Matagorda Bridge

Matagorda, Texas.
All those who know our beloved Matagorda and have been there with your family or with us, remember the old draw bridge. The draw bridge was the last of it's kind on the intercoastal waterways of the Texas gulf coast. From my time as a child there going to the beach house with my grandparents until my last trip there this past June with my own daughter, the old draw bridge operated much like an elevator attendant from the 20th century.

Cars piled up on both sides of the bridge, tug boats and barges lined the canal - each waiting for their chance at the crossroads between land and water. As the old gate opened, the asphalt road spread apart and lifted into the air making room for intercoastal commerce. Children watched with wonder. Parents took a breather, becoming aware of how everything slows down when the car stops idling everything magnifies -- the smells of the ocean, the sound of the sea gulls, and the sting of every single mosquito .

This is a picture of the new bridge - tall and stately, representative of progress, movement, and infrastructure. The 20th century has indeed been replaced. Analog is no more. Digital is almost a thing of the past. There is no more stopping at the canal. Boats whiz up and down. People fly over the top. Windows down - arms dangling out holding soda pops and swim suit tops to the tunes of Houston rock radio. But for those of us with a penchant for the nostalgic, grateful to stop our motors and enjoy a fleeting memory, we must get our kicks elsewhere.