Posts Tagged ‘Pickman’
Stretching and strengthening
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This time around, I made it halfway up the hill I live at the bottom of before I had to give the ankle a rest. I did utter a series of nonsense sounds while doing so, ‘unnghhhahh’ or ‘ahh ah ooh,’ that sort of thing. The plan for this walk involved going places which aren’t terribly interesting on the surface, but are somewhat close to HQ geographical wise. Just ‘a walk,’ this time around.
The endeavor I’m involved with at the moment is encapsulated in the title of today’s post: stretching and strengthening. The stretching part involves the tendons and ligaments which were damaged during the shattering of my ankle, and the consequent dislocation of the left foot back in September. It’s amazing how profound this injury ended up being, and long lasting. See, I am special.
After all this time – six months – I’m just now getting back to a somewhat normal pattern of life, and movement. The ankle still hurts, as a note.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
At the top of the hill, a left was hung, and I started walking up a more gradual hill, towards the ‘main street’ section of Pittsburgh’s Borough of Dormont. I’m still trying to understand the organizational chart of the Pittsburgh metro, as in ‘which’ elected office or agency handles ‘what.’ This Commonwealth business is still novel to me.
That’s the T light rail, moving away from Pittsburgh, and entering Dormont’s Potomac Avenue station pictured above. The PRT (Pittsburgh Regional Transit) people have been all over the local news for the last few days, ringing the alarm bell that they have run out of money. It seems that they have been propped up by first Federal Covid relief and then Infrastructure Bill money, sent by ‘Uncle Sugar’ in Washington for the last several years, and that they now find themselves more than a hundred million in the hole for 2026.
They are appealing to the State legislature in Harrisburg for a funding rescue, as Washington will no longer offer them financial succor, and the PRT claims that they will need to institute draconian cuts to their services in order to remain solvent. They offered their ‘Doomsday Scenario:’ complete elimination of over 40 bus routes, one of the T lines, and a decimation of their current schedule down to hour long waiting intervals between buses and even longer ones for the T. The doomsday plans includes layoffs for bus drivers and mechanics, train operators and engineers.
Entire communities would lose their bus, and or transit, service. Guess what? The cuts are mainly in the less wealthy ‘exurb’ places where people explicitly rely on mass transit to get to work or for their kids to go to school.
Lousy, this.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A right turn was next hung, and your humble narrator began moving south east. Pittsburgh has lots and lots of alleys, which are described as ‘ways.’ Narrow, it’s where businesses keep their dumpsters and where the junkies gambol and jump and play. Land has always been scarce back home in NYC, and alleys are a lot rarer there. Hell, if this was NYC, they’d probably try to build a long thin ‘shotgun’ style building to profitably fill that space pictured above with ‘affordable housing.’
Me? I was just pushing against the ankle’s restraints, taking long striding steps in order to condition that web of rubber bands secreted under my skin back into regular ‘ready to exercise’ condition. It’s all about stretching right now, and conditioning my muscles back into active duty mode after all of the sitting over the last six months.
Not too long after this post publishes, this afternoon in fact, I’ll be at the Orthopedic office for a check up and they’re likely going to shoot radioactive waves through my leg, in order to photographically vouchsafe the repair condition of my broken skeleton.
Fun. Back tomorrow with more.
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The simplest of plans…
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
First things first, and first thing involved walking up this hill.
Normally: not a problem, currently: my ankle was pissed off by the time I hit that next corner, which happens to be midway along another somewhat shallower hill. This is my neighborhood pictured above, by the way, in Pittsburgh’s Borough of Dormont. People still ask me why I left NYC, in response I will point out the near total absence of litter, passed out inebriates, or random emergencies midway through occurring in the shot above. Five miles from the center of things, this is.
It was a warm day in Pittsburgh, given the time of the year, and your humble narrator had a plan. I’d walk to the T light rail station, and board a Pittsburgh bound train set. There’s a major construction project underway involving the service, meaning that the route is significantly altered. Street running light rail moving through a series of interesting areas? Heck yeah! I’m in.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Of course, just as I got there, a Pittsburgh bound T was leaving the station. This ensured that I’d enjoy the maximum wait time until the next one arrived, which was somehow comforting. Who likes to rush?
Your humble narrator was appointed in his usual style, with the filthy black raincoat and a knapsack full of camera gear on his back. The camera was wearing its 24-240mm superzoom lens, if you’re curious. It’s strictly a ‘daylight’ lens, that one. Not the best glass I own, but its range makes it invaluable when out on a day time photowalk in a feature rich environment.
As far as my plan for the day went, the intention was to ride into the city, where the T was servicing a normally unused station due to the construction project(s) occurring along the line, where I’d catch a few shots of the thing coming and going and then scuttle along on my merry way. Then, I’d cross the Monongahela River on a bridge, and hunt around for any passing rail traffic. Lots of room for serendipity.
It ended up being about a nine and a half thousand step day, which is a new record for me in this post broken ankle period.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Saying all that, since I had to wait the maximum amount of time between Pittsburgh bound T’s, I occupied myself by focusing in on a T train set, which was heading away from Pittsburgh, and towards its eventual terminal stop at South Hills Village. Love the web of catenary wires over these tracks, I do.
Back tomorrow with more, at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“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.
Short walk, long pier, please
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As you may recall, last week’s postings involved your humble narrator beginning one of his ‘photowalks’ in the community of Beechview, whereupon a T light Rail car was boarded. Said T light rail service deposited me at the First Avenue Station, here in Pittsburgh’s Downtown section. This is where the Panhandle Bridge (pictured above), which carries the T’s tracks across the Monongahela River, connects to the central triangle of downtown.
There was a terrific amount of maintenance work underway on this particular day, as we riders were made to understand, and were my intentions to continue along the route then a transfer to a shuttle bus would be required. This wasn’t my plan, however, as I needed to walk and thereby exercise the recovering ankle and the rest of my roadway interface.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
First Avenue Station is where the T switches away from operating an above ground service running along bridges and streets, and instead becomes a subway for about three stops in the downtown area. This section is also within the ‘free zone’ and no fare is required. Because of the work underway, the T’s were stacking up at First Avenue Station so I decided to hang around a few minutes and get some shots of all the coming and going.
The ankle is coming along, and on this walk it was rather less noisome than the last time I tried something similar. What’s bugging me right now is the atrophy experienced during the recovery interval, which seems to have really ‘done a job’ on my upper thighs and hips. Strength training is now on my bingo card for late winter and spring, I guess.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As intoned, I hung around First Avenue Station for a few minutes to record the scene, and then set out looking for an elevator. There’s fantastically long sets of stairs found here which lead down to the street, but frankly – I’m not ready to commit to that sort of effort yet. On my way, I found a public bathroom and after taking care of business set off on my way towards the elevators.
This walk, as a note, stuck pretty close to the T throughout its length. This was entirely by design, an ‘out’ in case my ankle started acting up and I needed to abort the mission and get back home quick.
Back tomorrow with more, at 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.
Don’t try this at home
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Firstly, every single one of these shots were recorded from within the Mobile Oppression Platform (a Toyota), while your humble narrator was behind the wheel and in the midst of some ultra mundane activity or brain numbing task, somewhere in Pittsburgh. The camera was with me, as always, riding in the passenger seat and vouchsafed within a padded knapsack. Sometimes traffic was at a dead standstill, or it was a red light that I was sitting under, or maybe I had just pulled over to the side of some road here or there. What I’m trying to say is that I wasn’t using a mirrorless DSLR while the car was in motion. That’s a bad idea.
Additionally, all of these were focused on through the windshield of the car. Just wanted to get that out of the way, and mention that’s it’s arguably the worst idea you ever had if you’ve decided to take photos while operating a motor vehicle that’s in motion.
There is no such thing as multi tasking, instead you’re doing two things poorly and not paying enough attention to either.
Depicted above is the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, where PITT and Carnegie Mellon are headquartered, along with a gaggle of museums and churches.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Downtown Pittsburgh is seen above, nearby the triangular peninsula found at the adjoining of the three rivers. That’s the Gateway Center development, pictured above, which is quite close to one of the subterranean ‘T’ light rail stations. The T is in subway mode in this section, traveling through a repurposed RR freight tunnel under the city.
Circumstance has seen me appearing in several sections of this city which are unfamiliar, with this section less so. Downtown is an easy reach from HQ, and fairly easy walking as it’s more or less flat.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
About five miles away from Downtown, this shot was gathered somewhere along the invisible border of the wealthy Squirrel Hill and Shadyside sections. It’s amazing seeing one family dwellings like these so close to the center of a city. As a note, this area is significantly higher in altitude than the previous shot from downtown.
A complaint which I’d offer the software engineers at Google Maps and other GPS based navigational software, about their routing in Pittsburgh, revolves around altitude. Yes, a particular route – when viewed from top down in a standard map view – seems shorter because it shaves a quarter mile off the trip, but if the suggested route involves me having to climb up and down a thousand feet on a hill, I’m not really saving anything, am I?
I’ve had Google maps steer me onto dirt roads to save a minute of travel time, which evaporates immediately when I have to slow down due to conditions. It also has a programmed tendency to route traffic through residential areas, which is good for absolutely no one.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Everyday ends with a drive back to HQ in the Dormont section, where Our Lady of the Pentacle awaits with Moe the Dog. Pictured above is what rush hour traffic looks like, on Pittsburgh’s Liberty Bridge, heading for the ‘tubes’ or Liberty Tunnel. The landform that the tunnel punches through is Mount Washington, which has been described here many times. Again, car is sitting at a dead standstill, with my foot depressing the brake fully. Not moving.
There’s traffic lights which control the bridge’s intersection with the tunnel, which has to be one of the worst traffic designs I’ve ever seen. Guess who laid it out? Robert Moses and his Triborough crew, that’s who, working as consultants for Pittsburgh ‘back in the day.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The 1924 vintage Liberty Tunnel is 1.795 miles long, and provides access from the Monongahela River shoreline through Mount Washington to the South Hills section of Pittsburgh. It provides egress to several primary and secondary arterial roads (‘stroads,’ as transportation geeks would name them) leading to the various boroughs, towns, and municipalities which populate Allegheny County in this area. The county and the city are separate entities, although their footprints largely coincide.
I like blasting Black Sabbath in this tunnel, with the windows and moon roof open. The echoes are fantastic, and I like to fantasize about how annoying it must be for fans of the beeping and beats sort of music that’s popular with the youngins these days.
I think that during this particular crossing, ‘Lord of this world’ was playing.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’m old enough to not be a fan of night time driving anymore, so an attempt is made to get home before the vampires come out. The Liberty Tunnels feed me out onto a roadway called ‘West Liberty’ which eventually becomes ‘Washington Road.’ Luckily, it’s only a 15 minute drive back home once you exit that tunnel.
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.
Nighttime in Deutschtown
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A recent social event found your humble narrator out and about.
The event was held at ‘The Priory,’ a hospitality space and hotelier outfit which has renovated and reimagined the 1888 vintage St. Mary’s Priory on Pittsburgh’s North Side.
The event was fun, the food was ok (standard ‘banquet’ stuff), and most importantly – Our Lady of the Pentacle had a good time. I kept on sneaking outside to grab photos, of course.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This area has a bit of a reputation, I’d mention.
Saying that, in my limited experience around these parts, it’s the sort of neighborhood where – if you are seeking trouble – you can definitely find it, but trouble isn’t actively combing the streets looking for you to focus on – if you know what I’m saying. Mind your surroundings, don’t mess with people, you’ll be ok. Just keep moving is all.
A life long occupancy in NYC causes me to filter rumors of ‘trouble’ into categories of risk, I should mention. The fact that I was here at night with Our Lady should tell you what my assessment of the ‘street situation’ is.
It’s a historic district, this, called ‘Deutschtown,’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Across the street from the Priory is the Pressley Street high rise, a 15 floor 211 unit public housing facility operated by the Housing Authority of Pittsburgh, with 16 of those units described as ‘accessible.’
Apparently, it was designed with accessibility for mobility challenged folk in mind, and the city runs several social programs out of the building as well. It’s seemingly a desirable place to live, as the waiting list for availability is so long that it’s not taking new applicants.
Back next week 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.
The Newtown Pentacle 