High Steel Bridge and Fear of Heights

High Steel Bridge is one of the best-kept secrets in Mason County. As a Mason County resident and realtor of 5 years, I have driven almost everywhere in Mason County but have never heard of the High Steel Bridge until now. It's about 15 miles from Union. The roads leading to the bridge are also very scenic. You first pass the Skokomish valley where many cute farm houses dot the vast green landscape and the cattles leasuirely mind their own business alongside the paved driveway. I know from my past real estate dealings, the houses in this area are tough sell because the Skokomish is the most flood-prone river in Washington State but most of the long-time residents don't seem to be bothered by the flood. I kinda understand it. Flood comes and goes and it's only a few short period of inconvenience to them. Rest of the year this area is indeed very green and beautiful. After the paved driveway ends, we came to the gravel forest road. The forest road is the improved logging road by Simpson Timber Company, dusty especially if you are following another car in front of you. As our car climbed up the hill, from the window I got a climpse of the expansive view of the Skokomish Valley down below, Mt Rainier in the distance and the heavy forest all around you. Shortley after, the High Steel Bridge suddenly emerged itself from the middle of nowhere.

I have to say, this bridge is definitely not for faint of heart. You don't know you have the fear of heights until you come to this bridge. It spans 2500 feet long, 420 feet straight up above the canyon where the Skokomish River runs through it. You can park your car before the bridge and then walk on it. Although there are railings on both sides of the bridge, and although other people were leaning on the railings, I dare you to try that. If you dare, I proclaim you the winner of the Height Fear Factor challenge I now start. I tried to stay in the center line of the bridge. A few times, I did attempt crossing the center line, but when so doing I made sure I was just squatting, not standing.

As we were about to leave the bridge and leave our fear of heights unchecked for the day, we saw a group of people moved down the trail before the start of the bridge. We figured that must be the trail leading down to the bottom of the canyon so we followed them. The hiking downhill confronts your fear of heights on another level. This trail is not recommended with improper gear. Some accidents and rescues had taken place on this trail. One recent rescue was this June. Check the link out here. http://mosswalks.blogspot.com/2009/06/hikers-stuck-under-high-steel-bridge.html. Speaking about proper gear, I was only wearing sandals and carrying a camera on one hand. Any footstep mistakes are deadly. At places, I had to hang on the exposed tree roots to keep balance.

My fear was immediately dissolved at the delightful sight and the sound of the waterfalls. What a hidden treasure in my neck of woods that I didn't even know about until now. It's a three-tier waterfall. From there, you have a full view of the bridge. From where my photo was taken, another waterfall (not in the photo) continues to drop down to the bottom of the canyon.

My legs were sore for the next couple of days from hiking the trail. I won't recommend anyone to hike the trail unless you are an experienced hiker with proper gear. Ignorance is bliss. I didn't know how dangerous the trail was but I'm glad I went. If you don't know whether you have fear of heights, come to test it with this High Steel Bridge. It's the ultimate test. Now that you've been warned, just remember: "Fear the fear itself". As with all fears, it's all in your head.

Masterpiece

I recently browsed through all the photos I posted on my Flickr site, in an attempt to possibly pick out any I could add to my pingyima site. There are perhaps 800 some photos in total, most of which are from my trips and holiday get-togethers with my family and friends dated back 8 years. I thought if I tried digging deep enough, you never know, I might find a good photo I framed in my camera by random luck. Tried as I might, the disappointing reality settled in at the end of the effort: Not a single photography could suffice my lowest standard.

This is how I think of a masterpiece in photography and any other art forms. Good photography to me has to present three things: 1) good eyes, 2) good technique, and 3) good luck. Good eyes discover beauty. It determines the material of an image. It's an "it"-nature factor. You either have "it" or don't have "it". It's what your parents gave to you at birth. Good technique dresses beauty. It polishes the material of an image. It's a "he"/"she"-nurture factor. It's what can be humanly trained and learned. Good luck is a "He"-God factor. It's what's at God's mercy-a right moment at a right time. "He" is the one who creates the material in the first place. When you present your parents, yourself and God in one photograph, then you get a wow factor - a masterpiece at last!'

One can travel seven seas and most likely take some magnificent shots but if we might only see 3) in them. To make what I want to say a little understandable, here is an example. For instance, we pick up our cameras and took some photos when we see a herd of sheep appear under a rainbow. Everyone's shots are in and they are all different shots of the sheep herd and rainbows except one. In this photo, it shows a single sheep with injured legs going the opposite direction from the herd (good eyes), seemingly lost under the shadow of the herd (good eyes and good technique), but undoubtablely heading towards the end of a rainbow in the distance (good luck). That, my friend, is my masterpiece I will get someday!