Roaming Zen

Have you ever been to Pine Lake? It's one of three freshwater lakes in the city, and a wonderfully tranquil spot. We will enjoy the peace and quiet of the lake, as well as exploring some of the delights of St Francis Wood and Parkside.

This roam is flatter than most, with a couple of short climbs and some stairs; there will be plenty of off-roading.

Please note that roams over the winter months are somewhat weather dependent, and this may get rescheduled depending on the forecast. Bring water, snacks, and layers for whatever the weather is doing.

These roams are offered by donation. They are one way I am able to pay my rent in San Francisco.

Punctuality is always appreciated. Please send a message on the app if you are running a little late. I can usually respond to messages before we get underway, but then I won't be checking my phone.

I know Meetup is notorious for no-shows and late changes of rsvp. I am not as strict as other organisers, but I do pay attention to those who regularly drop off or no-show, and there will be consequences for recidivists, as it is discourteous for others who would like to attend.

Now that I live on the east side of the city, I have been paying attentiion to different aspects of its layout and geography. I had never realised, for instance, that two of the city's oldest public squares, Washington and Union (the names perhaps hint to their antiquity, though for a while they were just open spaces on the map) are both bounded by the same two north-south streets, Powell and Stockton. This seemed like a good foundation for a roam. For good measure, we will also visit the most historic square of all, Portsmouth, pictured above, which originally lay right above the shoreline of Yerba Buena Cove.
We will go over Nob Hill en route, so be prepared for a climb. If you want to take a spin on the holiday ice rink at Union Square, bring your skates!

Please note that roams over the winter months are somewhat weather dependent, and this may get rescheduled depending on the forecast. Bring water, snacks, and layers for whatever the weather is doing.

These roams are offered by donation. They are one way I am able to pay my rent in San Francisco.

Punctuality is always appreciated. Please send a message on the app if you are running a little late. I can usually respond to messages before we get underway, but then I won't be checking my phone.

I know Meetup is notorious for no-shows and late changes of rsvp. I am not as strict as other organisers, but I do pay attention to those who regularly drop off or no-show, and there will be consequences for recidivists, as it is discourteous for others who would like to attend.

After the three squares of the old city on the 6th, it seemed natural to follow up with this favourite route over the years.

When I started looking at old maps of the city I was struck by the fact that the five squares shown on the first surveys of the Western Addition from the 1850s are all still extant - even if a couple of them have transformed a little.

So this is a more urban route than most, but one that will offer great views of the hills and the bay, as well as a sense of history and transformation. There will be a couple of climbs, but not as steep as it could be!

Please note that roams over the winter months are somewhat weather dependent, and this may get rescheduled depending on the forecast. Bring water, snacks, and layers for whatever the weather is doing.

These roams are offered by donation. They are one way I am able to pay my rent in San Francisco.

Punctuality is always appreciated. Please send a message on the app if you are running a little late. I can usually respond to messages before we get underway, but then I won't be checking my phone.
I know Meetup is notorious for no-shows and late changes of rsvp. I am not as strict as other organisers, but I do pay attention to those who regularly drop off or no-show, and there will be consequences for recidivists, as it is discourteous for others who would like to attend.

Around this time last year, we had an amazing outing to Marshall's Beach, where we were able to walk to the very foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is only possible with the tides at their most extreme; it happened to be a beautiful winter day as well, so we were treated to a gorgeous sunset on the beach as well.
I have been scanning the tide tables to look for a chance to repeat that memorable experience, and this is the most suitable date this year. The roam will most likely go ahead even if the weather is bad.
Please note that this roam will start later, at 2:30, to account for the low tide time of 4:40. We will take a little loop through the woods of the Presidio, and get down to the beach in good time to enjoy all of this.

There will be a couple of longish steep climbs, and plenty of dirt and sand. Bring suitable clothes for the weather, plus water, and snacks.

These roams are offered by donation. They are one way I am able to pay my rent in San Francisco.

Punctuality is always appreciated. Please send a message on the app if you are running a little late.

I know Meetup is notorious for no-shows and late changes of rsvp. I am not as strict as other organisers, but I do pay attention to those who regularly drop off or no-show, and there will be consequences for recidivists, as it is discourteous for others who would like to attend.