This run was the second RATS run of the day, the earlier one being a little over 3 miles in New Homestead, described in my last post. For this run, my intention was to get to the bottom of Starch Street and the top of William Street.
Of course by “bottom of”, I’m thinking “the bottom of the story”, rather than the lowest elevation. Starch Street is purportedly at the end of Excelsior Street. I had been down Excelsior before, but stopped at the Jersey barriers at the end. Today I wanted to see how far it went “Beyond the Barrier”. I trotted up McClain and then took the quick right, left combo onto the end of Excelsior. At that point, the asphalt gave way to brick. There were a couple of cars parked there and then the barriers. I hopped over them and went a few feet. The road disappeared into a mass of vegetation. I pressed on. Maybe just past these bushes? But no, I just disturbed a deer, who noisily clambered down the slope. Perhaps in the dead of winter there’s a path. Perhaps a pith helmet and machete are required, but I’m considering this one inaccessible.
I turned back up Excelsior and found the Emerald Street Steps, which conveniently led me down to Arlington. I think Arlington is a cool street. It twists and turns, decorated with streetcar tracks and overhead wires. As it slinks down the hill, a few small streets shoot off uphill to the left or downhill to the right.
William Street was one of those going up to the left. In 2018, mudslides caused the street to be closed. They’ve made some major improvements to it, but parts are still eroding off the hillside. Cars can’t drive through anymore. On foot, however, I was able to skirt the falling hillside and emerge onto Bailey Avenue.
From here, I crossed over Mount Washington, taking Boggs down to the end of West Warrington Avenue. (I had missed that intersection in my previous travels.) I came back up the hill on Southern Avenue. Here the houses are all perched on precarious hillsides with guard dogs, and, in this case, a guard lion. Looks like he’s on the tomb of the last trespasser.
I made my way through Emerald View Park back to my car. The views here were outstanding, especially on this sunny Saturday.
