Pennsylvania byways

This dude (wearing pants halfway to his knees, btw) gave us directions on the winding road to the Quaker Meeting House in Ohio that was active as part of the Underground Railroad.


And here's the sign for the meeting house.


Danielle stands with Dave, a local who helped us navigate the scenic disc golf course in West Virginia. Dave was friendly and helpful, teaching Danielle some tricks to throwing the disc. Next time we are in the area, we hope to meet up with him again.


The disc golf course in Moundsville, W.V., was the site of a gorgeous sunset.


Mark walks toward the 16th hole in Moundsville.


Near the 17th hole was this abandoned farmhouse.


We met Dave at a Pittsburgh-area library. He had a wealth of information about where to go and what to see in Pittsburgh. We also learned that he is the "most recognizable man in Pittsburgh." Turns out he sells hot dogs at all hockey and baseball games, as well as concerts.


We couch-surfed in Upper St. Claire, near Pittsburgh, where we slept in twin beds. Our hosts were Rich and Mary Beth, and they were fantastic.



From William Carlos Williams:

so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens.

Granted, there are no chickens ... but this was in the backyard of the home at which we couch-surfed.


This cute little guy licked our toes and made us feel welcome in our couchsurfing home.


My very first birdie! It was at the disc golf course created by students and teachers at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh.



Mark mimics the baseball player Roberto Clemente, who died the same year we were born: 1972. The mural was on a wall of the passageway that led to the Gateway Clipper, the boat that took us on a tour of the three rivers that meet in Pittsburgh: Allegheny, Ohio and Monongahela.


Danielle on the bow (the front?) of the ship with the skyline as a backdrop.


We met a woman named Carrie who took this photo of Mark and Danielle on the ramp that led to the Gateway Clipper.


As official photographer of the trip, Danielle spends a lot of her time shooting from the passenger seat of the Jetta.


Pittsburgh has some of the most beautiful cemeteries.


Mark stands with the sign that points to Josh Gibson's grave at Allegheny Cemetery.


Gibson was known as "the black Babe Ruth."


We saw two or three deer eating the long grass at the cemetery. I was about 50 feet from this one when I captured its image with the long lens.


Back on the road ... Danielle does the tree pose at Sideling Hill state forest in Pennsylvania, on the road to Gettysburg. Elevation: 2195 feet.


A common site on Highway 30 in Pennsylvania.


After Danielle took this photo of a boy and his cat on the front porch, she waved to him. He waved back, looking a bit confused.