Trip #598 Custer Avenue, Carrick, Pittsburgh took place on June 9, 2021, and was published on June 16, 2021.
The stairway rests atop a long, sloping hillside, and its appearance reminds me of a spine—the steps becoming vertebrae connecting and undulating with subtle (and not so subtle) dips and curves. It’s a sunny day, and insects are flying and crawling everywhere I turn, but I’m most captivated by the reddish-brown variety with long, horn-like antennae. Despite their rigid exoskeleton, they move quickly and nimbly between the crevices of leaves, and it’s a challenge to get one in a photo. Like a crazed celebrity paparazzi, I move my body up, down, and all around the railings and plants, trying to be in just the right location when one makes an appearance. I try not to imagine what my contortions look like to a neighbor peering out their window, but I’m rewarded in the end. To be effective, spines need to combine both strength and flexibility.
Field Notes: This long hillside flight is in a quiet, residential section of Carrick. Lots of flowering plants (native and not) along the way along with a fair number of insects! The view of the rolling hillsides from the top was pretty!
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.
