Gyratorium iter
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Well, it looks like this and tomorrow’s posts will be the only ‘new’ stuff you’re going to see here for quite a while. The ankle injury which I mentioned last week has effectively crippled your humble narrator for the foreseeable future. I’m planning on republishing ‘classic Pentacle’ posts during the interval, so there’s that. I’ve been hospitalized and am recovering from orthopedic surgery, am back at home, and on bed rest as of this writing, but it’s going to be a long, long time before I get to take another walk. Helpless at the moment, me, and I’m writing this while sitting in a wheelchair.
Now… on with this penultimate ‘new’ posting.
My short walk on a pleasant summer evening carried me across Pittsburgh’s ‘Golden Triangle’ downtown area to the Smithfield Street Bridge over the Monongahela River. A weird combination of effort and importance is expressed in this bridge – the original version of it was designed by John Roebling (Brooklyn Bridge), and the modern version was designed by Gustav Lindenthal (Queensboro Bridge).
The river was crossed uneventfully, on one of the two shared bike/pedestrian paths offered by the thing.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After crossing, one negotiated through a tunnel driven through the anchor of the Smithfield Street Bridge. That carried me into the South Side Flats area and pointed my feet at the Great Allegheny Passage rail trail, heading towards that brewery I’ve been haunting at the end of walks in this section of Pittsburgh. I should mention that the T light rail’s ‘Station Square’ hub is nearby, and the service offers me transit from here to a spot just few blocks away from HQ. Easy peasy.
I was hoping to see a few trains rolling by, and I wasn’t disappointed.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
While walking to my eventual reward of a glass of Cream Ale, which I’m favoring at the moment, CSX #3300 hurtled past on the other side of a wooded fenceline. It wouldn’t be the last train I saw on this particular evening, but it’s the only one I’m showing you today.
Back tomorrow – at this – your limping along Newtown Pentacle.
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The Newtown Pentacle 
I’m so sorry to hear, Mitch – I hope your recovery goes well.
lucienve
September 23, 2024 at 11:20 am
Not the cheeriest outlook for someone who kind of spends his days walking, but you do what you gotta do. I imagine there’s photographic stuff you can do seated, and certainly for your wanderings you must have accumulated zillions of area subjects you want to research online. Maybe even generate new wonders to share with us. Take care, Mitch!
Kenneth Furie
September 23, 2024 at 12:20 pm
What happened with the colonoscopy?
georgetheatheist . . . wanna know
September 23, 2024 at 6:42 pm
Wishing you a rapid recovery. I found a source for info on the principles behind the design of the Smithfield Street Bridge.
https://historycooperative.org/journal/designing-american-lenticular-truss-bridges-1878-1900/
dbarms8878
September 23, 2024 at 8:07 pm