Back from the pilgrimage

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Pittsburgh. Heinz Field. The Steelers. The Post-Gazette Pavilion. Roger Waters. Isabela on Grandview. Mineo's Pizza.

Wow. I'm so exhausted after two awesome days in Pittsburgh over the weekend that I can verbalize little more than that right now. Suffice it to say that my first live Steelers game was an incredible experience. The Steelers may have lost (making way too many mistakes against a good Bengals team), but it was so exciting to feel the energy that raged throughout the city leading up to the game, then to go to the game by foot along with so many thousands of others and to be a part of Steelers Nation, terrible towel and all.

Just as incredible was my first live Rogers Waters concert -- I've seen the Gilmour-Wright-Mason Floyd, as well as Gilmour and Wright on the former's recent tour, but never Waters. It was a fantastic show.

And Pittsburgh is a beautiful city. It clearly has its problems, like any big city, but it truly has one of the most awesome settings and skylines of any city I've ever been to. And that was particularly evident from up on Mt. Washington, with a view at night of the three rivers, the golden triangle, the soaring skyscrapers, and Heinz Field lit up in advance of the game, as well as from the drive in from the north and then coming across Ft. Pitt Bridge from the concert.

Great city. Great people. Great time.

**********

I'd like to thank Creature and Heraclitus for filling in for me during my absence. Heraclitus seems to have gotten the hang of it pretty quickly, eh?

I'll be back with new posts later today -- and not just on how much I love the Steelers -- but keep checking back throughout the day for new posts from all of us here at The Reaction.

My aim going forward is to provide even more content on an even more diverse range of topics, with new posts up throughout the day and night, with more for you to read and, should you feel so inclined, react to in comments. The co-bloggers, the guest bloggers, and I will do our best to maintain a high level of blogging worthy of your continued readership.

And now, on with the show...