Crossing, Mon
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Pictured is a narrow band of relative safety one occupied to the right of that white line, which the trail I had been walking upon spit me out onto.
Luckily, it was a fairly low traffic day, when I suddenly had to try and not die while scuttling along this stretch. At the end of the elevated ramp, I was able to execute what can currently pass as ‘running,’ to get to the other side of the street where a sidewalk existed. The busted ankle situation persists in terms of not being able to run properly.
Effin Pittsburgh…
Y’know, people out here, they’ll get after me here for cussin. I don’t know how you don’t curse a blue streak when encountering this… it’s exactly the sort of thing which makes me want to engage with the ‘powers that be.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Safely on a sidewalk, my next set of moves involved getting back to HQ in Dormont. My original plan was to simply walk to the Station Square stop for the T light rail system, which is found a mile or two down the road.
Saying that, it was really hot out, and I decided to ‘punk.’
I’d save a bunch of walking, and cross the river via the Fort Pitt bridge, then catch a T ride at one of the downtown stations instead. Win!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Fort Pitt Bridge is a complicated beast, and especially so when one is driving southwards. A series of high speed roads converge via multiple on-ramps to the bridge, which all resolve into singular travel lanes.
To head to the airport, for instance, you need to exit the span via a portal on the far left side of the bridge. To exit to local streets or head west, you need to bear over to the far right. This creates an ‘X’ shaped interchange for high speed traffic that is converging from three distinct sources.
Factor in the aggressive style of driving common to most in Pittsburgh, and you’ve got a nonstop traffic jam which plays out 24/7 – as drivers cross multiple lanes of traffic to position themselves for those two exits from the span. The aggressive driving figures in to this as they all try to ‘eff each over to get into their desired lanes, which they all try to do immediately upon entering the span. Not fifty or a hundred feet ahead, where it’s easy… no… not the Yinzers. They need to get into their lane right ‘effin now, lest somebody take something away from them.
Of course, they’ll ALL try to do the complicated merge asap and at speed, rather than just slowing down and traveling another fifty feet to… bah…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I enjoy walking over this bridge, but then again I famously like horrible things. As mentioned at the start of this scuttle, which began up on Mount Washington and included the Emerald View Trail which provided a diagonal westward path down off of the landform, and it was quite uncomfortable out – climate wise.
High summer, humid, ‘shvitzy.’
One way or the other, however, I had to get to the T light rail as it sure wasn’t going to be coming to me, and thusly ‘leaned into it’ for the last leg of this one. At least it was in the shade…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the described point of conflict on the Fort Pitt Bridge.
In the shot above, the far right ramp feeds two lanes off of traffic off of the I-376 ‘Parkway West’ and onto Fort Pitt, whereas the left hand side services entrances for both local street traffic and is also fed by another highway ramp which brings high speed traffic from multiple sources right towards this spot.
A significant volume of traffic passes through this pass (estimated at 85 – 107,000 vehicles a day), and I’ve come to refer to Fort Pitt Bridge as being the ‘master cylinder’ of all traffic in Pittsburgh. Something happens here, or on the ramps leading to it, and that ripples outwards at 60 mph to the entire network of high speed roads hereabouts.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, one made it to the so called ‘Golden Triangle,’ and a few quick steps soon saw your humble narrator on a T light rail, heading back to HQ and the ebullient greetings of Moe the Dog.
Back tomorrow with something different, at this, your Newtown Pentacle.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
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Terror Firma – Emerald View Trail 2
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Regular readers of the Newtown Pentacle may recall that a long suffering – but always humble – narrator was plying his course along the Emerald View Trail, which transits in a diagonal fashion across the face of Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington.
The landform itself is around 600 feet in elevation over the flood plains of the Monongahela River, and Mount Washington is found on the southern shore of the waterway.
Pictured is the West End Bridge, familiar to those regular readers of the mishegoss that’s on offer here five times a week, and the waters which it spans are where the admixture of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers form into the headwaters of the Ohio River. All caught up.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The trail began to narrow towards its end, and my descent began.
As a rule, I like to walk downwards from high elevations, as I’m old and have to carefully ration my energies. The gas tank empties out a lot faster than it used to these days… and walking up a fifty to sixty story elevation on loose soil would be… well… that would be ‘no Bueno.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The trail spits you out onto a fairly steep roadway, right about here.
In typical Pittsburgh fashion, of course, the trail deposits pedestrians and bike riders onto the side of a de facto highway for a bit. Sigh.
Planning on coming back here in the autumn, incidentally. Should be a pretty sight, with all the color on the trees.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This isn’t the highway. It’s ‘Greenleaf Street,’ and it has no sidewalks.
Theoretically, I guess I should have been walking on the other side of the steel guard rail, but that ground was overgrown and teeming with Poison Ivy and other vines. Bad form, Pittsburgh, bad form.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, a clearing – and coincidentally – I happened upon a pretty cool POV for the Norfolk Southern outfit’s locomotives. I’ll try and get back to this spot occasionally when I’m out wandering.
This is where things got hairy.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
No sidewalks below, none above either. Luckily, traffic was light on this particular day so I managed to rapidly scuttle down the side of that onramp pictured above, to a spot where pedestrian accoutrements on the public way were again on offer.
I hate this. I mean that I viscerally hate the fact that sidewalk pavement ends to make way for highway lanes, and then picks back up a half mile away. This situation has been encountered several times, and in the ‘center’ of Pittsburgh, not some distant hick town. Ok, I’m from NYC so to me Chicago is a distant hick town… but…
Again: No bueno.
This is precisely the sort of situation that makes me want to attend a governmental meeting and complain to the powers that be.
Back tomorrow.
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Diagonal Scuttling – Emerald View Trail 1
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One of the scuttling paths which I had been ‘saving,’ throughout the broken ankle nightmare and for future ‘stupid fun,’ played out along the ‘Emerald View Trail’ here in Pittsburgh recently.
This walk started off right here (Google Maps link).
Essentially, this is a wooded and natural surface hiking trail, one which proceeds diagonally down the face of Pittsburgh’s very steep Mount Washington. The path I was taking would carry me in a ‘westerly and ‘down’ direction. If I had to rate this one for difficulty or danger, it would be a 3 out of 10. I wouldn’t recommend walking this pathway if it’s rained, at all, in the previous 48 hours, due to mud.
Ain’t a walk across a bedroom carpet, but it wasn’t exactly a stroll through Ypres either, this scuttle.
The landmark for the trailhead is called ‘Point of View Park,’ and you’ll know you found it when you see a monumental bronze sculpture of George Washington staring down a Seneca Chief called Guyasuta.
Via Google – The bronze landmark on Grandview Avenue in Pittsburgh is titled ‘Point of View.’ and was sculpted by James A. West. The art was installed in 2006, a 750-pound artwork which sits at ‘Point of View Park’ on Mount Washington. It depicts George Washington face-to-face with Seneca leader Guyasuta, looking out over the city’s rivers and Point State Park.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the trailhead, pictured. The elevation at this spot is somewhere’s around 600 feet over the Monongahela River, and its flood plain. In the distance, the waters of the Monongahela are mixing with those of the Allegheny, and forming the headwaters of the Ohio River.
It should be mentioned that the Newtown Pentacle time warp is still in effect, but a bit less severe as I kind of took it easy at the end of July and start of August. The photos were captured on July 14, and these words are being inscribed on August 5. If my scheduling is correct, you’re seeing this at the end of the second week of September.
How’d the near future work out? It looks pretty grim right now…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As mentioned, one has been ‘saving’ this one for when my busted ankle had fully healed up. It’s a natural surface, albeit one which has been ‘worked’ by grounds crews. The section with the gravel pictured above soon transmogrifies into a packed down and ‘formed’ soil path.
With palpitant heart, one entered the verge…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Not too bad, huh? It was humid up in there, amongst the trees. Lotsa swarming little bugs buzzing about too.
As I often say: There’s a reason our ancestors paved over everything. Nature wants to digest you.
Problem for me was that at this ‘high summer’ moment which I was walking through here, you couldn’t see much due to all the leafy growth. Time was passed, thereby, shooting pics of the woods while scuttling along.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Here and there, there would be a clearing where a tree went down, and a bit of sunlight would filter through the canopy. There were also a few spots where the trail was at best a couple/three feet across, as it traveled past a steep section of incline, and that was a little worrisome.
Balance issues continue to plague me, a lasting consequence of the ankle situation. Overall, I’m ‘recovered’ at this point, but…
Almost two years out from the injury, I’m still feeling arthritic ‘tightness’ around the joint whenever it’s raining or the sky threatens it, and my ‘proprioception’ of the space that my left foot is physically occupying is almost always ‘off.’ This tends to throw off balance, and is related to the PTSD symptoms I’ve been experiencing around steps and stairs.
Proprioception is one of your senses. It’s your body’s ability to sense its own position and movements in space. Proprioception is a complex automatic process that you can also fine-tune. Many conditions and injuries can affect it.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, after about twenty minutes of diagonal dirt walking, a break in the trees allowed for a shot or two of the surroundings. There are a few different paths to explore in this section, which branch off of the main trail. Signage rates these alternate paths by difficulty, and apparently I was walking on the sort of path you’d take a child on.
I imagine that the more difficult ones involve climbing or something else that’s sweat inducing. No bueno.
Back next week with more from the Paris of Appalachia – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
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Something wicked that way scuttled
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This post carries shots from the end of a medium length walk, on a quite warm day, that began in the hills of the Borough of Millvale, then followed the Allegheny River along a waterfront trail, and deposited my stinking pre-corpse onto the ‘Three Rivers Heritage Trail’ here in Pittsburgh.
Loathsome, your humble narrator was. A sweaty mess by this stage of the day, the dripping eidolon of dissolution, as well as a cautionary tale told to the young. Blech!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Landmark, that’s the 16th street David McCullough Bridge, nearby the former Heinz factory on Pittsburgh’s ‘North Side.’
The horror… ‘swamp ass’ was driving me crazy.
‘Swamp Ass’ is when you’ve been ‘shvitzing’ so heavily that your underclothes start becoming a burden, and bunching up. That’s the road to a blister, buddy!
Upon arriving back at HQ, I discovered that my T-Shirt was thoroughly soaked, and had to weigh about three pounds, with all that absorbed sweat in it. Phlegh!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Age, and the deprivations to the physical plant which it induces, are very much present with me on these scuttles.
I’ve had to learn to work around my ‘diminishing capacity,’ and especially so after the busted ankle incident. A lot of thought goes to the ‘carry’ inside the camera bag these days, wherein a zoom lens I refer to as ‘the brick’ is often found. The backpack, and I’ve actually gotten on a scale at a doctor’s office with and without it, weighs just under thirty pounds.
Add in the terrified reaction people have when they see me coming.
Old ladies clutch at their purses, children cry, dogs howl, birds fall dead out of the sky, flowers close up their blossoms like it’s night time as I near. I’m also likely the worst person who’s ever been born, just ask anyone, especially those whom I consider friends. They’ll tell you.
Why do I ever leave the house, or try to interact with people? Literally, everybody hates me, on sight.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the Veterans Bridge, above.
Luckily, I found a shaded spot which offered concrete blocks to sit upon. Since the concrete was shaded, it was endo rather than exothermic, and I planted my horrific form atop it, allowing my body heat to bleed out, through the ass, and into the block.
Use your environment – and your ass – to your advantage!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, ‘civilization.’
Simple plan from this spot, I’d walk across the river on one of those ‘Three Sisters’ bridges – pictured above – and then it would be less than a half mile’s worth of scuttling to get to a T Light Rail station, which would carry me back home to Moe the Dog and Our Lady of the Pentacle.
They still seem to like me.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My timing could not have been better… made it home just before that sky pictured above exploded with lightning, and wind, and storm.
Back tomorrow with something different – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
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Allegheny Foundations
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As you might recall from prior posts, your humble narrator was scuttling along the Millvale Riverfront Park frontage at the Allegheny River, and heading west to connect with the larger ‘Three River Heritage Trail,’ on this particular walk – which occurred in early July.
It had been a hot day with high humidity, and quite uncomfortable. A powerful thunderstorm had been forecast to arrive in the late afternoon, a condition which I was very aware of.
The plan was to cross around four to five miles of trail, along the riverfront, and then catch a T light rail to get back to Dormont before the vault of heaven exploded with rain and lightning.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A strong smell of sewage was in the air. Residential, I’d venture.
After all those years on Newtown Creek, I can tell you by scent alone if it’s commercial or residential. A couple of work trucks from Alcosan – the agency who handles Pittsburgh’s wastewater problems – were parked under one of the bridges, and there were a group of people, in ‘hi-viz’ orange and yellow shirts, engaged in what looked like a serious conversation nearby a pipe.
None of my business, and so I walked on. See, I’ve evolved. Didn’t stick my nose into it the way I would have back along the creek.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
All that steel is part of the system of trusses and ramps connected to the 33rd street rail bridge, which spans the river between Lawrenceville and the north shore of the Allegheny here.
A new ball cap I’ve been wearing isn’t flash orange, rather it’s bright white. Found it on Amazon, and the promise was that this ball cap will ‘wick’ your sweat up and evaporate it using some system of laser cut ventilation holes in the crown, which will in turn cool off your noggin.
The cap kind of did what the manufacturer promised, I’d mention, but Our Lady of the Pentacle and myself has decided that it looks like the sort of hat you’d normally expect to see worn by a someone’s Grandfather on a golf course.
It’s now officially known as the ‘Korean Grandfather’s Golf Cap.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My headphones were inserted firmly into the ear holes, and I was listening to a playlist of music so familiar to me that it’s kind of become my theme music over the years. Basically, it’s a mix tape of tunes that used to make me feel things back when I could still feel things. I’m so emotionally numb these days that…
One found himself entering what I often describe as being a ‘vegetation tunnel.’ Enveloped completely by the surrounding verge, with sight lines occluded or blocked by nature’s excess, it’s best to just ‘lean into it’ in areas like this since there’s really not much to see.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A plaque is set into the walkway, here’s a shot of it, describing the significance and creators of this ramp/bridge in this section of the trail.
Whereas I fairly despise those urban renewal processes which demolished whole neighborhoods in the name of building highways, those same processes also created a fantastic series of waterfront bike and pedestrian ‘rail trails’ all around the edges of Pittsburgh. Dichotomy.
Yes, I can hold and defend two contradictory points of view at the same time. Rules are arbitrary, conflict is normal, everything will work out in the end – one way or another. Don’t ever forget – lots of people might think and pronounce that you’re an ‘icehole’ – but that doesn’t mean that you’re not also right.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The weather was growing warmer as I walked, and the humidity rose. The afternoon storm was nearing, and I needed to ‘burn some shoe leather’ quick if I didn’t want to get caught out in it.
Back tomorrow.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
The Newtown Pentacle 