Day 41: Planes, Trains and...Submarines?!

Our day in Pittsburgh began with a ride up and back down the Duquesne Incline, also called a plane or funicular. Built back in the 1880s as a commuter route, it's still in heavy use today, and not only by tourists. The ride on rails up the steep mountain overlooking the convergence of the three rivers takes about three minutes each way. We believe the mechanism is similar to that used in the portage railroad that we learned about yesterday. The kids just love how various parts of our trip overlap or have connections!

The viewing deck at the top of the incline looks directly down (and across the Ohio) at the Carnegie Science Center and its famous submarine exhibit, the Requin. Before we knew it, we'd moved the truck over a bridge and were in the bowels of the sub, which was launched in 1945, near the end of WWII. It was used as a radar picket until 1968, when it was decommissioned because advances in technology had made much of its instrumentation obselete. We have new respect and understanding for the hard life endured by submariners. And to think that a crew of 81 filled the cramped sub in which we sometimes felt claustrophobic! As an incentive for service, subs are known to serve the very best food in the military. I hope steak and lobster were compensation enough for those tough guys.

We spent a few more hours at the Carnegie Science Center, playing in the robotics lab and viewing the amazing model train display, which features life in western Pennsylvania. And thanks to that display, we now can say we saw Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house (and didn't have to pay over $70 for the privilege!).

Turns out its Christmas in July this weekend at our campground. You wouldn't believe the light displays and kitschy decorations, which people are viewing on hayrides, singing carols the entire way. We surprised the girls, pulling out some snowflake lights we'd tucked away for December. They're so happy to fit in with the festivities. Many folks here are seasonal, meaning they have a camper parked on a permanent basis and use it as a weekend place. They have flowers planted around deck patios, lampposts (which tonight are sporting red and green bulbs) and windsocks and decorative banners of every imaginable flavor. We hope our Christmas joy isn't spoiled tomorrow morning as we pull out...I'm still quite nervous about getting Teensie over some of the tilted spots. If you remember, say a little prayer for Stan (and me!) this evening, that he can get Teensie out in an upright posture. She'll work much better that way for our drive to the Finger Lakes region of New York tomorrow. :-)

Going up?

View from the top of the Duquesne Incline

Aboard the Requin

Kendall clambering over the bulkhead--"I'll do it--don't help!"

Kelsey vs. Robot in a fierce game of air hockey. She gave it her all but was no match for the quick reflexes of the machine, developed by the Robotics students at Carnegie Mellon University.

Fallingwater...now you've seen it, too!

Christmas in July at Bear Run Campground