St Patrick’s Day in Southwestern Pennsylvania was the breaking point for a long period of rainy weather. The evening’s sunset in clear skies was a treat for all of us that appreciate a colorful sky. Days and days of drab blue-gray clouds were getting old.

My wife and I were on our way into the city to celebrate with a pint o’ green beer and the rain stopped, the clouds cleared, and I immediately had to find a spot to document this wonderful event.

I decided on a spot along the Allegheny river, near the Veteran’s Bridge. I usually climb down the bank to a shallow spot with a decent view of the city, but after days and days of rain, the river level was unusually high. The fast moving water was much higher up the bank than I was used to and choosing a spot proved quite a challenge. Never one to be deterred and forgoing personal safety, I climbed down to the water line, through a small patch of thorns. Foolish in retrospect, but it allowed me to capture what I consider to be a perfect illustration of the pleasantness of the sunset and the treacherousness of the fast moving river.