Roseman Bridge

One of my most read blog entries is the one I wrote on June 17, 2009 after visiting the covered bridges of King’s County, New Brunswick. In it I mentioned my favourite novel, The Bridges of Madison County. Hundreds of people have found that post using search terms like Robert Kincaid photographer or Robert Kincaid National Geographic. I know exactly what they’re looking for. The Bridges of Madison County is the story of photographer, Robert Kincaid, on assignment for National Geographic taking photos of the covered bridges of Madison County, Iowa and farm wife, Francesca, who meet when he stops to ask for directions. It is so beautiful and so believable that author Robert James Waller’s readers can’t help but wonder whether or not the characters are real and the story true.

Yesterday, I fulfilled a dream. We drove the back roads of Madison County, Iowa and visited the covered bridges made famous by the novel and the movie that followed. I stood on Roseman Bridge and touched the spot where Francesca (Meryl Streep) pinned the note inviting Robert (Clint Eastwood) to come for dinner “anytime the white moths fly”. Some people visit Winterset, Iowa because it was the birthplace of John Wayne but I was there to walk the streets that Francesca walked!