Posts Tagged ‘Monongahela River’
Squall Scuttling
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was a Sunday. Our Lady of the Pentacle and myself were along Pittsburgh’s Carson Street, having brunch with a few friends. The weather report warned of snow squalls and inclement weather approaching. After the meal, everybody else hopped into their cars to head to other destinations, whereas I announced that ‘I’m going for a walk.’ Our Lady departed with the others.
‘Are you sure’ they all asked, and reminded me about the forecast. I was sure. I had just eaten a bacon cheeseburger for breakfast, and needed to ‘earn’ the many fat calories it deposited within.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was awful out. Lots of wind, and bands of snow which produced instant white out conditions. I was wearing my warm coat, not the street cassock (aka filthy black raincoat) that’s normally utilized as my outer shell. The warm coat is a Carhartt with a temperature rating, whereas the street cassock is a military surplus navy policeman’s overcoat with a zip-in lining made of synthetic wool. One of the first things I did when moving out here was buy a warmer coat. This ain’t New York.
The street cassock is ideal for 90% of the weather I encounter in Pittsburgh, but when a bone chilling interval of midwestern winter blows in from Ohio and then just lingers… you need a stouter level of insulation. I was carrying my minimum kit camera bag, the contents of which I’ve described several times in the past.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One headed over to the waterfront trail which mirrors the shoreline of the Monongahela River, as that’s really where you’d want to be during near blizzard conditions. It’s logical, right?
Thing is, when you’re following your camera lens around, comfort isn’t one of the things that you’re building into the plan. If you want to get your shots, there might be some frostbite or heat stroke involved, so get used to discomfort. The outside world ain’t a studio, with controlled lighting and skinny art school chicks milling about. Get out there, suffer a bit…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I had to reel back a few episodes, in my relistening of ‘The History of Rome’ by podcaster Mike Duncan, as I had literally not been paying much attention to the entire sequence of ‘Tiberius to Caligula to Claudius’ episodes on my last session, despite having them playing in my ear holes. Sometimes it’s just noise that’s playing through my headphones, which replaces the inner voice dialog about how shit I am.
I’m still staggered by that survey a few months back in which about 40% of Americans reported that they did not experience an ‘inner voice,’ and that about 20% of Americans reported that their inner voices were actually either devils or angels talking to them.
Wow. Internal dialogue is often all I’ve got…
Me? When you start a conversation with ole Mitch, I’m already ‘gaming’ your binary responses to arguments which you might counter an assertion with. Am I the only one who thinks through ‘if they say yes, we do this. If they say no, we’ll react this way instead? Game theory? Anyone? Inner voice reacting silently to things while the outer voice says things diplomatically?
This is why I’m lonely.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
South 10th street bridge, pictured above. I was heading towards that brewery I hang around by the train tracks, but this wasn’t going to be a ‘get a drink’ sort of day due to the inclement clime. I was ‘pretty hep’ on getting a few shots of a CSX train in the snow, should the universe decide to give me something that I wanted. Bah!
Scuttle, scuttle, scuttle.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was positively horrible out. Windy, cold, blowing snow everywhere. My toes and fingers were numb. The eyes were weeping.
I was so happy.
Back tomorrow.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
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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.
He’ll sleep well tonight
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Final images from the longest walk I’ve been able to take since the ‘orthopedic incident’ hobbled your humble narrator are on display today.
After walking through one of Pittsburgh’s central corridors, and visiting a brewery found alongside some train tracks, one began the journey back to HQ in nearby Dormont.
It’s quite a small ‘shlep’ to get to the light rail station from this spot.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As is my habit, I kept shooting while in movement. I’m planning on doing some ‘proper’ night shooting excursions in the spring, by the way. By proper – I mean tripod and full gear. For this walk, I was carrying my ‘minimum’ kit, and everything was hand held.
The day after this walk – snow, rain, and freezing temperatures returned to the Paris of Appalachia. That began a long cycle of ‘no bueno.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I haven’t been pursuing the low light dealie during my recovery period from the busted ankle, for obvious reasons. Frankly, it’s taken a lot of effort to just walk around during the afternoons, but there we are.
Also, I need to restate the fact that I’m not doing any historic research about Pittsburgh at all. None. My ignorance is curatorial.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Although I regularly pass through this Station Square Light Rail Station, I’ve remained inexperienced regarding the bus stops which are found there as well. As is often intoned, I’m planning on getting familiar with how the buses here work in the near future. It’s ’next.’
I had to cross a pretty busy street, so I hit the ‘walk’ arrow on the talking lamp post and it began telling me to wait.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
You see these talking lamp posts all over Pittsburgh, Philly too, so it must be a PA thing. I presume they’re accommodations for people with sensory deficits. It’s all pretty civilized, if you ask me. We didn’t have talking lamp posts like this back in Queens. The NYC version would probably tell you to ‘hurry the ‘eff up and get the ‘eff across the street, what are ya? An icehole?’
At any rate, this icehole chicken crossed the road, as I truly needed to get to the other side. That’s where the station is.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The T reliably got me back to Dormont, where my favorite local Pizza guy also happened to be open.
Turns out that the there’s this guy in Pittsburgh named ‘Antknee,’ who also grew up in the world’s only ‘true’ place – known as Brooklyn. He learned how to make pizza in Greenpoint, on Manhattan Avenue. It’s a proper NYC slice he offers, as far as the napolitan. His Sicilian slice is a bit smaller than the NYC standard, but it’s covered in charred pepperoni. Mmm.
Back tomorrow with something different – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“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.
Two pints worth of ‘Hey Now’
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Triskedecaphobic? Don’t worry, your humble narrator got extremely lucky in terms of timing regarding these shots, so hopefully some of my good fortune will rub off on you during this Friday the 13th.
After a marathon scuttle through the heart of Pittsburgh, one had arrived at the Sly Fox Brewery and the Pittsburgh Subdivision Tracks of the CSX RR outfit in the South Side Flats section. I hadn’t ordered my drink yet, as I was some 40-50 feet over the tracks on a causeway, hovering.
CSX #5464 came through the pass first. I’m told it’s an GE ES44DC model locomotive.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Just as I was fixing to head downstairs and buy a drink, a Towboat was spotted navigating on the Monongahela River and under the Liberty Bridge.
There’s a flight of stairs here, but as is my practice, I decided to audit the elevator’s service instead. I’ve got legit reasons to use the elevator although it’s an elective, mind you, but I think it’s important to see how the ‘other half’ lives.
By the other half, I mean people with mobility issues. Everybody forgets about them, all the time.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Next up was CSX #5456. It was heading ‘away from Ohio.’
I had a lovely stout, if you’re wondering. Tasted almost like licorice.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Also moving ‘away from Ohio,’ the next train was CSX #7422.
This one came through as I was finishing my second pint of stout. That was my limit for the day, so I headed inside and resolved my bill.
Trains come through here in the late afternoon and early evening about every 20-30 minutes. Sometimes it’s an hour. This isn’t a hard rule, just an observation. Isn’t true all the time, but when it is – they just keep on keeping on.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Just as I was leaving the brewery, CSX #5429 hurtled through as well.
I boarded that elevator again, and used it to bring me back up to the causeway, which connects at sidewalk level to the street which leads back to the T station and my ride back home.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This is what the brewery looks like, for the curious. Out door tables, train tracks, beer, food, a bathroom… what else could you ask for?
Back next week – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“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.
Operation Achpamsin
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Yeah, it was kind of a mistake going out on a day like this one. Middle to low 20’s in temperature, kind of wet, and quite windy. Days and days of accumulation of ice and snow were everywhere. No bueno.
Thinking to myself that Moe the Dog was probably wondering where I was right now, your humble narrator decided to cut off half of what he planned to do this day and begin the journey back to HQ in Dormont.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
First step was getting to the Monongahela River, and then crossing it.
Easy peasy, that. Just a matter of carefully crossing a few high volume streets, but soon I found myself at the Smithfield Street Bridge.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After walking over the river, and resigning myself to the fact that it was Sunday and that means that I’d be waiting a very long time for a CSX train to pass through on the tracks found beneath the bridge, I headed over to the light rail station and boarded a train set heading back towards HQ.
All told, this abortive effort ended up being about five miles worth of walking. Worth doing from an exercise POV, of course, but one yearned to wander aimlessly and ‘see some stuff.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The T dropped me off in Dormont. I had cooked a big meal the night before and had lots of leftovers sitting in the fridge, so no worries on the evening repast.
The various camera straps were adjusted into a comfortable situation and then I headed down the hill.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A bit of signage was observed, blocking the sidewalk while cautioning against something happening soon in a cryptic manner. Me? I was vouchsafing my gamey ankle while walking through all that ice where this thing was blocking the sidewalk. Sheesh.
So far, so good.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This is the block in Dormont which HQ is found on the far corner of.
The hill doesn’t look as challenging or steep as it actually is in this shot, but there’s about five to six building stories worth of differential in just a thousand or so feet from one corner to the next. Usually when walking up the hill, midway, I take a minute to let my heart rate slow down.
Back tomorrow with something different – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“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.
Who’s a big boy?
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Thump, thump, thump… my walking gait has improved significantly since the orthopedic incident, and one can scuttle normally again. Managed to not drag the affected limb about in recent efforts, and on this walk in particular (the longest one I’ve pulled off since the event) the ankle was playing ball and not troubling me overly.
Saying all that, I had to go into ‘junkie avoidance’ mode while scuttling this section of downtown Pittsburgh, as some ‘creature of the streets’ had noticed the camera and was conspicuously following me.
Crooks in Pittsburgh are blatant, and obvious.
It ain’t like Brooklyn, where you’re walking along peaceful and calm and then ‘blammo,’ and you wake up buck naked in a hospital with a cracked skull and there’s a cop there asking what your name is. Brooklyn street crooks would have already set up new credit card accounts using your stolen ID, even before the FDNY collected you off the sidewalk.
The crooks out here are mainly looking for something – anything – of value they can exchange for drug money.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’ve chatted with some of the street people here, whom I’d describe as being like ‘sick dogs.’ Suffering, hungry, cold, bereft of affection – they’re surface sympathetic characters all – but will randomly bite you if you let your guard down. Substance abuse is a toxic combination of two of the seven deadlies, specifically gluttony and sloth. It’s often hard to feel compassion towards a drunk, but there we are.
I went into my evasion mode. Walking a bit faster, erratic heel spins to signal that I knew he was following me. A couple of hard stares in his direction. Sick dogs back off, they don’t want prey that might fight back as it’s not worth the calories. The fellow broke off his pursuits, and disappeared into the grid.
Probably went looking for an old lady to push over, instead of this old man.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A peculiar street treatment involves a former department store location downtown, where the sidewalk proceeds through a tunnel. There’s a street here as well, and the entrance to the former department store’s parking lots. The street is an ‘alley,’ and it’s called Cherry Way.
The department store above me was the founding location of the Kaufmann’s empire. As an interesting aside, the scion of the Kaufmann family in the 1920’s – Edgar G. Kaufmann – commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design his offices, and also commissioned the architect to design a ‘country home’ for him.
That home would end up being Falling Water.
Who knew?
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One continued along his lonely path. The next passage I was worrying about getting to was a bridge over the Monongahela River, which would carry me into some overly familiar areas on the southern bank.
This began the last third of my outing, and since I was interested in getting a few shots in of some trains…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The Smithfield Street Bridge was crossed, and the overly bright sunlight situation began to abate as the orb began transiting behind Mount Washington, or more accurately Mount Washington got rotated into opposition to the thing.
Really have to avoid ‘solar maximum,’ timing wise, in the future.
My destination was the usual one, nearby that brewery along the train tracks which I often shoot from. Wasn’t going to be a ‘have a beer day,’ unfortunately, as I had things to do later in the evening and their progress wouldn’t have been helped by such inebriants.
As an aside, I write all of these posts on my iPad. Thereby, IOS spellcheck asserts itself often, and sometimes I’ll have to rewrite an entire sentence after I type the period due to rippling sentence wide changes it automatically makes. I’m often frustrated and sometimes amused by these changes, although it’s become a real chore to find all of them before hitting ‘schedule post.’
IOS spellcheck’s contribution of the day involves that word at the end of that last paragraph – ‘inebriants’ – which it turned into ‘I diss ants.’
Gotta love that. Just gotta.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On the other side of the river, a polychrome assortment of Porta-Johns were spotted. I like to think that these are all Tardis’s and that a Time Lord Convention was under way in Pittsburgh.
Back tomorrow with some ‘Hey Now’ and a Choo-choo.
“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 