Initial guestimates pointing at a huge tragedy in the Minneapolis bridge collapse proved groundless. I'm glad they got a lucky break. If the words "Liberian freighter" resonate with you, then you know who didn't. With 35 killed, the collapse of the Sunshine Skyway over Tampa Bay remains one of the deadliest bridge disasters in U.S. history. It also introduced us to one of the coolest customers around: Robert Hornbuckle, who after stopping his car 14 inches from the edge of the abyss decided to retrieve his set of golf clubs before clambering up the grating.
In the late 70's, my first husband did some shrimping with a Capt. called "Big Larry". They did a couple of trips to Campeche together.
Shrimp boats didn't have bathrooms and showers, so shrimpers weren't know for their good hygiene, and he was so big,that to wash off they had to used the wench to dunk him.
Big Larry did some drinking too.
One morning we read in the papers that BL had ran into a piling of the Sunshine Skyway. I think the boat was damaged more than the bridge, and BL lost his marine vessel license cause of it. We never heard of him again.
The Skyway got rammed quite a few times. The bridge they have up now has like bumpers next to it so you can't actually slam into the structure like you used to could.
No prison for BL though, huh? I thought all y'all's friends went to prison. If Big Larry's the friend who got his marine vessel license taken away for hitting the Skyway, who's the friend who used the word "bomb" on an airplane, and who's the friend who went for that unfortunate big score in the Everglades?
I remember our brother saying him and some boys were gonna dive off the Skyway for the challenge. They didn't, so maybe some brighter light informed them of its being a prime suicide spot.
Posted by: Donnah at August 3, 2007 10:40 PMNo, he said hijack. 1975...one couldn't even say that in jest, like he found out...18 months.
That was McCoy, Mick married his daughter.
The other was Billy...loved,loved,loved that character. He became a herion addict...shame.
There was Stutterin' George, Blind Bob, Stickem'Steve, Fast Freddy and so on..
the docks changed after crack came around.
must've been reading my mind.. I was telling my wife a little while ago that the MN bridge collapse
sure didn't compare to the Skyway.
Then I looked at your posts, Donnah.
I remember being in a Cadillac that stalled on the Skyway when I was about eight..we were visiting Jinx
Givens and family in St. Pete. We couldn't roll the windows down, so the whole troop was on the side of the road, until somebody was brave enough to match bumpers with us.
Once we got to the crest of the bridge..it was smooth sailing :)
Ahh...the good ol days.
Posted by: csason at August 4, 2007 02:31 PMSave the golf clubs ~ that would be Bingley or major dad's reaction, too. Must be a guy thang.
Posted by: tree hugging sister at August 5, 2007 11:19 AMI have hated that damned bridge since I was a kid in St. Pete. I can't abide any bridge with a high rise in the middle. I once drove over the bridge in Charleston over the Ashley & Cooper Rivers and I had traffic way backed up as I inched along to the top in sweaty-handed terror. Bridges in Seattle don't bother me - they tend to appear relatively flat to the driver so I don't think about how high up I am. Of course I never drive in the outside lane, either. Here's the Aurora Bridge ( http://pangeoinc.com/PanGeo%20Incorporated/PanGEO%20Website%20Material/upload%20files/pages/aurora.html ) and here's the I-5 bridge ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/grunder/108509334/in/pool-uw/ ) both of which are very high and I better stop thinking about this right NOW.
Posted by: Carol at August 5, 2007 09:44 PM