Pooh sticks bridge

How to occupy yourself with only a stick and some moving water

(February 4^th, 2008 / 1 comment)

Across the road from our house was a clear mountain river that ran down the valley from the lake. Whenever the weather permitted it, my mom would gather us all up and we would take a short walk down the road to a low concrete bridge that spanned the river along a road leading to one of the park's campgrounds.

River activities

My older brother and I would wade into the ice-cold water, lifting rocks carefully in an attempt to catch any creatures that might be hiding in the mud beneath them. In the smoother areas, we would skip smooth, round stones across the water, holding competitions to see who could get the most skips.

There were times when we would venture farther upstream into areas where the water was faster and more violent. It was such a thrill to be waist-deep in rushing water, struggling against the forces of nature. Occasionally it would best us and we'd end up flailing downstream at the current's mercy until we were able to regain our footing. Bruises from submerged rocks were common in those days.

The game of pooh sticks

My mom and younger brothers would typically stay closer to the bridge, playing what we used to call "pooh sticks." It was named after an episode of Winnie the Pooh that involved a similar activity.

The game was simple. All you had to do is collect a stick or other potentially buoyant object from the shore and drop it into the river upstream from the bridge. As it passed under the bridge, you would run to the downstream side and wait for it to emerge, shooting out from the tubes cut into the concrete.

Pooh stick variations

One variation of the game involved lying on your stomach with your top half hanging off of the downstream side and trying to snatch your pooh stick out of the water as it came rushing by. This was certainly more challenging and demanding, but also came with the risk of being killing by the occasional passing car if you weren't paying enough attention.

For all its simplicity, Pooh sticks was endlessly entertaining, especially for my younger siblings. We spent hours a day at that bridge, scouring the shore for sticks and dropping them into the water, delighted at their journey through the dark tunnels under the bridge.

Still worth playing

I visited the park a few months ago. Everything still looked the same, including the pooh sticks bridge. Unable to resist the urge, I picked up a nearby twig and tossed it into the water, running to the other side as it was sucked under through the tunnels.

I would be lying if I said I didn't get a rush of excitement when my stick plunged out from under the bridge. I wondered how something so simple could still be such a blast after all these years as my pooh stick floated around the bend and out of sight in the grip of the river's insistent flow.

1 Comment

maria says on August 27^th, 2008:
I use to play that game too.

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