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Steeps of San Francisco

By Guest Author • 15th June 2011 01:23am • Posted in Cycle Club

Words: Lee Jakobs

I have lived in San Francisco for 20 years, still I am constantly reminded that you can't really know The City unless you do it on two wheels. The up and down, up and down, meandering throughout San Francisco's neighborhoods is as unique a ride as you can find anywhere around the world. This past weekend set out from the Cycle Club to experience 30 of the steepest climbs in The City, 13 of which pitched 27% or greater.

Heading straight up Broderick Street—so windy and steep that cars are not allowed—our ride leader Scot Nicol took us onto the sidewalk because it was steeper. Something about the satisfaction of the top being that much greater. Behind Scot was a motley, but motivated, crew of road and mountain bikes. Some within the group choosing to muscle straight up the climb, others 'checking the mail', zagging across the road to keep from flopping on their backs.

After conquering Filbert, Pollard Place, Kearny and Montgomery we aimed for the flat Embarcadero waterfront for a reprieve.  Dodging the SF Giants baseball traffic, we made our way to Potrero Hill and down Vermont Street. This is where the "old" San Francisco still shows itself. 24th Street to the cobblestoned street called Deharo. Over to Bernal Heights, where we finished our 'Steeps of San Francisco' with two of the steepest streets, Prentiss (37%) and Chapman (36%).

Legs shot and arms still slightly quivering we finished the day with a box lunch from our friends at Tell Tale Preserves and a strong coffee at Four Barrel.

Comments

Jan Sotorník

15th June 2011 07:42am

37%?! wow respect

Dave Wyman

15th June 2011 07:53am

For a long time, I thought Los Angeles had streets steeper than those in Baghdad by the Bay. We do have at least three that top out at 33%. I think the longest of them is Fargo Street, in the hilly Echo Park district; the grade runs fairly close to 33% for most of 1/10th of a mile, and then, for the final several yards, pitches up more steeply.

And there are many streets in the Hollywood Hills (part of the Santa Monica Mountains), a few miles north of my house, that have 15-20+% grades.

Reading this piece makes me want to jam up to SF to take on those steepest of the steep hills.

Samuel Klontz

15th June 2011 03:40pm

Pittsburgh claims to have the steepest "paved" road in North America . . . Canton Ave, part of the Dirty Dozen. SF should begin it's own Dirty Thirty ride! Because who really wants to visit PA in November!?

Tom McCave

16th June 2011 02:36am

Dave - SF roads are awesome (watch the tram tracks!) but don't waste the gas. Angeles National Park has some good road, much steeper - and longer - than Tapanga/Piuma/Mulholland country. The ride up to Crystal Lake is a destroyer, not to mention Baldy.

Mike Spriggs

16th June 2011 03:27am

Amazing idea for a ride. Respect.

Philip Ames

16th June 2011 06:43pm

sounds like a wonderfully vile ride. any chance of mapping your exact route so anyone can (virtually) ride along? Same question for Tom McCave - that sounds equally as nasty!

Dave Wyman

18th June 2011 12:12am

Tom wrote:

"The ride up to Crystal Lake is a destroyer, not to mention Baldy."

I'm embarrassed to admit I've never ridden to the end of either of those rides. They are on my bucket list.

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