The Bittersweet Feeling of Seeing the Piscataqua River Bridge on the Road
Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions, or personal experiences.
The Piscataqua River Bridge
If you’ve traveled to or from Maine then you are familiar with our infamous bridge, the Piscataqua River Bridge. This river bridge is the iconic link between Portsmouth, New Hampshire and the stateline of Maine in Kittery.
This bridge is the sign of being on the move; Instagram stories, Snapchats, and Facebook posts boast the view of the bridge when someone hits the road. No caption is necessary - just the mere photo of the bridge itself tells the story of travel.
The view of the bridge brings about a bittersweet feeling whether you’re coming or going.
When you’re heading out of Maine, it’s a sign of excitement, being on the move, and heading somewhere new but it can also bring a ping of sadness if you’re leaving something behind, tend to get homesick, or are leaving for good and saying goodbye to home.
When you’re heading back into the state, you can see the bridge in the distance as you make it through Portsmouth. This is the sign of returning home, of wrapping up a trip. It can bring about a feeling of relief knowing you are almost home in your own bed, seeing someone you love, or just finally making it back after a long trip. It can also bring about low spirits if coming home is the signal of the end of a good trip, a much-needed vacation, or time with loved ones out of state.
It’s an iconic and infamous bridge for us Mainers and truly signifies going away and coming home as we cross the state line. Whenever I see the bridge in the distance, it gives my belly a funny little feeling and I can never quite tell if it’s happy or sad; it’s always bittersweet.