Seconds With Steff

Last night’s stay at the Lincoln Motor Court could not have been better… with the exception of Hunter’s snoring.

I’d read an article months ago, back when this trip was just a spark, about the last remaining motor court on the Lincoln Highway, and I knew immediately that I wanted to stay at this place, and I planned our entire trip around staying there. Three young men bought it and are refurbishing. It’s absolutely fantastic… comfortable, nostalgic, whimsical… exactly the kind of throwback charm you hope a place like this will have. They were warm and friendly, and we even sat around the campfire before bed.

My only regret is that we didn’t get to really stay — just a couple of hours before crashing, and then out the door first thing this morning.

The trio who bought it this past March are doing something genuinely special — saving a piece of Lincoln Highway history and giving it a future.

Our day started the same way yesterday ended… finishing the Heritage Corridor… more gas pumps… more murals… the last of the roadside giants… you don’t really need my commentary for those… so here are the pictures.

Our first big stop of the day was The Lincoln Highway Experience, and I timed our arrival perfectly. We pulled up just as the docent unlocked the door at 9:30. It’s such a great museum, although “experience” really is the better word.

Each room in this old house is dedicated to a different part of the Lincoln Highway. You get a handheld wand, press the button for the room you’re in, hold it to your ear like an old‑fashioned phone, and listen. It’s fun, fast, and engaging.

Then you step into a restored diner that used to sit right on the highway, complete with a slice of pie and a cup of coffee.

We spent more time there than I meant to, and you know me… I keep a schedule… so that really says something.

Hunter navigated us to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, and I think it’s one of my favorite zoo layouts yet. You’ve seen these animals before, so here are just a few photos.

My first‑ever escalator entrance to a zoo caught me off guard. You buy your ticket, walk in, and then take a huge escalator up to the real entry. It felt a little wild and a little off‑putting.

And then I had a proud mama moment. We were grabbing burgers inside the fast grab‑and‑go when “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” started playing. Hunter immediately announced, “This is my song. This is from Fall Out Boy.” I feel like I’ve done my duty as a mother.

The standout of the zoo was the Australian Outback exhibit — kangaroos, wallabies, kookaburras, and that blue bird Hunter loved, the Victoria crowned pigeon. The whole thing was incredibly creative. You walk through double doors and onto a prickly little bridge or trail, winding your way from aviary to aviary, slowly climbing a massive hill without even realizing it.

Then came the Mr. Rogers mission. I desperately wanted to see Pittsburgh’s tribute to him — I missed it when I went to Fallingwater because it was raining, so this felt like my chance.

We were sitting at the light to cross the Roberto Clemente Bridge, less than a mile from the Mr. Rogers statue, when the skies opened and the deluge began. Downpours, lightning, thunder… but at least no alerts on the phone. So Mr. Rogers was skipped again, and I’ll say this clearly: I could not have gotten out of Pittsburgh without Hunter.

Now, please understand, drivers have two choices when entering Ohio. You can stay on the 1913 route, remain in Pennsylvania, and follow the north side of the Ohio River through neighborhoods and small towns for about sixty miles. Or you can dip into West Virginia for thirteen miles and end up in the exact same place … the World’s Largest Teapot in Chester, West Virginia. Guess which way we went in the rain…one day I’ll learn. It just wasn’t today.

World’s Largest Teapot which was built in 1938 as a promotional structure for the Rock Springs Pottery company and later used as a roadside stand selling pottery and souvenirs. It was restored in the 1990s

At one point, it was late in the day, and I was really feeling it. We wound through neighborhoods trying to reconnect with the Ohio River Road, only to find the road closed. Tried another way and ended up next to train tracks. Good old‑fashioned GPS to the rescue … at least I haven’t had to break out my Rand McNally… yet (yes, I really do have one with me).

And then it happened! A year ago, I had never even heard of it… and suddenly it has become one of the most important places in my life.

Hunter and I arrived at the Point of Beginning: the exact spot where the survey of the United States’ western lands officially started. The historic marker sits right on the Ohio–Pennsylvania state line and commemorates the “Point of Beginning” required under the Land Ordinance of 1785. This is the origin point for all section lines in the Midwest… the place where the grid that shaped entire states first took form.

Standing there felt different. Everything west of that line was measured from this single point. And now it’s stitched into our story too.

I’ll tell you about dinner and sleep tomorrow, but I will say, that I really do hope the people who sat next to us read this. They made my night so incredibly enjoyable!!!!!!!

Unreliable Summary ~ An Experience, A Zoo, and a Big Tea Pot.