Alameda: Along Crown Beach From Richard Katz's
Skating Unrinked book, published in paperback by HarperCollinsWest in 1994. Or was it '95? If you are not reading this on a screen, stop reading and head to www.Amazon.com. Thanx. Richard Katz = katz@frogojt.com. email
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Chapter Alameda.txt
Alameda: Along Crown Beach
The Island of Alameda is one of the few places around San Francisco Bay where you can actually go swimming. Along Alameda's Southshore there is no danger of riptides or "tidal waves", two phenomena in California that zip people unexpectedly out to sea; and on some days this shallow water is warm enough to splash around for as long as you want. The first mile or so of this trail is perfect for beginners, and it's right next to the beach and the bay. It's also right next to the road. But there are no cross streets and lots of fresh air.
How to Get There by Car from Southbound Interstate 80:
Take the "High Street -- Alameda" exit. Stay on the right side of the offramp, and follow the signs for Alameda. (The signs for "Oakland" also refer to High Street, but in the wrong direction; you want to head west.) Turn right on High Street at the Shell station at the bottom of the offramp.
How to Get There by Car from Northbound Interstate 80:
Take the "High Street -- Alameda" exit and turn left at the bottom of the offramp. Go under the freeway, heading west on High Street.
Everybody:
Drive west on High Street over the drawbridge. Stay in the left lane. Immediately upon crossing the bridge to the island, turn left on Fernside Boulevard. When you get to the light at Otis Drive, take a right, then take a left on Bayview Drive. Curve around on Bayview. When you see it coming to an end at Broadway Street, park on Bayview if possible and go left on Broadway on skates.
What It's Like:
The beginning of Alameda's Southshore trail is at the curve where Broadway Street becomes Shoreline Drive. The first quarter mile of the trail has better pavement than the rest of it, and there are bathrooms near the trailhead provided by the East Bay Regional Park District. On your left is the Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary (no jogging!). If you don't see many shorebirds or migratory birds from the trail, go out on the short pier that juts out into the bay just a few dozen yards from the trailhead and look around. This first quarter mile of the trail is especially good for a family outing. If you forgot anything from the house, you can pick it up at the South Shore Center shopping mall a little bit up Shoreline Drive on your right, just past the McDonald's.
After you pass the bird sanctuary, there are splendid views of the beach and San Francisco Bay. After you pass Sand Castle picnic area about a mile north on the trail, the pavement becomes pretty rough. The path curves away from the beach, out toward the parking lots, then heads back toward the beach, on either side of a long driveway leading to the snack bar. It doesn't matter which little strip of asphalt you pick paralleling the driveway, they're all rough. The trail continues north on the right side of the snack bar building, where it runs alongside Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach's Crab Cove Visitor Center. The Visitor Center proper is on your right, open Wednesay-Sunday 10-4:30. The Marine Preserve, on your left, is open 24 hours a day.
The path continues around a point jutting out into the bay, then passes through a gate onto private property. That gate will remain open until just past dark. The "public shore" pathway through this private land goes on bumpily for about a quarter mile, past Queens Road and past Kings Road, then ends abruptly at Crown Drive (probably no relation).
From beginning to end this trail is about 2.5 miles.
Places to Eat:
On the other side of Shoreline Drive from the trailhead, near the bird sanctuary, there is a McDonald's that has always been pretty tolerant of skaters.
At the other end of the trail, near Crown Beach, you can skate up McKay Avenue to Central Avenue, hang a right on Central, pass Webster Street, cross the street, and skate into the back yard of Croll's Pizza and Croll's Tavern. You can yell your order through the screen door, and they will bring your food out. Croll's has tons of character; it's been there for a hundred years. If you do go inside, you'll see interesting old photos, stained glass, and best of all, a vintage pinball machine in pretty good working order (Hee Haw, for the cognoscenti).
Tucker's ice cream parlor on Park Street is worth going out of your way for on your way home. Just drive a short distance north on Shoreline Drive, turn right on Park Street, and drive all the way across the island. When the Park Street Bridge is in sight, look on your right for the ice cream parlor.
There is also a skate shop on Park Street called Willows Skate and Surf. They rent skates; 1431 Park St., 510 523 5566.
Public Transportation:
You can get to Alameda on the AC Transit #51 bus line. The 51 runs all the way from Berkeley, and can take you within a block or two of the trail at either the Broadway and San Jose Street end to the south, or the Central and Webster end to the north. The 51 bus stops at the 12th St BART station.
Ratings:
Path Surface = *** (some **)
Public Transit Access = ***
Surroundings = **
Level of Difficulty = EASY
Overall Rating = **
Length = About 2.5 miles, one way
Other trails to check out in the neighborhood:
Bay Farm Island
Note from the Author: Haven't put in links to the other chapters yet.
From Richard Katz's Skating Unrinked book, published in paperback by HarperCollinsWest in 1994. Or was it '95? If you are not reading this on a screen, stop reading and head to www.Amazon.com. Thanx. Richard Katz = katz@frogojt.com. email
Back to Richard Katz's Homepage
If you want to go back to the Table of Contents of Skating Unrinked, Back to TOC