Pax and I were playing in the Presidio the other day and my mind started wandering back to my very first trip into the park when we first moved to SF. Generally when I move to a new city, or even a new block, I like to get the lay of the land by putting Pax on a leash (or not) and just cruising the neighborhood. I never really worried about getting lost or being late for anything. I'm the new kid in town, had very few appointments to keep. I also was equipped with a handy iPhone that could tell me driving, walking, transit, and biking directions from my "current location" (in case I wasn't sure where that was) to "home". It was a super helpful feature until I upgraded the operating system without upgrading the phone. Don't do that.
Anyway, as it began to get dark and Pax pulled his typical not-ready-to-go-home-yet roll in the grass, I had to laugh about how hard it was for me to initially find an entrance into the Presidio. I'll give away the ending now - there is a street called Presidio that has an entrance. Yes. I thought the best (and more entertaining) way to show you my initial failures would be a series of map illustrations. -update: there will be one map. I can only get away with SO much my last week of work. . .
ATTEMPT 1 - failure - see red line
Maps are awesome - love them. Before heading out on this walking adventure, I glanced at a map to see what cross street I needed to find. That quick glance told me that if I just walk up my street to Pacific, I'd then be walking along the park. I failed to use the "Terrain" version of the map and also, apparently, failed to look up past a few blocks. Otherwise, I would have realized that this route included walking up a hill steeper than an intermediate slope in Breckenridge. Kind of reminded me of when I lived on top of a mountain. Sledding to work. . . nostalgia will be for another post. Anyway, after hiking up the giant hill with sea-level legs and lungs, I reach the street that runs alongside the park. Surrounded with a wall. A WALL??!? I'm annoyed. Pax is confused. We jump the wall, walk around a bit, miss the many trail heads, signs, placards and head home unsatisfied.
ATTEMPT 2 - less of a failure - good for a post work walk - cyan line
I will not be deterred. I can see that this awesome space is wooded and yet safe. Mountainous and beachy. Perfection in a city. Pax and I head out again, this time finding an entrance at the intersection of Lyon and Presidio (go figure). This trip we walk down Lover's Lane, past Inspiration Point, and find ourselves at an exit. Medium success - lets go home before we get lost.
ATTEMPT 3 - mild success - Magenta line
WOW! Look at all this - if I walk past the golf course, around Mountain Lake, over US-1, through the woods (no p, I am not on a bear hunt) I reach the cemetery, an incredible view of the bridge, and a steep but accessible trail to crissy field. Pax is in heaven romping in the waves after suffering through my habit of getting lost.
ATTEMPT 4 - Local Knowledge - Yellow
This place is heavenly. I'm never lost in here. The beach, lakes, bay are all directional aides. More trails in here than you can find in any city. All safe for Pax to run nekkid with reckless abandon. It is my most favorite place in SF. I'm pretty sure it is Pax's favorite too. Every time I leash him up to start the walk home, he acts like an old dog, limping and sulking all the way home until dinner.
For those of you who don't know the band America -
Lyrics to Walk In The Woods :
Would it matter to you
If we just took a walk
To see where this path leads to
Maybe stop in awhile
Lay down, see you smile
Looking up at those clouds in view
It doesn't matter that the sky isn't blue
A walk in the woods will do
Sometimes it's better just being alone
Being alone with you
With the snow in your hair
A crystal halo you wear
While the chill winter air streams through
Amid the birch and the oak
Smell the fireplace smoke
And the warmth we will go home to
It doesn't matter that the sky isn't blue
A walk in the woods will do
Sometimes it's better just being alone
Being alone with you
Oh whoa ...
It doesn't matter that the sky isn't blue
A walk in the woods will do
Sometimes it's better just being alone
Being alone with you
Being alone with you
Anyway, as it began to get dark and Pax pulled his typical not-ready-to-go-home-yet roll in the grass, I had to laugh about how hard it was for me to initially find an entrance into the Presidio. I'll give away the ending now - there is a street called Presidio that has an entrance. Yes. I thought the best (and more entertaining) way to show you my initial failures would be a series of map illustrations. -update: there will be one map. I can only get away with SO much my last week of work. . .
ATTEMPT 1 - failure - see red line
Maps are awesome - love them. Before heading out on this walking adventure, I glanced at a map to see what cross street I needed to find. That quick glance told me that if I just walk up my street to Pacific, I'd then be walking along the park. I failed to use the "Terrain" version of the map and also, apparently, failed to look up past a few blocks. Otherwise, I would have realized that this route included walking up a hill steeper than an intermediate slope in Breckenridge. Kind of reminded me of when I lived on top of a mountain. Sledding to work. . . nostalgia will be for another post. Anyway, after hiking up the giant hill with sea-level legs and lungs, I reach the street that runs alongside the park. Surrounded with a wall. A WALL??!? I'm annoyed. Pax is confused. We jump the wall, walk around a bit, miss the many trail heads, signs, placards and head home unsatisfied.
ATTEMPT 2 - less of a failure - good for a post work walk - cyan line
I will not be deterred. I can see that this awesome space is wooded and yet safe. Mountainous and beachy. Perfection in a city. Pax and I head out again, this time finding an entrance at the intersection of Lyon and Presidio (go figure). This trip we walk down Lover's Lane, past Inspiration Point, and find ourselves at an exit. Medium success - lets go home before we get lost.
ATTEMPT 3 - mild success - Magenta line
WOW! Look at all this - if I walk past the golf course, around Mountain Lake, over US-1, through the woods (no p, I am not on a bear hunt) I reach the cemetery, an incredible view of the bridge, and a steep but accessible trail to crissy field. Pax is in heaven romping in the waves after suffering through my habit of getting lost.
ATTEMPT 4 - Local Knowledge - Yellow
This place is heavenly. I'm never lost in here. The beach, lakes, bay are all directional aides. More trails in here than you can find in any city. All safe for Pax to run nekkid with reckless abandon. It is my most favorite place in SF. I'm pretty sure it is Pax's favorite too. Every time I leash him up to start the walk home, he acts like an old dog, limping and sulking all the way home until dinner.
For those of you who don't know the band America -
Lyrics to Walk In The Woods :
Would it matter to you
If we just took a walk
To see where this path leads to
Maybe stop in awhile
Lay down, see you smile
Looking up at those clouds in view
It doesn't matter that the sky isn't blue
A walk in the woods will do
Sometimes it's better just being alone
Being alone with you
With the snow in your hair
A crystal halo you wear
While the chill winter air streams through
Amid the birch and the oak
Smell the fireplace smoke
And the warmth we will go home to
It doesn't matter that the sky isn't blue
A walk in the woods will do
Sometimes it's better just being alone
Being alone with you
Oh whoa ...
It doesn't matter that the sky isn't blue
A walk in the woods will do
Sometimes it's better just being alone
Being alone with you
Being alone with you
Attempt #1 sounds exactly like something I'd do in SF. In fact, I have similar "success" accessing various parts of Fairmount Park here in Philly. Totally stoked to traipse along the yellow line soon though :)
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