Okay, Now Bounce

Anew bridge spans the Dead Diamond River in the Second College Grant, and this time it will last, according to the builders.

The first was taken out in the 1960s by ice. The second fell victim to an even greater force: Freshman Trips. In 1987, a bouncy group of trippees sent the structure into the river.

In response, three students from the Thayer School of Engineering, RobTrenkamp '93, Christy Dowding '94, and Katherine Osborne '94, set out to build a bridge sturdy enough to withstand both natural and the not-so-natural forces. The trio claims the new 86-foot suspension bridge is capable of holding two boisterous groups of freshmen in the dead of winter (a theoretical load of seven feet of snow). Working Friday through Monday in the Grant, the three spent two months racing back to Hanover every Tuesday for their mid-week classes.

The bridge spans the Dead Diamond River near the Outing Club's Stoddard Cabin. Earljette, director of Outdoor Programs, says that the students' project represents "a great relationship between Outdoor Programs and academic departments. " Besides, he notes, the new bridge is a welcome improvement from the small rowboat that has traditionally been used to cross the Dead Diamond.

Built for the ultimate destructive force: freshmen.