In the 1970s, Michael Douglas and Karl Malden patrolled The Streets of San Francisco. I tried to follow in their footsteps on Friday morning by going to Lombard Street.
Like most of the city's roads, it was a steep thoroughfare that made its way through several neighborhoods ... but its beauty was best seen between Hyde and Leavenworth streets. Motorists who dared to travel east navigated switchbacks while manicured greens lined both sides of the street. For those getting around by foot, the sidewalks had steps to help one move to and fro.
Its eight twists and turns reminded me of the Cyclone, and I observed the "crooked street" from several vantage points. Cars drove along the brick-paved road for a few minutes of excitement, while pedestrians hiked the pathway as an endurance test. After going up and down the street -- literally! -- for a half-hour, I was ready to flee the concrete jungle.
