Saturday, August 28, 2010

WTC Steel Beams

On Friday the county fair offered admission for $0.25 if we arrived before noon. So the boys and I headed over. We discovered the parking lot was FULL. Ugh, so I went off in search of parking and as luck would have it I actually found a free spot. Woo hoo. As I was putting stuff in the stroller a car went by fast and startled Reese. He went flying into my arms and about strangled me to death. He flatly refused to walk. So I had to hike in with him in the ergo on my back. We dressed appropriately for the 58 degrees it was while we were getting ready. By the time my hike commenced it was a million degrees hotter. I was dying, but we made it at 11:56am. WOO HOO $0.25!
Once we got in I quickly steered us away from the rides as Reese can't ride alone and there was no one to be with the stroller and my purse and Gus. We headed off to find the 4H animals. I am so glad I wound around through the vendors en route to the animals because we found the steel beams from the collapsed World Trade Center.
The beams traveled from NY to WA with a motorcycle escort. A former co-worker took a video from the highway overpass. We actually passed her without realizing it. Her beau was one of the motorcyclists. There was a welcome ceremony, then the beams were moved over to the fair. The beams will be used in a 9/11 memorial to be unveiled on the 10 year anniversary next year. Can you believe it's almost been 10 years?! Even still it was a struggle not be obviously choked up being so close to them. It's pretty shocking how mangled they are. I suppose if I actually thought on it I would have to assume a building that collapsed would leave mangled steel beams, but you anticipate they'll be relatively indestructible. I'm so glad we got to see them.
This is a photo of Reese in front of the trailer holding the beams. I wasn't sure if I should take a photo like a tourist snapshot. It seemed kind of tacky, but other people were taking photos so I did too. Of course Reese had no idea what they were, but I figure someday he will and he'll have a photo of himself with this little piece of history.

1 comment:

Susana said...

Good for you making it in before the $0.25 time was up:-).

This is really cool! Yes, I think Reese will think so too one of these days:-).