March 5, 2005: My Dad, bearings and the main span gapn
My brother Jack brought our dad from Burlington to Charleston for
an unplanned adventure. My dad, now 88, was always curious and transferred to
my brothers and myself his curiosity. When they arrived, Peo provided
hard hats and safety vests and off we went.
My dad and what I thought was my brother Jack. Turns out, its probably me
![mar_05_4790_pop_jack.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4790_pop_jack.jpg)
(Four years later, my brother Jack discovered that he was not in the above
photo - and I remembered that surely I took a photo of him at this time with
our dad - and sure enough - here it is)
![Jack and Pop](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_jack_pop.jpg)
Here is the view of the Ravenel bridge from Mt. Pleasant
![mar_05_4739_worksite_pleasant.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4739_worksite_pleasant.jpg)
The real worksite
![mar_05_4796_worksite.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4796_worksite.jpg)
Peo and Wilbur were preoccupied with jacking the bridge around in order to
close the gat between the east and west main span sections
![mar_05_4767_peo_wilbur.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4767_peo_wilbur.jpg)
Here is the gap
![mar_05_4801_gap.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4801_gap.jpg)
Shims were being placed to hold the position
![mar_05_4765_shim.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4765_shim.jpg)
and here is Wilbur's hydraulic control station
![mar_05_4773_hydraulic_control.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4773_hydraulic_control.jpg)
and Wilbur - with my curious dad to the left looking at the Pearman bridge
![hydraulic wilbur](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4763_hydraulic_wilbur.jpg)
Looking across the bridge, here is a view along the main span floor girders
![mar_05_4799_girder_gap.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4799_girder_gap.jpg)
From the bicycle lane - here is the lane, and in the background, the
Grace and Pearman bridges as they cross Drum Island and Town Creek
![mar_05_4803_bike_lane_town_creek.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_4803_bike_lane_town_creek.jpg)
Going back - here is the East Bay ramp (Line 14) team
![mar_05_ebay_team.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_ebay_team.jpg)
Part 2 of the team
![mar_05_ebay_team_1.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_ebay_team_1.jpg)
The gap for the East Bay approach
![mar_05_west_ramp_gap.jpg](https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.ravenelbridge.net/small/mar_05_west_ramp_gap.jpg)
and then home. Wow what a day with my dad and brother