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What have you done for Your lake

Riverdude

The Happy Hunting Grounds Beyond
Supporting Member
10,254
115
Ashtabula, Ohio
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CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
201
NE Ohio
I have another story involving the lake and an old farm house.



In 1856, a farm house and barn stood on an area of land we have always called “The picnic grounds”. A couple of acres of nice open grass, hard wood and fruit trees. By the 1950’s only the barn backing up to the lake remained. It was dismantled and a few heavy beams were stored. In the 1960’s the two last big wood beams were hauled from storage and used to build a bridge over 500 yards east of the old barn site, way back in the hard woods over a 6-8 ft wide feeder stream for snowmobiles and foot traffic.

And there they rested for maybe 10-15 years until one wet spring a heavy rain flooded the area and washed the whole bridge down and out to the mouth of the lake coming to rest in some cat tails less than 200 yards from their original barn location. It became a sort of land mark at the top of the lake where the stream emptied into the lake. Over the years it was a sunning spot for birds and turtles and a home for muskrats. Around 2005 or 2006 another big storm finally broke it loose and it would slowly blow up and down the 8-acre lake for several years. (A big ol lopsided bridge 6’ x 15’ (ish), An 3’ to 4’ corner covered with live cattails just growin away…

Then in 2009, the damn thing drifted to its final resting place just 10 foot from the old barn’s original location… After a month I decided I had to do something and dragged the 2 beams out of the lake with the tractor and knocked the other wood off so they could dry out.

OS Shoot 004.jpg




Closer to the mouth of the lake we have always had a foot bridge for folks. Over the generations many designs have been tried. All eventually wash out in the “every so many years” really heavy rain storms lasting for days. It was decided to use the beams for another bridge.


Two really heavy cement blocks were positioned, and the beams were positioned and strapped to the blocks. A over-kill deck was added and a few tree trunks and river clay and muck to cement the steps in place.

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CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
201
NE Ohio
Footbridge 5 003.jpg


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Footbridge 4 009.jpg



So I don't know about these "Orb" things that tend to show up in pictures but some folks say they are "spirits" or "fairies" or "souls" and such.
I can say that one evening we were trying to wrap up the decking and the pictures were each taken with-in a minute or less. No rain or fog or mist. Clean lens.

Footbridge 3 034.jpg

Footbridge 3 032.jpg

Footbridge 3 033.jpg

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