Monday, February 02, 2009

Steel Town

While Steeler fans were whipping themselves into a frenzy down in Tampa, I was on a flight to Pittsburgh (for work). I caught the coin toss on radio moments after getting into a cab, followed by the opening kickoff, and the first score. More action was caught on the lobby TV while 3 of the world's slowest travelers attempted to check in. Two of them (the male ones), left together apparently sharing one room - a sad and cruel reality of today's business travel that I have never experienced first-hand and hope to avoid like the plague.

I turned on the TV in my room to continue the game, drew the curtains, and found myself staring at an eerily empty Three Rivers Stadium, lit up like a Christmas tree, the surrounding area completely desolate.


I caught a clearer view this morning and traced a path from my hotel across the river to the stadium. After work, I decided to make the run while it was still warm, i.e. 30's, before it turns cold tomorrow (20's).


There will be a victory parade downtown tomorrow at noon, ending one block from my hotel. They expect more than 250,000 crazies from the Steeler Nation. Not tonight though.







5 comments:

Anne said...

You certainly showed Pittsburgh in a very nice light. I think the city's really cleaned up its act...I've seen other photos that show clean streets, greenery and well-kept buildings. Guess a lot has happened since the "Flashddance" days.

Rae said...

Wow! It looks like you were in the right place at the right time! Did you get to see the parade?

Deene said...

cool new masthead!!
and thanks for sharing the lovely photos.

Old School Runner said...

The thought of sharing a hotel room with a co-worker sends a chill down my spine. I hear that that's standard practice at Wal-Mart, however. Maybe the two slow guys in line were just making sure that they were getting a room with two queen beds instead of a single king bed.

peter said...

I'm pretty sure I stayed in that same hotel when I went to Pittsburgh for work in the 90s. Of course, you saw Heinz Field, not 3-Rivers Stadium, b/c that is gone. Further over (north), past where 3-Rivers was, is PNC Park (baseball-best major-league b'ball stadium bar none). I left my hotel room (this was before i was a runner), walked over that bridge, and went into that cement donut to see a Pirates game (it was also the football stadium). That business trip sure helped my later-determined quest to see all major league baseball stadiums; it was one of several I have been to that are no longer there (Griffith Stadium, Polo Grounds, soon-to-be Yankee, Shea & Twins Metrodome Stadiums, Milwaukee County Stadium, Veterans, Busch, Riverfront & 3-River donut Stadiums, & Memorial Stadium). Stadiums are great. I ran around Coors Stadium in the early morning in the snow a cupla years ago and it was very memorable. Pittsburgh's a great town; I hope you got time to cehck out (and ride) the Inclines. Those two guys weren't bankers, were they, finally "getting" the new reality that set all of us ordinary folks' retirements back 20 years in 2008 thx to them (once in every 4 generation men), @X+* 'em.