A series of pictures and factoids for Create's NaJoPoMo Challenge.

Major George Washington had a lot of problems. For one thing, his British bosses kept sending him into the Ohio Valley to deal with Indians and the French. The hotel situation being what it was, he had to put up in some pretty dodgy places. In his diary, he complains about the poor hygiene among Americans back then. Major Washington was fastidious. He really hated bedbugs. Unfortunately, the future Father of His Country got bit by them, a lot, in the Ohio Valley.

Then there was Queen Aliquippa. Seneca lady. She liked rum, apparently.

I went up about three miles to the mouth of the Youghiogheny to visit Queen Alliquippa, who had expressed great concern that we passed her in going to [ Fort Le Boeuf ]. I made her a present of a match-coat and a bottle of rum, which latter was thought much the better present of the two.

The name Aliquippa makes western Pennsylvanians laugh, because it's the name of a small town in Beaver County. Anyhow, Washington got around in the area, but he didn't enjoy it much. Which brings us to the bridge in the photo.

Right about where that bridge is, which is Fortieth Street in Pittsburgh, between Millvale and Lawrenceville, Major Washington had to cross the Allegheny. He didn't want to. The British made him do it. He was supposed to be giving the French an ultimatum. We know what happened with that ultimatum. You call it the Seven Years' War.We call it the French and Indian War. Anyhow, Washington almost didn't get there.

His raft turned over.

What is it with Washington and boats, anyway? The most famous picture of the man shows him standing up in a boat. On the Delaware. He's lucky it didn't capsize, too.

I liked that old bridge, because it was the quickest way to get from my house to the university. If you took the bus, you'd have to ride all the way downtown, change buses, and ride all the way back to Oakland from the Point. So it's a handy bridge.

Needless to say, Washington didn't drown. But I wonder: did all that running around the Brits made him do contribute to his later decision to command the Continental Army? After all, there's only so much of western Pennsylvania a Virginian can take.