Day 2: April 10, 2018
Up, Down, and Around Town

Comment via blog

Previous Day
Prev
Next Day
Next
Site Home
Trip Home

Pittsburgh once had as many as sixteen inclines. Two remain. The nearest is about a mile from my hotel and the other is about a mile beyond that. These photos were taken as I walked toward them along Carson Street.

I grabbed that first shot of a descending almost as soon as the Monongahela Incline came into view. This thing opened in 1870 and is the oldest funicular railway in the country. People over 65 can ride free and simply flashing a Medicare card works.

The many overlooks and observation decks provide great views of downtown and the three rivers. The Monongahela is nearest the camera with the Allegheny at the upper right and the Ohio heading off to the left.

Between pictures of the upper and lower stations of the Duquesne Incline are a couple taken from the observation deck and during my descent.

From a printed tourist map, I had picked up the impression that pedestrians might not be allowed on the Fort Bridge. The super helpful operator at the incline's lower station assured me they were and even stepped outside to point out how to get there. The second picture was taken from the bridge. Most rivers start with a trickle and grow from there. Not the Ohio. It's born, broad and deep, somewhere near the middle of that picture.

The Fort Pitt Museum is near the other end of the bridge inside Point State Park. There are some informative displays on the first floor but all artifacts are on the second floor where photos are not permitted.

Just outside the museum, this 1764 blockhouse is the only Fort Pitt structure remaining. I walked around the edge of the park and snapped pictures of the complete Duquesne Incline and the dry fountain.

A wide walkway leads under the expressways with downtown Pittsburgh spread out in front of you when you emerge.

From the description of the place I picked for a late lunch I learned that it's "Pittsburgh's oldest bar and restaurant", the current owner was kicked out as a teenager and eventually made good on his threat to someday own the place, the guy who owned it when he was booted was known as "Silver Dollar Louie", Louis regularly attended the Miss America pageant and decorated the restaurants with photos of the contestants, the recipe for the fish and oyster coating still used today was developed by Louis's wife. How could I not? At the Original Oyster Hoiuse the Famous Jumbo Fish Sandwich was good, the beer was cold, the service friendly, and the restroom safe.


So this is the reason for the timing of this trip. The Club Cafe doors didn't open exactly at 7:00 as advertised but they didn't miss by too much. I managed to snag one of two open seats at the bar and the other was soon filled by a lady who turned out to be the mother of the opener. We chatted throughout the evening except when she was up recording her daughter. That daughter, Emily Victoria, did mostly originals and both the tunes and the performance were quite good.

As I mentioned yesterday, I'd almost ruled out attending this show when I learned that the band wouldn't be here. I'm sure glad I didn't stay away. Willie and Johnny are about as entertaining as any duo could be. They did several songs I knew but had never heard live including one I'd resolved to request if I ever got the chance. "God Laughs" is one of my favorites. Willie clearly hadn't done this one in awhile and had to break out the lyric sheet. After trying to read it on the floor he drafted a fan as a holder. God -- and everybody else -- laughed.

A couple of local boys, whose names I didn't catch. helped bring the level up a little for the last few songs. For the finale, a rousing "One Guitar", Emily joined in, too. She's actually on stage in that last picture but only her wrist is visible. So here's a fuzzy shot of her and Johnny. Please don't judge the pictures in this panel too harshly. I made do with my pocket Panasonic.


[Prev] [Site Home] [Trip Home] [Contact] [Next]
democrat