Hill Yes!

My god, today I did a total of 12 hills, up and down and up and down I went! Since this journey has begun there are certain places around the hill that I have been dreading. I conquered one of those areas last week, the stinky streets of 15th W, Nickerson, Mercer and Aurora. The other area I have been dreading is the huge steep hills coming down from 5th W including Barrett, Fulton, Smith, Raye....Well, they are all done now.

You know its steep when your feet are at a 45 degree angle to your legs, ok, perhaps I am exaggerating! I only wish I had one of those fancy altimeter watches. I felt like I climbed thousand feet. It was tougher than some of the hikes I have taken. Good thing it wasn't too hot today, nice breeze helped to both keep me cool and feel like I was hiking in the mountains!

Started out by SPU and spent my first street walking down 7th W toward Fremont. Passed this very appropriate SPU building on 6th, it was all very foreboding for what was to come! Hooked a right and then started climbing up to staircase 341. Up 5th, down Armour, Up Newell, Down Raye, up Raye, down Smith, down 5th, down Barrett, then back up Barrett. Phew!

I am starting to get nervous about finishing this entire quest. It is the last day of August, where has this summer gone? I want to finish before the first day of fall, which is Friday, September 23rd, that is 23 days away! Ack! I better start getting a move on. I would say I am 65% done but there are still huge swaths I haven't even attacked yet. I hope I make it!

Streets Complted: W Raye, Irondale (which was really just an alley), Humes Pl
Staircases: 341
Total time walked: 1 hour 23 minutes

Cemetery Walk

Not only did I learn today what I want for a grave site when I die, but I learned how I want to be when I grow up, before needing that grave site!

Today a friend and I did a walk through Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. I never knew how big it actually was. It was gorgeous. Not a soul around (no pun intended) and we had the place to ourselves.

It was interesting to see all of the graves, and little did I know there is a whole Jewish area within the cemetery (I am Jewish, which is why it is of particular interest to me) and saw some familiar names.

What perhaps was most intriguing was the mix of really old graves with newer ones right next door. Who must have planned that? We discussed in earnest what kind of grave markings we wanted and did a critique of all the headstones we saw. We both determined that bigger is better!

We looped around the entire cemetery and noticed that the office of the cemetery looked a little too much like a motel near a national park, with an office sign dangling outside. Strange indeed.

Later in the walk, something caught my eye, a sparkle in the sun. I looked up just in time to see a mirrored jacket slip into a car. Was I imagining things? Was it too hot? Had I not had enough water? No, just then the woman wearing the jacket got back out of the car and in fact someone else in a brightly colored outfit was coming down the stairs! They looked so festive, we wanted to go where they were going, which turned out to be a Bingo night at the senior center! I asked if I could take their picture, they laughed and posed and as we walked away we heard them claim that they were having twice as much fun even though we were half their age! I want to be like that when I grow up.



Streets Completed: Pleasant Pl, W Bothwell
Staircase: 227
Total time walked: 58 minutes

Pacman

Today I felt like Pacman, going street by street, doubling back and winning a prize when I got to the end of a street. If only I was really eating treats as I went! It would have been frustrating had it been an ugly part of the neighborhood, or not such a great evening. But, the fact of the matter was it was a lovely warm summer evening, just before sunset in Lower Queen Anne. And, this walk got me oh so close to finishing all of Lower Queen Anne. I am within two tiny little streets of finishing! Perhaps I just need to go bust those little streets out next time I walk. Did feel a little silly walking past Laredo's about 3 different times! Oh well, I got a lot of streets done!

Streets Completed: Ward St, Ward Pl, Aloha, 5th Ave N, 6th Ave N
Staircases: none
Total time walked: 54 minutes

Over Easy

Today I had no energy. Perhaps it was due to the fact that I spent my morning in the dentist chair, followed by a follow up trip to the car repair shop, followed by a blood test! You think? And it was hot and unusually muggy for these parts.

I wasn't going to do any walk today but my boyfriend really wanted Menchie's frozen yogurt, and, well, I had to be accommodating. We decided to drive up and over the hill, go for a walk and end at Menchies.

We walked over to 7th W on Crockett, then up and back on 7th W, looked at the mountains, walked to McGraw, did a piece of McGraw, then up 2nd and to Menchies. We took it really really easy and did not complete any streets, and no staircases and it took us 45 minutes to do just those few blocks.

We did however see some fun stuff. Like, the backside of the wall that runs along 7th W. Its a gorgeous wall! And a nice imbedded into the sidewalk street sign for W Howe.



And now I feel even more like an over easy egg! Fried! I am going to take a nap!

Flavors of FroYo consumed: Tart and pomegranate. I love that Menchie's moved into the neighborhood!

Streets Completed: none
Staircases: none
Total Time Walked: A lazy 45 minutes.

You know you are obsessed when.....

A little evening stroll to Kerry Park with your boyfriend to catch the sunset and stretch out your sore legs from your 10 mile walk the day before turns into a quest to find streets you haven't done yet, sweetly suggesting that its such a nice night, we could just walk up here a little bit!?

45 minutes later......it was a gorgeous summer sunset and we did a little part of Blaine.

Streets completed: none
Staircases: 331
Total time walked: 45 minutes

The Nasty Bits of QA Circular Route

Due to some pressing car upkeep issues (anyone want to pay for my $700 car repair!?) I had the opportunity to dump my car at the repair shop, which happens to be on Elliott. I could have walked straight home and gone about my work. But, my obsession kicked in and I plotted a route around the base of Queen Anne.

Since the beginning of this expedition I have been dreading walking a few streets, all the nasty ones, Aurora, 15th W, Mercer.....So I decided to conquer them all in one day. The day was sort of an overcast day anyhow, fitting for this kind of walk.

Took off down 15th W, cars whizzing by, trucks honking, exhaust being pumped out. The one good thing? The first blackberries of this late season. Not, that I would ever eat them so close to a nasty road. Tackled a few staircases along the way, up from 15th W.

As I got to the Ballard Bridge there was a lot to do. There were loops I had to walk, staircases up and over, and underpasses and walkways. If you have ever been over there it can get very confusing. I think I ended up doing about a mile just around that area, very careful to walk every single street. To the left is a picture of the Ballard Bridge underpass, now used a homeless camp.

Onto Nickerson where there were slightly fewer vehicles but still pretty gritty. Lots of industry over there that I have never noticed.

Stopped briefly at the Tully's for some refreshment and a look at the map. I was way down on the water and Aurora was way up there, I had to plot out how I was going to get up there.

Decided to take 3rd up the hill, through Mayfair Park and onto the bridge that way. Decided I had to walk the bridge at least up until the water line, which officially designates Queen Anne from Fremont. I had to hold onto my map as the cars flew by me.

I felt officially like a street walker, in my sexy workout pants and nasty old t-shirt, walking down Aurora! So embarrassing! I did get some nice views from the bridge. And, also a reminder that the bridge is also a sometimes not so pleasant place. See picture to the right.

Just on the Queen Anne side of the bridge I picked up a completely untouched $5 Scratch Lotto ticket! I knew I would win tons of money and wanted to savor the moment in a more quiet setting, tucked it away in my bag.

Just past the Dexter exit there is a path that I tried to do in the dark a few weeks ago but it was too scary. Decided now would be the perfect time. And, it was scary even in the daylight! Steep with lots of garbage strewn about and way too much privacy should someone bad want to do something bad. I got off the trail pretty fast and headed back down Aurora.

Did part of the Galer overpass and stairclimb, which gave me a lovely view of the dirty traffic on Aurora!

Finally got to Mercer, yet more traffic and garbage! But, I was almost done. The phone still hadnt rung to let me know my car had been fixed. So, I did some sidestreets that needed to be done and found myself back at staircase 200, going back down to Elliott.

Rather than walking home (I knew if I did that the second I walked in the door my phone would ring), I went to the car place and proceeded to wait for an hour and a half. Now, with a car that should treat me well for the next 25 years I am back home.

I can still feel the exhaust in my lungs! My next walk is going to be on a quiet street! Oh, and I didn't win a single dollar on the scratch ticket. Boo!

Streets completed: 15th W, Nickerson, Mercer, Aurora, Mercer W
Staircases: 630, 373, 36, 467, 86, 473, 116, 117, 200
Total time walked: 3 hours 53 minutes (the longest mileage since my ACL tear at 9.87 miles!)

Holy Stairs, Batman!

Today was the day of stairs, in the heat! Drove over to the west side of the hill, where there is a whole network of tightly packed streets off of Gilman. There are many streets that are in fact called one street but are split by a grassy area, or a median or something that the map maker felt it necessary to draw them as two separate streets. This section of the hill has always daunted me.

Let me first point out, for those who aren't aware, the west side of this hill has a lot of staircases and it felt like we tackled all of them, all at once.

Started out on Gilman and headed all the way down to 15th and decided to tackle all of the staircases on W. Wheeler, of which there are about 7 or so. The picture to the right is the very bottom staircase.

Then we took a break to play a game and have a snack in Rachel's Park, it was a gorgeous day and we rejuvenated ourselves. Finished off W Wheeler and found ourselves hungry and on McGraw.

Like a beacon in the night, there was Malena's Tacos! Sat outside for some satisfying fish tacos and over to the grocery store for a sweet treat (I cannot go into Macrina, I will buy everything I see).

For some serious calorie burns we walked down to Westview, and the loop around the two sides of 12th W.

Walked back to the car and to dump the backpack and drove down to 14th, where we tackled a new set of staircases and 14th Ave W.

It was hot and we were tired. Got an iced coffee on 10th and called it good!

Streets Completed: Gilman, Westview, W Wheeler
Staircases: Get ready for this list! 357, 309, 310, 311, 360, 307, 368, 308, 367, 361, 564, 370
Total time walked: 2 hours 3 minutes

A Sleepy Part of Queen Anne

Today we headed over to a sort of quiet and sleepy part of Queen Anne. It was the area surrounding SPU and perhaps it was only sleepy because the students had yet to return.

We parked on Cremona and headed down towards SPU, got ourselves a little turned around and thought the map maker, Thomas (who I feel in my own head I am on a first name basis with at this point) screwed up. I have to admit that I cursed his name a little and then realized that no, it was in fact me who had made the mistake. Sorry Thomas!

Headed down towards the water and crossed over the often forgot about Ship Canal Trail and down to a little public shore access park, perfect for a kayak launch. We saw this great boat parked there. There was even a houseboat that I have never noticed before.

Back up toward SPU we did a funny little loop around Bertona and Emmerson, which must have made us look silly indeed. Oh well.

Then, I wanted to show my boyfriend the photo prints (he is an artist himself, check out www.paintedwater.com) that were hanging in Stells, where I had visited on a previous walk, my coffee oasis in the dessert of Queen Anne! They were so nice in there and told him to come back with some of his art, they might display it.

Ran into what looked like some old abandoned staircases, but we guessed that they were private as they were not marked on the map.

We also ran into a street that was not on the map, it had a sign that said it was a map, but we decreed that it was in fact an alley just mislabeled by the City of Seattle as a street.

The entire area was sort of a tucked away, little area. Quiet, it almost felt like a little fishing village in the middle of Ireland or something. Strange how you can be transported somewhere so far away less than a mile from your own house.

Streets Completed: Cremona, W Argand (which, one piece of is really an alley)
Staircases: None, or private abandoned unmarked one
Total Time Walked: 48 minutes

Dead Ends

Sometimes the walks that I dread the most turn out to be the best. All day today I was feeling just blah, didn't want to move, despite the sunny weather greeting me at the window.

As I sat and watched a re-run of a gymnastics meet I saw a story about Shawn Johnson, the gold medalist, who was making a comeback after an ACL tear! Well, if she can do all the stuff she was doing on the balance beam with a busted knee, well, then, I could go for a damn walk. Yes, that is right, a gymnast got me to go for a walk. I will fully admit that!

Off I went, part of the problem was I feeling uninspired by where to go. I decided on a patch of streets on the eastern side of the hill that I hadn't yet visited. It didn't look too exciting. But it was! It was the land of dead ends and views. One after the other, one more interesting than the other.

This is one of those posts that is best left to pictures.
This dead end has a little circle of a forest at the end, of course I walked around the whole thing!


Did you know there is a matching wall on the opposite side of the hill from Wilcox Wall? Same lights and everything! Who knew?
Don't know if you can see it but there a ton of crows flying overhead in this one.

Added bonus pic, this was just too cute to pass up, almost an exact replica of the big house, for Lola, the dog!

Streets Completed: Bigelow and 4th Ave N
Staircases: None!
Total Time Walked: 1 hour 17 minutes

Welcome back, slacker!

This is me, trying to look like a bad ass in front of a graffiti wall in a Queen Anne alley!

Go for a week from Queen Anne and she makes it hard to get back into the swing of things! Especially when you try to come back to steep hills and staircases! All of today's walk seemed to be up and up. 6th West between Prospect and Highland, steep, Lee, from 8th W to Willard, steep, 3rd West up from Olympic, steep!

W Lee, Up staircase number 200

W Comstock, very steep, went down and then straight back up again. Phew!

Staircase number 314, long and steep!

Streets Completed: Lee, Willard
Staircases: 342, 314, 200, 123, 325
Total time walked: 42 minutes

Feeling Deprived

For the last few days I haven't had a chance to do any Queen Anne walking. And, now I am about to jet off for a fancy vacation at the coast and will not do any Queen Anne walking for the next week. What is a girl to do?

For my update today I will show you all the map and how much it has filled out.

The south side of the mapThe north side

Till next week!

Fellow Climbers

A couple of days ago I saw a group of women huffing and puffing up a staircase on Warren and 2nd. They all had workout clothes and their trusty Queen Anne Staircase Map! I was whizzing by in a car so I couldn't stop to chat so I assume they are doing all the Queen Anne staircases.

It's nice knowing there are other wanderers, climbers and trekkers out there with me, sometimes it gets lonely!

I just cant stop!

It seems to be that once I get going on these walks there is no stopping me. I just can't make myself stick to the original route, I must get more done!

Today was no different, I think I was in every single section of Queen Anne, all over the map, literally!

My mom dropped me off on Nickerson and 11thW and I climbed up a steep walkway all the way up to Ruffner (see left). Hooked a right and the plan was to go all the way across the hill on 13th W and then up and over the hill on Garfield. An hour, tops!

First I added a little loop around some little street around 13th. That was my first detour. Then, as I got to the West Howe Jurassic (which is a staircase, do not know why it was called the West Howe Jurassic but it sounds pretty neat!).

I got hungry and had to go to the bathroom and decided to pop into the Icebox on 10th W. What a cute little place. I was refreshed with deviled eggs and a gatoraide and pulled out my map. I decided to ditch the idea of Garfield opting instead for West Howe up to the top where I was just going to head home.

I hiked up the hill (realizing that I should have done all the steep bits of Queen Anne when it was a little cooler outside). Came to this great bench (see right) and had a sit down and determined that I was feeling pretty good and why not finish all of Howe? So, I did, which was way out of my way.

Then, on a fluke, there was a little part of Garfield that I skipped over on a previous walk, so I trotted down the hill, just to come back up again. This time I was going to complete Hayes St. So, back toward the center of the hill on Hayes, where I was going to turn to go home.

Got to the end of Hayes and Blaine was just right there, just one block over. Fine! Up Blaine I went, I was going to go until I hit 3rd and then turn down the hill. Well, on 5th Ave I finally turned down. Headed left on Comstock, then back to Highland to do staircase 331. Good thing too, because I saw a fleet of Seafair big military ships leaving Elliott Bay.

I just can't stop myself! My map is filling up with highlighter marks! And, now, quite frequently I intersect with a street I have already done and have fond memories.

Total time walked: 2 hours and 12 minutes
Streets completed: 13th Ave W, W Howe, Hayes St

Staircases: 42, 175, 43, 365, 364 (otherwise known as West Howe Jurassic), 162, 331Did you know that many streets on Queen Anne are marked in the pavement?

The Trees of Queen Anne

Took another long walk at the end of last week and the one thing that stood out was the magnificent trees we have here. Today's blog post will be a visual tour of the wonderful trees of Queen Anne:

An elephant's foot tree! On top of the Comstock Grand Dame

A gorgeous twisty tree, with the sun behind it on 4th Ave W

A perfect garden on 4th Ave W
A perfect tree canopy on Smith St

One of my favorite Queen Anne trees in the park at 2nd and Prospect

Streets completed on this walk: 1st Ave N, 1st Ave W, 4th Ave W
Total time walked: 2 hours 2 minutes