Tag: bridges

Cool peek at Monster Jam’s Party in the Pits.

People gaze down at Monster Jam's Party in the Pits in the Petco stadium parking lot.
People gaze at Monster Jam’s Party in the Pits in the Petco stadium parking lot.

I was heading back home today after walking for a couple hours along San Diego Bay. Crossing the bridge over Harbor Drive, I suddenly heard some sort of loud event over by Petco Park. I turned my head, and a big crowd of people came into view…

Crossing over Harbor Drive bridge, I heard and spied something big going on!
Crossing over Harbor Drive bridge, I heard and spied something big going on!
Look at all the monster truck enthusiasts checking out cool stuff.
Look at all the monster truck enthusiasts checking out cool stuff.
Guys on bikes and motorcycles were performing huge jumps for the crowd.
Guys on bikes and motorcycles perform huge jumps for crowd.

After descending from the bridge, I walked around the monster truck event and took a few pics over the fence!

I don't know the name of this monster truck, but it was definitely large!
I don’t know the name of this monster truck, but it was definitely large!
Mechanic guy near a couple of gigantic spare tires.
Mechanic guy near a couple of gigantic spare tires.
I guess this is a driver. He was signing autographs for lots of fans.
I guess this is a driver. He was signing autographs for lots of fans.
A display I could barely glimpse over the surrounding fence.
A display I could barely glimpse over the surrounding fence.
A couple of vendors head from Petco Park to the Monster Jam Party in the Pits.
A couple of vendors head from Petco Park to the Monster Jam Party in the Pits.

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Tiny, watchful eyes on a very lonely bridge.

Small, vacant eyes stare up from a seldom used bridge in downtown San Diego.
Small, vacant eyes stare up from a seldom used bridge in downtown San Diego.

A pedestrian bridge in downtown San Diego spans Interstate 5. It’s almost never used. From the extreme end of a large, mostly vacant parking lot below the Veteran’s Museum, it arches high over the wide, busy freeway and descends to a securely gated parking lot next to San Diego City College’s sports fields.  It leads mostly nowhere.

I’ve lived about a mile away for over a decade, but I’ve never set foot on the bridge–until this afternoon. Walking up Park Boulevard, I’ve often gazed at the distant bridge and wondered if it was open. Never once have I seen a soul on it.

I suppose people must visit this place at times, because the bridge is absolutely covered with both new and old graffiti. It’s a singularly lonely place, enclosed in fencing, suspended above unseen drivers flashing by in anonymous cars below.

Here are some random photographs.  Who applied these small artistic faces?  The eyes never blink.

This pedestrian bridge spans Interstate 5, connecting two unrelated parking lots.
This pedestrian bridge spans Interstate 5, connecting two unrelated parking lots.
Two strange eyes seem to sprout from the concrete. Going nowhere fast.
Two strange eyes seem to sprout from the concrete. Going nowhere fast.
Stenciled images of bearded face. Stay fresh.
Stenciled images of bearded face. Stay fresh.
Two contented smiles inside lettering of boldly spray painted graffiti underfoot.
Two contented smiles inside lettering of boldly spray painted graffiti underfoot.
Shy face and downcast eyes. Welcome home.
Shy face and downcast eyes. Welcome home.
Small grinning face in some faded blue words.
Small grinning face in some faded blue words.
These stenciled faces seem to be slowly disappearing as time passes.
These stenciled faces seem to be slowly disappearing as time passes.
A whole crowd of colorful eyes watch in every direction.
A whole crowd of colorful eyes watch in every direction.
Spray painted cartoon looks happy and excited as can be.
Spray painted cartoon looks happy and excited as can be.
Another smiling face in graffiti on the lonely bridge.
Another smiling face in graffiti on the lonely bridge.
A fierce cartoon cat or devilish creature of some kind.
A fierce cartoon cat or devilish creature of some kind.
Above a Facebreaker decal is an old Gasface sticker.
Above a Facebreaker decal is an old Gasface sticker.
Looking down at the freeway where it begins its S-curve through downtown.
Looking down at the freeway where it begins its S-curve through downtown.
Enigmatic face is unable to speak to the few who pass by.
Enigmatic face is unable to speak to the few who pass by.
Another simple, childish smile. Even where it's bleak, there is always hope.
Another simple, childish smile. Even where it’s bleak, there is always hope.

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Street art rough sketches on a downtown bridge.

Sketch of female face and buildings on Sixth Avenue bridge above Interstate 5.
Sketch of female face and buildings, on Sixth Avenue bridge above Interstate 5.

Just before sundown yesterday I spotted these small unfinished works of art while I walked over the Sixth Avenue bridge that spans Interstate 5. They were down near the ground right next to the sidewalk, beneath the chain link fence overlooking the freeway.

I wonder who sketched these small scenes. Was it an art student? Are these works in progress? Are they the doodles of some inspired passerby, or a creative homeless person?

Had it not been for my blog and my endless quest for new material, I probably wouldn’t have noticed these faint drawings.

Mysterious unfinished street art of woman holding hamburger.
Mysterious unfinished street art of woman holding hamburger.
Stylish figure on couch with vase seems the work of a practiced artist.
Stylish figure on couch with vase seems the work of a practiced artist.
A miniature horse runs along a sidewalk in downtown San Diego.
A miniature horse runs along a sidewalk in downtown San Diego.

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Homeless and graffiti under Highway 163.

Homeless and graffiti beneath Highway 163 in Mission Valley.
Homeless and graffiti beneath Highway 163 in Mission Valley.

These two pics aren’t very cool.  But they are important.  They show another world that many often don’t see.

I took these photos where Highway 163 crosses over Camino de la Reina in Mission Valley.  I climbed up a hill of dirt under the overpass and emerged between the opposing lanes of traffic.

Numerous homeless people live along the San Diego River in Mission Valley.  Some of them hunker down in shelter provided by this makeshift concrete roof.

Another world in the shadows beneath lanes of busy traffic.
Another world in the shadows beneath lanes of busy traffic.

UPDATE!

I got the following three pics late in the summer. I didn’t see anyone, but obviously numerous people pass through.

Looking under Highway 163 where the homeless often pass or gather.
Looking under Highway 163 where the homeless often pass or gather.
This is where Highway 163 passes over the San Diego River.
This is where Highway 163 crosses over the San Diego River.
Weeds and graffiti beneath the concrete.
Weeds and graffiti beneath the concrete.

Cool pedestrian bridge over Harbor Drive.

Cool pedestrian bridge over Harbor Drive.
Cool pedestrian bridge over Harbor Drive.

This cool new pedestrian bridge spans Harbor Drive between the San Diego Convention Center and Petco Park.

The unique suspension bridge took longer to build than anticipated.  According to media reports I saw, the firm that designed it originally miscalculated how much weight it could hold!

Here are a few more pics!

Moon rising over the cool Harbor Drive bridge.
Moon rising over the cool Harbor Drive bridge.
Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge, Omni Hotel and Petco Park.
Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge, Omni Hotel and Petco Park.
Pedestrian crosses Harbor Drive on a fantastic bridge.
Pedestrian crosses Harbor Drive on a fantastic bridge.
People cross the beautiful Harbor Drive bridge.
People cross the beautiful bridge in downtown San Diego.

Ray Bradbury and crazy Horton Plaza.

This escalator goes up one level, but no escalator goes down right here!
This escalator goes up one level, but there’s no immediate way back down!

Horton Plaza, San Diego’s colorful downtown shopping mall, was inspired by a concept put forth by famous science fiction and fantasy writer Ray Bradbury. The crazy, jumbled design was based on Ray Bradbury’s essay “The Aesthetics of Lostness” which took joy in the notion of becoming safely lost on the side streets of Paris, London or New York.

While walking about Horton Plaza, you’ll see ramps, escalators, bridges and stairs that go every which way–up, down, across–leading you to new unexpected vistas. One mysterious escalator will take you up one level, but there’s no immediate way to return from where you came. You must let your eyes rove to discover another route. It’s really a fun idea!

I believe I took these pics on a Sunday morning, and few people had yet arrived.

Random ramps and bridges all over the shopping mall.
Random ramps and bridges all over the shopping mall.
Crazy, colorful Horton Plaza.
Crazy, colorful Horton Plaza.

Just walking along toward Petco Park.

Padres fans descend steps, anticipating baseball.
Padres fans descend steps, anticipating baseball.

Look at these folks enjoying a walk across the new Harbor Drive bridge, over trolley and train tracks, on the way from the San Diego Convention Center and waterfront Hilton toward Petco Park. It’s hard to believe this incredible sports stadium is already ten years old. It seems like it was built only yesterday!

Should you ever attend a Padres baseball game, you’ll be treated to views of glistening downtown skyscrapers beyond the outfield, not to mention beautiful weather and lots of friendly fans.

Here’s a cool pic I converted to grayscale:

Heading down and up the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge.
Heading across the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge.
Padres fans walk from Harbor Drive bridge to Petco Park.
Padres fans walk from Harbor Drive bridge to nearby Petco Park.

Here are a couple more similar pics taken in April of 2015…

Climbing the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge from a path near the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel.
Padres fans climb the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge from a sidewalk near the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel.
Walking along toward Petco Park, anticipating a Padres win.
Strolling toward Petco Park, anticipating a Padres win.

Cool, tangled photo of San Diego Trolley Yard.

cool chaotic photo of trolley yard

Here’s a unique photo that looks really cool!

I snapped this pic of the San Diego Trolley Yard at the 12th and Imperial Transit Center from the bridge above Harbor Drive. This new pedestrian bridge is a great spot for views of gleaming downtown skyscrapers, the Convention Center, Petco Park, the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, and the trolley and train yards.

This cool photograph was taken through a fence, giving the image a cluttered, layered, weirdly tangled appearance. The red trolleys seem to snake their way through a gray complex jumble of curving rails, vertical electrical poles and the grid of the blurred fence. It’s an image that fascinates the eye!

Here’s a less fascinating photo taken another day…

A less tangled photo from the bridge of the nearby train rail yard and tracks.
A less tangled photo from the bridge of the nearby train rail yard and tracks.