El Quelite Bridge wash out

A few days ago we took a day trip to El Quelite. But before we went we had a rather pretty sunrise. Not spectacular but pretty. 

So here we go driving up the bypass because of the regular road being closed due to the collapse of the bridge during one of the hurricanes. 

Made it up to the free 15 and decided to go look at the river and the bridge. Of course I had to get out of car and take some pictures. I can't believe several people have driven off the end of the bridge into the river. There are ROAD CLOSED signs all over the highway. I am looking south - there is the end of the north bound bridge sticking out over what is left of the water in the river. Pieces of the bridge on my side in the river. 

Not much water in the river now. Hard to believe it was so high and so fast to take out the bridge. I wonder if the memorial on bottom right is because of the bridge or is an old one. 

The bridge on the north side of the river. What a mess. The power of water is amazing. 

I just missed getting a picture of a man on a horse going under the bridge across the river. 

Looking West down the river. Pieces went quite a ways. 

While I was standing there taking pictures sever cars drove around the Jeep and continued on down a small dirt road along our side of the river. And several vehicles came from that direction back onto the highway. Hummm..sure enough I looked down the river and could see vehicles fording the river to the other side and disappearing into the brush. OF COURSE we had to check that out. Followed the dirt road past some homes and then it turned right towards the river. 

And lookie there - cars and trucks crossing the water!!!

Bridge out - NO PROBLEM - find a shallow place and just go. 

The dash cam had been running all that time so took some video off of it. First we turn on to the highway go towards the bridge and Bill stops and lets me out to take pictures. After I'm back in the car we have to investigate the road. A man in a car stopped and waited for us to let us know the road didn't go far. And to be careful if we were going to cross the river. Thank you. While we are stopped talking to him you can see the horse crossing and look towards the middle of the picture you can see the vehicles crossing. We pass the man on the horse as he crosses the road. Turn and head down to the river  Really a lot of traffic there. Unfortunately when we stopped to watch the dash cam was not pointed towards the actual crossing but you can get the idea. Click here to watch the video full screen. 

Across the river the road is even narrower. Only one vehicle at a time. So traffic piles up one way or the other. 

Heading back up the road to the highway. Some nice homes down this way. 

Not much water in the river now. 

Just before the bridge heading north on the highway is a really large berm of dirt. How can someone drive up and over the dirt and off that bridge into the river. About one a week does it...

Curiosity satisfied - we continued on to El Quelite. Coming home we also took a tour of Marmol. Another blog.