Guest photographer: Laurel and the Great Columbia Crossing 2009

I was driving back to Astoria from Bend, Oregon, on Sunday and missed the event, but Laurel Sullivan put together a great blog post so we can all enjoy nearly first-hand what it was like without freezing and without getting our feet sore. This is Laurel, number 3032. She's Lee's (Bend, Oregon, Daily Photo) daughter, the mother of my "grandtapir," Teagan, and a great delight in my life.

For two hours on a Sunday morning each year, the one lane of the two-lane Astoria-Megler Bridge is closed to cars, and walkers and runners make the crossing. The bridge itself spans just over 4 miles, but the route is just over 6 miles due to the start and finish points being well beyond where the bridge meets the riverbank. The hills in the background are in Washington, the state line is somewhere in the midst of the river, and in this photo the pack is getting ready to climb the 200-foot hill that makes it possible for ships to go under the bridge. The photo is by Laurel's friend Bonnie, who you'll see on her blog. My thanks for the use of the photo, and please check out Laurel's blog for a stunning sunrise and some interesting and amusing photos and commentary on the crossing. When asked by phone how it was, her first word was, "Cold." Note that she's wearing a tank top, and there's good reason why everyone else is in winter clothing!