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Three Hoods Hike

12/23/2014

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Part of walkers-only Bellair Place in North Beach is part roughly paved, part dirt, so guess this doesn’t count as one of the city's remaining “dirt roads” as it’s not all dirt. It’s between Pfeiffer and Chestnut, Grant and Stockton. There’s a street sign at 349 Chestnut; it starts off is a paved walk with plantings, then the part-dirt half. The last, lower, section is a vehicle street. First three pix.

It’s just down the street from the unique stairway-minipark that’s Jack Early Park. Pix 4 thru 8, 64 steps. 

This hike first took me up Nob Hill’s Joice stairway, 67 steps. Joice ascends from Pine partway to California St. Partway up, the altar is still there: 9 thru 12.

There was also the Stockton Tunnel stairway on my way to North Beach. This takes you from Nob Hill down into Chinatown, 40 steps: 13, 14.

Hillwalking over from North Beach, checked out Russian Hill’s Redfield Alley again, this time the part that Google Maps says is through out to Filbert. Not anymore. The gate was unlocked; it’s blocked off at the end with a basketball net standing against a wall. Saw no way up from this end but could see some of the garden above from here. 


So the alley has indeed been rerouted and now the way to see the stairway garden is by entering either from Taylor or Marion (entrance at Union for Marion; there’s a street sign here). Pix 15, 16, 17. 

The Macondray Lane steps as seen from across the street on Taylor, pic 18. 

Pic 19 is the top of Fallon Place at Vallejo. Can no longer find that library book about how Fallon used to look, written by a resident many years ago. It’s an up’n back; you can walk it but there’s no way out to Ina Coolbrith Park nor Mason St. below. Googling didn’t reward me with the exact title but it’s something like “The San Francisco Street of 80 steps.”

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1. Top of Bellair
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2. The top block of Bellair is walkers-only
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3. The first block's lower half is part dirt, part roughly paved
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4. Jack Early Park up ahead
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5. A unique stairway minipark
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6. Benches partway up
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7. 64 steps
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8. Top viewspot
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9. Joice, Nob Hill
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10. Pine St. partway to California
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11. 67 steps
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12. Joice stairway's altar has been there a long time
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13. Stockton tunnel steps down into Chinatown
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14. 40 steps
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15. Redfield Alley's dead-end at Filbert
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16. Redfield Alley at Filbert
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17. Enter Redfield's garden from either the Taylor or Union side
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18. From Taylor, Macondray Lane's stairway up
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19. Fallon Place down from Taylor next to Ina Coolbrith Park
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Rustic Roads Part 6

12/22/2014

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Continuing to explore San Francisco’s remaining “dirt roads.” 

Mayflower in east Bernal Heights has two unpaved sections where one can walk, two blocks of tangly vegetation where one can’t see where they’re stepping so best viewed from above/below, and a stairway for the lowest block.

These two middle blocks are not opened up to foot traffic and may never be. If I lived there I’d have some zigzag steps up the center and gardenize the area around it. But probably the residents to either side prefer it just the way it is. 

Walking east along Bernal Heights Blvd. first stairway passed was down to Gates, pic 1; second down to the top of Prentiss, pic 2. The third descends to what’s apparently the high-beginning of Mayflower: 3, 4. 


Pic 5: Mayflower just below Bernal Heights Blvd. is part dirt road, part roughly paved. 

Another stairway descends from Mayflower to Rosenkranz: 6, 7. 

Mayflower is approximately four blocks in all; Bernal, however, has shorter blocks than other city neighborhoods. 

To the west this short road turns and merges into Nevada. Nevada turns into Chapman and a stairway down, one of the newer eastside stairways. Google went up to where Nevada turns. On Streetview, you can see the stairway ahead leading up to Bernal Heights Blvd. from where it stopped at the dirt road. They didn’t follow it out to Carver. 

But the road comes out at Carver to the east. Cross Carver and walk past the parked vehicles here between houses (pic 8) to tiny Mayflower Garden with its few wood steps down to Bradford (9, 10).

Crossing Bradford, down from Bradford to Peralta is the first impenetrable tangle: The top, pix 11, 12. 

Google Maps shows a wide blank space between homes.

Around to Peralta. Here’s what the west slope looks like: 13, 14.

Around again for the foot of the westside Franconia slope: pic 15. The steps here don’t go all the way up. 

Cross Franconia to the top of the Mayflower stairway: 65 steps. It descends to Holladay: 16, 17, 18.

The freeway below Holladay, pic 19. 

House on Powhattan near Holladay: last pic. 


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1. Bernal Heights Blvd. down to Gates
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2. Bernal Heights Blvd. down to Prentiss
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3. Bernal Heights Blvd. down to Mayflower
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4. Mayflower up to Bernal Heights Blvd.
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5. Mayflower out to Carver
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6. Rosenkranz stairway down from Mayflower
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7. Down from Mayflower to Rosenkranz
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8. Cross Carver and walk between the vehicles to the Mayflower Garden
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9. Mayflower Garden steps down to Bradford
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10. Mayflower Garden, Bradford to Carver
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11. Bradford to Peralta
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12. Bradford down to Peralta
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13. Peralta slope down from Bradford
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14. Peralta up to Bradford
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15. Franconia up to Peralta, west slope
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16. East side of Franconia down to Holladay
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17. Mayflower stairway
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18. Franconia down to Holladay
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19. Freeway below from Holladay
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20. A house on Powhattan
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Rustic Roads Part 5

12/21/2014

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Bigler “Avenue,” Twin Peaks/Cole Valley, has no street sign and a few steps at the foot. It starts down where Clarendon and Twin Peaks Blvd. merge, descending to Belgrave. Before reading the “dirt roads” article that inspired these recent hikes, had no idea this short-but-steep dirt trail was supposed to be a named street. First three pix.

Started up from the #37 Corbett/Twin Peaks bus stop at the foot of the Clayton/Corbett Garden steps, then up the Pemberton stairway, 211 steps, to Graystone. Careful if you cross from the garden steps directly across to the foot of Pemberton as the street is curvy, there’s no crosswalk here, and the cars zoom around: 4, 5, 6. 


At the foot of Bigler, you can climb the steep west trail up to Tank Hill behind you (pic 7) or continue a couple blocks on Belgrave for its west dead-end and the uppermost trail into the Interior Greenbelt part of Mount Sutro Forest. 

This time to upper Stanyan and downhill on the 35 brick east sidewalk steps (pic 8) that start down from Belgrave for the next-highest Interior Greenbelt trailhead into the forest. Pic 9: Stanyan west sidewalk steps; pic 10: a few upper Stanyan homes with the forest as their backyards.   

Up the 16 trailhead steps (pic 11) and onto the lower Historic Trail: 12 thru 19.

Fairy Gates Trailhead at Medical Center Way: 20, 21, 22

Medical Center Way curves around (23, 24) 

Edgewood Trail: 25 thru 29 

Edgewood Ave. to Farnsworth Lane, its north dead-end (for vehicles): pic 30

Farnsworth Lane at the north dead-end of Edgewood Ave. Last seven pix, 149 steps down to Willard.

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1. Bigler, definitely a "dirt road"
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2. Down to Belgrave
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3. Bigler's foot at Belgrave
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4. Corbett/Clayton garden, center, from foot of Pemberton stairway
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5. Pemberton at Villa Terrace
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6. Villa Terrace
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7. Belgrave. Tank Hill, center, at its east dead-end
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8. From Stanyan's upper dead-end, 35 east sidewalk steps
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9. West sidewalk steps on upper Stanyan
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10. Mount Sutro Forest as their backyards
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11. Stanyan trailhead up to Interior Greenbelt's lower Historic Trail
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12. Between Stanyan homes, into the forest
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13. "Significant Natural Resource Area" sign as you continue into the forest
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14. Edgewood Ave. homes from lower Historic Trail
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15. Damp forest trails between rains
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16. A rough trail to the uppermost Interior Greenbelt trail at the west end of Belgrave
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17. Continuing on the lower Historic
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18. Climbing...
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19. Out to the end of the lower Historic
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20. Fairy Gates trailhead at Medical Center Way with North Ridge Trail above
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21. Fairy Gates trailhead
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22. Fairy Gates trailhead and the pedestrian walkway
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23. Medical Center Way curves around
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24. Curving round the mountain to Aldea Community Center
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25. Now on the Edgewood Trail
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26. Edgewood Trail switchback
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27. Green velvet off the Edgewood Trail
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28. Edgewood Trail out to Edgewood Ave.
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29. End at Edgewood Ave. Lower Historic Trail in distance.
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30. Redbricked Edgewood Ave.
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31. Top of Farnsworth. Continue to right for another trail into the forest.
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32. Top of Farnsworth Lane
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33. Farnsworth stairway, Edgewood to Willard
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34. Nasturtiums alongside the stairs
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35. 149 steps
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36. "To Edgewood Ave." sign at foot of Farnsworth
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37. Foot of Farnsworth Lane at Willard
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Rustic Roads Part 4

12/14/2014

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Summit and Ridge: High in the OMI. 

Before revisiting two street-signed dirt "roads" I was aware of in the OMI, detoured to Cayuga Park for a quick walk-thru. This little park has seen improvements since my last visit a few years ago. Paused for a few pix of Mr. Braceros’ wood carvings; only a short visit this time due to rain: First six pics. 

Out of the park and up the twisty ramp next to it that passes over the BART tracks. This will take you to an old pedestrian bridge above the freeway, to come out at Farallones & San Jose, pic 7. They should paint this like they did the over-freeway walkers' bridge in Potrero.

Ridge Lane in the OMI is indeed a “dirt road,” about three blocks worth.

Did not see an easy way up from (2447) San Jose Ave. Noticed fencing above; no obvious trail and no street sign down here. But it used to start up from San Jose since at 436 San Miguel there’s a street sign for “100 Ridge,” not "000 Ridge." But at San Miguel both ends are blocked off with fencing, above and below: 8, 9.

So around to the next street, Majestic, where there’s a view east and down from Ridge, a wide space between homes. Ridge ascends west from Majestic as a walkable dirt trail between buildings. See 2 Majestic/187 Ridge on Streetview: 10, 11.

Out at Louisburg/Margaret where the street sign says 300 Ridge: 12, 13, 14. 

It continues west from here, a true dirt street, ending up at the top of Howth (399 Howth) at Josiah: 448 Ridge: 15, 16, 17, 18.

Some digitals of Ridge I found from 2007: 19 thru 22.

Nearby Summit starts out as a street-signed unpaved trail at Majestic’s top dead-end, this last block of Majestic especially steep to trudge up, pic 23. The short trail climbs over to drivable streets Minerva and Summit. Atop this now green slope is an open viewspot with some steppingstones out to the vehicle streets. Pix 24, 25, 26.

Two houses on Margaret: 27, 28. 

Colorful house and fence on San Jose: last two pix. 


Despite its lack of much needed stairways, this area does have lots of smaller, older homes; excellent public transportation; Brooks Park; juicily steep streets; great views; and the Whole Foods Ocean Ave. branch at the foot of the hill, my destination after this hike.


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1. Cayuga Park
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2. Cayuga Park
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3. Cayuga Park
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4. Cayuga Park
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5. Cayuga Park
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6. Cayuga Park
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7. Up a zigzag ramp next to the park and onto this bridge o'er the freeway
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8. Ridge at Caine
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9. Ridge Lane is a wide spot between homes
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10. Ridge Lane
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11. Ridge at Majestic
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12. Ridge continues west
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13. Trail narrows
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14. Out at Louisburg/Margaret
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15. West end of Ridge
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16. West end of Ridge Lane
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17. Out at Howth/Josiah
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18. End Ridge
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19. THEN: Ridge Lane 2007
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20. THEN: Ridge Lane 2007
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21. THEN: Ridge Lane 2007
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22. THEN: Ridge Lane 2007. End at Josiah & Howth,
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23. Majestic, the steep, top part ahead, left
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24. Summit 000, top of Majestic
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25. Summit starts up at the top of Majestic
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26. Here Summit continues as a drivable street
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27. A house on Margaret
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28. The drawbridge house on Margaret Ave.
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29. San Jose colors
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30. Colorful fence on San Jose Ave.
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Rustic Roads Part 3

12/13/2014

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Poppy Lane and Ohlone Way, Glen Park neighborhood: “Take me home, country roads!”

Poppy Lane is uphill a little from Penny Lane and runs both east and west from Diamond. Its east side is the only one of the three Glen Park street-signed “dirt roads” that’s not through. It doesn’t downhill to Bemis; heading east you'll eventually reach a tangly dead-end. Pix 1 thru 9.

So back the way I came in to cross Diamond for Poppy’s west part. Seen from Diamond at the driveway it seems to dead-end, but it turns and comes out at Conrad: 10, 11, 12, 13. 

Not far from here, off Sussex, just west of Diamond, Ohlone Way starts downhill. Out at Surrey near Thor: 14 thru 22.

Here on Surrey a neighborhood book exchange, pix 23, 24, is full of books to take, leave, or both. Love this! The house is a long-loved older one, corner Lippard.

Last pic: A fence on Sussex.

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1. Poppy Lane east from Diamond.
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2. Looking back towards Diamond
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3. Looking back
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4. A view over someone's back fence
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5. Looking west
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6. A true "dirt road"
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7. Continuing east
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8. Slope above, backyard fences to right
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9. Poppy's east dead-end. An up 'n back.
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10. Starting up Poppy Lane west. Looking back.
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11. Moving west on Poppy Lane
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12. Poppy Lane west
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13. End of Poppy Lane west
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14. Top of Ohlone Way
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15. Ohlone Way downhills from Sussex
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16. Ohlone Way greenspot
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17. Moving south now
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18. Especially gorgeous after the recent rains
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19. You don't want to get to the end
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21. Nearing the end
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22. End of Ohlone Way at Surrey
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23. Neighborhood lending library, Surrey & Lippard
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24. Surrey Street's "Little Free Library"
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25. A Sussex fence
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Rustic Roads Part 2

12/12/2014

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This is the second in a series of re-explorations of unpaved "country roads" in the city.

Started out this Glen Park hike at the stepped entrance to Penny Lane up from Surrey. 

Surprise! There used to be just a few wood steps up from the sidewalk. This time counted 37 neighbor-built steps up to where you can head straight out to the beginning of the alley at Diamond. But 41 steps if you continue uphill to Sussex. 

Penny Lane up to Sussex: 1 thru 13

Penny Lane out to Diamond: 14 thru 18

Surrey houses: 19, 20, 21

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1. There used to be just a few steps up from Surrey
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2. Penny Lane starts up from Surrey
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3. Penny Lane up from Surrey
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4. Trail turns to left up ahead
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5. Looking back down
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6. Stairway garden
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7. Straight ahead will take you out to Diamond
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8. This way to Diamond St.
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9. This way up to Sussex
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10. Up to Sussex
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11. Out at Sussex
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12. Looking south
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13. Top of Penny Lane at Sussex
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14. West to Diamond St.
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15. Fuzzy fence
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16. A bit of country in the big city
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17. Continuing out to Diamond
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18. Art on the Lane
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19. Surrey colors
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20. Glen Park's Surrey St.
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21. Surrey St.
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Rustic Roads Part 1

12/11/2014

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Having recently thoroughly enjoyed a post-with-photos by Alexandra Kenin from The Bold Italic on Facebook:

http://www.thebolditalic.com/articles/6379-5-lesser-known-dirt-roads-in-sf

... realized I'd only walked one of these “dirt roads” recently, Glen Park’s Ohlone Way, but the others not for several years; maybe passing but not actually walking them. So this got me inspired to revisit. Especially curious about how Russian Hill’s Redfield Alley and Glen Park’s Penny Lane might look now, i.e., more garden-y. These two definitely exceeded my expectations.


This, then, is Part 1 of my own leisurely explorations of those mentioned in the post and others I was aware of from my own hikes.

To get to Redfield, first passed a few Russian Hill stairways: first four pix. 

Redfield is between Jones and Taylor/Filbert and Union. You enter it off Taylor; it now turns to emerge at Marion off Union. 


Redfield looks like an ordinary paved alley until you get a little way in. It then turns into an unpaved gardenspot. Hang a left and surprise! Now there’s a neighbor-made stairway/garden that climbs out to another little alley, Marion, a paved walkway out to Union. I remember Marion as a dead-end; now the two alleys connect. Highly recommended!

There are two benches alongside the steps and a couple of signs that state the area is a Certified Wildlife Habitat. 


Google Maps does not acknowledge Marion as a street when you enter the name. It doesn’t exist to them on Maps at all. Yet there is a street sign for Marion at 973 Union. So you can now enter off Marion, walk through the stairway garden and turn into Redfield, exiting at Taylor. And vice-versa: Redfield to Marion out at Union, pix 5 thru 20.


Redfield is shown on Streetview as coming out at Filbert (944) where it's paved and there's a short gate with a burglar alarm sign on it. Haven’t yet tried this. From the garden, however, this way looked blocked off.

Glen Park’s Penny Lane next post.


If there's anyone who hasn't yet learned of the plans to finish the artwork on the Lincoln Park steps in the Outer Richmond, here's what these steps will look like, thanks to Hidden Garden Steps. This will be San Francisco's fourth tiled stairway.

http://www.lincolnparksteps.org/index.html
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1. Broadway sidewalk steps up from Taylor
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2. Taylor & Vallejo up to the minipark
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3. Green up from Taylor partway to Jones
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4. Macondray Lane steps up from Taylor
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5. Redfield at Taylor
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6. Redfield's paved at first
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7. Into the "dirt road" part
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8. Continuing ...
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9. Nasturtiums and ivy
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10. Delightful little green alley
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11. Turn left here
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12. Stairs ahead!
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13. Climbing the garden steps
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14. View of backyards from the garden
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15. Two welcoming benches on the stairway
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16. Residences on Marion at the top of the stairs
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17. Two walkways on Marion with a center garden
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18. The sign says "Certified Wildlife Habitat"
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19. Out at Union
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20. There's a street sign for Marion at its Union entrance
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    I like meandering around on San Francisco's park trails and public stairways, sometimes taking photos, and enjoying nature and the outdoors.

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