It’s that time of year again. The air is cooler, the leaves are changing, and darkness descends earlier. The time of year when the scratching of a branch against your bedroom window easily turns into the decaying finger of a Zombie; when silver clouds passing across a full moon provoke visions of werewolves; and shadows falling across the floor inspire thoughts of lurking monsters. At
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Opinion When my son was a toddler, he used to watch Barney. While I found the purple dinosaur a bit annoying, each year when the days begin to grow shorter and the cicadas commence their symphony, ironically, I find myself singing a Barney song called “I Like Autumn.” That’s because I do like this season and, for a number of reasons, I think it is Pittsburgh’s
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We all marvel at the giant redwood trees that dot the coastal area of Northern California, but did you know that at one time the eastern part of the nation had another colossal tree? Nicknamed the “redwood of the east,” the American chestnut grew to 100 feet or more and had trunks that often spanned 16 feet in diameter. Unlike the Cowardly Lion in the
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PNC Park, the new home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, opened to rave reviews in 2001, and is still regarded as one of Major League Baseball’s premier fields. PNC is the fifth home of the Pirates. It combines the charm of Forbes Field, the team’s third home, with the scenic riverside location on the North Side of an even earlier venue, Exposition Park. After touring all
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Pittsburgh is well-known for steel, sports, higher education and medical facilities, but what many may not expect is the great beauty the city and surrounding communities have to offer. A perfect way to explore this natural splendor is the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. The 24-mile-long trail will wind you through various neighborhoods of the city along all three of Pittsburgh’s rivers. Popular among walkers and bikers,
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When the pioneers pressed westward settling the country, some of the greatest obstacles they faced were the Allegheny Mountains. Although not as steep and foreboding as the Rocky Mountains that settlers would later encounter as the nation grew and expanded, the older, thickly forested Allegheny Mountains of the mid-Atlantic posed problems for explorers, merchants, and homesteaders. Centuries later, they still are formidable, but you can
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You may have seen Pittsburgh on foot, by car, from a boat, from the overlooks on Mt. Washington, or maybe even from a plane when you’ve flown over the city. But have you ever seen it from a bicycle? There’s something special about seeing the ‘Burgh from a bike. Like walking, it brings you up close and personal with the city. With the wind whipping
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The streets are closed to traffic and music fills the air. People line the streets cheering. The city puts out the welcome mat. It’s not a dignitary or the presidential visit. The hoopla is for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon. On May 5, 1985, Pittsburgh hosted its first marathon, and in 2011, the city hosted the 22nd running of the 26.2 mile foot race.
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The saying goes: There is no such thing as a free lunch (unless you hit your local warehouse club and treat yourself to the samples). While there may not be a free lunch, there are still plenty of free, fun things to do in and around Pittsburgh. The Allegheny County Parks The county parks are a treasure trove of free fun. Throughout the warmer months, the county
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Since Pittsburgh is located in Pennsylvania, which means “Penn’s woods,” you know the region must have many trees. Sometimes you don’t really appreciate how thickly forested the area is until you travel to another part of the country. In Cheyenne, Wyoming, where the trees are few and far between, they have a T-shirt showing of “The Wyoming State Tree.” It’s a photo of a telephone pole!
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