The Newtown Pentacle

Monday

– photo by Mitch Waxman

You may recall that – on Friday last – your humble narrator had involved himself the latest medium length scuttle here in Pittsburgh.

The walk began on the Bloomfield Bridge, and routed into the Bloomfield neighborhood, which posits itself as ‘Little Italy.’ The very day that I was moving through here was the start of an Italian heritage focused street fair called ‘Little Italy Days’ and a terrific amount of activity was underway to prepare for the event. I wanted nothing to do with all that, and my toes were pointed away from the festivities.

As also mentioned last week, this walk had a purpose, namely ‘cardio’ and I was attempting to move a bit faster than normal while kicking the dirt. Unfortunately it was terrifically hot out, which changed my plans.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

My route diverted away from the population center, and down into Skunk Hollow.

This is a ravine, found between the prominences of the Polish Hill and Bloomfield sections, which returns visitors to the ‘grid’ of streets at the edge of the Lawrenceville section on its western side. The street is sharply graded, heading downwards.

I wouldn’t have complained if any trains had appeared while moving through here, but no ‘Hey Now!’ for me on this part of the scuttle.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

As also mentioned above, it was ungodly hot out.

Additionally: The Newtown Pentacle time warp is very much still in effect, as a note. These shots are from the 13th of August, and the words are being inscribed at the end of the same month.

I waved the camera about a bit, but again – this outing was about making my ‘body’ work – rather than my ‘head.‘

– photo by Mitch Waxman

The path through Skunk Hollow is largely an industrial zone, with railroad tracks and neighboring contractor yards. Several times along the route, I had to take up a safe position as heavy trucks rolled past.

I mentiont ‘safety’ a bunch, and having been invited onto several industrial sites during my Newtown Creek years, one has received several ‘OSHA’ focused training sessions. Some of these sessions were only an hour or two in length, with others playing out over multiple days.

One of the facts embedded in my brain by the safety people is to stop moving, after acquiring a safe spot, and waiting until being acknowledged by the driver when a heavy truck is moving past you.

The whole trick to the ‘tradie’ world is expectations. What does a truck driver ‘expect’ you to do? What do you expect the truck will do? You ain’t gonna win a fight with a loaded dump truck moving at thirty plus miles per hour… so…

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Admittedly, I was a little disappointed that I didn’t catch a shot of a train moving through the hollow, but there we are. It was too hot to stand around and wait. My big problem at this point revolved around a multi mile path in front of me that offered zero cover from the radiates of the burning thermonuclear eye of god itself. Shvitz!

What to do, what to do?

– photo by Mitch Waxman

Back on the street grid… and wait a minute… that’s the Herron Avenue Bridge leading down from Polish Hill… which overflies… one of the busways! Salvation!

One of my stated goals has been to get ‘all familiar’ with Pittsburgh’s busway transit system, right? I’ve said that multiple times, right?

Back tomorrow.

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“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.