The Baseball Trip 2011 / Day 2

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Shine a light in my heart, Lord Jesus!
      -sign on a barn somewhere in Ohio

There ain't no light shining on Dellroy, Ohio. Hard times have hit and the signs are everywhere. Harvestland Groceries closed and boarded up; Dellroy Pizza: building for rent. Factory windows used for target practice as the weeds overgrow the parking lot. What do people do here now? It's a picture from another era with ghosts on the front porch.

Some river towns are hanging on, but not by much. Ramshackle wood frame houses with iron railing balconies lurch above the streets with their backs to the river. Old men shoot the breeze in front of Marq's Grill and Liquors as a woman struggles to cross the street for her mail. Kittens for sale. Man laboring underneath a rusted out minivan, maybe we can get another 1,000 miles on her before we give it up. The river road ends abruptly at the Port Authority, I'm sure there's a way out of here but no, you can't go through here, you got to get up around and turn back from whence you came.

Random observation from Randy:
"Tuscarawas? I think the Indians were just messing with us."

Oh...just thought you'd like to know: passed by the Longaberger headquarters near Dresden, Ohio. They have a building that looks like a giant basket. Isn't that something? Longaberger is that company that makes you sell baskets to your friends, kinda like Avon and Tupperware, but it's ok because it's an excuse to have wine with your girlfriends. Anyways, I took a picture because I like giant things.

See, I wasn't kidding. (Ha! You work in a basket!)

Oh well, you could work here:

There's an elementary school on the other side of this Pennsylvania nuclear power plant. Swear to God.

Every trip Randy and I count signs of the apocalypse. In the past we have counted Wal Marts, women on riding mowers, and other symbols of death. This trip we count "cash for gold" signs and shirtless drivers. (Randy, in a very cynical mood, suggested we count "Grand Opening" signs. What a kook!) So far:

Cash for gold:        3
Shirtless drivers:    2

John Prine warbles plaintively about Donald and Lydia as we head towards Pittsburgh. We set up camp at Keystone State Park, some 30 miles southeast of the ballpark, and shoot into town. PNC Park is a nice park with great views overlooking downtown Pittsburgh. The Pirates outlast the Cincinnati Reds, 1-0, in a well-played ballgame with great pitching and very little else. But, that's okay.

PNC Park overlooking the city and Roberto Clemente Bridge. We walked from the parking garage to the ballpark using that bridge, which spans the Allegheny River.



After the game we head back to the campsite, trying to build a fire with damp wood and listening to raccoon squabbles in the distance.

Favorite town name: Newcomersville, Ohio

Favorite sign:  "Enjoy Licking County!"

Final random observation from Randy:

" 'Phantom Fireworks: Five miles.' Phantom Fireworks? What's the point?"