Youngstown

On Wednesday, after a day's respite at Mosquito Lake, I packed up and headed to Youngstown.

The heavy morning air gave way to rain as I pedaled away from the campground. I stopped to put on my rain jacket and then continued into the corpse-gray fog. A gauzy mist blurred the road ahead. Passing cars sprayed me with tidal waves of oily road sludge.

By the time I got to Youngstown, the rain had stopped, leaving behind a flat, monochrome gray sky. I tooled around briefly and then set up to paint next to the Youngstown Thermal Corporation Steam Heat Plant.

When I had finished painting, I went to check out a brewing company I had caught wind of -- the Rust Belt Brewing Company (so very appropriate). I locked my bike to a sign post outside the brewery and walked up to the door, where I was greeted with a 'Closed' sign. The brewery was only open Thursday through Sunday. Bummer. Still determined to try some of the Rust Belt Brewing Co. Product, I stopped at several local bars till I found one that served it. I ordered a bottle of 'Coke Oven Stout' (named after the Youngstown coal ovens of yesteryear). As I drank my beer, a blues duo performed on a small stage at the front of the bar. I got out my sketchpad and drew the musicians as they played. When I had finished drinking and drawing (sometimes a good combination, sometimes not) I packed up and headed to Pymatuning State Park to camp for the night.

Wednesday mileage: 61
Total trip mileage: 1070

Below:
Youngstown Thermal Corp. Steam Heat Plant

Painting and Plant together

The blues guys at the bar

Coke Oven Stout

According to several banners (and 'Entrepeneur Magazine') Youngstown is a 'Top 10 City for New Business'

Abandoned Building (maybe a good site for one of those new businesses...)