The Road Goes Ever On

Crossing the Mighty Mississippi in
La Crosse, Wisconsin

There comes a point in every road trip when the thought of yet another long day of cows, corn fields, and cramped legs is enough to make you wish the travel plaza served martinis along with those Auntie Anne pretzels.

After two weeks on the road, scenery like this
seems more depressing than interesting.

So when one of my bridesmaids phoned to say that she would love it if we would stay at her house in Pittsburgh for a few nights, I danced a jig of pure happiness. A home-cooked meal and access to a washing machine? What could be better?

On our full day, we stopped at the P&G dinner for a huge breakfast of strawberry hotcakes. According to my friends, P&G is something of a local institution. Politicians, including President Obama, make a point to stop by for their photos ops.

Waiting for a table...

Reminders of Pittsburgh's industrial past are everywhere in the city.

You can even still ride the Dusquesne Incline, a funicular that once carried freight up and down Mt. Washington (aka Coal Mountain).

Mt. Washington

The station.

The ride up.

View from the top.

Going back down (not for the faint of heart).

Pittsburgh has done much to get past its Rust Belt image. Point State Park, located where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio River, is a beautiful spot to spend an afternoon in the downtown district.

Heinz Stadium in the background.

We were entertained by the Plymouth Fife & Drum Corps, visiting from Plymouth, Michigan.

Poor kids. It was 100 degrees that day.

While in Pittsburgh, we ate Church Brew Works. Formerly the site of a Roman Catholic Church, the brewery now serves beers like the Pipe Organ Pale Ale and the Pious Monk Dunkel.

Some of the booths are old pews.

The altar.

It was so nice to catch up with our friends, and I was sorry to leave. Brooklyn, where we would stay for a week with the Merry Husband's parents, was a mere 8 hour drive away. Unfortunately for us, we arrived in the middle of a severe heat wave, and sight-seeing seemed daunting. On one day, we ventured out to Coney Island, where we stayed just long enough to get ice cream cones.

The Wonder Wheel at Coney Island.

I also forced the Merry Husband on a cupcake run.

Little Cupcake Bakeshop, Brooklyn

The evenings were a bit less oppressive. We took in Times Square...

And we admired the Lower Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn Heights Promenade, just down the street from the church where we were married.

We're now back up in Boston (or rather, in a suburb about 10 miles from Boston proper). We've recovered from the trip and have unpacked most of our belongings. My car has finally been delivered, so I'm starting to get my bearings. I'm looking forward to exploring my new home and starting this new chapter of my life.