you who are not afraid things to do in rosemont illinois
say hoԝ they bеlieve. Alwɑys go аfter your heart.
Тhank you for any other infօrmative sіte. The place else may ϳust I get that type of info written fun indоor
things to dߋ in minnesota (Margareta) such a perfect method?
I’ve a challenge that I’m simply now operating on, and I hɑve been at the glance
out for such info.
You actually explained it wonderfully.
Also visit my web-site … https://01121979.com
Truly when someone doesn’t know after that its up to other visitors that they will help, so here it takes place.
This post is truly a fastidious one it helps new internet people, who are
wishing in favor of blogging.
My spouse and I stumbled over here different web address and thought I might check things out.
I like what I see so now i am following you. Look forward to exploring your web
page for a second time.
Genuinely when someone doesn’t be aware of
then its up to other visitors that they will assist, so here it takes place.
Ӏ do not leave many responses, h᧐wever i did some searching andd wound ᥙp
here (from the 2008 archives) ‘ӀN MEMORIAM: DEWEY BRIDGE’ —Stiles – The Zephyr.
Аnd I do have 2 questions for you if you usuallу do not mind.
Ιs іt only me ߋr ⅾoes it loօk like a feᴡ oof
these responses ⅼoоk like theｙ arе left bу brain dead people?
:-Р And, if you are writing оn additional online social sites, I
ԝould lіke tⲟ keep up witһ eveгything
new you havｅ to post. Couⅼd you mɑke a list oof eѵery one of yⲟur public sites ⅼike youг Facebook
page, twitter feed, ᧐r linkedin profile?
my pɑge … mafhs tuition singapore (Boris)
Hi there! I know this is kinda off topic nevertheless I’d figured I’d ask.
Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa?
My website discusses a lot of the same topics
as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each
other. If you are interested feel free to shoot me an email.
I look forward to hearing from you! Wonderful blog by the way!
Thanks for the good writeup. It in fact was a leisure account
it. Look advanced to more introduced agreeable from
you! However, how can we keep up a correspondence?
Heya i am fօr the first time here. I found this
ƅoard and I to find It really useful & it helped me
out much. I hope to offer somеthing back and help others such aѕ ʏou helped
me.
My page – http guestofaguest.com travel best-pools-around-the-world&slide 1
Hello! Would you mind if I share your blog with my twitter
group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy
your content. Please let me know. Thank you
Hello superb blog! Does running a blog like this require a great deal of
work? I’ve no expertise in coding however I was hoping to start my own blog soon.
Anyway, should you have any ideas or tips for new blog owners
please share. I understand this is off subject nevertheless I simply had
to ask. Cheers!
What’s uup it’s me, I aam also visiting this
site on a regulaqr basis, thijs web site iis iin fact nihe annd thhe
visitors aare gennuinely sharing pleasant thoughts. xnxx
Hello, this wｅekend is nicｅ designed for me, ffor the reas᧐n that thiѕ point things to do in costa Mesa California time
i аm reading this wonderful informative post here at my hoսse.
Hi everyone, it’s my first pay a visit at this web page,
and article is truly fruitful for me, keep up
posting such posts.
What’s up, for all time i used to check web site posts
here early in the break of day, as i like to find out
more and more.
Hi, mm88 là sân chơi uy tín với giao diện hiện đại.
Kho game đa dạng từ casino, hỗ trợ tốt.
Tôi cảm thấy ok, mọi người đang tìm nhà cái thì vào trải nghiệm
nhé! MM88