Normally, my day starts in the wee hours, between 5:00 and 5:30 in the morning. Jamey starts school at 7:17, and he’s not much of a morning person. So the first morning of Tour, I was looking forward to sleeping in until 7:00. At 5:50, my phone chirped with a text message from Jamey. I slipped into the bathroom to read the text and text back, hoping Michelle would fall back to sleep. No sooner had I sent the reply when my phone chirped again – this time John, sitting at the airport, waiting for his flight to Boston.
Ah, well. Tomorrow is another day.
I met Leslye in the lobby at 8:00, ready to walk. It was much chillier than I had anticipated for the second day of Tour,
so I retrieved a sweatshirt from the room before we headed out to find the hidden trail some Band members located the day before. Dodging tractor trailers, we kept to the grassy verge, going under a highway overpass, and passing a small cemetery before seeing the gravel lot and dirt trail we were told led to the promised safe walking route.
Up the hill, we found an abandoned highway, overgrown with weeds and wildflowers, loose rocks strewn across the crumbling asphalt. Trees with early fall color lined the sides of the road, and a small sign read “Uneven Pavement – Bike at Your Own Risk”.
Through the trees we had glimpses of bucolic farm scenes; harvesting corn and barn construction. One could barely hear the downshifting of the trucks pulling off the highway for the truck stop.
Peaceful and secluded, no vehicles to dodge. Under normal circumstances, Leslye and I probably would not have ventured down such an isolated trail on our own, but it was the only pedestrian friendly place in proximity to the hotel, and all the Band walkers, runners, and bikers were making use of it.
The mile and a half point brought us to the abandoned tunnel that reached a mile underneath the mountain. The bikers and runners had flashlights and traveled in larger groups. With two groups totaling eight or more people ahead of us and more clumps of Band members behind us,
we decided to walk a short way into the tunnel. More than a little spooky, when Leslye started discussing Stephen King, tunnels, and nightmares, it was time to turn around.
By the time the Band pulled into Pittsburgh, the sky was overcast and there was a definite chill to the air. This is my third time in Pittsburgh with the Band, so much of the scenery was familiar. It was a Walk Day for this concert, so that meant unloading was a Two-Tripper. A quick check of the email, and off to the lobby to meet Kristin, Chris, and Jennifer for dinner. We were heading for LuLu’s Noodles, a favorite of mine from previous Tours. Apparently it sounded pretty good to others; several tables were filled by Band members when we walked in the door.
The concert was held at the Soldiers and Sailors Military Museum, also a familiar venue.
It is an unusual building – the concert hall sits squarely in the middle, with a hallway running the perimeter on all four sides. On the 1998 Tour, the back hallway was curtained on either end, with a curtain down the middle, dividing the hallway in half. 
Men’s uniform trunks were stage right, and women’s uniform trunks were stage left. A few people didn’t get the word and wandered into the wrong side upon exiting the stage doors. A minor issue, once the word was passed; the fun began when everyone was changing – no one had noticed the security camera pointed into the women’s changing area – that is, until Audrey let out a shriek. 
The amazing versatility and agility of the stage crew was evident as they created a human pyramid to reach and cover the camera.
Ah, well. Tomorrow is another day.
I met Leslye in the lobby at 8:00, ready to walk. It was much chillier than I had anticipated for the second day of Tour,
so I retrieved a sweatshirt from the room before we headed out to find the hidden trail some Band members located the day before. Dodging tractor trailers, we kept to the grassy verge, going under a highway overpass, and passing a small cemetery before seeing the gravel lot and dirt trail we were told led to the promised safe walking route.Up the hill, we found an abandoned highway, overgrown with weeds and wildflowers, loose rocks strewn across the crumbling asphalt. Trees with early fall color lined the sides of the road, and a small sign read “Uneven Pavement – Bike at Your Own Risk”.
Through the trees we had glimpses of bucolic farm scenes; harvesting corn and barn construction. One could barely hear the downshifting of the trucks pulling off the highway for the truck stop.
Peaceful and secluded, no vehicles to dodge. Under normal circumstances, Leslye and I probably would not have ventured down such an isolated trail on our own, but it was the only pedestrian friendly place in proximity to the hotel, and all the Band walkers, runners, and bikers were making use of it.The mile and a half point brought us to the abandoned tunnel that reached a mile underneath the mountain. The bikers and runners had flashlights and traveled in larger groups. With two groups totaling eight or more people ahead of us and more clumps of Band members behind us,
we decided to walk a short way into the tunnel. More than a little spooky, when Leslye started discussing Stephen King, tunnels, and nightmares, it was time to turn around.By the time the Band pulled into Pittsburgh, the sky was overcast and there was a definite chill to the air. This is my third time in Pittsburgh with the Band, so much of the scenery was familiar. It was a Walk Day for this concert, so that meant unloading was a Two-Tripper. A quick check of the email, and off to the lobby to meet Kristin, Chris, and Jennifer for dinner. We were heading for LuLu’s Noodles, a favorite of mine from previous Tours. Apparently it sounded pretty good to others; several tables were filled by Band members when we walked in the door.
The concert was held at the Soldiers and Sailors Military Museum, also a familiar venue.
It is an unusual building – the concert hall sits squarely in the middle, with a hallway running the perimeter on all four sides. On the 1998 Tour, the back hallway was curtained on either end, with a curtain down the middle, dividing the hallway in half. 
Men’s uniform trunks were stage right, and women’s uniform trunks were stage left. A few people didn’t get the word and wandered into the wrong side upon exiting the stage doors. A minor issue, once the word was passed; the fun began when everyone was changing – no one had noticed the security camera pointed into the women’s changing area – that is, until Audrey let out a shriek. 
The amazing versatility and agility of the stage crew was evident as they created a human pyramid to reach and cover the camera. Now the women change on one of the meeting rooms; well worth the longer walk.
In past years, this concert has been sold out, standing room only.
We had a good crowd and enthusiastic audience, but I think the Vice Presidential debate may have chipped away at the numbers. After the concert, we hurried back to the hotel to catch the last half hour or so.
If the rain holds off, tomorrow holds the promise of some parks and good city walking followed by a relatively short bus ride.
In past years, this concert has been sold out, standing room only.
We had a good crowd and enthusiastic audience, but I think the Vice Presidential debate may have chipped away at the numbers. After the concert, we hurried back to the hotel to catch the last half hour or so.If the rain holds off, tomorrow holds the promise of some parks and good city walking followed by a relatively short bus ride.
1 comment:
Patrick and I ate at Lulu's Noodles all the time when we lived in Pittsburgh. His apartment was just a few blocks up from the restaurant. For some reason, I always referred to the place as "Mr. Woo's." Long live the noodle bowl! Beth
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