My next stop was an old hometown in the Pittsburgh suburbs, Pennsylvania. I lived in Beaver County from 2000 to 2005, and one of my sons still resides there with his wife, three children, and a grandchild of his own. I did not get to see much of Hoggin (my son) because of his work schedule, but I did spend time with the grandchildren. The oldest, Kingsley, is 21, and the two little ones are almost four and almost three. Kinsley’s almost three-year-old daughter, my great-granddaughter, was with her mother, so I did not get to visit with her.

As always, the children and I had a good time together. I took them to a playground to let them run off some energy. They also came out to the campground in rural Beaver County, where I was, took a hayride and played in a great little park there.

The next day, I went over to Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This is a relatively new national park, getting its designation in 2020. It is one of the stranger parks that I have visited in that it absorbed a lot of the city, and the city has not yet disappeared. So, while in the park, you see city limit signs, welcome signs, and some advertising signs. It also includes many homes and residences that are not typically found in national parks. The boundaries of the national park were carved around existing subdivisions and basically follow the area around the Erie Canal. Also included in the park is Brandywine Falls. I had heard of Brandywine Falls growing up in Ohio, but had never ventured there. So, this time, I set out to see what it was all about.

The best observation platform at the falls is 44 steps down from the parking area. I contemplated not doing it, but then asked myself what the point of coming all this way was if I didn’t try. So, I put on my big girl panties and headed down the stairs. I got some great pictures, chatted with some people from South Korea, and then faced a daunting climb back up. I paid the price the next day, but it was worth it.

The next day, I got to see my friend, Deb, who had started this adventure with me, helping me finish the pack out of the house there, and following us to Sevierville. She lives in Pittsburgh. I met her through the Brownfields Project in Ambridge, when she was the Brownfields Center Director at Carnegie Mellon University. It was a great evening. We cooked dinner on the grill/griddle and just chatted. It was much more relaxing than the last time we were together. We could have spent two days together talking without a break! It was great to see her.

The next day, my daughter-in-law, Nicoletta, and I took the children to Mount Washington in Pittsburgh. It features iconic views of Pittsburgh. From the stadiums to the north, to Point Park in the middle, and the core of business Pittsburgh to the south, you can see it all from up here. You can also tell why they call it the City of Bridges. This is the headwaters of the Ohio River. The Allegheny and Monongahela converge at Point Park, and thus begins the Ohio.

Two inclines are still operational in Pittsburgh. One is the Duquesne, and the other is the Monte Hala. They’re about two miles apart on top of Mount Washington. From the top, they are cash-only tickets. The kids were young enough that they entered for free, but Nicoletta and I had to pay. The round-trip ticket was $5, but neither Nicoletta nor I had $10. I went to the car to see if I could scrounge enough change to make up 10 bucks. Nicoletta dug in her purse, doing the same. We got to about $6 when a stranger saw what we were doing, came over, dropped about $2.50 in change into Nicoletta’s hand, and disappeared. There was an ATM there, but I didn’t have a debit card on me, and neither did Nicoletta. We had taken Nicoletta’s car, and my wallet was locked in my truck. The very kind clerk behind the ticket window had apparently watched us struggle to find the money. Suddenly, she approached us and said, “Here are two complimentary tickets. Take them and enjoy the ride with the kids.” She smiled and motioned us toward the arriving car. The kids had never been on one, and it was fun to watch their reactions as they were first a little scared and then got bolder and more comfortable, and started to enjoy the views. I love going straight up and down the hill. 

I left the next morning, but I wasn’t as sad as usual at leaving my grandchildren, because they were going to be joining me in North Carolina very shortly.