42 replies to this topic

[rivercat]

Many of us have seen it.. the joy and tears of a woman right after birth, the agony and then the overwhelming emotion.
Today I had YET ANOTHER appointment with the City Engineer, I was a few moments late and he had already walked down to check things out and was back to his car... we talked a moment, and then I asked the question,,,,,,,,,"can we please open the bridge for this weekends sled traffic?"
he said, "I feel your all set",,,,, and he made a comment to the effect he is willing to bet there is not another person he has ever crossed paths with that would stay any more committed to a project,, , I laughed and said "I would have hoped you could have seen that at least two years ago... "
In the name of argument ,,,,,, we dickered as to how much we could NOW bill the city of the $35,000 they still owe us... I finally said "I'll talk with your boss!"

Our president Pat Malfait was with me. and we headed on foot down to the bridge, it was the first time I could look at 3.5 years of work, without thinking of what we had to do next... WITH IT'S NEWLY INSTALLED black chain link fence, the flag flapped in the wind. I thought a moment of the three kids who lost their lives, for lack of this bridge. I also thought of the "labor", the heartache, and the hurdles,, I thought of all the times I camped at the bridge site nearly 40 years ago with our General Contractor Jimmy Burdette, great buddies since 3rd grade, and how REAL friendships last forever. I thought of the people who believed this could really happen, and those who helped a day or two, and I especially thought of the people who have never seen the bridge, but "cheered on" because the knew it was the primary motivation for us to keep "pressing on",,,, I couldn't stop the tears, if the birth of a bridge is like this,,,,, I can only guess what a woman feels at a birth....

Later this eve I caught up with a neighbor,, Scotty, (he has been a godsend on the project), he had ridden up to the bridge with his wife and step son on sleds.. and just returned,,
I told him I was so proud, yet I had gotten a little emotional earlier in the day when I went to see the completed project,,,,, he looked at me and said,,,,,,,,, "good thing we weren't there at the same time"


Scotty took a pic of his sleds side by side on the bridge

Edited by rivercat, 10 January 2009 - 12:57 AM.

[Oldtimer]

My hat is off to you, your club, and the many others who donated and worked so hard. Truly inspirational.

[REV-ED]

rivercat, on Jan 10 2009, 12:37 AM, said:

Many of us have seen it.. the joy and tears of a woman right after birth, the agony and then the overwhelming emotion.
Today I had YET ANOTHER appointment with the City Engineer, I was a few moments late and he had already walked down to check things out and was back to his car... we talked a moment, and then I asked the question,,,,,,,,,"can we please open the bridge for this weekends sled traffic?"
he said, "I feel your all set",,,,, and he made a comment to the effect he is willing to bet there is not another person he has ever crossed paths with that would stay any more committed to a project,, , I laughed and said "I would have hoped you could have seen that at least two years ago... "
In the name of argument ,,,,,, we dickered as to how much we could NOW bill the city of the $35,000 they still owe us... I finally said "I'll talk with your boss!"

Our president Pat Malfait was with me. and we headed on foot down to the bridge, it was the first time I could look at 3.5 years of work, without thinking of what we had to do next... WITH IT'S NEWLY INSTALLED black chain link fence, the flag flapped in the wind. I thought a moment of the three kids who lost their lives, for lack of this bridge. I also thought of the "labor", the heartache, and the hurdles,, I thought of all the times I camped at the bridge site nearly 40 years ago with our General Contractor Jimmy Burdette, great buddies since 3rd grade, and how REAL friendships last forever. I thought of the people who believed this could really happen, and those who helped a day or two, and I especially thought of the people who have never seen the bridge, but "cheered on" because the knew it was the primary motivation for us to keep "pressing on",,,, I couldn't stop the tears, if the birth of a bridge is like this,,,,, I can only guess what a woman feels at a birth....

Later this eve I caught up with a neighbor,, Scotty, (he has been a godsend on the project), he had ridden up to the bridge with his wife and step son on sleds.. and just returned,,
I told him I was so proud, yet I had gotten a little emotional earlier in the day when I went to see the completed project,,,,, he looked at me and said,,,,,,,,, "good thing we weren't there at the same time"


Scotty took a pic of his sleds side by side on the bridge

David your dedication to the building of this bridge on the budget you did it with is something extrodoary. The hurdles you and the rest of the crew had to jump thru is a fine example of the positive aspects of snowmobiling and I would like to thank you for that. The efforts of you and your club “volunteers” will be hard to repeat.

[Sno Racer27]

Job well done! Hope to see it for myself one of these days

[smallengineguy]

VERY professional, well thought out project! I don't think I have it in mw to put up with all the BS you did.

[Tim]

I nominate you for club member of the year. Hands down! Let's get it started. Awesome dedication!!

[Polaris05]

Dave, congrats to you and all others who dedicated there time and talents for the betterment of your club and snowmobiling

[Paul D]

What an awesome site! You have done something VERY few others if any could pull off. We all as a group will benefit for years and years to come.

Thanks, Dave!

[RayC]

!50 years of enjoyment for us.....our family's and their family's
Thanks Dave

[Legend_GT_600SDI]

The ambition, the foresight, the dedication, the stamina, all the traits you have show put us mere men in your shadow. God bless you and your team.

Edited by Legend_GT_600SDI, 10 January 2009 - 09:30 AM.

[Iggy]

That's awesome Dave. Now time to move onto the other bridge youre going to build that will link up Canterbury!! Get going!! lol

Nationwide club member of the year!

[trailblaster]

Awesome job Dave! Any bridge that you build from here on will be like a sledride in the park. How big is the one needed to link up Canterbury? I still have usuable planks and a full size telephone pole.

Edited by trailblaster, 10 January 2009 - 09:59 AM.

[Ajak]

rivercat, on Jan 10 2009, 12:37 AM, said:

.. WITH IT'S NEWLY INSTALLED black chain link fence, the flag flapped in the wind.

Great job and the bridge looks great. I have to ask though....in your opinion is the chain link fence overkill or was it really necessary. Just wondering because it seems like it would be really difficult to "fall off" of that bridge anyway.

[Iggy]

Ajak, on Jan 10 2009, 11:40 AM, said:

Great job and the bridge looks great. I have to ask though....in your opinion is the chain link fence overkill or was it really necessary. Just wondering because it seems like it would be really difficult to "fall off" of that bridge anyway.

My guess it's the city just busting his balls.

[SledNH]

Which trail system is this bridge on? (SOS, OVSC, 7L, etc)

And on what trail can it be found?

[skully]

Tim, on Jan 10 2009, 09:05 AM, said:

I nominate you for club member of the year. Hands down! Let's get it started. Awesome dedication!!

No not CLUB member of the year !
More like ...

Sledder of the Year !

Dave I remember when you 1st came on NHSledding.net asking for help & donations.
I just wished I didn't live so far to be able to come help after work any night I wasn't busy.
I hope someday to met you in person and THANK YOU for all your work you have done
for the benifits of OTHERS. And the REAL KICKER is ....
It will not only benifit just SLEDDERS !
I also only hope all the non-sledders realize all you went through because most people
will not even know. They will think it was ANOTHER City/State project done and not
a private public citizen. It would be nice to contact a few News crews of the completed
project just to let everyone know it was not a City/State project. Only downside would
be that it may bring ALOT of non-sledding traffic throughout the year and then at some
point the Sledders getting KICKED OFF it. Kind of like the old abandon railroad beds that
all the dirt bike riders " USE TO " ride but now are kicked off because they turned them into
Rail Trails for Non-Motorized use.
Thank You Dave .... and Happy New Year and hope to met you soon.
If not by Sled then I will make it a point to see you this season when we are riding our Motorcyles !

Rob ....
Aka .... Skully (here & HCS) and Rob Skully (at NHSledding)

[MXZ - X 800]

Two thumbs way up!

[rivercat]

Ajak, on Jan 10 2009, 10:40 AM, said:

Great job and the bridge looks great. I have to ask though....in your opinion is the chain link fence overkill or was it really necessary. Just wondering because it seems like it would be really difficult to "fall off" of that bridge anyway.

The chain link is the NEWEST example of where our country is headed .... SUE SUE SUE.... the real concern from the city is , seeing the bridge is also for walking and fishing. what happens if a couple small kids get playing tag and one kid trips over a shoe string while running near the edge of the bridge? ..... I think the new "ballister regs are 4 inches,,
Iggy it is easy to feel like government is busting the balls... I have to be honest.. I have felt that way at times BUT it's ALWAYS after an accident that the finger pointing starts and someone says "why wasn't this thought of?"

I just heard in England you can sue , BUT if you LOSE you have to pay ALL court costs..... and BOTH lawyers!

Edited by rivercat, 10 January 2009 - 12:32 PM.

[rivercat]

SledNH, on Jan 10 2009, 10:52 AM, said:

Which trail system is this bridge on? (SOS, OVSC, 7L, etc)

And on what trail can it be found?

the system is Town Line Trail Dusters south tip... the very northwest corner of Concord near the Contoocook/Webster/Concord lines, on corr#11 over the Contoocook River,
I will confess it's a LOT of bridge for midstate,, but I wasn't going to travel for three years to build it!
built on City land they required a bridge of this type....,, ENGINEERING a "stick built" 200' bridge, may have cost more than this entire project..

[rivercat]

skully, on Jan 10 2009, 11:09 AM, said:

No not CLUB member of the year !
More like ...

Sledder of the Year !

Dave I remember when you 1st came on NHSledding.net asking for help & donations.
I just wished I didn't live so far to be able to come help after work any night I wasn't busy.
I hope someday to met you in person and THANK YOU for all your work you have done
for the benifits of OTHERS. And the REAL KICKER is ....
It will not only benifit just SLEDDERS !
I also only hope all the non-sledders realize all you went through because most people
will not even know. They will think it was ANOTHER City/State project done and not
a private public citizen. It would be nice to contact a few News crews of the completed
project just to let everyone know it was not a City/State project. Only downside would
be that it may bring ALOT of non-sledding traffic throughout the year and then at some
point the Sledders getting KICKED OFF it. Kind of like the old abandon railroad beds that
all the dirt bike riders " USE TO " ride but now are kicked off because they turned them into
Rail Trails for Non-Motorized use.


Thank You Dave .... and Happy New Year and hope to met you soon.
If not by Sled then I will make it a point to see you this season when we are riding our Motorcyles !

Rob ....
Aka .... Skully (here & HCS) and Rob Skully (at NHSledding)

Rob I do hope we can meet up sometime. It ALWAYS nice to be able to say hello to people who are here on the forum...
and THANKS for your endorsement!