Deadfall Abounds

None of the trees that have fallen are big enough to cross the river. That is a bummer, because that was always one of the best parts of going to the river. I'm not sure if we helped a few but who needed the bridge if you could shimmy across.

The recent floods undermined both of the areas that we thought would be problematic, the first on the west and north side of the bridge, where one tree went down parallel to the bridge, then the group on the north and east side of the bridge, right at the problematic curve, that whole group went down with the tops of the trees catching on the first deadfall but all pointing downstream.

I post a picture.

Moving to the old phone company building in Montezuma to see up offices for the NSRGA, should be a bit easier. Because I did not get the Wall Award I will open the lunchwagon back up to supplement my income. I'm thinking breakfasts and lunch, maybe bakery stuff.
More will be revealed on that notion.

Working

After our board meeting the other day it was determined that rather than try to get the bridge fixed in my father's lifetime we are going into slowdown mode. So here it is. The bridge gets lifted when it gets lifted. We pay for that. We write grants to get it fixed and we raise the money $by$ until we have enough and then we fix the bridge.

I need someone to give us $150,000 and that bridge will be fixed by Fall. Who's down.

Call me.

WAKE OF THE FLOOD

Out at bridge yesterday. It is amazing how quickly the top layer of dirt dries out after flooding, and what the effect of the flooding was on the dirt that was their and now is not. Pretty cool. I'm posting pictures.

GPCF is not willing to work with us as we write for grants, so NSRGA will forge ahead on its own. Meeting next Tuesday to figure out what that path will be.

On to the next.

Talked with Justin at PCI today. They will begin to pull out their equipment and will return when and if possible.
Time to switch into next phase of planning without the bridge being off the piers. More fun to have.

Still don't know how bridge fares!

Grant Ferguson says that ole bridge ain't goin' nowhwere. I'll take him at his word as he has lived next to the N. Skunk River his entire life. He is not entirely delighted that we are working on the bridge, for him it would be better if it were gone and he would not have to see people down there. But, he was gracious to let me take photos from his land that gave me the view to the bridge approach. THE NEAR END WAS STILL VISIBLE.

Vern says he can fix it even if it falls in the water. I hope so.

We need to start planning the next phase - and I'm changing my mind somewhat that the river can lag behind here. I've found the cut, I can see where the land is scarred fromed where the current comes across. Perhaps this is just keeping the bridge safe with less water flow but you can see that it is full to the banks and has spread out. Called Justin to see if a rip rap jetty could be more useful now. Haven't heard back from him yet.

Worked my way around to the other side of the river and had some fun exploring an abandoned farm site. Berkeley of course had to go upstairs. Thinks he is a cat! I found an old window, that was cool.

Had Dick out at the river yesterday, after his doctor's appointment. Good thing neither of us could get down the road. Heard from Marilyn Jordan (McFarland) Taylor after asking her to get in touch with my parents. She had been in London but was more than happy to give her best regards to Dick and Doris. She said that she had told Rick she was ready to work with us riverkeepers so I will send a letter to her today.

I also want to contact the Friends and start to plan the fundraising events for the next several months. This means we need to finish up with the lingering details regarding non profit status so that we can get to the important part of working this project.

Want to help, please donate to NSRGA, PO Box 344, Grinnell, IOWA 50112

First Phase Failure to Lift Off

I know that one must play the hand one is dealt, but after working so hard, it is difficult to accept responsibility that the show is, maybe not over, but delayed and certainly at risk.

The flood has come, here are the pictures. I met the neighbor/farmer today, Grant F., who allowed me onto his property to take this photo.

Raining Today

And the river will rise, and continue to rise. But, I found where it wants to channelize. I've never really hiked on that side of the bridge before and low and behold...

The Narrow Window of Opportunity

Passed us by. Wow, I tried so hard to bring everything together in a timely fashion. I don't think that people realized how critical it was to have all of our pieces of paper signed off on before the window open and closed.

As it is, we got to the bridge, but we can't go forward with the lift because the river rose with snow melt and now rain.

Adds to the drama I guess, but when I was out there yesterday it seemed to me that the bridge was leaning more and more. I will go back today just to see if I can make it down there.

Have a film crew coming in to do oral histories of the area, tape some live music that can be interwoven with this grassroots efforts.

More will be revealed.

TO THE BOARD OF NSRGA

CONGRATULATIONS! As of 9:05 yesterday the Board of Supervisors of
Poweshiek County signed the contract with Peterson Contractors and
NSRGA. As of next week and 30 days later, a bill will be due for
$45,000. The Board asked for the Right of Consent that I had drafted
and that they had approved with County Attorney approval last Monday,
and I told them that they would have to draft that doument to give
NSRGA the right to be on property. They will take that under
advisement and I will call the auditor today to see if we need an
appointment on Monday. Justin of PCI granted me the permission to be
on site, but that doesn't get the RV down there to provide the ongoing
site supervision that the Supervisors would like.

As of 10:30 am, PCI was moving dirt and very quickly had arrived at
the bridge. They were continuing to create a pad for one crane and the
causeway for the other crane, one of which is a 100,000 tons. They
plan to use one crane to walk the near end and one crane to swing the
far end of the bridge into place. It isn't terribly muddy, one doesn't
sink but it is slippery. I was able to get my work boots dirty on the
walk down the two lane dirt road. Justin believes that the actual
bridge lift will take place on Wednesday, but that is dependent on the
weather and how much rain comes in. Their bid did not include rock,
Lamoyne, maybe that is where Poweshiek County could come in and
actually rock the road for better access for us once the heavy
equipment has been moved out. PCI is great and very professional. I
had an email from Spicer's with a BIG High 5 from Vern and Mark that
we were actually able to secure the bridge for they had a plan to come
out and stabilize it before flooding, this step was the most important
part of anything that we are currently doing. It is pretty great to
see the work actually taking shape, but it is more wide open than we
have ever seen it. I have informed the local press of this schedule
and will try to get in contact with regional press outlets.

I have taken a ton of photographs, but there is no video camera
available for moving pictures. I plan to ask the college today if that
service might be available to an alumn to check out some equipment
from the AV lab. The outfit from Denver has declined our offer for a
documentary as they have started another project. Because of that I
have utilized my connections to find some Iowa filmmakers (they have
time now), and a Burlington company has responded. They, at my request
and expense of $200 per day, will come to Grinnell and the Bridge for
two days next week. I am borrowing money from my daughter to pay for
the actual filming, raw footage is all I have requested and am
anticipating a tax return to pay her back. They will film the bridge
lift and begin to gather some oral histories. I am hoping that friends
of mine "Thankful Dirt" and "Shame Train", an awesome duo from Des
Moines and rockband from IC, both with Berneman ties to Grinnell, will
come out and be filmed to start the musical side of the fundraising
efforts, first out at Milgrove then at Lonnskis to continue to spread
the word and to let the FRIENDS OF THE SKUNK RIVER BRIDGE participate
in the bridge's success. Just gathering content as we go along. The
South Skunk Blues Society has indicated a willingness to help their
river counterpart to the North with another larger event. I will start
to gather names of people that would like to be interviewed and
filmed with bridge stories now, starting with Dick, of course. Bill,
Rick, Pam? FRIENDS.

Last night, I was the featured guest (little did I know) in New Sharon
at the Historic Preservation Annual Meeting. It was a great experience
and they were an attentive audience. Larry and Stephanie were also
present and Steve Hardeman was responsible for us knowing about this
event. As Mahaska county has torn down a lot of bowstrings in the last
few years they have interest in this one. They were delighted to know
about the status of the bridge and had many ideas for fundraising
(canoe and kayak races!), interesting anecdotes about that area,
newspaper references from the 1800s and postcards of bowstrings that
Vern would definitely love. Chuck Quillen, Steve Hardeman's uncle,
mule and chuckwagon driver and old iron worker was very interested in
being down at the bridge for a lift, so I think maybe a bleacher idea
is not a bad one, keep people out of the way but able to be
comfortable and out of the mud. That is just some scaffolding and
2x10's, Bill???? It was interesting to see how a non-profit with
members works, with a 2 year cycle of changing board of directors, the
formal reading and approval of minutes and treasurer's report, I
learned a lot.

I was very disappointed that we did not receive the $5000 from the
college for start up expenses that would have allowed us to purchase a
new computer to run the AutoCad software I was donated, or a better
camera. They paid out 73,000 dollars and really like this one local to
Grinnell. We should know how Pow County Alliance in the next week.