Rode out to the Pony Truss bridge

[MattB]

I've been meaning to take a ride out to the Pony Truss Bridge in the ghost town of Bridgeport, Oklahoma, for a long time, and it was one of those things that just continually got put off. One thing I was waiting for was for one of my friends who had ridden out there before to go along, since its in the middle of nowhere. Today, I said enough is enough... I figured I could find it- how hard could it be?
The "Pony Bridge" was constructed in 1933, when Bridgeport was a port town. It has long since withered away. There are some ruins left out there, but I didn't find them today, because it requires taking a dirt road. Before the "Pony Bridge," there was a bridge that consisted of piers and wooden planks.
The bridge features the "Pony Truss" design, is 3944.33 feet long and contains 38 such trusses. Might not sound like that far of a span, but when you cross it, it damn near seems like a mile long.
I took photos, but they really don't do it justice, because you can only see the first few trusses, and don't get a real feel for the expanse of the bridge. Its a narrow two lanes, with no emergency lane, so there was really no stopping on the bridge to take shots.
There is also a big valley you get quite a beautiful view of as you crest a hill in the last few miles heading to the bridge. I stopped to take shots of that too, but it really can't be taken in without being there either. I also stopped in Fort Reno, in El Reno, Ok, which was an Army fort built in 1874, when Oklahoma was still just a territory.
Once you leave El Reno, there are NO signs on Route 66 all the way to the bridge. (Which was about an hour ride for me) There is a quicker way by I-40, which gets you within about 15 miles of the bridge before you have to leave the main roads, but dummy me had to go old school. Well, let me tell you- that's a young man's game. An hour on two-lane roads with patches over patches and which have, for the most part, long since been abandoned when I-40 was built, at speeds of up to 65mph, on a lowered, naked bike, at 48 years of age didn't turn out to be as good of an idea as it once sounded like in my head.
I hit one bump at 65 that I swore was going to cause my grandchildren to be born with broken teeth. Looked like nothing but some thin asphalt patching as I approached, the type all over that road. I think the bike went airborne.
Funny, I mentioned this bump to a coworker who is an avid rider, and his reply was, "I know JUST the bump you're talking about."
Anyway, here are the pics. I'm attaching a link to a vid of the bridge that gives a better idea of just how expansive it is- its not my video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHOO_5JIjq4

[Scott5114]

Fortunately, unlike a lot of Route 66, the bridge isn't abandoned. It's still on the state highway system, in fact; it's part of US-281/SH-8.

Oklahoma has lots of cool bridges hanging on, many of which have been bypassed and left to rot. The US-77 bridge between Purcell and Lexington is neat looking from the underside (easily seen from the Purcell train station), and a personal favorite of mine is the old one-lane SH-24 bridge in Washington (which has a twin to the west that takes a little bit of searching to find and is all blocked off to traffic).

[Tritone]

I was a regular user for the pony bridge. So, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I know the hill you're talking about, definitely a must-see. When the weather is good, and the roads a little drier check out the old towers (if they're standing) from the suspension bridge upstream from the pony. The railroad bridge is there too. There was once a "cable car" as we used to call it. Aerial photos suggest it is now gone, but for us old hoodlums who used to party down there on the sand it was a great memory.

Agreed, there are plenty of good old bridges around and good websites to take you to them. Check out the one-lane bridge over the Canadian over at Wanette.

Thanks for stiring old memories.