Sunrise in My Eyes

Last night, I set my alarm to wake up at 05:50 and woke Bug up at 06:50 so we...I...could take pictures of Downtown Cleveland, Interstate 90 (I-90), and construction progress of the new I-90 at sunrise.

I-90 is a major highway that runs 3,100 miles, starting from Boston, passing through Downtown Cleveland, and ending in Seattle. I-90 is shown below, mid-screen, traveling over the construction of the new I-90 bridge and the Cuyahoga River ("crooked river" in Iroquois).

Day 119/365 - 07:10

When Bug dropped me off at the apex of the Hope Memorial Bridge, I was surprised to hear the beeping and revving of heavy trucks echoing from below me working on I-90. A steady convoy of trucks drive in empty and exit with a load of what appears to be dirt.

Soon after I took my first picture (above), a bird flew overhead. It made me envious, to be able to see the world from its eyes.

Day 119/365 - 07:11

This morning was relatively warm 59°F. This would be a wonderful place to meditate with its persistent breeze and vista, were it not for the cars racing noisily down the bridge and the sounds of construction below.

The Hope Memorial Bridge is not a solid concrete bridge. Along its length, one could take discrete snapshots from its lower half of the wide concrete railing.

Day 119/365 - 07:12

On the other side of the Hope Memorial Bridge is the Downtown Cleveland skyline. From the left, Tower City complex, Key Bank, and Huntington Bank stand tall.

Day 119/365 - 07:13

While it isn't void of light, it still surprises me that a small city of people are working below. I am surprised people aren't bumping into each other. I keep envisioning myself working down there and needing 360° of rubber bumpers around my vehicle and stationary objects.

Day 119/365 - 07:15

The estimated time of completion is only 4-5 years. A transportation jugular and the gossiped state of the current bridge are incredible incentives to have this completed as soon as practicable.

The Hope Memorial Bridge is used by many people on weekdays, and to a lesser degree on the weekends. Cars were speeding by me as I walked along the bridge. Coincidentally, when I took this picture of Progressive Field, where the Cleveland Indians play, no cars passed by, making it look appear like a desolate strip.

Day 119/365 - 07:15

I ran down a portion of the bridge so I wasn't too late to take pictures of the numerous beams that sprouted from the ground recently. As I reached a third of the way to the end of the bridge, Bug passed by and picked me up. At first, I thought I was remembering incorrectly where the beams were located. He commented that he no longer saw the beams, that they must have gotten pounded into the ground yesterday. Of course!

Day 119/365 - 07:19

We turned around at the base of the bridge. The forklift was there to greet us. It was a bit unsettling since it remained motionless longer than we expected. I should be grateful, since it was long enough to take a photograph.

- Cassaendra