I was one of the many that Fred Schaeffer brought up to the Walkway before the construction. At that time, you had to approach from the Highland side, and you could only get out to the second pier in the Hudson. The walkway was over the old railroad tracks and ties, and you could see straight down to the land and the water.
It was a bit more interesting to traverse, as the metal grates were secured by tie downs, and the railings were original, or non-existent.
It gave you a very shaky feel initially, but you acclimated to it. The views down of the bridge infrastructure were quite interesting. Almost everyone who went up there agreed in the vision of what it could become, and has become.
The concrete slabs and railings give you the feel of a long road, rather than perched up on top of the bridge. Unlike the Mid Hudson Bridge, there is no rumble or shake from the cars or trucks as they go by.
Remember, sign up for the Photowalk now. It is less than a month away.
A big wish is that the Poughkeepsie Regatta gets reinvigorated. It would be a great vantage point to view the race. We were along the Merrimac River last weekend, and the number of people, young and old, in clubs racing on the river was great. Let's support a new race, and develop boathouse row in Poughkeepsie.