The Newtown Pentacle

Friday

– photo by Mitch Waxman

More than once, I’ve described the POV above as being ‘magic’ except for the empty railroad tracks. This time around, I got lucky and a CSX train entered the frame, shortly after I had walked over the Fort Pitt Bridge which is the golden colored span in the shot. They take their city color branding pretty seriously out here in Pittsburgh, all the way to dressing the cops up in black and gold.

This was captured close to the end of a medium sized walk, but I sure wasn’t done yet as it was a positively gorgeous spring like day – weather wise. Everything is starting to bloom here in the Paris of Appalachia, as a note.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

I was so pleased with the situation that the need to go wide angle overwhelmed. There was still a mile or two in front of me before I could declare the day’s goal accomplished, but that’s always the case – ain’t it? Nothing’s easy.

The train moved on, and so did I. I had already decided to visit that brewery I like which is alongside the same CSX tracks pictured above, and grab a pint of Pilsner – strictly in the name of hydration, I assure you – before returning to the T light rail which would bring me back to HQ where Our Lady of the Pentacle and Moe the Dog awaited.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Moe, for those of you who have asked, has matured nicely and acquired a beginners kit of domestic manners. It’s been a long while since his puppy incarnation was wreaking havoc and biting me in the crotch, thankfully.

After debarking the bridge’s pedestrian pathway, one navigated to a primary arterial street called ‘West Carson Street’ whose somewhat terrifying sidewalks led me to a spot where I could hop a fence and access the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, which follows the Monongahela River’s southern shoreline.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Lucky day for me. A Tugboat appeared, which was guiding barges of (presumptively) coal up the ‘Mon’ river, and under the bridge I had just walked over, with downtown Pittsburgh serving up a back drop.

I’m continually surprised at how much maritime traffic you see on the rivers here. I was also surprised to see that this boat was configured as a harbor style pushboat tug, rather than as a river Towboat, with the latter typology far more commonly observed here than the former.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

With winter ending, and spring starting to spring up, I’m looking forward to hiking in natural settings again. This sort of thing isn’t terribly productive from a photography POV (look, it’s a tree), but natural surfaces and paths through wooded areas are still quite novel to this kid from Brooklyn’s Canarsie.

As a note: I always say ‘Canarsie’ because people are somewhat familiar with that ‘area.’ My actual Brooklyn neighborhood – believe it or not – was called ‘Futurama,’ which is literally right next door to Canarsie. It’s nestled between ‘Old Mill Basin,’ ‘Georgetown,’ ‘Flatlands,’ ‘Glenwood,’ and Canarsie – Futurama is. If you’re not from there, these places aren’t on your radar, at all. My high school was found at the front door of Canarsie (Ralph and Flatlands Avenues), and most of my high school friends were ‘Canartians.’ South east Brooklyn was an odd place to live in the 1980’s.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

One followed the trail, to his glass of beer at that brewery alongside the CSX tracks which has often been mentioned here. I met up with a friend whom I haven’t seen in a few months, and wouldn’t you know it… Choo Choo…

More on that next week – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.

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