On the road again...to Pittsburgh, Part 4
Early Saturday morning I flipped a shitty in front of the Wyndham Grand, found my way to Interstate 279, and headed out of Pittsburgh. It was overcast and gray. The pavement was wet from a light fog. Disc 2 of Hernán Cattáneo’s Sequential was in the CD player and I restarted it from the beginning after crossing the Monongahela River. The first couple tracks provided a dreamlike and ambient soundtrack as I climbed the gentle grades and curves to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Just as it had when I drove in, the northern part of the city was hidden from me by the steep hills and thick foliage.
It was an incredible way to leave Pittsburgh, a beautiful city that is now digging out from a rare late-April snowstorm.
Though I left the downtown core only twice — Wednesday night for a reception at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and Friday night when I ventured across the Allegany to the Duquesne Incline — Pittsburgh impressed me nonetheless. At first I expected tumble weeds to roll freely through the “Golden Triangle” after 7 pm, but after talking to other (and better prepared) conference workers and a few nights on the town I learned the place had a pulse.
Alas, I did not get to buy beer or sample Quiet Storm (one of a number of interesting vegetarian options in the Pittsburgh area), nor did I make it to the Pirates game Friday night or visit the Warhol museum (I do not care for his work, anyway). What can I say? I was working — 12 hours on Thursday and Friday. As a matter of fact, I was working two jobs at the same time; I did journal stuff when I had a moment in the registration room. I was dedicated. Along with booking me a flossy corner suite, the association let me partake in conference breakfasts, lunches, and receptions. Being a “volunteer,” it was my payment.
I would be down with visiting Pittsburgh again, especially to see the rest of the city. Would I drive? Probably not. Frankly, I am glad I left my car in the parking garage the entire time. From what I could see, Pittsburgh’s road infrastructure seemed pretty outdated, especially the freeways. Pittsburgh is the only place I have ever seen freeway on-ramps with stop signs. From the hotel I watched the highways running through the Triangle slowly begin to clog at three o’clock every afternoon, and the nearby surface streets backed up, too. Much is the state of rush hour everywhere in America, but, unlike most US cities, Pittsburgh has a robust public transit system. The buses of the Port Authority of Allegany County, each painted a different color, ran constantly and the street corners were always lined with waiting riders. I wanted to ride a bus to Quiet Storm and figure out the weird zone system for fares, but I did not get the chance. Pittsburgh also features subway/light rail, though it mostly serves downtown commuters from the southern part of the city. (Besides Heinz Field and PNC Park right across the river, I do not think there is much in the northern part of Pittsburgh.) Generally, the city seemed very accessible.
All in all, my visit to Pittsburgh was just a tease. Perhaps in the future I will be able to experience it fully.
