Wednesday, July 2 Back

Bisbees and Webbs
4344 leaving HOU at 12:35pm arriving in Pittsburgh at 4:20pm

Blahuts
1741/4433 leaving STL at 11:40am (stop in Chicago) arriving in Pittsburgh at 4:00pm

Marriott Residence Inn

Website: Marriott Residence Inn

Our hotel is on Northshore across the street from PNC Park where the Pirates play, and only 2 blocks from Heinz Field where the Steelers play.

 

Duquesne Incline

Website: Duquesne Incline

The Duquesne Incline was opened to the public in 1877. The tracks closely followed coal hoist tracks from 1854. As Pittsburgh grew, more people moved up to the hills and there was no easy access down to the river. When it first opened, the hill was known as Coal Hill, but later renamed Mount Washington. Commuters still depend on the incline, but since a preservation society was formed in 1963 it is a popular visitor attraction. The grade is 30.5 degrees, but because of the shape of the car, you feel perfectly level as you rise 400 ft.

 

Grandview Saloon & Coal Hill Steakhouse

Website: Grandview Saloon & Coal Hill Steakhouse

The Grandview Saloon and Coal Hill Steakhouse are right next to the upper Duquesne Incline. Marilyn’s sister Jan and her husband Bob invited us to meet them at the steakhouse for our first evening in Pittsburgh. It is the perfect place to view the city. We had a great table beside the large windows that face the rivers and The Point. The food was delicious and we had a great time. Thanks to Jan and Bob we started our vacation on a great note!

The Legend of Alberta Springs

After dinner we went back to the hotel and specifically to the Blahut's room. This has become someone of a tradition -- used for regrouping, planning the next day and calming down. This year Neil took a thesis from his folder and starting reading to us. Okay, it was only a 5 page typed file. You can read this story when you go to 'See Our Photos.'

This excerpt from this story may captivate you. '...early June 1996. Father’s Day is approaching and Marilyn ventures to Peters Liquor Store in Angleton looking for a bottle of single-malt scotch for Neil... While there, she asks Nadine if they could get Alberta Springs. Nadine was a lovely woman with slightly more than half of her teeth who smoked a lot which explained her raspy, not sexy raspy, just raspy voice.'