Friday, August 13, 2004

Its the little things..

- I dont know
what the San Francisco Fire Department's motto is (SF's Bravest? Revered cuz We Havent Forgotten 1906, and By God It Could Happen Again? Pedal to the Metal?), but they drive like theyve got something to prove.

In a cramped busy city, these guys hurtle around with the sirens, speeding. They dont stop or slow down for an intersection. They MOVE.
Even FDNY jockey's show more caution than these guys.

It's prolly because of the sirens.

You think the sirens in New York are loud?

Dude, the sirens on the SF rigs are painful to everyone within a 3 block radius, I shit you knot.

You may want to plug up your ears as they pass by.

So, if they plow through you, its not their fault. You shoulda heard them.

- Sand on the tracks.

It wasnt until I saw a cable car at the Powell Street turnaround pissing sand that I put 1 and 1 together.

All the streetcar (and LRV - the fancy new Light Rail Vehicles) tracks have sand in the tracks.

It wasnt until I quizzed a cable car operator about the pissing sand that he replied:

"Oh! That must be the Sander! All the trains have sand on board for traction when its wet and slippery."

So, if you see a streetcar drizzling sand, or you get sand in your sandals crossing the street, now you know why.

Random.
-------
A native suggested 2 more bus lines for me to jump on

The #6 Parnassus and the #48.

I had seen the #6 bus going by, most looking OLD and tired (thats because most are nearly 40 years old), and figured they must pass through the shittiest route.

Ahh, thats why the natives have the edge.

The bus stops at a little turnaround on a semi-culdesac at the intersection of Quintara and 14th, that is both at the base of a hill and at the top of a hill with stairs leading down.

Those steps, believe it or not *is* Quintera Street. Dont go driving your Mini down it tho (ala The Italian Job).

Where Quintera becomes a street again is where you catch the #48.

Awesome views.

Most days, the area is drenched with fog, for this is the Sunset District, or as its known - Where San Francisco Fog is home.

Its at the base of the Sunset Heights park.

There are no tourists here.

You can see all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge and the entire San Francisco pacific coast from the park.

Stunning, even with the fog shrouding the hill.

The #48 stops on an overlook over the Golden Gate Beach.

Im gonna go check it out now. Fog or no fog.


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