2024-11-23 -- Golden Gate Bridge

TikTok(1) hosts a series of cat videos that display static images of cats. These videos frequently include a comedic caption referencing the number of photos taken of the cat each day, implying a repetitive and perhaps obsessive behavior. I have the same problem with structures.

My daughter’s Berkeley(2) condo offers a breathtaking view of the San Francisco Bay(3). From her windows, she can see the city skyline stretching from Daly City(4) to Tiburon(5), with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge(6) almost directly in the middle. 

The moment I saw the view, I knew I had to buy the condo. The price tag, though steep, was worth it for such a breathtaking panorama. Since then, I've made a habit of taking photos each time I visit her, capturing the ever-changing beauty of the view.

Not that the view of Bay Bridge and San Francisco is any less:

I first learned about the Golden Gate Bridge in middle school. At the time, I understood it was one of the world’s longest single-span bridges, but I couldn’t fully appreciate the monumental engineering feat it represented.

During my first trip to San Francisco(7) over a quarter-century ago, my top priority was to visit the Golden Gate Bridge and walk across it.

I've always been fascinated by structures of all kinds. There's a certain grandeur and timeless quality to them that even the most advanced spacecraft can't quite match. In third grade, when we began writing essays, I aspired to be a civil engineer, despite my lackluster academic performance. Even then, I knew this dream was unlikely to materialize without divine intervention.

While my parents allowed me to buy electronic components as a distraction from political unrest, and the family harbored a belief that I would become an electronics engineer if I ever made it to college, I clung to my dream.

I had a collection of chemicals, some of which were potentially dangerous and not suitable for a child my age. For instance, I used ferric perchlorate to clean copper from my circuit boards. Fe(ClO4)3 Hydrated Crystals. I could also cut copper circuit boards, drill holes for components, and solder the pinthrough electronic parts. 

I had constructed various projects, including dancing lights and FM radios, all from scratch. However, I had never built a kit. A relative gifted me a black-and-white Pong kit. 

Long story short, as usual, I disappointed everyone by only applying to civil engineering programs.

Even after immigrating and experiencing significant life changes, my passion for civil engineering remained steadfast. The three iconic structures of the Great Depression(8) era were on my must-see list. These iconic structures were the Empire State Building(9), the Hoover Dam(10), and the Golden Gate Bridge.

The idea of a bridge spanning the Golden Gate Strait(11), a treacherous waterway with strong currents and dense fog, over an active fault, had been discussed for decades. However, it was the visionary engineer Joseph Strauss(12) who brought the dream to life. Strauss, a man of boundless ambition and unwavering belief, recognized the potential of the site and the transformative power of such a structure.

The design of the bridge posed significant challenges. The immense weight of the structure, coupled with the harsh marine environment, demanded innovative solutions. Strauss and his team of engineers devised a suspension bridge design, a type that had been successfully used in Europe but never on such a grand scale.

The construction of the Golden Gate Bridge was a monumental undertaking. Workers, many of whom were skilled artisans and laborers, faced dangerous conditions, including strong winds, dense fog, and the constant threat of falling debris. Despite these challenges, they worked tirelessly to erect the towering towers and string the massive cables.

One of the most daring feats of the construction was the installation of the bridge's main cables. These cables, each composed of thousands of individual wires, were strung across the Golden Gate Strait using a complex system of pulleys and weights. The process was slow and meticulous, requiring incredible precision and strength.

When the Golden Gate Bridge was finally completed in 1937, it was hailed as one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century. Its elegant design and enduring beauty have captured the hearts of millions and continue to inspire awe. The bridge has not only transformed the landscape of the San Francisco Bay Area but has also become a symbol of hope, progress, and human ingenuity.

Each time I see the bridge, whether from a distance or from the sky, my heart races. I'm filled with admiration not just for the engineers who designed it with their slide rules(13) and draw every single blueprint by hand, but also for the brave workers who constructed it. Year after year, they toiled relentlessly, 365 days a year, to bring this magnificent structure to life. I wish I could have witnessed the construction process, particularly the final year, when the two halves of the bridge were joined together. It must have been an incredible feat of engineering and human perseverance, a moment that defied belief.

And for diehards:

(c) I personally took these photos and videos and own the rights to them. Please feel free to use them as you wish.

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok
(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley,_California

(3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Bay
(4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daly_City,_California

(5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiburon,_California

(6) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge
(7) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco
(8) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression

(9) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building

(10) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoover_Dam

(11) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate

(12) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Strauss_(engineer)

(13) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_rule