We were able to get free admission to the Carnegie Science Center, including the submarine.

We walked onto the sub and up to the bow, then down. This was a Radar Picket Sub, commissioned in 1944. It was decommisioned in 1968 and used as a training vessel until 1972. Then it was a tourist attraction in Florida and was brought to Pittsburgh in 1990.

The guide told us about the last captain of the boat being 274 pounds and tall to boot. How in heck he ever got through those hatches I'll never know. Our guide was making much of the cramped quarters. There were 75 to 80 men on average 75- 90 days out. They needed 4 tons of food, which was stashed everywhere. The bunks were hot, shared among three men, in 8 hour stretches. They got 50% more pay for times out at sea (the sub was commissioned just in time to miss the World War). In the War, there were 55 subs lost, 1 in 5. I remember seeing that at our Veteran's Day parade, as well. I appreciated even more my submariner Captain Grandfather, who was in Nimitz' fleet in the Pacific.

Our guide particularly was obsessed with the smell. One of the places food was stashed was the shower, but even once it was cleared out, it was difficult to get to and you didn't get much water. The subs were called "pig boats" for a reason, and the smell lasted 2 months on the men and their clothing after they got back to land. (I guess I should appreciate my grandmother, as well!)

I was feeling a little cramped two rooms in, and the tour group, 35 people, added to the closed-in feeling. When we finally got off (yes, it was interesting) I grumbled to Rich: "The next time I get you up on a winding mountain road, you better not complain!" "Uh-oh!" he said. "I forgot!" Yes, indeed, I'm mildly claustrophobic, and this was not the best place for me!

Then we looked at the rest of the Science Center. The virtual pingpong was interesting to watch. It was beginning to get dark, and it had been a full museum day, so we left. Ed was trying to help Rich remember where he, Rich, used to walk when he came to the Northside, besides the old Buhl Planetarium. (I remember the train layout, but it was being readied for Christmas so we couldn't see it till after Thanksgiving). They couldn't find the place, though later in the week Rich thought maybe it was just West Park, just a chance to get away from the house for awhile. Ed meant to cross the Ohio at I-79 but was talking so we went downriver (north: it should be UPriver!) to Coraopolis and crossed there and went home.

After dinner, (golapki!) Rich and I left to meet the ax-murderess.