Trip #567 Rinne Street, Arlington, Pittsburgh took place on March 14, 2021, and was published on March 29, 2021.
Spring is here, and for me, that means it’s time to break out my unabridged edition of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass. It comes in around 700 pages, and I don’t know what came over me when I saw it on the discount rack at Copacetic Comics several years ago, but I had to have it. It spends most of the year on a shelf with a bookmarker indicating where I left off the year before. For a few weeks, I read Whitman’s words about bustling cities, muddy rivers, blue skies and bluer oceans, and the openness of the land, our spirit, and our soul. Whitman’s words resonate strongly this year. We both occupy times of fear, disharmony, and suppression, but he never relinquishes hope for a different world, a different view. I hope you too find something this new season that affirms your nature, bolsters your resolve, and lifts your spirits toward blue, blue skies. “I am larger, better than I thought. I did not know I had so much goodness. All seems beautiful to me.”
Field Notes: Bob Regan’s book indicates that this flight goes from Arlington Avenue to Una Way and that it is 21 steps – but that count is not correct. 81 might be more accurate? Everyone makes mistakes when it comes to recording information!
Love city steps? Get yourself the latest issue of Mis.Steps: Our Missed Connections with Pittsburgh’s City Steps! Each copy is unique and features 10 randomly selected “trading cards” of Pittsburgh’s 739 public stairways. Visit the Mis.Steps online store to see all issues and place your order.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling.
