...And We're Off...

Mile 0:
Well--here we go again!!!  Jansen and I left Waynesboro this morning for a great adventure in the western part of the U.S.  I am confident that we will get farther than I did 2 years ago. 

Here we go!!

Mile 333:
After driving through Rockingham county, West Virginia, Maryland, back through West Virginia, we arrived safely at our first destination - Pittsburgh, PA.  We enjoyed spending the afternoon downtown.  There are lots of bridges here--certainly a necessity in herding traffic across three rivers--Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers.



Pittsburgh downtown skyline
 



Jansen being cool.

We visited the Cathedral of Learning at University of Pittsburgh (aka Pitt); 



 

This building reminded me of buildings I visited at Oxford last summer.  Built in 1926, it houses classrooms and offices.  Beautiful Gothic architecture--inside and out.  Architecture of the Heinz Chapel was the same, with these beautiful stained glass windows:

 

I had to be discreet in my picture taking here as a wedding rehearsal was in progress.


 
 
 
Rode the Incline up and down Mt. Washington:

Upper station

Lower Station - see the cars on the tracks?

These cars are pulled and lowered using cables at the top.  It has a 30.5 degree incline.  At the upper station, we met a couple here that were native Pittsburghians -  Carl and Sophia -- who told us that they were going to get engaged later this evening.  I guess she won't surprised when he pops the question tonight!


And had dinner at one of the local Primanti Brothers restaurant.  We both had "the Pittsburgher":
(Sorry for the blurry picture.  I had to take this picture with my cell phone and I guess I was a little too excited about getting to bite into that big burger!)