Bad Postcard of the week:

 Is this Indiana's 'bridge to nowhere?'
From: The Grand Rapids Press

Looking West -- Wabash River Bridge

 Today we prove that a bridge doesn't need to be as majestic as the Mighty Mackinac to be captured on a postcard.

This week’s bad postcard takes us to Covington, Ind. for this view of the not-quite-as-majestic Wabash River Bridge.

The postcard says this is the view looking west. I’m going to go way out on a limb and suggest that the view on the other side looking east is not a heck of a lot different. Maybe the telephone pole isn't there, but I can’t be sure.

This one got me thinking. Why would someone shoot this photo and think it was a appropriate souvenir of their visit to Covington? Why visit Covington at all?

I did some research. Covington is a small town on the western side of Indiana not far from the Illinois line. It’s got about 2,645 people. It’s the seat of Fountain County.

"The New Dunn Memorial Bridge Connecting Albany and Rensselaer, N.Y."

That’s all I got. There is not a lot going on there. Not even a sign saying "John Cougar Mellencamp slept here."

Oh, and weep for the bridge, because peeking in from above on Google Earth it appears that our metal bridge has been replaced by something with the charm of a highway overpass.

Now, I’m not saying that a metal bridge can’t be the subject of a pretty cool postcard. I submit as an example this beautiful card sent by a Postcrossing friend.

This is titled “The New Dunn Memorial Bridge Connecting Albany and Rensselaer, N.Y."

Of course, you know it better by its full name, The Private Parker F. Dunn Memorial Bridge, named after the Albany native who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in World War I. It’s also the southernmost toll-free road crossing of the Hudson.

It’s also gone, replaced in 1969 by another soulless glorified overpass with a part that ends abruptly after the South Mall Expressway project was halted.

On the bright side, and bunch of Peregrine falcons hang out under the bridge, and the state has a webcam that you can usually use to check out their hijinks, which has to be more entertaining than “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”

Actually, the camera is tuned off now because of some bridge renovations, which, too, might be more interesting than the Kardashians, but not “Jersey Shore.”

Anyway, this postcard of the departed Dunn Bridge has all kinds of nice colors and reflections, proving that just about anything can look better on a linen postcard.

"Southern Humor"

Reader contribution

Carol Ligda-Wong sent this gem called “Southern Humor.” And being Northerners, we can’t figure out what the joke is supposed to be.

Carol suggests it’s some kind of “rolling in the hay” reference. Stumped, I went to the source – and sought his permission to use the image.

Turns out that Dan Reynolds is a fine photographer from Chattanooga, Tenn., and a good sport, too.

“I think the humor is just silly kind of Southern humor,” he said. “There was also one I didn't shoot that was a well with two legs and feet were sticking out of it. Southern folk art...... maybe they're looking for a needle in the haystack?”