Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 2 — A good chunk of the morning was spent getting my car’s oil changed, but this provided an excuse to drive a rarity of the US interstate system — an unsigned, suffixed route — I-480N, connecting I-271 and mainline I-480. I also passed the new I-90 bridge then under construction, and had a much smoother ride past Dead Man’s Curve.
Route: I-271, I-480N, I-480, local streets, OH 14, I-480, OH 161, I-90, OH 2 to 9th St; OH 2, I-90, I-271
But aside from eating downtown and doing a bit of wandering around Public Square, the day was devoted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. All of the pictures below can be seen in a larger size if opened in a new window/tab.
The starting point is a 12-minute intro film with the roots of rock and roll, drawing from gospel, blues, bluegrass, hillbilly. Then the doors open from the theater into the museum. Going up from the lower levels, where many guitars and outfits and various musical/concert artifacts were on display, there were specific exhibits — on the evolution of music players, Les Paul, a film of inductees by year, and two floors on the Rolling Stones’ 50th anniversary. At the turn of the century, I would’ve agreed with this article that says the first few bars of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” are the second-most famous opening guitar riff in history behind “Smoke on the Water.” However, the overexposure of “Seven Nation Army” in the past decade, especially at sporting events (warning: Deadspin), is giving both of those a run for their money.
Rock-n-roll is an important part of American cultural and pop cultural history, and I considered the day time well spent. (As for another part of American culture, the Cleveland Indians lost a wild-card game that night.)
The Civil War monument at Public Square is also a recommended visit.
Bronze relief of Abraham Lincoln inside the Cuyahoga County Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument.