The Ides of August Are Upon Us

08/15/12 235# 33m

The Ides of August are upon us, which means of course that in two weeks, summer stops and Winter Begins on Labor Day. If you think that's incorrect, you've been out of school too long.

Since winter and the End of Time are close upon us, I'm stepping up the mural cataloging in hopes of getting most of them before the season ends (in two weeks).

Started 0630-ish in a chilly fog at the Bastille with S. I was a little concerned when I saw a group of twenty-five big, bald men all wearing black in a huddle near the trailhead, but it turned out to be the guards from the Penitentiary for their quasi-semi-annual PT run. For just a moment there it seemed a bit like the recent Batman movie.


Climbed up the North Side to take a photo of this mural, "Peace, Hope, and Charity", by Frances Roman Hawbaker, Sept 2008.



Continued climbing to North Charles Street at Linwood Street to see this mural, "A Day In The Park", by Kenneth Tator.


Enjoyed a very pleasant descent on Perryville down to the North Side trail. Rode east to Millvale, took a look at their mural, then crossed the 40th Street Bridge and poked around with the transition under the bridge.

Got a photo of "Convergence of Squirrels" on Butler Street.


Used Smallman Street to get underneath the 31st Street bridge, but then came out to the main drag to see Salem's Market on Penn Avenue:


Saw "City Lung" in the Strip District:


Another mural in the Strip District:


Rode to Point State Park, Station Square, and took this photo from the SouthSide Trail:

The mural "Cadaques-2004" is a print made by Korean artist Cheonae Kim, replicated in larger size by Pittsburgh artist Anthony Purcell, and displayed on the side of the M. Berger Industrial Park, formerly the Republic Steel Corp. plant, on the South Side.

Stopped for a snack at OTB Cafe. Outdoor seating, on-street bike corral, what's not to love? I had black-bean cakes with sour cream, avocado, and pico gallo toppings; it was very good.


Back on the bike, Hot Metal Bridge, Jail Trail, and took this photo of the mural on Second Avenue under Grant Street:

This mural is a copy of a painting by Art Institute prof. Michael Malle. It was originally hung as a billboard under the Boulevard of the Allies bridge in 2000. Lamar Advertising paid to have a new version printed and hung on Second Avenue in 2008.

The Pittsburgh Pirates depicted are Kiki Cuyler (1921-27), Ralph Kiner (1946-53), Fred Clarke (1900-11), Max Carey (1910-26), Lloyd Waner (1927-41), Paul Waner (1926-40), Danny Murtaugh (player, 1948-51; manager, various years), Josh Gibson (Pittsburgh Crawfords, 1930-37; Homestead Grays, 1937-46), Arky Vaughan (1932-41)
Willie Stargell (1962-82), Pie Traynor (1920-35, '37), Bill Mazeroski (1956-72), Roberto Clemente (1955-72), and Honus Wagner (1900-17).

It was a cool, cloudy day, excellent for a bike ride and completely consistent with the approaching winter.