Out and About

I still owe you a finished object post. I'll get to that!

It’s been a bit busy around here. I’ll get to the rest of what’s going on, but today? Mom convinced me to go downtown. Around lunchtime.

Here’s a brief recap of my day with more Pittsburgh details (for those of you who live here) as described to a co-worker who has never been here. Photos included because they’re fun. I over-shot a little today. Oh well. ;-)

• Take the "T" downtown (trolley/subway. 100x easier than driving downtown)

• Exit to the street at Steel Plaza, near the start of the parade route, and about 4 blocks from where I'm meeting mom (we were meeting in the lobby at One Oxford Center)

• Walk three of those blocks, essentially to the courthouse, at which point I realize I’m not going to be able to cross Grant Street. Anywhere.

• Run into a gameday co-worker who was not part of the group this year

• Call mom to tell her I can’t cross Grant. She starts to offer to cross to meet me, then realizes if I can’t cross Grant, she won’t be able to cross Grant either. She suggests I take an outbound T to First Ave. I remind her that then I’ll still have the same problem, except then I won’t be able to cross the Boulevard of the Allies.

• Walk back to Steel Plaza T stop. Get back on an "inbound" T headed for the Point. Joke with people in business suits about how completely insane it is that there’s a grand total of ONE way to cross Grant Street today, and that’s taking the T from Steel Plaza to Wood Street.

• Exit Wood Street station

• Walk a few blocks uphill and several towards the Mon to get to One Oxford.

• Meet up with mom at about 11:50 for a theoretical noon start to parade

• Observe crazy people in trees

• Observe more crazy people who are climbing traffic lights

• Listen to mom laugh/point out the above sign every single time it’s visible. Hooters was advertising in this manner as well.

• Stand four-deep on the barricades, where I can hardly see anything

• Realize the parade is finally starting when The Worst Mascot In All Of Sports comes bouncing down the street

• See Coach Tomlin walking down Grant Street in front of the car carrying his family

• Get several shots of my boss, taking photos of the crowd from the back of one of the trucks. I'm totally sending him one.

* Get a couple decent shots of players.

Ben

Troy

• Laugh at/with fellow parade-goers who are discussing whether or not they'll get in trouble for taking a 2-hr lunch

• Have lunch with my mom

• Be very happy we have seats when an Idiot on the T on the way home breaks a door on the T car. Sit at South Hills Junction for 30 minutes

• Realize that probably 50K people are now wondering why *none* of the trolleys are moving. At. All.



Can I please eviscerate whoever thought this “SixBurgh” thing was a good idea? KTHXBAI