A skate at the Winter Classic Community Rink

 

In what has become a Christmas tradition for Maggie and I, we've gone outdoor skating in Pittsburgh.  Last year, we skated at the public rink in PPG Plaza.  But this year was different, and on a Christmas Eve that is typical of a Pittsburgh winter gray, overcast, and just cold enough to support a fresh layer of snow in the morning, we had a memorable experience at the 2011 Winter Classic Community Rink.  The rink, which was constructed as part of the festivities for the 2011 Winter Classic between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, is located just outside of Heinz Field.

In the time span of five days, the parking lot that sits between Stage AE and Heinz Field was transformed into a regulation ice rink where public skating, youth, high school, and college hockey games will take place.  Sure it's not a Rockfeller Center, but you really can't beat skating outside with an entire city skyline as a backdrop!



If you follow this blog or know me, you know that I am a big hockey fan.  So being able to skate at the Winter Classic Community Rink was an amazing experience.  The Winter Classic has in four short years become hockey's Super Bowl, an event that captures the interest of the hardcore and the casual fan.  What started out as a novelty on January 1, 2008 in Buffalo has become a staple of the hockey calendar and New Year's Day.

The goosebumps I felt while out on the ice and seeing and sharing the smiles and excitement of all that were on the ice that afternoon is something you don't see or get everyday.  Kids in their favorite Pittsburgh Penguin jerseys racing down the ice.  One child, who was a far superior skater than I, was making - or at least trying to - snow angels at center ice.  Fans and families who may not have tickets to the game taking photos on the rink as a souvenir from just being there.



After spending some money on Winter Classic Memorabilia, which has been proudly added to our growing sports loft, we entered the rink when it opened to the public at 3 pm.  Maggie decked out head to toe in her Hurricanes gear attracted the attention of Pens fans and of the media.  We were both interviewed by KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh making the evening news.  We were also interviewed by Dan Rosen at NHL.Com.

As for skating, things started out rough.  We were on rental skates, but once we sat down again and tightened the skates, there was no trouble at all!  The atmosphere was entirely festive as more and more people began to make it onto the ice.  Even Santa stopped by - arriving on a zamboni!



As for the Winter Classic, I am extremely excited about the event.  Throw in that it's in Pittsburgh and it adds that much more.  The game has become a celebration of hockey and its fans.  In an age where most big sporting events are more oriented to the corporate sponsors.  The NHL Winter Classic truly celebrates the roots of a sport that not only the fans love and enjoy the players do as well.

My entire Winter Classic Community Set can be found on flickr.

Western Tennessee/Kentucky Roadtrip

Earlier this month, I took a trip along the various backroads of Western Tennessee and Kentucky with Billy Riddle.

The loop route went as follows: US 70, TN 47, TN 49, TN 147, TN 69A, US 641, TN 54, TN 22, US 51, Purchase Parkway, US 45, KY 121, KY 80/(US 68) , and I-24 into Nashville.

For the entire flickr photo set - head here.

Our first stop was a walk around Billy's hometown of Kingston Springs, Tennessee.  The small Cheatham county town along the Harpeth River has slowly become one of Nashville's more popular bedroom communities.

Kingston Springs' downtown is a mix of small cafes, restaurants, even a bar or two...



...with traditional Southern small town features.



There are also some older items in town that caught my eye.  Like this old fire call box - only a few blocks from the fire station.



The former train depot in town sits perpendicular to the train tracks.  I wonder if it had been moved.  It appears that it has been in various stages of restoration and uses.



Just east of town is an abandoned truss bridge over the Harpeth River.



The bridge is in disrepair and is blocked off so no one can cross it.

From there is was towards Charlotte - and a glimpse of a rare Tennessee signed multiplex of two state routes.



Then through Erin and Tennessee Ridge to the Houston-Benton ferry that carries TN 147 over the Tennessee River/Kentucky Lake.



The ferry only costs $1, as Billy shows with his receipt below, and appears to have a fair volume of traffic.



There is some character to the surroundings of the ferry. As an abandoned rail bridge...



..and what appears to be an abandoned warehouse or boat launch, sit south of the ferry landings.



from there it was towards Paris and west to Dresden where we would pick up TN 22.  Along the way, in the town of Como, we came across an old general store with a Pepsi ghost sign.



From Dresden we took TN 22 to Union City.  TN 22 with a little help could possibly become Interstate 169.  For now, it's just a nice interstate grade freeway from Union City to Martin.





Why TN 22 may have some trouble ever becoming I-169 is that the freeway ends with a diamond interchange with US 51.  Also, Interstate 69 will run slightly north and west of where TN 22 meets US 51 today, so building an extension of the TN 22 freeway would have to be built as well.



Speaking of Interstate 69, we did check out some of the I-69 construction north and west of Union City.  Most of the photos taken were near the Goodyear Plant.







Some shots at what will be an interchange with TN 5.





And outside of Union City - in this case on US 51 North headed towards Kentucky - there is a Future I-69 Corridor sign.  They would be very common along the corridor route in both Tennessee and Kentucky.



Once in Kentucky, we took the Purchase Parkway to Mayfield - where this interchange with US 45 will need an upgrade when I-69 rolls around.



From Mayfield, we took the new four lane KY 80 east.  Here's an example of what the new highway looks like.



To get to Land Between the Lakes on US 68/KY 80, you have to cross great old truss bridges on either side.  The first, for eastbound travelers, is this bridge over the Tennessee River.



A recent widening project has made US 68/KY 80 to four lanes throughout the Land Between the Lakes.  It is an easy and, even on a dreary, blustery, and bone chilling cold December afternoon, scenic drive.



Though these Hellvetica US 68/KY 80 shields need to go.



..and exiting Land Between the Lakes on another old truss bridge, this time over Lake Barkley.



Now on I-24, we came to where the Pennyrile Parkway extension south from Hopkinsville meets I-24.  Though the new road and interchange weren't open.  The signs for the new exit (81) were installed and uncovered.



Now some in the hobby will be unhappy that the new sign is in clearview.  I do have commentary on that, and you can read it here.

We took I-24 southeast into Nashville, where a blanket of grey flannel skies really took away from a spectacular approach and view of the city's skyline.  (That and all of the trucks on I-24/65).

Billy, myself, and Seth Dunn then met up to watch the Nashville Predators defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2.  To see photos from that set, go here.

Some Massachusetts Construction Photos

Since I've moved here to Mass. from NC, things are less exciting on the highway construction front. No one is building new interstates or toll roads, for better or worse. Most of the projects have to do with reconstruction of bridges and adding lanes to existing highways. Of the latter, the major project closest to me is the adding of an additional lane along 'Route 128' from I-93 Exit 4, MA 24 in Randolph north to I-95 Exit 20, MA 9 in Wellesley. The project began several years ago with the replacing and/or widening of bridges to cross 8-lanes of traffic, instead of 6. After bridges in a certain area were replaced, work began on widening the highway and placing new signage, some vastly improved over what previously existed. Bridge work and widening has largely concluded between the end of I-93 to US 1 in Dedham. Bridge work also has been completed along I-93 between exits 4 and 2 and work on widening by replacing the grass median by concrete barriers is continuing. When the barrier work is done, new signs tend to spring up. This is the latest sign to appear:
This is an improvement over the former small sign that just had a I-95 shield and '2 Miles' below it. However, it has some problems at the moment. I-93 Exit 1 is for I-95 South to Providence. You don't have to exit for I-95 North. I suspect, given the large space after the 1 on the exit tab, that like the MA 3 north merge onto I-93 North in Braintree which was unlabeled but is now designated as Exit 20A, and with the beginning of I-93 a non-ramp 3 lane 'Exit 12,' that eventually this exit sign will say Exits 1A and B and by not exiting onto current Exit 1 you'll be taking 'Exit 1A' onto I-95 North.

Here are the next set of new signs southbound, which went up about a month ago:
These are fine, except they have not put up new MA 138 exit signs before these at the 1 mile mark as of yet. You can see the concrete median barrier that will replace the grass median on the left. Below is a closer shot of the progress they are making in clearing the median for paving and installing the barrier, they are almost to the MA 138 bridge:
The barriers continue almost to the I-95 interchange, but placing asphalt for lanes probably won't restart until March or April. Here's the start of the median project heading north on I-93/US 1 with the MA 138 interchange in the distance:
You can see the pavement needs to be replaced badly, there are several potholes and winter hasn't even begun yet. Heading further north one can see the first sign replacement from last summer for the exit to MA 24, changing from a typical BGS to a diagrammatic sign:
The area to the left is one of the entrance areas for construction vehicles working on the median barrier, once a 1/2 mile or so section is complete the jersey barriers are taken down and replaced by orange barrels. Two newer signs have appeared for the next exit in the past month:
There's one previous sign that has not been changed. The new sign at the ramp is the last new sign heading northbound on I-93 (a sign replacement project, a separate contract is supposed to take care of replacing the signs north of MA 24 to Boston, but it has not started yet even though it was let in late 2008).

The new lanes have mostly been placed on I-95 from where I-93 ends past US 1, but it is still a 3 lane highway each way due to construction of sound barriers:
The orange barrels are in the future breakdown lane, they get moved out at least 1 lane when construction is going on. The sound barriers go north from after Exit 13 all the way up the ramp for Exit 14, as seen here:
The sign for Exit 15B is in somewhat a violation of MUTCD, since it calls for a sign for the next exit, Exit 15A (To MA 1A). Since US 1, however (unmarked along its routing with I-95 north as it is) is leaving the interstate at this point, I guess it takes precedence. The last section of bridge widening work is now starting on north of MA 109 (Exit 16). The entire project is supposed to wrap up in about 3 more years.

Photo Extra--
Some Springfield Meet photos. Here's a view of the Connecticut River and bridge from Springfield's riverfront park:
A view across I-91 of the Springfield cityscape:
And since it wouldn't be a road meet without a sign photo, here's a view of a sign for the MA 83 Exit off of I-91:
I will continue to take photos of newer signs along I-93 (hopefully including the Southeast Expressway section) as they appear.