OUT IN THE WORLD WITHOUT YOUR CAR: Walking the San Francisco Crosstown Trail

ECS&R members share their car-lite adventures

By Steve Price and Janet Byron

El Cerrito is the perfect launching pad for myriad adventures that don't require cranking up a personal car! We walked the San Francisco Crosstown Trail starting with a walk to El Cerrito Plaza BART. Our trailhead starts at the Glen Park BART station in San Francisco and continues 5.2 miles to the Inner Sunset neighborhood. 

The trail is the work of volunteers. As their website describes it, "The full length of the trail is just under 17 miles . . . The trail is a mix of about 45% roads and sidewalks, 15% paved off-road paths, and 40% trails." It is composed of five segments — walk as many segments as you want. 


Along the way are several connections to public transportation if you tire and want to head home. Janet and Steve walked the second and third segments, which have lots of surprising trails through nature, spectacular views, diverse neighborhoods, and beautiful decorated stairways. These segments also have the most elevation gains, so be prepared for hill-climbing and long stairways.


So many adventures start with BART

We took BART to the Glen Park BART Station

Heading up Glen Canyon Park

Glen Canyon Park has lots of nature vibes

You can end this segment by taking MUNI back to BART

Expect long stairways to Grand View Park

Grand View Park!


The descent includes two spectacular decorated
stairways. Don't for get to look backward!

We took MUNI back to BART and home

Do you have a low-carbon adventure you'd like to share with El Cerrito Strollers & Rollers? It needs to start and end in El Cerrito and can be daylong or multiple days but using minimal fossil fuels — by foot, bicycle, train, hot-air balloon. It can include a rental car for part, but not one you own — leave yours at home. Please tell us about an adventure that you can document with photos. Let us know at elcerritostrollroll@gmail.com.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CalWalks-SafeTREC report promotes safer streets for El Cerrito and Richmond Annex

Image
A new report from California Walks and the University of California Safe Transportation and Education Center (SafeTREC) highlights strategies to promote safer streets in El Cerrito and Richmond Annex, especially for slowing down traffic and making pedestrian- and bike-friendly improvements on San Pablo Avenue, Central Avenue, Carlson Avenue, and Cutting Boulevard. “ El Cerrito and Richmond Annex Summary and Recommendations Report ” is the culmination of a workshop convened on July 25 by the Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program (CPBST), a project of California Walks and SafeTREC. After a 2-month planning process, about 35 participants met virtually, including residents, and representatives from the El Cerrito Strollers & Rollers, Richmond Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committees, the cities of El Cerrito and Richmond, West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee, El Cerrito Trail Trekkers, and others.   The goals of the CPBST workshop were to improve walking and
Read more

OUT IN THE WORLD WITHOUT A CAR: The Spring Ride

Image
By Laura Lent Since 2002 I have been part of an informal group of friends who go on an annual bike tour we call the "Spring Ride."  We've bike camped our way from the Antioch BART station to Yosemite and various Sierra foothill destinations, we've gone north and south along the coast, and we've taken AMTRAK to Bakersfield and ridden north through Carrizo Plain. We've stayed at a dozen different campgrounds in the "reservoir belt" of the Sierra foothills.   Laura Lent at this year’s Spring Ride. Photo: Joel Pomerantz We generally carry our own gear in panniers, but are often joined by and sometimes partially sagged (support provided and gear carried) by friends in vehicles. A core group rides the entire time, while others join as they can.  While we delight in searching out bucolic backroads, canalside trails, and creative shortcuts, it's always necessary to ride on some busy roads as well. The Spring Ride is not about getting there quickly, but a
Read more

HURRAH FOR USABLE BIKE RACKS! El Cerrito Natural Foods

Image
What is an essential destination for daily living, a place that sustains basic metabolic life? A grocery store! How should you get there if you can't afford a car? You should be able to walk, take a bus, or ride a bicycle. El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company is accessible by all three modes. It is a short walk for nearby residents of El Cerrito and the Richmond Annex—from El Cerrito, crosswalks on San Pablo Avenue deliver you to its front door; it is also on one of the busiest bus routes in the Bay Area—AC Transit’s 72 bus; and it welcomes bicycle riders with visible bicycle racks right near its front entrance. Its inverted-U racks make it easy to lean and lock a bike without the bicycle tipping over. El Cerrito Natural Grocery Company is a role model for providing access to an essential destination for everyone, even if you're car-free. Good bicycle racks help make it so. Wouldn't it be great if every business was this accessible?!
Read more