Lots of hills, very few dales
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Challenging. That’s how I’d describe what it’s like handling the terrain of Pittsburgh with an ankle that’s recovering from a severe break. As I’ve found myself having to remind people in my daily life, the injury also involved a dislocation of the foot, which ‘popped’ a tendon or two and damaged a lot of the soft tissue in leg, ankle, and foot. It’s been a deal, coming back from this one, I tell’s ya…
Regardless of how I might feel, or the free flowing availability of pain, it’s incumbent upon your humble narrator to return to his normal ways and the only way I’m going to get there is by walking it off.
Pictured is the Avenue I live on, as a note, and it’s got a relatively shallow grade compared to the neighboring Avenues. The Borough of Dormont does not streets, it has avenues and ‘ways.’ 19th century politics, that. There were no ‘mean streets’ here, instead stately avenues.
‘Ways’ are basically alleys.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I was meant to meet some friends for an event at a nearby brewery, and while waiting on them (I’m always pathologically early) the crazy terrain again caught my eye. That castellated structure in the distance is the PPG HQ building, roughly 5-6 miles away in Downtown Pittsburgh. This block, which I actually have been forced to walk up in the last month or so, is a real pain in the neck AND butt to navigate. You really gotta lean into it.
Believe it or not, this isn’t the worst hill in my neighborhood. Not too far away, in neighboring Beechview, is found the steepest street in the entire western hemisphere of the planet – Canton Avenue. It’s part of what a bicyclist group calls ‘The Dirty Dozen’ of Pittsburgh’s hills.
Globally, there’s a steeper street than Canton Avenue found in New Zealand – I’m told – and that the Kiwis hold the Guinness Record for the steepest grade on a public street in the world. It edges Canton Avenue out of the top spot by a half a degree.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
At the top of the hill, the tracks of the T Light Rail system are encountered.
Transit was one of the many factors which decided ‘Dormont for us’ when we relocated here at the end of 2022. My friends and I continued on to the event we were heading to, and made merry. I had a stop I wanted to make on the way back home, so I said my goodbyes and set off on a distinctly down hill course. More on that tomorrow.
Ostensibly, a descending grade should be easier walking, but given that the ankle is still getting used to being walked on again… Angling the foot and keeping it in that position to accommodate the grade actually kind of hurt. I found myself continually picking up speed on the down hills and having to slow myself down by grabbing onto a sign or utility pole.
Great, now I gotta get me some brakes.
What a drag. Back tomorrow.
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