Yom Kippur caused some members of the Piedmont Recreation Department's Walking on Wednesdays group to miss its walk on October 9, and the possibility of a PG&E power turnoff was clearly on the minds of the 16 members when they arrived at the Exedra for their morning walk. Many expressed some concern about the possibility of losing power. Quincy appeared ready of action wearing a black and gold "Ranger" cap, but he confessed it was a Ford Ranger, not an Army cap. Two K-9 best friends who were also in attendance, and everyone was there for a walk on a lovely day. Before they got started, the group was pleased to welcome two, new, first-time walkers, Anita and Winston. Anita had learned about the group during a visit to City Hall, and Winston is the husband of walker Judith
. The group likes to visit streets and pathways that don't get much traffic, and the seldom traveled MacKinnon Place and lower portions of Fairview and San Carlos Avenues were set as some of the day's destinations. Going to these streets also allowed the walkers to go through Piedmont Park, which is always enjoyable. As they emerged from the park they took a minute to read the marker that tells the history of the maze that Frank C. Havens built in the early 20th Century, a site that is now the Piedmont High football field.
This stop also gave Michael Gardner's K-9 best friend, Maggie May, a chance for a little rest and the opportunity for Michael to tell the group about the dog's history. She is a solid, 90-English Golden that was born in the Ukraine, but not cared for properly as a young dog. This has resulted in some health issues, but Maggie Mae has become a be- loved part of the Gardners' home. down The walkers continued down Wildwood Avenue to the "Five Way Stop" and chose to go down Wallace Road, one of very few one-way streets in the city, and probably the least traveled street of the ones that form the 5 W. They crossed Palm Avenue and went up a path to MacKinnon, a cul-de-sac off Magnolia Avenue. A 110-foot path took the walkers to Arbor Drive, and then on to the traffic circle at Arbor and Nova Drive.
They continued up Arbor to Fairview Avenue, where they walked down its lower portion to the point where it meets Fairview's upper portion. From there they could see the Ace Hardware store on Grand Avenue. The store's parking lot was full and busy, and the walkers suspected it was people stock- ing up in case of their electricity was shut off. The group headed back upper Fairview for a short walk to Oakland Avenue and then the less traveled lower portion of San Carlos Avenue, which like Fairview Avenue, is another of Piedmont's split-level streets.
It took them to Magnolia Avenue and the climb up it past the Piedmont High construction with steel beams now in place. The walkers finished their two-plus mile, 90 minute walk at the Exedra, pleased that they had visited a set of little traveled streets, and enjoyed a beautiful day together with friends.
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