PAPA 9 WORLD PINBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

PITTSBURGH, PA 

On the week of August 21, 2006, I was at the PAPA 9 World Pinball Championships in Pittsburgh, PA.  Although this was the place to be for tournament action, it was also the place to check out the best pinball collection I have ever seen, which included some rare ones.

This spacious facility, which was sold at some point, included a diverse collection of approximately 400 pinball machines.

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I left Richmond, VA around 10 am on Wednesday, August 16th.  Here's the scenic stop I checked out along 70 West I think.

I stopped at this rest stop also on Route 70 and took a nap.

Then it was time to get back on the road.

...continuing along Route 70 West on a nice summer day.

 Nice blue sky.

 Along 376 West, around 4 pm, I hit a bit of traffic, as I got closer to Pittsburgh.

 

Hm....a tunnel. That explains everything.

 

The sign says "congestion, next 1 1/2 miles."

Here's where I think I screwed up.  Somewhere around here or maybe before it, I missed an exit, and would up in downtown Pittsburgh, in rush hour traffic.  Everything happens for a reason though!

I got to the hotel after 6 pm, was checking in, and ran into my idol, Joe Flaherty of "SCTV." My favorite SCTV character was "Count Floyd" of "Monster Chiller Horror Theatre."  It turns out Joe was born in Pittsburgh, and was down from Canada visiting family.  Pardon the stupid handshake. I was so stunned to run into Joe, I forgot to drop my camera bag to get a good picture.  The hotel clerk is a worse photographer than me, hence the blurry photo, but it's all I have.

Thursday morning, 11 am, the doors open.  This is my first time here.  

I entered the facilities. The look on Rudy's face pretty much sums it up.

 

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