Streets of San Francisco (No, not that one)

When I walk home from my office heading north along 2nd street, I go seven (or eight including South Park) blocks crossing streets with names that are among the most historic in the City. This is the so called SOMA district, as in South Of Market. It's been reinvented several times, from a back water slough to a bustling sailing ship port to major modern port to dilapidated warehouse district to most recently a trendy internet business center with a fancy new old looking baseball field. Since I see them everyday these streets and looking into the names and found some interesting and fun facts. The streets in order, going home, are:

• Townsend
• Brannon
• South Park
• Bryant
• Harrison
• Folsom
• Howard
• Mission
• Market

Seven blocks may not seem like much but these are extra long. In each block are two alleys so the whole distance from Townsend to Market is about one mile according to google maps.

First of all, you need to understand the weird geometry of San Francisco. There is a diagonal slash of Market Street that divides a northern grid of north/south streets with a southern grid that is made of northwest/southeast streets. That's what mathematicians would call a "discontinuity" and drivers just call a mess. The intersections on Market Street provide all kinds of opportunity for different and probably illegal maneuvers. Add in a few one way streets and bike lanes and you better have your wits about you to survive. Notice on the map that further south the orientation goes back to pretty much north/south. It's part of the charm.

As I walk back and forth, I'm collecting some actual facts and some local color to illustrate my pedestrian life. So let's start on Townsend and head north.