Buffalo Trip - Day 4

With the on-site work completed yesterday, the trip turned into a work trip along the lines of my normal Nomad Life routine.  Still, I saw this as an opportunity to return to the Buffalo Niagara Airport if they requested it.  Meanwhile, the rest of our Team headed home...  For my part, though, I was up at 0600 (before alarm) and started teleworking immediately.  At 0800, I took a break for breakfast in Lobby of Holiday Inn Express (Cheektowaga) and then went to workout in the Fitness Center.  Initially, I rode the stationary bike for 20 minutes (4.4 miles) and then worked out on treadmill (1 mile in less than 20 minutes).  For the first time during my stay, another guest showed up to workout too - that felt strange...  The pool was still closed so I went back in my room.  After that point (0945), I teleworked almost continuously until 1600, with only a short break for lunch in my room (made my own food).  Outside, it was overcast, windy and colder (mid 30s).  By the afternoon, light snow flurries began.  What a far cry from the 70 degree weather I'd just experienced over the weekend!  At 1630, I decided to leave my hotel to go find some more Buffalo Wings.  This time, I checked out another restaurant that had been recommended by the on-site reps at the Airport:  my hotel and drove about five miles so I could try the Buffalo Wings at a place recommended to me by someone who worked at the Buffalo Airport: Bar-Bill North.  I located this establishment in the town of Clarence at 1440 and, after sitting down at the high tables in the bar area, asked the bartender (lady) for advice about what I should order.  She suggested that I get the signature sandwich (small size), which was called "Beef on Weck" (the latter name comes from the seeds on the bun) and an order of 10 wings (half Cajun Honey and half Butter BBQ).  Even though it sounded like a lot of food, I took her advice.  When the food arrived, I realized this would be the first time I actually ate some bone-in wings during the trip.  They were much messier than the boneless variety but the experience was unforgettable.  I very much enjoyed the spices and the beer that I used to wash everything down, a House Lager (produced by the Ellicottville Brewing Company).  With the restaurant filling up while I ate, I patiently made my way through the delicious food until was stuffed (1750).  Afterwards, I drove back to my hotel (arrived at 1805) and spent some more time walking around outside and inside the hotel.  When I was finished, I stopped by the Front Desk and asked for a late checkout.  Back in my room, I worked some more on my blog (almost caught up!) and also made a hotel reservation for the following night.  It's time to head east...  During this whole time, I thought about going swimming (the pool finally reopened) but ultimately decided against it.  Instead, I finished up my 10K worth of steps and then watched movies for the rest of the night.  Bedtime was at 2215.  It's been a great week in Buffalo but I probably need to move on before my belly explodes due to too of their food!

Buffalo Trip - Day 3

For the first time during one of my Installation Trips, we were asked to perform the tasks during daylight hours!  Feeling like this was a rare opportunity to see how the process worked during the day time, I was eagerly awake at 0500 (before alarm).  For once, I held off on teleworking and spent time reading and working puzzles.  At 0645, I went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Cheektowaga).  When I finished my meal, I returned to my room and packed up for the day.  Outside, it was dark and rainy (temps in the 50s).  Like the day before, Jennings again came by to pick me up (0715) and we drove to the Buffalo Niagara Airport (arrived at 0730).  The rest of the Team arrived shortly after that and we were all cleared to begin working at 0800.  As I'd hoped, the day time work was much easier, with everyone clearly on their game.  It's wonderful what a full night of sleep will do for one's mental clarity...  We had no issues and the work progressed at what seemed to be lightning speed.  I skipped lunch again (just had some light snacks) because we were doing so well.  Things went well and I was very impressed with our Quality Assurance rep and Test Director.  Jennings kept everyone on track and the Team members did their best.  Overall,  I was very happy with what I saw and we returned the system to our customers by1515.  Even better: we don't have to come back tomorrow!  Jennings and I wrapped up a few more items with the on-site reps but, by 1530, we were ready to depart the Airport.  Everything seemed so textbook and perfect!  After Jennings dropped me off at my hotel (1545), I exchanged texts with my high school friend, Dave S.  He had told me he'd be available for dinner as soon as I was available and he was true to his word.  After I teleworked the remaining 30 minutes of my day (1615), I met him in the parking lot (by then, it had stopped raining).  This was probably the first time I'd seen Dave since college (early 1990s) but it seemed like we'd just gotten together the previous weekend.  Dave drove me a short distance to one of his favorite restaurants, the Pizza Plant - it was located in the town of Williamsville.  When we arrived (1630), the place looked rather deserted and Dave was afraid that it might be closed.  Fortunately, they were open and I had a chance to experience the excitement of their exhaustive (exhausting?) menu.  Wow - I didn't know I wanted so many choices!  After some effort, I managed to figure out what to order: a "Goombah Pod" (essentially a calzone version of a burrito).  The food was very good (and filling) but didn't come with any sides.  I remedied this by ordering a special chocolate cookie for the dessert.  To wash everything down, I tried a (local) Pod City beer (Anchors Away).  Meanwhile, Dave and I had a very good conversation - the first in decades.  It was amazing to learn so much about each other's lives - even though we've exchanged Christmas Cards for many years, there wasn't much detail in those.  I was sad to learn about the passing (almost 10 years ago) of his mother (Donna), who was a wonderful female influence in my life after my mom died.  Dave and I also recalled (happily) the good things we'd each brought to each other's lives when we were young.  Such good memories: running, basketball games until after dark, video games, movies, etc.  This was one of those reunions where you are glad to learn that a friend had done very well since you knew them.  The biggest surprise might have been that Dave was one of the cameramen for the Buffalo Sabres - I'd been watching his work during the previous evening!  Around us, the restaurant gradually filled up until it became loud and boisterous.  Fortunately, our walk down memory lane had already reached its peak...  At 1915, Dave took me back to my hotel.  We talked for a bit in the car before saying goodbye (1945).  Very glad I managed to reach Dave and get together!  After reaching my room again, I changed into my workout gear and headed to the Fitness Center (pool still closed).  I logged 20 minutes of biking (4.4 miles) and then walked on treadmill to reach 10K steps.  Once my workout was finished (2045), I worked on my blog, made eBird entries and read.  For the rest of the evening, I watched movies.  In the end, I stayed up until about 2230 and then it was lights out for the night.  I went to sleep with good thoughts about the success of our Installation and happy feelings about seeing one of my oldest and best friends.  It doesn't get any better than that!

Buffalo Trip - Day 2

Today, I began another Installation Project, this time at the Buffalo Niagara Airport.  For several weeks, I've been thinking about my friend, Sean E., who passed away in 2020 but had taken this exact Installation Trip back when he worked for me (2014/2015 timeframe).  He is missed but not forgotten... 

The day didn't start the way I'd hoped - I was unexpectedly awake at 0500.  Fortunately, I managed to get back to sleep until 0630 (alarm needed).  Almost immediately, I started teleworking and I stayed online until about 0745 (1.3 hours towards my work day total).  I then went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Holiday Inn Express (Cheektowaga).  When my meal was complete, I got ready to depart from the hotel.  At 0830, Jennings (my colleague) picked me up and we drove together to the Airport.  It was a pretty decent day: partly sunny and temps in the 50s.  Beginning at 0845, we were joined by the other members of our Team and I liaised with the on-site representatives to get our equipment unloaded.  The next several hours were filled with inventorying, verifying serial numbers and prepping for our afternoon testing.  During this time, I got to know several new members of the larger Installation pool of resources and liked what I saw/heard.  I think we are going to have a good week!  Along the way, I skipped lunch because we were making good progress.  In fact, our Team did such a good job that we finished as early as I've yet seen (1415).  I waited for Jennings to get finished with his post-work items and then carpooled back to the hotel with him (arrived at 1430 (six more hours towards my work day). As I was headed to my room, I noticed that the pool was closed "until further notice" - I'm very glad I managed to get in some swimming last night...  I worked a bit more in my room (1445 to 1530) and closed out my work day with the last 0.7 hours - I also ate some snacks to help me reach dinnertime. With my work computer turned off, I worked on my blog afterwards and read a bit.  Outside, the weather turned rainy but stayed warm.  At 1630, I was ready to depart the hotel to search for some more local cuisine and beer.  I only had to drive a few miles before I located the Nickel City Brewz Tap Room.  It was located in the town of Depew and I found it to be a "laid back" bar, with corn hole games and probably about 40 beers to choose from.  I ordered a couple of new ones from the list (both very good) but soon got a treat: one of the other patrons had brought in some of his own craft beers  ("I cleaned out my beer fridge") and the bartender included me in the tasting.  What a surprise!  The selections were two new beers and they were both very good.  As we all tried the drinks, the bar developed even more ambiance - there was lots of camaraderie.  People soon realized I was not a local and started giving me recommendations for places I should eat and visit.  Meanwhile, there was a Buffalo Sabers replay (versus Tampa Bay) on the televisions (the bartender told me he'd been at the game and recapped the thrilling action).  I stayed at Nickel City Brewz until 1745 - by then, I was getting quite hungry.  Following the recommendation from a lady I'd met at the Airport office in the morning, I drove to a nearby franchise of the Duff's Famous Wings, which had been made famous by a 2010 visit by President Obama.  I arrived at about 1755 and, at the bar, ordered some of their medium mild (boneless) wings.  The kitchen was a bit slower than I'd hoped (by then, I was VERY hungry) but the food was worth the wait.  The taste was much better than what I'd tried at Anchor Bar the day before.  I'm very glad I followed the directions about ordering, though - "the Medium is spicy".  On the television, I noticed another Buffalo Sabers game - this time, they were playing live (versus the San Jose Sharks).  With the full "Buffalo Foodie Experience" in my grasp, I took my time eating and didn't get done until 1915.  At that point, I drove back to my (nearby) hotel.  It was still rainy and it was almost impossible to see the lines on the road.  When I arrived at the Holiday Inn Express, I walked around the building (inside and outside) to reach 5K steps for the day.  Once in my room (1945), I worked some more on my blog, did some Duolingo exercises and watched movies.  I finally went to bed at 2230.  A great day in Buffalo!

Buffalo Trip - Day 1

Today was the first day of a new Installation Trip - this time, I'll be working in Buffalo!  Through the overnight, I tossed and turned and didn't really feel like I was sleeping well.  There was some kind of smoke (vape) smell and a lot of train noises.  Despite this less-than-stellar sleep, I was awake for good at 0615 and began teleworking immediately.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in Lobby of the Clarion Hotel (Dunkirk) - I was the only guest there and it seemed like the "Conference Center" had seen better days...  Back in my room, I had one long meeting and took care of other work documentation that occupied my time until about 1130.  After that, I packed up my car and got ready to depart Dunkirk.  Prior to leaving town, though, I decided to visit Point Gratiot, the location of the (seasonably closed) Dunkirk Lighthouse.  While driving west on NY-5, I was pleased to see that the weather was wonderful again: temps in mid 60s, sunny and breezy.  When I arrived at the grounds of the lighthouse, I walked around nearby and got some good photos of Lake Erie.  Nearby, I encountered signs for the Seaway Trail and War of 1812 Trail.  Since I had a lot more I wanted to do before sunset, I departed the area at 1150 and drove (via NY-5 and US-20) towards Buffalo.  Along the way, I crossed through the territory of the Seneca Nation.  Just beyond that, I got on NY-75 and used it to get back on NY-5.  During this time, traffic was light and I enjoyed more interesting views of the ice floating on Lake Erie.  By 1245, I had entered Downtown Buffalo and, five minutes later, was parked at the (free) lot for the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site (in the Allentown District).  I took a tour of the World's Fair Exhibit when I first arrived but then had to wait until 1330 to start a formal tour of the residence.  When I paid for my ticket (to a Foundation that manages the property with the NPS) I got some good discounts.  Not surprisingly (since it was the middle of a work day), I was the only person on the tour.  My guide was excellent and I got some very good history context while playing with the interactive exhibits.  The site memorialized the impromptu (due to the assassination of President McKinley) Inauguration of the 26th President.  There were no photographs or recordings from the historical event but the staff of the site made due with some original and creative techniques.  Even though I could have stayed much longer, I decided to wrap up my visit at 1415.  With permission from the NHS staff, I left my car in the parking area for the NHS and walked a few blocks east so I could eat lunch at the Anchor Bar (home of the original Buffalo Wings).  This place had been widely recommended by anyone who knows Buffalo and I got a single order of (10) boneless wings with medium spice and an order of Pizza Logs.  The wings tasted much more like BBQ, rather than the Buffalo Sauce I'd expected - I guess I needed to do more research on sauce ordering.  I washed everything down with a pint of Anchor Bar IPA and enjoyed the ambiance of the bar.  Finished at 1510, I walked south (into the Downtown) in search of The Banshee Irish Pub, which had been recommended to me (earlier in my Nomad Life travels) when I was exploring The Bourbon Trail.  When I arrived, I asked the bartender about one of the owners/managers, a Coogan from Dublin, but I learned that he wasn't in town.  Dang...  Undeterred, I sat down at the bar (1530) and ordered a Banshee Irish Red Ale.  The Pub was apparently a big time rugby and soccer venue and there was plenty of sports on the TVs.  Around me, I saw lots of Coogan signs and other indications that the owners had a close connection with Dublin and Belfast.  When I was finished, I asked the bartender to pass along my greetings to Neil Coogan and he said he would.  Next, I walked back to my car at the NHS.  I passed through some pretty neighborhoods, statues of American Bison and lots of signs about Buffalo History.  Arriving at my car by 1630, I departed the city and drove towards the northeast so I could reach my hotel, the Holiday Inn Express (Cheektowaga), at the Buffalo Niagara Airport.  I was successfully checked into my room by 1655 and I logged on to my work computer to do a bit more telework.  At 1800, wrapped my my day and joined a Knights of Columbus Monthly Council Meeting on Zoom.  When that ended (1845), I watched some movies and generally relaxed.  I finally got motivated enough to do some exercise and, at 2120, I went to the Fitness Center.  I rode on their stationary bike for 20 minutes (4.5 miles) and then, seeing that no one was in the pool (it was a much longer one than I've seen in most hotels), I hurried back to my room to change into my bathing suit.  This stroke of luck allowed me to get 15 minutes of swimming (0.25 miles) of laps.  Two French Canadians came by while I was there but, after we used some French and hand gestures, they didn't interrupt my laps.  I should note that the water was NOT clean and I wondered if I'd regret this little water excursion... Back in my room (2210), I did some reading before bed (2300).  Very glad my transit day was full of good weather, fortunate encounters, history lessons and good exercise.  I hope the rest of the week is just as good!

Nomad Life - Day 180

Overnight we had to do the annual "Spring Forward" time change - that didn't help me to stay on track for my sleep goals...  In the end, I woke up at (the new) 0730.  Even though time had literally ticked away, I still spent part of the morning with reading, Duolingo and puzzles.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Microtel (Beaver Falls).  For the rest of the morning, I worked on my blog and eBird entries and then checked out of my at 1210.  The conditions outside were good again (55 F, sunny) and I was excited to get another day of hiking.  First, I drove through Darlington and got on PA-168.  Like the previous two days, I was following a map (prepared by the Wampum Chapter of the NCT Association) that I'd found at one of the trailheads.  This helped me to locate a new trailhead in the Beaver Dam area (PA-168 at the crossing of I-76) - I was parked there at 1225.  From my car, I hiked back to the east (North Dakota Bound), following the North Fork of the Little Beaver Creek.  In this area, I was very impressed to cross 15 brand new bridges that had recently been built across every single tributary creek by the Wampum Chapter.  Another nice feature was a brand new Lean-To (shelter) that must have just been placed on the site.  Everything in this area of the NCT is so new and shiny!  Today's 2.5 mile section of NCT actually tracked all the way back to the Trailhead I'd found on Friday (Scott Wallace Road).  Most of the trail was dry but I found places where creek water had pooled.  There were plenty of birds and some deer in this section and I very much enjoyed the walk through more of the State Game Lands.  After backtracking, I was done with my hike at 1415 (5 miles).  What a afternoon on the trail!  Hoping to get some more miles of the NCT in my car, I left the trailhead and drove (via farm roads) to the northeast.  Before long, I reached I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway).  By that point, I was on Edwards Road and had reached the 2.5 mile mark on my odometer as the NCT headed out across a huge farm field nearby.  Looking at my map, I realized I'd be unable to access the NCT again for a while so I gave up and drove (via Darlington Road and PA-18) to the outskirts of the town of Wampum.  I found the trailhead (a bridge that crossed PA-18) and then followed the blue blazes (by car) into "downtown" Wampum.  At 1435, I arrived at a pretty little Trail Town area, with lots of signs and banners related to the NCT's passage through the area.  After admiring the work (yet again) of the Wampum Chapter of the NCT Association, I crossed the Beaver River (from the PA-18 Trailhead, I'd logged 0.5 miles of NCT in my car).  The NCT faded into the trees along the river for a short time but then reappeared near the boat launch on River Road - I followed it 0.3 more miles until it headed into the woods.  Like before, the map I was following showed a long distance of NCT in the forest so I decided to try to intercept it again in the near just to the west of McConnells Mill State Park.  The route to reach my target included some more driving on PA-168 and watching for blue blazes on other local roads.  Eventually, I found the NCT coming out of the woods at the intersection of Snake Run Road and Sankey Hill Road.  In my car, I followed the latter road to the east (Vermont Bound) until I reached Old Pittsburgh Road.  I passed through the town of Energy (they had a nice NCT sign at their local church) and got caught behind a farm tractor.  Eventually, I reached the western side of McConnells Mill State Park and completed my NCT drive at the Hell’s Hollow Trailhead by 1520 (4.6 miles of NCT driving).  I got out of my car and explored the busy trailhead but decided against another hike.  Instead, I drove on some back roads through the State Park.  This section was very hilly and there was also a lot of evidence of mining and blasting.  The houses nearby were also very pretty.  Before long, I got on US-422 and was soon able to locate Alpha Pass, which was in the northeast corner of McConnells Mill State Park (1540).  From there, I started following Johnson Road and, later, Burnside Road to reach the boundary of Moraine State Park.  Along the way, I crossed I-79.  At 1550, I reached the NCT Trailhead at West Park Road (2 more miles of NCT driven).  Feeling like it was fortuitous that I'd reached an easy northbound Interstate, I decided to suspend my NCT scramble for the day.  Before leaving the area, though, I drove across US-422 reach McDaniel's Launch (State Park boat ramp).  I wasn't actually looking for it but I found the NCT there (1555).  Feeling good about my day outdoors, I departed for New York State.  Using US-422, I made my way on to I-79.  With the wide open road in my windshield, I passed the time with some audiobooks.  At 1640, I stopped for a late lunch (or early dinner) at a Dairy Queen in the town of Meadville.  Not wanting to make a mess in my car, I ate in the restaurant.  During this break, I made reservations for lodging in the town of Dunkirk (on Lake Erie).  This activity caused me some fits (because I have to stay inside the GSA Per Diem Rates) but I managed to make a reservation on Booking.com (Choice Hotel site was much more expensive for some reason). Back on I-79, I drove north until I reached the suburbs of Erie and then changed to I-90.  At 1800, I crossed the border into New York and, a short time later, I got off the Interstate (avoiding the toll) at an exit that boasted access to the "Chautauqua Wine Trail".  It seems like this was another name for NY-5 because I passed through a LOT of wineries during the next 30 minutes. After passing through Westfield (1810), I saw signs for the town of Portland, where the cartoonist creator of the "Marmaduke” strip once lived.  I also passed by Lake Erie State Park, which gave me a jolt of Deja Vu (was I here in 1978 with my mom?).  By 1830, I'd reached my hotel, the Clarion Hotel Conference Center on Lake Erie in Dunkirk.  As I'd hoped, the place had a harbor front view - beyond the building, it was possible to see some amazing angles of the partially frozen Lake Erie.  There were LOTS of piles of ice.  After getting settled in my room, I went walking along the edge of the Dunkirk Harbor and did some birding (1905).  Once back inside the hotel (1930), I watched movies until bed time (2300).  Overall, today was a great day of outdoor time, State Park touring and change of State.  I'll be headed to Buffalo in the morning!  NCT Today = 12.5 miles / Grand Total NCT = 133.2 miles

Nomad Life - Day 179

It's the Weekend!  Even though I didn't need to work early, my body wanted to wake me up at 0500.  Somehow, I was able to go back to sleep and didn't actually get out of bed until 0730.  Almost immediately (0745), I went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Microtel (Beaver Falls).  After returning to my room, I worked on my blog and recorded eBird entries.  I'd planned to leave the hotel quickly, to take advantage of the wonderful weather, but ended up in a call with Brenna for almost 90 minutes (between 0945 and 1115).  It was great to catch up with her and I didn't mind the delay.  At 1145, I finally departed the hotel.  Outside, it was very windy but warm (70s!!!).  Hoping to resume the hike I'd done the previous day, my first destination was te NCT Trailhead on Louthan Road NCT.  I arrived there at 1150 and, since it was a "road walk" section, I didn't get out of my car.  Instead, I continued down the street until I located the trailhead at PA-168 (1155).  This drive yielded 0.6 new miles of NCT.  From that point, I explored other nearby trail access points along Hodgson Road, Sterling Road and Watts Mill Road.  At 1215, I parked at the trailhead on the latter road and started a hike (no daypack) towards the east (Vermont Bound).  The map seemed to indicate that I'd be following the edge of the river but it ended up involving a huge climb to a bluff that gave me wonderful views of the valley below.  I passed a nice-looking Lean-To (shelter) in the early phase of the hike. Like yesterday, I was often impressed by the great signage that had been placed by the Wampum Chapter of the North Country Trail Association.  The warm temperatures definitely led to a lot of sweating but, fortunately, I had brought water.  All around me, I could hear the sound of frogs - they were very loud!  Along the way, I passed a local landmark called Indian Rock, which was a huge outcropping that rose several dozen feet above the trail.  I ended up skipping the climb and just continued on towards the east.  When I'd started walking, I had no idea that I would be able to hike all the way to the PA-168 Trailhead I'd found earlier in the day.  Since the trail surface and terrain change wasn't too extreme, I actually had no issues and ended up walking the entire (three mile) distance before I knew it.  Starting my backtrack, though, I started noticing ominously dark rain clouds in the distance and began looking for a way to curtail the time it took to reach my car.  As a result, I got off the NCT at Hodgson Rd and, on foot, retraced my earlier drive to Watts Mill Road.  Even though this decision was a good one - it yielded a quick pace due to the stable and smooth surface - I was not able to avoid the rain (and lightning) that soon covered the area.  Unfortunately, there was no cover from the elements by this point and I just had to hope that the worst of the weather held off until I was finished.  Somehow, that's exactly what happened - when I reached my car (1430), the sky opened and I just barely avoided a HUGE downpour.  As I sat in my car, I figured out that I'd (again) hiked six miles of NCT on the State Game Lands near the Ohio border.  I should mention that some of the game lands had major warning signs about closures during hunting season(s) in the Winter-time.  Meanwhile, there was terrible rain outside my car and I couldn't even see the surrounding scenery.  During a lull, I departed the NCT Trailhead and drove south towards PA-251.  During this drive, I had to drive around trees that had fallen almost completely across the road.  One of these trees looked like it had suffered a direct lightning strike!  Before I reached a main road, the sun actually came out again (I guess I'd driven out of the weather?) and I decided I'd like to cross into Ohio in search of the NCT there.  Fortunately, I had a good map (prepared by the Wampum Chapter).  About a quarter mile from the border, I located the NCT Trailhead (still on the Pennsylvania side) - from there, it was 0.1 miles of driving on PA-251 until I found a huge NCT road sign that said "Welcome to Ohio".  I crossed the border after that and followed OH-154 (synonymous with NCT for part of this drive) until I reached the town of Negley (OH) at 1445.  Only then did I realize that I'd passed the turn to the west (North Dakota Bound).  After turning around (backtracking in my car on the pavement), I found the NCT again at Carmel-Achor Road.  From that corner, I drove another section of trail that took me down Jackman Road.  I followed this latter road until I reached a closed gate (1500) at the two mile mark of my drive (started counting distance at the PA-251 Trailhead).  From there, I backtracked to the north and then drove west to OH-170.  After driving a few more miles to the south, I found an NCT Trailhead with a muddy parking lot.  The best thing about this location was that the NCT then followed OH-170 towards the south.  I restarted my Subaru's odometer and made my way to Clarkson Road.  After reaching the town of Clarkson (1520), I switched to Sprucevale Road and used that road to reach Beaver Creek State Park.  Somehow, I again lost the trail at around 6.6 mile mark (since the last trailhead).  I believe that this occurred because there was a closed State Park road at the turn point,  Knowing that I wasn't on the NCT anymore, I kept driving towards the Beaver Creek bridge in the middle of the park.  At the 7.4 mark on my odometer, I crossed the NCT again where it passed an old stone mill building.  I gave myself credit for 0.1 more miles of NCT and then crossed the Beaver Creek.  Just at that point, the rain got REALLY nasty.  There were more downed trees in the area and I couldn't see anything while I was driving.  As a result, I turned around (Cannon Mills Rd) and backtracked on Sprucevale Road.  Since the weather was still horrible, I parked near the old stone building and waited out the worst of the storm.  Once conditions improved, I drove north and west (through the State Park) until I reached OH-7.  Just after that, I passed a High School that made it very clear they were the (Proud) "Fighting Beavers".  Next, I got on US-30, which I later learned was called the Lou Holtz Freeway.  At the time, I thought "that's kind of an interesting coincidence" but I didn't know more.  My immediate priority was to reach East Liverpool OH so I could attend a church service.  I was successful in this effort and, at 1600, arrived at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Downtown area just in time for their Vigil Mass (it was still raining).  The church was very old and the architecture was interesting.  It was a bit unsettling that there was a cop guarding the door...  The organ was much louder than the choir/cantor so I couldn't follow a few of the responsorial prayers.  However, I did hear one prayer that was "Clue #2" that I had stumbled into an interesting place.  They were praying for the souls of recently departed parishioners and mentioned Lou Holtz.  Since I'm a fan of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and had only recently learned of Coach Holtz's passing, I was definitely more intrigued than when I first entered East Liverpool...  At 1700, the service ended (the rain had ended) and I got back in my car, hoping to find out more about the local area.  First, though, I stopped for gas at a station ("Mainland") that boasted the lowest prices I'd seen for days (Ohio is definitely cheaper than Pennsylvania).  By 1710, I was back on the road and decided (then and there) to cross the Ohio River into the "panhandle" section of West Virginia.  Using US-30, I drove south into Chester (Hancock County, WV) and then followed the river to the west.  Along the way, I had some very good views of the Ohio River in the "Tri-Point" area of the three states.  I passed an intriguing toll bridge ("Cash Only").  Just after that (1720), I reached the town of Newell.  By this point the temps had settled in the 60s.  I had noticed a place on the map called "Hanna’s Tap Room" and stopped there at 1725.  Along the way, I met the owner (Ms. Hanna, a Navy Veteran) and worked my way through their local (WV) beers (tasting).  I also ordered a chicken parmesan sandwich, which was very tasty.  Overall, the patrons and staff were very friendly and I learned a lot about local history, life in Ohio Valley, the East Palestine Rail Disaster and Lou Holtz.  On the last topic, I learned that Coach Holtz had maintained a close relationship with the area ever since he'd learned to coach football from his relatives in East Liverpool.  What an amazing coincidence to have found a small corner of the world where Coach Holtz lived during the exact week when he passed away.  A larger amount of time was focused on the The Fiesta Tableware Company (formerly known as The Homer Laughlin China Company) that practically built the town of Newell and still controls many of the utilities, a toll bridge and other civic functions there.  I very much enjoyed the overall experience.  After finishing my social time (1830), I departed West Virginia (crossed the Ohio River on US-30 again) and drove back towards my hotel.  Along the way, I talked to my dad on the phone (I actually stopped so I wouldn't lose cell signal) and then later listened to audiobooks.  In order to get "home", I used back roads across southeastern Ohio until I (re)entered Pennsylvania.  In a few cases, I had to dodge deer in the darkness.  I will admit that I breathed a good sign of relief when I arrived at my hotel (1940).  Like the night before, I took advantage of having a bathtub (ahhhh...) and then spent the rest of the evening watching movies and reading.  By 2300, I was ready to turn out the lights.  As I dozed off, I felt really good about my NCT trail experience today - but even more about finding Lou Holtz's hometown.  NCT Today = 12.4 miles / Grand Total NCT = 120.7 miles

Pittsburgh Trip - Day 5

Last day in Pittsburgh...  This morning, I woke up (without an alarm) at 0630 and started teleworking immediately.  I stayed online until about 0800 and then went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Staybridge Suites (Pittsburgh).  Following my meal, I worked out for 20 minutes in the Fitness Center (biking, 4 miles).  After returning to my room (0845) I resumed teleworking.  At one point, I received a call from Mollie so that interrupted my work day to catch up with her.  Also during the lull, I set up some laundry to wash (free at my hotel!).  I continued teleworking until 1300, when I started loading up my car.  Outside, it was partly sunny and very warm (60s!).  After thanking the hotel staff for the late checkout, I drove a short distance to a nearby Panera to pick up lunch (tuna sandwich) I'd ordered earlier.  I ate my food in the restaurant and then (1330), departed from the Summit Park area.  Initially, I followed I-376 towards the northwest - along the way, I crossed the Ohio River.  Before long, I got off the Interstate (at PA-51) and continued northwest into the village of Chippewa (Beaver County).  By 1400, I'd arrived at my new hotel, the Microtel (Beaver Falls) and was able to check into my room quickly.  Even though my work week was already mostly over, I got online to make a final check on my work emails (I was also receiving text requests from colleagues during this time).  After about 35 minutes, I completed my telework day and week.  It was a relief to log off my computer and have some free time for fun!  Yesterday was the 46th Birthday of the North Country Trail and social media had reminded me to search out hiking zones near my new hotel.  Armed with some good intel, I left the hotel (1445) and drove a short distance into the nearby town of Darlington (arrived at 1455).  Once I found a place to park, I explored the historic area in town and also located the blue blazes of the North Country Trail.  With a rare opportunity to follow the trail through an NCT Trail Town, I followed these blazes towards the north (Vermont Bound).  Seeing that the trail continued on pavement at the corner where Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church was located, I decided to turn around.  It was 71 degrees by this point!  As I began my backtrack towards the south (North Dakota Bound), I passed several historic sites and old "downtown" buildings.  I was in a residential area until the NCT crossed the North Fork of Little Beaver Creek - from there, I followed the blazes into the woods.  Initially, the trail followed the bank of the river and I kept encountering waterlogged areas.  Before long, though, the terrain began rising and falling (dramatically in some places).  Along the way, I encountered a lot of bird!  At one point (near Georgetown Road), I passed through a pretty cemetery.  Just after that, I crossed Constitution Boulevard and then continued walking through farms and woodlands until I reached Louthan Road.  At that point, I started my backtrack, hoping to have a good location to resume from when I next wanted to hike the NCT nearby.  It was still very warm and I started sweating - for this reason, I very much enjoyed the nice breezes on ridges I crossed.  During this three mile section, I only encountered two other people - they seemed to be hiking NCT sections like I was and had some good suggestions for future hikes.  By the time I arrived at my car (1715), my pedometer indicated that I completed six miles of hiking through what I later learned were State Game Lands.  Hoping to log some more NCT miles, I drove north on PA-551 (Hollow Road), continuing to follow the blue blazes.  Before long, I switched to Echo Valley Road and followed that to PA-351 (Crescent Drive).  Then, after crossing a major railroad junction on a flyover bridge, I used Houston Road to reach Scott Walker Road, which I followed into Lawrence County.  I passed friendly locals (some were toting hunting rifles) had no trouble on one-lane bridges or muddy tracks as the road continued deep into the Beaver Dam area.  Eventually (1740), I found another North Country Trail Trailhead just north of the North Fork of the Little Beaver Creek.  Since there was a gate there (and limited parking), I called it a day.  This drive yielded another five miles of NCT.  Using PA-351, I made my way back into Darlington (via New Galilee).  After that, I mostly backtracked towards my hotel.  Hoping to get some dinner, I got off (Old) Darlington Road and got on Constitution Boulevard.  Almost immediately, I spotted an interesting place called Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe and decided to stop there for dinner.  Just after I got inside, I remembered that it was a Friday in Lent so curtailed my original plan of getting some hot dogs.  Fortunately, they had some good soup and sides - I got broccoli and cheese soup, cheese fries and a milkshake.  The food was good!  Afterwards (1830), I returned to my hotel, which was very close, and was faced with the normal dilemma: be productive or relax.  Before departing for my hike, I'd had all kinds of ideas about getting things done in the hotel room.  In the end, though, I took a bath (to sooth my sore muscles and joints) and, after that, felt so relaxed that I only wanted to watch movies and read.  My workout definitely made me feel sleepy earlier than normal but I didn't go to bed until 2230.  It's been a good work week - another site has new hardware installed!  Very glad to have taken advantage of the amazing, unseasonable weather - hopefully, I can get some more good NCT miles this weekend...  North Country Trail Today = 8.0 miles / Grand Total NCT = 108.3 miles

Pittsburgh Trip - Day 4

We were still working at the Pittsburgh Airport at midnight and continued into the early hours of the new day.  Unfortunately, the team I was working with was slower than they'd advertised.  To stay awake with them, I drank coffee throughout the night - it seemed to help.  At around 0330, we finally got going in earnest and I had some hope we'd get gone by the deadline (0500).  Eventually, though, it became clear that I (as the on-site lead) would need to ask for some extra time from the local site personnel.  This request was granted and we finished all of our testing at around 0530.  By that point, I was exhausted and a bit frustrated - fortunately, I kept my cool.  Soon after the site accepted the new equipment, I met up with the team, told them they had done a good job and said goodbye as they started to trickle out of the building.  For my part, I left the Pittsburgh Airport at 0600.  Outside, it was rainy but still warm (50s). My drive was uneventful and I arrived at my hotel by 0615.  Bonus: breakfast was open at the Staybridge Suites (Pittsburgh) and I was able to get some before I conked out for the "night"; by 0630, I was in my room and immediately went to sleep.  Over the next few hours, I managed to get about 2.5 hours of sleep.  Awake again by 0900, I got online and joined two important meetings (between 1000 and 1200).  After that, I skipped lunch and went back to sleep.  This second attempt for a nap was successful but I was awake again by 1500.  Since my work day was already complete, I passed the time reading, working on puzzles and completing Duolingo exercises.  There was also some time to watch movies.  I got a surprising call from Eileen (she wanted to finalize plans for our meet up later in the month).  At 1720, I left the hotel and drove to the nearest Staples to do some recycling (ink cartridges and old tech).  Next (1735), I drove west on US-30 until I reached the town of Findlay (Village of Imperial).  I'd seen on the map that there was a hiking route in that area, the Montour (Rail) Trail and I found a trailhead for it at 1745.  By then, the rain had completely stopped and the temperature had settled.  I learned from some signs, brochures and an internet search that the trail was 47 miles and that I was hiking on a cinder section between mile marker 8.5 and 7.0.  It also turned out that the Montour Trail was part of a 200 mile bike trail between Cumberland, MD and Pittsburgh (and a larger, 400 mile trail between DC and Pittsburgh called the Great Allegheny Passage).  Starting from a parking lot next to the Altered Genius Brewing Company (Trailside Taproom), I walked east.  It was humid and the ground was wet.  There were plenty of birds and I even saw deer in the twilight.  Towards the half-way point of my walk, I found a paved section that took me to the entrance of the Elbow Tunnel.  From there, I backtracked to my car.  In the end, I hiked about 3 miles (1.5 miles out and back) and was done by 1845.  Because I was already parked in the lot for the Brewery, I decided to go inside to sample some of their beers.  Ultimately, I tried four beers, including "Grinch", "Real Nice Surprise" (good), "Hyde" (sweet potato) and "Rescue".  Frankly, I didn't like the "sweet potato ale" very much but the others were good.  While there, I talked with "mug club" members and the two ladies who worked there.  Everyone was very friendly.  I was finished with my beer tasting at 1930 and then headed back to the area near my hotel.  Before calling it a night, I stopped at Chick-fil-A at 1945 and ordered some dinner.  For some reason, it took almost 15 minutes to get my food but, as usual, it was good.  When I reached my hotel again (2015), I found that the parking lot was almost completely full - I felt lucky to find a spot to park.  Before going to my room, I asked front desk for late checkout.  For the rest of the evening, I caught up on blogging and finances.  I kept thinking about going to the Fitness Center but, by then, I'd already made my step goal for the day.  Also, I was feeling lazy after such a wacky day of working hours. So, instead of getting more exercise, I watched movies.  Bedtime was at 2315.  Feeling good about another successful Installation Trip!

Pittsburgh Trip - Day 3

Because I had an all night work period coming up, I tried not to get up very early.  As a result, I was still in bed, resting, at 0730 (yay!).  After that, I was able to do some reading, puzzles and Duolingo.  At 0845, I ran down to eat breakfast in the Lobby of the Staybridge Suites (Pittsburgh) and then hurried back upstairs to start teleworking (0900). After three hours online (1200), I took a break for lunch (leftovers from the Industry Public House).  Outside, it wasn't raining but there was evidence that it had been, off and on, through the night and morning.  The best thing, though, was that it wasn't too cold.  During my break, I successfully set up my printer (in order to catch up on some personal business).  I was back online at 1300 and was able to complete a few more meetings.  By this point, I'd reached the four hour mark for my day so decided to log off my computer.  Starting at 1430, I took nap; in the end, I managed to get about 90 minutes of good sleep.  After waking up (1600), I did a little more telework (reached 4.5 hour mark) and then went to Fitness Center for some exercise (1630).  I spent time walking on the treadmill and reached 2.5 miles for the day.  Next, I went biking (stationary machine) for 20 minutes (4 miles).  Even though there were windows near the gym, I was still not having any luck with birding for the day.  I had a 106 day streak going on eBird but, in the end, I had to admit that I was licked.  I even went outside on the way back to my room and, in the fading daylight, turned on my Merlin App in hopes of catching the sound of a bird at least.  No dice...  Oh well, it was a good run!  In my room again (1730), I got back online and capped off the telework portion of my day (reached 5.5 hours by 1915).  During this window, I did take a short break to get some dinner at the social hour in the hotel lobby (1815).  Unlike previous nights, this one only involved leftovers (broccoli, mashed potatoes, rice).  There were also options for pork or chicken but I decided against both.  I also didn't have beer (because I had to work later), only soda.  With dinner and work completed, I got prepped/packed for my return to the Pittsburgh International Airport and our all-night installation effort.  At 2010, I departed the hotel and drove back to the airport.  This time, there was some traffic on the way but I was still parked by 2025.  The air was full of moisture - no rain yet but definitely incoming.  Because the temps were in the 50s, I began to feel bad that I hadn't gone anywhere during the daylight hours.  Hopefully, I won't rue this decision...  Once inside the building, I met up with the rest of the Installation crew and (at 2100) we started working on the technology refreshment of the on-site computer equipment.  There was a lot of intense effort and a few delays - we worked through to midnight with hopes of finishing in the wee hours of the morning.  Still working at midnight...

Pittsburgh Trip - Day 2

I realized very early today that my cold was almost completely gone!  Actually, I really hadn't noticed it yesterday either but it felt good to "return to normal."  My morning began when I woke up at 0600 (before my alarm) at the Staybridge Suites (Pittsburgh).  I had time for reading, puzzles and Duolingo exercises before I got online for work (0615).  After checking my email and clearing work items from my desktop, I went to breakfast in the Lobby of the Hotel (0645).  There were a LOT of people there from something called "Trinity Solar" (they were wearing matching shirts) but, luckily, I found a chair to eat my food.  Back in my room, I returned to teleworking and then got ready for my Installation activities for the week.  Outside, it was very rainy and cooler (high 30s).  At 0800, I departed the hotel and drove through the weather (mostly on I-376 Business) for about 15 minutes to the north.  Before long, I reached the Pittsburgh International Airport.  This was the first time I visited this place since I'd landed on the runway a few times while in the Navy.  Entry into the airport complex was a lot different by car, though, and I was glad that I left early because it gave me a chance to check out the access requirements.  Since I was there early, I was able to talk to everyone on site before the rest of our Installation crew arrived (0830).  Once we got started with our project, we dealt with badging issues, space dilemmas (where to put our stuff?) and logistical challenges.  In the end, we had to carry pallets of stuff up a few flights of stairs but we worked through all of the issues.  This was my first time working with Damien (Site Installation Lead for our Contractor) and I found him to be quite easygoing and knowledgeable.  I also got to meet Stacy, one of the Program Manager types from company headquarters.  The only other members of the team that I'd met before were Lorenzo and Charlie.  Among the group, we had a good chat about lessons learned since we'd last been together.  Things have been going pretty well but there have been a few hiccups (for various reasons).  Crossing my fingers for a lack of drama at Pittsburgh...  For a lot of the day, I tried to assist the on-site rep, Gavin, who had never been involved in anything like this.  He was eager and interested, though, and even watched a lot of our unpacking and testing.  Most everything went just like it normally has but there was one scare - some equipment that was installed on site back in the 2012/2013 timeframe could not be located.  Since I'd seen this issue before, I worked with the local personnel to track down the items - eventually we located the old computers in a cabinet.  I guess it's a good thing we are doing this technology refreshment...  When we were finally done with all our Installation preparations and had coordinated our system outage for the following night, I left the airport (1500) and returned to the hotel (arrived at 1515).  Once in my room again, I resumed teleworking and stayed at it until I reached my 8 hours for the day (1600).  The rest of the afternoon included catching up on blog stuff, working on finances and continuing plans for my upcoming European Adventure.  At 1730, I went downstairs to the lobby to join the nightly social hour.  This time, there were green beans, rice and pork chops.  The food was very good!  There were also some flat bread slices and a free beer (I got a Yuengling again).  I was still eating in the Lobby of the hotel when Scott S (a former Navy Shipmate) finally got back to me about getting together for dinner or a drink (1755).  Despite the late hour (and the fact I'd just eaten), I told him I still wanted to meet up.  He suggested the Industry Public House, which was so close to my hotel that I was actually able to walk (across the Sam's Club parking lot) to it.  Even though it was raining, I was glad to get the extra steps - my umbrella was mostly effective...  At 1815, I arrived at the restaurant and found Scott and his sons.  After nearly 25 years, it felt like old times as we settled into sea stories.  Even though I was mostly full, I still ordered a snack (buffalo chicken and macaroni flatbread pizza) and local beer (Copper Ale from IPH).  Understandably, I didn't finish much of my new food - it will be nice to have leftovers tomorrow.  Overall, it was great to visit and catch up.  Scott's sons weren't too enthusiastic but I guess they had no say in whether they came with us.  We stayed at the restaurant until about 1915 and, after saying goodbye, I walked back (no rain this time) to the hotel (arrived at 1930).  In my room again, I spent time relaxing and trying to psych myself up for more activity.  Frankly, I wasn't very motivated... Finally, at 2140, I went to the hotel Fitness Center and biked for 20 minutes (4.1 miles).  Along the way, I finished my step count goal - yay!  Back in my room, I tried watching movies but the network quality of the hotel WiFi was as bad as I've seen at any hotel in months.  Oh well... Instead, I read and watched short videos (on YouTube) on my phone until going to bed (2330).  I've got a LONG day/night coming up again tomorrow but I'm stoked to get another airport tech refresh done!