Interesting what you will find...

So many "surprises" await visitors at the Carrie Furnace site. Some of them are lovely and sublime like the image above. While this "surprise" was pleasant, others are not and are often quite destructive to the site and detrimental to it's future . To this end, we all need to work together to help to protect Carrie so that we can preserve it for this and future generations and create a wonderful and sustainable environment for everyone to enjoy.

The week that was...

photograph by Michael Reiss

This past Wednesday, I accompanied Michael Reiss (www.mikereiss.com) on his photographic tour and shoot of the Carrie Furnace site. Mike, in his quest to document the region, had contacted us for permission to access to the site (which is the RIGHT way to do things). I had the pleasure to spend the day with him as he worked. Mike showed the utmost respect for the site and was very understanding of some of the limitations that it presents (trust me, the positives far outweigh the negatives) realizing that for his own safety, and for the long term safety and survival of the site, that there are certain areas that we cannot allow visitors to access. In addition to his website listed above, Mike has posted some of his images from the day on his Facebook site. Take a look, I think you will really like what you see:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.219312561415965.68462.126115117402377

and

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.219316804748874.68465.126115117402377

On Friday, as we ready ourselves and the Carrie site for the upcoming tour season, Volunteer Rick (the ever industrious one) assisted ROS in tackling some of the on-going maintenance and safety issues. Railings are being added, stairwells shored up, and unsafe areas are being secured to ensure the safety of our visitors. The work will be continuing for duration of the season (and beyond), so keep an eye out for improvements and be sure to thank Rick when you see him!

Cleanup Time...

Now it begins, let it begin
Cleanup Time
Hey, cleanup time
Cleanup time
Well, well, well

However far we travel
Wherever we may roam
The center of the circle
Will always be our home
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, cleanup time
"Cleanup Time" (John Lennon)

Yesterday, on a wet and rainy Friday, Stacy, Tiffani, Marsha (our peerless and fearless volunteer), Bridgett (the invaluable intern), Derrick (marauding volunteer of WVU fame), and myself tackled the mass of litter down at the Pump House. It never ceases to amaze me how much garbage can accumulate in one place. The site was overrun with fast food wrappers, a sundry of other junk food wrappers, and a variety Waterfront associated debris and filth. Obviously we need to entice people to not only STOP LITTERING but also to learn to eat better food!

Then today, in preparation for our up coming tour season, (the first public Carrie Furnace tour kicks off on April 30th. For information and ticketing go to: www.riversofsteel.com), Tiffani and I were joined by some hardworking and energetic scouts from Munhall (lead by their troop leader, our very own Controller Deluxe, Doug), five alumni of Baldwin-Wallace College, and Rick (the ever industrious volunteer) at a cleanup of the Carrie Furnace site. We gathered up a ton of trash and debris (OK, not literally a ton, though it sure felt like it), and generally made the site safer and more presentable for our soon-to-be enraptured visitors. We did a really good job filling up my truck, and subsequently our dumpster with lots and lots of stuff.

To everyone who lent us a hand over the past few days, we say:
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!