Delaware Bridge Blue [phonetography]

Crossing the Delaware Bridge is one of the highlights of the otherwise boring drive up I-95 from DC to New York and New England.

In April 1945 the Delaware State Highway Department was authorized to construct and operate a crossing of the Delaware River between New Castle, Delaware, and Pennsville, New Jersey. It took $44 million to build the graceful 440-foot-high span, which opened to traffic on August 15, 1951.

By 1955, nearly 8 million vehicles were crossing the bridge each year—almost double the original projection. As a result, talks about building a second bridge were soon underway, and a twin span was dedicated in 1968. Although the spans look identical, there are differences. Today, more than 80,000 vehicles cross the twin spans on their combined total of 8 lanes daily.

http://www.drba.net/bridge/

SnOMG in DC [phonetography]

For the first time in years, the forecast was dead on and we got more than 20″ outside my front door. DC is down for the count and I’m enjoying a snow day today.

The Great Thing About the iPhone Camera [phonetography]

Forget the specs and the apps and the rest of it. The best thing about the iPhone’s camera?

It is always in your pocket, always within reach of your subject, and always ready to go. Add in the apps and you’ll forget about the camera’s technical limitations. Take it to lunch, take it around the office, take it on your road trip, whatever.

Below: two shots from this week — one from the office and another from one of my favorite lunch spots, Hanaro.

How to Tell a Hipster Haven / Check Out this DIY Bike Rack

Wondering if you’re in the home of an urban hipster? Just look for the bikes. More specifically, look for the bike rack.

While do-it-yourself (DIY) bike racks sit at the happy intersection of the urban hipster ethos and his/her favorite mode of transportation, not all racks are created equal. I spotted this beauty of a DIY bike rack at a group house in DC’s Columbia Heights:

Bikes are vertically mounted and hang from a single hook. A former tenant built the rack with 6 ft sections of gutter and simple hooks. The gutter sections keep the wall clean, the hook suspends the bike in the air, and it isn’t necessary to move one bike to get to another as in other systems. This house had six parking spots and I imagine you could build your own setup for $15 per bike.

DC’s First Snow [phonetography]

Viewed from the warm comfort of an apartment above.