Bridge for ATV

[txdon]

With the bridge complete, Jinman takes the mule to ceremoniously kiss the goathead. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[txdon]

With all the enthusiasm and energy, and enjoyment throughout this project I realized that it was not a project,

THIS IS A PIECE OF ART!

Harvey, thanks for the design concept and all your help and skills throughout this project.

 

[txdon]

There were nearly 40 people involved with construction of this bridge, I will remember all of you each time I cross over the bridge.

There are a lot more photos below in the get-togethers section.

As promised in several PMs I will get a photo of the cows by the bridge when they decide to mosey to the back 40.

This last photo is the group that attended the final party.
My heartfelt thanks to all!

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The day began when Jim and Mike arrived and unloaded a "real" ATV that Jim brought with him (thanks Kathy). )</font>

Seems I'm not the only one who knows how to "horse around" with a picture. It fits! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Maybe it's all the years of proofreading, Don, but my eyes went right to that altered tag. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[txdon]

Jim, I was wondering if you would catch that. You did a good job on Texas also, might be an Idea there. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I hope everyone else has enjoyed this thing as much as we have. We have enjoyed reading these threads almost as much as we did the doing of the projects.

Like all good things that happen it took many different pieces coming together to make this such a fun one. The project had just the right amount of challenge. The location was absolutely perfect.

Don deserves most of the credit. He has a zest for life that's contagious. The kind of zest that can take work work and make it into fun fun.

The high points for me was watching people like Bobby and James doing what I love to do with the same kind of passion I have.

And probably the most rewarding for me was watching the wives enjoy the event too. In my heart I knew that our truck wasn't the only one going home with two people in it going over and over again and again how much fun it was and how nice everyone was.

That's what it's all about.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Someone on the team should notify Fine Homebuilding magazine about this effort and the bridge. They are looking for this kind of unique design and story. It would be kind of fun to see the project in a national magazine of that level of professionalism and craft. Certainly it would exceed their standards for creativity, artistic concept and execution.

Cliff

 

[MF1455v]

Don, here is a picture of the finshed product I got before we lined up for group photo.

 

[txdon]

MF1455v, Thanks, I realized when I was looking through my pictures I could not see the rock that we had worked so hard on. Then I smiled and thought, wow, that is good - you know our artistic bridge project was a success when you can't see it because of all the people. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[txdon]

I went to the back 40 and the cows followed nicely....until they got the to bridge..... then they just stopped.

 

[txdon]

They looked at the sign.......It said "tractors only".

 

[txdon]

One of The cows really thought the bridge could be used for a cow crossing and he wandered almost to the railing.

 

[txdon]

But eventually they all just went to their old trail further upstream to get to the other side of the bridge.

Harvey, I just guess you are going to have to make a cow rock for the bridge so they will have permission to cross. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( One of The cows really thought the bridge could be used for a cow crossing and he wandered almost to the railing )</font>

Uh . . ., Don, did you say "he"? Nice pictures, though. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[txdon]

Bird, you are a good Moderator, you do not miss a thing. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Actually I named them all Mary. Their Ear tags are M1, M2, M3, etc... That way I can remember all their names. Now I'm going to have to name them Mary Female 1, Mary Female 2, etc. and add another letter to their ear tags. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

You might have known I couldn't resist that, Don. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Harvey, I just guess you are going to have to make a cow rock for the bridge so they will have permission to cross. )</font>

That sounds like bs Don. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

From my experience with the bovine species a "no cows allowed" would encourage them to use it. They're more like us than we'd like to admit. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( "no cows allowed" would encourage them to use it. They're more like us than we'd like to admit )</font>

Truer words were never spoken. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( From my experience with the bovine species a "no cows allowed" would encourage them to use it. They're more like us than we'd like to admit. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )</font>

Or you could put a fence up. Three strand barbwire ought to encourage them to believe the grass is much better on the other side of the bridge.

We had a cow named Betsy who, for one reason or another, had not been dehorned. She would walk up to the fence, put her head down, one horn above the strand and one horn below, then twist her head and rip the fence apart. I think my father sold her.

Cliff

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( But eventually they all just went to their old trail further upstream to get to the other side of the bridge.
)</font>

Don, I'd bet the reason the cows don't cross your bridge is the same reason a cattle-guard works. Those rocks must seem a little less than sure-footed to them. I can't recall ever seeing a cow voluntarily stand on a hard rock surface. Even cattle trailers have soft/flat wooden floors.

On the other hand...
If you had goats, you'd always know where to find them. They'd love to stand right in the middle of the bridge and they'd walk the handrail if it was a little flatter. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif