Difference between revisions of "2016 High Bridge Trip Photo Album"
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| − | + | Ben walks inside the giant Lishuihe suspension bridge catwalk with a truss span of 856 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski. | |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:72LishuiheByBenUsagani copy.jpg|750px|center]] |
| − | Image by | + | Image by Ben Usagani. |
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| − | Image by | + | Image by Ben Usagani. |
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| − | Image by | + | Image by Ben Usagani. |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:75MengdongheYongjiClosureByEric.jpg|750px|center]] |
| − | Image by Eric Sakowski. | + | The central rib of the Mengdonghe Yongji Bridge is 268 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski. |
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| − | Image by | + | Image by Ben Usagani. |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:81MengdongheYongjiWestFoundationTrussByEric.jpg|750px|center]] |
Image by Eric Sakowski. | Image by Eric Sakowski. | ||
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Image by Eric Sakowski. | Image by Eric Sakowski. | ||
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:84MengdongheMarijuanaByJohn copy.jpg|450px|center]] |
| − | Image by | + | Odd to see this unusual looking plant on the slope above the Mengdonghe Yongji Bridge. Image by John Brignoli. |
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| − | Image by | + | Image by Mengdonghe Bridge engineer. |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:86UnknownNorthS229BeamSideWide.jpg|750px|center]] |
| − | Image by Eric Sakowski. | + | A new beam bridge along the Yongshun expressway. Image by Eric Sakowski. |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:87UnknownMiddleS229Beam&TrainBridge.jpg|750px|center]] |
| − | Image by Eric Sakowski. | + | Another beam bridge along the Yongshun expressway that parallels the single track train line between Jishou and Zhangjiajie. Image by Eric Sakowski. |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:88UnknownBottomS229BeamPanorama.jpg|750px|center]] |
| − | Image by Eric Sakowski. | + | Beam bridge closure on a Yongshun expressway bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski. |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:89MorongFromBelow.jpg|450px|center]] |
| − | Image by Eric Sakowski. | + | Tall piers support the 145 meter high Morong Bridge on the Yongshun expressway. Image by Eric Sakowski. |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:90AizhaiViewFromBelowByBenUsagani copy.jpg|750px|center]] |
| − | Image by | + | Few high bridges in China are as famous as the 336 meter high Aizhai Bridge in Western Hunan Province. Image by Ben Usagani. |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:91AizhaiStringersByBenUsagani copy.jpg|750px|center]] |
| − | Image by | + | Image by Ben Usagani. |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:92AizhaiGroupByDriverChen copy.jpg|750px|center]] |
| − | Image by | + | Image by Driver Chen. |
Revision as of 04:51, 13 January 2017
2016 High Bridge Trip Photo Album
Hunan Province
The 2-week 2016 High Bridge trip took place later then usual in October of 2016 when the weather was cooler and more comfortable. Our journey through the mountains of Western China was concentrated in Hunan and Guizhou Provinces with visits to over 20 of the World's Highest Road and Railway Bridges including walkway tours inside several of the suspension bridge trusses.
Unlike past trips, 2016 was intimate and small with just Ben and Marie Usagani from Indonesia joining my longtime friend John and his wife Rachel. Chinese bridge expert Zhu Fan was the official interpreter with driver Chen on board for the 6th year in a row.
The special spans visited during the first week included Zhangjiajie, Aizhai, Mengdonghe, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass, Qingshuihe, Yachihe and Xixihe Railway and Wujiang expressway bridges.
Our Shanghai Airlines flight arrives in Zhangjiajie City. Image by Eric Sakowski.
No other footbridge in modern history made as big a splash as the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass bridge in Hunan Province. Finally opened in 2016, this is the largest and highest footbridge span ever constructed with 99 panels of glass to walk on. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Visitors enter Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Bridge through a huge visitors center designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
John Brignoli enjoys a moment with Jason Chen who runs the entire Zhangjiajie Park with his dad and mom. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Ben Usagani runs a jetty construction business in Indonesia and is also an expert in bridge foundation construction. Image by Eric Sakowski.
John Brignoli stands on section of glass 260 meters/853 feet above the river. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Each panel is 3 x 4.5 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Dinner with the Chen's. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
The famous 99 Turns bus road next to the Tianmenshan gondola. Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Tianmen Mountain has the highest cliffwalks in the world with vertical drops between 250 and 300 meters. Image by John Brignoli.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by John Brignoli.
The highest point along the cliffwalk with a vertical drop of 355 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
The 5th annual Red Bull Wingsuit BASE jump challenge took place a few days after our visit. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
A view looking down an access ladder approximately 300 meters/1,000 feet high. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Driver Chen points to the backside of the famous Tianmen Cave opening that is approximately 150 meters/500 feet high. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Love Locks are common at tourist sites all over China. Image by John Brignoli.
Image by John Brignoli.
There are more then 400 steps leading up to the cave opening. Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by John Brignoli.
Image by John Brignoli.
The small tourist city of Wulingyuan is filled with dozens of riverfront shops and restaurants. Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by John Brignoli.
The Zhangjiajie National Park Footbridge is one of the highest of its type in the world at 143 meters. Image by John Brignoli.
The Bridge of the world is the largest of the natural bridges within Zhangjiajie Park. Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
You can experience the view from a remote drone at this overlook. Image by Eric Sakowski.
A DJI Inspire 1 drone. Image by Ben Usagani.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by John Brignoli.
The spectacular Zhangjiajie Park elevator more then 300 meters/1,000 feet tall. Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Ben walks inside the giant Lishuihe suspension bridge catwalk with a truss span of 856 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Ben Usagani.
Image by Ben Usagani.
Image by Ben Usagani.
The central rib of the Mengdonghe Yongji Bridge is 268 meters. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Ben Usagani.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Odd to see this unusual looking plant on the slope above the Mengdonghe Yongji Bridge. Image by John Brignoli.
Image by Mengdonghe Bridge engineer.
A new beam bridge along the Yongshun expressway. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Another beam bridge along the Yongshun expressway that parallels the single track train line between Jishou and Zhangjiajie. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Beam bridge closure on a Yongshun expressway bridge. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Tall piers support the 145 meter high Morong Bridge on the Yongshun expressway. Image by Eric Sakowski.
Few high bridges in China are as famous as the 336 meter high Aizhai Bridge in Western Hunan Province. Image by Ben Usagani.
Image by Ben Usagani.
Image by Driver Chen.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Image by Eric Sakowski.
Click on Page 2 for Week Two with views of the Guizhou Province Bridges and More!
